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<description>Matthew Henry's <i>Commentary on the Whole
Bible</i> is well-known and well-loved. His commentary is
aimed primarily at explanation and edification, as opposed to textual
research. Comprehensive, this commentary provides instruction and
encouragement throughout. Each volume of the commentary comes with its
own introduction, helpfully situating it for the reader. Although
written in an older style, Matthew Henry's <i>Commentary on the Whole
Bible</i>
is worth studying and is useful for pastors, theologians, and students
of the Bible.<br/><br/>Tim Perrine<br/>CCEL Staff Writer </description>
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<comments>Unabridged and carefully proofed.</comments>
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<published>Originally published 1706-1721. This version may be from the Revell edition.</published>
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<DC.Title>Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume I (Genesis to Deuteronomy)</DC.Title>
<DC.Creator sub="Author" scheme="short-form">Matthew Henry</DC.Creator>
<DC.Creator sub="Author" scheme="file-as">Henry, Matthew</DC.Creator>
<DC.Publisher>Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library</DC.Publisher>
<DC.Subject scheme="LCCN">BS490.H4</DC.Subject>
<DC.Subject scheme="lcsh1">The Bible</DC.Subject>
<DC.Subject scheme="lcsh2">Works about the Bible</DC.Subject>
<DC.Subject scheme="ccel">All; Bible; Classic; Proofed; </DC.Subject>
<DC.Date sub="Created">2000-07-09</DC.Date>
<DC.Type>Text.Commentary</DC.Type>
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<DC.Source>Logos, Inc.</DC.Source>
<DC.Source scheme="URL">http://www.logos.com</DC.Source>
<DC.Language>en</DC.Language>
<DC.Rights>Public domain. May be copied and distributed freely.</DC.Rights>
<DC.Contributor sub="Editor">Ernie Stefanik</DC.Contributor>
</DC>
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<div1 title="Title Page" n="i" progress="0.02%" prev="toc" next="ii" id="i">
<h2 id="i-p0.1">Matthew Henry's</h2>
<h1 id="i-p0.2">Commentary on the Whole Bible</h1>
<h4 id="i-p0.3">Unabridged</h4>
<p id="i-p1">&#160;</p>
<h3 id="i-p1.1">Volume I</h3>
<h2 id="i-p1.2">Genesis to Deuteronomy</h2>
</div1>
<div1 title="Preface: Genesis to Deuteronomy" n="i" progress="0.02%" prev="i" next="Gen" id="ii">
<hr/>
<div class="Center" id="ii-p0.2">
<h3 id="ii-p0.3">P R E F A C E.</h3>
<h4 id="ii-p0.4">Genesis to Deuteronomy</h4>
<hr style="width:100pt"/>
</div>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p1"><span class="smallcaps" id="ii-p1.1">Though</span> it is
most my concern, that I be able to give a good account to God and
my own conscience, yet, perhaps, it will be expected that I give
the world also some account of this bold undertaking; which I shall
endeavour to do with all plainness, and as one who believes, that
if men must be reckoned with in the great day, for every vain and
idle word they speak, much more for every vain and idle line they
write. And it may be of use, in the first place, to lay down those
great and sacred principles which I go upon, and am governed by, in
this endeavour to explain and improve these portions of holy writ;
which endeavour I humbly offer to the service of those (and to
those only I expect it will be acceptable) who agree with me in
these six principles:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p2">I. That <i>religion is the one thing
useful;</i> and to know, and love, and fear God our Maker, and in
all the instances both of devout affection, and of good
conversation, to <i>keep his commandments,</i> (<scripRef passage="Ec 12:13" id="ii-p2.1" parsed="|Eccl|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.13">Eccles. 12. 13</scripRef>) is, without doubt, <i>the
whole of man;</i> it is all in all to him. This the wisest of men,
after a close and copious argument in his <i>Ecclesiastes,</i> lays
down as the conclusion of his whole matter (the <i>Quod erat
demonstrandum</i> of his whole discourse); and therefore I may be
allowed to lay it down as a <i>postulatum,</i> and the foundation
of this whole matter. It is necessary to mankind in general, that
there should be religion in the world, absolutely necessary for the
preservation of the honour of the human nature, and no less so for
the preservation of the order of human societies. It is necessary
to each of us in particular, that we be religious; we cannot
otherwise answer the end of our creation, obtain the favour of our
Creator, make ourselves easy now, or happy for ever. A man that is
endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of
knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet
<i>lives without God in the world,</i> is certainly the most
despicable and the most miserable animal under the sun.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p3">II. That <i>divine revelation is necessary
to true religion,</i> to the being and support of it. That faith
without which <i>it is impossible to please God,</i> cannot come to
any perfection by seeing the works of God, but it must come by
<i>hearing the word of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 10:17" id="ii-p3.1" parsed="|Rom|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.17">Rom.
10. 17</scripRef>. The rational soul, since it received that fatal
shock by the fall, cannot have or maintain that just regard to the
great author of its being, that observance of him, and expectation
from him, which are both its duty and felicity, without some
supernatural discovery made by himself of himself, and of his mind
and will. Natural light, no doubt, is of excellent use, as far as
it goes; but it is necessary that there be a divine revelation, to
rectify its mistakes, and make up its deficiencies, to help us out
where the light of nature leaves us quite at a loss, especially in
the way and method of man's recovery from his lapsed state, and his
restoration to his Maker's favour; which he cannot but be conscious
to himself of the loss of, finding, by sad experience, his own
present state to be sinful and miserable. Our own reason shows us
the wound, but nothing short of a divine revelation can discover to
us a remedy to be confided in. The case and character of those
nations of the earth which had no other guide in their devotions
than that of natural light, with some remains of the divine
institution of sacrifices received by tradition from their fathers,
plainly show how necessary divine revelation is to the subsistence
of religion; for those that had not the word of God, soon lost God
himself, became vain in their imaginations concerning him, and
prodigiously vile and absurd in their worships and divinations. It
is true, the Jews, who had the benefit of divine revelation, lapsed
sometimes into idolatry, and admitted very gross corruptions; yet,
with the help of the law and the prophets, they recovered and
reformed: whereas the best and most admired philosophy of the
heathen could never do any thing toward the cure of the vulgar
idolatry, or so much as offered to remove any of those barbarous
and ridiculous rites of their religion, which were the scandal and
reproach of the human nature. Let men therefore pretend what they
will, deists are, or will be, atheists; and those that, under
colour of admiring the oracles of reason, set aside as useless the
oracles of God, undermine the foundations of all religion, and do
what they can to cut off all communication between man and his
Maker, and to set that noble creature on a level with the beasts
that perish.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p4">III. That <i>divine revelation is not now
to be found nor expected any where but in the scriptures of the Old
and New Testament;</i> and there it is. It is true, there were
religion and divine revelation before there was any written word;
but to argue from thence, that the scriptures are not now
necessary, is as absurd as it would be to argue that the world
might do well enough without the sun, because in the creation the
world had light three days before the sun was made. Divine
revelations, when first given, were confirmed by visions, miracles,
and prophecy; but they were to be transmitted to distant regions
and future ages, with their proofs and evidences, by writing, the
surest way of conveyance, and by which the knowledge of other
memorable things is preserved and propagated. We have reason to
think that even the ten commandments, though spoken with such
solemnity at Mount Sinai, would have been, long before this, lost
and forgotten, if they had been handed down by tradition only, and
never had been put in writing: it is that which is written, that
remains. The scripture indeed is not compiled as a methodical
system or body of divinity, <i>secundum artem&#8212;according to the
rules of art,</i> but several ways of writing, (histories, laws,
prophecies, songs, epistles, and even proverbs,) at several times,
and by several hands, as Infinite Wisdom saw fit. The end is
effectually obtained; such things are plainly supposed and taken
for granted, and such things are expressly revealed and made known,
as, being all put together, sufficiently inform us of all the
truths and laws of the holy religion we are to believe, and be
governed by. That <i>all scripture is given by inspiration of
God,</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ti 3:16" id="ii-p4.1" parsed="|2Tim|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.3.16">2 Tim. 3. 16.</scripRef>)
and that <i>holy men spake and wrote as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost,</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 1:21" id="ii-p4.2" parsed="|2Pet|1|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.21">2 Pet. 1. 21.</scripRef>)
we are sure; but who dare pretend to describe that inspiration?
None <i>knows the way of the Spirit,</i> nor how the thoughts were
formed in the heart of him that was inspired, any more than we know
the way of the soul into the body, or <i>how the bones are formed
in the womb or her that is with child,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 11:5" id="ii-p4.3" parsed="|Eccl|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.11.5">Eccles. 11. 5</scripRef>. But we may be sure that the
blessed Spirit did not only habitually prepare and qualify the
penmen of scripture for that service, and put it into their hearts
to write, but did likewise assist their understandings and memories
in recording those things which they themselves had the knowledge
of, and effectually secure them from error and mistake; and what
they could not know but by revelation, (as for instance, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:1-31" id="ii-p4.4" parsed="|Gen|1|1|1|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.1-Gen.1.31">Gen. 1.</scripRef> and <scripRef passage="Joh 1:1-18" id="ii-p4.5" parsed="|John|1|1|1|18" osisRef="Bible:John.1.1-John.1.18">John 1.</scripRef>) the same blessed Spirit gave them
clear and satisfactory information of. And no doubt, as far as was
necessary to the end designed, they were directed by the Spirit,
even in the language and expression; for there were <i>words which
the Holy Ghost taught;</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 2:13" id="ii-p4.6" parsed="|1Cor|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.13">1 Cor. ii.
13</scripRef>) and God saith to the prophet, <i>Thou shalt speak
with my words,</i> <scripRef passage="Eze 3:4" id="ii-p4.7" parsed="|Ezek|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.4">Ezek. iii.
4</scripRef>. However, it is not material to us, who drew up the
statute, nor what liberty he took in using his own words: when it
is ratified, it is become the legislator's act, and binds the
subject to observe the true intent and meaning of it. The scripture
proves its divine authority and original both to the wise and to
the unwise. Even to the unwise and least thinking part of mankind,
it is abundantly proved by the many incontestable miracles wrought
by Moses and the prophets, Christ and his apostles, for the
confirmation of its truths and laws: it would be an intolerable
reproach to eternal Truth, to suppose this divine seal affixed to a
lie. Beside this, to the more wise and thinking, to the more
considerate and contemplative it recommends itself by those innate
excellences which are self-evident characteristics of its divine
original. If we look carefully, we shall soon be aware of God's
image and superscription upon it. A mind rightly disposed by a
humble, sincere subjection to its Maker, will easily discover the
image of God's wisdom in the awful depth of its mysteries; the
image of his sovereignty in the commanding majesty of its style;
the image of his unity in the wonderful harmony and symmetry of all
its parts; the image of his holiness in the unspotted purity of its
precepts; and the image of his goodness in the manifest tendency of
the whole to the welfare and happiness of mankind in both worlds;
in short, it is a work that fathers itself. And as atheists, so
deists, notwithstanding their vain-glorious pretensions to reason,
as if wisdom must die with them, run themselves upon the grossest
and most dishonourable absurdities imaginable; for, if the
scriptures be not the word of God, then there is no divine
revelation now in the world, no discovery at all of God's mind
concerning our duty and happiness: so that, let a man be ever so
desirous and solicitous to do his Maker's will, he must, without
remedy, perish in the ignorance of it, since there is no book but
this that will undertake to tell him what it is, a consequence
which can by no means be reconciled to the idea we have of the
divine goodness. And (which is no less an absurdity), if the
scriptures be not really a divine revelation, they are certainly as
great a cheat as ever was put upon the world: but we have no reason
to think them so; for bad men would never write so good a book, nor
would Satan have so little subtlety as to help to cast out Satan;
and good men would never do so wicked a thing as to counterfeit the
broad seal of heaven and affix it to a patent of their own framing,
though in itself ever so just. No, <i>there are not the words of
him that hath a devil.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p5">IV. That the <i>scriptures of the Old and
New Testament were purposely designed for our learning.</i> They
might have been a divine revelation to those into whose hands they
were first put, and yet we, at this distance, have been no way
concerned in them; but it is certain that they were intended to be
of universal and perpetual use and obligation to all persons, in
all places and all ages, that have the knowledge of them, even unto
us <i>upon whom the ends of the world have come.</i> See <scripRef passage="Ro 15:4" id="ii-p5.1" parsed="|Rom|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.4">Rom. 15. 4</scripRef>. Though we are not under
the law as a covenant of innocency (for then, being guilty, we
should unavoidable perish under its curse), yet it is not therefore
an antiquated statute, but a standing declaration of the will of
God concerning good and evil, sin and duty, and its claim to
obedience is in as full force and virtue as ever: and <i>unto us is
the gospel</i> of the ceremonial law <i>preached, as well as unto
those</i> to whom it was first delivered, and much more plainly,
<scripRef passage="Heb 4:2" id="ii-p5.2" parsed="|Heb|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.2">Heb. 4. 2</scripRef>. The histories of
the Old Testament were written for our admonition and direction
(<scripRef passage="1Co 10:11" id="ii-p5.3" parsed="|1Cor|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.11">1 Cor. 10. 11</scripRef>), and not
barely for the information and entertainment of the curious. The
prophets, though long since dead, prophesy again by their writings,
<i>before peoples and nations</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 10:11" id="ii-p5.4" parsed="|Rev|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.10.11">Rev. 10. 11</scripRef>), and Solomon's exhortation
speaketh unto us as unto sons. The subject of the holy scripture is
universal and perpetual, and therefore of common concern. It is
intended, 1. To revive the universal and perpetual law of nature,
the very remains of which (or ruins rather) in natural conscience,
give us hints that we must look somewhere else for a fairer copy.
2. To reveal the universal and perpetual law of grace, which God's
common beneficence to the children of men, such as puts them into a
better state than that of devils, gives us some ground to expect.
The divine authority likewise, which in this book commands our
belief and obedience, is universal and perpetual, and knows no
limits, either of time or place; it follows, therefore, that every
nation and every age to which these sacred writings are transmitted
are bound to receive them with the same veneration and pious regard
that they commanded at their first entrance. Though God hath, in
these last days, <i>spoken to us by his Son,</i> yet we are not
therefore to think that what he spoke <i>at sundry times and in
divers manners to the fathers</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 1:1" id="ii-p5.5" parsed="|Heb|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.1">Heb.
1. 1</scripRef>) is of no use to us, or that the Old Testament is
an almanac out of date; no, we are <i>built upon the foundation of
the prophets,</i> as well as of <i>the apostles, Christ himself
being the corner-stone</i> (<scripRef passage="Eph 2:20" id="ii-p5.6" parsed="|Eph|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.20">Eph. 2.
20</scripRef>), in whom both these sides of this blessed building
meet and are united: they were those ancient records of the Jewish
church which Christ and his apostles so oft referred to, so oft
appealed to, and commanded us to search and to take heed to. The
preachers of the gospel, like Jehoshaphat's judges, wherever they
went, had this book of the law with them, and found it a great
advantage to them to speak to those <i>that knew the law,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ro 7:1" id="ii-p5.7" parsed="|Rom|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.1">Rom. 7. 1</scripRef>. That celebrated
translation of the Old Testament in the Greek tongue by the
Seventy, between 200 and 300 years before the birth of Christ, was
to the nations a happy preparative for the entertainment of the
gospel, by spreading the knowledge of the law; for as the New
Testament expounds and completes the Old, and thereby makes it more
serviceable to us now than it was to the Jewish church, so the Old
Testament confirms and illustrates the New, and shows us Jesus
Christ the same yesterday that he is to-day and will be for
ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p6">V. That <i>the holy scriptures were not
only designed for our learning, but are the settled standing rule
of our faith and practice,</i> by which we must be governed now and
judged shortly: it is not only a book of general use (so the
writings of good and wise men may be), but it is of sovereign and
commanding authority, the statute-book of God's kingdom, which our
oath of allegiance to him, as our supreme Lord, binds us to the
observance of. <i>Whether we will hear or whether we will
forbear,</i> we must be told that this is the oracle we are to
consult and to be determined by, the touchstone we are to appeal to
and try doctrines by, the rule we are to have an eye to, by which
we must in every thing order our affections and conversations, and
from which we must always take our measures. This is the
<i>testimony,</i> this is the <i>law</i> which is bound up and
sealed among the disciples, that word according to which if we do
not speak, it is because <i>there is no light in us,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 8:16,20" id="ii-p6.1" parsed="|Isa|8|16|0|0;|Isa|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.16 Bible:Isa.8.20">Isa. 16. 16, 20</scripRef>. The making of
the <i>light within</i> our rule, which by nature is darkness, and
by grace is but a copy of, and conformable to, the written work, is
setting the judge above the law; and the making of the traditions
of the church rivals with the scriptures is no better: it is making
the clock, which every one concerned puts backward or forward at
pleasure, to correct the sun, that faithful measurer of time and
days. These are absurdities which, being once granted, thousands
follow, as we see by sad experience.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p7">VI. That therefore <i>it is the duty of all
Christians diligently to search the scriptures, and it is the
office of ministers to guide and assist them therein.</i> How
useful soever this book of books is in itself, it will be of no use
to us if we do not acquaint ourselves with it, by reading it daily,
and meditating upon it, that we may understand the mind of God in
it, and may apply what we understand to ourselves for our
direction, rebuke, and comfort, as there is occasion. It is the
character of the holy and happy man that <i>his delight is in the
law of the Lord;</i> and, as an evidence thereof, he converses with
it as his constant companion, and advises with it as his most wise
and trusty counsellor, for <i>in that law doth he meditate day and
night,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 1:2" id="ii-p7.1" parsed="|Ps|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.2">Ps. 1. 2</scripRef>. It
concerns us to be ready in the scriptures, and to make ourselves so
by constant reading and careful observation, and especially by
earnest prayer to God for the promised gift of the Holy Ghost,
whose office it is to <i>bring things to our remembrance</i> which
Christ hath said to us (<scripRef passage="Joh 14:26" id="ii-p7.2" parsed="|John|14|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.14.26">John 14.
26.</scripRef>) that thus we may have some good word or other at
hand for our use in our addresses to God and in our converse with
men, in our resistance of Satan and in communing with our own
hearts, and may be able, with the good householder, to bring out of
this treasury <i>things new and old,</i> for the entertainment and
edification both of ourselves and others. If any thing will <i>make
a man of God perfect</i> in this world, will complete both a
Christian and a minister, and <i>thoroughly furnish him for every
good work,</i> it must be this. <scripRef passage="2Ti 3:17" id="ii-p7.3" parsed="|2Tim|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.3.17">2 Tim.
3. 17</scripRef>. It concerns us also to be <i>mighty in the
scriptures,</i> as Apollos was (<scripRef passage="Ac 18:24" id="ii-p7.4" parsed="|Acts|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.18.24">Acts
18. 24.</scripRef>), that is, to be thoroughly acquainted with
the true intent and meaning of them, that we may understand what we
read, and may not misinterpret or misapply it, but by the conduct
of the blessed Spirit may be <i>led into all truth</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 16:13" id="ii-p7.5" parsed="|John|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.16.13">John 16. 13.</scripRef>), and may hold it fast
<i>in faith and love,</i> and put every part of scripture to that
use for which it was intended. The letter, either of law or gospel,
profits little without the Spirit. The ministers of Christ are
herein ministers to the Spirit for the good of the church; their
business is to open and apply the scriptures; thence they must
fetch their knowledge, thence their doctrines, devotions,
directions, and admonitions, and thence their very language and
expression. Expounding the scriptures was the most usual way of
preaching in the first and purest ages of the church. What have the
Levites to do but to teach Jacob the law (<scripRef passage="De 33:10" id="ii-p7.6" parsed="|Deut|33|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.10">Deut. 33. 10.</scripRef>); not only to read it, but
to <i>give the sense, and cause them to understand the reading?</i>
<scripRef passage="Ne 8:8" id="ii-p7.7" parsed="|Neh|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.8">Neh. 8. 8.</scripRef>. <i>How shall
they do this except some man guide them?</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 8:31" id="ii-p7.8" parsed="|Acts|8|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.8.31">Acts 8. 31</scripRef>. As ministers would hardly be
believed without Bibles to back them, so Bibles would hardly be
understood without ministers to explain them; but if, having both,
we perish in ignorance and unbelief, our blood will be upon our own
head.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p8">Being fully persuaded therefore of these
things, I conclude that whatever help is offered to good Christians
in searching the scriptures is real service done to the glory of
God, and to the interests of his kingdom among men; and it is this
that hath drawn me into this undertaking, which I have gone about
in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling (<scripRef passage="1Co 2:3" id="ii-p8.1" parsed="|1Cor|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.3">1 Cor. 2. 3.</scripRef>), lest I should be found
exercising myself in things to high for me, and so laudable an
undertaking should suffer damage by an unskillful management. If any
desire to know how so mean and obscure a person as I am, who in
learning, judgment, felicity of expression, and all advantages for
such a service, am <i>less than the least</i> of all my Master's
servants, came to venture upon so great a work, I can give no other
account of it than this: It has long been my practice, what little
time I had to spare in my study from the constant preparations for
the pulpit, to spend it in drawing up expositions upon some parts
of the New Testament, not so much for my own use as purely for my
entertainment, because I knew not now to employ my thoughts and
time more to my satisfaction. <i>Trahit sua quemque voluptas&#8212;Every
man that studies hath some beloved study, which is his delight
above any other;</i> and this is mine. It is that learning which it
was my happiness from a child to be trained up in, by my ever
honoured father, whose memory must always be very dear and precious
to me: he often reminded me that a good textuary is a good divine;
and that I should read other books with this in my eye, that I
might be the better able to understand and apply the scripture.
While I was thus employing myself came out Mr. Burkitt's
Exposition, of the Gospels first, and afterwards of the Act and the
Epistles, which met with very good acceptance among serious people,
and no doubt, by the blessing of God, will continue to do great
service to the church. Soon after he had finished that work, it
pleased God to call him to his rest, upon which I was urged, by
some of my friends, and was myself inclined, to attempt the like
upon the Old Testament, in the strength of the grace of Christ.
This upon the <i>Pentateuch</i> is humbly offered as a specimen; if
it find favour, and be found any way useful, it is my present
purpose, in dependence upon divine aids, to go on, so long as God
shall continue my life and health, and as my other work will
permit. Many helps, I know, we have of this kind in our own
language, which we have a great deal of reason to value, and to be
very thankful to God for: but the scripture is a subject that can
never be exhausted. <i>Semper habet aliquid relegentibus&#8212;However
frequently we read it, we shall always meet with something new.</i>
When David had amassed a vast treasure for the building of the
temple, yet saith he to Solomon, <i>Thou mayest add thereto,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Ch 22:14" id="ii-p8.2" parsed="|1Chr|22|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.22.14">1 Chron. 22. 14</scripRef>. Such a
treasure is scripture-knowledge; it is still capable of increase,
till we all come to the perfect man. The scripture is a field or
vineyard which finds work for variety of hands, and about which may
be employed a great <i>diversity of gifts and operations,</i> but
all from <i>the same Spirit</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 12:4,6" id="ii-p8.3" parsed="|1Cor|12|4|0|0;|1Cor|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.4 Bible:1Cor.12.6">1
Cor. 12. 4, 6.</scripRef>) and for the glory of <i>the same
Lord.</i> The learned in the languages and in ancient usages have
been very serviceable to the church (the blessed occupant of this
field), by their curious and elaborate searches into its various
products, their anatomies of its plants, and the entertaining
lectures they have read upon them. The philology of the critics has
been of much more advantage to religion, and lent more light to
sacred truth, than the philosophy of the school-divines. The
learned also in the arts of war have done great service in
defending this garden of the Lord against the violent attacks of
the powers of darkness, successfully pleading the cause of the
sacred writings against the spiteful cavils of atheists, deists,
and the profane scoffers of these latter days. Such as these stand
in the posts of honour, and their praise is in all the churches:
yet the labours of the vine-dressers and the husbandmen (<scripRef passage="2Ki 25:12" id="ii-p8.4" parsed="|2Kgs|25|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.25.12">2 Kings 25. 12.</scripRef>), though they are
the poor of the land who till this ground, and gather in the fruits
of it, are no less necessary in their place, and beneficial to the
household of God, that out of these precious fruits every one may
have his <i>portion of meat in due season.</i> These are the
labours to which, according to my ability, I have here set my hand.
And as the plain and practical expositors would not, for a world,
say of the learned critics, <i>There is no need of them;</i> so, it
is hoped, those eyes and heads will not say to the hands and feet,
<i>There is no need of you,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:21" id="ii-p8.5" parsed="|1Cor|12|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.21">1
Cor. 12. 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p9">The learned have of late received very
great advantage in their searches into this part of holy writ, and
the books that follow (and still hope for more), by the excellent
and most valuable labours of that great and good man bishop
<i>Patrick,</i> whom, for vast reading, solid judgment, and a most
happy application to these best of studies, even in his advanced
years and honours, succeeding ages no doubt will rank among the
first three of commentators, and bless God for him. Mr.
<i>Pool's</i> English Annotations (which, having had so many
impressions, we may suppose, have got into most hands) are of
admirable use, especially for the explaining of scripture-phrases,
opening the sense, referring to parallel scriptures, and the
clearing of difficulties that occur. I have therefore all along
been brief upon that which is there most largely discussed, and
have industriously declined, as much as I could, what is to be
found there; for I would not <i>actum agere&#8212;do what is done;</i>
nor (if I may be allowed to borrow the apostle's words) <i>boast of
things made ready to our hand,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 10:16" id="ii-p9.1" parsed="|2Cor|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.10.16">2
Cor. 10. 16</scripRef>. These and other annotations which are
referred to the particular words and clauses they are designed to
explain are most easy to be consulted upon occasion; but the
exposition which (like this) is put into a continued discourse,
digested under proper heads, is much more easy and ready to be read
through for one's own or others' instruction. And, I think, the
observing of the connection of each chapter (if there be occasion)
with that which goes before, and the general scope of it, with the
thread of the history or discourse, and the collecting of the
several parts of it, to be seen at one view, will contribute very
much to the understanding of it, and will give the mind abundant
satisfaction in the general intention, though there may be here and
there a difficult word or expression which the best critics cannot
easily account for. This, therefore, I have here attempted. But we
are concerned not only to understand what we read, but to improve
it to some good purpose, and, in order thereunto, to be affected
with it, and to receive the impressions of it. The word of God is
designed to be not only a <i>light to our eyes,</i> the
entertaining subject of our contemplation, but a <i>light to our
feet</i> and a <i>lamp to our paths</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 119:105" id="ii-p9.2" parsed="|Ps|119|105|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.105">Ps. 119. 105.</scripRef>), to direct us in the way of
our duty, and to prevent our turning aside into any by-way: we must
therefore, in searching the scriptures, enquire, not only <i>What
is this?</i> but, <i>What is this to us?</i> What use may we make
of it? How may we accommodate it to some of the purposes of that
divine and heavenly life which, by the grace of God, we are
resolved to live? Enquiries of this kind I have here aimed to
answer. When the stone is rolled from the well's mouth by a
critical explication of the text, still there are those who would
both drink themselves and water their flocks? but they complain
that the <i>well is deep,</i> and <i>they have nothing to draw
with;</i> how then shall they <i>come by this living water?</i>
Some such may, perhaps, find a bucket here, or water drawn to their
hands; and pleased enough shall I be with this office of the
Gibeonites, to <i>draw water for the congregation of the Lord</i>
out of these wells of salvation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p10">That which I aim at in the exposition is to
give what I thought the genuine sense, and to make it as plain as I
could to ordinary capacities, not troubling my readers with the
different sentiments of expositors, which would have been to
transcribe Mr. <i>Pool's</i> Latin Synopsis, where this is done
abundantly to our satisfaction and advantage. As to the practical
observations, I have not obliged myself to raise doctrines out of
every verse or paragraph, but only have endeavoured to mix with the
exposition such hints or remarks as I thought profitable <i>for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness,</i> aiming in all to promote practical godliness,
and carefully avoiding matters of doubtful disputation and strifes
of words. It is only the prevalency of the power of religion in the
hearts and lives of Christians that will redress our grievances,
and turn our wilderness into a fruitful field. And since our Lord
Jesus Christ is the true <i>treasure hidden in the field</i> of the
Old Testament, and was the <i>Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world,</i> I have been careful to observe what Moses wrote of him,
to which he himself oft appealed. In the writings of the prophets
we meet with more of the plain and express promises of the Messiah,
and the grace of the gospel; but here, in the books of Moses, we
find more of the types, both real and personal figures of him that
was to come&#8212;shadows, of which the substance is Christ, <scripRef passage="Ro 5:14" id="ii-p10.1" parsed="|Rom|5|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.14">Rom. 5. 14</scripRef>. Those to whom <i>to live
is Christ</i> will find in these that which is very instructive and
affecting, and which will give great assistance to their faith, and
love, and holy joy. This, in a particular manner, we search the
scriptures for&#8212;to find what they testify of Christ and eternal
life, <scripRef passage="Joh 5:39" id="ii-p10.2" parsed="|John|5|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.5.39">John 5. 39</scripRef>. Nor is it
any objection against the application of the ceremonial
institutions to Christ and his grace that those to whom they were
given could not discern this sense or use of them; but it is rather
a reason why we should be very thankful that the veil which was
upon their minds in the reading of the Old Testament is <i>done
away in Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 3:13,14,18" id="ii-p10.3" parsed="|2Cor|3|13|3|14;|2Cor|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.13-2Cor.3.14 Bible:2Cor.3.18">2 Cor. 3.
13, 14, 18</scripRef>. Though they then <i>could not stedfastly
look to the end of that which is abolished,</i> it does not
therefore follow but that we who are happily furnished with a key
to these mysteries may in them, <i>as in a glass, behold the glory
of the Lord Jesus.</i> And yet, perhaps, the pious Jews saw more of
the gospel in their ritual than we think they did; they had at
least a general expectation of <i>good things to come,</i> by faith
in the promises made to the fathers, as we have of the happiness of
heaven, though they could not of that world to come, any more than
we can of this, form any distinct or certain idea. Our conceptions
of the future state, perhaps, are as dark and confused, as short of
the truth and as wide from it, as theirs then were of the kingdom
of the Messiah: but God requires faith only according to the
revelation he gives. They then were accountable for no more light
than they had; and we now are accountable for that greater light
which we have in the gospel, by the help of which we may find much
more of Christ in the Old Testament than they could. If any think
our observations sometimes take rise from that which to them seems
too minute, let them remember that maxim of the Rabbin, <i>Non est
in lege vel una litera &#224; qu&#226; non pendent magni montes&#8212;The law
contains not a letter but what bears the weight of mountains.</i>
We are sure there is not an idle word in the Bible. I would desire
the reader not only to read the text entire, before he reads the
exposition, but, as the several verses are referred to in the
exposition, to cast his eye upon them again, and then he will the
better understand what he reads. And, if he have leisure, he will
find it of use to him to turn to the scriptures which are sometimes
only referred to for brevity's sake, comparing spiritual things
with spiritual.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p11">It is the declared purpose of the Eternal
Mind, in all the operations both of providence and grace, to
<i>magnify the law and to make it honourable</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 42:21" id="ii-p11.1" parsed="|Isa|42|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.42.21">Isa. 42. 21</scripRef>), nay to <i>magnify
his word above all his name</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 138:2" id="ii-p11.2" parsed="|Ps|138|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.138.2">Ps.
138. 2.</scripRef>), so that when we pray, <i>Father, glorify
thy name,</i> we mean this, among other things, Father, magnify the
holy Scriptures; and to that prayer, made in faith, we may be sure
of that answer which was given to our blessed Saviour when he
prayed it, with particular respect to the fulfilling of the
scriptures in his own sufferings, <i>I have both glorified it, and
I will glorify it yet again,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 12:28" id="ii-p11.3" parsed="|John|12|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.28">John
xii. 28</scripRef>. To this great design I humbly desire to be some
way serviceable, in the strength of that grace by which I am what I
am, hoping that what may help to make the reading of the scripture
more easy, pleasant, and profitable, will be graciously accepted by
him that smiled on the widow's two mites cast into the treasury, as
an intention to magnify it and make it honourable; and if I can but
gain that point, in any measure, with some, I shall think my
endeavours abundantly recompensed, however, by others, I and my
performances may be vilified and made contemptible.</p>
<p class="indent" id="ii-p12">I have now nothing more to add than to
recommend myself to the prayers of my friends, and them to the
grace of the Lord Jesus; and so rest an unworthy dependent upon
that grace, and, through that, an expectant of the <i>glory to be
revealed.</i></p>
<table width="100%" id="ii-p12.1">
<tr id="ii-p12.2">
<td align="right" id="ii-p12.3">M. H. &#160; &#160; &#160;</td>
</tr>
<tr id="ii-p12.4">
<td id="ii-p12.5">&#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; &#160; <i>Chester,</i><br/>
&#160; &#160; &#160; <i>October 2, 1706.</i></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div1>
<div1 title="Genesis" n="i" progress="0.67%" prev="ii" next="Gen.i" id="Gen">
<div2 title="Introduction" n="i" progress="0.67%" prev="Gen" next="Gen.ii" id="Gen.i">
<h2 id="Gen.i-p0.1">Genesis</h2>
<hr/>
<pb n="1" id="Gen.i-Page_1"/>
<div class="Center" id="Gen.i-p0.3">
<p id="Gen.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Gen.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Gen.i-p1.2">W I T H &#160; P R A C T I C A L &#160; O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Gen.i-p1.3">OF THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED</h5>
<h2 id="Gen.i-p1.4">G E N E S I S.</h2>
<hr style="width:2in"/>
</div>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.i-p2"><span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.i-p2.1">We</span> have now
before us the holy Bible, or <i>book,</i> for so <i>bible</i>
signifies. We call it <i>the book,</i> by way of eminency; for it
is incomparably the best book that ever was written, the book of
books, shining like the sun in the firmament of learning, other
valuable and useful books, like the moon and stars, borrowing their
light from it. We call it the holy book, because it was written by
holy men, and indited by the Holy Ghost; it is perfectly pure from
all falsehood and corrupt intention; and the manifest tendency of
it is to promote holiness among men. The great things of God's law
and gospel are here <i>written</i> to us, that they might be
reduced to a greater certainty, might spread further, remain
longer, and be transmitted to distant places and ages more pure and
entire than possibly they could be by report and tradition: and we
shall have a great deal to answer for if these things which belong
to our peace, being thus committed to us in black and white, be
neglected by us as a strange and foreign thing, <scripRef passage="Hos 8:12" id="Gen.i-p2.2" parsed="|Hos|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.12">Hos. viii. 12</scripRef>. The scriptures, or writings of
the several inspired penmen, from Moses down to St. John, in which
divine light, like that of the morning, shone gradually (the sacred
canon being now completed), are all put together in this blessed
Bible, which, thanks be to God, we have in our hands, and they make
as perfect a day as we are to expect on this side of heaven. Every
part was good, but all together very good. This is the <i>light
that shines in a dark place</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 1:19" id="Gen.i-p2.3" parsed="|2Pet|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.19">2
Pet. i. 19</scripRef>), and a dark place indeed the world would be
without the Bible.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.i-p3">We have before us that part of the Bible
which we call the <i>Old Testament,</i> containing the acts and
monuments of the church from the creation almost to the coming of
Christ in the flesh, which was about four thousand years&#8212;the
truths then revealed, the laws then enacted, the devotions then
paid, the prophecies then given, and the events which concerned
that distinguished body, so far as God saw fit to preserve to us
the knowledge of them. This is called a <i>testament,</i> or
<i>covenant</i> (<b><i>Diatheke</i></b>), because it was a settled
declaration of the <i>will</i> of God concerning man in a federal
way, and had its force from the designed death of the great
testator, <i>the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,</i>
(<scripRef passage="Re 13:8" id="Gen.i-p3.1" parsed="|Rev|13|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.13.8">Rev. xiii. 8</scripRef>.) It is called
the <i>Old Testament,</i> with relation to the <i>New,</i> which
does not cancel and supersede it, but crown and perfect it, by the
bringing in of that better hope which was typified and foretold in
it; the Old Testament still remains glorious, though the New far
exceeds in glory, (<scripRef passage="2Co 3:9" id="Gen.i-p3.2" parsed="|2Cor|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.9">2 Cor. iii.
9</scripRef>.)</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.i-p4">We have before us that part of the Old
Testament which we call the <i>Pentateuch,</i> or five books of
Moses, that servant of the Lord who excelled all the other
prophets, and typified the great prophet. In our Saviour's
distribution of the books of the Old Testament into the <i>law,</i>
the <i>prophets,</i> and the <i>psalms,</i> or <i>Hagiographa,</i>
these are the <i>law;</i> for they contain not only the laws given
to Israel, in the last four, but the laws given to Adam, to Noah,
and to Abraham, in the first. These five books were, for aught we
know, the first that ever were written; for we have not the least
mention of any <i>writing</i> in all the book of Genesis, nor till
God bade Moses write (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:14" id="Gen.i-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14">Exod. xvii.
14</scripRef>); and some think Moses himself never learned to write
till God set him his copy in the writing of the Ten Commandments
upon the tables of stone. However, we are sure these books are the
most ancient writings now extant, and therefore best able to give
us a satisfactory account of the most ancient things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.i-p5">We have before us the first and longest of
those five books, which we call <i>Genesis,</i> written, some
think, when Moses was in Midian, for the instruction and comfort of
his suffering brethren in Egypt: I rather think he wrote it in the
wilderness, after he had been in the mount with God, where,
probably, he received full and particular instructions for the
writing of it. And, as he framed the tabernacle, so he did the more
excellent and durable fabric of this book, exactly according to the
pattern shown him in the mount, into which it is better to resolve
the certainty of the things herein contained than into any
tradition which possibly might be handed down from Adam to
Methuselah, from him to Shem, from him to Abraham, and so to the
family of Jacob. <i>Genesis</i> is a name borrowed from the Greek.
It signifies the <i>original,</i> or <i>generation:</i> fitly is
this book so called, for it is a history of originals&#8212;the creation
of the world, the entrance of sin and death into it, the invention
of arts, the rise of nations, and especially the planting of the
church, and the state of it in its early days. It is also a history
of generations&#8212;the generations of Adam, Noah, Abraham, &amp;c.,
not endless, but useful genealogies. The beginning of the New
Testament is called <i>Genesis</i> too (<scripRef passage="Mt 1:1" id="Gen.i-p5.1" parsed="|Matt|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.1">Matt. i. 1</scripRef>,) <b><i>Biblos geneseos,</i></b> the
book of the <i>genesis,</i> or <i>generation,</i> of Jesus Christ.
Blessed be God for that book which shows us our remedy, as this
opens our wound. Lord, open our eyes, that we may see the wondrous
things both of thy law and gospel!</p>
</div2>
<div2 title="Chapter I" n="ii" progress="0.78%" prev="Gen.i" next="Gen.iii" id="Gen.ii">
<pb n="2" id="Gen.ii-Page_2"/>
<h2 id="Gen.ii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.ii-p0.2">CHAP. I.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.ii-p1">The foundation of all religion being laid in our
relation to God as our Creator, it was fit that the book of divine
revelations which was intended to be the guide, support, and rule,
of religion in the world, should begin, as it does, with a plain
and full account of the creation of the world&#8212;in answer to that
first enquiry of a good conscience, "Where is God my Maker?"
(<scripRef passage="Job 35:10" id="Gen.ii-p1.1" parsed="|Job|35|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.35.10">Job xxxv. 10</scripRef>). Concerning
this the pagan philosophers wretchedly blundered, and became vain
in their imaginations, some asserting the world's eternity and
self-existence, others ascribing it to a fortuitous concourse of
atoms: thus "the world by wisdom knew not God," but took a great
deal of pains to lose him. The holy scripture therefore, designing
by revealed religion to maintain and improve natural religion, to
repair the decays of it and supply the defects of it, since the
fall, for the reviving of the precepts of the law of nature, lays
down, at first, this principle of the unclouded light of nature,
That this world was, in the beginning of time, created by a Being
of infinite wisdom and power, who was himself before all time and
all worlds. The entrance into God's word gives this light,
<scripRef passage="Ps 119:130" id="Gen.ii-p1.2" parsed="|Ps|119|130|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.130">Ps. cxix. 130.</scripRef>. The
<scripRef passage="Ge 1:1" id="Gen.ii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.1">first verse</scripRef> of the Bible
gives us a surer and better, a more satisfying and useful,
knowledge of the origin of the universe, than all the volumes of
the philosophers. The lively faith of humble Christians understands
this matter better than the elevated fancy of the greatest wits,
<scripRef passage="Heb 11:3" id="Gen.ii-p1.4" parsed="|Heb|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.3">Heb. xi. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.ii-p2">We have three things in this chapter:&#8212;I. A
general idea given us of the work of creation <scripRef passage="Ge 1:1,2" id="Gen.ii-p2.1" parsed="|Gen|1|1|1|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.1-Gen.1.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. A particular account of the
several days' work, registered, as in a journal, distinctly and in
order. The creation of the light the first day, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:3-5" id="Gen.ii-p2.2" parsed="|Gen|1|3|1|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.3-Gen.1.5">ver. 3-5</scripRef>; of the firmament the second day,
<scripRef passage="Ge 1:6-8" id="Gen.ii-p2.3" parsed="|Gen|1|6|1|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.6-Gen.1.8">ver. 6-8</scripRef>; of the sea, the
earth, and its fruits, the third day, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:9-13" id="Gen.ii-p2.4" parsed="|Gen|1|9|1|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.9-Gen.1.13">ver. 9-13</scripRef>; of the lights of heaven the
fourth day, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:14-19" id="Gen.ii-p2.5" parsed="|Gen|1|14|1|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.14-Gen.1.19">ver. 14-19</scripRef>;
of the fish and fowl the fifth day, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:20-23" id="Gen.ii-p2.6" parsed="|Gen|1|20|1|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.20-Gen.1.23">ver. 20-23</scripRef>; of the beasts, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:24,25" id="Gen.ii-p2.7" parsed="|Gen|1|24|1|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.24-Gen.1.25">ver. 24, 25</scripRef>; of man, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:26-28" id="Gen.ii-p2.8" parsed="|Gen|1|26|1|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.26-Gen.1.28">ver. 26-28</scripRef>; and of food for both
the sixth day, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:29,30" id="Gen.ii-p2.9" parsed="|Gen|1|29|1|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.29-Gen.1.30">ver. 29,
30</scripRef>. III. The review and approbation of the whole work,
<scripRef passage="Ge 1:31" id="Gen.ii-p2.10" parsed="|Gen|1|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.31">ver. 31</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1" id="Gen.ii-p2.11" parsed="|Gen|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:1-2" id="Gen.ii-p2.12" parsed="|Gen|1|1|1|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.1-Gen.1.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.1-Gen.1.2">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p2.13">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p2.14">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p3">1 In the beginning God created the heaven and
the earth. &#160; 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and
darkness <i>was</i> upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of
God moved upon the face of the waters.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p4">In these verses we have the work of
creation in its epitome and in its embryo.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p5">I. In its epitome, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:1" id="Gen.ii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>, where we find, to our comfort, the
first article of our creed, that <i>God the Father Almighty is the
Maker of heaven and earth,</i> and as such we believe in him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p6">1. Observe, in this verse, four
things:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p7">(1.) The effect produced&#8212;<i>the heaven and
the earth,</i> that is, the world, including the whole frame and
furniture of the universe, the <i>world and all things therein,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ac 17:24" id="Gen.ii-p7.1" parsed="|Acts|17|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.17.24">Acts xvii. 24</scripRef>. The world is
a great house, consisting of upper and lower stories, the structure
stately and magnificent, uniform and convenient, and every room
well and wisely furnished. It is the visible part of the creation
that Moses here designs to account for; therefore he mentions not
the creation of angels. But as the earth has not only its surface
adorned with grass and flowers, but also its bowels enriched with
metals and precious stones (which partake more of its solid nature
and more valuable, though the creation of them is not mentioned
here), so the heavens are not only beautified to our eyes with
glorious lamps which garnish its outside, of whose creation we here
read, but they are within replenished with glorious beings, out of
our sight, more celestial, and more surpassing them in worth and
excellency than the gold or sapphires surpass the lilies of the
field. In the visible world it is easy to observe, [1.] Great
variety, several sorts of beings vastly differing in their nature
and constitution from each other. <i>Lord, how manifold are thy
works,</i> and all good! [2.] Great beauty. The azure sky and
verdant earth are charming to the eye of the curious spectator,
much more the ornaments of both. How transcendent then must the
beauty of the Creator be! [3.] Great exactness and accuracy. To
those that, with the help of microscopes, narrowly look into the
works of nature, they appear far more fine than any of the works of
art. [4.] Great power. It is not a lump of dead and inactive
matter, but there is virtue, more or less, in every creature: the
earth itself has a magnetic power. [5.] Great order, a mutual
dependence of beings, an exact harmony of motions, and an admirable
chain and connection of causes. [6.] Great mystery. There are
phenomena in nature which cannot be solved, secrets which cannot be
fathomed nor accounted for. But from what we see of heaven and
earth we may easily enough infer the eternal power and Godhead of
the great Creator, and may furnish ourselves with abundant matter
for his praises. And let our make and place, as men, remind us of
our duty as Christians, which is always to keep heaven in our eye
and the earth under our feet.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p8">(2.) The author and cause of this great
work&#8212;GOD. The Hebrew word is <i>Elohim,</i> which bespeaks, [1.]
The power of God the Creator. <i>El</i> signifies <i>the strong
God;</i> and what less than almighty strength could bring all
things out of nothing? [2.] The plurality of persons in the
Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This plural name of God, in
Hebrew, which speaks of him as many though he is one, was to the
Gentiles perhaps a savour of death unto death, hardening them in
their idolatry; but it is to us a savour of life unto life,
confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which, though
but darkly intimated in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in
the New. The Son of God, the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father,
was with him when he made the world (<scripRef passage="Pr 8:30" id="Gen.ii-p8.1" parsed="|Prov|8|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.8.30">Prov. viii. 30</scripRef>), nay, we are often told that
the world was made by him, and nothing made without him, <scripRef passage="Joh 1:3,10,Eph 3:9,Col 1:16,Heb 1:2" id="Gen.ii-p8.2" parsed="|John|1|3|0|0;|John|1|10|0|0;|Eph|3|9|0|0;|Col|1|16|0|0;|Heb|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.3 Bible:John.1.10 Bible:Eph.3.9 Bible:Col.1.16 Bible:Heb.1.2">John i. 3, 10; Eph.
iii. 9; Col. i. 16; Heb. 1. 2</scripRef>. O what high thoughts
should this form in our minds of that great God whom we draw nigh
to in religious worship, and that great Mediator in whose name we
draw nigh!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p9">(3.) The manner in which this work was
effected: <i>God created it,</i> that is, made it out of nothing.
There was not any pre-existent matter out of which the world was
produced. The fish and fowl were indeed produced out of the waters
and the beasts and man out of the earth; but that earth and those
waters were made out of nothing. By the ordinary power of nature,
it is impossible that any thing should be made out of nothing; no
artificer can work, unless he has something to work on. But by the
almighty power of God it is not only possible that something should
be made of nothing (the God of nature is not subject to the laws of
nature), but in the creation it is impossible it should be
<pb n="3" id="Gen.ii-Page_3"/>
otherwise, for nothing is more injurious to the honour
of the Eternal Mind than the supposition of eternal matter. Thus
the excellency of the power is of God and all the glory is to
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p10">(4.) When this work was produced: <i>In the
beginning,</i> that is, in the beginning of time, when that clock
was first set a going: time began with the production of those
beings that are measured by time. Before the beginning of time
there was none but that Infinite Being that inhabits eternity.
Should we ask why God made the world no sooner, we should but
darken counsel by words without knowledge; for how could there be
sooner or later in eternity? And he did make it in the beginning of
time, according to his eternal counsels before all time. The Jewish
Rabbies have a saying, that there were seven things which God
created before the world, by which they only mean to express the
excellency of these things:&#8212;The law, repentance, paradise, hell,
the throne of glory, the house of the sanctuary, and the name of
the Messiah. But to us it is enough to say, <i>In the beginning was
the Word,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 1:1" id="Gen.ii-p10.1" parsed="|John|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.1">John i. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p11">2. Let us learn hence, (1.) That atheism is
folly, and atheists are the greatest fools in nature; for they see
there is a world that could not make itself, and yet they will not
own there is a God that made it. Doubtless, they are without
excuse, but the god of this world has blinded their minds. (2.)
That God is sovereign Lord of all by an incontestable right. If he
is the Creator, no doubt he is the owner and possessor of heaven
and earth. (3.) That with God all things are possible, and
therefore happy are the people that have him for their God, and
whose help and hope stand in his name, <scripRef passage="Ps 121:2,124:8" id="Gen.ii-p11.1" parsed="|Ps|121|2|0|0;|Ps|124|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.121.2 Bible:Ps.124.8">Ps. cxxi. 2; cxxiv. 8</scripRef>. (4.) That the
God we serve is worthy of, and yet is exalted far above, all
blessing and praise, <scripRef passage="Ne 9:5,6" id="Gen.ii-p11.2" parsed="|Neh|9|5|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.5-Neh.9.6">Neh. ix. 5,
6</scripRef>. If he made the world, he needs not our services, nor
can be benefited by them (<scripRef passage="Ac 17:24,25" id="Gen.ii-p11.3" parsed="|Acts|17|24|17|25" osisRef="Bible:Acts.17.24-Acts.17.25">Acts
xvii. 24, 25</scripRef>), and yet he justly requires them, and
deserves our praise, <scripRef passage="Re 4:11" id="Gen.ii-p11.4" parsed="|Rev|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.11">Rev. iv.
11</scripRef>. If all is of him, all must be to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p12">II. Here is the work of creation in its
embryo, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:2" id="Gen.ii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>, where we
have an account of the first matter and the first mover.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p13">1. A chaos was the first matter. It is here
called the earth (though the earth, properly taken, was not made
till the third day <scripRef passage="Ge 1:10" id="Gen.ii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), because it did most resemble that which afterwards
was called <i>earth,</i> mere earth, destitute of its ornaments,
such a heavy unwieldy mass was it; it is also called <i>the
deep,</i> both for its vastness and because the waters which were
afterwards separated from the earth were now mixed with it. This
immense mass of matter was it out of which all bodies, even the
firmament and visible heavens themselves, were afterwards produced
by the power of the Eternal Word. The Creator could have made his
work perfect at first, but by this gradual proceeding he would show
what is, ordinarily, the method of his providence and grace.
Observe the description of this chaos. (1.) There was nothing in it
desirable to be seen, for it was <i>without form and void. Tohu</i>
and <i>Bohu, confusion</i> and <i>emptiness;</i> so these words are
rendered, <scripRef passage="Isa 34:11" id="Gen.ii-p13.2" parsed="|Isa|34|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.34.11">Isa. xxxiv. 11</scripRef>.
It was shapeless, it was useless, it was without inhabitants,
without ornaments, the shadow or rough draught of things to come,
<i>and not the image of the things,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:1" id="Gen.ii-p13.3" parsed="|Heb|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.1">Heb. x. 1</scripRef>. The earth is almost reduced to the
same condition again by the sin of man, under which the creation
groans. See <scripRef passage="Jer 4:23" id="Gen.ii-p13.4" parsed="|Jer|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.4.23">Jer. iv. 23</scripRef>,
<i>I beheld the earth, and lo it was without form, and void.</i> To
those who have their hearts in heaven this lower world, in
comparison with that upper, still appears to be nothing but
confusion and emptiness. There is no true beauty to be seen, no
satisfying fulness to be enjoyed, in this earth, but in God only.
(2.) If there had been any thing desirable to be seen, yet there
was no light to see it by; for <i>darkness,</i> thick darkness,
<i>was upon the face of the deep.</i> God did not create this
darkness (as he is said to create the darkness of affliction,
<scripRef passage="Isa 45:7" id="Gen.ii-p13.5" parsed="|Isa|45|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.7">Isa. xlv. 7</scripRef>), for it was
only the want of light, which yet could not be said to be wanted
till something was made that might be seen by it; nor needs the
want of it be much complained of, when there was nothing to be seen
but confusion and emptiness. If the work of grace in the soul is a
new creation, this chaos represents the state of an unregenerate
graceless soul: <i>there</i> is disorder, confusion, and every evil
work; it is empty of all good, for it is without God; it is dark,
it is darkness itself. This is our condition by nature, till
almighty grace effects a blessed change.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p14">2. The Spirit of God was the first mover:
He <i>moved upon the face of the waters.</i> When we consider the
earth without form and void, methinks it is like the valley full of
dead and dry bones. Can these live? Can this confused mass of
matter be formed into a beautiful world? Yes, if a spirit of life
from God enter into it, <scripRef passage="Eze 37:9" id="Gen.ii-p14.1" parsed="|Ezek|37|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.37.9">Ezek. xxxvii.
9</scripRef>. Now there is hope concerning this thing; for the
Spirit of God begins to work, and, if he work, who or what shall
hinder? God is said to make the world by his Spirit, <scripRef passage="Ps 33:6,Job 26:13" id="Gen.ii-p14.2" parsed="|Ps|33|6|0|0;|Job|26|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.33.6 Bible:Job.26.13">Ps. xxxiii. 6; Job xxvi. 13</scripRef>;
and by the same mighty worker the new creation is effected. He
moved upon the face of the deep, as Elijah stretched himself upon
the dead child,&#8212;as the <i>hen gathers her chickens under her
wings,</i> and hovers over them, to warm and cherish them,
<scripRef passage="Mt 23:37" id="Gen.ii-p14.3" parsed="|Matt|23|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.37">Matt. xxiii. 37</scripRef>,&#8212;as the
eagle stirs up her nest, and <i>flutters</i> over her young (it is
the same word that is here used), <scripRef passage="De 32:11" id="Gen.ii-p14.4" parsed="|Deut|32|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.11">Deut. xxxii. 11</scripRef>. Learn hence, That God is not
only the author of all being, but the fountain of life and spring
of motion. Dead matter would be for ever dead if he did not quicken
it. And this makes it credible to us that God should raise the
dead. That power which brought such a world as this out of
confusion, emptiness, and darkness,
<pb n="4" id="Gen.ii-Page_4"/>
at the
beginning of time, can, at the end of time, bring our vile bodies
out of the grave, though it is <i>a land of darkness as darkness
itself, and without any order</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 10:22" id="Gen.ii-p14.5" parsed="|Job|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.10.22">Job x. 22</scripRef>), and can make them glorious
bodies.</p>
</div>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:3-5" id="Gen.ii-p14.6" parsed="|Gen|1|3|1|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.3-Gen.1.5"/>
<div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.3-Gen.1.5">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p14.7">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p14.8">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p15">3 And God said, Let there be light: and there
was light. &#160; 4 And God saw the light, that <i>it was</i> good:
and God divided the light from the darkness. &#160; 5 And God
called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the
evening and the morning were the first day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p16">We have here a further account of the first
day's work, in which observe, 1. That the first of all visible
beings which God created was light; not that by it he himself might
see to work (for the darkness and light are both alike to him), but
that by it we might see his works and his glory in them, and might
work our works while it is day. The works of Satan and his servants
are works of darkness; but he that doeth truth, and doeth good,
cometh to the light, and coveteth it, <i>that his deeds may be made
manifest,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 3:21" id="Gen.ii-p16.1" parsed="|John|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.21">John iii. 21</scripRef>.
Light is the great beauty and blessing of the universe. Like the
first-born, it does, of all visible beings, most resemble its great
Parent in purity and power, brightness and beneficence; it is of
great affinity with a spirit, and is next to it; though by it we
see other things, and are sure that it is, yet we know not its
nature, nor can describe what it is, or <i>by what way the light is
parted,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:19,24" id="Gen.ii-p16.2" parsed="|Job|38|19|0|0;|Job|38|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.19 Bible:Job.38.24">Job xxxviii. 19,
24</scripRef>. By the sight of it let us be led to, and assisted
in, the believing contemplation of him who is light, infinite and
eternal light (<scripRef passage="1Jo 1:5" id="Gen.ii-p16.3" parsed="|1John|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.5">1 John i. 5</scripRef>),
and the <i>Father of lights</i> (<scripRef passage="Jam 1:17" id="Gen.ii-p16.4" parsed="|Jas|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.17">Jam.
i. 17</scripRef>), and who dwells in inaccessible light, <scripRef passage="1Ti 6:16" id="Gen.ii-p16.5" parsed="|1Tim|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.16">1 Tim. vi. 16</scripRef>. In the new creation,
the first thing wrought in the soul is <i>light:</i> the blessed
Spirit captives the will and affections by enlightening the
understanding, so coming into the heart by the door, like the good
shepherd whose own the sheep are, while sin and Satan, like thieves
and robbers, climb up some other way. Those that by sin were
darkness by grace become light in the world. 2. That the light was
made by the word of God's power. He said, <i>Let there be
light;</i> he willed and appointed it, and it was done immediately:
<i>there was light,</i> such a copy as exactly answered the
original idea in the Eternal Mind. O the power of the word of God!
<i>He spoke, and it was done,</i> done really, effectually, and for
perpetuity, not in show only, and to serve a present turn, for
<i>he commanded, and it stood fast:</i> with him it was <i>dictum,
factum&#8212;a word, and a world.</i> The world of God (that is, his
will and the good pleasure of it) is quick and powerful. Christ is
the Word, the essential eternal Word, and by him the light was
produced, for <i>in him was light, and he is the true light, the
light of the world,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 1:9,9:5" id="Gen.ii-p16.6" parsed="|John|1|9|0|0;|John|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.9 Bible:John.9.5">John i. 9;
ix. 5.</scripRef>. The divine light which shines in sanctified
souls is wrought by the power of God, the power of his word and of
the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, opening the understanding,
scattering the mists of ignorance and mistake, and giving the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ, as at first,
<i>God commanded the light to shine out of darkness,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 4:6" id="Gen.ii-p16.7" parsed="|2Cor|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.4.6">2 Cor. iv. 6</scripRef>. Darkness would have been
perpetually upon the face of fallen man if the Son of God had not
<i>come, and given us an understanding,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 5:20" id="Gen.ii-p16.8" parsed="|1John|5|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.20">1 John v. 20</scripRef>. 3. That the light which God
willed, when it was produced, he approved of: <i>God saw the light
that it was good.</i> It was exactly as he designed it, and it was
fit to answer the end for which he designed it. It was useful and
profitable; the world, which now is a palace, would have been a
dungeon without it. It was amiable and pleasant. <i>Truly the light
is sweet</i> (<scripRef passage="Ec 11:7" id="Gen.ii-p16.9" parsed="|Eccl|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.11.7">Eccl. xi. 7</scripRef>);
<i>it rejoiceth the heart,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 15:30" id="Gen.ii-p16.10" parsed="|Prov|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.30">Prov.
xv. 30</scripRef>. What God commands he will approve and graciously
accept; he will be well pleased with the work of his own hands.
That is good indeed which is so in the sight of God, for he sees
not as man sees. If the light is good, how good is he that is the
fountain of light, from whom we receive it, and to whom we owe all
praise for it and all the services we do by it! 4. That God
<i>divided the light from the darkness,</i> so put them asunder as
that they could never be joined together, or reconciled; for
<i>what fellowship has light with darkness?</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 6:14" id="Gen.ii-p16.11" parsed="|2Cor|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.14">2 Cor. vi. 14</scripRef>. And yet he divided time
between them, the day for light and the night for darkness, in a
constant and regular succession to each other. Though the darkness
was now scattered by the light, yet it was not condemned to a
perpetual banishment, but takes its turn with the light, and has
its place, because it has its use; for, as the light of the morning
befriends the business of the day, so the shadows of the evening
befriend the repose of the night, and draw the curtains about us,
that we may sleep the better. See <scripRef passage="Job 7:2" id="Gen.ii-p16.12" parsed="|Job|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.7.2">Job
vii. 2</scripRef>. God has thus divided time between light and
darkness, because he would daily remind us that this is a world of
mixtures and changes. In heaven there is perfect and perpetual
light, and no darkness at all; in hell, utter darkness, and no
gleam of light. In that world between these two there is a great
gulf fixed; but, in this world, they are counterchanged, and we
pass daily from one to another, that we may learn to expect the
like vicissitudes in the providence of God, peace and trouble, joy
and sorrow, and may set the one over-against the other,
accommodating ourselves to both as we do to the light and darkness,
bidding both welcome, and making the best of both. 5. That God
divided them from each other by distinguishing names: <i>He called
the light day, and the darkness he called night.</i> He gave them
names, as the Lord of both; for <i>the day is
<pb n="5" id="Gen.ii-Page_5"/>
his, the night also is his,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 74:16" id="Gen.ii-p16.13" parsed="|Ps|74|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.74.16">Ps.
lxxiv. 16</scripRef>. He is the Lord of time, and will be so, till
day and night shall come to an end, and the stream of time be
swallowed up in the ocean of eternity. Let us acknowledge God in
the constant succession of day and night, and consecrate both to
his honour, by working for him every day and resting in him every
night, and meditating in his law day and night. 6. That this was
the first day's work, and a good day's work it was. <i>The evening
and the morning were the first day.</i> The darkness of the evening
was before the light of the morning, that it might serve for a foil
to it, to set it off, and make it shine the brighter. This was not
only the first day of the world, but the first day of the week. I
observe it to the honour of that day, because the new world began
on the first day of the week likewise, in the resurrection of
Christ, as the light of the world, early in the morning. In him the
day-spring from on high has visited the world; and happy are we,
for ever happy, if that <i>day-star arise in our hearts.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:6-8" id="Gen.ii-p16.14" parsed="|Gen|1|6|1|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.6-Gen.1.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.6-Gen.1.8">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p16.15">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p16.16">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p17">6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the
midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
&#160; 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which
<i>were</i> under the firmament from the waters which <i>were</i>
above the firmament: and it was so. &#160; 8 And God called the
firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second
day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p18">We have here an account of the second day's
work, the creation of the firmament, in which observe, 1. The
command of God concerning it: <i>Let there be a firmament,</i> an
<i>expansion,</i> so the Hebrew word signifies, like a sheet
spread, or a curtain drawn out. This includes all that is visible
above the earth, between it and the third heavens: the air, its
higher, middle, and lower, regions&#8212;the celestial globe, and all
the spheres and orbs of light above: it reaches as high as the
place where the stars are fixed, for that is called here the
<i>firmament of heaven</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:14,15" id="Gen.ii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|1|14|1|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.14-Gen.1.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>), and as low as the place
where the birds fly, for that also is called the <i>firmament of
heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 1:20" id="Gen.ii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|1|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>.
When God had made the light, he appointed the air to be the
receptacle and vehicle of its beams, and to be as a medium of
communication between the invisible and the visible world; for,
though between heaven and earth there is an inconceivable distance,
yet there is not an impassable gulf, as there is between heaven and
hell. This firmament is not a wall of partition, but a way of
intercourse. See <scripRef passage="Job 26:7,37:18,Ps 104:3,Am 9:6" id="Gen.ii-p18.3" parsed="|Job|26|7|0|0;|Job|37|18|0|0;|Ps|104|3|0|0;|Amos|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.7 Bible:Job.37.18 Bible:Ps.104.3 Bible:Amos.9.6">Job xxvi. 7; xxxvii. 18; Ps. civ.
3; Amos ix. 6</scripRef>. 2. The creation of it. Lest it should
seem as if God had only commanded it to be done, and someone else
had done it, he adds, <i>And God made the firmament.</i> What God
requires of us he himself works in us, or it is not done. He that
commands faith, holiness, and love, creates them by the power of
his grace going along with his word, that he may have all the
praise. <i>Lord, give what thou commandest, and then command what
thou pleasest.</i> The firmament is said to be <i>the work of God's
fingers,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 8:3" id="Gen.ii-p18.4" parsed="|Ps|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.8.3">Ps. viii. 3</scripRef>.
Though the vastness of its extent declares it to be the work of his
arm stretched out, yet the admirable fineness of its constitution
shows that it is a curious piece of art, the work of his fingers.
3. The use and design of it&#8212;to <i>divide the waters from the
waters,</i> that is, to distinguish between the waters that are
wrapped up in the clouds and those that cover the sea, the waters
in the air and those in the earth. See the difference between these
two carefully observed, <scripRef passage="De 11:10,11" id="Gen.ii-p18.5" parsed="|Deut|11|10|11|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.10-Deut.11.11">Deut. xi.
10, 11</scripRef>, where Canaan is upon this account preferred to
Egypt, that Egypt was moistened and made fruitful with the waters
that are under the firmament, but Canaan with waters from above,
out of the firmament, even the dew of heaven, which tarrieth not
<i>for the sons of men,</i> <scripRef passage="Mic 5:7" id="Gen.ii-p18.6" parsed="|Mic|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.5.7">Mic. v.
7</scripRef>. God has, in the firmament of his power, chambers,
store-chambers, whence he <i>watereth the earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 104:13,Ps 65:9,10" id="Gen.ii-p18.7" parsed="|Ps|104|13|0|0;|Ps|65|9|65|10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.13 Bible:Ps.65.9-Ps.65.10">Ps. civ. 13; lxv. 9, 10</scripRef>.
He has also <i>treasures, or magazines, of snow and hail, which he
hath reserved against the day of battle and war,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:22,23" id="Gen.ii-p18.8" parsed="|Job|38|22|38|23" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.22-Job.38.23">Job xxxviii. 22, 23</scripRef>. O what a
great God is he who has thus provided for the comfort of all that
serve him and the confusion of all that hate him! It is good having
him our friend, and bad having him our enemy. 4. The naming of it:
<i>He called the firmament heaven.</i> It is the visible heaven,
the pavement of the holy city; above the firmament God is said to
have his throne (<scripRef passage="Eze 1:26" id="Gen.ii-p18.9" parsed="|Ezek|1|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.1.26">Ezek. i.
26</scripRef>), for he has prepared it in the heavens; the heavens
therefore are said to rule, <scripRef passage="Da 4:26" id="Gen.ii-p18.10" parsed="|Dan|4|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.4.26">Dan. iv.
26</scripRef>. <i>Is not God in the height of heaven?</i> <scripRef passage="Job 22:12" id="Gen.ii-p18.11" parsed="|Job|22|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.22.12">Job xxii. 12</scripRef>. Yes, he is, and we
should be led by the contemplation of the heavens that are in our
eye to consider <i>our Father who is in heaven.</i> The height of
the heavens should remind us of God's supremacy and the infinite
distance there is between us and him; the brightness of the heavens
and their purity should remind us of his glory, and majesty, and
perfect holiness; the vastness of the heavens, their encompassing
of the earth, and the influence they have upon it, should remind us
of his immensity and universal providence.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:9-13" id="Gen.ii-p18.12" parsed="|Gen|1|9|1|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.9-Gen.1.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.9-Gen.1.13">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p18.13">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p18.14">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p19">9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven
be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry <i>land</i>
appear: and it was so. &#160; 10 And God called the dry <i>land</i>
Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and
God saw that <i>it was</i> good. &#160; 11 And God said, Let the
<pb n="6" id="Gen.ii-Page_6"/>
earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed,
<i>and</i> the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed
<i>is</i> in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. &#160; 12 And
the earth brought forth grass, <i>and</i> herb yielding seed after
his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed <i>was</i> in
itself, after his kind: and God saw that <i>it was</i> good. &#160;
13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p20">The third day's work is related in these
verses&#8212;the forming of the sea and the dry land, and the making of
the earth fruitful. Hitherto the power of the Creator had been
exerted and employed about the upper part of the visible word; the
light of heaven was kindled, and the firmament of heaven fixed: but
now he descends to this lower world, the earth, which was designed
for the children of men, designed both for their habitation and for
their maintenance; and here we have an account of the fitting of it
for both, and building of their house and the spreading of their
table. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p21">I. How the earth was prepared to be a
habitation for man, by the gathering of the waters together, and
the making of the dry land to appear. Thus, instead of the
confusion which there was (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:2" id="Gen.ii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>) when earth and water were mixed in one great mass,
behold, now, there is order, by such a separation as rendered them
both useful. God said, <i>Let it be so, and it was so;</i> no
sooner said than done. 1. The waters which had covered the earth
were ordered to retire, and to gather into one place, namely, those
hollows which were fitted and appointed for their reception and
rest. The waters, thus cleared, thus collected, and thus lodged, in
their proper place, he called <i>seas.</i> Though they are many, in
distant regions, and washing several shores, yet, either above
ground or under ground, they have communication with each other,
and so they are one, and the common receptacle of waters, into
which all the rivers flow, <scripRef passage="Ec 1:7" id="Gen.ii-p21.2" parsed="|Eccl|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.1.7">Eccl. i.
7</scripRef>. Waters and seas often, in scripture, signify troubles
and afflictions, <scripRef passage="Ps 42:7,69:2,14,15" id="Gen.ii-p21.3" parsed="|Ps|42|7|0|0;|Ps|69|2|0|0;|Ps|69|14|0|0;|Ps|69|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.42.7 Bible:Ps.69.2 Bible:Ps.69.14 Bible:Ps.69.15">Ps. xlii.
7; lxix. 2, 14, 15</scripRef>. God's own people are not exempted
from these in this world; but it is their comfort that they are
only waters under the heaven (there are none in heaven), and that
they are all in the place that God has appointed them and within
the bounds that he has set for them. How the waters were gathered
together at first, and how they are still bound and limited by the
same Almighty had that first confined them, are elegantly
described, <scripRef passage="Ps 104:6-9" id="Gen.ii-p21.4" parsed="|Ps|104|6|104|9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.6-Ps.104.9">Ps. civ. 6-9</scripRef>,
and are there mentioned as matter of praise. <i>Those that go down
to the sea in ships</i> ought to acknowledge daily the wisdom,
power, and goodness, of the Creator, in making the great waters
serviceable to man for trade and commerce; and <i>those that tarry
at home</i> must own themselves indebted to him that keeps the sea
with bars and doors in its decreed place, and stays its proud
waves, <scripRef passage="Job 38:10,11" id="Gen.ii-p21.5" parsed="|Job|38|10|38|11" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.10-Job.38.11">Job xxxviii. 10,
11</scripRef>. 2. The dry land was made to appear, and emerge out
of the waters, and was called <i>earth,</i> and <i>given to the
children of men.</i> The earth, it seems, was in being before; but
it was of no use, because it was under water. Thus many of God's
gifts are received in vain, because they are buried; make them to
appear, and they become serviceable. We who, to this day, enjoy the
benefit of the dry land (though, since this, it was once deluged,
and dried again) must own ourselves tenants to, and dependents
upon, that God whose <i>hands formed the dry land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 95:5,Jon 1:9" id="Gen.ii-p21.6" parsed="|Ps|95|5|0|0;|Jonah|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.95.5 Bible:Jonah.1.9">Ps. xcv. 5; Jonah i. 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p22">II. How the earth was furnished for the
maintenance and support of man, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:11,12" id="Gen.ii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|1|11|1|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.11-Gen.1.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. Present provision was now
made, by the immediate products of the upstart earth, which, in
obedience to God's command, was no sooner made than it became
fruitful, and brought forth grass for the cattle and herb for the
service of man. Provision was likewise made for time to come, by
the perpetuating of the several kinds of vegetables, which are
numerous, various, and all curious, and every one <i>having its
seed in itself after its kind,</i> that, during the continuance of
man upon the earth, food might be fetched out of the earth for his
use and benefit. <i>Lord, what is man, that he is thus visited and
regarded</i>&#8212;that such care should be taken, and such provision
made, for the support and preservation of those guilty and
obnoxious lives which have been a thousand times forfeited! Observe
here, 1. That not only the earth is the Lord's, but <i>the fulness
thereof,</i> and he is the rightful owner and sovereign disposer,
not only of it, but of all its furniture. The earth was
<i>emptiness</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:2" id="Gen.ii-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), but now, by a word's speaking, it has become full of
God's riches, and his they are still&#8212;<i>his corn and his wine, his
wool and his flax,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 2:9" id="Gen.ii-p22.3" parsed="|Hos|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.9">Hos. ii.
9</scripRef>. Though the use of them is allowed to us, the property
still remains in him, and to his service and honour they must be
used. 2. That common providence is a continued creation, and in it
<i>our Father worketh hitherto.</i> The earth still remains under
the efficacy of this command, to bring forth grass, and herbs, and
its annual products; and though, being according to the common
course of nature, these are not standing miracles, yet they are
standing instances of the unwearied power and unexhausted goodness
of the world's great Maker and Master. 3. That though God,
ordinarily, makes use of the agency of second causes, according to
their nature, yet he neither needs them nor is tied to them; for,
though the precious fruits of the earth are usually brought forth
by the influences of the sun and moon (<scripRef passage="De 33:14" id="Gen.ii-p22.4" parsed="|Deut|33|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.14">Deut. xxxiii. 14</scripRef>), yet here we find the earth
bearing a great abundance
<pb n="7" id="Gen.ii-Page_7"/>
of fruit, probable
ripe fruit, before the sun and moon were made. 4. That it is good
to provide things necessary before we have occasion to use them:
before the beasts and man were made, here were grass and herbs
prepared for them. God thus dealt wisely and graciously with man;
let not man then be foolish and unwise for himself. 5. That God
must have the glory of all the benefit we receive from the products
of the earth, either for food or physic. It is he that <i>hears the
heavens when they hear the earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Hos 2:21,22" id="Gen.ii-p22.5" parsed="|Hos|2|21|2|22" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.21-Hos.2.22">Hos. ii. 21, 22</scripRef>. And if we have, through
grace, an interest in him who is the fountain, when the streams are
dried up and the <i>fig-tree doth not blossom</i> we may rejoice in
him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:14-19" id="Gen.ii-p22.6" parsed="|Gen|1|14|1|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.14-Gen.1.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.14-Gen.1.19">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p22.7">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p22.8">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p23">14 And God said, Let there be lights in the
firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let
them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: &#160;
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to
give light upon the earth: and it was so. &#160; 16 And God made
two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser
light to rule the night: <i>he made</i> the stars also. &#160; 17
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon
the earth, &#160; 18 And to rule over the day and over the night,
and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that <i>it
was</i> good. &#160; 19 And the evening and the morning were the
fourth day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p24">This is the history of the fourth day's
work, the creating of the sun, moon, and stars, which are here
accounted for, not as they are in themselves and in their own
nature, to satisfy the curious, but as they are in relation to this
earth, to which they serve as lights; and this is enough to furnish
us with matter for praise and thanksgiving. Holy Job mentions this
as an instance of the glorious power of God, that <i>by the Spirit
he hath garnished the heavens</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 26:13" id="Gen.ii-p24.1" parsed="|Job|26|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.13">Job xxvi. 13</scripRef>); and here we have an account
of that garniture which is not only so much the beauty of the upper
world, but so much the blessing of this lower; for though heaven is
high, yet has it respect to this earth, and therefore should have
respect from it. Of the creation of the lights of heaven we have an
account,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p25">I. In general, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:14,15" id="Gen.ii-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|1|14|1|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.14-Gen.1.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>, where we have 1. The
command given concerning them: <i>Let there be lights in the
firmament of heaven.</i> God had said, <i>Let there be light</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 1:3" id="Gen.ii-p25.2" parsed="|Gen|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and there was
light; but this was, as it were, a chaos of light, scattered and
confused: now it was collected and modelled, and made into several
luminaries, and so rendered both more glorious and more
serviceable. God is the God of order, and not of confusion; and, as
he is light, so he is the Father and former of lights. Those lights
were to be <i>in the firmament of heaven,</i> that vast expanse
which encloses the earth, and is conspicuous to all; for <i>no man,
when he has lighted a candle, puts it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 8:16" id="Gen.ii-p25.3" parsed="|Luke|8|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.8.16">Luke viii.
16</scripRef>), and a stately golden candlestick the firmament of
heaven is, from which these candles give light <i>to all that are
in the house.</i> The firmament itself is spoken of as having a
brightness of its own (<scripRef passage="Da 12:3" id="Gen.ii-p25.4" parsed="|Dan|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.12.3">Dan. xii.
3</scripRef>), but this was not sufficient to give light to the
earth; and perhaps for this reason it is not expressly said of the
second day's work, in which the firmament was made, that it was
good, because, till it was adorned with these lights on the fourth
day, it had not become serviceable to man. 2. The use they were
intended to be of to this earth. (1.) They must be for the
distinction of times, of day and night, summer and winter, which
are interchanged by the motion of the sun, whose rising makes day,
his setting night, his approach towards our tropic summer, his
recess to the other winter: and thus, <i>under the sun,</i> there
is <i>a season to every purpose,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 3:11" id="Gen.ii-p25.5" parsed="|Eccl|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.11">Eccl. iii. 1</scripRef>. (2.) They must be for the
direction of actions. They are for signs of the change of weather,
that the husbandman may order his affairs with discretion,
foreseeing, by the face of the sky, when second causes have begun
to work, whether it will be fair or foul, <scripRef passage="Mt 16:2,3" id="Gen.ii-p25.6" parsed="|Matt|16|2|16|3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.16.2-Matt.16.3">Matt. xvi. 2, 3</scripRef>. They do also <i>give light
upon the earth,</i> that we may <i>walk</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 11:9" id="Gen.ii-p25.7" parsed="|John|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.11.9">John xi. 9</scripRef>), and <i>work</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 9:4" id="Gen.ii-p25.8" parsed="|John|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.9.4">John ix. 4</scripRef>). according as the duty of
every day requires. The lights of heaven do not shine for
themselves, nor for the world of spirits above, who need them not;
but they shine for us, for our pleasure and advantage. Lord, what
is man, that he should be thus regarded! <scripRef passage="Ps 8:3,4" id="Gen.ii-p25.9" parsed="|Ps|8|3|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.8.3-Ps.8.4">Ps. viii. 3, 4</scripRef>. How ungrateful and
inexcusable are we, if, when God has set up these lights for us to
work by, we sleep, or play, or trifle away the time of business,
and neglect the great work we were sent into the world about! The
lights of heaven are made to serve us, and they do it faithfully,
and shine in their season, without fail: but we are set as lights
in this world to serve God; and do we in like manner answer the end
of our creation? No, we do not, our light does not shine before God
as his lights shine before us, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:14" id="Gen.ii-p25.10" parsed="|Matt|5|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.14">Matt. v.
14</scripRef>. We burn our Master's candles, but do not mind our
Master's work.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p26">II. In particular, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:16-18" id="Gen.ii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|1|16|1|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.16-Gen.1.18"><i>v.</i> 16-18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p27">1. Observe, The lights of heaven are the
sun, moon, and stars; and all these are the work of God's hands.
(1.) The sun is the greatest light of all, more than a million
times greater than the earth, and the most glorious and useful of
all the lamps of heaven, a noble instance of the Creator's wisdom,
power, and goodness, and an invaluable blessing to the creatures of
this lower world. Let us learn from
<pb n="8" id="Gen.ii-Page_8"/>
<scripRef passage="Ps 19:1-6" id="Gen.ii-p27.1" parsed="|Ps|19|1|19|6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.19.1-Ps.19.6">Ps. xix. 1-6</scripRef> how to give unto God
the glory due unto his name, as the Maker of the sun. (2.) The moon
is a less light, and yet is here reckoned one of the greater
lights, because though, in regard to its magnitude and borrowed
light, it is inferior to many of the stars, yet, by virtue of its
office, as ruler of the night, and in respect of its usefulness to
the earth, it is more excellent than they. Those are most valuable
that are most serviceable; and those are the greater lights, not
that have the best gifts, but that humbly and faithfully do the
most good with them. <i>Whosoever will be great among you, let him
be your minister,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 20:26" id="Gen.ii-p27.2" parsed="|Matt|20|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.26">Matt. xx.
26</scripRef>. (3.) <i>He made the stars also,</i> which are here
spoken of as they appear to vulgar eyes, without distinguishing
between the planets and the fixed stars, or accounting for their
number, nature, place, magnitude, motions, or influences; for the
scriptures were written, not to gratify our curiosity and make us
astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints. Now these
lights are said to <i>rule</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:16,18" id="Gen.ii-p27.3" parsed="|Gen|1|16|0|0;|Gen|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.16 Bible:Gen.1.18"><i>v.</i> 16, 18</scripRef>); not that they have a
supreme dominion, as God has, but they are deputy-governors, rulers
under him. Here the less light, the moon, is said to rule <i>the
night;</i> but in <scripRef passage="Ps 136:9" id="Gen.ii-p27.4" parsed="|Ps|136|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.136.9">Ps. cxxxvi.
9</scripRef> the stars are mentioned as sharers in that government;
<i>The moon and stars to rule by night.</i> No more is meant than
that they <i>give light,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 31:35" id="Gen.ii-p27.5" parsed="|Jer|31|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.31.35">Jer.
xxxi. 35</scripRef>. The best and most honourable way of ruling is
by giving light and doing good: those command respect that live a
useful life, and so shine as lights.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p28">2. Learn from all this, (1.) The sin and
folly of that ancient idolatry, the worshipping of the sun, moon,
and stars, which, some think, took rise, or countenance at least,
from some broken traditions in the patriarchal age concerning the
rule and dominion of the lights of heaven. But the account here
given of them plainly shows that they are both God's creatures and
man's servants; and therefore it is both a great affront to God and
a great reproach to ourselves to make deities of them and give them
divine honours. See <scripRef passage="De 4:19" id="Gen.ii-p28.1" parsed="|Deut|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.19">Deut. iv.
19</scripRef>. (2.) The duty and wisdom of daily worshipping that
God who made all these things, and made them to be that to us which
they are. The revolutions of the day and night oblige us to offer
the solemn sacrifice of prayer and praise every morning and
evening.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:20-23" id="Gen.ii-p28.2" parsed="|Gen|1|20|1|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.20-Gen.1.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.20-Gen.1.23">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p28.3">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p28.4">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p29">20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth
abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl <i>that</i>
may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. &#160; 21
And God created great whales, and every living creature that
moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their
kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that <i>it
was</i> good. &#160; 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful,
and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl
multiply in the earth. &#160; 23 And the evening and the morning
were the fifth day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p30">Each day, hitherto, has produced very noble
and excellent beings, which we can never sufficiently admire; but
we do not read of the creation of any living creature till the
fifth day, of which these verses give us an account. The work of
creation not only proceeded gradually from one thing to another,
but rose and advanced gradually from that which was less excellent
to that which was more so, teaching us to press towards perfection
and endeavour that our last works may be our best works. It was on
the fifth day that the fish and fowl were created, and both out of
the waters. Though there is one kind of flesh of fishes, and
another of birds, yet they were made together, and both out of the
waters; for the power of the first Cause can produce very different
effects from the same second causes. Observe, 1. The making of the
fish and fowl, at first, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:20,21" id="Gen.ii-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|1|20|1|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.20-Gen.1.21"><i>v.</i>
20, 21</scripRef>. God commanded them to be produced. He said,
<i>Let the waters bring forth abundantly;</i> not as if the waters
had any productive power of their own, but, "Let them be brought
into being, the fish in the waters and the fowl out of them." This
command he himself executed: <i>God created great whales,</i>
&amp;c. Insects, which perhaps are as various and as numerous as
any species of animals, and their structure as curious, were part
of this day's work, some of them being allied to the fish and
others to the fowl. Mr. Boyle (I remember) says he admires the
Creator's wisdom and power as much in an ant as in an elephant.
Notice is here taken of the various sorts of fish and fowl, each
after their kind, and of the great numbers of both that were
produced, for the waters brought forth abundantly; and particular
mention if made of great whales, the largest of fishes, whose bulk
and strength, exceeding that of any other animal, are remarkable
proofs of the power and greatness of the Creator. The express
notice here taken of the whale, above all the rest, seems
sufficient to determine what animal is meant by the Leviathan,
<scripRef passage="Job 41:1" id="Gen.ii-p30.2" parsed="|Job|41|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.41.1">Job xli. :1</scripRef>. The curious
formation of the bodies of animals, their different sizes, shapes,
and natures, with the admirable powers of the sensitive life with
which they are endued, when duly considered, serve, not only to
silence and shame the objections of atheists and infidels, but to
raise high thoughts and high praises of God in pious and devout
souls, <scripRef passage="Ps 104:25" id="Gen.ii-p30.3" parsed="|Ps|104|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.25">Ps. civ. 25</scripRef>,
&amp;c. 2. The blessing of them, in order to their continuance.
Life is a wasting thing. Its strength is not the strength of
stones. It is a candle that will burn out, if it be not first blown
out; and therefore the wise Creator not only made the individuals,
but provided
<pb n="9" id="Gen.ii-Page_9"/>
for the propagation of the
several kinds; <i>God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful and
multiply,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 1:22" id="Gen.ii-p30.4" parsed="|Gen|1|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>.
God will bless his own works, and not forsake them; and <i>what he
does shall be for a perpetuity,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 3:14" id="Gen.ii-p30.5" parsed="|Eccl|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.14">Eccl. iii. 14</scripRef>. The power of God's providence
preserves all things, as at first his creating power produced them.
Fruitfulness is the effect of God's blessing and must be ascribed
to it; the multiplying of the fish and fowl, from year to year, is
still the fruit of this blessing. Well, let us give to God the
glory of the continuance of these creatures to this day for the
benefit of man. See <scripRef passage="Job 12:7,9" id="Gen.ii-p30.6" parsed="|Job|12|7|0|0;|Job|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.12.7 Bible:Job.12.9">Job xii. 7,
9</scripRef>. It is a pity that fishing and fowling, recreations
innocent in themselves, should ever be abused to divert any from
God and their duty, while they are capable of being improved to
lead us to the contemplation of the wisdom, power, and goodness, of
him that made all these things, and to engage us to stand in awe of
him, as the fish and fowl do of us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:24-25" id="Gen.ii-p30.7" parsed="|Gen|1|24|1|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.24-Gen.1.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.24-Gen.1.25">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p30.8">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p30.9">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p31">24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the
living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and
beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. &#160; 25 And God
made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their
kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind:
and God saw that <i>it was</i> good.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p32">We have here the first part of the sixth
day's work. The sea was, the day before, replenished with its fish,
and the air with its fowl; and this day were made the beasts of the
earth, the cattle, and the creeping things that pertain to the
earth. Here, as before, 1. <i>The Lord gave the word;</i> he said,
<i>Let the earth bring forth,</i> not as if the earth had any such
prolific virtue as to produce these animals, or as if God resigned
his creating power to it; but, "Let these creatures now come into
being upon the earth, and out of it, in their respective kinds,
conformable to the ideas of them in the divine counsels concerning
their creation." 2. He also did the work; he made them all after
their kind, not only of divers shapes, but of divers natures,
manners, food, and fashions&#8212;some to be tame about the house,
others to be wild in the fields&#8212;some living upon grass and herbs,
others upon flesh&#8212;some harmless, and others ravenous&#8212;some bold,
and others timorous&#8212;some for man's service, and not his
sustenance, as the horse&#8212;others for his sustenance, and not his
service, as the sheep&#8212;others for both, as the ox&#8212;and some for
neither, as the wild beasts. In all this appears the manifold
wisdom of the Creator.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:26-28" id="Gen.ii-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|1|26|1|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.26-Gen.1.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.26-Gen.1.28">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p32.2">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p32.3">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p33">26 And God said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over
all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the
earth. &#160; 27 So God created man in his <i>own</i> image, in the
image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
&#160; 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the
air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p34">We have here the second part of the sixth
day's work, the creation of man, which we are, in a special manner,
concerned to take notice of, that we may know ourselves.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p35">I. That man was made last of all the
creatures, that it might not be suspected that he had been, any
way, a helper to God in the creation of the world: that question
must be for ever humbling and mortifying to him, <i>Where wast
thou,</i> or any of thy kind, <i>when I laid the foundations of the
earth?</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:4" id="Gen.ii-p35.1" parsed="|Job|38|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.4">Job xxxviii. 4</scripRef>.
Yet it was both an honour and a favour to him that he was made
last: an honour, for the method of the creation was to advance from
that which was less perfect to that which was more so; and a
favour, for it was not fit he should be lodged in the palace
designed for him till it was completely fitted up and furnished for
his reception. Man, as soon as he was made, had the whole visible
creation before him, both to contemplate and to take the comfort
of. Man was made the same day that the beasts were, because his
body was made of the same earth with theirs; and, while he is in
the body, he inhabits the same earth with them. God forbid that by
indulging the body and the desires of it we should make ourselves
like the beasts that perish!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p36">II. That man's creation was a more signal
and immediate act of divine wisdom and power than that of the other
creatures. The narrative of it is introduced with something of
solemnity, and a manifest distinction from the rest. Hitherto, it
had been said, "Let there be light," and "Let there be a
firmament," and "Let the earth, or waters, bring forth" such a
thing; but now the word of command is turned into a word of
consultation, "<i>Let us make man,</i> for whose sake the rest of
the creatures were made: this is a work we must take into our own
hands." In the former he speaks as one having authority, in this as
one having affection; for his <i>delights were with the sons of
men,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 8:31" id="Gen.ii-p36.1" parsed="|Prov|8|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.8.31">Prov. viii. 31</scripRef>. It
should seem as if this were the work which he longed to be at; as
if he had said, "Having at last settled the preliminaries, let us
now apply ourselves to the business, <i>Let us make man.</i>" Man
was to be a creature different from all that had been
<pb n="10" id="Gen.ii-Page_10"/>
hitherto made. Flesh and spirit, heaven and earth,
must be put together in him, and he must be allied to both worlds.
And therefore God himself not only undertakes to make him, but is
pleased so to express himself as if he called a council to consider
of the making of him: <i>Let us make man.</i> The three persons of
the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, consult about it and
concur in it, because man, when he was made, was to be dedicated
and devoted to Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Into that great name we
are, with good reason, baptized, for to that great name we owe our
being. Let him rule man who said, <i>Let us make man.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p37">III. That man was made in God's image and
after his likeness, two words to express the same thing and making
each other the more expressive; <i>image</i> and <i>likeness</i>
denote the likest image, the nearest resemblance of any of the
visible creatures. Man was not made in the likeness of any creature
that went before him, but in the likeness of his Creator; yet still
between God and man there is an infinite distance. Christ only is
the <i>express</i> image of God's person, as the Son of his Father,
having the same nature. It is only some of God's honour that is put
upon man, who is God's image only as the shadow in the glass, or
the king's impress upon the coin. God's image upon man consists in
these three things:&#8212;1. In his nature and constitution, not those
of his body (for God has not a body), but those of his soul. This
honour indeed God has put upon the body of man, that the Word was
made flesh, the Son of God was clothed with a body like ours and
will shortly clothe ours with a glory like that of his. And this we
may safely say, That he by whom God made the worlds, not only the
great world, but man the little world, formed the human body, at
the first, according to the platform he designed for himself in the
fulness of time. But it is the soul, the great soul, of man, that
does especially bear God's image. The soul is a spirit, an
intelligent immortal spirit, an influencing active spirit, herein
resembling God, the Father of Spirits, and the soul of the world.
<i>The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.</i> The soul of
man, considered in its three noble faculties, understanding, will,
and active power, is perhaps the brightest clearest looking-glass
in nature, wherein to see God. 2. In his place and authority:
<i>Let us make man in our image, and let him have dominion.</i> As
he has the government of the inferior creatures, he is, as it were,
God's representative, or viceroy, upon earth; they are not capable
of fearing and serving God, therefore God has appointed them to
fear and serve man. Yet his government of himself by the freedom of
his will has in it more of God's image than his government of the
creatures. 3. In his purity and rectitude. God's image upon man
consists in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, <scripRef passage="Eph 4:24,Col 3:10" id="Gen.ii-p37.1" parsed="|Eph|4|24|0|0;|Col|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.4.24 Bible:Col.3.10">Eph. iv. 24; Col. iii. 10</scripRef>.
He was upright, <scripRef passage="Ec 7:29" id="Gen.ii-p37.2" parsed="|Eccl|7|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.29">Eccl. vii.
29</scripRef>. He had an habitual conformity of all his natural
powers to the whole will of God. His understanding saw divine
things clearly and truly, and there were no errors nor mistakes in
his knowledge. His will complied readily and universally with the
will of God, without reluctancy or resistance. His affections were
all regular, and he had no inordinate appetites or passions. His
thoughts were easily brought and fixed to the best subjects, and
there was no vanity nor ungovernableness in them. All the inferior
powers were subject to the dictates and directions of the superior,
without any mutiny or rebellion. Thus holy, thus happy, were our
first parents, in having the image of God upon them. And this
honour, put upon man at first, is a good reason why we should not
speak ill one of another (<scripRef passage="Jam 3:9" id="Gen.ii-p37.3" parsed="|Jas|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.3.9">Jam. iii.
9</scripRef>), nor do ill one to another (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Gen.ii-p37.4" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6">Gen. ix. 6</scripRef>), and a good reason why we should
not debase ourselves to the service of sin, and why we should
devote ourselves to God's service. But how art thou fallen, O son
of the morning! How is this image of God upon man defaced! How
small are the remains of it, and how great the ruins of it! The
Lord renew it upon our souls by his sanctifying grace!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p38">IV. That man was made male and female, and
blessed with the blessing of fruitfulness and increase. God said,
<i>Let us make man,</i> and immediately it follows, <i>So God
created man;</i> he performed what he resolved. With us saying and
doing are two things; but they are not so with God. He created him
male and female, Adam and Eve&#8212;Adam first, out of earth, and Eve
out of his side, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:21-23" id="Gen.ii-p38.1" parsed="|Gen|2|21|2|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.21-Gen.2.23"><i>ch.</i>
ii</scripRef>. It should seem that of the rest of the creatures God
made many couples, but of man <i>did not he make one?</i>
(<scripRef passage="Mal 2:15" id="Gen.ii-p38.2" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15">Mal. ii. 15</scripRef>), though he
had the residue of the Spirit, whence Christ gathers an argument
against divorce, <scripRef passage="Mt 19:4,5" id="Gen.ii-p38.3" parsed="|Matt|19|4|19|5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.4-Matt.19.5">Matt. xix. 4,
5</scripRef>. Our first father, Adam, was confined to one wife;
and, if he had put her away, there was no other for him to marry,
which plainly intimated that the bond of marriage was not to be
dissolved at pleasure. Angels were not made male and female, for
they were not to propagate their kind (<scripRef passage="Lu 20:34-36" id="Gen.ii-p38.4" parsed="|Luke|20|34|20|36" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.34-Luke.20.36">Luke xx. 34-36</scripRef>); but man was made so, that
the nature might be propagated and the race continued. Fires and
candles, the luminaries of this lower world, because they waste,
and go out, have a power to light more; but it is not so with the
lights of heaven: stars do not kindle stars. God made but one male
and one female, that all the nations of men might know themselves
to be made of one blood, descendants from one common stock, and
might thereby be induced to love one another. God, having made them
capable of transmitting the nature they had received, said to them,
<i>Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.</i> Here he
gave them, 1. A large inheritance: <i>Replenish the earth;</i> it
is this that is bestowed upon the children of men.
<pb n="11" id="Gen.ii-Page_11"/>
They were made <i>to dwell upon the face of all the
earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 17:26" id="Gen.ii-p38.5" parsed="|Acts|17|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.17.26">Acts xvii. 26</scripRef>.
This is the place in which God has set man to be the servant of his
providence in the government of the inferior creatures, and, as it
were, the intelligence of this orb; to be the receiver of God's
bounty, which other creatures live upon, but do not know it; to be
likewise the collector of his praises in this lower world, and to
pay them into the exchequer above (<scripRef passage="Ps 145:10" id="Gen.ii-p38.6" parsed="|Ps|145|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.145.10">Ps. cxlv. 10</scripRef>); and, lastly, to be a
probationer for a better state. 2. A numerous lasting family, to
enjoy this inheritance, pronouncing a blessing upon them, in virtue
of which their posterity should extend to the utmost corners of the
earth and continue to the utmost period of time. Fruitfulness and
increase depend upon the blessing of God: Obed-edom had eight sons,
<i>for God blessed him,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ch 26:5" id="Gen.ii-p38.7" parsed="|1Chr|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.26.5">1 Chron.
xxvi. 5</scripRef>. It is owing to this blessing, which God
commanded at first, that the race of mankind is still in being, and
that as <i>one generation passeth away another cometh.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p39">V. That God gave to man, when he had made
him, a dominion over the inferior creatures, <i>over the fish of
the sea and over the fowl of the air.</i> Though man provides for
neither, he has power over both, much more <i>over every living
thing that moveth upon the earth,</i> which are more under his care
and within his reach. God designed hereby to put an honour upon
man, that he might find himself the more strongly obliged to bring
honour to his Maker. This dominion is very much diminished and lost
by the fall; yet God's providence continues so much of it to the
children of men as is necessary to the safety and support of their
lives, and God's grace has given to the saints a new and better
title to the creature than that which was forfeited by sin; for all
is ours if we are Christ's, <scripRef passage="1Co 3:22" id="Gen.ii-p39.1" parsed="|1Cor|3|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.22">1 Cor.
iii. 22</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:29-30" id="Gen.ii-p39.2" parsed="|Gen|1|29|1|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.29-Gen.1.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.29-Gen.1.30">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p39.3">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p39.4">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p40">29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every
herb bearing seed, which <i>is</i> upon the face of all the earth,
and every tree, in the which <i>is</i> the fruit of a tree yielding
seed; to you it shall be for meat. &#160; 30 And to every beast of
the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that
creepeth upon the earth, wherein <i>there is</i> life, <i>I have
given</i> every green herb for meat: and it was so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p41">We have here the third part of the sixth
day's work, which was not any new creation, but a gracious
provision of food for all flesh, <scripRef passage="Ps 136:25" id="Gen.ii-p41.1" parsed="|Ps|136|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.136.25">Ps.
cxxxvi. 25</scripRef>. He that made man and beast thus took care to
preserve both, <scripRef passage="Ps 36:6" id="Gen.ii-p41.2" parsed="|Ps|36|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.36.6">Ps. xxxvi. 6</scripRef>.
Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p42">I. Food provided for man, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:29" id="Gen.ii-p42.1" parsed="|Gen|1|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Herbs and fruits must be
his meat, including corn and all the products of the earth; these
were allowed him, but (it should seem) not flesh, till after the
flood, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:3" id="Gen.ii-p42.2" parsed="|Gen|9|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.3"><i>ch.</i> ix. 3</scripRef>. And
before the earth was deluged, much more before it was cursed for
man's sake, its fruits, no doubt, were more pleasing to the taste
and more strengthening and nourishing to the body than marrow and
fatness, and all the portion of the king's meat, are now. See here,
1. That which should make us humble. As we were made out of the
earth, so we are maintained out of it. Once indeed men did eat
angels' food, bread from heaven; but they died (<scripRef passage="Joh 6:49" id="Gen.ii-p42.3" parsed="|John|6|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.49">John vi. 49</scripRef>); it was to them but as food out
of the earth, <scripRef passage="Ps 104:14" id="Gen.ii-p42.4" parsed="|Ps|104|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.14">Ps. civ. 14</scripRef>.
There is meat that endures to everlasting life; the Lord evermore
give us this. 2. That which should make us thankful. The Lord is
for the body; from him we receive all the supports and comforts of
this life, and to him we must give thanks. He gives us all things
richly to enjoy, not only for necessity, but plenty, dainties, and
varieties, for ornament and delight. How much are we indebted! How
careful should we be, as we live upon God's bounty, to live to his
glory! 3. That which should make us temperate and content with our
lot. Though Adam had dominion given him over fish and fowl, yet God
confined him, in his food, to herbs and fruits; and he never
complained of it. Though afterwards he coveted forbidden fruit, for
the sake of the wisdom and knowledge he promised himself from it,
yet we never read that he coveted forbidden flesh. If God give us
food for our lives, let us not, with murmuring Israel, ask food for
our lusts, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:18" id="Gen.ii-p42.5" parsed="|Ps|78|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.18">Ps. lxxviii. 18</scripRef>;
see <scripRef passage="Da 1:15" id="Gen.ii-p42.6" parsed="|Dan|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.1.15">Dan. i. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p43">II. Food provided for the beasts, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:30" id="Gen.ii-p43.1" parsed="|Gen|1|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. <i>Doth God take care
for oxen?</i> Yes, certainly, he provides food convenient for them,
and not for oxen only, which were used in his sacrifices and man's
service, but even the young lions and the young ravens are the care
of his providence; they ask and have their meat from God. Let us
give to God the glory of his bounty to the inferior creatures, that
all are fed, as it were, at his table, every day. He is a great
housekeeper, a very rich and bountiful one, that satisfies the
desire of every living thing. Let this encourage God's people to
cast their care upon him, and not to be solicitous respecting what
they shall eat and what they shall drink. He that provided for Adam
without his care, and still provides for all the creatures without
their care, will not let those that trust him want any good thing,
<scripRef passage="Mt 6:26" id="Gen.ii-p43.2" parsed="|Matt|6|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.26">Matt. vi. 26</scripRef>. He that feeds
his birds will not starve his babes.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 1:31" id="Gen.ii-p43.3" parsed="|Gen|1|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.1.31">
<h4 id="Gen.ii-p43.4">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ii-p43.5">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ii-p44">31 And God saw every thing that he had made,
and, behold, <i>it was</i> very good. And the evening and the
morning were the sixth day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p45">We have here the approbation and conclusion
of the whole work of creation. As for God, his work is perfect; and
if he begin he will also make an end, in providence and grace, as
well as here in creation. Observe,</p>
<pb n="12" id="Gen.ii-Page_12"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p46">I. The review God took of his work: He
<i>saw every thing that he had made.</i> So he does still; all the
works of his hands are under his eye. He that made all sees all; he
that made us sees us, <scripRef passage="Ps 139:1-16" id="Gen.ii-p46.1" parsed="|Ps|139|1|139|16" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.1-Ps.139.16">Ps. cxxxix.
1-16</scripRef>. Omniscience cannot be separated from omnipotence.
<i>Known unto God are all his works,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 15:18" id="Gen.ii-p46.2" parsed="|Acts|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.18">Acts xv. 18</scripRef>. But this was the Eternal Mind's
solemn reflection upon the copies of its own wisdom and the
products of its own power. God has hereby set us an example of
reviewing our works. Having given us a power of reflection, he
expects we should use that power, see our way (<scripRef passage="Jer 2:23" id="Gen.ii-p46.3" parsed="|Jer|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.23">Jer. ii. 23</scripRef>), and think of it, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:59" id="Gen.ii-p46.4" parsed="|Ps|119|59|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.59">Ps. cxix. 59</scripRef>. When we have finished
a day's work, and are entering upon the rest of the night, we
should commune with our own hearts about what we have been doing
that day; so likewise when we have finished a week's work, and are
entering upon the sabbath-rest, we should thus prepare to meet our
God; and when we are finishing our life's work, and are entering
upon our rest in the grave, that is a time to bring to remembrance,
that we may die repenting, and so take leave of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p47">II. The complacency God took in his work.
When we come to review our works we find, to our shame, that much
has been very bad; but, when God reviewed his, all was very good.
He did not pronounce it good till he had seen it so, to teach us
not to answer a matter before we hear it. The work of creation was
a very good work. All that God made was well-made, and there was no
flaw nor defect in it. 1. It was good. Good, for it is all
agreeable to the mind of the Creator, just as he would have it to
be; when the transcript came to be compared with the great
original, it was found to be exact, no errata in it, not one
misplaced stroke. Good, for it answers the end of its creation, and
is fit for the purpose for which it was designed. Good, for it is
serviceable to man, whom God had appointed lord of the visible
creation. Good, for it is all for God's glory; there is that in the
whole visible creation which is a demonstration of God's being and
perfections, and which tends to beget, in the soul of man, a
religious regard to him and veneration of him. 2. It was very good.
Of each day's work (except the second) it was said that it was
good, but now, it is very good. For, (1.) Now man was made, who was
the chief of the ways of God, who was designed to be the visible
image of the Creator's glory and the mouth of the creation in his
praises. (2.) Now all was made; every part was good, but all
together very good. The glory and goodness, the beauty and harmony,
of God's works, both of providence and grace, as this of creation,
will best appear when they are perfected. When the top-stone is
brought forth we shall cry, <i>Grace, grace, unto it,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 4:7" id="Gen.ii-p47.1" parsed="|Zech|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.4.7">Zech. iv. 7</scripRef>. Therefore judge nothing
before the time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ii-p48">III. The time when this work was concluded:
<i>The evening and the morning were the sixth day;</i> so that in
six days God made the world. We are not to think but that God could
have made the world in an instant. He said that, <i>Let there be
light, and there was light,</i> could have said, "Let there be a
world," and there would have been a world, <i>in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye,</i> as at the resurrection, <scripRef passage="1Co 15:52" id="Gen.ii-p48.1" parsed="|1Cor|15|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.52">1 Cor. xv. 52</scripRef>. But he did it in six days,
that he might show himself a free-agent, doing his own work both in
his own way and in his own time,&#8212;that his wisdom, power, and
goodness, might appear to us, and be meditated upon by us, the more
distinctly,&#8212;and that he might set us an example of working six
days and resting the seventh; it is therefore made the reason of
the fourth commandment. So much would the sabbath conduce to the
keeping up of religion in the world that God had an eye to it in
the timing of his creation. And now, as God reviewed his work, let
us review our meditations upon it, and we shall find them very lame
and defective, and our praises low and flat; let us therefore stir
up ourselves, and all that is within us, to <i>worship him that
made the heaven, earth, and sea, and the fountains of waters,</i>
according to the tenor of the everlasting gospel, which is
preached to every nation, <scripRef passage="Re 14:6,7" id="Gen.ii-p48.2" parsed="|Rev|14|6|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.6-Rev.14.7">Rev. xiv.
6, 7</scripRef>. All his works, in all places of his dominion, do
bless him; and, therefore, <i>bless thou the Lord, O my
soul!</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter II" n="iii" progress="2.05%" prev="Gen.ii" next="Gen.iv" id="Gen.iii">
<pb n="12" id="Gen.iii-Page_12"/>
<h2 id="Gen.iii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.iii-p1">This chapter is an appendix to the history of the
creation, more particularly explaining and enlarging upon that part
of the history which relates immediately to man, the favourite of
this lower world. We have in it, I. The institution and
sanctification of the sabbath, which was made for man, to further
his holiness and comfort (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:1-3" id="Gen.iii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|2|1|2|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.1-Gen.2.3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>). II. A more particular account of man's creation,
as the centre and summary of the whole work (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:1-7" id="Gen.iii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|2|1|2|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.1-Gen.2.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>). III. A description of the garden
of Eden, and the placing of man in it under the obligations of a
law and covenant (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:8-17" id="Gen.iii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|2|8|2|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.8-Gen.2.17">ver.
8-17</scripRef>). IV. The creation of the woman, her marriage to
the man, and the institution of the ordinance of marriage
(<scripRef passage="Ge 2:18-25" id="Gen.iii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|2|18|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.18-Gen.2.25">ver. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c.).</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2" id="Gen.iii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2:1-3" id="Gen.iii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|2|1|2|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.1-Gen.2.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.2.1-Gen.2.3">
<h4 id="Gen.iii-p1.7">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iii-p2">1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,
and all the host of them. &#160; 2 And on the seventh day God ended
his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from
all his work which he had made. &#160; 3 And God blessed the
seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested
from all his work which God created and made.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p3">We have here, I. The settlement of the
kingdom of nature, in God's resting from the work of creation,
<scripRef passage="Ge 2:1,2" id="Gen.iii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.1-Gen.2.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. Here
observe, 1. The creatures made both in heaven and earth are the
<i>hosts</i> or <i>armies</i> of them, which denotes them to be
numerous, but marshalled, disciplined, and under command. How great
is the sum of them! And yet every one knows and keeps his place.
God uses them as his hosts for the defence of his people and the
destruction of his enemies; for he is the Lord of hosts, of all
these hosts, <scripRef passage="Da 4:35" id="Gen.iii-p3.2" parsed="|Dan|4|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.4.35">Dan. iv. 35</scripRef>. 2.
The heavens and the earth are finished pieces, and so are all the
creatures in them. So perfect is God's work that
<pb n="13" id="Gen.iii-Page_13"/>
nothing can be added to it nor taken from it,
<scripRef passage="Ec 3:14" id="Gen.iii-p3.3" parsed="|Eccl|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.14">Eccl. iii. 14</scripRef>. God that
began to build showed himself well able to finish. 3. After the end
of the first six days God ceased from all works of creation. He has
so ended his work as that though, in his providence, he worketh
hitherto (<scripRef passage="Joh 5:17" id="Gen.iii-p3.4" parsed="|John|5|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.5.17">John v. 17</scripRef>),
preserving and governing all the creatures, and particularly
forming the spirit of man within him, yet he does not make any new
species of creatures. In miracles, he has controlled and overruled
nature, but never changed its settled course, nor repealed nor
added to any of its establishments. 4. The eternal God, though
infinitely happy in the enjoyment of himself, yet took a
satisfaction in the work of his own hands. He did not rest, as one
weary, but as one well-pleased with the instances of his own
goodness and the manifestations of his own glory.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p4">II. The commencement of the kingdom of
grace, in the sanctification of the sabbath day, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:3" id="Gen.iii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. He rested on that day, and took a
complacency in his creatures, and then sanctified it, and appointed
us, on that day, to rest and take a complacency in the Creator; and
his rest is, in the fourth commandment, made a reason for ours,
after six days' labour. Observe, 1. The solemn observance of one
day in seven, as a day of holy rest and holy work, to God's honour,
is the indispensable duty of all those to whom God has revealed his
holy sabbaths. 2. The way of sabbath-sanctification is the good old
way, <scripRef passage="Jer 6:16" id="Gen.iii-p4.2" parsed="|Jer|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.6.16">Jer. vi. 16</scripRef>. Sabbaths
are as ancient as the world; and I see no reason to doubt that the
sabbath, being now instituted in innocency, was religiously
observed by the people of God throughout the patriarchal age. 3.
The sabbath of the Lord is truly honourable, and we have reason to
honour it&#8212;honour it for the sake of its antiquity, its great
Author, the sanctification of the first sabbath by the holy God
himself, and by our first parents in innocency, in obedience to
him. 4. The sabbath day is a blessed day, for God blessed it, and
that which he blesses is blessed indeed. God has put an honour upon
it, has appointed us, on that day, to bless him, and has promised,
on that day, to meet us and bless us. 5. The sabbath day is a holy
day, for God has sanctified it. He has separated and distinguished
it from the rest of the days of the week, and he has consecrated it
and set it apart to himself and his own service and honour. Though
it is commonly taken for granted that the Christian sabbath we
observe, reckoning from the creation, is not the seventh but the
first day of the week, yet being a seventh day, and we in it,
celebrating the rest of God the Son, and the finishing of the work
of our redemption, we may and ought to act faith upon this original
institution of the sabbath day, and to commemorate the work of
creation, to the honour of the great Creator, who is therefore
worthy to receive, on that day, blessing, and honour, and praise,
from all religious assemblies.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2:4-7" id="Gen.iii-p4.3" parsed="|Gen|2|4|2|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.4-Gen.2.7"/>
<div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.2.4-Gen.2.7">
<h4 id="Gen.iii-p4.4">The Creation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p4.5">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iii-p5">4 These <i>are</i> the generations of the
heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p5.1">Lord</span> God made the earth and the
heavens, &#160; 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the
earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p5.2">Lord</span> God had not caused it to rain upon
the earth, and <i>there was</i> not a man to till the ground.
&#160; 6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the
whole face of the ground. &#160; 7 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p5.3">Lord</span> God formed man <i>of</i> the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man
became a living soul.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p6">In these verses, I. Here is a name given to
the Creator which we have not yet met with, and that is
<i>Jehovah</i>&#8212;the LORD, in capital letters, which are constantly
used in our English translation to intimate that in the original it
is <i>Jehovah.</i> All along, in the first chapter, he was called
<i>Elohim&#8212;a God of power;</i> but now <i>Jehovah Elohim&#8212;a God of
power and perfection,</i> a finishing God. As we find him known by
his name Jehovah when he appeared to perform what he had promised
(<scripRef passage="Ex 6:3" id="Gen.iii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.3">Exod. vi. 3</scripRef>), so now we have
him known by that name, when he had perfected what he had begun.
<i>Jehovah</i> is that great and incommunicable name of God which
denotes his having his being of himself, and his giving being to
all things; fitly therefore is he called by that name now that
heaven and earth are finished.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p7">II. Further notice taken of the production
of plants and herbs, because they were made and appointed to be
food for man, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:5,6" id="Gen.iii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|2|5|2|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.5-Gen.2.6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>. Here observe, 1. The earth did not bring forth its
fruits of itself, by any innate virtue of its own but purely by the
almighty power of God, which formed every plant and every herb
before it grew in the earth. Thus grace in the soul, that plant of
renown, grows not of itself in nature's soil, but is the work of
God's own hands. 2. Rain also is the gift of God; it came not till
<i>the Lord God caused it to rain.</i> If rain be wanted, it is God
that withholds it; if rain come plentifully in its season, it is
God that sends it; if it come in a distinguishing way, it is God
that <i>causeth it to rain upon one city and not upon another,</i>
<scripRef passage="Am 4:7" id="Gen.iii-p7.2" parsed="|Amos|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.4.7">Amos iv. 7</scripRef>. 3. Though God,
ordinarily, works by means, yet he is not tied to them, but when he
pleases he can do his own work without them. As the plants were
produced before the sun was made, so they were before there was
either rain to water the earth or man to till it. Therefore though
we must not tempt God in the neglect of means, yet we must trust
God in the want of means. 4. Some way or other God will take care
to water the plants that are of his
<pb n="14" id="Gen.iii-Page_14"/>
own
planting. Though as yet there was no rain, God made a mist
equivalent to a shower, and with it <i>watered the whole face of
the ground.</i> Thus he chose to fulfil his purpose by the weakest
means, <i>that the excellency of the power might be of God.</i>
Divine grace descends like a mist, or silent dew, and waters the
church without noise, <scripRef passage="De 32:2" id="Gen.iii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|32|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.2">Deut. xxxii.
2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p8">III. A more particular account of the
creation of man, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:7" id="Gen.iii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>.
Man is a little world, consisting of heaven and earth, soul and
body. Now here we have an account of the origin of both and the
putting of both together: let us seriously consider it, and say, to
our Creator's praise, We are <i>fearfully and wonderfully made,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 139:14" id="Gen.iii-p8.2" parsed="|Ps|139|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.14">Ps. cxxxix. 14</scripRef>. Elihu, in
the patriarchal age, refers to this history when he says (<scripRef passage="Job 33:6" id="Gen.iii-p8.3" parsed="|Job|33|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.6">Job xxxiii. 6</scripRef>), <i>I also am formed
out of the clay,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Job 33:4" id="Gen.iii-p8.4" parsed="|Job|33|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), <i>The breath of the Almighty hath given me
life,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Job 32:8" id="Gen.iii-p8.5" parsed="|Job|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.32.8"><i>ch.</i> xxxii.
8</scripRef>), <i>There is a spirit in man.</i> Observe then,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p9">1. The mean origin, and yet the curious
structure, of the body of man. (1.) The matter was despicable. He
was made <i>of the dust of the ground,</i> a very unlikely thing to
make a man of; but the same infinite power that made the world of
nothing made man, its master-piece, of next to nothing. He was made
of the dust, the small dust, such as is upon the surface of the
earth. Probably, not dry dust, but dust moistened with the mist
that went up, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:6" id="Gen.iii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. He
was not made of gold-dust, powder of pearl, or diamond dust, but
common dust, dust of the ground. Hence he is said to be of the
earth, <b><i>choikos</i></b>&#8212;<i>dusty,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 15:47" id="Gen.iii-p9.2" parsed="|1Cor|15|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.47">1 Cor. xv. 47</scripRef>. And we also are of the earth,
for we are his offspring, and of the same mould. So near an
affinity is there between the earth and our earthly parents that
our mother's womb, out of which we were born, is called <i>the
earth</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 139:15" id="Gen.iii-p9.3" parsed="|Ps|139|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.15">Ps. cxxxix.
15</scripRef>), and the earth, in which we must be buried, is
called our <i>mother's womb,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 1:21" id="Gen.iii-p9.4" parsed="|Job|1|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.1.21">Job
i. 21</scripRef>. Our foundation is in the earth, <scripRef passage="Job 4:19" id="Gen.iii-p9.5" parsed="|Job|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.4.19">Job iv. 19</scripRef>. Our fabric is earthly,
and the fashioning of it like that of an earthen vessel, <scripRef passage="Job 10:9" id="Gen.iii-p9.6" parsed="|Job|10|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.10.9">Job x. 9</scripRef>. Our food is out of the
earth, <scripRef passage="Job 28:5" id="Gen.iii-p9.7" parsed="|Job|28|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.28.5">Job xxviii. 5</scripRef>. Our
familiarity is with the earth, <scripRef passage="Job 17:14" id="Gen.iii-p9.8" parsed="|Job|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.17.14">Job
xvii. 14</scripRef>. Our fathers are in the earth, and our own
final tendency is to it; and what have we then to be proud of? (2.)
Yet the Maker was great, and the make fine. The Lord God, the great
fountain of being and power, formed man. Of the other creatures it
is said that they were <i>created</i> and <i>made;</i> but of man
that he was <i>formed,</i> which denotes a gradual process in the
work with great accuracy and exactness. To express the creation of
this new thing, he takes a new word, a word (some think) borrowed
from the potter's forming his vessel upon the wheel; for we are the
clay, and God the potter, <scripRef passage="Isa 64:8" id="Gen.iii-p9.9" parsed="|Isa|64|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.64.8">Isa. lxiv.
8</scripRef>. The body of man is curiously wrought, <scripRef passage="Ps 139:15,16" id="Gen.iii-p9.10" parsed="|Ps|139|15|139|16" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.15-Ps.139.16">Ps. cxxxix. 15, 16</scripRef>. <i>Materiam
superabat opus&#8212;The workmanship exceeded the materials.</i> Let us
present our bodies to God as living sacrifices (<scripRef passage="Ro 12:1" id="Gen.iii-p9.11" parsed="|Rom|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.1">Rom. xii. 1</scripRef>), as living temples (<scripRef passage="1Co 6:19" id="Gen.iii-p9.12" parsed="|1Cor|6|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.19">1 Cor. vi. 19</scripRef>), and then these vile
bodies shall shortly be new-formed like Christ's glorious body,
<scripRef passage="Php 3:21" id="Gen.iii-p9.13" parsed="|Phil|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.21">Phil. iii. 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p10">2. The high origin and the admirable
serviceableness of the soul of man. (1.) It takes its rise from the
breath of heaven, and is produced by it. It was not made of the
earth, as the body was; it is a pity then that it should cleave to
the earth, and mind earthly things. It came immediately from God;
he gave it to be put into the body (<scripRef passage="Ec 12:7" id="Gen.iii-p10.1" parsed="|Eccl|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.7">Eccl. xii. 7</scripRef>), as afterwards he gave the
tables of stone of his own writing to be put into the ark, and the
<i>urim</i> of his own framing to be put into the breast-plate.
Hence God is not only the former but the Father of spirits. Let the
soul which God has breathed into us breathe after him; and let it
be for him, since it is from him. Into his hands let us commit our
spirits, for from his hands we had them. (2.) It takes its lodging
in a house of clay, and is the life and support of it. It is by it
that man is a living soul, that is, a living man; for the soul is
the man. The body would be a worthless, useless, loathsome carcase,
if the soul did not animate it. To God that gave us these souls we
must shortly give an account of them, how we have employed them,
used them, proportioned them, and disposed of them; and if then it
be found that we have lost them, though it were to gain the world,
we shall be undone for ever. Since the extraction of the soul is so
noble, and its nature and faculties are so excellent, let us not be
of those fools that despise their own souls, by preferring their
bodies before them, <scripRef passage="Pr 15:32" id="Gen.iii-p10.2" parsed="|Prov|15|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.32">Prov. xv.
32</scripRef>. When our Lord Jesus anointed the blind man's eyes
with clay perhaps he intimated that it was he who at first formed
man out of the clay; and when he <i>breathed on his disciples,
saying, Receive you the Holy Ghost,</i> he intimated that it was he
who at first breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life. He
that made the soul is alone able to new-make it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2:8-15" id="Gen.iii-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|2|8|2|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.8-Gen.2.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.2.8-Gen.2.15">
<h4 id="Gen.iii-p10.4">The Garden of Eden. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p10.5">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iii-p11">8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p11.1">Lord</span>
God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man
whom he had formed. &#160; 9 And out of the ground made the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p11.2">Lord</span> God to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in
the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and
evil. &#160; 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden;
and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. &#160;
11 The name of the first <i>is</i> Pison: that <i>is</i> it which
compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where <i>there is</i> gold;
&#160; 12 And the gold of that land <i>is</i> good; there <i>is</i>
bdellium and the onyx stone. &#160; 13 And the name of the second
river <i>is</i> Gihon: the same <i>is</i> it that compasseth the
whole land of Ethiopia. &#160; 14 And the name of the third river
<i>is</i> Hiddekel: that <i>is</i> it which goeth toward the east
of Assyria. And the fourth river <i>is</i> Euphrates. &#160; 15 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p11.3">Lord</span> God took the man, and put
him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p12">Man consisting of body and soul, a body
made out of the earth and a rational immortal soul the breath of
heaven, we have, in these verses, the provision that was made for
the happiness of both; he that made him took care to make him
happy, if he could but have kept himself so and known when he was
well off. That part of man by which he is allied to the world of
sense was made happy; for he was put in the paradise of God: that
part by which he is allied to the world of spirits was well
provided for; for he was taken into covenant with God. Lord, what
is man that he should be thus dignified&#8212;man that is a worm! Here
we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p13">I. A description of the garden of Eden,
which was intended for the mansion and demesne of this great lord,
the palace of this prince. The inspired penman, in this history,
writing for the Jews first, and calculating his narratives for the
infant state of the church, describes things by their outward
sensible appearances, and leaves us, by further discoveries of the
divine light, to be led into the understanding of the mysteries
couched under them. Spiritual things were strong meat, which they
could not yet bear; but he writes to them as unto carnal, <scripRef passage="1Co 3:1" id="Gen.iii-p13.1" parsed="|1Cor|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.1">1 Cor. iii. 1</scripRef>. Therefore he does not
so much insist upon the happiness of Adam's mind as upon that of
his outward state. The Mosaic history, as well as the Mosaic law,
has rather the patterns of heavenly things than the heavenly things
themselves, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:23" id="Gen.iii-p13.2" parsed="|Heb|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.23">Heb. ix. 23</scripRef>.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p14">1. The place appointed for Adam's residence
was a garden; not an ivory house nor a palace overlaid with gold,
but a garden, furnished and adorned by nature, not by art. What
little reason have men to be proud of stately and magnificent
buildings, when it was the happiness of man in innocency that he
needed none! As clothes came in with sin, so did houses. The heaven
was the roof of Adam's house, and never was any roof so curiously
ceiled and painted. The earth was his floor, and never was any
floor so richly inlaid. The shadow of the trees was his retirement;
under them were his dining-rooms, his lodging-rooms, and never were
any rooms so finely hung as these: Solomon's, in all their glory,
were not arrayed like them. The better we can accommodate ourselves
to plain things, and the less we indulge ourselves with those
artificial delights which have been invented to gratify men's pride
and luxury, the nearer we approach to a state of innocency. Nature
is content with a little and that which is most natural, grace with
less, but lust with nothing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p15">2. The contrivance and furniture of this
garden were the immediate work of God's wisdom and power. The Lord
God planted this garden, that is, he <i>had</i> planted it&#8212;upon
the third day, when the fruits of the earth were made. We may well
suppose to have been the most accomplished place for pleasure and
delight that ever the sun saw, when the all-sufficient God himself
designed it to be the present happiness of his beloved creature,
man, in innocency, and a type and a figure of the happiness of the
chosen remnant in glory. No delights can be agreeable nor
satisfying to a soul but those that God himself has provided and
appointed for it; no true paradise, but of God's planting. The
light of our own fires, and the sparks of our own kindling, will
soon leave us in the dark, <scripRef passage="Isa 50:11" id="Gen.iii-p15.1" parsed="|Isa|50|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.11">Isa. l.
11</scripRef>. The whole earth was now a paradise compared with
what it is since the fall and since the flood; the finest gardens
in the world are a wilderness compared with what the whole face of
the ground was before it was cursed for man's sake: yet that was
not enough; God planted a garden for Adam. God's chosen ones shall
have distinguishing favours shown them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p16">3. The situation of this garden was
extremely sweet. It was in <i>Eden,</i> which signifies
<i>delight</i> and <i>pleasure.</i> The place is here particularly
pointed out by such marks and bounds as were sufficient, I suppose,
when Moses wrote, to specify the place to those who knew that
country; but now, it seems, the curious cannot satisfy themselves
concerning it. Let it be our care to make sure a place in the
heavenly paradise, and then we need not perplex ourselves with a
search after the place of the earthly paradise. It is certain that,
wherever it was, it had all desirable conveniences, and (which
never any house nor garden on earth was) without any inconvenience.
Beautiful for situation, the joy and the glory of the whole earth,
was this garden: doubtless it was earth in its highest
perfection.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p17">4. The trees with which this garden was
planted. (1.) It had all the best and choicest trees in common with
the rest of the ground. It was beautiful and adorned with every
tree that, for its height or breadth, its make or colour, its leaf
or flower, was pleasant to the sight and charmed the eye; it was
replenished and enriched with every tree that yielded fruit
grateful to the taste and useful to the body, and so good for food.
God, as a tender Father, consulted not only Adam's profit, but his
pleasure; for there is a pleasure consistent with innocency, nay,
there is a true and transcendent pleasure in innocency. God
delights in the prosperity of his servants,
<pb n="16" id="Gen.iii-Page_16"/>
and would have them easy; it is owing to themselves if they be
uneasy. When Providence puts us into an Eden of plenty and
pleasure, we ought to <i>serve him with joyfulness and gladness of
heart,</i> in the abundance of the good things he gives us. But,
(2.) It had two extraordinary trees peculiar to itself; on earth
there were not their like. [1.] There was the <i>tree of life in
the midst of the garden,</i> which was not so much a memorandum to
him of the fountain and author of his life, nor perhaps any natural
means to preserve or prolong life; but it was chiefly intended to
be a sign and seal to Adam, assuring him of the continuance of life
and happiness, even to immortality and everlasting bliss, through
the grace and favour of his Maker, upon condition of his
perseverance in this state of innocency and obedience. Of this he
might eat and live. Christ is now to us the tree of life (<scripRef passage="Re 2:7,22:2" id="Gen.iii-p17.1" parsed="|Rev|2|7|0|0;|Rev|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.7 Bible:Rev.22.2">Rev. ii. 7; xxii. 2</scripRef>), and the
<i>bread of life,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 6:48,53" id="Gen.iii-p17.2" parsed="|John|6|48|0|0;|John|6|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.48 Bible:John.6.53">John vi. 48,
53</scripRef>. [2.] There was <i>the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil,</i> so called, not because it had any virtue in it to
beget or increase useful knowledge (surely then it would not have
been forbidden), but, <i>First,</i> Because there was an express
positive revelation of the will of God concerning this tree, so
that by it he might know moral good and evil. What is good? It is
good not to eat of this tree. What is evil? It is evil to eat of
this tree. The distinction between all other moral good and evil
was written in the heart of man by nature; but this, which resulted
from a positive law, was written upon this tree. <i>Secondly,</i>
Because, in the event, it proved to give Adam an experimental
knowledge of good by the loss of it and of evil by the sense of it.
As the covenant of grace has in it, not only <i>Believe and be
saved,</i> but also, <i>Believe not and be damned</i> (<scripRef passage="Mk 16:16" id="Gen.iii-p17.3" parsed="|Mark|16|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.16.16">Mark xvi. 16</scripRef>), so the covenant of
innocency had in it, not only "Do this and live," which was sealed
and confirmed by the tree of life, but, "Fail and die," which Adam
was assured of by this other tree: "Touch it at your peril;" so
that, in these two trees, God set before him <i>good and evil, the
blessing and the curse,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:19" id="Gen.iii-p17.4" parsed="|Deut|30|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.19">Deut. xxx.
19</scripRef>. These two trees were as two sacraments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p18">5. The rivers with which this garden was
watered, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:10-14" id="Gen.iii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|2|10|2|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.10-Gen.2.14"><i>v.</i> 10-14</scripRef>.
These four rivers (or one river branched into four streams)
contributed much both to the pleasantness and the fruitfulness of
this garden. The land of Sodom is said to be <i>well watered every
where, as the garden of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 13:10" id="Gen.iii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.10"><i>ch.</i> xiii. 10</scripRef>. Observe, That which God
plants he will take care to keep watered. The trees of
righteousness are set by the rivers, <scripRef passage="Ps 1:3" id="Gen.iii-p18.3" parsed="|Ps|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.3">Ps.
i. 3</scripRef>. In the heavenly paradise there is a river
infinitely surpassing these; for it is a river of the water of
life, not coming out of Eden, as this, but proceeding out of the
throne of God and of the Lamb (<scripRef passage="Rev 22:1" id="Gen.iii-p18.4" parsed="|Rev|22|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.1">Rev.
xxii. 1</scripRef>), a river that <i>makes glad the city of our
God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 46:4" id="Gen.iii-p18.5" parsed="|Ps|46|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.4">Ps. xlvi. 4</scripRef>.
Hiddekel and Euphrates are rivers of Babylon, which we read of
elsewhere. By these the captive Jews sat down and <i>wept, when
they remembered Sion</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 137:1" id="Gen.iii-p18.6" parsed="|Ps|137|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.137.1">Ps. cxxxvii.
1</scripRef>); but methinks they had much more reason to weep (and
so have we) at the remembrance of Eden. Adam's paradise was their
prison; such wretched work has sin made. Of the land of Havilah it
is said (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:12" id="Gen.iii-p18.7" parsed="|Gen|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>),
<i>The gold of that land is good,</i> and <i>there is bdellium and
the onyx-stone:</i> surely this is mentioned that the wealth of
which the land of Havilah boasted might be as foil to that which
was the glory of the land of Eden. Havilah had gold, and spices,
and precious stones; but Eden had that which was infinitely better,
the tree of life, and communion with God. So we may say of the
Africans and Indians: "They have the gold, but we have the gospel.
The gold of their land is good, but the riches of ours are
infinitely better."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p19">II. The placing of man in this paradise of
delight, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:15" id="Gen.iii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>, where
observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p20">1. How God put him in possession of it:
<i>The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of
Eden;</i> so <scripRef passage="Ge 2:8,15" id="Gen.iii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|2|8|0|0;|Gen|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.8 Bible:Gen.2.15"><i>v.</i> 8,
15</scripRef>. Note here, (1.) Man was made <i>out</i> of paradise;
for, after God had formed him, he put him into the garden: he was
made of common clay, not of paradise-dust. He lived out of Eden
before he lived in it, that he might see that all the comforts of
his paradise-state were owing to God's free grace. He could not
plead a tenant-right to the garden, for he was not born upon the
premises, nor had any thing but what he received; all boasting was
hereby for ever excluded. (2.) The same God that was the author of
his being was the author of his bliss; the same hand that made him
a living soul planted the tree of life for him, and settled him by
it. He that made us is alone able to make us happy; he that is the
former of our bodies and the Father of our spirits, he, and none
but he, can effectually provide for the felicity of both. (3.) It
adds much to the comfort of any condition if we have plainly seen
God going before us and putting us into it. If we have not forced
providence, but followed it, and taken the hints of direction it
has given us, we may hope to find a paradise where otherwise we
could not have expected it. See <scripRef passage="Ps 47:4" id="Gen.iii-p20.2" parsed="|Ps|47|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.47.4">Ps.
xlvii. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p21">2. How God appointed him business and
employment. He put him there, not like Leviathan into the waters,
to play therein, but to dress the garden and to keep it. Paradise
itself was not a place of exemption from work. Note, here, (1.) We
were none of us sent into the world to be idle. He that made us
these souls and bodies has given us something to work with; and he
that gave us this earth for our habitation has made us something to
work on. If a high extraction, or a great estate, or a large
dominion, or perfect innocency, or a genius for pure contemplation,
or a small family, could have given a man a writ of ease, Adam
would not have been set to work; but he that gave us
<pb n="17" id="Gen.iii-Page_17"/>
being has given us business, to serve him and our
generation, and to work out our salvation: if we do not mind our
business, we are unworthy of our being and maintenance. (2.)
Secular employments will very well consist with a state of
innocency and a life of communion with God. The sons and heirs of
heaven, while they are here in this world, have something to do
about this earth, which must have its share of their time and
thoughts; and, if they do it with an eye to God, they are as truly
serving him in it as when they are upon their knees. (3.) The
husbandman's calling is an ancient and honourable calling; it was
needful even in paradise. The garden of Eden, though it needed not
to be weeded (for thorns and thistles were not yet a nuisance), yet
must be dressed and kept. Nature, even in its primitive state, left
room for the improvements of art and industry. It was a calling fit
for a state of innocency, making provision for life, not for lust,
and giving man an opportunity of admiring the Creator and
acknowledging his providence: while his hands were about his trees,
his heart might be with his God. (4.) There is a true pleasure in
the business which God calls us to, and employs us in. Adam's work
was so far from being an allay that it was an addition to the
pleasures of paradise; he could not have been happy if he had been
idle: it is still a law, He that will not work has no right to eat,
<scripRef passage="2Th 3:10,Pr 27:23" id="Gen.iii-p21.1" parsed="|2Thess|3|10|0|0;|Prov|27|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.10 Bible:Prov.27.23">2 Thess. iii. 10; Prov.
xxvii. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p22">III. The command which God gave to man in
innocency, and the covenant he then took him into. Hitherto we have
seen God as man's powerful Creator and his bountiful Benefactor;
now he appears as his Ruler and Lawgiver. God put him into the
garden of Eden, not to live there as he might list, but to be under
government. As we are not allowed to be idle in this world, and to
do nothing, so we are not allowed to be wilful, and do what we
please. When God had given man a dominion over the creatures, he
would let him know that still he himself was under the government
of his Creator.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2:16-17" id="Gen.iii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|2|16|2|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.16-Gen.2.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.2.16-Gen.2.17">
<h4 id="Gen.iii-p22.2">The Tree of Knowledge
Prohibited. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p22.3">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iii-p23">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p23.1">Lord</span>
God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou
mayest freely eat: &#160; 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p24">Observe here, I. God's authority over man,
as a creature that had reason and freedom of will. The Lord God
commanded the man, who stood now as a public person, the father and
representative of all mankind, to receive law, as he had lately
received a nature, for himself and all his. God commanded all the
creatures, according to their capacity; the settled course of
nature is a law, <scripRef passage="Ps 148:6,Ps 104:9" id="Gen.iii-p24.1" parsed="|Ps|148|6|0|0;|Ps|104|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.148.6 Bible:Ps.104.9">Ps. cxlviii.
6; civ. 9</scripRef>. The brute-creatures have their respective
instincts; but man was made capable of performing reasonable
service, and therefore received, not only the command of a Creator,
but the command of a Prince and Master. Though Adam was a very
great man, a very good man, and a very happy man, yet the Lord God
commanded him; and the command was no disparagement to his
greatness, no reproach to his goodness, nor any diminution at all
to his happiness. Let us acknowledge God's right to rule us, and
our own obligations to be ruled by him; and never allow any will of
our own in contradiction to, or competition with, the holy will of
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p25">II. The particular act of this authority,
in prescribing to him what he should do, and upon what terms he
should stand with his Creator. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p26">1. A confirmation of his present happiness
to him, in that grant, <i>Of every tree in the garden thou mayest
freely eat.</i> This was not only an allowance of liberty to him,
in taking the delicious fruits of paradise, as a recompence for his
care and pains in dressing and keeping it (<scripRef passage="1Co 9:7,10" id="Gen.iii-p26.1" parsed="|1Cor|9|7|0|0;|1Cor|9|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.7 Bible:1Cor.9.10">1 Cor. ix. 7, 10</scripRef>), but it was, withal, an
assurance of life to him, immortal life, upon his obedience. For
the tree of life being put <i>in the midst of the garden</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 2:9" id="Gen.iii-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), as the heart
and soul of it, doubtless God had an eye to that especially in this
grant; and therefore when, upon his revolt, this grant is recalled,
no notice is taken of any tree of the garden as prohibited to him,
except the tree of life (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:22" id="Gen.iii-p26.3" parsed="|Gen|3|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.22"><i>ch.</i>
iii. 22</scripRef>), of which it is there said he might have eaten
and <i>lived for ever,</i> that is, never died, nor ever lost his
happiness. "Continue holy as thou art, in conformity to thy
Creator's will, and thou shalt continue happy as thou art in the
enjoyment of thy Creator's favour, either in this paradise or in a
better." Thus, upon condition of perfect personal and perpetual
obedience, Adam was sure of paradise to himself and his heirs for
ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p27">2. A trial of his obedience, upon pain of
the forfeiture of all his happiness: "<i>But of the</i> other tree
which stood very near the tree of life (for they are both said to
be <i>in the midst of the garden</i>), and which was called the
<i>tree of knowledge, in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt
surely die;</i>" as if he had said, "Know, Adam, that thou art now
upon thy good behaviour, thou art put into paradise upon trial; be
observant, be obedient, and thou art made for ever; otherwise thou
wilt be as miserable as now thou art happy." Here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p28">(1.) Adam is threatened with death in case
of disobedience: <i>Dying thou shalt die,</i> denoting a sure and
dreadful sentence, as, in the former part of this covenant,
<i>eating thou shalt eat,</i> denotes a free and full grant.
Observe [1.] Even Adam, in innocency, was awed with a threatening;
fear is one of the handles of the soul, by which it is taken hold
of and held. If he then needed this hedge,
<pb n="18" id="Gen.iii-Page_18"/>
much more do we now. [2.] The penalty threatened is death: <i>Thou
shalt die,</i> that is, "Thou shalt be debarred from the tree of
life, and all the good that is signified by it, all the happiness
thou hast, either in possession or prospect; and thou shalt become
liable to death, and all the miseries that preface it and attend
it." [3.] This was threatened as the immediate consequence of sin:
<i>In the day thou eatest, thou shalt die,</i> that is, "Thou shalt
become mortal and capable of dying; the grant of immortality shall
be recalled, and that defence shall depart from thee. Thou shalt
become obnoxious to death, like a condemned malefactor that is dead
in the law" (only, because Adam was to be the root of mankind, he
was reprieved); "nay, the harbingers and forerunners of death shall
immediately seize thee, and thy life, thenceforward, shall be a
dying life: and this, <i>surely;</i> it is a settled rule, <i>the
soul that sinneth, it shall die.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p29">(2.) Adam is tried with a positive law, not
to eat of the fruit <i>of the tree of knowledge.</i> Now it was
very proper to make trial of his obedience by such a command as
this, [1.] Because the reason of it is fetched purely from the will
of the Law-maker. Adam had in his nature an aversion to that which
was evil in itself, and therefore he is tried in a thing which was
evil only because it was forbidden; and, being in a small thing, it
was the more fit to prove his obedience by. [2.] Because the
restraint of it is laid upon the desires of the flesh and of the
mind, which, in the corrupt nature of man, are the two great
fountains of sin. This prohibition checked both his appetite
towards sensitive delights and his ambitions of curious knowledge,
that his body might be ruled by his soul and his soul by his
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p30">Thus easy, thus happy, was man in a state
of innocency, having all that heart could wish to make him so. How
good was God to him! How many favours did he load him with! How
easy were the laws he gave him! How kind the covenant he made with
him! Yet man, being in honour, understood not his own interest, but
soon <i>became as the beasts that perish.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2:18-20" id="Gen.iii-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|2|18|2|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.18-Gen.2.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.2.18-Gen.2.20">
<h4 id="Gen.iii-p30.2">Adam's Dominion. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p30.3">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iii-p31">18 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p31.1">Lord</span>
God said, <i>It is</i> not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him an help meet for him. &#160; 19 And out of the ground
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p31.2">Lord</span> God formed every beast of
the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought <i>them</i> unto
Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called
every living creature, that <i>was</i> the name thereof. &#160; 20
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and
to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an
help meet for him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p32">Here we have, I. An instance of the
Creator's care of man and his fatherly concern for his comfort,
<scripRef passage="Ge 2:18" id="Gen.iii-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Though God had
let him know that he was a subject, by giving him a command,
(<scripRef passage="Ge 2:16,17" id="Gen.iii-p32.2" parsed="|Gen|2|16|2|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.16-Gen.2.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>), yet
here he lets him know also, for his encouragement in his obedience,
that he was a friend, and a favourite, and one whose satisfaction
he was tender of. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p33">1. How God graciously pitied his solitude:
<i>It is not good that man, this man, should be alone.</i> Though
there was an upper world of angels and a lower world of brutes, and
he between them, yet there being none of the same nature and rank
of beings with himself, none that he could converse familiarly
with, he might be truly said to be <i>alone.</i> Now he that made
him knew both him and what was good for him, better than he did
himself, and he said, "It is not good that he should continue thus
alone." (1.) It is not for his comfort; for man is a sociable
creature. It is a pleasure to him to exchange knowledge and
affection with those of his own kind, to inform and to be informed,
to love and to be beloved. What God here says of the first man
Solomon says of all men (<scripRef passage="Ec 4:9,10" id="Gen.iii-p33.1" parsed="|Eccl|4|9|4|10" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.4.9-Eccl.4.10">Eccl. iv.
9</scripRef>, &amp;c.), that <i>two are better than one,</i> and
<i>woe to him that is alone.</i> If there were but one man in the
world, what a melancholy man must he needs be! Perfect solitude
would turn a paradise into a desert, and a palace into a dungeon.
Those therefore are foolish who are selfish and would be placed
alone in the earth. (2.) It is not for the increase and continuance
of his kind. God could have made a world of men at first, to
replenish the earth, as he replenished heaven with a world of
angels: but the place would have been too strait for the designed
number of men to live together at once; therefore God saw fit to
make up that number by a succession of generations, which, as God
had formed man, must be from two, and those male and female; one
will be ever one.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p34">2. How God graciously resolved to provide
society for him. The result of this reasoning concerning him was
this kind resolution, <i>I will make a help-meet for him;</i> a
help <i>like</i> him (so some read it), one of the same nature and
the same rank of beings; a help <i>near</i> him (so others), one to
cohabit with him, and to be always at hand; a help <i>before</i>
him (so others), one that he should look upon with pleasure and
delight. Note hence, (1.) In our best state in this world we have
need of one another's help; for we are members one of another, and
<i>the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 12:21" id="Gen.iii-p34.1" parsed="|1Cor|12|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.21">1 Cor. xii. 21</scripRef>. We must
therefore be glad to receive help from others, and give help to
others, as there is occasion. (2.) It is God only who perfectly
knows our wants, and is perfectly able to
<pb n="19" id="Gen.iii-Page_19"/>
supply them all, <scripRef passage="Php 4:19" id="Gen.iii-p34.2" parsed="|Phil|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.19">Phil. iv.
19</scripRef>. In him alone our help is, and from him are all our
helpers. (3.) A suitable wife is a help-meet, and is from the Lord.
The relation is then likely to be comfortable when meetness directs
and determines the choice, and mutual helpfulness is the constant
care and endeavour, <scripRef passage="1Co 7:33,34" id="Gen.iii-p34.3" parsed="|1Cor|7|33|7|34" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.33-1Cor.7.34">1 Cor. vii. 33,
34</scripRef>. (4.) Family-society, if it is agreeable, is a
redress sufficient for the grievance of solitude. He that has a
good God, a good heart, and a good wife, to converse with, and yet
complains he wants conversation, would not have been easy and
content in paradise; for Adam himself had no more: yet, even before
Eve was created, we do not find that he complained of being alone,
knowing that he <i>was not alone, for the Father was with him.</i>
Those that are most satisfied in God and his favour are in the best
way, and in the best frame, to receive the good things of this
life, and shall be sure of them, as far as Infinite Wisdom sees
good.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p35">II. An instance of the creatures'
subjection to man, and his dominion over them (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:19,20" id="Gen.iii-p35.1" parsed="|Gen|2|19|2|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.19-Gen.2.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>): <i>Every beast of the
field and every fowl of the air God brought to Adam,</i> either by
the ministry of angels, or by a special instinct, directing them to
come to man as their master, teaching the ox betimes to know his
owner. Thus God gave man livery and seisin of the fair estate he
had granted him, and put him in possession of his dominion over the
creatures. God brought them to him, that he might name them, and so
might give, 1. A proof of his knowledge, as a creature endued with
the faculties both of reason and speech, and so <i>taught more than
the beasts of the earth and made wiser than the fowls of
heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 35:11" id="Gen.iii-p35.2" parsed="|Job|35|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.35.11">Job xxxv. 11</scripRef>.
And, 2. A proof of his power. It is an act of authority to impose
names (<scripRef passage="Da 1:7" id="Gen.iii-p35.3" parsed="|Dan|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.1.7">Dan. i. 7</scripRef>), and of
subjection to receive them. The inferior creatures did now, as it
were, do homage to their prince at his inauguration, and swear
fealty and allegiance to him. If Adam had continued faithful to his
God, we may suppose the creatures themselves would so well have
known and remembered the names Adam now gave them as to have come
at his call, at any time, and answered to their names. God gave
names to the day and night, to the firmament, to the earth, and to
the sea; and he <i>calleth the stars by their names,</i> to show
that he is the supreme Lord of these. But he gave Adam leave to
name the beasts and fowls, as their subordinate lord; for, having
made him in his own image, he thus put some of his honour upon
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p36">III. An instance of the creatures'
insufficiency to be a happiness for man: <i>But</i> (among them
all) <i>for Adam there was not found a help meet for him.</i> Some
make these to be the words of Adam himself; observing all the
creatures come to him by couples to be named, he thus intimates his
desire to his Maker:&#8212;"Lord, these have all helps meet for them;
but what shall I do? Here is never a one for me." It is rather
God's judgment upon the review. He brought them all together, to
see if there were ever a suitable match for Adam in any of the
numerous families of the inferior creatures; but there was none.
Observe here, 1. The dignity and excellency of the human nature. On
earth there was not its like, nor its peer to be found among all
visible creatures; they were all looked over, but it could not be
matched among them all. 2. The vanity of this world and the things
of it; put them all together, and they will not make a help-meet
for man. They will not suit the nature of his soul, nor supply its
needs, nor satisfy its just desires, nor run parallel with its
never failing duration. God creates a new thing to be a help-meet
for man&#8212;not so much the woman as the seed of the woman.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 2:21-25" id="Gen.iii-p36.1" parsed="|Gen|2|21|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.21-Gen.2.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.2.21-Gen.2.25">
<h4 id="Gen.iii-p36.2">The Formation of Eve; Marriage
Instituted. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p36.3">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iii-p37">21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p37.1">Lord</span>
God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he
took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
&#160; 22 And the rib, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iii-p37.2">Lord</span> God had taken from man, made he a woman,
and brought her unto the man. &#160; 23 And Adam said, This
<i>is</i> now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be
called Woman, because she was taken out of <scripRef passage="Man. 24" id="Gen.iii-p37.3" parsed="|PrMan|1|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:PrMan.1.24">Man. &#160; 24</scripRef> Therefore
shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto
his wife: and they shall be one flesh. &#160; 25 And they were both
naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p38">Here we have, I. The making of the woman,
to be a help-meet for Adam. This was done upon the sixth day, as
was also the placing of Adam in paradise, though it is here
mentioned after an account of the seventh day's rest; but what was
said in general (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:27" id="Gen.iii-p38.1" parsed="|Gen|1|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.27"><i>ch.</i> i.
27</scripRef>), that God made man male and female, is more
distinctly related here. Observe, 1. That Adam was first formed,
then Eve (<scripRef passage="1Ti 2:13" id="Gen.iii-p38.2" parsed="|1Tim|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.13">1 Tim. ii. 13</scripRef>),
and she was made of the man, and for the man (<scripRef passage="1Co 11:8,9" id="Gen.iii-p38.3" parsed="|1Cor|11|8|11|9" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.8-1Cor.11.9">1 Cor. xi. 8, 9</scripRef>), all which are urged there
as reasons for the humility, modesty, silence, and submissiveness,
of that sex in general, and particularly the subjection and
reverence which wives owe to their own husbands. Yet man being made
last of the creatures, as the best and most excellent of all, Eve's
being made after Adam, and out of him, puts an honour upon that
sex, as the glory of the man, <scripRef passage="1Co 11:7" id="Gen.iii-p38.4" parsed="|1Cor|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.7">1 Cor.
xi. 7</scripRef>. If man is the head, she is the crown, a crown to
her husband, the crown of the visible creation. The man was dust
refined, but the woman was dust double-refined, one remove further
from the earth. 2. That Adam slept while his wife was in making,
that no room might be left to imagine that he had herein
<i>directed
<pb n="20" id="Gen.iii-Page_20"/>
the Spirit of the Lord, or been
his counsellor,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 40:13" id="Gen.iii-p38.5" parsed="|Isa|40|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.13">Isa. xl.
13</scripRef>. He had been made sensible of his want of a meet
help; but, God having undertaken to provide him one, he does not
afflict himself with any care about it, but lies down and sleeps
sweetly, as one that had cast all his care on God, with a cheerful
resignation of himself and all his affairs to his Maker's will and
wisdom. Jehovah-jireh, let the Lord provide when and whom he
pleases. If we graciously rest in God, God will graciously work for
us and work all for good. 3. That <i>God caused a sleep to fall on
Adam,</i> and made it a deep sleep, that so the opening of his side
might be no grievance to him; while he knows no sin, God will take
care he shall feel no pain. When God, by his providence, does that
to his people which is grievous to flesh and blood, he not only
consults their happiness in the issue, but by his grace he can so
quiet and compose their spirits as to make them easy under the
sharpest operations. 4. That the woman was <i>made of a rib out of
the side of Adam;</i> not made out of his head to rule over him,
nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side
to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his
heart to be beloved. Adam lost a rib, and without any diminution to
his strength or comeliness (for, doubtless, the flesh was closed
without a scar); but in lieu thereof he had a help meet for him,
which abundantly made up his loss: what God takes away from his
people he will, one way or other, restore with advantage. In this
(as in many other things) Adam was a figure of him that was to
come; for out of the side of Christ, the second Adam, his spouse
the church was formed, when he slept the sleep, the deep sleep, of
death upon the cross, in order to which his side was opened, and
there came out blood and water, blood to purchase his church and
water to purify it to himself. See <scripRef passage="Eph 5:25,26" id="Gen.iii-p38.6" parsed="|Eph|5|25|5|26" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.25-Eph.5.26">Eph. v. 25, 26</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p39">II. The marriage of the woman to Adam.
Marriage is honourable, but this surely was the most honourable
marriage that ever was, in which God himself had all along an
immediate hand. Marriages (they say) are made in heaven: we are
sure this was, for the man, the woman, the match, were all God's
own work; he, by his power, made them <i>both,</i> and now, by his
ordinance, made them <i>one.</i> This was a marriage made in
perfect innocency, and so was never any marriage since, 1. God, as
<i>her</i> Father, brought the woman to the man, as his second
self, and a help-meet for him. When he had made her, he did not
leave her to her own disposal; no, she was his child, and she must
not marry without his consent. Those are likely to settle to their
comfort who by faith and prayer, and a humble dependence upon
providence, put themselves under a divine conduct. That wife that
is of God's making by special grace, and of God's bringing by
special providence, is likely to prove a help-meet for a man. 2.
From God, as <i>his</i> Father, Adam received her (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:23" id="Gen.iii-p39.1" parsed="|Gen|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): "<i>This is now bone of
my bone.</i> Now I have what I wanted, and which all the creatures
could not furnish me with, a help meet for me." God's gifts to us
are to be received with a humble thankful acknowledgment of his
wisdom in suiting them to us, and his favour in bestowing them on
us. Probably it was revealed to Adam in a vision, when he was
asleep, that this lovely creature, now presented to him, was a
piece of himself, and was to be his companion and the wife of his
covenant. Hence some have fetched an argument to prove that
glorified saints in the heavenly paradise shall know one another.
Further, in token of his acceptance of her, he gave her a name, not
peculiar to her, but common to her sex: <i>She shall be called
woman, Isha,</i> a <i>she-man,</i> differing from man in sex only,
not in nature&#8212;made of man, and joined to man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p40">III. The institution of the ordinance of
marriage, and the settling of the law of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:24" id="Gen.iii-p40.1" parsed="|Gen|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. The sabbath and marriage were
two ordinances instituted in innocency, the former for the
preservation of the church, the latter for the preservation of the
world of mankind. It appears (by <scripRef passage="Mt 19:4,5" id="Gen.iii-p40.2" parsed="|Matt|19|4|19|5" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.4-Matt.19.5">Matt. xix. 4, 5</scripRef>) that it was God himself who
said here, "A man must leave all his relations, to cleave to his
wife;" but whether he spoke it by Moses, the penman, or by Adam
(who spoke, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:23" id="Gen.iii-p40.3" parsed="|Gen|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>),
is uncertain. It should seem, they are the words of Adam, in God's
name, laying down this law to all his posterity. 1. See here how
great the virtue of a divine ordinance is; the bonds of it are
stronger even than those of nature. To whom can we be more firmly
bound than the fathers that begat us and the mothers that bore us?
Yet the son must quit them, to be joined to his wife, and the
daughter forget them, to cleave to her husband, <scripRef passage="Ps 45:10,11" id="Gen.iii-p40.4" parsed="|Ps|45|10|45|11" osisRef="Bible:Ps.45.10-Ps.45.11">Ps. xlv. 10, 11</scripRef>. 2. See how necessary it
is that children should take their parents' consent along with them
in their marriage, and how unjust those are to their parents, as
well as undutiful, who marry without it; for they rob them of their
right to them, and interest in them, and alienate it to another,
fraudulently and unnaturally. 3. See what need there is both of
prudence and prayer in the choice of this relation, which is so
near and so lasting. That had need be well done which is to be done
for life. 4. See how firm the bond of marriage is, not to be
divided and weakened by having many wives (<scripRef passage="Mal 2:15" id="Gen.iii-p40.5" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15">Mal. ii. 15</scripRef>) nor to be broken or cut off by
divorce, for any cause but fornication, or voluntary desertion. 5.
See how dear the affection ought to be between husband and wife,
such as there is to our own bodies, <scripRef passage="Eph 5:28" id="Gen.iii-p40.6" parsed="|Eph|5|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.28">Eph. v. 28</scripRef>. These two are one flesh; let them
then be one soul.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iii-p41">IV. An evidence of the purity and innocency
of that state wherein our first parents
<pb n="21" id="Gen.iii-Page_21"/>
were
created, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:25" id="Gen.iii-p41.1" parsed="|Gen|2|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. They
were both naked. They needed no clothes for defense against cold
nor heat, for neither could be injurious to them. They needed none
for ornament. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these. Nay, they needed none for decency; they were naked, and had
no reason to be ashamed. <i>They knew not what shame was,</i> so
the Chaldee reads it. Blushing is now the colour of virtue, but it
was not then the colour of innocency. Those that had no sin in
their conscience might well have no shame in their faces, though
they had no clothes to their backs.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter III" n="iv" progress="3.01%" prev="Gen.iii" next="Gen.v" id="Gen.iv">
<pb n="21" id="Gen.iv-Page_21"/>
<h2 id="Gen.iv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.iv-p1">The story of this chapter is perhaps as sad a
story (all things considered) as any we have in all the Bible. In
the foregoing chapters we have had the pleasant view of the
holiness and happiness of our first parents, the grace and favour
of God, and the peace and beauty of the whole creation, all good,
very good; but here the scene is altered. We have here an account
of the sin and misery of our first parents, the wrath and curse of
God against them, the peace of the creation disturbed, and its
beauty stained and sullied, all bad, very bad. "How has the gold
become dim, and the most fine gold changed!" O that our hearts were
deeply affected with this record! For we are all nearly concerned
in it; let it not be to us as a tale that is told. The general
contents of this chapter we have (<scripRef passage="Ro 5:12" id="Gen.iv-p1.1" parsed="|Rom|5|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.12">Rom.
v. 12</scripRef>), "By one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned." More particularly, we have here, I. The innocent tempted,
<scripRef passage="Ge 3:1-5" id="Gen.iv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|3|1|3|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.1-Gen.3.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. The tempted
transgressing, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:6-8" id="Gen.iv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|3|6|3|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.6-Gen.3.8">ver. 6-8</scripRef>.
III. The transgressors arraigned, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:9,10" id="Gen.iv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|3|9|3|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.9-Gen.3.10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. IV. Upon their arraignment,
convicted, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:11-13" id="Gen.iv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|3|11|3|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.11-Gen.3.13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>. V.
Upon their conviction, sentenced, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:14-19" id="Gen.iv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|3|14|3|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.14-Gen.3.19">ver. 14-19</scripRef>. VI. After sentence, reprieved,
<scripRef passage="Ge 3:20,21" id="Gen.iv-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|3|20|3|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.20-Gen.3.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>. VII.
Notwithstanding their reprieve, execution in part done, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:22-24" id="Gen.iv-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|3|22|3|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.22-Gen.3.24">ver. 22-24</scripRef>. And, were it not for
the gracious intimations here given of redemption by the promised
seed, they, and all their degenerate guilty race, would have been
left to endless despair.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3" id="Gen.iv-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:1-5" id="Gen.iv-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|3|1|3|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.1-Gen.3.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.1-Gen.3.5">
<h4 id="Gen.iv-p1.11">The Tempter's Subtlety; The Tempter's
Importunity (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p1.12">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p2">1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast
of the field which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p2.1">Lord</span> God had
made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not
eat of every tree of the garden? &#160; 2 And the woman said unto
the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
&#160; 3 But of the fruit of the tree which <i>is</i> in the midst
of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall
ye touch it, lest ye die. &#160; 4 And the serpent said unto the
woman, Ye shall not surely die: &#160; 5 For God doth know that in
the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p3">We have here an account of the temptation
with which Satan assaulted our first parents, to draw them into
sin, and which proved fatal to them. Here observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p4">I. The tempter, and that was the devil, in
the shape and likeness of a serpent.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p5">1. It is certain it was the devil that
beguiled Eve. The devil and Satan is the old serpent (<scripRef passage="Re 12:9" id="Gen.iv-p5.1" parsed="|Rev|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.12.9">Rev. xii. 9</scripRef>), a malignant spirit, by
creation an angel of light and an immediate attendant upon God's
throne, but by sin become an apostate from his first state and a
rebel against God's crown and dignity. Multitudes of the angels
fell; but this that attacked our first parents was surely the
prince of the devils, the ring-leader in the rebellion: no sooner
was he a sinner than he was a Satan, no sooner a traitor than a
tempter, as one enraged against God and his glory and envious of
man and his happiness. He knew he could not destroy man but by
debauching him. Balaam could not curse Israel, but he could tempt
Israel, <scripRef passage="Re 2:14" id="Gen.iv-p5.2" parsed="|Rev|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.14">Rev. ii. 14</scripRef>. The
game therefore which Satan had to play was to draw our first
parents to sin, and so to separate between them and their God. Thus
the devil was, from the beginning, a murderer, and the great
mischief-maker. The whole race of mankind had here, as it were, but
one neck, and at that Satan struck. The adversary and enemy is that
wicked one.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p6">2. It was the devil in the likeness of a
serpent. Whether it was only the visible shape and appearance of a
serpent (as some think those were of which we read, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:12" id="Gen.iv-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.12">Exod. vii. 12</scripRef>), or whether it was a
real living serpent, actuated and possessed by the devil, is not
certain: by God's permission it might be either. The devil chose to
act his part in a serpent, (1.) Because it is a specious creature,
has a spotted dappled skin, and then went erect. Perhaps it was a
flying serpent, which seemed to come from on high as a messenger
from the upper world, one of the seraphim; for the fiery serpents
were flying, <scripRef passage="Isa 14:29" id="Gen.iv-p6.2" parsed="|Isa|14|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.14.29">Isa. xiv. 29</scripRef>.
Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in gay fine colours that
are but skin-deep, and seems to come from above; for Satan can seem
an angel of light. And, (2.) Because it is a subtle creature; this
is here taken notice of. Many instances are given of the subtlety
of the serpent, both to do mischief and to secure himself in it
when it is done. We are directed to be wise as serpents. But this
serpent, as actuated by the devil, was no doubt more subtle than
any other; for the devil, though he has lost the sanctity, retains
the sagacity of an angel, and is wise to do evil. He knew of more
advantage by making use of the serpent than we are aware of.
Observe, There is not any thing by which the devil serves himself
and his own interest more than by unsanctified subtlety. What Eve
thought of this serpent speaking to her we are not likely to tell,
when I believe she herself did not know what to think of it. At
first, perhaps, she supposed it might be a good angel, and yet,
afterwards, she might suspect something amiss. It is remarkable
that the Gentile idolaters did many of them worship the devil in
the shape and form of a serpent, thereby avowing their adherence to
that apostate spirit, and wearing his colours.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p7">II. The person tempted was the woman, now
alone, and at a distance from her husband, but near the forbidden
tree. It was the devil's subtlety, 1. To assault the weaker vessel
with his temptations. Though perfect in her kind, yet we may
suppose her
<pb n="22" id="Gen.iv-Page_22"/>
inferior to Adam in knowledge,
and strength, and presence of mind. Some think Eve received the
command, not immediately from God, but at second hand by her
husband, and therefore might the more easily be persuaded to
discredit it. 2. It was his policy to enter into discourse with her
when she was alone. Had she kept close to the side out of which she
was lately taken, she would not have been so much exposed. There
are many temptations, to which solitude gives great advantage; but
the communion of saints contributes much to their strength and
safety. 3. He took advantage by finding her near the forbidden
tree, and probably gazing upon the fruit of it, only to satisfy her
curiosity. Those that would not eat the forbidden fruit must not
come near the forbidden tree. <i>Avoid it, pass not by it,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 4:15" id="Gen.iv-p7.1" parsed="|Prov|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.4.15">Prov. iv. 15</scripRef>. 4. Satan
tempted Eve, that by her he might tempt Adam; so he tempted Job by
his wife, and Christ by Peter. It is his policy to send temptations
by unsuspected hands, and theirs that have most interest in us and
influence upon us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p8">III. The temptation itself, and the
artificial management of it. We are often, in scripture, told of
our danger by the temptations of Satan, his <i>devices</i>
(<scripRef passage="2Co 2:11" id="Gen.iv-p8.1" parsed="|2Cor|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.11">2 Cor. ii. 11</scripRef>), his
<i>depths</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 2:24" id="Gen.iv-p8.2" parsed="|Rev|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.24">Rev. ii. 24</scripRef>),
his <i>wiles,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 6:11" id="Gen.iv-p8.3" parsed="|Eph|6|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.11">Eph. vi.
11</scripRef>. The greatest instances we have of them are in his
tempting of the two Adams, here, and <scripRef passage="Mt 4:1-11" id="Gen.iv-p8.4" parsed="|Matt|4|1|4|11" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.1-Matt.4.11">Matt. iv</scripRef>. In this he prevailed, but in that
he was baffled. What he spoke <i>to</i> them, of whom he had no
hold by any corruption in them, he speaks <i>in</i> us by our own
deceitful hearts and their carnal reasonings; this makes his
assaults on us less discernible, but not less dangerous. That which
the devil aimed at was to persuade Eve to cut forbidden fruit; and,
to do this, he took the same method that he does still. He
questioned whether it was a sin or no, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:1" id="Gen.iv-p8.5" parsed="|Gen|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He denied that there was any
danger in it, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:4" id="Gen.iv-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. He
suggested much advantage by it, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:5" id="Gen.iv-p8.7" parsed="|Gen|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. And these are his common
topics.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p9">1. He questioned whether it was a sin or no
to eat of this tree, and whether really the fruit of it was
forbidden. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p10">(1.) <i>He said to the woman, Yea, hath God
said, You shall not eat?</i> The first word intimated something
said before, introducing this, and with which it is connected,
perhaps some discourse Eve had with herself, which Satan took hold
of, and grafted this question upon. In the chain of thoughts one
thing strangely brings in another, and perhaps something bad at
last. Observe here, [1.] He does not discover his design at first,
but puts a question which seemed innocent: "I hear a piece of news,
pray is it true? has God forbidden you to eat of this tree?" Thus
he would begin a discourse, and draw her into a parley. Those that
would be safe have need to be suspicious, and shy of talking with
the tempter. [2.] He quotes the command fallaciously, as if it were
a prohibition, not only of that tree, but of all. God had said,
<i>Of every tree you may eat, except one.</i> He, by aggravating
the exception, endeavours to invalidate the concession: <i>Hath God
said, You shall not eat of every tree?</i> The divine law cannot be
reproached unless it be first misrepresented. [3.] He seems to
speak it tauntingly, upbraiding the woman with her shyness of
meddling with that tree; as if he had said, "You are so nice and
cautious, and so very precise, because God has said, You shall not
eat." The devil, as he is a liar, so he is a scoffer, from the
beginning: and the scoffers of the last days are his children. [4.]
That which he aimed at in the first onset was to take off her sense
of the obligation of the command. "Surely you are mistaken, it
cannot be that God should tie you out from this tree; he would not
do so unreasonable a thing." See here, That it is the subtlety of
Satan to blemish the reputation of the divine law as uncertain or
unreasonable, and so to draw people to sin; and that it is
therefore our wisdom to keep up a a firm belief of, and a high
respect for, the command of God. Has God said, "You shall not lie,
nor take his name in vain, nor be drunk," &amp;c.? "Yes, I am sure
he has, and it is well said, and by his grace I will abide by it,
whatever the tempter suggests to the contrary."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p11">(2.) In answer to this question the woman
gives him a plain and full account of the law they were under,
<scripRef passage="Ge 3:2,3" id="Gen.iv-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|3|2|3|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.2-Gen.3.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. Here
observe, [1.] It was her weakness to enter into discourse with the
serpent. She might have perceived by his question that he had no
good design, and should therefore have started back with a <i>Get
thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence to me.</i> But her
curiosity, and perhaps her surprise, to hear a serpent speak, led
her into further talk with him. Note, it is a dangerous thing to
treat with a temptation, which ought at first to be rejected with
disdain and abhorrence. The garrison that sounds a parley is not
far from being surrendered. Those that would be kept from harm must
keep out of harm's way. See <scripRef passage="Pr 14:7,19:27" id="Gen.iv-p11.2" parsed="|Prov|14|7|0|0;|Prov|19|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.14.7 Bible:Prov.19.27">Prov.
xiv. 7; xix. 27</scripRef>. [2.] It was her wisdom to take notice
of the liberty God had granted them, in answer to his sly
insinuation, as if God has put them into paradise only to tantalize
them with the sight of fair but forbidden fruits. "Yea," says she,
"we may eat of the fruit of the trees, thanks to our Maker, we have
plenty and variety enough allowed us." Note, to prevent our being
uneasy at the restraints of religion, it is good often to take a
view of the liberties and comforts of it. [3.] It was an instance
of her resolution that she adhered to the command, and faithfully
repeated it, as of unquestionable certainty: "<i>God hath said,</i>
I am confident he hath said it, You shall not eat of the fruit of
this tree;" and that which she adds, <i>Neither shall you touch
it,</i> seems to have been with a good intention, not (as some
think) tacitly to reflect upon the command as too strict (<i>Touch
not, taste not and handle not</i>), but to make a fence
<pb n="23" id="Gen.iv-Page_23"/>
about it: "We must not eat, therefore we will not
touch. It is forbidden in the highest degree, and the authority of
the prohibition is sacred to us." [4.] She seems a little to waver
about the threatening, and is not so particular and faithful in the
repetition of that as of the precept. God has said, <i>In the day
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die;</i> all she makes of
that is, <i>Lest you die.</i> Note, wavering faith and wavering
resolutions give great advantage to the tempter.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p12">2. He denies that there was any danger in
it, insisting that, though it might be the transgressing of a
precept, yet it would not be the incurring of a penalty: <i>You
shall not surely die,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:4" id="Gen.iv-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. "You shall not <i>dying die,</i>" so the word is, in
direct contradiction to what God had said. Either, (1.) "It is not
certain that you shall die," so some. "It is not so sure as you are
made to believe it is." Thus Satan endeavours to shake that which
he cannot overthrow, and invalidates the force of divine
threatenings by questioning the certainty of them; and, when once
it is supposed possible that there may be falsehood or fallacy in
any word of God, a door is then opened to downright infidelity.
Satan teaches men first to doubt and then to deny; he makes them
sceptics first, and so by degrees makes them atheists. Or, (2.) "It
is certain you shall not die," so others. He avers his
contradiction with the same phrase of assurance that God had used
in ratifying the threatening. He began to call the precept in
question (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:1" id="Gen.iv-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), but,
finding that the woman adhered to that, he quitted that battery,
and made his second onset upon the threatening, where he perceived
her to waver; for he is quick to spy all advantages, and to attack
the wall where it is weakest: <i>You shall not surely die.</i> This
was a lie, a downright lie; for, [1.] It was contrary to the word
of God, which we are sure is true. See <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:21,27" id="Gen.iv-p12.3" parsed="|1John|2|21|0|0;|1John|2|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.21 Bible:1John.2.27">1 John ii. 21, 27</scripRef>. It was such a lie as
gave the lie to God himself. [2.] It was contrary to his own
knowledge. When he told them there was no danger in disobedience
and rebellion he said that which he knew, by woeful experience, to
be false. He had broken the law of his creation, and had found, to
his cost, that he could not prosper in it; and yet he tells our
first parents they shall not die. He concealed his own misery, that
he might draw them into the like: thus he still deceives sinners
into their own ruin. He tells them that, though they sin, they
shall not die; and gains credit rather than God, who tells them,
<i>The wages of sin is death.</i> Note, hope of impunity is a great
support to all iniquity, and impenitency in it. <i>I shall have
peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:19" id="Gen.iv-p12.4" parsed="|Deut|29|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.19">Deut. xxix. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p13">3. He promises them advantage by it,
<scripRef passage="Ge 3:5" id="Gen.iv-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Here he follows
his blow, and it was a blow at the root, a fatal blow to the tree
we are branches of. He not only would undertake that they should be
no losers by it, thus binding himself to save them from harm; but
(if they would be such fools as to venture upon the security of one
that had himself become a bankrupt) he undertakes they shall be
gainers by it, unspeakable gainers. He could not have persuaded
them to run the hazard of ruining themselves if he had not
suggested to them a great probability of bettering themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p14">(1.) He insinuates to them the great
improvements they would make by eating of this fruit. And he suits
the temptation to the pure state they were now in, proposing to
them, not any carnal pleasures or gratifications, but intellectual
delights and satisfactions. These were the baits with which he
covered his hook. [1.] "<i>Your eyes shall be opened;</i> you shall
have much more of the power and pleasure of contemplation than now
you have; you shall fetch a larger compass in your intellectual
views, and see further into things than now you do." He speaks as
if now they were but dim-sighted, and short-sighted, in comparison
of what they would be then. [2.] "<i>You shall be as gods,</i> as
<i>Elohim,</i> mighty gods; not only omniscient, but omnipotent
too;" or, "You shall be as God himself, equal to him, rivals with
him; you shall be sovereigns and no longer subjects,
self-sufficient and no longer dependent." A most absurd suggestion!
As if it were possible for creatures of yesterday to be like their
Creator that was from eternity. [3.] "You shall know <i>good and
evil,</i> that is, every thing that is desirable to be known." To
support this part of the temptation, he abuses the name given to
this tree: it was intended to teach the practical knowledge of good
and evil, that is, of duty and disobedience; and it would prove the
experimental knowledge of good and evil, that is, of happiness and
misery. In these senses, the name of the tree was a warning to them
not to eat of it; but he perverts the sense of it, and wrests it to
their destruction, as if this tree would give them a speculative
notional knowledge of the natures, kinds, and originals, of good
and evil. And, [4.] All this presently: "<i>In the day you eat
thereof</i> you will find a sudden and immediate change for the
better." Now in all these insinuations he aims to beget in them,
<i>First,</i> Discontent with their present state, as if it were
not so good as it might be, and should be. Note, no condition will
of itself bring contentment, unless the mind be brought to it. Adam
was not easy, no, not in paradise, nor the angels in their first
state, <scripRef passage="Jude 1:6" id="Gen.iv-p14.1" parsed="|Jude|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.6">Jude 6</scripRef>.
<i>Secondly,</i> Ambition of preferment, as if they were fit to be
gods. Satan had ruined himself by desiring to be like the Most High
(<scripRef passage="Isa 14:14" id="Gen.iv-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.14.14">Isa. xiv. 14</scripRef>), and
therefore seeks to infect our first parents with the same desire,
that he might ruin them too.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p15">(2.) He insinuates to them that God had no
good design upon them, in forbidding them this fruit: "<i>For God
doth know</i> how much it will advance you; and therefore, in envy
and ill-will to you, he hath forbidden
<pb n="24" id="Gen.iv-Page_24"/>
it:"
as if he durst not let them eat of that tree because then they
would know their own strength, and would not continue in an
inferior state, but be able to cope with him; or as if he grudged
them the honour and happiness to which their eating of that tree
would prefer them. Now, [1.] This was a great affront to God, and
the highest indignity that could be done him, a reproach to his
power, as if he feared his creatures, and much more a reproach to
his goodness, as if he hated the work of his own hands and would
not have those whom he has made to be made happy. Shall the best of
men think it strange to be misrepresented and evil spoken of, when
God himself is so? Satan, as he is the accuser of the brethren
before God, so he accuses God before the brethren; thus he sows
discord, and is the father of those that do so. [2.] It was a most
dangerous snare to our first parents, as it tended to alienate
their affections from God, and so to withdraw them from their
allegiance to him. Thus still the devil draws people into his
interest by suggesting to them hard thoughts of God, and false
hopes of benefit and advantage by sin. Let us therefore, in
opposition to him, always think well of God as the best good, and
think ill of sin as the worst of evils: thus let us resist the
devil, and he will flee from us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:6-8" id="Gen.iv-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|3|6|3|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.6-Gen.3.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.6-Gen.3.8">
<h4 id="Gen.iv-p15.2">The Fall of Man. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p15.3">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p16">6 And when the woman saw that the tree
<i>was</i> good for food, and that it <i>was</i> pleasant to the
eyes, and a tree to be desired to make <i>one</i> wise, she took of
the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with
her; and he did eat. &#160; 7 And the eyes of them both were
opened, and they knew that they <i>were</i> naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. &#160; 8 And they
heard the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p16.1">Lord</span> God
walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p16.2">Lord</span> God amongst the trees of the garden.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p17">Here we see what Eve's parley with the
tempter ended in. Satan, at length, gains his point, and the
strong-hold is taken by his wiles. God tried the obedience of our
first parents by forbidding them the tree of knowledge, and Satan
does, as it were, join issue with God, and in that very thing
undertakes to seduce them into a transgression; and here we find
how he prevailed, God permitting it for wise and holy ends.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p18">I. We have here the inducements that moved
them to transgress. The woman, being deceived by the tempter's
artful management, was ringleader in the transgression, <scripRef passage="1Ti 2:14" id="Gen.iv-p18.1" parsed="|1Tim|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.14">1 Tim. ii. 14</scripRef>. She was first in the
fault; and it was the result of her consideration, or rather her
inconsideration. 1. She saw no harm in this tree, more than in any
of the rest. It was said of all the rest of the fruit-trees with
which the garden of Eden was planted that they were <i>pleasant to
the sight, and good for food,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 2:9" id="Gen.iv-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.9"><i>ch.</i> ii. 9</scripRef>. Now, in her eye, this was
like all the rest. It seemed as good for food as any of them, and
she saw nothing in the colour of its fruit that threatened death or
danger; it was as pleasant to the sight as any of them, and
therefore, "What hurt could it do them? Why should this be
forbidden them rather than any of the rest?" Note, when there is
thought to be no more harm in forbidden fruit than in other fruit
sin lies at the door, and Satan soon carries the day. Nay, perhaps
it seemed to her to be better for food, more grateful to the taste,
and more nourishing to the body, than any of the rest, and to her
eye it was more pleasant than any. We are often betrayed into
snares by an inordinate desire to have our senses gratified. Or, if
it had nothing in it more inviting than the rest, yet it was the
more coveted because it was prohibited. Whether it was so in her or
not, we find that in us (that is, in our flesh, in our corrupt
nature) there dwells a strange spirit of contradiction. <i>Nitimur
in vetitum&#8212;We desire what is prohibited.</i> 2. She imagined more
virtue in this tree than in any of the rest, that it was a tree not
only not to be dreaded, but <i>to be desired to make one wise,</i>
and therein excelling all the rest of the trees. This she
<i>saw,</i> that is, she perceived and understood it by what the
devil had said to her; and some think that she saw the serpent eat
of that tree, and that he told her he thereby had gained the
faculties of speech and reason, whence she inferred its power to
make one wise, and was persuaded to think, "If it made a brute
creature rational, why might it not make a rational creature
divine?" See here how the desire of unnecessary knowledge, under
the mistaken notion of wisdom, proves hurtful and destructive to
many. Our first parents, who knew so much, did not know this&#8212;that
they knew enough. Christ is a tree to be desired to make one wise,
<scripRef passage="Col 2:3,1Co 1:30" id="Gen.iv-p18.3" parsed="|Col|2|3|0|0;|1Cor|1|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.3 Bible:1Cor.1.30">Col. ii. 3; 1 Cor. i.
30</scripRef>. Let us, by faith, feed upon him, that we may be wise
to salvation. In the heavenly paradise, the tree of knowledge will
not be a forbidden tree; for there we shall know as we are known.
Let us therefore long to be there, and, in the meantime, not
exercise ourselves in things too high or too deep for us, nor covet
to be wise above what is written.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p19">II. The steps of the transgression, not
steps upward, but downward towards the pit&#8212;steps that take hold on
hell. 1. She <i>saw.</i> She should have turned away her eyes from
beholding vanity; but she enters into temptation, by looking with
pleasure on the forbidden fruit. Observe, A great deal of
<pb n="25" id="Gen.iv-Page_25"/>
sin comes in at the eyes. At these windows Satan
throws in those fiery darts which pierce and poison the heart. The
eye affects the heart with guilt as well as grief. Let us
therefore, with holy Job, make a covenant with our eyes, not to
look on that which we are in danger of lusting after, <scripRef passage="Pr 23:31,Mt 5:28" id="Gen.iv-p19.1" parsed="|Prov|23|31|0|0;|Matt|5|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.31 Bible:Matt.5.28">Prov. xxiii. 31; Matt. v. 28</scripRef>.
Let the fear of God be always to us for a covering of the eyes,
<scripRef passage="Ge 20:16" id="Gen.iv-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.16"><i>ch.</i> xx. 16</scripRef>. 2.
<i>She took.</i> It was her own act and deed. The devil did not
take it, and put it into her mouth, whether she would or no; but
she herself took it. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; may
persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down,
<scripRef passage="Mt 4:6" id="Gen.iv-p19.3" parsed="|Matt|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.6">Matt. iv. 6</scripRef>. Eve's taking was
stealing, like Achan's taking the accursed thing, taking that to
which she had no right. Surely she took it with a trembling hand.
3. She <i>did eat.</i> Perhaps she did not intend, when she looked,
to take, nor, when she took, to eat; but this was the result. Note,
the way of sin is downhill; a man cannot stop himself when he will.
The beginning of it is as the breaking forth of water, to which it
is hard to say, "Hitherto thou shalt come and no further."
Therefore it is our wisdom to suppress the first emotions of sin,
and to leave it off before it be meddled with. <i>Obsta
principiis&#8212;Nip mischief in the bud.</i> 4. She <i>gave also to her
husband with her.</i> It is probable that he was not with her when
she was tempted (surely, if he had, he would have interposed to
prevent the sin), but came to her when she had eaten, and was
prevailed upon by her to eat likewise; for it is easier to learn
that which is bad than to teach that which is good. She gave it to
him, persuading him with the same arguments that the serpent had
used with her, adding this to all the rest, that she herself had
eaten of it, and found it so far from being deadly that it was
extremely pleasant and grateful. <i>Stolen waters are sweet.</i>
She gave it to him, under colour of kindness&#8212;she would not eat
these delicious morsels alone; but really it was the greatest
unkindness she could do him. Or perhaps she gave it to him that, if
it should prove hurtful, he might share with her in the misery,
which indeed looks strangely unkind, and yet may, without
difficulty, be supposed to enter into the heart of one that had
eaten forbidden fruit. Note, those that have themselves done ill
are commonly willing to draw in others to do the same. As was the
devil, so was Eve, no sooner a sinner than a tempter. 5. <i>He did
eat,</i> overcome by his wife's importunity. It is needless to ask,
"What would have been the consequence if Eve only had
transgressed?" The wisdom of God, we are sure, would have decided
the difficulty, according to equity; but, alas! the case was not
so; Adam also did eat. "And what great harm if he did?" say the
corrupt and carnal reasonings of a vain mind. What harm! Why, this
act involved disbelief of God's word, together with confidence in
the devil's, discontent with his present state, pride in his own
merits, and ambition of the honour which comes not from God, envy
at God's perfections, and indulgence of the appetites of the body.
In neglecting the tree of life of which he was allowed to eat, and
eating of the tree of knowledge which was forbidden, he plainly
showed a contempt of the favours God had bestowed on him, and a
preference given to those God did not see fit for him. He would be
both his own carver and his own master, would have what he pleased
and do what he pleased: his sin was, in one word,
<i>disobedience</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 5:19" id="Gen.iv-p19.4" parsed="|Rom|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.19">Rom. v.
19</scripRef>), disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command,
which probably he knew to be a command of trial. He sinned against
great knowledge, against many mercies, against light and love, the
clearest light and the dearest love that ever sinner sinned
against. He had no corrupt nature within him to betray him; but had
a freedom of will, not enslaved, and was in his full strength, not
weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. Some think he fell
the very day on which he was made; but I see not how to reconcile
this with God's pronouncing all <i>very good</i> in the close of
the day. Others suppose he fell on the sabbath day: the better day
the worse deed. However, it is certain that he kept his integrity
but a very little while: being in honour, he continued not. But the
greatest aggravation of his sin was that he involved all his
posterity in sin and ruin by it. God having told him that his race
should replenish the earth, surely he could not but know that he
stood as a public person, and that his disobedience would be fatal
to all his seed; and, if so, it was certainly both the greatest
treachery and the greatest cruelty that ever was. The human nature
being lodged entirely in our first parents, henceforward it could
not but be transmitted from them under an attainder of guilt, a
stain of dishonour, and an hereditary disease of sin and
corruption. And can we say, then, that Adam's sin had but little
harm in it?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p20">III. The ultimate consequences of the
transgression. Shame and fear seized the criminals, <i>ipso
facto&#8212;in the fact itself;</i> these came into the world along with
sin, and still attend it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p21">1. Shame seized them unseen, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:7" id="Gen.iv-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>, where observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p22">(1.) The strong convictions they fell
under, in their own bosoms: <i>The eyes of them both were
opened.</i> It is not meant of the eyes of the body; these were
open before, as appears by this, that the sin came in at them.
Jonathan's eyes were enlightened by eating forbidden fruit
(<scripRef passage="1Sa 14:27" id="Gen.iv-p22.1" parsed="|1Sam|14|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.27">1 Sam. xiv. 27</scripRef>), that is,
he was refreshed and revived by it; but theirs were not so. Nor is
it meant of any advances made hereby in true knowledge; but the
eyes of their consciences were opened, their hearts smote them for
what they had done. Now,
<pb n="26" id="Gen.iv-Page_26"/>
when it was too
late, they saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw the
happiness they had fallen from, and the misery they had fallen
into. They saw a loving God provoked, his grace and favour
forfeited, his likeness and image lost, dominion over the creatures
gone. They saw their natures corrupted and depraved, and felt a
disorder in their own spirits of which they had never before been
conscious. They saw a law in their members warring against the law
of their minds, and captivating them both to sin and wrath. They
saw, as Balaam, when <i>his eyes were opened</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:31" id="Gen.iv-p22.2" parsed="|Num|22|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.31">Num. xxii. 31</scripRef>), the angel of the Lord
standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and perhaps
they saw the serpent that had abused them insulting over them. The
text tells us that they saw <i>that they were naked,</i> that is,
[1.] That they were stripped, deprived of all the honours and joys
of their paradise-state, and exposed to all the miseries that might
justly be expected from an angry God. They were disarmed; their
defence had departed from them. [2.] That they were shamed, for
ever shamed, before God and angels. They saw themselves disrobed of
all their ornaments and ensigns of honour, degraded from their
dignity and disgraced in the highest degree, laid open to the
contempt and reproach of heaven, and earth, and their own
consciences. Now see here, <i>First,</i> What a dishonour and
disquietment sin is; it makes mischief wherever it is admitted,
sets men against themselves disturbs their peace, and destroys all
their comforts. Sooner or later, it will have shame, either the
shame of true repentance, which ends in glory, or that shame and
everlasting contempt to which the wicked shall rise at the great
day. Sin is a reproach to any people. <i>Secondly,</i> What
deceiver Satan is. He told our first parents, when he tempted them,
that their eyes should be opened; and so they were, but not as they
understood it; they were opened to their shame and grief, not to
their honour nor advantage. Therefore, when he speaks fair, believe
him not. The most malicious mischievous liars often excuse
themselves with this, that they only equivocate; but God will not
so excuse them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p23">(2.) The sorry shift they made to palliate
these convictions, and to arm themselves against them: <i>They
sewed,</i> or platted, <i>fig-leaves together;</i> and to cover, at
least, part of their shame from one another, they <i>made
themselves aprons.</i> See here what is commonly the folly of those
that have sinned. [1.] That they are more solicitous to save their
credit before men than to obtain their pardon from God; they are
backward to confess their sin, and very desirous to conceal it, as
much as may be. <i>I have sinned, yet honour me.</i> [2.] That the
excuses men make, to cover and extenuate their sins, are vain and
frivolous. Like the aprons of fig-leaves, they make the matter
never the better, but the worse; the shame, thus hidden, becomes
the more shameful. Yet thus we are all apt to <i>cover our
transgressions as Adam,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:33" id="Gen.iv-p23.1" parsed="|Job|31|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.33">Job xxxi.
33</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p24">2. Fear seized them immediately upon their
eating the forbidden fruit, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:8" id="Gen.iv-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) What was the cause and occasion of
their fear: They <i>heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the
garden in the cool of the day.</i> It was the approach of the Judge
that put them into a fright; and yet he came in such a manner as
made it formidable only to guilty consciences. It is supposed that
he came in a human shape, and that he who judged the world now was
the same that shall judge the world at the last day, even <i>that
man whom God has ordained.</i> He appeared to them now (it should
seem) in no other similitude than that in which they had seen him
when he put them into paradise; for he came to convince and humble
them, not to amaze and terrify them. He came into the garden, not
descending immediately from heaven in their view, as afterwards on
Mount Sinai (making either thick darkness his pavilion or the
flaming fire his chariot), but he came into the garden, as one that
was still willing to be familiar with them. He came walking, not
running, not riding upon the wings of the wind, but walking
deliberately, as one slow to anger, teaching us, when we are ever
so much provoked, not to be hot nor hasty, but to speak and act
considerately and not rashly. He came in the cool of the day, not
in the night, when all fears are doubly fearful, nor in the heat of
day, for he came not in the heat of his anger. <i>Fury is not in
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 27:4" id="Gen.iv-p24.2" parsed="|Isa|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.4">Isa. xxvii. 4</scripRef>. Nor
did he come suddenly upon them; but they heard his voice at some
distance, giving them notice of his coming, and probably it was a
still small voice, like that in which he came to enquire after
Elijah. Some think they heard him discoursing with himself
concerning the sin of Adam, and the judgment now to be passed upon
him, perhaps as he did concerning Israel, <scripRef passage="Ho 11:8,9" id="Gen.iv-p24.3" parsed="|Hos|11|8|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Hos.11.8-Hos.11.9">Hos. xi. 8, 9</scripRef>. <i>How shall I give thee
up?</i> Or, rather, they heard him calling for them, and coming
towards them. (2.) What was the effect and evidence of their fear:
<i>They hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God</i>&#8212;a sad
change! Before they had sinned, if they had heard the voice of the
Lord God coming towards them, they would have run to meet him, and
with a humble joy welcomed his gracious visits. But, now that it
was otherwise, God had become a terror to them, and then no marvel
that they had become a terror to themselves, and were full of
confusion. Their own consciences accused them, and set their sin
before them in its proper colours. Their fig-leaves failed them,
and would do them no service. God had come forth against them as an
enemy, and the whole creation was at war with them; and as yet they
knew not of any mediator between them and an angry God, so that
nothing remained but a
<pb n="27" id="Gen.iv-Page_27"/>
certain fearful
looking for of judgment. In this fright they hid themselves among
the bushes; having offended, they fled for the same. Knowing
themselves guilty, they durst not stand a trial, but absconded, and
fled from justice. See here, [1.] The falsehood of the tempter, and
the frauds and fallacies of his temptations. He promised them they
should be safe, but now they cannot so much as think themselves so;
he said they should not die, and yet now they are forced to fly for
their lives; he promised them they should be advanced, but they see
themselves a based&#8212;never did they seem so little as now; he
promised them they should be knowing, but they see themselves at a
loss, and know not so much as where to hide themselves; he promised
them they should be as gods, great, and bold, and daring, but they
are as criminals discovered, trembling, pale, and anxious to
escape: they would not be subjects, and so they are prisoners. [2.]
The folly of sinners, to think it either possible or desirable to
hide themselves from God: can they conceal themselves from the
Father of lights? <scripRef passage="Ps 139:7-13" id="Gen.iv-p24.4" parsed="|Ps|139|7|139|13" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.7-Ps.139.13">Ps. cxxxix.
7</scripRef>, &amp;c.; <scripRef passage="Jer 23:24" id="Gen.iv-p24.5" parsed="|Jer|23|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.23.24">Jer. xxiii.
24</scripRef>. Will they withdraw themselves from the fountain of
life, who alone can give help and happiness? <scripRef passage="Jon 2:8" id="Gen.iv-p24.6" parsed="|Jonah|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jonah.2.8">Jon. ii. 8</scripRef>. [3.] The fear that attends sin.
All that amazing fear of God's appearances, the accusations of
conscience, the approaches of trouble, the assaults of inferior
creatures, and the arrests of death, which is common among men, is
the effect of sin. Adam and Eve, who were partners in the sin, were
sharers in the shame and fear that attended it; and though hand
joined in hand (hands so lately joined in marriage), yet could they
not animate nor fortify one another: miserable comforters they had
become to each other!</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:9-10" id="Gen.iv-p24.7" parsed="|Gen|3|9|3|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.9-Gen.3.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.9-Gen.3.10">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p25">9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p25.1">Lord</span>
God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where <i>art</i> thou?
&#160; 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was
afraid, because I <i>was</i> naked; and I hid myself.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p26">We have here the arraignment of these
deserters before the righteous Judge of heaven and earth, who,
though he is not tied to observe formalities, yet proceeds against
them with all possible fairness, that he may be justified when he
speaks. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p27">I. The startling question with which God
pursued Adam and arrested him: <i>Where art thou?</i> Not as if God
did not know where he was; but thus he would enter the process
against him. "Come, where is this foolish man?" Some make it a
bemoaning question: "Poor Adam, what has become of thee?" "<i>Alas
for thee!</i>" (so some read it) "<i>How art thou fallen, Lucifer,
son of the morning!</i> Thou that wast my friend and favourite,
whom I had done so much for, and would have done so much more for;
hast thou now forsaken me, and ruined thyself? Has it come to
this?" It is rather an upbraiding question, in order to his
conviction and humiliation: <i>Where art thou?</i> Not, In what
<i>place?</i> but, In what <i>condition?</i> "Is this all thou hast
gotten by eating forbidden fruit? Thou that wouldest vie with me,
dost thou now fly from me?" Note, 1. Those who by sin have gone
astray from God should seriously consider where they are; they are
afar off from all good, in the midst of their enemies, in bondage
to Satan, and in the high road to utter ruin. This enquiry after
Adam may be looked upon as a gracious pursuit, in kindness to him,
and in order to his recovery. If God had not called to him, to
reclaim him, his condition would have been as desperate as that of
fallen angels; this lost sheep would have wandered endlessly, if
the good Shepherd had not sought after him, to bring him back, and,
in order to that, reminded him where he was, where he should not
be, and where he could not be either happy or easy. Note, 2. If
sinners will but consider where they are, they will not rest till
they return to God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p28">II. The trembling answer which Adam gave to
this question: <i>I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was
afraid,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:10" id="Gen.iv-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. He
does not own his guilt, and yet in effect confesses it by owning
his shame and fear; but it is the common fault and folly of those
that have done an ill thing, when they are questioned about it, to
acknowledge no more than what is so manifest that they cannot deny
it. Adam was afraid, because he was naked; not only unarmed, and
therefore afraid to contend with God, but unclothed, and therefore
afraid so much as to appear before him. We have reason to be afraid
of approaching to God if we be not clothed and fenced with the
righteousness of Christ, for nothing but this will be armour of
proof and cover the shame of our nakedness. Let us therefore <i>put
on the Lord Jesus Christ,</i> and then draw near with humble
boldness.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:11-13" id="Gen.iv-p28.2" parsed="|Gen|3|11|3|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.11-Gen.3.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.11-Gen.3.13">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p29">11 And he said, Who told thee that thou
<i>wast</i> naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded
thee that thou shouldest not eat? &#160; 12 And the man said, The
woman whom thou gavest <i>to be</i> with me, she gave me of the
tree, and I did eat. &#160; 13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p29.1">Lord</span> God said unto the woman, What <i>is</i>
this <i>that</i> thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent
beguiled me, and I did eat.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p30">We have here the offenders found guilty by
their own confession, and yet endeavouring to excuse and extenuate
their fault. They could not confess and justify what they had done,
but they confess and palliate it. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p31">I. How their confession was extorted from
<pb n="28" id="Gen.iv-Page_28"/>
them. God put it to the man: <i>Who told thee
that thou wast naked?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:11" id="Gen.iv-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. "How camest thou to be sensible of thy nakedness as
thy shame?" <i>Hast thou eaten of the forbidden tree?</i> Note,
though God knows all our sins, yet he will know them from us, and
requires from us an ingenuous confession of them; not that he may
be informed, but that we may be humbled. In this examination, God
reminds him of the command he had given him: "I commanded thee not
to eat of it, I thy Maker, I thy Master, I thy benefactor; I
commanded thee to the contrary." Sin appears most plain and most
sinful in the glass of the commandment, therefore God here sets it
before Adam; and in it we should see our faces. The question put to
the woman was, <i>What is this that thou hast done?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:13" id="Gen.iv-p31.2" parsed="|Gen|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. "Wilt thou also own thy
fault, and make confession of it? And wilt thou see what an evil
thing it was?" Note, it concerns those who have eaten forbidden
fruit themselves, and especially those who have enticed others to
eat it likewise, seriously to consider what they have done. In
eating forbidden fruit, we have offended a great and gracious God,
broken a just and righteous law, violated a sacred and most solemn
covenant, and wronged our own precious souls by forfeiting God's
favour and exposing ourselves to his wrath and curse: in enticing
others to eat of it, we do the devil's work, make ourselves guilty
of other men's sins, and accessory to their ruin. <i>What is this
that we have done?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p32">II. How their crime was extenuated by them
in their confession. It was to no purpose to plead <i>not
guilty.</i> The show of their countenances testified against them;
therefore they become their own accusers: "<i>I did eat,</i>" says
the man, "And so did I," says the woman; for when God judges he
will overcome. But these do not look like penitent confessions; for
instead of aggravating the sin, and taking shame to themselves,
they excuse the sin, and lay the shame and blame on others. 1. Adam
lays all the blame upon his wife. "She gave me of the tree, and
pressed me to eat of it, which I did, only to oblige her"&#8212;a
frivolous excuse. He ought to have taught her, not to have been
taught by her; and it was no hard matter to determine which of the
two he must be ruled by, his God or his wife. Learn, hence, never
to be brought to sin by that which will not bring us off in the
judgment; let not that bear us up in the commission which will not
bear us out in the trial; let us therefore never be overcome by
importunity to act against our consciences, nor ever displease God,
to please the best friend we have in the world. But this is not the
worst of it. He not only lays the blame upon his wife, but
expresses it so as tacitly to reflect on God himself: "It is the
woman whom thou gavest me, and gavest to be with me as my
companion, my guide, and my acquaintance; she gave me of the tree,
else I had not eaten of it." Thus he insinuates that God was
accessory to his sin: he gave him the woman, and she gave him the
fruit; so that he seemed to have it at but one remove from God's
own hand. Note, there is a strange proneness in those that are
tempted to say that they are tempted of God, as if our abusing
God's gifts would excuse our violation of God's laws. God gives us
riches, honours, and relations, that we may serve him cheerfully in
the enjoyment of them; but, if we take occasion from them to sin
against him, instead of blaming Providence for putting us into such
a condition, we must blame ourselves for perverting the gracious
designs of Providence therein. 2. Eve lays all the blame upon the
serpent: <i>The serpent beguiled me.</i> Sin is a brat that nobody
is willing to own, a sign that it is a scandalous thing. Those that
are willing enough to take the pleasure and profit of sin are
backward enough to take the blame and shame of it. "The serpent,
that subtle creature of thy making, which thou didst permit to come
into paradise to us, he beguiled me," or <i>made me to err;</i> for
our sins are our errors. Learn hence, (1.) That Satan's temptations
are all beguilings, his arguments are all fallacies, his
allurements are all cheats; when he speaks fair, believe him not.
Sin deceives us, and, by deceiving, cheats us. It is by the
<i>deceitfulness of sin</i> that the heart is hardened. See
<scripRef passage="Ro 7:11,Heb 3:13" id="Gen.iv-p32.1" parsed="|Rom|7|11|0|0;|Heb|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.11 Bible:Heb.3.13">Rom. vii. 11; Heb. iii.
13</scripRef>. (2.) That though Satan's subtlety drew us into sin,
yet it will not justify us in sin: though he is the tempter, we are
the sinners; and indeed it is our own lust that draws us aside and
entices us, <scripRef passage="Jam 1:14" id="Gen.iv-p32.2" parsed="|Jas|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.14">Jam. i. 14</scripRef>. Let
it not therefore lessen our sorrow and humiliation for sin that we
are beguiled into it; but rather let it increase our
self-indignation that we should suffer ourselves to be beguiled by
a known cheat and a sworn enemy. Well, this is all the prisoners at
the bar have to say why sentence should not be passed and execution
awarded, according to law; and this <i>all</i> is next to nothing,
in some respects worse than nothing.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:14-15" id="Gen.iv-p32.3" parsed="|Gen|3|14|3|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.14-Gen.3.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.14-Gen.3.15">
<h4 id="Gen.iv-p32.4">Sentence Passed on the Serpent; Intimation
of Messiah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p32.5">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p33">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p33.1">Lord</span>
God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou
<i>art</i> cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the
field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all
the days of thy life: &#160; 15 And I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p34">The prisoners being found guilty by their
own confession, besides the personal and infallible knowledge of
the Judge, and nothing material being offered in arrest of
judgment,
<pb n="29" id="Gen.iv-Page_29"/>
God immediately proceeds to pass
sentence; and, in these verses, he begins (where the sin began)
with the serpent. God did not examine the serpent, nor ask him what
he had done nor why he did it; but immediately sentenced him, 1.
Because he was already convicted of rebellion against God, and his
malice and wickedness were notorious, not found by secret search,
but openly avowed and declared as Sodom's. 2. Because he was to be
for ever excluded from all hope of pardon; and why should any thing
be said to convince and humble him who was to find no place for
repentance? His wound was not searched, because it was not to be
cured. Some think the condition of the fallen angels was not
declared desperate and helpless, until now that they had seduced
man into the rebellion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p35">I. The sentence passed upon the tempter may
be considered as lighting upon the serpent, the brute-creature
which Satan made use of which was, as the rest, made for the
service of man, but was now abused to his hurt. Therefore, to
testify a displeasure against sin, and a jealousy for the injured
honour of Adam and Eve, God fastens a curse and reproach upon the
serpent, and makes it to groan, being burdened. See <scripRef passage="Ro 8:20" id="Gen.iv-p35.1" parsed="|Rom|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.20">Rom. viii. 20</scripRef>. The devil's instruments
must share in the devil's punishments. Thus the bodies of the
wicked, though only instruments of unrighteousness, shall partake
of everlasting torments with the soul, the principal agent. Even
the ox that killed a man must be stoned, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:28,29" id="Gen.iv-p35.2" parsed="|Exod|21|28|21|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.28-Exod.21.29">Exod. xxi. 28, 29</scripRef>. See here how God hates
sin, and especially how much displeased he is with those who entice
others into sin. It is a perpetual brand upon Jeroboam's name
<i>that he made Israel to sin.</i> Now, 1. The serpent is here laid
under the curse of God: <i>Thou art cursed above all cattle.</i>
Even the creeping things, when God made them, were blessed of him
(<scripRef passage="Ge 1:22" id="Gen.iv-p35.3" parsed="|Gen|1|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.22"><i>ch.</i> i. 22</scripRef>), but sin
turned the blessing into a curse. <i>The serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:1" id="Gen.iv-p35.4" parsed="|Gen|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), and here, <i>cursed above every
beast of the field.</i> Unsanctified subtlety often proves a great
curse to a man; and the more crafty men are to do evil the more
mischief they do, and, consequently, they shall receive the greater
damnation. Subtle tempters are the most accursed creatures under
the sun. 2. He is here laid under man's reproach and enmity. (1.)
He is to be for ever looked upon as a vile and despicable creature,
and a proper object of scorn and contempt: "<i>Upon thy belly thou
shalt go,</i> no longer upon feet, or half erect, but thou shalt
crawl along, thy belly cleaving to the earth," an expression of a
very abject miserable condition, <scripRef passage="Ps 44:25" id="Gen.iv-p35.5" parsed="|Ps|44|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.25">Ps.
xliv. 25</scripRef>; "and thou shalt not avoid eating dust with thy
meat." His crime was that he tempted Eve to eat that which she
should not; his punishment was that he was necessitated to eat that
which he would not: <i>Dust thou shalt eat.</i> This denotes not
only a base and despicable condition, but a mean and pitiful
spirit; it is said of those whose courage has departed from them
that they <i>lick the dust like a serpent,</i> <scripRef passage="Mic 7:17" id="Gen.iv-p35.6" parsed="|Mic|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.17">Mic. vii. 17</scripRef>. How sad it is that the
serpent's curse should be the covetous worldling's choice, whose
character it is that he <i>pants after the dust of the earth!</i>
<scripRef passage="Am 2:7" id="Gen.iv-p35.7" parsed="|Amos|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.2.7">Amos ii. 7</scripRef>. These choose
their own delusions, and so shall their doom be. (2.) He is to be
for ever looked upon as a venomous noxious creature, and a proper
object of hatred and detestation: <i>I will put enmity between thee
and the woman.</i> The inferior creatures being made for man, it
was a curse upon any of them to be turned against man and man
against them; and this is part of the serpent's curse. The serpent
is hurtful to man, and often bruises his heel, because it can reach
no higher; nay, notice is taken of his biting the horses' heels,
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:17" id="Gen.iv-p35.8" parsed="|Gen|49|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.17"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 17</scripRef>. But
man is victorious over the serpent, and bruises his head, that is,
gives him a mortal wound, aiming to destroy the whole generation of
vipers. It is the effect of this curse upon the serpent that,
though that creature is subtle and very dangerous, yet it prevails
not (as it would if God gave it commission) to the destruction of
mankind. This sentence pronounced upon the serpent is much
fortified by that promise of God to his people, <i>Thou shalt tread
upon the lion and the adder</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 91:13" id="Gen.iv-p35.9" parsed="|Ps|91|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.13">Ps.
xci. 13</scripRef>), and that of Christ to his disciples, <i>They
shall take up serpents</i> (<scripRef passage="Mk 16:18" id="Gen.iv-p35.10" parsed="|Mark|16|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.16.18">Mark xvi.
18</scripRef>), witness Paul, who was unhurt by the viper that
fastened upon his hand. Observe here, The serpent and the woman had
just now been very familiar and friendly in discourse about the
forbidden fruit, and a wonderful agreement there was between them;
but here they are irreconcilably set at variance. Note, sinful
friendships justly end in mortal feuds: those that unite in
wickedness will not unite long.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p36">II. This sentence may be considered as
levelled at the devil, who only made use of the serpent as his
vehicle in this appearance, but was himself the principal agent. He
that spoke through the serpent's mouth is here struck at through
the serpent's side, and is principally intended in the sentence,
which, like the pillar of cloud and fire, has a dark side towards
the devil and a bright side towards our first parents and their
seed. Great things are contained in these words.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p37">1. A perpetual reproach is here fastened
upon that great enemy both to God and man. Under the cover of the
serpent, he is here sentenced to be, (1.) Degraded and accursed of
God. It is supposed that the sin which turned angels into devils
was pride, which is here justly punished by a great variety of
mortifications couched under the mean circumstances of a serpent
crawling on his belly and licking the dust. <i>How art thou fallen,
O Lucifer!</i> He that would be above God, and would head a
rebellion
<pb n="30" id="Gen.iv-Page_30"/>
against him, is justly exposed here
to contempt and lies to be trodden on; a man's pride will bring him
low, and God will humble those that will not humble themselves.
(2.) Detested and abhorred of all mankind. Even those that are
really seduced into his interest yet profess a hatred and
abhorrence of him; and all that are born of God make it their
constant care to keep themselves, that this wicked one touch them
not, <scripRef passage="1Jo 5:18" id="Gen.iv-p37.1" parsed="|1John|5|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.18">1 John v. 18</scripRef>. He is
here condemned to a state of war and irreconcilable enmity. (3.)
Destroyed and ruined at last by <i>the great Redeemer,</i>
signified by the breaking of his head. His subtle politics shall
all be baffled, his usurped power shall be entirely crushed, and he
shall be for ever a captive to the injured honour of divine
sovereignty. By being told of this now he was tormented before the
time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p38">2. A perpetual quarrel is here commenced
between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil among men;
war is proclaimed between the seed of the woman and the seed of the
serpent. That war in heaven between Michael and the dragon began
now, <scripRef passage="Re 12:7" id="Gen.iv-p38.1" parsed="|Rev|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.12.7">Rev. xii. 7</scripRef>. It is the
fruit of this enmity, (1.) That there is a continual conflict
between grace and corruption in the hearts of God's people. Satan,
by their corruptions, assaults them, buffets them, sifts them, and
seeks to devour them; they, by the exercise of their graces, resist
him, wrestle with him, quench his fiery darts, force him to flee
from them. Heaven and hell can never be reconciled, nor light and
darkness; no more can Satan and a sanctified soul, for these are
contrary the one to the other. (2.) That there is likewise a
continual struggle between the wicked and the godly in this world.
Those that love God account those their enemies that hate him,
<scripRef passage="Ps 139:21,22" id="Gen.iv-p38.2" parsed="|Ps|139|21|139|22" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.21-Ps.139.22">Ps. cxxxix. 21, 22</scripRef>. And
all the rage and malice of persecutors against the people of God
are the fruit of this enmity, which will continue while there is a
godly man on this side heaven, and a wicked man on this side hell.
<i>Marvel not therefore if the world hate you,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 3:13" id="Gen.iv-p38.3" parsed="|1John|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.13">1 John iii. 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p39">3. A gracious promise is here made of
Christ, as the deliverer of fallen man from the power of Satan.
Though what was said was addressed to the serpent, yet it was said
in the hearing of our first parents, who, doubtless, took the hints
of grace here given them, and saw a door of hope opened to them,
else the following sentence upon themselves would have overwhelmed
them. Here was the dawning of the gospel day. No sooner was the
wound given than the remedy was provided and revealed. Here, <i>in
the head of the book,</i> as the word is (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:7" id="Gen.iv-p39.1" parsed="|Heb|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.7">Heb. x. 7</scripRef>), in the beginning of the Bible, it
is written of Christ, that he should <i>do the will of God.</i> By
faith in this promise, we have reason to think, our first parents,
and the patriarchs before the flood, were justified and saved and
to this promise, and the benefit of it, instantly serving God day
and night, they hoped to come. Notice is here given them of three
things concerning Christ:&#8212;(1.) His incarnation, that he should be
<i>the seed of the woman,</i> the seed of <i>that</i> woman;
therefore his genealogy (<scripRef passage="Lu 3:1-38" id="Gen.iv-p39.2" parsed="|Luke|3|1|3|38" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.1-Luke.3.38">Luke
iii.</scripRef>) goes so high as to show him to be the son of Adam,
but God does the woman the honour to call him rather her seed,
because she it was whom the devil had beguiled, and on whom Adam
had laid the blame; herein God magnifies his grace, in that, though
the woman was first in the transgression, yet she shall be saved
<i>by</i> child-bearing (as some read it), that is, by the promised
seed who shall descend from her, <scripRef passage="1Ti 2:15" id="Gen.iv-p39.3" parsed="|1Tim|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.15">1
Tim. ii. 15</scripRef>. He was likewise to be the seed of a woman
only, of a virgin, that he might not be tainted with the corruption
of our nature; he was sent forth, <i>made of a woman</i> (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:4" id="Gen.iv-p39.4" parsed="|Gal|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.4">Gal. iv. 4</scripRef>), that this promise might be
fulfilled. It is a great encouragement to sinners that their
Saviour <i>is the seed of the woman, bone of our bone,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 2:11,14" id="Gen.iv-p39.5" parsed="|Heb|2|11|0|0;|Heb|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.11 Bible:Heb.2.14">Heb. ii. 11, 14</scripRef>. Man is
therefore sinful and unclean, because he is <i>born of a woman</i>
(<scripRef passage="Job 25:4" id="Gen.iv-p39.6" parsed="|Job|25|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.25.4">Job xxv. 4</scripRef>), and therefore
<i>his days are full of trouble,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 14:1" id="Gen.iv-p39.7" parsed="|Job|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.14.1">Job xiv. 1</scripRef>. But the seed of the woman was
made sin and a curse for us, so saving us from both. (2.) His
sufferings and death, pointed at in Satan's <i>bruising his
heel,</i> that is, his human nature. Satan tempted Christ in the
wilderness, to draw him into sin; and some think it was Satan that
terrified Christ in his agony, to drive him to despair. It was the
devil that put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ, of
Peter to deny him, of the chief priests to prosecute him, of the
false witnesses to accuse him, and of Pilate to condemn him, aiming
in all this, by destroying the Saviour, to ruin the salvation; but,
on the contrary, it was by death that Christ <i>destroyed him that
had the power of death,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 2:14" id="Gen.iv-p39.8" parsed="|Heb|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.14">Heb. ii.
14</scripRef>. Christ's heel was bruised when his feet were pierced
and nailed to the cross, and Christ's sufferings are continued in
the sufferings of the saints for his name. The devil tempts them,
casts them into prison, persecutes and slays them, and so bruises
the heel of Christ, who is afflicted in their afflictions. But,
while the heel is bruised on earth, it is well that the head is
safe in heaven. (3.) His victory over Satan thereby. Satan had now
trampled upon the woman, and insulted over her; but the seed of the
woman should be raised up in the fulness of time to avenge her
quarrel, and to trample upon him, to spoil him, to lead him
captive, and to <i>triumph over him,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 2:15" id="Gen.iv-p39.9" parsed="|Col|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.15">Col. ii. 15</scripRef>. <i>He shall bruise his head,</i>
that is, he shall destroy all his politics and all his powers, and
give a total overthrow to his kingdom and interest. Christ baffled
Satan's temptations, rescued souls out of his hands, cast him out
of the bodies of people, dispossessed the strong man armed, and
divided his spoil: by his death, he gave a fatal and
<pb n="31" id="Gen.iv-Page_31"/>
incurable blow to the devil's kingdom, a wound to the
head of this beast, that can never be healed. As his gospel gets
ground, <i>Satan falls</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 10:18" id="Gen.iv-p39.10" parsed="|Luke|10|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.18">Luke x.
18</scripRef>) and is <i>bound,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 20:2" id="Gen.iv-p39.11" parsed="|Rev|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.2">Rev. xx. 2</scripRef>. By his grace, he treads Satan
under his people's feet (<scripRef passage="Ro 16:20" id="Gen.iv-p39.12" parsed="|Rom|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.20">Rom. xvi.
20</scripRef>) and will shortly cast him into the lake of fire,
<scripRef passage="Re 20:10" id="Gen.iv-p39.13" parsed="|Rev|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.10">Rev. xx. 10</scripRef>. And the
devil's perpetual overthrow will be the complete and everlasting
joy and glory of the chosen remnant.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:16" id="Gen.iv-p39.14" parsed="|Gen|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.16">
<h4 id="Gen.iv-p39.15">Sentence Passed on Eve. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p39.16">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p40">16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly
multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring
forth children; and thy desire <i>shall be</i> to thy husband, and
he shall rule over thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p41">We have here the sentence passed upon the
woman for her sin. Two things she is condemned to: a state of
sorrow, and a state of subjection, proper punishments of a sin in
which she had gratified her pleasure and her pride.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p42">I. She is here put into a state of sorrow,
one particular of which only is specified, that in bringing forth
children; but it includes all those impressions of grief and fear
which the mind of that tender sex is most apt to receive, and all
the common calamities which they are liable to. Note, sin brought
sorrow into the world; it was this that made the world a vale of
tears, brought showers of trouble upon our heads, and opened
springs of sorrows in our hearts, and so deluged the world: had we
known no guilt, we should have known no grief. The pains of
child-bearing, which are great to a proverb, a scripture proverb,
are the effect of sin; every pang and every groan of the travailing
woman speak aloud the fatal consequences of sin: this comes of
eating forbidden fruit. Observe, 1. The sorrows are here said to be
multiplied, <i>greatly multiplied.</i> All the sorrows of this
present time are so; many are the calamities which human life is
liable to, of various kinds, and often repeated, the clouds
returning after the rain, and no marvel that our sorrows are
multiplied when our sins are: both are innumerable evils. The
sorrows of child-bearing are multiplied; for they include, not only
the travailing throes, but the indispositions before (it is sorrow
from the conception), and the nursing toils and vexations after;
and after all, if the children prove wicked and foolish, they are,
more than ever, the heaviness of her that bore them. Thus are the
sorrows multiplied; as one grief is over, another succeeds in this
world. 2. It is God that multiplies our sorrows: <i>I will do
it.</i> God, as a righteous Judge, does it, which ought to silence
us under all our sorrows; as many as they are, we have deserved
them all, and more: nay, God, as a tender Father, does it for our
necessary correction, that we may be humbled for sin, and weaned
from the world by all our sorrows; and the good we get by them,
with the comfort we have under them, will abundantly balance our
sorrows, how greatly soever they are multiplied.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p43">II. She is here put into a state of
subjection. The whole sex, which by creation was equal with man,
is, for sin, made inferior, and forbidden to <i>usurp
authority,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 2:11,12" id="Gen.iv-p43.1" parsed="|1Tim|2|11|2|12" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.11-1Tim.2.12">1 Tim. ii. 11,
12</scripRef>. The wife particularly is hereby put under the
dominion of her husband, and is not <i>sui juris&#8212;at her own
disposal,</i> of which see an instance in that law, <scripRef passage="Nu 30:6-8" id="Gen.iv-p43.2" parsed="|Num|30|6|30|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.6-Num.30.8">Num. xxx. 6-8</scripRef>, where the husband is
empowered, if he please, to disannul the vows made by the wife.
This sentence amounts only to that command, <i>Wives, be in
subjection to your own husbands;</i> but the entrance of sin has
made that duty a punishment, which otherwise it would not have
been. If man had not sinned, he would always have ruled with wisdom
and love; and, if the woman had not sinned, she would always have
obeyed with humility and meekness; and then the dominion would have
been no grievance: but our own sin and folly make our yoke heavy.
If Eve had not eaten forbidden fruit herself, and tempted her
husband to eat it, she would never have complained of her
subjection; therefore it ought never to be complained of, though
harsh; but sin must be complained of, that made it so. Those wives
who not only despise and disobey their husbands, but domineer over
them, do not consider that they not only violate a divine law, but
thwart a divine sentence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p44">III. Observe here how mercy is mixed with
wrath in this sentence. The woman shall have sorrow, but it shall
be in bringing forth children, and the sorrow shall be <i>forgotten
for joy that a child is born,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 16:21" id="Gen.iv-p44.1" parsed="|John|16|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.16.21">John xvi. 21</scripRef>. She shall be subject, but it
shall be to her own husband that loves her, not to a stranger, or
an enemy: the sentence was not a curse, to bring her to ruin, but a
chastisement, to bring her to repentance. It was well that enmity
was not put between the man and the woman, as there was between the
serpent and the woman.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:17-19" id="Gen.iv-p44.2" parsed="|Gen|3|17|3|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.17-Gen.3.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.17-Gen.3.19">
<h4 id="Gen.iv-p44.3">Sentence Passed on Adam; Consequences of the
Fall. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p44.4">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p45">17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast
hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree,
of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed
<i>is</i> the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat
<i>of</i> it all the days of thy life; &#160; 18 Thorns also and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb
of the field; &#160; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou
taken: for dust thou <i>art,</i> and unto dust shalt thou
return.</p>
<pb n="32" id="Gen.iv-Page_32"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p46">We have here the sentence passed upon Adam,
which is prefaced with a recital of his crime: <i>Because thou hast
hearkened to the voice of thy wife,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:17" id="Gen.iv-p46.1" parsed="|Gen|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. He excused the fault, by laying
it on his wife: <i>She gave it me.</i> But God does not admit the
excuse. She could but tempt him, she could not force him; though it
was her fault to persuade him to eat, it was his fault to hearken
to her. Thus men's frivolous pleas will, in the day of God's
judgment, not only be overruled, but turned against them, and made
the grounds of their sentence. <i>Out of thine own mouth will I
judge thee.</i> Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p47">I. God put marks of his displeasure on Adam
in three instances:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p48">1. His habitation is, by this sentence,
cursed: <i>Cursed is the ground for thy sake;</i> and the effect of
that curse is, <i>Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth unto
thee.</i> It is here intimated that his habitation should be
changed; he should no longer dwell in a distinguished, blessed,
paradise, but should be removed to common ground, and that cursed.
The ground, or earth, is here put for the whole visible creation,
which, by the sin of man, is made subject to vanity, the several
parts of it being not so serviceable to man's comfort and happiness
as they were designed to be when they were made, and would have
been if he had not sinned. God gave the earth to the children of
men, designing it to be a comfortable dwelling to them. But sin has
altered the property of it. It is now cursed for man's sin; that
is, it is a dishonourable habitation, it bespeaks man mean, that
his foundation is in the dust; it is a dry and barren habitation,
its spontaneous productions are now weeds and briers, something
nauseous or noxious; what good fruits it produces must be extorted
from it by the ingenuity and industry of man. Fruitfulness was its
blessing, for man's service (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:11,29" id="Gen.iv-p48.1" parsed="|Gen|1|11|0|0;|Gen|1|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.11 Bible:Gen.1.29"><i>ch.</i> i. 11, 29</scripRef>), and now barrenness
was its curse, for man's punishment. It is not what it was in the
day it was created. Sin turned a fruitful land into barrenness; and
man, having become as the wild ass's colt, has the wild ass's lot,
<i>the wilderness for his habitation,</i> and the <i>barren land
his dwelling,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 39:6,Ps 68:6" id="Gen.iv-p48.2" parsed="|Job|39|6|0|0;|Ps|68|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.39.6 Bible:Ps.68.6">Job xxxix.
6; Ps. lxviii. 6</scripRef>. Had not this curse been in part
removed, for aught I know, the earth would have been for ever
barren, and never produced any thing but thorns and thistles. The
ground is <i>cursed,</i> that is, doomed to destruction at the end
of time, when the earth, and <i>all the works that are therein,
shall be burnt up</i> for the sin of man, the measure of whose
iniquity will then be full, <scripRef passage="2Pe 3:7,10" id="Gen.iv-p48.3" parsed="|2Pet|3|7|0|0;|2Pet|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.7 Bible:2Pet.3.10">2 Pet.
iii. 7, 10</scripRef>. But observe a mixture of mercy in this
sentence. (1.) Adam himself is not cursed, as the serpent was
(<scripRef passage="Ge 3:14" id="Gen.iv-p48.4" parsed="|Gen|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), but only the
ground for his sake. God had blessings in him, even the holy seed:
<i>Destroy it not, for that blessing is in it,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 65:8" id="Gen.iv-p48.5" parsed="|Isa|65|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.8">Isa. lxv. 8</scripRef>. And he had blessings in
store for him; therefore he is not directly and immediately cursed,
but, as it were, at second hand. (2.) He is yet above ground. The
earth does not open and swallow him up; only it is not what it was:
as he continues alive, notwithstanding his degeneracy from his
primitive purity and rectitude, so the earth continues to be his
habitation, notwithstanding its degeneracy from its primitive
beauty and fruitfulness. (3.) This curse upon the earth, which cut
off all expectations of a happiness in things below, might direct
and quicken him to look for bliss and satisfaction only in things
above.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p49">2. His employments and enjoyments are all
embittered to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p50">(1.) His business shall henceforth become a
toil to him, and he shall go on with it <i>in the sweat of his
face,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:19" id="Gen.iv-p50.1" parsed="|Gen|3|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. His
business, before he sinned, was a constant pleasure to him, the
garden was then dressed without any uneasy labour, and kept without
any uneasy care; but now his labour shall be a weariness and shall
waste his body; his care shall be a torment and shall afflict his
mind. The curse upon the ground which made it barren, and produced
thorns and thistles, made his employment about it much more
difficult and toilsome. If Adam had not sinned, he had not sweated.
Observe here, [1.] That labour is our duty, which we must
faithfully perform; we are bound to work, not as creatures only,
but as criminals; it is part of our sentence, which idleness
daringly defies. [2.] That uneasiness and weariness with labour are
our just punishment, which we must patiently submit to, and not
complain of, since they are less than our iniquity deserves. Let
not us, by inordinate care and labour, make our punishment heavier
than God has made it; but rather study to lighten our burden, and
wipe off our sweat, by eyeing Providence in all and expecting rest
shortly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p51">(2.) His food shall henceforth become (in
comparison with what it had been) unpleasant to him. [1.] The
matter of his food is changed; he must now eat the herb of the
field, and must no longer be feasted with the delicacies of the
garden of Eden. Having by sin made himself like the beasts that
perish, he is justly turned to be a fellow-commoner with them, and
to <i>eat grass as oxen, till he know that the heavens do rule.</i>
[2.] There is a change in the manner of his eating it: <i>In
sorrow</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:17" id="Gen.iv-p51.1" parsed="|Gen|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>).
and <i>in the sweat of his face</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:19" id="Gen.iv-p51.2" parsed="|Gen|3|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) he must eat of it. Adam could
not but eat in sorrow all the days of his life, remembering the
forbidden fruit he had eaten, and the guilt and shame he had
contracted by it. Observe, <i>First,</i> That human life is exposed
to many miseries and calamities, which very much embitter the poor
remains of its pleasures and delights. Some never eat with pleasure
(<scripRef passage="Job 21:25" id="Gen.iv-p51.3" parsed="|Job|21|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.25">Job xxi. 25</scripRef>), through
sickness or melancholy; all, even the best, have cause to eat with
sorrow for sin; and all, even the happiest in this world, have some
allays to their joy: troops of diseases, disasters, and deaths, in
various shapes, entered
<pb n="33" id="Gen.iv-Page_33"/>
the world with sin,
and still ravage it. <i>Secondly,</i> That the righteousness of God
is to be acknowledged in all the sad consequences of sin.
<i>Wherefore then should a living man complain?</i> Yet, in this
part of the sentence, there is also a mixture of mercy. He shall
sweat, but his toil shall make his rest the more welcome when he
returns to his earth, as to his bed; he shall grieve, but he shall
not starve; he shall have sorrow, but in that sorrow he shall eat
bread, which shall strengthen his heart under his sorrows. He is
not sentenced to eat dust as the serpent, only to eat the herb of
the field.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p52">3. His life also is but short. Considering
how full of trouble his days are, it is in favour to him that they
are few; yet death being dreadful to nature (yea, even though life
be unpleasant) <i>that</i> concludes the sentence. "Thou shalt
<i>return to the ground out of which thou wast taken;</i> thy body,
that part of thee which was taken out of the ground, shall return
to it again; for <i>dust thou art.</i>" This points either to the
first original of his body; it was made <i>of the dust,</i> nay it
was <i>made dust,</i> and was still so; so that there needed no
more than to recall the grant of immortality, and to withdraw the
power which was put forth to support it, and then he would, of
course, <i>return to dust.</i> Or to the present corruption and
degeneracy of his mind: <i>Dust thou art,</i> that is, "Thy
precious soul is now lost and buried in the dust of the body and
the mire of the flesh; it was made spiritual and heavenly, but it
has become carnal and earthly." His doom is therefore read: "<i>To
dust thou shalt return.</i> Thy body shall be forsaken by thy soul,
and become itself a lump of dust; and then it shall be lodged in
the grave, the proper place for it, and mingle itself with the dust
of the earth," <i>our dust,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 104:29" id="Gen.iv-p52.1" parsed="|Ps|104|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.29">Ps.
civ. 29</scripRef>. <i>Earth to earth, dust to dust.</i> Observe
here, (1.) That man is a mean frail creature, <i>little</i> as
dust, the small dust of the balance&#8212;<i>light</i> as dust,
altogether lighter than vanity&#8212;<i>weak</i> as dust, and of no
consistency. Our strength is not the strength of stones; he that
made us considers it, and <i>remembers that we are dust,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 103:14" id="Gen.iv-p52.2" parsed="|Ps|103|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.14">Ps. ciii. 14</scripRef>. Man is
indeed the <i>chief part of the dust of the world</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 8:26" id="Gen.iv-p52.3" parsed="|Prov|8|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.8.26">Prov. viii. 26</scripRef>), but still he is dust.
(2.) That he is a mortal dying creature, and hastening to the
grave. Dust may be raised, for a time, into a little cloud, and may
seem considerable while it is held up by the wind that raised it;
but, when the force of that is spent, it falls again, and returns
to the earth out of which it was raised. Such a thing is man; a
great man is but a great mass of dust, and must return to his
earth. (3.) That sin brought death into the world. If Adam had not
sinned, he would not have died, <scripRef passage="Ro 5:12" id="Gen.iv-p52.4" parsed="|Rom|5|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.12">Rom. v.
12</scripRef>. God entrusted Adam with a spark of immortality,
which he, by a patient continuance in well-doing, might have blown
up into an everlasting flame; but he foolishly blew it out by
wilful sin: and now death is <i>the wages of sin, and sin is the
sting of death.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p53">II. We must not go off from this sentence
upon our first parents, which we are all so nearly concerned in,
and feel from, to this day, till we have considered two
things:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p54">1. How fitly the sad consequences of sin
upon the soul of Adam and his sinful race were represented and
figured out by this sentence, and perhaps were more intended in it
than we are aware of. Though that misery only is mentioned which
affected the body, yet that was a pattern of spiritual miseries,
the curse that entered into the soul. (1.) The pains of a woman in
travail represent the terrors and pangs of a guilty conscience,
awakened to a sense of sin; from the conception of lust, these
sorrows are greatly multiplied, and, sooner or later, will come
upon the sinner like pain upon a woman in travail, which cannot be
avoided. (2.) The state of subjection to which the woman was
reduced represents that loss of spiritual liberty and freedom of
will which is the effect of sin. The dominion of sin in the soul is
compared to that of a husband (<scripRef passage="Ro 7:1-5" id="Gen.iv-p54.1" parsed="|Rom|7|1|7|5" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.1-Rom.7.5">Rom.
vii. 1-5</scripRef>), the sinner's desire is towards it, for he is
fond of his slavery, and it rules over him. (3.) The curse of
barrenness which was brought upon the earth, and its produce of
briars and thorns, are a fit representation of the barrenness of a
corrupt and sinful soul in that which is good and its fruitfulness
in evil. It is all overgrown with thorns, and nettles cover the
face of it; and therefore it is <i>nigh unto cursing,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 6:8" id="Gen.iv-p54.2" parsed="|Heb|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.8">Heb. vi. 8</scripRef>. (4.) The toil and sweat
bespeak the difficulty which, through the infirmity of the flesh,
man labours under, in the service of God and the work of religion,
so hard has it now become to <i>enter into the kingdom of
heaven.</i> Blessed be God, it is not impossible. (5.) The
embittering of his food to him bespeaks the soul's want of the
comfort of God's favour, which is life, and the bread of life. (6.)
The soul, like the body, returns to the dust of this world; its
tendency is that way; it has an earthy taint, <scripRef passage="Joh 3:31" id="Gen.iv-p54.3" parsed="|John|3|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.31">John iii. 31</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p55">2. How admirably the satisfaction our Lord
Jesus made by his death and sufferings answered to the sentence
here passed upon our first parents. (1.) Did travailing pains come
in with sin? We read of the <i>travail of Christ's soul</i>
(<scripRef passage="Isa 53:11" id="Gen.iv-p55.1" parsed="|Isa|53|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.11">Isa. liii. 11</scripRef>); and the
pains of death he was held by are called <b><i>odinai</i></b>
(<scripRef passage="Ac 2:24" id="Gen.iv-p55.2" parsed="|Acts|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.24">Acts ii. 24</scripRef>), <i>the pains
of a woman in travail.</i> (2.) Did subjection come in with sin?
Christ was made under the law, <scripRef passage="Ga 4:4" id="Gen.iv-p55.3" parsed="|Gal|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.4">Gal. iv.
4</scripRef>. (3.) Did the curse come in with sin? Christ was made
a curse for us, died a cursed death, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:13" id="Gen.iv-p55.4" parsed="|Gal|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.13">Gal. iii. 13</scripRef>. (4.) Did thorns come in with
sin? He was crowned with thorns for us. (5.) Did sweat come in with
sin? He for us did sweat as it were great drops of blood. (6.) Did
sorrow come in with sin? He was a man of sorrows, his soul was, in
his agony, exceedingly sorrowful. (7.) Did death come in with sin?
He became obedient unto death. Thus
<pb n="34" id="Gen.iv-Page_34"/>
is the
plaster as wide as the wound. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ!</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:20" id="Gen.iv-p55.5" parsed="|Gen|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.20">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p56">20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because
she was the mother of all living.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p57">God having named the man, and called him
<i>Adam,</i> which signifies <i>red earth,</i> Adam, in further
token of dominion, named the woman, and called her <i>Eve,</i> that
is, <i>life.</i> Adam bears the name of the dying body, Eve that of
the living soul. The reason of the name is here given (some think,
by Moses the historian, others, by Adam himself): <i>Because she
was</i> (that is, was to be) <i>the mother of all living.</i> He
had before called her <i>Ishah&#8212;woman,</i> as a wife; here he calls
her <i>Evah&#8212;life,</i> as a mother. Now, 1. If this was done by
divine direction, it was an instance of God's favour, and, like the
new naming of Abraham and Sarah, it was a seal of the covenant, and
an assurance to them that, notwithstanding their sin and his
displeasure against them for it, he had not reversed that blessing
wherewith he had blessed them: <i>Be fruitful and multiply.</i> It
was likewise a confirmation of the promise now made, that the seed
of the woman, of this woman, should break the serpent's head. 2. If
Adam did it of himself, it was an instance of his faith in the word
of God. Doubtless it was not done, as some have suspected, in
contempt or defiance of the curse, but rather in a humble
confidence and dependence upon the blessing. (1.) The blessing of a
reprieve, admiring the patience of God, that he should spare such
sinners to be the parents of all living, and that he did not
immediately shut up those fountains of the human life and nature,
because they could send forth no other than polluted, poisoned,
streams. (2.) The blessing of a Redeemer, the promised seed, to
whom Adam had an eye, in calling his wife <i>Eve&#8212;life;</i> for he
should be the life of all the living, and in him all the families
of the earth should be blessed, in hope of which he thus
triumphs.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:21" id="Gen.iv-p57.1" parsed="|Gen|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.21">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p58">21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p58.1">Lord</span> God make coats of skins, and clothed
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p59">We have here a further instance of God's
care concerning our first parents, notwithstanding their sin.
Though he corrects his disobedient children, and put them under the
marks of his displeasure, yet he does not disinherit them, but,
like a tender father, provides the herb of the field for their food
and <i>coats of skins</i> for their clothing. Thus the father
provided for the returning prodigal, <scripRef passage="Lu 15:22" id="Gen.iv-p59.1" parsed="|Luke|15|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.15.22">Luke xv. 22, 23</scripRef>. If the Lord had been pleased
to kill them, he would not have done this for them. Observe, 1.
That clothes came in with sin. We should have had no occasion for
them, either for defence or decency, if sin had not made us naked,
to our shame. Little reason therefore we have to be proud of our
clothes, which are but the badges of our poverty and infamy. 2.
That when God made clothes for our first parents he made them warm
and strong, but coarse and very plain: not robes of scarlet, but
coats of skin. Their clothes were made, not of silk and satin, but
plain skins; not trimmed, nor embroidered, none of the ornaments
which the daughters of Sion afterwards invented, and prided
themselves in. Let the poor, that are meanly clad, learn hence not
to complain: having food and a covering, let them be content; they
are as well done to as Adam and Eve were. And let the rich, that
are finely clad, learn hence not to make the putting on of apparel
their adorning, <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:3" id="Gen.iv-p59.2" parsed="|1Pet|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.3">1 Pet. iii.
3</scripRef>. 3. That God is to be acknowledged with thankfulness,
not only in giving us food, but in giving us clothes also,
<scripRef passage="Ge 28:20" id="Gen.iv-p59.3" parsed="|Gen|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.20"><i>ch.</i> xxviii. 20</scripRef>. The
wool and the flax are his, as well as <i>the corn and the wine,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ho 2:9" id="Gen.iv-p59.4" parsed="|Hos|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.9">Hos. ii. 9</scripRef>. 4. These coats of
skin had a significancy. The beasts whose skins they were must be
slain, slain before their eyes, to show them what death is, and (as
it is <scripRef passage="Ec 3:18" id="Gen.iv-p59.5" parsed="|Eccl|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.18">Eccl. iii. 18</scripRef>) that
they may see that they themselves were beasts, mortal and dying. It
is supposed that they were slain, not for food, but for sacrifice,
to typify the great sacrifice, which, in the latter end of the
world, should be offered once for all. Thus the first thing that
died was a sacrifice, or Christ in a figure, who is therefore said
to be the <i>Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.</i> These
sacrifices were divided between God and man, in token of
reconciliation: the flesh was offered to God, a whole
burnt-offering; the skins were given to man for clothing,
signifying that, Jesus Christ having offered himself to God a
sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour, we are to clothe ourselves
with his righteousness as with a garment, that the shame of our
nakedness may not appear. Adam and Eve made for themselves aprons
of fig-leaves, a covering too narrow for them to <i>wrap themselves
in,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 28:20" id="Gen.iv-p59.6" parsed="|Isa|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.20">Isa. xxviii. 20</scripRef>.
Such are all the rags of our own righteousness. But God made them
coats of skins; large, and strong, and durable, and fit for them;
such is the righteousness of Christ. Therefore <i>put on the Lord
Jesus Christ.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 3:22-24" id="Gen.iv-p59.7" parsed="|Gen|3|22|3|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.22-Gen.3.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.3.22-Gen.3.24">
<h4 id="Gen.iv-p59.8">Adam and Eve Expelled from
Eden. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p59.9">b. c.</span> 4004.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.iv-p60">22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p60.1">Lord</span>
God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and
evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: &#160; 23 Therefore the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.iv-p60.2">Lord</span> God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. &#160;
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden
of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to
keep the way of the tree of life.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p61">Sentence being passed upon the offenders,
<pb n="35" id="Gen.iv-Page_35"/>
we have here execution, in part, done upon
them immediately. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p62">I. How they were justly disgraced and
shamed before God and the holy angels, by the ironical upbraiding
of them with the issue of their enterprise: "<i>Behold, the man has
become as one of us, to know good and evil!</i> A goodly god he
makes! Does he not? See what he has got, what preferments, what
advantages, by eating forbidden fruit!" This was said to awaken and
humble them, and to bring them to a sense of their sin and folly,
and to repentance for it, that, seeing themselves thus wretchedly
deceived by following the devil's counsel, they might henceforth
pursue the happiness God should offer in the way he should
prescribe. God thus <i>fills their faces with shame, that they may
seek his name,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 83:16" id="Gen.iv-p62.1" parsed="|Ps|83|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.16">Ps. lxxxiii.
16</scripRef>. He puts them to this confusion, in order to their
conversion. True penitents will thus upbraid themselves: "What
fruit have I now by sin? <scripRef passage="Ro 6:21" id="Gen.iv-p62.2" parsed="|Rom|6|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.21">Rom. vi.
21</scripRef>. Have I gained what I foolishly promised myself in a
sinful way? No, no, it never proved what it pretended to, but the
contrary."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p63">II. How they were justly discarded, and
shut out of paradise, which was a part of the sentence implied in
that, <i>Thou shalt eat the herb of the field.</i> Here we
have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p64">1. The reason God gave why he shut man out
of paradise; not only because he had put forth his hand, and taken
of the tree of knowledge, which was his sin, but lest he should
again put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life (now
forbidden him by the divine sentence, as before the tree of
knowledge was forbidden by the law), and should dare to eat of that
tree, and so profane a divine sacrament and defy a divine sentence,
and yet flatter himself with a conceit that thereby he should live
forever. Observe, (1.) There is a foolish proneness in those that
have rendered themselves unworthy of the substance of Christian
privileges to catch at the signs and shadows of them. Many that
like not the terms of the covenant, yet, for their reputation's
sake, are fond of the seals of it. (2.) It is not only justice, but
kindness, to such, to be denied them; for, by usurping that to
which they have no title, they affront God and make their sin the
more heinous, and by building their hopes upon a wrong foundation
they render their conversion the more difficult and their ruin the
more deplorable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p65">2. The method God took, in giving him this
bill of divorce, and expelling and excluding him from this garden
of pleasure. He turned him out, and kept him out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p66">(1.) He turned him out, from the garden to
the common. This is twice mentioned: <i>He sent him forth</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 3:23" id="Gen.iv-p66.1" parsed="|Gen|3|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), and then
<i>he drove him out,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:24" id="Gen.iv-p66.2" parsed="|Gen|3|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. God bade him go out, told him that that was no place
for him, he should no longer occupy and enjoy that garden; but he
liked the place too well to be willing to part with it, and
therefore God <i>drove him out,</i> made him go out, whether he
would or no. This signified the exclusion of him, and all his
guilty race, from that communion with God which was the bliss and
glory of paradise. The tokens of God's favour to him and his
delight in the sons of men, which he had in his innocent estate,
were now suspended; the communications of his grace were withheld,
and Adam became weak, and like other men, as Samson when the
<i>Spirit of the Lord had departed from him.</i> His acquaintance
with God was lessened and lost, and that correspondence which had
been settled between man and his Maker was interrupted and broken
off. He was driven out, as one unworthy of this honour and
incapable of this service. Thus he and all mankind, by the fall,
forfeited and lost communion with God. But whither did he send him
when he turned him out of Eden? He might justly have chased him out
of the world (<scripRef passage="Job 18:18" id="Gen.iv-p66.3" parsed="|Job|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.18.18">Job xviii.
18</scripRef>), but he only chased him out of the garden. He might
justly have cast him down to hell, as he did the angels that sinned
when he shut them out from the heavenly paradise, <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:4" id="Gen.iv-p66.4" parsed="|2Pet|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.4">2 Pet. ii. 4</scripRef>. But man was only sent to
till the ground out of which he was taken. He was sent to a place
of toil, not to a place of torment. He was sent to the ground, not
to the grave,&#8212;to the work-house, not to the dungeon, not to the
prison-house,&#8212;to hold the plough, not to drag the chain. His
tilling the ground would be recompensed by his eating of its
fruits; and his converse with the earth whence he was taken was
improvable to good purposes, to keep him humble, and to remind him
of his latter end. Observe, then, that though our first parents
were excluded from the privileges of their state of innocency, yet
they were not abandoned to despair, God's thoughts of love
designing them for a second state of probation upon new terms.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.iv-p67">(2.) He kept him out, and forbade him all
hopes of a re-entry; for he <i>placed at the east of the garden of
Eden</i> a detachment of <i>cherubim,</i> God's hosts, armed with a
dreadful and irresistible power, represented by flaming swords
which turned every way, on that side the garden which lay next to
the place whither Adam was sent, to keep the way that led to the
tree of life, so that he could neither steal nor force an entry;
for who can make a pass against an angel on his guard or gain a
pass made good by such force? Now this intimated to Adam, [1.] That
God was displeased with him. Though he had mercy in store for him,
yet at present he was angry with him, was turned to be his enemy
and fought against him, for here was a sword drawn (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:23" id="Gen.iv-p67.1" parsed="|Num|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.23">Num. xxii. 23</scripRef>); and he was to him a
consuming fire, for it was a flaming sword. [2.] That the angels
were at war with him; no peace with the heavenly hosts, while he
was in rebellion against their Lord and ours. [3.] That the way to
the tree of life was shut up, namely, that way which, at first, he
was put into, the way of spotless innocency. It
<pb n="36" id="Gen.iv-Page_36"/>
is not said that the cherubim were set to keep him
and his for ever from the tree of life (thanks be to God, there is
a paradise set before us, and a tree of life in the midst of it,
which we rejoice in the hopes of); but they were set to keep that
way of the tree of life which hitherto they had been in; that is,
it was henceforward in vain for him and his to expect
righteousness, life, and happiness, by virtue of the first
covenant, for it was irreparably broken, and could never be
pleaded, nor any benefit taken by it. The command of that covenant
being broken, the curse of it is in full force; it leaves no room
for repentance, but we are all undone if we be judged by that
covenant. God revealed this to Adam, not to drive him to despair,
but to oblige and quicken him to look for life and happiness in the
promised seed, by whom the flaming sword is removed. God and his
angels are reconciled to us, and a new and living way into the
holiest is consecrated and laid open for us.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IV" n="v" progress="4.78%" prev="Gen.iv" next="Gen.vi" id="Gen.v">
<pb n="36" id="Gen.v-Page_36"/>
<h2 id="Gen.v-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.v-p0.2">CHAP. IV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.v-p1">In this chapter we have both the world and the
church in a family, in a little family, in Adam's family, and a
specimen given of the character and state of both in after-ages,
nay, in all ages, to the end of time. As all mankind were
represented in Adam, so that great distinction of mankind into
saints and sinners, godly and wicked, the children of God and the
children of the wicked one, was here represented in Cain and Abel,
and an early instance is given of the enmity which was lately put
between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. We have
here, I. The birth, names, and callings, of Cain and Abel,
<scripRef passage="Ge 4:1,2" id="Gen.v-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|4|1|4|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.1-Gen.4.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. Their
religion, and different success in it, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:3,4" id="Gen.v-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|4|3|4|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.3-Gen.4.4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>, and part of <scripRef passage="Ge 4:5" id="Gen.v-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.5">ver. 5</scripRef>. III. Cain's anger at God and the
reproof of him for that anger, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:5-7" id="Gen.v-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|4|5|4|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.5-Gen.4.7">ver.
5-7</scripRef>. IV. Cain's murder of his brother, and the process
against him for that murder. The murder committed, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:8" id="Gen.v-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.8">ver. 8</scripRef>. The proceedings against him. 1.
His arraignment, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:9" id="Gen.v-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.9">ver. 9</scripRef>,
former part. 2. His plea, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:9" id="Gen.v-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.9">ver.
9</scripRef>, latter part. 3. His conviction, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:10" id="Gen.v-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.10">ver. 10</scripRef>. 4. The sentence passed upon him,
<scripRef passage="Ge 4:11,12" id="Gen.v-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|4|11|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.11-Gen.4.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. 5. His
complaint against the sentence, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:13,14" id="Gen.v-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|4|13|4|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.13-Gen.4.14">ver.
13, 14</scripRef>. 6. The ratification of the sentence, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:15" id="Gen.v-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.15">ver. 15</scripRef>. 7. The execution of the
sentence, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:15,16" id="Gen.v-p1.12" parsed="|Gen|4|15|4|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.15-Gen.4.16">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>. V.
The family and posterity of Cain, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:17-24" id="Gen.v-p1.13" parsed="|Gen|4|17|4|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.17-Gen.4.24">ver. 17-24</scripRef>. VI. The birth of another son
and grandson of Adam, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:25,26" id="Gen.v-p1.14" parsed="|Gen|4|25|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.25-Gen.4.26">ver. 25,
26</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4" id="Gen.v-p1.15" parsed="|Gen|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:1-2" id="Gen.v-p1.16" parsed="|Gen|4|1|4|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.1-Gen.4.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.1-Gen.4.2">
<h4 id="Gen.v-p1.17">Cain and Abel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p1.18">b. c.</span> 3875.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p2">1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived,
and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p2.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 2 And she again bare his brother
Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the
ground.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p3">Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters,
<scripRef passage="Ge 5:4" id="Gen.v-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.4"><i>ch.</i> v. 4</scripRef>. But Cain and
Abel seem to have been the two eldest. Some think they were twins,
and, as Esau and Jacob, the elder hated and the younger loved.
Though God had cast our first parents out of paradise, he did not
write them childless; but, to show that he had other blessings in
store for them, he preserved to them the benefit of that first
blessing of increase. Though they were sinners, nay, though they
felt the humiliation and sorrow of penitents, they did not write
themselves comfortless, having the promise of a Saviour to support
themselves with. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p4">I. The names of their two sons. 1.
<i>Cain</i> signifies <i>possession;</i> for Eve, when she bore
him, said with joy, and thankfulness, and great expectation, <i>I
have gotten a man from the</i> <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p4.1">Lord</span>.
Observe, Children are God's gifts, and he must be acknowledged in
the building up of our families. It doubles and sanctifies our
comfort in them when we see them coming to us from the hand of God,
who will not forsake the works and gifts of his own hand. Though
Eve bore him with the sorrows that were the consequence of sin, yet
she did not lose the sense of the mercy in her pains. Comforts,
though alloyed, are more than we deserve; and therefore our
complaints must not drown our thanksgivings. Many suppose that Eve
had a conceit that this son was the promised seed, and that
therefore she thus triumphed in him, as her words may be read, <i>I
have gotten a man, the</i> <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p4.2">Lord</span>,
God-man. If so, she was wretchedly mistaken, as Samuel, when he
said, <i>Surely the</i> <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p4.3">Lord</span>'s
<i>anointed is before me,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 16:6" id="Gen.v-p4.4" parsed="|1Sam|16|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.16.6">1 Sam.
xvi. 6</scripRef>. When children are born, who can foresee what
they will prove? He that was thought to be <i>a man, the</i> <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p4.5">Lord</span>, or at least a man from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p4.6">Lord</span>, and for his service as priest of the
family, became an enemy to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p4.7">Lord</span>.
The less we expect from creatures, the more tolerable will
disappointments be. 2. <i>Abel</i> signifies <i>vanity.</i> When
she thought she had obtained the promised seed in Cain, she was so
taken up with that possession that another son was as vanity to
her. To those who have an interest in Christ, and make him their
all, other things are as nothing at all. It intimates likewise that
the longer we live in this world the more we may see of the vanity
of it. What, at first, we are fond of, as a possession, afterwards
we see cause to be dead to, as a trifle. The name given to this son
is put upon the whole race, <scripRef passage="Ps 39:5" id="Gen.v-p4.8" parsed="|Ps|39|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.5">Ps. xxxix.
5</scripRef>. Every man is at his best estate <i>Abel&#8212;vanity.</i>
Let us labour to see both ourselves and others so. <i>Childhood and
youth are vanity.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p5">II. The employments of Cain and Abel.
Observe, 1. They both had a calling. Though they were heirs
apparent to the world, their birth noble and their possessions
large, yet they were not brought up in idleness. God gave their
father a calling, even in innocency, and he gave them one. Note, it
is the will of God that we should every one of us have something to
do in this world. Parents ought to bring up their children to
business. "Give them a Bible and a calling (said good Mr. Dod), and
God be with them." 2. Their employments were different, that they
might trade and exchange with one another, as there was occasion.
The members of the body politic have need one of another, and
mutual love is helped by mutual commerce. 3. Their employments
belonged to the husbandman's calling, their father's profession&#8212;a
needful calling, for <i>the king himself is served of the
field,</i> but a laborious calling, which required constant care
and attendance. It is now looked upon as a mean calling; the
<i>poor of the land</i> serve for <i>vine-dressers and
husbandmen,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 52:16" id="Gen.v-p5.1" parsed="|Jer|52|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.52.16">Jer. lii.
16</scripRef>. But the calling was far from being a dishonour to
them; rather, they were an
<pb n="37" id="Gen.v-Page_37"/>
honour to it. 4.
It should seem, by the order of the story, that Abel, though the
younger brother, yet entered first into his calling, and probably
his example drew in Cain. 5. Abel chose that employment which most
befriended contemplation and devotion, for to these a pastoral life
has been looked upon as being peculiarly favourable. Moses and
David kept sheep, and in their solitudes conversed with God. Note,
that calling or condition of life is best for us, and to be chosen
by us, which is best for our souls, that which least exposes us to
sin and gives us most opportunity of serving and enjoying God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:3-5" id="Gen.v-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|4|3|4|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.3-Gen.4.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.3-Gen.4.5">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p6">3 And in process of time it came to pass, that
Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p6.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 4 And Abel, he also brought
of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p6.2">Lord</span> had respect unto Abel and to
his offering: &#160; 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not
respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p7">Here we have, I. The devotions of Cain and
Abel. <i>In process of time,</i> when they had made some
improvement in their respective callings (Heb. <i>At the end of
days,</i> either at the end of the year, when they kept their feast
of in-gathering or perhaps an annual fast in remembrance of the
fall, or at the end of the days of the week, the seventh day, which
was the sabbath)&#8212;at some set time, Cain and Abel brought to Adam,
as the priest of the family, each of them <i>an offering to the
Lord,</i> for the doing of which we have reason to think there was
a divine appointment given to Adam, as a token of God's favour to
him and his thoughts of love towards him and his, notwithstanding
their apostasy. God would thus try Adam's faith in the promise and
his obedience to the remedial law; he would thus settle a
correspondence again between heaven and earth, and give <i>shadows
of good things to come.</i> Observe here, 1. That the religious
worship of God is no novel invention, but an ancient institution.
It is that which was <i>from the beginning</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 1:1" id="Gen.v-p7.1" parsed="|1John|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.1">1 John i. 1</scripRef>); it is the <i>good old way,</i>
<scripRef passage="Jer 6:16" id="Gen.v-p7.2" parsed="|Jer|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.6.16">Jer. vi. 16</scripRef>. The city of
our God is indeed that joyous city whose antiquity is of ancient
days, <scripRef passage="Isa 23:7" id="Gen.v-p7.3" parsed="|Isa|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.23.7">Isa. xxiii. 7</scripRef>. Truth
got the start of error, and piety of profaneness. 2. That is a good
thing for children to be well taught when they are young, and
trained up betimes in religious services, that when they come to be
capable of acting for themselves they may, of their own accord,
<i>bring an offering to God.</i> In this <i>nurture of the Lord</i>
parents must bring up their children, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:19,Eph 6:4" id="Gen.v-p7.4" parsed="|Gen|18|19|0|0;|Eph|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.19 Bible:Eph.6.4"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 19; Eph. vi. 4</scripRef>. 3.
That we should every one of us honour God with what we have,
according as he has prospered us. According as their employments
and possessions were, so they brought their offering. See <scripRef passage="1Co 16:1,2" id="Gen.v-p7.5" parsed="|1Cor|16|1|16|2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.1-1Cor.16.2">1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2</scripRef>. <i>Our
merchandize and our hire,</i> whatever they are, must be
<i>holiness to the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 23:18" id="Gen.v-p7.6" parsed="|Isa|23|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.23.18">Isa.
xxiii. 18</scripRef>. He must have his dues of it in works of piety
and charity, the support of religion and the relief of the poor.
Thus we must now bring our offering with an upright heart; <i>and
with such sacrifices God is well pleased.</i> 4. That hypocrites
and evil doers may be found going as far as the best of God's
people in the external services of religion. Cain brought an
offering with Abel; nay, Cain's offering is mentioned first, as if
he were the more forward of the two. A hypocrite may possibly hear
as many sermons, say as many prayers, and give as much alms, as a
good Christian, and yet, for want of sincerity, come short of
acceptance with God. The Pharisee and the publican went to the
temple to pray, <scripRef passage="Lu 18:10" id="Gen.v-p7.7" parsed="|Luke|18|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.10">Luke xviii.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p8">II. The different success of their
devotions. That which is to be aimed at in all acts of religion is
God's acceptance: we speed well if we attain this, but in vain do
we worship if we miss of it, <scripRef passage="2Co 5:9" id="Gen.v-p8.1" parsed="|2Cor|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.9">2 Cor. v.
9</scripRef>. Perhaps, to a stander-by, the sacrifices of Cain and
Abel would have seemed both alike good. Adam accepted them both,
but God, <i>who sees not as man sees,</i> did not. God had
<i>respect to Abel and to his offering,</i> and showed his
acceptance of it, probably by fire from heaven; but to <i>Cain and
his offering he had not respect.</i> We are sure there was a good
reason for this difference; the Governor of the world, though an
absolute sovereign, does not act arbitrarily in dispensing his
smiles and frowns.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p9">1. There was a difference in the characters
of the persons offering. Cain was a wicked man, led a bad life,
under the reigning power of the world and the flesh; and therefore
his sacrifice was an <i>abomination to the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Gen.v-p9.1" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv. 8</scripRef>); <i>a vain oblation,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 1:13" id="Gen.v-p9.2" parsed="|Isa|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.13">Isa. i. 13</scripRef>. God had no
respect to Cain himself, and therefore no respect to his offering,
as the manner of the expression intimates. But Abel was a righteous
man; he is called <i>righteous Abel</i> (<scripRef passage="Mt 23:35" id="Gen.v-p9.3" parsed="|Matt|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.35">Matt. xxiii. 35</scripRef>); his heart was upright and
his life was pious; he was one of those whom God's countenance
beholds (<scripRef passage="Ps 11:7" id="Gen.v-p9.4" parsed="|Ps|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.11.7">Ps. xi. 7</scripRef>) and
whose prayer is therefore his delight, <scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Gen.v-p9.5" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv. 8</scripRef>. God had respect to him as a holy
man, and therefore to his offering as a holy offering. The tree
must be good, else the fruit cannot be pleasing to the
heart-searching God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p10">2. There was a difference in the offerings
they brought. It is expressly said (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:4" id="Gen.v-p10.1" parsed="|Heb|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.4">Heb. xi. 4</scripRef>), Abel's was a <i>more excellent
sacrifice</i> than Cain's: either, (1.) In the nature of it. Cain's
was only a sacrifice of acknowledgment offered to the Creator; the
meat-offerings of the fruit of the ground were no more, and, for
aught I know, they might be offered in innocency. But Abel brought
a sacrifice
<pb n="38" id="Gen.v-Page_38"/>
of atonement, the blood whereof
was shed in order to remission, thereby owning himself a sinner,
deprecating God's wrath, and imploring his favour in a Mediator.
Or, (2.) In the qualities of the offering. Cain brought <i>of the
fruit of the ground,</i> any thing that came next to hand, what he
had not occasion for himself or what was not marketable. But Abel
was curious in the choice of his offering: not the lame, nor the
lean, nor the refuse, but the <i>firstlings of the flock</i>&#8212;the
best he had, <i>and the fat thereof</i>&#8212;the best of those best.
Hence the Hebrew doctors give it for a general rule that every
thing that is for the name of the good God must be the goodliest
and best. It is fit that he who is the first and best should have
the first and best of our time, strength, and service.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p11">3. The great difference was this, that Abel
offered in faith, and Cain did not. There was a difference in the
principle upon which they went. Abel offered with an eye to God's
will as his rule, and God's glory as his end, and in dependence
upon the promise of a Redeemer; but Cain did what he did only for
company's sake, or to save his credit, not in faith, and so it
turned into sin to him. Abel was a penitent believer, like the
publican that went away justified: Cain was unhumbled; his
confidence was within himself; he was like the Pharisee who
glorified himself, but was not so much as justified before God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p12">III. Cain's displeasure at the difference
God made between his sacrifice and Abel's. Cain was very wroth,
which presently appeared in his very looks, for his countenance
fell, which bespeaks not so much his grief and discontent as his
malice and rage. His sullen churlish countenance, and a down-look,
betrayed his passionate resentments: he carried ill-nature in his
face, and <i>the show of his countenance witnessed against him.</i>
This anger bespeaks, 1. His enmity to God, and the indignation he
had conceived against him for making such a difference between his
offering and his brother's. He should have been angry at himself
for his own infidelity and hypocrisy, by which he had forfeited
God's acceptance; and his countenance should have fallen in
repentance and holy shame, as the publican's, who <i>would not lift
up so much as his eyes to heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 18:13" id="Gen.v-p12.1" parsed="|Luke|18|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.13">Luke xviii. 13</scripRef>. But, instead of this, he
flies out against God, as if he were partial and unfair in
distributing his smiles and frowns, and as if he had done him a
deal of wrong. Note, it is a certain sign of an unhumbled heart to
quarrel with those rebukes which we have, by our own sin, brought
upon ourselves. <i>The foolishness of man perverteth his way,</i>
and then, to make bad worse, <i>his heart fretteth against the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 19:3" id="Gen.v-p12.2" parsed="|Prov|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.19.3">Prov. xix. 3</scripRef>. 2.
His envy of his brother, who had the honour to be publicly owned.
Though his brother had no thought of having any slur put upon him,
nor did now insult over him to provoke him, yet he conceived a
hatred of him as an enemy, or, which is equivalent, a rival. Note,
(1.) It is common for those who have rendered themselves unworthy
of God's favour by their presumptuous sins to have indignation
against those who are dignified and distinguished by it. The
Pharisees walked in this way of Cain, when they <i>neither entered
into the kingdom of God themselves</i> nor <i>suffered those that
were entering to go in,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 11:52" id="Gen.v-p12.3" parsed="|Luke|11|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.52">Luke xi.
52</scripRef>. Their eye is evil, because their master's eye and
the eye of their fellow-servants are good. (2.) Envy is a sin that
commonly carries with it both its own discovery, in the paleness of
the looks, and its own punishment, in the rottenness of the
bones.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:6-7" id="Gen.v-p12.4" parsed="|Gen|4|6|4|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.6-Gen.4.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.6-Gen.4.7">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p13">6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p13.1">Lord</span>
said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance
fallen? &#160; 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?
and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee
<i>shall be</i> his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p14">God is here reasoning with Cain, to
convince him of the sin and folly of his anger and discontent, and
to bring him into a good temper again, that further mischief might
be prevented. It is an instance of God's patience and condescending
goodness that he would deal thus tenderly with so bad a man, in so
bad an affair. <i>He is not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.</i> Thus the father of the
prodigal argued the case with the elder son (<scripRef passage="Lu 15:28-32" id="Gen.v-p14.1" parsed="|Luke|15|28|15|32" osisRef="Bible:Luke.15.28-Luke.15.32">Luke xv. 28</scripRef>, &amp;c.), and God with those
Israelites who said, <i>The way of the Lord is not equal,</i>
<scripRef passage="Eze 18:25" id="Gen.v-p14.2" parsed="|Ezek|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.18.25">Ezek. xviii. 25</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p15">I. God puts Cain himself upon enquiring
into the cause of his discontent, and considering whether it were
indeed a just cause: <i>Why is thy countenance fallen?</i> Observe,
1. That God takes notice of all our sinful passions and
discontents. There is not an angry look, an envious look, nor a
fretful look, that escapes his observing eye. 2. That most of our
sinful heats and disquietudes would soon vanish before a strict and
impartial enquiry into the cause of them. "<i>Why am I wroth?</i>
Is there a real cause, a just cause, a proportionable cause for
it? Why am I so soon angry? Why so very angry, and so
implacable?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p16">II. To reduce Cain to his right mind again,
it is here made evident to him,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p17">1. That he had no reason to be angry at
God, for that he had proceeded according to the settled and
invariable rules of government suited to a state of probation. He
sets before men life and death, the blessing and the curse, and
then <i>renders to them according to their works,</i> and
differences them according as they difference themselves&#8212;so shall
their doom be. The rules are just, and therefore his ways,
according to those rules, must needs be equal, and he will be
justified when he speaks.</p>
<pb n="39" id="Gen.v-Page_39"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p18">(1.) God sets before Cain life and a
blessing: "<i>If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?</i>
No doubt thou shalt, nay, thou knowest thou shalt;" either, [1.]
"If thou hadst done well, as thy brother did, thou shouldst have
been accepted, as he was." <i>God is no respecter of persons,</i>
hates nothing that he had made, denies his favour to none but those
who have forfeited it, and is an enemy to none but those who by sin
have made him their enemy: so that if we come short of acceptance
with him we must thank ourselves, the fault is wholly our own; if
we had done our duty, we should not have missed of his mercy. This
will justify God in the destruction of sinners, and will aggravate
their ruin; there is not a damned sinner in hell, but, if he had
done well, as he might have done, had been a glorious saint in
heaven. Every mouth will shortly be stopped with this. Or, [2.] "If
now thou do well, if thou repent of thy sin, reform thy heart and
life, and bring thy sacrifice in a better manner, if thou not only
do that which is good but do it well, thou shalt yet be accepted,
thy sin shall be pardoned, thy comfort and honour restored, and all
shall be well." See here the effect of a Mediator's interposal
between God and man; we do not stand upon the footing of the first
covenant, which left no room for repentance, but God had come upon
new terms with us. Though we have offended, if we repent and
return, we shall find mercy. See how early the gospel was preached,
and the benefit of it here offered even to one of the chief of
sinners.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p19">(2.) He sets before him death and a curse:
But <i>if not well,</i> that is, "Seeing thou didst not do well,
didst not offer in faith and in a right manner, <i>sin lies at the
door,</i>" that is, "sin was imputed to thee, and thou wast frowned
upon and rejected as a sinner. So high a charge had not been laid
at thy door, if thou hadst not brought it upon thyself, by not
doing well." Or, as it is commonly taken, "If now thou wilt not do
well, if thou persist in this wrath, and, instead of humbling
thyself before God, harden thyself against him, <i>sin lies at the
door,</i>" that is, [1.] Further sin. "Now that anger is in thy
heart, murder is at the door." The way of sin is down-hill, and men
go from bad to worse. Those who do not sacrifice well, but are
careless and remiss in their devotion to God, expose themselves to
the worst temptations; and perhaps the most scandalous sin lies at
the door. Those who do not keep God's ordinances are in danger of
committing all abominations, <scripRef passage="Le 18:30" id="Gen.v-p19.1" parsed="|Lev|18|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.30">Lev.
xviii. 30</scripRef>. Or, [2.] The punishment of sin. So near akin
are sin and punishment that the same word in Hebrew signifies both.
If sin be harboured in the house, the curse waits at the door, like
a bailiff, ready to arrest the sinner whenever he looks out. It
lies as if it slept, but it lies at the door where it will be soon
awaked, and then it will appear that the damnation slumbered not.
Sin will <i>find thee out,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 32:23" id="Gen.v-p19.2" parsed="|Num|32|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.23">Num.
xxxii. 23</scripRef>. Yet some choose to understand this also as an
intimation of mercy. "If thou doest not well, <i>sin</i> (that is,
<i>the sin-offering</i>), lies at the door, and thou mayest take
the benefit of it." The same word signifies <i>sin</i> and <i>a
sacrifice for sin.</i> "Though thou hast not done well, yet do not
despair; the remedy is at hand; the propitiation is not far to
seek; lay hold on it, and the iniquity of thy holy things shall be
forgiven thee." Christ, the great sin-offering, is said to <i>stand
at the door,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 3:20" id="Gen.v-p19.3" parsed="|Rev|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.20">Rev. iii.
20</scripRef>. And those well deserve to perish in their sins that
will not go to the door for an interest in the sin-offering. All
this considered, Cain had no reason to be angry at God, but at
himself only.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p20">2. That he had no reason to be angry at his
brother: "<i>Unto thee shall be his desire,</i> he shall continue
his respect to thee as an elder brother, and thou, as the
first-born, shalt rule over him as much as ever." God's acceptance
of Abel's offering did not transfer the birth-right to him (which
Cain was jealous of), nor put upon him that excellency of dignity
and of power which is said to belong to it, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:3" id="Gen.v-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|49|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.3"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 3</scripRef>. God did not so intend it;
Abel did not so interpret it; there was no danger of its being
improved to Cain's prejudice; why then should he be so much
exasperated? Observe here, (1.) That the difference which God's
grace makes does not alter the distinctions which God's providence
makes, but preserves them, and obliges us to do the duty which
results from them: believing servants must be obedient to
unbelieving masters. Dominion is not founded in grace, nor will
religion warrant disloyalty or disrespect in any relation. (2.)
That the jealousies which civil powers have sometimes conceived of
the true worshippers of God as dangerous to their government,
enemies to C&#230;sar, and hurtful to kings and provinces (on which
suspicion persecutors have grounded their rage against them) are
very unjust and unreasonable. Whatever may be the case with some
who call themselves Christians, it is certain that <i>Christians
indeed</i> are the best subjects, and the quiet in the land; their
desire is towards their governors, and these shall rule over
them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:8" id="Gen.v-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.8">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p21">8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it
came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up
against Abel his brother, and slew him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p22">We have here the progress of Cain's anger,
and the issue of it in Abel's murder, which may be considered two
ways:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p23">I. As Cain's sin; and a scarlet, crimson,
sin it was, a sin of the first magnitude, a sin against the light
and law of nature, and which the consciences even of bad men have
startled at. See in it, 1. The sad effects of sin's entrance into
the world and into the
<pb n="40" id="Gen.v-Page_40"/>
hearts of men. See
what a root of bitterness the corrupt nature is, which bears this
gall and wormwood. Adam's eating forbidden fruit seemed but a
little sin, but it opened the door to the greatest. 2. A fruit of
the enmity which is in the seed of the serpent against the seed of
the woman. As Abel leads the van in the <i>noble army of
martyrs</i> (<scripRef passage="Mt 23:35" id="Gen.v-p23.1" parsed="|Matt|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.35">Matt. xxiii.
35</scripRef>), so Cain stands in the front of the ignoble army of
persecutors, <scripRef passage="Jude 1:11" id="Gen.v-p23.2" parsed="|Jude|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.11">Jude 11</scripRef>. So
early did he that was after the flesh <i>persecute him that was
after the Spirit; and so it is now,</i> more or less (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:29" id="Gen.v-p23.3" parsed="|Gal|4|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.29">Gal. iv. 29</scripRef>), and so it will be till
the war shall end in the eternal salvation of all the saints and
the eternal perdition of all that hate them. 3. See also what comes
of <i>envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness;</i> if they
be indulged and cherished in the soul, they are in danger of
involving men in the horrid guilt of murder itself. Rash anger is
heart-murder, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:21,22" id="Gen.v-p23.4" parsed="|Matt|5|21|5|22" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.21-Matt.5.22">Matt. v. 21,
22</scripRef>. Much more is malice so; he that hates his brother is
already a murderer before God; and, if God leave him to himself, he
wants nothing but an opportunity to render him a murderer before
the world. Many were the aggravations of Cain's sin. (1.) It was
his brother, his own brother, that he murdered, his own mother's
son (<scripRef passage="Ps 50:20" id="Gen.v-p23.5" parsed="|Ps|50|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.20">Ps. l. 20</scripRef>), whom he
ought to have loved, his younger brother, whom he ought to have
protected. (2.) He was a good brother, one who had never done him
any wrong, nor given him the least provocation in word or deed, but
one whose desire had been always towards him, and who had been, in
all instances, dutiful and respectful to him. (3.) He had fair
warning given him, before, of this. God himself had told him what
would come of it, yet he persisted in his barbarous design. (4.) It
should seem that he covered it with a show of friendship and
kindness: <i>He talked with Abel his brother,</i> freely and
familiarly, lest Abel should suspect danger, and keep out of his
reach. Thus Joab kissed Abner, and then killed him. Thus Absalom
feasted his brother Amnon and then killed him. According to the
Septuagint [a Greek version of the Old Testament, supposed to have
been translated by seventy-two Jews, at the desire of Ptolemy
Philadelphus, above 200 years before Christ], Cain said to Abel,
<i>Let us go into the field;</i> if so, we are sure Abel did not
understand it (according to the modern sense) as a challenge, else
he would not have accepted it, but as a brotherly invitation to go
together to their work. The Chaldee paraphrast adds that Cain, when
they were in discourse in the field, maintained that there was no
judgment to come, no future state, no rewards and punishments in
the other world, and that when Abel spoke in defence of the truth
Cain took that occasion to fall upon him. However, (5.) That which
the scripture tells us was the reason why he slew him was a
sufficient aggravation of the murder; it was <i>because his own
works were evil and his brother's righteous,</i> so that herein he
showed himself to be <i>of that wicked one</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 3:12" id="Gen.v-p23.6" parsed="|1John|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.12">1 John iii. 12</scripRef>), a <i>child of the devil,</i>
as being <i>an enemy to all righteousness,</i> even in his own
brother, and, in this, employed immediately by the destroyer. Nay,
(6.) In killing his brother, he directly struck at God himself; for
God's accepting Abel was the provocation pretended, and for this
very reason he hated Abel, because God loved him. (7.) The murder
of Abel was the more inhuman because there were now so few men in
the world to replenish it. The life of a man is precious at any
time; but it was in a special manner precious now, and could ill be
spared.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p24">II. As Abel's suffering. Death reigned ever
since Adam sinned, but we read not of any taken captive by him till
now; and now, 1. The first that dies is a saint, one that was
accepted and beloved of God, to show that, though the promised seed
was so far to destroy him that had the power of death as to save
believers from its sting, yet still they should be exposed to its
stroke. The first that went to the grave went to heaven. God would
secure to himself the first-fruits, the first-born to the dead,
that first opened the womb into another world. Let this take off
the terror of death, that it was betimes the lot of God's chosen,
which alters the property of it. Nay, 2. The first that dies is a
martyr, and dies for his religion; and of such it may more truly be
said than of soldiers that they die on the bed of honour. Abel's
death has not only no curse in it, but it has a crown in it; so
admirably well is the property of death altered that it is not only
rendered innocent and inoffensive to those that die in Christ, but
honourable and glorious to those that die for him. Let us not think
it strange concerning the fiery trial, nor shrink if we be called
to resist unto blood; for we know there is a crown of life for all
that are faithful unto death.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:9-12" id="Gen.v-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|4|9|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.9-Gen.4.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.9-Gen.4.12">
<h4 id="Gen.v-p24.2">Cain's Punishment. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p24.3">b. c.</span> 3875.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p25">9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p25.1">Lord</span>
said unto Cain, Where <i>is</i> Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not: <i>Am</i> I my brother's keeper? &#160; 10 And he said,
What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto
me from the ground. &#160; 11 And now <i>art</i> thou cursed from
the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's
blood from thy hand; &#160; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it
shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a
vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p26">We have here a full account of the trial
and condemnation of the first murderer. Civil courts of judicature
not being yet erected for this purpose, as they were afterwards
(<scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Gen.v-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6"><i>ch.</i> ix. 6</scripRef>), God
himself sits Judge; for he is the God to whom vengeance belongs,
and who
<pb n="41" id="Gen.v-Page_41"/>
will be sure to make inquisition for
blood, especially the blood of saints. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p27">I. The arraignment of Cain: <i>The Lord
said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?</i> Some think Cain was
thus examined the next sabbath after the murder was committed, when
<i>the sons of God came,</i> as usual, <i>to present themselves
before the Lord,</i> in a religious assembly, and Abel was missing,
whose place did not use to be empty; for the God of heaven takes
notice who is present at and who is absent from public ordinances.
Cain is asked, not only because there is just cause to suspect him,
he having discovered a malice against Abel and having been last
with him, but because God knew him to be guilty; yet he asks him,
that he may draw from him a confession of his crime, for those who
would be justified before God must accuse themselves, and the
penitent will do so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p28">II. Cain's plea: he pleads <i>not
guilty,</i> and adds rebellion to his sin. For, 1. He endeavours to
cover a deliberate murder with a deliberate lie: <i>I know not.</i>
He knew well enough what had become of Abel, and yet had the
impudence to deny it. Thus, in Cain, the devil was both a murderer
and a liar from the beginning. See how sinners' minds are blinded,
and their hearts hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: those are
strangely blind that think it possible to conceal their sins from a
God that sees all, and those are strangely hard that think it
desirable to conceal them from a God who pardons those only that
confess. 2. He impudently charges his Judge with folly and
injustice, in putting this question to him: <i>Am I my brother's
keeper?</i> He should have humbled himself, and have said, <i>Am
not I my brother's murderer?</i> But he flies in the face of God
himself, as if he had asked him an impertinent question, to which
he was no way obliged to give an answer: "<i>Am I my brother's
keeper?</i> Surely he is old enough to take care of himself, nor
did I ever take any charge of him." Some think he reflects on God
and his providence, as if he had said, "Art not thou his keeper? If
he be missing, on thee be the blame, and not on me, who never
undertook to keep him." Note, a charitable concern for our
brethren, as their keepers, is a great duty, which is strictly
required of us, but is generally neglected by us. Those who are
unconcerned in the affairs of their brethren, and take no care,
when they have opportunity, to prevent their hurt in their bodies,
goods, or good name, especially in their souls, do, in effect,
speak Cain's language. See <scripRef passage="Le 19:17,Php 2:4" id="Gen.v-p28.1" parsed="|Lev|19|17|0|0;|Phil|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.17 Bible:Phil.2.4">Lev. xix. 17; Phil. ii. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p29">III. The conviction of Cain, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:10" id="Gen.v-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. God gave no direct
answer to his question, but rejected his plea as false and
frivolous: "<i>What hast thou done?</i> Thou makest a light matter
of it; but hast thou considered what an evil thing it is, how deep
the stain, how heavy the burden, of this guilt is? Thou thinkest to
conceal it, but it is to no purpose, the evidence against thee is
clear and incontestable: <i>The voice of thy brother's blood
cries.</i>" He speaks as if the blood itself were both witness and
prosecutor, because God's own knowledge testified against him and
God's own justice demanded satisfaction. Observe here, 1. Murder is
a crying sin, none more so. Blood calls for blood, the blood of the
murdered for the blood of the murderer; it cries in the dying words
of Zechariah (<scripRef passage="2Ch 24:22" id="Gen.v-p29.2" parsed="|2Chr|24|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.22">2 Chron. xxiv.
22</scripRef>), <i>The Lord look upon it and require it;</i> or in
those of the souls under the altar (<scripRef passage="Re 6:10" id="Gen.v-p29.3" parsed="|Rev|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.10">Rev. vi. 10</scripRef>), <i>How long, Lord, holy, and
true?</i> The patient sufferers cried for pardon (<i>Father,
forgive them</i>), but their blood cries for vengeance. Though they
hold their peace, their blood has a loud and constant cry, to which
the ear of the righteous God is always open. 2. The blood is said
to cry from the ground, the earth, which is said <i>to open her
mouth to receive his brother's blood from his hand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 4:11" id="Gen.v-p29.4" parsed="|Gen|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. The earth did, as it
were, blush to see her own face stained with such blood, and
therefore opened her mouth to hide that which she could not hinder.
When the heaven revealed Cain's iniquity, the earth also rose up
against him (<scripRef passage="Job 20:27" id="Gen.v-p29.5" parsed="|Job|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.20.27">Job xx. 27</scripRef>),
and groaned on being thus made <i>subject to vanity,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 8:20,22" id="Gen.v-p29.6" parsed="|Rom|8|20|0|0;|Rom|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.20 Bible:Rom.8.22">Rom. viii. 20, 22</scripRef>. Cain, it is
likely, buried the blood and the body, to conceal his crime; but
"murder will out." He did not bury them so deep but the cry of them
reached heaven. 3. In the original the word is plural, thy
brother's <i>bloods,</i> not only his blood, but the blood of all
those that might have descended from him; or the blood of all the
seed of the woman, who should, in like manner, seal the truth with
their blood. Christ puts all on one score (<scripRef passage="Mt 23:35" id="Gen.v-p29.7" parsed="|Matt|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.35">Matt. xxiii. 35</scripRef>); or because account was kept
of every drop of blood shed. How well is it for us that the blood
of Christ speaks better things than that of Abel! <scripRef passage="Heb 12:24" id="Gen.v-p29.8" parsed="|Heb|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.24">Heb. xii. 24</scripRef>. Abel's blood cried for
vengeance, Christ's blood cries for pardon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p30">IV. The sentence passed upon Cain: <i>And
now art thou cursed from the earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 4:11" id="Gen.v-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p31">1. He is cursed, separated to all evil,
laid under the wrath of God, as it is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, <scripRef passage="Ro 1:18" id="Gen.v-p31.1" parsed="|Rom|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.18">Rom. i. 18</scripRef>. Who knows the extent and weight of
a divine curse, how far it reaches, how deep it pierces? God's
pronouncing a man cursed makes him so; for those whom he curses are
cursed indeed. The curse for Adam's disobedience terminated on the
ground: <i>Cursed is the ground for thy sake;</i> but that for
Cain's rebellion fell immediately upon himself: <i>Thou art
cursed;</i> for God had mercy in store for Adam, but none for Cain.
We have all deserved this curse, and it is only in Christ that
believers are saved from it and inherit the blessing, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:10,13" id="Gen.v-p31.2" parsed="|Gal|3|10|0|0;|Gal|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.10 Bible:Gal.3.13">Gal. iii. 10, 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p32">2. He is cursed from the earth. Thence the
cry came up to God, thence the curse
<pb n="42" id="Gen.v-Page_42"/>
came up
to Cain. God could have taken vengeance by an immediate stroke from
heaven, by the sword of an angel, or by a thunderbolt; but he chose
to make the earth the avenger of blood, to continue him upon the
earth, and not immediately to cut him off, and yet to make even
this his curse. The earth is always near us, we cannot fly from it;
so that, if this is made the executioner of divine wrath, our
punishment is unavoidable: it is sin, that is, the punishment of
sin, lying at the door. Cain found his punishment where he chose
his portion and set his heart. Two things we expect from the earth,
and by this curse both are denied to Cain and taken from him:
<i>sustenance</i> and <i>settlement.</i> (1.) Sustenance out of the
earth is here withheld from him. It is a curse upon him in his
enjoyments, and particularly in his calling: <i>When thou tillest
the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its
strength.</i> Note, every creature is to us what God makes it, a
comfort or a cross, a blessing or a curse. If the earth yield not
her strength to us, we must therein acknowledge God's
righteousness; for we have not yielded our strength to him. The
ground was cursed before to Adam, but it was now doubly cursed to
Cain. That part of it which fell to his share, and of which he had
the occupation, was made unfruitful and uncomfortable to him by the
blood of Abel. Note, the wickedness of the wicked brings a curse
upon all they do and all they have (<scripRef passage="De 28:15-68" id="Gen.v-p32.1" parsed="|Deut|28|15|28|68" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.15-Deut.28.68">Deut. xxviii. 15</scripRef>, &amp;c.), and this curse
embitters all they have and disappoints them in all they do. (2.)
Settlement on the earth is here denied him: <i>A fugitive and a
vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.</i> By this he was condemned,
[1.] To perpetual disgrace and reproach among men. It should be
ever looked upon as a scandalous thing to harbour him, converse
with him, or show him any countenance. And justly was a man that
had divested himself of all humanity abhorred and abandoned by all
mankind, and made infamous. [2.] To perpetual disquietude and
horror in his own mind. His own guilty conscience should haunt him
wherever he went, and make him <i>Magormissabib,</i> a <i>terror
round about.</i> What rest can those find, what settlement, that
carry their own disturbance with them in their bosoms wherever they
go? Those must needs be fugitives that are thus tossed. There is
not a more restless fugitive upon earth than he that is continually
pursued by his own guilt, nor a viler vagabond than he that is at
the beck of his own lusts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p33">This was the sentence passed upon Cain; and
even in this there was mercy mixed, inasmuch as he was not
immediately cut off, but had space given him to repent; for God is
long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:13-15" id="Gen.v-p33.1" parsed="|Gen|4|13|4|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.13-Gen.4.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.13-Gen.4.15">
<h4 id="Gen.v-p33.2">Cain's Complaint. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p33.3">b. c.</span> 3875.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p34">13 And Cain said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p34.1">Lord</span>, My punishment <i>is</i> greater than I can
bear. &#160; 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the
face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be
a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass,
<i>that</i> every one that findeth me shall slay me. &#160; 15 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p34.2">Lord</span> said unto him, Therefore
whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p34.3">Lord</span> set a mark upon Cain,
lest any finding him should kill him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p35">We have here a further account of the
proceedings against Cain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p36">I. Here is Cain's complaint of the sentence
passed upon him, as hard and severe. Some make him to speak the
language of despair, and read it, <i>My iniquity is greater than
that it may be forgiven;</i> and so what he says is a reproach and
affront to the mercy of God, which those only shall have the
benefit of that hope in it. There is forgiveness with the God of
pardons for the greatest sins and sinners; but those forfeit it who
despair of it. Just now Cain made nothing of his sin, but now he is
in the other extreme: Satan drives his vassals from presumption to
despair. We cannot think too ill of sin, provided we do not think
it unpardonable. But Cain seems rather to speak the language of
indignation: <i>My punishment is greater than I can bear;</i> and
so what he says is a reproach and affront to the justice of God,
and a complaint, not of the greatness of his sin, but of the
extremity of his punishment, as if this were disproportionable to
his merits. Instead of justifying God in the sentence, he condemns
him, not accepting the punishment of his iniquity, but quarrelling
with it. Note, impenitent unhumbled hearts are therefore not
reclaimed by God's rebukes because they think themselves wronged by
them; and it is an evidence of great hardness to be more concerned
about our sufferings than about our sins. Pharaoh's care was
concerning this death only, not this sin (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:17" id="Gen.v-p36.1" parsed="|Exod|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.17">Exod. x. 17</scripRef>); so was Cain's here. He is a
living man, and yet complains of the punishment of his sin,
<scripRef passage="La 3:39" id="Gen.v-p36.2" parsed="|Lam|3|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.3.39">Lam. iii. 39</scripRef>. He thinks
himself rigorously dealt with when really he is favourably treated;
and he cries out of wrong when he has more reason to wonder that he
is out of hell. Woe unto him that thus strives with his Maker, and
enters into judgment with his Judge. Now, to justify this
complaint, Cain descants upon the sentence. 1. He sees himself
excluded by it from the favour of his God, and concludes that,
being cursed, he is hidden from God's face, which is indeed the
true nature of God's curse; damned sinners find it so, to whom it
is said, <i>Depart from me you cursed.</i> Those are cursed indeed
that are forever shut out from God's love and care and from all
hopes of his grace. 2. He
<pb n="43" id="Gen.v-Page_43"/>
sees himself
expelled from all the comforts of this life, and concludes that,
being a fugitive, he is, in effect, <i>driven out this day from the
face of the earth.</i> As good have no place on earth as not have a
settled place. Better rest in the grave than not rest at all. 3. He
sees himself excommunicated by it, and cut off from the church, and
forbidden to attend on public ordinances. His hands being full of
blood, he must <i>bring no more vain oblations,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 1:13,15" id="Gen.v-p36.3" parsed="|Isa|1|13|0|0;|Isa|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.13 Bible:Isa.1.15">Isa. i. 13, 15</scripRef>. Perhaps this he
means when he complains that he is <i>driven out from the face of
the earth;</i> for being shut out of the church, which none had yet
deserted, he was <i>hidden from God's face,</i> being not admitted
to come <i>with the sons of God to present himself before the
Lord.</i> 4. He seen himself exposed by it to the hatred and
ill-will of all mankind: <i>It shall come to pass that every one
that finds me shall slay me.</i> Wherever he wanders, he goes in
peril of his life, at least he thinks so; and, like a man in debt,
thinks every one he meets a bailiff. There were none alive but his
near relations; yet even of them he is justly afraid who had
himself been so barbarous to his brother. Some read it,
<i>Whatsoever</i> finds me shall slay me; not only, "Whosoever
among men," but, "Whatsoever among all the creatures." Seeing
himself thrown out of God's protection, he sees the whole creation
armed against him. Note, unpardoned guilt fills men with continual
terrors, <scripRef passage="Pr 28:1,Job 15:20-21,Ps 53:5" id="Gen.v-p36.4" parsed="|Prov|28|1|0|0;|Job|15|20|15|21;|Ps|53|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.1 Bible:Job.15.20-Job.15.21 Bible:Ps.53.5">Prov.
xxviii. 1; Job xv. 20, 21; Ps. liii. 5</scripRef>. It is better to
fear and not sin than to sin and then fear. Dr. Lightfoot thinks
this word of Cain should be read as a wish: <i>Now, therefore, let
it be that any that find me may kill me.</i> Being bitter in soul,
he <i>longs for death, but it comes not</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 3:20-22" id="Gen.v-p36.5" parsed="|Job|3|20|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Job.3.20-Job.3.22">Job iii. 20-22</scripRef>), as those under spiritual
torments do, <scripRef passage="Re 9:5-6" id="Gen.v-p36.6" parsed="|Rev|9|5|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Rev.9.5-Rev.9.6">Rev. ix. 5,
6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p37">II. Here is God's confirmation of the
sentence; for when he judges he will overcome, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:15" id="Gen.v-p37.1" parsed="|Gen|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Observe, 1. How Cain is
protected in wrath by this declaration, notified, we may suppose,
to all that little world which was then in being: <i>Whosoever
slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold,</i>
because thereby the sentence he was under (that he should be a
fugitive and a vagabond) would be defeated. Condemned prisoners are
under the special protection of the law; those that are appointed
sacrifices to public justice must not be sacrificed to private
revenge. God having said in Cain's case, <i>Vengeance is mine, I
will repay,</i> it would have been a daring usurpation for any man
to take the sword out of God's hand, a contempt put upon an express
declaration of God's mind, and therefore avenged seven-fold. Note,
God has wise and holy ends in protecting and prolonging the lives
even of very wicked men. God deals with some according to that
prayer, <i>Slay them not, lest my people forget; scatter them by
thy power,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 59:11" id="Gen.v-p37.2" parsed="|Ps|59|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.59.11">Ps. lix. 11</scripRef>.
Had Cain been slain immediately, he would have been forgotten
(<scripRef passage="Ec 8:10" id="Gen.v-p37.3" parsed="|Eccl|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.10">Eccl. viii. 10</scripRef>); but now he
lives a more fearful and lasting monument of God's justice, hanged
in chains, as it were. 2. How he is marked in wrath: <i>The Lord
set a mark upon Cain,</i> to distinguish him from the rest of
mankind and to notify that he was the man that murdered his
brother, whom nobody must hurt, but everybody must hoot at. God
stigmatized him (as some malefactors are burnt in the cheek), and
put upon him such a visible and indelible mark of infamy and
disgrace as would make all wise people shun him, so that he could
not be otherwise than a fugitive and a vagabond, and the
off-scouring of all things.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:16-18" id="Gen.v-p37.4" parsed="|Gen|4|16|4|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.16-Gen.4.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.16-Gen.4.18">
<h4 id="Gen.v-p37.5">The Family of Cain. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p37.6">b. c.</span> 3875.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p38">16 And Cain went out from the presence of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p38.1">Lord</span>, and dwelt in the land of Nod,
on the east of Eden. &#160; 17 And Cain knew his wife; and she
conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the
name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. &#160; 18 And
unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael
begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p39">We have here a further account of Cain, and
what became of him after he was rejected of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p40">I. He tamely submitted to that part of his
sentence by which he was hidden from God's face; for (<scripRef passage="Ge 4:16" id="Gen.v-p40.1" parsed="|Gen|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) <i>he went out from the
presence of the Lord,</i> that is, he willingly renounced God and
religion, and was content to forego its privileges, so that he
might not be under its precepts. He forsook Adam's family and
altar, and cast off all pretensions to the fear of God, and never
came among good people, nor attended on God's ordinances, any more.
Note, hypocritical professors, that have dissembled and trifled
with God Almighty, are justly left to themselves, to do something
that is grossly scandalous, and so to throw off that form of
godliness to which they have been a reproach, and under colour of
which they have denied the power of it. Cain went out now from the
presence of the Lord, and we never find that he came into it again,
to his comfort. Hell is <i>destruction from the presence of the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="2Th 1:9" id="Gen.v-p40.2" parsed="|2Thess|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.1.9">2 Thess. i. 9</scripRef>. It
is a perpetual banishment from the fountain of all good. This is
the choice of sinners; and so shall their doom be, to their eternal
confusion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p41">II. He endeavoured to confront that part of
the sentence by which he was made a fugitive and a vagabond;
for,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p42">1. He chose his land. He went and <i>dwelt
on the east of Eden,</i> somewhere distant from the place where
Adam and his religious family resided, distinguishing himself and
his accursed generation from the holy seed, his camp from the
<i>camp of the saints and the beloved city,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 20:9" id="Gen.v-p42.1" parsed="|Rev|20|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.9">Rev. xx. 9</scripRef>. On the east of Eden, the cherubim
were, with the flaming sword, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:24" id="Gen.v-p42.2" parsed="|Gen|3|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.24"><i>ch.</i> iii. 24</scripRef>. There he chose his lot, as
if to defy the terrors of the Lord. But his
<pb n="44" id="Gen.v-Page_44"/>
attempt to settle was in vain; for the land he dwelt in was to him
<i>the land of Nod</i> (that is, of <i>shaking</i> or
<i>trembling</i>), because of the continual restlessness and
uneasiness of his own spirit. Note, those that depart from God
cannot find rest any where else. After Cain went out from the
presence of the Lord, he never rested. Those that shut themselves
out of heaven abandon themselves to a perpetual trembling.
"<i>Return therefore to thy rest, O my soul,</i> to thy rest in
God; else thou art for ever restless."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p43">2. He built a city for a habitation,
<scripRef passage="Ge 4:17" id="Gen.v-p43.1" parsed="|Gen|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. <i>He was
building a city,</i> so some read it, ever building it, but, a
curse being upon him and the work of his hands, he could not finish
it. Or, as we read it, he <i>built a city,</i> in token of a fixed
separation from the church of God, to which he had no thoughts of
ever returning. This city was to be the head-quarters of the
apostasy. Observe here, (1.) Cain's defiance of the divine
sentence. God said he should be a <i>fugitive and a vagabond.</i>
Had he repented and humbled himself, this curse might have been
turned into a blessing, as that of the tribe of Levi was, that they
should be <i>divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel;</i> but his
impenitent unhumbled heart walking contrary to God, and resolving
to fix in spite of heaven, that which might have been a blessing
was turned into a curse. (2.) See what was Cain's choice, after he
had forsaken God; he pitched upon a settlement in this world, as
his rest for ever. Those who looked for the heavenly city chose,
while on earth, to dwell in tabernacles; but Cain, as one that
minded not <i>that</i> city, built himself one on earth. Those that
are cursed of God are apt to seek their settlement and satisfaction
here below, <scripRef passage="Ps 17:14" id="Gen.v-p43.2" parsed="|Ps|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.17.14">Ps. xvii. 14</scripRef>.
(3.) See what method Cain took to defend himself against the
terrors with which he was perpetually haunted. He undertook this
building, to divert his thoughts from the consideration of his own
misery, and to drown the clamours of a guilty conscience with the
noise of axes and hammers. Thus many baffle their convictions by
thrusting themselves into a hurry of worldly business. (4.) See how
wicked people often get the start of God's people, and out-go them
in outward prosperity. Cain and his cursed race dwell in a city,
while Adam and his blessed family dwell in tents. We cannot judge
of <i>love or hatred by all that is before us,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 9:1,2" id="Gen.v-p43.3" parsed="|Eccl|9|1|9|2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.1-Eccl.9.2">Eccl. ix. 1, 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p44">3. His family also was built up. Here is an
account of his posterity, at least the heirs of his family, for
seven generations. His son was <i>Enoch,</i> of the same name, but
not of the same character, with that holy man that <i>walked with
God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 5:22" id="Gen.v-p44.1" parsed="|Gen|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.22"><i>ch.</i> v. 22</scripRef>.
Good men and bad may bear the same names: but God can distinguish
between Judas Iscariot and Judas <i>not</i> Iscariot, <scripRef passage="Joh 14:22" id="Gen.v-p44.2" parsed="|John|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.14.22">John xiv. 22</scripRef>. The names of more of
his posterity are mentioned, and but just mentioned; not as those
of the holy seed (<scripRef passage="Ge 5:1-32" id="Gen.v-p44.3" parsed="|Gen|5|1|5|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.1-Gen.5.32"><i>ch.</i>
v.</scripRef>), where we have three verses concerning each, whereas
here we have three or four in one verse. They are numbered in
haste, as not valued or delighted in, in comparison with God's
chosen.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:19-22" id="Gen.v-p44.4" parsed="|Gen|4|19|4|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.19-Gen.4.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.19-Gen.4.22">
<h4 id="Gen.v-p44.5">The Family of Lamech. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p44.6">b. c.</span> 3875.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p45">19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name
of the one <i>was</i> Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
&#160; 20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell
in tents, and <i>of such as have</i> cattle. &#160; 21 And his
brother's name <i>was</i> Jubal: he was the father of all such as
handle the harp and organ. &#160; 22 And Zillah, she also bare
Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and
the sister of Tubal-cain <i>was</i> Naamah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p46">We have here some particulars concerning
Lamech, the seventh from Adam in the line of Cain. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p47">I. His marrying two wives. It was one of
the degenerate race of Cain who first transgressed that original
law of marriage that two only should be one flesh. Hitherto one man
had but one wife at a time; but Lamech took two. <i>From the
beginning it was not so.</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 2:15,Mt 19:5" id="Gen.v-p47.1" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0;|Matt|19|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15 Bible:Matt.19.5">Mal. ii. 15; Matt. xix. 5</scripRef>. See here,
1. Those who desert God's church and ordinances lay themselves open
to all manner of temptation. 2. When a bad custom is begun by bad
men sometimes men of better characters are, through unwariness,
drawn in to follow them. Jacob, David, and many others, who were
otherwise good men, were afterwards ensnared in this sin which
Lamech begun.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p48">II. His happiness in his children,
notwithstanding this. Though he sinned, in marrying two wives, yet
he was blessed with children by both, and those such as lived to be
famous in their generation, not for their piety, no mention is made
of this (for aught that appears they were the heathen of that age),
but for their ingenuity. They were not only themselves men of
business, but men that were serviceable to the world, and eminent
for the invention, or at least the improvement, of some useful
arts. 1. Jabal was a famous shepherd; he delighted much in keeping
cattle himself, and was so happy in devising methods of doing it to
the best advantage, and instructing others in them, that the
shepherds of those times, nay, the shepherds of after-times, called
him <i>father;</i> or perhaps, his children after him being brought
up to the same employment, the family was a family of shepherds. 2.
Jubal was a famous musician, and particularly an organist, and the
first that gave rules for the noble art or science of music. When
Jabal had set them in a way to be rich, Jubal put them in a way to
be merry. Those that spend their days in wealth will not be without
the timbrel and harp, <scripRef passage="Job 21:12,13" id="Gen.v-p48.1" parsed="|Job|21|12|21|13" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.12-Job.21.13">Job xxi. 12,
13</scripRef>. From his name, <i>Jubal,</i>
<pb n="45" id="Gen.v-Page_45"/>
probably the jubilee-trumpet was so called; for the best music was
that which proclaimed liberty and redemption. Jabal was their Pan
and Jubal their Apollo. 3. Tubal Cain was a famous smith, who
greatly improved the art of working in brass and iron, for the
service both of war and husbandry. He was their Vulcan. See here,
(1.) That worldly things are the only things that carnal wicked
people set their hearts upon and are most ingenious and industrious
about. So it was with this impious race of cursed Cain. Here were a
father of shepherds and a father of musicians, but not a father of
the faithful. Here was one to teach in brass and iron, but none to
teach the good knowledge of the Lord. Here were devices how to be
rich, and how to be mighty, and how to be merry, but nothing of
God, nor of his fear and service, among them. Present things fill
the heads of most people. (2.) That even those who are destitute of
the knowledge and grace of God may be endued with many excellent
and useful accomplishments, which may make them famous and
serviceable in their generation. Common gifts are given to bad men,
while God chooses to himself the foolish things of the world.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:23-24" id="Gen.v-p48.2" parsed="|Gen|4|23|4|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.23-Gen.4.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.23-Gen.4.24">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p49">23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and
Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech:
for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
&#160; 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy
and sevenfold.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p50">By this speech of Lamech, which is here
recorded, and probably was much talked of in those times, he
further appears to have been a wicked man, as Cain's accursed race
generally were. Observe, 1. How haughtily and imperiously he speaks
to his wives, as one that expected a mighty regard and observance:
<i>Hear my voice, you wives of Lamech.</i> No marvel that he who
had broken one law of marriage, by taking two wives, broke another,
which obliged him to be kind and tender to those he had taken, and
to give honour to the wife as to the weaker vessel. Those are not
always the most careful to do their own duty that are highest in
their demands of respect from others, and most frequent in calling
upon their relations to know their place and do their duty. 2. How
bloody and barbarous he was to all about him: <i>I have slain,</i>
or (as it is in the margin) <i>I would slay a man in my wound, and
a young man in my hurt.</i> He owns himself a man of a fierce and
cruel disposition, that would lay about him without mercy, and kill
all that stood in his way; be it a man, or a young man, nay, though
he himself were in danger to be wounded and hurt in the conflict.
Some think, because (<scripRef passage="Ge 4:24" id="Gen.v-p50.1" parsed="|Gen|4|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>) he compares himself with Cain, that he had murdered
some of the holy seed, the true worshippers of God, and that he
acknowledged this to be the wounding of his conscience and the hurt
of his soul; and yet that, like Cain, he continued impenitent,
trembling and yet unhumbled. Or his wives, knowing what manner of
spirit he was of, how apt both to give and to resent provocation,
were afraid lest somebody or other would be the death of him.
"Never fear," says he, "I defy any man to set upon me; whosoever
does, let me alone to make my part good with him; I will slay him,
be he a man or a young man." Note, it is a common thing for fierce
and bloody men to <i>glory in their shame</i> (<scripRef passage="Php 3:19" id="Gen.v-p50.2" parsed="|Phil|3|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.19">Phil. iii. 19</scripRef>), as if it were both their
safety and their honour that they care not how many lives are
sacrificed to their angry resentments, nor how much they are hated,
provided they may be feared. <i>Oderint, dum metuant&#8212;Let them
hate, provided they fear.</i> 3. How impiously he presumes even
upon God's protection in his wicked way, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:24" id="Gen.v-p50.3" parsed="|Gen|4|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. He had heard that <i>Cain should
be avenged seven-fold</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 4:15" id="Gen.v-p50.4" parsed="|Gen|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>), that is, that if any man should dare to kill Cain
he should be severely reckoned with and punished for so doing,
though Cain deserved to die a thousand deaths for the murder of his
brother, and hence he infers that if any one should kill him for
the murders he had committed God would much more avenge his death.
As if the special care God took to prolong and secure the life of
Cain, for special reasons peculiar to his case (and indeed for his
sorer punishment, as the beings of the damned are continued) were
designed as a protection to all murderers. Thus Lamech perversely
argues, "If God provided for the safety of Cain, much more for
mine, who, though I have slain many, yet never slew my own brother,
and upon no provocation, as he did." Note, the reprieve of some
sinners, and the patience God exercises towards them, are often
abused to the hardening of others in the like sinful ways,
<scripRef passage="Ec 8:11" id="Gen.v-p50.5" parsed="|Eccl|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.11">Eccl. viii. 11</scripRef>. But, though
justice strike some slowly, others cannot therefore be sure but
that they may be taken away with a swift destruction. Or, if God
should bear long with those who thus presume upon his forbearance,
they do but hereby treasure up unto themselves <i>wrath against the
day of wrath.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p51">Now this is all we have upon record in
scripture concerning the family and posterity of cursed Cain, till
we find them all cut off and perishing in the universal deluge.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 4:25-26" id="Gen.v-p51.1" parsed="|Gen|4|25|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.25-Gen.4.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.4.25-Gen.4.26">
<h4 id="Gen.v-p51.2">The Birth of Seth. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p51.3">b. c.</span> 3874.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.v-p52">25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a
son, and called his name Seth: For God, <i>said she,</i> hath
appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. &#160;
26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his
name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.v-p52.1">Lord</span>.</p>
<pb n="46" id="Gen.v-Page_46"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p53">This is the first mention of Adam in the
story of this chapter. No question, the murder of Abel, and the
impenitence and apostasy of Cain, were a very great grief to him
and Eve, and the more because their own wickedness did now correct
them and their backslidings did reprove them. Their folly had given
sin and death entrance into the world; and now they smarted by it,
being, by means thereof, deprived of <i>both their sons in one
day,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:45" id="Gen.v-p53.1" parsed="|Gen|27|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.45"><i>ch.</i> xxvii.
45</scripRef>. When parents are grieved by their children's
wickedness they should take occasion thence to lament that
corruption of nature which was derived from them, and which is the
root of bitterness. But here we have that which was a relief to our
first parents in their affliction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p54">I. God gave them to see the re-building of
their family, which was sorely shaken and weakened by that sad
event. For, 1. They saw their seed, <i>another seed instead of
Abel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 4:25" id="Gen.v-p54.1" parsed="|Gen|4|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>.
Observe God's kindness and tenderness towards his people, in his
providential dealings with them; when he takes away one comfort
from them, he gives them another instead of it, which may prove a
greater blessing to them than that was in which they thought their
lives were bound up. This other seed was he in whom the church was
to be built up and perpetuated, and he comes instead of Abel, for
the succession of confessors is the revival of the martyrs and as
it were the resurrection of God's slain witnesses. Thus we are
<i>baptized for the dead</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 15:29" id="Gen.v-p54.2" parsed="|1Cor|15|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.29">1 Cor.
xv. 29</scripRef>), that is, we are, by baptism, admitted into the
church, for or instead of those who by death, especially by
martyrdom, are removed out of it; and we fill up their room. Those
who slay God's servants hope by this means to wear out the saints
of the Most High; but they will be deceived. Christ shall still see
his seed; God can out of stones raise up children for him, and make
the blood of the martyrs the seed of the church, whose lands, we
are sure, shall never be lost for want /f heirs. This son, by a
prophetic spirit, they called <i>Seth</i> (that is, <i>set,
settled,</i> or <i>placed</i>), because, in his seed, mankind
should continue to the end of time, and from him the Messiah should
descend. While Cain, the head of the apostasy, is made a wanderer,
Seth, from whom the true church was to come, is one fixed. In
Christ and his church is the only true settlement. 2. They saw
their seed's seed, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:26" id="Gen.v-p54.3" parsed="|Gen|4|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. <i>To Seth was born a son called Enos,</i> that
general name for all men, which bespeaks the weakness, frailty, and
misery, of man's state. The best men are most sensible of these,
both in themselves and their children. We are never so settled but
we must remind ourselves that we are frail.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.v-p55">II. God gave them to see the reviving of
religion in their family: <i>Then began men to call upon the name
of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 4:26" id="Gen.v-p55.1" parsed="|Gen|4|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. It is small comfort to a good man to see his
children's children, if he do not, withal, see peace upon Israel,
and those that come of him walking in the truth. Doubtless God's
name was called upon before, but now, 1. The worshippers of God
began to stir up themselves to do more in religion than they had
done; perhaps not more than had been done at first, but more than
had been done of late, since the defection of Cain. Now men began
to worship God, not only in their closets and families, but in
public and solemn assemblies. Or now there was so great a
reformation in religion that it was, as it were, a new beginning of
it. <i>Then</i> may refer, not to the birth of Enos, but to the
whole foregoing story: <i>then,</i> when men saw in Cain and Lamech
the sad effects of sin by the workings of natural conscience,&#8212;when
they saw God's judgments upon sin and sinners,&#8212;<i>then</i> they
were so much the more lively and resolute in religion. The worse
others are the better we should be, and the more zealous. 2. The
worshippers of God began to distinguish themselves. The margin
reads it, <i>Then began men to be called by the name of the
Lord,</i> or to call themselves by it. Now that Cain and those that
had deserted religion had built a city, and begun to declare for
impiety and irreligion, and called themselves the <i>sons of
men,</i> those that adhered to God began to declare for him and his
worship, and called themselves the <i>sons of God.</i> Now began
the distinction between professors and profane, which has been kept
up ever since, and will be while the world stands.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter V" n="vi" progress="6.02%" prev="Gen.v" next="Gen.vii" id="Gen.vi">
<pb n="46" id="Gen.vi-Page_46"/>
<h2 id="Gen.vi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.vi-p1">This chapter is the only authentic history extant
of the first age of the world from the creation to the flood,
containing (according to the verity of the Hebrew text) 1656 years,
as may easily be computed by the ages of the patriarchs, before
they begat that son through whom the line went down to Noah. This
is one of those which the apostle calls "endless genealogies"
(<scripRef passage="1Ti 1:4" id="Gen.vi-p1.1" parsed="|1Tim|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.4">1 Tim. i. 4</scripRef>), for Christ,
who was the end of the Old-Testament law, was also the end of the
Old-Testament genealogies; towards him they looked, and in him they
centered. The genealogy here recorded is inserted briefly in the
pedigree of our Saviour (<scripRef passage="Lu 3:36-38" id="Gen.vi-p1.2" parsed="|Luke|3|36|3|38" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.36-Luke.3.38">Luke iii.
36-38</scripRef>), and is of great use to show that Christ was the
"seed of the woman" that was promised. We have here an account, I.
Concerning Adam, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:1-5" id="Gen.vi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|5|1|5|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.1-Gen.5.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>.
II. Seth, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:6-8" id="Gen.vi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|5|6|5|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.6-Gen.5.8">ver. 6-8</scripRef>. III.
Enos, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:9-11" id="Gen.vi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|5|9|5|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.9-Gen.5.11">ver. 9-11</scripRef>. IV.
Cainan, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:12-14" id="Gen.vi-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|5|12|5|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.12-Gen.5.14">ver. 12-14</scripRef>. V.
Mahalaleel, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:15-17" id="Gen.vi-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|5|15|5|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.15-Gen.5.17">ver. 15-17</scripRef>.
VI. Jared, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:18-20" id="Gen.vi-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|5|18|5|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.18-Gen.5.20">ver. 18-20</scripRef>.
VII. Enoch, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:21-24" id="Gen.vi-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|5|21|5|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.21-Gen.5.24">ver. 21-24</scripRef>.
VIII. Methuselah, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:25-27" id="Gen.vi-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|5|25|5|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.25-Gen.5.27">ver.
25-27</scripRef>. IX. Lamech and his son Noah, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:28-32" id="Gen.vi-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|5|28|5|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.28-Gen.5.32">ver. 28-32</scripRef>. All scripture, being given by
inspiration of God, is profitable, though not all alike
profitable.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 5" id="Gen.vi-p1.12" parsed="|Gen|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 5:1-5" id="Gen.vi-p1.13" parsed="|Gen|5|1|5|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.1-Gen.5.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.5.1-Gen.5.5">
<h4 id="Gen.vi-p1.14">Genealogies. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vi-p1.15">b. c.</span> 3852.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vi-p2">1 This <i>is</i> the book of the generations of
Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made
he him; &#160; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them,
and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
&#160; 3 And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat <i>a
son</i> in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name
Seth: &#160; 4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were
eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: &#160; 5 And
all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years:
and he died.</p>
<pb n="47" id="Gen.vi-Page_47"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p3">The first words of the chapter are the
title or argument of the whole chapter: it is <i>the book of the
generations of Adam;</i> it is the list or catalogue of the
posterity of Adam, not of all, but only of the <i>holy seed who
were the substance thereof</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 6:13" id="Gen.vi-p3.1" parsed="|Isa|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.13">Isa.
vi. 13</scripRef>), and <i>of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ
came</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 9:5" id="Gen.vi-p3.2" parsed="|Rom|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.5">Rom. ix. 5</scripRef>), the
names, ages, and deaths, of those that were the successors of the
first Adam in the custody of the promise, and the ancestors of the
second Adam. The genealogy begins with Adam himself. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p4">I. His creation, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:1,2" id="Gen.vi-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|5|1|5|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.1-Gen.5.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>, where we have a brief
rehearsal of what was before at large related concerning the
creation of man. This is what we have need frequently to hear of
and carefully to acquaint ourselves with. Observe here, 1. That
<i>God created man.</i> Man is not his own maker, therefore he must
not be his own master; but the Author of his being must be the
director of his motions and the centre of them. 2. That there was a
day in which God created man. He was not from eternity, but of
yesterday; he was not the first-born, but the junior of the
creation. 3. That God made him in his own likeness, righteous and
holy, and therefore, undoubtedly, happy. Man's nature resembled the
divine nature more than that of any of the creatures of this lower
world. 4. That God created them male and female (<scripRef passage="Ge 5:2" id="Gen.vi-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), for their mutual comfort as well
as for the preservation and increase of their kind. Adam and Eve
were both made immediately by the hand of God, both made in God's
likeness; and therefore between the sexes there is not that great
distance and inequality which some imagine. 5. That God blessed
them. It is usual for parents to bless their children; so God, the
common Father, blessed his. But earthly parents can only beg a
blessing; it is God's prerogative to command it. It refers chiefly
to the blessing of increase, not excluding other blessings. 6. That
he <i>called their name Adam. Adam</i> signifies <i>earth, red
earth.</i> Now, (1.) God gave him this name. Adam had himself named
the rest of the creatures, but he must not choose his own name,
lest he should assume some glorious pompous title. But God gave him
a name which would be a continual memorandum to him of the meanness
of his original, and oblige him to <i>look unto the rock whence he
was hewn and the hole of the pit whence he was digged,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 51:1" id="Gen.vi-p4.3" parsed="|Isa|51|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.1">Isa. li. 1</scripRef>. Those have
little reason to be proud who are so near akin to dust. (2.) He
gave this name both to the man and to the woman. Being at first one
by nature, and afterwards one by marriage, it was fit they should
both have the same name, in token of their union. The woman is
<i>of the earth earthy</i> as well as the man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p5">II. The birth of his son <i>Seth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 5:3" id="Gen.vi-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. He was born in
the hundred and thirtieth year of Adam's life; and probably the
murder of Abel was not long before. Many other sons and daughters
were born to Adam, besides Cain and Abel, before this; but no
notice is taken of them, because an honourable mention must be made
of his name only in whose loins Christ and the church were. But
that which is most observable here concerning Seth is that Adam
begat him <i>in his own likeness, after his image.</i> Adam was
made in the image of God; but, when he was fallen and corrupt, he
begat a son in his own image, sinful and defiled, frail, mortal,
and miserable, like himself; not only a <i>man</i> like himself,
consisting of body and soul, but a <i>sinner</i> like himself,
guilty and obnoxious, degenerate and corrupt. Even the man after
God's own heart owns himself <i>conceived and born in sin,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 51:5" id="Gen.vi-p5.2" parsed="|Ps|51|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.5">Ps. li. 5</scripRef>. This was Adam's
own likeness, the reverse of that divine likeness in which Adam was
made; but, having lost it himself, he could not convey it to his
seed. Note, grace does not run in the blood, but corruption does. A
sinner begets a sinner, but a saint does not beget a saint.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p6">III. His age and death. He lived, in all,
nine hundred and thirty years, and then he died, according to the
sentence passed upon him, <i>To dust thou shalt return.</i> Though
he did not die in the day he ate forbidden fruit, yet in that very
day he became mortal. Then he began to die; his whole life
afterwards was but a reprieve, a forfeited condemned life; nay, it
was a wasting dying life: he was not only like a criminal
sentenced, but as one already crucified, that dies slowly and by
degrees.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 5:6-20" id="Gen.vi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|5|6|5|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.6-Gen.5.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.5.6-Gen.5.20">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vi-p7">6 And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and
begat Enos: &#160; 7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight
hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: &#160; 8 And
all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he
died. &#160; 9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
&#160; 10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and
fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: &#160; 11 And all the
days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. &#160;
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: &#160; 13
And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty
years, and begat sons and daughters: &#160; 14 And all the days of
Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. &#160; 15 And
Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: &#160; 16
And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty
years, and begat sons and daughters: &#160; 17 And all the days of
Mahalaleel were eight hundred
<pb n="48" id="Gen.vi-Page_48"/>
ninety and five
years: and he died. &#160; 18 And Jared lived a hundred sixty and
two years, and he begat Enoch: &#160; 19 And Jared lived after he
begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
&#160; 20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two
years: and he died.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p8">We have here all that the Holy Ghost
thought fit to leave upon record concerning five of the patriarchs
before the flood, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared. There
is nothing observable concerning any of these particularly, though
we have reason to think they were men of eminence, both for
prudence and piety, in their day: but in general,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p9">I. Observe how largely and expressly their
generations are recorded. This matter, one would think, might have
been delivered in fewer words; but it is certain that there is not
one idle word in God's books, whatever there is in men's. It is
thus plainly set down, 1. To make it easy and intelligible to the
meanest capacity. When we are informed how old they were when they
begat such a son, and how many years they lived afterwards, a very
little skill in arithmetic will enable a man to tell how long they
lived in all; yet the Holy Ghost sets down the sum total, for the
sake of those that have not even so much skill as this. 2. To show
the pleasure God takes in the names of his people. We found Cain's
generation numbered in haste (<scripRef passage="Ge 4:18" id="Gen.vi-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.18"><i>ch.</i> iv. 18</scripRef>), but this account of the
holy seed is enlarged upon, and given in words at length, and not
in figures; we are told how long those lived that lived in God's
fear, and when those died that died in his favour; but as for
others it is no matter. <i>The memory of the just is blessed, but
the name of the wicked shall rot.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p10">II. Their life is reckoned by days
(<scripRef passage="Ge 5:8" id="Gen.vi-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>All the
days of Seth,</i> and so of the rest, which intimates the shortness
of the life of man when it is at the longest, and the quick
revolution of our times on earth. If they reckoned by days, surely
we must reckon by hours, or rather make that our frequent prayer
(<scripRef passage="Ps 90:12" id="Gen.vi-p10.2" parsed="|Ps|90|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.12">Ps. xc. 12</scripRef>), <i>Teach us
to number our days.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p11">III. Concerning each of them, except Enoch,
it is said, <i>and he died.</i> It is implied in the numbering of
the years of their life that their life, when those years were
numbered and finished, came to an end; and yet it is still
repeated, <i>and he died,</i> to show that death passed upon all
men without exception, and that it is good for us particularly to
observe and improve the deaths of others for our own edification.
Such a one was a strong healthful man, but he died; such a one was
a great and rich man, but he died; such a one was a wise politic
man, but he died; such a one was a very good man, perhaps a very
useful man, but he died, &amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p12">IV. That which is especially observable is
that they all lived very long; not one of them died till he had
seen the revolution of almost eight hundred years, and some of them
lived much longer, a great while for an immortal soul to be
imprisoned in a house of clay. The present life surely was not to
them such a burden as commonly it is now, else they would have been
weary of it; nor was the future life so clearly revealed then as it
is now under the gospel, else they would have been impatient to
remove to it: long life to the pious patriarchs was a blessing and
made them blessings. 1. Some natural causes may be assigned for
their long life in those first ages of the world. It is very
probable that the earth was more fruitful, that the productions of
it were more strengthening, that the air was more healthful, and
that the influences of the heavenly bodies were more benign, before
the flood, than afterwards. Though man was driven out of paradise,
yet the earth itself was then paradisiacal&#8212;a garden in comparison
with its present wilderness-state: and some think that their great
knowledge of the creatures, and of their usefulness both for food
and medicine, together with their sobriety and temperance,
contributed much to it; yet we do not find that those who were
intemperate, as many were (<scripRef passage="Lu 17:27" id="Gen.vi-p12.1" parsed="|Luke|17|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.17.27">Luke xvii.
27</scripRef>), were as short-lived as intemperate men generally
are now. 2. It must chiefly be resolved into the power and
providence of God. He prolonged their lives, both for the more
speedy replenishing of the earth and for the more effectual
preservation of the knowledge of God and religion, then, when there
was no written word, but tradition was the channel of its
conveyance. All the patriarchs here, except Noah, were born before
Adam died; so that from him they might receive a full and
satisfactory account of the creation, paradise, the fall, the
promise, and those divine precepts which concerned religious
worship and a religious life: and, if any mistake arose, they might
have recourse to him while he lived, as to an oracle, for the
rectifying of it, and after his death to Methuselah, and others,
that had conversed with him: so great was the care of Almighty God
to preserve in his church the knowledge of his will and the purity
of his worship.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 5:21-24" id="Gen.vi-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|5|21|5|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.21-Gen.5.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.5.21-Gen.5.24">
<h4 id="Gen.vi-p12.3">Translation of Enoch. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vi-p12.4">b. c.</span> 3017.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vi-p13">21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and
begat Methuselah: &#160; 22 And Enoch walked with God after he
begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
&#160; 23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and
five years: &#160; 24 And Enoch walked with God: and he <i>was</i>
not; for God took him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p14">The accounts here run on for several
generations without any thing remarkable, or any variation but of
the names and numbers; but at length there comes in one that must
not
<pb n="49" id="Gen.vi-Page_49"/>
be passed over so, of whom special notice
must be taken, and that is <i>Enoch,</i> the seventh from Adam: the
rest, we may suppose, did virtuously, but he excelled them all, and
was the brightest star of the patriarchal age. It is but little
that is recorded concerning him; but this little is enough to make
his name great, greater than the name of the other Enoch, who had a
city called by his name. Here are two things concerning him:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p15">I. His gracious conversation in this world,
which is twice spoken of: <i>Enoch walked with God after he begat
Methuselah</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 5:22" id="Gen.vi-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), and again, <i>Enoch walked with God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 5:24" id="Gen.vi-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|5|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p16">1. The nature of his religion and the scope
and tenour of his conversation: he <i>walked with God,</i> which
denotes, (1.) True religion; what is godliness, but walking with
God? The ungodly and profane are without God in the world, they
walk contrary to him: but the godly walk with God, which
presupposes reconciliation to God, for two cannot <i>walk together
except they be agreed</i> (<scripRef passage="Am 3:3" id="Gen.vi-p16.1" parsed="|Amos|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.3.3">Amos iii.
3</scripRef>), and includes all the parts and instances of a godly,
righteous, and sober life. To walk with God is to set God always
before us, and to act as those that are always under his eye. It is
to live a life of communion with God both in ordinances and
providences. It is to make God's word our rule and his glory our
end in all our actions. It is to make it our constant care and
endeavour in every thing to please God, and nothing to offend him.
It is to comply with his will, to concur with his designs, and to
be workers together with him. It is to be <i>followers of him as
dear children.</i> (2.) Eminent religion. He was entirely dead to
this world, and did not only walk after God, as all good men do,
but he walked with God, as if he were in heaven already. He lived
above the rate, not only of other men, but of other saints: not
only good in bad times, but the best in good times. (3.) Activity
in promoting religion among others. Executing the priest's office
is called <i>walking before God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 2:30,35" id="Gen.vi-p16.2" parsed="|1Sam|2|30|0|0;|1Sam|2|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.30 Bible:1Sam.2.35">1 Sam. ii. 30, 35</scripRef>, and see <scripRef passage="Zec 3:7" id="Gen.vi-p16.3" parsed="|Zech|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.3.7">Zech. iii. 7</scripRef>. Enoch, it should seem,
was a priest of the most high God, and like Noah, who is likewise
said to walk with God, he was a preacher of righteousness, and
prophesied of Christ's second coming. <scripRef passage="Jude 1:14" id="Gen.vi-p16.4" parsed="|Jude|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.14">Jude 14</scripRef>, <i>Behold, the Lord cometh with his
holy myriads.</i> Now the Holy Spirit, instead of saying, Enoch
<i>lived,</i> says, Enoch <i>walked with God;</i> for it is the
life of a good man to walk with God. This was, [1.] The business of
Enoch's life, his constant care and work; while others lived to
themselves and the world, he lived to God. [2.] It was the joy and
support of his life. Communion with God was to him better than life
itself. <i>To me to live is Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 1:21" id="Gen.vi-p16.5" parsed="|Phil|1|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.1.21">Phil. i. 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p17">2. The date of his religion. It is said
(<scripRef passage="Ge 5:21" id="Gen.vi-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|5|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), <i>he lived
sixty-five years, and begat Methuselah;</i> but (<scripRef passage="Ge 5:22" id="Gen.vi-p17.2" parsed="|Gen|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>) <i>he walked with God after he
begat Methuselah,</i> which intimates that he did not begin to be
eminent for piety till about that time; at first he walked but as
other men. Great saints arrive at their eminence by degrees.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p18">3. The continuance of his religion: he
walked with God <i>three hundred years,</i> as long as he continued
in this world. The hypocrite will not pray always; but the real
saint that acts from a principle, and makes religion his choice,
will persevere to the end, and walk with God while he lives, as one
that hopes to live for ever with him, <scripRef passage="Ps 104:33" id="Gen.vi-p18.1" parsed="|Ps|104|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.33">Ps. civ. 33</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p19">II. His glorious removal to a better world.
As he did not live like the rest, so he did not die like the rest
(<scripRef passage="Ge 5:24" id="Gen.vi-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|5|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>): <i>He was
not, for God took him;</i> that is, as it is explained (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:5" id="Gen.vi-p19.2" parsed="|Heb|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.5">Heb. xi. 5</scripRef>), <i>He was translated
that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had
translated him.</i> Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p20">1. When he was thus translated. (1.) What
time of his life. It was when he had lived but three hundred and
sixty-five years (a year of years), which, as men's ages went then,
was in the midst of his days; for there was none of the patriarchs
before the flood that did not more than double that age. But why
did God take him so soon? Surely, because the world, which had now
grown corrupt, was not worthy of him, or because he was so much
above the world, and so weary of it, as to desire a speedy removal
out of it, or because his work was done, and done the sooner for
his minding it so closely. Note, God often takes those soonest whom
he loves best, and the time they lose on earth is gained in heaven,
to their unspeakable advantage. (2.) What time of the world. It was
when all the patriarchs mentioned in this chapter were living,
except Adam, who died fifty-seven years before, and Noah, who was
born sixty-nine years after; those two had sensible confirmations
to their faith other ways, but to all the rest, who were or might
have been witnesses of Enoch's translation, it was a sensible
encouragement to their faith and hope concerning a future
state.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p21">2. How his removal is expressed: <i>He was
not, for God took him.</i> (1.) He was not any longer in this
world; it was not the period of his being, but of his being here:
he was <i>not found,</i> so the apostle explains it from the LXX.;
not found by his friends, who sought him as the sons of the
prophets sought Elijah (<scripRef passage="2Ki 2:17" id="Gen.vi-p21.1" parsed="|2Kgs|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.2.17">2 Kings ii.
17</scripRef>); not found by his enemies, who, some think, were in
quest of him, to put him to death in their rage against him for his
eminent piety. It appears by his prophecy that there were then many
ungodly sinners, who spoke hard speeches, and probably did hard
things too, against God's people (<scripRef passage="Jude 1:15" id="Gen.vi-p21.2" parsed="|Jude|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.15">Jude 15</scripRef>), but God hid Enoch from them, not
under heaven, but in heaven. (2.) God took him body and soul to
himself in the heavenly paradise, by the ministry of angels, as
afterwards he took Elijah. He was changed, as those saints will be
that shall be found alive at Christ's second coming. Whenever a
good man dies God takes him,
<pb n="50" id="Gen.vi-Page_50"/>
fetches him
hence, and receives him to himself. The apostle adds concerning
Enoch that, <i>before his translation, he had this testimony, that
he pleased God,</i> and this was the good report he obtained. Note,
[1.] Walking with God pleases God. [2.] We cannot walk with God so
as to please him, but by faith. [3.] God himself will put an honour
upon those that by faith walk with him so as to please him. He will
own them now, and witness for them before angels and men at the
great day. Those that have not this testimony before the
translation, yet shall have it afterwards. [4.] Those whose
conversation in the world is truly holy shall find their removal
out of it truly happy. Enoch's translation was not only an evidence
to faith of the reality of a future state, and of the possibility
of the body's existing in glory in that state; but it was an
encouragement to the hope of all that walk with God that they shall
be for ever with him: signal piety shall be crowned with signal
honours.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 5:25-27" id="Gen.vi-p21.3" parsed="|Gen|5|25|5|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.25-Gen.5.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.5.25-Gen.5.27">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vi-p22">25 And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and
seven years, and begat Lamech: &#160; 26 And Methuselah lived after
he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons
and daughters: &#160; 27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine
hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p23">Concerning Methuselah observe, 1. The
signification of his name, which some think was prophetical, his
father Enoch being a prophet. <i>Methuselah</i> signifies, <i>he
dies,</i> or <i>there is a dart,</i> or, <i>a sending forth,</i>
namely, of the deluge, which came the very year that Methuselah
died. If indeed his name was so intended and so explained, it was
fair warning to a careless world, a long time before the judgment
came. However, this is observable, that the longest liver that ever
was carried death in his name, that he might be reminded of its
coming surely, though it came slowly. 2. His age: he lived nine
hundred and sixty-nine years, the longest we read of that ever any
man lived on earth; and yet he died. The longest liver must die at
last. Neither youth nor age will discharge from that war, for that
is the end of all men: none can challenge life by long
prescription, nor make that a plea against the arrests of death. It
is commonly supposed that Methuselah died a little before the
flood; the Jewish writers say, "seven days before," referring to
<scripRef passage="Ge 7:10" id="Gen.vi-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.10"><i>ch.</i> vii. 10</scripRef>, and that
he was taken away from the evil to come, which goes upon this
presumption, which is generally received, that all the patriarchs
mentioned in this chapter were holy good men. I am loth to offer
any surmise to the contrary; and yet I see not that this can be any
more inferred from their enrollment here among the ancestors of
Christ than that all those kings of Judah were so whose names are
recorded in his genealogy, many of whom, we are sure, were much
otherwise: and, if this be questioned, it may be suggested as
probable that Methuselah was himself drowned with the rest of the
world; for it is certain that he died that year.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 5:28-32" id="Gen.vi-p23.2" parsed="|Gen|5|28|5|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.28-Gen.5.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.5.28-Gen.5.32">
<h4 id="Gen.vi-p23.3">Account of Noah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vi-p23.4">b. c.</span> 2448.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vi-p24">28 And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two
years, and begat a son: &#160; 29 And he called his name Noah,
saying, This <i>same</i> shall comfort us concerning our work and
toil of our hands, because of the ground which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vi-p24.1">Lord</span> hath cursed. &#160; 30 And Lamech lived
after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat
sons and daughters: &#160; 31 And all the days of Lamech were seven
hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. &#160; 32 And Noah
was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and
Japheth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p25">Here we have the first mention of Noah, of
whom we shall read much in the following chapters. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p26">I. His name, with the reason of it:
<i>Noah</i> signifies <i>rest;</i> his parents gave him that name,
with a prospect of his being a more than ordinary blessing to his
generation: <i>This same shall comfort us concerning our work and
toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath
cursed.</i> Here is, 1. Lamech's complaint of the calamitous state
of human life. By the entrance of sin, and the entail of the curse
for sin, our condition has become very miserable: our whole life is
spent in labour, and our time filled up with continual toil. God
having cursed the ground, it is as much as some can do, with the
utmost care and pains, to fetch a hard livelihood out of it. He
speaks as one fatigued with the business of this life, and grudging
that so many thoughts and precious minutes, which otherwise might
have been much better employed, are unavoidably spent for the
support of the body. 2. His comfortable hopes of some relief by the
birth of this son: <i>This same shall comfort us,</i> which denotes
not only the desire and expectation which parents generally have
concerning their children (that, when they grow up, they will be
comforts to them and helpers in their business, though they often
prove otherwise), but an apprehension and prospect of something
more. Very probably there were some prophecies that went before of
him, as a person that should be wonderfully serviceable to his
generation, which they so understood as to conclude that he was the
promised seed, the Messiah that should come; and then it intimates
that a covenant-interest in Christ as ours, and the believing
expectation of his coming, furnish us with the best and surest
<pb n="51" id="Gen.vi-Page_51"/>
comforts, both in reference to the wrath and
curse of God which we have deserved and to the toils and troubles
of this present time of which we are often complaining. "Is Christ
ours? Is heaven ours? <i>This same shall comfort us.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vi-p27">II. His children, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
These Noah begat (the eldest of these) when he was 500 years old.
It should seem that Japheth was the eldest (<scripRef passage="Ge 10:21" id="Gen.vi-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|10|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.21"><i>ch.</i> x. 21</scripRef>), but Shem is put first
because on him the covenant was entailed, as appears by <scripRef passage="Ge 9:26" id="Gen.vi-p27.2" parsed="|Gen|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.26"><i>ch.</i> ix. 26</scripRef>, where God is called
the <i>Lord God of Shem.</i> To him, it is probable, the
birth-right was given, and from him, it is certain, both Christ the
head, and the church the body, were to descend. Therefore he is
called <i>Shem,</i> which signifies a <i>name,</i> because in his
posterity the name of God should always remain, till he should come
out of his loins whose name is above every name; so that in putting
Shem first Christ was, in effect, put first, who in all things must
have the pre-eminence.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VI" n="vii" progress="6.53%" prev="Gen.vi" next="Gen.viii" id="Gen.vii">
<pb n="51" id="Gen.vii-Page_51"/>
<h2 id="Gen.vii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.vii-p1">The most remarkable thing we have upon record
concerning the old world is the destruction of it by the universal
deluge, the account of which commences in this chapter, wherein we
have, I. The abounding iniquity of that wicked world, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:1-5" id="Gen.vii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|6|1|6|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.1-Gen.6.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="Ge 6:11,12" id="Gen.vii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|6|11|6|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.11-Gen.6.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. II. The righteous God's just
resentment of that abounding iniquity, and his holy resolution to
punish it, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:6,7" id="Gen.vii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|6|6|6|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.6-Gen.6.7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>. III.
The special favour of God to his servant Noah. 1. In the character
given of him, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:8-10" id="Gen.vii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|6|8|6|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.8-Gen.6.10">ver. 8-10</scripRef>.
2. In the communication of God's purpose to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:13,17" id="Gen.vii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|6|13|0|0;|Gen|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.13 Bible:Gen.6.17">ver. 13, 17</scripRef>. 3. In the directions he gave
him to make an ark for his own safety, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:14-16" id="Gen.vii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|6|14|6|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.14-Gen.6.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>. 4. In the employing of him for
the preservation of the rest of the creatures, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:18-21" id="Gen.vii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|6|18|6|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.18-Gen.6.21">ver. 18-21</scripRef>. Lastly, Noah's obedience to the
instructions given him, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:22" id="Gen.vii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|6|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.22">ver.
22</scripRef>. And this concerning the old world is written for our
admonition, upon whom the ends of the new world have come.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6" id="Gen.vii-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:1-2" id="Gen.vii-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|6|1|6|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.1-Gen.6.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.1-Gen.6.2">
<h4 id="Gen.vii-p1.11">Depravity of the World. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 2469.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p2">1 And it came to pass, when men began to
multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto
them, &#160; 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that
they <i>were</i> fair; and they took them wives of all which they
chose.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p3">For the glory of God's justice, and for
warning to a wicked world, before the history of the ruin of the
old world, we have a full account of its degeneracy, its apostasy
from God and rebellion against him. The destroying of it was an
act, not of an absolute sovereignty, but of necessary justice, for
the maintaining of the honour of God's government. Now here we have
an account of two things which occasioned the wickedness of the old
world:&#8212;1. The increase of mankind: <i>Men began to multiply upon
the face of the earth.</i> This was the effect of the blessing
(<scripRef passage="Ge 1:28" id="Gen.vii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|1|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.28"><i>ch.</i> i. 28</scripRef>), and yet
man's corruption so abused and perverted this blessing that it was
turned into a curse. Thus sin takes occasion by the mercies of God
to be the more exceedingly sinful. <scripRef passage="Pr 29:16" id="Gen.vii-p3.2" parsed="|Prov|29|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.29.16">Prov. xxix. 16</scripRef>, <i>When the wicked are
multiplied, transgression increaseth.</i> The more sinners the more
sin; and the multitude of offenders emboldens men. Infectious
diseases are most destructive in populous cities; and sin is a
spreading leprosy. Thus in the New-Testament church, <i>when the
number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ac 6:1" id="Gen.vii-p3.3" parsed="|Acts|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.6.1">Acts vi. 1</scripRef>), and we read of
a nation that was multiplied, not to the increase of their joy,
<scripRef passage="Isa 9:3" id="Gen.vii-p3.4" parsed="|Isa|9|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.9.3">Isa. ix. 3</scripRef>. Numerous
families need to be well-governed, lest they become wicked
families. 2. Mixed marriages (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:2" id="Gen.vii-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): <i>The sons of God</i> (that is, the professors of
religion, who were called by the name of the Lord, and called upon
that name), <i>married the daughters of men,</i> that is, those
that were profane, and strangers to God and godliness. The
posterity of Seth did not keep by themselves, as they ought to have
done, both for the preservation of their own purity and in
detestation of the apostasy. They intermingled themselves with the
excommunicated race of Cain: <i>They took them wives of all that
they chose.</i> But what was amiss in these marriages? (1.) They
chose only by the eye: <i>They saw that they were fair,</i> which
was all they looked at. (2.) They followed the choice which their
own corrupt affections made: they took <i>all that they chose,</i>
without advice and consideration. But, (3.) That which proved of
such bad consequence to them was that they <i>married strange
wives, were unequally yoked with unbelievers,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 6:14" id="Gen.vii-p3.6" parsed="|2Cor|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.14">2 Cor. vi. 14</scripRef>. This was forbidden to
Israel, <scripRef passage="De 7:3,4" id="Gen.vii-p3.7" parsed="|Deut|7|3|7|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.3-Deut.7.4">Deut. vii. 3, 4</scripRef>. It
was the unhappy occasion of Solomon's apostasy (<scripRef passage="1Ki 11:1-4" id="Gen.vii-p3.8" parsed="|1Kgs|11|1|11|4" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.11.1-1Kgs.11.4">1 Kings xi. 1-4</scripRef>), and was of bad
consequence to the Jews after their return out of Babylon,
<scripRef passage="Ezr 9:1,2" id="Gen.vii-p3.9" parsed="|Ezra|9|1|9|2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.1-Ezra.9.2">Ezra ix. 1, 2</scripRef>. Note,
professors of religion, in marrying both themselves and their
children, should make conscience of keeping within the bounds of
profession. The bad will sooner debauch the good than the good
reform the bad. Those that profess themselves the children of God
must not marry without his consent, which they have not if they
join in affinity with his enemies.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:3" id="Gen.vii-p3.10" parsed="|Gen|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.3">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p4">3 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p4.1">Lord</span>
said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also
<i>is</i> flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty
years.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p5">This comes in here as a token of God's
displeasure at those who married strange wives; he threatens to
withdraw from them his Spirit, whom they had grieved by such
marriages, contrary to their convictions: fleshly lusts are often
punished with spiritual judgments, the sorest of all judgments. Or
as another occasion of the great wickedness of the old world; the
Spirit of the Lord, being provoked by their resistance of his
motions, ceased to strive with them, and then all religion was soon
lost among them. This he warns them of before, that they might not
further vex his Holy Spirit, but by their prayers might stay him
with them. Observe in this verse,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p6">I. God's resolution not always to strive
with man by his Spirit. The Spirit then strove by Noah's preaching
(<scripRef passage="1Pe 3:19,20" id="Gen.vii-p6.1" parsed="|1Pet|3|19|3|20" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.19-1Pet.3.20">1 Pet. iii. 19, 20</scripRef>) and
by inward checks, but it was in vain with the most of men;
therefore, says God, <i>He shall not always strive.</i> Note, 1.
The
<pb n="52" id="Gen.vii-Page_52"/>
blessed Spirit strives with sinners, by
the convictions and admonitions of conscience, to turn them from
sin to God. 2. If the Spirit be resisted, quenched, and striven
against, though he strive long, he will not strive always,
<scripRef passage="Ho 4:17" id="Gen.vii-p6.2" parsed="|Hos|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.4.17">Hos. iv. 17</scripRef>. 3. Those are
ripening apace for ruin whom the Spirit of grace has left off
striving with.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p7">II. The reason of this resolution: <i>For
that he also is flesh,</i> that is, incurably corrupt, and carnal,
and sensual, so that it is labour lost to strive with him. Can the
Ethiopian change his skin? <i>He also,</i> that is, All, one as
well as another, they have all sunk into the mire of flesh. Note,
1. It is the corrupt nature, and the inclination of the soul
towards the flesh, that oppose the Spirit's strivings and render
them ineffectual. 2. When a sinner has long adhered to that
interest, and sided with the flesh against the Spirit, the Spirit
justly withdraws his agency, and strives no more. None lose the
Spirit's strivings but those that have first forfeited them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p8">III. A reprieve granted, notwithstanding:
<i>Yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years;</i> so long
I will defer the judgment they deserve, and give them space to
prevent it by their repentance and reformation. Justice said,
<i>Cut them down;</i> but mercy interceded, <i>Lord, let them alone
this year also;</i> and so far mercy prevailed, that a reprieve was
obtained for six-score years. Note, the time of God's patience and
forbearance towards provoking sinners is sometimes long, but always
limited: reprieves are not pardons; though God bear a great while,
he will not bear always.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:4-5" id="Gen.vii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|6|4|6|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.4-Gen.6.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.4-Gen.6.5">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p9">4 There were giants in the earth in those days;
and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men, and they bare <i>children</i> to them, the same
<i>became</i> mighty men which <i>were</i> of old, men of renown.
&#160; 5 And <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p9.1">God</span> saw that the
wickedness of man <i>was</i> great in the earth, and <i>that</i>
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart <i>was</i> only evil
continually.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p10">We have here a further account of the
corruption of the old world. When the <i>sons of God</i> had
matched with the <i>daughters of men,</i> though it was very
displeasing to God, yet he did not immediately cut them off, but
waited to see what would be the issue of these marriages, and which
side the children would take after; and it proved (as usually it
does), that they took after the worst side. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p11">I. The temptation they were under to
oppress and do violence. They were <i>giants,</i> and they were
<i>men of renown;</i> they became too hard for all about them, and
carried all before them, 1. With their great bulk, as the sons of
Anak, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:33" id="Gen.vii-p11.1" parsed="|Num|13|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.33">Num. xiii. 33</scripRef>. 2.
With their great name, as the king of Assyria, <scripRef passage="Isa 37:11" id="Gen.vii-p11.2" parsed="|Isa|37|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.37.11">Isa. xxxvii. 11</scripRef>. These made them the
<i>terror of the mighty in the land of the living;</i> and, thus
armed, they daringly insulted the rights of all their neighbours
and trampled upon all that is just and sacred. Note, those that
have so much power over others as to be able to oppress them have
seldom so much power over themselves as not to oppress; great might
is a very great snare to many. This degenerate race slighted the
honour their ancestors had obtained by virtue and religion, and
made themselves a great name by that which was the perpetual ruin
of their good name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p12">II. The charge exhibited and proved against
them, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:5" id="Gen.vii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. The
evidence produced was incontestable. God saw it, and that was
instead of a thousand witnesses. God sees all the wickedness that
is among the children of men; it cannot be concealed from him now,
and, if it be not repented of, it shall not be concealed by him
shortly. Now what did God take notice of? 1. He observed that the
streams of sin that flowed along in men's lives, and the breadth
and depth of those streams: He <i>saw that the wickedness of man
was great in the earth.</i> Observe the connection of this with
what goes before: the oppressors were <i>mighty men and men of
renown;</i> and, <i>then, God saw that the wickedness of man was
great.</i> Note, the wickedness of a people is great indeed when
the most notorious sinners are men of renown among them. Things are
bad when bad men are not only honoured notwithstanding their
wickedness, but honoured for their wickedness, and the vilest men
exalted. Wickedness is then great when great men are wicked. Their
wickedness was great, that is, abundance of sin was committed in
all places, by all sorts of people; and such sin as was in its own
nature most gross, and heinous, and provoking; it was committed
daringly, and with a defiance of heaven, nor was any care taken by
those that had power in their hands to restrain and punish it. This
God saw. Note, all the sins of sinners are known to God the Judge.
Those that are most conversant in the world, though they see much
wickedness in it, yet they see but little of that which is; but God
sees all, and judges aright concerning it, how great it is, nor can
he be deceived in his judgment. 2. He observed the fountain of sin
that was in men's hearts. Any one might see that <i>the wickedness
of man was great,</i> for they declared their sin as Sodom; but
God's eye went further: <i>He saw that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually</i>&#8212;a sad sight,
and very offensive to God's holy eye! This was the bitter root, the
corrupt spring: all the violence and oppression, all the luxury and
wantonness, that were in the world, proceeded from the corruption
of nature; lust conceived them,
<pb n="53" id="Gen.vii-Page_53"/>
<scripRef passage="Jam 1:15" id="Gen.vii-p12.2" parsed="|Jas|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.15">Jam. i. 15</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Mt 15:19" id="Gen.vii-p12.3" parsed="|Matt|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.19">Matt. xv. 19</scripRef>. (1.) The heart was naught; it
was deceitful and desperately wicked. The principles were corrupt,
and the habits and dispositions evil. (2.) The thoughts of the
heart were so. Thought is sometimes taken for the settled judgment
or opinion, and this was bribed, and biased, and misled; sometimes
it signifies the workings of the fancy, and these were always
either vain or vile, either weaving the spider's web or hatching
the cockatrice's egg. (3.) The imagination of the thoughts of the
heart was so, that is, their designs and devices were wicked. They
did not do evil through mere carelessness, as those that walk at
all adventures, not heeding what they do; but they did evil
deliberately and designedly, contriving how to do mischief. It was
bad indeed; for it was only evil, continually evil, and every
imagination was so. There was no good to be found among them, no,
not at any time: the stream of sin was full, and strong, and
constant; and God saw it; see <scripRef passage="Ps 14:1-3" id="Gen.vii-p12.4" parsed="|Ps|14|1|14|3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.14.1-Ps.14.3">Ps.
xiv. 1-3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:6-7" id="Gen.vii-p12.5" parsed="|Gen|6|6|6|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.6-Gen.6.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.6-Gen.6.7">
<h4 id="Gen.vii-p12.6">Mankind Threatened with
Destruction. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p12.7">b. c.</span> 2469.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p13">6 And it repented the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p13.1">Lord</span> that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart. &#160; 7 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p13.2">Lord</span> said, I will destroy man whom I have
created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the
creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that
I have made them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p14">Here is, I. God's resentment of man's
wickedness. He did not see it as an unconcerned spectator, but as
one injured and affronted by it; he saw it as a tender father sees
the folly and stubbornness of a rebellious and disobedient child,
which not only angers him, but grieves him, and makes him wish he
had been written childless. The expressions here used are very
strange: <i>It repented the Lord that he had made man upon the
earth,</i> that he had made a creature of such noble powers and
faculties, and had put him on this earth, which he built and
furnished on purpose to be a convenient, comfortable, habitation
for him; <i>and it grieved him at his heart.</i> These are
expressions after the manner of men, and must be understood so as
not to reflect upon the honour of God's immutability or felicity.
1. This language does not imply any passion or uneasiness in God
(nothing can create disturbance to the Eternal Mind), but it
expresses his just and holy displeasure against sin and sinners,
against sin as odious to his holiness and against sinners as
obnoxious to his justice. He is pressed by the sins of his
creatures (<scripRef passage="Am 2:13" id="Gen.vii-p14.1" parsed="|Amos|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.2.13">Amos ii. 13</scripRef>),
wearied (<scripRef passage="Isa 43:24" id="Gen.vii-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|43|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.24">Isa. xliii. 24</scripRef>),
broken (<scripRef passage="Eze 6:9" id="Gen.vii-p14.3" parsed="|Ezek|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.6.9">Ezek. vi. 9</scripRef>),
grieved (<scripRef passage="Ps 95:10" id="Gen.vii-p14.4" parsed="|Ps|95|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.95.10">Ps. cxv. 10</scripRef>), and
here <i>grieved to the heart,</i> as men are when they are wronged
and abused by those they have been very kind to, and therefore
repent of their kindness, and wish they had never fostered that
snake in their bosom which now hisses in their face and stings them
to the heart. Does God thus hate sin? And shall we not hate it? Has
our sin grieved him to the heart? And shall we not be grieved and
pricked to the heart for it? O that this consideration may humble
us and shame us, and that we may look on him whom we have thus
grieved, and mourn! <scripRef passage="Zec 12:10" id="Gen.vii-p14.5" parsed="|Zech|12|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.10">Zech. xii.
10</scripRef>. 2. It does not imply any change of God's mind; for
<i>he is in one mind, and who can turn him?</i> With him <i>there
is not variableness.</i> But it expressed a change of his way. When
God had made man upright, <i>he rested and was refreshed</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 31:17" id="Gen.vii-p14.6" parsed="|Exod|31|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.17">Exod. xxxi. 17</scripRef>), and his
way towards him was such as showed he was pleased with the work of
his own hands; but, now that man had apostatized, he could not do
otherwise than show himself displeased; so that the change was in
man, not in God. God repented that he had made man; but we never
find him repenting that he redeemed man (though that was a work of
much greater expense), because special and effectual grace is given
to secure the great ends of redemption; so that those <i>gifts and
callings are without repentance,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 11:29" id="Gen.vii-p14.7" parsed="|Rom|11|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.29">Rom. xi. 29</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p15">II. God's resolution to destroy man for his
wickedness, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:7" id="Gen.vii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. When God repented that he had made man, he resolved to
destroy man. Thus those that truly repent of sin will resolve, in
the strength of God's grace, to mortify sin and to destroy it, and
so to undo what they have done amiss. We do but mock God in saying
that we are sorry for our sin, and that it grieves us to the heart,
if we continue to indulge it. In vain do we pretend a change of our
mind if we do not evidence it by a change of our way. 2. He
resolves to destroy man. The original word is very significant:
<i>I will wipe off man from the earth</i> (so some), as dirt or
filth is wiped off from a place which should be clean, and is
thrown to the dunghill, the proper place for it. See <scripRef passage="2Ki 21:13" id="Gen.vii-p15.2" parsed="|2Kgs|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.21.13">2 Kings xxi. 13</scripRef>. Those that are the
spots of the places they live in are justly wiped away by the
judgments of God. <i>I will blot out man from the earth</i> (so
others), as those lines which displease the author are blotted out
a book, or as the name of a citizen is blotted out of the rolls of
the freemen, when he is dead or disfranchised. 3. He speaks of man
as his own creature even when he resolves upon his ruin: <i>Man
whom I have created.</i> "Though I have created him, this shall not
excuse him," <scripRef passage="Isa 27:11" id="Gen.vii-p15.3" parsed="|Isa|27|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.11">Isa. xxvii.
11</scripRef>. <i>He that made him will not save him;</i> he that
is our Creator, if he be not our ruler, will be our destroyer. Or,
"Because I have created him, and he has been so undutiful and
ungrateful to his Creator, therefore I will destroy him:" those
forfeit their lives that do not answer the end of their living. 4.
Even the brute-creatures were to be involved in
<pb n="54" id="Gen.vii-Page_54"/>
this destruction&#8212;<i>Beasts, and creeping things, and
the fowls of the air.</i> These were made for man, and therefore
must be destroyed with man; for it follows: <i>It repenteth me that
I have made them;</i> for the end of their creation also was
frustrated. They were made that man might serve and honour God with
them; and therefore were destroyed because he had served his lusts
with them, and made them subject to vanity. 5. God took up this
resolution concerning man after his Spirit had been long striving
with him in vain. None are ruined by the justice of God but those
that hate to be reformed by the grace of God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:8-10" id="Gen.vii-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|6|8|6|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.8-Gen.6.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.8-Gen.6.10">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p16">8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p16.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 9 These <i>are</i> the
generations of Noah: Noah was a just man <i>and</i> perfect in his
generations, <i>and</i> Noah walked with God. &#160; 10 And Noah
begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p17">We have here Noah distinguished from the
rest of the world, and a peculiar mark of honour put upon him. 1.
When God was displeased with the rest of the world, he favoured
Noah: <i>But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 6:8" id="Gen.vii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. This vindicates
God's justice in his displeasure against the world, and shows that
he had strictly examined the character of every person in it before
he pronounced it universally corrupt; for, there being one good
man, he found him out, and smiled upon him. It also magnifies his
grace towards Noah that he was made a vessel of God's mercy when
all mankind besides had become the generation of his wrath:
distinguishing favours bring under peculiarly strong obligations.
Probably Noah did not find favour in the eyes of men; they hated
and persecuted him, because both by his life and preaching he
<i>condemned the world. But he found grace in the eyes of the
Lord,</i> and this was honour and comfort enough. God made more
account of Noah than of all the world besides, and this made him
greater and more truly honourable than all the giants that were in
those days, who became mighty men and men of renown. Let this be
the summit of our ambition, to <i>find grace in the eyes of the
Lord;</i> herein let us labour, that, present or absent, we may be
accepted of him, <scripRef passage="2Co 5:9" id="Gen.vii-p17.2" parsed="|2Cor|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.9">2 Cor. v.
9</scripRef>. Those are highly favoured whom God favours. 2. When
the rest of the world was corrupt and wicked, Noah kept his
integrity: <i>These are the generations of Noah</i> (this is the
account we have to give of him), <i>Noah was a just man,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 6:9" id="Gen.vii-p17.3" parsed="|Gen|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. This character
of Noah comes in here either, (1.) As the reason of God's favour to
him; his singular piety qualified him for singular tokens of God's
loving-kindness. Those that would find grace in the eyes of the
Lord must be as Noah was and do as Noah did; God loves those that
love him: or, (2.) As the effect of God's favour to him. It was
God's good-will to him that produced this good work in him. He was
a very good man, but he was no better than the grace of God made
him, <scripRef passage="1Co 15:10" id="Gen.vii-p17.4" parsed="|1Cor|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.10">1 Cor. xv. 10</scripRef>. Now
observe his character. [1.] He <i>was a just man,</i> that is,
justified before God by faith in the promised seed; for he was an
<i>heir of the righteousness which is by faith,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 11:7" id="Gen.vii-p17.5" parsed="|Heb|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.7">Heb. xi. 7</scripRef>. He was sanctified, and
had right principles and dispositions implanted in him; and he was
righteous in his conversation, one that made conscience of
rendering to all their due, to God his due and to men theirs. Note,
none but a downright honest man can find favour with God. That
conversation which will be pleasing to God must be governed by
<i>simplicity and godly sincerity,</i> not by <i>fleshly
wisdom,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 1:12" id="Gen.vii-p17.6" parsed="|2Cor|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.1.12">2 Cor. i. 12</scripRef>.
God has sometimes chosen the foolish things of the world, but he
never chose the knavish things of it. [2.] He was <i>perfect,</i>
not with a sinless perfection, but a perfection of sincerity; and
it is well for us that by virtue of the covenant of grace, upon the
score of Christ's righteousness, sincerity is accepted as our
gospel perfection. [3.] He <i>walked with God,</i> as Enoch had
done before him. He was not only honest, but devout; he
<i>walked,</i> that is, he acted with God, as one always under his
eye. He lived a life of communion with God; it was his constant
care to conform himself to the will of God, to please him, and to
approve himself to him. Note, God looks down upon those with an eye
of favour who sincerely look up to him with an eye of faith. But,
[4.] That which crowns his character is that thus he was, and thus
he did, <i>in his generation,</i> in that corrupt degenerate age in
which his lot was cast. It is easy to be religious when religion is
in fashion; but it is an evidence of strong faith and resolution to
swim against a stream to heaven, and to appear for God when no one
else appears for him: so Noah did, and it is upon record, to his
immortal honour.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:11-12" id="Gen.vii-p17.7" parsed="|Gen|6|11|6|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.11-Gen.6.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.11-Gen.6.12">
<h4 id="Gen.vii-p17.8">Depravity of the World. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p17.9">b. c.</span> 2448.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p18">11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and
the earth was filled with violence. &#160; 12 And God looked upon
the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted
his way upon the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p19">The wickedness of that generation is here
again spoken of, either as a foil to Noah's piety&#8212;he was just and
perfect, when all the earth was corrupt; or as a further
justification of God's resolution to destroy the world, which he
was now about to communicate to his servant Noah. 1. All kinds of
sin was found among them, for it is said (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:11" id="Gen.vii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|6|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>) that the earth was, (1.)
<i>Corrupt before God,</i> that is, in the matters of God's
worship; either they had other gods before him, or they worshipped
him by images, or they were corrupt and wicked in despite and
<pb n="55" id="Gen.vii-Page_55"/>
contempt of God, daring him and defying him to
his face. (2.) <i>The earth was also filled with violence</i> and
injustice towards men. There was no order nor regular government;
no man was safe in the possession of that which he had the most
clear and incontestable right to, no, not the most innocent life;
there was nothing but murders, rapes, and rapine. Note, wickedness,
as it is the shame of human nature, so it is the ruin of human
society. Take away conscience and the fear of God, and men become
beasts and devils to one another, like the fishes of the sea, where
the greater devour the less. Sin fills the earth with violence, and
so turns the world into a wilderness, into a cock-pit. 2. The proof
and evidence of it were undeniable; for <i>God looked upon the
earth,</i> and was himself an eye-witness of the corruption that
was in it, of which before, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:5" id="Gen.vii-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. The righteous Judge in all his judgments proceeds
upon the infallible certainty of his own omniscience, <scripRef passage="Ps 33:13" id="Gen.vii-p19.3" parsed="|Ps|33|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.33.13">Ps. xxxiii. 13</scripRef>. 3. That which most
aggravated the matter was the universal spreading of the contagion:
<i>All flesh had corrupted his way.</i> It was not some particular
nations or cities that were thus wicked, but the whole world of
mankind were so; there was none that did good, no, not one besides
Noah. Note, when wickedness has become general and universal ruin
is not far off; while there is a remnant of praying people in a
nation, to empty the measure as it fills, judgments may be kept off
a great while; but when all hands are at work to pull down the
fences by sin, and none stand in the gap to make up the breach,
what can be expected but an inundation of wrath?</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:13-21" id="Gen.vii-p19.4" parsed="|Gen|6|13|6|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.13-Gen.6.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.13-Gen.6.21">
<h4 id="Gen.vii-p19.5">Prediction of the Deluge. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.vii-p19.6">b. c.</span> 2448.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p20">13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh
is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through
them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. &#160; 14
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark,
and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. &#160; 15 And
this <i>is the fashion</i> which thou shalt make it <i>of:</i> The
length of the ark <i>shall be</i> three hundred cubits, the breadth
of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. &#160; 16 A
window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish
it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side
thereof; <i>with</i> lower, second, and third <i>stories</i> shalt
thou make it. &#160; 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of
waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein <i>is</i> the
breath of life, from under heaven; <i>and</i> every thing that
<i>is</i> in the earth shall die. &#160; 18 But with thee will I
establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and
thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. &#160; 19
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every <i>sort</i>
shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep <i>them</i> alive with thee;
they shall be male and female. &#160; 20 Of fowls after their kind,
and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the
earth after his kind, two of every <i>sort</i> shall come unto
thee, to keep <i>them</i> alive. &#160; 21 And take thou unto thee
of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather <i>it</i> to thee;
and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p21">Here it appears indeed that Noah <i>found
grace in the eyes of the Lord.</i> God's favour to him was plainly
intimated in what he said of him, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:8-10" id="Gen.vii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|6|8|6|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.8-Gen.6.10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>, where his name is mentioned
five times in five lines, when once might have served to make the
sense clear, as if the Holy Ghost took a pleasure in perpetuating
his memory; but it appears much more in what he says to him in
these verses&#8212;the informations and instructions here given him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p22">I. God here makes Noah the <i>man of his
counsel,</i> communicating to him his purpose to destroy this
wicked world by water. As, afterwards, he told Abraham his
resolution concerning Sodom (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:17" id="Gen.vii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|18|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.17"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 17</scripRef>, <i>Shall I hide from
Abraham?</i>) so here "Shall I hide from Noah <i>the thing that I
do,</i> seeing that he shall <i>become a great nation?</i>" Note,
<i>the secret of the Lord is with those that fear him</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ps 25:14" id="Gen.vii-p22.2" parsed="|Ps|25|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.25.14">Ps. xxv. 14</scripRef>); it was with
<i>his servants the prophets</i> (<scripRef passage="Am 3:7" id="Gen.vii-p22.3" parsed="|Amos|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.3.7">Amos
iii. 7</scripRef>), by a spirit of revelation, informing them
particularly of his purposes; it is with all believers by a spirit
of wisdom and faith, enabling them to understand and apply the
general declarations of the written word, and the warnings there
given. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p23">1. God told Noah, in general, that he would
destroy the world (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:13" id="Gen.vii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>): <i>The end of all flesh has come before me; I will
destroy them;</i> that is, the ruin of this wicked world is decreed
and determined; <i>it has come,</i> that is, it will come surely,
and come quickly. Noah, it is likely, in preaching to his
neighbours, had warned them, in general, of the wrath of God that
they would bring upon themselves by their wickedness, and now God
seconds his endeavours by a particular denunciation of wrath, that
Noah might try whether this would work upon them. Hence observe,
(1.) That God <i>confirmeth the words of his messengers,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 44:26" id="Gen.vii-p23.2" parsed="|Isa|44|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.44.26">Isa. xliv. 26</scripRef>. (2.) That
<i>to him that has,</i> and uses what he has for the good of
others, <i>more shall be given,</i> more full instructions.</p>
<pb n="56" id="Gen.vii-Page_56"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p24">2. He told him, particularly, that he would
destroy the world by a flood of waters: <i>And behold, I, even I,
do bring a flood of waters upon the earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 6:17" id="Gen.vii-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. God could have destroyed all
mankind by the sword of an angel, a flaming sword turning every
way, as he destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians and the
camp of the Assyrians; and then there needed no more than to set a
mark upon Noah and his family for their preservation. But God chose
to do it by a <i>flood of waters,</i> which should drown the world.
The reasons, we may be sure, were wise and just, though to us
unknown. God has many arrows in his quiver, and he may use which he
please: as he chooses the rod with which he will correct his
children, so he chooses the sword with which he will cut off his
enemies. Observe the manner of expression: "<i>I, even I, do bring
a flood;</i> I that am infinite in power, and therefore <i>can</i>
do it, infinite in justice, and therefore <i>will</i> do it." (1.)
It intimates the certainty of the judgment: <i>I, even I,</i> will
do it. That cannot but be done effectually which God himself
undertakes the doing of. See <scripRef passage="Job 11:10" id="Gen.vii-p24.2" parsed="|Job|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.11.10">Job xi.
10</scripRef>. (2.) It intimates the tendency of it to God's glory
and the honour of his justice. Thus he will be magnified and
exalted in the earth, and all the world shall be made to know that
he is the God <i>to whom vengeance belongs;</i> methinks the
expression here is somewhat like that, <scripRef passage="Isa 1:24" id="Gen.vii-p24.3" parsed="|Isa|1|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.24">Isa. i. 24</scripRef>, <i>Ah, I will ease me of mine
adversaries.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p25">II. God here makes Noah the <i>man of his
covenant,</i> another Hebrew periphrasis of a friend (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:18" id="Gen.vii-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>But with thee will I
establish my covenant.</i> 1. The covenant of providence, that the
course of nature shall be continued to the end of time,
notwithstanding the interruption which the flood would give to it.
This promise was immediately made to Noah and his sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:8-11" id="Gen.vii-p25.2" parsed="|Gen|9|8|9|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.8-Gen.9.11"><i>ch.</i> ix. 8</scripRef>, &amp;c. They were
as trustees for all this part of the creation, and a great honour
was thereby put upon him and his. 2. The covenant of grace, that
God would be to him a God and that out of his seed God would take
to himself a people. Note, (1.) When God makes a covenant, he
establishes it, he makes it sure, he makes it good; his are
everlasting covenants. (2.) The covenant of grace has in it the
recompence of singular services, and the fountain and foundation of
all distinguishing favours; we need desire no more, either to make
up our losses for God or to make up a happiness for us in God, than
to have his covenant established with us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p26">III. God here makes Noah a monument of
sparing mercy, by putting him in a way to secure himself in the
approaching deluge, that he might not perish with the rest of the
world: <i>I will destroy them,</i> says God, <i>with the earth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 6:13" id="Gen.vii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. "But <i>make
thee an ark;</i> I will take care to preserve thee alive." Note,
singular piety shall be recompensed with distinguishing salvations,
which are in a special manner obliging. This will add much to the
honour and happiness of glorified saints, that they shall be saved
when the greatest part of the world is left to perish. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p27">1. God directs Noah to <i>make an ark,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 6:14-16" id="Gen.vii-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|6|14|6|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.14-Gen.6.16"><i>v.</i> 14-16</scripRef>. This ark
was like the hulk of a ship, fitted not to sail upon the waters
(there was no occasion for that, when there should be no shore to
sail to), but to float upon the waters, waiting for their fall. God
could have secured Noah by the ministration of angels, without
putting him to any care, or pains, or trouble, himself; but he
chose to employ him in making that which was to be the means of his
preservation, both for the trial of his faith and obedience and to
teach us that none shall be saved by Christ but those only that
<i>work out their salvation.</i> We cannot do it without God, and
he will not without us. Both the providence of God, and the grace
of God, own and crown the endeavours of the obedient and diligent.
God gave him very particular instructions concerning this building,
which could not but be admirably well fitted for the purpose when
Infinite Wisdom itself was the architect. (1.) It must be made of
<i>gopher-wood.</i> Noah, doubtless, knew what sort of wood that
was, though we now do not, whether cedar, or cypress, or what
other. (2.) He must make it three stories high within. (3.) He must
divide it into cabins, with partitions, places fitted for the
several sorts of creatures, so as to lose no room. (4.) Exact
dimensions were given him, that he might make it proportionable,
and might have room enough in it to answer the intention and no
more. Note, those that work for God must take their measures from
him and carefully observe them. Note, further, it is fit that he
who appoints us our habitation should fix the bounds and limits of
it. (5.) He must <i>pitch it within and without</i>&#8212;without, to
shed off the rain, and to prevent the water from soaking
in&#8212;within, to take away the bad smell of the beasts when kept
close. Observe,
God does not bid him paint it, but pitch it. If God
gives us habi/tations that are safe, and warm, and wholesome, we are
bound to be thankful, though they are not magnificent or nice. (6.)
He must make a little window towards the top, to let in light, and
(some think) that through that window he might behold the
desolations to be made in the earth. (7.) He must make a door in
the side of it, by which to go in and out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p28">2. God promises Noah that he and his shall
be preserved alive in the ark (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:18" id="Gen.vii-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt come into the
ark.</i> Note, what we do in obedience to God, we ourselves are
likely to have the comfort and benefit of. <i>If thou be wise, thou
shalt be wise for thyself.</i> Nor was he himself only saved in the
ark, but <i>his wife, and his sons, and his sons' wives.</i>
Observe, (1.) The care of good parents; they are solicitous not
only for their own
<pb n="57" id="Gen.vii-Page_57"/>
salvation, but for the
salvation of their families, and especially their children. (2.)
The happiness of those children that have godly parents. Their
parents' piety often procures them temporal salvation, as here; and
it furthers them in the way to eternal salvation, if they improve
the benefit of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p29">IV. God here makes Noah a great blessing to
the world, and herein makes him an eminent type of the Messiah,
though not the Messiah himself, as his parents expected, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:29" id="Gen.vii-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|5|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.29"><i>ch.</i> v. 29</scripRef>. 1. God made him a
preacher to the men of that generation. As a watchman, he received
the word from God's mouth, that he might give them warning,
<scripRef passage="Eze 3:17" id="Gen.vii-p29.2" parsed="|Ezek|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.17">Ezek. iii. 17</scripRef>. Thus,
<i>while the long-suffering of God waited,</i> by his Spirit in
Noah, he <i>preached to</i> the old world, who, when Peter wrote,
were <i>spirits in prison</i> (<scripRef passage="1Pe 3:18-20" id="Gen.vii-p29.3" parsed="|1Pet|3|18|3|20" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.18-1Pet.3.20">1
Pet. iii. 18-20</scripRef>), and herein he was a type of Christ,
who, in a land and age wherein all flesh had corrupted their way,
went about preaching repentance and warning men of a deluge of
wrath coming. 2. God made him a saviour to the inferior creatures,
to keep the several kinds of them from perishing and being lost in
the deluge, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:19-21" id="Gen.vii-p29.4" parsed="|Gen|6|19|6|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.19-Gen.6.21"><i>v.</i>
19-21</scripRef>. This was a great honour put upon him, that not
only in him the race of mankind should be kept up, and that from
him should proceed a new world, the church, the soul of the world,
and Messiah, the head of that church, but that he should be
instrumental to preserve the inferior creatures, and so mankind
should in him acquire a new title to them and their service. (1.)
He was to provide shelter for them, that they might not be drowned.
<i>Two of every sort, male and female,</i> he must take with him
into the ark; and lest he should make any difficulty of gathering
them together, and getting them in, God promises (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:20" id="Gen.vii-p29.5" parsed="|Gen|6|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) that they shall of their
own accord come to him. He that makes the ox to know his owner and
his crib then made him know his preserver and his ark. (2.) He was
to provide sustenance for them, that they might not be starved,
<scripRef passage="Ge 6:21" id="Gen.vii-p29.6" parsed="|Gen|6|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. He must
victual his ship according to the number of his crew, that great
family which he had now the charge of, and according to the time
appointed for his confinement. Herein also he was a type of Christ,
to whom it is owing that the world stands, by whom all things
consist, and who preserves mankind from being totally cut off and
ruined by sin; in him the holy seed is saved alive, and the
creation rescued from the vanity under which it groans. Noah saved
those whom he was to rule, so does Christ, <scripRef passage="Heb 5:9" id="Gen.vii-p29.7" parsed="|Heb|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.9">Heb. v. 9</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 6:22" id="Gen.vii-p29.8" parsed="|Gen|6|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.6.22">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.vii-p30">22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God
commanded him, so did he.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.vii-p31">Noah's care and diligence in building the
ark may be considered, 1. As an effect of his faith in the word of
God. God had told him he would shortly drown the world; he believed
it, feared the threatened deluge, and, in that fear, prepared the
ark. Note, we ought to mix faith with the revelation God has made
of his wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men;
the threatenings of the word are not false alarms. Much might have
been objected against the credibility of this warning given to
Noah. "Who could believe that the wise God, who made the world,
should so soon unmake it again, that he who had drawn the waters
off the dry land (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:9,10" id="Gen.vii-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|1|9|1|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.9-Gen.1.10"><i>ch.</i> i. 9,
10</scripRef>) should cause them to cover it again? How would this
be reconciled with the mercy of God, which is over all his works,
especially that the innocent creatures should die for man's sin?
Whence could water be had sufficient to deluge the world? And, if
it must be so, why should notice be given of it to Noah only?" But
Noah's faith triumphed over all these corrupt reasonings. 2. As an
act of obedience to the command of God. Had he consulted with flesh
and blood, many objections would have been raised against it. To
rear a building, such a one as he never saw, so large, and of such
exact dimensions, would put him upon a great deal of care, and
labour, and expense. It would be a work of time; the vision was for
a great while to come. His neighbours would ridicule him for his
credulity, and he would be the song of the drunkards; his building
would be called <i>Noah's folly.</i> If the worst came to the
worst, as we say, each would fare as well as his neighbours. But
these, and a thousand such objections, Noah by faith got over. His
obedience was ready and resolute: <i>Thus did Noah,</i> willingly
and cheerfully, without murmuring and disputing. God says, <i>Do
this,</i> and he does it. It was also punctual and persevering: he
did all exactly according to the instructions given him, and,
having begun to build, did not leave off till he had finished it;
so did he, and so must we do. 3. As an instance of wisdom for
himself, thus to provide for his own safety. He feared the deluge,
and therefore prepared the ark. Note, when God gives warning of
approaching judgments, it is our wisdom and duty to provide
accordingly. See <scripRef passage="Ex 9:20-21,Eze 3:18" id="Gen.vii-p31.2" parsed="|Exod|9|20|9|21;|Ezek|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.20-Exod.9.21 Bible:Ezek.3.18">Exod. ix.
20, 21; Ezek. iii. 18</scripRef>. We must prepare to meet the Lord
in his judgments on earth, flee to his name as a strong tower
(<scripRef passage="Pr 18:10" id="Gen.vii-p31.3" parsed="|Prov|18|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.18.10">Prov. xviii. 10</scripRef>), enter
into our chambers (<scripRef passage="Isa 26:20,21" id="Gen.vii-p31.4" parsed="|Isa|26|20|26|21" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.20-Isa.26.21">Isa. xxvi. 20,
21</scripRef>), especially prepare to meet him at death and in the
judgment of the great day, build upon Christ the Rock (<scripRef passage="Mt 7:24" id="Gen.vii-p31.5" parsed="|Matt|7|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.24">Matt. vii. 24</scripRef>), go into Christ the
Ark. 4. As intended for warning to a careless world; and it was
fair warning of the deluge coming. Every blow of his axes and
hammers was a call to repentance, a call to them to prepare arks
too. But, since by it he could not convince the world, by it he
condemned the world, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:7" id="Gen.vii-p31.6" parsed="|Heb|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.7">Heb. xi.
7</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VII" n="viii" progress="7.30%" prev="Gen.vii" next="Gen.ix" id="Gen.viii">
<pb n="57" id="Gen.viii-Page_57"/>
<h2 id="Gen.viii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.viii-p0.2">CHAP. VII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.viii-p1">In this chapter we have the performance of what
was foretold in the foregoing chapter, both concerning the
destruction of the old world and the salvation of Noah; for we may
be sure that no
<pb n="58" id="Gen.viii-Page_58"/>
word of God shall fall to the
ground. There we left Noah busy about his ark, and full of care to
get it finished in time, while the rest of his neighbours were
laughing at him for his pains. Now here we see what was the end
thereof, the end of his care and of their carelessness. And this
famous period of the old world gives us some idea of the state of
things when the world that now is shall be destroyed by fire, as
that was by water. See <scripRef passage="2Pe 3:6,7" id="Gen.viii-p1.1" parsed="|2Pet|3|6|3|7" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.6-2Pet.3.7">2 Pet. iii. 6,
7</scripRef>. We have, in this chapter, I. God's gracious call to
Noah to come into the ark (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:1" id="Gen.viii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.1">ver.
1</scripRef>), and to bring the creatures that were to be preserved
alive along with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:2,3" id="Gen.viii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|7|2|7|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.2-Gen.7.3">ver. 2,
3</scripRef>), in consideration of the deluge at hand, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:4" id="Gen.viii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. II. Noah's obedience to this
heavenly vision, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:5" id="Gen.viii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.5">ver. 5</scripRef>. When
he was six hundred years old, he came with his family into the ark
(<scripRef passage="Ge 7:6,7" id="Gen.viii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|7|6|7|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.6-Gen.7.7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>), and brought
the creatures along with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:8,9" id="Gen.viii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|7|8|7|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.8-Gen.7.9">ver. 8,
9</scripRef>), an account of which is repeated (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:13-16" id="Gen.viii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|7|13|7|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.13-Gen.7.16">ver. 13-16</scripRef>), to which is added God's tender
care to shut him in. III. The coming of the threatened deluge
(<scripRef passage="Ge 7:10" id="Gen.viii-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.10">ver. 10</scripRef>); the causes of it
(<scripRef passage="Ge 7:11,12" id="Gen.viii-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|7|11|7|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.11-Gen.7.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>): the
prevalency of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:17-20" id="Gen.viii-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|7|17|7|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.17-Gen.7.20">ver.
17-20</scripRef>. IV. The dreadful desolations that were made by it
in the death of every living creature upon earth, except those that
were in the ark, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:21-23" id="Gen.viii-p1.12" parsed="|Gen|7|21|7|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.21-Gen.7.23">ver.
21-23</scripRef>. V. The continuance of it in full sea, before it
began to ebb, one hundred and fifty days, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:24" id="Gen.viii-p1.13" parsed="|Gen|7|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.24">ver. 24</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7" id="Gen.viii-p1.14" parsed="|Gen|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7:1-4" id="Gen.viii-p1.15" parsed="|Gen|7|1|7|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.1-Gen.7.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.7.1-Gen.7.4">
<h4 id="Gen.viii-p1.16">Noah Invited into the Ark. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.viii-p1.17">b. c.</span> 2349.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.viii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.viii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee
have I seen righteous before me in this generation. &#160; 2 Of
every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and
his female: and of beasts that <i>are</i> not clean by two, the
male and his female. &#160; 3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens,
the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all
the earth. &#160; 4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain
upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living
substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the
earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p3">Here is, I. A gracious invitation of Noah
and his family into a place of safety, now that the flood of waters
was coming, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:1" id="Gen.viii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p4">1. The call itself is very kind, like that
of a tender father to his children, to come in doors, when he sees
night or a storm coming: <i>Come thou, and all thy house,</i> that
small family that thou hast, <i>into the ark.</i> Observe, (1.)
Noah did not go into the ark till God bade him; though he knew it
was designed for his place of refuge, yet he waited for a renewed
command, and had it. It is very comfortable to follow the calls of
Providence, and to see God going before us in every step we take.
(2.) God does not bid him <i>go</i> into the ark, but <i>come</i>
into it, implying that God would go with him, would lead him into
it, accompany him in it, and in due time bring him safely out of
it. Note, wherever we are, it is very desirable to have the
presence of God with us, for this is all in all to the comfort of
every condition. It was this that made Noah's ark, which was a
prison, to be to him not only a refuge, but a palace. (3.) Noah had
taken a great deal of pains to build the ark, and now he was
himself preserved alive in it. Note, what we do in obedience to the
command of God, and in faith, we ourselves shall certainly have the
comfort of, first or last. (4.) Not he only, but his house also,
his wife and children, are called with him into the ark. Note, It
is good to belong to the family of a godly man; it is safe and
comfortable to dwell under such a shadow. One of Noah's sons was
Ham, who proved afterwards a bad man, yet he was saved in the ark,
which intimates, [1.] That wicked children often fare the better
for the sake of their godly parents. [2.] That there is a mixture
of bad with good in the best societies on earth, and we are not to
think it strange. In Noah's family there was a Ham, and in Christ's
family there was a Judas. There is no perfect purity on this side
heaven. (5.) This call to Noah was a type of the call which the
gospel gives to poor sinners. Christ is an ark already prepared, in
whom alone we can be safe when death and judgment come. Now the
burden of the song is, "Come, come;" the word says, "Come;"
ministers say, "Come;" the Spirit says, "Come, come into the
ark."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p5">2. The reason for this invitation is a very
honourable testimony to Noah's integrity: <i>For thee have I seen
righteous before me in this generation.</i> Observe, (1.) Those are
righteous indeed that are righteous before God, that have not only
the form of godliness by which they appear righteous before men,
who may easily be imposed upon, but the power of it by which they
approve themselves to God, who searches the heart, and cannot be
deceived in men's characters. (2.) God takes notice of and is
pleased with those that are righteous before him: <i>Thee have I
seen.</i> In a world of wicked people God could see one righteous
Noah; that single grain of wheat could not be lost, no, not in so
great a heap of chaff. <i>The Lord knows those that are his.</i>
(3.) God, that is a witness to, will shortly be a witness for, his
people's integrity; he that sees it will proclaim it before angels
and men, to their immortal honour. Those that obtain mercy to be
righteous shall obtain witness that they are righteous. (4.) God
is, in a special manner, pleased with those that are good in bad
times and places. Noah was therefore illustriously righteous,
because he was so in that wicked and adulterous generation. (5.)
Those that keep themselves pure in times of common iniquity God
will keep safe in times of common calamity; those that partake not
with others in their sins shall not partake with them in their
plagues; those that are better than others are, even in this life,
safer than others, and it is better with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p6">II. Here are necessary orders given
concerning the brute-creatures that were to be preserved alive with
Noah in the ark, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:2,3" id="Gen.viii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|7|2|7|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.2-Gen.7.3"><i>v.</i> 2,
3</scripRef>. They were not capable of receiving the warning and
directions themselves, as man was, who herein is taught <i>more
than the beasts of the earth, and made wiser than the fowls of
heaven</i>&#8212;that he is endued with the power of foresight;
therefore man is charged with the care of them: being under his
dominion, they must be under his protection; and, though he could
not secure every individual,
<pb n="59" id="Gen.viii-Page_59"/>
yet he must
carefully preserve every species, that no tribe, no, not the least
considerable, might entirely perish out of the creation. Observe in
this, 1. God's care for man, for his comfort and benefit. We do not
find that Noah was solicitous of himself about this matter; but God
consults our happiness more than we do ourselves. Though God saw
that the old world was very provoking, and foresaw that the new one
would be little better, yet he would preserve the brute creatures
for man's use. <i>Doth God take care for oxen?</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 9:9" id="Gen.viii-p6.2" parsed="|1Cor|9|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.9">1 Cor. ix. 9</scripRef>. Or was it not rather for
man's sake that this care was taken? 2. Even the unclean beasts,
which were least valuable and profitable, were preserved alive in
the ark; for God's tender mercies are over all his works, and not
over those only that are of most eminence and use. 3. Yet more of
the clean were preserved than of the unclean. (1.) Because the
clean were most for the service of man; and therefore, in favour to
him, more of them were preserved and are still propagated. Thanks
be to God, there are not herds of lions as there are of oxen, nor
flocks of tigers as there are of sheep. (2.) Because the clean were
for sacrifice to God; and therefore, in honour to him, more of them
were preserved, three couple for breed, and the odd seventh for
sacrifice, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:20" id="Gen.viii-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.20"><i>ch.</i> viii.
20</scripRef>. God gives us six for one in earthly things, as in
the distribution of the days of the week, that in spiritual things
we should be all for him. What is devoted to God's honour, and used
in his service, is particularly blessed and increased.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p7">III. Here is notice given of the now
imminent approach of the flood: <i>Yet seven days, and I will cause
it to rain,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:4" id="Gen.viii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
1. "It shall be seven days <i>yet,</i> before I do it." After the
hundred and twenty years had expired, God grants them a reprieve of
seven days longer, both to show how slow he is to anger and that
punishing work is his strange work, and also to give them some
further space for repentance: but all in vain; these seven days
were trifled away, after all the rest; they continued secure and
sensual until the day that the flood came. 2. "It shall be
<i>but</i> seven days." While Noah told them of the judgment at a
distance, they were tempted to put off their repentance, because
the vision was for a great while to come; but now he is ordered to
tell them that it is at the door, that they have but one week more
to turn them in, but one sabbath more to improve, to see if that
will now, at last, awaken them to consider the things that belong
to their peace, which otherwise will soon be hidden from their
eyes. But it is common for those that have been careless of their
souls during the years of their health, when they have looked upon
death at a distance, to be as careless during the days, the seven
days, of their sickness, when they see it approaching, their hearts
being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7:5-10" id="Gen.viii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|7|5|7|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.5-Gen.7.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.7.5-Gen.7.10">
<h4 id="Gen.viii-p7.3">The Deluge. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.viii-p7.4">b. c.</span> 2349.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.viii-p8">5 And Noah did according unto all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.viii-p8.1">Lord</span> commanded him. &#160; 6 And Noah
<i>was</i> six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon
the earth. &#160; 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife,
and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters
of the flood. &#160; 8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that
<i>are</i> not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that
creepeth upon the earth, &#160; 9 There went in two and two unto
Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded
Noah. &#160; 10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the
waters of the flood were upon the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p9">Here is Noah's ready obedience to the
commands that God gave him. Observe, 1. He went into the ark, upon
notice that the flood would come after seven days, though probably
as yet there appeared no visible sign of its approach, no cloud
arising that threatened it, nothing done towards it, but all
continued serene and clear; for, as he prepared the ark by faith in
the warning given that the flood would come, so he went into it by
faith in this warning that it would come quickly, though he did not
see that the second causes had yet begun to work. In every step he
took, he walked by faith, and not by sense. During these seven
days, it is likely, he was settling himself and his family in the
ark, and distributing the creatures into their several apartments.
This was the conclusion of that visible sermon which he had long
been preaching to his careless neighbours, and which, one would
think, might have awakened them; but, not obtaining that desired
end, it left their blood upon their own heads. 2. He took all his
family along with him, his wife, to be his companion and comfort
(though it should seem that, after this, he had no children by
her), his sons, and his sons' wives, that by them not only his
family, but the world of mankind, might be built up. Observe,
Though men were to be reduced to so small a number, and it would be
very desirable to have the world speedily repeopled, yet Noah's
sons were each of them to have but one wife, which strengthens the
argument against having many wives; for from the beginning of this
new world it was not so: as, at first, God made, so now he kept
alive, but one woman for one man. See <scripRef passage="Mt 19:4,8" id="Gen.viii-p9.1" parsed="|Matt|19|4|0|0;|Matt|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.4 Bible:Matt.19.8">Matt. xix. 4, 8</scripRef>. 3. The brute creatures
readily went in with him. The same hand that at first brought them
to Adam to be named now brought them to Noah to be preserved. The
ox now knew his owner, and the ass his protector's crib, nay, even
the wildest creatures flocked to it; but man had become more
brutish than the brutes
<pb n="60" id="Gen.viii-Page_60"/>
themselves, and did
not know, did not consider, <scripRef passage="Isa 1:3" id="Gen.viii-p9.2" parsed="|Isa|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.3">Isa. i.
3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7:11-12" id="Gen.viii-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|7|11|7|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.11-Gen.7.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.7.11-Gen.7.12">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.viii-p10">11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in
the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day
were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows
of heaven were opened. &#160; 12 And the rain was upon the earth
forty days and forty nights.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p11">Here is, I. The date of this great event;
this is carefully recorded, for the greater certainty of the
story.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p12">1. It was in the 600th year of Noah's life,
which, by computation, appears to be 1656 years from the creation.
The years of the old world are reckoned, not by the reigns of the
giants, but the lives of the patriarchs; saints are of more account
with God than princes. <i>The righteous shall be had in everlasting
remembrance.</i> Noah was now a very old man, even as men's years
went then. Note, (1.) The longer we live in this world the more we
see of the miseries and calamities of it; it is therefore spoken of
as the privilege of those that die young that their <i>eyes shall
not see the evil</i> which is coming, <scripRef passage="2Ki 22:20" id="Gen.viii-p12.1" parsed="|2Kgs|22|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.22.20">2 Kings xxii. 20</scripRef>. (2.) Sometimes God
exercises his old servants with extraordinary trials of obedient
patience. The oldest of Christ's soldiers must not promise
themselves a discharge from their warfare till death discharge
them. Still they must gird on their harness, and not boast as
though they had put it off. As the year of the deluge is recorded,
so,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p13">2. We are told that it was in the <i>second
month, the seventeenth day of the month,</i> which is reckoned to
be about the beginning of November; so that Noah had had a harvest
just before, from which to victual his ark.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p14">II. The second causes that concurred to
this deluge. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p15">1. In the self-same day that Noah was fixed
in the ark, the inundation began. Note, (1.) Desolating judgments
come not till God has provided for the security of his own people;
see <scripRef passage="Ge 19:22" id="Gen.viii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|19|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.22"><i>ch.</i> xix. 22</scripRef>, I
can <i>do nothing till thou be come thither:</i> and we find
(<scripRef passage="Re 7:3" id="Gen.viii-p15.2" parsed="|Rev|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.3">Rev. vii. 3</scripRef>) that the winds
are held till the servants of God are sealed. (2.) When good men
are removed judgments are not far off; for they are <i>taken away
from the evil to come,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 57:1" id="Gen.viii-p15.3" parsed="|Isa|57|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.57.1">Isa. lvii.
1</scripRef>. When they are called into the chambers, hidden in the
grave, hidden in heaven, then God is <i>coming out of his place to
punish,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 26:20,21" id="Gen.viii-p15.4" parsed="|Isa|26|20|26|21" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.20-Isa.26.21">Isa. xxvi. 20,
21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p16">2. See what was done on that day, that
fatal day to the world of the ungodly. (1.) <i>The fountains of the
great deep were broken up.</i> Perhaps there needed no new creation
of waters; what were already made to be, in the common course of
providence, blessings to the earth, were now, by an extraordinary
act of divine power, made the ruin of it. God has laid up the deep
in storehouses (<scripRef passage="Ps 33:7" id="Gen.viii-p16.1" parsed="|Ps|33|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.33.7">Ps. xxxiii.
7</scripRef>), and now he broke up those stores. As our bodies have
in themselves those humours which, when God pleases, become the
seeds and springs of mortal diseases, so the earth had in it bowels
those waters which, at God's command, sprang up and flooded it. God
had, in the creation, set <i>bars and doors</i> to the waters of
<i>the sea,</i> that they <i>might not return to cover the
earth</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 104:9,Job 38:9-11" id="Gen.viii-p16.2" parsed="|Ps|104|9|0|0;|Job|38|9|38|11" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.9 Bible:Job.38.9-Job.38.11">Ps. civ. 9; Job
xxxviii. 9-11</scripRef>); and now he only removed those ancient
land-marks, mounds, and fences, and the waters of the sea returned
to cover the earth, as they had done at first, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:9" id="Gen.viii-p16.3" parsed="|Gen|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.9"><i>ch.</i> i. 9</scripRef>. Note, All the creatures are
ready to fight against sinful man, and any of them is able to be
the instrument of his ruin, if God do but take off the restraints
by which they are held in during the day of God's patience. (2.)
<i>The windows of heaven were opened,</i> and <i>the waters which
were above the firmament</i> were poured out upon the world; those
treasures which God has <i>reserved against the time of trouble,
the day of battle and war,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:22,23" id="Gen.viii-p16.4" parsed="|Job|38|22|38|23" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.22-Job.38.23">Job
xxxviii. 22, 23</scripRef>. The rain, which ordinarily descends in
drops, then came down in streams, or <i>spouts,</i> as they call
them in the Indies, where clouds have been often known to
<i>burst,</i> as they express it there, when the rain descends in a
much more violent torrent than we have ever seen in the greatest
shower. We read (<scripRef passage="Job 26:8" id="Gen.viii-p16.5" parsed="|Job|26|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.8">Job xxvi.
8</scripRef>) that <i>God binds up the waters in his thick
clouds,</i> and the <i>cloud is not rent under them;</i> but now
the bond was loosed, the cloud was rent, and such rains descended
as were never known before nor since, in such abundance and of such
continuance: the thick cloud was not, as ordinarily it is, wearied
with waterings (<scripRef passage="Job 37:11" id="Gen.viii-p16.6" parsed="|Job|37|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.37.11">Job xxxvii.
11</scripRef>), that is, soon spent and exhausted; but still the
clouds returned after the rain, and the divine power brought in
fresh recruits. It rained, without intermission or abatement,
<i>forty days and forty nights</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:12" id="Gen.viii-p16.7" parsed="|Gen|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), and that upon the whole earth
at once, not, as sometimes, <i>upon one city and not upon
another.</i> God made the world in six days, but he was forty days
in destroying it; for he is slow to anger: but, though the
destruction came slowly and gradually, yet it came effectually.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p17">3. Now learn from this, (1.) That all the
creatures are at God's disposal, and that he makes what use he
pleases of them, whether <i>for correction, or for his land, or for
mercy,</i> as Elihu speaks of the rain, <scripRef passage="Job 37:12,13" id="Gen.viii-p17.1" parsed="|Job|37|12|37|13" osisRef="Bible:Job.37.12-Job.37.13">Job xxxvii. 12, 13</scripRef>. (2.) That God often
makes that which <i>should be for our welfare to become a trap,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 69:22" id="Gen.viii-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|69|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.69.22">Ps. lxix. 22</scripRef>. That which
usually is a comfort and benefit to us becomes, when God pleases, a
scourge and a plague to us. Nothing is more needful nor useful than
water, both the springs of the earth and the showers of heaven; and
yet now nothing was more hurtful, nothing more destructive: every
creature is to us what God makes it. (3.) That it is impossible to
escape the righteous judgments of God
<pb n="61" id="Gen.viii-Page_61"/>
when
they come against sinners with commission; for God can arm both
heaven and earth against them; see <scripRef passage="Job 20:27" id="Gen.viii-p17.3" parsed="|Job|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.20.27">Job xx. 27</scripRef>. God can surround men with the
messengers of his wrath, so that, if they look upwards, it is with
horror and amazement, if they look to the earth, <i>behold, trouble
and darkness,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 8:21,22" id="Gen.viii-p17.4" parsed="|Isa|8|21|8|22" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.21-Isa.8.22">Isa. viii. 21,
22</scripRef>. Who then is able to stand before God, when he is
angry? (4.) In this destruction of the old world by water God gave
a specimen of the final destruction of the world that now is by
fire. We find the apostle setting the one of these over against the
other, <scripRef passage="2Pe 3:6,7" id="Gen.viii-p17.5" parsed="|2Pet|3|6|3|7" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.6-2Pet.3.7">2 Pet. iii. 6, 7</scripRef>.
As there are waters under the earth, so &#198;tna, Vesuvius, and other
volcanoes, proclaim to the world that there are subterraneous fires
too; and fire often falls from heaven, many desolations are made by
lightning; so that, when the time predetermined comes, between
these two fires the earth and all the works therein shall be burnt
up, as the flood was brought upon the old world out of the
fountains of the great deep and through the windows of heaven.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7:13-16" id="Gen.viii-p17.6" parsed="|Gen|7|13|7|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.13-Gen.7.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.7.13-Gen.7.16">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.viii-p18">13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem,
and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the
three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; &#160; 14 They,
and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their
kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after
his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
&#160; 15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of
all flesh, wherein <i>is</i> the breath of life. &#160; 16 And they
that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had
commanded him: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.viii-p18.1">Lord</span> shut him
in.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p19">Here is repeated what was related before of
Noah's entrance into the ark, with his family and creatures that
were marked for preservation. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p20">I. It is thus repeated for the honour of
Noah, whose faith and obedience herein shone so brightly, by which
he obtained a good report, and who herein appeared so great a
favourite of Heaven and so great a blessing to this earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p21">II. Notice is here taken of the beasts
going in <i>each after his kind,</i> according to the phrase used
in the history of the creation (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:21-25" id="Gen.viii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|1|21|1|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.21-Gen.1.25"><i>ch.</i> i. 21-25</scripRef>), to intimate that just
as many kinds as were created at first were saved now, and no more;
and that this preservation was as a new creation: a life remarkably
protected is, as it were, a new life.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p22">III. Though all enmities and hostilities
between the creatures ceased for the present, and ravenous
creatures were not only so mild and manageable as that the <i>wolf
and the lamb lay down together,</i> but so strangely altered as
that the <i>lion did eat straw like an ox</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 11:6,7" id="Gen.viii-p22.1" parsed="|Isa|11|6|11|7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.6-Isa.11.7">Isa. xi. 6, 7</scripRef>), yet, when this occasion was
over, the restraint was taken off, and they were still of the same
kind as ever; for the ark did not alter their constitution.
Hypocrites in the church, that externally conform to the laws of
that ark, may yet be unchanged, and then it will appear, one time
or other, what kind they are after.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p23">IV. It is added (and the circumstance
deserves our notice), <i>The Lord shut him in,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:16" id="Gen.viii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. As Noah continued his
obedience to God, so God continued his care of Noah: and here it
appeared to be a very distinguishing care; for the shutting of this
door set up a partition wall between him and all the world besides.
God shut the door, 1. To secure him, and keep him safe in the ark.
The door must be shut very <i>close,</i> lest the waters should
break in and sink the ark, and very <i>fast,</i> lest any without
should break it down. Thus God made up Noah, as he <i>makes up his
jewels,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 3:17" id="Gen.viii-p23.2" parsed="|Mal|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.17">Mal. iii. 17</scripRef>.
2. To exclude all others, and keep them for ever out. Hitherto the
door of the ark stood open, and if any, even during the last seven
days, had repented and believed, for aught I know they might have
been welcomed into the ark; but now the door was shut, and they
were cut off from all hopes of admittance: for God <i>shutteth, and
none can open.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p24">V. There is much of our gospel duty and
privilege to be seen in Noah's preservation in the ark. The apostle
makes it a type of our baptism, that is, our Christianity,
<scripRef passage="1Pe 3:20,21" id="Gen.viii-p24.1" parsed="|1Pet|3|20|3|21" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.20-1Pet.3.21">1 Pet. iii. 20, 21</scripRef>.
Observe then, 1. It is our great duty, in obedience to the gospel
call, by a lively faith in Christ, to come into that way of
salvation which God has provided for poor sinners. When Noah came
into the ark, he quitted his own house and lands; so must we quit
our own righteousness and our worldly possessions, whenever they
come into competition with Christ. Noah must, for a while, submit
to the confinements and inconveniences of the ark, in order to his
preservation for a new world; so those that come into Christ to be
saved by him must deny themselves, both in sufferings and services.
2. Those that come into the ark themselves should bring as many as
they can in with them, by good instructions, by persuasions, and by
a good example. <i>What knowest thou, O man, but thou mayest thus
save thy wife</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 7:16" id="Gen.viii-p24.2" parsed="|1Cor|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.16">1 Cor. vii.
16</scripRef>), as Noah did his? There is room enough in Christ for
all comers. 3. Those that by faith come into Christ, the ark, shall
by the power of God be shut in, and kept as in a strong-hold <i>by
the power of God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:5" id="Gen.viii-p24.3" parsed="|1Pet|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.5">1 Pet. i.
5</scripRef>. God put Adam into paradise, but he did not shut him
in, and so he threw himself out; but when he put Noah into the ark
he shut him in, and so when he brings a soul to Christ he ensures
its salvation: it is not in our own keeping, but in the Mediator's
hand. 4. The door of mercy will shortly be shut against
<pb n="62" id="Gen.viii-Page_62"/>
those that now make light of it. Now, <i>knock and it
shall be opened;</i> but the time will come when it shall not,
<scripRef passage="Lu 13:25" id="Gen.viii-p24.4" parsed="|Luke|13|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.13.25">Luke xiii. 25</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7:17-20" id="Gen.viii-p24.5" parsed="|Gen|7|17|7|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.17-Gen.7.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.7.17-Gen.7.20">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.viii-p25">17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth;
and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up
above the earth. &#160; 18 And the waters prevailed, and were
increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of
the waters. &#160; 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the
earth; and all the high hills, that <i>were</i> under the whole
heaven, were covered. &#160; 20 Fifteen cubits upward did the
waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p26">We are here told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p27">I. How long the flood was
increasing&#8212;<i>forty days,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:17" id="Gen.viii-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. The profane world, who believed
not that it would come, probably when it came flattered themselves
with hopes that it would soon abate and never come to extremity;
but still it increased, it prevailed. Note, 1. When God judges he
will overcome. If he begin, he will make an end; his way is
perfect, both in judgment and mercy. 2. The gradual approaches and
advances of God's judgments, which are designed to bring sinners to
repentance, are often abused to the hardening of them in their
presumption.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p28">II. To what degree they increased: they
rose so high that not only the low flat countries were deluged, but
to make sure work, and that none might escape, the tops of the
highest mountains were overflowed&#8212;<i>fifteen cubits,</i> that is,
seven yards and a half; so that <i>in vain was salvation hoped for
from hills or mountains,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 3:23" id="Gen.viii-p28.1" parsed="|Jer|3|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.3.23">Jer. iii.
23</scripRef>. None of God's creatures are so high but his power
can overtop them; and he will make them know that wherein they deal
proudly he is above them. Perhaps the tops of the mountains were
washed down by the strength of the waters, which helped much
towards the prevailing of the waters above them; for it is said
(<scripRef passage="Job 12:15" id="Gen.viii-p28.2" parsed="|Job|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.12.15">Job xii. 15</scripRef>), <i>He sends
out the waters,</i> and they not only overflow, but overturn, the
earth. Thus the refuge of lies was swept away, and the waters
overflowed the hiding-place of those sinners (<scripRef passage="Isa 28:17" id="Gen.viii-p28.3" parsed="|Isa|28|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.17">Isa. xxviii. 17</scripRef>), and in vain they fly to
them for safety, <scripRef passage="Re 6:16" id="Gen.viii-p28.4" parsed="|Rev|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.16">Rev. vi.
16</scripRef>. Now the mountains departed, and the hills were
removed, and nothing stood a man in stead but the <i>covenant of
peace,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 54:10" id="Gen.viii-p28.5" parsed="|Isa|54|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.10">Isa. liv. 10</scripRef>.
There is no place on earth so high as to set men out of the reach
of God's judgments, <scripRef passage="Jer 49:16,Ob 1:3,4" id="Gen.viii-p28.6" parsed="|Jer|49|16|0|0;|Obad|1|3|1|4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.49.16 Bible:Obad.1.3-Obad.1.4">Jer.
xlix. 16; Obad. 3, 4</scripRef>. God's hand will <i>find out all
his enemies,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 21:8" id="Gen.viii-p28.7" parsed="|Ps|21|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.21.8">Ps. xxi. 8</scripRef>.
Observe how exactly they are fathomed (<i>fifteen cubits</i>), not
by Noah's plummet, but by his knowledge who <i>weighs the waters by
measure,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 28:25" id="Gen.viii-p28.8" parsed="|Job|28|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.28.25">Job xxviii.
25</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p29">III. What became of Noah's ark when the
waters thus increased: <i>It was lifted up above the earth</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 7:17" id="Gen.viii-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), <i>and went
upon the face of the waters,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:18" id="Gen.viii-p29.2" parsed="|Gen|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. When all other buildings were
demolished by the waters, and buried under them, the ark alone
subsisted. Observe, 1. The waters which broke down every thing else
bore up the ark. That which to unbelievers is a savour of death
unto death is to the faithful a savour of life unto life. 2. The
more the waters increased the higher the ark was lifted up towards
heaven. Thus sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions; and
as troubles abound consolations much more abound.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 7:21-24" id="Gen.viii-p29.3" parsed="|Gen|7|21|7|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.21-Gen.7.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.7.21-Gen.7.24">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.viii-p30">21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth,
both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: &#160; 22 All in
whose nostrils <i>was</i> the breath of life, of all that
<i>was</i> in the dry <i>land,</i> died. &#160; 23 And every living
substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both
man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the
heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only
remained <i>alive,</i> and they that <i>were</i> with him in the
ark. &#160; 24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred
and fifty days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p31">Here is, I. The general destruction of all
flesh by the waters of the flood. <i>Come, and see the desolations
which God makes in the earth</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 46:8" id="Gen.viii-p31.1" parsed="|Ps|46|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.8">Ps.
xlvi. 8</scripRef>), and how he lays heaps upon heaps. Never did
death triumph, from its first entrance unto this day, as it did
then. Come, and see Death upon his pale horse, and hell following
with him, <scripRef passage="Re 6:7,8" id="Gen.viii-p31.2" parsed="|Rev|6|7|6|8" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.7-Rev.6.8">Rev. vi. 7,
8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p32">1. All the cattle, fowl, and creeping
things, died, except the few that were in the ark. Observe how this
is repeated: <i>All flesh died,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:21" id="Gen.viii-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. <i>All in whose nostrils was the
breath of life, of all that was on the dry land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:22" id="Gen.viii-p32.2" parsed="|Gen|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. <i>Every living
substance,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:23" id="Gen.viii-p32.3" parsed="|Gen|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
And why so? Man only had done wickedly, and justly is God's hand
against him; but <i>these sheep, what have they done?</i> I answer,
(1.) We are sure God did them no wrong. He is the sovereign Lord of
all life, for he is the sole fountain and author of it. He that
made them as he pleased might unmake them when he pleased; and who
shall say unto him, <i>What doest thou?</i> May he not do what he
will with his own, which were created for his pleasure? (2.) God
did admirably serve the purposes of his own glory by their
destruction, as well as by their creation. Herein his holiness and
justice were greatly magnified; by this it appears that he hates
sin, and is highly displeased with sinners, when even the inferior
creatures, because they are the servants of man and part of his
possession, and because they have been abused to be the servants of
sin, are destroyed with him. This
<pb n="63" id="Gen.viii-Page_63"/>
makes the
judgment the more remarkable, the more dreadful, and, consequently,
the more expressive of God's wrath and vengeance. The destruction
of the creatures was their deliverance from the bondage of
corruption, which deliverance the whole creation now groans after,
<scripRef passage="Ro 8:21,22" id="Gen.viii-p32.4" parsed="|Rom|8|21|8|22" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.21-Rom.8.22">Rom. viii. 21, 22</scripRef>. It was
likewise an instance of God's wisdom. As the creatures were made
for man when he was made, so they were multiplied for him when he
was multiplied; and therefore, now that mankind was reduced to so
small a number, it was fit that the beasts should proportionably be
reduced, otherwise they would have had the dominion, and would have
replenished the earth, and the remnant of mankind that was left
would have been overpowered by them. See how God considered this in
another case, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:29" id="Gen.viii-p32.5" parsed="|Exod|23|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.29">Exod. xxiii.
29</scripRef>, <i>Lest the beast of the field multiply against
thee.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p33">2. All the men, women, and children, that
were in the world (except that were in the ark) died. <i>Every
man</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:21" id="Gen.viii-p33.1" parsed="|Gen|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef> and
<scripRef passage="Ge 7:23" id="Gen.viii-p33.2" parsed="|Gen|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), and perhaps
they were as many as are now upon the face of the earth, if not
more. Now, (1.) We may easily imagine what terror and consternation
seized on them when they saw themselves surrounded. Our Saviour
tells us that till the very day that the flood came they were
<i>eating and drinking</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 17:26,27" id="Gen.viii-p33.3" parsed="|Luke|17|26|17|27" osisRef="Bible:Luke.17.26-Luke.17.27">Luke
xvii. 26, 27</scripRef>); they were drowned in security and
sensuality before they were drowned in those waters, crying
<i>Peace, peace,</i> to themselves, deaf and blind to all divine
warnings. In this posture death surprised them, as <scripRef passage="1Sa 30:16,17" id="Gen.viii-p33.4" parsed="|1Sam|30|16|30|17" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.30.16-1Sam.30.17">1 Sam. xxx. 16, 17</scripRef>. But O what an
amazement were they in then! Now they see and feel that which they
would not believe and fear, and are convinced of their folly when
it is too late; now they find no place for repentance, though they
seek it carefully with tears. (2.) We may suppose that they tried
all ways and means possible for their preservation, but all in
vain. Some climb to the tops of trees or mountains, and spin out
their terrors there awhile. But the flood reaches them, at last,
and they are forced to die with the more deliberation. Some, it is
likely, cling to the ark, and now hope that this may be their
safety which they had so long made their sport. Perhaps some get to
the top of the ark, and hope to shift for themselves there; but
either they perish there for want of food, or, by a speedier
despatch, a dash of rain washes them off that deck. Others, it may
be, hoped to prevail with Noah for admission into the ark, and
pleaded old acquaintance, <i>Have we not eaten and drunk in thy
presence? Hast thou not taught in our streets?</i> "Yes," might
Noah say, "that I have, many a time, to little purpose. <i>I called
but you refused; you set at nought all my counsel</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 1:24,25" id="Gen.viii-p33.5" parsed="|Prov|1|24|1|25" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.24-Prov.1.25">Prov. i. 24, 25</scripRef>), and now it is not
in my power to help you: God has shut the door, and I cannot open
it." Thus it will be at the great day. Neither climbing high in an
outward profession, nor claiming relation to good people, will
bring men to heaven, <scripRef passage="Mt 7:22,25:8-9" id="Gen.viii-p33.6" parsed="|Matt|7|22|0|0;|Matt|25|8|25|9" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.22 Bible:Matt.25.8-Matt.25.9">Matt. vii.
22; xxv. 8, 9</scripRef>. Those that are not found in Christ, the
ark, are certainly undone, undone for ever; salvation itself cannot
save them. See <scripRef passage="Isa 10:3" id="Gen.viii-p33.7" parsed="|Isa|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.3">Isa. x. 3</scripRef>.
(3.) We may suppose that some of those that perished in the deluge
had themselves assisted Noah, or were employed by him, in the
building of the ark, and yet were not so wise as by repentance to
secure themselves a place in it. Thus wicked ministers, though they
may have been instrumental to help others to heaven, will
themselves be thrust down to hell.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p34">Let us now pause awhile and consider this
tremendous judgment! Let our hearts meditate terror, the terror of
this destruction. Let us see, and say, <i>It is a fearful thing to
fall into the hands of the living God; who can stand before him
when he is angry?</i> Let us see and say, <i>It is an evil thing,
and a bitter, to depart from God.</i> The sin of sinners will,
without repentance, be their ruin, first or last; if God be true,
it will. <i>Though hand join in hand, yet the wicked shall not go
unpunished.</i> The righteous God knows how to bring a flood upon
the world of the ungodly, <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:5" id="Gen.viii-p34.1" parsed="|2Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.5">2 Pet. ii.
5</scripRef>. Eliphaz appeals to this story as a standing warning
to a careless world (<scripRef passage="Job 22:15,16" id="Gen.viii-p34.2" parsed="|Job|22|15|22|16" osisRef="Bible:Job.22.15-Job.22.16">Job xxii. 15,
16</scripRef>), <i>Hast thou marked the old way, which wicked men
have trodden, who were cut down out of time,</i> and sent into
eternity, <i>whose foundation was overflown with the flood?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.viii-p35">II. The special preservation of Noah and
his family: <i>Noah only remained alive, and those that were with
him in the ark,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:23" id="Gen.viii-p35.1" parsed="|Gen|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Observe, 1. Noah lives. When all about him were
monuments of justice, thousands falling on his right hand and ten
thousands on his left, he was a monument of mercy. Only with his
eyes might he <i>behold and see the reward of the wicked,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 91:7,8" id="Gen.viii-p35.2" parsed="|Ps|91|7|91|8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.7-Ps.91.8">Ps. xci. 7, 8</scripRef>. <i>In the
floods of great waters, they did not come nigh him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 32:6" id="Gen.viii-p35.3" parsed="|Ps|32|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.6">Ps. xxxii. 6</scripRef>. We have reason to think
that, while the long-suffering of God waited, Noah not only
preached to, but prayed for, that wicked world, and would have
turned away the wrath; but his prayers return into his own bosom,
and are answered only in his own escape, which is plainly referred
to, <scripRef passage="Eze 14:14" id="Gen.viii-p35.4" parsed="|Ezek|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.14">Ezek. xiv. 14</scripRef>,
<i>Noah, Daniel, and Job, shall but deliver their own souls.</i> A
mark of honour shall be set on intercessors. 2. He but lives. Noah
remains alive, and this is all; he is, in effect, buried
alive&#8212;cooped up in a close place, alarmed with the terrors of the
descending rain, the increasing flood, and the shrieks and outcries
of his perishing neighbours, his heart overwhelmed with melancholy
thoughts of the desolations made. But he comforts himself with
this, that he is in the way of duty and in the way of deliverance.
And we are taught (<scripRef passage="Jer 45:4,5" id="Gen.viii-p35.5" parsed="|Jer|45|4|45|5" osisRef="Bible:Jer.45.4-Jer.45.5">Jer. xlv. 4,
5</scripRef>) that when desolating judgments are abroad we must not
seek great nor pleasant things to ourselves, but reckon it an
unspeakable favour if we have our lives given us for a prey.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VIII" n="ix" progress="8.00%" prev="Gen.viii" next="Gen.x" id="Gen.ix">
<pb n="64" id="Gen.ix-Page_64"/>
<h2 id="Gen.ix-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.ix-p1">In the close of the foregoing chapter we left the
world in ruins and the church in straits; but in this chapter we
have the repair of the one and the enlargement of the other. Now
the scene alters, and another face of things begins to be presented
to us, and the brighter side of that cloud which there appeared so
black and dark; for, though God contend long, he will not contend
for ever, nor be always wrath. We have here, I. The earth made
anew, by the recess of the waters, and the appearing of the dry
land, now a second time, and both gradual. 1. The increase of the
waters is stayed, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:1,2" id="Gen.ix-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|8|1|8|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.1-Gen.8.2">ver. 1,
2</scripRef>. 2. They begin sensibly to abate, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:3" id="Gen.ix-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.3">ver. 3</scripRef>. 3. After sixteen days' ebbing, the ark
rests, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:4" id="Gen.ix-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. 4. After sixty
days' ebbing, the tops of the mountains appeared above water,
<scripRef passage="Ge 8:5" id="Gen.ix-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.5">ver. 5</scripRef>. 5. After forty days'
ebbing, and twenty days before the mountains appeared, Noah began
to send out his spies, a raven and a dove, to gain intelligence,
<scripRef passage="Ge 8:6-12" id="Gen.ix-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|8|6|8|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.6-Gen.8.12">ver. 6-12</scripRef>. 6. Two months
after the appearing of the tops of the mountains, the waters had
gone, and the face of the earth was dry (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:13" id="Gen.ix-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.13">ver. 13</scripRef>), though not dried so as to be fit for
man till almost two months after, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:14" id="Gen.ix-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.14">ver.
14</scripRef>. II. Man placed anew upon the earth, in which, 1.
Noah's discharge and departure out of the ark, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:15-19" id="Gen.ix-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|8|15|8|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.15-Gen.8.19">ver. 15-19</scripRef>. 2. His sacrifice of praise,
which he offered to God upon his enlargement, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:20" id="Gen.ix-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.20">ver. 20</scripRef>. 3. God's acceptance of his sacrifice,
and the promise he made thereupon not to drown the world again,
<scripRef passage="Ge 8:21,22" id="Gen.ix-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|8|21|8|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.21-Gen.8.22">ver. 21, 22</scripRef>. And thus, at
length, mercy rejoices against judgment.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8" id="Gen.ix-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8:1-3" id="Gen.ix-p1.12" parsed="|Gen|8|1|8|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.1-Gen.8.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.8.1-Gen.8.3">
<h4 id="Gen.ix-p1.13">The Earth Becomes Dry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ix-p1.14">b. c.</span> 2349.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ix-p2">1 And God remembered Noah, and every living
thing, and all the cattle that <i>was</i> with him in the ark: and
God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;
&#160; 2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven
were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; &#160; 3 And
the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the
end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p3">Here is, I. An act of God's grace: <i>God
remembered Noah and every living thing.</i> This is an expression
after the manner of men; for not any of his creatures (<scripRef passage="Lu 12:6" id="Gen.ix-p3.1" parsed="|Luke|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.6">Luke xii. 6</scripRef>), much less any of his
people, are forgotten of God, <scripRef passage="Isa 49:15,16" id="Gen.ix-p3.2" parsed="|Isa|49|15|49|16" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.15-Isa.49.16">Isa.
xlix. 15, 16</scripRef>. But, 1. The whole race of mankind, except
Noah and his family, was now extinguished, and driven into the land
of forgetfulness, to be remembered no more; so that God's
remembering Noah was the return of his mercy to mankind, of whom he
would not make a full end. It is a strange expression, <scripRef passage="Eze 5:13" id="Gen.ix-p3.3" parsed="|Ezek|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.5.13">Ezek. v. 13</scripRef>, <i>When I have
accomplished my fury in them, I will be comforted.</i> The demands
of divine justice had been answered by the ruin of those sinners;
he had eased him of his adversaries (<scripRef passage="Isa 1:24" id="Gen.ix-p3.4" parsed="|Isa|1|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.24">Isa. i. 24</scripRef>), and now his spirit was quieted
(<scripRef passage="Zec 6:8" id="Gen.ix-p3.5" parsed="|Zech|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.6.8">Zech. vi. 8</scripRef>), and <i>he
remembered Noah and every living thing.</i> He remembered mercy in
wrath (<scripRef passage="Hab 3:2" id="Gen.ix-p3.6" parsed="|Hab|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.3.2">Hab. iii. 2</scripRef>),
remembered the days of old (<scripRef passage="Isa 63:11" id="Gen.ix-p3.7" parsed="|Isa|63|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.11">Isa.
lxiii. 11</scripRef>), remembered the holy seed, and then
remembered Noah. 2. Noah himself, though one that had found grace
in the eyes of the Lord, yet seemed to be forgotten in the ark, and
perhaps began to think himself so; for we do not find that God had
told him how long he should be confined and when he should be
released. Very good men have sometimes been ready to conclude
themselves forgotten of God, especially when their afflictions have
been unusually grievous and long. Perhaps Noah, though a great
believer, yet when he found the flood continuing so long after it
might reasonably be presumed to have done its work, was tempted to
fear lest he that shut him in would keep him in, and began to
expostulate. <i>How long wilt thou forget me?</i> But at length God
returned in mercy to him, and this is expressed by remembering him.
Note, Those that remember God shall certainly be remembered by him,
how desolate and disconsolate soever their condition may be. He
will appoint them a set time and remember them, <scripRef passage="Job 14:13" id="Gen.ix-p3.8" parsed="|Job|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.14.13">Job xiv. 13</scripRef>. 3. With Noah, God remembered
every living thing; for, though his delight is especially in the
sons of men, yet he rejoices in all his works, and hates nothing
that he has made. He takes special care, not only of his people's
persons, but of their possessions&#8212;of them and all that belongs to
them. He considered the cattle of Nineveh, <scripRef passage="Jon 4:11" id="Gen.ix-p3.9" parsed="|Jonah|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jonah.4.11">Jon. iv. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p4">II. An act of God's power over wind and
water, both of which are at his beck, though neither of them is
under man's control. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p5">1. He commanded the wind, and said to that,
<i>Go,</i> and it went, in order to the carrying off of the flood:
<i>God made a wind to pass over the earth.</i> See here, (1.) What
was God's remembrance of Noah: it was his relieving him. Note,
Those whom God remembers he remembers effectually, for good; he
remembers us to save us, that we may remember him to serve him.
(2.) What a sovereign dominion God has over the winds. He has them
in his fist (<scripRef passage="Pr 30:4" id="Gen.ix-p5.1" parsed="|Prov|30|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.4">Prov. xxx. 4</scripRef>)
and brings them out of his treasuries, <scripRef passage="Ps 135:7" id="Gen.ix-p5.2" parsed="|Ps|135|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.135.7">Ps. cxxxv. 7</scripRef>. He sends them when, and
whither, and for what purposes, he pleases. Even stormy winds
fulfil his word, <scripRef passage="Ps 148:8" id="Gen.ix-p5.3" parsed="|Ps|148|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.148.8">Ps. cxlviii.
8</scripRef>. It should seem, while the waters increased, there was
no wind; for that would have added to the toss of the ark; but now
God sent a wind, when it would not be so troublesome. Probably, it
was a north wind, for that drives away rain. However, it was a
drying wind, such a wind as God sent to divide the Red Sea before
Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:21" id="Gen.ix-p5.4" parsed="|Exod|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.21">Exod. xiv. 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p6">2. He remanded the waters, and said to
them, <i>Come,</i> and they came. (1.) He took away the cause. He
sealed up the springs of those waters, <i>the fountains of the
great deep, and the windows of heaven.</i> Note, [1.] As God has a
key to open, so he has a key to shut up again, and to stay the
progress of judgments by stopping the causes of them: and the same
hand that brings the desolation must bring the deliverance; to that
hand therefore our eye must ever be. He that wounds is alone able
to heal. See <scripRef passage="Job 12:14" id="Gen.ix-p6.1" parsed="|Job|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.12.14">Job xii. 14,
15</scripRef>. [2.] When afflictions have done the work for which
they are sent, whether killing work or curing work, they shall be
removed. God's word shall not return void, <scripRef passage="Isa 55:10,11" id="Gen.ix-p6.2" parsed="|Isa|55|10|55|11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.55.10-Isa.55.11">Isa. lv. 10, 11</scripRef>. (2.) Then the effect
ceased; not all at once, but by degrees: <i>The waters abated</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 8:1" id="Gen.ix-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|8|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), <i>returned
from off the earth continually,</i> Heb. they were <i>going and
returning</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:3" id="Gen.ix-p6.4" parsed="|Gen|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>),
which denotes a gradual departure.
<pb n="65" id="Gen.ix-Page_65"/>
The heat
of the sun exhaled much, and perhaps the subterraneous caverns
soaked in more. Note, As the earth was not drowned in a day, so it
was not dried in a day. In the creation, it was but one day's work
to clear the earth from the waters that covered it, and to make it
dry land; nay, it was but half a day's work, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:9,10" id="Gen.ix-p6.5" parsed="|Gen|1|9|1|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.9-Gen.1.10"><i>ch.</i> i. 9, 10</scripRef>. But, the work of
creation being finished, this work of providence was effected by
the concurring influence of second causes, yet thus enforced by the
almighty power of God. God usually works deliverance for his people
gradually, that the day of small things may not be despised, nor
the day of great things despaired of, <scripRef passage="Zec 4:10" id="Gen.ix-p6.6" parsed="|Zech|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.4.10">Zech. iv. 10</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Pr 4:18" id="Gen.ix-p6.7" parsed="|Prov|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.4.18">Prov. iv. 18</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8:4-5" id="Gen.ix-p6.8" parsed="|Gen|8|4|8|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.4-Gen.8.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.8.4-Gen.8.5">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ix-p7">4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on
the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
&#160; 5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth
month: in the tenth <i>month,</i> on the first <i>day</i> of the
month, were the tops of the mountains seen.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p8">Here we have the effects and evidences of
the ebbing of the waters. 1. The ark rested. This was some
satisfaction to Noah, to feel the house he was in upon firm ground,
and no longer movable. It rested upon a mountain, whither it was
directed, not by Noah's prudence (he did not steer it), but by the
wise and gracious providence of God, that it might rest the sooner.
Note, God has times and places of rest for his people after their
tossings; and many a time he provides for their seasonable and
comfortable settlement without their own contrivance and quite
beyond their own foresight. The ark of the church, though sometimes
tossed with tempests, and not comforted (<scripRef passage="Isa 54:11" id="Gen.ix-p8.1" parsed="|Isa|54|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.11">Isa. liv. 11</scripRef>), yet has its rests, <scripRef passage="Ac 9:31" id="Gen.ix-p8.2" parsed="|Acts|9|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.9.31">Acts ix. 31</scripRef>. 2. The tops of the
mountains were seen, like little islands, appearing above the
water. We must suppose that they were seen by Noah and his sons;
for there were none besides to see them. It is probable that they
had looked through the window of the ark every day, like the
longing mariners, after a tedious voyage, to see if they could
discover land, or as the prophet's servant (<scripRef passage="1Ki 18:43,44" id="Gen.ix-p8.3" parsed="|1Kgs|18|43|18|44" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.43-1Kgs.18.44">1 Kings xviii. 43, 44</scripRef>), and at length
they spy ground, and enter the day of the discovery in their
journal. They felt ground above forty days before they saw it,
according to Dr. Lightfoot's computation, whence he infers that, if
the waters decreased proportionably, the ark drew eleven cubits in
water.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8:6-12" id="Gen.ix-p8.4" parsed="|Gen|8|6|8|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.6-Gen.8.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.8.6-Gen.8.12">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ix-p9">6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days,
that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: &#160; 7
And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the
waters were dried up from off the earth. &#160; 8 Also he sent
forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off
the face of the ground; &#160; 9 But the dove found no rest for the
sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the
waters <i>were</i> on the face of the whole earth: then he put
forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the
ark. &#160; 10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he
sent forth the dove out of the ark; &#160; 11 And the dove came in
to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth <i>was</i> an olive
leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off
the earth. &#160; 12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent
forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p10">We have here an account of the spies which
Noah sent forth to bring him intelligence from abroad, a raven and
a dove. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p11">I. That though God had told Noah
particularly when the flood would come, even to a day (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:4" id="Gen.ix-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.4"><i>ch.</i> vii. 4</scripRef>), yet he did not give
him a particular account by revelation at what times, and by what
steps, it should <i>go away,</i> 1. Because the knowledge of the
former was necessary to his preparing the ark, and settling himself
in it; but the knowledge of the latter would serve only to gratify
his curiosity, and the concealing of it from him would be the
needful exercise of his faith and patience. And, 2. He could not
foresee the flood, but by revelation; but he might, by ordinary
means, discover the decrease of it, and therefore God was pleased
to leave him to the use of them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p12">II. That though Noah by faith expected his
enlargement, and by patience waited for it, yet he was inquisitive
concerning it, as one that thought it long to be thus confined.
Note, Desires of release out of trouble, earnest expectations of
it, and enquiries concerning its advances towards us, will very
well consist with the sincerity of faith and patience. <i>He that
believes does not make haste</i> to run before God, but he does
make haste to go forth to meet him, <scripRef passage="Isa 28:16" id="Gen.ix-p12.1" parsed="|Isa|28|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.16">Isa. xxviii. 16</scripRef>. Particularly, 1. Noah sent
forth a raven through the window of the ark, which went forth, as
the Hebrew phrase is, <i>going forth and returning,</i> that is,
flying about, and feeding on the carcases that floated, but
returning to the ark for rest; probably not in it, but upon it.
This gave Noah little satisfaction; therefore, 2. He sent forth a
dove, which returned the first time with no good news, but probably
wet and dirty; but, the second time, she brought an olive-leaf in
her
<pb n="66" id="Gen.ix-Page_66"/>
bill, which appeared to be first plucked
off, a plain indication that now the trees, the fruit-trees, began
to appear above water. Note here, (1.) That Noah sent forth the
dove the second time seven days after the first time, and the third
time was after seven days too; and probably the first sending of
her out was seven days after the sending forth of the raven. This
intimates that it was done on the sabbath day, which, it should
seem, Noah religiously observed in the ark. Having kept the sabbath
in a solemn assembly of his little church, he then expected special
blessings from heaven, and enquired concerning them. Having
directed his prayer, he looked up, <scripRef passage="Ps 5:3" id="Gen.ix-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.5.3">Ps.
v. 3</scripRef>. (2.) The dove is an emblem of a gracious soul,
which finding no rest for its foot, no solid peace or satisfaction
in this world, this deluged defiling world, returns to Christ as to
its ark, as to its Noah. The carnal heart, like the raven, takes up
with the world, and feeds on the carrions it finds there; <i>but
return thou to thy rest, O my soul,</i> to thy <i>Noah,</i> so the
word is, <scripRef passage="Ps 116:7" id="Gen.ix-p12.3" parsed="|Ps|116|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.7">Ps. cxvi. 7</scripRef>. <i>O
that I had wings like a dove,</i> to flee to him! <scripRef passage="Ps 55:6" id="Gen.ix-p12.4" parsed="|Ps|55|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.55.6">Ps. lv. 6</scripRef>. And as Noah put forth his
hand, and took the dove, and pulled her in to him, into the ark, so
Christ will graciously preserve, and help, and welcome, those that
fly to him for rest. (3.) The olive-branch, which was an emblem of
peace, was brought, not by the raven, a bird of prey, nor by a gay
and proud peacock, but by a mild, patient, humble dove. It is a
dove-like disposition that brings into the soul earnests of rest
and joy. (4.) Some make these things an allegory. The law was first
sent forth like the raven, but brought no tidings of the assuaging
of the waters of God's wrath, with which the world of mankind was
deluged; therefore, in the fulness of time, God sent forth his
gospel, as the dove, in the likeness of which the Holy Spirit
descended, and this presents us with an olive-branch and brings in
a better hope.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8:13-14" id="Gen.ix-p12.5" parsed="|Gen|8|13|8|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.13-Gen.8.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.8.13-Gen.8.14">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ix-p13">13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and
first year, in the first <i>month,</i> the first <i>day</i> of the
month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah
removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face
of the ground was dry. &#160; 14 And in the second month, on the
seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p14">Here is, 1. The ground dry (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:13" id="Gen.ix-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), that is, all the water
carried off it, which, upon the first day of the first month (a
joyful new-year's-day it was), Noah was himself an eye-witness of.
He <i>removed the covering of the ark,</i> not the whole covering,
but so much as would suffice to give him a prospect of the earth
about it; and a most comfortable prospect he had. For behold,
behold and wonder, <i>the face of the ground was dry.</i> Note,
(1.) It is a great mercy to see ground about us. Noah was more
sensible of it than we are; for mercies restored are much more
affecting than mercies continued. (2.) The divine power which now
renewed the face of the earth can renew the face of an afflicted
troubled soul and of a distressed persecuted church. He can make
dry ground to appear even where it seemed to have been lost and
forgotten, <scripRef passage="Ps 18:16" id="Gen.ix-p14.2" parsed="|Ps|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.16">Ps. xviii. 16</scripRef>.
2. The ground dried (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:14" id="Gen.ix-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), so as to be a fit habitation for Noah. Observe,
Though Noah saw the ground dry the first day of the first month,
yet God would not suffer him to go out of the ark till the
twenty-seventh day of the second month. Perhaps Noah, being
somewhat weary of his restraint, would have quitted the ark at
first; but God, in kindness to him, ordered him to stay so much
longer. Note, God consults our benefit rather than our desires; for
he knows what is good for us better than we do for ourselves, and
how long it is fit our restraints should continue and desired
mercies should be delayed. We would go out of the ark before the
ground is dried: and perhaps, if the door be shut, are ready to
remove the covering, and to climb up some other way; but we should
be satisfied that God's time of showing mercy is certainly the best
time, when the mercy is ripe for us and we are ready for it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8:15-19" id="Gen.ix-p14.4" parsed="|Gen|8|15|8|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.15-Gen.8.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.8.15-Gen.8.19">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ix-p15">15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, &#160; 16 Go
forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons'
wives with thee. &#160; 17 Bring forth with thee every living thing
that <i>is</i> with thee, of all flesh, <i>both</i> of fowl, and of
cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth;
that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and
multiply upon the earth. &#160; 18 And Noah went forth, and his
sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: &#160; 19 Every
beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, <i>and</i> whatsoever
creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the
ark.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p16">Here is, I. Noah's dismission out of the
ark, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:15-17" id="Gen.ix-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|8|15|8|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.15-Gen.8.17"><i>v.</i> 15-17</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. Noah did not stir till God bade him. As he had a
command to go into the ark (<scripRef passage="Ge 7:1" id="Gen.ix-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.1"><i>ch.</i>
vii. 1</scripRef>), so, how tedious soever his confinement there
was, he would wait for a command to go out of it again. Note, We
must in all our ways acknowledge God, and set him before us in all
our removes. Those only go under God's protection that follow God's
direction and submit to his government. Those that steadily adhere
to God's word as their rule, and are guided by his grace as their
principle, and take hints from his providence to assist
<pb n="67" id="Gen.ix-Page_67"/>
them in their application of general directions to
particular cases, may in faith see him guiding their motions in
their march through this wilderness. 2. Though God detained him
long, yet at last he gave him his discharge; for <i>the vision is
for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak,</i> it shall
speak truth (<scripRef passage="Hab 2:3" id="Gen.ix-p16.3" parsed="|Hab|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.3">Hab. ii. 3</scripRef>), it
shall not lie. 3. God had said, <i>Come into the ark</i> which he
says, not, <i>Come forth,</i> but, Go <i>forth,</i> which intimates
that God, who went in with him, staid with him all the while, till
he sent him out safely; for he has said, <i>I will not leave
thee.</i> 4. Some observe that, when they were ordered into the
ark, the men and the women were mentioned separately (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:18" id="Gen.ix-p16.4" parsed="|Gen|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.18"><i>ch.</i> vi. 18</scripRef>): <i>Thou, and thy
sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives;</i> hence they infer that,
during the time of mourning, they were apart, and their wives
apart, <scripRef passage="Zec 12:12" id="Gen.ix-p16.5" parsed="|Zech|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.12">Zech. xii. 12</scripRef>. But
now God did as it were new-marry them, sending out Noah and his
wife together, and his sons and their wives together, that they
might be fruitful and multiply. 5. Noah was ordered to bring the
creatures out with him, that having taken the care of feeding them
so long, and been at so much pains about them, he might have the
honour of leading them forth by their armies, and receiving their
homage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p17">II. Noah's departure when he had his
dismission. As he would not go out without leave, so he would not,
out of fear or humour, stay in when he had leave, but was in all
points observant of the heavenly vision. Though he had been now a
full year and ten days a prisoner in the ark, yet when he found
himself preserved there, not only for a new life, but for a new
world, he saw no reason to complain of his long confinement. Now
observe, 1. Noah and his family came out alive, though one of them
was a wicked Ham, whom, though he escaped the flood, God's justice
could have taken away by some other stroke. But they are all alive.
Note, When families have been long continued together, and no
breaches made among them, it must be looked upon as a
distinguishing favour, and attributed to the Lord's mercies. 2.
Noah brought out all the creatures that went in with him, except
the raven and the dove, which, probably, were ready to meet their
mates at their coming out. Noah was able to give a very good
account of his charge; for of all that were given to him he had
lost none, but was faithful to him that appointed him, <i>pro hac
vice&#8212;on this occasion,</i> high steward of his household.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 8:20-22" id="Gen.ix-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|8|20|8|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.20-Gen.8.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.8.20-Gen.8.22">
<h4 id="Gen.ix-p17.2">Noah's Sacrifice. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ix-p17.3">b. c.</span> 2348.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.ix-p18">20 And Noah builded an altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ix-p18.1">Lord</span>; and took of every clean beast, and
of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
&#160; 21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ix-p18.2">Lord</span> smelled a
sweet savour; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.ix-p18.3">Lord</span> said in
his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's
sake; for the imagination of man's heart <i>is</i> evil from his
youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I
have done. &#160; 22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and
harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and
night shall not cease.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p19">Here is, I. Noah's thankful acknowledgment
of God's favour to him, in completing the mercy of his deliverance,
<scripRef passage="Ge 8:20" id="Gen.ix-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. 1. He <i>built
an altar.</i> Hitherto he had done nothing without particular
instructions and commands from God. He had a particular call into
the ark, and another out of it; but, altars and sacrifices being
already of divine institution for religious worship, he did not
stay for a particular command thus to express his thankfulness.
Those that have received mercy from God should be forward in
returning thanks, and do it <i>not of constraint, but
willingly.</i> God is pleased with free-will offerings, and praises
that wait for him. Noah was now turned out into a cold and desolate
world, where, one would have thought, his first care would have
been to build a house for himself; but, behold, he begins with an
altar for God: God, that is the first, must be first served; and he
begins well that begins with God. 2. He offered a sacrifice upon
his altar, <i>of every clean beast, and of every clean
fowl</i>&#8212;one, the odd seventh that we read of, <scripRef passage="Ge 7:2,3" id="Gen.ix-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|7|2|7|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.2-Gen.7.3"><i>ch.</i> vii. 2, 3</scripRef>. Here observe, (1.) He
offered only those that were clean; for it is not enough that we
sacrifice, but we must sacrifice that which God appoints, according
to the law of sacrifice, and not a corrupt thing. (2.) Though his
stock of cattle was so small, and that rescued from ruin at so
great an expense of care and pains, yet he did not grudge to give
God his dues out of it. He might have said, "Have I but seven sheep
to begin the world with, and must one of these seven be killed and
burnt for sacrifice? Were it not better to defer it till we have
greater plenty?" No, to prove the sincerity of his love and
gratitude, he cheerfully gives the seventh to his God, as an
acknowledgment that all was his, and owing to him. Serving God with
our little is the way to make it more; and we must never think that
wasted with which God is honoured. (3.) See here the antiquity of
religion: the first thing we find done in the new world was an act
of worship, <scripRef passage="Jer 6:16" id="Gen.ix-p19.3" parsed="|Jer|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.6.16">Jer. vi. 16</scripRef>. We
are now to express our thankfulness, not by burnt-offerings, but by
the sacrifices of praise and the sacrifices of righteousness, by
pious devotions and a pious conversation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p20">II. God's gracious acceptance of Noah's
thankfulness. It was a settled rule in the patriarchal age: <i>If
thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?</i> Noah was so.
For,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p21">1. God was well pleased with the
<pb n="68" id="Gen.ix-Page_68"/>
performance, <scripRef passage="Ge 8:21" id="Gen.ix-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|8|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. He <i>smelt a sweet savour,</i> or, as it is in the
Hebrew, <i>a savour of rest,</i> from it. As, when he had made the
world at first on the seventh day, he rested and was refreshed, so,
now that he had new-made it, in the sacrifice of the seventh he
rested. He was well pleased with Noah's pious zeal, and these
hopeful beginnings of the new world, as men are with fragrant and
agreeable smells; though his offering was small, it was according
to his ability, and God accepted it. Having caused his anger to
rest upon the world of sinners, he here caused his love to rest
upon this little remnant of believers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p22">2. Hereupon, he took up a resolution never
to drown the world again. Herein he had an eye, not so much to
Noah's sacrifice as to Christ's sacrifice of himself, which was
typified and represented by it, and which was indeed an <i>offering
of a sweet-smelling savour,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 5:2" id="Gen.ix-p22.1" parsed="|Eph|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.2">Eph. v.
2</scripRef>. Good security is here given, and that which may be
relied upon,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p23">(1.) That this judgment should never be
repeated. Noah might think, "To what purpose should the world be
repaired, when, in all probability, for the wickedness of it, it
will quickly be in like manner ruined again?" "No," says God, "it
never shall." It was said (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:6" id="Gen.ix-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.6"><i>ch.</i>
vi. 6</scripRef>), <i>It repented the Lord that he had made
man;</i> now here he speaks as if it repented him that he had
destroyed man: neither means a change of his mind, but both a
change of his way. <i>It repented him concerning his servants,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 32:36" id="Gen.ix-p23.2" parsed="|Deut|32|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.36">Deut. xxxii. 36</scripRef>. Two ways
this resolve is expressed:&#8212;[1.] <i>I will not again curse the
ground,</i> Heb. <i>I will not add to curse the ground any
more.</i> God had cursed the ground upon the first entrance of sin
(<scripRef passage="Ge 3:17" id="Gen.ix-p23.3" parsed="|Gen|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.17"><i>ch.</i> iii. 17</scripRef>), when
he drowned it he added to that curse; but now he determines not to
add to it any more. [2.] <i>Neither will I again smite any more
every living thing;</i> that is, it was determined that whatever
ruin God might bring upon particular persons, or families, or
countries, he would never again destroy the whole world till the
day shall come when time shall be no more. But the reason of this
resolve is very surprising, for it seems the same in effect with
the reason given for the destruction of the world: <i>Because the
imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 6:5" id="Gen.ix-p23.4" parsed="|Gen|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.5"><i>ch.</i> vi. 5</scripRef>. But there is this
difference&#8212;there it is said, <i>The imagination of man's heart is
evil continually,</i> that is, "his actual transgressions
continually cry against him;" here it is said, It is evil <i>from
his youth or childhood.</i> It is bred in the bone; he brought it
into the world with him; he was shapen and conceived in it. Now,
one would think it should follow, "Therefore that guilty race shall
be wholly extinguished, and <i>I will make a full end.</i>" No,
"Therefore I will no more take this severe method; for,"
<i>First,</i> "He is rather to be pitied, for it is all the effect
of sin dwelling in him; and it is but what might be expected from
such a degenerate race: he is called a <i>transgressor from the
womb,</i> and therefore it is not strange that he deals so very
treacherously," <scripRef passage="Isa 48:8" id="Gen.ix-p23.5" parsed="|Isa|48|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.48.8">Isa. xlviii.
8</scripRef>. Thus God <i>remembers that he is flesh,</i> corrupt
and sinful, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:39" id="Gen.ix-p23.6" parsed="|Ps|78|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.39">Ps. lxxviii.
39</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> "He will be utterly ruined; for, if
he be dealt with according to his deserts, one flood must succeed
another till all be destroyed." See here, 1. That outward
judgments, though they may terrify and restrain men, yet cannot of
themselves sanctify and renew them; the grace of God must work with
those judgments. Man's nature was as sinful after the deluge as it
had been before. 2. That God's goodness takes occasion from man's
sinfulness to magnify itself the more; his reasons of mercy are all
drawn from himself, not from any thing in us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.ix-p24">(2.) That the course of nature should never
be discontinued (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:22" id="Gen.ix-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>): "<i>While the earth remaineth,</i> and man upon it,
there shall be <i>summer and winter</i> (not all winter as had been
this last year), <i>day and night,</i>" not all night, as probably
it was while the rain was descending. Here, [1.] It is plainly
intimated that this earth is not to remain always; it, and all the
works in it, must shortly be burnt up; and we look for <i>new
heavens and a new earth,</i> when all these things must be
dissolved. But, [2.] As long as it does remain God's providence
will carefully preserve the regular succession of times and
seasons, and cause each to know its place. To this we owe it that
the world stands, and the wheel of nature keeps it track. See here
how changeable the times are and yet how unchangeable.
<i>First,</i> The course of nature always changing. As it is with
the times, so it is with the events of time, they are subject to
vicissitudes&#8212;<i>day and night, summer and winter,</i>
counterchanged. In heaven and hell it is not so, but on earth
<i>God hath set the one over against the other. Secondly,</i> Yet
never changed. It is constant in this inconstancy. These seasons
have never ceased, nor shall cease, while the sun continued such a
steady measurer of time and the moon such a <i>faithful witness in
heaven.</i> This is <i>God's covenant of the day and of the
night,</i> the stability of which is mentioned for the confirming
of our faith in the covenant of grace, which is no less inviolable,
<scripRef passage="Jer 33:20,21" id="Gen.ix-p24.2" parsed="|Jer|33|20|33|21" osisRef="Bible:Jer.33.20-Jer.33.21">Jer. xxxiii. 20, 21</scripRef>. We
see God's promises to the creatures made good, and thence may infer
that his promises to all believers shall be so.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IX" n="x" progress="8.57%" prev="Gen.ix" next="Gen.xi" id="Gen.x">
<pb n="68" id="Gen.x-Page_68"/>
<h2 id="Gen.x-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.x-p1">Both the world and the church were now again
reduced to a family, the family of Noah, of the affairs of which
this chapter gives us an account, of which we are the more
concerned to take cognizance because from this family we are all
descendants. Here is, I. The covenant of providence settled with
Noah and his sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:1-11" id="Gen.x-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|9|1|9|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1-Gen.9.11">ver.
1-11</scripRef>. In this covenant, 1. God promises them to take
care of their lives, so that, (1.) They should replenish the earth,
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:1,7" id="Gen.x-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|9|1|0|0;|Gen|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1 Bible:Gen.9.7">ver. 1, 7</scripRef>. (2.) They should
be safe from the insults of the brute-creatures, which should stand
in awe of them, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:2" id="Gen.x-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.2">ver. 2</scripRef>. (3.)
They should be allowed to eat flesh for the support of their lives;
only they must not eat blood, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:3,4" id="Gen.x-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|9|3|9|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.3-Gen.9.4">ver. 3,
4</scripRef>. (4.) The world should never be drowned again,
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:8-11" id="Gen.x-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|9|8|9|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.8-Gen.9.11">ver. 8-11</scripRef>. 2. God requires
of them to take care of one another's lives, and of their own,
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:5,6" id="Gen.x-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|9|5|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.5-Gen.9.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. II. The seal of
that covenant, namely, the rainbow, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:12-17" id="Gen.x-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|9|12|9|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.12-Gen.9.17">ver. 12-17</scripRef>. III. A particular passage of
story concerning Noah and his sons, which occasioned some
prophecies that related to after-times, 1. Noah's sin and shame,
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:20,21" id="Gen.x-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|9|20|9|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.20-Gen.9.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>. 2. Ham's
impudence and impiety, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:22" id="Gen.x-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.22">ver.
22</scripRef>. 3. The pious modesty of Shem and Japheth,
<pb n="69" id="Gen.x-Page_69"/>
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:23" id="Gen.x-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.23">ver. 23</scripRef>. 4.
The curse of Canaan, and the blessing of Shem and Japheth,
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:21-27" id="Gen.x-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|9|21|9|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.21-Gen.9.27">ver. 21-27</scripRef>. IV. The age
and death of Noah, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:28,29" id="Gen.x-p1.12" parsed="|Gen|9|28|9|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.28-Gen.9.29">ver. 28,
29</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9" id="Gen.x-p1.13" parsed="|Gen|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9:1-7" id="Gen.x-p1.14" parsed="|Gen|9|1|9|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1-Gen.9.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.9.1-Gen.9.7">
<h4 id="Gen.x-p1.15">Blessing of Noah and His
Sons. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.x-p1.16">b. c.</span> 2348.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.x-p2">1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said
unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
&#160; 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon
every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all
that moveth <i>upon</i> the earth, and upon all the fishes of the
sea; into your hand are they delivered. &#160; 3 Every moving thing
that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I
given you all things. &#160; 4 But flesh with the life thereof,
<i>which is</i> the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. &#160; 5 And
surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of
every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand
of every man's brother will I require the life of man. &#160; 6
Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in
the image of God made he man. &#160; 7 And you, be ye fruitful, and
multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply
therein.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p3">We read, in the close of the foregoing
chapter, the very kind things which God said in his heart,
concerning the remnant of mankind which was now left to be the seed
of a new world. Now here we have these kind things <i>spoken to
them.</i> In general, <i>God blessed Noah and his sons</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 9:1" id="Gen.x-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), that is, he
assured them of his good-will to them and his gracious intentions
concerning them. This follows from what he said in his heart. Note,
All God's promises of good flow from his purposes of love and the
counsels of his own will. See <scripRef passage="Eph 1:11,3:11" id="Gen.x-p3.2" parsed="|Eph|1|11|0|0;|Eph|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.11 Bible:Eph.3.11">Eph. i. 11; iii. 11</scripRef>. and compare
<scripRef passage="Jer 29:11" id="Gen.x-p3.3" parsed="|Jer|29|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.29.11">Jer. xxix. 11</scripRef>. <i>I know
the thoughts that I think towards you.</i> We read (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:20" id="Gen.x-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.20"><i>ch.</i> viii. 20</scripRef>) how <i>Noah
blessed God,</i> by his altar and sacrifice. Now here we find God
blessing Noah. Note, God will graciously bless (that is, do well
for) those who sincerely bless (that is, speak well of) him. Those
that are truly thankful for the mercies they have received take the
readiest way to have them confirmed and continued to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p4">Now here we have the <i>Magna Charta&#8212;the
great charter</i> of this new kingdom of nature which was now to be
erected, and incorporated, the former charter having been forfeited
and seized.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p5">I. The grants of this charter are kind and
gracious to men. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p6">1. A grant of lands of vast extent, and a
promise of a great increase of men to occupy and enjoy them. The
first blessing is here renewed: <i>Be fruitful, and multiply, and
replenish the earth</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:1" id="Gen.x-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>), and repeated (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:7" id="Gen.x-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), for the race of mankind was, as it were, to begin
again. Now, (1.) God sets the whole earth before them, tells them
it is all their own, <i>while it remains,</i> to them and their
heirs. Note, The earth God has given to the children of men, for a
possession and habitation, <scripRef passage="Ps 115:16" id="Gen.x-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|115|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.115.16">Ps. cxv.
16</scripRef>. Though it is not a paradise, but a wilderness
rather; yet it is better than we deserve. Blessed be God, it is not
hell. (2.) He gives them a blessing, by the force and virtue of
which mankind should be both multiplied and perpetuated upon earth,
so that in a little time all the habitable parts of the earth
should be more or less inhabited; and, though one generation should
pass away, yet another generation should come, while the world
stands, so that the stream of the human race should be supplied
with a constant succession, and run parallel with the current of
time, till both should be delivered up together into the ocean of
eternity. Though death should still reign, and the Lord would still
be known by his judgments, yet the earth should never again be
dispeopled as now it was, but still replenished, <scripRef passage="Ac 17:24-26" id="Gen.x-p6.4" parsed="|Acts|17|24|17|26" osisRef="Bible:Acts.17.24-Acts.17.26">Acts xvii. 24-26</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p7">2. A grant of power over the inferior
creatures, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:2" id="Gen.x-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. He
grants, (1.) A title to them: <i>Into your hands they are
delivered,</i> for your use and benefit. (2.) A dominion over them,
without which the title would avail little: <i>The fear of you and
the dread of you shall be upon every beast.</i> This revives a
former grant (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:28" id="Gen.x-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|1|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.28"><i>ch.</i> i.
28</scripRef>), only with this difference, that man in innocence
ruled by love, fallen man rules by fear. Now this grant remains in
force, and thus far we have still the benefit of it, [1.] That
those creatures which are any way useful to us are reclaimed, and
we use them either for service or food, or both, as they are
capable. The horse and ox patiently submit to the bridle and yoke,
and the sheep is dumb both before the shearer and before the
butcher; for the fear and dread of man are upon them. [2.] Those
creatures that are any way hurtful to us are restrained, so that,
though now and then man may be hurt by some of them, they do not
combine together to rise up in rebellion against man, else God
could by these destroy the world as effectually as he did by a
deluge; it is one of God's sore judgments, <scripRef passage="Eze 14:21" id="Gen.x-p7.3" parsed="|Ezek|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.21">Ezek. xiv. 21</scripRef>. What is it that keeps wolves
out of our towns, and lions out of our streets, and confines them
to the wilderness, but this fear and dread? Nay, some have been
tamed, <scripRef passage="Jam 9:7" id="Gen.x-p7.4" parsed="|Jas|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.9.7">Jas. iii. 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p8">3. A grant of maintenance and subsistence:
<i>Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:3" id="Gen.x-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|9|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Hitherto, most
think, man had been confined to feed only upon the products of the
earth, fruits, herbs, and roots, and all sorts of corn and milk; so
was the first grant, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:29" id="Gen.x-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|1|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.29"><i>ch.</i> i.
29</scripRef>. But the flood having perhaps washed away much of the
virtue of the earth, and so rendered its fruits less
<pb n="70" id="Gen.x-Page_70"/>
pleasing and less nourishing, God now enlarged the
grant, and allowed man to eat flesh, which perhaps man himself
never thought of, till now that God directed him to it, nor had any
more desire to than a sheep has to suck blood like a wolf. But now
man is allowed to feed upon flesh, as freely and safely as upon the
green herb. Now here see, (1.) That God is a good master, and
provides, not only that we may live, but that we may live
comfortably, in his service; not for necessity only, but for
delight. (2.) That every <i>creature of God is good,</i> and
nothing to be refused, <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:4" id="Gen.x-p8.3" parsed="|1Tim|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.4">1 Tim. iv.
4</scripRef>. Afterwards some meats that were proper enough for
food were prohibited by the ceremonial law; but from the beginning,
it seems, it was not so, and therefore is not so under the
gospel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p9">II. The precepts and provisos of this
character are no less kind and gracious, and instances of God's
good-will to man. The Jewish doctors speak so often of the seven
precepts of Noah, or of the sons of Noah, which they say were to be
observed by all nations, that it may not be amiss to set them down.
The first against the worship of idols. The second against
blasphemy, and requiring to bless the name of God. The third
against murder. The fourth against incest and all uncleanness. The
fifth against theft and rapine. The sixth requiring the
administration of justice. The seventh against eating of flesh with
the life. These the Jews required the observance of from the
<i>proselytes of the gate.</i> But the precepts here given all
concern the life of man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p10">1. Man must not prejudice his own life by
eating that food which is unwholesome and prejudicial to his health
(<scripRef passage="Ge 9:4" id="Gen.x-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): "<i>Flesh with
the life thereof, which is the blood thereof</i> (that is, raw
flesh), shall you not eat, as the beasts of prey do." It was
necessary to add this limitation to the grant of liberty to eat
flesh, lest, instead of nourishing their bodies by it, they should
destroy them. God would hereby show, (1.) That though they were
lords of the creatures, yet they were subjects to the Creator, and
under the restraints of his law. (2.) That they must not be greedy
and hasty in taking their food, but stay the preparing of it; not
like Saul's soldiers (<scripRef passage="1Sa 14:32" id="Gen.x-p10.2" parsed="|1Sam|14|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.32">1 Sam. xiv.
32</scripRef>), nor <i>riotous eaters of flesh,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 23:20" id="Gen.x-p10.3" parsed="|Prov|23|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.20">Prov. xxiii. 20</scripRef>. (3.) That they must
not be barbarous and cruel to the inferior creatures. They must be
lords, but not tyrants; they might kill them for their profit, but
not torment them for their pleasure, nor tear away the member of a
creature while it was yet alive, and eat that. (4.) That during the
continuance of the law of sacrifices, in which the blood made
<i>atonement for the soul</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 17:11" id="Gen.x-p10.4" parsed="|Lev|17|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.11">Lev.
xvii. 11</scripRef>), signifying that the life of the sacrifice was
accepted for the life of the sinner, blood must not be looked upon
as a common thing, but must be <i>poured out before the Lord</i>
(<scripRef passage="2Sa 23:16" id="Gen.x-p10.5" parsed="|2Sam|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.23.16">2 Sam. xxiii. 16</scripRef>), either
upon his altar or upon his earth. But, now that the great and true
sacrifice has been offered, the obligation of the law ceases with
the reason of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p11">2. Man must not take away his own life:
<i>Your blood of your lives will I require,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 9:5" id="Gen.x-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Our lives are not so our own as
that we may quit them at our own pleasure, but they are God's and
we must resign them at his pleasure; if we in any way hasten our
own deaths, we are accountable to God for it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p12">3. The beasts must not be suffered to hurt
the life of man: <i>At the hand of every beast will I require
it.</i> To show how tender God was of the life of man, though he
had lately made such destruction of lives, he will have the beast
put to death that kills a man. This was confirmed by the law of
Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:28" id="Gen.x-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|21|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.28">Exod. xxi. 28</scripRef>), and
I think it would not be unsafe to observe it still. Thus God showed
his hatred of the sin of murder, that men might hate it the more,
and not only punish, but prevent it. And see <scripRef passage="Job 5:23" id="Gen.x-p12.2" parsed="|Job|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.5.23">Job v. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p13">4. Wilful murderers must be put to death.
This is the sin which is here designed to be restrained by the
terror of punishment (1.) God will punish murderers: <i>At the hand
of every man's brother will I require the life of man,</i> that is,
"I will avenge the blood of the murdered upon the murderer."
<scripRef passage="2Ch 24:22" id="Gen.x-p13.1" parsed="|2Chr|24|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.22">2 Chron. xxiv. 22</scripRef>. When
God requires the life of a man at the hand of him that took it away
unjustly, the murderer cannot render that, and therefore must
render his own in lieu of it, which is the only way left of making
restitution. Note, The righteous God will certainly make
inquisition for blood, though men cannot or do not. One time or
other, in this world or in the next, he will both discover
concealed murders, which are hidden from man's eye, and punish
avowed and justified murders, which are too great for man's hand.
(2.) The magistrate must punish murderers (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Gen.x-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>Whoso sheddeth man's
blood,</i> whether upon a sudden provocation or having premeditated
it (for rash anger is heart-murder as well as malice prepense,
<scripRef passage="Mt 5:21,22" id="Gen.x-p13.3" parsed="|Matt|5|21|5|22" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.21-Matt.5.22">Matt. v. 21, 22</scripRef>), <i>by
man shall his blood be shed,</i> that is, by the magistrate, or
whoever is appointed or allowed to be the avenger of blood. There
are those who are ministers of God for this purpose, to be a
protection to the innocent, by being a terror to the malicious and
evildoers, and they must not <i>bear the sword in vain,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ro 13:4" id="Gen.x-p13.4" parsed="|Rom|13|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.13.4">Rom. xiii. 4</scripRef>. Before the
flood, as it should seem by the story of Cain, God took the
punishment of murder into his own hands; but now he committed this
judgment to men, to masters of families at first, and afterwards to
the heads of countries, who ought to be faithful to the trust
reposed in them. Note, Wilful murder ought always to be punished
with death. It is a sin <i>which the Lord would not pardon</i> in a
prince (<scripRef passage="2Ki 24:3,4" id="Gen.x-p13.5" parsed="|2Kgs|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.24.3-2Kgs.24.4">2 Kings xxiv. 3,
4</scripRef>), and which therefore a prince should not pardon in a
subject. To this law there is a reason annexed: <i>For in the image
of God made he man</i> at first. Man is a creature dear to his
Creator, and therefore
<pb n="71" id="Gen.x-Page_71"/>
ought to be so to us.
God put honour upon him, let not us then put contempt upon him.
Such remains of God's image are still even upon fallen man as that
he who unjustly kills a man defaces the image of God and does
dishonour to him. When God allowed men to kill their beasts, yet he
forbade them to kill their slaves; for these are of a much more
noble and excellent nature, not only God's creatures, but his
image, <scripRef passage="Jam 3:9" id="Gen.x-p13.6" parsed="|Jas|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.3.9">Jam. iii. 9</scripRef>. All men
have something of the image of God upon them; but magistrates have,
besides, the image of his power, and the saints the image of his
holiness, and therefore those who shed the blood of princes or
saints incur a double guilt.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9:8-11" id="Gen.x-p13.7" parsed="|Gen|9|8|9|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.8-Gen.9.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.9.8-Gen.9.11">
<h4 id="Gen.x-p13.8">God's Covenant with Noah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.x-p13.9">b. c.</span> 2347.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.x-p14">8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with
him, saying, &#160; 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with
you, and with your seed after you; &#160; 10 And with every living
creature that <i>is</i> with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and
of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the
ark, to every beast of the earth. &#160; 11 And I will establish my
covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by
the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to
destroy the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p15">Here is, I. The general establishment of
God's covenant with this new world, and the extent of that
covenant, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:9,10" id="Gen.x-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|9|9|9|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.9-Gen.9.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>.
Here observe, 1. That God is graciously pleased to deal with man in
the way of a covenant, wherein God greatly magnifies his
condescending favour, and greatly encourages man's duty and
obedience, as a reasonable and gainful service. 2. That all God's
covenants with man are of his own making: <i>I, behold, I.</i> It
is thus expressed both to raise our admiration&#8212;"Behold, and
wonder, that though God be high yet he has this respect to man,"
and to confirm our assurances of the validity of the
covenant&#8212;"Behold and see, I make it; I that am faithful and able
to make it good." 3. That God's covenants are established more
firmly than the pillars of heaven or the foundations of the earth,
and cannot be disannulled. 4. That God's covenants are made with
the covenanters and with their seed; the promise is to them and
their children. 5. That those may be taken into covenant with God,
and receive the benefits of it, who yet are not capable of
restipulating, or giving their own consent. For this covenant is
made with <i>every living creature, every beast of the
earth.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p16">II. The particular intention of this
covenant. It was designed to secure the world from another deluge:
<i>There shall not any more be a flood.</i> God had drowned the
world once, and still it was as filthy and provoking as ever, and
God foresaw the wickedness of it, and yet promised he would never
drown it any more; for he deals not with us according to our sins.
It is owing to God's goodness and faithfulness, not to any
reformation of the world, that it has not often been deluged and
that it is not deluged now. As the old world was ruined to be a
monument of justice, so this world remains to this day, a monument
of mercy, according to the oath of God, that the waters of Noah
should no more return to cover the earth, <scripRef passage="Isa 54:9" id="Gen.x-p16.1" parsed="|Isa|54|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.9">Isa. liv. 9</scripRef>. This promise of God keeps the
sea and clouds in their decreed place, and <i>sets them gates and
bars; hitherto they shall come,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:10,11" id="Gen.x-p16.2" parsed="|Job|38|10|38|11" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.10-Job.38.11">Job xxxviii. 10, 11</scripRef>. If the sea should
flow but for a few days, as it does twice every day for a few
hours, what desolation would it make! And how destructive would the
clouds be, if such showers as we have sometimes seen were continued
long! But God, by flowing seas and sweeping rains, shows what he
could do in wrath; and yet, by preserving the earth from being
deluged between both, shows what he can do in mercy and will do in
truth. Let us give him the glory of his mercy in promising and of
his truth in performing. This promise does not hinder, 1. But that
God may bring other wasting judgments upon mankind; for, though he
has here bound himself not to use this arrow any more, yet he has
other arrows in his quiver. 2. Nor but that he may destroy
particular places and countries by the inundations of the sea or
rivers. 3. Nor will the destruction of the world at the last day by
fire be any breach of his promise. Sin which drowned the old world
will burn this.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9:12-17" id="Gen.x-p16.3" parsed="|Gen|9|12|9|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.12-Gen.9.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.9.12-Gen.9.17">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.x-p17">12 And God said, This <i>is</i> the token of the
covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature
that <i>is</i> with you, for perpetual generations: &#160; 13 I do
set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant
between me and the earth. &#160; 14 And it shall come to pass, when
I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the
cloud: &#160; 15 And I will remember my covenant, which <i>is</i>
between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the
waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. &#160; 16
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I
may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living
creature of all flesh that <i>is</i> upon the earth. &#160; 17 And
God said unto Noah, This <i>is</i> the token of the covenant, which
I have established
<pb n="72" id="Gen.x-Page_72"/>
between me and all flesh
that <i>is</i> upon the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p18">Articles of agreement among men are usually
sealed, that the covenants may be the more solemn, and the
performances of the covenants the more sure, to mutual
satisfaction. God therefore, being <i>willing more abundantly to
show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his councils,</i>
has confirmed his covenant by a seal (<scripRef passage="Heb 6:17" id="Gen.x-p18.1" parsed="|Heb|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.17">Heb. vi. 17</scripRef>), which makes the foundations we
build on stand sure, <scripRef passage="2Ti 2:19" id="Gen.x-p18.2" parsed="|2Tim|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.19">2 Tim. ii.
19</scripRef>. The seal of this covenant of nature was natural
enough; it was the <i>rainbow,</i> which, it is likely, was seen in
the clouds before, when second causes concurred, but was never a
seal of the covenant till now that it was made so by a divine
institution. Now, concerning this seal of the covenant, observe, 1.
This seal is affixed with repeated assurances of the truth of that
promise of which it was designed to be the ratification: <i>I do
set my bow in the cloud</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:13" id="Gen.x-p18.3" parsed="|Gen|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>); it <i>shall be seen in the cloud</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:14" id="Gen.x-p18.4" parsed="|Gen|9|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), that the eye may affect
the heart and confirm the faith; and it shall be <i>the token of
the covenant</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:12,13" id="Gen.x-p18.5" parsed="|Gen|9|12|9|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.12-Gen.9.13"><i>v.</i> 12,
13</scripRef>), <i>and I will remember my covenant, that the waters
shall no more become a flood,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 9:15" id="Gen.x-p18.6" parsed="|Gen|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Nay, as if the Eternal Mind
needed a memorandum, <i>I will look upon it, that I may remember
the everlasting covenant,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 9:16" id="Gen.x-p18.7" parsed="|Gen|9|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. Thus here is line upon line, that we might have sure
and strong consolation who have laid hold of this hope. 2. The
rainbow appears when the clouds are most disposed to wet, and
returns after the rain; when we have most reason to fear the rain
prevailing, then God shows this seal of the promise that it shall
not prevail. Thus God obviates our fears with such encouragements
as are both suitable and seasonable. 3. The thicker the cloud the
brighter the bow in the cloud. Thus, as threatening afflictions
abound, encouraging consolations much more abound, <scripRef passage="2Co 1:5" id="Gen.x-p18.8" parsed="|2Cor|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.1.5">2 Cor. i. 5</scripRef>. 4. The rainbow appears
when one part of the sky is clear, which intimates mercy remembered
in the midst of wrath; and the clouds are hemmed as it were with
the rainbow, that they may not overspread the heavens, for the bow
is coloured rain or the edges of a cloud gilded. 5. The rainbow is
the reflection of the beams of the sun, which intimates that all
the glory and significancy of the seals of the covenant are derived
from Christ the Sun of righteousness, who is also described with a
<i>rainbow about his throne</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 4:3" id="Gen.x-p18.9" parsed="|Rev|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.3">Rev.
iv. 3</scripRef>), and a <i>rainbow upon his head</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 10:1" id="Gen.x-p18.10" parsed="|Rev|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.10.1">Rev. x. 1</scripRef>), which intimates, not only
his majesty, but his mediatorship. 6. The rainbow has fiery colours
in it, to signify that though God will not again drown the world,
yet, when the mystery of God shall be finished, the world shall be
consumed by fire. 7. A bow bespeaks terror, but this bow has
neither string nor arrow, as the bow ordained against the
persecutors has (<scripRef passage="Ps 7:12,13" id="Gen.x-p18.11" parsed="|Ps|7|12|7|13" osisRef="Bible:Ps.7.12-Ps.7.13">Ps. vii. 12,
13</scripRef>), and a bow alone will do little execution. It is a
bow, but it is directed upwards, not towards the earth; for the
seals of the covenant were intended to comfort, not to terrify. 8.
As God looks upon the bow, that he may remember the covenant, so
should we, that we also may be ever mindful of the covenant, with
faith and thankfulness.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9:18-23" id="Gen.x-p18.12" parsed="|Gen|9|18|9|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.18-Gen.9.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.9.18-Gen.9.23">
<h4 id="Gen.x-p18.13">Sin of Ham. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.x-p18.14">b. c.</span> 2347.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.x-p19">18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the
ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham <i>is</i> the father
of Canaan. &#160; 19 These <i>are</i> the three sons of Noah: and
of them was the whole earth overspread. &#160; 20 And Noah began
<i>to be</i> a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: &#160; 21 And
he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within
his tent. &#160; 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the
nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. &#160;
23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid <i>it</i> upon
both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness
of their father; and their faces <i>were</i> backward, and they saw
not their father's nakedness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p20">Here is, I. Noah's family and employment.
The names of his sons are again mentioned (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:18,19" id="Gen.x-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|9|18|9|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.18-Gen.9.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>) as those from whom the
whole earth was overspread, by which it appears that Noah, after
the flood, had no more children: all the world came from these
three. Note, God, when he pleases, can make <i>a little one to
become a thousand,</i> and greatly increase the latter end of those
whose beginning was small. Such are the power and efficacy of a
divine blessing. The business Noah applied himself to was that of
<i>a husbandman,</i> Heb. <i>a man of the earth,</i> that is, a man
dealing in the earth, that kept ground in his hand, and occupied
it. We are all naturally men of the earth, made of it, living on
it, and hastening to it: many are sinfully so, addicted to earthly
things. Noah was by his calling led to trade in the fruits of the
earth. He <i>began to be a husbandman,</i> that is, some time after
his departure out of the ark, he returned to his old employment,
from which he had been diverted by the building of the ark first,
and probably afterwards by the building of a house on dry land for
himself and family. For this good while he had been a carpenter,
but now he began again to be a husbandman. Observe, Though Noah was
a great man and a good man, an old man and a rich man, a man
greatly favoured by heaven and honoured on earth, yet he would not
live an idle life, nor think the husbandman's calling
<pb n="73" id="Gen.x-Page_73"/>
below him. Note, Though God by his providence may
take us off from our callings for a time, yet when the occasion is
over we ought with humility and industry to apply ourselves to them
again, and, in the calling wherein we are called, faithfully to
<i>abide with God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 7:24" id="Gen.x-p20.2" parsed="|1Cor|7|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.24">1 Cor. vii.
24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p21">II. Noah's sin and shame: <i>He planted a
vineyard;</i> and, when he had gathered his vintage, probably he
appointed a day of mirth and feasting in his family, and had his
sons and their children with him, to rejoice with him in the
increase of his house as well as in the increase of his vineyard;
and we may suppose he prefaced his feast with a sacrifice to the
honour of God. If this was omitted, it was just with God to leave
him to himself, that he who did not begin with God might end with
the beasts; but we charitably hope that it was not: and perhaps he
appointed this feast with a design, at the close of it, to bless
his sons, as <i>Isaac,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:3,4" id="Gen.x-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|27|3|27|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.3-Gen.27.4"><i>ch.</i>
xxvii. 3, 4</scripRef>, <i>That I may eat, and that my soul may
bless thee.</i> At this feast he <i>drank of the wine;</i> for who
planteth a vineyard and <i>eateth not of the fruit of it?</i> But
he drank too liberally, more than his head at this age would bear,
for he was <i>drunk.</i> We have reason to think he was never drunk
before nor after; observe how he came now to be overtaken in this
fault. It was his sin, and a great sin, so much the worse for its
being so soon after a great deliverance; but God left him to
himself, as he did Hezekiah (<scripRef passage="2Ch 32:31" id="Gen.x-p21.2" parsed="|2Chr|32|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.32.31">2 Chron.
xxxii. 31</scripRef>), and has left this miscarriage of his upon
record, to teach us, 1. That the fairest copy that ever mere man
wrote since the fall had its blots and false strokes. It was said
of Noah that he was <i>perfect in his generations</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:9" id="Gen.x-p21.3" parsed="|Gen|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.9"><i>ch.</i> vi. 9</scripRef>), but this shows that
it is meant of sincerity, not a sinless perfection. 2. That
sometimes those who, with watchfulness and resolution, have, by the
grace of God, kept their integrity in the midst of temptation,
have, through security, and carelessness, and neglect of the grace
of God, been surprised into sin, when the hour of temptation has
been over. Noah, who had kept sober in drunken company, is now
drunk in sober company. <i>Let him that thinks he stands take
heed.</i> 3. That we have need to be very careful, when we use
God's good creatures plentifully, lest we use them to excess.
Christ's disciples must take heed lest at any time <i>their hearts
be overcharged,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 21:34" id="Gen.x-p21.4" parsed="|Luke|21|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.34">Luke xxi.
34</scripRef>. Now the consequence of Noah's sin was shame. He was
<i>uncovered within his tent,</i> made naked to his shame, as Adam
when he had eaten forbidden fruit. Yet Adam sought concealment;
Noah is so destitute of thought and reason that he seeks no
covering. This was a fruit of the vine that Noah did not think of.
Observe here the great evil of the sin of drunkenness. (1.) It
discovers men. What infirmities they have, they betray when they
are drunk, and what secrets they are entrusted with are then easily
got out of them. Drunken porters keep open gates. (2.) It disgraces
men, and exposes them to contempt. As it shows them, so it shames
them. Men say and do that when drunk which when they are sober they
would blush at the thoughts of, <scripRef passage="Hab 2:15,16" id="Gen.x-p21.5" parsed="|Hab|2|15|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.15-Hab.2.16">Hab. ii. 15, 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p22">III. Ham's impudence and impiety: He <i>saw
the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:22" id="Gen.x-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. To see it
accidentally and involuntarily would not have been a crime; but, 1.
He pleased himself with the sight, <i>as the Edomites looked up on
the day of their brother</i> (<scripRef passage="Ob 1:12" id="Gen.x-p22.2" parsed="|Obad|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Obad.1.12">Obad.
12</scripRef>), pleased, and insulting. Perhaps Ham had sometimes
been himself drunk, and reproved for it by his good father, whom he
was therefore pleased to see thus overcome. Note, It is common for
those who walk in false ways themselves to rejoice at the false
steps which they sometimes see others make. But charity rejoices
not in iniquity, nor can true penitents that are sorry for their
own sins rejoice in the sins of others. 2. <i>He told his two
brethren without</i> (<i>in the street,</i> as the word is), in a
scornful deriding manner, that his father might seem vile unto
them. It is very wrong, (1.) To make a jest of sin (<scripRef passage="Pr 14:9" id="Gen.x-p22.3" parsed="|Prov|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.14.9">Prov. xiv. 9</scripRef>), and to be puffed up
with that for which we should rather mourn, <scripRef passage="1Co 5:2" id="Gen.x-p22.4" parsed="|1Cor|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.2">1 Cor. v. 2</scripRef>. And, (2.) To publish the faults
of any, especially of parents, whom it is our duty to honour. Noah
was not only a good man, but had been a good father to him; and
this was a most base disingenuous requital to him for his
tenderness. Ham is here called the <i>father of Canaan,</i> which
intimates that he who was himself a father should have been more
respectful to him that was his father.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p23">IV. The pious care of Shem and Japheth to
cover their poor father's shame, <scripRef passage="Ge 5:23" id="Gen.x-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. They not only would not see it
themselves, but provided that no one else might see it, herein
setting us an example of charity with reference to other men's sin
and shame; we must not only not say, <i>A confederacy,</i> with
those that proclaim it, but we must be careful to conceal it, or at
least to make the best of it, so doing as we would be done by. 1.
There is a mantle of love to be thrown over the faults of all,
<scripRef passage="1Pe 4:8" id="Gen.x-p23.2" parsed="|1Pet|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.8">1 Pet. iv. 8</scripRef>. 2. Besides
this, there is a robe of reverence to be thrown over the faults of
parents and other superiors.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9:24-27" id="Gen.x-p23.3" parsed="|Gen|9|24|9|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.24-Gen.9.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.9.24-Gen.9.27">
<h4 id="Gen.x-p23.4">Noah's Prophecy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.x-p23.5">b. c.</span> 2347.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.x-p24">24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what
his younger son had done unto him. &#160; 25 And he said, Cursed
<i>be</i> Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his
brethren. &#160; 26 And he said, Blessed <i>be</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.x-p24.1">Lord</span> God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his
servant. &#160; 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in
the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.</p>
<pb n="74" id="Gen.x-Page_74"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p25">Here, I. Noah comes to himself: He <i>awoke
from his wine.</i> Sleep cured him, and, we may suppose, so cured
him that he never relapsed into that sin afterwards. Those that
sleep as Noah did should awake as he did, and not as that drunkard
(<scripRef passage="Pr 23:35" id="Gen.x-p25.1" parsed="|Prov|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.35">Prov. xxiii. 35</scripRef>) who says
when he awakes, <i>I will seek it yet again.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p26">II. The spirit of prophecy comes upon him,
and, like dying Jacob, he tells his sons what shall befal them,
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:1" id="Gen.x-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|49|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.1"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p27">1. He pronounces a curse on Canaan the son
of Ham (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:25" id="Gen.x-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), in
whom Ham is himself cursed, either because this son of his was now
more guilty than the rest, or because the posterity of this son was
afterwards to be rooted out of their land, to make room for Israel.
And Moses here records it for the animating of Israel in the wars
of Canaan; though the Canaanites were a formidable people, yet they
were of old an accursed people, and doomed to ruin. The particular
curse is, <i>A servant of servants</i> (that is, the meanest and
most despicable servant) <i>shall he be,</i> even <i>to his
brethren.</i> Those who by birth were his equals shall by conquest
be his lords. This certainly points at the victories obtained by
Israel over the Canaanites, by which they were all either put to
the sword or put under tribute (<scripRef passage="Jos 9:23,Jdg 1:28,30,33,35" id="Gen.x-p27.2" parsed="|Josh|9|23|0|0;|Judg|1|28|0|0;|Judg|1|30|0|0;|Judg|1|33|0|0;|Judg|1|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.9.23 Bible:Judg.1.28 Bible:Judg.1.30 Bible:Judg.1.33 Bible:Judg.1.35">Josh. ix. 23; Judg. i. 28, 30, 33,
35</scripRef>), which happened not till about 800 years after this.
Note, (1.) God often visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children, especially when the children inherit the fathers' wicked
dispositions, and imitate the fathers' wicked practices, and do
nothing to cut off the entail of the curse. (2.) Disgrace is justly
put upon those that put disgrace upon others, especially that
dishonour and grieve their own parents. An undutiful child that
mocks at his parents is <i>no more worthy to be called a son,</i>
but deserves to be <i>made as a hired servant,</i> nay, as <i>a
servant of servants,</i> among his brethren. (3.) Though divine
curses operate slowly, yet, first or last, they will take effect.
The Canaanites were under a curse of slavery, and yet, for a great
while, had the dominion; for a family, a people, a person, may lie
under the curse of God, and yet may long prosper in the world, till
the measure of their iniquity, like that of the Canaanites, be
full. Many are marked for ruin that are not yet ripe for ruin.
Therefore, <i>Let not thy heart envy sinners.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p28">2. He entails a blessing upon Shem and
Japheth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p29">(1.) He blesses Shem, or rather blesses God
for him, yet so that it entitles him to the greatest honour and
happiness imaginable, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:26" id="Gen.x-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. Observe, [1.] He calls the Lord <i>the god of
Shem;</i> and happy, thrice happy, <i>is that people whose God is
the</i> <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.x-p29.2">Lord</span>, <scripRef passage="Ps 144:15" id="Gen.x-p29.3" parsed="|Ps|144|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.144.15">Ps. cxliv. 15</scripRef>. All blessings are included in
this. This was the blessing conferred on Abraham and his seed; the
God of heaven was <i>not ashamed to be called their God,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 11:16" id="Gen.x-p29.4" parsed="|Heb|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.16">Heb. xi. 16</scripRef>. Shem is
sufficiently recompensed for his respect to his father by this,
that the Lord himself puts this honour upon him, <i>to be his
God,</i> which is a sufficient recompence for all our services and
all our sufferings for his name. [2.] He gives to God the glory of
that good work which Shem had done, and, instead of blessing and
praising him that was the instrument, he blesses and praises God
that was the author. Note, The glory of all that is at any time
well done, by ourselves or others, must be humbly and thankfully
transmitted to God, who works all our good works in us and for us.
When we see men's good works we should glorify, not them, but
<i>our Father,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 5:16" id="Gen.x-p29.5" parsed="|Matt|5|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.16">Matt. v.
16</scripRef>. Thus David, in effect, blessed Abigail, when he
<i>blessed God</i> that sent her (<scripRef passage="1Sa 25:32,33" id="Gen.x-p29.6" parsed="|1Sam|25|32|25|33" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.25.32-1Sam.25.33">1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33</scripRef>), for it is an honour
and a favour to be employed for God and used by him in doing good.
[3.] He foresees and foretells that God's gracious dealings with
Shem and his family would be such as would evidence to all the
world that he was the God of Shem, on which behalf thanksgivings
would by many be rendered to him: <i>Blessed be the Lord God of
Shem.</i> [4.] It is intimated that the church should be built up
and continued in the posterity of Shem; for of him came the Jews,
who were, for a great while, the only professing people God had in
the world. [5.] Some think reference is here had to Christ, who was
the Lord God that, in his human nature, should descend from the
loins of Shem; for of him, as concerning the flesh, Christ came.
[6.] Canaan is particularly enslaved to him: <i>He shall be his
servant.</i> Note, Those that have the Lord for their God shall
have as much of the honour and power of this world as he sees good
for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p30">(2.) He blesses Japheth, and, in him,
<i>the isles of the Gentiles,</i> which were peopled by his seed:
<i>God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of
Shem,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 9:27" id="Gen.x-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|9|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Now,
[1.] Some make this to belong wholly to Japheth, and to denote
either, <i>First,</i> His outward prosperity, that his seed should
be so numerous and so victorious that they should be masters of the
tents of Shem, which was fulfilled when the people of the Jews, the
most eminent of Shem's race, were tributaries to the Grecians first
and afterwards to the Romans, both of Japheth's seed. Note, Outward
prosperity is no infallible mark of the true church: the tents of
Shem are not always the tents of the conqueror. Or,
<i>Secondly,</i> It denotes the conversion of the Gentiles, and the
bringing of them into the church; and then we should read it,
<i>God shall persuade Japheth</i> (for so the word signifies), and
then, being so persuaded, <i>he shall dwell in the tents of
Shem,</i> that is, Jews and Gentiles shall be united together in
the gospel fold. After many of the Gentiles shall have been
proselyted to the Jewish religion, both shall be one in Christ
(<scripRef passage="Eph 2:14,15" id="Gen.x-p30.2" parsed="|Eph|2|14|2|15" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.14-Eph.2.15">Eph. ii. 14, 15</scripRef>),
<pb n="75" id="Gen.x-Page_75"/>
and the Christian church, mostly made up of the
Gentiles, shall succeed the Jews in the privileges of
church-membership; the latter having first cast themselves out by
their unbelief, the Gentiles shall dwell in their tents, <scripRef passage="Ro 11:11-24" id="Gen.x-p30.3" parsed="|Rom|11|11|11|24" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.11-Rom.11.24">Rom. xi. 11</scripRef>, &amp;c. Note, It is
God only that can bring those again into the church who have
separated themselves from it. It is the power of God that makes the
gospel of Christ effectual to salvation, <scripRef passage="Ro 1:16" id="Gen.x-p30.4" parsed="|Rom|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.16">Rom. i. 16</scripRef>. And again, Souls are brought into
the church, not by force, but by persuasion, <scripRef passage="Ps 110:3" id="Gen.x-p30.5" parsed="|Ps|110|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.3">Ps. cx. 3</scripRef>. They are drawn by the cords of a
man, and persuaded by reason to be religious. [2.] Others divide
this between Japheth and Shem, Shem having not been directly
blessed, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:26" id="Gen.x-p30.6" parsed="|Gen|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>.
<i>First,</i> Japheth has the blessing of the earth beneath: <i>God
shall enlarge Japheth,</i> enlarge his seed, enlarge his border.
Japheth's prosperity peopled all Europe, a great part of Asia, and
perhaps America. Note, God is to be acknowledged in all our
enlargements. It is he that enlarges the coast and enlarges the
heart. And again, many dwell in large tents that do not dwell in
God's tents, as Japheth did. <i>Secondly,</i> Shem has the blessing
of heaven above: <i>He shall</i> (that is, God shall) <i>dwell in
the tents of Shem,</i> that is "From his loins <i>Christ shall
come,</i> and in his seed the <i>church shall be continued.</i>"
The birth-right was now to be divided between Shem and Japheth, Ham
being utterly discarded. In the principality which they equally
share Canaan shall be servant to both. The double portion is given
to Japheth, whom God shall enlarge; but the priesthood is given to
Shem, for <i>God shall dwell in the tents of Shem:</i> and
certainly we are more happy if we have God dwelling in our tents
than if we had there all the silver and gold in the world. It is
better to dwell in tents with God than in palaces without him. In
Salem, where is God's tabernacle, there is more satisfaction than
in all the isles of the Gentiles. <i>Thirdly,</i> They both have
dominion over Canaan: <i>Canaan shall be servant to them;</i> so
some read it. When Japheth joins with Shem, Canaan falls before
them both. When strangers become friends, enemies become
servants.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 9:28-29" id="Gen.x-p30.7" parsed="|Gen|9|28|9|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.28-Gen.9.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.9.28-Gen.9.29">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.x-p31">28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred
and fifty years. &#160; 29 And all the days of Noah were nine
hundred and fifty years: and he died.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.x-p32">Here see, 1. How God prolonged the life of
Noah; he lived 950 years, twenty more than Adam and but nineteen
less than Methuselah: this long life was a further reward of his
signal piety, and a great blessing to the world, to which no doubt
he continued a <i>preacher of righteousness,</i> with this
advantage, that now all he preached to were his own children. 2.
How God put a period to his life at last. Though he lived long, yet
he died, having probably first seen many that descended from him
dead before him. Noah lived to see two worlds, but, being an heir
of the righteousness which is by faith, when he died he went to see
a better than either.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter X" n="xi" progress="9.33%" prev="Gen.x" next="Gen.xii" id="Gen.xi">
<pb n="75" id="Gen.xi-Page_75"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xi-p1">This chapter shows more particularly what was said
in general (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:19" id="Gen.xi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|9|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.19"><i>ch.</i> ix.
19</scripRef>), concerning the three sons of Noah, that "of them
was the whole earth overspread;" and the fruit of that blessing
(<scripRef passage="Ge 9:1,7" id="Gen.xi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|9|1|0|0;|Gen|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1 Bible:Gen.9.7"><i>ch.</i> ix. 1, 7</scripRef>),
"replenish the earth." Is is the only certain account extant of the
origin of nations; and yet perhaps there is no nation but that of
the Jews that can be confident from which of these seventy
fountains (for so many there are here) it derives its streams.
Through the want of early records, the mixtures of people, the
revolutions of nations, and distance of time, the knowledge of the
lineal descent of the present inhabitants of the earth is lost; nor
were any genealogies preserved but those of the Jews, for the sake
of the Messiah, only in this chapter we have a brief account, I. Of
the posterity of Japheth, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:2-5" id="Gen.xi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|10|2|10|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.2-Gen.10.5">ver.
2-5</scripRef>. II. The posterity of Ham (<scripRef passage="Ge 10:6-20" id="Gen.xi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|10|6|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.6-Gen.10.20">ver. 6-20</scripRef>), and in this particular notice
is taken of Nimrod, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:8-10" id="Gen.xi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|10|8|10|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.8-Gen.10.10">ver.
8-10</scripRef>. III. The posterity of Shem, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:21-32" id="Gen.xi-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|10|21|10|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.21-Gen.10.32">ver. 21</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 10" id="Gen.xi-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 10:1-5" id="Gen.xi-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|10|1|10|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.1-Gen.10.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.10.1-Gen.10.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xi-p1.9">The Generations of Noah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 2347.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xi-p2">1 Now these <i>are</i> the generations of the
sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born
after the flood. &#160; 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog,
and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. &#160; 3
And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. &#160;
4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and
Dodanim. &#160; 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided
in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families,
in their nations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p3">Moses begins with Japheth's family, either
because he was the eldest, or because his family lay remotest from
Israel and had least concern with them at the time when Moses
wrote, and therefore he mentions that race very briefly, hastening
to give an account of the posterity of Ham, who were Israel's
enemies and of Shem, who were Israel's ancestors; for it is the
church that the scripture is designed to be the history of, and of
the nations of the world only as they were some way or other
related to Israel and interested in the affairs of Israel. Observe,
1. Notice is taken that the sons of Noah had sons born to them
after the flood, to repair and rebuild the world of mankind which
the flood had ruined. He that had killed now makes alive. 2. The
posterity of Japheth were allotted to the isles of the Gentiles
(<scripRef passage="Ge 10:5" id="Gen.xi-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|10|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), which were
solemnly, by lot, after a survey, divided among them, and probably
this island of ours among the rest; all places beyond the sea from
Judea are called <i>isles</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 25:22" id="Gen.xi-p3.2" parsed="|Jer|25|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.25.22">Jer.
xxv. 22</scripRef>), and this directs us to understand that promise
(<scripRef passage="Isa 42:4" id="Gen.xi-p3.3" parsed="|Isa|42|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.42.4">Isa. xlii. 4</scripRef>), <i>the
isles shall wait for his law,</i> of the conversion of the Gentiles
to the faith of Christ.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 10:6-14" id="Gen.xi-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|10|6|10|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.6-Gen.10.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.10.6-Gen.10.14">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xi-p4">6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and
Phut, and Canaan. &#160; 7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah,
and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of
<pb n="76" id="Gen.xi-Page_76"/>
Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. &#160; 8 And Cush begat
Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. &#160; 9 He was a
mighty hunter before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xi-p4.1">Lord</span>:
wherefore it is said; Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xi-p4.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 10 And the beginning of
his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the
land of Shinar. &#160; 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and
builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, &#160; 12 And
Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same <i>is</i> a great city.
&#160; 13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and
Naphtuhim, &#160; 14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came
Philistim,) and Caphtorim.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p5">That which is observable and improvable in
these verses is the account here given of Nimrod, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:8-10" id="Gen.xi-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|10|8|10|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.8-Gen.10.10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>. He is here
represented as a great man in his day: <i>He began to be a mighty
one in the earth,</i> that is, whereas those that went before him
were content to stand upon the same level with their neighbours,
and though every man bore rule in his own house yet no man
pretended any further, Nimrod's aspiring mind could not rest here;
he was resolved to tower above his neighbours, not only to be
eminent among them, but to lord it over them. The same spirit that
actuated the giants before the flood (who became <i>mighty men, and
men of renown,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 6:4" id="Gen.xi-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.4"><i>ch.</i> vi.
4</scripRef>), now revived in him, so soon was that tremendous
judgment which the pride and tyranny of those mighty men brought
upon the world forgotten. Note, There are some in whom ambition and
affectation of dominion seem to be bred in the bone; such there
have been and will be, notwithstanding the wrath of God often
revealed from heaven against them. Nothing on this side hell will
humble and break the proud spirits of some men, in this like
Lucifer, <scripRef passage="Isa 14:14,15" id="Gen.xi-p5.3" parsed="|Isa|14|14|14|15" osisRef="Bible:Isa.14.14-Isa.14.15">Isa. xiv. 14,
15</scripRef>. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p6">I. Nimrod was a great hunter; with this he
began, and for this became famous to a proverb. Every great hunter
is, in remembrance of him, called a <i>Nimrod.</i> 1. Some think he
did good with his hunting, served his country by ridding it of the
wild beasts which infested it, and so insinuated himself into the
affections of his neighbours, and got to be their prince. Those
that exercise authority either are, or at least would be called,
<i>benefactors,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 22:25" id="Gen.xi-p6.1" parsed="|Luke|22|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.25">Luke xxii.
25</scripRef>. 2. Others think that under pretence of hunting he
gathered men under his command, in pursuit of another game he had
to play, which was to make himself master of the country and to
bring them into subjection. He was a <i>mighty hunter,</i> that is,
he was a violent invader of his neighbours' rights and properties,
and a persecutor of innocent men, carrying all before him, and
endeavouring to make all his own by force and violence. He thought
himself a mighty prince, but <i>before the Lord</i> (that is, in
God's account) he was but a <i>mighty hunter.</i> Note, Great
conquerors are but great hunters. Alexander and Cesar would not
make such a figure in scripture-history as they do in common
history; the former is represented in prophecy but as a he-goat
pushing, <scripRef passage="Da 8:5" id="Gen.xi-p6.2" parsed="|Dan|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.5">Dan. viii. 5</scripRef>. Nimrod
was a mighty hunter <i>against</i> the Lord, so the LXX; that is,
(1.) He set up idolatry, as Jeroboam did, for the confirming of his
usurped dominion. That he might set up a new government, he set up
a new religion upon the ruin of the primitive constitution of both.
<i>Babel was the mother of harlots.</i> Or, (2.) He carried on his
oppression and violence in defiance of God himself, daring Heaven
with his impieties, as if he and his huntsmen could out-brave the
Almighty, and were a match for the Lord of hosts and all his
armies. <i>As if it were a small thing to weary men, he thinks to
weary my God also,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 7:13" id="Gen.xi-p6.3" parsed="|Isa|7|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.7.13">Isa. vii.
13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p7">II. Nimrod was a great ruler: <i>The
beginning of his kingdom was Babel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 10:10" id="Gen.xi-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Some way or other, by arts or
arms, he got into power, either being chosen to it or forcing his
way to it; and so laid the foundations of a monarchy, which was
afterwards a head of gold, and the terror of the mighty, and bade
fair to be universal. It does not appear that he had any right to
rule by birth; but either his fitness for government recommended
him, as some think, to an election, or by power and policy he
advanced gradually, and perhaps insensibly, into the throne. See
the antiquity of civil government, and particularly that form of it
which lodges the sovereignty in a single person. If Nimrod and his
neighbours began, other nations soon learned to incorporate under
one head for their common safety and welfare, which, however it
began, proved so great a blessing to the world that things were
reckoned to go ill indeed when there <i>was no king in
Israel.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p8">III. Nimrod was a great builder. Probably
he was architect in the building of Babel, and there he began his
kingdom; but, when his project to rule all the sons of Noah was
baffled by the confusion of tongues, <i>out of that land he went
forth into Assyria</i> (so the margin reads it, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:11" id="Gen.xi-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>) <i>and built Nineveh,</i>
&amp;c., that, having built these cities, he might command them and
rule over them. Observe, in Nimrod, the nature of ambition. 1. It
is boundless. Much would have more, and still cries, <i>Give,
give.</i> 2. It is restless. Nimrod, when he had four cities under
his command, could not be content till he had four more. 3. It is
expensive. Nimrod will rather be at the charge of rearing cities
than not have
<pb n="77" id="Gen.xi-Page_77"/>
the honour of ruling them. The
spirit of building is the common effect of a spirit of pride. 4. It
is daring, and will stick at nothing. Nimrod's name signifies
rebellion, which (if indeed he did abuse his power to the
oppression of his neighbours) teaches us that tyrants to men are
rebels to God, and their <i>rebellion is as the sin of
witchcraft.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 10:15-20" id="Gen.xi-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|10|15|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.15-Gen.10.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.10.15-Gen.10.20">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xi-p9">15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and
Heth, &#160; 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the
Girgasite, &#160; 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the
Sinite, &#160; 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the
Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread
abroad. &#160; 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon,
as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and
Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. &#160; 20 These
<i>are</i> the sons of Ham, after their families, after their
tongues, in their countries, <i>and</i> in their nations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p10">Observe here, 1. The account of the
posterity of Canaan, of the families and nations that descended
from him, and of the land they possessed, is more particular than
of any other in this chapter, because these were the nations that
were to be subdued before Israel, and their land was in process of
time to become the holy land, <i>Immanuel's land;</i> and this God
had an eye to when, in the meantime, he cast the lot of that
accursed devoted race in that spot of ground which he had selected
for his own people; this Moses takes notice of, <scripRef passage="De 32:8" id="Gen.xi-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.8">Deut. xxxii. 8</scripRef>, <i>When the Most High divided
to the nations their inheritance, he set the bounds of the people
according to the number of the children of Israel.</i> 2. By this
account it appears that the posterity of Canaan were numerous, and
rich, and very pleasantly situated; and yet Canaan was under a
curse, a divine curse, and not a curse causeless. Note, Those that
are under the curse of God may yet perhaps thrive and prosper
greatly in this world; for we cannot know love or hatred, the
blessing or the curse, by what is before us, but by what is within
us, <scripRef passage="Ec 9:1" id="Gen.xi-p10.2" parsed="|Eccl|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.1">Eccl. ix. 1</scripRef>. The curse of
God always works really and always terribly: but perhaps it is a
secret curse, a curse to the soul, and does not work visibly, or a
slow curse, and does not work immediately; but sinners are by it
reserved for, and bound over to, a day of wrath. Canaan here has a
better land than either Shem or Japheth, and yet they have a better
lot, for they inherit the blessing.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 10:21-32" id="Gen.xi-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|10|21|10|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.21-Gen.10.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.10.21-Gen.10.32">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xi-p11">21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the
children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him
were <i>children</i> born. &#160; 22 The children of Shem; Elam,
and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. &#160; 23 And the
children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. &#160; 24 And
Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. &#160; 25 And unto Eber
were born two sons: the name of one <i>was</i> Peleg; for in his
days was the earth divided; and his brother's name <i>was</i>
Joktan. &#160; 26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and
Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, &#160; 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and
Diklah, &#160; 28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, &#160; 29 And
Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these <i>were</i> the sons of
Joktan. &#160; 30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest
unto Sephar a mount of the east. &#160; 31 These <i>are</i> the
sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their
lands, after their nations. &#160; 32 These <i>are</i> the families
of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and
by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p12">Two things especially are observable in
this account of the posterity of Shem:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p13">I. The description of Shem, <i>v.</i> 21.
We have not only his name, <i>Shem,</i> which signifies <i>a
name,</i> but two titles to distinguish him by:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p14">1. He was <i>the father of all the children
of Eber.</i> Eber was his great grandson; but why should he be
called the father of all <i>his</i> children, rather than of all
Arphaxad's, or Salah's, &amp;c.? Probably because Abraham and his
seed, God's covenant-people, not only descended from Heber, but
from him were called <i>Hebrews;</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 14:13" id="Gen.xi-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.13"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 13</scripRef>, <i>Abram the Hebrew.</i>
Paul looked upon it as his privilege that he was a <i>Hebrew of the
Hebrews,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 3:5" id="Gen.xi-p14.2" parsed="|Phil|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.5">Phil. iii. 5</scripRef>.
Eber himself, we may suppose, was a man eminent for religion in a
time of general apostasy, and a great example of piety to his
family; and, the holy tongue being commonly called from him the
<i>Hebrew,</i> it is probable that he retained it in his family, in
the confusion of Babel, as a special token of God's favour to him;
and from him the professors of religion were called <i>the children
of Eber.</i> Now, when the inspired penman would give Shem an
honourable title, he calls him <i>the father of the Hebrews.</i>
Though when Moses wrote this, they were a poor despised people,
bond-slaves in Egypt, yet, being God's people, it was an honour to
a man to be akin to them. As Ham, though he had many sons, is
disowned by being called <i>the father of Canaan,</i> on whose seed
<pb n="78" id="Gen.xi-Page_78"/>
the <i>curse</i> was entailed (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:22" id="Gen.xi-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.22"><i>ch.</i> ix. 22</scripRef>), so Shem, though he
had many sons, is dignified with the title of <i>the father of
Eber,</i> on whose seed the blessing was entailed. Note, a family
of saints is more truly honourable than a family of nobles, Shem's
holy seed than Ham's royal seed, Jacob's twelve patriarchs than
Ishmael's twelve princes, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:20" id="Gen.xi-p14.4" parsed="|Gen|17|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.20"><i>ch.</i>
xvii. 20</scripRef>. Goodness is true greatness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p15">2. He was <i>the brother of Japheth the
elder,</i> by which it appears that, though Shem is commonly put
first, he was not Noah's first-born, but Japheth was older. But why
should this also be put as part of Shem's title and description,
that he <i>was the brother of Japheth,</i> since it had been, in
effect, said often before? And was he not as much brother to Ham?
Probably this was intended to signify the union of the Gentiles
with the Jews in the church. The sacred historian had mentioned it
as Shem's honour that he was the father of the Hebrews; but, lest
Japheth's seed should therefore be looked upon as for ever shut out
from the church, he here reminds us that he <i>was the brother of
Japheth,</i> not in birth only, but in blessing; for <i>Japheth was
to dwell in the tents of Shem.</i> Note, (1.) Those are brethren in
the best manner that are so by grace, and that meet in the covenant
of God and in the communion of saints. (2.) God, in dispensing his
grace, does not go by seniority, but the younger sometimes gets the
start of the elder in coming into the church; <i>so the last shall
be first and the first last.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xi-p16">II. The reason of the name of Peleg
(<scripRef passage="Ge 10:25" id="Gen.xi-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|10|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>): Because
<i>in his days</i> (that is, about the time of his birth, when his
name was given him), <i>was the earth divided</i> among the
children of men that were to inhabit it; either when Noah divided
it by an orderly distribution of it, as Joshua divided the land of
Canaan by lot, or when, upon their refusal to comply with that
division, God, in justice, divided them by the confusion of
tongues: whichsoever of these was the occasion, pious Heber saw
cause to perpetuate the remembrance of it in the name of his son;
and justly may our sons be called by the same name, for in our
days, in another sense, is the earth, the church, most wretchedly
divided.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XI" n="xii" progress="9.64%" prev="Gen.xi" next="Gen.xiii" id="Gen.xii">
<pb n="78" id="Gen.xii-Page_78"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xii-p1">The old distinction between the sons of God and
the sons of men (professors and profane) survived the flood, and
now appeared again, when men began to multiply: according to this
distinction we have, in this chapter, I. The dispersion of the sons
of men at Babel (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:1-9" id="Gen.xii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|11|1|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.1-Gen.11.9">ver.
1-9</scripRef>), where we have, 1. Their presumptuous provoking
design, which was to build a city and a tower, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:1-4" id="Gen.xii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|11|1|11|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.1-Gen.11.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. 2. The righteous judgment of God
upon them in disappointing their design, by confounding their
language, and so scattering them, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:5-9" id="Gen.xii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|11|5|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.5-Gen.11.9">ver. 5-9</scripRef>. II. The pedigree of the sons of
God down to Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:10-26" id="Gen.xii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|11|10|11|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.10-Gen.11.26">ver.
10-26</scripRef>), with a general account of his family, and
removal out of his native country, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:27-32" id="Gen.xii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|11|27|11|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.27-Gen.11.32">ver. 27</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 11" id="Gen.xii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 11:1-4" id="Gen.xii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|11|1|11|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.1-Gen.11.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.11.1-Gen.11.4">
<h4 id="Gen.xii-p1.8">The Confusion of Tongues. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 2247.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xii-p2">1 And the whole earth was of one language, and
of one speech. &#160; 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from
the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they
dwelt there. &#160; 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us
make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone,
and slime had they for mortar. &#160; 4 And they said, Go to, let
us build us a city and a tower, whose top <i>may reach</i> unto
heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon
the face of the whole earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p3">The close of the foregoing chapter tells us
that <i>by</i> the sons of Noah, or <i>among</i> the sons of Noah,
<i>the nations were divided in the earth after the flood,</i> that
is, were distinguished into several tribes or colonies; and, the
places having grown too strait for them, it was either appointed by
Noah, or agreed upon among his sons, which way each several tribe
or colony should steer its course, beginning with the countries
that were next to them, and designing to proceed farther and farther,
and to remove to a greater distance from each other, as the
increase of their several companies should require. Thus was the
matter well settled, one hundred years after the flood, about the
time of Peleg's birth; but the sons of men, it should seem, were
loth to disperse into distant places; they thought the more the
merrier and the safer, and therefore they contrived to keep
together, and were <i>slack to go to possess the land which the
Lord God of their fathers had given them</i> (<scripRef passage="Jos 18:3" id="Gen.xii-p3.1" parsed="|Josh|18|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.18.3">Josh. xviii. 3</scripRef>), thinking themselves wiser
than either God or Noah. Now here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p4">I. The advantages which befriended their
design of keeping together, 1. They were all of <i>one
language,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 11:1" id="Gen.xii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|11|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
If there were any different languages before the flood, yet Noah's
only, which it is likely was the same with Adam's, was preserved
through the flood, and continued after it. Now, while they all
understood one another, they would be the more likely to love one
another, and the more capable of helping one another, and the less
inclinable to separate one from another. 2. They found a very
convenient commodious place to settle in (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:2" id="Gen.xii-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), <i>a plain in the land of
Shinar,</i> a spacious plain, able to <i>contain</i> them all, and
a <i>fruitful</i> plain, able, according as their present numbers
were, to support them all, though perhaps they had not considered
what room there would be for them when their numbers should be
increased. Note, Inviting accommodations, for the present, often
prove too strong temptations to the neglect of both duty and
interest, as it respects futurity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p5">II. The method they took to bind themselves
to one another, and to settle together in one body. Instead of
coveting to enlarge their borders by a peaceful departure under the
divine protection, they contrived to fortify them, and, as those
that were resolved to wage war with Heaven, they put themselves
into a posture of defence. Their unanimous resolution is, <i>Let us
build ourselves a city
<pb n="79" id="Gen.xii-Page_79"/>
and a tower.</i> It is
observable that the first builders of cities, both in the old world
(<scripRef passage="Ge 4:17" id="Gen.xii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.17"><i>ch.</i> iv. 17</scripRef>), and in
the new world here, were not men of the best character and
reputation: tents served God's subjects to dwell in; cities were
first built by those that were rebels against him and revolters
from him. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p6">1. How they excited and encouraged one
another to set about this work. They said, <i>Go to, let us make
brick</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:3" id="Gen.xii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and
again, (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:4" id="Gen.xii-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), <i>Go
to, let us build ourselves a city;</i> by mutual excitements they
made one another more daring and resolute. Note, Great things may
be brought to pass when the undertakers are numerous and unanimous,
and stir up one another. Let us learn to provoke one another to
love and to good works, as sinners stir up and encourage one
another to wicked works. See <scripRef passage="Ps 122:1,Isa 2:3,5,Jer 50:5" id="Gen.xii-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|122|1|0|0;|Isa|2|3|0|0;|Isa|2|5|0|0;|Jer|50|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.122.1 Bible:Isa.2.3 Bible:Isa.2.5 Bible:Jer.50.5">Ps. cxxii. 1; Isa. ii. 3, 5; Jer. l.
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p7">2. What materials they used in their
building. The country, being plain, yielded neither stone nor
mortar, yet this did not discourage them from their undertaking,
but they made brick to serve instead of stone, and slime or pitch
instead of mortar. See here, (1.) What shift those will make that
are resolute in their purposes: were we but zealously affected in a
good thing, we should not stop our work so often as we do, under
pretence that we want conveniences for carrying it on. (2.) What a
difference there is between men's building and God's; when men
build their Babel, brick and slime are their best materials; but,
when God builds his Jerusalem, he lays even the <i>foundations of
it with sapphires, and all its borders with pleasant stones,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 54:11-12,Re 21:19" id="Gen.xii-p7.1" parsed="|Isa|54|11|54|12;|Rev|21|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.11-Isa.54.12 Bible:Rev.21.19">Isa. liv. 11, 12; Rev.
xxi. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p8">3. For what ends they built. Some think
they intended hereby to secure themselves against the waters of
another flood. God had told them indeed that he would not again
drown the world; but they would trust to a tower of their own
making, rather than to a promise of God's making or an ark of his
appointing. If, however, they had had this in their eye, they would
have chosen to build their tower upon a mountain rather than upon a
plain, but three things, it seems, they aimed at in building this
tower:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p9">(1.) It seems designed for an affront to
God himself; for they would build a tower <i>whose top might reach
to heaven,</i> which bespeaks a defiance of God, or at least a
rivalship with him. They would be <i>like the Most High,</i> or
would come as near him as they could, not in holiness but in
height. They forgot their place, and, scorning to creep on the
earth, resolved to climb to heaven, not by the door or ladder, but
some other way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p10">(2.) They hoped hereby to make themselves a
name; they would do something to be talked of now, and to give
posterity to know that there had been such men as they in the
world. Rather than die and leave no memorandum behind them, they
would leave this monument of their pride, and ambition, and folly.
Note, [1.] Affectation of honour and a name among men commonly
inspires with a strange ardour for great and difficult
undertakings, and often betrays to that which is evil and offensive
to God. [2.] It is just with God to bury those names in the dust
which are raised by sin. These Babel-builders put themselves to a
great deal of foolish expense to make themselves a name; but they
could not gain even this point, for we do not find in any history
the name of so much as one of these Babel-builders. Philo Jud&#230;us
says, They engraved every one his name upon a brick, <i>in
perpetuam rei memoriam&#8212;as a perpetual memorial;</i> yet neither
did this serve their purpose.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p11">(3.) They did it to prevent their
dispersion: <i>Lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the
earth.</i> "It was done" (says Josephus) "in disobedience to that
command (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:1" id="Gen.xii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.1"><i>ch.</i> ix. 1</scripRef>),
<i>Replenish the earth.</i>" God orders them to disperse. "No," say
they, "we will not, we will live and die together." In order
hereunto, they engage themselves and one another in this vast
undertaking. That they might unite in one glorious empire, they
resolve to build this city and tower, to be the metropolis of their
kingdom and the centre of their unity. It is probable that the band
of ambitious Nimrod was in all this. He could not content himself
with the command of a particular colony, but aimed at universal
monarchy, in order to which, under pretence of uniting for their
common safety, he contrives to keep them in one body, that, having
them all under his eye, he might not fail to have them under his
power. See the daring presumption of these sinners. Here is, [1.] A
bold opposition to God: "You shall be scattered," says God. "But we
will not," say they. <i>Woe unto him that thus strives with his
Maker.</i> [2.] A bold competition with God. It is God's
prerogative to be universal monarch, Lord of all, and King of
kings; the man that aims at it offers to step into the throne of
God, who will not give his glory to another.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 11:5-9" id="Gen.xii-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|11|5|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.5-Gen.11.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.11.5-Gen.11.9">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xii-p12">5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p12.1">Lord</span>
came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men
builded. &#160; 6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p12.2">Lord</span> said,
Behold, the people <i>is</i> one, and they have all one language;
and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from
them, which they have imagined to do. &#160; 7 Go to, let us go
down, and there confound their language, that they may not
understand one another's speech. &#160; 8 So the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p12.3">Lord</span> scattered them abroad from thence upon the
face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. &#160;
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because
<pb n="80" id="Gen.xii-Page_80"/>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p12.4">Lord</span> did there
confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p12.5">Lord</span> scatter them abroad upon the
face of all the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p13">We have here the quashing of the project of
the Babel-builders, and the turning of the counsel of those froward
men headlong, that God's counsel might stand in spite of them. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p14">I. The cognizance God took of the design
that was on foot: <i>The Lord came down to see the city,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 11:5" id="Gen.xii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. It is an
expression after the manner of men; he knew it as clearly and fully
as men know that which they come to the place to view. Observe, 1.
Before he gave judgment upon their cause, he enquired into it; for
God is incontestably just and fair in all his proceedings against
sin and sinners, and condemns none unheard. 2. It is spoken of as
an act of condescension in God to take notice even of this
building, which the undertakers were so proud of; for he humbles
himself to behold the transactions, even the most considerable
ones, of this lower world, <scripRef passage="Ps 113:6" id="Gen.xii-p14.2" parsed="|Ps|113|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.113.6">Ps. cxiii.
6.</scripRef>. 3. It is said to be <i>the tower which the children
of men built,</i> which intimates, (1.) Their weakness and frailty
as men. It was a very foolish thing for the children of men, worms
of the earth, to defy Heaven, and to provoke the Lord to jealousy.
<i>Are they stronger than he?</i> (2.) Their sinfulness and
obnoxiousness. They were the sons of <i>Adam,</i> so it is in the
Hebrew; nay, of that Adam, that sinful disobedient Adam, whose
children are by nature children of disobedience, children that are
corrupters. (3.) Their distinction from the children of God, the
professors of religion, from whom these daring builders had
separated themselves, and built this tower to support and
perpetuate the separation. Pious Eber is not found among this
ungodly crew; for he and his are called the children of God, and
therefore their souls come not into the secret, nor unite
themselves to the assembly, of these children of men.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p15">II. The counsels and resolves of the
Eternal God concerning this matter; he did not come down merely as
a spectator, but as a judge, as a prince, to <i>look upon these
proud men, and abase them,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 40:11-14" id="Gen.xii-p15.1" parsed="|Job|40|11|40|14" osisRef="Bible:Job.40.11-Job.40.14">Job
xl. 11-14</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p16">1. He suffered them to proceed a good way
in their enterprise before he put a stop to it, that they might
have space to repent, and, if they had so much consideration left,
might be ashamed of it and weary of it themselves; and if not that
their disappointment might be the more shameful, and every one that
passed by might laugh at them, saying, <i>These men began to build,
and were not able to finish,</i> that so the works of their hands,
from which they promised themselves immortal honour, might turn to
their perpetual reproach. Note, God has wise and holy ends in
permitting the enemies of his glory to carry on their impious
projects a great way, and to prosper long in their enterprises.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p17">2. When they had, with much care and toil,
made some considerable progress in their building, then God
determined to break their measures and disperse them. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p18">(1.) The righteousness of God, which
appears in the considerations upon which he proceeded in this
resolution, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:6" id="Gen.xii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Two
things he considered:&#8212;[1.] Their oneness, as a reason why they
must be scattered: "<i>Behold, the people are one, and they have
all one language.</i> If they continue one, much of the earth will
be left uninhabited; the power of their prince will soon be
exorbitant; wickedness and profaneness will be insufferably
rampant, for they will strengthen one another's hands in it; and,
which is worst of all, there will be an overbalance to the church,
and these children of men, if thus incorporated, will swallow up
the little remnant of God's children." Therefore it is decreed that
they must not be one. Note, Unity is a policy, but it is not the
infallible mark of a true church; yet, while the builders of Babel,
though of different families, dispositions, and interests, were
thus unanimous in opposing God, what a pity is it, and what a
shame, that the builders of Sion, though united in one common head
and Spirit, should be divided, as they are, in serving God! But
marvel not at the matter. Christ came not to send peace. [2.] Their
obstinacy: <i>Now nothing will be restrained from them;</i> and
this is a reason why they must be crossed and thwarted in their
design. God had tried, by his commands and admonitions, to bring
them off from this project, but in vain; therefore he must take
another course with them. See here, <i>First,</i> The sinfulness of
sin, and the wilfulness of sinners; ever since Adam would not be
restrained from the forbidden tree, his unsanctified seed have been
impatient of restraint and ready to rebel against it.
<i>Secondly,</i> See the necessity of God's judgments upon earth,
to keep the world in some order and to tie the hands of those that
will not be checked by law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p19">(2.) The wisdom and mercy of God in the
methods that were taken for the defeating of this enterprise
(<scripRef passage="Ge 11:7" id="Gen.xii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>Go to, let
us go down, and there confound their language.</i> This was not
spoken to the angels, as if God needed either their advice or their
assistance, but God speaks it to himself, or the Father to the Son
and Holy Ghost. They said, <i>Go to, let us make brick,</i> and
<i>Go to, let us build a tower,</i> animating one another to the
attempt; and now God says, <i>Go to, let us confound their
language;</i> for, if men stir up themselves to sin, God will stir
up himself to take vengeance, <scripRef passage="Isa 59:17,18" id="Gen.xii-p19.2" parsed="|Isa|59|17|59|18" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.17-Isa.59.18">Isa.
lix. 17, 18</scripRef>. Now observe here, [1.] The mercy of God, in
moderating the penalty, and not making it proportionable to the
offence; for <i>he deals not with us according to our sins.</i> He
does not say, "<i>Let us go down</i> now in thunder and lightning,
and consume those rebels in a moment;" or, "Let the earth open, and
swallow up them and
<pb n="81" id="Gen.xii-Page_81"/>
their building, and let
those go down quickly into hell who are climbing to heaven the
wrong way." No; only, "<i>Let us go down,</i> and scatter them."
They deserved death, but are only banished or transported; for the
patience of God is very great towards a provoking world.
Punishments are chiefly reserved for the future state. God's
judgments on sinners in this life, compared with those which are
reserved, are little more than restraints. [2.] The wisdom of God,
in pitching upon an effectual expedient to stay proceedings, which
was the confounding of their language, that they might not
understand one another's speech, nor could they well join hands
when their tongues were divided; so that this would be a very
proper method both for taking them off from their building (for, if
they could not understand one another, they could not help one
another) and also for disposing them to scatter; for, when they
could not understand one another, they could not take pleasure in
one another. Note, God has various means, and effectual ones, to
baffle and defeat the projects of proud men that set themselves
against him, and particularly to divide them among themselves,
either by dividing their spirits (<scripRef passage="Jdg 9:23" id="Gen.xii-p19.3" parsed="|Judg|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.9.23">Judg. ix. 23</scripRef>), or by dividing their tongues,
as David prays, <scripRef passage="Ps 55:9" id="Gen.xii-p19.4" parsed="|Ps|55|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.55.9">Ps. lv.
9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p20">III. The execution of these counsels of
God, to the blasting and defeating of the counsels of men,
<scripRef passage="Ge 11:8,9" id="Gen.xii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|11|8|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.8-Gen.11.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. God made
them know <i>whose word should stand, his or theirs,</i> as the
expression is, <scripRef passage="Jer 44:28" id="Gen.xii-p20.2" parsed="|Jer|44|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.44.28">Jer. xliv.
28</scripRef>. Notwithstanding their oneness and obstinacy, God was
too hard for them, and wherein they dealt proudly he was above
them; for <i>who ever hardened his heart against him and
prospered?</i> Three things were done:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p21">1. Their language was confounded. God, who,
when he made man, taught him to speak, and put words into his mouth
fit to express the conceptions of his mind by, now caused these
builders to forget their former language, and to speak and
understand a new one, which yet was common to those of the same
tribe or family, but not to others: those of one colony could
converse together, but not with those of another. Now, (1.) This
was a great miracle, and a proof of the power which God has upon
the minds and tongues of men, which he turns as the rivers of
water. (2.) This was a great judgment upon these builders; for,
being thus deprived of the knowledge of the ancient and holy
tongue, they had become incapable of communicating with the true
church, in which it was retained, and probably it contributed much
to their loss of the knowledge of the true God. (3.) We all suffer
by it, to this day. In all the inconveniences we sustain by the
diversity of languages, and all the pains and trouble we are at to
learn the languages we have occasion for, we smart for the
rebellion of our ancestors at Babel. Nay, and those unhappy
controversies which are strifes of words, and arise from our
misunderstanding one another's language, for aught I know are owing
to this confusion of tongues. (4.) The project of some to frame a
universal character, in order to a universal language, how
desirable soever it may seem, is yet, I think, but a vain thing to
attempt; for it is to strive against a divine sentence, by which
the languages of the nations will be divided while the world
stands. (5.) We may here lament the loss of the universal use of
the Hebrew tongue, which from this time was the vulgar language of
the Hebrews only, and continued so till the captivity in Babylon,
where, even among them, it was exchanged for the Syriac. (6.) As
the confounding of tongues divided the children of men and
scattered them abroad, so the gift of tongues, bestowed upon the
apostles (<scripRef passage="Ac 2:1-13" id="Gen.xii-p21.1" parsed="|Acts|2|1|2|13" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.1-Acts.2.13">Acts ii.</scripRef>),
contributed greatly to the gathering together of the children of
God, who were scattered abroad, and the uniting of them in Christ,
that with one mind and one mouth they might glorify God, <scripRef passage="Ro 15:6" id="Gen.xii-p21.2" parsed="|Rom|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.6">Rom. xv. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p22">2. Their building was stopped: <i>They left
off to build the city.</i> This was the effect of the confusion of
their tongues; for it not only incapacitated them for helping one
another, but probably struck such a damp upon their spirits that
they could not proceed, since they saw, in this, the hand of the
Lord gone out against them. Note, (1.) It is wisdom to leave off
that which we see God fights against. (2.) God is able to blast and
bring to nought all the devices and designs of Babel-builders. He
sits in heaven, and laughs at the counsels of the kings of the
earth against him and his anointed; and will force them to confess
that there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord, <scripRef passage="Pr 21:30,Isa 8:9,10" id="Gen.xii-p22.1" parsed="|Prov|21|30|0|0;|Isa|8|9|8|10" osisRef="Bible:Prov.21.30 Bible:Isa.8.9-Isa.8.10">Prov. xxi. 30; Isa. viii. 9,
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p23">3. The builders were scattered abroad upon
the face of the whole earth, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:8,9" id="Gen.xii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|11|8|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.8-Gen.11.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. They departed in companies,
after their families, and after their tongues (<scripRef passage="Ge 10:5,20,31" id="Gen.xii-p23.2" parsed="|Gen|10|5|0|0;|Gen|10|20|0|0;|Gen|10|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.5 Bible:Gen.10.20 Bible:Gen.10.31"><i>ch.</i> x. 5, 20, 31</scripRef>), to the several
countries and places allotted to them in the division that had been
made, which they knew before, but would not go to take possession
of till now that they were forced to it. Observe here, (1.) The
very thing which they feared came upon them. That dispersion which
sought to evade by an act of rebellion they by this act brought
upon themselves; for we are most likely to fall into that trouble
which we seek to evade by indirect and sinful methods. (2.) It was
God's work: <i>The Lord scattered them.</i> God's hand is to be
acknowledged in all scattering providences; if the family be
scattered, relations scattered, churches scattered, it is the
Lord's doing. (3.) Though they were as firmly in league with one
another as could be, yet the Lord scattered them; for no man can
keep together what God will put asunder. (4.) Thus God justly took
vengeance on them for their oneness in that presumptuous attempt to
build their tower. Shameful dispersions are the just punishment of
sinful
<pb n="82" id="Gen.xii-Page_82"/>
unions. Simeon and Levi, who had been
brethren in iniquity, were divided in Jacob, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:5,7,Ps 83:3-13" id="Gen.xii-p23.3" parsed="|Gen|49|5|0|0;|Gen|49|7|0|0;|Ps|83|3|83|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.5 Bible:Gen.49.7 Bible:Ps.83.3-Ps.83.13"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 5, 7; Ps. lxxxiii.
3-13</scripRef>. (5.) They left behind them a perpetual memorandum
of their reproach, in the name given to the place. It was called
<i>Babel, confusion.</i> Those that aim at a great name commonly
come off with a <i>bad</i> name. (6.) The children of men were now
finally scattered, and never did, nor ever will, come all together
again, till the great day, when the Son of man shall sit upon the
throne of his glory, and all nations shall be gathered before him,
<scripRef passage="Mt 25:31,32" id="Gen.xii-p23.4" parsed="|Matt|25|31|25|32" osisRef="Bible:Matt.25.31-Matt.25.32">Matt. xxv. 31, 32</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 11:10-26" id="Gen.xii-p23.5" parsed="|Gen|11|10|11|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.10-Gen.11.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.11.10-Gen.11.26">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xii-p24">10 These <i>are</i> the generations of Shem:
Shem <i>was</i> a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years
after the flood: &#160; 11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad
five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. &#160; 12 And
Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: &#160; 13
And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three
years, and begat sons and daughters. &#160; 14 And Salah lived
thirty years, and begat Eber: &#160; 15 And Salah lived after he
begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and
daughters. &#160; 16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and
begat Peleg: &#160; 17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four
hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. &#160; 18
And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: &#160; 19 And Peleg
lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons
and daughters. &#160; 20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and
begat Serug: &#160; 21 And Reu lived after he begat Serug two
hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. &#160; 22
And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: &#160; 23 And Serug
lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and
daughters. &#160; 24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and
begat Terah: &#160; 25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah a
hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. &#160; 26
And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and
Haran.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p25">We have here a genealogy, not an endless
genealogy, for here it ends in Abram, the friend of God, and leads
further to Christ, the promised seed, who was the son of Abram, and
from Abram the genealogy of Christ is reckoned (<scripRef passage="Mt 1:1-17" id="Gen.xii-p25.1" parsed="|Matt|1|1|1|17" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.1-Matt.1.17">Matt. i. 1</scripRef>, &amp;c.); so that put <scripRef passage="Ge 5, 11:10-26, Matt. 1:1-17" id="Gen.xii-p25.2" parsed="|Gen|5|0|0|0;|Gen|11|10|11|26;|Matt|1|1|1|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5 Bible:Gen.11.10-Gen.11.26 Bible:Matt.1.1-Matt.1.17"><i>ch.</i> v., <i>ch.</i>
xi., and Matt. i</scripRef>, together, and you have such an entire
genealogy of Jesus Christ as cannot be produced, for aught I know,
concerning any person in the world, out of his line, and at such a
distance from the fountain-head. And, laying these three
genealogies together, we shall find that twice ten, and thrice
fourteen, generations or descents, passed between the first and
second Adam, making it clear concerning Christ that he was not only
the Son of Abraham, but the Son of man, and the seed of woman.
Observe here, 1. Nothing is left upon record concerning those of
this line but their names and ages, the Holy Ghost seeming to
hasten through them to the story of Abram. How little do we know of
those that have gone before us in this world, even those that lived
in the same places where we live, as we likewise know little of
those that are our contemporaries in distant places! we have enough
to do to mind the work of our own day, and let God alone to
<i>require that which is past,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 3:15" id="Gen.xii-p25.3" parsed="|Eccl|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.15">Eccl. iii. 15</scripRef>. 2. There was an observable
gradual decrease in the years of their lives. Shem reached to 600
years, which yet fell short of the age of the patriarchs before the
flood; the next three came short of 500; the next three did not
reach to 300; after them we read not of any that attained to 200,
except Terah; and, not many ages after this, Moses reckoned
seventy, or eighty, to be the utmost men ordinarily arrive at. When
the earth began to be replenished, men's lives began to shorten; so
that the decrease is to be imputed to the wise disposal of
Providence, rather than to any decay of nature. For the elect's
sake, men's days are shortened; and, being evil, it is well they
are few, and <i>attain not to the years of the lives of our
fathers,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 47:9" id="Gen.xii-p25.4" parsed="|Gen|47|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.9"><i>ch.</i> xlvii.
9</scripRef>. 3. Eber, from whom the Hebrews were denominated, was
the longest-lived of any that was born after the flood, which
perhaps was the reward of his singular piety and strict adherence
to the ways of God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 11:27-32" id="Gen.xii-p25.5" parsed="|Gen|11|27|11|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.27-Gen.11.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.11.27-Gen.11.32">
<h4 id="Gen.xii-p25.6">The Generations of Terah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xii-p25.7">b. c.</span> 1921.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xii-p26">27 Now these <i>are</i> the generations of
Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
&#160; 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his
nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. &#160; 29 And Abram and Nahor took
them wives: the name of Abram's wife <i>was</i> Sarai; and the name
of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of
Milcah, and the father of Iscah. &#160; 30 But Sarai was barren;
she <i>had</i> no child. &#160; 31 And Terah took Abram his son,
and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in
law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur,
<pb n="83" id="Gen.xii-Page_83"/>
of the Chaldees, to go into the land of
Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. &#160; 32 And
the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died
in Haran.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p27">Here begins the story of Abram, whose name
is famous, henceforward, in both Testaments. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p28">I. His country: <i>Ur of the Chaldees.</i>
This was the land of his nativity, an idolatrous country, where
even the children of Eber themselves had degenerated. Note, Those
who are, through grace, heirs of the land of promise, ought to
remember what was the land of their nativity, what was their
corrupt and sinful state by nature, the rock out of which they were
hewn.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p29">II. His relations, mentioned for his sake,
and because of their interest in the following story. 1. His father
was <i>Terah,</i> of whom it is said (<scripRef passage="Jos 24:2" id="Gen.xii-p29.1" parsed="|Josh|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.2">Josh. xxiv. 2</scripRef>) that he served other gods, on
the other side of the flood, so early did idolatry gain footing in
the world, and so hard is it even for those that have some good
principles to swim against the stream. Though it is said (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:26" id="Gen.xii-p29.2" parsed="|Gen|11|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>) that when Terah was
seventy years old he begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran (which seems to
tell us that Abram was the eldest son of Terah, and was born in his
seventieth year), yet, by comparing <scripRef passage="Ge 11:32" id="Gen.xii-p29.3" parsed="|Gen|11|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>, which makes Terah to die in his
205<i>th</i> year, with <scripRef passage="Ac 7:4" id="Gen.xii-p29.4" parsed="|Acts|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.4">Acts vii.
4</scripRef> (where it is said that he was but seventy-five years
old when he removed from Haran), it appears that he was born in the
130<i>th</i> year of Terah, and probably was his youngest son; for,
in God's choices, the last are often first and the first last. We
have, 2. Some account of his brethren. (1.) <i>Nahor,</i> out of
whose family both Isaac and Jacob had their wives. (2.)
<i>Haran,</i> the father of Lot, of whom it is here said (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:28" id="Gen.xii-p29.5" parsed="|Gen|11|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>) <i>that he died before
his father Terah.</i> Note, Children cannot be sure that they shall
survive their parents; for death does not go by seniority, taking
the eldest first. <i>The shadow of death is without any order,</i>
<scripRef passage="Job 10:22" id="Gen.xii-p29.6" parsed="|Job|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.10.22">Job x. 22</scripRef>. It is likewise
said that he died <i>in Ur of the Chaldees,</i> before the happy
removal of the family out of that idolatrous country. Note, It
concerns us to hasten out of our natural state, lest death surprise
us in it. 3. His wife was <i>Sarai,</i> who some think, was the
same with Iscah, the daughter of Haran. Abram himself says of her
that she was the daughter of his father, but not the daughter of
his mother, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:12" id="Gen.xii-p29.7" parsed="|Gen|20|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.12"><i>ch.</i> xx.
12</scripRef>. She was ten years younger than Abram.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xii-p30">III. His departure out of Ur of the
Chaldees, with his father Terah, his nephew Lot, and the rest of
his family, in obedience to the call of God, of which we shall read
more, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:1-20" id="Gen.xii-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|12|1|12|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.1-Gen.12.20"><i>ch.</i> xii. 1</scripRef>,
&amp;c. This chapter leaves them in Haran, or Charran, a place
about mid-way between Ur and Canaan, where they dwelt till Terah's
head was laid, probably because the old man was unable, through the
infirmities of age, to proceed in his journey. Many reach to
Charran, and yet fall short of Canaan; they are not far from the
kingdom of God, and yet never come thither.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XII" n="xiii" progress="10.23%" prev="Gen.xii" next="Gen.xiv" id="Gen.xiii">
<pb n="83" id="Gen.xiii-Page_83"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xiii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xiii-p1">The pedigree and family of Abram we had an account
of in the foregoing chapter; here the Holy Ghost enters upon his
story, and henceforward Abram and his seed are almost the only
subject of the sacred history. In this chapter we have, I. God's
call of Abram to the land of Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:1-3" id="Gen.xiii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|12|1|12|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.1-Gen.12.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. Abram's obedience to this
call, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:4,5" id="Gen.xiii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|12|4|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.4-Gen.12.5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>. III. His
welcome to the land of Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:6-9" id="Gen.xiii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|12|6|12|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.6-Gen.12.9">ver.
6-9</scripRef>. IV. His journey to Egypt, with an account of what
happened to him there. Abram's flight and fault, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:10-13" id="Gen.xiii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|12|10|12|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.10-Gen.12.13">ver. 10-13</scripRef>. Sarai's danger and
deliverance, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:14-20" id="Gen.xiii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|12|14|12|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.14-Gen.12.20">ver.
14-20</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 12" id="Gen.xiii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|12|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 12:1-3" id="Gen.xiii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|12|1|12|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.1-Gen.12.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.12.1-Gen.12.3">
<h4 id="Gen.xiii-p1.8">The Call of Abram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1921.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiii-p2">1 Now the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span>
had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show
thee: &#160; 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will
bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
&#160; 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p3">We have here the call by which Abram was
removed out of the land of his nativity into the land of promise,
which was designed both to try his faith and obedience and also to
separate him and set him apart for God, and for special services
and favours which were further designed. The circumstances of this
call we may be somewhat helped to the knowledge of from Stephen's
speech, <scripRef passage="Ac 7:2" id="Gen.xiii-p3.1" parsed="|Acts|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.2">Acts vii. 2</scripRef>, where we
are told, 1. That the God of glory appeared to him to give him this
call, appeared in such displays of his glory as left Abram no room
to doubt the divine authority of this call. God spoke to him
afterwards in divers manners; but this first time, when the
correspondence was to be settled, he appeared to him as <i>the God
of glory,</i> and spoke to him. 2. That this call was given him in
Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran; therefore we rightly read
it, <i>The Lord</i> had <i>said unto Abram,</i> namely, in Ur of
the Chaldees; and, in obedience to this call, as Stephen further
relates the story (<scripRef passage="Ac 7:4" id="Gen.xiii-p3.2" parsed="|Acts|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.4">Acts vii.
4</scripRef>), <i>he came out of the land of the Chaldeans, and
dwelt in Charran, or Haran, about five years, and thence, when his
father was dead,</i> by a fresh command, pursuant to the former,
God removed him into the land of Canaan. Some think that Haran was
in Chaldea, and so was still a part of Abram's country, or that
Abram, having staid there five years, began to call it his country,
and to take root there, till God let him know this was not the
place he was intended for. Note, If God loves us, and has mercy in
store for us, he will not suffer us to take up our rest any where
short of Canaan, but will graciously repeat his calls, till the
good work begun be performed, and our souls repose in
<pb n="84" id="Gen.xiii-Page_84"/>
God only. In the call itself we have a precept and a
promise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p4">I. A trying precept: <i>Get thee out of thy
country,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:1" id="Gen.xiii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p5">1. By this precept he was tried whether he
loved his native soil and dearest friends, and whether he could
willingly leave all, to go along with God. His country had become
idolatrous, his kindred and his father's house were a constant
temptation to him, and he could not continue with them without
danger of being infected by them; therefore <i>Get thee out,</i>
<b><i>lk-lk</i></b>&#8212;<i>Vade tibi, Get thee gone,</i> with all
speed, <i>escape for thy life, look not behind thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 19:17" id="Gen.xiii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.17"><i>ch.</i> xix. 17</scripRef>. Note, Those that
are in a sinful state are concerned to make all possible haste out
of it. <i>Get out for thyself</i> (so some read it), that is, for
thy own good. Note, Those who leave their sins, and turn to God,
will themselves be unspeakable gainers by the change, <scripRef passage="Pr 9:12" id="Gen.xiii-p5.2" parsed="|Prov|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.9.12">Prov. ix. 12</scripRef>. This command which God
gave to Abram is much the same with the gospel call by which all
the spiritual seed of faithful Abram are brought into covenant with
God. For, (1.) Natural affection must give way to divine grace. Our
country is dear to us, our kindred dearer, and our father's house
dearest of all; and yet they must all be hated (<scripRef passage="Lu 14:26" id="Gen.xiii-p5.3" parsed="|Luke|14|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.14.26">Luke xiv. 26</scripRef>), that is, we must love them
less than Christ, hate them in comparison with him, and, whenever
any of these come in competition with him, they must be postponed,
and the preference given to the will and honour of the Lord Jesus.
(2.) Sin, and all the occasions of it, must be forsaken, and
particularly bad company; we must abandon all the idols of iniquity
which have been set up in our hearts, and get out of the way of
temptation, plucking out even a right eye that leads us to sin
(<scripRef passage="Mt 5:29" id="Gen.xiii-p5.4" parsed="|Matt|5|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.29">Matt. v. 29</scripRef>), willingly
parting with that which is dearest to us, when we cannot keep it
without hazard of our integrity. Those that resolve to keep the
commandments of God must quit the society of evil doers, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:115,Ac 2:40" id="Gen.xiii-p5.5" parsed="|Ps|119|115|0|0;|Acts|2|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.115 Bible:Acts.2.40">Ps. cxix. 115; Acts ii. 40</scripRef>.
(3.) The world, and all our enjoyments in it, must be looked upon
with a holy indifference and contempt; we must no longer look upon
it as our country, or home, but as our inn, and must accordingly
sit loose to it and live above it, get out of it in affection.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p6">2. By this precept he was tried whether he
could trust God further than he saw him; for he must leave his own
country, to go to a <i>land that God would show him.</i> He does
not say, "It is a land that I will give thee," but merely, "a land
that I will show thee." Nor does he tell him what land it was, nor
what kind of land; but he must follow God with an implicit faith,
and take God's word for it, in the general, though he had no
particular securities given him that he should be no loser by
leaving his country, to follow God. Note, Those that will deal with
God must deal upon trust; we must quit the things that are seen for
things that are not seen, and submit to the sufferings of this
present time in hopes of a glory that is yet to be revealed
(<scripRef passage="Ro 8:18" id="Gen.xiii-p6.1" parsed="|Rom|8|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.18">Rom. viii. 18</scripRef>); for <i>it
doth not yet appear what we shall be</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 3:2" id="Gen.xiii-p6.2" parsed="|1John|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.2">1 John iii. 2</scripRef>), any more than it did to Abram,
when God called him to a land he would show him, so teaching him to
live in a continual dependence upon his direction, and with his eye
ever towards him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p7">II. Here is an encouraging promise, nay, it
is a complication of promises, many, and exceedingly great and
precious. Note, All God's precepts are attended with promises to
the obedient. When he makes himself known also as a rewarder: if we
obey the command, God will not fail to perform the promise. Here
are six promises:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p8">1. <i>I will make of thee a great
nation.</i> When God took him from his own people, he promised to
make him the head of another; he cut him off from being the branch
of a wild olive, to make him the root of a good olive. This promise
was, (1.) A great relief to Abram's burden; for he had now no
child. Note, God knows how to suit his favours to the wants and
necessities of his children. He that has a plaster for every sore
will provide one for that first which is most painful. (2.) A great
trial to Abram's faith; for his wife had been long barren, so that,
if he believe, it must be against hope, and his faith must build
purely upon that power which <i>can out of stones raise up children
unto Abraham,</i> and make them a great nation. Note, [1.] God
makes nations: by him they are <i>born at once</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 66:8" id="Gen.xiii-p8.1" parsed="|Isa|66|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.8">Isa. lxvi. 8</scripRef>), and he speaks, to
build and plant them, <scripRef passage="Jer 18:9" id="Gen.xiii-p8.2" parsed="|Jer|18|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.18.9">Jer. xviii.
9</scripRef>. And, [2.] If a nation be made great in wealth and
power, it is God that makes it great. [3.] God can raise great
nations out of dry ground, and can make <i>a little one to be a
thousand.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p9">2. <i>I will bless thee,</i> either
particularly with the blessing of fruitfulness and increase, as he
had blessed Adam and Noah, or, in general, "<i>I will bless
thee</i> with all manner of blessings, both of the upper and the
nether springs. Leave thy father's house, and I will give thee a
father's blessing, better than that of they progenitors." Note,
Obedient believers will be sure to inherit the blessing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p10">3. <i>I will make thy name great.</i> By
deserting his country, he lost his name there. "Care not for that,"
says God, "but trust me, and I will make thee a greater name than
ever thou couldst have had there." Having no child, he feared he
should have no name; but God will make him a great nation, and so
make him a great name. Note, (1.) God is the fountain of honour,
and from him promotion comes, <scripRef passage="1Sa 2:8" id="Gen.xiii-p10.1" parsed="|1Sam|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.8">1 Sam.
ii. 8</scripRef>. (2.) The name of obedient believers shall
certainly be celebrated and made great. The best report is that
which the elders obtained by faith, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:2" id="Gen.xiii-p10.2" parsed="|Heb|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.2">Heb. xi. 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p11">4. <i>Thou shalt be a blessing;</i> that
is, (1.) "Thy happiness shall be a sample of happiness, so that
those who would bless their
<pb n="85" id="Gen.xiii-Page_85"/>
friends shall
only pray that God would make them like Abram;" as <scripRef passage="Ru 4:11" id="Gen.xiii-p11.1" parsed="|Ruth|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.4.11">Ruth iv. 11</scripRef>. Note, God's dealings with
obedient believers are so kind and gracious that we need not desire
for ourselves or our friends to be any better dealt with: to have
God for our friend is blessedness enough. (2.) "Thy life shall be a
blessing to the places where thou shalt sojourn." Note, Good men
are the blessings of their country, and it is their unspeakable
honour and happiness to be made so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p12">5. <i>I will bless those that bless thee
and curse him that curseth thee.</i> This made it a kind of a
league, offensive and defensive, between God and Abram. Abram
heartily espoused God's cause, and here God promises to interest
himself in his. (1.) He promises to be a friend to his friends, to
take kindnesses shown to him as done to himself, and to recompense
them accordingly. God will take care that none be losers, in the
long run, by any service done for his people; even a cup of cold
water shall be rewarded. (2.) He promises to appear against his
enemies. There were those that hated and cursed even Abram himself;
but, while their causeless curses could not hurt Abram, God's
righteous curse would certainly overtake and ruin them, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:9" id="Gen.xiii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|24|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.9">Num. xxiv. 9</scripRef>. This is a good reason
why we should bless those that curse us, because it is enough that
God <i>will curse them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 38:13-15" id="Gen.xiii-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|38|13|38|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.38.13-Ps.38.15">Ps.
xxxviii. 13-15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p13">6. <i>In thee shall all the families of the
earth be blessed.</i> This was the promise that crowned all the
rest; for it points at the Messiah, in whom <i>all the promises are
yea and amen.</i> Note, (1.) Jesus Christ is the great blessing of
the world, the greatest that ever the world was blessed with. He is
a family blessing, by him salvation is brought to the house
(<scripRef passage="Lu 19:9" id="Gen.xiii-p13.1" parsed="|Luke|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.9">Luke xix. 9</scripRef>); when we
reckon up our family blessings, let us put Christ in the
<i>imprimis&#8212;the first place,</i> as the blessing of blessings. But
how are all the families of the earth blessed in Christ, when so
many are strangers to him? <i>Answer,</i> [1.] All that are blessed
are blessed in him, <scripRef passage="Ac 4:12" id="Gen.xiii-p13.2" parsed="|Acts|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.4.12">Acts iv.
12</scripRef>. [2.] All that believe, of what family soever they
shall be, shall be blessed in him. [3.] Some of all the families of
the earth are blessed in him. [4.] There are some blessings which
all the families of the earth are blessed with in Christ; for the
gospel salvation is a <i>common salvation,</i> <scripRef passage="Jude 1:3" id="Gen.xiii-p13.3" parsed="|Jude|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.3">Jude 3</scripRef>. (2.) It is a great honour to be
related to Christ; this made Abram's name great, that the Messiah
was to descend from his loins, much more than that he should be the
father of many nations. It was Abram's honour to be his father by
nature; it will be ours to be his brethren by grace, <scripRef passage="Mt 12:50" id="Gen.xiii-p13.4" parsed="|Matt|12|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.50">Matt. xii. 50</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 12:4-5" id="Gen.xiii-p13.5" parsed="|Gen|12|4|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.4-Gen.12.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.12.4-Gen.12.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xiii-p13.6">Arrival of Abram in Canaan. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p13.7">b. c.</span> 1920.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiii-p14">4 So Abram departed, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p14.1">Lord</span> had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him:
and Abram <i>was</i> seventy and five years old when he departed
out of Haran. &#160; 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his
brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and
the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go
into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p15">Here is, I. Abraham's removal out of his
country, out of Ur first and afterwards out of Haran, in compliance
with the call of God: <i>So Abram departed;</i> he was not
disobedient to the heavenly vision, but did as he was bidden, not
conferring with flesh and blood, <scripRef passage="Ga 1:15,16" id="Gen.xiii-p15.1" parsed="|Gal|1|15|1|16" osisRef="Bible:Gal.1.15-Gal.1.16">Gal. i. 15, 16</scripRef>. His obedience was speedy
and without delay, submissive and without dispute; for he <i>went
out, not knowing whither he went</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:8" id="Gen.xiii-p15.2" parsed="|Heb|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.8">Heb. xi. 8</scripRef>), but knowing whom he followed and
under whose direction he went. Thus God <i>called him to his
foot,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 41:2" id="Gen.xiii-p15.3" parsed="|Isa|41|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.2">Isa. xli. 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p16">II. His age when he removed: he was
<i>seventy-five years old,</i> an age when he should rather have
had rest and settlement; but, if God will have him to begin the
world again now in his old age, he will submit. Here is an instance
of an old convert.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p17">III. The company and cargo that he took
with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p18">1. He took his wife, and his nephew Lot,
with him; not by force and against their wills, but by persuasion.
Sarai, his wife, would be sure to go with him; God had joined them
together, and nothing should put them asunder. If Abram leave all,
to follow God, Sarai will leave all, to follow Abram, though
neither of them knew whither. And it was a mercy to Abram to have
such a companion in his travels, a help meet for him. Note, It is
very comfortable when husband and wife agree to go together in the
way to heaven. Lot also, his kinsman, was influenced by Abram's
good example, who was perhaps his guardian after the death of his
father, and he was willing to go along with him too. Note, Those
that go to Canaan need not go alone; for, though few find the
strait gate, blessed be God, some do; and it is our wisdom to go
with those with whom God is (<scripRef passage="Zec 8:23" id="Gen.xiii-p18.1" parsed="|Zech|8|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.23">Zech.
viii. 23</scripRef>), wherever they go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p19">2. They took all their effects with
them&#8212;<i>all their substance</i> and movable goods, <i>that they
had gathered.</i> For, (1.) With themselves they would give up
their all, to be at God's disposal, would keep back no part of the
price, but venture all in one bottom, knowing it was a good bottom.
(2.) They would furnish themselves with that which was requisite,
both for the service of God and the supply of their family, in the
country whither they were going. To have thrown away his substance,
because God had promised to bless him, would have been to tempt
God, not to trust him. (3.) They would not be under any temptation
to return; therefore they leave not a hoof behind, lest that should
make them <i>mindful of the country from which they came
out.</i></p>
<pb n="86" id="Gen.xiii-Page_86"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p20">3. They took with them the <i>souls that
they had gotten,</i> that is, (1.) The servants they had bought,
which were part of their substance, but are called <i>souls,</i> to
remind masters that their poor servants have souls, precious souls,
which they ought to take care of and provide food convenient for.
(2.) The proselytes they had made, and persuaded to attend the
worship of the true God, and to go with them to Canaan: the souls
which (as one of the rabbin expresses it) they had <i>gathered
under the wings of the divine Majesty.</i> Note, Those who serve
and follow God themselves should do all they can to bring others to
serve and follow him too. These souls they are said to have
<i>gained.</i> We must reckon ourselves true gainers if we can but
win souls to Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p21">IV. Here is their happy arrival at their
journey's end: <i>They went forth to go into the land of
Canaan;</i> so they did before (<scripRef passage="Ge 11:31" id="Gen.xiii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|11|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.31"><i>ch.</i> xi. 31</scripRef>), and then took up short,
but now they held on their way, and, by the good hand of their God
upon them, to the land of Canaan they came, where by a fresh
revelation they were told that this was the land God promised to
show them. They were not discouraged by the difficulties they met
with in their way, nor diverted by the delights they met with, but
<i>pressed forward.</i> Note, 1. Those that set out for heaven must
persevere to the end, still reaching forth to those things that are
before. 2. That which we undertake in obedience to God's command,
and a humble attendance upon his providence, will certainly
succeed, and end with comfort at last.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 12:6-9" id="Gen.xiii-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|12|6|12|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.6-Gen.12.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.12.6-Gen.12.9">
<h4 id="Gen.xiii-p21.3">Abram's Devotion. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p21.4">b. c.</span> 1921.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiii-p22">6 And Abram passed through the land unto the
place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite
<i>was</i> then in the land. &#160; 7 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p22.1">Lord</span> appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy
seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p22.2">Lord</span>, who appeared unto him. &#160;
8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of
Beth-el, and pitched his tent, <i>having</i> Beth-el on the west,
and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p22.3">Lord</span>, and called upon the name of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p22.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 9 And Abram journeyed,
going on still toward the south.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p23">One would have expected that Abram having
had such an extraordinary call to Canaan some great event should
have followed upon his arrival there, that he should have been
introduced with all possible marks of honour and respect, and that
the kings of Canaan should immediately have surrendered their
crowns to him, and done him homage. But no; he comes not with
observation, little notice is taken of him, for still God will have
him to live by faith, and to look upon Canaan, even when he was in
it, as a land of promise; therefore observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p24">I. How little comfort he had in the land he
came to; for, 1. He had it not to himself: <i>The Canaanite was
then in the land.</i> He found the country peopled and possessed by
Canaanites, who were likely to be but bad neighbours and worse
landlords; and, for aught that appears, he could not have ground to
pitch his tent on but by their permission. Thus the accursed
Canaanites seemed to be in better circumstances than blessed Abram.
Note, The children of this world have commonly more of it than
God's children. 2. He had not a settlement in it. He <i>passed
through the land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:6" id="Gen.xiii-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. He <i>removed to a mountain,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:8" id="Gen.xiii-p24.2" parsed="|Gen|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. He <i>journeyed, going on
still,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:9" id="Gen.xiii-p24.3" parsed="|Gen|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
Observe here, (1.) Sometimes it is the lot of good men to be
unsettled, and obliged often to remove their habitation. Holy David
had his wanderings, his flittings, <scripRef passage="Ps 56:8" id="Gen.xiii-p24.4" parsed="|Ps|56|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.56.8">Ps.
lvi. 8</scripRef>. (2.) Our removes in this world are often into
various conditions. Abram sojourned, first in a plain <scripRef passage="Ge 12:6" id="Gen.xiii-p24.5" parsed="|Gen|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>, then in a mountain,
<scripRef passage="Ge 12:8" id="Gen.xiii-p24.6" parsed="|Gen|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. God has set the
one over-against the other. (3.) All good people must look upon
themselves as strangers and sojourners in this world, and by faith
sit loose to it as a strange country. So Abram did, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:8-14" id="Gen.xiii-p24.7" parsed="|Heb|11|8|11|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.8-Heb.11.14">Heb. xi. 8-14</scripRef>. (4.) While we are
here in this present state, we must be journeying, and going on
still from strength to strength, as having not yet attained.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p25">II. How much comfort he had in the God he
followed; when he could have little satisfaction in converse with
the Canaanites whom he found there, he had abundance of pleasure in
communion with that God who brought him thither, and did not leave
him. Communion with God is kept up by the word and by prayer, and
by these, according to the methods of that dispensation, Abram's
communion with God was kept up in the land of his pilgrimage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p26">1. God appeared to Abram, probably in a
vision, and spoke to him good words and comfortable words: <i>Unto
thy seed will I give this land.</i> Note, (1.) No place nor
condition of life can shut us out from the comfort of God's
gracious visits. Abram is a sojourner, unsettled among Canaanites;
and yet here also he meets with him that lives and sees him.
Enemies may part us and our tents, us and our altars, but not us
and our God. Nay, (2.) With respect to those that faithfully follow
God in a way of duty, though he lead them from their friends, he
will himself make up that loss by his gracious appearances to them.
(3.) God's promises are sure and satisfying to all those who
conscientiously observe and obey his precepts; and those who, in
compliance with God's call, leave or lose any thing that is dear to
them, shall be sure of something else abundantly better in lieu of
it. Abram had left
<pb n="87" id="Gen.xiii-Page_87"/>
the <i>land of his
nativity:</i> "Well," says God, "I will give thee this land,"
<scripRef passage="Mt 19:29" id="Gen.xiii-p26.1" parsed="|Matt|19|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.29">Matt. xix. 29</scripRef>. (4.) God
reveals himself and his favours to his people by degrees; before he
had promised to <i>show</i> him this land, now to <i>give</i> it to
him: as grace is growing, so is comfort. (5.) It is comfortable to
have land of God's giving, not by providence only, but by promise.
(6.) Mercies to the children are mercies to the parents. "I will
give it, not to thee, but to thy seed;" it is a grant in reversion
to his seed, which yet, it should seem, Abram understood also as a
grant to himself of a better land in reversion, of which this was a
type; for he looked for a heavenly country, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:16" id="Gen.xiii-p26.2" parsed="|Heb|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.16">Heb. xi. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p27">2. Abram attended on God in his instituted
ordinances. He <i>built an altar unto the Lord who appeared to him,
and called on the name of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:7,8" id="Gen.xiii-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|12|7|12|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.7-Gen.12.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. Now consider this, (1.) As
done upon a special occasion. When God appeared to him, then and
there he built an altar, with an eye to the God who appeared to
him. Thus he returned God's visit, and kept up his correspondence
with heaven, as one that resolved it should not fail on his side;
thus he acknowledged, with thankfulness, God's kindness to him in
making him that gracious visit and promise; and thus he testified
his confidence in and dependence upon the word which God had
spoken. Note, An active believer can heartily bless God for a
promise the performance of which he does not yet see, and build an
altar to the honour of God who appears to him, though he does not
yet appear for him. (2.) As his constant practice, whithersoever he
removed. As soon as Abram had got to Canaan, though he was but a
stranger and sojourner there, yet he set up, and kept up, the
worship of God in his family; and wherever he had a tent God had an
altar, and that an altar sanctified by prayer. For he not only
minded the ceremonial part of religion, the offering of sacrifice,
but made conscience of the natural duty of seeking to his God, and
calling on his name, that spiritual sacrifice with which God is
well pleased. He preached concerning the name of the Lord, that is,
he instructed his family and neighbours in the knowledge of the
true God and his holy religion. The <i>souls he had gotten in
Haran,</i> being discipled, must be further taught. Note, Those
that would approve themselves the children of faithful Abram, and
would inherit the blessing of Abram, must make conscience of
keeping up the solemn worship of God, particularly in their
families, according to the example of Abram. The way of family
worship is a good old way, is no novel invention, but the ancient
usage of all the saints. Abram was very rich and had a numerous
family, was now unsettled and in the midst of enemies, and yet,
wherever he pitched his tent, he built an altar. Wherever we go,
let us not fail to take our religion along with us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 12:10-13" id="Gen.xiii-p27.2" parsed="|Gen|12|10|12|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.10-Gen.12.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.12.10-Gen.12.13">
<h4 id="Gen.xiii-p27.3">Abram's Removal into Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p27.4">b. c.</span> 1920.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiii-p28">10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram
went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine <i>was</i>
grievous in the land. &#160; 11 And it came to pass, when he was
come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife,
Behold now, I know that thou <i>art</i> a fair woman to look upon:
&#160; 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall
see thee, that they shall say, This <i>is</i> his wife: and they
will kill me, but they will save thee alive. &#160; 13 Say, I pray
thee, thou <i>art</i> my sister: that it may be well with me for
thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p29">Here is, I. A famine in the land of Canaan,
<i>a grievous famine.</i> That fruitful land was turned into
barrenness, not only to punish the iniquity of the Canaanites who
dwelt therein, but to exercise the faith of Abram who sojourned
therein; and a very sore trial it was; it tried what he would
think, 1. Of God that brought him thither, whether he would not be
ready to say with his murmuring seed that he was brought forth to
be <i>killed with hunger,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 16:3" id="Gen.xiii-p29.1" parsed="|Exod|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.3">Exod.
xvi. 3</scripRef>. Nothing short of a strong faith could keep up
good thoughts of God under such a providence. 2. Of the land of
promise, whether he would think the grant of it worth the
accepting, and a valuable consideration for the relinquishing of
his own country, when, for aught that now appeared, it was a land
that <i>ate up the inhabitants.</i> Now he was tried whether he
could preserve an unshaken confidence that the God who brought him
to Canaan would maintain him there, and whether he could rejoice in
him as the God of his salvation when the fig-tree did not blossom,
<scripRef passage="Hab 3:17,18" id="Gen.xiii-p29.2" parsed="|Hab|3|17|3|18" osisRef="Bible:Hab.3.17-Hab.3.18">Hab. iii. 17, 18</scripRef>. Note,
(1.) Strong faith is commonly exercised with divers temptations,
that it may be <i>found to praise, and honour, and glory,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Pe 1:6,7" id="Gen.xiii-p29.3" parsed="|1Pet|1|6|1|7" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.6-1Pet.1.7">1 Pet. i. 6, 7</scripRef>. (2.) It
pleases God sometimes to try those with great afflictions who are
but young beginners in religion. (3.) It is possible for a man to
be in the way of duty, and in the way to happiness, and yet meet
with great troubles and disappointments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p30">II. Abram's removal into Egypt, upon
occasion of this famine. See how wisely God provides that there
should be plenty in one place when there was scarcity in another,
that, as members of the great body, we may not say to one another,
<i>I have no need of you.</i> God's providence took care there
should be a supply in Egypt, and Abram's prudence made use of the
opportunity; for we tempt God, and do not trust him, if, in the
time of distress, we use not the means he has graciously provided
for our
<pb n="88" id="Gen.xiii-Page_88"/>
preservation: We must not expect
needless miracles. But that which is especially observable here, to
the praise of Abram, is that he did not offer to return, upon this
occasion, to the country from which he came out, nor so much as
towards it. The land of his nativity lay north-east from Canaan;
and therefore, when he must, for a time, quit Canaan, he chooses to
go to Egypt, which lay south-west, the contrary way, that he might
not so much as seem to look back. See <scripRef passage="Heb 11:15,16" id="Gen.xiii-p30.1" parsed="|Heb|11|15|11|16" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.15-Heb.11.16">Heb. xi. 15, 16</scripRef>. Further observe, When he
went down into Egypt, it was to sojourn there, not to dwell there.
Note, 1. Though Providence, for a time, may cast us into bad
places, yet we ought to tarry there no longer than needs must; we
may <i>sojourn</i> where we may not <i>settle.</i> 2. A good man,
while he is on this side heaven, wherever he is, is but a
sojourner.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p31">III. A great fault which Abram was guilty
of, in denying his wife, and pretending that she was his sister.
The scripture is impartial in relating the misdeeds of the most
celebrated saints, which are recorded, not for our imitation, but
for our admonition, that he <i>who thinks he stands may take heed
lest he fall.</i> 1. His fault was dissembling his relation to
Sarai, equivocating concerning it, and teaching his wife, and
probably all his attendants, to do so too. What he said was, in a
sense, true (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:12" id="Gen.xiii-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|20|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.12"><i>ch.</i> xx.
12</scripRef>), but with a purpose to deceive; he so concealed a
further truth as in effect to deny it, and to expose thereby both
his wife and the Egyptians to sin. 2. That which was at the bottom
of it was a jealous timorous fancy he had that some of the
Egyptians would be so charmed with the beauty of Sarai (Egypt
producing few such beauties) that, if they should know he was her
husband, they would find some way or other to take him off, that
they might marry her. He presumes they would rather be guilty of
murder than adultery, such a heinous crime was it then accounted
and such a sacred regard was paid to the marriage bond; hence he
infers, without any good reason, <i>They will kill me.</i> Note,
The fear of man brings a snare, and many are driven to sin by the
dread of death, <scripRef passage="Lu 12:4,5" id="Gen.xiii-p31.2" parsed="|Luke|12|4|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.4-Luke.12.5">Luke xii. 4,
5</scripRef>. The grace Abram was most eminent for was faith; and
yet he thus fell through unbelief and distrust of the divine
Providence, even <i>after God had appeared to him twice.</i> Alas!
what will become of the willows, when the cedars are thus
shaken?</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 12:14-20" id="Gen.xiii-p31.3" parsed="|Gen|12|14|12|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.14-Gen.12.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.12.14-Gen.12.20">
<h4 id="Gen.xiii-p31.4">Abram's Denial of His Wife. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p31.5">b. c.</span> 1920.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiii-p32">14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was
come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she <i>was</i>
very fair. &#160; 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and
commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into
Pharaoh's house. &#160; 16 And he entreated Abram well for her
sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants,
and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. &#160; 17 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiii-p32.1">Lord</span> plagued Pharaoh and his house
with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. &#160; 18 And
Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What <i>is</i> this <i>that</i>
thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she
<i>was</i> thy wife? &#160; 19 Why saidst thou, She <i>is</i> my
sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore
behold thy wife, take <i>her,</i> and go thy way. &#160; 20 And
Pharaoh commanded <i>his</i> men concerning him: and they sent him
away, and his wife, and all that he had.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p33">Here is, I. The danger Sarai was in of
having her chastity violated by the king of Egypt: and without
doubt the peril of sin is the greatest peril we can be in.
<i>Pharaoh's princes</i> (his pimps rather) <i>saw her, and,</i>
observing what a comely woman she was, they <i>commended her before
Pharaoh,</i> not for that which was really her praise&#8212;her virtue
and modesty, her faith and piety (these were no excellencies in
their eyes), but for her beauty, which they thought too good for
the embraces of a subject. They recommended her to the king, and
she was presently taken into Pharaoh's house, as Esther into the
seraglio of Ahasuerus (<scripRef passage="Es 2:8" id="Gen.xiii-p33.1" parsed="|Esth|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Esth.2.8">Esth. ii.
8</scripRef>), in order to her being taken into his bed. Now we
must not look upon Sarai as standing fair for preferment, but as
entering into temptation; and the occasions of it were her own
beauty (which is a snare to many) and Abram's equivocation, which
is a sin that commonly is an inlet to much sin. While Sarai was in
this danger, Abram fared the better for her sake. Pharaoh gave him
sheep, oxen, &amp;c. (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:16" id="Gen.xiii-p33.2" parsed="|Gen|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), to gain his consent, that he might the more readily
prevail with her whom he supposed to be his sister. We cannot think
that Abram expected this when he came down into Egypt, much less
that he had an eye to it when he denied his wife; but God brought
good out of evil. And thus the wealth of the sinner proves, in some
way or other, to be laid up for the just.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p34">II. The deliverance of Sarai from this
danger. For if God did not deliver us, many a time, by prerogative,
out of those straits and distresses which we bring ourselves into
by our own sin and folly, and which therefore we could not expect
any deliverance from by promise, we should soon be ruined, nay, we
should have been ruined long before this. He deals not with us
according to our deserts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p35">1. God chastised Pharaoh, and so prevented
the progress of his sin. Note, Those are happy chastisements that
hinder us in a sinful way, and effectually bring us to our duty,
and particularly to the duty of restoring that
<pb n="89" id="Gen.xiii-Page_89"/>
which we have wrongfully taken and detained. Observe,
Not Pharaoh only, but his house, was plagued, probably those
princes especially that had commended Sarai to Pharaoh. Note,
Partners in sin are justly made partners in the punishment. Those
that serve others' lusts must expect to share in their plagues. We
are not told particularly what these plagues were; but doubtless
there was something in the plagues themselves, or some explication
added to them, sufficient to convince them that it was for Sarai's
sake that they were thus plagued.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p36">2. Pharaoh reproved Abram, and then
dismissed him with respect.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p37">(1.) The reproof was calm, but very just:
<i>What is this that thou hast done?</i> What an improper thing!
How unbecoming a wise and good man! Note, If those that profess
religion do that which is unfair and disingenuous, especially if
they say that which borders upon a lie, they must expect to hear of
it, and have reason to thank those that will tell them of it. We
find a prophet of the Lord justly reproved and upbraided by a
heathen ship-master, <scripRef passage="Jon 1:6" id="Gen.xiii-p37.1" parsed="|Jonah|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jonah.1.6">Jon. i.
6</scripRef>. Pharaoh reasons with him: <i>Why didst thou not tell
me that she was thy wife?</i> intimating that, if he had known
this, he would not have taken her into his house. Note, It is a
fault too common among good people to entertain suspicions of
others beyond what there is cause for. We have often found more of
virtue, honour, and conscience, in some people than we thought they
possessed; and it ought to be a pleasure to us to be thus
disappointed, as Abram was here, who found Pharaoh to be a better
man than he expected. Charity teaches us to hope the best.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p38">(2.) The dismission was kind and very
generous. He restored him his wife without offering any injury to
her honour: <i>Behold thy wife, take her,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:19" id="Gen.xiii-p38.1" parsed="|Gen|12|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Note, Those that would prevent
sin must remove the temptation, or get out of the way of it. He
also sent him away in peace, and was so far from any design to kill
him, as he apprehended, that he took particular care of him. Note,
We often perplex and ensnare ourselves with fears which soon appear
to have been altogether groundless. We often fear where no fear is.
We fear the <i>fury of the oppressor, as though he were ready to
destroy,</i> when really there is no danger, <scripRef passage="Isa 51:13" id="Gen.xiii-p38.2" parsed="|Isa|51|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.13">Isa. li. 13</scripRef>. It would have been more for
Abram's credit and comfort to have told the truth at first; for,
after all, <i>honesty is the best policy.</i> Nay, it is said
(<scripRef passage="Ge 12:20" id="Gen.xiii-p38.3" parsed="|Gen|12|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), <i>Pharaoh
commanded his men concerning him,</i> that is, [1.] He charged them
not to injure him in any thing. Note, It is not enough for those in
authority to do no hurt themselves, but they must restrain their
servants, and those about them, from doing hurt. Or, [2.] He
appointed them, when Abram was disposed to return home, after the
famine, to conduct him safely out of the country, as his convoy.
Probably he was alarmed by the plagues (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:17" id="Gen.xiii-p38.4" parsed="|Gen|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), and inferred from them that
Abram was a particular favourite of Heaven, and therefore, through
fear of their return, took special care he should receive no injury
in his country. Note, God has often raised up friends for his
people, by making men know that it is at their peril if they hurt
them. It is a dangerous thing to offend Christ's little ones.
<scripRef passage="Mt 18:6" id="Gen.xiii-p38.5" parsed="|Matt|18|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.18.6">Matt. xviii. 6</scripRef>. To this
passage, among others, the Psalmist refers, <scripRef passage="Ps 105:13-15" id="Gen.xiii-p38.6" parsed="|Ps|105|13|105|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.13-Ps.105.15">Ps. cv. 13-15</scripRef>, <i>He reproved kings for
their sakes, saying, Touch not my anointed.</i> Perhaps if Pharaoh
had not <i>sent him away,</i> he would have been tempted to stay in
Egypt and to forget the land of promise. Note, Sometimes God makes
use of the enemies of his people to convince them, and remind them,
that this world is not their rest, but that they must think of
departing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiii-p39"><i>Lastly,</i> Observe a resemblance
between this deliverance of Abram out of Egypt and the deliverance
of his seed thence: 430 years after Abram went into Egypt on
occasion of a famine they went thither on occasion of a famine
also; he was fetched out with great plagues on Pharaoh, so were
they; as Abram was dismissed by Pharaoh, and enriched with the
spoil of the Egyptians, so were they. For God's care of his people
is the same <i>yesterday, to-day, and for ever.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIII" n="xiv" progress="10.94%" prev="Gen.xiii" next="Gen.xv" id="Gen.xiv">
<pb n="89" id="Gen.xiv-Page_89"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xiv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xiv-p1">In this chapter we have a further account
concerning Abram. I. In general, of his condition and behaviour in
the land of promise, which was now the land of his pilgrimage. 1.
His removes, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:1,3,4,18" id="Gen.xiv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|13|1|0|0;|Gen|13|3|0|0;|Gen|13|4|0|0;|Gen|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.1 Bible:Gen.13.3 Bible:Gen.13.4 Bible:Gen.13.18">ver. 1, 3, 4,
18</scripRef>. 2. His riches, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:2" id="Gen.xiv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.2">ver.
2</scripRef>. 3. His devotion, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:4,18" id="Gen.xiv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|13|4|0|0;|Gen|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.4 Bible:Gen.13.18">ver.
4, 18</scripRef>. II. A particular account of a quarrel that
happened between him and Lot. 1. The unhappy occasion of their
strife <scripRef passage="Ge 13:5,6" id="Gen.xiv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|13|5|13|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.5-Gen.13.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. 2. The
parties concerned in the strife, with the aggravation of it,
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:7" id="Gen.xiv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|13|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.7">ver. 7</scripRef>. III. The making up
of the quarrel, by the prudence of Abram <scripRef passage="Ge 13:8,9" id="Gen.xiv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|13|8|13|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.8-Gen.13.9">ver. 8, 9</scripRef>. IV. Lot's departure from Abram to
the plain of Sodom, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:10-13" id="Gen.xiv-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|13|10|13|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.10-Gen.13.13">ver.
10-13</scripRef>. V. God's appearance to Abram, to confirm the
promise of the land of Canaan to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:14-18" id="Gen.xiv-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|13|14|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.14-Gen.13.18">ver. 14</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 13" id="Gen.xiv-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 13:1-4" id="Gen.xiv-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|13|1|13|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.1-Gen.13.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.13.1-Gen.13.4">
<h4 id="Gen.xiv-p1.11">Abram's Removal to Canaan. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1918.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiv-p2">1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his
wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. &#160;
2 And Abram <i>was</i> very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
&#160; 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to
Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning,
between Beth-el and Hai; &#160; 4 Unto the place of the altar,
which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the
name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p3">I. Here is Abram's return out of Egypt,
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:1" id="Gen.xiv-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He came himself
and brought all his with him back again to Canaan. Note, Though
there may be occasion to go sometimes into places of temptation,
yet we must hasten out of them as soon as possible. See <scripRef passage="Ru 1:6" id="Gen.xiv-p3.2" parsed="|Ruth|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.1.6">Ruth i. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p4">II. His wealth: <i>He was very rich,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:2" id="Gen.xiv-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. He was very
<i>heavy,</i> so the Hebrew word signifies; for <i>riches are a
burden,</i> and those that <i>will be rich do but load themselves
with thick clay,</i> <scripRef passage="Hab 2:6" id="Gen.xiv-p4.2" parsed="|Hab|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.6">Hab. ii.
6</scripRef>. There is a burden
<pb n="90" id="Gen.xiv-Page_90"/>
of care in
getting them, fear in keeping them, temptation in using them, guilt
in abusing them, sorrow in losing them, and a burden of account, at
last, to be given up concerning them. Great possessions do but make
men heavy and unwieldy. Abram was not only rich in faith and good
works, and in the promises, but he was <i>rich in cattle, and in
silver and gold.</i> Note, 1. God, in his providence, sometimes
makes good men rich men, and teaches them how to abound, as well as
how to suffer want. 2. The riches of good men are the fruits of
God's blessing. God has said to Abram, <i>I will bless thee;</i>
and that blessing made him rich without sorrow, <scripRef passage="Pr 10:22" id="Gen.xiv-p4.3" parsed="|Prov|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.10.22">Prov. x. 22</scripRef>. 3. True piety will very well
consist with great prosperity. Though it is hard for a rich man to
get to heaven, yet it is not impossible, <scripRef passage="Mk 10:23,24" id="Gen.xiv-p4.4" parsed="|Mark|10|23|10|24" osisRef="Bible:Mark.10.23-Mark.10.24">Mark x. 23, 24</scripRef>. Abram was very rich and
yet very religious. Nay, as piety is a friend to outward prosperity
(<scripRef passage="1Ti 4:8" id="Gen.xiv-p4.5" parsed="|1Tim|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.8">1 Tim. iv. 8</scripRef>), so outward
prosperity, if well-managed, is an ornament to piety, and furnishes
an opportunity of doing so much the more good.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p5">III. His removal to Beth-el, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:3,4" id="Gen.xiv-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|13|3|13|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.3-Gen.13.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. Thither he went, not
only because there he had formerly had his tent, and he was willing
to go among his old acquaintance, but because there he had formerly
had his altar: and, though the altar was gone (probably he himself
having taken it down, when he left the place, lest it should be
polluted by the idolatrous Canaanites), yet he <i>came to the place
of the altar,</i> either to revive the remembrance of the sweet
communion he had had with God in that place, or perhaps to pay the
vows he had there made to God when he undertook his journey into
Egypt. Long afterwards God sent Jacob to this same place on that
errand (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:1" id="Gen.xiv-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|35|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.1"><i>ch.</i> xxxv. 1</scripRef>),
<i>Go up to Beth-el, where thou vowedst the vow.</i> We have need
to be reminded, and should take all occasions to remind ourselves,
of our solemn vows; and perhaps the place where they were made may
help to bring them afresh to mind, and it may therefore do us good
to visit it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p6">IV. His devotion there. His altar was gone,
so that he could not offer sacrifice; but <i>he called on the name
of the Lord,</i> as he had done, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:8" id="Gen.xiv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.8"><i>ch.</i> xii. 8</scripRef>. Note, 1. All God's people
are praying people. You may as soon find a living man without
breath as a living Christian without prayer. 2. Those that would
approve themselves upright with their God must be constant and
persevering in the services of religion. Abram did not leave his
religion behind him in Egypt, as many do in their travels. 3. When
we cannot do <i>what we would</i> we must make conscience of doing
<i>what we can</i> in the acts of devotion. When we want an altar,
let us not be wanting in prayer, but, wherever we are, call on the
name of the Lord.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 13:5-9" id="Gen.xiv-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|13|5|13|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.5-Gen.13.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.13.5-Gen.13.9">
<h4 id="Gen.xiv-p6.3">Lot's Separation from Abram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p6.4">b. c.</span> 1917.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiv-p7">5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had
flocks, and herds, and tents. &#160; 6 And the land was not able to
bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was
great, so that they could not dwell together. &#160; 7 And there
was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen
of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then
in the land. &#160; 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no
strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen
and thy herdmen; for we <i>be</i> brethren. &#160; 9 <i>Is</i> not
the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me:
if <i>thou wilt take</i> the left hand, then I will go to the
right; or if <i>thou depart</i> to the right hand, then I will go
to the left.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p8">We have here an unhappy falling out between
Abram and Lot, who had hitherto been inseparable companions (see
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:1" id="Gen.xiv-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="Ge 12:4" id="Gen.xiv-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.4"><i>ch.</i> xii. 4</scripRef>), but now
parted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p9">I. The occasion of their quarrel was their
riches. We read (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:2" id="Gen.xiv-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>) how rich Abram was; now here we are told (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:5" id="Gen.xiv-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>) that <i>Lot, who went
with Abram,</i> was rich too; and therefore God blessed him with
riches because he went with Abram. Note, 1. It is good being in
good company, and going with those with whom God is, <scripRef passage="Zec 8:23" id="Gen.xiv-p9.3" parsed="|Zech|8|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.23">Zech. viii. 23</scripRef>. 2. Those that are
partners with God's people in their obedience and sufferings shall
be sharers with them in their joys and comforts, <scripRef passage="Isa 66:10" id="Gen.xiv-p9.4" parsed="|Isa|66|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.10">Isa. lxvi. 10</scripRef>. Now, they both being very
rich, <i>the land was not able to bear them, that they might
dwell</i> comfortably and peaceably together. So that their riches
may be considered, (1.) As setting them at a distance one from
another. Because the place was too strait for them, and they had
not room for their stock, it was necessary they should live
asunder. Note, Every comfort in this world has its cross attending
it. Business is a comfort; but it has this inconvenience in it,
that it allows us not the society of those we love, so often, nor
so long, as we could wish. (2.) As setting them at variance one
with another. Note, Riches are often an occasion of strife and
contention among relations and neighbours. This is one of those
<i>foolish and hurtful lusts which those that will be rich fall
into,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 6:9" id="Gen.xiv-p9.5" parsed="|1Tim|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.9">1 Tim. vi. 9</scripRef>.
Riches not only afford matter for contention, and are the things
most commonly striven about, but they also stir up a spirit of
contention, by making people proud and covetous. <i>Meum</i> and
<i>tuum&#8212;Mine</i> and <i>thine,</i> are the great make-bates of the
world. Poverty and travail, wants and wanderings, could not
separate between Abram and Lot; but riches did. Friends are soon
lost; but God is a
<pb n="91" id="Gen.xiv-Page_91"/>
friend from whose love
neither the height of prosperity nor the depth of adversity shall
separate us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p10">II. The immediate instruments of the
quarrel were their servants. The strife began between <i>the
herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:7" id="Gen.xiv-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|13|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. They strove, it
is probable, which should have the better pasture or the better
water; and both interested their masters in the quarrel. Note, Bad
servants often make a great deal of mischief in families, by the
pride and passion, their lying slandering, and tale-bearing. It is
a very wicked thing for servants to do ill offices between
relations and neighbours, and to sow discord; those that do so are
the devil's agents and their masters' worst enemies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p11">III. The aggravation of the quarrel was
that <i>the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land;</i>
this made the quarrel, 1. Very dangerous. If Abram and Lot cannot
agree to feed their flocks together, it is well if the common enemy
do not come upon them and plunder them both. Note, The division of
families and churches often proves the ruin of them. 2. Very
scandalous. No doubt the eyes of all the neighbours were upon them,
especially because of the singularity of their religion, and the
extraordinary sanctity they professed; and notice would soon be
taken of this quarrel, and improvement made of it, to their
reproach, by the Canaanites and Perizzites. Note, The quarrels of
professors are the reproach of profession, and give occasion, as
much as any thing, to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p12">IV. The making up of this quarrel was very
happy. It is best to preserve the peace, that it be not broken; but
the next best is, if differences do happen, with all speed to
accommodate them, and quench the fire that has broken out. The
motion for staying this strife was made by Abram, though he was the
senior and superior relation, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:8" id="Gen.xiv-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|13|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p13">1. His petition for peace was very
affectionate: <i>Let there be not strife, I pray thee.</i> Abram
here shows himself to be a man, (1.) Of a cool spirit, that had the
command of his passion, and knew how to turn away wrath with a soft
answer. Those that would keep the peace must never render railing
for railing. (2.) Of a condescending spirit; he was willing to
beseech even his inferior to be at peace, and made the first
overture of reconciliation. Conquerors reckon it their glory to
give peace by power; and it is no less so to give peace by the
meekness of wisdom. Note, The people of God should always approve
themselves a peaceable people; whatever others are for, they must
be for peace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p14">2. His plea for peace was very cogent. (1.)
"Let there be no strife <i>between me and thee.</i> Let the
Canaanites and Perizzites contend about trifles; but let not thee
and me fall out, who know better things, and look for a better
country." Note, Professors of religion should, of all others, be
careful to avoid contention. <i>You shall not be so,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 22:26" id="Gen.xiv-p14.1" parsed="|Luke|22|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.26">Luke xxii. 26</scripRef>. <i>We have no such
custom,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 11:16" id="Gen.xiv-p14.2" parsed="|1Cor|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.16">1 Cor. xi. 16</scripRef>.
"Let there be no strife <i>between me and thee,</i> who have lived
together and loved one another so long." Note, The remembrance of
old friendships should quickly put an end to new quarrels which at
any time happen. (2.) Let it be remembered that <i>we are
brethren,</i> Heb. <i>we are men brethren;</i> a double argument.
[1.] We are men; and, as men, we are mortal creatures&#8212;we may die
to-morrow, and are concerned to be found in peace. We are rational
creatures, and should be ruled by reason. We are men, and not
brutes, men, and not children; we are sociable creatures, let us be
so to the uttermost. [2.] We are brethren. Men of the same nature,
of the same kindred and family, of the same religion, companions in
obedience, companions in patience. Note, The consideration of our
relation to each other, as brethren, should always prevail to
moderate our passions, and either to prevent or put an end to our
contentions. Brethren should love as brethren.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p15">3. His proposal for peace was very fair.
Many who profess to be for peace yet will do nothing towards it;
but Abram hereby approved himself a real friend to peace that he
proposed an unexceptionable expedient for the preserving of it:
<i>Is not the whole land before thee?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 13:9" id="Gen.xiv-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. As if he had said, "Why should we
quarrel for room, while there is room enough for us both?" (1.) He
concludes that they must part, and is very desirous that they
should part friends: <i>Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me.</i>
What could be expressed more affectionately? He does not expel him,
and force him away, but advises that he should separate himself.
Nor does he charge him to depart, but humbly desires him to
withdraw. Note, Those that have power to command, yet sometimes,
for love's sake, and peace' sake, should rather beseech as Paul
besought Philemon, <scripRef passage="Philemon 1:8,9" id="Gen.xiv-p15.2" parsed="|Phlm|1|8|1|9" osisRef="Bible:Phlm.1.8-Phlm.1.9"><i>v.</i> 8,
9</scripRef>. When the great God condescends to beseech us, we may
well afford to beseech one another, to <i>be reconciled,</i>
<scripRef passage="2Co 5:20" id="Gen.xiv-p15.3" parsed="|2Cor|5|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.20">2 Cor. v. 20</scripRef>. (2.) He
offers him a sufficient share of the land they were in. Though God
had promised Abram to give this land to his seed (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:7" id="Gen.xiv-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.7"><i>ch.</i> xii. 7</scripRef>), and it does not
appear that ever any such promise was made to Lot, which Abram
might have insisted on, to the total exclusion of Lot, yet he
allows him to come in partner with him, and tenders an equal share
to one that had not an equal right, and will not make God's promise
to patronise his quarrel, nor, under the protection of that, put
any hardship on his kinsman. (3.) He gives him his choice, and
offers to take up with his leavings: <i>If thou wilt take the left
hand, I will go to the right.</i> There was all the reason in the
world that Abram should choose first; yet he recedes from his
right. Note, It is a noble conquest to be willing to yield for
peace' sake; it is the conquest of ourselves, and our own pride and
passion,
<pb n="92" id="Gen.xiv-Page_92"/>
<scripRef passage="Mt 5:39,40" id="Gen.xiv-p15.5" parsed="|Matt|5|39|5|40" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.39-Matt.5.40">Matt.
v. 39, 40</scripRef>. It is not only the punctilios of honour, but
even interest itself, that in many cases must be sacrificed to
peace.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 13:10-13" id="Gen.xiv-p15.6" parsed="|Gen|13|10|13|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.10-Gen.13.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.13.10-Gen.13.13">
<h4 id="Gen.xiv-p15.7">Lot's Removal to Sodom. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p15.8">b. c.</span> 1917.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiv-p16">10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all
the plain of Jordan, that it <i>was</i> well watered everywhere,
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p16.1">Lord</span> destroyed Sodom and
Gomorrah, <i>even</i> as the garden of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p16.2">Lord</span>, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest
unto Zoar. &#160; 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan;
and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from
the other. &#160; 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot
dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched <i>his</i> tent
toward Sodom. &#160; 13 But the men of Sodom <i>were</i> wicked and
sinners before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p16.3">Lord</span>
exceedingly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p17">We have here the choice that Lot made when
he parted from Abram. Upon this occasion, one would have expected,
1. That he should have expressed an unwillingness to part from
Abram, and that, at least, he should have done it with reluctancy.
2. That he should have been so civil as to have remitted the choice
back again to Abram. But we find not any instance of deference or
respect to his uncle in the whole management. Abram having offered
him the choice, without compliment he accepted it, and made his
election. Passion and selfishness make men rude. Now, in the choice
which Lot made, we may observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p18">I. How much he had an eye to the goodness
of the land. He <i>beheld all the plain of Jordan,</i> the flat
country in which Sodom stood, that it was admirably <i>well watered
everywhere</i> (and perhaps the strife had been about water, which
made him particularly fond of that convenience), and so <i>Lot
chose all that plain,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 13:10,11" id="Gen.xiv-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|13|10|13|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.10-Gen.13.11"><i>v.</i>
10, 11</scripRef>. That valley, which was like the garden of Eden
itself, now yielded him a most pleasant prospect. It was, in his
eye, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth; and
therefore he doubted not but that it would yield him a comfortable
settlement, and that in such a fruitful soil he should certainly
thrive, and grow very rich: and this was all he looked at. But what
came of it? Why, the next news we hear of him is that he is in the
briars among them, he and his carried captive. While he lived among
them, he vexed his righteous soul with their conversation, and
never had a good day with them, till, at last, God fired the town
over his head, and forced him to the mountain for safety who chose
the plain for wealth and pleasure. Note, Sensual choices are sinful
choices, and seldom speed well. Those who in choosing relations,
callings, dwellings, or settlements are guided and governed by the
lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, or the pride of life, and
consult not the interests of their souls and their religion, cannot
expect God's presence with them, nor his blessing upon them, but
are commonly disappointed even in that which they principally aimed
at, and miss of that which they promised themselves satisfaction
in. In all our choices this principle should overrule us, That that
is best for us which is best for our souls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p19">II. How little he considered the wickedness
of the inhabitants: <i>But the men of Sodom were wicked,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:13" id="Gen.xiv-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|13|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Note, 1.
Though all are sinners, yet some are greater sinners than others.
The men of Sodom were sinners of the first magnitude, <i>sinners
before the Lord,</i> that is, impudent daring sinners; they were so
to a proverb. Hence we read of those that <i>declare their sin as
Sodom, they hide it not,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 3:9" id="Gen.xiv-p19.2" parsed="|Isa|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.3.9">Isa. iii.
9</scripRef>. 2. That some sinners are the worse for living in a
good land. So the Sodomites were: for this was the iniquity of
Sodom, <i>pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness;</i>
and all these were supported by the great plenty their country
afforded, <scripRef passage="Eze 16:49" id="Gen.xiv-p19.3" parsed="|Ezek|16|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.49">Ezek. xvi. 49</scripRef>.
Thus <i>the prosperity of fools destroys them.</i> 3. That God
often gives great plenty to great sinners. Filthy Sodomites dwell
in a city, in a fruitful plain, while faithful Abram and his pious
family dwell in tents upon the barren mountains. 4. When wickedness
has come to the height, ruin is not far off. Abounding sins are
sure presages of approaching judgments. Now Lot's coming to dwell
among the Sodomites may be considered, (1.) As a great mercy to
them, and a likely means of bringing them to repentance; for now
they had a prophet among them and a preacher of righteousness, and,
if they had hearkened to him, they might have been reformed, and
the ruin prevented. Note, God sends preachers, before he sends
destroyers; for he is not <i>willing that any should perish.</i>
(2.) As a great affliction to Lot, who was not only grieved to see
their wickedness (<scripRef passage="2Pe 2:7,8" id="Gen.xiv-p19.4" parsed="|2Pet|2|7|2|8" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.7-2Pet.2.8">2 Pet. ii. 7,
8</scripRef>), but was molested and persecuted by them, because he
would not do as they did. Note, It has often been the vexatious lot
of good men to live among wicked neighbours, to <i>sojourn in
Mesech</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 120:5" id="Gen.xiv-p19.5" parsed="|Ps|120|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.120.5">Ps. cxx. 5</scripRef>),
and it cannot but be the more grievous, if, as Lot here, they have
brought it upon themselves by an unadvised choice.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 13:14-18" id="Gen.xiv-p19.6" parsed="|Gen|13|14|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.14-Gen.13.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.13.14-Gen.13.18">
<h4 id="Gen.xiv-p19.7">God Confirms His Promise to
Abram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p19.8">b. c.</span> 1917.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xiv-p20">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p20.1">Lord</span>
said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now
thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and
southward, and eastward, and westward: &#160; 15 For all the land
which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
&#160; 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so
that if a man can number the dust of the earth, <i>then</i> shall
thy seed also be numbered. &#160; 17 Arise,
<pb n="93" id="Gen.xiv-Page_93"/>
walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it;
for I will give it unto thee. &#160; 18 Then Abram removed
<i>his</i> tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which
<i>is</i> in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xiv-p20.2">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p21">We have here an account of a gracious visit
which God paid to Abram, to confirm the promise to him and his.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p22">I. When it was that God renewed and
ratified the promise: <i>After that Lot was separated from him,</i>
that is, 1. After the quarrel was over; for those are best prepared
for the visits of divine grace whose spirits are calm and sedate,
and not ruffled with any passion. 2. After Abram's humble
self-denying condescensions to Lot for the preserving of peace. It
was then that God came to him with this token of his favour. Note,
God will abundantly make up in spiritual peace what we lose for the
preservation of neighbourly peace. When Abram had willingly offered
Lot one-half of his right, God came, and confirmed the whole to
him. 3. After he had lost the comfortable society of his kinsman,
by whose departure his hands were weakened and his heart was
saddened, then God came to him with these good words and
comfortable words. Note, Communion with God may, at any time, serve
to make up the want of conversation with our friends; when our
relations are separated from us, yet God is not. 4. After Lot had
chosen that pleasant fruitful vale, and had gone to take possession
of it, lest Abram should be tempted to envy him and to repent that
he had given him the choice, God comes to him, and assures him that
what he had should remain to him and <i>his heirs for ever;</i> so
that, though Lot perhaps had the better land, yet Abram had the
better <i>title.</i> Lot had the paradise, such as it was, but
Abram had the promise; and the event soon made it appear that,
however it seemed now, Abram had really the better part. See
<scripRef passage="Job 22:20" id="Gen.xiv-p22.1" parsed="|Job|22|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.22.20">Job xxii. 20</scripRef>. God owned
Abram after his strife with Lot, as the churches owned Paul after
his strife with Barnabas, <scripRef passage="Ac 15:39,40" id="Gen.xiv-p22.2" parsed="|Acts|15|39|15|40" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.39-Acts.15.40">Acts xv.
39, 40</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p23">II. The promises themselves with which God
now comforted and enriched Abram. Two things he assures him of&#8212;a
good land, and a numerous issue to enjoy it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p24">1. Here is the grant of a good land, a land
famous above all lands, for it was to be the holy land, and
Immanuel's land; this is the land here spoken of. (1.) God here
shows Abram the land, as he had promised (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:1" id="Gen.xiv-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.1"><i>ch.</i> xii. 1</scripRef>), and afterwards he showed
it to Moses from the top of Pisgah. <i>Lot had lifted up his eyes
and beheld the plain of Jordan</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:10" id="Gen.xiv-p24.2" parsed="|Gen|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), and he had gone to enjoy what
he saw: "Come," says God to Abram, "<i>now lift thou up thy eyes,
and look, and see thy own.</i>" Note, That which God has to show us
is infinitely better and more desirable than any thing that the
world has to offer our view. The prospects of an eye of faith are
much more rich and beautiful than those of an eye of sense. Those
for whom the heavenly Canaan is designed in the other world have
sometimes, by faith, a comfortable prospect of it in their present
state; for we look at the <i>things that are not seen,</i> as real,
though distant. (2.) He secures this land to him and his seed for
ever (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:15" id="Gen.xiv-p24.3" parsed="|Gen|13|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): <i>To
thee will I give it;</i> and again (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:17" id="Gen.xiv-p24.4" parsed="|Gen|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>) <i>I will give it unto
thee;</i> every repetition of the promise is a ratification of it.
<i>To thee and thy seed,</i> not to Lot and his seed; they were not
to have their inheritance in this land, and therefore Providence so
ordered it that Lot should be separated from Abram first, and then
the grant should be confirmed to him and his seed. Thus God often
brings good out of evil, and makes men's sins and follies
subservient to his own wise and holy counsels. <i>To thee and thy
seed</i>&#8212;to thee to sojourn in as a stranger, to thy seed to dwell
and rule in as proprietors. <i>To thee,</i> that is, <i>to thy
seed.</i> The granting of it to him and his for ever intimates that
it was typical of the heavenly Canaan, which is given to the
spiritual seed of Abram for ever, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:14" id="Gen.xiv-p24.5" parsed="|Heb|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.14">Heb. xi. 14</scripRef>. (3.) He gives him livery and
seisin of it, though it was a reversion: "<i>Arise, walk through
the land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 13:17" id="Gen.xiv-p24.6" parsed="|Gen|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
Enter, and take possession, survey the parcels, and it will appear
better than upon a distant prospect." Note, God is willing more
abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his
covenant, and the inestimable worth of covenant blessings. <i>Go,
walk about Sion,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 48:12" id="Gen.xiv-p24.7" parsed="|Ps|48|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.48.12">Ps. xlviii.
12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p25">2. Here is the promise of a numerous issue
to replenish this good land, so that it should never be lost for
want of heirs (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:16" id="Gen.xiv-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>I will make thy seed as the dust of the
earth,</i> that is, "They shall increase incredibly, and, take them
altogether, they shall be such a great multitude as no man can
number." They were so in Solomon's time, <scripRef passage="1Ki 4:20" id="Gen.xiv-p25.2" parsed="|1Kgs|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.4.20">1 Kings iv. 20</scripRef>, <i>Judah and Israel were many
as the sand which is by the sea in multitude.</i> This God here
gives him the promise of. Note, The same God that provides the
inheritance provides the heirs. He that has prepared the holy land
prepares the holy seed; he that gives glory gives grace to make
meet for glory.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xiv-p26"><i>Lastly,</i> We are told what Abram did
when God had thus confirmed the promise to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:18" id="Gen.xiv-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. 1. He <i>removed his tent.</i>
God bade him <i>walk through the land,</i> that is, "Do not think
of fixing in it, but expect to be always unsettled, and walking
through it to a better Canaan:" in compliance with God's will
herein, <i>he removes his tent,</i> confirming himself to the
condition of a pilgrim. 2. He <i>built there an altar,</i> in token
of his thankfulness to God for the kind visit he had paid him.
Note, When God meets us with gracious promises, he expects that we
should attend him with our humble praises.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIV" n="xv" progress="11.43%" prev="Gen.xiv" next="Gen.xvi" id="Gen.xv">
<pb n="94" id="Gen.xv-Page_94"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xv-p0.2">CHAP. XIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xv-p1">We have four things in the story of this chapter.
I. A war with the king of Sodom and his allies, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:1-11" id="Gen.xv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|14|1|14|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.1-Gen.14.11">ver. 1-11</scripRef>. II. The captivity of Lot in that
war, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:12" id="Gen.xv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|14|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.12">ver. 12</scripRef>. III. Abram's
rescue of Lot from that captivity, with the victory he obtained
over the conquerors, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:13-16" id="Gen.xv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|14|13|14|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.13-Gen.14.16">ver.
13-16</scripRef>. IV. Abram's return from the expedition,
(<scripRef passage="Ge 14:17" id="Gen.xv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|14|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.17">ver. 17</scripRef>), with an account
of what passed, 1. Between him and the king of Salem, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:18-20" id="Gen.xv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|14|18|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.18-Gen.14.20">ver. 18-20</scripRef>. 2. Between him and the
king of Sodom, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:21-24" id="Gen.xv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|14|21|14|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.21-Gen.14.24">ver.
21-24</scripRef>. So that here we have that promise to Abram in
part fulfilled, that God would make his name great.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 14" id="Gen.xv-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 14:1-12" id="Gen.xv-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|14|1|14|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.1-Gen.14.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.14.1-Gen.14.12">
<h4 id="Gen.xv-p1.9">Lot Taken Captive. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1913.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xv-p2">1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel
king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam,
and Tidal king of nations; &#160; 2 <i>That these</i> made war with
Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king
of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which
is Zoar. &#160; 3 All these were joined together in the vale of
Siddim, which is the salt sea. &#160; 4 Twelve years they served
Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. &#160; 5
And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that
<i>were</i> with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim,
and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, &#160; 6
And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto El-paran, which <i>is</i>
by the wilderness. &#160; 7 And they returned, and came to
En-mishpat, which <i>is</i> Kadesh, and smote all the country of
the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.
&#160; 8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of
Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the
king of Bela (the same <i>is</i> Zoar;) and they joined battle with
them in the vale of Siddim; &#160; 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of
Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar,
and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five. &#160; 10 And the
vale of Siddim <i>was full of</i> slimepits; and the kings of Sodom
and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to
the mountain. &#160; 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and
Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. &#160; 12 And
they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his
goods, and departed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p3">We have here an account of the first war
that ever we read of in scripture, which (though the wars of the
nations make the greatest figure in history) we should not have had
the history of if Abram and Lot had not been concerned in it. Now,
concerning this war, we may observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p4">I. The parties engaged in it. The invaders
were four kings, two of them no less than kings of Shinar and Elam
(that is, Chaldea and Persia), yet probably not the sovereign
princes of those great kingdoms in their own persons, but either
officers under them, or rather the heads and leaders of some
colonies which came out of those great nations, and settled
themselves near Sodom, but retained the names of the countries from
which they had their origin. The invaded were the kings of five
cities that lay near together in the plain of Jordan, namely,
Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar. Four of them are named,
but not the fifth, the king of Zoar or Bela, either because he was
much more mean and inconsiderable or because he was much more
wicked and inglorious than the rest, and worthy to be
forgotten.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p5">II. The occasion of this war was the revolt
of the five kings from under the government of Chedorlaomer. Twelve
years they served him. Small joy they had of their fruitful land,
while thus they were tributaries to a foreign power, and could not
call what they had their own. Rich countries are a desirable prey,
and idle luxurious countries are an easy prey, to growing
greatness. The Sodomites were the posterity of Canaan whom Noah had
pronounced a servant to Shem, from whom Elam descended; thus soon
did that prophecy begin to be fulfilled. In the thirteenth year,
beginning to be weary of their subjection, they rebelled, denied
their tribute, and attempted to shake off the yoke and retrieve
their ancient liberties. In the fourteenth year, after some pause
and preparation, Chedorlaomer, in conjunction with his allies, set
himself to chastise and reduce the rebels, and, since he could not
have it otherwise, to fetch his tribute from them on the point of
his sword. Note, Pride, covetousness, and ambition, are the lusts
from which wars and fightings come. To these insatiable idols the
blood of thousands has been sacrificed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p6">III. The progress and success of the war.
The four kings laid the neighbouring countries waste and enriched
themselves with the spoil of them (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:5-7" id="Gen.xv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|14|5|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.5-Gen.14.7"><i>v.</i> 5-7</scripRef>), upon the alarm of which it
had been the wisdom of the king of Sodom to submit, and desire
conditions of peace; for how could he grapple with an enemy thus
flushed with victory? But he would rather venture the utmost
extremity than yield, and it sped accordingly. <i>Quos Deus
destruet eos dementat&#8212;Those whom God means to destroy he delivers
up to infatuation.</i> 1. The forces of the king of Sodom and his
allies were routed; and, it should seem, many of them perished in
the slime-pits who had escaped the sword, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:10" id="Gen.xv-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. In all places we
<pb n="95" id="Gen.xv-Page_95"/>
are surrounded with deaths of various kinds,
especially in the field of battle. 2. The cities were plundered,
<scripRef passage="Ge 14:11" id="Gen.xv-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|14|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. All the goods
of Sodom, and particularly their stores and provisions of victuals,
were carried off by the conquerors. Note, When men abuse the gifts
of a bountiful providence to gluttony and excess, it is just with
God, and his usual way, by some judgment or other to strip them of
that which they have so abused, <scripRef passage="Ho 2:8,9" id="Gen.xv-p6.4" parsed="|Hos|2|8|2|9" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.8-Hos.2.9">Hos.
ii. 8, 9</scripRef>. 3. Lot was carried captive, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:12" id="Gen.xv-p6.5" parsed="|Gen|14|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. They took Lot among the rest,
and his goods. Now Lot may here be considered, (1.) As sharing with
his neighbours in this common calamity. Though he was himself a
righteous man, and (which is here expressly noticed) Abram's
brother's son, yet he was involved with the rest in all this
trouble. Note, <i>All things come alike to all,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 9:2" id="Gen.xv-p6.6" parsed="|Eccl|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.2">Eccl. ix. 2</scripRef>. The best of men cannot
promise themselves an exemption from the greatest troubles in this
life; neither from our own piety nor our relation to those that are
the favourites of heaven will be our security, when God's judgments
are abroad. Note, further, Many an honest man fares the worse for
his wicked neighbours. It is therefore our wisdom to separate
ourselves, or at least to distinguish ourselves, from them
(<scripRef passage="2Co 6:17" id="Gen.xv-p6.7" parsed="|2Cor|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.17">2 Cor. vi. 17</scripRef>), and so
deliver ourselves, <scripRef passage="Re 18:4" id="Gen.xv-p6.8" parsed="|Rev|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.18.4">Rev. xviii.
4</scripRef>. (2.) As smarting for the foolish choice he made of a
settlement here. This is plainly intimated when it is said, <i>They
took Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom.</i> So near a
relation of Abram should have been a companion and disciple of
Abram, and should have abode by his tents; but, if he choose to
dwell in Sodom, he must thank himself if he share in Sodom's
calamities. Note, When we go out of the way of our duty we put
ourselves from under God's protection, and cannot expect that the
choices which are made by our lusts should issue to our comfort.
Particular mention is made of their taking Lot's <i>goods,</i>
those goods which had occasioned his contest with Abram and his
separation from him. Note, It is just with God to deprive us of
those enjoyments by which we have suffered ourselves to be deprived
of our enjoyment of him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 14:13-16" id="Gen.xv-p6.9" parsed="|Gen|14|13|14|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.13-Gen.14.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.14.13-Gen.14.16">
<h4 id="Gen.xv-p6.10">Lot Taken Captive, and
Rescued. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xv-p6.11">b. c.</span> 1913.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xv-p7">13 And there came one that had escaped, and told
Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite,
brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these <i>were</i>
confederate with Abram. &#160; 14 And when Abram heard that his
brother was taken captive, he armed his trained <i>servants,</i>
born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued
<i>them</i> unto <scripRef passage="Dan. 15" id="Gen.xv-p7.1" parsed="|Dan|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.15">Dan. 15</scripRef> And he divided himself against
them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued
them unto Hobah, which <i>is</i> on the left hand of Damascus.
&#160; 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again
his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the
people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p8">We have here an account of the only
military action we ever find Abram engaged in, and this he was
prompted to, not by his avarice or ambition, but purely by a
principle of charity; it was not to enrich himself, but to help his
friend. Never was any military expedition undertaken, prosecuted,
and finished, more honourably than this of Abram's. Here we
have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p9">I. The tidings brought him of his kinsman's
distress. Providence so ordered it that he now sojourned not far
off, that he might be a very present help. 1. He is here called
<i>Abram the Hebrew,</i> that is, the son and follower of Heber, in
whose family the profession of the true religion was kept up in
that degenerate age. Abram herein acted like a Hebrew&#8212;in a manner
not unworthy of the name and character of a religious professor. 2.
The tidings were brought by one that had escaped with his life for
a prey. Probably he was a Sodomite, and as bad as the worst of
them; yet knowing Abram's relation to Lot, and concern for him, he
implores his help, and hopes to speed for Lot's sake. Note, The
worst of men, in the day of their trouble, will be glad to claim
acquaintance with those that are wise and good, and so get an
interest in them. The rich man in hell called Abram <i>Father;</i>
and the foolish virgins made court to the wise for a share of their
oil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p10">II. The preparations he made for this
expedition. The cause was plainly good, his call to engage in it
was clear, and therefore, with all speed, he <i>armed his trained
servants, born in his house,</i> to the number of <i>three hundred
and eighteen</i>&#8212;a great family, but a small army, about as many
as Gideon's that routed the Midianites, <scripRef passage="Jdg 7:7" id="Gen.xv-p10.1" parsed="|Judg|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.7.7">Judg. vii. 7</scripRef>. He drew out his <i>trained</i>
servants, or his <i>catechised</i> servants, not only instructed in
the art of war, which was then far short of the perfection which
later and worse ages have improved it to, but instructed in the
principles of religion; for Abram commanded his household to keep
the way of the Lord. This shows that Abram was, 1. A great man, who
had so many servants depending upon him, and employed by him, which
was not only his strength and honour, but gave him a great
opportunity of doing good, which is all that is truly valuable and
desirable in great places and great estates. 2. A good man, who not
only served God himself, but instructed all about him in the
service of God. Note, Those that have great families have not only
many bodies, but many souls besides their own, to take care of and
provide for. Those that would be found the followers of Abram must
see that their servants be catechised servants. 3. A wise man
<pb n="96" id="Gen.xv-Page_96"/>
for, though he was a man of peace, yet he
disciplined his servants for war, not knowing what occasion he
might have, some time or other, so to employ them. Note, Though our
holy religion teaches us to be for peace, yet it does not forbid us
to provide for war.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p11">III. His allies and confederates in this
expedition. He prevailed with his neighbours, <i>Aner, Eshcol, and
Mamre</i> (with whom he kept up a fair correspondence) to go along
with him. It was his prudence thus to strengthen his own troops
with their auxiliary forces; and probably they saw themselves
concerned, in interest, to act, as they could, against this
formidable power, lest their own turn should be next. Note, 1. It
is our wisdom and duty to behave ourselves so respectfully and
obligingly towards all men as that, whenever there is occasion,
they may be willing and ready to do us a kindness. 2. Those who
depend on God's help, yet, in times of distress, ought to make use
of men's help, as Providence offers it; else they tempt God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p12">IV. His courage and conduct were very
remarkable. 1. There was a great deal of bravery in the enterprise
itself, considering the disadvantages he lay under. What could one
family of husbandmen and shepherds do against the armies of four
princes, who now came fresh from blood and victory? It was not a
vanquished, but a victorious army, that he was to pursue; nor was
he constrained by necessity to this daring attempt, but moved to it
by generosity; so that, all things considered, it was, for aught I
know, as great an instance of true courage as ever Alexander or
Caesar was celebrated for. Note, Religion tends to make men, not
cowardly, but truly valiant. The righteous is bold as a lion. The
true Christian is the true hero. 2. There was a great deal of
policy in the management of it. Abram was no stranger to the
stratagems of war: He <i>divided himself,</i> as Gideon did his
little army (<scripRef passage="Jdg 7:16" id="Gen.xv-p12.1" parsed="|Judg|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.7.16">Judg. vii.
16</scripRef>), that he might come upon the enemy from several
quarters at once, and so make his few seem a great many; he made
his attack by night, that he might surprise them. Note, Honest
policy is a good friend both to our safety and to our usefulness.
The serpent's head (provided it be nothing akin to the old serpent)
may well become a good Christian's body, especially if it have a
dove's eye in it, <scripRef passage="Mt 10:16" id="Gen.xv-p12.2" parsed="|Matt|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.16">Matt. x.
16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p13">V. His success was very considerable,
<scripRef passage="Ge 14:15,16" id="Gen.xv-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|14|15|14|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.15-Gen.14.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. He
defeated his enemies, and rescued his friends; and we do not find
that he sustained any loss. Note, Those that venture in a good
cause, with a good heart, are under the special protection of a
good God, and have reason to hope for a good issue. Again, It is
all one with the Lord <i>to save by many or by few,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 14:6" id="Gen.xv-p13.2" parsed="|1Sam|14|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.6">1 Sam. xiv. 6</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p14">1. He rescued his kinsman; twice here he is
called his <i>brother Lot.</i> The remembrance of the relation that
was between them, both by nature and grace, made him forget the
little quarrel that had been between them, in which Lot had by no
means acted well towards Abram. Justly might Abram have upbraided
Lot with his folly in quarrelling with him and removing from him,
and have told him that he was well enough served, he might have
known when he was well off; but, in the charitable breast of pious
Abram, it is all forgiven and forgotten, and he takes this
opportunity to give a real proof of the sincerity of his
reconciliation. Note, (1.) We ought to be ready, whenever it is in
the power of our hands, to succour and relieve those that are in
distress, especially our relations and friends. <i>A brother is
born for adversity,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 17:17" id="Gen.xv-p14.1" parsed="|Prov|17|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.17">Prov. xvii.
17</scripRef>. A friend in need is a friend indeed. (2.) Though
others have been wanting in their duty to us, yet we must not
therefore deny our duty to them. Some have said that they can more
easily forgive their enemies than their friends; but we shall see
ourselves obliged to forgive both if we consider, not only that our
God, when we were enemies, reconciled us, but also that he
<i>passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mic 7:18" id="Gen.xv-p14.2" parsed="|Mic|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.18">Mic. vii. 18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p15">2. He rescued the rest of the captives, for
Lot's sake, though they were strangers to him and such as he was
under no obligation to at all; nay, though they were Sodomites,
sinners before the Lord exceedingly, and though, probably, he might
have recovered Lot alone by ransom, yet he brought back all the
women, and the people, and their goods, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:16" id="Gen.xv-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Note, As we have opportunity we
must do good to all men. Our charity must be extensive, as
opportunity offers itself. Wherever God gives life, we must not
grudge the help we can give to support it. God does good to the
just and unjust, and so must we, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:45" id="Gen.xv-p15.2" parsed="|Matt|5|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.45">Matt.
v. 45</scripRef>. This victory which Abram obtained over the kings
the prophet seems to refer to, <scripRef passage="Isa 41:2" id="Gen.xv-p15.3" parsed="|Isa|41|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.2">Isa.
xli. 2</scripRef>, <i>Who raised up the righteous man from the
east, and made him rule over kings?</i> And some suggest that, as
before he had a title to this land by grant, so now by
conquest.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 14:17-20" id="Gen.xv-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|14|17|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.17-Gen.14.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.14.17-Gen.14.20">
<h4 id="Gen.xv-p15.5">Abram's Interview with
Melchizedek. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xv-p15.6">b. c.</span> 1913.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xv-p16">17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him
after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the
kings that <i>were</i> with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which
<i>is</i> the king's dale. &#160; 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem
brought forth bread and wine: and he <i>was</i> the priest of the
most high God. &#160; 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed
<i>be</i> Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and
earth: &#160; 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath
delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of
all.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p17">This paragraph begins with the mention of
the respect which the king of Sodom paid to
<pb n="97" id="Gen.xv-Page_97"/>
Abram at his return from the slaughter of the kings; but, before a
particular account is given of this, the story of Melchizedek is
briefly related, concerning whom observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p18">I. Who he was. He was <i>king of Salem</i>
and <i>priest of the most high God;</i> and other glorious things
are said of him, <scripRef passage="Heb 7:1-10" id="Gen.xv-p18.1" parsed="|Heb|7|1|7|10" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.1-Heb.7.10">Heb. vii.
1</scripRef>, &amp;c. 1. The rabbin, and most of our rabbinical
writers, conclude that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah, who
was king and priest to those that descended from him, according to
the patriarchal model. But this is not at all probable; for why
should his name be changed? And how came he to settle in Canaan? 2.
Many Christian writers have thought that this was an appearance of
the Son of God himself, our Lord Jesus, known to Abram, at this
time, by this name, as, afterwards, Hagar called him by another
name, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:13" id="Gen.xv-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.13"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 13</scripRef>.
He appeared to him as a righteous king, owning a righteous cause,
and giving peace. It is difficult to imagine that any mere man
should be said to <i>be without father, without mother, and without
descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 7:3" id="Gen.xv-p18.3" parsed="|Heb|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.3">Heb. vii. 3</scripRef>. It is witnessed
of Melchizedek that he liveth, and that he abideth a priest
continually (<scripRef passage="Heb 7:3,8" id="Gen.xv-p18.4" parsed="|Heb|7|3|0|0;|Heb|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.3 Bible:Heb.7.8"><i>v.</i> 3,
8</scripRef>); nay (<scripRef passage="Heb 7:13,14" id="Gen.xv-p18.5" parsed="|Heb|7|13|7|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.13-Heb.7.14"><i>v.</i> 13,
14</scripRef>), the apostle makes him of whom these things are
spoken to be our Lord who sprang out of Judah. It is likewise
difficult to think that any mere man should, at this time, be
greater than Abram in the things of God, that Christ should be a
priest after the order of any mere man, and that any human
priesthood should so far excel that of Aaron as it is certain that
Melchizedek's did. 3. The most commonly received opinion is that
Melchizedek was a Canaanitish prince, that reigned in Salem, and
kept up the true religion there; but, if so, why his name should
occur here only in all the story of Abram, and why Abram should
have altars of his own and not attend the altars of his neighbour
Melchizedek who was greater than he, seem unaccountable. Mr.
Gregory of Oxford tells us that the <i>Arabic Catena,</i> which he
builds much upon the authority of, gives this account of
Melchizedek, That he was the son of Heraclim, the son of Peleg, the
son of Eber, and that his mother's name was Salathiel, the daughter
of Gomer, the son of Japheth, the son of Noah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p19">II. What he did. 1. He <i>brought forth
bread and wine,</i> for the refreshment of Abram and his soldiers,
and in congratulation of their victory. This he did as a king,
teaching us to do good and to communicate, and to be given to
hospitality, according to our ability; and representing the
spiritual provisions of strength and comfort which Christ has laid
up for us in the covenant of grace for our refreshment, when we are
wearied with our spiritual conflicts. 2. As priest of the most high
God, he blessed Abram, which we may suppose a greater refreshment
to Abram than his bread and wine were. Thus God, having raised up
his Son Jesus, has sent him to bless us, as one having authority;
and those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. Christ went to heaven
when he was blessing his disciples (<scripRef passage="Lu 24:51" id="Gen.xv-p19.1" parsed="|Luke|24|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.51">Luke xxiv. 51</scripRef>); for this is what he ever
lives to do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p20">III. What he said, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:19,20" id="Gen.xv-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|14|19|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.19-Gen.14.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. Two things were said by
him:&#8212;1. He blessed Abram from God: <i>Blessed be Abram, blessed
of the most high God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 14:19" id="Gen.xv-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|14|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Observe the titles he here gives to God, which are
very glorious. (1.) <i>The most high God,</i> which bespeaks his
absolute perfections in himself and his sovereign dominion over all
the creatures; he is King of kings. Note, It will greatly help both
our faith and our reverence in prayer to eye God as the most high
God, and to call him so. (2.) <i>Possessor of heaven and earth,</i>
that is, rightful owner, and sovereign Lord, of all the creatures,
because he made them. This bespeaks him a great God, and greatly to
be praised (<scripRef passage="Ps 24:1" id="Gen.xv-p20.3" parsed="|Ps|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.24.1">Ps. xxiv. 1</scripRef>),
and those a happy people who have an interest in his favour and
love. 2. He blessed God for Abram (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:20" id="Gen.xv-p20.4" parsed="|Gen|14|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): and <i>blessed be the most
high God.</i> Note, (1.) In all our prayers, we must praise God,
and join hallelujahs with all our hosannahs. These are the
spiritual sacrifices we must offer up daily, and upon particular
occasions. (2.) God, as the most high God, must have the glory of
all our victories, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:15,1Sa 7:10,12,Jdg 5:1,2,2Ch 20:21" id="Gen.xv-p20.5" parsed="|Exod|17|15|0|0;|1Sam|7|10|0|0;|1Sam|7|12|0|0;|Judg|5|1|5|2;|2Chr|20|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.15 Bible:1Sam.7.10 Bible:1Sam.7.12 Bible:Judg.5.1-Judg.5.2 Bible:2Chr.20.21">Exod. xvii. 15; 1 Sam.
vii. 10, 12; Judg. v. 1, 2; 2 Chron. xx. 21</scripRef>. In them he
shows himself higher than our enemies (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:11" id="Gen.xv-p20.6" parsed="|Exod|18|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.11">Exod. xviii. 11</scripRef>), and higher than we; for
without him we could do nothing. (3.) We ought to give thanks for
others' mercies as for our own, triumphing with those that triumph.
(4.) Jesus Christ, our great high priest, is the Mediator both of
our prayers and praises, and not only offers up ours, but his own
for us. See <scripRef passage="Lu 10:21" id="Gen.xv-p20.7" parsed="|Luke|10|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.21">Luke x. 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p21">IV. What was done to him: <i>Abram gave him
tithes of all,</i> that is, of the spoils, <scripRef passage="Heb 7:4" id="Gen.xv-p21.1" parsed="|Heb|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.4">Heb. vii. 4</scripRef>. This may be looked upon, 1. As a
gratuity presented to Melchizedek, by way of return for his tokens
of respect. Note, Those that receive kindness should show kindness.
Gratitude is one of nature's laws. 2. As an offering vowed and
dedicated to the most high God, and therefore put into the hands of
Melchizedek his priest. Note, (1.) When we have received some
signal mercy from God, it is very fit that we should express our
thankfulness by some special act of pious charity. God must always
have his dues out of our substance, especially when, by any
particular providence, he has either preserved or increased it to
us. (2.) That the tenth of our increase is a very fit proportion to
be set apart for the honour of God and the service of his
sanctuary. (3.) That Jesus Christ, our great Melchizedek, is to
have homage done him, and to be humbly acknowledged by every one of
us as our king and priest; and not only the tithe of all, but all
we have, must be surrendered and given up to him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 14:21-24" id="Gen.xv-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|14|21|14|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.21-Gen.14.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.14.21-Gen.14.24">
<h4 id="Gen.xv-p21.3">Abram's Disinterestedness. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xv-p21.4">b. c.</span> 1913.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xv-p22">21 And the king of Sodom said unto
<pb n="98" id="Gen.xv-Page_98"/>
Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to
thyself. &#160; 22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift
up mine hand unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xv-p22.1">Lord</span>, the most
high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, &#160; 23 That I will
not <i>take</i> from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I
will not take any thing that <i>is</i> thine, lest thou shouldest
say, I have made Abram rich: &#160; 24 Save only that which the
young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with
me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p23">We have here an account of what passed
between Abram and the king of Sodom, who succeeded him that fell in
the battle (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:10" id="Gen.xv-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>),
and thought himself obliged to do this honour to Abram, in return
for the good services he had done him. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p24">I. The king of Sodom's grateful offer to
Abram (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:21" id="Gen.xv-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>):
<i>Give me the soul, and take thou the substance;</i> so the Hebrew
reads it. Here he fairly begs the persons, but as freely bestows
the goods on Abram. Note, 1. Where a right is dubious and divided,
it is wisdom to compound the matter by mutual concessions rather
than to contend. The king of Sodom had an original right both to
the persons and to the goods, and it would bear a debate whether
Abram's acquired right by rescue would supersede his title and
extinguish it; but, to prevent all quarrels, the king of Sodom
makes this fair proposal. 2. Gratitude teaches us to recompense to
the utmost of our power those that have undergone fatigues, run
hazards, and been at expense for our service and benefit. <i>Who
goes a warfare at his own charges?</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 9:7" id="Gen.xv-p24.2" parsed="|1Cor|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.7">1 Cor. ix. 7</scripRef>. Soldiers purchase their pay
dearer than any labourers, and are well worthy of it, because they
expose their lives.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p25">II. Abram's generous refusal of this offer.
He not only resigned the persons to him, who, being delivered out
of the hand of their enemies, ought to have served Abram, but he
restored all the goods too. He would not take <i>from a thread to a
shoe-latchet,</i> not the least thing that had ever belonged to the
king of Sodom or any of his. Note, A lively faith enables a man to
look upon the wealth of this world with a holy contempt, <scripRef passage="1Jo 5:4" id="Gen.xv-p25.1" parsed="|1John|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.4">1 John v. 4</scripRef>. What are all the
ornaments and delights of sense to one that has God and heaven ever
in his eye? He resolves even to a thread and a shoe-latchet; for a
tender conscience fears offending in a small matter. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p26">1. Abram ratifies this resolution with a
solemn oath: <i>I have lifted up my hand to the Lord that I will
not take any thing,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 14:22" id="Gen.xv-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. Here observe, (1.) The titles he gives to God,
<i>The most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,</i> the
same that Melchizedek had just now used, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:19" id="Gen.xv-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|14|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Note, It is good to learn of
others how to order our speech concerning God, and to imitate those
who speak well in divine things. This improvement we are to make of
the conversation of devout good men, we must learn to speak after
them. (2.) The ceremony used in this oath: <i>I have lifted up my
hand.</i> In religious swearing we appeal to God's knowledge of our
truth and sincerity and imprecate his wrath if we swear falsely,
and the <i>lifting up of the hand</i> is very significant and
expressive of both. (3.) The matter of the oath, namely, that he
would not take any reward from the king of Sodom, was lawful, but
what he was not antecedently obliged to. [1.] Probably Abram vowed,
before he went to the battle, that, if God would give him success,
he would, for the glory of God and the credit of his profession, so
far deny himself and his own right as to take nothing of the spoils
to himself. Note, the vows we have made when we are in pursuit of a
mercy must be carefully and conscientiously kept when we have
obtained the mercy, though they were made against our interest. A
citizen of Zion, if he has sworn, whether it be to God or man,
though it prove to <i>his own hurt, yet he changeth not,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 15:4" id="Gen.xv-p26.3" parsed="|Ps|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.15.4">Ps. xv. 4</scripRef>. Or, [2.] Perhaps
Abram, now when he saw cause to refuse the offer made him, at the
same time confirmed his refusal with this oath, to prevent further
importunity. Note, <i>First,</i> There may be good reason sometimes
why we should debar ourselves of that which is our undoubted right,
as St. Paul, <scripRef passage="1Co 8:13,1Co 9:12" id="Gen.xv-p26.4" parsed="|1Cor|8|13|0|0;|1Cor|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.8.13 Bible:1Cor.9.12">1 Cor. viii. 13;
ix. 12</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> That strong resolutions are of
good use to put by the force of temptations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p27">2. He backs his refusal with a good reason:
<i>Lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich,</i> which would
reflect reproach, (1.) Upon the promise and covenant of God, as if
they would not have enriched Abram without the spoils of Sodom.
And, (2.) Upon the piety and charity of Abram, as if all he had in
his eye, when he undertook that hazardous expedition, was to enrich
himself. Note, [1.] We must be very careful that we give no
occasion to others to say things which they ought not. [2.] The
people of God must, for their credit's sake, take heed of doing any
thing that looks mean or mercenary, or that savours of covetousness
and self-seeking. Probably Abram knew the king of Sodom to be a
proud and scornful man, and one that would be apt to turn such a
thing as this to his reproach afterwards, though most unreasonably.
When we have to do with such men, we have need to act with
particular caution.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xv-p28">3. He limits his refusal with a double
proviso, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:24" id="Gen.xv-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|14|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. In
making vows, we ought carefully to insert the necessary exceptions,
that we may not afterwards say before the angel, <i>It was an
error,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 5:6" id="Gen.xv-p28.2" parsed="|Eccl|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.6">Eccl. v. 6</scripRef>. Abram
here
<pb n="99" id="Gen.xv-Page_99"/>
excepts, (1.) The food of his soldiers;
they were worthy of their meat while they trod out the corn. This
would give no colour to the king of Sodom to say that he had
enriched Abram. (2.) The shares of his allies and confederates:
<i>Let them take their portion.</i> Note, Those who are strict in
restraining their own liberty yet ought not to impose those
restraints upon the liberties of others, nor to judge of them
accordingly. We must not make ourselves the standard to measure
others by. A good man will deny himself that liberty which he will
not deny another, contrary to the practice of the Pharisees,
<scripRef passage="Mt 23:4" id="Gen.xv-p28.3" parsed="|Matt|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.4">Matt. xxiii. 4</scripRef>. There was
not the same reason why Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, should quit their
right, that there was why Abram should. They did not make the
profession that he made, nor were they, as he was, under the
obligation of a vow. They had not the hopes that Abram had of a
portion in the other world, and therefore, by all means, <i>let
them take their portion</i> of this.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XV" n="xvi" progress="12.01%" prev="Gen.xv" next="Gen.xvii" id="Gen.xvi">
<pb n="99" id="Gen.xvi-Page_99"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xvi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xvi-p0.2">CHAP. XV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xvi-p1">In this chapter we have a solemn treaty between
God and Abram concerning a covenant that was to be established
between them. In the former chapter we had Abram in the field with
kings; here we find him in the mount with God; and, though there he
looked great, yet, methinks, here he looks much greater: that
honour have the great men of the world, but "this honour have all
the saints." The covenant to be settled between God and Abram was a
covenant of promises; accordingly, here is, I. A general assurance
of God's kindness and good-will to Abram, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:1" id="Gen.xvi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. A particular declaration of the
purposes of his love concerning him, in two things:&#8212;1. That he
would give him a numerous issue, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:2-6" id="Gen.xvi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|15|2|15|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.2-Gen.15.6">ver.
2-6</scripRef>. 2. That he would give him Canaan for an
inheritance, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:7-21" id="Gen.xvi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|15|7|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.7-Gen.15.21">ver. 7-21</scripRef>.
Either an estate without an heir, or an heir without an estate,
would have been but a half comfort to Abram. But God ensures both
to him; and that which made these two, the promised seed and the
promised land, comforts indeed to this great believer was that they
were both typical of those two invaluable blessings, Christ and
heaven; and so, we have reason to think, Abram eyed them.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 15" id="Gen.xvi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 15:1" id="Gen.xvi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.1"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.15.1">
<h4 id="Gen.xvi-p1.6">God's Covenant with Abram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1913.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvi-p2">1 After these things the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p2.1">Lord</span> came unto Abram in a vision, saying,
Fear not, Abram: I <i>am</i> thy shield, <i>and</i> thy exceeding
great reward.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p3">Observe here, I. The time when God made
this treaty with Abram: <i>After these things.</i> 1. After that
famous act of generous charity which Abram had done, in rescuing
his friends and neighbours out of distress, and that, <i>not for
price nor reward.</i> After this, God made him this gracious visit.
Note, Those that show favour to men shall find favour with God. 2.
After that victory which he had obtained over four kings. Lest
Abram should be too much elevated and pleased with that, God comes
to him, to tell him he had better things in store for him. Note, A
believing converse with spiritual blessings is an excellent means
to keep us from being too much taken up with temporal enjoyments.
The gifts of common providence are not comparable to those of
covenant love.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p4">II. The manner in which God conversed with
Abram: <i>The word of the Lord came unto Abram</i> (that is, God
manifested himself and his will to Abram) <i>in a vision,</i> which
supposes Abram awake, and some visible appearances of the
Shechinah, or some sensible token of the presence of the divine
glory. Note, The methods of divine revelation are adapted to our
state in a world of sense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p5">III. The gracious assurance God gave him of
his favour to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p6">1. He called him by name&#8212;<i>Abram,</i>
which was a great honour to him, and made his name great, and was
also a great encouragement and assistance to his faith. Note, God's
good word does us good when it is spoken by his Spirit to us in
particular, and brought to our hearts. The word says, <i>Ho, every
one</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 55:1" id="Gen.xvi-p6.1" parsed="|Isa|55|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.55.1">Isa. lv. 1</scripRef>), the
Spirit says, <i>Ho, such a one.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p7">2. He cautioned him against being
disquieted and confounded: <i>Fear not, Abram.</i> Abram might fear
lest the four kings he had routed should rally again, and fall upon
him to his ruin: "No," says God, "<i>Fear not.</i> Fear not their
revenges, nor thy neighbour's envy; I will take care of thee."
Note, (1.) Where there is great faith, yet there may be many fears,
<scripRef passage="2Co 7:5" id="Gen.xvi-p7.1" parsed="|2Cor|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.7.5">2 Cor. vii. 5</scripRef>. (2.) God
takes cognizance of his people's fears though ever so secret, and
<i>knows their souls,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 31:7" id="Gen.xvi-p7.2" parsed="|Ps|31|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.31.7">Ps. xxxi.
7</scripRef>. (3.) It is the will of God that his people should not
give way to prevailing fears, whatever happens. Let the sinners in
Sion be afraid, but fear not, Abram.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p8">3. He assured him of safety and happiness,
that he should for ever be, (1.) As safe as God himself could keep
him: <i>I am thy shield,</i> or, somewhat more emphatically, <i>I
am a shield to thee,</i> present with thee, actually caring for
thee. See <scripRef passage="1Ch 17:24" id="Gen.xvi-p8.1" parsed="|1Chr|17|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.17.24">1 Chron. xvii.
24</scripRef>. Not only the God of Israel, but a God to Israel.
Note, The consideration of this, that God himself is, and will be,
a shield to his people to secure them from all destructive evils, a
shield ready to them and a shield round about them, should be
sufficient to silence all their perplexing tormenting fears. (2.)
As happy as God himself could make him: I will be <i>thy
exceedingly great reward;</i> not only thy rewarder, but thy
reward. Abram had generously refused the rewards which the king of
Sodom offered him, and here God comes, and tells him he shall be no
loser by it. Note, [1.] The rewards of believing obedience and
self-denial are exceedingly great, <scripRef passage="1Co 2:9" id="Gen.xvi-p8.2" parsed="|1Cor|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.9">1
Cor. ii. 9</scripRef>. [2.] God himself is the chosen and promised
felicity of holy souls&#8212;chosen in this world, promised in a better.
He is the <i>portion of their inheritance and their cup.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 15:2-6" id="Gen.xvi-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|15|2|15|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.2-Gen.15.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.15.2-Gen.15.6">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvi-p9">2 And Abram said, Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p9.1">God</span>, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go
childless, and the steward of my house <i>is</i> this Eliezer of
Damascus? &#160; 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no
seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. &#160; 4 And,
behold, the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p9.2">Lord</span>
<i>came</i> unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he
that shall come
<pb n="100" id="Gen.xvi-Page_100"/>
forth out of thine own
bowels shall be thine heir. &#160; 5 And he brought him forth
abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if
thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy
seed be. &#160; 6 And he believed in the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p9.3">Lord</span>; and he counted it to him for
righteousness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p10">We have here the assurance given to Abram
of a numerous offspring which should descend from him, in which
observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p11">I. Abram's repeated complaint, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:2,3" id="Gen.xvi-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|15|2|15|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.2-Gen.15.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. This was that which
gave occasion to this promise. The great affliction that sat heavy
upon Abram was the want of a child; and the complaint of this he
here <i>pours out before the Lord, and shows before him his
trouble,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 142:2" id="Gen.xvi-p11.2" parsed="|Ps|142|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.2">Ps. cxlii. 2</scripRef>.
Note, Though we must never complain of God, yet we have leave to
complain to him, and to be large and particular in the statement of
our grievances; and it is some ease to a burdened spirit to open
its case to a faithful and compassionate friend: such a friend God
is, whose ear is always open. Now his complaint is four-fold:&#8212;1.
That he had no child (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:3" id="Gen.xvi-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|15|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>): <i>Behold, to me thou hast given no seed;</i> not
only no son, but <i>no seed;</i> if he had had a daughter, from her
the promised Messiah might have come, who was to be the seed of the
woman; but he had neither son nor daughter. He seems to lay an
emphasis on that, <i>to me.</i> His neighbours were full of
children, his servants had children born in his house. "But <i>to
me,</i>" he complains, "thou hast given none;" and yet God had told
him he should be a favourite above all. Note, Those that are
written childless must see God writing them so. Again, God often
withholds those temporal comforts from his own children which he
gives plentifully to others that are strangers to him. 2. That he
was never likely to have any, intimated in that <i>I go,</i> or
"<i>I am going, childless,</i> going into years, going down the
hill apace; nay, I am going out of the world, going the way of all
the earth. <i>I die childless,</i>" so the LXX. "I leave the world,
and leave no child behind me." 3. That his servants were for the
present and were likely to be to him instead of sons. While he
lived, <i>the steward of his house was Eliezer of Damascus;</i> to
him he committed the care of his family and estate, who might be
faithful, but only as a servant, not as a son. When he died, <i>one
born in his house would be his heir,</i> and would bear rule over
all that for which he had laboured, <scripRef passage="Ec 2:18,19,21" id="Gen.xvi-p11.4" parsed="|Eccl|2|18|2|19;|Eccl|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.2.18-Eccl.2.19 Bible:Eccl.2.21">Eccl. ii. 18, 19, 21</scripRef>. God had already
told him that he would make of him <i>a great nation</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:2" id="Gen.xvi-p11.5" parsed="|Gen|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.2"><i>ch.</i> xii. 2</scripRef>), and his <i>seed as
the dust of the earth</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:16" id="Gen.xvi-p11.6" parsed="|Gen|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.16"><i>ch.</i>
xiii. 16</scripRef>); but he had left him in doubt whether it
should be his seed begotten or his seed adopted, by a son of his
loins or only a son of his house. "Now, Lord," says Abram, "if it
be only an adopted son, it must be one of my servants, which will
reflect disgrace upon the promised seed, that is to descend from
him." Note, While promised mercies are delayed our unbelief and
impatience are apt to conclude them denied. 4. That the want of a
son was so great a trouble to him that it took away the comfort of
all his enjoyments: "<i>Lord, what wilt thou give me?</i> All is
nothing to me, if I have not a son." Now, (1.) If we suppose that
Abram looked no further than a temporal comfort, this complaint was
culpable. God had, by his providence, given him some good things,
and more by his promise; and yet Abram makes no account of them,
because he has not a son. It did very ill become the father of the
faithful to say, <i>What wilt thou give me, seeing I go
childless,</i> immediately after God had said, <i>I am thy shield,
and thy exceedingly great reward.</i> Note, Those do not rightly
value the advantages of their covenant-relation to God and interest
in him who do not think them sufficient to balance the want of any
creature-comfort whatever. But, (2.) If we suppose that Abram,
herein, had a eye to the promised seed, the importunity of his
desire was very commendable: all was nothing to him, if he had not
the earnest of that great blessing, and an assurance of his
relation to the Messiah, of which God had already encouraged him to
maintain the expectation. He has wealth, and victory, and honour;
but, while he is kept in the dark about the main matter, it is all
nothing to him. Note, Till we have some comfortable evidence of our
interest in Christ and the new covenant, we should not rest
satisfied with any thing else. "This, and the other, I have; but
what will all this avail me, if I go Christless?" Yet thus far the
complaint was culpable, that there was some diffidence of the
promise at the bottom of it, and a weariness of waiting God's time.
Note, True believers sometimes find it hard to reconcile God's
promises and his providences, when they seem to disagree.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p12">II. God's gracious answer to this
complaint. To the first part of the complaint (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:2" id="Gen.xvi-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>) God gave no immediate answer,
because there was something of fretfulness in it; but, when he
renews his address somewhat more calmly (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:3" id="Gen.xvi-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|15|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), God answered him graciously.
Note, If we continue instant in prayer, and yet pray with a humble
submission to the divine will, we shall not seek in vain. 1. God
gave him an express promise of a son, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:4" id="Gen.xvi-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. This that is born in thy house
<i>shall not be thy heir,</i> as thou fearest, but one that shall
<i>come forth out of thy own bowels shall be thy heir.</i> Note,
(1.) God makes heirs; he says, "This shall not, and this shall;"
and whatever men devise and design, in settling their estates,
God's counsel shall stand. (2.) God is often better to us than our
own fears, and gives the mercy we had long despaired of. 2. To
<pb n="101" id="Gen.xvi-Page_101"/>
affect him the more with this promise, he took
him out, and showed him the stars (this vision being early in the
morning, before day), and then tells him, <i>So shall thy seed
be,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 15:5" id="Gen.xvi-p12.4" parsed="|Gen|15|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. (1.) So
numerous; the stars seem innumerable to a common eye: Abram feared
he should have no child at all, but God assured him that the
descendants from his loins should be so many as not to be numbered.
(2.) So illustrious, resembling the stars in splendour; for to
<i>them pertained the glory,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 9:4" id="Gen.xvi-p12.5" parsed="|Rom|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.4">Rom.
ix. 4</scripRef>. Abram's seed, according to his flesh, were like
the dust of the earth (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:16" id="Gen.xvi-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.16"><i>ch.</i>
xiii. 16</scripRef>), but his spiritual seed are like the stars of
heaven, not only numerous, but glorious, and very precious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p13">III. Abram's firm belief of the promise God
now made him, and God's favourable acceptance of his faith,
<scripRef passage="Ge 15:6" id="Gen.xvi-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. 1. He
<i>believed in the Lord,</i> that is, he believed the truth of that
promise which God had now made him, resting upon the irresistible
power and the inviolable faithfulness of him that made it. <i>Hath
he spoken, and shall he not make it good?</i> Note, Those who would
have the comfort of the promises must mix faith with the promises.
See how the apostle magnifies this faith of Abram, and makes it a
standing example, <scripRef passage="Ro 4:19-21" id="Gen.xvi-p13.2" parsed="|Rom|4|19|4|21" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.19-Rom.4.21">Rom. iv.
19-21</scripRef>. <i>He was not weak in faith; he staggered not at
the promise;</i> he was <i>strong in faith; he was fully
persuaded.</i> The Lord work such a faith in every one of us! Some
think that his believing in the Lord respected, not only the Lord
promising, but the Lord promised, the Lord Jesus, the Mediator of
the new covenant. He <i>believed in him,</i> that is, received and
embraced the divine revelation concerning him, and <i>rejoiced to
see his day,</i> though at so great a distance, <scripRef passage="Joh 8:56" id="Gen.xvi-p13.3" parsed="|John|8|56|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.56">John viii. 56</scripRef>. 2. <i>God counted it to him
for righteousness;</i> that is, upon the score of this he was
accepted of God, and, as the rest of the patriarchs, by faith he
<i>obtained witness that he was righteous,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 11:4" id="Gen.xvi-p13.4" parsed="|Heb|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.4">Heb. xi. 4</scripRef>. This is urged in the New
Testament to prove that we are justified by faith without the works
of the law (<scripRef passage="Ro 4:4,Ga 3:6" id="Gen.xvi-p13.5" parsed="|Rom|4|4|0|0;|Gal|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.4 Bible:Gal.3.6">Rom. iv. 3; Gal. iii.
6</scripRef>); for Abram was so justified while he was yet
uncircumcised. If Abram, that was so rich in good works, was not
justified by them, but by his faith, much less can we, that are so
poor in them. This faith, which was imputed to Abram for
righteousness, had lately struggled with unbelief (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:2" id="Gen.xvi-p13.6" parsed="|Gen|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and, coming off a
conqueror, it was thus crowned, thus honoured. Note, A fiducial
practical acceptance of, and dependence upon, God's promise of
grace and glory, in and through Christ, is that which, according to
the tenour of the new covenant, gives us a right to all the
blessings contained in that promise. All believers are justified as
Abram was, and it was his faith that was <i>counted to him for
righteousness.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 15:7-11" id="Gen.xvi-p13.7" parsed="|Gen|15|7|15|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.7-Gen.15.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.15.7-Gen.15.11">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvi-p14">7 And he said unto him, I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p14.1">Lord</span> that brought thee out of Ur of the
Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. &#160; 8 And he
said, Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p14.2">God</span>, whereby shall I know
that I shall inherit it? &#160; 9 And he said unto him, Take me an
heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a
ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
&#160; 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the
midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds
divided he not. &#160; 11 And when the fowls came down upon the
carcases, Abram drove them away.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p15">We have here the assurance given to Abram
of the land of Canaan for an inheritance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p16">I. God declares his purpose concerning it,
<scripRef passage="Ge 15:7" id="Gen.xvi-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|15|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Observe here,
Abram made no complaint in this matter, as he had done for the want
of a child. Note, Those that are sure of an interest in the
promised seed will see no reason to doubt of a title to the
promised land. If Christ is ours, heaven is ours. Observe again,
When he believed the former promise (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:6" id="Gen.xvi-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) then God explained and ratified
this to him. Note, To him that has (improves what he has) more
shall be given. Three things God here reminds Abram of, for his
encouragement concerning the promise of this good land:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p17">1. What God is in himself: <i>I am the
Lord</i> Jehovah; and therefore, (1.) "I may give it to thee, for I
am sovereign Lord of all, and have a right to dispose of the whole
earth." (2.) "I can give it to thee, whatever opposition may be
made, though by the sons of Anak." God never promises more than he
is able to perform, as men often do. (3.) "I will make good my
promise to thee." Jehovah is <i>not a man that he should
lie.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p18">2. What he had done for Abram. He had
brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, <i>out of the fire of the
Chaldees,</i> so some, that is, either from their idolatries (for
the Chaldeans worshipped the fire), or from their persecutions. The
Jewish writers have a tradition that Abram was cast into a fiery
furnace for refusing to worship idols, and was miraculously
delivered. It is rather a place of that name. Thence God brought
him by an effectual call, brought him with a gracious violence,
snatched him as a brand out of the burning. This was, (1.) A
special mercy: "I brought thee, and left others, thousands, to
perish there." <i>God called him alone,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 51:2" id="Gen.xvi-p18.1" parsed="|Isa|51|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.2">Isa. li. 2</scripRef>. (2.) A spiritual mercy, a mercy
to his soul, a deliverance from sin and its fatal consequences. If
God save our souls, we shall want nothing that is good for us. (3.)
A fresh mercy, lately bestowed, and therefore should be the more
affecting,
<pb n="102" id="Gen.xvi-Page_102"/>
as that in the preface to the
commandments, <i>I am the Lord that brought thee out of Egypt</i>
lately. (4.) A foundation mercy, the beginning of mercy, peculiar
mercy to Abram, and therefore a pledge and earnest of further
mercy, <scripRef passage="Isa 66:9" id="Gen.xvi-p18.2" parsed="|Isa|66|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.9">Isa. lxvi. 9</scripRef>.
Observe how God speaks of it as that which he gloried in: <i>I am
the Lord that brought thee out.</i> He glories in it as an act both
of power and grace; compare <scripRef passage="Isa 29:22" id="Gen.xvi-p18.3" parsed="|Isa|29|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.29.22">Isa.
xxix. 22</scripRef>, where he glories in it, long afterwards.
<i>Thus saith the Lord who redeemed</i> Abraham, redeemed him from
sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p19">3. What he intended to do yet further for
him: "<i>I brought thee</i> hither, on purpose <i>to give thee this
land to inherit it,</i> not only to possess it, but to possess it
as an inheritance, which is the sweetest and surest title." Note,
(1.) The providence of God has secret but gracious designs in all
its various dispensations towards good people; we cannot conceive
the projects of Providence, till the event shows them in all their
mercy and glory. (2.) The great thing God designs in all his
dealings with his people is to bring them safely to heaven. They
are <i>chosen to salvation</i> (<scripRef passage="2Th 2:13" id="Gen.xvi-p19.1" parsed="|2Thess|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.2.13">2
Thess. ii. 13</scripRef>), <i>called to the kingdom</i> (<scripRef passage="1Th 2:12" id="Gen.xvi-p19.2" parsed="|1Thess|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.2.12">1 Thess. ii. 12</scripRef>), <i>begotten to the
inheritance</i> (<scripRef passage="1Pe 1:3,4" id="Gen.xvi-p19.3" parsed="|1Pet|1|3|1|4" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.3-1Pet.1.4">1 Pet. i. 3,
4</scripRef>), and by all <i>made meet</i> for it, <scripRef passage="Col 1:12,13,2Co 4:17" id="Gen.xvi-p19.4" parsed="|Col|1|12|1|13;|2Cor|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.1.12-Col.1.13 Bible:2Cor.4.17">Col. i. 12, 13; 2 Cor. iv.
17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p20">II. Abram desires a sign: <i>Whereby shall
I know that I shall inherit it?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 15:8" id="Gen.xvi-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. This did not proceed from
distrust of God's power or promise, as that of Zacharias; but he
desired this, 1. For the strengthening and confirming of his own
faith; he believed (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:6" id="Gen.xvi-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>), but here he prays, <i>Lord, help me</i> against
<i>my unbelief. Now</i> he believed, but he desired a sign to be
treasured up against an hour of temptation, not knowing how his
faith might, by some event or other, be shocked and tried. Note, We
all need, and should desire, helps from heaven for the confirming
of our faith, and should improve sacraments, which are instituted
signs, for that purpose. See <scripRef passage="Jdg 6:36-40,2Ki 20:8-10,Isa 7:11-12" id="Gen.xvi-p20.3" parsed="|Judg|6|36|6|40;|2Kgs|20|8|20|10;|Isa|7|11|7|12" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.36-Judg.6.40 Bible:2Kgs.20.8-2Kgs.20.10 Bible:Isa.7.11-Isa.7.12">Judg. vi. 36-40; 2 Kings xx.
8-10; Isa. vii. 11, 12</scripRef>. 2. For the ratifying of the
promise to his posterity, that they also might be brought to
believe it. Note, Those that are satisfied themselves should desire
that others also may be satisfied of the truth of God's promises.
John sent his disciples to Christ, not so much for his own
satisfaction as for theirs, <scripRef passage="Mt 11:2,3" id="Gen.xvi-p20.4" parsed="|Matt|11|2|11|3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.11.2-Matt.11.3">Matt. xi.
2, 3</scripRef>. Canaan was a type of heaven. Note, It is a very
desirable thing to know that we shall inherit the heavenly Canaan,
that is, to be confirmed in our belief of the truth of that
happiness, and to have the evidences of our title to it more and
more cleared up to us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p21">III. God directs Abram to make preparations
for a sacrifice, intending by that to give him a sign, and Abram
makes preparation accordingly (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:9-11" id="Gen.xvi-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|15|9|15|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.9-Gen.15.11"><i>v.</i> 9-11</scripRef>): <i>Take me a heifer,</i>
&amp;c. Perhaps Abram expected some extraordinary sign from heaven;
but God gives him a sign upon a sacrifice. Note, Those that would
receive the assurances of God's favour, and would have their faith
confirmed, must attend instituted ordinances, and expect to meet
with God in them. Observe, 1. God appointed that each of the beasts
used for this service should be three years old, because then they
were at their full growth and strength: God must be served with the
best we have, for he is the best. 2. We do not read that God gave
Abram particular directions how to manage these beasts and fowls,
knowing that he was so well versed in the law and custom of
sacrifices that he needed not any particular directions; or perhaps
instructions were given him, which he carefully observed, thought
they are not recorded: at least it was intimated to him that they
must be prepared for the solemnity of ratifying a covenant; and he
well knew the manner of preparing them. 3. Abram took as God
appointed him, though as yet he knew not how these things should
become a sign to him. This was not the first instance of Abram's
implicit obedience. He divided the beasts in the midst, according
to the ceremony used in confirming covenants, <scripRef passage="Jer 34:18,19" id="Gen.xvi-p21.2" parsed="|Jer|34|18|34|19" osisRef="Bible:Jer.34.18-Jer.34.19">Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19</scripRef>, where it is said,
They cut <i>the calf in twain, and passed between the parts.</i> 4.
Abram, having prepared according to God's appointment, now set
himself to wait for the sign God might give him by these, like the
prophet upon his watch-tower, <scripRef passage="Hab 2:1" id="Gen.xvi-p21.3" parsed="|Hab|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.1">Hab. ii.
1</scripRef>. While God's appearing to own his sacrifice was
deferred, Abram continued waiting, and his expectations were raised
by the delay; when <i>the fowls came down upon the carcases</i> to
prey upon them, as common and neglected things, <i>Abram drove them
away</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:11" id="Gen.xvi-p21.4" parsed="|Gen|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>),
believing that the vision would, at the end, <i>speak, and not
lie.</i> Note, A very watchful eye must be kept upon our spiritual
sacrifices, that nothing be suffered to prey upon them and render
them unfit for God's acceptance. When vain thoughts, like these
fowls, come down upon our sacrifices, we must drive them away, and
not suffer them to lodge within us, but <i>attend on God without
distraction.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 15:12-16" id="Gen.xvi-p21.5" parsed="|Gen|15|12|15|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.12-Gen.15.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.15.12-Gen.15.16">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvi-p22">12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep
fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon
him. &#160; 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy
seed shall be a stranger in a land <i>that is</i> not theirs, and
shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
&#160; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I
judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
&#160; 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be
buried in a good old age. &#160; 16 But in the fourth generation
they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites
<i>is</i> not yet full.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p23">We have here a full and particular
discovery made to Abram of God's purposes concerning his seed.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p24">I. The time when God came to him with this
discovery: <i>When the sun was going down,</i> or <i>declining,</i>
about the time of the <i>evening oblation,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ki 18:36,Da 9:21" id="Gen.xvi-p24.1" parsed="|1Kgs|18|36|0|0;|Dan|9|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.36 Bible:Dan.9.21">1 Kings xviii. 36; Dan. ix. 21</scripRef>.
Early in the morning, before day, while the stars were yet to be
seen, God had given him orders concerning the sacrifices (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:5" id="Gen.xvi-p24.2" parsed="|Gen|15|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and we may suppose it
was, at least, his morning's work to prepare them and set them in
order; when he had done this, he abode by them, praying and waiting
till towards evening. Note, God often keeps his people long in
expectation of the comforts he designs them, for the confirmation
of their faith; but though the answers of prayer, and the
performance of promises, come slowly, yet they come surely. <i>At
evening time it shall be light.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p25">II. The preparatives for this discovery. 1.
<i>A deep sleep fell upon Abram,</i> not a common sleep through
weariness or carelessness, but a divine ecstasy, like that which
the <i>Lord God caused to fall upon Adam</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 2:21" id="Gen.xvi-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.21"><i>ch.</i> ii. 21</scripRef>), that, being hereby wholly
taken off from the view of things sensible, he might be wholly
taken up with the contemplation of things spiritual. The doors of
the body were locked up, that the soul might be private and
retired, and might act the more freely and like itself. 2. With
this sleep, <i>a horror of great darkness fell upon him.</i> How
sudden a change! But just before we had him solacing himself in the
comforts of God's covenant, and in communion with him; and here a
<i>horror of great darkness</i> falls upon him. Note, The children
of light do not always walk in the light, but sometimes clouds and
darkness are round about them. This great darkness, which brought
horror with it, was designed, (1.) To strike an awe upon the spirit
of Abram, and to possess him with a holy reverence, that the
familiarity to which God was pleased to admit him might not breed
contempt. Note, Holy fear prepares the soul for holy joy; the
spirit of bondage makes way for the spirit of adoption. God wounds
first, and then heals; humbles first, and then lifts up, <scripRef passage="Isa 6:5,6" id="Gen.xvi-p25.2" parsed="|Isa|6|5|6|6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.5-Isa.6.6">Isa. vi. 5, 6</scripRef>, &amp;c. (2.) To be a
specimen of the methods of God's dealings with his seed. They must
first be in the horror and darkness of Egyptian slavery, and then
enter with joy into the good land; and therefore he must have the
foretaste of their sufferings, before he had the foresight of their
happiness. (3.) To be an indication of the nature of that covenant
of peculiarity which God was now about to make with Abram. The
Old-Testament dispensation, which was founded on that covenant, was
a dispensation, [1.] Of darkness and obscurity, <scripRef passage="2Co 3:13,14" id="Gen.xvi-p25.3" parsed="|2Cor|3|13|3|14" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.13-2Cor.3.14">2 Cor. iii. 13, 14</scripRef>. [2.] Of dread and
horror, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:18" id="Gen.xvi-p25.4" parsed="|Heb|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.18">Heb. xii. 18</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p26">III. The prediction itself. Several things
are here foretold.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p27">1. The suffering state of Abram's seed for
a long time, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:13" id="Gen.xvi-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|15|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.
Let not Abram flatter himself with the hopes of nothing but honour
and prosperity in his family; no, he must know, of a surety, that
which he was loth to believe, that the promised seed should be a
persecuted seed. Note, God sends the worst first; we must first
suffer, and then reign. He also lets us know the worst before it
comes, that when it comes it may not be a surprise to us, <scripRef passage="Joh 16:4" id="Gen.xvi-p27.2" parsed="|John|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.16.4">John xvi. 4</scripRef>. Now we have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p28">(1.) The particulars of their sufferings.
[1.] They shall be strangers; so they were, first in Canaan
(<scripRef passage="Ps 105:12" id="Gen.xvi-p28.1" parsed="|Ps|105|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.12">Ps. cv. 12</scripRef>) and
afterwards in Egypt; before they were lords of their own land they
were strangers in a strange land. The inconveniences of an
unsettled state make a happy settlement the more welcome. Thus the
heirs of heaven are first strangers on earth, a land that is not
theirs. [2.] They shall be servants; so they were to the Egyptians,
<scripRef passage="Ex 1:13" id="Gen.xvi-p28.2" parsed="|Exod|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.13">Exod. i. 13</scripRef>. See how that
which was the doom of the Canaanites (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:25" id="Gen.xvi-p28.3" parsed="|Gen|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.25"><i>ch.</i> ix. 25</scripRef>), proves the distress of
Abram's seed: they are made to serve, but with this difference, the
Canaanites serve under a curse, the Hebrews under a blessing; and
the <i>upright shall have dominion in the morning,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 49:14" id="Gen.xvi-p28.4" parsed="|Ps|49|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.14">Ps. xlix. 14</scripRef>. [3.] They shall be
suffers. Those whom they serve shall afflict them; see <scripRef passage="Ex 1:11" id="Gen.xvi-p28.5" parsed="|Exod|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.11">Exod. i. 11</scripRef>. Note, Those that are
blessed and beloved of God are often sorely afflicted by wicked
men; and God foresees it, and takes cognizance of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p29">(2.) The continuance of their
sufferings&#8212;<i>four hundred years.</i> This persecution began with
mocking, when Ishmael, the son of an Egyptian, persecuted Isaac,
who was <i>born after the Spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 21:9,Gal 4:29" id="Gen.xvi-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|21|9|0|0;|Gal|4|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.9 Bible:Gal.4.29"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 9; Gal. iv. 29</scripRef>. It
continued in loathing; for it was an abomination to the Egyptians
to eat bread with the Hebrews, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:32" id="Gen.xvi-p29.2" parsed="|Gen|43|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.32"><i>ch.</i> xliii. 32</scripRef>; and it came at last to
murder, the basest of murders, that of their new-born children; so
that, more or less, it continued 400 years, though, in extremity,
not so many. This was a long time, but a limited time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p30">2. The judgment of the enemies of Abram's
seed: <i>That nation whom they shall serve,</i> even the Egyptians,
<i>will I judge,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 15:14" id="Gen.xvi-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|15|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. This points at the plagues of Egypt, by which God
not only constrained the Egyptians to release Israel, but punished
them for all the hardships they had put upon them. Note, (1.)
Though God may suffer persecutors and oppressors to trample upon
his people a great while, yet he will certainly reckon with them at
last; for his <i>day is coming,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 37:12,13" id="Gen.xvi-p30.2" parsed="|Ps|37|12|37|13" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.12-Ps.37.13">Ps. xxxvii. 12, 13</scripRef>. (2.) The punishing of
persecutors is the judging of them: it is a righteous thing with
God, and a particular act of justice, to recompense tribulations to
those that trouble his people. The
<pb n="104" id="Gen.xvi-Page_104"/>
judging
of the church's enemies is God's work: <i>I will judge.</i> God can
do it, for he is the Lord; he will do it, for he is his people's
God, and he has said, <i>Vengeance is mine, I will repay.</i> To
him therefore we must leave it, to be done in his way and time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p31">3. The deliverance of Abram's seed out of
Egypt. That great event is here foretold: <i>Afterwards shall they
come out with great substance.</i> It is here promised, (1.) That
they should be enlarged: <i>Afterwards they shall come out;</i>
that is, either after they have been afflicted 400 years, when the
days of their servitude are fulfilled, or after the Egyptians are
judged and plagued, then they may expect deliverance. Note, The
destruction of oppressors is the redemption of the oppressed; they
will not let God's people go till they are forced to it. (2.) That
they should be enriched: <i>They shall come out with great
substance;</i> this was fulfilled, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:35,36" id="Gen.xvi-p31.1" parsed="|Exod|12|35|12|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.35-Exod.12.36">Exod. xii. 35, 36</scripRef>. God took care they
should have, not only a good land to go to, but a good stock to
carry with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p32">4. Their happy settlement in Canaan,
<scripRef passage="Ge 15:16" id="Gen.xvi-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. They shall
not only come out of Egypt, but <i>they shall come hither
again,</i> hither to the land of Canaan, wherein thou now art. The
discontinuance of their possession shall be no defeasance of their
right: we must not reckon those comforts lost for ever that are
intermitted for a time. The reason why they must not have the land
of promise in possession till the fourth generation was because
<i>the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.</i> Israel cannot
be possessed of Canaan till the Amorites be dispossessed; and they
are not yet ripe for ruin. The righteous God has determined that
they shall not be cut off till they have persisted in sin so long,
and arrived at such a pitch of wickedness, that there may appear
some equitable proportion between their sin and their ruin; and
therefore, till it come to that, the seed of Abram must be kept out
of possession. Note, (1.) The measure of sin fills gradually. Those
that continue impenitent in wicked ways are treasuring up unto
themselves wrath. (2.) Some people's measure of sin fills slowly.
The Sodomites, who were sinners before the Lord exceedingly, soon
filled their measure; so did the Jews, who were, in profession,
near to God. But the iniquity of the Amorites was long in the
filling up. (3.) That this is the reason of the prosperity of
wicked people; the measure of their sins is not yet full. The
wicked <i>live, become old, and are mighty in power,</i> while God
is <i>laying up their iniquity for their children,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 21:7,19" id="Gen.xvi-p32.2" parsed="|Job|21|7|0|0;|Job|21|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.7 Bible:Job.21.19">Job xxi. 7, 19</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Mt 23:32,De 32:34" id="Gen.xvi-p32.3" parsed="|Matt|23|32|0|0;|Deut|32|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.32 Bible:Deut.32.34">Matt. xxiii. 32; Deut. xxxii.
34</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p33">5. Abram's peaceful quiet death and burial,
before these things should come to pass, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:15" id="Gen.xvi-p33.1" parsed="|Gen|15|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. As he should not live to see
that good land in the possession of his family, but must die, as he
lived, a stranger in it, so, to balance this, he should not live to
see the troubles that should come upon his seed, much less to share
in them. This is promised to Josiah, <scripRef passage="2Ki 22:20" id="Gen.xvi-p33.2" parsed="|2Kgs|22|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.22.20">2 Kings xxii. 20</scripRef>. Note, Good men are
sometimes greatly favoured by being <i>taken away from the evil to
come,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 57:1" id="Gen.xvi-p33.3" parsed="|Isa|57|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.57.1">Isa. lvii. 1</scripRef>. Let
this satisfy Abram, that, for his part,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p34">(1.) He shall <i>go to his fathers in
peace.</i> Note, [1.] Even the friends and favourites of Heaven are
not exempted from the stroke of death. Are we greater than our
father Abram, who is dead? <scripRef passage="Joh 8:53" id="Gen.xvi-p34.1" parsed="|John|8|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.53">John viii.
53</scripRef>. [2.] Good men die willingly; they are not fetched,
they are not forced, but they go; their soul is not required, as
the rich fool's (<scripRef passage="Lu 12:20" id="Gen.xvi-p34.2" parsed="|Luke|12|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.20">Luke xii.
20</scripRef>), but cheerfully resigned: they would not live
always. [3.] At death we go to our fathers, to all our fathers that
have gone before us to the state of the dead (<scripRef passage="Job 21:32,33" id="Gen.xvi-p34.3" parsed="|Job|21|32|21|33" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.32-Job.21.33">Job xxi. 32, 33</scripRef>), to our godly fathers
that have gone before us to the state of the blessed, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:23" id="Gen.xvi-p34.4" parsed="|Heb|12|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.23">Heb. xii. 23</scripRef>. The former thought
helps to take off the terror of death, the latter puts comfort into
it. [4.] Whenever a godly man dies, he dies in peace. If the way be
piety, the end is peace, <scripRef passage="Ps 37:37" id="Gen.xvi-p34.5" parsed="|Ps|37|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.37">Ps. xxxvii.
37</scripRef>. Outward peace, to the last, is promised to Abram,
peace and truth is his days, whatever should come afterwards
(<scripRef passage="2Ki 20:19" id="Gen.xvi-p34.6" parsed="|2Kgs|20|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.20.19">2 Kings xx. 19</scripRef>); peace
with God, and everlasting peace, are sure to all the seed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p35">(2.) He shall be <i>buried in a good old
age.</i> Perhaps mention is made of his burial here, where the land
of Canaan is promised him, because a burying place was the first
possession he had in it. He shall not only die in peace, but die in
honour, die, and be buried decently; not only die in peace, but die
in season, <scripRef passage="Job 5:26" id="Gen.xvi-p35.1" parsed="|Job|5|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.5.26">Job v. 26</scripRef>. Note,
[1.] Old age is a blessing. It is promised in the fifth
commandment; it is pleasing to nature; and it affords a great
opportunity for usefulness. [2.] Especially, if it be a good old
age. Theirs may be called a good old age, <i>First,</i> That are
old and healthful, not loaded with such distempers as make them
weary of life. <i>Secondly,</i> That are old and holy, old
disciples (<scripRef passage="Ac 21:16" id="Gen.xvi-p35.2" parsed="|Acts|21|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.16">Acts xxi. 16</scripRef>),
whose hoary head is <i>found in the way of righteousness</i>
(<scripRef passage="Pr 16:31" id="Gen.xvi-p35.3" parsed="|Prov|16|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.16.31">Prov. xvi. 31</scripRef>), old and
useful, old and exemplary for godliness; theirs is indeed a good
old age.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 15:17-21" id="Gen.xvi-p35.4" parsed="|Gen|15|17|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.17-Gen.15.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.15.17-Gen.15.21">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvi-p36">17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went
down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp
that passed between those pieces. &#160; 18 In the same day the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvi-p36.1">Lord</span> made a covenant with Abram,
saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of
Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: &#160; 19 The
Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, &#160; 20 And the
Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, &#160; 21 And the
Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the
Jebusites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p37">Here is, I. The covenant ratified
(<scripRef passage="Ge 15:17" id="Gen.xvi-p37.1" parsed="|Gen|15|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>); the sign
which Abram desired was given, at length, when the sun had gone
down, so that it was dark; for that was a dark dispensation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p38">1. The <i>smoking furnace</i> signified the
affliction of his seed in Egypt. They were there in the <i>iron
furnace</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:20" id="Gen.xvi-p38.1" parsed="|Deut|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.20">Deut. iv. 20</scripRef>),
the <i>furnace of affliction</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 48:10" id="Gen.xvi-p38.2" parsed="|Isa|48|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.48.10">Isa. xlviii. 10</scripRef>), labouring in the very
fire. They were there in the smoke, their eyes darkened, that they
could not see to the end of their troubles, and themselves at a
loss to conceive what God would do with them. Clouds and darkness
were round about them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p39">2. The <i>burning lamp</i> denotes comfort
in this affliction; and this God showed to Abram, at the same time
that he showed him the <i>smoking furnace.</i> (1.) Light denotes
deliverance out of the furnace; their salvation was as <i>a lamp
that burneth,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 62:1" id="Gen.xvi-p39.1" parsed="|Isa|62|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.62.1">Isa. lxii.
1</scripRef>. When God came down to deliver them, he appeared in a
bush that <i>burned, and was not consumed,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:2" id="Gen.xvi-p39.2" parsed="|Exod|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.2">Exod. iii. 2</scripRef>. (2.) The lamp denotes direction
in the smoke. God's word was their lamp: this word to Abram was so,
it was a light shining in a dark place. Perhaps this burning lamp
prefigured the pillar of cloud and fire, which led them out of
Egypt, in which God was. (3.) The burning lamp denotes the
destruction of their enemies who kept them so long in the furnace.
See <scripRef passage="Zec 12:6" id="Gen.xvi-p39.3" parsed="|Zech|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.6">Zech. xii. 6</scripRef>. The same
cloud that enlightened the Israelites troubled and burned the
Egyptians.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p40">3. The passing of these between the pieces
was the confirming of the covenant God now made with him, that he
might have strong consolation, being fully persuaded that what God
promised he would certainly perform. It is probable that the
furnace and lamp, which passed between the pieces, burnt and
consumed them, and so completed the sacrifice, and testified God's
acceptance of it, as of Gideon's (<scripRef passage="Jdg 6:21" id="Gen.xvi-p40.1" parsed="|Judg|6|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.21">Judg. vi. 21</scripRef>), Manoah's (<scripRef passage="Jdg 13:19,20" id="Gen.xvi-p40.2" parsed="|Judg|13|19|13|20" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.19-Judg.13.20">Judg. xiii. 19, 20</scripRef>), and Solomon's,
<scripRef passage="2Ch 7:1" id="Gen.xvi-p40.3" parsed="|2Chr|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.1">2 Chron. vii. 1</scripRef>. So it
intimates, (1.) That God's covenants with man are made by sacrifice
(<scripRef passage="Ps 50:5" id="Gen.xvi-p40.4" parsed="|Ps|50|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.5">Ps. l. 5</scripRef>), by Christ, the
great sacrifice: no agreement without atonement. (2.) God's
acceptance of our spiritual sacrifices is a token for good and an
earnest of further favours. See <scripRef passage="Jdg 13:23" id="Gen.xvi-p40.5" parsed="|Judg|13|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.23">Judg.
xiii. 23</scripRef>. And by this we may know that he accepts our
sacrifices if he kindle in our souls a holy fire of pious and
devout affections in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p41">II. The covenant repeated and explained:
<i>In that same day,</i> that day never to be forgotten, <i>the
Lord made a covenant with Abram,</i> that is, gave a promise to
Abram, saying, <i>Unto thy seed have I given this land,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 15:18" id="Gen.xvi-p41.1" parsed="|Gen|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p42">1. A rehearsal of the grant. He had said
before, <i>To thy seed will I give this land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 12:7,Ge 13:15" id="Gen.xvi-p42.1" parsed="|Gen|12|7|0|0;|Gen|13|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.7 Bible:Gen.13.15"><i>ch.</i> xii. 7; xiii. 15</scripRef>.
But here he says, <i>I have given it;</i> that is, (1.) I have
given the promise of it, the charter is sealed and delivered, and
cannot be disannulled. Note, God's promises are God's gifts, and
are so to be accounted. (2.) The possession is as sure, in due
time, as if it were now actually delivered to them. What God has
promised is as sure as if it were already done; hence, it is said,
<i>He that believes hath everlasting life</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 3:36" id="Gen.xvi-p42.2" parsed="|John|3|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.36">John iii. 36</scripRef>), for he shall as surely go to
heaven as if he were there already.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvi-p43">2. A recital of the particulars granted,
such as is usual in the grants of lands. He specifies the
boundaries of the land intended hereby to be granted, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:18" id="Gen.xvi-p43.1" parsed="|Gen|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. And then, for the
greater certainty, as is usual in such cases, he mentions in whose
tenure and occupation these lands now were. Ten several nations, or
tribes, are here spoken of (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:19-21" id="Gen.xvi-p43.2" parsed="|Gen|15|19|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.19-Gen.15.21"><i>v.</i> 19-21</scripRef>) that must be cast out, to
make room for the <i>seed of Abram.</i> They were not possessed of
all these countries when God brought them into Canaan. The bounds
are fixed much narrower, <scripRef passage="Nu 34:2-12" id="Gen.xvi-p43.3" parsed="|Num|34|2|34|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.2-Num.34.12">Num. xxxiv.
2, 3</scripRef>. &amp;c. But, (1.) In David's time, and Solomon's,
their jurisdiction extended to the utmost of these limits,
<scripRef passage="2Ch 9:26" id="Gen.xvi-p43.4" parsed="|2Chr|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.9.26">2 Chron. ix. 26</scripRef>. (2.) It
was their own fault that they were not sooner and longer in
possession of all these territories. They forfeited their right by
their sins, and by their own sloth and cowardice kept themselves
out of possession. (3.) The land granted is here described in its
utmost extent because it was to be a type of the heavenly
inheritance, where there is room enough: in our father's house are
many mansions. The present occupants are named, because their
number, and strength, and long prescription, should be no hindrance
to the accomplishment of this promise in its season, and to magnify
God's love to Abram and his seed, in giving to that one nation the
possessions of many nations, so precious were they in his sight,
and so honourable, <scripRef passage="Isa 43:4" id="Gen.xvi-p43.5" parsed="|Isa|43|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.4">Isa. xliii.
4</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVI" n="xvii" progress="12.77%" prev="Gen.xvi" next="Gen.xviii" id="Gen.xvii">
<pb n="105" id="Gen.xvii-Page_105"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xvii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xvii-p0.2">CHAP. XVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xvii-p1">Hagar is the person mostly concerned in the story
of this chapter, an obscure Egyptian woman, whose name and story we
never should have heard of if Providence had not brought her into
the family of Abram. Probably she was one of those maid-servants
whom the king of Egypt, among other gifts, bestowed upon Abram,
<scripRef passage="Ge 14:16" id="Gen.xvii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.16"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 16</scripRef>.
Concerning her, we have four things in this chapter:&#8212;I. Her
marriage to Abram her master, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:1-3" id="Gen.xvii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|16|1|16|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.1-Gen.16.3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>. II. Her misbehaviour towards Sarai her mistress,
<scripRef passage="Ge 16:4-6" id="Gen.xvii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|16|4|16|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.4-Gen.16.6">ver. 4-6</scripRef>. III. Her
discourse with an angel that met her in her flight, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:7-14" id="Gen.xvii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|16|7|16|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.7-Gen.16.14">ver. 7-14</scripRef>. IV. Her delivery of a
son, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:15,16" id="Gen.xvii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|16|15|16|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.15-Gen.16.16">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 16" id="Gen.xvii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 16:1-3" id="Gen.xvii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|16|1|16|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.1-Gen.16.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.16.1-Gen.16.3">
<h4 id="Gen.xvii-p1.8">Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1911.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvii-p2">1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children:
and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name <i>was</i> Hagar.
&#160; 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p2.1">Lord</span> hath restrained me from bearing: I pray
thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by
her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. &#160; 3 And Sarai
Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had
dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband
Abram to be his wife.</p>
<pb n="106" id="Gen.xvii-Page_106"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p3">We have here the marriage of Abram to
Hagar, who was his secondary wife. Herein, though some excuse may
be made for him, he cannot be justified, for <i>from the beginning
it was not so;</i> and, when it was so, it seems to have proceeded
from an irregular desire to build up families for the speedier
peopling of the world and the church. Certainly it must not be so
now. Christ has reduced this matter to the first institution, and
makes the marriage union to be between one man and one woman only.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p4">I. The maker of this match (would one think
it?) was Sarai herself: she said to Abram, <i>I pray thee, go in
unto my maid,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 16:2" id="Gen.xvii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Note, 1. It is the policy of Satan to tempt us by our
nearest and dearest relations, or those friends that we have an
opinion of and an affection for. The temptation is most dangerous
when it is sent by a hand that is least suspected: it is our wisdom
therefore to consider, not so much who speaks as what is spoken. 2.
God's commands consult our comfort and honour much better than our
own contrivances do. It would have been much more for Sarai's
interest if Abram had kept to the rule of God's law instead of
being guided by her foolish projects; but we often do ill for
ourselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p5">II. The inducement to it was Sarai's
barrenness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p6">1. <i>Sarai bare Abram no children.</i> She
was very fair (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:14" id="Gen.xvii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.14"><i>ch.</i> xii.
14</scripRef>), was a very agreeable, dutiful wife, and a sharer
with him in his large possessions; and yet written childless. Note,
(1.) God dispenses his gifts variously, loading us with benefits,
but not overloading us: some cross or other is appointed to be an
alloy to great enjoyments. (2.) The mercy of children is often
given to the poor and denied to the rich, given to the wicked and
denied to good people, though the rich have most to leave them and
good people would take most care of their education. God does
herein as it has pleased him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p7">2. She owned God's providence in this
affliction: <i>The Lord hath restrained me from bearing.</i> Note,
(1.) As, where children are, it is God that gives them (<scripRef passage="Ge 33:5" id="Gen.xvii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.5"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii. 5</scripRef>), so where they
are wanted it is he that withholds them, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:2" id="Gen.xvii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|30|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.2"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 2</scripRef>. This evil is of the Lord.
(2.) It becomes us to acknowledge this, that we may bear it, and
improve it, as an affliction of his ordering for wise and holy
ends.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p8">3. She used this as an argument with Abram
to marry his maid; and he was prevailed upon by this argument to do
it. Note, (1.) When our hearts are too much set upon any
creature-comfort, we are easily put upon the use of indirect
methods for the obtaining of it. Inordinate desires commonly
produce irregular endeavours. If our wishes be not kept in a
submission to God's providence, our pursuits will scarcely be kept
under the restraints of his precepts. (2.) It is for want of a firm
dependence upon God's promise, and a patient waiting for God's
time, that we go out of the way of our duty to catch at expected
mercy. <i>He that believes does not make haste.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p9">4. Abram's compliance with Sarai's
proposal, we have reason to think, was from an earnest desire of
the promised seed, on whom the covenant should be entailed. God had
told him that his heir should be a son of his body, but had not yet
told him that it should be a son by Sarai; therefore he thought,
"Why not by Hagar, since Sarai herself proposed it?" Note, (1.)
Foul temptations may have very fair pretences, and be coloured with
that which is very plausible. (2.) Fleshly wisdom, as it
anticipates God's time of mercy, so it puts us out of God's way.
(3.) This would be happily prevented if we would ask counsel of God
by the word and by prayer, before we attempt that which is
important and suspicious. Herein Abram was wanting; he married
without God's consent. <i>This persuasion came not of him that
called him.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 16:4-6" id="Gen.xvii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|16|4|16|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.4-Gen.16.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.16.4-Gen.16.6">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvii-p10">4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived:
and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised
in her eyes. &#160; 5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong <i>be</i>
upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw
that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p10.1">Lord</span> judge between me and thee. &#160; 6
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid <i>is</i> in thy hand;
do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with
her, she fled from her face.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p11">We have here the immediate bad consequences
of Abram's unhappy marriage to Hagar. A great deal of mischief it
made quickly. When we do not well both sin and trouble lie at the
door; and we may thank ourselves for the guilt and grief that
follow us when we go out of the way of our duty. See it in this
story.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p12">I. Sarai is despised, and thereby provoked
and put into a passion, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:4" id="Gen.xvii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. Hagar no sooner perceives herself with child by her
master than she looks scornfully upon her mistress, upbraids her
perhaps with her barrenness, insults over her, to make her to fret
(as <scripRef passage="1Sa 1:6" id="Gen.xvii-p12.2" parsed="|1Sam|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.1.6">1 Sam. i. 6</scripRef>), and boasts
of the prospect she had of bringing an heir to Abram, to that good
land, and to the promise. Now she thinks herself a better woman
than Sarai, more favoured by Heaven, and likely to be better
beloved by Abram; and therefore she will not submit as she has
done. Note, 1. Mean and servile spirits, when favoured and advanced
either by God or man, are apt to grow haughty and insolent, and to
forget their place and origin. See <scripRef passage="Pr 29:21,Pr 30:21-23" id="Gen.xvii-p12.3" parsed="|Prov|29|21|0|0;|Prov|30|21|30|23" osisRef="Bible:Prov.29.21 Bible:Prov.30.21-Prov.30.23">Prov. xxix. 21; xxx. 21-23</scripRef>. It is
a hard thing to bear honour aright. 2. We justly suffer by those
whom we have sinfully indulged, and it is a
<pb n="107" id="Gen.xvii-Page_107"/>
righteous thing with God to make those instruments of our trouble
whom we have made instruments of our sin, and to ensnare us in our
own evil counsels: this stone will return upon him that rolleth
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p13">II. Abram is clamoured upon, and cannot be
easy while Sarai is out of humour; she upbraids him vehemently, and
very unjustly charges him with the injury (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:5" id="Gen.xvii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|16|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>My wrong be upon thee,</i>
with a most unreasonable jealousy suspecting that he countenanced
Hagar's insolence; and, as one not willing to hear what Abram had
to say for the rectifying of the mistake and the clearing of
himself, she rashly appeals to God in the case: <i>The Lord judge
between me and thee;</i> as if Abram had refused to right her. Thus
does Sarai, in her passion, speak <i>as one of the foolish women
speaketh.</i> Note, 1. It is an absurdity which passionate people
are often guilty of to quarrel with others for that of which they
themselves must bear the blame. Sarai could not but own that she
had given her maid to Abram, and yet she cries out, <i>My wrong be
upon thee,</i> when she should have said, <i>What a fool was I to
do so!</i> That is never said wisely which pride and anger have the
inditing of; when passion is upon the throne, reason is out of
doors, and is neither heard nor spoken. 2. Those are not always in
the right who are most loud and forward in appealing to God. Rash
and bold imprecations are commonly evidences of guilt and a bad
cause.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p14">III. Hagar is afflicted, and driven from
the house, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:6" id="Gen.xvii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|16|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. Abram's meekness resigns the matter of the maid-servant
to Sarai, whose proper province it was to rule that part of the
family: <i>Thy maid is in thy hand.</i> Though she was his wife, he
would not countenance nor protect her in any thing that was
disrespectful to Sarai, for whom he still retained the same
affection that ever he had. Note, Those who would keep up peace and
love must return soft answers to hard accusations. Husbands and
wives particularly should agree, and endeavour not to be both angry
together. <i>Yielding pacifies great offenses.</i> See <scripRef passage="Pr 15:1" id="Gen.xvii-p14.2" parsed="|Prov|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.1">Prov. xv. 1</scripRef>. 2. Sarai's passion will
be revenged upon Hagar: <i>She dealt hardly with her,</i> not only
confining her to her usual place and work as a servant, but
probably making her to serve with rigour. Note, God takes notice
of, and is displeased with, the hardships which harsh masters
unreasonably put upon their servants. They ought to forbear
threatening, with Job's thought, <i>Did not he that made me make
him?</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:15" id="Gen.xvii-p14.3" parsed="|Job|31|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.15">Job xxxi. 15</scripRef>. 3.
Hagar's pride cannot bear it, her high spirit having become
impatient of rebuke: <i>She fled from her face.</i> She not only
avoided her wrath for the present, as David did Saul's, but she
totally deserted her service, and ran away from the house,
forgetting, (1.) What wrong she hereby did to her mistress, whose
servant she was, and to her master, whose wife she was. Note, Pride
will hardly be restrained by <i>any</i> bonds of duty, no, not by
<i>many.</i> (2.) That she herself had first given the provocation,
by despising her mistress. Note, Those that suffer for their faults
ought to bear their sufferings patiently, <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:20" id="Gen.xvii-p14.4" parsed="|1Pet|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.20">1 Pet. ii. 20</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 16:7-9" id="Gen.xvii-p14.5" parsed="|Gen|16|7|16|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.7-Gen.16.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.16.7-Gen.16.9">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvii-p15">7 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p15.1">Lord</span> found her by a fountain of water in the
wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. &#160; 8 And he
said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt
thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
&#160; 9 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p15.2">Lord</span>
said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her
hands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p16">Here is the first mention we have in
scripture of an angel's appearance. Hagar was a type of the law,
which was <i>given by the disposition of angels; but the world to
come is not put in subjection to them,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 2:5" id="Gen.xvii-p16.1" parsed="|Heb|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.5">Heb. ii. 5</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p17">I. How the angel arrested her in her
flight, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:7" id="Gen.xvii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It
should seem, she was making towards her own country; for she was in
the way to Shur, which lay towards Egypt. It were well if our
afflictions would make us think of our home, the better country.
But Hagar was now out of her place, and out of the way of her duty,
and going further astray, when the angel found her. Note, 1. It is
a great mercy to be stopped in a sinful way either by conscience or
by Providence. 2. God suffers those that are out of the way to
wander awhile, that when they see their folly, and what a loss they
have brought themselves to, they may be the better disposed to
return. Hagar was not stopped till she was in the wilderness, and
had set down, weary enough, and glad of clear water to refresh
herself with. God brings us into a wilderness, and there meets us,
<scripRef passage="Ho 2:14" id="Gen.xvii-p17.2" parsed="|Hos|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.14">Hos. ii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p18">II. How he examined her, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:8" id="Gen.xvii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|16|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p19">1. He called her <i>Hagar, Sarai's
maid,</i> (1.) As a check to her pride. Though she was Abram's
wife, and, as such, was obliged to return, yet he calls her
<i>Sarai's maid,</i> to humble her. Note, Though civility teaches
us to call others by their highest titles, yet humility and wisdom
teach us to call ourselves by the lowest. (2.) As a rebuke to her
flight. Sarai's maid ought to be in Sarai's tent, and not wandering
in the wilderness and sauntering by a fountain of water. Note, It
is good for us often to call to mind what our place and relation
are. See <scripRef passage="Ec 10:4" id="Gen.xvii-p19.1" parsed="|Eccl|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.4">Eccl. x. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p20">2. The questions the angel put to her were
proper and very pertinent. (1.) "<i>Whence comest thou?</i>
Consider that thou art running away both from the duty thou wast
bound to and the privileges thou wast blessed with in Abram's
tent." Note, It is a great advantage to live in a religious family,
which those ought to consider who have that advantage, yet upon
every slight inducement are
<pb n="108" id="Gen.xvii-Page_108"/>
forward to quit
it. (2.) "<i>Whither wilt thou go?</i> Thou art running thyself
into sin, in Egypt" (if she return to that people, she will return
to their gods), "and into danger, in the wilderness," through which
she must travel, <scripRef passage="De 8:15" id="Gen.xvii-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.15">Deut. viii.
15</scripRef>. Note, Those who are forsaking God and their duty
would do well to remember not only <i>whence they have fallen,</i>
but <i>whither they are falling.</i> See <scripRef passage="Jer 2:18" id="Gen.xvii-p20.2" parsed="|Jer|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.18">Jer. ii. 18</scripRef>, <i>What hast thou to do</i>
(with Hagar) in the way of Egypt? <scripRef passage="Joh 6:68" id="Gen.xvii-p20.3" parsed="|John|6|68|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.68">John
vi. 68</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p21">3. Her answer was honest, and a fair
confession: <i>I flee from the face of my mistress.</i> In this,
(1.) She acknowledges her fault in fleeing from her mistress, and
yet, (2.) Excuses it, that it was <i>from the face,</i> of
displeasure, of her mistress. Note, Children and servants must be
treated with mildness and gentleness, lest we provoke them to take
any irregular courses and so become accessory to their sins, which
will condemn us, though it will not justify them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p22">4. How he sent her back, with suitable and
compassionate counsel: "<i>Return to thy mistress, and submit
thyself under her hand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 16:9" id="Gen.xvii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Go home, and humble thyself for what thou hast done
amiss, and beg pardon, and resolve for the future to behave thyself
better." He makes no question but she would be welcome, though it
does not appear that Abram sent after her. Note, Those that have
gone away from their place and duty, when they are convinced of
their error, must hasten their return and reformation, how
mortifying soever it may be.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 16:10-14" id="Gen.xvii-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|16|10|16|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.10-Gen.16.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.16.10-Gen.16.14">
<h4 id="Gen.xvii-p22.3">The Promise Concerning
Ishmael. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p22.4">b. c.</span> 1911.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvii-p23">10 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p23.1">Lord</span> said unto her, I will multiply thy seed
exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. &#160; 11
And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p23.2">Lord</span> said unto
her, Behold, thou <i>art</i> with child, and shalt bear a son, and
shalt call his name Ishmael; because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p23.3">Lord</span> hath heard thy affliction. &#160; 12 And he
will be a wild man; his hand <i>will be</i> against every man, and
every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of
all his brethren. &#160; 13 And she called the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p23.4">Lord</span> that spake unto her, Thou God seest
me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
&#160; 14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold,
<i>it is</i> between Kadesh and Bered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p24">We may suppose that the angel having given
Hagar that good counsel (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:9" id="Gen.xvii-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>) to <i>return to her mistress</i> she immediately
promised to do so, and was setting her face homeward; and then the
angel went on to encourage her with an assurance of the mercy God
had in store for her and her seed: for God will meet those with
mercy that are returning to their duty. <i>I said, I will confess,
and thou forgavest,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 32:5" id="Gen.xvii-p24.2" parsed="|Ps|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.5">Ps. xxxii.
5</scripRef>. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p25">I. A prediction concerning her posterity
given her for her comfort in her present distress. Notice is taken
of her condition: <i>Behold, thou art with child;</i> and therefore
this is not a fit place for thee to be in. Note, It is a great
comfort to women with child to think that they are under the
particular cognizance and care of the divine Providence. God
graciously considers their case and suits supports to it. Now, 1.
The angel assures her of a safe delivery, and that of a <i>son,</i>
which Abram desired. This fright and ramble of hers might have
destroyed her hope of an offspring; but God dealt not with her
according to her folly: <i>Thou shalt bear a son.</i> She was saved
in child-bearing, not only by providence, but by promise. 2. He
names her child, which was an honour both to her and it: Call him
<i>Ishmael, God will hear;</i> and the reason is, because the Lord
has heard; he has, and therefore he will. Note, The experience we
have had of God's seasonable kindness to us in distress would
encourage us to hope for similar help in similar exigencies,
<scripRef passage="Ps 10:17" id="Gen.xvii-p25.1" parsed="|Ps|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.10.17">Ps. x. 17</scripRef>. He has <i>heard
thy affliction,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 16:11" id="Gen.xvii-p25.2" parsed="|Gen|16|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. Note, Even where there is little cry of devotion,
the God of pity sometimes graciously hears the cry of affliction.
Tears speak as well as prayers. This speaks comfort to the
afflicted, that God not only sees what their afflictions are, but
hears what they say. Note, further, Seasonable succours, in a day
of affliction, ought always to be remembered with thankfulness to
God. Such a time, in such a strait, <i>the Lord heard the voice of
my affliction, and helped me.</i> See <scripRef passage="De 26:7,Ps 31:22" id="Gen.xvii-p25.3" parsed="|Deut|26|7|0|0;|Ps|31|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.7 Bible:Ps.31.22">Deut. xxvi. 7; Ps. xxxi. 22</scripRef>. 3. He
promises her a numerous offspring, (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:10" id="Gen.xvii-p25.4" parsed="|Gen|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>I will multiply thy seed
exceedingly,</i> Heb. <i>multiplying, I will multiply it,</i> that
is, multiply it in every age, so as to perpetuate it. It is
supposed that the Turks at this day descend from Ishmael; and they
are a great people. This was in pursuance of the promise made to
Abram: <i>I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 13:16" id="Gen.xvii-p25.5" parsed="|Gen|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.16"><i>ch.</i> xiii. 16</scripRef>. Note,
Many that are children of godly parents have, for their sakes, a
very large share of outward common blessings, though, like Ishmael,
they are not taken into covenant: many are multiplied that are not
sanctified. 4. He gives a character of the child she should bear,
which, however it may seem to us, perhaps was not very disagreeable
to her (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:12" id="Gen.xvii-p25.6" parsed="|Gen|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>):
<i>He will be a wild man; a wild ass of a man</i> (so the word is),
rude, and bold, and fearing no man&#8212;untamed, untractable living at
large, and impatient of service and restraint. Note, The children
of the bondwoman, who are out of covenant with God, are, as they
were born, like the wild ass's colt; it is grace that reclaims men,
civilizes them, and makes them wise, and good for something. It is
foretold, (1.) That he should live in strife,
<pb n="109" id="Gen.xvii-Page_109"/>
and in a state of war: <i>His hand against every
man</i>&#8212;this is his <i>sin; and every man's hand against
him</i>&#8212;this is his <i>punishment.</i> Note, Those that have
turbulent spirits have commonly troublesome lives; those that are
provoking, vexatious, and injurious to others, must expect to be
repaid in their own coin. He that has his hand and tongue against
every man shall have every man's hand and tongue against him, and
he has no reason to complain of it. And yet, (2.) That he should
live in safety, and hold his own against all the world: <i>He shall
dwell in the presence of all his brethren;</i> though threatened
and insulted by all his neighbours, yet he shall keep his ground,
and for Abram's sake, more than his own, shall be able to make his
part good with them. Accordingly we read (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:18" id="Gen.xvii-p25.7" parsed="|Gen|25|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.18"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 18</scripRef>), that he <i>died,</i> as
he lived, <i>in the presence of all his brethren.</i> Note, Many
that are much exposed by their own imprudence are yet strangely
preserved by the divine Providence, so much better is God to them
than they deserve, when they not only forfeit their lives by sin,
but hazard them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p26">II. Hagar's pious reflection upon this
gracious appearance of God to her, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:13,14" id="Gen.xvii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|16|13|16|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.13-Gen.16.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. Observe in what she
said,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p27">1. Her awful adoration of God's omniscience
and providence, with application of it to herself: <i>She called
the name of the Lord that spoke unto her,</i> that is, thus she
made confession of his name, this she said to his praise, <i>Thou
God seest me:</i> this should be, with her, his name for ever, and
this his memorial, by which she will know him and remember him
while she lives, <i>Thou God seest me.</i> Note, (1.) The God with
whom we have to do is a seeing God, and all-seeing God. <i>God
is</i> (as the ancients express it) <i>all eye.</i> (2.) We ought
to acknowledge this with application to ourselves. He that sees all
sees me, as David (<scripRef passage="Ps 139:1" id="Gen.xvii-p27.1" parsed="|Ps|139|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.139.1">Ps. cxxxix.
1</scripRef>), <i>O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.</i>
(3.) A believing regard to God, as a God that sees us, will be of
great use to us in our returns to him. It is a proper word for a
penitent:&#8212;[1.] "Thou seest my sin and folly." I have <i>sinned
before thee,</i> says the prodigal; <i>in thy sight,</i> says
David. [2.] "Thou seest my sorrow and affliction;" this Hagar
especially refers to. When we have brought ourselves into distress
by our own folly, yet God has not forsaken us. [3.] "Thou seest the
sincerity and seriousness of my return and repentance. Thou seest
my secret mournings for sin, and secret motions towards thee." [4.]
"Thou seest me, if in any instance I depart from thee," <scripRef passage="Ps 44:20,21" id="Gen.xvii-p27.2" parsed="|Ps|44|20|44|21" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.20-Ps.44.21">Ps. xliv. 20, 21</scripRef>. This thought
should always restrain us from sin and excite us to duty: <i>Thou
God seest me.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p28">2. Her humble admiration of God's favour to
her: "<i>Have I here also looked after him that seeth me?</i> Have
I here <i>seen the back parts</i> of him that seeth me?" so it
might be read, for the word is much the same with that, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:23" id="Gen.xvii-p28.1" parsed="|Exod|33|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.23">Exod. xxxiii. 23</scripRef>. She saw not <i>face
to face,</i> but as <i>through a glass darkly,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 13:12" id="Gen.xvii-p28.2" parsed="|1Cor|13|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.13.12">1 Cor. xiii. 12</scripRef>. Probably she knew
not who it was that talked with her, till he was departing (as
<scripRef passage="Jdg 6:21,22,13:21" id="Gen.xvii-p28.3" parsed="|Judg|6|21|6|22;|Judg|13|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.21-Judg.6.22 Bible:Judg.13.21">Judg. vi. 21, 22; xiii.
21</scripRef>), and then she looked after him, with a reflection
like that of the two disciples, <scripRef passage="Lu 24:31,32" id="Gen.xvii-p28.4" parsed="|Luke|24|31|24|32" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.31-Luke.24.32">Luke xxiv. 31, 32</scripRef>. Or, <i>Have I here seen
him that sees me?</i> Note, (1.) The communion which holy souls
have with God consists in their having an eye of faith towards him,
as a God that has an eye of favour towards them. The intercourse is
kept up by the eye. (2.) The privilege of our communion with God is
to be looked upon with wonder and admiration, [1.] Considering what
we are who are admitted to this favour. "Have I? I that am so mean,
I that am so vile?" <scripRef passage="2Sa 7:18" id="Gen.xvii-p28.5" parsed="|2Sam|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.18">2 Sam. vii.
18</scripRef>. [2.] Considering the place where we are thus
favoured&#8212;"<i>here</i> also? Not only in Abram's tent and at his
altar, but <i>here</i> also, in this wilderness? Here, where I
never expected it, where I was out of the way of my duty? <i>Lord,
how is it?</i>" <scripRef passage="Joh 14:22" id="Gen.xvii-p28.6" parsed="|John|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.14.22">John xiv.
22</scripRef>. Some make the answer to this question to be
negative, and so look upon it as a penitent reflection: "<i>Have I
here also,</i> in my distress and affliction, <i>looked after
God?</i> No, I was a careless and unmindful of him as ever I used
to be; and yet he has thus visited and regarded me:" for God often
anticipates us with his favours, and is found of those that seek
him not, <scripRef passage="Isa 65:1" id="Gen.xvii-p28.7" parsed="|Isa|65|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.1">Isa. lxv. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p29">III. The name which this gave to the place:
<i>Beer-lahai-roi, The well of him that liveth and seeth me,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 16:14" id="Gen.xvii-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. It is
probable that Hagar put this name upon it; and it was retained long
after, <i>in perpetuam rei memoriam&#8212;a lasting memorial of this
event.</i> This was a place where the God of glory manifested the
special cognizance and care he took of a poor woman in distress.
Note, 1. He that is all-seeing is ever-living; he lives and sees
us. 2. Those that are graciously admitted into communion with God,
and receive seasonable comforts from him, should tell others what
he has done for their souls, that they also may be encouraged to
seek him and trust in him. 3. God's gracious manifestations of
himself to us are to be had in everlasting remembrance by us, and
should never be forgotten.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 16:15-16" id="Gen.xvii-p29.2" parsed="|Gen|16|15|16|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.15-Gen.16.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.16.15-Gen.16.16">
<h4 id="Gen.xvii-p29.3">The Birth of Ishmael. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xvii-p29.4">b. c.</span> 1911.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xvii-p30">15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called
his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. &#160; 16 And Abram
<i>was</i> fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to
Abram.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xvii-p31">It is here taken for granted, though not
expressly recorded, that Hagar did as the angel commanded her,
returning to her mistress and submitting herself; and then, in the
fulness of time, she brought forth her son. Note, Those who obey
divine precepts shall have the comfort of divine promises. This was
the son of the bond-woman that was <i>born after the flesh</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ga 4:23" id="Gen.xvii-p31.1" parsed="|Gal|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.23">Gal. iv. 23</scripRef>),
<pb n="110" id="Gen.xvii-Page_110"/>
representing the unbelieving Jews, <scripRef passage="Ga 4:25" id="Gen.xvii-p31.2" parsed="|Gal|4|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Note, 1. Many who can
call Abraham father are yet <i>born after the flesh,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 3:9" id="Gen.xvii-p31.3" parsed="|Matt|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.3.9">Matt. iii. 9</scripRef>. 2. The carnal seed in the
church are sooner brought forth than the spiritual. It is an easier
thing to persuade men to assume the form of godliness than to
submit to the power of godliness.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVII" n="xviii" progress="13.26%" prev="Gen.xvii" next="Gen.xix" id="Gen.xviii">
<pb n="110" id="Gen.xviii-Page_110"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xviii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xviii-p1">This chapter contains articles of agreement
covenanted and concluded upon between the great Jehovah, the Father
of mercies, on the one part, and pious Abram, the father of the
faithful, on the other part. Abram is therefore called "the friend
of God," not only because he was the man of his counsel, but
because he was the man of his covenant; both these secrets were
with him. Mention was made of this covenant (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:18" id="Gen.xviii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.18"><i>ch.</i> xv. 18</scripRef>), but here it is
particularly drawn up, and put into the form of a covenant, that
Abram might have strong consolation. Here are, I. The circumstances
of the making of this covenant, the time and manner (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:1" id="Gen.xviii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), and the posture Abram was in,
<scripRef passage="Ge 17:3" id="Gen.xviii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|17|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.3">ver. 3</scripRef>. II. The covenant
itself. In the general scope of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:1" id="Gen.xviii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. And, afterwards, in the particular
instances. 1. That he should be the father of many nations
(<scripRef passage="Ge 17:4,6" id="Gen.xviii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|17|4|0|0;|Gen|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.4 Bible:Gen.17.6">ver. 4, 6</scripRef>), and, in token
of this, his name was changed, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:5" id="Gen.xviii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.5">ver.
5</scripRef>. 2. That God would be a God to him and his seed, and
would give them the land of Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:7,8" id="Gen.xviii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|17|7|17|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.7-Gen.17.8">ver. 7, 8</scripRef>. And the seal of this part of the
covenant was circumcision, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:9-14" id="Gen.xviii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|17|9|17|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.9-Gen.17.14">ver.
9-14</scripRef>. 3. That he should have a son by Sarai, and, in
token thereof, her name was changed, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:15,16" id="Gen.xviii-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|17|15|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.15-Gen.17.16">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>. This promise Abram received,
<scripRef passage="Ge 17:17" id="Gen.xviii-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|17|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.17">ver. 17</scripRef>. And his request
for Ishmael, (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:18" id="Gen.xviii-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|17|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.18">ver. 18</scripRef>) was
answered, abundantly to his satisfaction, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:19-22" id="Gen.xviii-p1.12" parsed="|Gen|17|19|17|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.19-Gen.17.22">ver. 19-22</scripRef>. III. The circumcision of Abram
and his family, according to God's appointment, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:23-27" id="Gen.xviii-p1.13" parsed="|Gen|17|23|17|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.23-Gen.17.27">ver. 23</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 17" id="Gen.xviii-p1.14" parsed="|Gen|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 17:1-3" id="Gen.xviii-p1.15" parsed="|Gen|17|1|17|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1-Gen.17.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.17.1-Gen.17.3">
<h4 id="Gen.xviii-p1.16">The Covenant with Abraham
Renewed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xviii-p1.17">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xviii-p2">1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine,
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span> appeared to Abram, and said
unto him, I <i>am</i> the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou
perfect. &#160; 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee,
and will multiply thee exceedingly. &#160; 3 And Abram fell on his
face: and God talked with him, saying,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p3">Here is, I. The time when God made Abram
this gracious visit: <i>When he was ninety-nine years old,</i> full
thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael. 1. So long, it should
seem, God's extraordinary appearances to Abram were intermitted;
and all the communion he had with God was only in the usual ways of
ordinances and providences. Note, There are some special comforts
which are not the daily bread, no, not of the best saints, but they
are favoured with them now and then. On this side heaven they have
convenient food, but not a continual feast. 2. So long the promise
of Isaac was deferred. (1.) Perhaps to correct Abram's over-hasty
marrying of Hagar. Note, The comforts we sinfully anticipate are
justly delayed. (2.) That Abram and Sarai being so far stricken in
age God's power, in this matter, might be the more magnified, and
their faith the more tried. See <scripRef passage="De 32:36,Joh 11:6,15" id="Gen.xviii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|32|36|0|0;|John|11|6|0|0;|John|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.36 Bible:John.11.6 Bible:John.11.15">Deut. xxxii. 36; John xi. 6, 15</scripRef>.
(3.) That a child so long waited for might be an <i>Isaac, a son
indeed,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 54:1" id="Gen.xviii-p3.2" parsed="|Isa|54|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.1">Isa. liv.
1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p4">II. The way in which God made this covenant
with him: <i>The Lord appeared to Abram,</i> in the
<i>shechinah,</i> some visible display of God's immediate glorious
presence with him. Note, God first makes himself known to us, and
gives us a sight of him by faith, and then takes us into his
covenant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p5">III. The posture Abram put himself into
upon this occasion: <i>He fell on his face while God talked with
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 17:3" id="Gen.xviii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|17|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. 1. As
one overcome by the brightness of the divine glory, and unable to
bear the sight of it, though he had seen it several times before.
Daniel and John did likewise, though they were also acquainted with
the visions of the Almighty, <scripRef passage="Da 8:17,10:9,15,Re 1:17" id="Gen.xviii-p5.2" parsed="|Dan|8|17|0|0;|Dan|10|9|0|0;|Dan|10|15|0|0;|Rev|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.17 Bible:Dan.10.9 Bible:Dan.10.15 Bible:Rev.1.17">Dan. viii. 17; x. 9, 15; Rev. i.
17</scripRef>. Or, 2. As one ashamed of himself, and blushing to
think of the honours done to one so unworthy. He looks upon himself
with humility, and upon God with reverence, and, in token of both,
<i>falls on his face,</i> putting himself into a posture of
adoration. Note, (1.) God graciously condescends to talk with those
whom he takes into covenant and communion with himself. He talks
with them by his <i>word,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 6:22" id="Gen.xviii-p5.3" parsed="|Prov|6|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.22">Prov. vi.
22</scripRef>. He talks with them by his <i>Spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 14:26" id="Gen.xviii-p5.4" parsed="|John|14|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.14.26">John xiv. 26</scripRef>. This honour have all
his saints. (2.) Those that are admitted into fellowship with God
are, and must be, very humble and very reverent in their approaches
to him. If we say we have fellowship with him, and the familiarity
breeds contempt, we deceive ourselves. (3.) Those that would
receive comfort from God must set themselves to give glory to God
and to worship at his footstool.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p6">IV. The general scope and summary of the
covenant laid down as the foundation on which all the rest was
built; it is no other than the covenant of grace still made with
all believers in Jesus Christ, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:1" id="Gen.xviii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p7">1. What we may expect to find God to us:
<i>I am the Almighty God.</i> By this name he chose to make himself
known to Abram rather than by his name <i>Jehovah,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 6:3" id="Gen.xviii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.3">Exod. vi. 3</scripRef>. He used it to Jacob,
<scripRef passage="Ge 28:3,43:14,48:3" id="Gen.xviii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|28|3|0|0;|Gen|43|14|0|0;|Gen|48|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.3 Bible:Gen.43.14 Bible:Gen.48.3"><i>ch.</i> xxviii. 3; xliii.
14; xlviii. 3</scripRef>. It is the name of God that is mostly used
throughout the book of Job, at least in the <i>discourses</i> of
that book. After Moses, <i>Jehovah</i> is more frequently used, and
this, <i>El-shaddai,</i> very rarely; it bespeaks the almighty
power of God, either, (1.) As an avenger, from <b><i>shodeh</i></b>
<i>he laid waste,</i> so some; and they think God took this title
from the destruction of the old world. This is countenanced by
<scripRef passage="Isa 13:6" id="Gen.xviii-p7.3" parsed="|Isa|13|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.13.6">Isa. xiii. 6</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="Joe 1:15" id="Gen.xviii-p7.4" parsed="|Joel|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.1.15">Joel i. 15</scripRef>. Or, (2.) As a benefactor
<b><i>shin</i></b> (for) <b><i>asher</i></b> <i>(who),</i> and
<b><i>day</i></b> <i>(sufficient).</i> He is a God that is enough; or,
as our old English translation reads it here very significantly,
<i>I am God all-sufficient.</i> Note, The God with whom we have to
do is a God <i>that is enough.</i> [1.] He is enough in himself; he
is self-sufficient; he has every thing, and he needs not any thing.
[2.] He is enough to us, if we be in covenant with him: we have all
in him, and we have enough in him, enough to satisfy our most
enlarged desires, enough to supply the defect of every thing else,
and to secure to us a happiness for our immortal souls. See
<scripRef passage="Ps 16:5,6,73:25" id="Gen.xviii-p7.5" parsed="|Ps|16|5|16|6;|Ps|73|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.16.5-Ps.16.6 Bible:Ps.73.25">Ps. xvi. 5, 6; lxxiii.
25</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p8">2. What God requires that we should be to
him. The covenant is mutual: <i>Walk
<pb n="111" id="Gen.xviii-Page_111"/>
before
me, and be thou perfect,</i> that is, upright and sincere; for
herein the covenant of grace is well-ordered that sincerity is our
gospel perfection. Observe, (1.) That to be religious is to walk
before God in our integrity; it is to set God always before us, and
to think, and speak, and act, in every thing, as those that are
always under his eye. It is to have a constant regard to his word
as our rule and to his glory as our end in all our actions, and to
be continually in his fear. It is to be <i>inward with him,</i> in
all the duties of religious worship, for in them particularly we
walk before God (<scripRef passage="1Sa 2:30" id="Gen.xviii-p8.1" parsed="|1Sam|2|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.30">1 Sam. ii.
30</scripRef>), and to be <i>entire for him,</i> in all holy
conversation. I know no religion but sincerity. (2.) That upright
walking with God is the condition of our interest in his
all-sufficiency. If we neglect him, or dissemble with him, we
forfeit the benefit and comfort of our relation to him. (3.) A
continual regard to God's all-sufficiency will have a great
influence upon our upright walking with him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 17:4-6" id="Gen.xviii-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|17|4|17|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.4-Gen.17.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.17.4-Gen.17.6">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xviii-p9">4 As for me, behold, my covenant <i>is</i> with
thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. &#160; 5 Neither
shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be
Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. &#160; 6
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of
thee, and kings shall come out of thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p10">The promise here is introduced with
solemnity: "<i>As for me,</i>" says the great God, "behold, behold
and admire it, behold and be assured of it, my covenant is with
thee;" as before (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:2" id="Gen.xviii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|17|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), <i>I will make my covenant.</i> Note, The covenant
of grace is a covenant of God's own making; this he glories in
(<i>as for me</i>), and so may we. Now here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p11">I. It is promised to Abraham that he should
be a <i>father of many nations;</i> that is, 1. That his seed after
the flesh should be very numerous, both in Isaac and Ishmael, as
well as in the sons of Keturah: something extraordinary is
doubtless included in this promise, and we may suppose that the
event answered to it, and that there have been, and are, more of
the children of men descended from Abraham than from any one man at
an equal distance with him from Noah, the common root. 2. That all
believers in every age should be looked upon as his spiritual seed,
and that he should be called, not only <i>the friend of God,</i>
but <i>the father of the faithful.</i> In this sense the apostle
directs us to understand this promise, <scripRef passage="Ro 4:16,17" id="Gen.xviii-p11.1" parsed="|Rom|4|16|4|17" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.16-Rom.4.17">Rom. iv. 16, 17</scripRef>. He is the father of those
in every nation that by faith enter into covenant with God, and (as
the Jewish writers express it) <i>are gathered under the wings of
the divine Majesty.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p12">II. In token of this his name was changed
from <i>Abram, a high father,</i> to <i>Abraham, the father of a
multitude.</i> This was, 1. To put an honour upon him. It is spoken
of as the glory of the church that she shall be <i>called by a new
name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 62:2" id="Gen.xviii-p12.1" parsed="|Isa|62|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.62.2">Isa. lxii. 2</scripRef>. Princes dignify their
favourites by conferring new titles upon them; thus was Abraham
dignified by him that is indeed the fountain of honour. All
believers have a new name, <scripRef passage="Re 2:17" id="Gen.xviii-p12.2" parsed="|Rev|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.17">Rev. ii.
17</scripRef>. Some think it added to the honour of Abraham's new
name that a letter of the name <i>Jehovah</i> was inserted into it,
as it was a disgrace to Jeconiah to have the first syllable of his
name cut off, because it was the same as the first syllable of the
sacred name, <scripRef passage="Jer 22:28" id="Gen.xviii-p12.3" parsed="|Jer|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.22.28">Jer. xxii.
28</scripRef>. Believers are named from Christ, <scripRef passage="Eph 3:15" id="Gen.xviii-p12.4" parsed="|Eph|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.3.15">Eph. iii. 15</scripRef>. 2. To encourage and confirm the
faith of Abraham. While he was childless perhaps even his own name
was sometimes an occasion of grief to him: why should he be called
a high father who was not a father at all? But now that God had
promised him a numerous issue, and had given him a name which
signified so much, that name was his joy. Note, God calls things
that are not as though they were. It is the apostle's observation
upon this very thing, <scripRef passage="Ro 4:17" id="Gen.xviii-p12.5" parsed="|Rom|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.17">Rom. iv.
17</scripRef>. He called Abraham <i>the father of a multitude</i>
because he should prove to be so in due time, though as yet he had
but one child.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 17:7-14" id="Gen.xviii-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|17|7|17|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.7-Gen.17.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.17.7-Gen.17.14">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xviii-p13">7 And I will establish my covenant between me
and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an
everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after
thee. &#160; 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after
thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan,
for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. &#160; 9
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore,
thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. &#160; 10 This
<i>is</i> my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and
thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be
circumcised. &#160; 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your
foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and
you. &#160; 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised
among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in
the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which <i>is</i>
not of thy seed. &#160; 13 He that is born in thy house, and he
that is bought with thy money, must needs
<pb n="112" id="Gen.xviii-Page_112"/>
be
circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an
everlasting covenant. &#160; 14 And the uncircumcised man child
whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be
cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p14">Here is, I. The continuance of the
covenant, intimated in three things:&#8212;1. It is established; not to
be altered nor revoked. It is fixed, it is ratified, it is made as
firm as the divine power and truth can make it. 2. It is entailed;
it is a covenant, not with Abraham only (then it would die with
him), but with his seed after him, not only his seed after the
flesh, but his spiritual seed. 3. It is everlasting in the
evangelical sense and meaning of it. The covenant of grace is
everlasting. It is from everlasting in the counsels of it, and to
everlasting in the consequences of it; and the external
administration of it is transmitted with the seal of it to the seed
of believers, and the internal administration of it by the Spirit
of Christ's seed in every age.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p15">II. The contents of the covenant: it is a
covenant of promises, exceedingly great and precious promises. Here
are two which indeed are all-sufficient:&#8212;1. That God would be
their God, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:7,8" id="Gen.xviii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|17|7|17|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.7-Gen.17.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>.
All the privileges of the covenant, all its joys and all its hopes,
are summed up in this. A man needs desire no more than this to make
him happy. What God is himself, that he will be to his people: his
wisdom theirs, to guide and counsel them; his power theirs, to
protect and support them; his goodness theirs, to supply and
comfort them. What faithful worshippers can expect from the God
they serve believers shall find in God as theirs. This is enough,
yet not all. 2. That Canaan should be their everlasting possession,
<scripRef passage="Ge 17:8" id="Gen.xviii-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. God had before
promised this land to Abraham and his seed, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:18" id="Gen.xviii-p15.3" parsed="|Gen|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.18"><i>ch.</i> xv. 18</scripRef>. But here, where it is
promised for an everlasting possession, surely it must be looked
upon as a type of heaven's happiness, that everlasting rest which
remains for the people of God, <scripRef passage="Heb 4:9" id="Gen.xviii-p15.4" parsed="|Heb|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.9">Heb. iv.
9</scripRef>. This is that better country to which Abraham had an
eye, and the grant of which was that which answered to the vast
extent and compass of that promise, that God would be to them a
God; so that, if God had not prepared and designed this, he would
have been ashamed to be called their God, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:16" id="Gen.xviii-p15.5" parsed="|Heb|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.16">Heb. xi. 16</scripRef>. As the land of Canaan was
secured to the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, so heaven is
secured to all his spiritual seed, by a covenant, and for a
possession, truly everlasting. The offer of this eternal life is
made in the word, and confirmed by the sacraments, to all that are
under the external administration of the covenant; and the earnest
of it is given to all believers, <scripRef passage="Eph 1:14" id="Gen.xviii-p15.6" parsed="|Eph|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.14">Eph.
i. 14</scripRef>. Canaan is here said to be the land wherein
Abraham was a stranger; and the heavenly Canaan is a land to which
we are strangers, for it does not yet appear what we shall be.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p16">III. The token of the covenant, and that is
circumcision, for the sake of which the covenant is itself called
the <i>covenant of circumcision,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:8" id="Gen.xviii-p16.1" parsed="|Acts|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.8">Acts vii. 8</scripRef>. It is here said to be the covenant
which Abraham and his seed must keep, as a copy or counterpart,
<scripRef passage="Ge 17:9,10" id="Gen.xviii-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|17|9|17|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.9-Gen.17.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. It is
called a sign and seal (<scripRef passage="Ro 4:11" id="Gen.xviii-p16.3" parsed="|Rom|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.11">Rom. iv.
11</scripRef>), for it was, 1. A confirmation to Abraham and his
seed of those promises which were God's part of the covenant,
assuring them that they should be fulfilled, that in due time
Canaan would be theirs: and the continuance of this ordinance,
after Canaan was theirs, intimates that these promises looked
further to another Canaan, which they must still be in expectation
of. See <scripRef passage="Heb 4:8" id="Gen.xviii-p16.4" parsed="|Heb|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.8">Heb. iv. 8</scripRef>. 2. An
obligation upon Abraham and his seed to that duty which was their
part of the covenant; not only to the duty of accepting the
covenant and consenting to it, and putting away the corruption of
the flesh (which were more immediately and primarily signified by
circumcision), but, in general, to the observance of all God's
commands, as they should at any time hereafter be intimated and
made known to them; for circumcision made men <i>debtors to do the
whole law,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 5:3" id="Gen.xviii-p16.5" parsed="|Gal|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.5.3">Gal. v. 3</scripRef>.
Those who will have God to be to them a God must consent and
resolve to be to him a people. Now, (1.) Circumcision was a bloody
ordinance; for all things by the law were purged with blood,
<scripRef passage="Heb 9:22" id="Gen.xviii-p16.6" parsed="|Heb|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.22">Heb. ix. 22</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Ex 24:8" id="Gen.xviii-p16.7" parsed="|Exod|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.8">Exod. xxiv. 8</scripRef>. But, the blood of
Christ being shed, all bloody ordinances are now abolished;
circumcision therefore gives way to baptism. (2.) It was peculiar
to the males, though the women were also included in the covenant,
for the man is the head of the woman. In our kingdom, the oath of
allegiance is required only from men. Some think that the blood of
the males only was shed in circumcision because respect was had in
it to Jesus Christ and his blood. (3.) It was the flesh of the
foreskin that was to be cut off, because it is by ordinary
generation that sin is propagated, and with an eye to the promised
seed, who was to come from the loins of Abraham. Christ having not
yet offered himself to us, God would have man to enter into
covenant by the offering of some part of his own body, and no part
could be better spared. It is a secret part of the body; for the
true circumcision is that of the heart: this honour God put upon an
uncomely part, <scripRef passage="1Co 12:23,24" id="Gen.xviii-p16.8" parsed="|1Cor|12|23|12|24" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.23-1Cor.12.24">1 Cor. xii. 23,
24</scripRef>. (4.) The ordinance was to be administered to
children when they were eight days old, and not sooner, that they
might gather some strength, to be able to undergo the pain of it,
and that at least one sabbath might pass over them. (5.) The
children of the strangers, of whom the master of the family was the
true domestic owner, were to
<pb n="113" id="Gen.xviii-Page_113"/>
be circumcised
(<scripRef passage="Ge 17:12,13" id="Gen.xviii-p16.9" parsed="|Gen|17|12|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.12-Gen.17.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>),
which looked favourably upon the Gentiles, who should in due time
be brought into the family of Abraham, by faith. See <scripRef passage="Ga 3:14" id="Gen.xviii-p16.10" parsed="|Gal|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.14">Gal. iii. 14</scripRef>. (6.) The religious
observance of this institution was required under a very severe
penalty, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:14" id="Gen.xviii-p16.11" parsed="|Gen|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. The
contempt of circumcision was a contempt of the covenant; if the
parents did not circumcise their children, it was at their peril,
as in the case of Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:24,25" id="Gen.xviii-p16.12" parsed="|Exod|4|24|4|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.24-Exod.4.25">Exod. iv.
24, 25</scripRef>. With respect to those that were not circumcised
in their infancy, if, when they grew up, they did not themselves
come under this ordinance, God would surely reckon with them. If
they cut not off the flesh of their foreskin, God would cut them
off from their people. It is a dangerous thing to make light of
divine institutions, and to live in the neglect of them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 17:15-22" id="Gen.xviii-p16.13" parsed="|Gen|17|15|17|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.15-Gen.17.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.17.15-Gen.17.22">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xviii-p17">15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy
wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah <i>shall</i>
her name <i>be.</i> &#160; 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a
son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be <i>a
mother</i> of nations; kings of people shall be of her. &#160; 17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his
heart, Shall <i>a child</i> be born unto him that is a hundred
years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? &#160;
18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before
thee! &#160; 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son
indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my
covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, <i>and</i> with his
seed after him. &#160; 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee:
Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will
multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will
make him a great nation. &#160; 21 But my covenant will I establish
with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in
the next year. &#160; 22 And he left off talking with him, and God
went up from Abraham.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p18">Here is, I. The promise made to Abraham of
a son by <i>Sarai,</i> that son in whom the promise made to him
should be fulfilled, that he should be the father of many nations;
for <i>she also shall be a mother of nations, and kings of people
shall be of her,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 17:16" id="Gen.xviii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|17|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. Note, 1. God reveals the purposes of his good-will
to his people by degrees. God had told Abraham long before that he
should have a son, but never till now that he should have a son by
<i>Sarai.</i> 2. The blessing of the Lord makes fruitful, and adds
no sorrow with it, no such sorrow as was in Hagar's case. "I will
bless her with the blessing of fruitfulness, and then thou shalt
have a son of her." 3. Civil government and order are a great
blessing to the church. It is promised, not only that
<i>people,</i> but <i>kings of people,</i> should be of her; not a
headless rout, but a well-modelled well-governed society.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p19">II. The ratification of this promise was
the change of <i>Sarai's</i> name into <i>Sarah</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:15" id="Gen.xviii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|17|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), the same letter being
added to her name that was to Abraham's, and for the same reasons.
<i>Sarai</i> signifies <i>my princess,</i> as if her honour were
confined to one family only. <i>Sarah</i> signifies <i>a
princess</i>&#8212;namely, of <i>multitudes,</i> or signifying that from
her should come the Messiah the prince, even the prince of the
kings of the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p20">III. Abraham's joyful, thankful,
entertainment of this gracious promise, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:17" id="Gen.xviii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|17|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Upon this occasion he
expressed, 1. Great humility: He <i>fell on his face.</i> Note, The
more honours and favours God confers upon us the lower we should be
in our own eyes, and the more reverent and submissive before God.
2. Great joy: He <i>laughed.</i> It was a laughter of delight, not
of distrust. Note, Even the promises of a holy God, as well as his
performances, are the joys of holy souls; there is the joy of faith
as well as the joy of fruition. Now it was that Abraham rejoiced to
see Christ's day. Now he saw it and was glad (<scripRef passage="Joh 8:56" id="Gen.xviii-p20.2" parsed="|John|8|56|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.56">John viii. 56</scripRef>); for, as he saw heaven in the
promise of Canaan, so he saw Christ in the promise of Isaac. 3.
Great admiration: <i>Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred
years old?</i> He does not here speak of it as at all doubtful (for
we are sure that <i>he staggered not at the promise,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 4:20" id="Gen.xviii-p20.3" parsed="|Rom|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.20">Rom. iv. 20</scripRef>), but as very wonderful
and that which could not be effected but by the almighty power of
God, and as very <i>kind,</i> and a favour which was the more
affecting and obliging for this, that it was extremely surprising,
<scripRef passage="Ps 126:1,2" id="Gen.xviii-p20.4" parsed="|Ps|126|1|126|2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.126.1-Ps.126.2">Ps. cxxvi. 1, 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p21">IV. Abraham's prayer for Ishmael: <i>O that
Ishmael might live before thee!</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 17:18" id="Gen.xviii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|17|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. This he speaks, not as desiring
that Ishmael might be preferred before the son he should have by
Sarah; but, dreading lest he should be abandoned and forsaken of
God, he puts up this petition on his behalf. Now that God is
talking with him he thinks he has a very fair opportunity to speak
a good word for Ishmael, and he will not let it slip. Note, 1.
Though we ought not to prescribe to God, yet he gives us leave, in
prayer, to be humbly free with him, and particular in making known
our requests, <scripRef passage="Php 4:6" id="Gen.xviii-p21.2" parsed="|Phil|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.6">Phil. iv. 6</scripRef>.
Whatever is the matter of our care and fear should be spread before
God in prayer. 2. It is the duty of parents to pray for their
children, for all their children, as Job, who
<pb n="114" id="Gen.xviii-Page_114"/>
offered burnt offerings according to the number of
them all, <scripRef passage="Job 1:5" id="Gen.xviii-p21.3" parsed="|Job|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.1.5">Job i. 5</scripRef>. Abraham
would not have it thought that, when God promised him a son by
Sarah, which he so much desired, then his son by Hagar was
forgotten; no, still he bears him upon his heart, and shows a
concern for him. The prospect of further favours must not make us
unmindful of former favours. 3. The great thing we should desire of
God for our children is that they may live before him, that is,
that they may be kept in covenant with him, and may have grace to
walk before him in their uprightness. Spiritual blessings are the
best blessings, and those for which we should be most earnest with
God, both for ourselves and others. Those live well that live
before God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p22">V. God's answer to his prayer; and it is an
answer of peace. Abraham could not say that he sought God's face in
vain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p23">1. Common blessings are secured to Ishmael
(<scripRef passage="Ge 17:20" id="Gen.xviii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|17|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.20"><i>v.</i> 20)</scripRef>: <i>As for
Ishmael,</i> whom thou art in so much care about, <i>I have heard
thee;</i> he shall find favour for thy sake; <i>I have blessed
him,</i> that is, I have many blessings in store for him. (1.) His
posterity shall be numerous: <i>I will multiply him
exceedingly,</i> more than his neighbours. This is the fruit of the
blessing, as that, <scripRef passage="Ge 1:28" id="Gen.xviii-p23.2" parsed="|Gen|1|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.28"><i>ch.</i> i.
28</scripRef>. (2.) They shall be considerable: <i>Twelve princes
shall he beget.</i> We may charitably hope that spiritual blessings
also were bestowed upon him, though the visible church was not
brought out of his loins and the covenant was not lodged in his
family. Note, Great plenty of outward good things is often given to
those children of godly parents who are born after the flesh, for
their parents' sake.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p24">2. Covenant blessings are reserved for
Isaac, and appropriated to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:19,21" id="Gen.xviii-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|17|19|0|0;|Gen|17|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.19 Bible:Gen.17.21"><i>v.</i> 19, 21</scripRef>. If Abraham, in his
prayer for Ishmael, meant that he would have the covenant made with
him, and the promised seed to come from him, then God did not
answer him in the letter, but in that which was equivalent, nay,
which was every way better. (1.) God repeats to him the promise of
a son by Sarah: <i>She shall bear thee a son indeed.</i> Note, Even
true believers need to have God's promises doubled and repeated to
them, that they may have strong consolation, <scripRef passage="Heb 6:18" id="Gen.xviii-p24.2" parsed="|Heb|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.18">Heb. vi. 18</scripRef>. Again, Children of the promise
are children indeed. (2.) He names that child&#8212;calls him <i>Isaac,
laughter,</i> because Abraham rejoiced in spirit when this son was
promised him. Note, If God's promises be our joy, his mercies
promised shall in due time be our <i>exceeding</i> joy. Christ will
be laughter to those that look for him; those that now rejoice in
hope shall shortly rejoice in having that which they hope for: this
is laughter that is not mad. (3.) He entails the covenant upon that
child: <i>I will establish my covenant with him.</i> Note, God
takes whom he pleases into covenant with himself, according to the
good pleasure of his will. See <scripRef passage="Ro 9:8,18" id="Gen.xviii-p24.3" parsed="|Rom|9|8|0|0;|Rom|9|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.8 Bible:Rom.9.18">Rom.
ix. 8, 18</scripRef>. Thus was the covenant settled between God and
Abraham, with its several limitations and remainders, and then the
conference ended: <i>God left off talking with him,</i> and the
vision disappeared, <i>God went up from Abraham.</i> Note, Our
communion with God here is broken and interrupted; in heaven it
will be a continual and everlasting feast.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 17:23-27" id="Gen.xviii-p24.4" parsed="|Gen|17|23|17|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.23-Gen.17.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.17.23-Gen.17.27">
<h4 id="Gen.xviii-p24.5">Circumcision of Abraham,
&amp;c. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xviii-p24.6">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xviii-p25">23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all
that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his
money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised
the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said
unto him. &#160; 24 And Abraham <i>was</i> ninety years old and
nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. &#160;
25 And Ishmael his son <i>was</i> thirteen years old, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. &#160; 26 In the selfsame
day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. &#160; 27 And all
the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of
the stranger, were circumcised with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xviii-p26">We have here Abraham's obedience to the law
of circumcision. He himself and all his family were circumcised, so
receiving the token of the covenant and distinguishing themselves
from other families, that had no part nor lot in the matter. 1. It
was an implicit obedience: He did <i>as God had said to him,</i>
and did not ask why or wherefore. God's will was not only a law to
him, but a reason; he did it because God told him. 2. It was a
speedy obedience: <i>In the self-same day,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 17:23,26" id="Gen.xviii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|17|23|0|0;|Gen|17|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.23 Bible:Gen.17.26"><i>v.</i> 23, 26</scripRef>. Sincere obedience is not
dilatory, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:60" id="Gen.xviii-p26.2" parsed="|Ps|119|60|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.60">Ps. cxix. 60</scripRef>.
While the command is yet sounding in our ears, and the sense of
duty is fresh, it is good to apply ourselves to it immediately,
lest we deceive ourselves by putting it off to a more convenient
season. 3. It was a universal obedience: He did not circumcise his
family and excuse himself, but set them an example; nor did he take
the comfort of the seal of the covenant to himself only, but
desired that all his might share with him in it. This is a good
example to masters of families; they and their houses must serve
the Lord. Though God's covenant was not established with Ishmael,
yet he was circumcised; for children of believing parents, as such,
have a right to the privileges of the visible church, and the seals
of the covenant, whatever they may prove afterwards. Ishmael is
blessed, and therefore circumcised. 4. Abraham did this though much
might be objected against it. Though circumcision was
painful,&#8212;though to grown men it was shameful,&#8212;though, while they
were sore and unfit for action,
<pb n="115" id="Gen.xviii-Page_115"/>
their
enemies might take advantage against them, as Simeon and Levi did
against the Shechemites,&#8212;though Abraham was ninety-nine years old,
and had been justified and accepted of God long since,&#8212;though so
strange a thing done religiously might be turned to his reproach by
the Canaanite and the Perizzite that dwelt then in the land,&#8212;yet
God's command was sufficient to answer these and a thousand such
objections: what God requires we must do, not <i>conferring with
flesh and blood.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVIII" n="xix" progress="13.83%" prev="Gen.xviii" next="Gen.xx" id="Gen.xix">
<pb n="115" id="Gen.xix-Page_115"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xix-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xix-p1">We have an account in this chapter of another
interview between God and Abraham, probably within a few days after
the former, as the reward of his cheerful obedience to the law of
circumcision. Here is, I. The kind visit which God made him, and
the kind entertainment which he gave to that visit, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:1-8" id="Gen.xix-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|18|1|18|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.1-Gen.18.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. II. The matters discoursed
of between them. 1. The purposes of God's love concerning Sarah,
<scripRef passage="Ge 18:9-15" id="Gen.xix-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|18|9|18|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.9-Gen.18.15">ver. 9-15</scripRef>. 2. The
purposes of God's wrath concerning Sodom. (1.) The discovery God
made to Abraham of his design to destroy Sodom, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:16-22" id="Gen.xix-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|18|16|18|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.16-Gen.18.22">ver. 16-22</scripRef>. (2.) The intercession Abraham
made for Sodom, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:23-33" id="Gen.xix-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|18|23|18|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23-Gen.18.33">ver. 23</scripRef>,
&amp;c.).</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 18" id="Gen.xix-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 18:1-8" id="Gen.xix-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|18|1|18|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.1-Gen.18.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.18.1-Gen.18.8">
<h4 id="Gen.xix-p1.7">Abraham's Interview with the
Angels. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p2.1">Lord</span>
appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent
door in the heat of the day; &#160; 2 And he lift up his eyes and
looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw
<i>them,</i> he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed
himself toward the ground, &#160; 3 And said, My Lord, if now I
have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from
thy servant: &#160; 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched,
and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: &#160; 5
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts;
after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your
servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. &#160; 6 And
Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready
quickly three measures of fine meal, knead <i>it,</i> and make
cakes upon the hearth. &#160; 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and
fetched a calf tender and good, and gave <i>it</i> unto a young
man; and he hasted to dress it. &#160; 8 And he took butter, and
milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set <i>it</i> before
them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p3">The appearance of God to Abraham seems to
have had in it more of freedom and familiarity, and less of
grandeur and majesty, than those we have hitherto read of; and
therefore more resembles that great visit which, in the fullness of
time, the Son of God was to make to the world, when the Word would
be flesh, and appear as one of us. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p4">I. How Abraham expected strangers, and how
richly his expectations were answered (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:1" id="Gen.xix-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|18|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>He sat in the tent-door, in
the heat of the day;</i> not so much to repose or divert himself as
to seek an opportunity of doing good, by giving entertainment to
strangers and travellers, there being perhaps no inns to
accommodate them. Note, 1. We are likely to have the most comfort
of those good works to which we are most free and forward. 2. God
graciously visits those in whom he has first raised the expectation
of him, and manifests himself to those that wait for him. When
Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming towards him.
These three men were three spiritual heavenly beings, now assuming
human bodies, that they might be visible to Abraham, and
conversable with him. Some think that they were all created angels,
others that one of them was the Son of God, the angel of the
covenant, whom Abraham distinguished from the rest (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:3" id="Gen.xix-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|18|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and who is called
<i>Jehovah,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:13" id="Gen.xix-p4.3" parsed="|Gen|18|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. The apostle improves this for the encouragement of
hospitality, <scripRef passage="Heb 13:2" id="Gen.xix-p4.4" parsed="|Heb|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.2">Heb. xiii. 2</scripRef>.
Those that have been forward to entertain strangers have
entertained angels, to their unspeakable honour and satisfaction.
Where, upon a prudent and impartial judgment, we see no cause to
suspect ill, charity teaches us to hope well and to show kindness
accordingly. It is better to feed five drones, or wasps, than to
starve one bee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p5">II. How Abraham entertained those
strangers, and how kindly his entertainment was accepted. The Holy
Ghost takes particular notice of the very free and affectionate
welcome Abraham gave to the strangers. 1. He was very complaisant
and respectful to them. Forgetting his age and gravity, he <i>ran
to meet them</i> in the most obliging manner, and with all due
courtesy <i>bowed himself towards the ground,</i> though as yet he
knew nothing of them but that they appeared graceful respectable
men. Note, Religion does not destroy, but improve, good manners,
and teaches us to honour all men. Decent civility is a great
ornament to piety. 2. He was very earnest and importunate for their
stay, and took it as a great favour, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:3,4" id="Gen.xix-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|18|3|18|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.3-Gen.18.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. Note, (1.) It becomes those
whom God has blessed with plenty to be liberal and open-hearted in
their entertainments, according to their ability, and (not in
compliment, but cordially) to bid their friends welcome. We should
take a pleasure in showing kindness to any; for both God and man
love a cheerful giver. Who would <i>eat the bread of him that has
an evil eye?</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 23:6,7" id="Gen.xix-p5.2" parsed="|Prov|23|6|23|7" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.6-Prov.23.7">Prov. xxiii. 6,
7</scripRef>. (2.) Those that would have communion with God must
earnestly desire it and pray for it. God is a guest worth
entertaining. 3. His entertainment, though it was very free, was
yet plain and homely, and there was nothing in it of the gaiety and
niceness of our times. His dining-room was an arbour under a tree;
no rich table-linen, no side-board set with
<pb n="116" id="Gen.xix-Page_116"/>
plate. His feast was a joint or two of veal, and some cakes baked
on the hearth, and both hastily dressed up. Here were no dainties,
no varieties, no forced-meats, no sweet-meats, but good, plain,
wholesome food, though Abraham was very rich and his guests were
very honourable. Note, We ought not to be curious in our diet. Let
us be thankful for food convenient, though it be homely and common;
and not be desirous of dainties, for they are deceitful meat to
those that love them and set their hearts upon them. 4. He and his
wife were both of them very attentive and busy, in accommodating
their guests with the best they had. Sarah herself is cook and
baker; Abraham runs to fetch the calf, brings out the milk and
butter, and thinks it not below him to wait at table, that he might
show how heartily welcome his guests were. Note, (1.) Those that
have real merit need not take state upon them, nor are their
prudent condescensions any disparagement to them. (2.) Hearty
friendship will stoop to any thing but sin. Christ himself has
taught us to wash one another's feet, in humble love. Those that
thus abase themselves shall be exalted. Here Abraham's faith showed
itself in good works; and so must ours, else it is dead, <scripRef passage="Jam 2:21,26" id="Gen.xix-p5.3" parsed="|Jas|2|21|0|0;|Jas|2|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.21 Bible:Jas.2.26">Jam. ii. 21, 26</scripRef>. The father of the
faithful was famous for charity, and generosity, and good
house-keeping; and we must learn of him to <i>do good and to
communicate.</i> Job did not eat his morsel alone, <scripRef passage="Job 31:17" id="Gen.xix-p5.4" parsed="|Job|31|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.17">Job xxxi. 17</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 18:9-15" id="Gen.xix-p5.5" parsed="|Gen|18|9|18|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.9-Gen.18.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.18.9-Gen.18.15">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xix-p6">9 And they said unto him, Where <i>is</i> Sarah
thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. &#160; 10 And he said,
I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life;
and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard <i>it</i>
in the tent-door, which <i>was</i> behind him. &#160; 11 Now
Abraham and Sarah <i>were</i> old <i>and</i> well stricken in age;
<i>and</i> it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
&#160; 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I
am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? &#160;
13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p6.1">Lord</span> said unto Abraham,
Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a
child, which am old? &#160; 14 Is any thing too hard for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p6.2">Lord</span>? At the time appointed I will return
unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a
son. &#160; 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she
was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p7">These heavenly guests (being sent to
confirm the promise lately made to Abraham, that he should have a
son by Sarah), while they are receiving Abraham's kind
entertainment, they return his kindness. He receives angels, and
has angels' rewards, a gracious message from heaven, <scripRef passage="Mt 10:41" id="Gen.xix-p7.1" parsed="|Matt|10|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.41">Matt. x. 41</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p8">I. Care is taken that Sarah should be
within hearing. She must conceive by faith, and therefore the
promise must be made to her, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:11" id="Gen.xix-p8.1" parsed="|Heb|11|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.11">Heb. xi.
11</scripRef>. It was the modest usage of that time that the women
did not sit at meat with men, at least not with strangers, but
confined themselves to their own apartments; therefore Sarah is
here out of sight: but she must not be out of hearing. The angels
enquire (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:9" id="Gen.xix-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|18|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>),
<i>Where is Sarah thy wife?</i> By naming her, they gave intimation
enough to Abraham that, though they seemed strangers, yet they very
well knew him and his family. By enquiring after her, they showed a
friendly kind concern for the family and relations of one whom they
found respectful to them. It is a piece of common civility, which
ought to proceed from a principle of Christian love, and then it is
sanctified. And, by speaking of her (she over-hearing it), they
drew her to listen to what was further to be said. <i>Where is
Sarah thy wife?</i> say the angels. "<i>Behold in the tent,</i>"
says Abraham. "Where should she be else? There she is in her place,
as she uses to be, and is now within call." Note, 1. The daughters
of Sarah must learn of her to be <i>chaste, keepers at home,</i>
<scripRef passage="Tit 2:5" id="Gen.xix-p8.3" parsed="|Titus|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.2.5">Tit. ii. 5</scripRef>. There is nothing
got by gadding. 2. Those are most likely to receive comfort from
God and his promises that are in their place and in the way of
their duty, <scripRef passage="Lu 2:8" id="Gen.xix-p8.4" parsed="|Luke|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.8">Luke ii. 8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p9">II. The promise is then renewed and
ratified, that she should have a son (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:10" id="Gen.xix-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|18|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): "<i>I will certainly return
unto thee,</i> and visit thee next time with the performance, as
now I do with the promise." God will return to those that bid him
welcome, that entertain his visits: "I will return thy kindness,
<i>Sarah thy wife shall have a son;</i>" it is repeated again,
<scripRef passage="Ge 18:14" id="Gen.xix-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|18|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Thus the
promises of the Messiah were often repeated in the Old Testament,
for the strengthening of the faith of God's people. We are slow of
heart to believe, and therefore have need of line upon line to the
same purport. This is that word of promise which the apostle quotes
(<scripRef passage="Ro 9:9" id="Gen.xix-p9.3" parsed="|Rom|9|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.9">Rom. ix. 9</scripRef>), as that by the
virtue of which Isaac was born. Note, 1. The same blessings which
others have from common providence believers have from the promise,
which makes them very sweet and very sure. 2. The spiritual seed of
Abraham owe their life, and joy, and hope, and all, to the promise.
They are born by the word of God, <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:23" id="Gen.xix-p9.4" parsed="|1Pet|1|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.23">1
Pet. i. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p10">III. Sarah thinks this too good news to be
true, and therefore cannot as yet find in her heart to believe it:
<i>Sarah laughed within herself,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:12" id="Gen.xix-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. It was not a pleasing laughter
of faith, like Abraham's (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:17" id="Gen.xix-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|17|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.17"><i>ch.</i>
xvii. 17</scripRef>), but it was a laughter of doubting and
mistrust. Note, The same thing may be done from very different
principles, of which God only, who
<pb n="117" id="Gen.xix-Page_117"/>
knows the
heart, can judge. The great objection which Sarah could not get
over was her age: "<i>I am waxed old,</i> and past childbearing in
the course of nature, especially having been hitherto barren, and
(which magnifies the difficulty) <i>my lord is old also.</i>"
Observe here, 1. Sarah calls Abraham her <i>lord;</i> it was the
only good word in this saying, and the Holy Ghost takes notice of
it to her honour, and recommends it to the imitation of all
Christian wives. <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:6" id="Gen.xix-p10.3" parsed="|1Pet|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.6">1 Pet. iii.
6</scripRef>, <i>Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord,</i> in
token of respect and subjection. Thus must the wife reverence her
husband, <scripRef passage="Eph 5:33" id="Gen.xix-p10.4" parsed="|Eph|5|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.33">Eph. v. 33</scripRef>. And
thus must we be apt to take notice of what is spoken decently and
well, to the honour of those that speak it, though it may be mixed
with that which is amiss, over which we should cast a mantle of
love. 2. Human improbability often sets up in contradiction to the
divine promise. The objections of sense are very apt to stumble and
puzzle the weak faith even of true believers. It is hard to cleave
to the first Cause, when second causes frown. 3. Even where there
is true faith, yet there are often sore conflicts with unbelief,
Sarah could say, <i>Lord, I believe</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:11" id="Gen.xix-p10.5" parsed="|Heb|11|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.11">Heb. xi. 11</scripRef>), and yet must say, <i>Lord,
help my unbelief.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p11">IV. The angel reproves the indecent
expressions of her distrust, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:13,14" id="Gen.xix-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|18|13|18|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.13-Gen.18.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. Observe, 1. Though Sarah
was now most kindly and generously entertaining these angels, yet,
when she did amiss, they reproved her for it, as Christ reproved
Martha in her own house, <scripRef passage="Lu 10:40,41" id="Gen.xix-p11.2" parsed="|Luke|10|40|10|41" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.40-Luke.10.41">Luke x.
40, 41</scripRef>. If our friends be kind to us, we must not
therefore be so unkind to them as to suffer sin upon them. 2. God
gave this reproof to Sarah by Abraham her husband. To him he said,
<i>Why did Sarah laugh?</i> perhaps because he had not told her of
the promise which had been given him some time before to this
purport, and which, if he had communicated it to her with its
ratifications, would have prevented her from being so surprised
now. Or Abraham was told of it that he might tell her of it. Mutual
reproof, when there is occasion for it, is one of the duties of the
conjugal relation. 3. The reproof itself is plain, and backed with
a good reason: <i>Wherefore did Sarah laugh?</i> Note, It is good
to enquire into the reason of our laughter, that it may not be the
laughter of the fool, <scripRef passage="Ec 7:6" id="Gen.xix-p11.3" parsed="|Eccl|7|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.6">Eccl. vii.
6</scripRef>. "Wherefore did I laugh?" Again, Our unbelief and
distrust are a great offence to the God of heaven. He justly takes
it ill to have the objections of sense set up in contradiction to
his promise, as <scripRef passage="Lu 1:18" id="Gen.xix-p11.4" parsed="|Luke|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.18">Luke i. 18</scripRef>.
4. Here is a question asked which is enough to answer all the
cavils of flesh and blood: <i>Is any thing too hard for the
Lord?</i> (Heb. <i>too wonderful</i>), that is, (1.) Is any thing
so secret as to escape his cognizance? No, not Sarah's laughing,
though it was only <i>within herself.</i> Or, (2.) Is any thing so
difficult as to exceed his power? No, not the giving of a child to
Sarah in her old age.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p12">V. Sarah foolishly endeavours to conceal
her fault (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:15" id="Gen.xix-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>):
<i>She denied, saying, I did not laugh,</i> thinking nobody could
contradict her: she told this lie, because <i>she was afraid;</i>
but it was in vain to attempt concealing it from an all-seeing eye;
she was told, to her shame, <i>Thou didst laugh.</i> Now, 1. There
seems to be in Sarah a retraction of her distrust. Now she
perceived, by laying circumstances together, that it was a divine
promise which had been made concerning her, she renounced all
doubting distrustful thoughts about it. But, 2. There was withal a
sinful attempt to cover a sin with a lie. It is a shame to do
amiss, but a greater shame to deny it; for thereby we add iniquity
to our iniquity. Fear of a rebuke often betrays us into this snare.
See <scripRef passage="Isa 57:11" id="Gen.xix-p12.2" parsed="|Isa|57|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.57.11">Isa. lvii. 11</scripRef>, <i>Whom
hast thou feared, that thou hast lied?</i> But we deceive ourselves
if we think to impose upon God; he can and will bring truth to
light, to our shame. <i>He that covers his sin cannot prosper,</i>
for the day is coming which will discover it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 18:16-22" id="Gen.xix-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|18|16|18|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.16-Gen.18.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.18.16-Gen.18.22">
<h4 id="Gen.xix-p12.4">Abraham's Interview with
God. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p12.5">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xix-p13">16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked
toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
&#160; 17 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p13.1">Lord</span> said, Shall I
hide from Abraham that thing which I do; &#160; 18 Seeing that
Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the
nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? &#160; 19 For I know
him, that he will command his children and his household after him,
and they shall keep the way of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p13.2">Lord</span>, to do justice and judgment; that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p13.3">Lord</span> may bring upon Abraham that which he
hath spoken of him. &#160; 20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p13.4">Lord</span> said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah
is great, and because their sin is very grievous; &#160; 21 I will
go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to
the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
&#160; 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went
toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p13.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p14">The messengers from heaven had now
despatched one part of their business, which was an errand of grace
to Abraham and Sarah, and which they delivered first; but now they
have before them work of another nature. Sodom is to be destroyed,
and they must do it, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:13" id="Gen.xix-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|19|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.13"><i>ch.</i> xix.
13</scripRef>. Note, As with the Lord there is mercy, so he is the
God to whom vengeance belongs. Pursuant to their commission, we
here find, 1. That <i>they looked towards Sodom</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:16" id="Gen.xix-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>); they set their faces
against it in wrath, as God is said to look unto the host of the
Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:24" id="Gen.xix-p14.3" parsed="|Exod|14|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.24">Exod. xiv. 24</scripRef>.
Note, Though
<pb n="118" id="Gen.xix-Page_118"/>
God has long seemed to connive
at sinners, from which they have inferred that the Lord does not
see, does not regard, yet, when the day of his wrath comes, he will
look towards them. 2. That they <i>went towards Sodom</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 18:22" id="Gen.xix-p14.4" parsed="|Gen|18|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), and
accordingly we find two of them at Sodom, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:1" id="Gen.xix-p14.5" parsed="|Gen|19|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.1"><i>ch.</i> xix. 1</scripRef>. Whether the third was the
Lord, before whom Abraham yet stood, and to whom he drew near
(<scripRef passage="Ge 18:23" id="Gen.xix-p14.6" parsed="|Gen|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), as most
think, or whether the third left them before they came to Sodom,
and the Lord before whom Abraham stood was the <i>shechinah,</i> or
that appearance of the divine glory which Abraham had formerly seen
and conversed with, is uncertain. However, we have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p15">I. The honour Abraham did to his guests:
<i>He went with them to bring them on the way,</i> as one that was
loth to part with such good company, and was desirous to pay his
utmost respects to them. This is a piece of civility proper to be
shown to our friends; but it must be done as the apostle directs
(<scripRef passage="3Jo 1:6" id="Gen.xix-p15.1" parsed="|3John|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:3John.1.6">3 John 6</scripRef>), <i>after a godly
sort.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p16">II. The honour they did to him; for those
that honour God he will honour. God communicated to Abraham his
purpose to destroy Sodom, and not only so, but entered into a free
conference with him about it. Having taken him, more closely than
before, into covenant with himself (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:1-23" id="Gen.xix-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|17|1|17|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1-Gen.17.23"><i>ch.</i> xvii.</scripRef>), he here admits him into
more intimate communion with himself than ever, as the man of his
counsel. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p17">1. God's friendly thoughts concerning
Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:17-19" id="Gen.xix-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|18|17|18|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.17-Gen.18.19"><i>v.</i>
17-19</scripRef>, where we have his resolution to make known to
Abraham his purpose concerning Sodom, with the reasons of it. If
Abraham had not brought them on their way, perhaps he would not
have been thus favoured; but he that loves to walk with wise men
shall be wise, <scripRef passage="Pr 13:20" id="Gen.xix-p17.2" parsed="|Prov|13|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.13.20">Prov. xiii.
20</scripRef>. See how God is pleased to argue with himself:
<i>Shall I hide from Abraham</i> (or, as some read it, <i>Am I
concealing from Abraham</i>) <i>that thing which I do?</i> "Can I
go about such a thing, and not tell Abraham?" Thus does God, in his
counsels, express himself, after the manner of men, with
deliberation. But why must Abraham be of the cabinet-council? The
Jews suggest that because God had granted the land of Canaan to
Abraham and his seed therefore he would not destroy those cities
which were a part of that land, without his knowledge and consent.
But God here gives two other reasons:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p18">(1.) Abraham must know, for he is a friend
and a favourite, and one that God has a particular kindness for and
great things in store for. He is to become a great nation; and not
only so, but in the Messiah, who is to come from his loins, <i>All
nations of the earth shall be blessed.</i> Note, <i>The secret of
the Lord is with those that fear him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 25:14,Pr 3:32" id="Gen.xix-p18.1" parsed="|Ps|25|14|0|0;|Prov|3|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.25.14 Bible:Prov.3.32">Ps. xxv. 14; Prov. iii. 32</scripRef>. Those who
by faith live a life of communion with God cannot but know more of
his mind than other people, though not with a prophetical, yet with
a prudential practical knowledge. They have a better insight than
others into what is present (<scripRef passage="Ho 14:9,Ps 107:43" id="Gen.xix-p18.2" parsed="|Hos|14|9|0|0;|Ps|107|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.9 Bible:Ps.107.43">Hos. xiv. 9; Ps. cvii. 43</scripRef>), and a
better foresight of what is to come, at least so much as suffices
for their guidance and for their comfort.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p19">(2.) Abraham must know, for he will teach
his household: <i>I know Abraham</i> very well, that <i>he will
command his children and his household after him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:19" id="Gen.xix-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Consider this, [1.] As
a very bright part of Abraham's character and example. He not only
prayed with his family, but he taught them as a man of knowledge,
nay, he commanded them as a man in authority, and was prophet and
king, as well as priest, in his own house. Observe, <i>First,</i>
God having made the covenant with him and his seed, and his
household being circumcised pursuant to that, he was very careful
to teach and rule them well. Those that expect family blessings
must make conscience of family duty. If our children be the Lord's,
they must be nursed for him; if they wear his livery, they must be
trained up in his work. <i>Secondly,</i> Abraham took care not only
of his children, but of his household; his servants were catechized
servants. Masters of families should instruct and inspect the
manners of all under their roof. The poorest servants have precious
souls that must be looked after. <i>Thirdly,</i> Abraham made it
his care and business to promote practical religion in his family.
He did not fill their heads with matters of nice speculation, or
doubtful disputation; but he taught them to keep <i>the way of the
Lord, and to do judgment and justice,</i> that is, to be serious
and devout in the worship of God and to be honest in their dealings
with all men. <i>Fourthly,</i> Abraham, herein, had an eye to
posterity, and was in care not only that his household with him,
but that his household after him, should keep the way of the Lord,
that religion might flourish in his family when he was in his
grave. <i>Fifthly,</i> His doing this was the fulfilling of the
conditions of the promises which God had made him. Those only can
expect the benefit of the promises that make conscience of their
duty. [2.] As the reason why God would make known to him his
purpose concerning Sodom, because he was communicative of his
knowledge, and improved it for the benefit of those that were under
his charge. Note, To him that hath shall be given, <scripRef passage="Mt 13:12,25:29" id="Gen.xix-p19.2" parsed="|Matt|13|12|0|0;|Matt|25|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.13.12 Bible:Matt.25.29">Matt. xiii. 12; xxv. 29</scripRef>. Those
that make a good use of their knowledge shall know more.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p20">2. God's friendly talk with Abraham, in
which he makes known to him purpose concerning Sodom, and allows
him a liberty of application to him about the matter. (1.) He tells
him of the evidence there was against Sodom: <i>The cry of Sodom is
great,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:20" id="Gen.xix-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>.
Note, Some sins, and the sins of some sinners, cry aloud to heaven
for vengeance. The iniquity of Sodom was crying iniquity, that is,
it was so very provoking that it even urged God to punish. (2.) The
enquiry he
<pb n="119" id="Gen.xix-Page_119"/>
would make upon this evidence:
<i>I will go down now and see,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:21" id="Gen.xix-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Not as if there were any thing
concerning which God is in doubt, or in the dark; but he is pleased
thus to express himself after the manner of men, [1.] To show the
incontestable equity of all his judicial proceedings. Men are apt
to suggest that his way is not equal; but let them know that his
judgments are the result of an eternal counsel, and are never rash
or sudden resolves. He never punishes upon report, or common fame,
or the information of others, but upon his own certain and
infallible knowledge. [2.] To give example to magistrates, and
those in authority, with the utmost care and diligence to enquire
into the merits of a cause, before they give judgment upon it. [3.]
Perhaps the decree is here spoken of as not yet peremptory, that
room and encouragement might be given to Abraham to make
intercession for them. Thus God looked if there were any to
intercede, <scripRef passage="Isa 59:16" id="Gen.xix-p20.3" parsed="|Isa|59|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.16">Isa. lix.
16</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 18:23-33" id="Gen.xix-p20.4" parsed="|Gen|18|23|18|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23-Gen.18.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.18.23-Gen.18.33">
<h4 id="Gen.xix-p20.5">Abraham's Intercession for
Sodom. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p20.6">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xix-p21">23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou
also destroy the righteous with the wicked? &#160; 24 Peradventure
there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy
and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that <i>are</i>
therein? &#160; 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner,
to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous
should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge
of all the earth do right? &#160; 26 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p21.1">Lord</span> said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous
within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
&#160; 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken
upon me to speak unto the Lord, which <i>am but</i> dust and ashes:
&#160; 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty
righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for <i>lack of</i> five?
And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy
<i>it.</i> &#160; 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said,
Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will
not do <i>it</i> for forty's sake. &#160; 30 And he said <i>unto
him,</i> Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak:
Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will
not do <i>it,</i> if I find thirty there. &#160; 31 And he said,
Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord:
Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will
not destroy <i>it</i> for twenty's sake. &#160; 32 And he said, Oh
let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once:
Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not
destroy <i>it</i> for ten's sake. &#160; 33 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xix-p21.2">Lord</span> went his way, as soon as he had left
communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p22">Communion with God is kept up by the word
and by prayer. In the word God speaks to us; in prayer we speak to
him. God had revealed to Abraham his purposes concerning Sodom; now
from this Abraham takes occasion to speak to God on Sodom's behalf.
Note, God's word then does us good when it furnishes us with matter
for prayer and excites us to it. When God has spoken to us, we must
consider what we have to say to him upon it. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p23">I. The solemnity of Abraham's address to
God on this occasion: <i>Abraham drew near,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:23" id="Gen.xix-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. The expression intimates, 1. A
holy concern: <i>He engaged his heart</i> to approach to God,
<scripRef passage="Jer 30:21" id="Gen.xix-p23.2" parsed="|Jer|30|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.21">Jer. xxx. 21</scripRef>. "Shall Sodom
be destroyed, and I not speak one good word for it?" 2. A holy
confidence: He drew near <i>with an assurance of faith,</i> drew
near <i>as a prince,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:37" id="Gen.xix-p23.3" parsed="|Job|31|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.37">Job xxxi.
37</scripRef>. Note, When we address ourselves to the duty of
prayer, we ought to remember that we are drawing near to God, that
we may be filled with a reverence of him, <scripRef passage="Le 10:3" id="Gen.xix-p23.4" parsed="|Lev|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.3">Lev. x. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p24">II. The general scope of this prayer. It is
the first solemn prayer we have upon record in the Bible; and it is
a prayer for the sparing of Sodom. Abraham, no doubt, greatly
abhorred the wickedness of the Sodomites; he would not have lived
among them, as Lot did, if they would have given him the best
estate in their country; and yet he prayed earnestly for them.
Note, Though sin is to be hated, sinners are to be pitied and
prayed for. God delights not in their death, nor should we desire,
but deprecate, the woeful day. 1. He begins with a prayer that the
righteous among them might be spared, and not involved in the
common calamity, having an eye particularly to just Lot, whose
disingenuous carriage towards him he had long since forgiven and
forgotten, witness his friendly zeal to rescue him before by his
sword and now by his prayers. 2. He improves this into a petition
that all might be spared for the sake of the righteous that were
among them, God himself countenancing this request, and in effect
putting him upon it by his answer to his first address, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:26" id="Gen.xix-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|18|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Note, We must pray, not
only for ourselves, but for others also; for we are members of the
same body, at least of the same body of mankind. <i>All we are
brethren.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p25">III. The particular graces eminent in this
prayer.</p>
<pb n="120" id="Gen.xix-Page_120"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p26">1. Here is great faith; and it is the
prayer of faith that is the prevailing prayer. His faith pleads
with God, orders the cause, and fills his mouth with arguments. He
acts faith especially upon the righteousness of God, and is very
confident.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p27">(1.) That God will not <i>destroy the
righteous with the wicked,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:23" id="Gen.xix-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. No, <i>that be far from
thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:25" id="Gen.xix-p27.2" parsed="|Gen|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. We
must never entertain any thought that derogates from the honour of
God's righteousness. See <scripRef passage="Ro 3:5,6" id="Gen.xix-p27.3" parsed="|Rom|3|5|3|6" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.5-Rom.3.6">Rom. iii. 5,
6</scripRef>. Note, [1.] The righteous are mingled with the wicked
in this world. Among the best there are, commonly, some bad, and
among the worst some good: even in Sodom, one Lot. [2.] Though the
righteous be among the wicked, yet the righteous God will not,
certainly he will not, destroy the righteous with the wicked.
Though in this world they may be involved in the same common
calamities, yet in the great day a distinction with be made.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p28">(2.) That the righteous shall not <i>be as
the wicked,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 18:25" id="Gen.xix-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Though they may suffer with them, yet they do not
suffer like them. Common calamities are quite another thing to the
righteous than what they are to the wicked, <scripRef passage="Isa 27:7" id="Gen.xix-p28.2" parsed="|Isa|27|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.7">Isa. xxvii. 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p29">(3.) That <i>the Judge of all the earth
will do right;</i> undoubtedly he will, because he is the Judge of
all the earth; it is the apostle's argument, <scripRef passage="Ro 3:5,6" id="Gen.xix-p29.1" parsed="|Rom|3|5|3|6" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.5-Rom.3.6">Rom. iii. 5, 6</scripRef>. Note, [1.] God is the Judge
of all the earth; he gives charge to all, takes cognizance of all,
and will pass sentence upon all. [2.] That God Almighty never did
nor ever will do any wrong to any of the creatures, either by
withholding that which is right or by exacting more than is right,
<scripRef passage="Job 34:10,11" id="Gen.xix-p29.2" parsed="|Job|34|10|34|11" osisRef="Bible:Job.34.10-Job.34.11">Job xxxiv. 10, 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p30">2. Here is great humility.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p31">(1.) A deep sense of his own unworthiness
(<scripRef passage="Ge 18:27" id="Gen.xix-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>): <i>Behold
now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust
and ashes;</i> and again, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:31" id="Gen.xix-p31.2" parsed="|Gen|18|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>. He speaks as one amazed at his own boldness, and the
liberty God graciously allowed him, considering God's greatness&#8212;he
is <i>the Lord;</i> and his own meanness&#8212;<i>but dust and
ashes.</i> Note, [1.] The greatest of men, the most considerable
and deserving, are but dust and ashes, mean and vile before God,
despicable, frail, and dying. [2.] Whenever we draw near to God, it
becomes us reverently to acknowledge the vast distance that there
is between us and God. He is the Lord of glory, we are worms of the
earth. [3.] The access we have to the throne of grace, and the
freedom of speech allowed us, are just matter of humble wonder,
<scripRef passage="2Sa 7:18" id="Gen.xix-p31.3" parsed="|2Sam|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.18">2 Sam. vii. 18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p32">(2.) An awful dread of God's displeasure:
<i>O let not the Lord be angry</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:30" id="Gen.xix-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|18|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>), and again, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:32" id="Gen.xix-p32.2" parsed="|Gen|18|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. Note, [1.] The importunity
which believers use in their addresses to God is such that, if they
were dealing with a man like themselves, they could not but fear
that he would be angry with them. But he with whom we have to do is
<i>God and not man;</i> and, whoever he may seem, is not really
<i>angry with the prayers of the upright</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 80:4" id="Gen.xix-p32.3" parsed="|Ps|80|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.4">Ps. lxxx. 4</scripRef>), for they are <i>his delight</i>
(<scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Gen.xix-p32.4" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv. 8</scripRef>), and he is
pleased when he is wrestled with. [2.] That even when we receive
special tokens of the divine favour we ought to be jealous over
ourselves, lest we make ourselves obnoxious to the divine
displeasure; and therefore we must bring the Mediator with us in
the arms of our faith, to atone for <i>the iniquity of our holy
things.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p33">3. Here is great charity. (1.) A charitable
opinion of Sodom's character: as bad as it was, he thought there
were several good people in it. It becomes us to hope the best of
the worst places. Of the two it is better to err in that extreme.
(2.) A charitable desire of Sodom's welfare: he used all his
interest at the throne of grace for mercy for them. We never find
him thus earnest in pleading with God for himself and his family,
as here for Sodom.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p34">4. Here are great boldness and believing
confidence. (1.) He took the liberty to pitch upon a certain number
of righteous ones which he supposed might be in Sodom. Suppose
there be fifty, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:24" id="Gen.xix-p34.1" parsed="|Gen|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. (2.) He advanced upon God's concessions, again and
again. As God granted much, he still begged more, with the hope of
gaining his point. (3.) He brought the terms as low as he could for
shame (having prevailed for mercy if there were but ten righteous
ones in five cities), and perhaps so low that he concluded they
would have been spared.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p35">IV. The success of the prayer. He that thus
wrestled prevailed wonderfully; as a prince he had power with God:
it was but ask and have. 1. God's general good-will appears in
this, that he consented to spare the wicked for the sake of the
righteous. See how swift God is to show mercy; he even seeks a
reason for it. See what great blessings good people are to any
place, and how little those befriend themselves that hate and
persecute them. 2. His particular favour to Abraham appeared in
this, that he did not leave off granting till Abraham left off
asking. Such is the power of prayer. Why then did Abraham leave off
asking, when he had prevailed so far as to get the place spared it
there were but ten righteous in it? Either, (1.) Because he owned
that it deserved to be destroyed if there were not so many; <i>as
the dresser of the vineyard,</i> who consented that the barren tree
should be cut down if one year's trial more did not make it
fruitful, <scripRef passage="Lu 13:9" id="Gen.xix-p35.1" parsed="|Luke|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.13.9">Luke xiii. 9</scripRef>. Or,
(2.) Because God restrained his spirit from asking any further.
When God has determined the ruin of a place, he forbids it to be
prayed for, <scripRef passage="Jer 7:16,11:14,14:11" id="Gen.xix-p35.2" parsed="|Jer|7|16|0|0;|Jer|11|14|0|0;|Jer|14|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.7.16 Bible:Jer.11.14 Bible:Jer.14.11">Jer. vii. 16;
xi. 14; xiv. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xix-p36">V. Here is the breaking up of the
conference, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:33" id="Gen.xix-p36.1" parsed="|Gen|18|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>.
1. <i>The Lord went his way.</i> The visions of God must not be
constant in this world, where it is by faith only that we are to
set God before us. God did not go away till Abraham had said all he
had to
<pb n="121" id="Gen.xix-Page_121"/>
say; for he is never weary of hearing
prayer, <scripRef passage="Isa 59:1,2" id="Gen.xix-p36.2" parsed="|Isa|59|1|59|2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.1-Isa.59.2">Isa. lix. 1. 2</scripRef>.
<i>Abraham returned unto his place,</i> not puffed up with the
honour done him, nor by these extraordinary interviews taken off
from the ordinary course of duty. He returned to his place to
observe what that event would be; and it proved that his prayer was
heard, and yet Sodom was not spared, because there were not ten
righteous in it. We cannot expect too little from man nor too much
from God.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIX" n="xx" progress="14.50%" prev="Gen.xix" next="Gen.xxi" id="Gen.xx">
<pb n="121" id="Gen.xx-Page_121"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xx-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xx-p0.2">CHAP. XIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xx-p1">The contents of this chapter we have, <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:6-8" id="Gen.xx-p1.1" parsed="|2Pet|2|6|2|8" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.6-2Pet.2.8">2 Pet. ii. 6-8</scripRef>, where we find that
"God, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes,
condemned them with an overthrow, and delivered just Lot." It is
the history of Sodom's ruin, and Lot's rescue from that ruin. We
read (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:1-33" id="Gen.xx-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|18|1|18|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.1-Gen.18.33"><i>ch.</i> xviii</scripRef>)
of God's coming to take a view of the present state of Sodom, what
its wickedness was, and what righteous persons there were in it:
now here we have the result of that enquiry. I. It was found, upon
trial, that Lot was very good (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:1-3" id="Gen.xx-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|19|1|19|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.1-Gen.19.3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>), and it did not appear that there was any more of
the same character. II. It was found that the Sodomites were very
wicked and vile, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:4-11" id="Gen.xx-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|19|4|19|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.4-Gen.19.11">ver.
4-11</scripRef>. III. Special care was therefore taken for the
securing of Lot and his family, in a place of safety, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:12-23" id="Gen.xx-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|19|12|19|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.12-Gen.19.23">ver. 12-23</scripRef>. IV. Mercy having
rejoiced therein, justice shows itself in the ruin of Sodom and the
death of Lot's wife (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:24-26" id="Gen.xx-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|19|24|19|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.24-Gen.19.26">ver.
24-26</scripRef>), with a general repetition of the story,
<scripRef passage="Ge 19:27-29" id="Gen.xx-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|19|27|19|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.27-Gen.19.29">ver. 27-29</scripRef>. V. A foul
sin that Lot was guilty of, in committing incest with his two
daughters, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:30-38" id="Gen.xx-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|19|30|19|38" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.30-Gen.19.38">ver. 30</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19" id="Gen.xx-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:1-3" id="Gen.xx-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|19|1|19|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.1-Gen.19.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.1-Gen.19.3">
<h4 id="Gen.xx-p1.11">Assault on the House of Lot. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p2">1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even;
and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing <i>them</i> rose
up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the
ground; &#160; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray
you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your
feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they
said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. &#160; 3 And
he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and
entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake
unleavened bread, and they did eat.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p3">These angels, it is likely, were two of the
three that had just before been with Abraham, the two created
angels that were sent to execute God's purpose concerning Sodom.
Observe here, 1. There was but one good man in Sodom, and these
heavenly messengers soon found him out. Wherever we are, we should
enquire out those of the place that live in the fear of God, and
should choose to associate ourselves with them. <scripRef passage="Mt 10:11" id="Gen.xx-p3.1" parsed="|Matt|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.11">Matt. x. 11</scripRef>, <i>Enquire who is worthy, and
there abide.</i> Those of the same country, when they are in a
foreign country, love to be together. 2. Lot sufficiently
distinguished himself from the rest of his neighbours, at this
time, which plainly set a mark upon him. He that did not act like
the rest must not fare like the rest. (1.) Lot sat in the gate of
Sodom at even. When the rest, it is likely, were tippling and
drinking, he sat alone, waiting for an opportunity to do good. (2.)
He was extremely respectful to men whose mien and aspect were sober
and serious, though they did not come in state. He bowed himself to
the ground, when he met them, as if, upon the first view, he
discerned something divine in them. (3.) He was hospitable, and
very free and generous in his invitations and entertainments. He
courted these strangers to his house, and to the best
accommodations he had, and gave them all the evidences that he
could of his sincerity; for, [1.] When the angels, to try whether
he was hearty in the invitation, declined the acceptance of it, at
first (which is the common usage of modesty, and no reproach at all
to truth and honesty), their refusal did not make him more
importunate; for he <i>pressed upon them greatly</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:3" id="Gen.xx-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), partly because he would
by no means have them to expose themselves to the inconveniences
and perils of lodging in the street of Sodom, and partly because he
was desirous of their company and converse. He had not seen two
such honest faces in Sodom this great while. Note, Those that live
in bad places should know how to value the society of those that
are wise and good, and earnestly desire it. [2.] When the angels
accepted his invitation, he treated them nobly; he made a feast for
them, and thought it well-bestowed on such guests. Note, Good
people should be (with prudence) generous people.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:4-11" id="Gen.xx-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|19|4|19|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.4-Gen.19.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.4-Gen.19.11">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p4">4 But before they lay down, the men of the city,
<i>even</i> the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old
and young, all the people from every quarter: &#160; 5 And they
called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where <i>are</i> the men which
came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may
know them. &#160; 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and
shut the door after him, &#160; 7 And said, I pray you, brethren,
do not so wickedly. &#160; 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which
have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you,
and do ye to them as <i>is</i> good in your eyes: only unto these
men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my
roof. &#160; 9 And they said, Stand back. And they said
<i>again,</i> This one <i>fellow</i> came in to sojourn, and he
will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with
them. And they pressed sore upon the man, <i>even</i> Lot, and came
near to break the door. &#160; 10 But the men put forth their hand,
and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. &#160;
11 And they smote the men that <i>were</i> at the
<pb n="122" id="Gen.xx-Page_122"/>
door of the house with blindness, both small and
great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p5">Now it appeared, beyond contradiction, that
the cry of Sodom was no louder than there was cause for. This
night's work was enough to fill the measure. For we find here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p6">I. That they were all wicked, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:4" id="Gen.xx-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|19|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Wickedness had become
universal, and they were unanimous in any vile design. Here were
old and young, and all from every quarter, engaged in this riot;
the old were not past it, and the young had soon come up to it.
Either they had no magistrates to keep the peace, and protect the
peaceable, or their magistrates were themselves aiding and
abetting. Note, When the disease of sin has become epidemical, it
is fatal to any place, <scripRef passage="Isa 1:5-7" id="Gen.xx-p6.2" parsed="|Isa|1|5|1|7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.5-Isa.1.7">Isa. i.
5-7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p7">II. That they had arrived at the highest
pitch of wickedness; they were <i>sinners before the Lord
exceedingly</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:13" id="Gen.xx-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|13|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.13"><i>ch.</i> xiii.
13</scripRef>); for, 1. It was the most unnatural and abominable
wickedness that they were now set upon, a sin that still bears
their name, and is called <i>Sodomy.</i> They were carried headlong
by those vile affections (<scripRef passage="Ro 1:26,27" id="Gen.xx-p7.2" parsed="|Rom|1|26|1|27" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.26-Rom.1.27">Rom. i.
26, 27</scripRef>), which are worse than brutish, and the eternal
reproach of the human nature, and which cannot be thought of
without horror by those that have the least spark of virtue and any
remains of natural light and conscience. Note, Those that allow
themselves in unnatural uncleanness are marked for the vengeance of
eternal fire. See <scripRef passage="Jude 1:7" id="Gen.xx-p7.3" parsed="|Jude|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.7">Jude 7</scripRef>.
2. They were not ashamed to own it, and to prosecute their design
by force and arms. The practice would have been bad enough if it
had been carried on by intrigue and wheedling; but they proclaimed
war with virtue, and bade open defiance to it. Hence daring sinners
are said to <i>declare their sin as Sodom,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 3:9" id="Gen.xx-p7.4" parsed="|Isa|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.3.9">Isa. iii. 9</scripRef>. Note, Those that have become
impudent in sin generally prove impenitent in sin; and it will be
their ruin. Those have hard hearts indeed that sin with a high
hand, <scripRef passage="Jer 6:15" id="Gen.xx-p7.5" parsed="|Jer|6|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.6.15">Jer. vi. 15</scripRef>. 3. When
Lot interposed, with all the mildness imaginable, to check the rage
and fury of their lust, they were most insolently rude and abusive
to him. He ventured himself among them, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:6" id="Gen.xx-p7.6" parsed="|Gen|19|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. He spoke civilly to them, called
them <i>brethren</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:7" id="Gen.xx-p7.7" parsed="|Gen|19|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), and begged of them not to do so wickedly; and, being
greatly disturbed at their vile attempt, he unadvisedly and
unjustifiably offered to prostitute his two daughters to them,
<scripRef passage="Ge 19:8" id="Gen.xx-p7.8" parsed="|Gen|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. It is true, of
two evils we must choose the less; but of two sins we must choose
neither, nor ever do evil that good may come of it. He reasoned
with them, pleaded the laws of hospitality and the protection of
his house which his guests were entitled to; but he might as well
have offered reason to a roaring lion and a raging bear as to these
head-strong sinners, who were governed only by lust and passion.
Lot's arguing with them does but exasperate them; and, to complete
their wickedness, and fill up the measure of it, they fall foul
upon him. (1.) They ridicule him, charge him with the absurdity of
pretending to be a magistrate, when he was not so much as a
free-man of their city, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:9" id="Gen.xx-p7.9" parsed="|Gen|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Note, It is common for a reprover to be unjustly
upbraided as a usurper; and, while offering the kindness of a
friend, to be charged with assuming the authority of a judge: as if
a man might not speak reason without taking too much upon him. (2.)
They threaten him, and lay violent hands upon him; and the good man
is in danger of being pulled in pieces by this outrageous rabble.
Note, [1.] Those that hate to be reformed hate those that reprove
them, though with ever so much tenderness. Presumptuous sinners do
by their consciences as the Sodomites did by Lot, baffle their
checks, stifle their accusations, press hard upon them, till they
have seared them and quite stopped their mouths, and so made
themselves ripe for ruin. [2.] Abuses offered to God's messengers
and to faithful reprovers soon fill the measure of a people's
wickedness, and bring destruction without remedy. See <scripRef passage="Pr 29:1" id="Gen.xx-p7.10" parsed="|Prov|29|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.29.1">Prov. xxix. 1</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="2Ch 36:16" id="Gen.xx-p7.11" parsed="|2Chr|36|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.16">2 Chron. xxxvi. 16</scripRef>. If reproofs remedy not,
there is no remedy. See <scripRef passage="2Ch 25:16" id="Gen.xx-p7.12" parsed="|2Chr|25|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.25.16">2 Chron. xxv.
16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p8">III. That nothing less than the power of an
angel could save a good man out of their wicked hands. It was now
past dispute what Sodom's character was and what course must be
taken with it, and therefore the angels immediately give a specimen
of what they further intended. 1. They rescue Lot, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:10" id="Gen.xx-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Note, He that watereth
shall be watered also himself. Lot was solicitous to protect them,
and now they take effectual care for his safety, in return for his
kindness. Note further, Angels are employed for the special
preservation of those that expose themselves to danger by
well-doing. The saints, at death, are pulled like Lot into a house
of perfect safety, and the door shut for ever against those that
pursue them. 2. They chastise the insolence of the Sodomites:
<i>They smote them with blindness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 19:11" id="Gen.xx-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. This was designed, (1.) To put
an end to their attempt, and disable them from pursuing it. Justly
were those struck blind who had been deaf to reason. Violent
persecutors are often infatuated so that they cannot push on their
malicious designs against God's messengers, <scripRef passage="Job 5:14,15" id="Gen.xx-p8.3" parsed="|Job|5|14|5|15" osisRef="Bible:Job.5.14-Job.5.15">Job v. 14, 15</scripRef>. Yet these Sodomites, after
they were struck blind, continued seeking the door, to break it
down, till they were tired. No judgments will, of themselves,
change the corrupt natures and purposes of wicked men. If their
minds had not been blinded as well as their bodies, they would have
said, as the magicians, <i>This is the finger of God,</i> and would
have submitted. (2.) It was to be an earnest of their utter ruin,
the next day. When God, in a way of righteous judgment, blinds men,
their condition is already desperate, <scripRef passage="Ro 11:8,9" id="Gen.xx-p8.4" parsed="|Rom|11|8|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.8-Rom.11.9">Rom. xi. 8, 9</scripRef>.</p>
<pb n="123" id="Gen.xx-Page_123"/>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:12-14" id="Gen.xx-p8.5" parsed="|Gen|19|12|19|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.12-Gen.19.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.12-Gen.19.14">
<h4 id="Gen.xx-p8.6">Rescue of Lot out of Sodom. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p8.7">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p9">12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any
besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and
whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring <i>them</i> out of this
place: &#160; 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of
them is waxen great before the face of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p9.1">Lord</span>; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p9.2">Lord</span> hath sent us to destroy it. &#160; 14 And
Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his
daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p9.3">Lord</span> will destroy this city. But he seemed
as one that mocked unto his sons in law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p10">We have here the preparation for Lot's
deliverance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p11">I. Notice is given him of the approach of
Sodom's ruin: <i>We will destroy this place,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 19:13" id="Gen.xx-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|19|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Note, The holy angels are
ministers of God's wrath for the destruction of sinners, as well as
of his mercy for the preservation and deliverance of his people. In
this sense, the good angels become <i>evil angels,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 78:49" id="Gen.xx-p11.2" parsed="|Ps|78|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.49">Ps. lxxviii. 49</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p12">II. He is directed to give notice to his
friends and relations, that they, it they would, might be saved
with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:12" id="Gen.xx-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|19|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>):
"<i>Hast thou here any besides,</i> that thou art concerned for? If
thou hast, go tell them what is coming." Now this implies, 1. The
command of a great duty, which was to do all he could for the
salvation of those about him, to snatch them as brands out of the
fire. Note, Those who through grace are themselves delivered out of
a sinful state should do what they can for the deliverance of
others, especially their relations. 2. The offer of great favour.
They do not ask whether he knew any righteous ones in the city fit
to be spared: no, they knew there were none; but they ask what
relations he had there, that, whether righteous or unrighteous,
they might be saved with him. Note, Bad people often fare the
better in this world for the sake of their good relations. It is
good being akin to a godly man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p13">III. He applies himself accordingly to his
sons-in-law, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:14" id="Gen.xx-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. The fair warning that Lot gave them: <i>Up, get you out
of this place.</i> The manner of expression is startling and
quickening. It was no time to trifle when the destruction was just
at the door. They had not forty days to repent in, as the Ninevites
had. Now or never they must make their escape. At midnight this cry
was made. Such as this is our call to the unconverted, to turn and
live. 2. The slight they put upon this warning: <i>He seemed to
them as one that mocked.</i> They thought, perhaps, that the
assault which the Sodomites had just now made upon his house had
disturbed his head, and put him into such a fright that he knew not
what he said; or they thought that he was not in earnest with them.
Those who lived a merry life, and made a jest of everything, made a
jest of this warning, and so they perished in the overthrow. Thus
many who are warned of the misery and danger they are in by sin
make a light matter of it, and think their ministers do but jest
with them; such will perish with their blood upon their own
heads.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:15-23" id="Gen.xx-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|19|15|19|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.15-Gen.19.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.15-Gen.19.23">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p14">15 And when the morning arose, then the angels
hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters,
which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
&#160; 16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand,
and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two
daughters; the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p14.1">Lord</span> being merciful
unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
&#160; 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth
abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee,
neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest
thou be consumed. &#160; 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my
Lord: &#160; 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy
sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed
unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain,
lest some evil take me, and I die: &#160; 20 Behold now, this city
<i>is</i> near to flee unto, and it <i>is</i> a little one: Oh, let
me escape thither, (<i>is</i> it not a little one?) and my soul
shall live. &#160; 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted
thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this
city, for the which thou hast spoken. &#160; 22 Haste thee, escape
thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither.
Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. &#160; 23 The sun
was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:24-25" id="Gen.xx-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|19|24|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.24-Gen.19.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.24-Gen.19.25">
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p15">Here is, I. The rescue of Lot out of Sodom.
Though there were not ten righteous men in Sodom, for whose sakes
it might be spared, yet that one righteous man that was among them
delivered his own soul, <scripRef passage="Eze 14:14" id="Gen.xx-p15.1" parsed="|Ezek|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.14">Ezek. xiv.
14</scripRef>. Early in the morning his own guests, in kindness to
him, turned him out of doors, and his family with him, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:15" id="Gen.xx-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|19|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. His daughters that were
married perished with their unbelieving husbands; but those that
continued with him were preserved with him. Observe,</p>
<pb n="124" id="Gen.xx-Page_124"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p16">1. With what a gracious violence Lot was
brought out of Sodom, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:16" id="Gen.xx-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|19|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. It seems, though he did not make a jest of the
warning given, as his sons-in-law did, yet he lingered, he trifled,
he did not make so much haste as the case required. Thus many that
are under some convictions about the misery of their spiritual
state, and the necessity of a change, yet defer that needful work,
and foolishly linger. Lot did so, and it might have been fatal to
him it the angels had not <i>laid hold of his hand, and brought him
forth,</i> and saved him with fear, <scripRef passage="Jude 1:23" id="Gen.xx-p16.2" parsed="|Jude|1|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.23">Jude 23</scripRef>. Herein it is said, <i>The Lord was
merciful to him;</i> otherwise he might justly have left him to
perish, since he was so loth to depart. Note, (1.) The salvation of
the most righteous men must be attributed to God's mercy, not to
their own merit. We are saved by grace. (2.) God's power also must
be acknowledged in the bringing of souls out of a sinful state. If
God had not brought us forth, we had never come forth. (3.) If God
had not been merciful to us, our lingering had been our ruin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p17">2. With what a gracious vehemence he was
urged to make the best of his way, when he was <i>brought
forth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 19:17" id="Gen.xx-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
(1.) He must still apprehend himself in danger of being consumed,
and be quickened by the law of self-preservation to flee for his
life. Note, A holy fear and trembling are found necessary to the
working out of our salvation. (2.) He must therefore mind his
business with the utmost care and diligence. He must not hanker
after Sodom: <i>Look not behind thee.</i> He must not loiter by the
way: <i>Stay not in the plain;</i> for it would all be made one
dead sea. He must not take up short of the place of refuge
appointed him: <i>Escape to the mountain.</i> Such as these are the
commands given to those who through grace are delivered out of a
sinful state. [1.] Return not to sin and Satan, for that is looking
back to Sodom. [2.] Rest not in self and the world, for that is
staying in the plain. And, [3.] Reach towards Christ and heaven,
for that is escaping to the mountain, short of which we must not
take up.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p18">II. The fixing of a place of refuge for
him. The mountain was first appointed for him to flee to, but, 1.
He begged for a city of refuge, one of the five that lay together,
called <i>Bela,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 14:2,19:18-20" id="Gen.xx-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|14|2|0|0;|Gen|19|18|19|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.2 Bible:Gen.19.18-Gen.19.20"><i>ch.</i>
xiv. 2, xix. 18-20</scripRef>. It was Lot's weakness to think a
city of his own choosing safer than the mountain of God's
appointing. And he argued against himself when he pleaded, <i>Thou
hast magnified thy mercy in saving my life, and I cannot escape to
the mountain;</i> for could not he that plucked him out of Sodom,
when he lingered, carry him safely to the mountain, though he began
to tire? Could not he that saved him from greater evils save him
from the less? He insists much in his petition upon the smallness
of the place: <i>It is a little one, it is not?</i> therefore, it
was to be hoped, not so bad as the rest. This gave a new name to
the place; it was called <i>Zoar, a little one.</i> Intercessions
for little ones are worthy to be remembered. 2. God granted him his
request, though there was much infirmity in it, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:21,22" id="Gen.xx-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|19|21|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.21-Gen.19.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. See what favour God
showed to a true saint, though weak. (1.) Zoar was spared, to
gratify him. Though his intercession for it was not, as Abraham's
for Sodom, from a principle of generous charity, but merely from
self-interest, yet God granted him his request, to show how much
the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails. (2.) Sodom's ruin was
suspended till he was safe: <i>I cannot do any thing till thou
shalt have come thither.</i> Note, The very presence of good men in
a place helps to keep off judgments. See what care God takes for
the preservation of his people. The winds are held till God's
servants are sealed, <scripRef passage="Re 7:3,Eze 9:4" id="Gen.xx-p18.3" parsed="|Rev|7|3|0|0;|Ezek|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.3 Bible:Ezek.9.4">Rev. vii.
3; Ezek. ix. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p19">III. It is taken notice of that the sun had
risen when Lot entered into Zoar; for when a good man comes into a
place he brings light along with him, or should do.</p>
<h4 id="Gen.xx-p19.1">Destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p19.2">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p20">24 Then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p20.1">Lord</span>
rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p20.2">Lord</span> out of heaven; &#160; 25 And he
overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants
of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p21"><i>Then,</i> when Lot had got safely into
Zoar, then this ruin came; for good men are taken away from the
evil to come. <i>Then,</i> when the sun had risen bright and clear,
promising a fair day, then this storm arose, to show that it was
not from natural causes. Concerning this destruction observe, 1.
God was the immediate author of it. It was destruction from the
Almighty: <i>The Lord rained&#8212;from the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:24" id="Gen.xx-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|19|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), that is, God from himself, by
his own immediate power, and not in the common course of nature.
Or, God the Son from God the Father; for the Father has committed
all judgment to the Son. Note, He that is the Saviour will be the
destroyer of those that reject the salvation. 2. It was a strange
punishment, <scripRef passage="Job 31:3" id="Gen.xx-p21.2" parsed="|Job|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.3">Job xxxi. 3</scripRef>.
Never was the like before nor since. Hell was rained from heaven
upon them. <i>Fire, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, were the
portion of their cup</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 11:6" id="Gen.xx-p21.3" parsed="|Ps|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.11.6">Ps. xi.
6</scripRef>); not a flash of lightning, which is destructive
enough when God gives it commission, but a shower of lightning.
Brimstone was scattered upon their habitation (<scripRef passage="Job 18:15" id="Gen.xx-p21.4" parsed="|Job|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.18.15">Job xviii. 15</scripRef>), and then the fire soon
fastened upon them. God could have drowned them, as he did the old
world; but he would show that he has many arrows in his quiver,
fire as well as water. 3. It was a judgment that laid all waste:
<i>It overthrew the cities,</i> and destroyed all the inhabitants
of them, the plain, and all that grew upon the ground, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:25" id="Gen.xx-p21.5" parsed="|Gen|19|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. It was an utter ruin,
and irreparable. That fruitful valley remains to this day a great
lake, or dead sea; it is called
<pb n="125" id="Gen.xx-Page_125"/>
<i>the Salt
Sea,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 34:12" id="Gen.xx-p21.6" parsed="|Num|34|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.12">Num. xxxiv. 12</scripRef>.
Travellers say that it is about thirty miles long and ten miles
broad; it has no living creature in it; it is not moved by the
wind; the smell of it is offensive; things do not easily sink in
it. The Greeks call it <i>Asphaltites,</i> from a sort of pitch
which it casts up. Jordan falls into it, and is lost there. 4. It
was a punishment that answered to their sin. Burning lusts against
nature were justly punished with this preternatural burning. Those
that went after strange flesh were destroyed by strange fire,
<scripRef passage="Jude 1:7" id="Gen.xx-p21.7" parsed="|Jude|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.7">Jude 7</scripRef>. They persecuted the
angels with their rabble, and made Lot afraid; and now God
persecuted them with his tempest, and made them afraid with his
storm, <scripRef passage="Ps 83:15" id="Gen.xx-p21.8" parsed="|Ps|83|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.15">Ps. lxxxiii. 15</scripRef>. 5.
It was designed for a standing revelation of the wrath of God
against sin and sinners in all ages. It is, accordingly, often
referred to in the scripture, and made a pattern of the ruin of
Israel (<scripRef passage="De 29:23" id="Gen.xx-p21.9" parsed="|Deut|29|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.23">Deut. xxix. 23</scripRef>), of
Babylon (<scripRef passage="Isa 13:19" id="Gen.xx-p21.10" parsed="|Isa|13|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.13.19">Isa. xiii. 19</scripRef>),
of Edom (<scripRef passage="Jer 49:17,18" id="Gen.xx-p21.11" parsed="|Jer|49|17|49|18" osisRef="Bible:Jer.49.17-Jer.49.18">Jer. xlix. 17,
18</scripRef>), of Moab and Ammon, <scripRef passage="Zep 2:9" id="Gen.xx-p21.12" parsed="|Zeph|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zeph.2.9">Zep.
ii. 9</scripRef>. Nay, it was typical of <i>the vengeance of
eternal fire</i> (<scripRef passage="Jude 1:7" id="Gen.xx-p21.13" parsed="|Jude|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.7">Jude 7</scripRef>),
and the ruin of all <i>that live ungodly</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 2:6" id="Gen.xx-p21.14" parsed="|2Pet|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.6">2 Pet. ii. 6</scripRef>), especially that despise the
gospel, <scripRef passage="Mt 10:15" id="Gen.xx-p21.15" parsed="|Matt|10|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.15">Matt. x. 15</scripRef>. It is
in allusion to this destruction that the place of the damned is
often represented by a lake that burns, as Sodom did, with fire and
brimstone. Let us learn from it, (1.) The evil of sin, and the
hurtful nature of it. Iniquity tends to ruin. (2.) The terrors of
the Lord. See what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of
the living God!</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:26" id="Gen.xx-p21.16" parsed="|Gen|19|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.26">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p22">26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and
she became a pillar of salt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p23">This also is written for our admonition.
Our Saviour refers to it (<scripRef passage="Lu 17:32" id="Gen.xx-p23.1" parsed="|Luke|17|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.17.32">Luke xvii.
32</scripRef>), <i>Remember Lot's wife.</i> As by the example of
Sodom the wicked are warned to turn from their wickedness, so by
the example of Lot's wife the righteous are warned not to turn from
their righteousness. See <scripRef passage="Eze 3:18,20" id="Gen.xx-p23.2" parsed="|Ezek|3|18|0|0;|Ezek|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.18 Bible:Ezek.3.20">Ezek. iii.
18, 20</scripRef>. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p24">I. The sin of Lot's wife: <i>She looked
back from behind him.</i> This seemed a small thing, but we are
sure, by the punishment of it, that it was a great sin, and
exceedingly sinful. 1. She disobeyed an express command, and so
sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, which ruined
us all. 2. Unbelief was at the bottom of it; she questioned whether
Sodom would be destroyed, and thought she might still have been
safe in it. 3. She looked back upon her neighbours whom she had
left behind with more concern than was fit, now that their day of
grace was over, and divine justice was glorifying itself in their
ruin. See <scripRef passage="Isa 66:24" id="Gen.xx-p24.1" parsed="|Isa|66|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.24">Isa. lxvi. 24</scripRef>.
4. Probably she hankered after her house and goods in Sodom, and
was loth to leave them. Christ intimates this to be her sin
(<scripRef passage="Lu 17:31,32" id="Gen.xx-p24.2" parsed="|Luke|17|31|17|32" osisRef="Bible:Luke.17.31-Luke.17.32">Luke xvii. 31, 32</scripRef>); she
too much regarded her <i>stuff.</i> 5. Her looking back evinced an
inclination to go back; and therefore our Saviour uses it as a
warning against apostasy from our Christian profession. We have all
renounced the world and the flesh, and have set our faces
heaven-ward; we are in the plain, upon our probation; and it is at
our peril if we return into the interests we profess to have
abandoned. Drawing back is to perdition, and looking back is
towards it. <i>Let us therefore fear,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 4:1" id="Gen.xx-p24.3" parsed="|Heb|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.1">Heb. iv. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p25">II. The punishment of Lot's wife for this
sin. She was struck dead in the place; yet her body did not fall
down, but stood fixed and erect like a pillar, or monument, not
liable to waste nor decay, as human bodies exposed to the air are,
but metamorphosed into a metallic substance which would last
perpetually. Come, behold the goodness and severity of God
(<scripRef passage="Ro 11:22" id="Gen.xx-p25.1" parsed="|Rom|11|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.22">Rom. xi. 22</scripRef>), towards Lot,
who went forward, goodness; towards his wife, who looked back,
severity. Though she was nearly related to a righteous man, though
better than her neighbours, and though a monument of distinguishing
mercy in her deliverance out of Sodom, yet God did not connive at
her disobedience; for great privileges will not secure us from the
wrath of God if we do not carefully and faithfully improve them.
This pillar of salt should season us. Since it is such a dangerous
thing to look back, let us always press forward, <scripRef passage="Php 3:13,14" id="Gen.xx-p25.2" parsed="|Phil|3|13|3|14" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.13-Phil.3.14">Phil. iii. 13, 14</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:27-29" id="Gen.xx-p25.3" parsed="|Gen|19|27|19|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.27-Gen.19.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.27-Gen.19.29">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p26">27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to
the place where he stood before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p26.1">Lord</span>: &#160; 28 And he looked toward Sodom and
Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and,
lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
&#160; 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the
plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst
of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot
dwelt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p27">Our communion with God consists in our
gracious regard to him and his gracious regard to us; we have here
therefore the communion that was between God and Abraham, in the
event concerning Sodom, as before in the consultation concerning
it, for communion with God is to be kept up in providences as well
as in ordinances.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p28">I. Here is Abraham's pious regard to God in
this event, in two things:&#8212;1. A careful expectation of the event,
<scripRef passage="Ge 19:27" id="Gen.xx-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|19|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. <i>He got up
early</i> to look towards Sodom; and, to intimate that his design
herein was to see what became of his prayers, he went to the very
place where he had stood before the Lord, and set himself there, as
upon his watch tower, <scripRef passage="Hab 2:1" id="Gen.xx-p28.2" parsed="|Hab|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.1">Hab. ii.
1</scripRef>. Note, When we have prayed we must look after our
prayers, and observe the success of them. We must direct our prayer
as a letter, and then look up for an answer, direct our prayer as
an arrow, and then look up to see whether it reach the mark,
<scripRef passage="Ps 5:3" id="Gen.xx-p28.3" parsed="|Ps|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.5.3">Ps. v. 3</scripRef>. Our enquiries after
news must be in expectation of an answer to our prayers. 2. An
awful observation of it: <i>He looked towards Sodom</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 19:28" id="Gen.xx-p28.4" parsed="|Gen|19|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>), not as Lot's wife did,
tacitly reflecting upon the divine severity, but humbly adoring it
and acquiescing in it. Thus the saints, when they see the smoke of
Babylon's torment rising up for ever (like Sodom's here), will say
again and again, <i>Alleluia,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 19:3" id="Gen.xx-p28.5" parsed="|Rev|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.3">Rev.
xix. 3</scripRef>. Those that have, in the day of grace, most
earnestly interceded for sinners, will, in the day of judgment, be
content to see them perish, and will glorify God in their
destruction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p29">II. Here is God's favourable regard to
Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:29" id="Gen.xx-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|19|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. As
before, when Abraham prayed for Ishmael, God heard him for Isaac,
so now, when he prayed for Sodom, he heard him for Lot. <i>He
remembered Abraham, and,</i> for his sake, <i>sent Lot out of the
overthrow.</i> Note, 1. God will certainly give an answer of peace
to the prayer of faith, in his own way and time; though, for a
while, it seem to be forgotten, yet, sooner or later, it will
appear to be remembered. 2. The relations and friends of godly
people fare the better for their interest in God and intercessions
with him; it was out of respect to Abraham that Lot was rescued:
perhaps this word encouraged Moses long afterwards to pray
(<scripRef passage="Ex 32:13" id="Gen.xx-p29.2" parsed="|Exod|32|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.13">Exod. xxxii. 13</scripRef>), <i>Lord,
remember Abraham;</i> and see <scripRef passage="Isa 63:11" id="Gen.xx-p29.3" parsed="|Isa|63|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.11">Isa.
lxiii. 11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 19:30-38" id="Gen.xx-p29.4" parsed="|Gen|19|30|19|38" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.30-Gen.19.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.19.30-Gen.19.38">
<h4 id="Gen.xx-p29.5">Lot's Disgrace. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xx-p29.6">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xx-p30">30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the
mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in
Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. &#160; 31
And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father <i>is</i> old,
and <i>there is</i> not a man in the earth to come in unto us after
the manner of all the earth: &#160; 32 Come, let us make our father
drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of
our father. &#160; 33 And they made their father drink wine that
night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he
perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. &#160; 34 And
it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the
younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him
drink wine this night also; and go thou in, <i>and</i> lie with
him, that we may preserve seed of our father. &#160; 35 And they
made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger
arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down,
nor when she arose. &#160; 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot
with child by their father. &#160; 37 And the firstborn bare a son,
and called his name Moab: the same <i>is</i> the father of the
Moabites unto this day. &#160; 38 And the younger, she also bare a
son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same <i>is</i> the father of
the children of Ammon unto this day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p31">Here is, I. The great trouble and distress
that Lot was brought into after his deliverance, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:30" id="Gen.xx-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|19|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. 1. He was frightened out of
Zoar, durst not dwell there; probably because he was conscious to
himself that it was a refuge of his own choosing and that herein he
had foolishly prescribed to God, and therefore he could not but
distrust his safety in it; or because he found it as wicked as
Sodom, and therefore concluded it could not long survive it; or
perhaps he observed the rise and increase of those waters which
after the conflagration, perhaps from Jordan, began to overflow the
plain, and which, mixing with the ruins, by degrees made the Dead
Sea; in those waters he concluded Zoar must needs perish (though it
had escaped the fire) because it stood upon the same flat. Note,
Settlements and shelters of our own choosing, and in which we do
not follow God, commonly prove uneasy to us. 2. He was forced to
betake himself to the mountain, and to take up with a cave for his
habitation there. Methinks it was strange that he did not return to
Abraham, and put himself under his protection, to whom he had once
and again owed his safety: but the truth is there are some good men
that are not wise enough to know what is best for themselves.
Observe, (1.) He was now glad to go to the mountain, the place
which God had appointed for his shelter. Note, It is well if
disappointment in our way drive us at last to God's way. (2.) He
that, awhile ago, could not find room enough for himself and his
stock in the whole land, but must jostle with Abraham, and get as
far from him as he could, is now confined to a hole in a hill,
where he has scarcely room to turn himself, and there he is
solitary and trembling. Note, It is just with God to reduce those
to poverty and restraint who have abused their liberty and plenty.
See also in Lot what those bring themselves to, at last, that
forsake the communion of saints for secular advantages; they will
be beaten with their own rod.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p32">II. The great sin that Lot and his
daughters were guilty of, when they were in this desolate place. It
is a sad story.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p33">1. His daughters laid a very wicked plot to
bring him to sin; and theirs was, doubtless, the greater guilt.
They contrived, under pretence of cheering up the spirits of
<pb n="127" id="Gen.xx-Page_127"/>
their father in his present condition, to make
him drunk, and then to lie with him, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:31,32" id="Gen.xx-p33.1" parsed="|Gen|19|31|19|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.31-Gen.19.32"><i>v.</i> 31, 32</scripRef>. (1.) Some think that
their pretence was plausible. Their father had no sons, they had no
husbands, nor knew they where to have any of the holy seed, or, if
they had children by others, their father's name would not be
preserved in them. Some think that they had the Messiah in their
eye, who, they hoped, might descend form their father; for he came
from Terah's elder son, who separated from the rest of Shem's
posterity as well as Abraham, and was now signally delivered out of
Sodom. Their mother, and the rest of the family, were gone; they
might not marry with the cursed Canaanites; and therefore they
supposed that the end they aimed at and the extremity they were
brought to, would excuse the irregularity. Thus the learned
Monsieur Allix. Note, Good intentions are often abused to patronise
bad actions. But, (2.) Whatever their pretence was, it is certain
that their project was very wicked and vile, and an impudent
affront to the very light and law of nature. Note, [1.] The sight
of God's most tremendous judgments upon sinners will not of itself,
without the grace of God, restrain evil hearts from evil practices:
one would wonder how the fire of lust could possibly kindle upon
those, who had so lately been the eye-witnesses of Sodom's flames.
[2.] Solitude has its temptations as well as company, and
particularly to uncleanness. When Joseph was alone with his
mistress he was in danger, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:11" id="Gen.xx-p33.2" parsed="|Gen|39|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.11"><i>ch.</i>
xxxix. 11</scripRef>. Relations that dwell together, especially if
solitary, have need carefully to watch even against the least evil
thought of this kind, lest Satan get an advantage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p34">2. Lot himself, by his own folly and
unwariness, was wretchedly overcome, and suffered himself so far to
be imposed upon by his own children as, two nights together, to be
drunk, and to commit incest, <scripRef passage="Ge 19:33" id="Gen.xx-p34.1" parsed="|Gen|19|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.33"><i>v.</i>
33</scripRef>, &amp;c. <i>Lord, what is man!</i> What are the best
of men, when God leaves them to themselves! See here, (1.) The
peril of security. Lot, who not only kept himself sober and chaste
in Sodom, but was a constant mourner for the wickedness of the
place and a witness against it, was yet, in the mountain, where he
was alone, and as he thought quite out of the way of temptation,
shamefully overtaken. Let him therefore that thinks he stands,
stands high and stands firm, <i>take heed lest he fall.</i> No
mountain, on this side the holy hill above, can set us out of the
reach of Satan's fiery darts. (2.) The peril of drunkenness. It is
not only a great sin itself, but it is the inlet of many sins; it
may prove the inlet of the worst and most unnatural sins, which may
be a perpetual wound and dishonour. Excellently does Mr. Herbert
describe it,</p>
<verse id="Gen.xx-p34.2">
<l class="t1" id="Gen.xx-p34.3">"He that is drunken may his mother kill</l>
<l class="t1" id="Gen.xx-p34.4">Big with his sister."&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;</l>
</verse>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p35">A man may do that without reluctance, when
he is drunk, which, when he is sober, he could not think of without
horror. (3.) The peril of temptation from our dearest relations and
friends, whom we love, and esteem, and expect kindness from. Lot,
whose temperance and chastity were impregnable against the
batteries of foreign force, was surprised into sin and shame by the
base treachery of his own daughters: we must dread a snare wherever
we are, and be always upon our guard.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p36">3. In the close we have an account of the
birth of the two sons, or grandsons (call them which you will), of
Lot, Moab and Ammon, the fathers of two nations, neighbours to
Israel, and which we often read of in the Old Testament; both
together are called <i>the children of Lot,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 83:8" id="Gen.xx-p36.1" parsed="|Ps|83|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.8">Ps. lxxxiii. 8</scripRef>. Note, Though prosperous births
may attend incestuous conceptions, yet they are so far from
justifying them that they rather perpetuate the reproach of them
and entail infamy upon posterity; yet the tribe of Judah, of which
our Lord sprang, descended from such a birth, and Ruth, a
Moabitess, has a name in his genealogy, <scripRef passage="Mt 1:3,5" id="Gen.xx-p36.2" parsed="|Matt|1|3|0|0;|Matt|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.3 Bible:Matt.1.5">Matt. i. 3, 5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xx-p37"><i>Lastly,</i> Observe that, after this, we
never read any more of Lot, nor what became of him: no doubt he
repented of his sin, and was pardoned; but from the silence of the
scripture concerning him henceforward we may learn that
drunkenness, as it makes men forgetful, so it makes them forgotten;
and many a name, which otherwise might have been remembered with
respect, is buried by it in contempt and oblivion.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XX" n="xxi" progress="15.24%" prev="Gen.xx" next="Gen.xxii" id="Gen.xxi">
<pb n="127" id="Gen.xxi-Page_127"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxi-p1">We are here returning to the story of Abraham; yet
that part of it which is here recorded is not to his honour. The
fairest marbles have their flaws, and, while there are spots in the
sun, we must not expect any thing spotless under it. The scripture,
it should be remarked, is impartial in relating the blemishes even
of its most celebrated characters. We have here, I. Abraham's sin
in denying his wife, and Abimelech's sin thereupon in taking her,
<scripRef passage="Ge 20:1,2" id="Gen.xxi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|20|1|20|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.1-Gen.20.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. God's
discourse with Abimelech in a dream, upon this occasion, wherein he
shows him his error (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:3" id="Gen.xxi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.3">ver.
3</scripRef>), accepts his plea (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:4-6" id="Gen.xxi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|20|4|20|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.4-Gen.20.6">ver.
4-6</scripRef>), and directs him to make restitution, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:7" id="Gen.xxi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|20|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.7">ver. 7</scripRef>. III. Abimelech's discourse
with Abraham, wherein he chides him for the cheat he had put upon
him (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:8-10" id="Gen.xxi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|20|8|20|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.8-Gen.20.10">ver. 8-10</scripRef>), and
Abraham excuses it as well as he can, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:11-13" id="Gen.xxi-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|20|11|20|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.11-Gen.20.13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>. IV. The good issue of the
story, in which Abimelech restores Abraham his wife (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:14-16" id="Gen.xxi-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|20|14|20|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.14-Gen.20.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>), and Abraham, by
prayer, prevails with God for the removal of the judgment Abimelech
was under, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:17,18" id="Gen.xxi-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|20|17|20|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.17-Gen.20.18">ver. 17,
18</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 20" id="Gen.xxi-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 20:1-2" id="Gen.xxi-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|20|1|20|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.1-Gen.20.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.20.1-Gen.20.2">
<h4 id="Gen.xxi-p1.11">Abraham's Denial of His
Wife. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxi-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxi-p2">1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the
south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned
in Gerar. &#160; 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She
<i>is</i> my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took
Sarah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p3">Here is, 1. Abraham's removal from Mamre,
where he had lived nearly twenty years, into the country of the
Philistines: <i>He sojourned in Gerar,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 20:1" id="Gen.xxi-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. We are not told upon what
occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom,
or because the country round was for the present prejudiced by it,
or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at
Lot's incest with his daughters, and the reproach which the
Canaanites cast upon him and his religion, for
<pb n="128" id="Gen.xxi-Page_128"/>
his kinsman's sake: doubtless there was some good
cause for his removal. Note, In a world where we are strangers and
pilgrims we cannot expect to be always in the same place. Again,
Wherever we are, we must look upon ourselves but as sojourners. 2.
His sin in denying his wife, as before (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:13" id="Gen.xxi-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.13"><i>ch.</i> xii. 13</scripRef>), which was not only in
itself such an equivocation as bordered upon a lie, and which, if
admitted as lawful, would be the ruin of human converse and an
inlet to all falsehood, but was also an exposing of the chastity
and honour of his wife, of which he ought to have been the
protector. But, besides this, it had here a two-fold aggravation:&#8212;
(1.) He had been guilty of this same sin before, and had been
reproved for it, and convinced of the folly of the suggestion which
induced him to it; yet he returns to it. Note, It is possible that
a good man may, not only fall into sin, but relapse into the same
sin, through the surprise and strength of temptation and the
infirmity of the flesh. Let backsliders repent then, but not
despair, <scripRef passage="Jer 3:22" id="Gen.xxi-p3.3" parsed="|Jer|3|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.3.22">Jer. iii. 22</scripRef>. (2.)
Sarah, as it should seem, was now with child of the promised seed,
or, at least, in expectation of being so quickly, according to the
word of God; he ought therefore to have taken particular care of
her now, as <scripRef passage="Jdg 13:4" id="Gen.xxi-p3.4" parsed="|Judg|13|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.4">Judg. xiii. 4</scripRef>.
3. The peril that Sarah was brought into by this means: <i>The king
of Gerar sent, and took her</i> to his house, in order to the
taking of her to his bed. Note, The sin of one often occasions the
sin of others; he that breaks the hedge of God's commandments opens
a gap to he knows not how many; the beginning of sin is as the
letting forth of water.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 20:3-7" id="Gen.xxi-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|20|3|20|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.3-Gen.20.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.20.3-Gen.20.7">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxi-p4">3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night,
and said to him, Behold, thou <i>art but</i> a dead man, for the
woman which thou hast taken; for she <i>is</i> a man's wife. &#160;
4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxi-p4.1">Lord</span>, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
&#160; 5 Said he not unto me, She <i>is</i> my sister? and she,
even she herself said, He <i>is</i> my brother: in the integrity of
my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. &#160; 6 And
God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in
the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning
against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. &#160; 7
Now therefore restore the man <i>his</i> wife; for he <i>is</i> a
prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if
thou restore <i>her</i> not, know thou that thou shalt surely die,
thou, and all that <i>are</i> thine.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p5">It appears by this that God revealed
himself by dreams (which evidenced themselves to be divine and
supernatural) not only to his servants the prophets, but even to
those who were out of the pale of the church and covenant; but
then, usually, it was with some regard to God's own people as in
Pharaoh's dream, to Joseph, in Nebuchadnezzar's, to Daniel, and
here, in Abimelech's, to Abraham and Sarah, for he reproved this
king for their sake, <scripRef passage="Ps 105:14,15" id="Gen.xxi-p5.1" parsed="|Ps|105|14|105|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.14-Ps.105.15">Ps. cv. 14,
15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p6">I. God gives him notice of his danger
(<scripRef passage="Ge 20:3" id="Gen.xxi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), his danger of
<i>sin,</i> telling him that the woman is a man's wife, so that if
he take her he will wrong her husband; his danger of death for this
sin: <i>Thou art a dead man;</i> and God's saying so of a man makes
him so. Note, Every wilful sinner ought to be told that he is a
dead man, as the condemned malefactor, and the patient whose
disease is mortal, are said to be so. If thou art a bad man,
certainly thou art a dead man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p7">II. He pleads ignorance that Abraham and
Sarah had agreed to impose upon him, and not to let him know that
they were any more than brother and sister, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:6" id="Gen.xxi-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. See what confidence a man may
have towards God when his heart condemns him not, <scripRef passage="1Jo 3:21" id="Gen.xxi-p7.2" parsed="|1John|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.21">1 John iii. 21</scripRef>. If our consciences
witness to our integrity, and that, however we may have been
cheated into a snare, we have not knowingly and wittingly sinned
against God, it will be our rejoicing in the day of evil. He pleads
with God as Abraham had done, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:23" id="Gen.xxi-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 23</scripRef>. <i>Wilt thou slay a
righteous nation?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 20:4" id="Gen.xxi-p7.4" parsed="|Gen|20|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. Not such a nation as Sodom, which was indeed justly
destroyed, but a nation which, in this matter, was innocent.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p8">III. God gives a very full answer to what
he had said.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p9">1. He allows his plea, and admits that what
he did he did in the integrity of his heart: <i>Yea, I know it,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 20:6" id="Gen.xxi-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Note, It is
matter of comfort to those that are honest that God knows their
honesty, and will acknowledge it, though perhaps men that are
prejudiced against them either cannot be convinced of it or will
not own that they are.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p10">2. He lets him know that he was kept from
proceeding in the sin merely by the good hand of God upon him: <i>I
withheld thee from sinning against me.</i> Abimelech was hereby
kept from doing wrong, Abraham from suffering wrong, and Sarah from
both. Note, (1.) There is a great deal of sin devised and designed
that is never executed. As bad as things are in the world, they are
not so bad as the devil and wicked men would have them. (2.) It is
God that restrains men from doing the ill they would do. It is not
from him that there is sin, but it is from him that there is not
more sin, either by his influence upon men's minds, checking their
inclination to sin, or by his providence, taking away the
opportunity to sin. (3.) It is a great mercy to be hindered from
committing sin; of this God must have the glory, whoever is the
instrument, <scripRef passage="1Sa 25:32,33" id="Gen.xxi-p10.1" parsed="|1Sam|25|32|25|33" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.25.32-1Sam.25.33">1 Sam. xxv. 32,
33</scripRef>.</p>
<pb n="129" id="Gen.xxi-Page_129"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p11">3. He charges him to make restitution:
<i>Now therefore,</i> not that thou art better informed, <i>restore
the man his wife,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 20:7" id="Gen.xxi-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|20|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. Note, Ignorance will excuse no longer than it
continues. If we have entered upon a wrong course through ignorance
this will not excuse our knowingly persisting in it, <scripRef passage="Le 5:3-5" id="Gen.xxi-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|5|3|5|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.3-Lev.5.5">Lev. v. 3-5</scripRef>. The reasons why he must
be just and kind to Abraham are, (1.) Because <i>he is a
prophet,</i> near and dear to God, for whom God does in a
particular manner concern himself. God highly resents the injuries
done to his prophets, and takes them as done to himself. (2.) Being
a prophet, <i>he shall pray for thee;</i> this is a prophet's
reward, and a good reward it is. It is intimated that there was
great efficacy in the prayers of a prophet, and that good men
should be ready to help those with their prayers that stand in need
of them, and should make, at least, this return for the kindnesses
that are done them. Abraham was accessory to Abimelech's trouble,
and therefore was obliged in justice to pray for him. (3.) It is at
thy peril if thou do not restore her: <i>Know thou that thou shalt
surely die.</i> Note, He that does wrong, whoever he is, prince or
peasant, shall certainly receive for the wrong which he has done,
unless he repent and make restitution, <scripRef passage="Col 3:25" id="Gen.xxi-p11.3" parsed="|Col|3|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.25">Col. iii. 25</scripRef>. No injustice can be made
passable with God, no, not by Caesar's image stamped upon it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 20:8-13" id="Gen.xxi-p11.4" parsed="|Gen|20|8|20|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.8-Gen.20.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.20.8-Gen.20.13">
<h4 id="Gen.xxi-p11.5">Abimelech's Conduct Towards
Abraham. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxi-p11.6">b. c.</span> 1898.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxi-p12">8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning,
and called all his servants, and told all these things in their
ears: and the men were sore afraid. &#160; 9 Then Abimelech called
Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what
have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my
kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to
be done. &#160; 10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest
thou, that thou hast done this thing? &#160; 11 And Abraham said,
Because I thought, Surely the fear of God <i>is</i> not in this
place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. &#160; 12 And yet
indeed <i>she is</i> my sister; she <i>is</i> the daughter of my
father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
&#160; 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my
father's house, that I said unto her, This <i>is</i> thy kindness
which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall
come, say of me, He <i>is</i> my brother.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p13">Abimelech, being thus warned of God in a
dream, takes the warning, and, as one truly afraid of sin and its
consequences, he rises early to obey the directions given him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p14">I. He has a caution for his servants,
<scripRef passage="Ge 20:8" id="Gen.xxi-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Abraham himself
could not be more careful than he was to command his household in
this matter. Note, Those whom God has convinced of sin and danger
ought to tell others what God has done for their souls, that they
also may be awakened and brought to a like holy fear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p15">II. He has a chiding for Abraham.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p16">1. The serious reproof which Abimelech gave
to Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:9,10" id="Gen.xxi-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|20|9|20|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.9-Gen.20.10"><i>v.</i> 9,
10</scripRef>. His reasoning with Abraham upon this occasion was
very strong, and yet very mild. Nothing could be said better; he
does not reproach him, nor insult over him, does not say, "Is this
your profession? I see, though you will not swear, you will lie. If
these be prophets, I will beg to be freed from the sight of them:"
but he fairly represents the injury Abraham had done him, and
calmly signifies his resentment of it. (1.) He calls that sin which
he now found he had been in danger of a great sin. Note, Even the
light of nature teaches men that the sin of adultery is a very
great sin: be it observed, to the shame of many who call themselves
Christians, and yet make a light matter of it. (2.) He looks upon
it that both himself and his kingdom would have been exposed to the
wrath of God if he had been guilty of this sin, though ignorantly.
Note, The sins of kings often prove the plagues of kingdoms; rulers
should therefore, for their people's sake, dread sin. (3.) He
charges Abraham with doing that which was not justifiable, in
disowning his marriage. This he speaks of justly, and yet tenderly;
he does not call him a liar and cheat, but tells him he had done
<i>deeds that ought not to be done.</i> Note, Equivocation and
dissimulation, however they may be palliated, are very bad things,
and by no means to be admitted in any case. (4.) He takes it as a
very great injury to himself and his family that Abraham had thus
exposed them to sin: "<i>What have I offended thee?</i> If I had
been thy worst enemy, thou couldst not have done me a worse turn,
nor taken a more effectual course to be revenged on me." Note, We
ought to reckon that those do us the greatest unkindness in the
world that any way tempt us or expose us to sin, though they may
pretend friendship, and offer that which is grateful enough to
corrupt nature. (5.) He challenges him to assign a cause for his
suspecting them as a dangerous people for an honest man to live
among: "<i>What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 20:10" id="Gen.xxi-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. What reason
hadst thou to think that if we had known her to be thy wife thou
wouldst have been exposed to any danger by it?" Note, A suspicion
of our goodness is justly reckoned a greater affront than a slight
upon our greatness.</p>
<pb n="130" id="Gen.xxi-Page_130"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p17">2. The poor excuse that Abraham made for
himself.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p18">(1.) He pleaded the bad opinion he had of
the place, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:11" id="Gen.xxi-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|20|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. He
thought within himself (though he could not give any good reason
for his thinking so), "<i>Surely the fear of God is not in this
place,</i> and then they will slay me." [1.] Little good is to be
expected where no fear of God is. See <scripRef passage="Ps 36:1" id="Gen.xxi-p18.2" parsed="|Ps|36|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.36.1">Ps. xxxvi. 1</scripRef>. [2.] There are many places and
persons that have more of the fear of God in them than we think
they have: perhaps they are not called by our dividing name, they
do not wear our badges, they do not tie themselves to that which we
have an opinion of; and therefore we conclude they have not the
fear of God in their hearts, which is very injurious both of Christ
and Christians, and makes us obnoxious to God's judgment, <scripRef passage="Mt 7:1" id="Gen.xxi-p18.3" parsed="|Matt|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.1">Matt. vii. 1</scripRef>. [3.] Uncharitableness and
censoriousness are sins that are the cause of many other sins. When
men have once persuaded themselves concerning such and such that
they have not the fear of God, they think this will justify them in
the most unjust and unchristian practices towards them. Men would
not do ill if they did not first think ill.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p19">(2.) He excused it from the guilt of a
downright lie by making it out that, in a sense, she was his
sister, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:12" id="Gen.xxi-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|20|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Some
think she was own sister to Lot, who is called his <i>brother
Lot</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:16" id="Gen.xxi-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.16"><i>ch.</i> xiv.
16</scripRef>), though he was <i>his nephew;</i> so Sarah is called
his <i>sister.</i> But those to whom he said, <i>She is my
sister,</i> understood that she was so his sister as not to be
capable of being his wife; so that it was an equivocation, with an
intent to deceive.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p20">(3.) He clears himself from the imputation
of an affront designed to Abimelech in it by alleging that it had
been his practice before, according to an agreement between him and
his wife, when they first became sojourners (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:13" id="Gen.xxi-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): "<i>When God caused me to
wander from my father's house,</i> then we settled this matter."
Note, [1.] God is to be acknowledged in all our wanderings. [2.]
Those that travel abroad, and converse much with strangers, as they
have need of the wisdom of the serpent, so it is requisite that
that wisdom be ever tempered with the innocence of the dove. It
may, for aught I know, be suggested that God denied to Abraham and
Sarah the blessing of children so long to punish them for this
sinful compact if they will not own their marriage, why should God
own it? But we may suppose that, after this reproof which Abimelech
gave them, they agreed never to do so again, and then presently we
read (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:1,2" id="Gen.xxi-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|21|1|21|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.1-Gen.21.2"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 1,
2</scripRef>) that <i>Sarah conceived.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 20:14-18" id="Gen.xxi-p20.3" parsed="|Gen|20|14|20|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.14-Gen.20.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.20.14-Gen.20.18">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxi-p21">14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and
menservants, and womenservants, and gave <i>them</i> unto Abraham,
and restored him Sarah his wife. &#160; 15 And Abimelech said,
Behold, my land <i>is</i> before thee: dwell where it pleaseth
thee. &#160; 16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy
brother a thousand <i>pieces</i> of silver: behold, he <i>is</i> to
thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that <i>are</i> with thee,
and with all <i>other:</i> thus she was reproved. &#160; 17 So
Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife,
and his maidservants; and they bare <i>children.</i> &#160; 18 For
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxi-p21.1">Lord</span> had fast closed up all the
wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's
wife.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p22">Here is, I. The kindness of a prince which
Abimelech showed to Abraham. See how unjust Abraham's jealousies
were. He fancied that if they knew that Sarah was his wife they
would kill him; but, when they did know it, instead of killing him
they were kind to him, frightened at least to be so by the divine
rebukes they were under. 1. He gives him his royal licence to dwell
where he pleased in his country, courting his stay because he gives
him his royal gifts (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:14" id="Gen.xxi-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|20|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), <i>sheep and oxen,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:16" id="Gen.xxi-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) <i>a thousand pieces of
silver.</i> This he gave when he restored Sarah, either, [1.] By
way of satisfaction for the wrong he had offered to do, in taking
her to his house: when the Philistines restored the ark, being
plagued for detaining it, they sent a present with it. The law
appointed that when restitution was made something should be added
to it, <scripRef passage="Le 6:5" id="Gen.xxi-p22.3" parsed="|Lev|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.5">Lev. vi. 5</scripRef>. Or, [2.]
To engage Abraham's prayers for him; not as if prayers should be
bought and sold, but we should endeavour to be kind to those of
whose spiritual things we reap, <scripRef passage="1Co 9:11" id="Gen.xxi-p22.4" parsed="|1Cor|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.11">1 Cor.
ix. 11</scripRef>. Note, It is our wisdom to get and keep an
interest with those that have an interest in heaven, and to make
those our friends who are the friends of God. [3.] He gives to
Sarah good instruction, tells her that her husband (her
<i>brother</i> he calls him, to upbraid her with calling him so)
must be to her for <i>a covering of the eyes,</i> that is, she must
look at no other, nor desire to be looked at by any other. Note,
Yoke-fellows must be to each other for a covering of the eyes. The
marriage-covenant is a covenant with the eyes, like Job's,
<scripRef passage="Job 31:1" id="Gen.xxi-p22.5" parsed="|Job|31|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.1"><i>ch.</i> xxxi. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxi-p23">II. The kindness of a prophet which Abraham
showed to Abimelech: he <i>prayed for him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 20:17,18" id="Gen.xxi-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|20|17|20|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.17-Gen.20.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>. This honour God would
put upon Abraham that, though Abimelech had restored Sarah, yet the
judgment he was under should be removed upon the prayer of Abraham,
and not before. Thus God healed Miriam, when Moses, whom she had
most affronted, prayed for her (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:13" id="Gen.xxi-p23.2" parsed="|Num|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.13">Num.
xii. 13</scripRef>), and was reconciled to Job's friends when Job,
whom they had grieved, prayed for them
<pb n="131" id="Gen.xxi-Page_131"/>
(<scripRef passage="Job 42:8-10" id="Gen.xxi-p23.3" parsed="|Job|42|8|42|10" osisRef="Bible:Job.42.8-Job.42.10">Job xlii. 8-10</scripRef>), and so
did, as it were, give it under his hand that he was reconciled to
them. Note, The prayers of good men may be a kindness to great men,
and ought to be valued.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXI" n="xxii" progress="15.61%" prev="Gen.xxi" next="Gen.xxiii" id="Gen.xxii">
<pb n="131" id="Gen.xxii-Page_131"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. Isaac, the child of
promise born into Abraham's family, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:1-8" id="Gen.xxii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|21|1|21|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.1-Gen.21.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. II. Ishmael, the son of the
bondwoman, cast out of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:9-21" id="Gen.xxii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|21|9|21|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.9-Gen.21.21">ver.
9-21</scripRef>. III. Abraham's league with his neighbour
Abimelech, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:23-32" id="Gen.xxii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|21|23|21|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.23-Gen.21.32">ver. 22-32</scripRef>.
IV. His devotion to his God, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:33" id="Gen.xxii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|21|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.33">ver.
33</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 21" id="Gen.xxii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 21:1-8" id="Gen.xxii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|21|1|21|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.1-Gen.21.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.21.1-Gen.21.8">
<h4 id="Gen.xxii-p1.7">The Birth of Isaac. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1897.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p2.1">Lord</span>
visited Sarah as he had said, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p2.2">Lord</span> did unto Sarah as he had spoken. &#160; 2
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the
set time of which God had spoken to him. &#160; 3 And Abraham
called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare
to him, Isaac. &#160; 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being
eight days old, as God had commanded him. &#160; 5 And Abraham was
an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. &#160;
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, <i>so that</i> all
that hear will laugh with me. &#160; 7 And she said, Who would have
said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for
I have borne <i>him</i> a son in his old age. &#160; 8 And the
child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the
<i>same</i> day that Isaac was weaned.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p3">Long-looked-for comes at last. The vision
concerning the promised seed is for an appointed time, and now, at
the end, it speaks, and does not lie; few under the Old Testament
were brought into the world with such expectation as Isaac was, not
for the sake of any great person eminence at which he was to
arrive, but because he was to be, in this very thing, a type of
Christ, that seed which the holy God had so long promised and holy
men so long expected. In this account of the first days of Isaac we
may observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p4">I. The fulfilling of God's promise in the
conception and birth of Isaac, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:1,2" id="Gen.xxii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|21|1|21|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.1-Gen.21.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. Note, God's providences look
best and brightest when they are compared with his word, and when
we observe how God, in them all, acts as he has said, as he has
spoken. 1. Isaac was born according to the promise. The Lord
visited Sarah in mercy, as he had said. Note, No word of God shall
fall to the ground; for he is faithful that has promised, and God's
faithfulness is the stay and support of his people's faith. He was
born <i>at the set time of which God had spoken,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 21:2" id="Gen.xxii-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|21|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, God is always
punctual to his time; though his promised mercies come not at the
time we set, they will certainly come at the time he sets, and that
is the best time. 2. He was born by virtue of the promise: <i>Sarah
by faith received strength to conceive</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 11:11" id="Gen.xxii-p4.3" parsed="|Heb|11|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.11">Heb. xi. 11</scripRef>. God therefore by promise gave
that strength. It was not by the power of common providence, but by
the power of a special promise, that Isaac was born. A sentence of
death was, as it were, passed upon the second causes: Abraham was
old, and Sarah old, and both as good as dead; and then the word of
God took place. Note, True believers, by virtue of God's promises,
are enabled to do that which is above the power of human nature,
for <i>by them they partake of a divine nature,</i> <scripRef passage="2Pe 1:4" id="Gen.xxii-p4.4" parsed="|2Pet|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.4">2 Pet. i. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p5">II. Abraham's obedience to God's precept
concerning Isaac.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p6">1. He named him, as God commanded him,
<scripRef passage="Ge 21:3" id="Gen.xxii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|21|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. God directed
him to a name for a memorial, <i>Isaac, laughter;</i> and Abraham,
whose office it was, gave him that name, though he might have
designed him some other name of a more pompous signification. Note,
it is fit that the luxuriancy of human invention should always
yield to the sovereignty and plainness of divine institution; yet
there was good reason for the name, for, (1.) When Abraham received
the promise of him he laughed for joy, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:17" id="Gen.xxii-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|17|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.17"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 17</scripRef>. Note, When the sun of
comfort has risen upon the soul it is good to remember how welcome
the dawning of the day was, and with what exultation we embraced
the promise. (2.) When Sarah received the promise she laughed with
distrust and diffidence. Note, When God gives us the mercies we
began to despair of we ought to remember with sorrow and shame our
sinful distrusts of God's power and promise, when we were in
pursuit of them. (3.) Isaac was himself, afterwards, laughed at by
Ishmael (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:9" id="Gen.xxii-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|21|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), and
perhaps his name bade him expect it. Note, God's favourites are
often the world's laughing-stocks. (4.) The promise which he was
not only the son, but the heir of, was to be the joy of all the
saints in all ages, and that which would fill their mouths with
laughter.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p7">2. He circumcised him, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:4" id="Gen.xxii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|21|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. The covenant being established
with him, the seal of the covenant was administered to him; and
though a bloody ordinance, and he a darling, yet it must not be
omitted, no, nor deferred beyond the eighth day. God had kept time
in performing the promise, and therefore Abraham must keep time in
obeying the precept.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p8">III. The impressions which this mercy made
upon Sarah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p9">1. It filled her with joy (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:6" id="Gen.xxii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|21|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "<i>God has made me to
laugh;</i> he has given me both cause to rejoice and a heart to
rejoice." Thus the mother of our Lord, <scripRef passage="Lu 1:46,47" id="Gen.xxii-p9.2" parsed="|Luke|1|46|1|47" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.46-Luke.1.47">Luke i. 46, 47</scripRef>. Note, (1.) God bestows
mercies upon his people to encourage their joy in his work and
service; and, whatever is the matter of
<pb n="132" id="Gen.xxii-Page_132"/>
our
joy, God must be acknowledged as the author of it, unless it be the
<i>laughter of the fool.</i> (2.) When mercies have been long
deferred they are the more welcome when they come. (3.) It adds to
the comfort of any mercy to have our friends rejoice with us in it:
<i>All that hear will laugh with me;</i> for laughing is catching.
See <scripRef passage="Lu 1:58" id="Gen.xxii-p9.3" parsed="|Luke|1|58|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.58">Luke i. 58</scripRef>. Others would
rejoice in this instance of God's power and goodness, and be
encouraged to trust in him. See <scripRef passage="Ps 119:74" id="Gen.xxii-p9.4" parsed="|Ps|119|74|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.74">Ps.
cxix. 74</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p10">2. It filled her with wonder, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:7" id="Gen.xxii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|21|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) What
it was she thought so wonderful: That <i>Sarah should give children
suck,</i> that she should, not only bear a child, but be so strong
and hearty at the age as to give it suck. Note, Mothers, if they be
able, ought to be nurses to their own children. Sarah was a person
of quality, was aged; nursing might be thought prejudicial of
herself, or to the child, or to both; she had choice of nurses, no
doubt, in her own family: and yet she would do her duty in this
matter; and her daughters the good wives are while they thus <i>do
well,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:5,6" id="Gen.xxii-p10.2" parsed="|1Pet|3|5|3|6" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.5-1Pet.3.6">1 Pet. iii. 5,
6</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="La 4:3" id="Gen.xxii-p10.3" parsed="|Lam|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.4.3">Lam. iv. 3</scripRef>.
(2.) How she expressed her wonder: "<i>Who would have said it?</i>
The thing was so highly improbable, so near to impossible, that if
any one but God had said it we could not have believed it." Note,
God's favours to his covenant-people are such as surpass both their
own and others' thoughts and expectations. Who could imagine that
God should do so much for those that deserve so little, nay, for
those that deserve so ill? See <scripRef passage="Eph 3:20,2Sa 7:18,19" id="Gen.xxii-p10.4" parsed="|Eph|3|20|0|0;|2Sam|7|18|7|19" osisRef="Bible:Eph.3.20 Bible:2Sam.7.18-2Sam.7.19">Eph. iii. 20; 2 Sam. vii. 18, 19</scripRef>.
Who would have said that God should send his Son to die for us, his
Spirit to sanctify us, his angels to attend us? Who would have said
that such great sins should be pardoned, such mean services
accepted, and such worthless worms taken into covenant and
communion with the great and holy God?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p11">IV. A short account of Isaac's infancy:
<i>The child grew,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 21:8" id="Gen.xxii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|21|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. Special notice is taken of this, though a thing of
course, to intimate that the children of the promise are growing
children. See <scripRef passage="Lu 1:80,Lu 2:40" id="Gen.xxii-p11.2" parsed="|Luke|1|80|0|0;|Luke|2|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.80 Bible:Luke.2.40">Luke i. 80; ii.
40</scripRef>. Those that are born of God shall increase of God,
<scripRef passage="Col 2:19" id="Gen.xxii-p11.3" parsed="|Col|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.19">Col. ii. 19</scripRef>. He grew so as
not always to need milk, but was able to bear strong meat, and then
he was weaned. See <scripRef passage="Heb 5:13,14" id="Gen.xxii-p11.4" parsed="|Heb|5|13|5|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.13-Heb.5.14">Heb. v. 13,
14</scripRef>. And then it was that Abraham made a great feast for
his friends and neighbours, in thankfulness to God for his mercy to
him. He made this feast, not on the day that Isaac was born, that
would have been too great a disturbance to Sarah; nor on the day
that he was circumcised, that would have been too great a diversion
from the ordinance; but on the day that he was weaned, because
God's blessing upon the nursing of children, and the preservation
of them throughout the perils of the infant age, are signal
instances of the care and tenderness of the divine providence,
which ought to be acknowledged, to its praise. See <scripRef passage="Ps 22:9,10,Ho 11:1" id="Gen.xxii-p11.5" parsed="|Ps|22|9|22|10;|Hos|11|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.9-Ps.22.10 Bible:Hos.11.1">Ps. xxii. 9, 10; Hos. xi.
1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 21:9-13" id="Gen.xxii-p11.6" parsed="|Gen|21|9|21|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.9-Gen.21.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.21.9-Gen.21.13">
<h4 id="Gen.xxii-p11.7">Hagar and Ishmael Expelled. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p11.8">b. c.</span> 1892.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxii-p12">9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
which she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. &#160; 10 Wherefore she
said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son
of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, <i>even</i> with
Isaac. &#160; 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight
because of his son. &#160; 12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not
be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy
bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her
voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. &#160; 13 And also of
the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he <i>is</i>
thy seed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p13">The casting out of Ishmael is here
considered of, and resolved on.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p14">I. Ishmael himself gave the occasion by
some affronts he gave to Isaac his little brother, some think on
the day that Abraham made the feast for joy that Isaac was safely
weaned, which the Jews say was not till he was three years old,
others say five. Sarah herself was an eye-witness of the abuse: she
<i>saw the son of the Egyptian mocking</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:9" id="Gen.xxii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|21|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), mocking Isaac, no doubt, for it
is said, with reference to this (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:29" id="Gen.xxii-p14.2" parsed="|Gal|4|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.29">Gal.
iv. 29</scripRef>), that <i>he that was born after the flesh
persecuted him that was born after the Spirit.</i> Ishmael is here
called the <i>son of the Egyptian,</i> because, as some think, the
400 years' affliction of the seed of Abraham by the Egyptians began
now, and was to be dated hence, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:13" id="Gen.xxii-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|15|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.13"><i>ch.</i> xv. 13</scripRef>. She saw him <i>playing
with Isaac,</i> so the LXX., and, in play, <i>mocking him.</i>
Ishmael was fourteen years older than Isaac; and, when children are
together, the elder should be careful and tender of the younger:
but it argued a very base and sordid disposition in Ishmael to be
abusive to a child that was no way a match for him. Note, 1. God
takes notice of what children say and do in their play, and will
reckon with them if they say or do amiss, though their parents do
not. 2. Mocking is a great sin, and very provoking to God. 3. There
is a rooted remaining enmity in the seed of the serpent against the
seed of the woman. The children of promise must expect to be
mocked. This is persecution, which those that will live godly must
count upon. 4. None are rejected and cast out from God but those
who have first deserved it. Ishmael is continued in Abraham's
family till he becomes a disturbance, grief, and scandal to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p15">II. Sarah made the motion: <i>Cast out this
bond-woman,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 21:10" id="Gen.xxii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. This seems to be spoken
<pb n="133" id="Gen.xxii-Page_133"/>
in
some heat, yet it is quoted (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:30" id="Gen.xxii-p15.2" parsed="|Gal|4|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.30">Gal. iv.
30</scripRef>) as if it had been spoken by a spirit of prophecy;
and it is the sentence passed on all hypocrites and carnal people,
though they have a place and a name in the visible church. All that
are born after the flesh and not born again, that rest in the law
and reject the gospel promise, shall certainly be cast out. It is
made to point particularly at the rejection of the unbelieving
Jews, who, though they were the seed of Abraham, yet, because they
submitted not to the gospel covenant, were unchurched and
disfranchised: and that which, above any thing, provoked God to
cast them off was their mocking and persecuting the gospel church,
God's Isaac, in its infancy, <scripRef passage="1Th 2:16" id="Gen.xxii-p15.3" parsed="|1Thess|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.2.16">1 Thess.
ii. 16</scripRef>. Note, There are many who are familiarly
conversant with the children of God in this world, and yet shall
not partake with them in the inheritance of sons. Ishmael might be
Isaac's play-fellow and school-fellow, yet not his fellow-heir.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p16">III. Abraham was averse to it: <i>The thing
was very grievous in Abraham's sight,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 21:11" id="Gen.xxii-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|21|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. 1. It grieved him that Ishmael
had given such a provocation. Note, Children ought to consider that
the more their parents love them the more they are grieved at their
misconduct, and particularly at their quarrels among themselves. 2.
It grieved him that Sarah insisted upon such a punishment. "Might
it not suffice to correct him? would nothing less serve than to
expel him?" Note, Even the needful extremities which must be used
with wicked and incorrigible children are very grievous to tender
parents, who cannot thus afflict willingly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p17">IV. God determined it, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:12,13" id="Gen.xxii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|21|12|21|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.12-Gen.21.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. We may well suppose
Abraham to be greatly agitated about this matter, loth to displease
Sarah, and yet loth to expel Ishmael; in this difficulty God tells
him what his will is, and then he is satisfied. Note, A good man
desires no more in doubtful cases than to know his duty, and what
God would have him do; and, when he is clear in this, he is, or
should be, easy. To make Abraham so, God sets this matter before
him in a true light, and shows him, 1. That the casting out of
Ishmael was necessary to the establishment of Isaac in the rights
and privileges of the covenant: <i>In Isaac shall thy seed be
called.</i> Both Christ and the church must descend from Abraham
through the loins of Isaac; this is the entail of the promise upon
Isaac, and is quoted by the apostle (<scripRef passage="Ro 9:7" id="Gen.xxii-p17.2" parsed="|Rom|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.7">Rom. ix. 7</scripRef>) to show that not all who come from
Abraham's loins were the heirs of Abraham's covenant. Isaac, the
promised son, must be the father of the promised seed; therefore,
"Away with Ishmael, send him far enough, lest he corrupt the
manners or attempt to invade the rights of Isaac." It will be his
security to have his rival banished. The covenant seed of Abraham
must be a peculiar people, a people by themselves, from the very
first, distinguished, not mingled with those that were out of
covenant; for this reason Ishmael must be separated. Abraham was
<i>called alone,</i> and so must Isaac be. See <scripRef passage="Isa 51:2" id="Gen.xxii-p17.3" parsed="|Isa|51|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.2">Isa. li. 2</scripRef>. It is probable that Sarah little
thought of this (<scripRef passage="Joh 11:51" id="Gen.xxii-p17.4" parsed="|John|11|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.11.51">John xi.
51</scripRef>), but God took what she said, and turned it into an
oracle, as afterwards, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:10" id="Gen.xxii-p17.5" parsed="|Gen|27|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.10"><i>ch.</i>
xxvii. 10</scripRef>. 2. That the casting out of Ishmael should not
be his ruin, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:13" id="Gen.xxii-p17.6" parsed="|Gen|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.
He shall be a <i>nation, because he is thy seed.</i> We are not
sure that it was his eternal ruin. It is presumption to say that
all those who are left out of the external dispensation from all
his mercies: those may be saved who are not thus honoured. However,
we are sure it was not his temporal ruin. Though he was chased out
of the church, he was not <i>chased out of the world. I will make
him a nation.</i> Note, (1.) Nations are of God's making: he founds
them, he forms them, he fixes them. (2.) Many are full of the
blessings of God's providence that are strangers to the blessings
of his covenant. (3.) The children of this world often fare the
better, as to outward things, for their relation to the children of
God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 21:14-21" id="Gen.xxii-p17.7" parsed="|Gen|21|14|21|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.14-Gen.21.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.21.14-Gen.21.21">
<h4 id="Gen.xxii-p17.8">God's Mercy to Hagar and
Ishmael. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p17.9">b. c.</span> 1892.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxii-p18">14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave <i>it</i> unto Hagar,
putting <i>it</i> on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her
away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of
Beer-sheba. &#160; 15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and
she cast the child under one of the shrubs. &#160; 16 And she went,
and sat her down over against <i>him</i> a good way off, as it were
a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And
she sat over against <i>him,</i> and lift up her voice, and wept.
&#160; 17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God
called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee,
Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he
<i>is.</i> &#160; 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine
hand; for I will make him a great nation. &#160; 19 And God opened
her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the
bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. &#160; 20 And God was
with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became
an archer. &#160; 21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and
his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p19">Here is, I. The casting out of the
<pb n="134" id="Gen.xxii-Page_134"/>
bond-woman, and her son from the family of Abraham,
<scripRef passage="Ge 21:14" id="Gen.xxii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Abraham's
obedience to the divine command in this matter was speedy&#8212;<i>early
in the morning,</i> we may suppose immediately after he had, in the
night's visions, received orders to do this. It was also
submissive; it was contrary to his judgment, at least to his own
inclination, to do it; yet as soon as he perceives that it is the
mind of God he makes no objections, but silently does as he is
bidden, as one trained up to an implicit obedience. In sending them
away without any attendants, on foot, and slenderly provided for,
it is probable that he observed the directions given him. If Hagar
and Ishmael had conducted themselves well in Abraham's family, they
might have continued there; but they threw themselves out by their
own pride and insolence, which were thus justly chastised. Note, By
abusing our privileges we forfeit them. Those that know not when
they are well off, in such a desirable place as Abraham's family,
deserve to be cashiered, and to be made to know the worth of
mercies by the want of them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p20">II. Their wandering in the wilderness,
missing their way to the place Abraham designed them for a
settlement.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p21">1. They were reduced to great distress
there. Their provisions were spent, and Ishmael was sick. He that
used to be full fed in Abraham's house, where he waxed fat and
kicked, now fainted and sunk, when he was brought to short
allowance. Hagar is in tears, and sufficiently mortified. Now she
wishes for the crumbs she had wasted and made light of at her
master's table. Like one under the power of the spirit of bondage,
she despairs of relief, counts upon nothing but <i>the death of the
child</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:15,16" id="Gen.xxii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|21|15|21|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.15-Gen.21.16"><i>v.</i> 15,
16</scripRef>), though God had told her, before he was born, that
he should live to be a man, a great man. We are apt to forget
former promises, when present providences seem to contradict them;
for we live by sense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p22">2. In this distress, God graciously
appeared for their relief: he heard <i>the voice of the lad,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 21:17" id="Gen.xxii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|21|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. We read not
of a word he said; but his sighs, and groans, and calamitous state,
cried aloud in the ears of mercy. An angel was sent to comfort
Hagar, and it was not the first time that she had met with God's
comforts in a wilderness; she had thankfully acknowledged the
former kind visit which God made his in such a case (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:13" id="Gen.xxii-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.13"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 13</scripRef>), and therefore
God now visited her again with seasonable succours. (1.) The angel
assures her of the cognizance God took of her distress: <i>God has
heard the voice of the lad where he is,</i> though he is in a
wilderness (for, wherever we are, there is a way open heaven-ward);
therefore <i>lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 21:18" id="Gen.xxii-p22.3" parsed="|Gen|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Note, God's
readiness to help us when we are in trouble must not slacken, but
quicken, our endeavours to help ourselves. (2.) He repeats the
promise concerning her son, that he should be <i>a great
nation,</i> as a reason why she should bestir herself to help him.
Note, It should engage our care and pains about children and young
people to consider that we know not what God has designed them for,
nor what great use Providence may make of them. (3.) He directs her
to a present supply (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:19" id="Gen.xxii-p22.4" parsed="|Gen|21|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): <i>He opened her eyes</i> (which were swollen and
almost blinded with weeping), and then <i>she saw a well of
water.</i> Note, Many that have reason enough to be comforted go
mourning from day to day, because they do not see the reason they
have for comfort. There is a well of water by them in the covenant
of grace, but they are not aware of it; they have not the benefit
of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound
opens them to see their remedy, <scripRef passage="Joh 16:6,7" id="Gen.xxii-p22.5" parsed="|John|16|6|16|7" osisRef="Bible:John.16.6-John.16.7">John
xvi. 6, 7</scripRef>. Now the apostle tells us that those things
concerning Hagar and Ishmael are <b><i>allegoroumena</i></b>
(<scripRef passage="Ga 4:24" id="Gen.xxii-p22.6" parsed="|Gal|4|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.24">Gal. iv. 24</scripRef>), they are to
be allegorized; this then will serve to illustrate the folly, [1.]
Of those who, like the unbelieving Jews, seek for righteousness by
the law and the carnal ordinances of it, and not by the promise
made in Christ, thereby running themselves into a wilderness of
want and despair. Their comforts are soon exhausted, and if God
save them not by his special prerogative, and by a miracle of mercy
open their eyes and undeceive them, they are undone. [2.] Of those
who seek for satisfaction and happiness in the world and the things
of it. Those that forsake the comforts of the covenant and
communion with God, and choose their portion in this earth, take up
with a bottle of water, poor and slender provision, and that soon
spent; they wander endlessly in pursuit of satisfaction, and, at
length, sit down short of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p23">III. The settlement of Ishmael, at last, in
the wilderness of Paran (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:20,21" id="Gen.xxii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|21|20|21|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.20-Gen.21.21"><i>v.</i>
20, 21</scripRef>), a wild place, fittest for a wild man; and such
a one he was, <scripRef passage="Ge 16:12" id="Gen.xxii-p23.2" parsed="|Gen|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.12"><i>ch.</i> xvi.
12</scripRef>. Those that are born after the flesh take up with the
wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at
the heavenly Canaan, and cannot be at rest till they are there.
Observe, 1. He had some tokens of God's presence: <i>God was with
the lad;</i> his outward prosperity was owing to this. 2. By trade
he was an archer, which intimates that craft was his excellency and
sport his business: rejected Esau was a cunning hunter. 3. He
matched among his mother's relations; she took him a wife out of
Egypt: as great an archer as he was, he did not think he could take
his aim well, in the business of marriage, if he proceeded without
his mother's advice and consent.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 21:22-32" id="Gen.xxii-p23.3" parsed="|Gen|21|22|21|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.22-Gen.21.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.21.22-Gen.21.32">
<h4 id="Gen.xxii-p23.4">Abimelech's Covenant with
Abraham. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p23.5">b. c.</span> 1892.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxii-p24">22 And it came to pass at that time, that
Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto
Abraham, saying, God <i>is</i> with thee in all that thou doest:
&#160; 23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that
<pb n="135" id="Gen.xxii-Page_135"/>
thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son,
nor with my son's son: <i>but</i> according to the kindness that I
have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein
thou hast sojourned. &#160; 24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
&#160; 25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of
water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. &#160;
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither
didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I <i>of it,</i> but to day.
&#160; 27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto
Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. &#160; 28 And Abraham
set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. &#160; 29 And
Abimelech said unto Abraham, What <i>mean</i> these seven ewe lambs
which thou hast set by themselves? &#160; 30 And he said, For
<i>these</i> seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they
may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well. &#160; 31
Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware
both of them. &#160; 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba:
then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host,
and they returned into the land of the Philistines.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p25">We have here an account of the treaty
between Abimelech and Abraham, in which appears the accomplishment
of that promise (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:2" id="Gen.xxii-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.2"><i>ch.</i> xii.
2</scripRef>) that God would <i>make his name great.</i> His
friendship is valued, is courted, though a stranger, though a
tenant at will to the Canaanites and Perizzites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p26">I. The league is proposed by Abimelech, and
Phichol his prime-minister of state and general of his army.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p27">1. The inducement to it was God's favour to
Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:22" id="Gen.xxii-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|21|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>):
"<i>God is with thee in all that thou doest,</i> and we cannot but
take notice of it." Note, (1.) God in his providence sometimes
shows his people such tokens for good that their neighbours cannot
but take notice of it, <scripRef passage="Ps 86:17" id="Gen.xxii-p27.2" parsed="|Ps|86|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.86.17">Ps. lxxxvi.
17</scripRef>. Their affairs do so visibly prosper, and they have
such remarkable success in their undertakings, that a confession is
extorted from all about them of God's presence with them. (2.) It
is good being in favour with those that are in favour with God, and
having an interest in those that have an interest in heaven,
<scripRef passage="Zec 8:23" id="Gen.xxii-p27.3" parsed="|Zech|8|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.23">Zech. viii. 23</scripRef>. <i>We will
go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.</i> We do well
for ourselves if we have fellowship with those that have fellowship
with God, <scripRef passage="1Jo 1:3" id="Gen.xxii-p27.4" parsed="|1John|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.3">1 John i. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p28">2. The tenour of it was, in general, that
there should be a firm and constant friendship between the two
families, which should not upon any account be violated. This bond
of friendship must be strengthened by the bond of an oath, in which
the true God was appealed to, both as a witness of their sincerity
and an avenger in case either side were treacherous, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:23" id="Gen.xxii-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|21|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Observe, (1.) He
desires the entail of this league upon his posterity and the
extension of it to his people. He would have his son, and his son's
son, and his land likewise, to have the benefit of it. Good men
should secure an alliance and communion with the favourites of
Heaven, not for themselves only, but for theirs also. (2.) He
reminds Abraham of the fair treatment he had found among them:
<i>According to the kindness I have done unto thee.</i> As those
that have received kindness must return it, so those that have
shown kindness may expect it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p29">II. It is consented to by Abraham, with a
particular clause inserted about a well. In Abraham's part of this
transaction observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p30">1. He was ready to enter into this league
with Abimelech, finding him to be a man of honour and conscience,
and that had the fear of God before his eyes: <i>I will swear,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 21:24" id="Gen.xxii-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|21|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. Note, (1.)
Religion does not make men morose and unconversable; I am sure it
ought not. We must not, under colour of shunning bad company, be
sour to all company, and jealous of everybody. (2.) An honest mind
does not startle at giving assurances: if Abraham say that he will
be true to Abimelech, he is not afraid to swear it; an oath is for
confirmation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p31">2. He prudently settled the matter
concerning a well, about which Abimelech's servants had quarrelled
with him. Wells of water, it seems, were choice goods in that
country: thanks be to God, that they are not so scarce in ours.
(1.) Abraham mildly told Abimelech of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:25" id="Gen.xxii-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|21|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Note, If our brother trespass
against us, we must, with the meekness of wisdom, tell him his
fault, that the matter may be fairly accommodated and an end made
of it, <scripRef passage="Mt 18:15" id="Gen.xxii-p31.2" parsed="|Matt|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.18.15">Matt. xviii. 15</scripRef>.
(2.) He acquiesced in Abimelech's justification of himself in this
matter: <i>I wot not who has done this thing,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 21:26" id="Gen.xxii-p31.3" parsed="|Gen|21|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Many are suspected of
injustice and unkindness that are perfectly innocent, and we ought
to be glad when they clear themselves. The faults of servants must
not be imputed to their masters, unless they know of them and
justify them; and no more can be expected from an honest man than
that he be ready to do right as soon as he knows that he has done
wrong. (3.) He took care to have his title to the well cleared and
confirmed, to prevent any disputes or quarrels for the future,
<scripRef passage="Ge 21:30" id="Gen.xxii-p31.4" parsed="|Gen|21|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. It is
justice, as well as wisdom, to do thus, <i>in perptuam rei
memoriam&#8212;that the circumstance may be perpetually
remembered.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p32">3. He made a very handsome present to
Abimelech, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:27" id="Gen.xxii-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|21|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. It
was not any thing curious or
<pb n="136" id="Gen.xxii-Page_136"/>
fine that he
presented to him, but that which was valuable and useful&#8212;<i>sheep
and oxen,</i> in gratitude for Abimelech's kindness to him, and in
token of hearty friendship between them. The interchanging of kind
offices is the improving of love: that which is mine is my
friend's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p33">4. He ratified the covenant by an oath, and
registered it by giving a new name to the place (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:31" id="Gen.xxii-p33.1" parsed="|Gen|21|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), <i>Beer-sheba,</i> the <i>well
of the oath,</i> in remembrance of the covenant they swore to, that
they might be ever mindful of it; or <i>the well of seven,</i> in
remembrance of the seven lambs given to Abimelech, as a
consideration for his confirming Abraham's title to that well.
Note, Bargains made must be remembered, that we may make them good,
and may not break our word through oversight.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 21:33-34" id="Gen.xxii-p33.2" parsed="|Gen|21|33|21|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.33-Gen.21.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.21.33-Gen.21.34">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxii-p34">33 And <i>Abraham</i> planted a grove in
Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxii-p34.1">Lord</span>, the everlasting God. &#160; 34 And Abraham
sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxii-p35">Observe, 1. Abraham, having got into a good
neighbourhood, knew when he was well off, and continued a great
while there. There he planted a grove for a shade to his tent, or
perhaps an orchard of fruit-trees; and there, though we cannot say
he settled, for God would have him, while he lived, to be a
stranger and a pilgrim, yet he sojourned many days, as many as
would consist with his character, as Abraham the <i>Hebrew,</i> or
<i>passenger.</i> 2. There he made, not only a constant practice,
but an open profession, of his religion: <i>There he called on the
name of the Lord, the everlasting God,</i> probably in the grove he
planted, which was his oratory or house of prayer. Christ prayed in
a garden, on a mountain. (1.) Abraham kept up public worship, to
which, probably, his neighbours resorted, that they might join with
him. Note, Good men should not only retain their goodness wherever
they go, but do all they can to propagate it, and make others good.
(2.) In calling on the Lord, we must eye him as <i>the everlasting
God, the God of the world,</i> so some. Though God had made himself
known to Abraham as his God in particular, and in covenant with
him, yet he forgets not to give glory to him as the Lord of all:
<i>The everlasting God,</i> who was, before all worlds, and will
be, when time and days shall be no more. See <scripRef passage="Isa 40:28" id="Gen.xxii-p35.1" parsed="|Isa|40|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.28">Isa. xl. 28</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXII" n="xxiii" progress="16.20%" prev="Gen.xxii" next="Gen.xxiv" id="Gen.xxiii">
<pb n="136" id="Gen.xxiii-Page_136"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxiii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxiii-p1">We have here the famous story of Abraham's
offering up his son Isaac, that is, his offering to offer him,
which is justly looked upon as one of the wonders of the church.
Here is, I. The strange command which God gave to Abraham
concerning it, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:1,2" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|22|1|22|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.1-Gen.22.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>.
II. Abraham's strange obedience to this command, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:3-10" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|22|3|22|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.3-Gen.22.10">ver. 3-10</scripRef>. III. The strange issue of this
trial. 1. The sacrificing of Isaac was countermanded, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:11,12" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|22|11|22|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.11-Gen.22.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. 2. Another sacrifice
was provided, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:13,14" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|22|13|22|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.13-Gen.22.14">ver. 13,
14</scripRef>. 3. The covenant was renewed with Abraham hereupon,
<scripRef passage="Ge 22:15-19" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|22|15|22|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.15-Gen.22.19">ver. 15-19</scripRef>. Lastly, an
account of some of Abraham's relations, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:20-24" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|22|20|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.20-Gen.22.24">ver. 20</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 22" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 22:1-2" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|22|1|22|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.1-Gen.22.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.22.1-Gen.22.2">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiii-p1.9">Abraham Commanded to Offer
Isaac. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1872.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiii-p2">1 And it came to pass after these things, that
God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said,
Behold, <i>here</i> I <i>am.</i> &#160; 2 And he said, Take now thy
son, thine only <i>son</i> Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee
into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering
upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p3">Here is the trial of Abraham's faith,
whether it continued so strong, so vigorous, so victorious, after a
long settlement in communion with God, as it was at first, when by
it he left his country: then it was made to appear that he loved
God better than his father; now that he loved him better than his
son. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p4">I. The time when Abraham was thus tried
(<scripRef passage="Ge 22:1" id="Gen.xxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|22|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>After
these things,</i> after all the other exercises he had had, all the
hardships and difficulties he had gone through. Now, perhaps, he
was beginning to think the storms had all blown over; but, after
all, this encounter comes, which is sharper than any yet. Note,
Many former trials will not supersede nor secure us from further
trials; we have not yet put off the harness, <scripRef passage="1Ki 20:11" id="Gen.xxiii-p4.2" parsed="|1Kgs|20|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.20.11">1 Kings xx. 11</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Ps 30:6,7" id="Gen.xxiii-p4.3" parsed="|Ps|30|6|30|7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.30.6-Ps.30.7">Ps. xxx. 6, 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p5">II. The author of the trial: <i>God</i>
tempted him, not to draw him to sin, so Satan tempts (if Abraham
had sacrificed Isaac, he would not have sinned, his orders would
have justified him, and borne him out), but to discover his graces,
how strong they were, that they might be <i>found to praise, and
honour, and glory,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:7" id="Gen.xxiii-p5.1" parsed="|1Pet|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.7">1 Pet. i.
7</scripRef>. Thus God tempted Job, that he might appear not only a
good man, but a great man. <i>God did tempt Abraham;</i> he did
<i>lift up Abraham,</i> so some read it; as a scholar that improves
well is lifted up, when he is put into a higher form. Note, Strong
faith is often exercised with strong trials and put upon hard
services.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p6">III. The trial itself. God appeared to him
as he had formerly done, called him by name, <i>Abraham,</i> that
name which had been given him in ratification of the promise.
Abraham, like a good servant, readily answered, "<i>Here am I;</i>
what says my Lord unto his servant?" Probably he expected some
renewed promise like those, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:1" id="Gen.xxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.1"><i>ch.</i>
xv. 1</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="Ge 17:1" id="Gen.xxiii-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1"><i>ch.</i> xvii.
1</scripRef>. But, to his great amazement, that which God has to
say to him is, in short, <i>Abraham, Go kill thy son;</i> and this
command is given him in such aggravating language as makes the
temptation abundantly more grievous. When God speaks, Abraham, no
doubt, takes notice of every word, and listens attentively to it;
and every word here is a sword in his bones: the trial is steeled
with trying phrases. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that he
should afflict? No, it is not; yet, when Abraham's faith is to be
tried, God seems to take pleasure in the aggravation of the trial,
<scripRef passage="Ge 22:2" id="Gen.xxiii-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p7">1. The person to be offered. (1.) "<i>Take
thy son,</i> not thy bullocks and thy lambs;" how willingly would
Abraham have parted with them by thousands to redeem Isaac!
<pb n="137" id="Gen.xxiii-Page_137"/>
"No, <i>I will take no bullock out of thy
house,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 50:9" id="Gen.xxiii-p7.1" parsed="|Ps|50|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.9">Ps. l. 9</scripRef>. I must
have thy son: not thy servant, no, not the steward of thy house,
that shall not serve the turn; I must have thy son." Jephthah, in
pursuance of a vow, offered a daughter; but Abraham must offer his
son, in whom the family was to be built up. "Lord, let it be an
adopted son;" "No, (2.) <i>Thy only son;</i> thy only son by
<i>Sarah.</i>" Ishmael was lately cast out, to the grief of
Abraham; and now Isaac only was left, and must he go too? Yes, (3.)
"Take <i>Isaac,</i> him, by name, <i>thy laughter,</i> that <i>son
indeed,</i>" <scripRef passage="Ge 17:19" id="Gen.xxiii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.19"><i>ch.</i> xvii.
19</scripRef>. Not "Send for Ishmael back, and offer him;" no, it
must be Isaac. "But, Lord, I love Isaac, he is to me as my own
soul. Ishmael is not, and wilt thou take Isaac also? All this is
against me:" Yea, (4.) That son <i>whom thou lovest.</i> It was a
trial of Abraham's love to God, and therefore it must be in a
beloved son, and that string must be touched most upon: in the
Hebrew it is expressed more emphatically, and, I think, might very
well be read thus: <i>Take now that son of thine, that only one of
thine, whom thou lovest, that Isaac.</i> God's command must
overrule all these considerations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p8">2. The place: <i>In the land of Moriah,</i>
three days' journey off; so that he might have time to consider it,
and, if he did it, must do it deliberately, that it might be a
service the more reasonable and the more honourable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p9">3. The manner: <i>Offer him for a
burnt-offering.</i> He must not only kill his son, but kill him as
a sacrifice, kill him devoutly, kill him by rule, kill him with all
that pomp and ceremony, with all that sedateness and composure of
mind, with which he used to offer his burnt-offerings.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 22:3-10" id="Gen.xxiii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|22|3|22|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.3-Gen.22.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.22.3-Gen.22.10">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiii-p9.2">Abraham's Obedience. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p9.3">b. c.</span> 1872.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiii-p10">3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac
his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up,
and went unto the place of which God had told him. &#160; 4 Then on
the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar
off. &#160; 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here
with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and
come again to you. &#160; 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt
offering, and laid <i>it</i> upon Isaac his son; and he took the
fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
&#160; 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My
father: and he said, Here <i>am</i> I, my son. And he said, Behold
the fire and the wood: but where <i>is</i> the lamb for a burnt
offering? &#160; 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide
himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them
together. &#160; 9 And they came to the place which God had told
him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in
order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the
wood. &#160; 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the
knife to slay his son.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p11">We have here Abraham's obedience to this
severe command. <i>Being tried, he offered up Isaac,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 11:17" id="Gen.xxiii-p11.1" parsed="|Heb|11|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.17">Heb. xi. 17</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p12">I. The difficulties which he broke through
in this act of obedience. Much might have been objected against it;
as, 1. It seemed directly against an antecedent law of God, which
forbids murder, under a severe penalty, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:5,6" id="Gen.xxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|9|5|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.5-Gen.9.6"><i>ch.</i> ix. 5, 6</scripRef>. Now can the unchangeable
God contradict himself? He that hates robbery for burnt-offering
(<scripRef passage="Isa 61:8" id="Gen.xxiii-p12.2" parsed="|Isa|61|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.8">Isa. lxi. 8</scripRef>) cannot
delight in murder for it. 2. How would it consist with natural
affection to his own son? It would be not only murder, but the
worst of murders. Cannot Abraham be obedient but he must be
unnatural? If God insist upon a human sacrifice, is there none but
Isaac to be the offering, and none but Abraham to be the offerer?
Must the father of the faithful be the monster of all fathers? 3.
God gave him no reason for it. When Ishmael was to be cast out, a
just cause was assigned, which satisfied Abraham; but here Isaac
must die, and Abraham must kill him, and neither the one nor the
other must know why or wherefore. If Isaac had been to die a martyr
for the truth, or his life had been the ransom of some other life
more precious, it would have been another matter; of if he had died
as a criminal, a rebel against God or his parents, as in the case
of the idolater (<scripRef passage="De 13:8,9" id="Gen.xxiii-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|13|8|13|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.8-Deut.13.9">Deut. xiii. 8,
9</scripRef>), or the stubborn son (<scripRef passage="Deut 21:18,19" id="Deut.xxiii-p12.4" parsed="|Deut|21|18|21|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.18-Deut.21.19">Deut. xxi. 18, 19</scripRef>), it might have passed
as a sacrifice to justice. But the case is not so: he is dutiful,
obedient, hopeful, son. "Lord, what profit is there in his blood?"
4. How would this consist with the promise? Was it not said that in
<i>Isaac shall thy seed be called?</i> But what comes of that seed,
if this pregnant bud be broken off so soon? 5. How should he ever
look Sarah in the face again? With what face can he return to her
and his family with the blood of Isaac sprinkled on his garments
and staining all his raiment? "<i>Surely a bloody husband hast thou
been to me</i>" would Sarah say (as <scripRef passage="Ex 4:25,26" id="Gen.xxiii-p12.5" parsed="|Exod|4|25|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.25-Exod.4.26">Exod. iv. 25, 26</scripRef>), and it would be likely
to alienate her affections for ever both from him and from his God.
6. What would the Egyptians say, and the Canaanites and the
Perizzites who dwelt then in the land? It would be an eternal
reproach to Abraham, and to his altars. "Welcome nature, if this be
grace." These and many similar objection might have been made; but
he was infallibly assured
<pb n="138" id="Gen.xxiii-Page_138"/>
that it was indeed
a command of God and not a delusion, and this was sufficient to
answer them all. Note, God's commands must not be disputed, but
obeyed; we must not consult with flesh and blood about them
(<scripRef passage="Ga 1:15,16" id="Gen.xxiii-p12.6" parsed="|Gal|1|15|1|16" osisRef="Bible:Gal.1.15-Gal.1.16">Gal. i. 15, 16</scripRef>), but
with a gracious obstinacy persist in our obedience to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p13">II. The several steps of obedience, all
which help to magnify it, and to show that he was guided by
prudence, and governed by faith, in the whole transaction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p14">1. He rises early, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:3" id="Gen.xxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Probably the command was given in
the visions of the night, and early the next morning he set himself
about the execution of it&#8212;did not delay, did not demur, did not
take time to deliberate; for the command was peremptory, and would
not admit a debate. Note, those that do the will of God heartily
will do it speedily; while we delay, time is lost and the heart
hardened.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p15">2. He gets things ready for a sacrifice,
and, as if he himself had been a Gibeonite, it should seem, with
his own hands he cleaves the wood for the burnt-offering, that it
might not be to seek when the sacrifice was to be offered.
Spiritual sacrifices must thus be prepared for.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p16">3. It is very probable that he said nothing
about it to Sarah. This is a journey which she must know nothing
of, lest she prevent it. There is so much in our own hearts to
hinder our progress in duty that we have need, as much as may be,
to keep out of the way of other hindrances.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p17">4. He carefully looked about him, to
discover the place appointed for this sacrifice, to which God had
promised by some sign to direct him. Probably the direction was
given by an appearance of the divine glory in the place, some
pillar of fire reaching from heaven to earth, visible at a
distance, and to which he pointed when he said (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:5" id="Gen.xxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), "We will go yonder, where you
see the light, and worship."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p18">5. He left his servants at some distance
off (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:5" id="Gen.xxiii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), lest they
should interpose, and create him some disturbance in his strange
oblation; for Isaac was, no doubt, the darling of the whole family.
Thus, when Christ was entering upon his agony in the garden, he
took only three of his disciples with him, and left the rest at the
garden door. Note, It is our wisdom and duty, when we are going to
worship God, to lay aside all those thoughts and cares which may
divert us from the service, leave them at the bottom of the hill,
that we may attend on the Lord without distraction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p19">6. He obliged Isaac to carry the wood (both
to try his obedience in a smaller matter first, and that he might
typify Christ, who carried his own cross, <scripRef passage="Joh 19:17" id="Gen.xxiii-p19.1" parsed="|John|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.19.17">John xix. 17</scripRef>), while he himself, though he
knew what he did, with a steady and undaunted resolution carried
the fatal knife and fire, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:6" id="Gen.xxiii-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. Note, Those that through grace are resolved upon the
substance of any service or suffering for God must overlook the
little circumstances which make it doubly difficult to flesh and
blood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p20">7. Without any ruffle or disorder, he talks
it over with Isaac, as if it had been but a common sacrifice that
he was going to offer, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:7,8" id="Gen.xxiii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|22|7|22|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.7-Gen.22.8"><i>v.</i> 7,
8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p21">(1.) It was a very affecting question that
Isaac asked him, as they were going together: <i>My father,</i>
said Isaac; it was a melting word, which, one would think, would
strike deeper into the breast of Abraham than his knife could into
the breast of Isaac. He might have said, or thought, at least,
"Call me not thy father who am now to be thy murderer; can a father
be so barbarous, so perfectly lost to all the tenderness of a
father?" Yet he keeps his temper, and keeps his countenance, to
admiration; he calmly waits for his son's question, and this is it:
<i>Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb?</i> See how
expert Isaac was in the law and custom of sacrifices. This it is to
be well-catechised: this is, [1.] A trying question to Abraham. How
could he endure to think that Isaac was himself the lamb? So it is,
but Abraham, as yet, dares not tell him so. Where God knows the
faith to be armour of proof, he will laugh at <i>the trial of the
innocent,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 9:23" id="Gen.xxiii-p21.1" parsed="|Job|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.9.23">Job ix. 23</scripRef>.
[2.] It is a teaching question to us all, that, when we are going
to worship God, we should seriously consider whether we have every
thing ready, especially the lamb for a burnt-offering. Behold, the
fire is ready, the Spirit's assistance and God's acceptance; the
wood is ready, the instituted ordinances designed to kindle our
affections (which indeed, without the Spirit, are but like wood
without fire, but the Spirit works by them); <i>all things are now
ready,</i> but where is the lamb? Where is the heart? Is that ready
to be offered up to God, to ascend to him as a burnt-offering?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p22">(2.) It was a very prudent answer which
Abraham gave him: <i>My son, God will provide himself a lamb.</i>
This was the language, either, [1.] Of his obedience. "We must
offer the lamb which God has appointed now to be offered;" thus
giving him this general rule of submission to the divine will, to
prepare him for the application of it to himself very quickly. Or,
[2.] Of his faith. Whether he meant it so or not, this proved to be
the meaning of it; a sacrifice was provided instead of Isaac. Thus,
<i>First,</i> Christ, the great sacrifice of atonement, was of
God's providing; when none in heaven or earth could have found a
lamb for that burnt-offering, God himself found the ransom,
<scripRef passage="Ps 89:20" id="Gen.xxiii-p22.1" parsed="|Ps|89|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.20">Ps. lxxxix. 20</scripRef>.
<i>Secondly,</i> All our sacrifices of acknowledgment are of God's
providing too. It is he that prepares the heart, <scripRef passage="Ps 10:17" id="Gen.xxiii-p22.2" parsed="|Ps|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.10.17">Ps. x. 17</scripRef>. The broken and contrite spirit is
a sacrifice of God (<scripRef passage="Ps 51:17" id="Gen.xxiii-p22.3" parsed="|Ps|51|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.17">Ps. li.
17</scripRef>), of his providing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p23">8. With the same resolution and
composedness of mind, after many thoughts of heart, he applies
himself to the completing
<pb n="139" id="Gen.xxiii-Page_139"/>
of this sacrifice,
<scripRef passage="Ge 22:9,10" id="Gen.xxiii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|22|9|22|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.9-Gen.22.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. He goes
on with a holy wilfulness, after many a weary step, and with a
heavy heart he arrives at length at the fatal place, builds the
altar (an altar of earth, we may suppose, the saddest that ever he
built, and he had built many a one), lays the wood in order for his
Isaac's funeral pile, and now tells him the amazing news: "Isaac,
thou art the lamb which God has provided." Isaac, for aught that
appears, is as willing as Abraham; we do not find that he raised
any objection against it, that he petitioned for his life, that he
attempted to make his escape, much less that he struggled with his
aged father, or made any resistance: Abraham does it, God will have
it done, and Isaac has learnt to submit to both, Abraham no doubt
comforting him with the same hopes with which he himself by faith
was comforted. Yet it is necessary that a sacrifice be bound. The
great sacrifice, which in the fullness of time was to be offered
up, must be bound, and therefore so must Isaac. But with what heart
could tender Abraham tie those guiltless hands, which perhaps had
often been lifted up to ask his blessing, and stretched out to
embrace him, and were now the more straitly bound with the cords of
love and duty! However, it must be done. Having bound him, he lays
him upon the altar, and his hand upon the head of his sacrifice;
and now, we may suppose, with floods of tears, he gives, and takes,
the final farewell of a parting kiss: perhaps he takes another for
Sarah from her dying son. This being done, he resolutely forgets
the bowels of a father, and puts on the awful gravity of a
sacrificer. With a fixed heart, and an eye lifted up to heaven, he
takes the knife, and stretches out his hand to give a fatal cut to
Isaac's throat. Be astonished, O heavens! at this; and wonder, O
earth! Here is an act of faith and obedience, which deserves to be
a spectacle to God, angels, and men. Abraham's darling, Sarah's
laughter, the church's hope, the heir of promise, lies ready to
bleed and die by his own father's hand, who never shrinks at the
doing of it. Now this obedience of Abraham in offering up Isaac is
a lively representation, (1.) Of the love of God to us, in
delivering up his only-begotten Son to suffer and die for us, as a
sacrifice. It <i>pleased the Lord</i> himself to <i>bruise him.</i>
See <scripRef passage="Isa 53:10,Zec 13:7" id="Gen.xxiii-p23.2" parsed="|Isa|53|10|0|0;|Zech|13|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.10 Bible:Zech.13.7">Isa. liii. 10; Zech.
xiii. 7</scripRef>. Abraham was obliged, both in duty and
gratitude, to part with Isaac, and parted with him to a friend; but
God was under no obligations to us, for we were enemies. (2.) Of
our duty to God, in return for that love. We must tread in the
steps of this faith of Abraham. God, by his word, calls us to part
with all for Christ,&#8212;all our sins, though they have been as a
right hand, or a right eye, or an Isaac&#8212;all those things that are
competitors and rivals with Christ for the sovereignty of the heart
(<scripRef passage="Lu 14:26" id="Gen.xxiii-p23.3" parsed="|Luke|14|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.14.26">Luke xiv. 26</scripRef>); and we must
cheerfully let them all go. God, by his providence, which is truly
the voice of God, calls us to part with an Isaac sometimes, and we
must do it with a cheerful resignation and submission to his holy
will, <scripRef passage="1Sa 3:18" id="Gen.xxiii-p23.4" parsed="|1Sam|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.3.18">1 Sam. iii. 18</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 22:11-14" id="Gen.xxiii-p23.5" parsed="|Gen|22|11|22|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.11-Gen.22.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.22.11-Gen.22.14">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiii-p23.6">Isaac Rescued. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p23.7">b. c.</span> 1872.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiii-p24">11 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p24.1">Lord</span> called unto him out of heaven, and said,
Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here <i>am</i> I. &#160; 12 And he
said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing
unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
not withheld thy son, thine only <i>son</i> from me. &#160; 13 And
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind
<i>him</i> a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went
and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the
stead of his son. &#160; 14 And Abraham called the name of that
place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said <i>to</i> this day, In the mount
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p24.2">Lord</span> it shall be seen.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p25">Hitherto this story has been very
melancholy, and seemed to hasten towards a most tragical period;
but here the sky suddenly clears up, the sun breaks out, and a
bright and pleasant scene opens. The same hand that had wounded and
cast down here heals and lifts up; for, though he cause grief, he
will have compassion. <i>The angel of the Lord,</i> that is, God
himself, the eternal Word, the angel of the covenant, who was to be
the great Redeemer and comforter, he interposed, and gave a happy
issue to this trial.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p26">I. Isaac is rescued, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:11,12" id="Gen.xxiii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|22|11|22|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.11-Gen.22.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. The command to offer him
was intended only for trial, and it appearing, upon trial, that
Abraham did indeed love God better than he loved Isaac, the end of
the command was answered; and therefore the order is countermanded,
without any reflection at all upon the unchangeableness of the
divine counsels: <i>Lay not thy hand upon the lad.</i> Note, 1. Our
creature-comforts are
most likely to be continued to us when we are most willing to
resign them up to God's will. 2. God's time to help and relieve his
people is when they are brought to the greatest extremity. The more
imminent the danger is, and the nearer to be put in execution, the
more wonderful and the more welcome is the deliverance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p27">II. Abraham is not only approved, but
applauded. He obtains an honourable testimony that he is righteous:
<i>Now know I that thou fearest God.</i> God knew it before, but
now Abraham had given a most memorable evidence of it. He needed do
no more; what he had done was sufficient to prove the religious
regard he had to God and his authority. Note, 1. When God, by his
providence, hinders the performance of our sincere intentions in
his services, he graciously
<pb n="140" id="Gen.xxiii-Page_140"/>
accepts the will
for the deed, and the honest endeavour, though it come short of
finishing. 2. The best evidence of our fearing God is our being
willing of serve and honour him with that which is dearest to us,
and to part with all to him or for him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p28">III. Another sacrifice is provided instead
of Isaac, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:13" id="Gen.xxiii-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|22|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Now
that the altar was built, and the wood laid in order, it was
necessary that something should be offered. For, 1. God must be
acknowledged with thankfulness for the deliverance of Isaac; and
the sooner the better, when here is an altar ready. 2. Abraham's
words must be made good: <i>God will provide himself a lamb.</i>
God will not disappoint those expectations of his people which are
of his own raising; but according to their faith it is to them.
<i>Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established.</i> 3.
Reference must be had to the promised Messiah, the blessed seed.
(1.) Christ was sacrificed in our stead, as this ram instead of
Isaac, and his death was our discharge. "<i>Here am I</i> (said
he,) <i>let these go their way.</i>" (2.) Though that blessed seed
was lately promised, and now typified by Isaac, yet the offering of
him up should be suspended till the latter end of the world: and in
the meantime the sacrifice of beasts should be accepted, as this
ram was, as a pledge of that expiation which should one day be made
by that great sacrifice. And it is observable that the temple, the
place of sacrifice, was afterwards built upon this Mount Moriah
(<scripRef passage="2Ch 3:1" id="Gen.xxiii-p28.2" parsed="|2Chr|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.3.1">2 Chron. iii. 1</scripRef>); and mount
Calvary, where Christ was crucified, was not far off.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p29">IV. A new name is given to the place, to
the honour of God, and for the encouragement of all believers, to
the end of the world, cheerfully to trust in God in the way of
obedience: <i>Jehovah-jireh, The Lord will provide</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:14" id="Gen.xxiii-p29.1" parsed="|Gen|22|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), probably alluding to
what he had said (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:8" id="Gen.xxiii-p29.2" parsed="|Gen|22|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>), <i>God will provide himself a lamb.</i> It was not
owing to any contrivance of Abraham, nor was it in answer to his
prayer, though he was a distinguished intercessor; but it was
purely the Lord's doing. Let it be recorded for the generations to
come, 1. That <i>the Lord will see;</i> he will always have his eye
upon his people in their straits and distresses, that he may come
in with seasonable succour in the critical juncture. 2. That he
will <i>be seen,</i> be seen <i>in the mount,</i> in the greatest
perplexities of his people. He will not only manifest, but magnify,
his wisdom, power, and goodness, in their deliverance. Where God
sees and provides, he should be seen and praised. And, perhaps, it
may refer to <i>God manifest in the flesh.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 22:15-19" id="Gen.xxiii-p29.3" parsed="|Gen|22|15|22|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.15-Gen.22.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.22.15-Gen.22.19">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiii-p29.4">Abraham's Blessing
Confirmed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p29.5">b. c.</span> 1872.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiii-p30">15 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p30.1">Lord</span> called unto Abraham out of heaven the
second time, &#160; 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiii-p30.2">Lord</span>, for because thou hast done
this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only <i>son:</i>
&#160; 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I
will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand
which <i>is</i> upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the
gate of his enemies; &#160; 18 And in thy seed shall all the
nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
&#160; 19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up
and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at
Beer-sheba.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p31">Abraham's obedience was graciously
accepted; but this was not all: here we have it recompensed,
abundantly recompensed, before he stirred from the place; probably
while the ram he had sacrificed was yet burning God sent him this
gracious message, renewed and ratified his covenant with him. All
covenants were made by sacrifice, so was this by the typical
sacrifices of Isaac and the ram. Very high expressions of God's
favour to Abraham are employed in this confirmation of the covenant
with him, expressions exceeding any he had yet been blessed with.
Note, Extraordinary services shall be crowned with extraordinary
honours and comforts; and favours in the promise, though not yet
performed, ought to be accounted real and valuable recompences.
Observe, 1. God is pleased to make mention of Abraham's obedience
as the consideration of the covenant; and he speaks of it with an
encomium: <i>Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not
withheld thy son, thine only son,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 22:16" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|22|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. He lays a strong emphasis on
this, and (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:18" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.2" parsed="|Gen|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>)
praises it as an act of obedience: in it thou hast <i>obeyed my
voice,</i> and to obey is better than sacrifice. Not that this was
a proportionable consideration, but God graciously put this honour
upon that by which Abraham had honoured him. 2. God now confirmed
the promise with an oath. It was said and sealed before; but now it
is sworn: <i>By myself have I sworn;</i> for he could swear by no
greater, <scripRef passage="Heb 6:13" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.3" parsed="|Heb|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.13">Heb. vi. 13</scripRef>. Thus
he interposed himself by an oath, as the apostle expresses it,
<scripRef passage="Heb 6:17" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.4" parsed="|Heb|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.17">Heb. vi. 17</scripRef>. He did (to
speak with reverence) even pawn his own life and being upon it
(<i>As I live,</i>) that by all those immutable things, in which it
was impossible for God to lie, he and his might have strong
consolation. Note, If we exercise faith, God will encourage it.
Improve the promises, and God will ratify them. 3. The particular
promise here renewed is that of a numerous offspring:
<i>Multiplying, I will multiply thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 22:17" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.5" parsed="|Gen|22|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Note, Those that are willing to
part with any thing for God shall have it made up to them with
unspeakable advantage. Abraham has but one son, and is willing to
part
<pb n="141" id="Gen.xxiii-Page_141"/>
with that one, in obedience to God.
"Well," said God, "thou shalt be recompensed with thousands and
millions." What a figure does the seed of Abraham make in history!
How numerous, how illustrious, were his known descendants, who, to
this day, triumph in this, that they have Abraham to their father!
Thus he received a thousand-fold in this life, <scripRef passage="Mt 19:29" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.6" parsed="|Matt|19|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.29">Matt. xix. 29</scripRef>. 4. The promise, doubtless,
points at the Messiah, and the grace of the gospel. This is the
oath sworn to our father Abraham, which Zacharias refers to,
<scripRef passage="Lu 1:73-75" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.7" parsed="|Luke|1|73|1|75" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.73-Luke.1.75">Luke i. 73</scripRef>, &amp;c. And
so here is a promise, (1.) Of the great blessing of the Spirit:
<i>In blessing, I will bless thee,</i> namely, with that best of
blessings the gift of the Holy Ghost; the promise of the Spirit was
that blessing of Abraham which was to come upon the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:14" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.8" parsed="|Gal|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.14">Gal. iii.
14</scripRef>. (2.) Of the increase of the church, that believers,
his spiritual seed, should be numerous as the stars of heaven. (3.)
Of spiritual victories: <i>Thy seed shall possess the gate of his
enemies.</i> Believers, by their faith, overcome the world, and
triumph over all the powers of darkness, and are more than
conquerors. Probably Zacharias refers to this part of the oath
(<scripRef passage="Lu 1:74" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.9" parsed="|Luke|1|74|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.74">Luke i. 74</scripRef>), <i>That we,
being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him
without fear.</i> But the crown of all is the last promise. (4.) Of
the incarnation of Christ: <i>In thy seed,</i> one particular
person that shall descend from thee (for he speaks not of many, but
of one, as the apostle observes, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:16" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.10" parsed="|Gal|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.16">Gal.
iii. 16</scripRef>), <i>shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed,</i> or shall <i>bless themselves,</i> as the phrase is,
<scripRef passage="Isa 65:16" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.11" parsed="|Isa|65|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.16">Isa. lxv. 16</scripRef>. In him all
may be happy if they will, and all that belong to him shall be so,
and shall think themselves so. Christ is the great blessing of the
world. Abraham was ready to give up his son for a sacrifice to the
honour of God, and, on that occasion, God promised to give his Son
a sacrifice for the salvation of man.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 22:20-24" id="Gen.xxiii-p31.12" parsed="|Gen|22|20|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.20-Gen.22.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.22.20-Gen.22.24">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiii-p32">20 And it came to pass after these things, that
it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born
children unto thy brother Nahor; &#160; 21 Huz his first born, and
Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, &#160; 22 And
Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. &#160; 23
And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor,
Abraham's brother. &#160; 24 And his concubine, whose name
<i>was</i> Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and
Maachah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiii-p33">This is recorded here, 1. To show that
though Abraham saw his own family highly dignified with peculiar
privileges, admitted into covenant, and blessed with the entail of
the promise, yet he did not look with contempt and disdain upon his
relations, but was glad to hear of the increase and prosperity of
their families. 2. To make way for the following story of the
marriage of Isaac to Rebekah, a daughter of this family.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIII" n="xxiv" progress="16.78%" prev="Gen.xxiii" next="Gen.xxv" id="Gen.xxiv">
<pb n="141" id="Gen.xxiv-Page_141"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxiv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxiv-p1">Here is, I. Abraham a mourner for the death of
Sarah, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:1,2" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|23|1|23|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.1-Gen.23.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II.
Abraham a purchaser of a burying-place for Sarah. 1. The purchase
humbly proposed by Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:3,4" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|23|3|23|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.3-Gen.23.4">ver. 3,
4</scripRef>. 2. Fairly treated of, and agreed to, with a great
deal of mutual civility and respect, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:5-16" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|23|5|23|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.5-Gen.23.16">ver. 5-16</scripRef>. 3. The purchase-money paid,
<scripRef passage="Ge 23:16" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.16">ver. 16</scripRef>. 4. The premises
conveyed and secured to Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:17,18,20" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|23|17|23|18;|Gen|23|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.17-Gen.23.18 Bible:Gen.23.20">ver. 17, 18, 20</scripRef>. 5. Sarah's funeral,
<scripRef passage="Ge 23:19" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|23|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.19">ver. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 23" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 23:1-2" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|23|1|23|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.1-Gen.23.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.23.1-Gen.23.2">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiv-p1.9">The Death of Sarah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiv-p2">1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty
years old: <i>these were</i> the years of the life of Sarah. &#160;
2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same <i>is</i> Hebron in the
land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep
for her.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p3">We have here, 1. Sarah's age, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:1" id="Gen.xxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|23|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Almost forty years
before, she had called herself old, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:12" id="Gen.xxiv-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.12"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 12</scripRef>. Old people will die
never the sooner, but may die the better, for reckoning themselves
old. 2. Her death, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:2" id="Gen.xxiv-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|23|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. The longest liver must die at last. Abraham and Sarah
had lived comfortably together many years; but death parts those
whom nothing else could part. The special friends and favourites of
Heaven are not exempted from the stroke of death. She died in the
land of Canaan, where she had been above sixty years a sojourner.
3. Abraham's mourning for her; and he was a true mourner. He did
not only perform the ceremonies of mourning according to the custom
of those time, as the mourners that go about the streets, but he
did sincerely lament the great loss he had of a good wife, and gave
proof of the constancy of his affection to her to the last. Two
words are used: he came both to <i>mourn</i> and to <i>weep.</i>
His sorrow was not counterfeit, but real. He came to her tent, and
sat down by the corpse, there to pay the tribute of his tears, that
his eye might affect his heart, and that he might pay the greater
respect to the memory of her that was gone. Note, It is not only
lawful, but it is a duty, to lament the death of our near
relations, both in compliance with the providence of God, who thus
calls to weeping and mourning, and in honour to those to whom
honour is due. Tears are a tribute due to our deceased friends.
When a body is sown, it must be watered. But we must not sorrow as
those that have no hope; for we have a good hope through grace both
concerning them and concerning ourselves.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 23:3-15" id="Gen.xxiv-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|23|3|23|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.3-Gen.23.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.23.3-Gen.23.15">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiv-p3.5">The Cave of Machpelah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiv-p3.6">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiv-p4">3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and
spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, &#160; 4 I <i>am</i> a
stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a
buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
&#160; 5 And the children of Heth
<pb n="142" id="Gen.xxiv-Page_142"/>
answered
Abraham, saying unto him, &#160; 6 Hear us, my lord: thou
<i>art</i> a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our
sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his
sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. &#160; 7 And Abraham
stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, <i>even</i>
to the children of Heth. &#160; 8 And he communed with them,
saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my
sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
&#160; 9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath,
which <i>is</i> in the end of his field; for as much money as it is
worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace
amongst you. &#160; 10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth:
and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the
children of Heth, <i>even</i> of all that went in at the gate of
his city, saying, &#160; 11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I
thee, and the cave that <i>is</i> therein, I give it thee; in the
presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
&#160; 12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the
land. &#160; 13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the
people of the land, saying, But if thou <i>wilt give it,</i> I pray
thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take <i>it</i>
of me, and I will bury my dead there. &#160; 14 And Ephron answered
Abraham, saying unto him, &#160; 15 My lord, hearken unto me: the
land <i>is worth</i> four hundred shekels of silver; what <i>is</i>
that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p5">Here is, I. The humble request which
Abraham made to his neighbours, the Hittites, for a burying-place
among them, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:3,4" id="Gen.xxiv-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|23|3|23|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.3-Gen.23.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>. It was strange he had this to do now; but we are to
impute it rather to God's providence than to his improvidence, as
appears <scripRef passage="Ac 7:5" id="Gen.xxiv-p5.2" parsed="|Acts|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.5">Acts vi. 5</scripRef>, where it
is said, <i>God gave him no inheritance in Canaan.</i> It were well
if all those who take care to provide burying-places for their
bodies after death were as careful to provide a resting-place for
their souls. Observe here, 1. The convenient diversion which this
affair gave, for the present, to Abraham's grief: He <i>stood up
from before his dead.</i> Those that find themselves in danger of
over-grieving for their dead relations, and are entering into that
temptation, must take heed of poring upon their loss and sitting
alone and melancholy. There must be a time of standing up from
before their dead, and ceasing to mourn. For, thanks be to God, our
happiness is not bound up in the life of any creature. Care of the
funeral may, as here, be improved to divert grief for the death at
first, when it is most in danger of tyrannizing. Weeping must not
hinder sowing. 2. The argument he used with the children of Heth,
which was this: "<i>I am a stranger and a sojourner with you,</i>
therefore I am unprovided, and must become a humble suitor to you
for a burying-place." This was one occasion which Abraham took to
confess that he was a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth; he was not
ashamed to own it thus publicly, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:13" id="Gen.xxiv-p5.3" parsed="|Heb|11|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.13">Heb.
xi. 13</scripRef>. Note, The death of our relations should
effectually remind us that we are not at home in this world. When
they are gone, say, "We are going." 3. His uneasiness till this
affair was settled, intimated in that word, <i>that I may bury my
dead out of my sight.</i> Note, Death will make those unpleasant to
our sight who while they lived were the desire of our eyes. The
countenance that was fresh and lively becomes pale and ghastly, and
fit to be removed into the land of darkness. While she was in his
sight, it renewed his grief, which he would prevent.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p6">II. The generous offer which the children
of Heth made to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:5,6" id="Gen.xxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|23|5|23|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.5-Gen.23.6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>. They compliment him, 1. With a title of respect:
<i>Thou art a prince of God among us,</i> so the word is; not only
great, but good. He called himself a stranger and a sojourner; they
call him a great prince; for those that humble themselves shall be
exalted. God had promised to make Abraham's name great. 2. With a
tender of the best of their burying-places. Note, Even the light of
nature teaches us to be civil and respectful towards all, though
they be strangers and sojourners. The noble generosity of these
Canaanites shames and condemns the closeness, and selfishness, and
ill-humour, of many that call themselves Israelites. Observe, These
Canaanites would be glad to mingle their dust with Abraham's and to
have their last end like his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p7">III. The particular proposal which Abraham
made to them, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:7-9" id="Gen.xxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|23|7|23|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.7-Gen.23.9"><i>v.</i>
7-9</scripRef>. He returns them his thanks for their kind offer
with all possible decency and respect; though a great man, an old
man, and now a mourner, yet he stands up, and bows himself humbly
before them, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:7" id="Gen.xxiv-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>.
Note, Religion teaches good manners; and those abuse it that place
it in rudeness and clownishness. He then pitches upon the place he
thinks most convenient, namely, the cave of Machpelah, which
probably lay near him, and had not yet been used for a
burying-place. The
<pb n="143" id="Gen.xxiv-Page_143"/>
present owner was
<i>Ephron.</i> Abraham cannot pretend to any interest in him, but
he desires that they would improve theirs with him to get the
purchase of that cave, and the field in which it was. Note, A
moderate desire to obtain that which is convenient for us, by fair
and honest means, is not such a coveting of that which is our
neighbour's as is forbidden in the tenth commandment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p8">IV. The present which Ephron made to
Abraham of his field: <i>The field give I thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 23:10,11" id="Gen.xxiv-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|23|10|23|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.10-Gen.23.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. Abraham thought
he must be entreated to sell it; but, upon the first mention of it,
without entreaty, Ephron freely gives it. Some men have more
generosity than they are thought to have. Abraham, no doubt, had
taken all occasions to oblige his neighbours, and do them any
service that lay in his power; and now they return his kindness:
for <i>he that watereth shall be watered also himself.</i> Note, If
those that profess religion adorn their profession by eminent
civility and serviceableness to all, they shall find it will
rebound to their own comfort and advantage, as well as to the glory
of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p9">V. Abraham's modest and sincere refusal of
Ephron's kind offer, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:12,13" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|23|12|23|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.12-Gen.23.13"><i>v.</i> 12,
13</scripRef>. Abundance of thanks he returns him for it (<scripRef passage="Ge 23:12" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|23|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), makes his obeisance to
him before the people of the land, that they might respect Ephron
the more for the respect they saw Abraham give him (<scripRef passage="1Sa 15:30" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.3" parsed="|1Sam|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.30">1 Sam. xv. 30</scripRef>), but resolves to give
him money for the field, even the full value of it. It was not in
pride that Abraham refused the gift, or because he scorned to be
beholden to Ephron; but, 1. In justice. Abraham was rich in silver
and gold (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:2" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.4" parsed="|Gen|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.2"><i>ch.</i> xiii.
2</scripRef>) and was able to pay for the field, and therefore
would not take advantage of Ephron's generosity. Note, Honesty, as
well as honour, forbids us to sponge upon our neighbours and to
impose upon those that are free. Job reflected upon it with
comfort, when he was poor, that he had not <i>eaten the fruits of
his land without money,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:39" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.5" parsed="|Job|31|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.39">Job xxxi.
39</scripRef>. 2. In prudence. He would pay for it lest Ephron,
when this good humour was over, should upbraid him with it, and
say, <i>I have made Abraham rich</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:23" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.6" parsed="|Gen|14|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.23"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 23</scripRef>), or lest the next heir
should question Abraham's title (because that grant was made
without any consideration), and claim back the field. Thus David
afterwards refused Araunah's offer, <scripRef passage="2Sa 24:24" id="Gen.xxiv-p9.7" parsed="|2Sam|24|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.24">2
Sam. xxiv. 24</scripRef>. We know not what affronts we may
hereafter receive from those that are now most kind and
generous.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p10">VI. The price of the land fixed by Ephron
but not insisted on: <i>The land is worth four hundred shekels of
silver</i> (about fifty pounds of our money), <i>but what is that
between me and thee?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 23:14,15" id="Gen.xxiv-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|23|14|23|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.14-Gen.23.15"><i>v.</i>
14, 15</scripRef>. He would rather oblige his friend than have so
much money in his pocket. Herein Ephron discovers, 1. A great
contempt of worldly wealth. "What is that between me and thee? It
is a small matter, not worth speaking of." Many a one would have
said, "It is a deal of money; it will go far in a child's portion."
But Ephron says, "What is that?" Note, It is an excellent thing for
people to have low and mean thoughts of all the wealth of this
world; it is that which is not, and in the abundance of which a
man's life does not consist, <scripRef passage="Lu 12:15" id="Gen.xxiv-p10.2" parsed="|Luke|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.15">Luke xii.
15</scripRef>. 2. Great courtesy, and obligingness to his friend
and neighbour. Ephron was not jealous of Abraham as a resident
foreigner, nor envious at him as a man likely to thrive and grow
rich. He bore him no ill-will for his singularity in religion, but
was much kinder to him than most people now-a-days are to their own
brothers: <i>What is that between me and thee?</i> Note, No little
thing should occasion demurs and differences between true friends.
When we are tempted to be hot in resenting affronts, high in
demanding our rights, or hard in denying a kindness, we should
answer the temptation with this question: "What is that between me
and my friend?"</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 23:16-20" id="Gen.xxiv-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|23|16|23|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.16-Gen.23.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.23.16-Gen.23.20">
<h4 id="Gen.xxiv-p10.4">Sarah's Funeral. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxiv-p10.5">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxiv-p11">16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and
Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the
audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver,
current <i>money</i> with the merchant. &#160; 17 And the field of
Ephron, which <i>was</i> in Machpelah, which <i>was</i> before
Mamre, the field, and the cave which <i>was</i> therein, and all
the trees that <i>were</i> in the field, that <i>were</i> in all
the borders round about, were made sure &#160; 18 Unto Abraham for
a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all
that went in at the gate of his city. &#160; 19 And after this,
Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah
before Mamre: the same <i>is</i> Hebron in the land of Canaan.
&#160; 20 And the field, and the cave that <i>is</i> therein, were
made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the
sons of Heth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxiv-p12">We have here the conclusion of the treaty
between Abraham and Ephron about the burying-place. The bargain was
publicly made before all the neighbours, <i>in the presence and
audience of the sons of Heth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 23:16,17" id="Gen.xxiv-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|23|16|23|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.16-Gen.23.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. Note, Prudence, as well
as justice, directs us to be fair, and open, and above-board, in
our dealings. Fraudulent contracts hate the light, and choose to be
clandestine; but those that design honestly in their bargains care
not who are witnesses to them. Our law countenances sales made in
market-overt, and by deed enrolled. Observe, 1. Abraham, without
fraud, covin, or further delay, pays
<pb n="144" id="Gen.xxiv-Page_144"/>
the
money, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:16" id="Gen.xxiv-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. He
pays it readily, without hesitation,&#8212;pays it in full, without
diminution,&#8212;and pays it by weight, current money with the
merchant, without deceit. See how anciently money was used for the
help of commerce; and see how honestly money should be paid where
it is due. Observe, Though all the land of Canaan was Abraham's by
promise, yet, the time of his possessing not having come, what he
had now occasion for he bought and paid for. Note, Dominion is not
founded in grace. The saints' title to an eternal inheritance does
not entitle them to the possessions of this world, nor justify them
in doing wrong. 2. Ephron honestly and fairly makes him a good
title to the land, <scripRef passage="Ge 23:17,18,20" id="Gen.xxiv-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|23|17|23|18;|Gen|23|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.17-Gen.23.18 Bible:Gen.23.20"><i>v.</i> 17,
18, 20</scripRef>. The field, with all its appurtenances, is
conveyed to Abraham and his heirs for ever, in open court, not by
writing (it does not appear that writing was then used), but by
such a public solemn declaration before witnesses as was sufficient
to pass it. Note, As that which is bought must be honestly paid
for, so that which is sold must be honestly delivered and secured.
3. Abraham, thereupon, takes possession, and buries Sarah in the
cave or vault (whether framed by nature or art is not certain)
which was in the purchased field. It is probable that Abraham had
buried servants out of his family since he came to Canaan, but the
graves of the common people (<scripRef passage="2Ki 23:6" id="Gen.xxiv-p12.4" parsed="|2Kgs|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.23.6">2 Kings
xxiii. 6</scripRef>) might suffice for them; now that Sarah was
dead a peculiar place must be found for her remains. It is worth
noting, (1.) That a burying-place was the first spot of ground
Abraham possessed in Canaan. Note, When we are entering into the
world it is good to think of our going out of it; for, as soon as
we are born, we begin to die. (2.) That it was the only piece of
land he ever possessed, though the country was all his own in
reversion. Those that have least of this earth find a grave in it.
Abraham provided, not cities, as Cain and Nimrod, but a sepulchre,
[1.] To be a constant memorandum of death to himself and his
posterity, that he and they might learn to die daily. This
sepulchre is said to be <i>at the end of the field</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 23:9" id="Gen.xxiv-p12.5" parsed="|Gen|23|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>); for, whatever our
possessions are, there is a sepulchre at the end of them. [2.] To
be a token of his belief and expectation of the resurrection; for
why should such care be taken of the body if it be thrown away for
ever, and must not rise again? Abraham, in this, said plainly that
he sought a better country, that is, a heavenly. Abraham is content
to be still flitting, while he lives, but secures a place where,
when he dies his flesh may rest in hope.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIV" n="xxv" progress="17.10%" prev="Gen.xxiv" next="Gen.xxvi" id="Gen.xxv">
<pb n="144" id="Gen.xxv-Page_144"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxv-p1">Marriages and funerals are the changes of
families, and the common news among the inhabitants of the
villages. In the foregoing chapter we had Abraham burying his wife,
here we have him marrying his son. These stories concerning his
family, with their minute circumstances, are largely related, while
the histories of the kingdoms of the world then in being, with
their revolutions, are buried in silence; for the Lord knows those
that are his. The subjoining of Isaac's marriage to Sarah's funeral
(with a particular reference to it, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:67" id="Gen.xxv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|24|67|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.67">ver. 67</scripRef>) shows us that as "one generation
passes away another generation comes;" and thus the entail both of
the human nature, and of the covenant, is preserved. Here is, I.
Abraham's care about the marrying of his son, and the charge he
gave to his servant about it, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:1-9" id="Gen.xxv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|24|1|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.1-Gen.24.9">ver.
1-9</scripRef>. II. His servant's journey into Abraham's country,
to seek a wife for his young master among his own relations,
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:10-14" id="Gen.xxv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|24|10|24|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.10-Gen.24.14">ver. 10-14</scripRef>. III. The
kind providence which brought him acquainted with Rebekah, whose
father was Isaac's cousin-german, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:15-28" id="Gen.xxv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|24|15|24|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.15-Gen.24.28">ver. 15-28</scripRef>. IV. The treaty of marriage
with her relations, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:29-49" id="Gen.xxv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|24|29|24|49" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.29-Gen.24.49">ver.
29-49</scripRef>. V. Their consent obtained, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:50-60" id="Gen.xxv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|24|50|24|60" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.50-Gen.24.60">ver. 50-60</scripRef>. VI. The happy meeting and
marriage between Isaac and Rebekah, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:61-67" id="Gen.xxv-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|24|61|24|67" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.61-Gen.24.67">ver. 61</scripRef>, &amp;c.).</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 24" id="Gen.xxv-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 24:1-9" id="Gen.xxv-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|24|1|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.1-Gen.24.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.24.1-Gen.24.9">
<h4 id="Gen.xxv-p1.10">Abraham's Charges to His
Servant. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxv-p2">1 And Abraham was old, <i>and</i> well stricken
in age: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span> had blessed
Abraham in all things. &#160; 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest
servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray
thee, thy hand under my thigh: &#160; 3 And I will make thee swear
by the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span>, the God of heaven, and
the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son
of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: &#160; 4
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a
wife unto my son Isaac. &#160; 5 And the servant said unto him,
Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this
land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence
thou camest? &#160; 6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that
thou bring not my son thither again. &#160; 7 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p2.3">Lord</span> God of heaven, which took me from my
father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake
unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give
this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take
a wife unto my son from thence. &#160; 8 And if the woman will not
be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my
oath: only bring not my son thither again. &#160; 9 And the servant
put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to
him concerning that matter.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p3">Three things we may observe here concerning
Abraham:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p4">I. The care he took of a good son, to get
him married, well married. It was high time to think of it now, for
Isaac was about forty years old, and it had been customary with his
ancestors to marry at thirty, or sooner, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:14,18,22,24" id="Gen.xxv-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|11|14|0|0;|Gen|11|18|0|0;|Gen|11|22|0|0;|Gen|11|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.14 Bible:Gen.11.18 Bible:Gen.11.22 Bible:Gen.11.24"><i>ch.</i> xi. 14, 18, 22, 24</scripRef>.
Abraham believed the promise of the building up of his family, and
therefore did not make haste; not more haste than good speed. Two
considerations moved him to think of it now (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:1" id="Gen.xxv-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>):&#8212;1. That he himself was likely
to leave the world quickly, for he was <i>old, and well-stricken in
age,</i> and it would be a satisfaction to him to see his son
settled before he died; and, 2. That he
<pb n="145" id="Gen.xxv-Page_145"/>
had
a good estate to leave behind him, for <i>the Lord had blessed him
in all things;</i> and the blessing of the Lord makes rich. See how
much religion and piety befriend outward prosperity. Now Abraham's
pious care concerning his son was, (1.) That he should not marry a
daughter of Canaan, but one of his kindred. He saw that the
Canaanites were degenerating into great wickedness, and knew by
revelation that they were designed for ruin, and therefore he would
not marry his son among them, lest they should be either a snare to
his soul, or at least a blot to his name. (2.) That yet he should
not leave the land of Canaan, to go himself among his kindred, not
even for the purpose of choosing a wife, lest he should be tempted
to settle there. This caution is given <scripRef passage="Ge 24:6" id="Gen.xxv-p4.3" parsed="|Gen|24|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>, and repeated, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:8" id="Gen.xxv-p4.4" parsed="|Gen|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. "<i>Bring not my son thither
again,</i> whatever comes of it. Let him rather want a wife than
expose himself to that temptation." Note, Parents in disposing of
their children, should carefully consult the welfare of their
souls, and their furtherance in the way to heaven. Those who
through grace have escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust, and have brought up their children accordingly,
should take heed of doing any thing by which they may be again
entangled therein and overcome, <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:20" id="Gen.xxv-p4.5" parsed="|2Pet|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.20">2 Pet.
ii. 20</scripRef>. Beware that you bring them not thither again,
<scripRef passage="Heb 11:15" id="Gen.xxv-p4.6" parsed="|Heb|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.15">Heb. xi. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p5">II. The charge he gave to a good servant,
probably Eliezer of Damascus, one of whose conduct, fidelity, and
affection to him and his family, he had had long experience. He
trusted him with this great affair, and not Isaac himself, because
he would not have Isaac go at all into that country, but marry
there by proxy; and no proxy so fit as this <i>steward of his
house.</i> This matter is settled between the master and the
servant with a great deal of care and solemnity. 1. The servant
must be bound by an oath to do his utmost to get a wife for Isaac
from among his relations, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:2-4" id="Gen.xxv-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|24|2|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.2-Gen.24.4"><i>v.</i>
2-4</scripRef>. Abraham swears him to it, both for his own
satisfaction and for the engagement of his servant to all possible
care and diligence in this matter. Thus God swears his servants to
their work, that, having sworn, they may perform it. Honour is here
done to the eternal God; for he it is that is sworn by, to whom
alone these appeals ought to be made. And some think honour is done
to the covenant of circumcision by the ceremony here used of
<i>putting his hand under his thigh.</i> Note, Swearing being an
ordinance not peculiar to the church, but common to mankind, is to
be performed by such signs as are the appointments and common
usages of our country, for binding the person sworn. 2. He must be
clear of this oath if, when he had done his utmost, he could not
prevail. This proviso the servant prudently inserted (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:5" id="Gen.xxv-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), putting the case that
the woman would not follow him; and Abraham allowed the exception,
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:8" id="Gen.xxv-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Note, Oaths are
to be taken with great caution, and the matter sworn to should be
rightly understood and limited, because it is a <i>snare to devour
that which is holy, and, after vows, to make the enquiry</i> which
should have been made before.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p6">III. The confidence he put in a good God,
who, he doubts not, will give his servant success in this
undertaking, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:7" id="Gen.xxv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. He
remembers that God had wonderfully brought him out of the land of
his nativity, by the effectual call of his grace; and therefore
doubts not but he will succeed him in his care not to bring his son
thither again. He remembers also the promise God had made and
confirmed to him that he would give Canaan to his seed, and thence
infers that God would own him in his endeavours to match his son,
not among those devoted nations, but to one that was fit to be the
mother of such a seed. "Fear not therefore; he shall send his angel
before thee to make thy way prosperous." Note, 1. Those that
carefully keep in the way of duty, and govern themselves by the
principles of their religion in their designs and undertakings,
have good reason to expect prosperity and success in them. God will
cause that to issue in our comfort in which we sincerely aim at his
glory. 2. God's promises, and our own experiences, are sufficient
to encourage our dependence upon God, and our expectations from
him, in all the affairs of this life. 3. God's angels are
ministering spirits, sent forth, not only for the protection, but
for the guidance, of the heirs of promise, <scripRef passage="Heb 1:14" id="Gen.xxv-p6.2" parsed="|Heb|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.14">Heb. i. 14</scripRef>. "<i>He shall send his angel
before thee,</i> and then thou wilt speed well."</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 24:10-28" id="Gen.xxv-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|24|10|24|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.10-Gen.24.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.24.10-Gen.24.28">
<h4 id="Gen.xxv-p6.4">Journey of Abraham's
Servant. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p6.5">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxv-p7">10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels
of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master
<i>were</i> in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia,
unto the city of Nahor. &#160; 11 And he made his camels to kneel
down without the city by a well of water at the time of the
evening, <i>even</i> the time that women go out to draw
<i>water.</i> &#160; 12 And he said, O <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p7.1">Lord</span> God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send
me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.
&#160; 13 Behold, I stand <i>here</i> by the well of water; and the
daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: &#160; 14
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let
down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say,
Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: <i>let the same
be</i> she <i>that</i> thou hast appointed for thy servant
<pb n="146" id="Gen.xxv-Page_146"/>
Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast
showed kindness unto my master. &#160; 15 And it came to pass,
before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who
was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's
brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. &#160; 16 And the
damsel <i>was</i> very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any
man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her
pitcher, and came up. &#160; 17 And the servant ran to meet her,
and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
&#160; 18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let
down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. &#160; 19 And
when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw
<i>water</i> for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
&#160; 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough,
and ran again unto the well to draw <i>water,</i> and drew for all
his camels. &#160; 21 And the man wondering at her held his peace,
to wit whether the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p7.2">Lord</span> had made his
journey prosperous or not. &#160; 22 And it came to pass, as the
camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of
half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten
<i>shekels</i> weight of gold; &#160; 23 And said, Whose daughter
<i>art</i> thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room <i>in</i> thy
father's house for us to lodge in? &#160; 24 And she said unto him,
I <i>am</i> the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she
bare unto Nahor. &#160; 25 She said moreover unto him, We have both
straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. &#160; 26 And the
man bowed down his head, and worshipped the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p7.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 27 And he said, Blessed <i>be</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p7.4">Lord</span> God of my master Abraham,
who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I
<i>being</i> in the way, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p7.5">Lord</span>
led me to the house of my master's brethren. &#160; 28 And the
damsel ran, and told <i>them of</i> her mother's house these
things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p8">Abraham's servant now begins to make a
figure in this story; and, though he is not named, yet much is here
recorded to his honour, and for an example to all servants, who
shall be honoured if, by faithfully serving God and their masters,
they adorn the doctrine of Christ (compare <scripRef passage="Pr 27:18,Tit 2:10" id="Gen.xxv-p8.1" parsed="|Prov|27|18|0|0;|Titus|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.18 Bible:Titus.2.10">Prov. xxvii. 18 with Titus ii. 10</scripRef>);
for there is no respect of persons with God, <scripRef passage="Col 3:24,25" id="Gen.xxv-p8.2" parsed="|Col|3|24|3|25" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.24-Col.3.25">Col. iii. 24, 25</scripRef>. A good servant that
makes conscience of the duty of his place, and does it in the fear
of God, though he make not a figure in the world nor have praise of
men, yet shall be owned and accepted of God and have praise of him.
Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p9">I. How faithful Abraham's servant approved
himself to his master. Having received his charge, he with all
expedition set out on his journey, with an equipage suitable to the
object of his negotiation (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:10" id="Gen.xxv-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|24|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), <i>and he had all the goods of his master,</i> that
is, a schedule or particular account of them, <i>in his hand,</i>
to show to those with whom he was to treat; for, from first to
last, he consulted his master's honour. Isaac being a type of
Christ, some make this fetching of a wife for him to signify the
espousing of the church by the agency of his servants the
ministers. The church is the bride, the Lamb's wife, <scripRef passage="Re 21:9" id="Gen.xxv-p9.2" parsed="|Rev|21|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.21.9">Rev. xxi. 9</scripRef>. Christ is the bridegroom,
and ministers are the friends of the bridegroom (<scripRef passage="Joh 3:29" id="Gen.xxv-p9.3" parsed="|John|3|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.29">John iii. 29</scripRef>), whose work it is to persuade
souls to consent to him, <scripRef passage="2Co 11:2" id="Gen.xxv-p9.4" parsed="|2Cor|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.11.2">2 Cor. xi.
2</scripRef>. The spouse of Christ must not be of the Canaanites,
but of his own kindred, born again from above. Ministers, like
Abraham's servant, must lay out themselves with the utmost wisdom
and care to serve their master's interest herein.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p10">II. How devoutly he acknowledged God in
this affair, like one of that happy household which Abraham had
<i>commanded to keep the way of the Lord,</i> &amp;c., <scripRef passage="Ge 18:19" id="Gen.xxv-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.19"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 19</scripRef>. He arrived
early in the evening (after many days' journeying) at the place of
his destination, and reposed himself by a well of water, to
consider how he might manage his business for the best. And,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p11">1. He acknowledges God by a particular
prayer (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:12-14" id="Gen.xxv-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|24|12|24|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.12-Gen.24.14"><i>v.</i>
12-14</scripRef>), wherein, (1.) He petitions for prosperity and
good success in this affair: <i>Send me good speed, this day.</i>
Note, We have leave to be particular in recommending our affairs to
the conduct and care of the divine Providence. Those that would
have good speed must pray for it. <i>This day, in this affair;</i>
thus we must, in all our ways, acknowledge God, <scripRef passage="Pr 3:6" id="Gen.xxv-p11.2" parsed="|Prov|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.6">Prov. iii. 6</scripRef>. And, if we thus look up to God in
every undertaking which we are in care about, we shall have the
comfort of having done our duty, whatever the issue be. (2.) He
pleads God's covenant with his master Abraham: <i>O God of my
master Abraham, show kindness to him.</i> Note, As the children of
good parents, so the servants of good masters, have peculiar
encouragement in the prayers they offer to God for prosperity and
success. (3.) He proposes a sign (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:14" id="Gen.xxv-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), not by it to limit God, nor
with a design to proceed no further if he were not gratified in it;
but it is a prayer, [1.] That God would provide a good wife for his
young
<pb n="147" id="Gen.xxv-Page_147"/>
master, and this was a good prayer. He
knew that <i>a prudent wife is from the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 19:14" id="Gen.xxv-p11.4" parsed="|Prov|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.19.14">Prov. xix. 14</scripRef>), and therefore that
for this he will be enquired of. He desires that his master's wife
might be humble and industrious woman, bred up to care and labour,
and willing to put her hand to any work that was to be done; and
that she might be of a courteous disposition, and charitable to
strangers. When he came to seek a wife for his master, he did not
go to the playhouse or the park, and pray that he might meet one
there, but to <i>the well of water,</i> expecting to find one there
well employed. [2.] That he would please to make his way, in this
matter, plain and clear before him, by the concurrence of minute
circumstances in his favour. Note, <i>First,</i> It is the comfort,
as well as the belief, of a good man, that God's providence extends
itself to the smallest occurrences and admirably serves its own
purposes by them. Our times are in God's hand; not only events
themselves, but the times of them. <i>Secondly,</i> It is our
wisdom, in all our affairs, to follow Providence, and folly to
force it. <i>Thirdly,</i> It is very desirable, and that which we
may lawfully pray for, while in the general we set God's will
before us as our rule, that he will, by hints of providence, direct
us in the way of our duty, and give us indications what his mind
it. Thus he guides his people with his eye (<scripRef passage="Ps 32:8" id="Gen.xxv-p11.5" parsed="|Ps|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.8">Ps. xxxii. 8</scripRef>), and leads them in a plain path,
<scripRef passage="Ps 27:11" id="Gen.xxv-p11.6" parsed="|Ps|27|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.11">Ps. xxvii. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p12">2. God owns him by a particular providence.
He decreed the thing, and it was established to him, <scripRef passage="Job 22:28" id="Gen.xxv-p12.1" parsed="|Job|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.22.28">Job xxii. 28</scripRef>. According to his
faith, so was it unto him. The answer to this prayer was, (1.)
Speedy&#8212;<i>before he had made an end of speaking</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:15" id="Gen.xxv-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), as it is written
(<scripRef passage="Isa 65:24" id="Gen.xxv-p12.3" parsed="|Isa|65|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.24">Isa. lxv. 24</scripRef>), <i>While
they are yet speaking, I will hear.</i> Though we are backward to
pray, God is forward to hear prayer. (2.) Satisfactory: the first
that came to draw water was, and did, in every thing, according to
his own heart. [1.] She was so well qualified that in all respects
she answered the characters he wished for in the woman that was to
be his master's wife, handsome and healthful, humble and
industrious, very courteous and obliging to a stranger, and having
all the marks of a good disposition. When she came to the well
(<scripRef passage="Ge 24:16" id="Gen.xxv-p12.4" parsed="|Gen|24|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), she went
down and <i>filled her pitcher, and came up</i> to go home with it.
She did not stand to gaze upon the strange man and his camels, but
minded her business, and would not have been diverted from it but
by an opportunity of doing good. She did not curiously nor
confidently enter into discourse with him, but modestly answered
him, with all the decorum that became her sex. What a degenerate
age do we live in, in which appear all the instances of pride,
luxury, and laziness, the reverse of Rebekah's character, whose
daughters few are! Those instances of goodness which were then in
honour are now in contempt. [2.] Providence so ordered it that she
did that which exactly answered to his sign, and was wonderfully
the counterpart of his proposal: she not only gave him drink, but,
which was more than could have been expected, she offered her
services to give his camels drink, which was the very sign he
proposed. Note, <i>First,</i> God, in his providence, does
sometimes wonderfully own the prayer of faith, and gratify the
innocent desires of his praying people, even in little things, that
he may show the extent of his care, and may encourage them at all
times to seek to him and trust in him; yet we must take heed of
being over-bold in prescribing to God, lest the event should weaken
our faith rather than strengthen it. <i>Secondly,</i> It is good to
take all opportunities of showing a humble, courteous, charitable,
disposition, because, some time or other, it may turn more to our
honour and benefit than we think of; some hereby have entertained
angels, and Rebekah hereby, quite beyond her expectation at this
time, was brought into the line of Christ and the covenant.
<i>Thirdly,</i> There may be a great deal of obliging kindness in
that which costs but little: our Saviour has promised a reward for
a cup of cold water, <scripRef passage="Mt 10:42" id="Gen.xxv-p12.5" parsed="|Matt|10|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.42">Matt. x.
42</scripRef>. <i>Fourthly,</i> The concurrence of providences and
their minute circumstances, for the furtherance of our success in
any business, ought to be particularly observed, with wonder and
thankfulness, to the glory of God: <i>The man wondered,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:21" id="Gen.xxv-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|24|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. We have been
wanting to ourselves, both in duty and in comfort, by neglecting to
observe Providence. [3.] Upon enquiry he found, to his great
satisfaction, that she was a near relation to his master, and that
the family she was of was considerable, and able to give him
entertainment, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:23-25" id="Gen.xxv-p12.7" parsed="|Gen|24|23|24|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.23-Gen.24.25"><i>v.</i>
23-25</scripRef>. Note, Providence sometimes wonderfully directs
those that by faith and prayer seek direction from heaven in the
choice of suitable yoke-fellows: happy marriages those are likely
to be that are made in the fear of God; and these, we are sure, are
made in heaven.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p13">3. He acknowledges God in a particular
thanksgiving. He first paid his respects to Rebekah, in gratitude
for her civility (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:22" id="Gen.xxv-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|24|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), obliging her with such ornaments and attire as a
maid, especially a bride, cannot forget (<scripRef passage="Jer 2:32" id="Gen.xxv-p13.2" parsed="|Jer|2|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.32">Jer. ii. 32</scripRef>), which yet, we should think, ill
suited the <i>pitcher of water;</i> but the ear-rings and bracelets
she sometimes wore did not make her think herself above the labours
of a virtuous woman (<scripRef passage="Pr 31:13" id="Gen.xxv-p13.3" parsed="|Prov|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.13">Prov. xxxi.
13</scripRef>), who <i>works willingly with her hands;</i> nor the
services of a child, who, while <i>under age, differs nothing from
a servant,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 4:1" id="Gen.xxv-p13.4" parsed="|Gal|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.1">Gal. iv. 1</scripRef>.
Having done this, he turns his wonder (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:21" id="Gen.xxv-p13.5" parsed="|Gen|24|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>) into worshipping: <i>Blessed be
the Lord God of my master Abraham,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:26,27" id="Gen.xxv-p13.6" parsed="|Gen|24|26|24|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.26-Gen.24.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) He
had prayed for good speed (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:12" id="Gen.xxv-p13.7" parsed="|Gen|24|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), and now that he had sped well he gives thanks.
Note, What we win by prayer we must wear with praise; for mercies
in answer to prayer lay us under particular obligations.
<pb n="148" id="Gen.xxv-Page_148"/>
(2.) He had as yet but a comfortable prospect of
mercy, and was not certain what the issue might prove; yet he gives
thanks. Note, When God's favours are coming towards us we must meet
them with our praises. (3.) He blesses God for success when he was
negotiating for his master. Note, We should be thankful for our
friend's mercies as for our own. (4.) He gives thanks that, being
in the way, at a loss what course to steer, the Lord had led him.
Note, In doubtful cases, it is very comfortable to see God leading
us, as he led Israel in the wilderness by the pillar of cloud and
fire. (5.) He thinks himself very happy, and owns God in it, that
he was led to the <i>house of his master's brethren,</i> those of
them that had come out of Ur of the Chaldees, though they had not
come to Canaan, but remained in Haran. They were not idolaters, but
worshippers of the true God, and inclinable to the religion of
Abraham's family. Note, God is to be acknowledged in providing
suitable yoke-fellows, especially such as are agreeable in
religion. (6.) He acknowledges that God, herein, had not left his
master <i>destitute of his mercy and truth.</i> God had promised to
build up Abraham's family, yet it seemed destitute of the benefit
of that promise; but now Providence is working towards the
accomplishing of it. Note, [1.] God's faithful ones, how destitute
soever they may be of worldly comforts, shall never be left
destitute of God's mercy and truth; for God's mercy is an
inexhaustible fountain, and his truth an inviolable foundation.
[2.] It adds much to the comfort of any blessing to see in it the
continuance of God's mercy and truth.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 24:29-53" id="Gen.xxv-p13.8" parsed="|Gen|24|29|24|53" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.29-Gen.24.53"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.24.29-Gen.24.53">
<h4 id="Gen.xxv-p13.9">Abraham's Servant Entertained by Laban;
Errand of Abraham's Servant. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p13.10">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxv-p14">29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name
<i>was</i> Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
&#160; 30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and
bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of
Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he
came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
&#160; 31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.1">Lord</span>; wherefore standest thou without? for I
have prepared the house, and room for the camels. &#160; 32 And the
man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw
and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the
men's feet that <i>were</i> with him. &#160; 33 And there was set
<i>meat</i> before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I
have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. &#160; 34 And he
said, I <i>am</i> Abraham's servant. &#160; 35 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.2">Lord</span> hath blessed my master greatly; and he is
become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver,
and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
&#160; 36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when
she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath. &#160; 37
And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to
my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
&#160; 38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my
kindred, and take a wife unto my son. &#160; 39 And I said unto my
master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me. &#160; 40 And he
said unto me, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.3">Lord</span>, before whom
I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and
thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's
house: &#160; 41 Then shalt thou be clear from <i>this</i> my oath,
when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee
<i>one,</i> thou shalt be clear from my oath. &#160; 42 And I came
this day unto the well, and said, <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.4">O
Lord</span> God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way
which I go: &#160; 43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it
shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw
<i>water,</i> and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little
water of thy pitcher to drink; &#160; 44 And she say to me, Both
drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: <i>let</i> the
same <i>be</i> the woman whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.5">Lord</span> hath appointed out for my master's son.
&#160; 45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold,
Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went
down unto the well, and drew <i>water</i>: and I said unto her, Let
me drink, I pray thee. &#160; 46 And she made haste, and let down
her pitcher from her <i>shoulder,</i> and said, Drink, and I will
give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels
drink also. &#160; 47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter
<i>art</i> thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's
son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her
face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
<pb n="149" id="Gen.xxv-Page_149"/>
&#160; 48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.6">Lord</span>, and blessed the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.7">Lord</span> God of my master Abraham, which had led me
in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his
son. &#160; 49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my
master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right
hand, or to the left. &#160; 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and
said, The thing proceedeth from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.8">Lord</span>: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
&#160; 51 Behold, Rebekah <i>is</i> before thee, take <i>her,</i>
and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.9">Lord</span> hath spoken. &#160; 52 And it came to pass,
that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p14.10">Lord</span>, <i>bowing himself</i> to the
earth. &#160; 53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver,
and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave <i>them</i> to Rebekah:
he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p15">We have here the making up of the marriage
between Isaac and Rebekah. It is related very largely and
particularly, even to the minute circumstances, which, we should
think, might have been spared, while other things of great moment
and mystery (as the story of Melchizedek) are related in few words.
Thus God conceals that which is curious from the wise and prudent,
reveals to babes that which is common and level to their capacity
(<scripRef passage="Mt 11:25" id="Gen.xxv-p15.1" parsed="|Matt|11|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.11.25">Matt. xi. 25</scripRef>), and rules
and <i>saves the world by the foolishness of preaching,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 1:21" id="Gen.xxv-p15.2" parsed="|1Cor|1|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.1.21">1 Cor. i. 21</scripRef>. Thus also we
are directed to take notice of God's providence in the little
common occurrences of human life, and in them also to exercise our
own prudence and other graces; for the scripture was not intended
for the use of philosophers and statesmen only, but to make us all
wise and virtuous in the conduct of ourselves and families. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p16">I. The very kind reception given to
Abraham's servant by Rebekah's relations. Her brother Laban went to
invite and conduct him in, but not till he saw the <i>ear-rings and
the bracelets upon his sister's hands,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:30" id="Gen.xxv-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|24|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. "O," thinks Laban, "here is a
man that there is something to be got by, a man that is rich and
generous; we will be sure to bid him welcome!" We know so much of
Laban's character, by the following story, as to think that he
would not have been so free of his entertainment if he had not
hoped to be well paid for it, as he was, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:53" id="Gen.xxv-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|24|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.53"><i>v.</i> 53</scripRef>. Note, <i>A man's gift maketh
room for him</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 18:16" id="Gen.xxv-p16.3" parsed="|Prov|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.18.16">Prov. xviii.
16</scripRef>), <i>which way soever it turneth, it prospereth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 17:8" id="Gen.xxv-p16.4" parsed="|Prov|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.8">Prov. xvii. 8</scripRef>. 1. The
invitation was kind: <i>Come in, thou blessed of the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:31" id="Gen.xxv-p16.5" parsed="|Gen|24|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. They saw he
was rich, and therefore pronounced him <i>blessed of the Lord;</i>
or, perhaps, because they heard from Rebekah (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:28" id="Gen.xxv-p16.6" parsed="|Gen|24|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>) of the gracious words which
proceeded out of his mouth, they concluded him a good man, and
therefore <i>blessed of the Lord.</i> Note, Those that are blessed
of God should be welcome to us. It is good owning those whom God
owns. 2. The entertainment was kind, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:32,33" id="Gen.xxv-p16.7" parsed="|Gen|24|32|24|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.32-Gen.24.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. Both the house and
stable were well furnished, and Abraham's servant was invited to
the free use of both. Particular care was taken of the camels; for
a <i>good man regardeth the life of his beast,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 12:10" id="Gen.xxv-p16.8" parsed="|Prov|12|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.12.10">Prov. xii. 10</scripRef>. If the ox knows his
owner to serve him, the owner should know his ox to provide for him
that which is fitting for him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p17">II. The full account which he gave them of
his errand, and the court he made to them for their consent
respecting Rebekah. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p18">1. How intent he was upon his business;
though he had come off a journey, and come to a good house, he
would <i>not eat, till he had told his errand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:33" id="Gen.xxv-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|24|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Note, The doing of our
work, and the fulfilling of our trusts, either for God or man,
should be preferred by us before our necessary food: it was our
Saviour's meat and drink, <scripRef passage="Joh 4:34" id="Gen.xxv-p18.2" parsed="|John|4|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.4.34">John iv.
34</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p19">2. How ingenious he was in the management
of it; he approved himself, in this matter, both a prudent man and
a man of integrity, faithful to his master by whom he was trusted,
and just to those with whom he now treated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p20">(1.) He gives a short account of the state
of his master's family, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:34-36" id="Gen.xxv-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|24|34|24|36" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.34-Gen.24.36"><i>v.</i>
34-36</scripRef>. He was welcome before, but we may suppose him
doubly welcome when he said, <i>I am Abraham's servant.</i>
Abraham's name, no doubt, was well known among them and respected,
and we might suppose them not altogether ignorant of his state, for
Abraham knew theirs, <scripRef passage="Ge 22:20-24" id="Gen.xxv-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|22|20|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.20-Gen.22.24"><i>ch.</i>
xxii. 20-24</scripRef>. Two things he suggests, to recommend his
proposal:&#8212;[1.] That his master Abraham, through the blessing of
God, had a very good estate; and, [2.] That he had settled it all
upon Isaac, for whom he was now a suitor.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p21">(2.) He tells them the charge his master
had given him, to fetch a wife for his son from among his kindred,
with the reason of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:37,38" id="Gen.xxv-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|24|37|24|38" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.37-Gen.24.38"><i>v.</i>
37, 38</scripRef>. Thus he insinuates a pleasing hint, that, though
Abraham had removed to a country at so great a distance, yet he
still retained the remembrance of his relations that he had left
behind, and a respect for them. The highest degrees of divine
affection must not divest us of natural affection. He likewise
obviates an objection, That, if Isaac were deserving, he needed not
send so far off for a wife: why did he not marry nearer home? "For
a good reason," says he; "my master's son must not match with a
Canaanite." He further recommends his
<pb n="150" id="Gen.xxv-Page_150"/>
proposal, [1.] From the faith his master had that it would succeed,
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:40" id="Gen.xxv-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|24|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>. Abraham took
encouragement from the testimony of his conscience that he
<i>walked before God</i> in a regular course of holy living, and
thence inferred that God would prosper him; probably he refers to
that covenant which God had made with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:1" id="Gen.xxv-p21.3" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 1</scripRef>), <i>I am God,
all-sufficient, walk before me.</i> Therefore, says he <i>the God
before whom I walk will send his angel.</i> Note, While we make
conscience of our part of the covenant, we may take the comfort of
God's part of it; and we should learn to apply general promises of
particular cases, as there is occasion. [2.] From the care he
himself had taken to preserve their liberty of giving or refusing
their consent, as they should see cause, without incurring the
guilt of perjury (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:39-41" id="Gen.xxv-p21.4" parsed="|Gen|24|39|24|41" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.39-Gen.24.41"><i>v.</i>
39-41</scripRef>), which showed him, in general, to be a cautious
man, and particularly careful that their consent might not be
forced, but be either free or not at all.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p22">(3.) He relates to them the wonderful
concurrence of providences, to countenance and further the
proposal, plainly showing the finger of God in it. [1.] He tells
them how he had prayed for direction by a sign, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:42-44" id="Gen.xxv-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|24|42|24|44" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.42-Gen.24.44"><i>v.</i> 42-44</scripRef>. Note, It is good dealing
with those who by prayer take God along with them in their
dealings. [2.] How God had answered his prayer in the very letter
of it. Though he did but <i>speak in his heart</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:45" id="Gen.xxv-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|24|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>), which perhaps he
mentions, lest it should be suspected that Rebekah had overheard
his prayer and designedly humoured it. "No," says he, "I spoke
<i>it in my heart,</i> so that none heard it but God, to whom
thought are word, and from him the answer came," <scripRef passage="Ge 24:46,47" id="Gen.xxv-p22.3" parsed="|Gen|24|46|24|47" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.46-Gen.24.47"><i>v.</i> 46, 47</scripRef>. [3.] How he had
immediately acknowledged God's goodness to him therein, <i>leading
him,</i> as he here expresses it, <i>in the right way.</i> Note,
God's way is always the <i>right way</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 107:7" id="Gen.xxv-p22.4" parsed="|Ps|107|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.7">Ps. cvii. 7</scripRef>), and those are well led whom he
leads.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p23">(4.) He fairly refers the matter to their
consideration, and waits their decision (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:49" id="Gen.xxv-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|24|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>): "<i>If you will deal kindly
and truly with my master,</i> well and good: if you will be
sincerely kind, you will accept the proposal, and I have what I
came for; if not, do not hold me in suspense." Note, Those who deal
fairly have reason to expect fair dealing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p24">(5.) They freely and cheerfully close with
the proposal upon a very good principle (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:50" id="Gen.xxv-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|24|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.50"><i>v.</i> 50</scripRef>): "<i>The thing proceedeth from
the Lord,</i> Providence smiles upon it, and we have nothing to say
against it." They do not object distance of place, Abraham's
forsaking them, or his having no land in possession, but personal
estate only: they do not question the truth of what this man said;
but, [1.] They trust much to his integrity. It were well if honesty
did so universally prevail among men that it might be as much an
act of prudence as it is of good nature to take a man's word. [2.]
They trust more to God's providence, and therefore by silence give
consent, because it appears to be directed and disposed by Infinite
Wisdom. Note, A marriage is then likely to be comfortable when it
appears to proceed from the Lord.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p25">(6.) Abraham's servant makes a thankful
acknowledgment of the good success he had met with, [1.] To God:
<i>He worshipped the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:52" id="Gen.xxv-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|24|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.52"><i>v.</i> 52</scripRef>. Observe, <i>First,</i> As his
good success went on, he went on to bless God. Those that <i>pray
without ceasing</i> should <i>in every thing give thanks,</i> and
own God in every step of mercy. <i>Secondly,</i> God sent his angel
before him, and so gave him success, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:7,40" id="Gen.xxv-p25.2" parsed="|Gen|24|7|0|0;|Gen|24|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.7 Bible:Gen.24.40"><i>v.</i> 7, 40</scripRef>. But when he has the
desired success, he worships God, not the angel. Whatever benefit
we have by the ministration of angels, all the glory must be given
to the Lord of the angels, <scripRef passage="Re 22:9" id="Gen.xxv-p25.3" parsed="|Rev|22|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.9">Rev. xxii.
9</scripRef>. [2.] He pays his respects to the family also, and
particularly to the bride, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:53" id="Gen.xxv-p25.4" parsed="|Gen|24|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.53"><i>v.</i>
53</scripRef>. He presented her, and her mother, and brother, with
many precious things, both to give a real proof of his master's
riches and generosity and in gratitude for their civility to him,
and further to ingratiate himself with them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 24:54-61" id="Gen.xxv-p25.5" parsed="|Gen|24|54|24|61" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.54-Gen.24.61"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.24.54-Gen.24.61">
<h4 id="Gen.xxv-p25.6">Rebekah's Departure. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p25.7">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxv-p26">54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men
that <i>were</i> with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up
in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master. &#160; 55
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us
<i>a few</i> days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
&#160; 56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p26.1">Lord</span> hath prospered my way; send me away
that I may go to my master. &#160; 57 And they said, We will call
the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. &#160; 58 And they called
Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she
said, I will go. &#160; 59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister,
and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. &#160; 60 And
they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou <i>art</i> our
sister, be thou <i>the mother</i> of thousands of millions, and let
thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. &#160; 61 And
Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and
followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his
way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p27">Rebekah is here taking leave of her
father's house; and 1. Abraham's servant presses for a dismission.
Though he and his company were very welcome, and very cheerful
there, yet he said, <i>Send me away</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:54" id="Gen.xxv-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|24|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.54"><i>v.</i> 54</scripRef>), and again, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:56" id="Gen.xxv-p27.2" parsed="|Gen|24|56|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.56"><i>v.</i> 56</scripRef>. He knew his master would expect
him home with some impatience; he had business to do at home which
wanted him,
<pb n="151" id="Gen.xxv-Page_151"/>
and therefore, as one that
preferred his work before his pleasure, he was for hastening home.
Note, Lingering and loitering no way become a wise and good man;
when we have despatched our business abroad we must not delay our
return to our business at home, nor be longer from it than needs
must; for as a bird that <i>wanders from her nest so is he that
wanders from his place,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 27:8" id="Gen.xxv-p27.3" parsed="|Prov|27|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.8">Prov.
xxvii. 8</scripRef>. 2. Rebekah's relations, from natural affection
and according to the usual expression of kindness in that case,
solicit for her stay some time among them, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:55" id="Gen.xxv-p27.4" parsed="|Gen|24|55|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.55"><i>v.</i> 55</scripRef>. They could not think of parting
with her on a sudden, especially as she was about the remove so far
off and it was not likely that they would ever see one another
again: <i>Let her stay a few days, at least ten,</i> which makes it
as reasonable a request as the reading in the margin seems to make
it unreasonable, <i>a year,</i> or <i>at least ten months.</i> They
had consented to the marriage, and yet were loth to part with her.
Note, It is an instance of the vanity of this world that there is
nothing in it so agreeable but it has its alloy. <i>Nulla est
sincera voluptas&#8212;There is no unmingled pleasure.</i> They were
pleased that they had matched a daughter of their family so well,
and yet, when it came to the last, it was with great reluctance
that they sent her away. 3. Rebekah herself determined the matter.
To her they appealed, as it was fit they should (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:57" id="Gen.xxv-p27.5" parsed="|Gen|24|57|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.57"><i>v.</i> 57</scripRef>): <i>Call the damsel</i> (who
had retired to her apartment with a modest silence) and <i>enquire
at her mouth.</i> Note, As children ought not to marry without
their parents' consent, so parents ought not to marry them without
their own. Before the matter is resolved on, "Ask at the damsel's
mouth;" she is a party principally concerned, and therefore ought
to be principally consulted. Rebekah consented, not only to go, but
to go immediately: <i>I will go,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:58" id="Gen.xxv-p27.6" parsed="|Gen|24|58|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.58"><i>v.</i> 58</scripRef>. We may hope that the notice she
had taken of the servant's piety and devotion gave her such an idea
of the prevalence of religion and godliness in the family she was
to go to made her desirous to hasten thither, and willing to forget
her own people and her father's house, where religion had not so
much the ascendant. 4. Hereupon she is sent away with Abraham's
servant; not, we may suppose, the very next day after, but very
quickly: her friends see that she has a good heart on it, and so
they dismiss her, (1.) With suitable attendants&#8212;her <i>nurse</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 24:59" id="Gen.xxv-p27.7" parsed="|Gen|24|59|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.59"><i>v.</i> 59</scripRef>), her
<i>damsels,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:61" id="Gen.xxv-p27.8" parsed="|Gen|24|61|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.61"><i>v.</i>
61</scripRef>. It seems, then, that when she went to the well for
water it was not because she had not servants at command, but
because she took a pleasure in works of humble industry. Now that
she was going among strangers, it was fit she should take those
with her with whom she was acquainted. Here is nothing said of her
portion. Her personal merits were a portion in her, she needed none
with her, nor did that ever come into the treaty of marriage. (2.)
With hearty good wishes: <i>They blessed Rebekah,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:60" id="Gen.xxv-p27.9" parsed="|Gen|24|60|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.60"><i>v.</i> 60</scripRef>. Note, When our
relations are entering into a new condition, we ought by prayer to
recommend them to the blessing and grace of God. Now that she was
going to be a wife, they prayed that she might be a mother both of
a numerous and of a victorious progeny. Perhaps Abraham's servant
had told them of the promise God had lately made to his master,
which it is likely, Abraham acquainted his household with, that God
<i>would multiply his seed as the stars of heaven, and that they
should possess the gate of their enemies</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:17" id="Gen.xxv-p27.10" parsed="|Gen|22|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.17"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 17</scripRef>), to which promise they
had an eye in this blessing, <i>Be thou the mother</i> of that
seed.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 24:62-67" id="Gen.xxv-p27.11" parsed="|Gen|24|62|24|67" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.62-Gen.24.67"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.24.62-Gen.24.67">
<h4 id="Gen.xxv-p27.12">Isaac's Marriage. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxv-p27.13">b. c.</span> 1857.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxv-p28">62 And Isaac came from the way of the well
Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country. &#160; 63 And Isaac
went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up
his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels <i>were</i> coming.
&#160; 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac,
she lighted off the camel. &#160; 65 For she <i>had</i> said unto
the servant, What man <i>is</i> this that walketh in the field to
meet us? And the servant <i>had</i> said, It <i>is</i> my master:
therefore she took a veil, and covered herself. &#160; 66 And the
servant told Isaac all things that he had done. &#160; 67 And Isaac
brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she
became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after
his mother's <i>death.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p29">Isaac and Rebekah are, at length, happily
brought together. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p30">I. Isaac was well employed when he met
Rebekah: <i>He went out to meditate,</i> or pray, <i>in the field,
at the even-tide,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 24:62,63" id="Gen.xxv-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|24|62|24|63" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.62-Gen.24.63"><i>v.</i> 62,
63</scripRef>. Some think he expected the return of his servants
about this time, and went out on purpose to meet them. But, it
should seem, he went out on another errand, to take the advantage
of a silent evening and a solitary field for meditation and prayer,
those divine exercises by which we converse with God and our own
hearts. Note, 1. Holy souls love retirement. It will do us good to
be often left alone, walking alone and sitting alone; and, if we
have the art of improving solitude, we shall find we are never less
alone than when alone. 2. Meditation and prayer ought to be both
our business and our delight when we are alone; while we have a
God, a Christ, and a heaven, to acquaint ourselves with, and to
secure our interest in, we need not want matter either for
meditation or prayer, which, if they go together, will mutually
befriend each other. 3. Our walks in the field are then truly
pleasant when in them we apply ourselves to meditation and prayer.
We
<pb n="152" id="Gen.xxv-Page_152"/>
there have a free and open prospect of
the heavens above us and the earth around us, and the host and
riches of both, by the view of which we should be led to the
contemplation of the Maker and owner of all. 4. The exercises of
devotion should be the refreshment and entertainment of the
evening, to relieve us from the fatigue occasioned by the care and
business of the day, and to prepare us for the repose and sleep of
the night. 5. Merciful providences are then doubly comfortable when
they find us well employed and in the way of our duty. Some think
Isaac was now praying for good success in this affair that was
depending, and meditating upon that which was proper to encourage
his hope in God concerning it; and now, when he sets himself, as it
were, upon his watch-tower, to see what God would answer him, as
the prophet (<scripRef passage="Hab 2:1" id="Gen.xxv-p30.2" parsed="|Hab|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.1">Hab. ii. 1</scripRef>),
<i>he sees the camels coming.</i> Sometimes God sends in the mercy
prayed for immediately, <scripRef passage="Ac 12:12" id="Gen.xxv-p30.3" parsed="|Acts|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.12.12">Acts xii.
12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p31">II. Rebekah behaved herself very
becomingly, when she met Isaac: understanding who he was, she
<i>alighted off her camel</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:64" id="Gen.xxv-p31.1" parsed="|Gen|24|64|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.64"><i>v.</i> 64</scripRef>), and <i>took a veil, and
covered herself</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 24:65" id="Gen.xxv-p31.2" parsed="|Gen|24|65|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.65"><i>v.</i>
65</scripRef>), in token of humility, modesty, and subjection. She
did not reproach Isaac for not coming himself to fetch her, or, at
least, to meet her a day's journey or two, did not complain of the
tediousness of her journey, or the difficulty of leaving her
relations, to come into a strange place; but, having seen
Providence going before her in the affair, she accommodates herself
with cheerfulness to her new relation. Those that by faith are
espoused to Christ, and would be presented as chaste virgins to
him, must, in conformity to his example, humble themselves, as
Rebekah, who alighted when she saw Isaac on foot, and must put
themselves into subjection to him who is their head (<scripRef passage="Eph 5:24" id="Gen.xxv-p31.3" parsed="|Eph|5|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.24">Eph. v. 24</scripRef>), as Rebekah, signifying
it by the veil she put on, <scripRef passage="1Co 11:10" id="Gen.xxv-p31.4" parsed="|1Cor|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.10">1 Cor. xi.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxv-p32">III. They were brought together (probably
after some further acquaintance), to their mutual comfort,
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:67" id="Gen.xxv-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|24|67|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.67"><i>v.</i> 67</scripRef>. Observe here,
1. What an affectionate son he was to his mother: it was about
three years since her death, and yet he was not, till now,
comforted concerning it; the wound which that affliction gave to
his tender spirit bled so long, and was never healed till God
brought him into this new relation. Thus crosses and comforts are
balances to each other (<scripRef passage="Ec 7:14" id="Gen.xxv-p32.2" parsed="|Eccl|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.14">Eccl. vii.
14</scripRef>), and help to keep the scale even. 2. What an
affectionate husband he was to his wife. Note, Those that have
approved themselves well in one relation, it may be hoped, will do
so in another: <i>She became his wife, and he loved her;</i> there
was all the reason in the world why he should, for so <i>ought men
to love their wives even as themselves.</i> The duty of the
relation is then done, and the comfort of the relation is then
enjoyed, when mutual love governs; for <i>there the Lord commands
the blessing.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXV" n="xxvi" progress="17.99%" prev="Gen.xxv" next="Gen.xxvii" id="Gen.xxvi">
<pb n="152" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_152"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxvi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxvi-p1">The sacred historian, in this chapter, I. Takes
his leave of Abraham, with an account, 1. Of his children by
another wife, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:1-4" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|25|1|25|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.1-Gen.25.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. 2.
Of his last will and testament, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:5,6" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|25|5|25|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.5-Gen.25.6">ver.
5, 6</scripRef>. 3. Of his age, death, and burial, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:7-10" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|25|7|25|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.7-Gen.25.10">ver. 7-10</scripRef>. II. He takes his leave
of Ishmael, with a short account, 1. Of his children, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:12-16" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|25|12|25|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.12-Gen.25.16">ver. 12-16</scripRef>. 2. Of his age and
death, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:17,18" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|25|17|25|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.17-Gen.25.18">ver. 17, 18</scripRef>. III.
He enters upon the history of Isaac. 1. His prosperity, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:11" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|25|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.11">ver. 11</scripRef>. 2. The conception and birth
of his two sons, with the oracle of God concerning them, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:19-26" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|25|19|25|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.19-Gen.25.26">ver. 19-26</scripRef>. 3. Their different
characters, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:27,28" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|25|27|25|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.27-Gen.25.28">ver. 27, 28</scripRef>.
4. Esau's selling his birthright to Jacob, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:29-34" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|25|29|25|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.29-Gen.25.34">ver. 29-34</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 25" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 25:1-10" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|25|1|25|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.1-Gen.25.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.25.1-Gen.25.10">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvi-p1.12">Abraham's Death. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1822.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvi-p2">1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name
<i>was</i> Keturah. &#160; 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan,
and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. &#160; 3 And Jokshan
begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and
Letushim, and Leummim. &#160; 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and
Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these <i>were</i> the
children of Keturah. &#160; 5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto
Isaac. &#160; 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham
had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son,
while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. &#160; 7 And
these <i>are</i> the days of the years of Abraham's life which he
lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. &#160; 8 Then
Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man,
and full <i>of years</i>; and was gathered to his people. &#160; 9
And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah,
in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which
<i>is</i> before Mamre; &#160; 10 The field which Abraham purchased
of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his
wife.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p3">Abraham lived, after the marriage of Isaac,
thirty-five years, and all that is recorded concerning him during
the time lies here in a very few verses. We hear no more of God's
extraordinary appearances to him or trials of him; for all the
days, even of the best and greatest saints, are not eminent days,
some slide on silently, and neither come nor go with observation;
such were these last days of Abraham. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p4">I. An account of his children by Keturah,
another wife whom he married after the death of Sarah. He had
buried Sarah and married Isaac, the two dear companions of his
life, and was now solitary. He wanted a nurse, his family wanted a
governess, and it was not good for him to be thus alone. He
therefore marries Keturah, probably the chief of his maid-servants,
born in his house or bought with money. Marriage is not forbidden
to old age. By her he had six sons, in whom
<pb n="153" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_153"/>
the promise made to Abraham concerning the great increase of his
posterity was in part fulfilled, which, it is likely, he had an eye
to this marriage. The strength he received by the promise still
remained in him, to show how much the virtue of the promise exceeds
the power of nature.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p5">II. The disposition which Abraham made of
his estate, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:5,6" id="Gen.xxvi-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|25|5|25|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.5-Gen.25.6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>. After the birth of these sons, he set his house in
order, with prudence and justice. 1. He made Isaac his heir, as he
was bound to do, in justice to Sarah his first and principal wife,
and to Rebekah who married Isaac upon the assurance of it,
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:36" id="Gen.xxvi-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|24|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.36"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 36</scripRef>. In
this <i>all,</i> which he settled upon Isaac, are perhaps included
the promise of the land of Canaan, and the entail of the covenant.
Or, God having already made him the heir of the promise, Abraham
therefore made him heir of his estate. Our affection and gifts
should attend God's. 2. He gave portions to the rest of his
children, both to Ishmael, though at first he was sent empty away,
and to his sons by Keturah. It was justice to provide for them;
parents that do not imitate him in this are worse than infidels. It
was prudence to settle them in places distant from Isaac, that they
might not pretend to divide the inheritance with him, nor be in any
way a care or expense to him. Observe, He did this <i>while he yet
lived,</i> lest it should not be done, or not so well done,
afterwards. Note, In many cases it is wisdom for men to make their
own hands their executors, and what they find to do to do it while
they live, as far as they can. These <i>sons of the concubines</i>
were sent into the country that lay east from Canaan, and their
posterity were called <i>the children of the east,</i> famous for
their numbers, <scripRef passage="Jdg 6:5,33" id="Gen.xxvi-p5.3" parsed="|Judg|6|5|0|0;|Judg|6|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.5 Bible:Judg.6.33">Judg. vi. 5,
33</scripRef>. Their great increase was the fruit of the promise
made to Abraham, that God would multiply his seed. God, in
dispensing his blessings, does as Abraham did; common blessings he
gives to the children of this world, as to the sons of the
bond-woman, but covenant-blessings he reserves for the heirs of
promise. All that he has is theirs, for they are his Isaacs, from
whom the rest shall be for ever separated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p6">III. The age and death of Abraham,
<scripRef passage="Ge 25:7,8" id="Gen.xxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|25|7|25|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.7-Gen.25.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. He lived
175 years, just 100 years after he came to Canaan; so long he was a
sojourner in a strange country. Though he lived long and lived
well, though he did good and could ill be spared, yet he died at
last. Observe how his death is here described. 1. He <i>gave up the
ghost.</i> His life was not extorted from him, but he cheerfully
resigned it; into the hands of the Father of spirits he committed
his spirit. 2. He <i>died in a good old age, an old man;</i> so God
had promised him. His death was his discharge from the burdens of
his age: an old man would not <i>so</i> live always. It was also
the crown of the glory of his old age. 3. He was <i>full of
years,</i> or full of <i>life</i> (as it might be supplied),
including all the conveniences and comforts of life. He did not
live till the world was weary of him, but till he was weary of the
world; he had had enough of it, and desired no more. <i>Vixi
quantum satis est&#8212;I have lived long enough.</i> A good man, though
he should not die old, dies full of days, satisfied with living
here, and longing to live in a better place. 4. He <i>was gathered
to his people.</i> His body was gathered to the congregation of the
dead, and his soul to the congregation of the blessed. Note, Death
gathers us to our people. Those that are our people while we live,
whether the people of God or the children of this world, are the
people to whom death will gather us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p7">IV. His burial, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:9,10" id="Gen.xxvi-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|25|9|25|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.9-Gen.25.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. Here is nothing recorded
of the pomp or ceremony of his funeral; only we are told, 1. Who
buried him: <i>His sons Isaac and Ishmael.</i> It was the last
office of respect they had to pay to their good father. Some
distance there had formerly been between Isaac and Ishmael; but it
seems either that Abraham had himself brought them together while
he lived, or at least that his death reconciled them. 2. Where they
buried him: in his own burying-place, which he had purchased, and
in which he had buried Sarah. Note, Those that in life have been
very dear to each other may not only innocently, but laudably,
desire to be buried together, that in their deaths they may not be
divided, and in token of their hopes of rising together.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 25:11-18" id="Gen.xxvi-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|25|11|25|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.11-Gen.25.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.25.11-Gen.25.18">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvi-p7.3">Genealogy of Ishmael. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p7.4">b. c.</span> 1822.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvi-p8">11 And it came to pass after the death of
Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the
well Lahai-roi. &#160; 12 Now these <i>are</i> the generations of
Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid,
bare unto Abraham: &#160; 13 And these <i>are</i> the names of the
sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations:
the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and
Mibsam, &#160; 14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, &#160; 15
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: &#160; 16 These
<i>are</i> the sons of Ishmael, and these <i>are</i> their names,
by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to
their nations. &#160; 17 And these <i>are</i> the years of the life
of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up
the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people. &#160; 18 And
they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that <i>is</i> before Egypt, as
thou goest toward Assyria: <i>and</i> he died in the presence of
all his brethren.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p9">Immediately after the account of Abraham's
death, Moses begins the story of Isaac
<pb n="154" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_154"/>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 25:11" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|25|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), and tells
us where he dwelt and how remarkably God blessed him. Note, The
blessing of Abraham did not die with him, but survived to all the
children of the promise. But he presently digresses from the story
of Isaac, to give a short account of Ishmael, forasmuch as he also
was a son of Abraham, and God had made some promises concerning
him, which it was requisite we should know the accomplishment of.
Observe here what is said, 1. Concerning his children. He had
twelve sons, <i>twelve princes</i> they are called (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:16" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|25|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), heads of families,
which in process of time became nations, distinct tribes, numerous
and very considerable. They peopled a very large continent, that
lay between Egypt and Assyria, called <i>Arabia.</i> The names of
his twelve sons are recorded. Midian and Kedar we often read of in
scripture. And some very good expositors have taken notice of the
signification of those three names which are put together
(<scripRef passage="Ge 25:14" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|25|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), as
containing good advice to us all, <i>Mishma, Dumah,</i> and
<i>Massa,</i> that is, <i>hear, keep silence,</i> and <i>bear;</i>
we have them together in the same order, <scripRef passage="Jam 1:19" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.4" parsed="|Jas|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.19">Jam. i:19</scripRef>, <i>Be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath.</i> The posterity of Ishmael had not only
tents in the fields, wherein they grew rich in times of peace; but
they had towns and castles (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:16" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.5" parsed="|Gen|25|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), wherein they fortified themselves in time of war.
Now the number and strength of this family were the fruit of the
promise made to Hagar concerning Ishmael (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:10" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.6" parsed="|Gen|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.10"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 10</scripRef>), and to Abraham,
<scripRef passage="Ge 17:20,21:13" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.20 Bible:Gen.21.13"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 20 and xxi.
13</scripRef>. Note, Many that are strangers to the covenants of
promise are yet blessed with outward prosperity for the sake of
their godly ancestors. <i>Wealth and riches shall be in their
house.</i> 2. Concerning himself. Here is an account of his age: He
<i>lived</i> 137 <i>years</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:17" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.8" parsed="|Gen|25|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>) which is recorded to show the
efficacy of Abraham's prayer for him (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:18" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.9" parsed="|Gen|17|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.18"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 18</scripRef>), <i>O that Ishmael might
live before thee!</i> Here is also an account of his death; he too
<i>was gathered to his people;</i> but it is not said that he was
<i>full of days,</i> though he lived to so great an age: he was not
so weary of the world, nor so willing to leave it, as his good
father was. Those words, <i>he fell in the presence of all his
brethren,</i> whether they mean, as we take them, <i>he died,</i>
or, as others, <i>his lot fell,</i> are designed to show the
fulfilling of that word to Hagar (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:12" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.10" parsed="|Gen|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.12"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 12</scripRef>), <i>He shall dwell in the
presence of all his brethren,</i> that is, he shall flourish and be
eminent among them, and shall hold his own to the last. Or he died
with his friends about him, which is comfortable.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 25:19-28" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.11" parsed="|Gen|25|19|25|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.19-Gen.25.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.25.19-Gen.25.28">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvi-p9.12">Birth of Esau and Jacob. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p9.13">b. c.</span> 1837.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvi-p10">19 And these <i>are</i> the generations of
Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: &#160; 20 And Isaac was
forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of
Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
&#160; 21 And Isaac intreated the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p10.1">Lord</span> for his wife, because she <i>was</i>
barren: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p10.2">Lord</span> was intreated
of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. &#160; 22 And the children
struggled together within her; and she said, If <i>it be</i> so,
why <i>am</i> I thus? And she went to enquire of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p10.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p10.4">Lord</span> said unto her, Two nations <i>are</i> in
thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy
bowels; and <i>the one</i> people shall be stronger than <i>the
other</i> people; and the elder shall serve the younger. &#160; 24
And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, <i>there
were</i> twins in her womb. &#160; 25 And the first came out red,
all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
&#160; 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took
hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac
<i>was</i> threescore years old when she bare them. &#160; 27 And
the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field;
and Jacob <i>was</i> a plain man, dwelling in tents. &#160; 28 And
Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of <i>his</i> venison: but
Rebekah loved Jacob.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p11">We have here an account of the birth of
Jacob and Esau, the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah: their entrance
into the world was (which is not usual) one of the most
considerable parts of their story; nor is much related concerning
Isaac but what had reference to his father while he lived and to
his sons afterwards. For Isaac seems not to have been a man of
action, nor much tried, but to have spent his days in quietness and
silence. Now concerning Jacob and Esau we are here told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p12">I. That they were prayed for. Their
parents, after they had been long childless, obtained them by
prayer, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:20,21" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|25|20|25|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.20-Gen.25.21"><i>v.</i> 20,
21</scripRef>. <i>Isaac was forty years old when he was
married;</i> though he was an only son, and the person from whom
the promised seed was to come, yet he made no haste to marry. He
was sixty years old when his sons were born (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:26" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|25|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), so that, after he was married,
he had no child for twenty years. Note, Though the accomplishment
of God's promise is always sure, yet it is often slow, and seems to
be crossed and contradicted by Providence, that the faith of
believers may be tried, their patience exercised, and mercies long
waited for may be the more welcome when they come. While this mercy
was delayed, Isaac did not approach to a handmaid's bed, as Abraham
had done, and Jacob afterwards; for he loved
<pb n="155" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_155"/>
Rebekah, <scripRef passage="Ge 24:67" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|24|67|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.67"><i>ch.</i> xxiv.
67</scripRef>. But, 1. He prayed: he entreated the Lord for his
wife. Though God had promised to multiply his family, he prayed for
its increase; for God's promises must not supersede, but encourage,
our prayers, and be improved as the ground of our faith. Though he
had prayed for this mercy very often, and had continued his
supplication many years, and it was not granted, yet he did not
leave off praying for it; for men ought always to pray, and not to
faint (<scripRef passage="Lu 18:1" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.4" parsed="|Luke|18|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.1">Luke xviii. 1</scripRef>), to
pray without ceasing, and knock till the door be opened, He prayed
<i>for</i> his wife; some read it <i>with</i> his wife. Note,
Husbands and wives should pray together, which is intimated in the
apostle's caution, that their <i>prayers be not hindered,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Pe 3:7" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.5" parsed="|1Pet|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.7">1 Pet. iii. 7</scripRef>. The Jews have
a tradition that Isaac, at length, took his wife with him to mount
Moriah, where God had promised that he would multiply Abraham's
seed (<scripRef passage="Ge 22:17" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|22|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.22.17"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 17</scripRef>),
and there, in his prayer with her and for her, pleaded the promise
made in that very place. 2. God heard his prayer, and was entreated
of him. Note, Children are the gift of God. Those that continue
instant in prayer, as Isaac did, shall find, at last, that they did
not <i>seek in vain,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 45:19" id="Gen.xxvi-p12.7" parsed="|Isa|45|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.19">Isa. xlv.
19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p13">II. That they were prophesied of before
they were born, and great mysteries were wrapped up in the
prophecies which went before of them, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:22,23" id="Gen.xxvi-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|25|22|25|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.22-Gen.25.23"><i>v.</i> 22, 23</scripRef>. Long had Isaac prayed
for a son; and now his wife is with child of two, to recompense him
for his long waiting. Thus God often outdoes our prayers, and gives
more than we are able to ask or think. Now Rebekah being with child
of these two sons, observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p14">1. How she was perplexed in her mind
concerning her present case: <i>The children struggled together
within her.</i> The commotion she felt was altogether extraordinary
and made her very uneasy. Whether she was apprehensive that the
birth would be her death, or whether she was weary of the intestine
tumult, or whether she suspected it to be an ill omen, it seems she
was ready to wish that either she had not been with child or that
she might die immediately, and not bring forth such a struggling
brood: <i>If it be so,</i> or, <i>since it is so, Why am I
thus?</i> Before, the want of children was her trouble, now, the
struggle of the children is no less so. Note, (1.) The comforts we
are most desirous of are sometimes found to bring along with them
more occasion of trouble and uneasiness that we thought of; vanity
being written upon all things under the sun, God thus teaches us to
read it. (2.) We are too apt to be discontented with our comforts,
because of the uneasiness that attends them. We know not when we
are pleased; we know neither how to want nor how to abound. This
struggle between Jacob and Esau in the womb represents the struggle
that is maintained between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of
Satan, [1.] In the world. The seed of the woman and the seed of the
serpent have been contending ever since the enmity was put between
them (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:15" id="Gen.xxvi-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.15"><i>ch.</i> iii. 15</scripRef>),
and this has occasioned a constant uneasiness among men. Christ
himself came to <i>send fire on earth, and this division,</i>
<scripRef passage="Lu 12:49,51" id="Gen.xxvi-p14.2" parsed="|Luke|12|49|0|0;|Luke|12|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.49 Bible:Luke.12.51">Luke xii. 49, 51</scripRef>. But
let not this be offence to us. A holy war is better than the peace
of the devil's palace. [2.] In the hearts of believers. No sooner
is Christ formed in the soul than immediately there begins a
conflict between the flesh and spirit, <scripRef passage="Ga 5:17" id="Gen.xxvi-p14.3" parsed="|Gal|5|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.5.17">Gal. v. 17</scripRef>. The stream is not turned without a
mighty struggle, which yet ought not to discourage us. It is better
to have a conflict with sin than tamely to submit to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p15">2. What course she took for her relief:
<i>She went to enquire of the Lord.</i> Some think Melchizedek was
now consulted as an oracle, or perhaps some <i>Urim</i> or
<i>Teraphim</i> were now used to enquire of God by, as afterwards
in the breast-plate of judgment. Note, The word and prayer, by both
which we now enquire of the Lord, give great relief to those that
are upon any account perplexed. It is a great relief to the mind to
spread our case before the Lord, and ask counsel at his mouth.
<i>Go into the sanctuary,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 73:17" id="Gen.xxvi-p15.1" parsed="|Ps|73|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.73.17">Ps.
lxxiii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p16">3. The information given her, upon her
enquiry, which expounded the mystery: <i>Two nations are in thy
womb,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 25:23" id="Gen.xxvi-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|25|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. She
was now pregnant, not only with two children, but two nations,
which should not only in their manners and dispositions greatly
differ from each other, but in their interests clash and contend
with each other; and the issue of the contest should be that the
elder should serve the younger, which was fulfilled in the
subjection of the Edomites, for many ages, to the house of David,
till they revolted, <scripRef passage="2Ch 21:8" id="Gen.xxvi-p16.2" parsed="|2Chr|21|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.21.8">2 Chron. xxi.
8</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) God is a free agent in dispensing
his grace; it is his prerogative to make a difference between those
who have not as yet themselves done either good or evil. This the
apostle infers hence, <scripRef passage="Ro 9:12" id="Gen.xxvi-p16.3" parsed="|Rom|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.12">Rom. ix.
12</scripRef>. (2.) In the struggle between grace and corruption in
the soul, grace, the younger, shall certainly get the upper hand at
last.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p17">III. That when they were born there was a
great difference between them, which served to confirm what had
been foretold (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:23" id="Gen.xxvi-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|25|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), was presage of the accomplishment of it, and served
greatly to illustrate the type.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p18">1. There was a great difference in their
bodies, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:25" id="Gen.xxvi-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|25|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Esau,
when he was born, was rough and hairy, as if he had been already a
grown man, whence he had his name <i>Esau, made,</i> reared
already. This was an indication of a very strong constitution, and
gave cause to expect that he would be a very robust, daring, active
man. But Jacob was smooth and tender as other children. Note, (1.)
The difference of men's capacities, and consequently of their
condition in the world, arises very much from the difference of
their natural constitution; some are plainly designed by nature for
activity and honour,
<pb n="156" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_156"/>
others as manifestly
marked for obscurity. This instance of the divine sovereignty in
the kingdom of providence may perhaps help to reconcile us to the
doctrine of the divine sovereignty in the kingdom of grace. (2.) It
is God's usual way to choose the weak things of the world, and to
pass by the mighty, <scripRef passage="1Co 1:26,27" id="Gen.xxvi-p18.2" parsed="|1Cor|1|26|1|27" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.1.26-1Cor.1.27">1 Cor. i. 26,
27</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p19">2. There was a manifest contest in their
births. Esau, the stronger, came forth first; but Jacob's hand
<i>took hold of his heel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 25:26" id="Gen.xxvi-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|25|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. This signified, (1.) Jacob's
pursuit of the birthright and blessing; from the first, he reached
forth to catch hold of it, and, if possible, to prevent his
brother. (2.) His prevailing for it at last, that, in process of
time, he should undermine his brother, and gain his point. This
passage is referred to (<scripRef passage="Ho 12:8" id="Gen.xxvi-p19.2" parsed="|Hos|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.8">Hos. xii.
8</scripRef>), and hence he had his name, <i>Jacob, a
supplanter.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p20">3. They were very unlike in the temper of
their minds, and the way of living they chose, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:27" id="Gen.xxvi-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|25|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. They soon appeared to be of
very different dispositions. (1.) Esau was a man for this world. He
was a man addicted to his sports, for he was a hunter; and a man
who knew how to live by his wits, for he was a cunning hunter.
Recreation was his business; he studied the art of it, and spent
all his time in it. He never loved a book, nor cared for being
within doors; but he was a man of the field, like Nimrod and
Ishmael, all for the game, and never well but when he was upon the
stretch in pursuit of it: in short, he set up for a gentleman and a
soldier. (2.) Jacob was a man for the other world. He was not cut
out for a statesman, nor did he affect to look great, but he was
<i>a plain man, dwelling in tents,</i> an honest man that always
meant well, and dealt fairly, that preferred the true delights of
solitude and retirement to all the pretended pleasure of busy noisy
sports: he dwelt in tents, [1.] As a shepherd. He was attached to
that safe and silent employment of keeping sheep, to which also he
bred up his children, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:34" id="Gen.xxvi-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|46|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.34"><i>ch.</i> xlvi.
34</scripRef>. Or, [2.] As a student. He frequented the tents of
Melchizedek, or Heber, as some understand it, to be taught by them
divine things. And this was that son of Isaac on whom the covenant
was entailed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p21">4. Their interest in the affections of
their parents was likewise different. They had but these two
children, and, it seems, one was the father's darling and the other
the mother's, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:28" id="Gen.xxvi-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|25|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>.
(1.) Isaac, though he was not a stirring man himself (for when he
went into the fields he went to meditate and pray, not to hunt),
yet loved to have his son active. Esau knew how to please him, and
showed a great respect for him, by treating him often with venison,
which gained him the affections of the good old man, and won upon
him more than one would have thought. (2.) Rebekah was mindful of
the oracle of God, which had given the preference to Jacob, and
therefore she preferred him in her love. And, if it be lawful for
parents to make a difference between their children upon any
account, doubtless Rebekah was in the right, that loved him whom
God loved.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 25:29-34" id="Gen.xxvi-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|25|29|25|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.29-Gen.25.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.25.29-Gen.25.34">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvi-p21.3">Esau Sells His Birthright. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvi-p21.4">b. c.</span> 1805.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvi-p22">29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the
field, and he <i>was</i> faint: &#160; 30 And Esau said to Jacob,
Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red <i>pottage;</i> for I
<i>am</i> faint: therefore was his name called Edom. &#160; 31 And
Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. &#160; 32 And Esau
said, Behold, I <i>am</i> at the point to die: and what profit
shall this birthright do to me? &#160; 33 And Jacob said, Swear to
me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto
Jacob. &#160; 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of
lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way:
thus Esau despised <i>his</i> birthright.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p23">We have here a bargain made between Jacob
and Esau about the birthright, which was Esau's by providence but
Jacob's by promise. It was a spiritual privilege, including the
excellency of dignity and the excellency of power, as well as the
double portion, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:3" id="Gen.xxvi-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|49|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.3"><i>ch.</i> xlix.
3</scripRef>. It seemed to be such a birthright as had then the
blessing annexed to it, and the entail of the promise. Now see,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p24">I. Jacob's pious desire of the birthright,
which yet he sought to obtain by indirect courses, not agreeable to
his character as a plain man. It was not out of pride or ambition
that he coveted the birthright, but with an eye to spiritual
blessings, which he had got well acquainted with in his tents,
while Esau had lost the scent of them in the field. For this he is
to be commended, that he coveted earnestly the best gifts; yet in
this he cannot be justified, that he took advantage of his
brother's necessity to make him a very hard bargain (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:31" id="Gen.xxvi-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|25|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>): <i>Sell me this day
thy birthright.</i> Probably there had formerly been some
communication between them about this matter, and then it was not
so great a surprise upon Esau as here it seems to be; and, it may
be, Esau had sometimes spoken slightly of the birthright and its
appurtenances, which encouraged Jacob to make this proposal to him.
And, if so, Jacob is, in some measure, excusable in what he did to
gain his point. Note, Plain men that have their conversation in
simplicity and godly sincerity, and without worldly wisdom, are
often found wisest of all for their souls and eternity. Those are
wise indeed that are wise for another world. Jacob's wisdom
appeared in two things:&#8212;1. He chose the fittest time, took the
opportunity when it offered itself, and did not let it slip. 2.
Having made the bargain, he made it sure, and got it confirmed by
Esau's oath: <i>Swear to me
<pb n="157" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_157"/>
this day,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 25:33" id="Gen.xxvi-p24.2" parsed="|Gen|25|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. He took Esau
when he was in the mind, and would not leave him a power of
revocation. In a case of this nature, it is good to be sure.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p25">II. Esau's profane contempt of the
birthright, and the foolish sale he made of it. He is called
<i>profane Esau</i> for it (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:16" id="Gen.xxvi-p25.1" parsed="|Heb|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.16">Heb. xii.
16</scripRef>), because <i>for one morsel of meat he sold his
birthright,</i> as dear a morsel as ever was eaten since the
forbidden fruit; and he lived to regret it when it was too late.
Never was there such a foolish bargain as this which Esau now made;
and yet he valued himself upon his policy, and had the reputation
of a cunning man, and perhaps had often bantered his brother Jacob
as a weak and simple man. Note, There are those that are penny-wise
and pound-foolish, cunning hunters that can out-wit others and draw
them into their snares, and yet are themselves imposed upon by
Satan's wiles and led captive by him at his will. Again, God often
chooses the foolish things of the world, by them to confound the
wise. Plain Jacob makes a fool of cunning Esau. Observe the
instances of Esau's folly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p26">1. His appetite was very strong, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:29,30" id="Gen.xxvi-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|25|29|25|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.29-Gen.25.30"><i>v.</i> 29, 30</scripRef>. Poor Jacob had
got some bread and pottage (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:29" id="Gen.xxvi-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|25|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>) for his dinner, and was sitting down to it
contentedly enough, without venison, when Esau came from hunting,
hungry and weary, and perhaps had caught nothing. And now Jacob's
pottage pleased his eye better than ever his game had done. Give me
(says he) some of <i>that red, that red,</i> as it is in the
original; it suited his own colour (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:25" id="Gen.xxvi-p26.3" parsed="|Gen|25|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), and, in reproach to him for
this, he was ever afterwards called <i>Edom, red.</i> Nay, it
should seem, he was so faint that he could not feed himself, nor
had he a servant at hand to help him, but entreats his brother to
feed him. Note, (1.) Those that addict themselves to sport <i>weary
themselves for very vanity,</i> <scripRef passage="Hab 2:13" id="Gen.xxvi-p26.4" parsed="|Hab|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.13">Hab.
ii. 13</scripRef>. They might do the most needful business, and
gain the greatest advantages, with half the pains they take, and
half the perils they run into, in pursuit of their foolish
pleasures. (2.) Those that work with quietness are more constantly
and comfortably provided for than those that hunt with noise: bread
is not always to the wise, but those that trust in the Lord and do
good, verily they shall be fed, fed with daily bread; not as Esau,
sometimes feasting and sometimes fainting. (3.) The gratifying of
the sensual appetite is that which ruins thousands of precious
souls: surely, if Esau was hungry and faint, he might have got a
meal's meat cheaper than at the expense of his birthright; but he
was unaccountably fond of the colour of this pottage, and could not
deny himself the satisfaction of a mess of it, whatever it cost
him. Never better can come of it, when men's <i>hearts walk after
their eyes</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 31:7" id="Gen.xxvi-p26.5" parsed="|Job|31|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.7">Job xxxi.
7</scripRef>), and when they serve their own bellies: therefore
look not thou upon the wine, or, as Esau, upon the pottage, when it
is red, when it gives that colour in the cup, in the dish, which is
most inviting, <scripRef passage="Pr 23:31" id="Gen.xxvi-p26.6" parsed="|Prov|23|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.31">Prov. xxiii.
31</scripRef>. If we use ourselves to deny ourselves, we break the
forces of most temptations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p27">2. His reasoning was very weak (<scripRef passage="Ge 25:32" id="Gen.xxvi-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|25|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>): <i>Behold, I am at the
point to die;</i> and, if he were, would nothing serve to keep him
alive but this pottage? If the famine were now in the land
(<scripRef passage="Ge 26:1" id="Gen.xxvi-p27.2" parsed="|Gen|26|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.1"><i>ch.</i> xxvi. 1</scripRef>), as Dr.
Lightfoot conjectures, we cannot suppose Isaac so poor, or Rebekah
so bad a house-keeper, but that he might have been supplied with
food convenient, other ways, and might have saved his birthright:
but his appetite has the mastery of him; he is in a longing
condition, nothing will please him but this <i>red</i> this <i>red
pottage,</i> and, to palliate his desire, he pretends he is at the
point to die. If it had been so, was it not better for him to die
in honour than to live in disgrace, to die under a blessing than to
live under a curse? The birthright was typical of spiritual
privileges, those of the church of the first-born. Esau was now
tried how he would value them, and he shows himself sensible only
of present grievances; may he but get relief against them, he cares
not for his birthright. Better principled was Naboth, who would
lose his life rather than sell his vineyard, because his part in
the earthly Canaan signified his part in the heavenly, <scripRef passage="1Ki 21:3" id="Gen.xxvi-p27.3" parsed="|1Kgs|21|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.21.3">1 Kings xxi. 3</scripRef>. (1.) If we look on
Esau's birthright as only a temporal advantage, what he said had
something of truth in it, namely, that our worldly enjoyments, even
those we are most fond of, will stand us in no stead in a dying
hour (<scripRef passage="Ps 49:6-8" id="Gen.xxvi-p27.4" parsed="|Ps|49|6|49|8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.6-Ps.49.8">Ps. xlix. 6-8</scripRef>); they
will not put by the stroke of death, nor ease the pangs nor remove
the sting: yet Esau, who set up for a gentleman, should have had a
greater and more noble spirit than to sell even such an honour so
cheaply. (2.) But, being of a spiritual nature, his undervaluing it
was the greatest profaneness imaginable. Note, It is egregious
folly to part with our interest in God, and Christ, and heaven, for
the riches, honours, and pleasures, of this world, as bad a bargain
as his that sold a birthright for a dish of broth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvi-p28">3. Repentance was hidden from his eyes
(<scripRef passage="Ge 25:34" id="Gen.xxvi-p28.1" parsed="|Gen|25|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>): <i>He did
eat and drink,</i> pleased his palate, satisfied his cravings,
congratulated himself on the good meal's meat he had had, and then
carelessly rose up and went his way, without any serious
reflections upon the bad bargain he had made, or any show of
regret. Thus Esau despised his birthright; he used no means at all
to get the bargain revoked, made no appeal to his father about it,
nor proposed to his brother to compound the matter; but the bargain
which his necessity had made (supposing it were so) his profaneness
confirmed <i>ex post facto&#8212;after the deed;</i> and by his
subsequent neglect and contempt he did, as it were, acknowledge a
fine, and by justifying himself in what he
<pb n="158" id="Gen.xxvi-Page_158"/>
had done he put the bargain past recall. Note, People are ruined,
not so much by doing what is amiss, as by doing it and not
repenting of it, doing it and standing to it.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVI" n="xxvii" progress="18.61%" prev="Gen.xxvi" next="Gen.xxviii" id="Gen.xxvii">
<pb n="158" id="Gen.xxvii-Page_158"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxvii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxvii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. Isaac in adversity, by
reason of a famine in the land, which, 1. Obliges him to change his
quarters, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:1" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|26|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. But, 2.
God visits him with direction and comfort, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:2-5" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|26|2|26|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.2-Gen.26.5">ver. 2-5</scripRef>. 3. He foolishly denies his wife,
being in distress and is reproved for it by Abimelech, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:6-11" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|26|6|26|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.6-Gen.26.11">ver. 6-11</scripRef>. II. Isaac in prosperity,
by the blessing of God upon him, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:12-14" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|26|12|26|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.12-Gen.26.14">ver. 12-14</scripRef>. And, 1. The Philistines were
envious at him, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:14-17" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|26|14|26|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.14-Gen.26.17">ver.
14-17</scripRef>. 2. He continued industrious in his business,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:18-23" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|26|18|26|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.18-Gen.26.23">ver. 18-23</scripRef>. 3. God
appeared to him, and encouraged him, and he devoutly acknowledged
God, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:24,25" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|26|24|26|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.24-Gen.26.25">ver. 24, 25</scripRef>. 4. The
Philistines, at length, made court to him, and made a covenant with
him, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:26-33" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|26|26|26|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.26-Gen.26.33">ver. 26-33</scripRef>. 5. The
disagreeable marriage of his son Esau was an alloy to the comfort
of his prosperity, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:34,35" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|26|34|26|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.34-Gen.26.35">ver. 34,
35</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 26" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 26:1-5" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|26|1|26|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.1-Gen.26.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.26.1-Gen.26.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvii-p1.12">Removal of Isaac to Gerar. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1804.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvii-p2">1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the
first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto
Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. &#160; 2 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> appeared unto him, and said, Go
not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
&#160; 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will
bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these
countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham
thy father; &#160; 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the
stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries;
and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
&#160; 5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge,
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p3">Here, I. God tried Isaac by his providence.
Isaac had been trained up in a believing dependence upon the divine
grant of the land of Canaan to him and his heirs; yet now there is
<i>a famine in the land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 26:1" id="Gen.xxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|26|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. What shall he think of the promise when the promised
land will not find him bread? Is such a grant worth accepting, upon
such terms, and after so long a time? Yes, Isaac will still cleave
to the covenant; and the less valuable Canaan in itself seems to be
the better he is taught to value it, 1. As a token of God's
everlasting kindness to him; and, 2. As a type of heaven's
everlasting blessedness. Note, The intrinsic worth of God's
promises cannot be lessened in a believer's eye by any cross
providences.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p4">II. He directed him under this trial by his
word. Isaac finds himself straitened by the scarcity of provisions.
Somewhere he must go for supply; it should seem, he set out for
Egypt, whither his father went in the like strait, but he takes
Gerar in his way, full of thoughts, no doubt, which way he had best
steer his course, till God graciously appeared to him, and
determined him, abundantly to his satisfaction. 1. God bade him
stay where he was, and <i>not go down into Egypt: Sojourn in this
land,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 26:2,3" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|26|2|26|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.2-Gen.26.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>.
There was a famine in Jacob's days, and God bade him <i>go down
into Egypt</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:3,4" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|46|3|46|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.3-Gen.46.4"><i>ch.</i> xlvi. 3,
4</scripRef>), a famine in <i>Isaac's</i> days, and God bade him
<i>not to go down,</i> a famine in Abraham's days, and God left him
to his liberty, directing him neither way. This variety in the
divine procedure (considering that Egypt was always a place of
trial and exercise to God's people) some ground upon the different
characters of these three patriarchs. Abraham was a man of very
high attainments, and intimate communion with God; and to him all
places and conditions were alike. Isaac was a very good man, but
not cut out for hardship; therefore he is forbidden to go to Egypt.
Jacob was inured to difficulties, strong and patient; and therefore
he must go down into Egypt, that <i>the trial of his faith might be
to praise, and honour, and glory.</i> Thus God proportions his
people's trials to their strength. 2. He promised to be <i>with
him, and bless him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 26:3" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.3" parsed="|Gen|26|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. As we may go any where with comfort when God's
blessing goes with us, so we may stay any where contentedly if that
blessing rest upon us. 3. He renewed the covenant with him, which
had so often been made with Abraham, repeating and ratifying the
promises of the land of Canaan, a numerous issue, and the Messiah,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:3,4" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.4" parsed="|Gen|26|3|26|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.3-Gen.26.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. Note,
Those that must live by faith have need often to review, and repeat
to themselves, the promises they are to live upon, especially when
they are called to any instance of suffering or self-denial. 4. He
recommended to him the good example of his father's obedience, as
that which had preserved the entail of the covenant in his family
(<scripRef passage="Ge 26:5" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.5" parsed="|Gen|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): "<i>Abraham
obeyed my voice;</i> do thou do so too, and the promise shall be
sure to thee." Abraham's obedience is here celebrated, to his
honour; for by it he obtained a good report both with God and men.
A great variety of words is here used to express the divine will,
to which Abraham was obedient (<i>my voice, my charge, my
commandments, my statutes, and my laws</i>), which may intimate
that Abraham's obedience was universal; he obeyed the original laws
of nature, the revealed laws of divine worship, particularly that
of circumcision, and all the extraordinary precepts God gave him,
as that of quitting his country, and that (which some think is more
especially referred to) of the offering up of his son, which Isaac
himself had reason enough to remember. Note, Those only shall have
the benefit and comfort of God's covenant with their godly parents
that tread in the steps of their obedience.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 26:6-11" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.6" parsed="|Gen|26|6|26|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.6-Gen.26.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.26.6-Gen.26.11">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvii-p4.7">Isaac's Denial of His Wife. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p4.8">b. c.</span> 1840.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvii-p5">6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: &#160; 7 And the men
of the place asked <i>him</i> of his wife; and he said, She
<i>is</i> my sister: for he feared to say, <i>She is</i> my wife;
lest, <i>said he,</i> the men of the place should kill me for
Rebekah;
<pb n="159" id="Gen.xxvii-Page_159"/>
because she <i>was</i> fair to look
upon. &#160; 8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long
time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a
window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac <i>was</i> sporting with
Rebekah his wife. &#160; 9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said,
Behold, of a surety she <i>is</i> thy wife: and how saidst thou,
She <i>is</i> my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said,
Lest I die for her. &#160; 10 And Abimelech said, What <i>is</i>
this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have
lain with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon
us. &#160; 11 And Abimelech charged all <i>his</i> people, saying,
He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to
death.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p6">Isaac had now laid aside all thoughts of
going to Egypt, and, in obedience to the heavenly vision, sets up
his staff in Gerar, the country in which he was born (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:6" id="Gen.xxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), yet there he enters into
temptation, the same temptation that his good father had been once
and again surprised and overcome by, namely, to deny his wife, and
to give out that she was his sister. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p7">I. How he sinned, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:7" id="Gen.xxvii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|26|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Because his wife was handsome, he
fancied the Philistines would find some way or other to take him
off, that some of them might marry her; and therefore she must pass
for his sister. It is an unaccountable thing that both these great
and good men should be guilty of so strange a piece of
dissimulation, by which they so much exposed both their own and
their wives' reputation. But we see, 1. That very good men have
sometimes been guilty of very great faults and follies. Let those
therefore that stand take heed lest they fall, and those that have
fallen not despair of being helped up again. 2. That there is an
aptness in us to imitate even the weaknesses and infirmities of
those we have a value for. We have need therefore to keep our foot,
lest, while we aim to tread in the steps of good men, we sometimes
tread in their by-steps.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p8">II. How he was detected, and the cheat
discovered, by the king himself. Abimelech (not the same that was
in Abraham's days, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:1-18" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|20|1|20|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.1-Gen.20.18"><i>ch.</i>
20</scripRef>, for this was nearly 100 years after that, but this
was the common name of the Philistine kings, as C&#230;sar of the Roman
emperors) saw Isaac more familiar and pleasant with Rebekah than he
knew he would be with his sister (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:8" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|26|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): he saw him sporting with her, or
<i>laughing;</i> it is the same word with that from which Isaac had
his name. He was <i>rejoicing with the wife of his youth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 5:18" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.3" parsed="|Prov|5|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.5.18">Prov. v. 18</scripRef>. It becomes
those in that relation to be pleasant with one another, as those
that are pleased with one another. Nowhere may a man more allow
himself to be innocently merry than with his own wife and children.
Abimelech charged him with the fraud (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:9" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.4" parsed="|Gen|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), showed him how frivolous his
excuse was and what might have been the bad consequences of it
(<scripRef passage="Ge 26:10" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.5" parsed="|Gen|26|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), and then,
to convince him how groundless and unjust his jealousy of them was,
took him and his family under his particular protection, forbidding
any injury to be done to him or his wife upon pain of death,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:11" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Note, 1. A
lying tongue is but for a moment. Truth is the daughter of time;
and, in time, it will out. 2. One sin is often the inlet to many,
and therefore the beginnings of sin ought to be avoided. 3. The
sins of professors shame them before those that are without. 4. God
can make those that are incensed against his people, though there
may be some colour of cause for it, to know that it is at their
peril if they do them any hurt. See <scripRef passage="Ps 105:14,15" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.7" parsed="|Ps|105|14|105|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.14-Ps.105.15">Ps. cv. 14, 15</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 26:12-25" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.8" parsed="|Gen|26|12|26|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.12-Gen.26.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.26.12-Gen.26.25">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvii-p8.9">Isaac's Removal to
Beersheba. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p8.10">b. c.</span> 1804.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvii-p9">12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received
in the same year an hundredfold: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p9.1">Lord</span> blessed him: &#160; 13 And the man waxed
great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
&#160; 14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds,
and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. &#160;
15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the
days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and
filled them with earth. &#160; 16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go
from us; for thou art much mightier than we. &#160; 17 And Isaac
departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and
dwelt there. &#160; 18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water,
which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the
Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he
called their names after the names by which his father had called
them. &#160; 19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and
found there a well of springing water. &#160; 20 And the herdmen of
Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water <i>is</i>
ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove
with him. &#160; 21 And they digged another well, and strove for
that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. &#160; 22 And he
removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they
strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For
now
<pb n="160" id="Gen.xxvii-Page_160"/>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p9.2">Lord</span>
hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. &#160;
23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. &#160; 24 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p9.3">Lord</span> appeared unto him the same
night, and said, I <i>am</i> the God of Abraham thy father: fear
not, for I <i>am</i> with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply
thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. &#160; 25 And he builded an
altar there, and called upon the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p9.4">Lord</span>, and pitched his tent there: and there
Isaac's servants digged a well.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p10">Here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p11">I. The tokens of God's good-will to Isaac.
He <i>blessed him,</i> and prospered him, and made all that he had
to thrive under his hands. 1. His corn multiplied strangely,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:12" id="Gen.xxvii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|26|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. He had no
land of his own, but took land of the Philistines, and sowed it;
and (be it observed for the encouragement of poor tenants, that
occupy other people's lands, and are honest and industrious) God
blessed him with a great increase. He reaped <i>a hundred fold;</i>
and there seems to be an emphasis laid upon the time: it was that
<i>same year</i> when there was a famine in the land; while others
scarcely reaped at all, he reaped thus plentifully. See <scripRef passage="Isa 65:13" id="Gen.xxvii-p11.2" parsed="|Isa|65|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.13">Isa. lxv. 13</scripRef>, <i>My servants shall
eat, but you shall be hungry,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 37:19" id="Gen.xxvii-p11.3" parsed="|Ps|37|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.19">Ps.
xxxvii. 19</scripRef>, <i>In the days of famine they shall be
satisfied.</i> 2. His cattle also increased, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:14" id="Gen.xxvii-p11.4" parsed="|Gen|26|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. And then, 3. He had <i>great
store of servants,</i> whom he employed and maintained. Note, <i>As
goods are increased those are increased that eat them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ec 5:11" id="Gen.xxvii-p11.5" parsed="|Eccl|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.11">Eccl. v. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p12">II. The tokens of the Philistines' ill-will
to him. They <i>envied him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 26:14" id="Gen.xxvii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|26|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. It is an instance, 1. Of the
vanity of the world that the more men have of it the more they are
envied, and exposed to censure and injury. <i>Who can stand before
envy?</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 27:4" id="Gen.xxvii-p12.2" parsed="|Prov|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.4">Prov. xxvii. 4</scripRef>.
See <scripRef passage="Ec 4:4" id="Gen.xxvii-p12.3" parsed="|Eccl|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.4.4">Eccl. iv. 4</scripRef>. 2. Of the
corruption of nature; for that is a bad principle indeed which
makes men <i>grieve at the good of others,</i> as if it must needs
be ill with me because it is well with my neighbor. (1.) They had
already shown their ill-will to his family, by stopping up the
wells which his father had digged, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:15" id="Gen.xxvii-p12.4" parsed="|Gen|26|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. This was spitefully done.
Because they had not flocks of their own to water at these wells,
they would not leave them for the use of others; so absurd a thing
is malice. And it was perfidiously done, contrary to the covenant
of friendship they had made with Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 21:31,32" id="Gen.xxvii-p12.5" parsed="|Gen|21|31|21|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.31-Gen.21.32"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 31, 32</scripRef>. No bonds will hold
ill-nature. (2.) They expelled him out of their country, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:16,17" id="Gen.xxvii-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|26|16|26|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.16-Gen.26.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. The king of
Gerar began to look upon him with a jealous eye. Isaac's house was
like a court, and his riches and retinue eclipsed Abimelech's; and
therefore he must go further off. They were weary of his
neighbourhood, because they saw that the Lord blessed him; whereas,
for that reason, they should the rather have courted his stay, that
they also might be blessed for his sake. Isaac does not insist upon
the bargain he had made with them for the lands he held, nor upon
his occupying and improving them, nor does he offer to contest with
them by force, though he had become very great, but very peaceably
departs thence further from the royal city, and perhaps to a part
of the country less fruitful. Note, We should deny ourselves both
in our rights and in our conveniences, rather than quarrel: a wise
and a good man will rather retire into obscurity, like Isaac here
into a valley, than sit high to be the butt of envy and
ill-will.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p13">III. His constancy and continuance in his
business still.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p14">1. He kept up his husbandry, and continued
industrious to find wells of water, and to fit them for his use,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:18" id="Gen.xxvii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|26|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>, &amp;c.
Though he had grown very rich, yet he was as solicitous as ever
about the state of his flocks, and still looked well to his herds;
when men grow great, they must take heed of thinking themselves too
big and too high for their business. Though he was driven from the
conveniences he had had, and could not follow his husbandry with
the same ease and advantage as before, yet he set himself to make
the best of the country he had come into, which it is every man's
prudence to do. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p15">(1.) He opened the wells that his father
had digged (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:18" id="Gen.xxvii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|26|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>),
and out of respect to his father called them by the same names that
he had given them. Note, In our searches after truth, that fountain
of living water, it is good to make use of the discoveries of
former ages, which have been clouded by the corruptions of later
times. Enquire for the old way, the wells which our fathers digged,
which the adversaries of truth have stopped up: <i>Ask thy elders,
and they shall teach thee.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p16">(2.) His servants dug new wells, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:19" id="Gen.xxvii-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|26|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Note, Though we must
use the light of former ages, it does not therefore follow that we
must rest in it, and make no advances. We must still be building
upon their foundation, <i>running to and fro, that knowledge may be
increased,</i> <scripRef passage="Da 12:4" id="Gen.xxvii-p16.2" parsed="|Dan|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.12.4">Dan. xii.
4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p17">(3.) In digging his wells he met with much
opposition, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:20,21" id="Gen.xxvii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|26|20|26|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.20-Gen.26.21"><i>v.</i> 20,
21</scripRef>. Those that open the fountains of truth must expect
contradiction. The first two wells which they dug were called
<i>Esek</i> and <i>Sitnah, contention</i> and <i>hatred.</i> See
here, [1.] What is the nature of worldly things; they are
make-bates and occasions of strife. [2.] What is often the lot even
of the most quiet and peaceable men in this world; those that avoid
striving yet cannot avoid being striven with, <scripRef passage="Ps 120:7" id="Gen.xxvii-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|120|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.120.7">Ps. cxx. 7</scripRef>. In this sense, Jeremiah was a
<i>man of contention</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 15:10" id="Gen.xxvii-p17.3" parsed="|Jer|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.15.10">Jer. xv.
10</scripRef>), and Christ himself, though he is the prince of
peace. [3.] What a mercy it is to have plenty of water, to have it
<pb n="161" id="Gen.xxvii-Page_161"/>
without striving for it. The more common
this mercy is the more reason we have to be thankful for it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p18">(4.) At length he removed to a quiet
settlement, cleaving to his peaceable principle, rather to fly than
fight, and unwilling to dwell with those that hated peace,
<scripRef passage="Ps 120:6" id="Gen.xxvii-p18.1" parsed="|Ps|120|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.120.6">Ps. cxx. 6</scripRef>. He preferred
quietness to victory. <i>He dug a well, and for this they strove
not,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 26:22" id="Gen.xxvii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|26|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>.
Note, Those that follow peace, sooner or later, shall find peace;
those that study to be quiet seldom fail of being so. How unlike
was Isaac to his brother Ishmael, who, right or wrong, would hold
what he had, against all the world! <scripRef passage="Ge 16:12" id="Gen.xxvii-p18.3" parsed="|Gen|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.12"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 12</scripRef>. And which of these would
we be found the followers of? This well they called <i>Rehoboth,
enlargements,</i> room enough: in the two former wells we may see
what the earth is, <i>straitness</i> and <i>strife;</i> men cannot
thrive, for the throng of their neighbours. This well shows us what
heaven is; it is <i>enlargement</i> and <i>peace,</i> room enough
there, for there are many mansions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p19">2. He continued firm to his religion, and
kept up his communion with God. (1.) God graciously appeared to
him, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:24" id="Gen.xxvii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|26|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. When the
Philistines expelled him, forced him to remove from place to place,
and gave him continual molestation, then God visited him, and gave
him fresh assurances of his favour. Note, When men are found false
and unkind, we may comfort ourselves that God is faithful and
gracious; and his time to show himself so is when we are most
disappointed in our expectations from men. When Isaac had come to
Beer-sheba (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:23" id="Gen.xxvii-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|26|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>)
it is probable that it troubled him to think of his unsettled
condition, and that he could not be suffered to stay long in a
place; and, in the multitude of these thoughts within him, that
same night that he came weary and uneasy to Beer-sheba God brought
him his comforts to delight his soul. Probably he was apprehensive
that the Philistines would not let him rest there: <i>Fear not,</i>
says God to him, <i>I am with thee, and will bless thee.</i> Those
may remove with comfort that are sure of God's presence with them
wherever they go. (2.) He was not wanting in his returns of duty to
God; for <i>there he built an altar, and called upon the name of
the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 26:25" id="Gen.xxvii-p19.3" parsed="|Gen|26|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>.
Note, [1.] Wherever we go, we must take our religion along with us.
Probably Isaac's altars and his religious worship gave offence to
the Philistines, and provoked them to be the more troublesome to
him; yet he kept up his duty, whatever ill-will he might be exposed
to by it. [2.] The comforts and encouragements God gives us by his
word should excite and quicken us to every exercise of devotion by
which God may be honoured and our intercourse with heaven
maintained.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 26:26-33" id="Gen.xxvii-p19.4" parsed="|Gen|26|26|26|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.26-Gen.26.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.26.26-Gen.26.33">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvii-p19.5">Isaac's Covenant with
Abimelech. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p19.6">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvii-p20">26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and
Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his
army. &#160; 27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me,
seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? &#160; 28 And
they said, We saw certainly that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p20.1">Lord</span> was with thee: and we said, Let there be
now an oath betwixt us, <i>even</i> betwixt us and thee, and let us
make a covenant with thee; &#160; 29 That thou wilt do us no hurt,
as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing
but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou <i>art</i> now the
blessed of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p20.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 30 And
he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink. &#160; 31 And
they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and
Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. &#160;
32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came,
and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said
unto him, We have found water. &#160; 33 And he called it Shebah:
therefore the name of the city <i>is</i> Beer-sheba unto this
day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p21">We have here the contests that had been
between Isaac and the Philistines issuing in a happy peace and
reconciliation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p22">I. Abimelech pays a friendly visit to
Isaac, in token of the respect he had for him, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:26" id="Gen.xxvii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|26|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Note, <i>When a man's ways
please the Lord he makes even his enemies to be at peace with
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 16:7" id="Gen.xxvii-p22.2" parsed="|Prov|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.16.7">Prov. xvi. 7</scripRef>.
Kings' hearts are in his hands, and when he pleases he can turn
them to favour his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p23">II. Isaac prudently and cautiously
questions his sincerity in this visit, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:27" id="Gen.xxvii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|26|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Note, In settling friendships
and correspondences, there is need of the wisdom of the serpent, as
well as the innocence of the dove; nor is it any transgression of
the law of meekness and love plainly to signify our strong
perception of injuries received, and to stand upon our guard in
dealing with those that have acted unfairly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p24">III. Abimelech professes his sincerity, in
this address to Isaac, and earnestly courts his friendship,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:28,29" id="Gen.xxvii-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|26|28|26|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.28-Gen.26.29"><i>v.</i> 28, 29</scripRef>. Some
suggest that Abimelech pressed for this league with him because he
feared lest Isaac, growing rich, should, some time or other, avenge
himself upon them for the injuries he had received. However, he
professes to do it rather from a principle of love. 1. He makes the
best of their behaviour towards him. Isaac complained they had
<i>hated him, and sent him away.</i> No, said Abimelech, <i>we sent
thee away in peace.</i> They turned him off from the land he held
of them; but they suffered him to take away his stock, and all his
effects, with him. Note, The lessening of injuries is necessary to
the
<pb n="162" id="Gen.xxvii-Page_162"/>
preserving of friendship; for the
aggravating of them exasperates and widens breaches. The unkindness
done to us might have been worse. 2. He acknowledges the token of
God's favour to him, and makes this the ground of their desire to
be in league with him: <i>The Lord is with thee, and thou art the
blessed of the Lord.</i> As if he had said, "Be persuaded to
overlook and pass by the injuries offered thee; for God had
abundantly made up to thee the damage thou receivedst." Note, Those
whom God blesses and favours have reason enough to forgive those
who hate them, since the worst enemy they have cannot do them any
real hurt. Or, "For this reason we desire thy friendship, because
<i>God is with thee.</i>" Note, It is good to be in covenant and
communion with those who are in covenant and communion with God,
<scripRef passage="1Jo 1:3" id="Gen.xxvii-p24.2" parsed="|1John|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.3">1 John i. 3</scripRef>; present address
to him was the result of mature deliberation: <i>We said, Let there
be an oath between us.</i> Whatever some of his peevish envious
subjects might mean otherwise, he and his prime-ministers of state,
whom he had now brought with him, designed no other than a cordial
friendship. Perhaps Abimelech had received, by tradition, the
warning God gave to his predecessor not to hurt Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:7" id="Gen.xxvii-p24.3" parsed="|Gen|20|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.7"><i>ch.</i> xx. 7</scripRef>), and this made him
stand in such awe of Isaac, who appeared to be as much the
favourite of Heaven as Abraham was.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p25">IV. Isaac entertains him and his company,
and enters into a league of friendship with him, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:30,31" id="Gen.xxvii-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|26|30|26|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.30-Gen.26.31"><i>v.</i> 30, 31</scripRef>. Here see how generous
the good man was, 1. In giving: <i>He made them a feast,</i> and
bade them welcome. (2.) In forgiving. He did not insist upon the
unkindnesses they had done him, but freely entered into a covenant
of friendship with them, and bound himself never to do them any
injury. Note, Religion teaches us to be neighbourly, and, as much
as in us lies, to <i>live peaceably with all men.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p26">V. Providence smiled upon what Isaac did;
for the same day that he made this covenant with Abimelech his
servants brought him the tidings of a well of water they had found,
<scripRef passage="Ge 26:32,33" id="Gen.xxvii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|26|32|26|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.32-Gen.26.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. He did
not insist upon the restitution of the wells which the Philistines
had unjustly taken from him, lest this should break off the treaty,
but sat down silent under the injury; and, to recompense him for
this, immediately he is enriched with a new well, which, because it
suited so well to the occurrence of the day, he called by an old
name, <i>Beer-sheba, The well of the oath.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 26:34-35" id="Gen.xxvii-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|26|34|26|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.34-Gen.26.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.26.34-Gen.26.35">
<h4 id="Gen.xxvii-p26.3">Esau's Foolish Marriage. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxvii-p26.4">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxvii-p27">34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to
wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the
daughter of Elon the Hittite: &#160; 35 Which were a grief of mind
unto Isaac and to Rebekah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxvii-p28">Here is, 1. Esau's foolish
marriage&#8212;foolish, some think, in marrying two wives together, for
which perhaps he is called a <i>fornicator</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:16" id="Gen.xxvii-p28.1" parsed="|Heb|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.16">Heb. xii. 16</scripRef>), or rather in marrying
Canaanites, who were strangers to the blessing of Abraham, and
subject to the curse of Noah, for which he is called
<i>profane;</i> for hereby he intimated that he neither desired the
blessing nor dreaded the curse of God. 2. The grief and trouble it
created to his tender parents. (1.) It grieved them that he married
without asking, or at least without taking, their advice and
consent: see whose steps those children tread in who either contemn
or contradict their parents in disposing of themselves. (2.) It
grieved them that he married the daughters of Hittites, who had no
religion among them; for Isaac remembered his father's care
concerning him, that he should by no means marry a Canaanite. (3.)
It should seem, the wives he married were provoking in their
conduct towards Isaac and Rebekah; those children have little
reason to expect the blessing of God who do that which is a grief
of mind to their good parents.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVII" n="xxviii" progress="19.13%" prev="Gen.xxvii" next="Gen.xxix" id="Gen.xxviii">
<pb n="162" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_162"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxviii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxviii-p1">In this chapter we return to the typical story of
the struggle between Esau and Jacob. Esau had profanely sold the
birthright to Jacob; but Esau hopes he shall be never the poorer,
nor Jacob the richer, for that bargain, while he preserves his
interest in his father's affections, and so secures the blessing.
Here therefore we find how he was justly punished for his contempt
of the birthright (of which he foolishly deprived himself) with the
loss of the blessing, of which Jacob fraudulently deprives him.
Thus this story is explained, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:16,17" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Heb|12|16|12|17" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.16-Heb.12.17">Heb.
xii. 16, 17</scripRef>, "Because he sold the birthright, when he
would have inherited the blessing he was rejected." For those that
make light of the name and profession of religion, and throw them
away for a trifle, thereby forfeit the powers and privileges of it.
We have here, I. Isaac's purpose to entail the blessing upon Esau,
<scripRef passage="Ge 27:1-5" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|27|1|27|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.1-Gen.27.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. Rebekah's
plot to procure it for Jacob, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:6-17" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|27|6|27|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.6-Gen.27.17">ver.
6-17</scripRef>. III. Jacob's successful management of the plot,
and his obtaining the blessing, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:18-29" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|27|18|27|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.18-Gen.27.29">ver. 18-29</scripRef>. IV. Esau's resentment of this,
in which, 1. His great importunity with his father to obtain a
blessing, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:30-40" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|27|30|27|40" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.30-Gen.27.40">ver. 30-40</scripRef>. 2.
His great enmity to his brother for defrauding him of the first
blessing, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:41-46" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|27|41|27|46" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.41-Gen.27.46">ver. 41</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 27" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 27:1-5" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|27|1|27|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.1-Gen.27.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.27.1-Gen.27.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xxviii-p1.9">Rebekah's Contrivance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxviii-p2">1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old,
and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his
eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him,
Behold, <i>here am</i> I. &#160; 2 And he said, Behold now, I am
old, I know not the day of my death: &#160; 3 Now therefore take, I
pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the
field, and take me <i>some</i> venison; &#160; 4 And make me
savoury meat, such as I love, and bring <i>it</i> to me, that I may
eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. &#160; 5 And Rebekah
heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field
to hunt <i>for</i> venison, <i>and</i> to bring <i>it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p3">Here is, I. Isaac's design to make his
will, and to declare Esau his heir. The promise of the Messiah and
the land of Canaan was a great trust, first committed to Abraham,
inclusive and typical of spiritual and eternal blessings; this, by
divine direction, he transmitted to Isaac. Isaac, being now old,
and
<pb n="163" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_163"/>
not knowing, or not understanding, or
not duly considering, the divine oracle concerning his two sons,
that the elder should serve the younger, resolves to entail all the
honour and power that were wrapped up in the promise upon Esau his
eldest son. In this he was governed more by natural affection, and
the common method of settlements, than he ought to have been, if he
knew (as it is probable he did) the intimations God had given of
his mind in this matter. Note, We are very apt to take our measures
rather from our own reason than from divine revelation, and thereby
often miss our way; we think the wise and learned, the mighty and
noble, should inherit the promise; but God sees not as man sees.
See <scripRef passage="1Sa 16:6,7" id="Gen.xxviii-p3.1" parsed="|1Sam|16|6|16|7" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.16.6-1Sam.16.7">1 Sam. xvi. 6, 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p4">II. The directions he gave to Esau,
pursuant to this design. He calls him to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:1" id="Gen.xxviii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|27|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. For Esau, though married, had not
yet removed; and, though he had greatly grieved his parents by his
marriage, yet they had not expelled him, but it seems were pretty
well reconciled to him, and made the best of it. Note, Parents that
are justly offended at their children yet must not be implacable
towards them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p5">1. He tells him upon what considerations he
resolved to do this now (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:2" id="Gen.xxviii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|27|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): "<i>I am old,</i> and therefore must die shortly,
yet <i>I know not the day of my death,</i> nor when I must die; I
will therefore do that at this time which must be done some time."
Note, (1.) Old people should be reminded by the growing infirmities
of age to do quickly, and with all the little might they have, what
their hand finds to do. See <scripRef passage="Jos 13:1" id="Gen.xxviii-p5.2" parsed="|Josh|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.13.1">Josh.
xiii. 1</scripRef>. (2.) The consideration of the uncertainty of
the time of our departure out of the world (about which God has
wisely kept us in the dark) should quicken us to do the work of the
day in its day. The heart and the house should both be set, and
kept, in order, because <i>at such an hour as we think not the Son
of man comes;</i> because we <i>know not the day of our death,</i>
we are concerned to mind the business of life.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p6">2. He bids him to get things ready for the
solemnity of executing his last will and testament, by which he
designed to make him his heir, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:3,4" id="Gen.xxviii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|27|3|27|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.3-Gen.27.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. Esau must go a hunting, and
bring some venison, which his father will eat of, and then bless
him. In this he designed, not so much the refreshment of his own
spirits, that he might give the blessing in a lively manner, as it
is commonly taken, but rather the receiving of a fresh instance of
his son's filial duty and affection to him, before he bestowed this
favour upon him. Perhaps Esau, since he had married, had brought
his venison to his wives, and seldom to his father, as formerly
(<scripRef passage="Ge 25:28" id="Gen.xxviii-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|25|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.28"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 28</scripRef>), and
therefore Isaac, before he would bless him, would have him show
this piece of respect to him. Note, It is fit, if the <i>less be
blessed of the greater,</i> that the greater should be served and
honoured by the less. He says, <i>That my soul may bless thee
before I die.</i> Note, (1.) Prayer is the work of the soul, and
not of the lips only; as the soul must be employed in blessing God
(<scripRef passage="Ps 103:1" id="Gen.xxviii-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|103|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.1">Ps. ciii. 1</scripRef>), so it must
be in blessing ourselves and others: the blessing will not come to
the heart if it do not come from the heart. (2.) The work of life
must be done before we die, for it cannot be done afterwards
(<scripRef passage="Ec 9:10" id="Gen.xxviii-p6.4" parsed="|Eccl|9|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.10">Eccl. ix. 10</scripRef>); and it is
very desirable, when we come to die, to have nothing else to do but
to die. Isaac lived above forty years after this; let none
therefore think that they shall die the sooner for making their
wills and getting ready for death.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 27:6-17" id="Gen.xxviii-p6.5" parsed="|Gen|27|6|27|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.6-Gen.27.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.27.6-Gen.27.17">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxviii-p7">6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying,
Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,
&#160; 7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may
eat, and bless thee before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p7.1">Lord</span>
before my death. &#160; 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice
according to that which I command thee. &#160; 9 Go now to the
flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I
will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:
&#160; 10 And thou shalt bring <i>it</i> to thy father, that he may
eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. &#160; 11 And
Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother <i>is</i>
a hairy man, and I <i>am</i> a smooth man: &#160; 12 My father
peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver;
and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. &#160; 13
And his mother said unto him, Upon me <i>be</i> thy curse, my son:
only obey my voice, and go fetch me <i>them.</i> &#160; 14 And he
went, and fetched, and brought <i>them</i> to his mother: and his
mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. &#160; 15 And
Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which
<i>were</i> with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her
younger son: &#160; 16 And she put the skins of the kids of the
goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: &#160; 17
And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p8">Rebekah is here contriving to procure for
Jacob the blessing which was designed for Esau; and here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p9">I. The end was good, for she was directed
in this intention by the oracle of God, by
<pb n="164" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_164"/>
which she had been governed in dispensing her affections. God had
said it should be so, that the elder should <i>serve the
younger;</i> and therefore Rebekah resolves it shall be so, and
cannot bear to see her husband designing to thwart the oracle of
God. But,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p10">II. The means were bad, and no way
justifiable. If it was not a wrong to Esau to deprive him of the
blessing (he himself having forfeited it by selling the
birthright), yet it was a wrong to Isaac, taking advantage of his
infirmity, to impose upon him; it was a wrong to Jacob too, whom
she taught to deceive, by putting a lie into his mouth, or at least
by putting one into his right hand. It would likewise expose him to
endless scruples about the blessing, if he should obtain it thus
fraudulently, whether it would stand him or his in any stead,
especially if his father should revoke it, upon the discovery of
the cheat, and plead, as he might, that it was nulled by an
<i>error person&#230;&#8212;a mistake of the person.</i> He himself also was
aware of the danger, lest (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:12" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|27|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), if he should miss of the blessing, as he might
probably have done, he should bring upon himself his father's
curse, which he dreaded above any thing; besides, he laid himself
open to that divine curse which is pronounced upon him that
<i>causeth the blind to wander out of the way,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:18" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|27|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.18">Deut. xxvii. 18</scripRef>. If Rebekah, when she
heard Isaac promise the blessing to Esau, had gone, at his return
from hunting, to Isaac, and, with humility and seriousness, put him
in remembrance of that which God had said concerning their
sons,&#8212;if she further had shown him how Esau had forfeited the
blessing both by selling his birthright and by marrying strange
wives, it is probable that Isaac would have been prevailed upon
knowingly and wittingly to confer the blessing upon Jacob, and
needed not thus to have been cheated into it. This would have been
honourable and laudable, and would have looked well in the history;
but God left her to herself, to take this indirect course, that he
might have the glory of bringing good out of evil, and of serving
his own purposes by the sins and follies of men, and that we might
have the satisfaction of knowing that, though there is so much
wickedness and deceit in the world, God governs it according to his
will, to his own praise. See <scripRef passage="Job 12:16" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.3" parsed="|Job|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.12.16">Job xii.
16</scripRef>, <i>With him are strength and wisdom, the deceived
and the deceiver are his.</i> Isaac had lost the sense of seeing,
which, in this case, could not have been imposed upon, Providence
having so admirably well ordered the difference of features that no
two faces are exactly alike: conversation and commerce could
scarcely be maintained if there were not such a variety. Therefore
she endeavours to deceive, 1. His sense of tasting, by dressing
some choice pieces of kid, seasoning them, serving them up, so as
to make him believe they were venison: this it was no hard matter
to do. See the folly of those that are nice and curious in their
appetite, and take a pride in humouring it. It is easy to impose
upon them with that which they pretend to despise and dislike, so
little perhaps does it differ from that to which they give a
decided preference. Solomon tells us that dainties are <i>deceitful
meat;</i> for it is possible for us to be deceived by them in more
ways than one, <scripRef passage="Pr 23:32" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.4" parsed="|Prov|23|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.32">Prov. xxiii.
32</scripRef>. 2. His sense of feeling and smelling. She put Esau's
clothes upon Jacob, his best clothes, which, it might be supposed,
Esau would put on, in token of joy and respect to his father, when
he was to receive the blessing. Isaac knew these, by the stuff,
shape, and smell, to be Esau's. If we would obtain a blessing from
our heavenly Father, we must come for it in the garments of our
elder brother, clothed with his righteousness, who is the
first-born among many brethren. Lest the smoothness and softness of
Jacob's hands and neck should betray him, she covered them, and
probably part of his face, with the skins of the kids that were
newly killed, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:16" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.5" parsed="|Gen|27|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>.
Esau was rough indeed when nothing less than these would serve to
make Jacob like him. Those that affect to seem rough and rugged in
their carriage put the beast upon the man, and really shame
themselves, by thus disguising themselves. And, <i>lastly,</i> it
was a very rash word which Rebekah spoke, when Jacob objected the
danger of a curse: <i>Upon me be thy curse, my son,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:13" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.6" parsed="|Gen|27|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Christ indeed, who is
mighty to save, because mighty to bear, has said, <i>Upon me be the
curse, only obey my voice;</i> he has borne the burden of the
curse, the curse of the law, for all those that will take upon them
the yoke of the command, the command of the gospel. But it is too
daring for any creature to say, <i>Upon me be the curse,</i> unless
it be that curse causeless which we are sure <i>shall not come,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 26:2" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.7" parsed="|Prov|26|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.2">Prov. xxvi. 2</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 27:18-29" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.8" parsed="|Gen|27|18|27|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.18-Gen.27.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.27.18-Gen.27.29">
<h4 id="Gen.xxviii-p10.9">The Fraud of Jacob. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p10.10">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxviii-p11">18 And he came unto his father, and said, My
father: and he said, Here <i>am</i> I; who <i>art</i> thou, my son?
&#160; 19 And Jacob said unto his father, I <i>am</i> Esau thy
firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray
thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. &#160;
20 And Isaac said unto his son, How <i>is it</i> that thou hast
found <i>it</i> so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p11.1">Lord</span> thy God brought <i>it</i> to me.
&#160; 21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I
may feel thee, my son, whether thou <i>be</i> my very son Esau or
not. &#160; 22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he
felt him, and said, The voice <i>is</i> Jacob's voice, but the
hands <i>are</i> the hands of Esau. &#160; 23 And he discerned him
not,
<pb n="165" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_165"/>
because his hands were hairy, as his
brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. &#160; 24 And he said,
<i>Art</i> thou my very son Esau? And he said, I <i>am.</i> &#160;
25 And he said, Bring <i>it</i> near to me, and I will eat of my
son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought
<i>it</i> near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and
he drank. &#160; 26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near
now, and kiss me, my son. &#160; 27 And he came near, and kissed
him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and
said, See, the smell of my son <i>is</i> as the smell of a field
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p11.2">Lord</span> hath blessed: &#160;
28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of
the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: &#160; 29 Let people serve
thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and
let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed <i>be</i> every one
that curseth thee, and blessed <i>be</i> he that blesseth thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p12">Observe here, I. The art and assurance with
which Jacob managed this intrigue. Who would have thought that this
plain man could have played his part so well in a design of this
nature? His mother having put him in the way of it, and encouraged
him in it, he dexterously applied himself to those methods which he
had never accustomed himself to, but had always conceived an
abhorrence of. Note, Lying is soon learnt. The psalmist speaks of
those who, <i>as soon as they are born, speak lies,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 58:3,Jer 9:5" id="Gen.xxviii-p12.1" parsed="|Ps|58|3|0|0;|Jer|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.58.3 Bible:Jer.9.5">Ps. lviii. 3; Jer. ix. 5</scripRef>. I
wonder how honest Jacob could so readily turn his tongue to say
(<scripRef passage="Ge 27:19" id="Gen.xxviii-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|27|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), <i>I am
Esau thy first-born;</i> nor do I see how the endeavour of some to
bring him off with that equivocation, <i>I am made thy
first-born,</i> namely by purchase, does him any service; for when
his father asked him (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:24" id="Gen.xxviii-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|27|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>), <i>Art thou my very son Esau?</i> he said, <i>I
am.</i> How could he say, <i>I have done as thou badest me,</i>
when he had received no command from his father, but was doing as
his mother bade him? How could he say, <i>Eat of my venison,</i>
when he knew it came, not from the field, but from the fold? But
especially I wonder how he could have the assurance to father it
upon God, and to use his name in the cheat (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:20" id="Gen.xxviii-p12.4" parsed="|Gen|27|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): <i>The Lord thy God brought it
to me.</i> Is this Jacob? Is this Israel indeed, without guile? It
is certainly written, not for our imitation, but for our
admonition. <i>Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he
fall.</i> Good men have sometimes failed in the exercise of those
graces for which they have been most eminent.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p13">II. The success of this management. Jacob
with some difficulty gained his point, and obtained the
blessing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p14">1. Isaac was at first dissatisfied, and
would have discovered the fraud if he could have trusted his own
ears; for <i>the voice was Jacob's voice,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:22" id="Gen.xxviii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|27|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Providence has ordered a
strange variety of voices as well as faces, which is also of use to
prevent our being imposed upon; and the voice is a thing not easily
disguised nor counterfeited. This may be alluded to to illustrate
the character of a hypocrite. His voice is Jacob's voice, but his
hands are Esau's. He speaks the language of a saint, but does the
works of a sinner; but the judgment will be, as here, by the
hands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p15">2. At length he yielded to the power of the
cheat, <i>because the hands were hairy</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:23" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|27|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), not considering how easy it
was to counterfeit that circumstance; and now Jacob carries it on
dexterously, sets his venison before his father, and waits at table
very officiously, till dinner is done, and the blessing comes to be
pronounced in the close of this solemn feast. That which in some
small degree extenuates the crime of Rebekah and Jacob is that the
fraud was intended, not so much to hasten the fulfilling, as to
prevent the thwarting, of the oracle of God: the blessing was just
going to be put upon the wrong head, and they thought it was time
to bestir themselves. Now let us see how Isaac gave Jacob his
blessing, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:26-29" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|27|26|27|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.26-Gen.27.29"><i>v.</i>
26-29</scripRef>. (1.) He embraced him, in token of a particular
affection to him. Those that are blessed of God are kissed with the
kisses of his mouth, and they do, by love and loyalty, <i>kiss the
Son,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 2:12" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.3" parsed="|Ps|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.12">Ps. ii. 12</scripRef>. (2.) He
praised him. <i>He smelt the smell of his raiment, and said, See,
the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath
blessed,</i> that is, like that of the most fragrant flowers and
spices. It appeared that God had blessed him, and therefore Isaac
would bless him. (3.) He prayed for him, and therein prophesied
concerning him. It is the duty of parents to pray for their
children, and to bless them in the name of the Lord. And thus, as
well as by their baptism, to do what they can to preserve and
perpetuate the entail of the covenant in their families. But this
was an extraordinary blessing; and Providence so ordered it that
Isaac should bestow it upon Jacob ignorantly and by mistake, that
it might appear he was beholden to God for it, and not to Isaac.
Three things Jacob is here blessed with:&#8212;[1.] Plenty (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:28" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|27|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>), heaven and earth
concurring to make him rich. [2.] Power (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:29" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.5" parsed="|Gen|27|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), particularly dominion over his
brethren, namely, Esau and his posterity. [3.] Prevalency with God,
and a great interest in Heaven: "<i>Cursed by every one that
curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee.</i> Let God be a
friend to all thy friends, and an enemy to all thy enemies." More
is certainly comprised in this blessing than appears <i>prima
facie&#8212;at first sight.</i> It must amount
<pb n="166" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_166"/>
to
an entail of the promise of the Messiah, and of the church; this
was, in the patriarchal dialect, <i>the blessing:</i> something
spiritual, doubtless, is included in it. <i>First,</i> That from
him should come the Messiah, who should have a sovereign dominion
on earth. It was that top-branch of his family which people should
serve and nations bow down to. See <scripRef passage="Nu 24:19" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.6" parsed="|Num|24|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.19">Num. xxiv. 19</scripRef>, <i>Out of Jacob shall come he
that shall have dominion,</i> the <i>star</i> and <i>sceptre,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 24:17" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.7" parsed="|Num|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Jacob's
dominion over Esau was to be only typical of this, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:10" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.8" parsed="|Gen|49|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.10"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 10</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i>
That from him should come the church, which should be particularly
owned and favoured by Heaven. It was part of the blessing of
Abraham, when he was first called to be the father of the faithful
<scripRef passage="Ge 12:3" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.9" parsed="|Gen|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.3"><i>ch.</i> xii. 3</scripRef>), <i>I
will bless those that bless thee;</i> therefore, when Isaac
afterwards confirmed the blessing to Jacob, he called it <i>the
blessing of Abraham,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 28:4" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.10" parsed="|Gen|28|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.4"><i>ch.</i>
xxviii. 4</scripRef>. Balaam explains this too, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:9" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.11" parsed="|Num|24|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.9">Num. xxiv. 9</scripRef>. Note, It is the best and most
desirable blessing to stand in relation to Christ and his church,
and to be interested in Christ's power and the church's
favours.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 27:30-40" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.12" parsed="|Gen|27|30|27|40" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.30-Gen.27.40"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.27.30-Gen.27.40">
<h4 id="Gen.xxviii-p15.13">The Blessing Pronounced on Jacob and
Esau. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p15.14">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxviii-p16">30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had
made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out
from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came
in from his hunting. &#160; 31 And he also had made savoury meat,
and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my
father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless
me. &#160; 32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who <i>art</i>
thou? And he said, I <i>am</i> thy son, thy firstborn Esau. &#160;
33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where
<i>is</i> he that hath taken venison, and brought <i>it</i> me, and
I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea,
<i>and</i> he shall be blessed. &#160; 34 And when Esau heard the
words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter
cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, <i>even</i> me also, O my
father. &#160; 35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and
hath taken away thy blessing. &#160; 36 And he said, Is not he
rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he
took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my
blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?
&#160; 37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have
made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for
servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what
shall I do now unto thee, my son? &#160; 38 And Esau said unto his
father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me,
<i>even</i> me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and
wept. &#160; 39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him,
Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the
dew of heaven from above; &#160; 40 And by thy sword shalt thou
live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when
thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from
off thy neck.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p17">Here is, I. The covenant-blessing denied to
Esau. He that made so light of the birthright <i>would now have
inherited the blessing, but he was rejected, and found no place of
repentance</i> in his father, <i>though he sought it carefully with
tears,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 12:17" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.1" parsed="|Heb|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.17">Heb. xii. 17</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. How carefully he sought it. He prepared the savoury
meat, as his father had directed him, and then begged the blessing
which his father had encouraged him to expect, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:31" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.2" parsed="|Gen|27|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. When he understood that Jacob
had obtained it surreptitiously, he <i>cried with a great and
exceedingly bitter cry,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:34" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.3" parsed="|Gen|27|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.34"><i>v.</i>
34</scripRef>. No man could have laid the disappointment more to
heart than he did; he made his father's tent to ring with his
grief, and again (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:38" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.4" parsed="|Gen|27|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.38"><i>v.</i>
38</scripRef>) <i>lifted up his voice and wept.</i> Note, The day
is coming when those that now make light of the blessings of the
covenant, and sell their title to them for a thing of nought, will
in vain be importunate for them. Those that will not so much as ask
and seek now will knock shortly, and cry, <i>Lord, Lord.</i>
Slighters of Christ will then be humble suitors to him. 2. How he
was rejected. Isaac, when first made sensible of the imposition
that had been practised on him, <i>trembled exceedingly,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 27:33" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.5" parsed="|Gen|27|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Those that
follow the choice of their own affections, rather than the dictates
of the divine will, involve themselves in such perplexities as
these. But he soon recovers himself, and ratifies the blessing he
had given to Jacob: <i>I have blessed him, and he shall be
blessed;</i> he might, upon very plausible grounds, have recalled
it, but now, at last, he is sensible that he was in an error when
he designed it for Esau. Either himself recollecting the divine
oracle, or rather having found himself more than ordinarily filled
with the Holy Ghost when he gave the blessing to Jacob, he
perceived that God did, as it were, say Amen to it. Now, (1.) Jacob
was hereby confirmed in his possession of the blessing, and
abundantly satisfied of the validity of it, though he obtained it
fraudulently; hence too he had reason to hope that God graciously
<pb n="167" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_167"/>
overlooked and pardoned his misconduct. (2.)
Isaac hereby acquiesced in the will of God, though it contradicted
his own expectations and affection. He had a mind to give Esau the
blessing, but, when he perceived the will of God was otherwise, he
submitted; and this he did <i>by faith</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:20" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.6" parsed="|Heb|11|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.20">Heb. xi. 20</scripRef>), as Abraham before him, when he
had solicited for Ishmael. May not God do what he will with his
own? (3.) Esau hereby was cut off from the expectation of that
special blessing which he thought to have preserved to himself when
he sold his birthright. We, by this instance, are taught, [1.] That
<i>it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of
God that showeth mercy,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 9:16" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.7" parsed="|Rom|9|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.16">Rom. ix.
16</scripRef>. The apostle seems to allude to this story. Esau had
a good will to the blessing, and ran for it; but God that showed
mercy designed it for Jacob, <i>that the purpose of God according
to election might stand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 9:11" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.8" parsed="|Rom|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. The Jews, like Esau, hunted <i>after the law of
righteousness</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 9:31" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.9" parsed="|Rom|9|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>), yet missed of the blessing of righteousness,
<i>because they sought it by the works of the law</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 9:32" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.10" parsed="|Rom|9|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>); while the Gentiles,
who, like Jacob, sought it by faith in the oracle of God, obtained
it by force, with that violence which the kingdom of heaven
suffers. See <scripRef passage="Mt 11:12" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.11" parsed="|Matt|11|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.11.12">Matt. xi. 12</scripRef>.
[2.] That those who undervalue their spiritual birthright, and can
afford to sell it for a morsel of meat, forfeit spiritual
blessings, and it is just with God to deny them those favours they
were careless of. Those that will part with their wisdom and grace,
with their faith and a good conscience, for the honours, wealth, or
pleasures, of this world, however they may pretend a zeal for the
blessing, have already judged themselves unworthy of it, and so
shall their doom be. [3.] That those who lift up hands in wrath
lift them up in vain. Esau, instead of repenting of his own folly,
reproached his brother, unjustly charged him with taking away the
birthright which he had fairly sold to him (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:36" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.12" parsed="|Gen|27|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>), and conceived malice against
him for what he had now done, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:41" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.13" parsed="|Gen|27|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>. Those are not likely to speed
in prayer who turn those resentments upon their brethren which they
should turn upon themselves, and lay the blame of their
miscarriages upon others, when they should take shame to
themselves. [4.] That those who seek not till it is too late will
be rejected. This was the ruin of Esau, he did not come in time. As
there is an accepted time, a time when God will be found, so there
is a time when he will not answer those that call upon him, because
they neglected the appointed season. See <scripRef passage="Pr 1:28" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.14" parsed="|Prov|1|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.28">Prov. i. 28</scripRef>. The time of God's patience and
our probation will not last always; the day of grace will come to
an end, and the door will be shut. Then many that now despise the
blessing will seek it carefully; for then they will know how to
value it, and will see themselves undone, for ever undone, without
it, but to no purpose, <scripRef passage="Lu 13:25-27" id="Gen.xxviii-p17.15" parsed="|Luke|13|25|13|27" osisRef="Bible:Luke.13.25-Luke.13.27">Luke xiii.
25-27</scripRef>. O that we would therefore, in this our day,
<i>know the things that belong to our peace!</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p18">II. Here is a common blessing bestowed upon
Esau.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p19">1. This he desired: <i>Bless me also,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 27:34" id="Gen.xxviii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|27|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. <i>Hast thou
not reserved a blessing for me?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:36" id="Gen.xxviii-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|27|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>. Note, (1.) The worst of men
know how to wish well to themselves; and even those who profanely
sell their birthright seem piously to desire the blessing. Faint
desires of happiness, without a right choice of the end and a right
use of the means, deceive many into their own ruin. Multitudes go
to hell with their mouths full of good wishes. The desire of the
slothful and unbelieving kills them. Many will seek to enter in, as
Esau, who shall not be able, because they do not strive, <scripRef passage="Lu 13:24" id="Gen.xxviii-p19.3" parsed="|Luke|13|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.13.24">Luke xiii. 24</scripRef>. (2.) It is the folly
of most men that they are willing to take up with any good
(<scripRef passage="Ps 4:6" id="Gen.xxviii-p19.4" parsed="|Ps|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.4.6">Ps. iv. 6</scripRef>), as Esau here,
who desired but a second-rate blessing, a blessing separated from
the birthright. Profane hearts think any blessing as good as that
from God's oracle: <i>Hast thou but one?</i> As if he had said, "I
will take up with any: though I have not the blessing of the
church, yet let me have some blessing."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p20">2. This he had; and let him make his best
of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:39,40" id="Gen.xxviii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|27|39|27|40" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.39-Gen.27.40"><i>v.</i> 39,
40</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p21">(1.) It was a good thing, and better than
he deserved. It was promised him, [1.] That he should have a
competent livelihood&#8212;<i>the fatness of the earth, and the dew of
heaven.</i> Note, Those that come short of the blessings of the
covenant may yet have a very good share of outward blessings. God
gives good ground and good weather to many that reject his
covenant, and have no part nor lot in it. [2.] That by degrees he
should recover his liberty. If Jacob must rule (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:29" id="Gen.xxviii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|27|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), Esau must serve; but he has
this to comfort him, he shall <i>live by his sword.</i> He shall
serve, but he shall not starve; and, at length, after much
skirmishing, he shall break the yoke of bondage, and wear marks of
freedom. This was fulfilled (<scripRef passage="2Ki 8:20,22" id="Gen.xxviii-p21.2" parsed="|2Kgs|8|20|0|0;|2Kgs|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.8.20 Bible:2Kgs.8.22">2
Kings viii. 20, 22</scripRef>) when the Edomites revolted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p22">(2.) Yet it was far short of Jacob's
blessing. For him God had reserved some better thing. [1.] In
Jacob's blessing <i>the dew of heaven</i> is put first, as that
which he most valued, and desired, and depended upon; in Esau's
<i>the fatness of the earth</i> is put first, for it was this that
he had the first and principal regard to. [2.] Esau has these, but
Jacob has them from God's hand: <i>God give thee the dew of
heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 27:28" id="Gen.xxviii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|27|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>.
It was enough to Esau to have the possession; but Jacob desired it
by promise, and to have it from covenant-love. [3.] Jacob shall
have dominion over his brethren: hence the Israelites often ruled
over the Edomites. Esau shall have dominion, that is, he shall gain
some power and interest, but shall never have dominion over his
brother: we never find that the Jews were sold into the hands of
the Edomites, or that they oppressed them. But the great difference
in
<pb n="168" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_168"/>
that there is nothing in Esau's blessing
that points at Christ, nothing that brings him or his into the
church and covenant of God, without which the fatness of the earth,
and the plunder of the field, will stand him in little stead. Thus
Isaac by faith blessed them both according as their lot should be.
Some observe that Jacob was blessed with a <i>kiss</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:27" id="Gen.xxviii-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|27|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), so was not Esau.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 27:41-46" id="Gen.xxviii-p22.3" parsed="|Gen|27|41|27|46" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.41-Gen.27.46"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.27.41-Gen.27.46">
<h4 id="Gen.xxviii-p22.4">Jacob's Life Threatened by
Esau. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxviii-p22.5">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxviii-p23">41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing
wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The
days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my
brother Jacob. &#160; 42 And these words of Esau her elder son were
told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and
said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth
comfort himself, <i>purposing</i> to kill thee. &#160; 43 Now
therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my
brother to Haran; &#160; 44 And tarry with him a few days, until
thy brother's fury turn away; &#160; 45 Until thy brother's anger
turn away from thee, and he forget <i>that</i> which thou hast done
to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I
be deprived also of you both in one day? &#160; 46 And Rebekah said
to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth:
if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these
<i>which are</i> of the daughters of the land, what good shall my
life do me?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p24">Here is, I. The malice Esau bore to Jacob
upon account of the blessing which he had obtained, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:41" id="Gen.xxviii-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|27|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>. Thus he went in the way
of Cain, who slew his brother because he had gained that acceptance
with God of which he had rendered himself unworthy. Esau's hatred
of Jacob was, 1. A causeless hatred. He hated him for no other
reason but because his father blessed him and God loved him. Note,
The happiness of saints is the envy of sinners. Whom Heaven
blesses, hell curses. 2. It was a cruel hatred. Nothing less would
satisfy him than to slay his brother. It is the blood of the saints
that persecutors thirst after: <i>I will slay my brother.</i> How
could he say that word without horror? How could he call him
<i>brother,</i> and yet vow his death? Note, The rage of
persecutors will not be tied up by any bonds, no, not the strongest
and most sacred. 3. It was a politic hatred. He expected his father
would soon die, and then titles must be tried and interests
contested between the brothers, which would give him a fair
opportunity for revenge. He thinks it not enough to <i>live by his
sword himself</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 27:40" id="Gen.xxviii-p24.2" parsed="|Gen|27|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.40"><i>v.</i>
40</scripRef>), unless his brother die by it. He is loth to grieve
his father while he lives, and therefore puts off the intended
murder till his death, not caring how much he then grieved his
surviving mother. Note, (1.) Those are bad children to whom their
good parents are a burden, and who, upon any account, long for the
days of mourning for them. (2.) Bad men are long held in by
external restraints from doing the mischief they would do, and so
their wicked purposes come to nought. (3.) Those who think to
defeat God's purposes will undoubtedly be disappointed themselves.
Esau aimed to prevent Jacob, or his seed, from having the dominion,
by taking away his life before he was married; but who can disannul
what God has spoken? Men may fret at God's counsels, but cannot
change them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p25">II. The method Rebekah took to prevent the
mischief.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p26">1. She gave Jacob warning of his danger,
and advised him to withdraw for a while, and shift for his own
safety. She tells him what she heard of Esau's design, that he
comforted himself with the hope of an opportunity to kill his
brother, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:42" id="Gen.xxviii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|27|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>.
Would one think that such a bloody barbarous thought as this could
be a comfort to a man? If Esau could have kept his design to
himself his mother would not have suspected it; but men's impudence
in sin is often their infatuation; and they cannot accomplish their
wickedness because their rage is too violent to be concealed, and a
bird of the air carries the voice. Observe here, (1.) What Rebekah
feared&#8212;lest she <i>should be deprived of them both in one day</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 27:45" id="Gen.xxviii-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|27|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>), deprived,
not only of the murdered, but of the murderer, who either by the
magistrate, or by the immediate hand of God, would by sacrificed to
justice, which she herself must acquiesce in, and not obstruct: or,
if not so, yet thenceforward she would be deprived of all joy and
comfort in him. Those that are lost to virtue are in a manner lost
to all their friends. With what pleasure can a child be looked upon
that can be looked upon as no other than a child of the devil? (2.)
What Rebekah hoped&#8212;that, if Jacob for a while kept out of sight,
the affront which his brother resented so fiercely would by degrees
go out of mind. The strength of passions is weakened and taken off
by the distances both of time and place. She promised herself that
his brother's anger would turn away. Note, Yielding pacifies great
offences; and even those that have a good cause, and God on their
side, must yet use this with other prudent expedients for their own
preservation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxviii-p27">2. She impressed Isaac with an apprehension
of the necessity of Jacob's going among her relations upon another
account, which was to take a wife, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:46" id="Gen.xxviii-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|27|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>. She would not tell him of
Esau's wicked design against the life of Jacob, lest it should
trouble him; but
<pb n="169" id="Gen.xxviii-Page_169"/>
prudently took another way
to gain her point. Isaac saw as uneasy as he was to Esau's being
unequally yoked with Hittites; and therefore, with a very good
colour of reason, she moves to have Jacob married to one that was
better principled. Note, One miscarriage should serve as a warning
to prevent another; those are careless indeed that stumble twice at
the same stone. Yet Rebekah seems to have expressed herself
somewhat too warmly in the matter, when she said, <i>What good will
my life do me if Jacob marry a Canaanite?</i> Thanks be to God, all
our comfort is not lodged in one hand; we may do the work of life,
and enjoy the comforts of life, though every thing do not fall out
to our mind, and though our relations be not in all respects
agreeable to us. Perhaps Rebekah spoke with this concern because
she saw it necessary, for the quickening of Isaac, to give speedy
orders in this matter. Observe, Though Jacob was himself very
towardly, and well fixed in his religion, yet he had need to be put
out of the way of temptation. Even he was in danger both of
following the bad example of his brother and of being drawn into a
snare by it. We must not presume too far upon the wisdom and
resolution, no, not of those children that are most hopeful and
promising; but care must be taken to keep them out of harm's
way.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVIII" n="xxix" progress="19.87%" prev="Gen.xxviii" next="Gen.xxx" id="Gen.xxix">
<pb n="169" id="Gen.xxix-Page_169"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxix-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxix-p1">We have here, I. Jacob parting with his parents,
to go to Padan-aram; the charge his father gave him (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:1,2" id="Gen.xxix-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|28|1|28|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.1-Gen.28.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>), the blessing he sent him
away with (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:3,4" id="Gen.xxix-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|28|3|28|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.3-Gen.28.4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>), his
obedience to the orders given him (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:5,10" id="Gen.xxix-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|28|5|0|0;|Gen|28|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.5 Bible:Gen.28.10">ver. 5, 10</scripRef>), and the influence this had
upon Esau, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:6-9" id="Gen.xxix-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|28|6|28|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.6-Gen.28.9">ver. 6-9</scripRef>. II.
Jacob meeting with God, and his communion with him by the way. And
there, 1. His vision of the ladder, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:11,12" id="Gen.xxix-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|28|11|28|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.11-Gen.28.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. 2. The gracious promises God
made him, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:13-15" id="Gen.xxix-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|28|13|28|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.13-Gen.28.15">ver. 13-15</scripRef>. 3.
The impression this made upon him, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:16-19" id="Gen.xxix-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|28|16|28|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.16-Gen.28.19">ver. 16-19</scripRef>. 4. The vow he made to God, up
on this occasion, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:20-22" id="Gen.xxix-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|28|20|28|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.20-Gen.28.22">ver.
20</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 28" id="Gen.xxix-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 28:1-5" id="Gen.xxix-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|28|1|28|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.1-Gen.28.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.28.1-Gen.28.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xxix-p1.11">Jacob Dismissed with a
Blessing. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxix-p2">1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and
charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughters of Canaan. &#160; 2 Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house
of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of
the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother. &#160; 3 And God
Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee,
that thou mayest be a multitude of people; &#160; 4 And give thee
the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that
thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God
gave unto Abraham. &#160; 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went
to Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of
Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p3">Jacob had no sooner obtained the blessing
than immediately he was forced to flee from his country; and, as it
if were not enough that he was a stranger and sojourner there, he
must go to be more so, and no better than an exile, in another
country. Now <i>Jacob fled into Syria,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 12:12" id="Gen.xxix-p3.1" parsed="|Hos|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.12">Hos. xii. 12</scripRef>. He was blessed with plenty of
corn and wine, and yet he went away poor, was blessed with
government, and yet went out to service, a hard service. This was,
1. Perhaps to correct him for his dealing fraudulently with his
father. The blessing shall be confirmed to him, and yet he shall
smart for the indirect course he took to obtain it. While there is
such an alloy as there is of sin in our duties, we must expect an
alloy of trouble in our comforts. However, 2. It was to teach us
that those who inherit the blessing must expect persecution; those
who have peace in Christ shall have tribulation in the world,
<scripRef passage="Joh 16:33" id="Gen.xxix-p3.2" parsed="|John|16|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.16.33">John xvi. 33</scripRef>. Being told
of this before, we must not think it strange, and, being assured of
a recompence hereafter, we must not think it hard. We may observe,
likewise, that God's providences often seem to contradict his
promises, and to go cross to them; and yet, when the mystery of God
shall be finished, we shall see that all was for the best, and that
cross providences did but render the promises and the
accomplishment of them the more illustrious. Now Jacob is here
dismissed by his father,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p4">I. With a solemn charge: <i>He blessed him,
and charged him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 28:1,2" id="Gen.xxix-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|28|1|28|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.1-Gen.28.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. Note, Those that have the blessing must keep the
charge annexed to it, and not think to separate what God has
joined. The charge is like that in <scripRef passage="2Co 6:14" id="Gen.xxix-p4.2" parsed="|2Cor|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.14">2
Cor. vi. 14</scripRef>, <i>Be not unequally yoked with
unbelievers;</i> and all that inherit the promises of the remission
of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, must keep this charge,
which follows those promises, <i>Save yourselves from this untoward
generation,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 2:38-40" id="Gen.xxix-p4.3" parsed="|Acts|2|38|2|40" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.38-Acts.2.40">Acts ii.
38-40</scripRef>. Those that are entitled to peculiar favours must
be a peculiar people. If Jacob be an heir of promise, he must
<i>not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;</i> those that
profess religion should not marry those that are irreligious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p5">II. With a solemn blessing, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:3,4" id="Gen.xxix-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|28|3|28|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.3-Gen.28.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. He had before
blessed him unwittingly; now he does it designedly, for the greater
encouragement of Jacob in that melancholy condition to which he was
now removing. This blessing is more express and full than the
former; it is an entail of the blessing of Abraham, that blessing
which was poured on the head of Abraham like the anointing oil,
thence to run down to his chosen seed, as the skirts of his
garments. It is a gospel blessing, the blessing of
church-privileges, that is the blessing of Abraham, which upon the
Gentiles through faith, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:14" id="Gen.xxix-p5.2" parsed="|Gal|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.14">Gal. iii.
14</scripRef>. It is a blessing from God Almighty, by which name
God appeared to the patriarchs, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:3" id="Gen.xxix-p5.3" parsed="|Exod|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.3">Exod.
vi. 3</scripRef>. Those are blessed indeed whom God Almighty
blesses; for he commands and effects the blessing. Two great
promises Abraham was blessed with, and Isaac here entails them both
upon Jacob.</p>
<pb n="170" id="Gen.xxix-Page_170"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p6">1. The promise of heirs: <i>God make thee
fruitful, and multiply thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 28:3" id="Gen.xxix-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. (1.) Through his loins should
descend from Abraham that people who should be numerous as the
stars of heaven, and the sand of the sea, and who should increase
more than the rest of the nations, so as to be <i>an assembly of
people,</i> as the margin reads it. And never was such a multitude
of people so often gathered into one assembly as the tribes of
Israel were in the wilderness, and afterwards. (2.) Through his
loins should descend from Abraham that person in whom all the
families of the earth should be blessed, and to whom the gathering
of the people should be. Jacob had in him a multitude of people
indeed, for all things in heaven and earth are united in Christ
(<scripRef passage="Eph 1:10" id="Gen.xxix-p6.2" parsed="|Eph|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.10">Eph. i. 10</scripRef>), all centre in
him, that corn of wheat, which falling to the ground, produced much
fruit, <scripRef passage="Joh 12:24" id="Gen.xxix-p6.3" parsed="|John|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.24">John 12. 24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p7">2. The promise of an inheritance for those
heirs: <i>That thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 28:4" id="Gen.xxix-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|28|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Canaan was
hereby entailed upon the seed of Jacob, exclusive of the seed of
Esau. Isaac was now sending Jacob away into a distant country, to
settle there for some time; and, lest this should look like
disinheriting him, he here confirms the settlement of it upon him,
that he might be assured that the discontinuance of his possession
should be no defeasance of his right. Observe, He is here told that
he should inherit the land wherein he sojourned. Those that are
sojourners now shall be heirs for ever: and, even now, those do
most inherit the earth (though they do not inherit most of it) that
are most like strangers in it. Those have the best enjoyment of
present things that sit most loose to them. This promise looks as
high as heaven, of which Canaan was a type. This was the better
country, which Jacob, with the other patriarchs, had in his eye,
when he confessed himself a stranger and pilgrim upon the earth,
<scripRef passage="Heb 11:13" id="Gen.xxix-p7.2" parsed="|Heb|11|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.13">Heb. xi. 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p8">Jacob, having taken leave of his father,
was hastened away with all speed, lest his brother should find an
opportunity to do him a mischief, and away he went to Padan-aram,
<scripRef passage="Ge 28:5" id="Gen.xxix-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|28|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. How unlike was
his taking a wife thence to his father's! Isaac had servants and
camels sent to fetch his; Jacob must go himself, go alone, and go
afoot, to fetch his: he must go too in a fright from his father's
house, not knowing when he might return. Note, If God, in his
providence, disable us, we must be content, though we cannot keep
up the state and grandeur of our ancestors. We should be more in
care to maintain their piety than to maintain their dignity, and to
be as good as they were than to be as great. Rebekah is here called
<i>Jacob's and Esau's mother.</i> Jacob is named first, not only
because he had always been his mother's darling, but because he was
now make his father's heir, and Esau was, in this sense, set aside.
Note, The time will come when piety will have precedency, whatever
it has now.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 28:6-9" id="Gen.xxix-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|28|6|28|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.6-Gen.28.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.28.6-Gen.28.9">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxix-p9">6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob,
and sent him away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from thence;
and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt
not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; &#160; 7 And that Jacob
obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padan-aram;
&#160; 8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not
Isaac his father; &#160; 9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took
unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael
Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p10">This passage concerning Esau comes in in
the midst of Jacob's story, either, 1. To show the influence of a
good example. Esau, though the greater man, now begins to think
Jacob the better man, and disdains not to take him for his pattern
in this particular instance of marrying with a daughter of Abraham.
The elder children should give to the younger an example of
tractableness and obedience; it is bad if they do not: but it is
some alleviation if they take the example of it from them, as Esau
here did from Jacob. Or, 2. To show the folly of an after-wit. Esau
did well, but he did it when it was too late, He <i>saw that the
daughters of Canaan pleased not his father,</i> and he might have
seen that long ago if he had consulted his father's judgment as
much as he did his palate. And how did he now mend the matter? Why,
truly, so as to make bad worse. (1.) He married a daughter of
Ishmael, the son of the bond-woman, who was cast out, and was not
to inherit with Isaac and his seed, thus joining with a family
which God had rejected, and seeking to strengthen his own
pretensions by the aid of another pretender. (2.) He took a third
wife, while, for aught that appears, his other two were neither
dead nor divorced. (3.) He did it only to please his father, not to
please God. Now that Jacob was sent into a far country Esau would
be all in all at home, and he hoped so to humour his father as to
prevail with him to make a new will, and entail the promise upon
him, revoking the settlement lately made upon Jacob. And thus, [1.]
He was wise when it was too late, like Israel that would venture
when the decree had gone forth against them (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:40" id="Gen.xxix-p10.1" parsed="|Num|14|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.40">Num. xiv. 40</scripRef>), and the foolish virgins,
<scripRef passage="Mt 25:11" id="Gen.xxix-p10.2" parsed="|Matt|25|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.25.11">Matt. xxv. 11</scripRef>. [2.] He
rested in a partial reformation, and thought, by pleasing his
parents in one thing, to atone for all his other miscarriages. It
is not said that when he saw how obedient Jacob was, and how
willing to please his parents, he repented of his malicious design
against him: no, it appeared afterwards that he persisted in that,
and
<pb n="171" id="Gen.xxix-Page_171"/>
retained his malice. Note, Carnal hearts
are apt to think themselves as good as they should be, because
perhaps, in some one particular instance, they are not so bad as
they have been. Thus Micah retains his idols, but thinks himself
happy in having a Levite to be his priest, <scripRef passage="Jdg 17:13" id="Gen.xxix-p10.3" parsed="|Judg|17|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.17.13">Judg. xvii. 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 28:10-15" id="Gen.xxix-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|28|10|28|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.10-Gen.28.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.28.10-Gen.28.15">
<h4 id="Gen.xxix-p10.5">Jacob's Vision at Bethel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p10.6">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxix-p11">10 And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went
toward Haran. &#160; 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and
tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of
the stones of that place, and put <i>them for</i> his pillows, and
lay down in that place to sleep. &#160; 12 And he dreamed, and
behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to
heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on
it. &#160; 13 And, behold, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p11.1">Lord</span>
stood above it, and said, I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p11.2">Lord</span> God of Abraham thy father, and the God of
Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to
thy seed; &#160; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,
and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to
the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all
the families of the earth be blessed. &#160; 15 And, behold, I
<i>am</i> with thee, and will keep thee in all <i>places</i>
whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I
will not leave thee, until I have done <i>that</i> which I have
spoken to thee of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p12">We have here Jacob upon his journey towards
Syria, in a very desolate condition, like one that was sent to seek
his fortune; but we find that, though he was alone, yet he was not
alone, for <i>the Father was with him,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 16:32" id="Gen.xxix-p12.1" parsed="|John|16|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.16.32">John xvi. 32</scripRef>. If what is here recorded
happened (as it should seem it did) the first night, he had made a
long day's journey from Beersheba to Bethel, above forty miles.
Providence brought him to a convenient place, probably shaded with
trees, to rest himself in that night; and there he had,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p13">I. A hard lodging (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:11" id="Gen.xxix-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|28|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), the <i>stones for his
pillows,</i> and the heavens for his canopy and curtains. As the
usage then was, perhaps this was not so bad as it seems now to us;
but we should think, 1. He lay very cold, the cold ground for his
bed, and, which one would suppose made the matter worse, a cold
stone for his pillow, and in the cold air. 2. Very uneasy. If his
bones were sore with his day's journey, his night's rest would but
make them sorer. 3. Very much exposed. He forgot that he was
fleeing for his life; or had his brother, in his rage, pursued, or
sent a murderer after him, here he lay ready to be sacrificed, and
destitute of shelter and defence. We cannot think it was by reason
of his poverty that he was so ill accommodated, but, (1.) It was
owing to the plainness and simplicity of those times, when men did
not take so much state, and consult their ease so much, as in these
later times of softness and effeminacy. (2.) Jacob had been
particularly used to hardships, as a plain man dwelling in tents;
and, designing now to go to service, he was the more willing to
inure himself to them; and, as it proved, it was well, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:40" id="Gen.xxix-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|31|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.40"><i>ch.</i> xxxi. 40</scripRef>. (3.) His comfort
in the divine blessing, and his confidence in the divine
protection, made him easy, even when he lay thus exposed; being
sure that his God made him to dwell in safety, he could lie down
and sleep upon a stone.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p14">II. In his hard lodging he had a pleasant
dream. Any Israelite indeed would be willing to take up with
Jacob's pillow, provided he might but have Jacob's dream. Then, and
there, he <i>heard the words of God, and saw the visions of the
Almighty.</i> It was the best night's sleep he ever had in his
life. Note, God's time to visit his people with his comforts is
when they are most destitute of other comforts, and other
comforters; when afflictions in the way of duty (as these were) do
abound, then shall consolations so much the more abound. Now
observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p15">1. The encouraging vision Jacob saw,
<scripRef passage="Ge 28:12" id="Gen.xxix-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. He saw a
ladder which reached from earth to heaven, the angels ascending and
descending upon it, and God himself at the head of it. Now this
represents the two things that are very comfortable to good people
at all times, and in all conditions:&#8212;(1.) The providence of God,
by which there is a constant correspondence kept up between heaven
and earth. The counsels of heaven are executed on earth, and the
actions and affairs of this earth are all known in heaven are
executed on earth, and the actions and affairs of this earth are
all known in heaven and judged there. Providence does its work
gradually, and by steps. Angels are employed as ministering
spirits, to serve all the purposes and designs of Providence, and
the wisdom of God is at the upper end of the ladder, directing all
the motions of second causes to the glory of the first Cause. The
angels are active spirits, continually ascending and descending;
they rest not, day nor night, from service, according to the posts
assigned them. They ascend, to give account of what they have done,
and to receive orders; and then descend, to execute the orders they
have received. Thus we should always abound in the work of the
Lord, that we may do it as the angels do it, <scripRef passage="Ps 103:20,21" id="Gen.xxix-p15.2" parsed="|Ps|103|20|103|21" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.20-Ps.103.21">Ps. ciii. 20, 21</scripRef>. This vision gave very
seasonable comfort to Jacob, letting him know that he had both a
good guide and a good guard, in his going out and coming in,&#8212;that,
though he was made to wander from his father's house, yet still he
was the care of a kind Providence, and the charge of the holy
<pb n="172" id="Gen.xxix-Page_172"/>
angels. This is comfort enough, though we
should not admit the notion which some have, that the tutelar
angels of Canaan were ascending, having guarded Jacob out of their
land, and the angels of Syria descending to take him into their
custody. Jacob was now the type and representative of the whole
church, with the guardianship of which the angels are entrusted.
(2.) The mediation of Christ. He is this ladder, the foot on earth
in his human nature, the top in heaven in his divine nature: or the
former in his humiliation, the latter in his exaltation. All the
intercourse between heaven and earth, since the fall, is by this
ladder. Christ is the way; all God's favours come to us, and all
our services go to him, by Christ. If God dwell with us, and we
with him, it is by Christ. We have no way of getting to heaven, but
by this ladder; if we climb up any other way we are thieves and
robbers. To this vision our Saviour alludes when he speaks of the
angels of God <i>ascending and descending upon the son of man</i>
(<scripRef passage="Joh 1:51" id="Gen.xxix-p15.3" parsed="|John|1|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.51">John i. 51</scripRef>); for the kind
offices the angels do us, and the benefits we receive by their
ministration, are all owing to Christ, who has reconciled things on
earth and things in heaven (<scripRef passage="Col 1:20" id="Gen.xxix-p15.4" parsed="|Col|1|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.1.20">Col. i.
20</scripRef>), and made them all meet in himself, <scripRef passage="Eph 1:10" id="Gen.xxix-p15.5" parsed="|Eph|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.10">Eph. i. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p16">2. The encouraging words Jacob heard. God
now brought him into the wilderness, and spoke comfortably to him,
spoke from the head of the ladder; for all the glad tidings we
receive from heaven come through Jesus Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p17">(1.) The former promises made to his father
were repeated and ratified to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:13,14" id="Gen.xxix-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|28|13|28|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.13-Gen.28.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. In general, God
intimated to him that he would be the same to him that he had been
to Abraham and Isaac. Those that tread in the steps of their godly
parents are interested in their covenant and entitled to their
privileges. Particularly, [1.] The land of Canaan is settled upon
him, <i>the land whereon thou liest;</i> as if by his lying so
contentedly upon the bare ground he had taken livery and seisin of
the whole land. [2.] It is promised him that his posterity should
multiply exceedingly as the dust of the earth&#8212;that, though he
seemed now to be plucked off as a withered branch, yet he should
become a flourishing tree, that should send out his boughs unto the
sea. These were the blessings with which his father had blessed him
(<scripRef passage="Ge 28:3,4" id="Gen.xxix-p17.2" parsed="|Gen|28|3|28|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.3-Gen.28.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>), and God
here said Amen to them, that he might have strong consolation. [3.]
It is added that the Messiah should come from his loins, in whom
all the families of the earth should be blessed. Christ is the
great blessing of the world. All that are blessed, whatever family
they are of, are blessed in him, and none of any family are
excluded from blessedness in him, but those that exclude
themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p18">(2.) Fresh promises were made him,
accommodated to his present condition, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:15" id="Gen.xxix-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|28|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. [1.] Jacob was apprehensive of
danger from his brother Esau; but God promises to keep him. Note,
Those are safe whom God protects, whoever pursues them. [2.] He had
now a long journey before him, had to travel alone, in an unknown
road, to an unknown country; but, <i>behold, I am with thee,</i>
says God. Note, Wherever we are, we are safe, and may be easy, if
we have God's favourable presence with us. [3.] He knew not, but
God foresaw, what hardships he should meet with in his uncle's
service, and therefore promises to preserve him in all places.
Note, God knows how to give his people graces and comforts
accommodated to the events that shall be, as well as to those that
are. [4.] He was now going as an exile into a place far distant,
but God promises him to bring him back again to this land. Note, He
that preserves his people's going out will also take care of their
coming in, <scripRef passage="Ps 121:8" id="Gen.xxix-p18.2" parsed="|Ps|121|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.121.8">Ps. cxxi. 8</scripRef>.
[5.] He seemed to be forsaken of all his friends, but God here
gives him this assurance, <i>I will not leave thee.</i> Note, Whom
God loves he never leaves. This promise is sure to all the seed,
<scripRef passage="Heb 13:5" id="Gen.xxix-p18.3" parsed="|Heb|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.5">Heb. xiii. 5</scripRef>. [6.]
Providences seemed to contradict the promises; he is therefore
assured of the performance of them in their season: All shall <i>be
done that I have spoken to thee of.</i> Note, Saying and doing are
not two things with God, whatever they are with us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 28:16-22" id="Gen.xxix-p18.4" parsed="|Gen|28|16|28|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.16-Gen.28.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.28.16-Gen.28.22">
<h4 id="Gen.xxix-p18.5">Jacob's Vow. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p18.6">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxix-p19">16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he
said, Surely the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p19.1">Lord</span> is in this
place; and I knew <i>it</i> not. &#160; 17 And he was afraid, and
said, How dreadful <i>is</i> this place! this <i>is</i> none other
but the house of God, and this <i>is</i> the gate of heaven. &#160;
18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that
he had put <i>for</i> his pillows, and set it up <i>for</i> a
pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. &#160; 19 And he called
the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city <i>was
called</i> Luz at the first. &#160; 20 And Jacob vowed a vow,
saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I
go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, &#160; 21
So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxix-p19.2">Lord</span> be my God: &#160; 22 And this
stone, which I have set <i>for</i> a pillar, shall be God's house:
and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth
unto thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p20">God manifested himself and his favour to
Jacob when he was asleep and purely passive; for the spirit, like
the wind, blows when and where he listeth, and God's grace, like
the dew, tarrieth not for the sons of men, <scripRef passage="Mic 5:7" id="Gen.xxix-p20.1" parsed="|Mic|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.5.7">Mic. v. 7</scripRef>. But Jacob applied himself
<pb n="173" id="Gen.xxix-Page_173"/>
to the improvement of the visit God had made him
when he was awake; and we may well think he awaked, as the prophet
did (<scripRef passage="Jer 31:26" id="Gen.xxix-p20.2" parsed="|Jer|31|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.31.26">Jer. xxxi. 26</scripRef>), and
behold his sleep was sweet to him. Here is much of Jacob's devotion
on this occasion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p21">I. He expressed a great surprise at the
tokens he had of God's special presence with him in that place:
<i>Surely the Lord is in this place and I knew it not,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 28:16" id="Gen.xxix-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|28|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Note, 1.
God's manifestations of himself to his people carry their own
evidence along with them. God can give undeniable demonstrations of
his presence, such as give abundant satisfaction to the souls of
the faithful that God is with them of a truth, satisfaction not
communicable to others, but convincing to themselves. 2. We
sometimes meet with God where we little thought of meeting with
him. He is where we did not think he had been, is found where we
asked not for him. No place excludes divine visits (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:13" id="Gen.xxix-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.13"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 13</scripRef>, <i>here
also</i>); wherever we are, in the city or in the desert, in the
house or in the field, in the shop or in the street, we may keep up
our intercourse with Heaven if it be not our own fault.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p22">II. It struck an awe upon him (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:17" id="Gen.xxix-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|28|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>): <i>He was afraid;</i>
so far was he from being puffed up, and exalted above measure, with
the abundance of the revelations (<scripRef passage="2Co 12:7" id="Gen.xxix-p22.2" parsed="|2Cor|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.12.7">2
Cor. xii. 7</scripRef>), that he was afraid. Note, The more we see
of God the more cause we see for holy trembling and blushing before
him. Those to whom God is pleased to manifest himself are thereby
laid, and kept, very low in their own eyes, and see cause to fear
even the Lord and his goodness, <scripRef passage="Ho 3:5" id="Gen.xxix-p22.3" parsed="|Hos|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.3.5">Hos.
iii. 5</scripRef>. He said, <i>How dreadful is this place!</i> that
is, "The appearance of God in this place is never to be thought of,
but with a holy awe and reverence. I shall have a respect for this
place, and remember it by this token, as long as I live:" not that
he thought the place itself any nearer the divine visions than
other places; but what he saw there at this time was, as it were,
<i>the house of God,</i> the residence of the divine Majesty, and
<i>the gate of heaven,</i> that is, the general rendezvous of the
inhabitants of the upper world, as the meetings of a city were in
their gates; or the angels ascending and descending were like
travellers passing and re-passing through the gates of a city.
Note, 1. God is in a special manner present where his grace is
revealed and where his covenants are published and sealed, as of
old by the ministry of angels, so now by instituted ordinances,
<scripRef passage="Mt 28:20" id="Gen.xxix-p22.4" parsed="|Matt|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.20">Matt. xxviii. 20</scripRef>. 2. Where
God meets us with his special presence we ought to meet him with
the most humble reverence, remembering his justice and holiness,
and our own meanness and vileness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p23">III. He took care to preserve the memorial
of it two ways: 1. He set up the stone for a pillar (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:18" id="Gen.xxix-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|28|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>); not as if he thought
the visions of his head were any way owing to the stone on which it
lay, but thus he would mark the place against he came back, and
erect a lasting monument of God's favour to him, and because he had
not time now to build an altar here, as Abraham did in the places
where God appeared to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:7" id="Gen.xxix-p23.2" parsed="|Gen|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.7"><i>ch.</i>
xii. 7</scripRef>. He therefore <i>poured oil on the top of this
stone,</i> which probably was the ceremony then used in dedicating
their altars, as an earnest of his building an altar when he should
have conveniences for it, as afterwards he did, in gratitude to God
for this vision, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:7" id="Gen.xxix-p23.3" parsed="|Gen|35|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.7"><i>ch.</i> xxxv.
7</scripRef>. Note, Grants of mercy call for returns of duty, and
the sweet communion we have with God ought ever to be remembered.
2. He gave a new name to the place, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:19" id="Gen.xxix-p23.4" parsed="|Gen|28|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. It had been called <i>Luz, an
almond-tree;</i> but he will have it henceforward called
<i>Beth-el, the house of God.</i> This gracious appearance of God
to him put a greater honour upon it, and made it more remarkable,
than all the almond-trees that flourished there. This is that
Beth-el where, long after, it is said, <i>God found Jacob, and
there</i> (in what he said to him) <i>he spoke with us,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ho 12:4" id="Gen.xxix-p23.5" parsed="|Hos|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.4">Hos. xii. 4</scripRef>. In process of
time, this <i>Beth-el, the house of God,</i> became <i>Beth-aven, a
house of vanity</i> and iniquity, when Jeroboam set up one of his
calves there.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxix-p24">IV. He made a solemn vow upon this
occasion, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:20-22" id="Gen.xxix-p24.1" parsed="|Gen|28|20|28|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.20-Gen.28.22"><i>v.</i>
20-22</scripRef>. By religious vows we give glory to God, own our
dependence upon him, and lay a bond upon our own souls to engage
and quicken our obedience to him. Jacob was now in fear and
distress; and it is seasonable to make vows in times of trouble, or
when we are in pursuit of any special mercy, <scripRef passage="Jon 1:16,Ps 66:13,14,1Sa 1:11,Nu 21:1-3" id="Gen.xxix-p24.2" parsed="|Jonah|1|16|0|0;|Ps|66|13|66|14;|1Sam|1|11|0|0;|Num|21|1|21|3" osisRef="Bible:Jonah.1.16 Bible:Ps.66.13-Ps.66.14 Bible:1Sam.1.11 Bible:Num.21.1-Num.21.3">Jon. i. 16; Ps. lxvi. 13,
14; 1 Sam. i. 11; Num. xxi. 1-3</scripRef>. Jacob had now had a
gracious visit from heaven. God had renewed his covenant with him,
and the covenant is mutual. When God ratifies his promises to us,
it is proper for us to repeat our promises to him. Now in this vow
observe, 1. Jacob's faith. God had said (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:15" id="Gen.xxix-p24.3" parsed="|Gen|28|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), <i>I am with thee, and will
keep thee.</i> Jacob takes hold of this, and infers, "<i>Seeing God
will be with me, and will keep me,</i> as he hath said, and (which
is implied in that promise) will provide comfortably for me,&#8212;and
seeing he has promised to <i>bring me again to this land,</i> that
is, <i>to the house of my father,</i> whom I hope to find alive at
my return <i>in peace</i>" (so unlike was he to Esau who longed for
the days of mourning for his father),&#8212;"I depend upon it." Note,
God's promises are to be the guide and measure of our desires and
expectations. 2. Jacob's modesty and great moderation in his
desires. He will cheerfully content himself with bread to eat, and
raiment to put on; and, though God's promise had now made him heir
to a very great estate, yet he indents not for soft clothing and
dainty meat. Agur's wish is his, <i>Feed me with food convenient
for me;</i> and see <scripRef passage="1Ti 6:8" id="Gen.xxix-p24.4" parsed="|1Tim|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.8">1 Tim. vi.
8</scripRef>. Nature is content with a little, and grace with less.
Those that have most have, in effect, no more for themselves than
food and raiment; of the overplus they have only either the keeping
or the giving, not the enjoyment: if God give us more, we are bound
to be thankful, and to use it for him; if he give us but this, we
are bound to be content, and cheerfully to enjoy him in it. 3.
Jacob's piety, and his regard to God, which appear here, (1.) In
what he desired, that God would be with him and keep him. Note, We
need desire no more to make us easy and happy, wherever we are,
than to have God's presence with us and to be under his protection.
It is comfortable, in a journey, to have a guide in an unknown way,
a guard in a dangerous way, to be well carried, well provided for,
and to have good company in any way; and those that have God with
them have all this in the best manner. (2.) In what he designed.
His resolution is, [1.] In general, to cleave to the Lord, as his
God in covenant: <i>Then shall the Lord be my God.</i> Not as if he
would disown him and cast him off if he should want food and
raiment; no, though he slay us, we must cleave to him; but "then I
will rejoice in him as my God; then I will more strongly engage
myself to abide with him." Note, Every mercy we receive from God
should be improved as an additional obligation upon us to walk
closely with him as our God. [2.] In particular, that he would
perform some special acts of devotion, in token of his gratitude.
<i>First,</i> "This pillar shall keep possession here till I come
back in peace, and then it shall be God's house," that is, "an
altar shall be erected here to the honour of God." <i>Secondly,</i>
"The house of god shall not be unfurnished, nor his altar without a
sacrifice: <i>Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the
tenth unto thee,</i> to be spent either upon God's altars or upon
his poor," both which are his receivers in the world. Probably it
was according to some general instructions received from heaven
that Abraham and Jacob offered the tenth of their acquisitions to
God. Note, 1. God must be honoured with our estates, and must have
his dues out of them. When we receive more than ordinary mercy from
God we should study to give some signal instances of gratitude to
him. 2. The tenth is a very fit proportion to be devoted to God and
employed for him, though, as circumstances vary, it may be more or
less, as God prospers us, <scripRef passage="1Co 16:2,2Co 9:7" id="Gen.xxix-p24.5" parsed="|1Cor|16|2|0|0;|2Cor|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.2 Bible:2Cor.9.7">1
Cor. xvi. 2; 2 Cor. ix. 7</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIX" n="xxx" progress="20.46%" prev="Gen.xxix" next="Gen.xxxi" id="Gen.xxx">
<pb n="174" id="Gen.xxx-Page_174"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxx-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxx-p0.2">CHAP. XXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxx-p1">This chapter gives us an account of God's
providences concerning Jacob, pursuant to the promises made to him
in the foregoing chapter. I. How he was brought in safety to his
journey's end, and directed to his relations there, who bade him
welcome, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:1-14" id="Gen.xxx-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|29|1|29|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.1-Gen.29.14">ver. 1-14</scripRef>. II.
How he was comfortably disposed of in marriage, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:15-30" id="Gen.xxx-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|29|15|29|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.15-Gen.29.30">ver. 15-30</scripRef>. III. How his family was built
up in the birth of four sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:31-35" id="Gen.xxx-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|29|31|29|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.31-Gen.29.35">ver.
31-35</scripRef>. The affairs of princes and mighty nations that
were then in being are not recorded in the book of God, but are
left to be buried in oblivion; while these small domestic concerns
of holy Jacob are particularly recorded with their minute
circumstances, that they may be in everlasting remembrance. For
"the memory of the just is blessed."</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 29" id="Gen.xxx-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|29|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 29:1-8" id="Gen.xxx-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|29|1|29|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.1-Gen.29.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.29.1-Gen.29.8">
<h4 id="Gen.xxx-p1.6">Jacob's Arrival at
Padan-aram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxx-p2">1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into
the land of the people of the east. &#160; 2 And he looked, and
behold a well in the field, and, lo, there <i>were</i> three flocks
of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks:
and a great stone <i>was</i> upon the well's mouth. &#160; 3 And
thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone
from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone
again upon the well's mouth in his place. &#160; 4 And Jacob said
unto them, My brethren, whence <i>be</i> ye? And they said, Of
Haran <i>are</i> we. &#160; 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban
the son of Nahor? And they said, We know <i>him.</i> &#160; 6 And
he said unto them, <i>Is</i> he well? And they said, <i>He is</i>
well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
&#160; 7 And he said, Lo, <i>it is</i> yet high day, neither <i>is
it</i> time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye
the sheep, and go <i>and</i> feed <i>them.</i> &#160; 8 And they
said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and
<i>till</i> they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we
water the sheep.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p3">All the stages Israel's march to Canaan are
distinctly noticed, but no particular journal is kept of Jacob's
expedition further than Beth-el; no, he had no more such happy
nights as he had at Beth-el, no more such visions of the Almighty.
That was intended for a feast; he must not expect it to be his
daily bread. But, 1. We are here told how cheerfully he proceeded
in his journey after the sweet communion he had with God at
Beth-el: <i>Then Jacob lifted up his feet;</i> so the margin reads
it, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:1" id="Gen.xxx-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|29|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Then he
went on with cheerfulness and alacrity, not burdened with his
cares, nor cramped with his fears, being assured of God's gracious
presence with him. Note, After the visions we have had of God, and
the vows we have made to him in solemn ordinances, we should run
the way of his commandments with enlarged hearts, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:1" id="Gen.xxx-p3.2" parsed="|Heb|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.1">Heb. xii. 1</scripRef>. 2. How happily he
arrived at his journey's end. Providence brought him to the very
field where his uncle's flocks were to be watered, and there he met
with Rachel, who was to be his wife. Observe, (1.) The divine
Providence is to be acknowledged in all the little circumstances
which concur to make a journey, or other undertaking, comfortable
and successful. If, when we are at a loss, we meet seasonably with
those that can direct us&#8212;if we meet with a disaster, and those are
at hand that will help us&#8212;we must not say that it was by chance,
nor that fortune therein favoured us, but that it was by
Providence, and that God therein favoured us. Our ways are ways of
<pb n="175" id="Gen.xxx-Page_175"/>
pleasantness, if we continually acknowledge
God in them. (2.) Those that have flocks must look well to them,
and be diligent to know their state, <scripRef passage="Pr 27:23" id="Gen.xxx-p3.3" parsed="|Prov|27|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.23">Prov. xxvii. 23</scripRef>. What is here said of the
constant care of the shepherds concerning their sheep (<scripRef passage="Ge 29:2,3,7,8" id="Gen.xxx-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|29|2|29|3;|Gen|29|7|0|0;|Gen|29|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.2-Gen.29.3 Bible:Gen.29.7 Bible:Gen.29.8"><i>v.</i> 2, 3, 7, 8</scripRef>) may serve
to illustrate the tender concern which our Lord Jesus, the great
Shepherd of the sheep, has for his flock, the church; for he is the
good Shepherd, that knows his sheep, and is known of them,
<scripRef passage="Joh 10:14" id="Gen.xxx-p3.5" parsed="|John|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.10.14">John x. 14</scripRef>. The stone at
the well's mouth, which is so often mentioned here, was either to
secure their property in it (for water was scarce, it was not there
<i>usus communis aquarum&#8212;for every one's use</i>), or it was to
save the well from receiving damage from the heat of the sun, or
from any spiteful hand, or to prevent the lambs of the flock from
being drowned in it. (3.) Separate interests should not take us
from joint and mutual help; when all the shepherds came together
with their flocks, then, like loving neighbours, at watering-time,
they watered their flocks together. (4.) It becomes us to speak
civilly and respectfully to strangers. Though Jacob was no
courtier, but a plain man, dwelling in tents, and a stranger to
compliment, yet he addresses himself very obligingly to the people
he met with, and calls them his <i>brethren,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:4" id="Gen.xxx-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|29|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. The law of kindness in the tongue
has a commanding power, <scripRef passage="Pr 31:26" id="Gen.xxx-p3.7" parsed="|Prov|31|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.26">Prov. xxxi.
26</scripRef>. Some think he calls them brethren because they were
of the same trade, shepherds like him. Though he was now upon his
preferment, he was not ashamed of his occupation. (5.) Those that
show respect have usually respect shown to them. As Jacob was civil
to these strangers, so he found them civil to him. When he
undertook to teach them how to despatch their business (<scripRef passage="Ge 29:7" id="Gen.xxx-p3.8" parsed="|Gen|29|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), they did not bid him
meddle with his own concerns and let them alone; but, though he was
a stranger, they gave him the reason of their delay, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:8" id="Gen.xxx-p3.9" parsed="|Gen|29|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Those that are
neighbourly and friendly shall have neighbourly and friendly
usage.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 29:9-14" id="Gen.xxx-p3.10" parsed="|Gen|29|9|29|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.9-Gen.29.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.29.9-Gen.29.14">
<h4 id="Gen.xxx-p3.11">Rachel's Humility and
Industry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p3.12">b. c.</span> 1760.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxx-p4">9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came
with her father's sheep: for she kept them. &#160; 10 And it came
to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's
brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob
went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered
the flock of Laban his mother's brother. &#160; 11 And Jacob kissed
Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. &#160; 12 And Jacob told
Rachel that he <i>was</i> her father's brother, and that he
<i>was</i> Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father. &#160;
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his
sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed
him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these
things. &#160; 14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou <i>art</i> my
bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p5">Here we see, 1. Rachel's humility and
industry: <i>She kept her father's sheep</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 29:9" id="Gen.xxx-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), that is, she took the care of
them, having servants under her that were employed about them.
Rachel's name signifies <i>a sheep.</i> Note, Honest useful labour
is that which nobody needs be ashamed of, nor ought it to be a
hindrance to any one's preferment. 2. Jacob's tenderness and
affection. When he understood that this was his kinswoman (probably
he had heard of her name before), knowing what his errand was into
that country, we may suppose it struck his mind immediately that
this must be his wife. Being already smitten with her ingenuous
comely face (though it was probably sun-burnt, and she was in the
homely dress of a shepherdess), he is wonderfully officious, and
anxious to serve her (<scripRef passage="Ge 29:10" id="Gen.xxx-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|29|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), and addresses himself to her with tears of joy and
kisses of love, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:11" id="Gen.xxx-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|29|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. She runs with all haste to tell her father; for she
will by no means entertain her kinsman's address without her
father's knowledge and approbation, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:12" id="Gen.xxx-p5.4" parsed="|Gen|29|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. These mutual respects, at their
first interview, were good presages of their being a happy couple.
3. Providence made that which seemed contingent and fortuitous to
give speedy satisfaction to Jacob's mind, as soon as ever he came
to the place which he was bound for. Abraham's servant, when he
came upon a similar errand, met with similar encouragement. Thus
God guides his people with his eye, <scripRef passage="Ps 32:8" id="Gen.xxx-p5.5" parsed="|Ps|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.8">Ps.
xxxii. 8</scripRef>. It is a groundless conceit which some of the
Jewish writers have, that Jacob, when he kissed Rachel, wept
because he had been set upon in his journey by Eliphaz the eldest
son of Esau, at the command of his father, and robbed of all his
money and jewels, which his mother had given him when she sent him
away. It was plain that it was his passion for Rachel, and the
surprise of this happy meeting, that drew these tears from his
eyes. 4. Laban, though none of the best-humoured men, bade him
welcome, was satisfied in the account he gave of himself, and of
the reason of his coming in such poor circumstances. While we avoid
the extreme, on the one hand, of being foolishly credulous, we must
take heed of falling into the other extreme, of being uncharitably
jealous and suspicious. Laban owned him for his kinsman: <i>Thou
art my bone and my flesh,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:14" id="Gen.xxx-p5.6" parsed="|Gen|29|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.14">v.
14</scripRef>. Note, Those are hard-hearted indeed that are unkind
to their relations, and that <i>hide themselves from their own
flesh,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 58:7" id="Gen.xxx-p5.7" parsed="|Isa|58|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.7">Isa. lviii.
7</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 29:15-30" id="Gen.xxx-p5.8" parsed="|Gen|29|15|29|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.15-Gen.29.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.29.15-Gen.29.30">
<h4 id="Gen.xxx-p5.9">Jacob's Marriage. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p5.10">b. c.</span> 1753.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxx-p6">15 And Laban said unto Jacob,
<pb n="176" id="Gen.xxx-Page_176"/>
Because thou <i>art</i> my brother, shouldest thou
therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what <i>shall</i> thy wages
<i>be?</i> &#160; 16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the
elder <i>was</i> Leah, and the name of the younger <i>was</i>
Rachel. &#160; 17 Leah <i>was</i> tender eyed; but Rachel was
beautiful and well favoured. &#160; 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and
said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger
daughter. &#160; 19 And Laban said, <i>It is</i> better that I give
her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with
me. &#160; 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they
seemed unto him <i>but</i> a few days, for the love he had to her.
&#160; 21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give <i>me</i> my wife, for my
days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. &#160; 22 And Laban
gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
&#160; 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his
daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. &#160;
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid <i>for</i>
a handmaid. &#160; 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning,
behold, it <i>was</i> Leah: and he said to Laban, What <i>is</i>
this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel?
wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? &#160; 26 And Laban said, It
must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the
firstborn. &#160; 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this
also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other
years. &#160; 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he
gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. &#160; 29 And Laban gave
to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. &#160;
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more
than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p7">Here is, I. The fair contract made between
Laban and Jacob, during the month that Jacob spent there as a
guest, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:14" id="Gen.xxx-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|29|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. It
seems he was not idle, nor did he spend his time in sport and
pastime; but like a man of business, though he had no stock of his
own, he applied himself to serve his uncle, as he had begun
(<scripRef passage="Ge 29:10" id="Gen.xxx-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|29|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) when he
<i>watered his flock.</i> Note, Wherever we are, it is good to be
employing ourselves in some useful business, which will turn to a
good account to ourselves or others. Laban, it seems, was so taken
with Jacob's ingenuity and industry about his flocks that he was
desirous he should continue with him, and very fairly reasons thus:
"<i>Because thou art my brother, shouldst thou therefore serve me
for nought?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:15" id="Gen.xxx-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|29|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. No, what reason for that?" If Jacob be so respectful
to his uncle as to give him his service without demanding any
consideration for it, yet Laban will not be so unjust to his nephew
as to take advantage either of his necessity or of his good-nature.
Note, Inferior relations must not be imposed upon; if it be their
duty to serve us, it is our duty to reward them. Now Jacob had a
fair opportunity to make known to Laban the affection he had for
his daughter Rachel; and, having no worldly goods in his hand with
which to endow her, he promises him seven years' service, upon
condition that, at the end of the seven years, he would bestow her
upon him for his wife. It appears by computation that Jacob was now
seventy-seven years old when he bound himself apprentice for a
wife, <i>and for a wife he kept sheep,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 12:12" id="Gen.xxx-p7.4" parsed="|Hos|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.12">Hos. xii. 12</scripRef>. His posterity are there
reminded of it long afterwards, as an instance of the meanness of
their origin: probably Rachel was young, and scarcely marriageable,
when Jacob first came, which made him the more willing to stay for
her till his seven years' service had expired.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p8">II. Jacob's honest performance of his part
of the bargain, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:20" id="Gen.xxx-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|29|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. He served seven years for Rachel. If Rachel still
continued to keep her father's sheep (as she did, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:9" id="Gen.xxx-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), his innocent and
religious conversation with her, while they kept the flocks, could
not but increase their mutual acquaintance and affection (Solomon's
song of love is a pastoral); if she now left it off, his easing her
of that care was very obliging. Jacob honestly served out his seven
years, and did not forfeit his indentures, though he was old; nay,
he served them cheerfully: <i>They seemed to him but a few days,
for the love he had to her,</i> as if it were more his desire to
earn her than to have her. Note, Love makes long and hard services
short and easy; hence we read of <i>the labour of love,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 6:10" id="Gen.xxx-p8.3" parsed="|Heb|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.10">Heb. vi. 10</scripRef>. If we know how
to value the happiness of heaven, the sufferings of this present
time will be as nothing to us in comparison of it. An age of work
will be but as a few days to those that love God and long for
Christ's appearing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p9">III. The base cheat which Laban put upon
him when he was out of his time: he put Leah into his arms instead
of Rachel, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:23" id="Gen.xxx-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|29|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
This was Laban's sin; he wronged both Jacob and Rachel, whose
affections, doubtless, were engaged to each other, and, if (as some
say) Leah was herein no better than an adulteress, it was no small
wrong to her too. But it was Jacob's affliction, a damp to the
<pb n="177" id="Gen.xxx-Page_177"/>
mirth of the marriage-feast, when in the
morning behold it was Leah, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:25" id="Gen.xxx-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|29|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. It is easy to observe here how Jacob was paid in his
own coin. He had cheated his own father when he pretended to be
Esau, and now his father-in-law cheated him. Herein, how
unrighteous soever Laban was, the Lord was righteous; as <scripRef passage="Jdg 1:7" id="Gen.xxx-p9.3" parsed="|Judg|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.1.7">Judges i. 7</scripRef>. Even the righteous, if
they take a false step, are sometimes thus recompensed on the
earth. Many that are not, like Jacob, disappointed in the person,
soon find themselves, as much to their grief, disappointed in the
character. The choice of that relation therefore, on both sides,
ought to be made with good advice and consideration, that, if there
should be a disappointment, it may not be aggravated by a
consciousness of mismanagement.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p10">IV. The excuse and atonement Laban made for
the cheat. 1. The excuse was frivolous: <i>It must not be so done
in our country,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:26" id="Gen.xxx-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|29|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. We have reason to think there was no such custom of
his country as he pretends; only he banters Jacob with it, and
laughs at his mistake. Note, Those that can do wickedly and then
think to turn it off with a jest, though they may deceive
themselves and others, will find at last that God is not mocked.
But if there had been such a custom, and he had resolved to observe
it, he should have told Jacob so when he undertook to serve him for
his younger daughter. Note, As saith the proverb of the ancients,
<i>Wickedness proceeds from the wicked,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 24:13" id="Gen.xxx-p10.2" parsed="|1Sam|24|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.24.13">1 Sam. xxiv. 13</scripRef>. Those that deal with
treacherous men must expect to be dealt treacherously with. 2. His
compounding the matter did but make bad worse: <i>We will give thee
this also,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:27" id="Gen.xxx-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|29|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>. Hereby he drew Jacob into the sin, and snare, and
disquiet, of multiplying wives, which remains a blot in his
escutcheon, and will be so to the end of the world. Honest Jacob
did not design it, but to have kept as true to Rachel as his father
had done to Rebekah. He that had lived without a wife to the
eighty-fourth year of his age could then have been very well
content with one; but Laban, to dispose of his two daughters
without portions, and to get seven years' service more out of
Jacob, thus imposes upon him, and draws him into such a strait by
his fraud, that (the matter not being yet settled, as it was
afterwards by the divine law, <scripRef passage="Le 18:18" id="Gen.xxx-p10.4" parsed="|Lev|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.18">Lev.
xviii. 18</scripRef>, and more fully since by our Saviour,
<scripRef passage="Mt 19:5" id="Gen.xxx-p10.5" parsed="|Matt|19|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.5">Matt. xix. 5</scripRef>) he had some
colourable reasons for marrying them both. He could not refuse
Rachel, for he had espoused her; still less could he refuse Leah,
for he had married her; and therefore Jacob must <i>be content, and
take two talents,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ki 5:23" id="Gen.xxx-p10.6" parsed="|2Kgs|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.5.23">2 Kings v.
23</scripRef>. Note, One sin is commonly the inlet of another.
Those that go in by one door of wickedness seldom find their way
out but by another. The polygamy of the patriarchs was, in some
measure, excusable in them, because, though there was a reason
against it as ancient as Adam's marriage (<scripRef passage="Mal 2:15" id="Gen.xxx-p10.7" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15">Mal. ii. 15</scripRef>), yet there was no express
command against it; it was in them a sin of ignorance. It was not
the product of any sinful lust, but for the building up of the
church, which was the good that Providence brought out of it; but
it will by no means justify the like practice now, when God's will
is plainly made known, that one man and one woman only must be
joined together, <scripRef passage="1Co 7:2" id="Gen.xxx-p10.8" parsed="|1Cor|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.2">1 Cor. vii.
2</scripRef>. The having of many wives suits well enough with the
carnal sensual spirit of the Mahomedan imposture, which allows it;
but we have not so learned Christ. Dr. Lightfoot makes Leah and
Rachel to be figures of the two churches, the Jews under the law
and the Gentiles under the gospel: the younger the more beautiful,
and more in the thoughts of Christ when he came in the form of a
servant; but he other, like Leah, first embraced: yet in this the
allegory does not hold, that the Gentiles, the younger, were more
fruitful, <scripRef passage="Ga 4:27" id="Gen.xxx-p10.9" parsed="|Gal|4|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.27">Gal. iv. 27</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 29:31-35" id="Gen.xxx-p10.10" parsed="|Gen|29|31|29|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.31-Gen.29.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.29.31-Gen.29.35">
<h4 id="Gen.xxx-p10.11">Increase of Jacob's Family. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p10.12">b. c.</span> 1749.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxx-p11">31 And when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p11.1">Lord</span> saw that Leah <i>was</i> hated, he opened
her womb: but Rachel <i>was</i> barren. &#160; 32 And Leah
conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she
said, Surely the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p11.2">Lord</span> hath looked
upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. &#160;
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p11.3">Lord</span> hath heard that I <i>was</i>
hated, he hath therefore given me this <i>son</i> also: and she
called his name Simeon. &#160; 34 And she conceived again, and bare
a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me,
because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called
Levi. &#160; 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she
said, Now will I praise the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxx-p11.4">Lord</span>:
therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxx-p12">We have here the birth of four of Jacob's
sons, all by Leah. Observe, 1. That Leah, who was less beloved, was
blessed with children, when Rachel was denied that blessing,
<scripRef passage="Ge 29:31" id="Gen.xxx-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|29|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. See how
Providence, in dispensing its gifts, observes a proportion, to keep
the balance even, setting crosses and comforts one over-against
another, that none may be either too much elevated or too much
depressed. Rachel wants children, but she is blessed with her
husband's love; Leah wants that, but she is fruitful. Thus it was
between Elkana's two wives (<scripRef passage="1Sa 1:5" id="Gen.xxx-p12.2" parsed="|1Sam|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.1.5">1 Sam. i.
5</scripRef>); for the Lord is wise and righteous. <i>When the Lord
saw that Leah was hated,</i> that is, loved less than Rachel, in
which sense it is required that we hate father and mother, in
comparison with Christ (<scripRef passage="Lu 14:26" id="Gen.xxx-p12.3" parsed="|Luke|14|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.14.26">Luke xiv.
26</scripRef>), then the Lord granted her a child, which was a
rebuke
<pb n="178" id="Gen.xxx-Page_178"/>
to Jacob, for making so great a
difference between those that he was equally related to,&#8212;a check
to Rachel, who perhaps insulted over her sister upon that
account,&#8212;and a comfort to Leah, that she might not be overwhelmed
with the contempt put upon her: thus <i>God giveth abundant honour
to that which lacked,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:24" id="Gen.xxx-p12.4" parsed="|1Cor|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.24">1 Cor. xii.
24</scripRef>. 2. The names she gave her children were expressive
of her respectful regards both to God and to her husband. (1.) She
appears very ambitious of her husband's love: she reckoned the want
of it her affliction (<scripRef passage="Ge 29:32" id="Gen.xxx-p12.5" parsed="|Gen|29|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>); not upbraiding him with it as his fault, nor
reproaching him for it, and so making herself uneasy to him, but
laying it to heart as her grief, which yet she had reason to bear
with the more patience because she herself was consenting to the
fraud by which she became his wife; and we may well bear that
trouble with patience which we bring upon ourselves by our own sin
and folly. She promised herself that the children she bore him
would gain her the interest she desired in his affections. She
called her first-born <i>Reuben</i> (<i>see a son</i>), with this
pleasant thought, <i>Now will my husband love me;</i> and her third
son <i>Levi</i> (<i>joined</i>), with this expectation, <i>Now will
my husband by joined unto me,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:34" id="Gen.xxx-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|29|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. Mutual affection is both the
duty and comfort of that relation; and yoke-fellows should study to
recommend themselves to each other, <scripRef passage="1Co 7:33,34" id="Gen.xxx-p12.7" parsed="|1Cor|7|33|7|34" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.33-1Cor.7.34">1 Cor. vii. 33, 34</scripRef>. (2.) She thankfully
acknowledges the kind providence of God in it: <i>The Lord hath
looked upon my affliction,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:32" id="Gen.xxx-p12.8" parsed="|Gen|29|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. "<i>The Lord hath heard,</i>
that is, taken notice of it, <i>that I was hated</i> (for our
afflictions, as they are before God's eyes, so they have a cry in
his ears), <i>he has therefore given me this son.</i>" Note,
Whatever we have that contributes either to our support and comfort
under our afflictions or to our deliverance from them, God must be
owned in it, especially his pity and tender mercy. Her fourth she
called <i>Judah</i> (<i>praise</i>), saying, <i>Now will I praise
the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:35" id="Gen.xxx-p12.9" parsed="|Gen|29|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>.
And this was he of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came.
Note, [1.] Whatever is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the
matter of our thanksgiving. Fresh favours should quicken us to
praise God for former favours. <i>Now will I praise the Lord</i>
more and better than I have done. [2.] All our praises must centre
in Christ, both as the matter of them and as the Mediator of them.
He descended from him whose name was praise, for he is our praise.
Is Christ formed in my heart? <i>Now will I praise the
Lord.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXX" n="xxxi" progress="20.91%" prev="Gen.xxx" next="Gen.xxxii" id="Gen.xxxi">
<pb n="178" id="Gen.xxxi-Page_178"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxi-p0.2">CHAP. XXX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxi-p1">In this chapter we have an account of the
increase, I. Of Jacob's family. Eight children more we find
registered in this chapter; Dan and Naphtali by Bilhah, Rachel's
maid, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:1-8" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|30|1|30|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.1-Gen.30.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. Gad and
Asher by Zilpah, Leah's maid, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:9-13" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|30|9|30|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.9-Gen.30.13">ver.
9-13</scripRef>. Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah, by Leah, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:14-21" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|30|14|30|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.14-Gen.30.21">ver. 14-21</scripRef>. And, last of all,
Joseph, by Rachel, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:22-24" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|30|22|30|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.22-Gen.30.24">ver.
22-24</scripRef>. II. Of Jacob's estate. He makes a new bargain
with Laban, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:25-34" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|30|25|30|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.25-Gen.30.34">ver. 25-34</scripRef>.
And in the six years' further service he did to Laban God
wonderfully blessed him, so that his stock of cattle became very
considerable, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:35-43" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|30|35|30|43" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.35-Gen.30.43">ver.
35-43</scripRef>. Herein was fulfilled the blessing with which
Isaac dismissed him (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:3" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.3"><i>ch.</i> xxviii.
3</scripRef>), "God make thee fruitful, and multiply thee." Even
these small matters concerning Jacob's house and field, though they
seem inconsiderable, are improvable for our learning. For the
scriptures were written, not for princes and statesmen, to instruct
them in politics; but for all people, even the meanest, to direct
them in their families and callings: yet some things are here
recorded concerning Jacob, not for imitation, but for
admonition.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 30" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 30:1-13" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|30|1|30|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.1-Gen.30.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.30.1-Gen.30.13">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxi-p1.10">Increase of Jacob's Family. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxi-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1745.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxi-p2">1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no
children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me
children, or else I die. &#160; 2 And Jacob's anger was kindled
against Rachel: and he said, <i>Am</i> I in God's stead, who hath
withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? &#160; 3 And she said,
Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my
knees, that I may also have children by her. &#160; 4 And she gave
him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. &#160;
5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. &#160; 6 And Rachel
said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath
given me a son: therefore called she his name <scripRef passage="Dan. 7" id="Gen.xxxi-p2.1" parsed="|Dan|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.7">Dan. &#160; 7</scripRef> And
Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
&#160; 8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled
with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name
Naphtali. &#160; 9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she
took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. &#160; 10 And
Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. &#160; 11 And Leah said, A
troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. &#160; 12 And Zilpah
Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. &#160; 13 And Leah said, Happy
am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his
name Asher.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p3">We have here the bad consequences of that
strange marriage which Jacob made with the two sisters. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p4">I. An unhappy disagreement between him and
Rachel (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:1,2" id="Gen.xxxi-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|30|1|30|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.1-Gen.30.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>),
occasioned, not so much by her own barrenness as by her sister's
fruitfulness. Rebekah, the only wife of Isaac, was long childless,
and yet we find no uneasiness between her and Isaac; but here,
because Leah bears children, Rachel cannot live peaceably with
Jacob.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p5">1. Rachel frets. She <i>envied her
sister,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 30:1" id="Gen.xxxi-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|30|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Envy is grieving at the good of another, than which no sin is more
offensive to God, nor more injurious to our neighbour and
ourselves. She considered not that it was God that made the
difference, and that though, in this single instance her sister was
preferred before her, yet in other things she had the advantage.
Let us carefully watch against all the risings and workings of this
passion in our minds. Let not our eye be evil
<pb n="179" id="Gen.xxxi-Page_179"/>
towards any of our fellow-servants because our
master's is good. But this was not all; she said to Jacob, <i>Give
me children, or else I die.</i> Note, We are very apt to err in our
desires of temporal mercies, as Rachel here. (1.) One child would
not content her; but, because Leah has more than one, she must have
more too: <i>Give me children.</i> (2.) Her heart is inordinately
set upon it, and, if she have not what she would have, she will
throw away her life, and all the comforts of it. "Give them to me,
or <i>else I die,</i>" that is, "I shall fret myself to death; the
want of this satisfaction will shorten my days." Some think she
threatens Jacob to lay violent hands upon herself, if she could not
obtain this mercy. (3.) She did not apply to God by prayer, but to
Jacob only, forgetting that <i>children are a heritage of the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 127:3" id="Gen.xxxi-p5.2" parsed="|Ps|127|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.127.3">Ps. cxxvii. 3</scripRef>. We
wrong both God and ourselves when our eye is more to men, the
instruments of our crosses and comforts, than to God the author.
Observe a difference between Rachel's asking for this mercy and
Hannah's, <scripRef passage="1Sa 1:10,11" id="Gen.xxxi-p5.3" parsed="|1Sam|1|10|1|11" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.1.10-1Sam.1.11">1 Sam. i. 10</scripRef>,
&amp;c. Rachel envied; Hannah wept. Rachel must have children, and
she died of the second; Hannah prayed for one child, and she had
four more. Rachel is importunate and peremptory; Hannah is
submissive and devout. <i>If thou wilt give me a child, I will give
him to the Lord.</i> Let Hannah be imitated, and not Rachel; and
let our desires be always under the direction and control of reason
and religion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p6">2. Jacob chides, and most justly. He loved
Rachel, and therefore reproved her for what she said amiss,
<scripRef passage="Ge 30:2" id="Gen.xxxi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|30|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, Faithful
reproofs and products and instances of true affection, <scripRef passage="Ps 141:5,Pr 27:5,6" id="Gen.xxxi-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|141|5|0|0;|Prov|27|5|27|6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.141.5 Bible:Prov.27.5-Prov.27.6">Ps. cxli. 5; Prov. xxvii. 5,
6</scripRef>. Job reproved his wife when she spoke the language of
the foolish women, <scripRef passage="Job 2:10" id="Gen.xxxi-p6.3" parsed="|Job|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.2.10">Job ii.
10</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="1Co 7:16" id="Gen.xxxi-p6.4" parsed="|1Cor|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.16">1 Cor. vii.
16</scripRef>. He was angry, not at the person, but at the sin; he
expressed himself so as to show his displeasure. Note, sometimes it
is requisite that a reproof should be given warm, like a medical
potion; not too hot, lest it scald the patient; yet not cold, lest
it prove ineffectual. It was a very grave and pious reply which
Jacob gave to Rachel's peevish demand: <i>Am I in God's stead?</i>
The Chaldee paraphrases it well, <i>Dost thou ask sons of me?
Oughtest thou not to ask them from before the Lord?</i> The Arabic
reads it, "<i>Am I above God?</i> can I give thee that which God
denies thee?" This was said like a plain man. Observe, (1.) He
acknowledges the hand of God in the affliction which he was a
sharer with her in: He <i>hath withheld the fruit of the womb.</i>
Note, Whatever we want, it is God that withholds it, a sovereign
Lord, most wise, holy, and just, that may do what he will with his
own, and is debtor to no man, that never did, nor ever can do, any
wrong to any of his creatures. The keys of the clouds, of the
heart, of the grave, and of the womb, are four keys which God had
in his hand, and which (the rabbin say) he entrusts neither with
angels nor seraphim. See <scripRef passage="Re 3:7,Job 11:10,12:14" id="Gen.xxxi-p6.5" parsed="|Rev|3|7|0|0;|Job|11|10|0|0;|Job|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.7 Bible:Job.11.10 Bible:Job.12.14">Rev. iii. 7. Job xi. 10; xii.
14</scripRef>. (2.) He acknowledges his own inability to alter what
God had appointed: "<i>Am I in God's stead?</i> What! dost thou
make a god of me?" <i>Deos qui rogat ille facit&#8212;He to whom we
offer supplications is to us a god.</i> Note, [1.] There is no
creature that is, or can be, to us, in God's stead. God may be to
us instead of any creature, as the sun instead of the moon and
stars; but the moon and all the stars will not be to us instead of
the sun. No creature's wisdom, power, and love, will be to us
instead of God's. [2.] It is therefore our sin and folly to place
any creature in God's stead, and to place that confidence in any
creature which is to be placed in God only.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p7">II. An unhappy agreement between him and
the two handmaids.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p8">1. At the persuasion of Rachel, he took
Bilhah her handmaid to wife, that, according to the usage of those
times, his children by her might be adopted and owned as her
mistress's children, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:3-8" id="Gen.xxxi-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|30|3|30|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.3-Gen.30.8"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>, &amp;c. She would rather have children by reputation
than none at all, children that she might fancy to be her own, and
call her own, though they were not so. One would think her own
sister's children were nearer akin to her than her maid's, and she
might with more satisfaction have made them her own if she had so
pleased; but (so natural is it for us all to be fond of power)
children that she had a right to rule were more desirable to her
than children that she had more reason to love; and, as an early
instance of her dominion over the children born in her apartment,
she takes a pleasure in giving them names that carry in them
nothing but marks of emulation with her sister, as if she had
overcome her, (1.) At law. She calls the first son of her handmaid
<i>Dan</i> (<i>judgement</i>), saying, "<i>God hath judged me</i>"
(<scripRef passage="Ge 30:6" id="Gen.xxxi-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|30|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), that is,
"given sentence in my favour." (2.) In battle. She calls the next
<i>Naphtali</i> (<i>wrestlings</i>), saying, <i>I have wrestled
with my sister, and have prevailed</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:8" id="Gen.xxxi-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|30|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>); as if all Jacob's sons must be
born men of contention. See what roots of bitterness envy and
strife are, and what mischief they make among relations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p9">2. At the persuasion of Leah, he took
Zilpah her handmaid to wife also, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:9" id="Gen.xxxi-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Rachel had done that absurd and
preposterous thing of giving her maid to her husband, in emulation
with Leah; and now Leah (because she missed one year in bearing
children) does the same, to be even with her, or rather to keep
before her. See the power of jealousy and rivalship, and admire the
wisdom of the divine appointment, which unites one man and one
woman only; for <i>God hath called us to peace</i> and purity,
<scripRef passage="1Co 7:15" id="Gen.xxxi-p9.2" parsed="|1Cor|7|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.15">1 Cor. vii. 15</scripRef>. Two sons
Zilpah bore to Jacob, whom Leah looked upon herself as entitled to,
in token of which she called one <i>Gad</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:11" id="Gen.xxxi-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|30|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), promising herself a little
<i>troop</i> of children; and children are the militia of a family,
they fill the quiver, <scripRef passage="Ps 127:4,5" id="Gen.xxxi-p9.4" parsed="|Ps|127|4|127|5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.127.4-Ps.127.5">Ps. cxxvii. 4,
5</scripRef>. The other she called <i>Asher</i>
<pb n="180" id="Gen.xxxi-Page_180"/>
(<i>happy</i>), thinking herself happy in him, and
promising herself that her neighbours would think so too: <i>The
daughters will call me blessed,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 30:13" id="Gen.xxxi-p9.5" parsed="|Gen|30|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Note, It is an instance of the
vanity of the world, and the foolishness bound up in our hearts,
that most people value themselves and govern themselves more by
reputation than either by reason or religion; they think themselves
blessed if the daughters do but call them so. There was much amiss
in the contest and competition between these two sisters, yet God
brought good out of this evil; for, the time being now at hand when
the seed of Abraham must begin to increase and multiply, thus
Jacob's family was replenished with twelve sons, heads of the
thousands of Israel, from whom the celebrated twelve tribes
descended and were named.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 30:14-24" id="Gen.xxxi-p9.6" parsed="|Gen|30|14|30|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.14-Gen.30.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.30.14-Gen.30.24">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxi-p10">14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest,
and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother
Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's
mandrakes. &#160; 15 And she said unto her, <i>Is it</i> a small
matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away
my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie
with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes. &#160; 16 And Jacob
came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet
him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired
thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
&#160; 17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare
Jacob the fifth son. &#160; 18 And Leah said, God hath given me my
hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called
his name Issachar. &#160; 19 And Leah conceived again, and bare
Jacob the sixth son. &#160; 20 And Leah said, God hath endued me
<i>with</i> a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me,
because I have borne him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
&#160; 21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name
Dinah. &#160; 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to
her, and opened her womb. &#160; 23 And she conceived, and bare a
son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: &#160; 24 And she
called his name Joseph; and said, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxi-p10.1">Lord</span> shall add to me another son.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p11">Here is, I. Leah fruitful again, after she
had, for some time, left off bearing. Jacob, it should seem,
associated more with Rachel than with Leah. The law of Moses
supposes it a common case that, if a man had two wives, one would
be beloved and the other hated, <scripRef passage="De 21:15" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.15">Deut.
xxi. 15</scripRef>. But at length Rachel's strong passions betrayed
her into a bargain with Leah that Jacob should return to her
apartment. Reuben, a little lad, five or six years old, playing in
the field, found <i>mandrakes, dudaim.</i> It is uncertain what
they were, the critics are not agreed about them; we are sure they
were some rarities, either fruits or flowers that were very
pleasant to the smell, <scripRef passage="So 7:13" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.2" parsed="|Song|7|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.7.13">Cant. vii.
13</scripRef>. Note, The God of nature has provided, not only for
our necessities, but for our delights; there are products of the
earth in the exposed fields, as well as in the planted protected
gardens, that are very valuable and useful. How plentifully is
nature's house furnished and her table spread! Her precious fruits
offer themselves to be gathered by the hands of little children. It
is a laudable custom of the devout Jews, when they find pleasure,
suppose in eating an apple, to lift up their hearts, and say,
"Blessed be he that made this fruit pleasant!" Or, in smelling a
flower, "Blessed be he that made this flower sweet." Some think
these mandrakes were jessamine flowers. Whatever they were, Rachel
could not see them in Leah's hands, where the child had placed
them, but she must covet them. She cannot bear the want of these
pretty flowers, but will purchase them at any rate. Note, There may
be great sin and folly in the inordinate desire of a small thing.
Leah takes this advantage (as Jacob had of Esau's coveting his red
pottage) to obtain that which was justly due to her, but to which
Rachel would not otherwise have consented. Note, Strong passions
often thwart one another, and those cannot but be continually
uneasy that are hurried on by them. Leah is overjoyed that she
shall have her husband's company again, that her family might yet
further be built up, which is the blessing she desires and devoutly
prays for, as is intimated, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:17" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|30|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>, where it is said, <i>God hearkened unto Leah.</i>
The learned bishop Patrick very well suggests here that the true
reason of this contest between Jacob's wives for his company, and
their giving him their maids to be his wives, was the earnest
desire they had to fulfil the promise made to Abraham (and now
lately renewed to Jacob), that his seed should be as the stars of
heaven for multitude, and that in one seed of his, the Messiah, all
the nations of the earth should be blessed. And he thinks it would
have been below the dignity of this sacred history to take such
particular notice of these things if there had not been some such
great consideration in them. Leah was now blessed with two sons;
the first she called <i>Issachar</i> (<i>a hire</i>), reckoning
herself well repaid for her mandrakes, nay (which is a strange
construction of the providence) rewarded for giving her maid to her
husband. Note, We
<pb n="181" id="Gen.xxxi-Page_181"/>
abuse God's mercy when we
reckon that his favours countenance and patronize our follies. The
other she called <i>Zebulun</i> (<i>dwelling</i>), owning God's
bounty to her: <i>God has endowed me with a good dowry,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 30:20" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.4" parsed="|Gen|30|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Jacob had not
endowed her when he married her, nor had he wherewithal in
possession; but she reckons a family of children not a bill of
charges, but a good dowry, <scripRef passage="Ps 113:9" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.5" parsed="|Ps|113|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.113.9">Ps. cxiii.
9</scripRef>. She promises herself more of her husband's company
now that she had borne him six sons, and that, in love to his
children at least, he would often visit her lodgings. Mention is
made (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:21" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.6" parsed="|Gen|30|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>) of the
birth of a daughter, <i>Dinah,</i> because of the following story
concerning her, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:1-31" id="Gen.xxxi-p11.7" parsed="|Gen|34|1|34|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.1-Gen.34.31"><i>ch.</i>
xxxiv</scripRef>. Perhaps Jacob had other daughters, though their
names are not registered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p12">II. Rachel fruitful at last (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:22" id="Gen.xxxi-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|30|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): <i>God remembered
Rachel,</i> whom he seemed to have forgotten, and <i>hearkened to
her</i> whose prayers had been long denied; and then she bore a
son. Note, As God justly denies the mercy we have been inordinately
desirous of, so sometimes he graciously grants, at length, that
which we have long waited for. He corrects our folly, and yet
considers our frame, and does not contend for ever. Rachel called
her son <i>Joseph,</i> which in Hebrew is akin to two words of a
contrary signification, <i>Asaph</i> (<i>abstulit</i>), <i>He has
taken away my reproach,</i> as if the greatest mercy she had in
this son was that she had saved her credit; and <i>Jasaph</i>
(<i>addidit</i>), <i>The Lord shall add to me another son,</i>
which may be looked upon either as the language of her inordinate
desire (she scarcely knows how to be thankful for one unless she
may be sure of another), or of her faith&#8212;she takes this mercy as
an earnest of further mercy. "Has God given me his grace? I may
call it Joseph, and say, He shall add more grace! Has he given me
his joy? I may call it Joseph, and say, He will give me more joy.
Has he begun, and shall he not make an end?"</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 30:25-36" id="Gen.xxxi-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|30|25|30|36" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.25-Gen.30.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.30.25-Gen.30.36">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxi-p12.3">Jacob's Bargain with Laban. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxi-p12.4">b. c.</span> 1745.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxi-p13">25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne
Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go
unto mine own place, and to my country. &#160; 26 Give <i>me</i> my
wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go:
for thou knowest my service which I have done thee. &#160; 27 And
Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine
eyes, <i>tarry: for</i> I have learned by experience that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxi-p13.1">Lord</span> hath blessed me for thy sake. &#160;
28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give <i>it.</i>
&#160; 29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served
thee, and how thy cattle was with me. &#160; 30 For <i>it was</i>
little which thou hadst before I <i>came,</i> and it is <i>now</i>
increased unto a multitude; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxi-p13.2">Lord</span> hath blessed thee since my coming: and now
when shall I provide for mine own house also? &#160; 31 And he
said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give
me anything: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed
<i>and</i> keep thy flock: &#160; 32 I will pass through all thy
flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted
cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted
and speckled among the goats: and <i>of such</i> shall be my hire.
&#160; 33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come,
when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that
<i>is</i> not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among
the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. &#160; 34 And
Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
&#160; 35 And he removed that day the he goats that were
ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled
and spotted, <i>and</i> every one that had <i>some</i> white in it,
and all the brown among the sheep, and gave <i>them</i> into the
hand of his sons. &#160; 36 And he set three days' journey betwixt
himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p14">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p15">I. Jacob's thoughts of home. He faithfully
served his time out with Laban, even his second apprenticeship,
though he was an old man, had a large family to provide for, and it
was high time for him to set up for himself. Though Laban's service
was hard, and he had cheated him in the first bargain he had made,
yet Jacob honestly performs his engagements. Note, A good man,
though he swear to his own hurt, will not change. And though others
have deceived us this will not justify us in deceiving them. Our
rule is to do as we <i>would be</i> done by, not as we <i>are</i>
done by. Jacob's term having expired, he begs leave to be gone,
<scripRef passage="Ge 30:25" id="Gen.xxxi-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|30|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Observe, 1.
He retained his affection for the land of Canaan, not only because
it was the land of his nativity, and his father and mother were
there, whom he longed to see, but because it was the land of
promise; and, in token of his dependence upon the promise of it,
though he sojourn in Haran he can by no means think of settling
there. Thus should we be affected towards our heavenly country,
looking upon ourselves as strangers here, viewing the heavenly
country as our home, and longing to be there, as soon as the days
of our service upon earth are numbered and finished.
<pb n="182" id="Gen.xxxi-Page_182"/>
We must not think of taking root here, for this is
not our place and country, <scripRef passage="Heb 13:14" id="Gen.xxxi-p15.2" parsed="|Heb|13|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.14">Heb. xiii.
14</scripRef>. 2. He was desirous to go to Canaan, though he had a
great family to take with him, and no provision yet made for them.
He had got wives and children with Laban, but nothing else; yet he
does not solicit Laban to give him either a portion with his wives
or the maintenance of some of his children. No, all his request is,
<i>Give me my wives and my children, and send me away,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 30:25,26" id="Gen.xxxi-p15.3" parsed="|Gen|30|25|30|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.25-Gen.30.26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>. Note,
Those that trust in God, in his providence and promise, though they
have great families and small incomes, can cheerfully hope that he
who sends mouths will send meat. He who feeds the brood of the
ravens will not starve the seed of the righteous.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p16">II. Laban's desire of his stay, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:27" id="Gen.xxxi-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|30|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. In love to himself, not
to Jacob or to his wives or children, Laban endeavours to persuade
him to continue his chief shepherd, entreating him, by the regard
he bore him, not to leave him: <i>If I have found favour in thy
eyes, tarry.</i> Note, Churlish selfish men know how to give good
words when it is to serve their own ends. Laban found that his
stock had wonderfully increased with Jacob's good management, and
he owns it, with very good expressions of respect both to God and
Jacob: <i>I have learned by experience that the Lord has blessed me
for thy sake.</i> Observe, 1. Laban's learning: <i>I have learned
by experience.</i> Note, There is many a profitable good lesson to
be learned by experience. We are very unapt scholars if we have not
learned by experience the evil of sin, the treachery of our own
hearts, the vanity of the world, the goodness of God, the gains of
godliness, and the like. 2. Laban's lesson. He owns, (1.) That his
prosperity was owing to God's blessing: <i>The Lord has blessed
me.</i> Note, worldly men, who choose their portion in this life,
are often blessed with an abundance of this world's goods. Common
blessings are given plentifully to many that have no title to
covenant-blessings. (3.) That Jacob's piety had brought that
blessing upon him: <i>The Lord has blessed me,</i> not for my own
sake (let not such a man as Laban, that lives without God in the
world, <i>think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Jam 1:7" id="Gen.xxxi-p16.2" parsed="|Jas|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.7">Jam. i. 7</scripRef>), but <i>for thy
sake.</i> Note, [1.] Good men are blessings to the places where
they live, even where they live meanly and obscurely, as Jacob in
the field, and Joseph in the prison, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:23" id="Gen.xxxi-p16.3" parsed="|Gen|39|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.23"><i>ch.</i> xxxix. 23</scripRef>. [2.] God often blesses
bad men with outward mercies for the sake of their godly relations,
though it is seldom that they have either the wit to see it or the
grace to own it, as Laban did here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p17">III. The new bargain they came upon.
Laban's craft and covetousness took advantage of Jacob's plainness,
honesty, and good-nature; and, perceiving that Jacob began to be
won upon by his fair speeches, instead of making him a generous
offer and bidding high, as he ought to have done, all things
considered, he puts it upon him to make his demands (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:28" id="Gen.xxxi-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|30|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>): <i>Appoint me thy
wages,</i> knowing he would be very modest in them, and would ask
less than he could for shame offer. Jacob accordingly makes a
proposal to him, in which,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p18">1. He shows what reason he had to insist
upon so much, considering, (1.) That Laban was bound in gratitude
to do well for him, because he had served him not only faithfully,
but very successfully, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:30" id="Gen.xxxi-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|30|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>. Yet here observe how he speaks, like himself, very
modestly. Laban had said, <i>The Lord has blessed me for thy
sake;</i> Jacob will not say so, but, <i>The Lord has blessed thee
since my coming.</i> Note, Humble saints take more pleasure in
doing good than in hearing of it again. (2.) That he himself was
bound in duty to take care of his own family: <i>Now, when shall I
provide for my own house also?</i> Note, Faith and charity, though
they are excellent things, must not take us off from making
necessary provisions for our own support, and the support of our
families. We must, like Jacob, <i>trust in the Lord and do
good,</i> and yet we must, like him, provide for our own houses
also; he that does not the latter <i>is worse than an infidel,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Ti 5:8" id="Gen.xxxi-p18.2" parsed="|1Tim|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.5.8">1 Tim. v. 8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p19">2. He is willing to refer himself to the
providence of God, which, he knew, extends itself to the smallest
things, even the colour of the cattle; and he will be content to
have for his wages the sheep and goats of such and such a colour,
speckled, spotted, and brown, which should hereafter be brought
forth, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:32,33" id="Gen.xxxi-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|30|32|30|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.32-Gen.30.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>.
This, he thinks, will be a most effectual way both to prevent
Laban's cheating him and to secure himself from being suspected of
cheating Laban. Some think he chose this colour because in Canaan
it was generally most desired and delighted in; their shepherds in
Canaan are called <i>Nekohim</i> (<scripRef passage="Am 1:1" id="Gen.xxxi-p19.2" parsed="|Amos|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.1.1">Amos
i. 1</scripRef>), the word here used for <i>speckled;</i> and Laban
was willing to consent to this bargain because he thought if the
few he has that were now speckled and spotted were separated from
the rest, which by agreement was to be done immediately, the body
of the flock which Jacob was to tend, being of one colour, either
all black or all white, would produce few or none of mixed colours,
and so he should have Jacob's service for nothing, or next to
nothing. According to this bargain, those few that were
party-coloured were separated, and put into the hands of Laban's
sons, and sent three days' journey off; so great was Laban's
jealously lest any of them should mix with the rest of the flock,
to the advantage of Jacob. And now a fine bargain Jacob has made
for himself! Is this his providing for his own house, to put it
upon such an uncertainty? If these cattle bring forth, as usually
cattle do, young ones of the same colour with themselves, he must
still serve for nothing, and be a drudge and a beggar all the days
of his
<pb n="183" id="Gen.xxxi-Page_183"/>
life; but he knows whom he has
trusted, and the event showed, (1.) That he took the best way that
could be taken with Laban, who otherwise would certainly have been
too hard for him. And, (2.) That it was not in vain to rely upon
the divine providence, which owns and blesses honest humble
diligence. Those that find men whom they deal with unjust and
unkind shall not find God so, but, some way or other, he will
recompense the injured, and be a good pay-master to those that
commit their cause to him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 30:37-43" id="Gen.xxxi-p19.3" parsed="|Gen|30|37|30|43" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.37-Gen.30.43"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.30.37-Gen.30.43">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxi-p19.4">Jacob's Ingenious Policy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxi-p19.5">b. c.</span> 1745.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxi-p20">37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and
of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them,
and made the white appear which <i>was</i> in the rods. &#160; 38
And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the
gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that
they should conceive when they came to drink. &#160; 39 And the
flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle
ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. &#160; 40 And Jacob did
separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the
ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put
his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
&#160; 41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did
conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in
the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. &#160; 42 But
when the cattle were feeble, he put <i>them</i> not in: so the
feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. &#160; 43 And the
man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants,
and menservants, and camels, and asses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxi-p21">Here is Jacob's honest policy to make his
bargain more advantageous to himself than it was likely to be. If
he had not taken some course to help himself, it would have been a
bad bargain indeed, which he knew Laban would never consider, or
rather would be well pleased to see him a loser by, so little did
Laban consult any one's interest but his own. Now Jacob's
contrivances were, 1. To set peeled sticks before the cattle where
they were watered, that, looking much at those unusual
party-coloured sticks, by the power of imagination they might bring
forth young ones in like manner party-coloured, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:37-39" id="Gen.xxxi-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|30|37|30|39" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.37-Gen.30.39"><i>v.</i> 37-39</scripRef>. Probably this custom was
commonly used by the shepherds of Canaan, who coveted to have their
cattle of this motley colour. Note, It becomes a man to be master
of his trade, whatever it is, and to be not only industrious, but
ingenious in it, and to be versed in all its lawful arts and
mysteries; for what is a man but his trade? There is a discretion
which God teaches the husbandman (as plain a trade as that is), and
which he ought to learn, <scripRef passage="Isa 28:26" id="Gen.xxxi-p21.2" parsed="|Isa|28|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.26">Isa. xxviii.
26</scripRef>. 2. When he began to have a stock of ringstraked and
brown, he contrived to set them first, and to put the faces of the
rest towards them, with the same design as in the former
contrivance; but would not let his own, that were of one colour,
<scripRef passage="Ge 30:40" id="Gen.xxxi-p21.3" parsed="|Gen|30|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>. Strong
impressions, it seems, are made by the eye, with which therefore we
have need to make a covenant. 3. When he found that his project
succeeded, through the special blessing of God upon it, he
contrived, by using it only with the stronger cattle, to secure to
himself those that were most valuable, leaving the feebler to
Laban, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:41,42" id="Gen.xxxi-p21.4" parsed="|Gen|30|41|30|42" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.41-Gen.30.42"><i>v.</i> 41, 42</scripRef>.
Thus <i>Jacob increased exceedingly</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 30:43" id="Gen.xxxi-p21.5" parsed="|Gen|30|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>), and grew very rich in a little
time. This success of his policy, it is true, was not sufficient to
justify it, if there had been any thing fraudulent or unjust in it,
which we are sure there was not, for he did it by divine direction
(<scripRef passage="Ge 31:12" id="Gen.xxxi-p21.6" parsed="|Gen|31|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.12"><i>ch.</i> xxxi. 12</scripRef>); nor
was there any thing in the thing itself but the honest improvement
of a fair bargain, which the divine providence wonderfully
prospered, both in justice to Jacob whom Laban had wronged and
dealt hardly with and in pursuance of the particular promises made
to him of the tokens of the divine favour, Note, Those who, while
their beginning is small, are humble and honest, contented and
industrious, are in a likely way to see their latter end greatly
increasing. He that is faithful in a little shall be entrusted with
more. He that is faithful in that which is another man's shall be
entrusted with something of his own. Jacob, who had been a just
servant, became a rich master.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXI" n="xxxii" progress="21.51%" prev="Gen.xxxi" next="Gen.xxxiii" id="Gen.xxxii">
<pb n="183" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_183"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxii-p1">Jacob was a very honest good man, a man of great
devotion and integrity, yet he had more trouble and vexation than
any of the patriarchs. He left his father's house in a fright, went
to his uncle's in distress, very hard usage he met with there, and
now is going back surrounded with fears. Here is, I. His resolution
to return, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:1-16" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|31|1|31|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.1-Gen.31.16">ver. 1-16</scripRef>. II.
His clandestine departure, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:17-21" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|31|17|31|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.17-Gen.31.21">ver.
17-21</scripRef>. III. Laban's pursuit of him in displeasure,
<scripRef passage="Ge 31:22-25" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|31|22|31|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.22-Gen.31.25">ver. 22-25</scripRef>. IV. The hot
words that passed between them, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:26-42" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|31|26|31|42" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.26-Gen.31.42">ver. 26-42</scripRef>. V. Their amicable agreement at
last, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:43-55" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|31|43|31|55" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.43-Gen.31.55">ver. 43</scripRef>,
&amp;c.).</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 31" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 31:1-16" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|31|1|31|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.1-Gen.31.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.31.1-Gen.31.16">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxii-p1.8">Jacob's Departure. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxii-p2">1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons,
saying, Jacob hath taken away all that <i>was</i> our father's; and
of <i>that</i> which <i>was</i> our father's hath he gotten all
this glory. &#160; 2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban,
and, behold, it <i>was</i> not toward him as before. &#160; 3 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxii-p2.1">Lord</span> said unto Jacob, Return
unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be
with thee. &#160; 4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to
<pb n="184" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_184"/>
the field unto his flock, &#160; 5 And said
unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it <i>is</i> not
toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
&#160; 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your
father. &#160; 7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my
wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. &#160; 8 If
he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle
bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy
hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. &#160; 9 Thus God hath
taken away the cattle of your father, and given <i>them</i> to me.
&#160; 10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle
conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and,
behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle <i>were</i>
ringstraked, speckled, and grisled. &#160; 11 And the angel of God
spake unto me in a dream, <i>saying,</i> Jacob: And I said, Here
<i>am</i> I. &#160; 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and
see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle <i>are</i>
ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban
doeth unto thee. &#160; 13 I <i>am</i> the God of Beth-el, where
thou anointedst the pillar, <i>and</i> where thou vowedst a vow
unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto
the land of thy kindred. &#160; 14 And Rachel and Leah answered and
said unto him, <i>Is there</i> yet any portion or inheritance for
us in our father's house? &#160; 15 Are we not counted of him
strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our
money. &#160; 16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our
father, that <i>is</i> ours, and our children's: now then,
whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p3">Jacob is here taking up a resolution
immediately to quit his uncle's service, to take what he had and go
back to Canaan. This resolution he took up upon a just provocation,
by divine direction, and with the advice and consent of his
wives.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p4">I. Upon a just provocation; for Laban and
his sons had become very cross and ill-natured towards him, so that
he could not stay among them with safety or satisfaction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p5">1. Laban's sons showed their ill-will in
what they said, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:1" id="Gen.xxxii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|31|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
It should seem they said it in Jacob's hearing, with a design to
vex him. The last chapter began with Rachel's envying Leah; this
begins with Laban's sons envying Jacob. Observe, (1.) How greatly
they magnify Jacob's prosperity: <i>He has gotten all this
glory.</i> And what was this glory that they made so much ado
about? It was a parcel of brown sheep and speckled goats (and
perhaps the fine colours made them seem more glorious), and some
camels and asses, and such like trading; and this was <i>all this
glory.</i> Note, Riches are glorious things in the eyes of carnal
people, while to all those that are conversant with heavenly things
they have no glory in comparison with the glory which excelleth.
Men's over-valuing worldly wealth is that fundamental error which
is the root of covetousness, envy, and all evil. (2.) How basely
they reflect upon Jacob's fidelity, as if what he had he had not
gotten honestly: <i>Jacob has taken away all that was our
father's.</i> Not all, surely. What had become of those cattle
which were committed to the custody of Laban's sons, and sent
<i>three days' journey</i> off? <scripRef passage="Ge 30:35,36" id="Gen.xxxii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|30|35|30|36" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.35-Gen.30.36"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 35, 36</scripRef>. They mean all that
was committed to him; but, speaking invidiously, they express
themselves thus generally. Note, [1.] Those that are ever so
careful to keep a good conscience cannot always be sure of a good
name. [2.] This is one of the vanities and vexations which attend
outward prosperity, that it makes a man to be envied of his
neighbors (<scripRef passage="Ec 4:4" id="Gen.xxxii-p5.3" parsed="|Eccl|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.4.4">Eccl. iv. 4</scripRef>), and
<i>who can stand before envy?</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 27:4" id="Gen.xxxii-p5.4" parsed="|Prov|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.4">Prov.
xxvii. 4</scripRef>. Whom Heaven blesses hell curses, and all its
children on earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p6">2. Laban himself said little, but his
countenance was not towards Jacob as it used to be; and Jacob could
not but take notice of it, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:2,5" id="Gen.xxxii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|31|2|0|0;|Gen|31|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.2 Bible:Gen.31.5"><i>v.</i>
2, 5</scripRef>. He was but a churl at the best, but now he was
more churlish than formerly. Note, Envy is a sin that often appears
in the countenance; hence we read of an <i>evil eye,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 23:6" id="Gen.xxxii-p6.2" parsed="|Prov|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.6">Prov. xxiii. 6</scripRef>. Sour looks may do a
great deal towards the ruin of peace and love in a family, and the
making of those uneasy of whose comfort we ought to be tender.
Laban's angry countenance lost him the greatest blessing his family
ever had, and justly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p7">II. By divine direction and under the
convoy of a promise: <i>The Lord said unto Jacob, Return, and I
will be with thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 31:3" id="Gen.xxxii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Though Jacob had met with very hard usage here, yet
he would not quit his place till God bade him. He came thither by
orders from Heaven, and there he would stay till he was ordered
back. Note, It is our duty to set ourselves, and it will be our
comfort to see ourselves, under God's guidance, both in our going
out and in our coming in. The direction he had from Heaven is more
fully related in the account he gives of it to his wives (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:10-13" id="Gen.xxxii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|31|10|31|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.10-Gen.31.13"><i>v.</i> 10-13</scripRef>), where he tells
them of a dream he had about the cattle, and the wonderful increase
of those of his colour; and how the angel of God, in that dream
(for I suppose the
<pb n="185" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_185"/>
dream spoken of <scripRef passage="Ge 31:10" id="Gen.xxxii-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|31|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef> and that <scripRef passage="Ge 31:11" id="Gen.xxxii-p7.4" parsed="|Gen|31|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef> to be the same), took
notice of the workings of his fancy in his sleep, and instructed
him, so that it was not by chance, or by his own policy, that he
obtained that great advantage; but, 1. By the providence of God,
who had taken notice of the hardships Laban had put upon him, and
took this way to recompense him: "<i>For I have seen all the Laban
doeth unto thee,</i> and herein I have an eye to that." Note, There
is more of equity in the distributions of the divine providence
than we are aware of, and by them the injured are recompensed
really, though perhaps insensibly. Nor was it only by the justice
of providence that Jacob was thus enriched, but, 2. In performance
of the promise intimated in what is said <scripRef passage="Ge 31:13" id="Gen.xxxii-p7.5" parsed="|Gen|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>, <i>I am the God of Beth-el,</i>
This was the place where the covenant was renewed with him. Note,
Worldly prosperity and success are doubly sweet and comfortable
when we see them flowing, not from common providence, but from
covenant-love, <i>to perform the mercy promised</i>&#8212;when we have
them from God as <i>the God of Beth-el,</i> from those promises of
the life which now is that belonging to godliness. Jacob, even when he
had this hopeful prospect of growing rich with Laban, must think of
returning. When the world begins to smile upon us we must remember
it is not our home. <i>Now arise</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:13" id="Gen.xxxii-p7.6" parsed="|Gen|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>) <i>and return,</i> (1.) To thy
devotions in Canaan, the solemnities of which had perhaps been much
intermitted while he was with Laban. The times of this servitude
God had winked at; but now, "Return to the place where thou
anointedst the pillar and vowedst the vow. Now that thou beginnest
to grow rich it is time to think of an altar and sacrifices again."
(2.) To thy comforts in Canaan: <i>Return to the land of thy
kindred.</i> He was here among his near kindred; but those only he
must look upon as his kindred in the best sense, the kindred he
must live and die with, to whom pertained the covenant. Note, The
heirs of Canaan must never reckon themselves at home till they come
thither, however they may seem to take root here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p8">III. With the knowledge and consent of his
wives. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p9">1. He sent for Rachel and Leah to him to
the field (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:4" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|31|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>),
that he might confer with them more privately, or because one would
not come to the other's apartment and he would willingly talk with
them together, or because he had work to do in the field which he
would not leave. Note, Husbands that love their wives will
communicate their purposes and intentions to them. Where there is a
mutual affection there will be a mutual confidence. And the
prudence of the wife should engage the heart of her husband to
trust in her, <scripRef passage="Pr 31:11" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.2" parsed="|Prov|31|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.11">Prov. xxxi.
11</scripRef>. Jacob told his wives, (1.) How faithfully he had
served their father, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:6" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|31|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. Note, If others do not do their duty to us, yet we
shall have the comfort of having done ours to them. (2.) How
unfaithfully their father had dealt with him <scripRef passage="Ge 31:7" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.4" parsed="|Gen|31|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. He would never keep to any
bargain that he made with him, but, after the first year, still as
he saw Providence favour Jacob with the colour agreed on, every
half year of the remaining five he changed it for some other
colour, which made it ten times; as if he thought not only to
deceive Jacob, but the divine Providence, which manifestly smiled
upon him. Note, Those that deal honestly are not always honestly
dealt with. (3.) How God had owned him notwithstanding. He had
protected him from Laban's ill-will: <i>God suffered him not to
hurt me.</i> Note, Those that keep close to God shall be kept
safely by him. He had also provided plentifully for him,
notwithstanding Laban's design to ruin him: <i>God has taken away
the cattle of your father, and given them to me,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 31:9" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.5" parsed="|Gen|31|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Thus the righteous God
paid Jacob for his hard service out of Laban's estate; as
afterwards he paid the seed of Jacob for their serving the
Egyptians, with their spoils. Note, God is not unrighteous to
forget his people's work and labour of love, though men be so,
<scripRef passage="Heb 6:10" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.6" parsed="|Heb|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.10">Heb. vi. 10</scripRef>. Providence has
ways of making those honest in the event that are not so in their
design. Note, further, <i>The wealth of the sinner is laid up for
the just,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 13:22" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.7" parsed="|Prov|13|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.13.22">Prov. xiii.
22</scripRef>. (4.) He told them of the command God had given him,
in a dream, to return to his own country (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:13" id="Gen.xxxii-p9.8" parsed="|Gen|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), that they might not suspect
his resolution to arise from inconstancy, or any disaffection to
their country or family, but might see it to proceed from a
principle of obedience to his God, and dependence on him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p10">2. His wives cheerfully consented to his
resolution. They also brought forward their grievances, complaining
that their father had been not only unkind, but unjust, to them
(<scripRef passage="Ge 31:14-16" id="Gen.xxxii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|31|14|31|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.14-Gen.31.16"><i>v.</i> 14-16</scripRef>), that
he looked upon them as strangers, and was without natural affection
towards them; and, whereas Jacob had looked upon the wealth which
God had transferred from Laban to him as his wages, they looked
upon it as their portions; so that, both ways, God forced Laban to
pay his debts, both to his servant and to his daughters. So then it
seemed, (1.) They were weary of their own people and their father's
house, and could easily forget them. Note, This good use we should
make of the unkind usage we meet with from the world, we should sit
the more loose to it, and be willing to leave it and desirous to be
at home. (2.) They were willing to go along with their husband, and
put themselves with him under the divine direction: <i>Whatsoever
God hath said unto thee do.</i> Note, Those wives that are their
husband's meet helps will never be their hindrances in doing that
to which God calls them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 31:17-24" id="Gen.xxxii-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|31|17|31|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.17-Gen.31.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.31.17-Gen.31.24">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxii-p11">17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his
wives upon camels;
<pb n="186" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_186"/>
&#160; 18 And he carried
away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the
cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go
to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. &#160; 19 And Laban went
to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that
<i>were</i> her father's. &#160; 20 And Jacob stole away unawares
to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. &#160;
21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over
the river, and set his face <i>toward</i> the mount Gilead. &#160;
22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
&#160; 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him
seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
&#160; 24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and
said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good
or bad.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p12">Here is, I. Jacob's flight from Laban. We
may suppose he had been long considering of it, and casting about
in his mind respecting it; but when now, at last, God had given him
positive orders to go, he made no delay, nor was he disobedient to
the heavenly vision. The first opportunity that offered itself he
laid hold of, when Laban was shearing his sheep (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:19" id="Gen.xxxii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|31|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), that part of his flock which
was in the hands of his sons three days' journey off. Now, 1. It is
certain that it was lawful for Jacob to leave his service suddenly,
without giving a quarter's warning. It was not only justified by
the particular instructions God gave him, but warranted by the
fundamental law of self-preservation, which directs us, when we are
in danger, to shift for our own safety, as far as we can do it
without wronging our consciences. 2. It was his prudence to steal
away unawares to Laban, lest, if Laban had known, he should have
hindered him or plundered him. 3. It was honestly done to take no
more than his own with him, the <i>cattle of his getting,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 31:18" id="Gen.xxxii-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|31|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. He took what
Providence gave him, and was content with that, and would not take
the repair of his damages into his own hands. Yet Rachel was not so
honest as her husband; she <i>stole her father's images</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 31:19" id="Gen.xxxii-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|31|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) and carried
them away with her. The Hebrew calls them <i>teraphim.</i> Some
think they were only little representations of the ancestors of the
family, in statues or pictures, which Rachel had a particular
fondness for, and was desirous to have with her, now that she was
going into another country. It should rather seem that they were
images for a religious use, <i>penates, household-gods,</i> either
worshipped or consulted as oracles; and we are willing to hope
(with bishop Patrick) that she took them away not out of
covetousness of the rich metal they were made of, much less for her
own use, or out of any superstitious fear lest Laban, by consulting
his <i>teraphim,</i> might know which way they had gone (Jacob, no
doubt, dwelt with his wives as a man of knowledge, and they were
better taught than so), but out of a design hereby to convince her
father of the folly of his regard to those as gods which could not
secure themselves, <scripRef passage="Isa 46:1,2" id="Gen.xxxii-p12.4" parsed="|Isa|46|1|46|2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.1-Isa.46.2">Isa. xlvi. 1,
2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p13">II. Laban's pursuit of Jacob. Tidings were
brought him, on the third day, that Jacob had fled; he immediately
raises the whole clan, takes his brethren, that is, the relations
of his family, that were all in his interests, and pursues Jacob
(as Pharaoh and his Egyptians afterwards pursued the seed of
Jacob), to bring him back into bondage again, or with design to
strip him of what he had. Seven days' journey he marched in pursuit
of him, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:23" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|31|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. He
would not have taken half the pains to have visited his best
friends. But the truth is bad men will do more to serve their
sinful passions than good men will to serve their just affections,
and are more vehement in their anger than in their love. Well, at
length Laban, overtook him, and the very night before he came up
with him God interposed in the quarrel, rebuked Laban and sheltered
Jacob, charging Laban not to <i>speak unto him either good or
bad</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:24" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|31|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>),
that is, to say nothing against his going on with his journey, for
that it proceeded from the Lord. The same Hebraism we have,
<scripRef passage="Ge 24:50" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.3" parsed="|Gen|24|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.50"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 50</scripRef>. Laban,
during his seven day's march, had been full of rage against Jacob,
and was now full of hopes that his lust should be satisfied upon
him (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:9" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|15|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.9">Exod. xv. 9</scripRef>); but God
comes to him, and with one word ties his hands, though he does not
turn his heart. Note, 1. In a dream, and in slumberings upon the
bed, God has ways of opening the <i>ears of men, and sealing their
instruction,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 33:15,16" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.5" parsed="|Job|33|15|33|16" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.15-Job.33.16">Job xxxiii. 15,
16</scripRef>. Thus he admonishes men by their consciences, in
secret whispers, which the man of wisdom will hear and heed. 2. The
safety of good men is very much owing to the hold God has of the
consciences of bad men and the access he has to them. 3. God
sometimes appears wonderfully for the deliverance of his people
when they are upon the very brink of ruin. The Jews were saved from
Haman's plot when the king's decree drew hear to be put in
execution, <scripRef passage="Es 9:1" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.6" parsed="|Esth|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Esth.9.1">Esth. ix. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 31:25-35" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.7" parsed="|Gen|31|25|31|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.25-Gen.31.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.31.25-Gen.31.35">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxii-p13.8">Laban's Pursuit after Jacob. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxii-p13.9">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxii-p14">25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had
pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched
in the mount of Gilead. &#160; 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What
hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and
carried away my daughters, as captives <i>taken</i> with the
<pb n="187" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_187"/>
sword? &#160; 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away
secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I
might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret,
and with harp? &#160; 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons
and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in <i>so</i> doing.
&#160; 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God
of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed
that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. &#160; 30 And now,
<i>though</i> thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore
longedst after thy father's house, <i>yet</i> wherefore hast thou
stolen my gods? &#160; 31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban,
Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take
by force thy daughters from me. &#160; 32 With whomsoever thou
findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern
thou what <i>is</i> thine with me, and take <i>it</i> to thee. For
Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. &#160; 33 And Laban
went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two
maidservants' tents; but he found <i>them</i> not. Then went he out
of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. &#160; 34 Now
Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture,
and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found
<i>them</i> not. &#160; 35 And she said to her father, Let it not
displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom
of women <i>is</i> upon me. And he searched, but found not the
images.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p15">We have here the reasoning, not to say the
rallying, that took place between Laban and Jacob at their meeting,
in that mountain which was afterwards called <i>Gilead,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 31:25" id="Gen.xxxii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|31|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p16">I. The high charge which Laban exhibited
against him. He accuses him,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p17">1. As a renegade that had unjustly deserted
his service. To represent Jacob as a criminal, he will have it
thought that he intended kindness to his daughters (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:27,28" id="Gen.xxxii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|31|27|31|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.27-Gen.31.28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>), that he would
have dismissed them with all the marks of love and honour that
could be, that he would have made a solemn business of it, would
have kissed his little grandchildren (and that was all he would
have given them), and, according to the foolish custom of the
country, would have sent them away <i>with mirth, and with songs,
with tabret, and with harp:</i> not as Rebekah was sent away out of
the same family, above 120 years before, with prayers and blessings
(<scripRef passage="Ge 24:60" id="Gen.xxxii-p17.2" parsed="|Gen|24|60|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.60"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 60</scripRef>), but
with sport and merriment, which was a sign that religion had very
much decayed in the family, and that they had lost their
seriousness. However, he pretends they would have been treated with
respect at parting. Note, It is common for bad men, when they are
disappointed in their malicious projects, to pretend that they
designed nothing but what was kind and fair. When they cannot do
the mischief they intended, they are loth it should be thought that
they ever did intend it. When they have not done what they should
have done they come off with this excuse, that they would have done
it. Men may thus be deceived, but God cannot. He likewise suggests
that Jacob had some bad design in stealing away thus (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:26" id="Gen.xxxii-p17.3" parsed="|Gen|31|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), that he took his wives
away as captives. Note, Those that mean ill themselves are most apt
to put the worst construction upon what others do innocently. The
insinuating and the aggravating of faults are the artifices of a
designing malice, and those must be represented (though never so
unjustly) as intending ill against whom ill is intended. Upon the
whole matter, (1.) He boasts of his own power (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:29" id="Gen.xxxii-p17.4" parsed="|Gen|31|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>): <i>It is in the power of my
hand to do you hurt.</i> He supposes that he had both right on his
side (<i>a good action,</i> as we say, against Jacob) and
<i>strength</i> on his side, either to avenge the wrong or recover
the right. Note, Bad people commonly value themselves much upon
their power to do hurt, whereas a power to do good is much more
valuable. Those that will do nothing to make themselves amiable
love to be thought formidable. And yet, (2.) He owns himself under
the check and restraint of God's power; and, though it redounds
much to the credit and comfort of Jacob, he cannot avoid telling
him the caution God had given him the night before in a dream,
<i>Speak not to Jacob good nor bad.</i> Note, As God has all wicked
instruments in a chain, so when he pleases he can make them
sensible of it, and force them to own it to his praise, as
protector of the good, as Balaam did. Or we may look upon this as
an instance of some conscientious regard felt by Laban for God's
express prohibitions. As bad as he was he durst not injure one whom
he saw to be the particular care of Heaven. Note, A great deal of
mischief would be prevented if men would but attend to the caveats
which their own consciences give them in slumberings upon the bed,
and regard the voice of God in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p18">2. As a thief, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:30" id="Gen.xxxii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|31|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Rather than own that he had
given him any colour of provocation to depart, he is willing to
impute it to a foolish fondness for his father's house, which made
him that he would needs begone; but then (says he) <i>wherefore
hast thou
<pb n="188" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_188"/>
stolen my gods?</i> Foolish man!
to call those his gods that could be stolen! Could he expect
protection from those that could neither resist nor discover their
invaders? Happy are those who have the Lord for their God, for they
have a God that they cannot be robbed of. Enemies may steal our
goods, but not our God. Here Laban lays to Jacob's charge things
that he knew not, the common distress of oppressed innocency.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p19">II. Jacob's apology for himself. Those that
commit their cause to God, yet are not forbidden to plead it
themselves with meekness and fear. 1. As to the charge of stealing
away his own wives he clears himself by giving the true reason why
he went away unknown to Laban, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:31" id="Gen.xxxii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|31|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. He feared lest Laban would by
force take away his daughters, and so oblige him, by the bond of
his affection to his wives, to continue in his service. Note, Those
that are unjust in the least, it may be suspected, will be unjust
also in much, <scripRef passage="Lu 16:10" id="Gen.xxxii-p19.2" parsed="|Luke|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.16.10">Luke xvi. 10</scripRef>.
If Laban deceive Jacob in his wages, it is likely he will make no
conscience of robbing him of his wives, and putting those asunder
whom God has joined together. What may not be feared from men that
have no principle of honesty? 2. As to the charge of stealing
Laban's gods he pleads not guilty, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:32" id="Gen.xxxii-p19.3" parsed="|Gen|31|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. He not only did not take them
himself (he was not so fond of them), but he did not know that they
were taken. Yet perhaps he spoke too hastily and inconsiderately
when he said, "Whoever had taken them, <i>let him not live;</i>"
upon this he might reflect with some bitterness when, not long
after, Rachel who had taken them died suddenly in travail. How just
soever we think ourselves to be, it is best to forbear
imprecations, lest they fall heavier than we imagine.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p20">III. The diligent search Laban made for his
gods (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:33-35" id="Gen.xxxii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|31|33|31|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.33-Gen.31.35"><i>v.</i> 33-35</scripRef>),
partly out of hatred to Jacob, whom he would gladly have an
occasion to quarrel with, partly out of love to his idols, which he
was loth to part with. We do not find that he searched Jacob's
flocks for stolen cattle; but he searched his furniture for stolen
gods. He was of Micah's mind, <i>You have taken away my gods, and
what have I more?</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 18:24" id="Gen.xxxii-p20.2" parsed="|Judg|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.24">Judg. xviii.
24</scripRef>. Were the worshippers of false gods so set upon their
idols? did they thus walk in the name of their gods? and shall not
we be as solicitous in our enquires after the true God? When he has
justly departed from us, how carefully should we ask, <i>Where is
God my Maker? O that I knew where I might find him!</i> <scripRef passage="Job 23:3" id="Gen.xxxii-p20.3" parsed="|Job|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.3">Job xxiii. 3</scripRef>. Laban, after all his
searches, missed of finding his gods, and was baffled in his
enquiry with a sham; but our God will not only by found of those
that seek him, but they shall find him their bountiful
rewarder.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 31:36-42" id="Gen.xxxii-p20.4" parsed="|Gen|31|36|31|42" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.36-Gen.31.42"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.31.36-Gen.31.42">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxii-p21">36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban:
and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What <i>is</i> my trespass?
what <i>is</i> my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me?
&#160; 37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou
found of all thy household stuff? set <i>it</i> here before my
brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
&#160; 38 This twenty years <i>have</i> I <i>been</i> with thee;
thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams
of thy flock have I not eaten. &#160; 39 That which was torn <i>of
beasts</i> I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my
hand didst thou require it, <i>whether</i> stolen by day, or stolen
by night. &#160; 40 <i>Thus</i> I was; in the day the drought
consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from
mine eyes. &#160; 41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I
served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for
thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times. &#160; 42
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of
Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty.
God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and
rebuked <i>thee</i> yesternight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p22">See in these verses,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p23">I. The power of provocation. Jacob's
natural temper was mild and calm, and grace had improved it; he was
a smooth man, and a plain man; and yet Laban's unreasonable
carriage towards him put him into a heat that transported him into
a heat that transported him into some vehemence, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:36,37" id="Gen.xxxii-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|31|36|31|37" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.36-Gen.31.37"><i>v.</i> 36, 37</scripRef>. His chiding with Laban,
though it may admit of some excuse, was not justifiable, nor is it
written for our imitation. Grievous words stir up anger, and
commonly do but make bad worse. It is a very great affront to one
that bears an honest mind to be charged with dishonesty, and yet
even this we must learn to bear with patience, committing our cause
to God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p24">II. The comfort of a good conscience. This
was Jacob's rejoicing, that when Laban accused him his own
conscience acquitted him, and witnessed for him that he had been in
all things willing and careful to live honestly, <scripRef passage="Heb 13:18" id="Gen.xxxii-p24.1" parsed="|Heb|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.18">Heb. xiii. 18</scripRef>. Note, Those that in any
employment have dealt faithfully, if they cannot obtain the credit
of it with men, yet shall have the comfort of it in their own
bosoms.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p25">III. The character of a good servant, and
particularly of a faithful shepherd. Jacob had approved himself
such a one, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:38-40" id="Gen.xxxii-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|31|38|31|40" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.38-Gen.31.40"><i>v.</i>
38-40</scripRef>. 1. He was very careful, so that, through his
<pb n="189" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_189"/>
oversight or neglect, the ewes did not cast
their young. His piety also procured a blessing upon his master's
effects that were under his hands. Note, Servants should take no
less care of what they are entrusted with for their masters than if
they were entitled to it as their own. 2. He was very honest, and
took none of that for his own eating which was not allowed him. He
contented himself with mean fare, and coveted not to feast upon the
rams of the flock. Note, Servants must not be dainty in their food,
nor covet what is forbidden them, but in that, and other instances,
show all good fidelity. 3. He was very laborious, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:40" id="Gen.xxxii-p25.2" parsed="|Gen|31|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>. He stuck to his
business, all weathers; and bore both heat and cold with invincible
patience. Note, Men of business, that intend to make something of
it, must resolve to endure hardness. Jacob is here an example to
ministers; they also are shepherds, of whom it is required that
they be true to their trust and willing to take pains.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p26">IV. The character of a hard master. Laban
had been such a one to Jacob. Those are bad masters, 1. Who exact
from their servants that which is unjust, by obliging them to make
good that which is not damaged by any default of theirs. This Laban
did, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:39" id="Gen.xxxii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|31|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. Nay, if
there has been a neglect, yet it is unjust to punish above the
proportion of the fault. That may be an inconsiderable damage to
the master which would go near to ruin a poor servant. 2. Those
also are bad masters who deny to their servants that which is just
and equal. This Laban did, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:41" id="Gen.xxxii-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|31|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.41"><i>v.</i>
41</scripRef>. It was unreasonable for him to make Jacob serve for
his daughters, when he had in reversion so great an estate secured
to him by the promise of God himself; as it was also to give him
his daughters without portions, when it was in the power of his
hands to do well for them. Thus he robbed the poor because he was
poor, as he did also by changing his wages.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p27">V. The care of providence for the
protection of injured innocence, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:42" id="Gen.xxxii-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|31|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>. God took cognizance of the
wrong done to Jacob, and repaid him whom Laban would otherwise have
sent empty away, and rebuked Laban, who otherwise would have
swallowed him up. Note, God is the patron of the oppressed; and
those who are wronged and yet not ruined, cast down and yet not
destroyed, must acknowledge him in their preservation and give him
the glory of it. Observe, 1. Jacob speaks of God as the God of his
father, intimating that he thought himself unworthy to be thus
regarded, but was beloved for the father's sake. 2. He calls him
the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac; for Abraham was dead,
and had gone to that world where perfect love casts out fear; but
Isaac was yet alive, sanctifying the Lord in his heart, as his fear
and his dread.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 31:43-55" id="Gen.xxxii-p27.2" parsed="|Gen|31|43|31|55" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.43-Gen.31.55"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.31.43-Gen.31.55">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxii-p27.3">Jacob's Covenant with Laban. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxii-p27.4">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxii-p28">43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob,
<i>These</i> daughters <i>are</i> my daughters, and <i>these</i>
children <i>are</i> my children, and <i>these</i> cattle <i>are</i>
my cattle, and all that thou seest <i>is</i> mine: and what can I
do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which
they have born? &#160; 44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a
covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and
thee. &#160; 45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up <i>for</i> a
pillar. &#160; 46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones;
and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon
the heap. &#160; 47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but Jacob
called it Galeed. &#160; 48 And Laban said, This heap <i>is</i> a
witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it
called Galeed; &#160; 49 And Mizpah; for he said, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxii-p28.1">Lord</span> watch between me and thee, when we are
absent one from another. &#160; 50 If thou shalt afflict my
daughters, or if thou shalt take <i>other</i> wives beside my
daughters, no man <i>is</i> with us; see, God <i>is</i> witness
betwixt me and thee. &#160; 51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this
heap, and behold <i>this</i> pillar, which I have cast betwixt me
and thee; &#160; 52 This heap <i>be</i> witness, and <i>this</i>
pillar <i>be</i> witness, that I will not pass over this heap to
thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar
unto me, for harm. &#160; 53 The God of Abraham, and the God of
Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware
by the fear of his father Isaac. &#160; 54 Then Jacob offered
sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and
they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. &#160; 55
And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his
daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto
his place.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p29">We have here the compromising of the matter
between Laban and Jacob. Laban had nothing to say in reply to
Jacob's remonstrance: he could neither justify himself nor condemn
Jacob, but was convicted by his own conscience of the wrong he had
done him; and therefore desires to hear no more of the matter He is
not willing to own himself in a fault, nor to ask Jacob's
forgiveness,
<pb n="190" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_190"/>
and make him satisfaction, as
he ought to have done. But,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p30">I. He turns it off with a profession of
kindness for Jacob's wives and children (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:43" id="Gen.xxxii-p30.1" parsed="|Gen|31|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>): <i>These daughters are my
daughters.</i> When he cannot excuse what he has done, he does, in
effect, own what he should have done; he should have treated them
as his own, but he had counted them as strangers, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:15" id="Gen.xxxii-p30.2" parsed="|Gen|31|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Note, It is common for
those who are without natural affection to pretend much to it when
it will serve a turn. Or perhaps Laban said this in a vain-glorious
say, as one that loved to talk big, and use great swelling words of
vanity: "All that thou seest is mine." It was not so, it was all
Jacob's, and he had paid dearly for it; yet Jacob let him have his
saying, perceiving him coming into a better humour. Note, Property
lies near the hearts of worldly people. They love to boast of it,
"This is mine, and the other is mine," as Nabal, <scripRef passage="1Sa 25:11" id="Gen.xxxii-p30.3" parsed="|1Sam|25|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.25.11">1 Sam. xxv. 11</scripRef>, <i>my bread and my
water.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p31">II. He proposes a covenant of friendship
between them, to which Jacob readily agrees, without insisting upon
Laban's submission, much less his restitution. Note, When quarrels
happen, we should be willing to be friends again upon any terms:
peace and love are such valuable jewels that we can scarcely buy
them too dearly. Better sit down losers than go on in strife. Now
observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p32">1. The substance of this covenant. Jacob
left it wholly to Laban to settle it. The tenour of it was, (1.)
That Jacob should be a good husband to his wives, that he should
not afflict them, nor marry other wives besides them, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:50" id="Gen.xxxii-p32.1" parsed="|Gen|31|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.50"><i>v.</i> 50</scripRef>. Jacob had never given
him any cause to suspect that he would be any other than a kind
husband; yet, as if he had, he was willing to come under this
engagement. Though Laban had afflicted them himself, yet he will
bind Jacob that he shall not afflict them. Note, Those that are
injurious themselves are commonly most jealous of others, and those
that do not do their own duty are most peremptory in demanding duty
from others. (2.) That he should never be a bad neighbour to Laban,
<scripRef passage="Ge 31:52" id="Gen.xxxii-p32.2" parsed="|Gen|31|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.52"><i>v.</i> 52</scripRef>. It was agreed
that no act of hostility should ever pass between them, that Jacob
should forgive and forget all the wrongs he had received and not
remember them against Laban or his family in after-times. Note, We
may resent an injury which yet we may not revenge.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p33">2. The ceremony of this covenant. It was
made and ratified with great solemnity, according to the usages of
those times. (1.) A pillar was erected (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:45" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.1" parsed="|Gen|31|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>), and a heap of stones raised
(<scripRef passage="Ge 31:46" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.2" parsed="|Gen|31|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>), to
perpetuate the memory or the thing, the way of recording agreements
by writing being then either not known or not used. (2.) A
sacrifice was offered (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:54" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.3" parsed="|Gen|31|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.54"><i>v.</i>
54</scripRef>), a sacrifice of peace-offerings. Note, Our peace
with God is that which puts true comfort into our peace with our
friends. If parties contend, the reconciliation of both to him will
facilitate their reconciliation one to another. (3.) They did eat
bread together (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:46" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.4" parsed="|Gen|31|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.46"><i>v.</i>
46</scripRef>), jointly partaking of the feast upon the sacrifice,
<scripRef passage="Ge 31:54" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.5" parsed="|Gen|31|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.54"><i>v.</i> 54</scripRef>. This was in
token of a hearty reconciliation. Covenants of friendship were
anciently ratified by the parties eating and drinking together. It
was in the nature of a love-feast. (4.) They solemnly appealed to
God concerning their sincerity herein, [1.] As a witness (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:49" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.6" parsed="|Gen|31|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>): <i>The Lord watch
between me and thee,</i> that is, "The Lord take cognizance of
every thing that shall be done on either side in violation of this
league. When we are out of one another's sight, let his be a
restraint upon us, that wherever we are we are under God's eye."
This appeal is convertible into a prayer. Friends at a distance
from each other may take the comfort of this, that when they cannot
know or succour one another God watches between them, and has his
eye on them both. [2.] As a Judge, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:53" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.7" parsed="|Gen|31|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.53"><i>v.</i> 53</scripRef>. <i>The God of Abraham</i> (from
whom Jacob descended), <i>and the God of Nahor</i> (from whom Laban
descended), <i>the God of their father</i> (the common ancestor,
form whom they both descended), <i>judge betwixt us.</i> God's
relation to them is thus expressed to intimate that they worshipped
one and the same God, upon which consideration there ought to be no
enmity between them. Note, Those that have one God should have one
heart: those that agree in religion should strive to agree in every
thing else. God is Judge between contending parties, and he will
judge righteously; whoever does wrong, it is at his peril. (5.)
They gave a new name to the place, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:47,48" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.8" parsed="|Gen|31|47|31|48" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.47-Gen.31.48"><i>v.</i> 47, 48</scripRef>. Laban called it in
Syriac, and Jacob in Hebrew, <i>the heap of witness;</i> and
(<scripRef passage="Ge 31:49" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.9" parsed="|Gen|31|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>) it was
called <i>Mizpah, a watch-tower.</i> Posterity being included in
the league, care was taken that thus the memory of it should be
preserved. These names are applicable to the seals of the gospel
covenant, which are witnesses to us if we be faithful, but
witnesses to us if we be faithful, but witnesses against us if we
be false. The name Jacob gave this heap (<i>Galeed</i>) stuck by
it, not the name Laban gave it. In all this rencounter, Laban was
noisy and full of words, affecting to say much; Jacob was silent,
and said little. When Laban appealed to God under many titles,
Jacob only <i>swore by the fear of his father Isaac,</i> that is,
the God whom his father Isaac feared, who had never served other
gods, as Abraham and Nahor had done. Two words of Jacob's were more
memorable than all Laban's speeches and vain repetitions: <i>for
the words of wise men are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him
that ruleth among fools,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 9:17" id="Gen.xxxii-p33.10" parsed="|Eccl|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.17">Eccl. ix.
17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxii-p34"><i>Lastly,</i> After all this angry parley,
they part friends, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:55" id="Gen.xxxii-p34.1" parsed="|Gen|31|55|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.55"><i>v.</i>
55</scripRef>. Laban very affectionately <i>kissed his sons and his
daughters, and blessed them,</i> and then went back in peace. Note,
God is often better to us than our fears, and strangely overrules
the spirits of men in our favour, beyond what we could
<pb n="191" id="Gen.xxxii-Page_191"/>
have expected; for it is not in vain to trust in
him.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXII" n="xxxiii" progress="22.29%" prev="Gen.xxxii" next="Gen.xxxiv" id="Gen.xxxiii">
<pb n="191" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_191"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxiii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1">We have here Jacob still upon his journey towards
Canaan. Never did so many memorable things occur in any march as in
this of Jacob's little family. By the way he meets, I. With good
tidings from his God, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:1,2" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|32|1|32|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.1-Gen.32.2">ver. 1,
2</scripRef>. II. With bad tidings from his brother, to whom he
sent a message to notify his return, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:3-6" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|32|3|32|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.3-Gen.32.6">ver. 3-6</scripRef>. In his distress, 1. He divides his
company, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:7,8" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|32|7|32|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.7-Gen.32.8">ver. 7, 8</scripRef>. 2. He
makes his prayer to God, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:9-12" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|32|9|32|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.9-Gen.32.12">ver.
9-12</scripRef>. 3. He sends a present to his brother, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:13-23" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|32|13|32|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.13-Gen.32.23">ver. 13-23</scripRef>. 4. He wrestles with
the angel, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:24-32" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|32|24|32|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.24-Gen.32.32">ver.
24-32</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 32" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 32:1-2" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|32|1|32|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.1-Gen.32.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.32.1-Gen.32.2">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.9">Jacob Pursuing His Journey. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxiii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiii-p2">1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of
God met him. &#160; 2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This
<i>is</i> God's host: and he called the name of that place
Mahanaim.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3">Jacob, having got clear of Laban, pursues
his journey homewards towards Canaan: when God has helped us
through difficulties we should go on our way heaven-ward with so
much the more cheerfulness and resolution. Now, 1. Here is Jacob's
convoy in his journey (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:1" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|32|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>): <i>The angels of God met him,</i> in a visible
appearance, whether in a vision by day or in a dream by night, as
when he saw them upon the ladder (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:12" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.12"><i>ch.</i> xxviii. 12</scripRef>), is uncertain. Note,
Those that keep in a good way have always a good guard; angels
themselves are ministering spirits for their safety, <scripRef passage="Heb 1:14" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.3" parsed="|Heb|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.14">Heb. i. 14</scripRef>. Where Jacob pitched his
tents, they pitched theirs about him, <scripRef passage="Ps 34:7" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.34.7">Ps. xxxiv. 7</scripRef>. They met him, to bid him welcome
to Canaan again; a more honourable reception this was than ever any
prince had, that was met by the magistrates of a city in their
formalities. They met him to congratulate him on his arrival, as
well as on his escape from Laban; for they have pleasure in the
prosperity of God's servants. They had invisibly attended him all
along, but now they appeared to him, because he had greater dangers
before him than those he had hitherto encountered. Note, When God
designs his people for extraordinary trials, he prepares them by
extraordinary comforts. We should think it had been more seasonable
for these angels to have appeared to him amidst the perplexity and
agitation occasioned first by Laban, and afterwards by Esau, than
in this calm and quiet interval, when he saw not himself in any
imminent peril; but God will have us, when we are in peace, to
provide for trouble, and, when trouble comes, to live upon former
observations and experiences; for <i>we walk by faith, not by
sight.</i> God's people, at death, are returning to Canaan, to
their Father's house; and then the angels of God will meet them, to
congratulate them on the happy finishing of their servitude, and to
carry them to their rest. 2. The comfortable notice he took of this
convoy, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:2" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|32|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. <i>This
is God's host,</i> and therefore, (1.) It is a powerful host; very
great is he that is thus attended, and very safe that is thus
guarded. (2.) God must have the praise of this protection: "This I
may thank God for, for it is his host." A good man may with an eye
of faith see the same that Jacob saw with his bodily eyes, by
believing that promise (<scripRef passage="Ps 91:11" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.6" parsed="|Ps|91|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.11">Ps. xci.
11</scripRef>), <i>He shall give his angels charge over thee.</i>
What need have we to dispute whether every particular saint has a
guardian angel, when we are sure he has a guard of angels about
him? To preserve the remembrance of this favour, Jacob gave a name
to the place from it, <i>Mahanaim, two hosts,</i> or <i>two
camps.</i> That is, say some of the rabbin, one host of the
guardian angels of Mesopotamia, who conducted Jacob thence, and
delivered him safely to the other host of the angels of Canaan, who
met him upon the borders where he now was. Rather, they appeared to
him in two hosts, one on either side, or one in the front and the
other in the rear, to protect him from Laban behind and Esau
before, that they might be a complete guard. Thus he is
<i>compassed</i> with God's favour. Perhaps in allusion to this the
church is called <i>Mahanaim, two armies,</i> <scripRef passage="So 6:13" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.7" parsed="|Song|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.6.13">Cant. vi. 13</scripRef>. Here were Jacob's family, which
made one army, representing the church militant and itinerant on
earth; and the angels, another army, representing the church
triumphant and at rest in heaven.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 32:3-8" id="Gen.xxxiii-p3.8" parsed="|Gen|32|3|32|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.3-Gen.32.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.32.3-Gen.32.8">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiii-p4">3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau
his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. &#160; 4
And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord
Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban,
and stayed there until now: &#160; 5 And I have oxen, and asses,
flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell
my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight. &#160; 6 And the
messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau,
and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
&#160; 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he
divided the people that <i>was</i> with him, and the flocks, and
herds, and the camels, into two bands; &#160; 8 And said, If Esau
come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which
is left shall escape.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p5">Now that Jacob was re-entering Canaan God,
by the vision of angels, reminded him of the friends he had when he
left it, and thence he takes occasion to remind himself of the
enemies he had, particularly Esau. It is probable that Rebekah had
sent him word of Esau's settlement in Seir, and of the continuance
of his enmity to him. What shall poor Jacob do? He longs to see his
father, and yet he dreads to see his brother. He rejoices to see
Canaan again, and yet cannot but rejoice with trembling because of
Esau.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p6">I. He sends a very kind and humble
<pb n="192" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_192"/>
message to Esau. It does not appear that his way lay
through Esau's country, or that he needed to ask his leave for a
passage; but his way lay near it, and he would not go by him
without paying him the respect due to a brother, a twin-brother, an
only brother, an elder brother, a brother offended. Note, 1. Though
our relations fail in their duty to us, yet we must make conscience
of doing our duty to them. 2. It is a piece of friendship and
brotherly love to acquaint our friends with our condition, and
enquire into theirs. Acts of civility may help to slay enmities.
Jacob's message to him is very obliging, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:4,5" id="Gen.xxxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|32|4|32|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.4-Gen.32.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. (1.) He calls Esau his lord,
himself his servant, to intimate that he did not insist upon the
prerogatives of the birthright and blessing he had obtained for
himself, but left it to God to fulfil his own purpose in his seed.
Note, <i>Yielding pacifies great offences,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 10:4" id="Gen.xxxiii-p6.2" parsed="|Eccl|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.4">Eccl. x. 4</scripRef>. We must not refuse to speak in a
respectful and submissive manner to those that are ever so unjustly
exasperated against it. (2.) He gives him a short account of
himself, that he was not a fugitive and a vagabond, but, though
long absent, had had a certain dwelling-place, with his own
relations: <i>I have sojourned with Laban, and staid there till
now;</i> and that he was not a beggar, nor did he come home, as the
prodigal son, destitute of necessaries and likely to be a charge to
his relations; no, <i>I have oxen and asses.</i> This he knew would
(if any thing) recommend him to Esau's good opinion. And, (3.) He
courts his favour: <i>I have sent, that I might find grace in thy
sight.</i> Note, It is no disparagement to those that have the
better cause to become petitioners for reconciliation, and to sue
for peace as well as right.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p7">II. He receives a very formidable account
of Esau's warlike preparations against him (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:6" id="Gen.xxxiii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|32|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), not a word, but a blow, a very
coarse return to his kind message, and a sorry welcome home to a
poor brother: <i>He comes to meet thee, and four hundred men with
him.</i> He is now weary of waiting for the days of mourning for
this good father, and even before they come he resolves to slay his
brother. 1. He remembers the old quarrel, and will now be avenged
on him for the birthright and blessing, and, if possible, defeat
Jacob's expectations from both. Note, malice harboured will last
long, and find an occasion to break out with violence a great while
after the provocations given. Angry men have good memories. 2. He
envies Jacob what little estate he had, and, though he himself was
now possessed of a much better, yet nothing will serve him but to
feed his eyes upon Jacob's ruin, and fill his fields with Jacob's
spoils. Perhaps the account Jacob sent him of his wealth did but
provoke him the more. 3. He concludes it easy to destroy him, now
that he was upon the road, a poor weary traveller, unfixed, and (as
he thinks) unguarded. Those that have the serpent's poison have
commonly the serpent's policy, to take the first and fairest
opportunity that offers itself for revenge. 4. He resolves to do it
suddenly, and before Jacob had come to his father, lest he should
interpose and mediate between them. Esau was one of those that
hated peace; when Jacob speaks, speaks peaceably, <i>he</i> is for
war, <scripRef passage="Ps 120:6,7" id="Gen.xxxiii-p7.2" parsed="|Ps|120|6|120|7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.120.6-Ps.120.7">Ps. cxx. 6, 7</scripRef>. Out
he marches, spurred on with rage, and intent on blood and murders;
four hundred men he had with him, probably such as used to hunt
with him, armed, no doubt, rough and cruel like their leader, ready
to execute the word of command though ever so barbarous, and now
breathing nothing but threatenings and slaughter. The tenth part of
these were enough to cut off poor Jacob, and his guiltless helpless
family, root and branch. No marvel therefore that it follows
(<scripRef passage="Ge 32:7" id="Gen.xxxiii-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|32|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), <i>then Jacob
was greatly afraid and distressed,</i> perhaps the more so from
having scarcely recovered the fright Laban had put him in. Note,
Many are the troubles of the righteous in this world, and sometimes
the end of one is but the beginning of another. The clouds return
after the rain. Jacob, though a man of great faith, yet was now
greatly afraid. Note, A lively apprehension of danger, and a
quickening fear arising from it, may very well consist with a
humble confidence in God's power and promise. Christ himself, in
his agony, was sorely amazed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p8">III. He puts himself into the best posture
of defence that his present circumstances will admit. It was absurd
to think of making resistance, all his contrivance is to make an
escape, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:7,8" id="Gen.xxxiii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|32|7|32|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.7-Gen.32.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. He
thinks it prudent not to venture all in one bottom, and therefore
divides what he had into two companies, that, if one were smitten,
the other might escape. Like a tender careful master of a family,
he is more solicitous for their safety than for his own. He divided
his company, not as Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:15" id="Gen.xxxiii-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|14|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.15"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 15</scripRef>), for fight, but for
flight.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 32:9-12" id="Gen.xxxiii-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|32|9|32|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.9-Gen.32.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.32.9-Gen.32.12">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxiii-p8.4">Jacob's Prayer. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxiii-p8.5">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiii-p9">9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham,
and God of my father Isaac, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxiii-p9.1">Lord</span>
which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred,
and I will deal well with thee: &#160; 10 I am not worthy of the
least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast
showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this
Jordan; and now I am become two bands. &#160; 11 Deliver me, I pray
thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I
fear him, lest he will come and smite me, <i>and</i> the mother
with the children. &#160; 12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee
good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
numbered for multitude.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p10">Our rule is to call upon God in the time of
<pb n="193" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_193"/>
trouble; we have here an example to this
rule, and the success encourages us to follow this example. It was
now a time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it; and
here we have him praying for that salvation, <scripRef passage="Jer 30:7" id="Gen.xxxiii-p10.1" parsed="|Jer|30|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.7">Jer. xxx. 7</scripRef>. In his distress he sought the
Lord, and he heard him. Note, Times of fear should be times of
prayer; whatever frightens us should drive us to our knees, to our
God. Jacob had lately seen his guard of angels, but, in this
distress, he applied to God, not to them; he knew they were his
fellow-servants, <scripRef passage="Re 22:9" id="Gen.xxxiii-p10.2" parsed="|Rev|22|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.9">Rev. xxii.
9</scripRef>. Nor did he consult Laban's <i>teraphim;</i> it was
enough for him that he had a God to go to. To him he addresses
himself with all possible solemnity, so running for safety into the
name of the Lord, <i>as a strong tower,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 18:10" id="Gen.xxxiii-p10.3" parsed="|Prov|18|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.18.10">Prov. xviii. 10</scripRef>. This prayer is the more
remarkable because it won him the honour of being an <i>Israel, a
prince with God,</i> and the father of the praying remnant, who are
hence called <i>the seed of Jacob,</i> to whom he never said,
<i>Seek you me in vain.</i> Now it is worth while to enquire what
there was extraordinary in this prayer, that it should gain the
petitioner all this honour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p11">I. The request itself is one, and very
express: <i>Deliver me from the hand of my brother,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 32:11" id="Gen.xxxiii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|32|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Though there was no
human probability on his side, yet he believed the power of God
could rescue him as a lamb out of the bloody jaws of the lion.
Note, 1. We have leave to be particular in our addresses to God, to
mention the particular straits and difficulties we are in; for the
God with whom we have to do is one we may be free with: <i>we have
liberty of speech</i> (<b><i>parresia</i></b>) at the throne of
grace. 2. When our brethren aim to be our destroyers, it is our
comfort that we have a Father to whom we may apply as our
deliverer.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p12">II. The pleas are many, and very powerful;
never was cause better ordered, <scripRef passage="Job 23:4" id="Gen.xxxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Job|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.4">Job
xxiii. 4</scripRef>. He offers up his request with great faith,
fervency, and humility. How earnestly does he beg! <i>Deliver me, I
pray thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 32:11" id="Gen.xxxiii-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|32|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. His fear made him importunate. With what holy logic
does he argue! With what divine eloquence does he plead! Here is a
noble copy to write after.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p13">1. He addresses himself to God as the God
of his fathers, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:9" id="Gen.xxxiii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|32|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
Such was the humble self-denying sense he had of his own
unworthiness that he did not call God his own God, but a God in
covenant with his ancestors: <i>O God of my father Abraham, and God
of my father Isaac;</i> and this he could the better plead because
the covenant, by divine designation, was entailed upon him. Note,
God's covenant with our fathers may be a comfort to us when were
are in distress. It has often been so to the Lord's people,
<scripRef passage="Ps 22:4,5" id="Gen.xxxiii-p13.2" parsed="|Ps|22|4|22|5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.4-Ps.22.5">Ps. xxii. 4, 5</scripRef>. Being born
in God's house, we are taken under his special protection.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p14">2. He produces his warrant: <i>Thou saidst
unto me, Return unto thy country.</i> He did not rashly leave his
place with Laban, nor undertake this journey out of a fickle
humour, or a foolish fondness for his native country, but in
obedience to God's command. Note, (1.) We may be in the way of our
duty, and yet may meet with trouble and distress in that way. As
prosperity will not prove us in the right, so cross events will not
prove us in the wrong; we may be going whither God calls us, and
yet may think our way hedged up with thorns. (2.) We may
comfortably trust God with our safety, while we carefully keep to
our duty. If God be our guide, he will be our guard.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p15">3. He humbly acknowledges his own
unworthiness to receive any favour from God (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:10" id="Gen.xxxiii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>I am not worthy;</i> it is
an unusual plea. Some would think he should have pleaded that what
was now in danger was his own, against all the world, and that he
had earned it dear enough; no, he pleads, <i>Lord, I am not worthy
of it.</i> Note, Self-denial and self-abasement well become us in
all our addresses to the throne of grace. Christ never commended
any of his petitioners so much as him who said, <i>Lord, I am not
worthy</i> (<scripRef passage="Mt 8:8" id="Gen.xxxiii-p15.2" parsed="|Matt|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.8">Matt. viii. 8</scripRef>),
and her who said, <i>Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs
which fall from their master's table,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 15:27" id="Gen.xxxiii-p15.3" parsed="|Matt|15|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.27">Matt. xv. 27</scripRef>. Now observe here, (1.) How
magnificently and honourably he speaks of the mercies of God to
him. We have here, <i>mercies,</i> in the plural number, and
inexhaustible spring, and innumerable streams; <i>mercies and
truth,</i> that is, past mercies given according to the promise,
and further mercies secured by the promise. Note, What is laid up
in God's truth, as well as what is laid out in God's mercies, is
the matter both of the comforts and the praises of active
believers. Nay, observe, it is <i>all</i> the mercies, and
<i>all</i> the truth; the manner of expression is copious, and
intimates that his heart was full of God's goodness. (2.) How
meanly and humbly he speaks of himself, disclaiming all thought of
his own merit: "<i>I am not worthy of the least of all thy
mercies,</i> much less am I worthy of so great a favour as this I
am now suing for." Jacob was a considerable man, and, upon many
accounts, very deserving, and, in treating with Laban, had justly
insisted on his merits, but not before God. <i>I am less than all
thy mercies;</i> so the word is. Note, The best and greatest of men
are utterly unworthy of the least favour from God, and just be
ready to own it upon all occasions. It was the excellent Mr.
Herbert's motto, <i>Less than the least of all God's mercies.</i>
Those are best prepared for the greatest mercies that see
themselves unworthy of the least.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p16">4. He thankfully owns God's goodness to him
in his banishment, and how much it had outdone his expectations:
"<i>With my staff I passed over this Jordan,</i> poor and desolate,
like a forlorn and despised pilgrim;" he had no guides, no
companions, no attendants, no conveniences for travel, but his
staff only, nothing else to stay himself upon; "<i>and now I have
become two bands,</i> now I am surrounded with a numerous and
comfortable retinue of
<pb n="194" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_194"/>
children and
servants:" though it was his distress that had now obliged him to
divide his family into two bands, yet he makes use of that for the
magnifying of the mercy of his increase. Note, (1.) The increase of
our families is then comfortable indeed to us when we see God's
mercies, and his truth, in it. (2.) Those whose latter end greatly
increases ought, with humility and thankfulness, to remember how
small their beginning was. Jacob pleads, "Lord, thou didst keep me
when I went out with only my staff, and had but one life to lose;
wilt thou not keep me now that so many are embarked with me?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p17">5. He urges the extremity of the peril he
was in: <i>Lord, deliver me from Esau, for I fear him,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 32:11" id="Gen.xxxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|32|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. The people of
God have not been shy of telling God their fears; for they know he
takes cognizance of them, and considers them. The fear that
quickens prayer is itself pleadable. It was not a robber, but a
murderer, that he was afraid of; nor was it his own life only that
lay at stake, but the mothers' and the children's, that had left
their native soil to go along with him. Note, Natural affection may
furnish us with allowable acceptable pleas in prayer.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18">6. He insists especially upon the promise
God had made him (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:9" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|32|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>Thou saidst, I will deal well with thee,</i> and
again, in the close (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:12" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|32|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.</i>
Note, (1.) The best we can say to God in prayer is what he has said
to us. God's promises, as they are the surest guide of our desires
in prayer, and furnish us with the best petitions, so they are the
firmest ground of our hopes, and furnish us with the best pleas.
"Lord, thou saidst thus and thus; and wilt thou not be as good as
thy word, the word upon which thou had <i>caused me to hope?</i>"
<scripRef passage="Ps 119:49" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.3" parsed="|Ps|119|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.49">Ps. cxix. 49</scripRef>. (2.) The
most general promises are applicable to particular cases. "Thou
saidst, <i>I will do thee good;</i> Lord, do me good in this
matter." He pleads also a particular promise, that of <i>the
multiplying of his seed.</i> "Lord, what will become of that
promise, if they be all cut off?" Note, [1.] There are promises to
the families of good people, which are improvable in prayer for
family-mercies, ordinary and extraordinary, <scripRef passage="Ge 17:17,Ps 112:2,Ps 102:28" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.4" parsed="|Gen|17|17|0|0;|Ps|112|2|0|0;|Ps|102|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.17 Bible:Ps.112.2 Bible:Ps.102.28"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 7; Ps. cxii. 2; cii.
28</scripRef>. [2.] The world's threatenings should drive us to
God's promises.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 32:13-23" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.5" parsed="|Gen|32|13|32|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.13-Gen.32.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.32.13-Gen.32.23">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.6">Jacob's Present to Esau. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxiii-p18.7">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiii-p19">13 And he lodged there that same night; and took
of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother;
&#160; 14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred
ewes, and twenty rams, &#160; 15 Thirty milch camels with their
colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
&#160; 16 And he delivered <i>them</i> into the hand of his
servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants,
Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
&#160; 17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my
brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose <i>art</i>
thou? and whither goest thou? and whose <i>are</i> these before
thee? &#160; 18 Then thou shalt say, <i>They be</i> thy servant
Jacob's; it <i>is</i> a present sent unto my lord Esau: and,
behold, also he <i>is</i> behind us. &#160; 19 And so commanded he
the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves,
saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
&#160; 20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob <i>is</i>
behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that
goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he
will accept of me. &#160; 21 So went the present over before him:
and himself lodged that night in the company. &#160; 22 And he rose
up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants,
and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. &#160; 23 And
he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he
had.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p20">Jacob, having piously made God his friend
by a prayer, is here prudently endeavouring to make Esau his friend
by a present. He had prayed to God to deliver him from the hand of
Esau, for he feared him; but neither did his fear sink into such a
despair as dispirits for the use of means, nor did his prayer make
him presume upon God's mercy, without the use of means. Note, When
we have prayed to God for any mercy, we must second our prayers
with our endeavours; else, instead of trusting god, we tempt him;
we must so depend upon God's providence as to make use of our own
prudence. "Help thyself, and God will help thee;" God answers our
prayers by teaching us to order our affairs with discretion. To
pacify Esau,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p21">I. Jacob sent him a very noble present, not
of jewels or fine garments (he had them not), but of cattle, to the
number of 580 in all, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:13-15" id="Gen.xxxiii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|32|13|32|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.13-Gen.32.15"><i>v.</i>
13-15</scripRef>. Now, 1. It was an evidence of the great increase
with which God had blessed Jacob that he could spare such a number
of cattle out of his stock. 2. It was an evidence of his wisdom
that he would willingly part with some, to secure the rest; some
men's covetousness loses them more than ever it gained them, and,
by grudging a little expense, they expose themselves to great
damage; <i>skin for skin, and all that a man has,</i> if he be a
wise man, <i>he will give for his life.</i> 3. It was a present
that he thought would be acceptable to Esau, who had traded
<pb n="195" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_195"/>
so much in hunting wild beasts that perhaps he
was but ill furnished with tame cattle with which to stock his new
conquests. And we may suppose that the mixed colours of Jacob's
cattle, ring-straked, speckled, and spotted, would please Esau's
fancy. 4. He promised himself that by this present he should gain
Esau's favour; for a gift commonly <i>prospers, which way soever it
turns</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 17:8" id="Gen.xxxiii-p21.2" parsed="|Prov|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.8">Prov. xvii. 8</scripRef>),
<i>and makes room for a man</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 18:16" id="Gen.xxxiii-p21.3" parsed="|Prov|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.18.16">Prov.
xviii. 16</scripRef>); nay, <i>it pacifies anger and strong
wrath,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 21:14" id="Gen.xxxiii-p21.4" parsed="|Prov|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.21.14">Prov. xxi. 14</scripRef>.
Note, [1.] We must not despair of reconciling ourselves even to
those that have been most exasperated against us; we ought not to
judge men unappeasable, till we have tried to appease them. [2.]
Peace and love, though purchased dearly, will prove a good bargain
to the purchaser. Many a morose ill-natured man would have said, in
Jacob's case, "Esau has vowed my death without cause, and he shall
never be a farthing the better for me; I will see him far enough
before I will send him a present:" but Jacob forgives and
forgets.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p22">II. He sent him a very humble message,
which he ordered his servants to deliver in the best manner,
<scripRef passage="Ge 32:17,18" id="Gen.xxxiii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|32|17|32|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.17-Gen.32.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>. They
must call Esau their <i>lord,</i> and Jacob his <i>servant;</i>
they must tell him the cattle they had was a small present which
Jacob had sent him, as a specimen of his acquisitions while he was
abroad. The cattle he sent were to be disposed of in several
droves, and the servants that attended each drove were to deliver
the same message, that the present might appear the more valuable,
and his submission, so often repeated, might be the more likely to
influence Esau. They must especially take care to tell him that
Jacob was coming after (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:18-20" id="Gen.xxxiii-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|32|18|32|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.18-Gen.32.20"><i>v.</i>
18-20</scripRef>), that he might not suspect he had fled through
fear. Note, A friendly confidence in men's goodness may help to
prevent the mischief designed us by their badness: if Jacob will
seem not to be afraid of Esau, Esau, it may be hoped, will not be a
terror to Jacob.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 32:24-32" id="Gen.xxxiii-p22.3" parsed="|Gen|32|24|32|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.24-Gen.32.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.32.24-Gen.32.32">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxiii-p22.4">Jacob Wrestles with an
Angel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxiii-p22.5">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiii-p23">24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled
a man with him until the breaking of the day. &#160; 25 And when he
saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his
thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he
wrestled with him. &#160; 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day
breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless
me. &#160; 27 And he said unto him, What <i>is</i> thy name? And he
said, Jacob. &#160; 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no
more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God
and with men, and hast prevailed. &#160; 29 And Jacob asked
<i>him,</i> and said, Tell <i>me,</i> I pray thee, thy name. And he
said, Wherefore <i>is</i> it <i>that</i> thou dost ask after my
name? And he blessed him there. &#160; 30 And Jacob called the name
of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life
is preserved. &#160; 31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose
upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. &#160; 32 Therefore the
children of Israel eat not <i>of</i> the sinew which shrank, which
<i>is</i> upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he
touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p24">We have here the remarkable story of
Jacob's wrestling with the angel and prevailing, which is referred
to, <scripRef passage="Ho 12:4" id="Gen.xxxiii-p24.1" parsed="|Hos|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.4">Hos. xii. 4</scripRef>. Very early
in the morning, a great while before day, Jacob had helped his
wives and his children over the river, and he desired to be
private, and was left alone, that he might again more fully spread
his cares and fears before God in prayer. Note, We ought to
continue instant in prayer, always to pray and not to faint:
frequency and importunity in prayer prepare us for mercy. While
Jacob was earnest in prayer, <i>stirring up himself to take hold on
God,</i> an angel takes hold on him. Some think this was a created
angel, the <i>angel of his presence</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 63:9" id="Gen.xxxiii-p24.2" parsed="|Isa|63|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.9">Isa. lxiii. 9</scripRef>), one of those that <i>always
behold the face of our Father</i> and attend on the
<i>shechinah,</i> or the divine Majesty, which probably Jacob had
also in view. Others think it was Michael our prince, the eternal
Word, the angel of the covenant, who is indeed the Lord of the
angels, who often appeared in a human shape before he assumed the
human nature for a perpetuity; whichsoever it was, we are sure
<i>God's name was in him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 23:21" id="Gen.xxxiii-p24.3" parsed="|Exod|23|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.21">Exod.
xxiii. 21</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p25">I. How Jacob and this angel engaged,
<scripRef passage="Ge 32:24" id="Gen.xxxiii-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|32|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. It was a
single combat, hand to hand; they had neither of them any seconds.
Jacob was now full of care and fear about the interview he
expected, next day, with his brother, and, to aggravate the trial,
God himself seemed to come forth against him as an enemy, to oppose
his entrance into the land of promise, and to dispute the pass with
him, not suffering him to follow his wives and children whom he had
sent before. Note, Strong believers must expect divers temptations,
and strong ones. We are told by the prophet (<scripRef passage="Ho 12:4" id="Gen.xxxiii-p25.2" parsed="|Hos|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.4">Hos. xii. 4</scripRef>) how <i>Jacob wrestled:</i> he
<i>wept, and made supplication;</i> prayers and tears were his
weapons. It was not only a corporal, but a spiritual, wrestling, by
the vigorous actings of faith and holy desire; and thus all the
spiritual seed of Jacob, that pray in praying, still wrestle with
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26">II. What was the success of the engagement.
1. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, the
angel, <i>prevailed not against him</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:25" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|32|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), that is, this discouragement
did not shake his faith, nor
<pb n="196" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_196"/>
silence his
prayer. It was not in his own strength that he wrestled, nor by his
own strength that he prevailed, but in and by strength derived from
Heaven. That of Job illustrates this (<scripRef passage="Job 23:6" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.2" parsed="|Job|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.6">Job xxiii. 6</scripRef>), <i>Will he plead against me
with his great power?</i> No (had the angel done so, Jacob had been
crushed), <i>but he will put strength in me;</i> and by that
<i>strength Jacob had power over the angel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 12:4" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.3" parsed="|Hos|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.4">Hos. xii. 4</scripRef>. Note, We cannot prevail with God
but in his own strength. It is his Spirit that intercedes in us,
and <i>helps our infirmities,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 8:26" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.4" parsed="|Rom|8|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.26">Rom.
viii. 26</scripRef>. 2. The angel put out Jacob's thigh, to show
him what he could do, and that it was God he was wrestling with,
for no man could disjoint his thigh with a touch. Some think that
Jacob felt little or no pain from this hurt; it is probable that he
did not, for he did not so much as halt till the struggle was over
(<scripRef passage="Ge 32:31" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.5" parsed="|Gen|32|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), and, if so,
this was an evidence of a divine touch indeed, which wounded and
healed at the same time. Jacob prevailed, and yet had his thigh put
out. Note, Wrestling believers may obtain glorious victories, and
yet come off with broken bones; for <i>when they are weak then are
they strong,</i> weak in themselves, but strong in Christ,
<scripRef passage="2Co 12:10" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.6" parsed="|2Cor|12|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.12.10">2 Cor. xii. 10</scripRef>. Our
honours and comforts in this world have their alloys. 3. The angel,
by an admirable condescension, mildly requests Jacob to let him go
(<scripRef passage="Ge 32:26" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.7" parsed="|Gen|32|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), as God said
to Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:10" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.8" parsed="|Exod|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.10">Exod. xxxii. 10</scripRef>),
<i>Let me alone.</i> Could not a mighty angel get clear of Jacob's
grapples? He could; but thus he would put an honour on Jacob's
faith and prayer, and further try his constancy. <i>The king is
held in the galleries</i> (<scripRef passage="So 7:5" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.9" parsed="|Song|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.7.5">Cant. vii.
5</scripRef>); <i>I held him</i> (says the spouse) <i>and would not
let him go,</i> <scripRef passage="So 3:4" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.10" parsed="|Song|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.3.4">Cant. iii. 4</scripRef>.
The reason the angel gives why he would be gone is <i>because the
day breaks,</i> and therefore he would not any longer detain Jacob,
who had business to do, a journey to go, a family to look after,
which, especially in this critical juncture, called for his
attendance. Note, Every thing is beautiful in its season; even the
business of religion, and the comforts of communion with God, must
sometimes give way to the necessary affairs of this life: God
<i>will have mercy, and not sacrifice.</i> 4. Jacob persists in his
holy importunity: <i>I will not let thee go, except thou bless
me;</i> whatever becomes of his family and journey, he resolves to
make the best he can of this opportunity, and not to lose the
advantage of his victory: he does not mean to wrestle all night for
nothing, but humbly resolves he will have a blessing, and rather
shall all his bones be put out of joint than he will go away
without one. The credit of a conquest will do him no good without
the comfort of a blessing. In begging this blessing he owns his
inferiority, though he seemed to have the upper hand in the
struggle; for <i>the less is blessed of the better.</i> Note, Those
that would have the blessing of Christ must be in good earnest, and
be importunate for it, as those that resolve to have no denial. It
is the fervent prayer that is the effectual prayer. 5. The angel
puts a perpetual mark of honour upon him, by changing his name
(<scripRef passage="Ge 32:27,28" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.11" parsed="|Gen|32|27|32|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.27-Gen.32.28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>):
"Thou art a brave combatant" (says the angel), "a man of heroic
resolution; what is thy name?" "Jacob," says he, a
<i>supplanter;</i> so <i>Jacob</i> signifies: "Well," says the
angel, "be thou never so called any more; henceforth thou shalt be
celebrated, not for craft and artful management, but for true
valour; thou shalt be called <i>Israel, a prince with God,</i> a
name greater than those of the great men of the earth." He is a
prince indeed that is a prince with God, and those are truly
honourable that are mighty in prayer, Israels, Israelites indeed.
Jacob is here knighted in the field, as it were, and has a title of
honour given him by him that is the fountain of honour, which will
remain, to his praise, to the end of time. Yet this was not all;
having power with God, he shall have power with men too. Having
prevailed for a blessing from heaven, he shall, no doubt, prevail
for Esau's favour. Note, Whatever enemies we have, if we can but
make God our friend, we are well off; those that by faith have
power in heaven have thereby as much on earth as they have occasion
for. 6. He dismisses him with a blessing, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:29" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.12" parsed="|Gen|32|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Jacob desired to know the
angel's name, that he might, according to his capacity, do him
honour, <scripRef passage="Jdg 13:17" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.13" parsed="|Judg|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.17">Judg. xiii. 17</scripRef>.
But that request was denied, that he might not be too proud of his
conquest, nor think he had the angel at such an advantage as to
oblige him to what he pleased. No, "<i>Wherefore dost thou ask
after my name?</i> What good will it do thee to know that?" The
discovery of that was reserved for his death-bed, upon which he was
taught to call him <i>Shiloh.</i> But, instead of telling him his
name, he gave him his blessing, which was the thing he wrestled
for: <i>He blessed him there,</i> repeated and ratified the
blessing formerly given him. Note, Spiritual blessings, which
secure our felicity, are better and much more desirable than fine
notions which satisfy our curiosity. An interest in the angel's
blessing is better than an acquaintance with his name. The tree of
life is better than the tree of knowledge. Thus Jacob carried his
point; a blessing he wrestled for, and a blessing he had; nor did
ever any of his praying seed seek in vain. See how wonderfully God
condescends to countenance and crown importunate prayer: those that
resolve, though God slay them, yet to trust in him, will, at
length, be more than conquerors. 7. Jacob gives a new name to the
place; he calls it <i>Peniel,</i> the <i>face of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:30" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.14" parsed="|Gen|32|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>), because there he had
seen the appearance of God, and obtained the favour of God.
Observe, The name he gives to the place preserves and perpetuates,
not the honour of his valour or victory, but only the honour of
God's free grace. He does not
<pb n="197" id="Gen.xxxiii-Page_197"/>
say, "In this
place I wrestled with God, and prevailed;" but, "In this place I
saw God face to face, and my life was preserved;" not, "It was my
praise that I came off a conqueror, but it was God's mercy that I
escaped with my life." Note, It becomes those whom God honours to
take shame to themselves, and to admire the condescensions of his
grace to them. Thus David did, after God had sent him a gracious
message (<scripRef passage="2Sa 7:18" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.15" parsed="|2Sam|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.18">2 Sam. vii. 18</scripRef>),
<i>Who am I, O Lord God?</i> 8. The memorandum Jacob carried of
this in his bones: <i>He halted on his thigh</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:31" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.16" parsed="|Gen|32|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>); some think he
continued to do so to his dying-day; and, if he did, he had no
reason to complain, for the honour and comfort he obtained by this
struggle were abundantly sufficient to countervail the damage,
though he went limping to his grave. He had no reason to look upon
it as his reproach thus <i>to bear in his body the marks of the
Lord Jesus</i> (<scripRef passage="Ga 6:17" id="Gen.xxxiii-p26.17" parsed="|Gal|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.17">Gal. vi.
17</scripRef>); yet it might serve, like Paul's thorn in the flesh,
to keep him from being lifted up with the abundance of the
revelations. Notice is taken of the sun's rising upon him when he
passed over <i>Penuel;</i> for it is sunrise with that soul that
has communion with God. The inspired penman mentions a traditional
custom which the seed of Jacob had, in remembrance of this, never
to eat of that sinew, or muscle, in any beast, by which the
hip-bone is fixed in its cup: thus they preserved the memorial of
this story, and gave occasion to their children to enquire
concerning it; they also did honour to the memory of Jacob. And
this use we may still make of it, to acknowledge the mercy of God,
and our obligations to Jesus Christ, that we may now keep up our
communion with God, in faith, hope, and love, without peril either
of life or limb.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIII" n="xxxiv" progress="23.01%" prev="Gen.xxxiii" next="Gen.xxxv" id="Gen.xxxiv">
<pb n="197" id="Gen.xxxiv-Page_197"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxiv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1">We read, in the former chapter, how Jacob had
power with God, and prevailed; here we find what power he had with
men too, and how his brother Esau was mollified, and, on a sudden,
reconciled to him; for so it is written, <scripRef passage="Pr 16:7" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Prov|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.16.7">Prov. xvi. 7</scripRef>, "When a man's ways please the
Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Here is,
I. A very friendly meeting between Jacob and Esau, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:1-4" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|33|1|33|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.1-Gen.33.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. Their conference at
their meeting, in which they vie with each other in civil and kind
expressions. Their discourse is, 1. About Jacob's family, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:5-7" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|33|5|33|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.5-Gen.33.7">ver. 5-7</scripRef>. 2. About the present he
had sent, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:8-11" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|33|8|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.8-Gen.33.11">ver. 8-11</scripRef>. 3.
About the progress of their journey, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:12-15" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|33|12|33|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.12-Gen.33.15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. III. Jacob's settlement in
Canaan, his house, ground, and altar, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:16-20" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|33|16|33|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.16-Gen.33.20">ver. 16-20</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 33" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 33:1-4" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|33|1|33|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.1-Gen.33.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.33.1-Gen.33.4">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.9">Jacob's Interview with Esau. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxiv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1739.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiv-p2">1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and,
behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided
the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two
handmaids. &#160; 2 And he put the handmaids and their children
foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph
hindermost. &#160; 3 And he passed over before them, and bowed
himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his
brother. &#160; 4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p3">Here, I. Jacob discovered Esau's approach,
<scripRef passage="Ge 33:1" id="Gen.xxxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|33|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Some think that
his lifting up his eyes denotes his cheerfulness and confidence, in
opposition to a dejected countenance; having by prayer committed
his case to God, he went on his way, <i>and his countenance was no
more sad,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 1:18" id="Gen.xxxiv-p3.2" parsed="|1Sam|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.1.18">1 Sam. i. 18</scripRef>.
Note, Those that have cast their care upon God may look before them
with satisfaction and composure of mind, cheerfully expecting the
issue, whatever it may be; come what will, nothing can come amiss
to him whose heart is fixed, trusting in God. Jacob sets himself
upon his watch-tower to see what answer God will give to his
prayers, <scripRef passage="Hab 2:1" id="Gen.xxxiv-p3.3" parsed="|Hab|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.1">Hab. ii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p4">II. He put his family into the best order
he could to receive him, whether he should come as a friend or as
an enemy, consulting their decency if he came as a friend and their
safety if he came as an enemy, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:1,2" id="Gen.xxxiv-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|33|1|33|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.1-Gen.33.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. Observe what a different
figure these two brothers made. Esau is attended with a guard of
400 men, and looks big; Jacob is followed by a cumbersome train of
women and children that are his care, and he looks tender and
solicitous for their safety; and yet Jacob had the birthright, and
was to have the dominion, and was every way the better man. Note,
It is no disparagement to very great and good men to give a
personal attendance to their families, and to their family affairs.
Jacob, at the head of his household, set a better example than Esau
at the head of his regiment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p5">III. At their meeting, the expressions of
kindness were interchanged in the best manner that could be between
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p6">1. Jacob bowed to Esau, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:3" id="Gen.xxxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|33|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Though he feared Esau as an
enemy, yet he did obeisance to him as an elder brother, knowing and
remembering perhaps that when Abel was preferred in God's
acceptance before his elder brother Cain, yet God undertook for him
to Cain that he should not be wanting in the duty and respect owing
by a younger brother. <i>Unto thee shall be his desire, and thou
shalt rule over him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 4:7" id="Gen.xxxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.7"><i>ch.</i> iv.
7</scripRef>. Note, (1.) The way to recover peace where it has been
broken is to do our duty, and pay our respects, upon all occasions,
as if it had never been broken. It is the remembering and repeating
of matters that separates friends and perpetuates the separation.
(2.) A humble submissive carriage goes a great way towards the
turning away of wrath. Many preserve themselves by humbling
themselves: the bullet flies over him that stoops.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p7">2. Esau embraced Jacob (<scripRef passage="Ge 33:4" id="Gen.xxxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|33|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>He ran to meet him,</i> not
in passion, but in love; and, as one heartily reconciled to him, he
received him with all the endearments imaginable, <i>embraced him,
fell on his neck, and kissed him.</i> Some think that when Esau
came out to meet Jacob it was with no bad design, but that he
brought his 400 men only for state, that he might pay so much the
greater respect to his returning brother. It is certain
<pb n="198" id="Gen.xxxiv-Page_198"/>
that Jacob understood the report of his messengers
otherwise, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:5,6" id="Gen.xxxiv-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|32|5|32|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.5-Gen.32.6"><i>ch.</i> xxxii. 5,
6</scripRef>. Jacob was a man of prudence and fortitude, and we
cannot suppose him to admit of a groundless fear to such a degree
as he did this, nor that the Spirit of God would stir him up to
pray such a prayer as he did for deliverance from a merely
imaginary danger: and, if there was not some wonderful change
wrought upon the spirit of Esau at this time, I see not how
wrestling Jacob could be said to obtain such power with men as to
denominate him a <i>prince.</i> Note, (1.) God had the hearts of
all men in his hands, and can turn them when and how he pleases, by
a secret, silent, but resistless power. He can, of a sudden,
convert enemies into friends, as he did two Sauls, one by
restraining grace (<scripRef passage="1Sa 26:21,25" id="Gen.xxxiv-p7.3" parsed="|1Sam|26|21|0|0;|1Sam|26|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.26.21 Bible:1Sam.26.25">1 Sam. xxvi.
21, 25</scripRef>), the other by renewing grace, <scripRef passage="Ac 9:21,22" id="Gen.xxxiv-p7.4" parsed="|Acts|9|21|9|22" osisRef="Bible:Acts.9.21-Acts.9.22">Acts ix. 21, 22</scripRef>. (2.) It is not in vain to
trust in God, and to call upon him in the day of trouble; those
that do so often find the issue much better than they expected.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p8">3. They both wept. Jacob wept for joy, to
be thus kindly received by his brother whom he had feared; and Esau
perhaps wept for grief and shame, to think of the bad design he had
conceived against his brother, which he found himself strangely and
unaccountably prevented from executing.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 33:5-15" id="Gen.xxxiv-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|33|5|33|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.5-Gen.33.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.33.5-Gen.33.15">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiv-p9">5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women
and the children; and said, Who <i>are</i> those with thee? And he
said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.
&#160; 6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children,
and they bowed themselves. &#160; 7 And Leah also with her children
came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and
Rachel, and they bowed themselves. &#160; 8 And he said, What
<i>meanest</i> thou by all this drove which I met? And he said,
<i>These are</i> to find grace in the sight of my lord. &#160; 9
And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto
thyself. &#160; 10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have
found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for
therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of
God, and thou wast pleased with me. &#160; 11 Take, I pray thee, my
blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously
with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took
<i>it.</i> &#160; 12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let
us go, and I will go before thee. &#160; 13 And he said unto him,
My lord knoweth that the children <i>are</i> tender, and the flocks
and herds with young <i>are</i> with me: and if men should
overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. &#160; 14 Let my
lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on
softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the
children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
&#160; 15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee <i>some</i> of
the folk that <i>are</i> with me. And he said, What needeth it? let
me find grace in the sight of my lord.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p10">We have here the discourse between the two
brothers at their meeting, which is very free and friendly, without
the least intimation of the old quarrel. It was the best way to say
nothing of it. They converse,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p11">I. About Jacob's retinue, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:5-7" id="Gen.xxxiv-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|33|5|33|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.5-Gen.33.7"><i>v.</i> 5-7</scripRef>. Eleven or twelve
little ones, the eldest of them not fourteen years old, followed
Jacob closely: <i>Who are these?</i> says Esau. Jacob had sent him
an account of the increase of his estate (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:5" id="Gen.xxxiv-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.5"><i>ch.</i> xxxii. 5</scripRef>), but made no mention of
his children; perhaps because he would not expose them to his rage
if he should meet him as an enemy, or would please him with the
unexpected sight if he should meet him as a friend: Esau therefore
had reason to ask, <i>Who are those with thee?</i> to which common
question Jacob returns a serious answer, such as became his
character: They are <i>the children which God hath graciously given
thy servant.</i> It had been a sufficient answer to the question,
and fit enough to be given to profane Esau, if he had only said,
"They are my children;" but then Jacob would not have spoken like
himself, like a man whose eyes were ever towards the Lord. Note, It
becomes us not only to do common actions, but to speak of them,
<i>after a godly sort,</i> <scripRef passage="3Jo 1:6" id="Gen.xxxiv-p11.3" parsed="|3John|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:3John.1.6">3 John
6</scripRef>. Jacob speaks of his children, 1. As God's gifts; they
are a <i>heritage of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 128:2,Ps 112:9,Ps 107:41" id="Gen.xxxiv-p11.4" parsed="|Ps|128|2|0|0;|Ps|112|9|0|0;|Ps|107|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.2 Bible:Ps.112.9 Bible:Ps.107.41">Ps. cxxviii. 3; cxii. 9; cvii.
41</scripRef>. 2. As choice gifts; he hath graciously given them.
Though they were many, and now much his care, and as yet but
slenderly provided for, yet he accounts them great blessings. His
wives and children, hereupon, come up in order, and pay their duty
to Esau, as he had done before them (<scripRef passage="Ge 33:6,7" id="Gen.xxxiv-p11.5" parsed="|Gen|33|6|33|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.6-Gen.33.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>); for it becomes the family
to show respect to those to whom the master of the family shows
respect.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p12">II. About the present he had sent him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p13">1. Esau modestly refused it because he had
enough, and did not need it, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:9" id="Gen.xxxiv-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Note, Those who wish to be considered men of honour
will not <i>seem</i> to be mercenary in their friendship: whatever
influence Jacob's present had upon Esau to pacify him, he would not
have it thought that it had any, and therefore he refused it. His
reason is <i>I have
<pb n="199" id="Gen.xxxiv-Page_199"/>
enough,</i> I have
<i>much</i> (so the word is), so much that he was not willing to
take any thing that was his brother's. Note, (1.) Many that come
short of spiritual blessings, and are out of covenant, yet have
much of this world's wealth. Esau had what was promised him, the
fatness of the earth and a livelihood by his sword. (2.) It is a
good thing for those that have much to know that they have enough,
though they have not so much as some others have. Even Esau can
say, <i>I have enough.</i> (3.) Those that are content with what
they have must show it by not coveting what others have. Esau bids
Jacob keep what he had to himself, supposing he had more need of
it. Esau, for his part, needs it not, either to supply him, for he
was rich, or to pacify him, for he was reconciled: we should take
heed lest at any time our covetousness impose upon the courtesy of
others, and meanly take advantage of their generosity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p14">2. Jacob affectionately urges him to accept
it, and prevails, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:10,11" id="Gen.xxxiv-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|33|10|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.10-Gen.33.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>. Jacob sent it, through fear (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:20" id="Gen.xxxiv-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|32|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.20"><i>ch.</i> xxxii. 20</scripRef>), but, the fear being
over, he now importunes his acceptance of it for love, to show that
he desired his brother's friendship, and did not merely dread his
wrath; two things he urges:&#8212;(1.) The satisfaction he had in his
brother's favour, of which he thought himself bound to make this
thankful acknowledgment. It is a very high compliment that he
passes upon him: <i>I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the
face of God,</i> that is, "I have seen thee reconciled to me, and
at peace with me, as I desire to see God reconciled." Or the
meaning is that Jacob saw God's favour to him in Esau's: it was a
token for good to him that God had accepted his prayers. Note,
Creature-comforts are comforts indeed to us when they are granted
as answers to prayer, and are tokens of our acceptance with God.
Again, It is matter of great joy to those that are of a peaceable
and affectionate disposition to recover the friendship of those
relations with whom they have been at variance. (2.) The competency
he had of this world's goods: <i>God has dealt graciously with
me.</i> Note, If what we have in this world increase under our
hands, we must take notice of it with thankfulness, to the glory of
God, and own that therein he has dealt graciously with us, better
than we deserve. It is he that gives <i>power to get wealth,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 8:18" id="Gen.xxxiv-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|8|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.18">Deut. viii. 18</scripRef>. He adds,
"And <i>I have enough;</i> I have <i>all,</i>" so the word is.
Esau's enough was much, but Jacob's enough was all. Note, a godly
man, though he have but little in the world, yet may truly say, "I
have all," [1.] Because he has the God of all, and has all in him;
all is yours if you be Christ's, <scripRef passage="1Co 3:22" id="Gen.xxxiv-p14.4" parsed="|1Cor|3|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.22">1
Cor. iii. 22</scripRef>. [2.] Because he has the comfort of all.
<i>I have all, and abound,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 4:18" id="Gen.xxxiv-p14.5" parsed="|Phil|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.18">Phil.
iv. 18</scripRef>. He that has much would have more; but he that
thinks he has all is sure he has enough. He has all in prospect; he
will have all shortly, when he comes to heaven: upon this principle
Jacob urged Esau, and he took his present. Note, It is an excellent
thing when men's religion makes them generous, free-hearted, and
open-handed, scorning to do a thing that is paltry and
sneaking.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p15">III. About the progress of their journey.
1. Esau offers himself to be his guide and companion, in token of
sincere reconciliation, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:12" id="Gen.xxxiv-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|33|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. We never find that Jacob and Esau were so sociable
with one another, and so affectionate, as they were now. Note, As
for God his work is perfect. He made Esau, not only not an enemy,
but a friend. This bone that had been broken, being well set,
became stronger than ever. Esau has become fond of Jacob's company,
courts him to Mount Seir: let us never despair of any, nor distrust
God in whose hand all hearts are. Yet Jacob saw cause modestly to
refuse this offer (<scripRef passage="Ge 33:13,14" id="Gen.xxxiv-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|33|13|33|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.13-Gen.33.14"><i>v.</i> 13,
14</scripRef>), wherein he shows a tender concern for his own
family and flocks, like a good shepherd and a good father. He must
consider the children, and the flocks with young, and not lead the
one, nor drive the other, too fast. This prudence and tenderness of
Jacob ought to be imitated by those that have the care and charge
of young people in the things of God. They must not be over-driven,
at first, by heavy tasks in religious services, but led, as they
can bear, having their work made as easy to them as possible.
Christ, the good Shepherd, does so, <scripRef passage="Isa 40:11" id="Gen.xxxiv-p15.3" parsed="|Isa|40|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.11">Isa. xl. 11</scripRef>. Now Jacob will not desire Esau
to slacken his pace, nor force his family to quicken theirs, nor
leave them, to keep company with his brother, as many would have
done, that love any society better than their own house; but he
desires Esau to march before, and promises to follow him leisurely,
as he could get forward. Note, It is an unreasonable thing to tie
others to our rate; we may come with comfort, at last, to the same
journey's end, though we do not journey together, either in the
same path or with the same pace. There may be those with whom we
cannot fall in and yet with whom we need not fall out by the way.
Jacob intimates to him that it was his present design to come to
him to Mount Seir; and we may presume he did so, after he had
settled his family and concerns elsewhere, though that visit is not
recorded. Note, When we have happily recovered peace with our
friends we must take care to cultivate it, and not to be
behind-hand with them in civilities. 2. Esau offers some of his men
to be his guard and convoy, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:15" id="Gen.xxxiv-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. He saw Jacob but poorly attended, no servants but
his husbandmen and shepherds, no pages or footmen; and therefore,
thinking he was as desirous as himself (if he could afford it) to
take state upon him, and look great, he would needs lend him some
of his retinue, to attend upon him, that he might appear like
Esau's brother; but Jacob humbly refuses his offer, only desiring
he would not take it amiss that he did not accept it: <i>What
<pb n="200" id="Gen.xxxiv-Page_200"/>
needeth it?</i> (1.) Jacob is humble, and needs
it not for state; he desires not to make a fair show in the flesh,
by encumbering himself with a needless retinue. Note, It is the
vanity of pomp and grandeur that they are attended with a great
deal of which it may be said, <i>What needeth it?</i> (2.) Jacob is
under the divine protection, and needs it not for safety. Note,
Those are sufficiently guarded that have God for their guard and
are under a convoy of his hosts, as Jacob was. Those need not be
beholden to an arm of flesh that have God for their arm every
morning. Jacob adds, "Only <i>let me find grace in the sight of my
lord;</i> having thy favour, I have all I need, all I desire from
thee." If Jacob thus valued the good-will of a brother, much more
reason have we to reckon that we have enough if we have the
good-will of our God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 33:16-20" id="Gen.xxxiv-p15.5" parsed="|Gen|33|16|33|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.16-Gen.33.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.33.16-Gen.33.20">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxiv-p16">16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto
Seir. &#160; 17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him a
house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the
place is called Succoth. &#160; 18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city
of Shechem, which <i>is</i> in the land of Canaan, when he came
from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. &#160; 19
And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at
the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred
pieces of money. &#160; 20 And he erected there an altar, and
called it El-elohe-Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxiv-p17">Here, 1. Jacob comes to Succoth. Having in
a friendly manner parted with Esau, who had gone to his own country
(<scripRef passage="Ge 33:16" id="Gen.xxxiv-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), he comes to
a place where, it should seem, he rested for some time, set up
booths for his cattle, and other conveniences for himself and
family. The place was afterwards known by the name of Succoth, a
city in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan (it signifies
<i>booths</i>), that when his posterity afterwards dwelt in houses
of stone, they might remember that <i>the Syrian ready to
perish</i> was their father, who was glad of booths (<scripRef passage="De 26:5" id="Gen.xxxiv-p17.2" parsed="|Deut|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.5">Deut. xxvi. 5</scripRef>); such was the rock
whence they were hewn. 2. He comes to Shechem; we read it, to
<i>Shalem, a city of Shechem;</i> the critics generally incline to
read it appellatively: <i>he came safely, or in peace, to the city
of Shechem.</i> After a perilous journey, in which he had met with
many difficulties, he came safely, at last, into Canaan. Note,
Diseases and dangers should teach us how to value health and
safety, and should help to enlarge our hearts in thankfulness, when
our going out and coming in have been signally preserved. Here,
(1.) He buys a field, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:19" id="Gen.xxxiv-p17.3" parsed="|Gen|33|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Though the land of Canaan was his by promise, yet,
the time for taking possession not having yet come, he is content
to pay for his own, to prevent disputes with the present occupants.
Note, Dominion is not founded in grace. Those that have heaven on
free-cost must not expect to have earth so. (2.) He builds an
altar, <scripRef passage="Ge 33:20" id="Gen.xxxiv-p17.4" parsed="|Gen|33|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. [1.]
In thankfulness to God, for the good hand of his providence over
him. He did not content himself with verbal acknowledgments of
God's favour to him, but made real ones. [2.] That he might keep up
religion, and the worship of God, in his family. Note, Where we
have a tent God must have an altar, where we have a house he must
have a church in it. He dedicated this altar to the honour of
<i>El-elohe-Israel&#8212;God, the God of Israel,</i> to the honour of
God, in general, the only living and true God, the best of beings
and first of causes; and to the honour of the God of Israel, as a
God in covenant with him. Note, In our worship of God we must be
guided and governed by the joint-discoveries both of natural and
revealed religion. God had lately called him by the name of
<i>Israel,</i> and now he calls God <i>the God of Israel;</i>
though he is styled <i>a prince with God,</i> God shall still be a
prince with him, his Lord and his God. Note, Our honours then
become honours indeed to us when they are consecrated to God's
honour; Israel's God is Israel's glory.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIV" n="xxxv" progress="23.40%" prev="Gen.xxxiv" next="Gen.xxxvi" id="Gen.xxxv">
<pb n="200" id="Gen.xxxv-Page_200"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxv-p1">At this chapter begins the story of Jacob's
afflictions in his children, which were very great, and are
recorded to show, 1. The vanity of this world. That which is
dearest to us may prove our greatest vexation, and we may meet with
the greatest crosses in those things of which we said, "This same
shall comfort us." 2. The common griefs of good people. Jacob's
children were circumcised, were well taught, and prayed for, and
had very good examples set them; yet some of them proved very
untoward. "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the
strong." Grace does not run in the blood, and yet the interrupting
of the entail of grace does not cut off the entail of profession
and visible church-privileges: nay, Jacob's sons, though they were
his grief in some things, yet were all taken into covenant with
God. In this chapter we have, I. Dinah debauched, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:1-5" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|34|1|34|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.1-Gen.34.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. A treaty of marriage
between her and Shechem who had defiled her, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:6-19" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|34|6|34|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.6-Gen.34.19">ver. 6-19</scripRef>. III. The circumcision of the
Shechemites, pursuant to that treaty, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:20-24" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|34|20|34|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.20-Gen.34.24">ver. 20-24</scripRef>. IV. The perfidious and bloody
revenge which Simeon and Levi took upon them, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:25-31" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|34|25|34|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.25-Gen.34.31">ver. 25-31.</scripRef></p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 34" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 34:1-5" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|34|1|34|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.1-Gen.34.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.34.1-Gen.34.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxv-p1.7">Dinah Dishonoured. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxv-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1732.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxv-p2">1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare
unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. &#160; 2 And
when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country,
saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. &#160; 3
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved
the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. &#160; 4 And Shechem
spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.
&#160; 5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter:
now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his
peace until they were come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p3">Dinah was, for aught that appears, Jacob's
only daughter, and we may suppose her
<pb n="201" id="Gen.xxxv-Page_201"/>
therefore the mother's fondling and the darling of the family, and
yet she proves neither a joy nor a credit to them; for those
children seldom prove either the best or the happiest that are most
indulged. She is reckoned now but fifteen or sixteen years of age
when she here occasioned so much mischief. Observe, 1. Her vain
curiosity, which exposed her. She went out, perhaps unknown to her
father, but by the connivance of her mother, <i>to see the
daughters of the land</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:1" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|34|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>); probably it was at a ball, or on some public day.
Being an only daughter, she thought herself solitary at home,
having none of her own age and sex to converse with; and therefore
she must needs go abroad to divert herself, to keep off melancholy,
and to accomplish herself by conversation better than she could in
her father's tents. Note, It is a very good thing for children to
love home; it is parents' wisdom to make it easy to them, and
children's duty then to be easy in it. Her pretence was <i>to see
the daughters of the land,</i> to see how they dressed, and how
they danced, and what was fashionable among them. She went to
<i>see,</i> yet that was not all, she went to be <i>seen</i> too;
she went to see the daughters of the land, but, it may be, with
some thoughts of the sons of the land too. I doubt she went to get
an acquaintance with those Canaanites, and to learn their way.
Note, The pride and vanity of young people betray them into many
snares. 2. The loss of her honour by this means (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:2" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|34|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Shechem, the prince of the
country,</i> but a slave to his own lusts, took her, and lay with
her, it should seem, not so much by force as by surprise. Note,
Great men think they may do any thing; and what more mischievous
than untaught and ungoverned youth? See what came of Dinah's
gadding: young women must learn to be <i>chaste, keepers at
home;</i> these properties are put together, <scripRef passage="Tit 2:5" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.3" parsed="|Titus|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.2.5">Tit. ii. 5</scripRef>, for those that are not keepers at
home expose their chastity. Dinah went abroad to look about her;
but, if she had looked about her as she ought, she would not have
fallen into this snare. Note, The beginning of sin is as the
letting forth of water. How great a matter does a little fire
kindle! We should therefore carefully avoid all occasions of sin
and approaches to it. 3. The court Shechem made to her, after he
had defiled her. This was fair and commendable, and made the best
of what was bad; he loved her (not as Amnon, <scripRef passage="2Sa 13:15" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.4" parsed="|2Sam|13|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.13.15">2 Sam. xiii. 15</scripRef>), and he engaged his father
to make a match for him with her, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:4" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|34|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. 4. The tidings brought to poor
Jacob, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:5" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|34|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. As soon
as his children grew up they began to be a grief to him. Let not
godly parents, that are lamenting the miscarriages of their
children, think their case singular or unprecedented. The good man
<i>held his peace,</i> as one astonished, that knows not what to
say: or he said nothing, for fear of saying amiss, as David
(<scripRef passage="Ps 39:1,2" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.7" parsed="|Ps|39|1|39|2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.1-Ps.39.2">Ps. xxxix. 1, 2</scripRef>); he
smothered his resentments, lest, if he had suffered them to break
out, they should have transported him into any indecencies. Or, it
should seem, he had left the management of his affairs very much
(too much I doubt) to his sons, and he would do nothing without
them: or, at least, he knew they would make him uneasy if he did,
they having shown themselves, of late, upon all occasions, bold,
forward, and assuming. Note, Things never go well when the
authority of a parent runs low in a family. Let every man <i>bear
rule in his own house, and have his children in subjection with all
gravity.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 34:6-17" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.8" parsed="|Gen|34|6|34|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.6-Gen.34.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.34.6-Gen.34.17">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxv-p3.9">Treachery of Dinah's
Brethren. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxv-p3.10">b. c.</span> 1732.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxv-p4">6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto
Jacob to commune with him. &#160; 7 And the sons of Jacob came out
of the field when they heard <i>it:</i> and the men were grieved,
and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in
lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
&#160; 8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son
Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
&#160; 9 And make ye marriages with us, <i>and</i> give your
daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you. &#160; 10 And
ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and
trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein. &#160; 11 And
Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find
grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
&#160; 12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give
according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
&#160; 13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his
father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their
sister: &#160; 14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing,
to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that
<i>were</i> a reproach unto us: &#160; 15 But in this will we
consent unto you: If ye will be as we <i>be,</i> that every male of
you be circumcised; &#160; 16 Then will we give our daughters unto
you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with
you, and we will become one people. &#160; 17 But if ye will not
hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter,
and we will be gone.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p5">Jacob's sons, when they heard of the
<pb n="202" id="Gen.xxxv-Page_202"/>
injury done to Dinah, showed a very great
resentment of it, influenced perhaps rather by jealousy for the
honour of their family than by a sense of virtue. Many are
concerned at the shamefulness of sin that never lay to heart the
sinfulness of it. It is here called <i>folly in Israel</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 34:7" id="Gen.xxxv-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), according to
the language of after-times; for Israel was not yet a people, but a
family only. Note, 1. Uncleanness is folly; for it sacrifices the
favour of God, peace of conscience, and all the soul can pretend to
that is sacred and honourable, to a base and brutish lust. 2. This
folly is most shameful in <i>Israel,</i> in a family of Israel,
where God is known and worshipped, as he was in Jacob's tents, by
the name of <i>the God of Israel.</i> Folly in Israel is scandalous
indeed. 3. It is a good thing to have sin stamped with a bad name:
uncleanness is here proverbially called <i>folly in Israel,</i>
<scripRef passage="2Sa 13:12" id="Gen.xxxv-p5.2" parsed="|2Sam|13|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.13.12">2 Sam. xiii. 12</scripRef>. Dinah is
here called <i>Jacob's daughter,</i> for warning to all the
daughters of Israel, that they betray not themselves to this
folly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p6">Hamor came to treat with Jacob himself, but
he turns him over to his sons; and here we have a particular
account of the treaty, in which, it is a shame to say, the
Canaanites were more honest than the Israelites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p7">I. Hamor and Shechem fairly propose this
match, in order to a coalition in trade. Shechem is deeply in love
with Dinah; he will have her upon any terms, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:11,12" id="Gen.xxxv-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|34|11|34|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.11-Gen.34.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. His father not only
consents, but solicits for him, and gravely insists upon the
advantages that would follow from the union of the families,
<scripRef passage="Ge 34:9,10" id="Gen.xxxv-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|34|9|34|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.9-Gen.34.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. He shows
no jealousy of Jacob, though he was a stranger, but rather an
earnest desire to settle a correspondence with him and his family,
making him that generous offer, <i>The land shall be before you,
trade you therein.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p8">II. Jacob's sons basely pretend to insist
upon a coalition in religion, when really they designed nothing
less. If Jacob had taken the management of this affair into his own
hands, it is probable that he and Hamor would soon have concluded
it; but Jacob's sons meditate only revenge, and a strange project
they have for the compassing of it&#8212;the Shechemites must be
circumcised; not to make them holy (they never intended that), but
to make them sore, that they might become an easier prey to their
sword. 1. The pretence was specious. "It is the honour of Jacob's
family that they carry about with them the token of God's covenant
with them; and it will be a reproach to those that are thus
dignified and distinguished to enter into such a strict alliance
with those that are <i>uncircumcised</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:14" id="Gen.xxxv-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|34|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>); and therefore, <i>if you will
be circumcised, then we will become one people with you,</i>"
<scripRef passage="Ge 34:15,16" id="Gen.xxxv-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|34|15|34|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.15-Gen.34.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. Had
they been sincere herein their proposal of these terms would have
had in it something commendable; for Israelites should not
intermarry with Canaanites, professors with profane; it is a great
sin, or at least the cause and inlet of a great deal, and has often
been of pernicious consequence. The interest we have in any
persons, and the hold we have of them, should be wisely improved by
us, to bring them to the love and practice of religion (<i>He that
winneth souls is wise</i>); but then we must not, like Jacob's
sons, think it enough to persuade them to submit to the external
rites of religion, but must endeavour to convince them of its
reasonableness, and to bring them acquainted with the power of it.
2. The intention was malicious, as appears by the sequel of the
story; all they aimed at was to prepare them for the day of
slaughter. Note, Bloody designs have often been covered, and
carried on, with a pretence of religion; thus they have been
accomplished most plausibly and most securely: but this dissembled
piety is, doubtless, double iniquity. Religion is never more
injured, nor are God's sacraments more profaned, than when they are
thus used for a cloak of maliciousness. Nay, if Jacob's sons had
not had this bloody design, I do not see how they could justify
their offering the sacred sign of circumcision, the seal of God's
covenant, to these devoted Canaanites, who had no part nor lot in
the matter. Those had no right to the seal that had no right to the
promise. <i>It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast
it to dogs:</i> but Jacob's sons valued not this, while they could
make it serve their turn.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 34:18-24" id="Gen.xxxv-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|34|18|34|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.18-Gen.34.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.34.18-Gen.34.24">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxv-p9">18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem
Hamor's son. &#160; 19 And the young man deferred not to do the
thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he
<i>was</i> more honourable than all the house of his father. &#160;
20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city,
and communed with the men of their city, saying, &#160; 21 These
men <i>are</i> peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the
land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, <i>it is</i> large
enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and
let us give them our daughters. &#160; 22 Only herein will the men
consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every
male among us be circumcised, as they <i>are</i> circumcised.
&#160; 23 <i>Shall</i> not their cattle and their substance and
every beast of theirs <i>be</i> ours? only let us consent unto
them, and they will dwell with us. &#160; 24 And unto Hamor and
unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his
city;
<pb n="203" id="Gen.xxxv-Page_203"/>
and every male was circumcised, all
that went out of the gate of his city.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p10">Here, 1. Hamor and Shechem gave consent
themselves to be circumcised, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:18,19" id="Gen.xxxv-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|34|18|34|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.18-Gen.34.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>. To this perhaps they
were moved, not only by the strong desire they had to bring about
this match, but by what they might have heard of the sacred and
honourable intentions of this sign, in the family of Abraham,
which, it is probable, they had some confused notions of, and of
the promises confirmed by it, which made them the more desirous to
incorporate with the family of Jacob, <scripRef passage="Zec 8:23" id="Gen.xxxv-p10.2" parsed="|Zech|8|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.23">Zech. viii. 23</scripRef>. Note, Many who know little of
religion, yet know so much of it as makes them willing to join
themselves with those that are religious. Again, If a man would
take upon him a form of religion to gain a good wife, much more
should we embrace the power of it to gain the favour of a good God,
even circumcise our hearts to love him, and, as Shechem here,
<i>not defer to do the thing.</i> 2. They gained the consent of the
men of their city, Jacob's sons requiring that they also should be
circumcised. (1.) They themselves had great influences upon them by
their command and example. Note, Religion would greatly prevail if
those in authority, who, like Shechem, are more honourable than
their neighbours, would appear forward and zealous for it. (2.)
They urged an argument which was very cogent (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:23" id="Gen.xxxv-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|34|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), <i>Shall not their cattle and
their substance be ours?</i> They observed that Jacob's sons were
industrious thriving people, and promised themselves and their
neighbours advantage by an alliance with them; it would improve
ground and trade, and bring money into their country. Now, [1.] It
was bad enough to marry upon this principle: yet we see
covetousness the greatest matchmaker in the world, and nothing
designed so much, with many, as the laying of house to house, and
field to field, without regard had to any other consideration. [2.]
It was worse to be circumcised upon this principle. The Shechemites
will embrace the religion of Jacob's family only in hopes of
interesting themselves thereby in the riches of that family. Thus
there are many with whom gain is godliness, and who are more
governed and influenced by their secular interest than by any
principle of their religion.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 34:25-31" id="Gen.xxxv-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|34|25|34|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.25-Gen.34.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.34.25-Gen.34.31">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxv-p10.5">Murder of the Shechemites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxv-p10.6">b. c.</span> 1732.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxv-p11">25 And it came to pass on the third day, when
they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi,
Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city
boldly, and slew all the males. &#160; 26 And they slew Hamor and
Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of
Shechem's house, and went out. &#160; 27 The sons of Jacob came
upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled
their sister. &#160; 28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and
their asses, and that which <i>was</i> in the city, and that which
<i>was</i> in the field, &#160; 29 And all their wealth, and all
their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled
even all that <i>was</i> in the house. &#160; 30 And Jacob said to
Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the
inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites:
and I <i>being</i> few in number, they shall gather themselves
together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and
my house. &#160; 31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister
as with an harlot?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p12">Here, we have Simeon and Levi, two of
Jacob's sons, young men not much above twenty years old, cutting
the throats of the Shechemites, and thereby breaking the heart of
their good father.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p13">I. Here is the barbarous murder of the
Shechemites. Jacob himself was used to the sheep-hook, but his sons
had got swords by their sides, as if they had been the seed of
Esau, who was to live by his sword; we have them here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p14">1. Slaying the inhabitants of
Shechem&#8212;<i>all the males,</i> Hamor and Shechem particularly, with
whom they had been treating in a friendly manner but the other day,
yet with a design upon their lives. Some think that all Jacob's
sons, when they wheedled the Shechemites to be circumcised,
designed to take advantage of their soreness, and to rescue Dinah
from among them; but that Simeon and Levi, not content with that,
would themselves avenge the injury&#8212;and they did it with a witness.
Now, (1.) It cannot be denied but that God was righteous in it. Had
the Shechemites been circumcised in obedience to any command of
God, their circumcision would have been their protection; but when
they submitted to that sacred rite only to serve a turn, to please
their prince and to enrich themselves, it was just with God to
bring this upon them. Note, As nothing secures us better than true
religion, so nothing exposes us more than religion only pretended
to. (2.) But Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. [1.] It was
true that Shechem had <i>wrought folly against Israel,</i> in
defiling Dinah; but it ought to have been considered how far Dinah
herself had been accessory to it. Had Shechem abused her in her own
mother's tent, it would have been another matter; but she went upon
his ground, and perhaps by her indecent carriage had struck the
spark which began the fire: when we are severe upon the sinner we
ought to consider
<pb n="204" id="Gen.xxxv-Page_204"/>
who was the tempter. [2.]
It was true that Shechem had done ill; but he was endeavouring to
atone for it, and was as honest and honourable, <i>ex post
facto&#8212;after the deed,</i> as the case would admit: it was not the
case of the Levite's concubine that was abused to death; nor does
he justify what he has done, but courts a reconciliation upon any
terms. [3.] It was true that Shechem had done ill; but what was
that to all the Shechemites? Does one man sin, and will they be
wroth with all the town? Must the innocent fall with the guilty?
This was barbarous indeed. [4.] But that which above all aggravated
the cruelty was the most perfidious treachery that was in it. The
Shechemites had submitted to their conditions, and had done that
upon which they had promised to become one people with them
(<scripRef passage="Ge 34:16" id="Gen.xxxv-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|34|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>); yet they
act as sworn enemies to those to whom they had lately become sworn
friends, making as light of their covenant as they did of the laws
of humanity. And are these the sons of Israel? <i>Cursed be their
anger, for it was fierce.</i> [5.] This also added to the crime,
that they made a holy ordinance of God subservient to their wicked
design, so making that odious; as if it were not enough for them to
shame themselves and their family, they bring a reproach upon that
honourable badge of their religion; justly would it be called a
bloody ordinance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p15">2. Seizing the prey of Shechem, and
plundering the town. They rescued Dinah (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:26" id="Gen.xxxv-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|34|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), and, if that was all they came
for, they might have done that without blood, as appears by their
own showing (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:17" id="Gen.xxxv-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|34|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>);
but they aimed at the spoil; and, though Simeon and Levi only were
the murderers, yet it is intimated that others of the sons of Jacob
<i>came upon the slain and spoiled the city</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:27" id="Gen.xxxv-p15.3" parsed="|Gen|34|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), and so became accessory to the
murder. In them it was manifest injustice; yet here we may observe
the righteousness of God. The Shechemites were willing to gratify
the sons of Jacob by submitting to the penance of circumcision,
upon this principle, <i>Shall not their cattle and their substance
be ours?</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:23" id="Gen.xxxv-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|34|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), and see what was the issue; instead of making
themselves masters of the wealth of Jacob's family, Jacob's family
become masters of their wealth. Note, Those who unjustly grasp at
that which is another's justly lose that which is their own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxv-p16">II. Here is Jacob's resentment of this
bloody deed of Simeon and Levi, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:30" id="Gen.xxxv-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|34|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Two things he bitterly
complains of:&#8212;1. The reproach they had brought upon him thereby:
<i>You have troubled me,</i> put me into a disorder, for you have
made me <i>to stink among the inhabitants of the land,</i> that is,
"You have rendered me and my family odious among them. What will
they say of us and our religion? We shall be looked upon as the
most perfidious barbarous people in the world." Note, The gross
misconduct of wicked children is the grief and shame of their godly
parents. Children should be the joy of their parents; but wicked
children are their trouble, sadden their hearts, break their
spirits, and make them go mourning from day to day. Children should
be an ornament to their parents; but wicked children are their
reproach, and are as dead flies in the pot of ointment: but let
such children know that, if they repent not, the grief they have
caused to their parents, and the damage religion has sustained in
its reputation through them, will come into the account and be
reckoned for. 2. The ruin they had exposed him to. What could be
expected, but that the Canaanites, who were numerous and
formidable, would confederate against him, and he and his little
family would become an easy prey to them? <i>I shall be destroyed,
I and my house.</i> If all the Shechemites must be destroyed for
the offence of one, why not all the Israelites for the offence of
two? Jacob knew indeed that God had promised to preserve and
perpetuate his house; but he might justly fear that these vile
practices of his children would amount to a forfeiture, and cut off
the entail. Note, When sin is in the house, there is reason to fear
ruin at the door. The tender parents foresee those bad consequences
of sin which the wicked children have no dread of. One would think
this should have made them to relent, and they should have humbled
themselves to their good father, and begged his pardon; but,
instead of this, they justify themselves, and give him this
insolent reply, <i>Should he deal with our sister as with a
harlot?</i> No, he should not; but, if he do, must they be their
own avengers? Will nothing less than so many lives, and the ruin of
a whole city, serve to atone for an abuse done to one foolish girl?
By their question they tacitly reflect upon their father, as if he
would have been content to let them deal with his daughter as with
a harlot. Note, It is common for those who run into one extreme to
reproach and censure those who keep the mean as if they ran into
the other. Those who condemn the rigour of revenge shall be
misrepresented, as if they countenanced and justified the
offence.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXV" n="xxxvi" progress="23.87%" prev="Gen.xxxv" next="Gen.xxxvii" id="Gen.xxxvi">
<pb n="204" id="Gen.xxxvi-Page_204"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxvi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1">In this chapter we have three communions and three
funerals. I. Three communions between God and Jacob. 1. God ordered
Jacob to Beth-el; and, in obedience to that order, he purged his
house of idols, and prepared for that journey, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:1-5" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|35|1|35|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.1-Gen.35.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. 2. Jacob built an altar at
Beth-el, to the honour of God that had appeared to him, and in
performance of his vow, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:6,7" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|35|6|35|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.6-Gen.35.7">ver. 6,
7</scripRef>. 3. God appeared to him again, and confirmed the
change of his name and covenant with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:9-13" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|35|9|35|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.9-Gen.35.13">ver. 9-13</scripRef>), of which appearance Jacob made
a grateful acknowledgment, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:14,15" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|35|14|35|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.14-Gen.35.15">ver. 14,
15</scripRef>. II. Three funerals. 1. Deborah's, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:8" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|35|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.8">ver. 8</scripRef>. 2. Rachel's, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:16-20" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|35|16|35|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.16-Gen.35.20">ver. 16-20</scripRef>. 3. Isaac's, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:27-29" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|35|27|35|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.27-Gen.35.29">ver. 27-29</scripRef>. Here is also Reuben's incest
(<scripRef passage="Ge 35:22" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|35|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.22">ver. 22</scripRef>), and an account
of Jacob's sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:23-26" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|35|23|35|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.23-Gen.35.26">ver.
23-26</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 35" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|35|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 35:1-5" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.11" parsed="|Gen|35|1|35|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.1-Gen.35.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.35.1-Gen.35.5">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.12">Jacob Summoned to Bethel; Jacob's Journeys
towards Bethel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxvi-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1732.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvi-p2">1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to
Beth-el, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that
appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy
brother. &#160; 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all
that <i>were</i> with
<pb n="205" id="Gen.xxxvi-Page_205"/>
him, Put away the
strange gods that <i>are</i> among you, and be clean, and change
your garments: &#160; 3 And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and
I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of
my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. &#160; 4 And
they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which <i>were</i> in
their hand, and <i>all their</i> earrings which <i>were</i> in
their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which <i>was</i> by
Shechem. &#160; 5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was
upon the cities that <i>were</i> round about them, and they did not
pursue after the sons of Jacob.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3">Here, I. God reminds Jacob of his vow at
Beth-el, and sends him thither to perform it, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:1" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|35|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Jacob had said in the day of his
distress, <i>If I come again in peace, this stone shall be God's
house,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 28:22" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|28|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.22"><i>ch.</i> xxviii.
22</scripRef>. God had performed his part of the bargain, and had
given Jacob more than bread to eat and raiment to put on&#8212;he had
got an estate, and had become two bands; but, it should seem, he
had forgotten his vow, or at least had too long deferred the
performance of it. Seven or eight years it was now since he came to
Canaan; he had purchased ground there, and had built an altar in
remembrance of God's last appearance to him when he called him
<i>Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 33:19,20" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|33|19|33|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.19-Gen.33.20"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii.
19, 20</scripRef>); but still Beth-el is forgotten. Note, Time is
apt to wear out the sense of mercies and the impressions made upon
us by them; it should not be so, but so it is. God had exercised
Jacob with a very sore affliction in his family (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:1-31" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|34|1|34|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.1-Gen.34.31"><i>ch.</i> xxxiv.</scripRef>), to see if this would
bring his vow to his remembrance, and put him upon the performance
of it, but it had not this effect; therefore God comes himself and
puts him in mind of it: <i>Arise, go to Beth-el.</i> Note, 1. As
many as God loves he will remind of neglected duties, one way or
other, by conscience or by providences. 2. When we have vowed a vow
to God, it is best not to defer the payment of it (<scripRef passage="Ec 5:4" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.5" parsed="|Eccl|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.4">Eccles. v. 4</scripRef>), yet better late than
never. God bade him go to Beth-el and dwell there, that is, not
only go himself, but take his family with him, that they might join
with him in his devotions. Note, In Beth-el, the house of God, we
should desire to dwell, <scripRef passage="Ps 27:4" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.6" parsed="|Ps|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.4">Ps. xxvii.
4</scripRef>. That should be our home, not our inn. God reminds him
not expressly of his vow, but of the occasion of it: <i>When thou
fleddest from the face of Esau.</i> Note, The remembrance of former
afflictions should bring to mind the workings of our souls under
them, <scripRef passage="Ps 66:13,14" id="Gen.xxxvi-p3.7" parsed="|Ps|66|13|66|14" osisRef="Bible:Ps.66.13-Ps.66.14">Ps. lxvi. 13,
14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p4">II. Jacob commands his household to prepare
for this solemnity; not only for the journey and remove, but for
the religious services that were to be performed, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:2,3" id="Gen.xxxvi-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|35|2|35|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.2-Gen.35.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. Note, 1. Before
solemn ordinances, there must be solemn preparation. <i>Wash you,
make you clean,</i> and then <i>come, and let us reason
together,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 1:16-18" id="Gen.xxxvi-p4.2" parsed="|Isa|1|16|1|18" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.16-Isa.1.18">Isa. i.
16-18</scripRef>. 2. Masters of families should use their authority
for the promoting of religion in their families. Not only we, but
our houses also, should serve the Lord, <scripRef passage="Jos 24:15" id="Gen.xxxvi-p4.3" parsed="|Josh|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.15">Josh. xxiv. 15</scripRef>. Observe the commands he
gives his household, like Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:19" id="Gen.xxxvi-p4.4" parsed="|Gen|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.19"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 19</scripRef>. (1.) They must <i>put
away the strange gods.</i> Strange gods in Jacob's family! Strange
things indeed! Could such a family, that was taught the good
knowledge of the Lord, admit them? Could such a master, to whom God
had appeared twice, and oftener, connive at them? Doubtless this
was his infirmity. Note, Those that are good themselves cannot
always have those about them so good as they should be. In those
families where there is a face of religion, and an altar to God,
yet many times there is much amiss, and more strange gods than one
would suspect. In Jacob's family, Rachel had her <i>teraphim,</i>
which, it is to be feared, she secretly made some superstitious use
of. The captives of Shechem brought their gods along with them, and
perhaps Jacob's sons took some with the plunder. However they came
by them, now they must <i>put them away.</i> (2.) They must be
clean, and <i>change their garments;</i> they must observe a due
decorum, and make the best appearance they could. Simeon and Levi
had their hands full of blood, it concerned them particularly to
wash, and to put off their garments that were so stained. These
were but ceremonies, signifying the purification and change of the
heart. What are clean clothes, and new clothes, without a clean
heart, and a new heart? Dr. Lightfoot, by their <i>being clean,</i>
or <i>washing</i> themselves, understands Jacob's admission of the
proselytes of Shechem and Syria into his religion by baptism,
because circumcision had become odious. 3. They must go with him to
Beth-el, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:3" id="Gen.xxxvi-p4.5" parsed="|Gen|35|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Note,
Masters of families, when they go up to the house of God, should
bring their families with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p5">III. His family surrendered all they had
that was idolatrous or superstitious, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:4" id="Gen.xxxvi-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|35|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Perhaps, if Jacob had called for
them sooner, they would sooner have parted with them, being
convicted by their own consciences of the vanity of them. Note,
Sometimes attempts for reformation succeed better than one could
have expected, and people are not so obstinate against them as we
feared. Jacob's servants, and even the retainers of his family,
gave him all the strange gods, and the ear-rings they wore, either
as charms or to the honour of their gods; they parted with all.
Note, Reformation is not sincere if it be not universal. We hope
they parted with them cheerfully, and without reluctance, as
Ephraim did, when he said, <i>What have I to do any more with
idols?</i> (<scripRef passage="Ho 14:8" id="Gen.xxxvi-p5.2" parsed="|Hos|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.8">Hos. xiv. 8</scripRef>), or
that people that said to their idols, <i>Get you hence,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 30:22" id="Gen.xxxvi-p5.3" parsed="|Isa|30|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.22">Isa. xxx. 22</scripRef>. Jacob took
care to bury their
<pb n="206" id="Gen.xxxvi-Page_206"/>
images, we may suppose in
some place unknown to them, that they might not afterwards find
them and return to them. Note, We must be wholly separated from our
sins, as we are from those that are dead and buried out of our
sight, cast them <i>to the moles and the bats,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 2:20" id="Gen.xxxvi-p5.4" parsed="|Isa|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.2.20">Isa. ii. 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p6">IV. He removes without molestation from
Shechem to Bethel, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:5" id="Gen.xxxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|35|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. <i>The terror of God was upon the cities.</i> Though
the Canaanites were much exasperated against the sons of Jacob for
their barbarous usage of the Shechemites, yet they were so
restrained by a divine power that they could not take this fair
opportunity, which now offered itself, when they were upon their
march, to avenge their neighbours' quarrel. Note, The way of duty
is the way of safety. While there was sin in Jacob's house, he was
afraid of his neighbours; but now that the strange gods were put
away, and they were all going together to Bethel, his neighbours
were afraid of him. When we are about God's work, we are under
special protection. God is with us, while we are with him; and, if
he be for us, who can be against us? See <scripRef passage="Ex 34:24" id="Gen.xxxvi-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|34|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.24">Exod. xxxiv. 24</scripRef>, <i>No man shall desire thy
land, when thou goest up to appear before the Lord.</i> God governs
the world more by secret terrors on men's minds than we are aware
of.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 35:6-15" id="Gen.xxxvi-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|35|6|35|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.6-Gen.35.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.35.6-Gen.35.15">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxvi-p6.4">Jacob's Arrival at Bethel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxvi-p6.5">b. c.</span> 1732.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvi-p7">6 So Jacob came to Luz, which <i>is</i> in the
land of Canaan, that <i>is,</i> Beth-el, he and all the people that
<i>were</i> with him. &#160; 7 And he built there an altar, and
called the place El-Beth-el: because there God appeared unto him,
when he fled from the face of his brother. &#160; 8 But Deborah
Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an
oak: and the name of it was called Allon-bachuth. &#160; 9 And God
appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and
blessed him. &#160; 10 And God said unto him, Thy name <i>is</i>
Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel
shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. &#160; 11 And God
said unto him, I <i>am</i> God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply;
a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall
come out of thy loins; &#160; 12 And the land which I gave Abraham
and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will
I give the land. &#160; 13 And God went up from him in the place
where he talked with him. &#160; 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in
the place where he talked with him, <i>even</i> a pillar of stone:
and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
&#160; 15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake
with him, Beth-el.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p8">Jacob and his retinue having safely arrived
at Beth-el, we are here told what passed there.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p9">I. There he built an altar (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:7" id="Gen.xxxvi-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|35|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), and no doubt offered
sacrifice upon it, perhaps the tenth of his cattle, according to
his vow, <i>I will give the tenth unto thee.</i> With these
sacrifices he joined praises for former mercies, particularly that
which the sight of the place brought afresh to his remembrance; and
he added prayers for the continuance of God's favour to him and his
family. And he called the place (that is, <i>the altar</i>)
<i>El-beth-el, the God of Bethel.</i> As, when he made a thankful
acknowledgment of the honour God had lately done him in calling him
<i>Israel,</i> he worshipped God by the name of <i>El-elohe
Israel;</i> so, now that he was making a grateful recognition of
God's former favour to him at Bethel, he worships God by the name
of <i>El-beth-el, the God of Beth-el,</i> because there God
appeared to him. Note, The comfort which the saints have in holy
ordinances is not so much from <i>Bethel, the house of God,</i> as
from <i>El-beth-el, the God of the house.</i> The ordinances are
but empty things if we do not meet with God in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p10">II. There he buried Deborah, Rebekah's
nurse, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:8" id="Gen.xxxvi-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|35|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. We have
reason to think that Jacob, after he came to Canaan, while his
family dwelt near Shechem, went himself (it is likely, often) to
visit his father Isaac at Hebron. Rebekah probably was dead, but
her old nurse (of whom mention is made <scripRef passage="Ge 24:59" id="Gen.xxxvi-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|24|59|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.24.59"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 59</scripRef>) survived her, and Jacob
took her to his family, to be a companion to his wives, her
country-women, and an instructor to his children; while they were
at Bethel, she died, and died lamented, so much lamented that the
oak under which she was buried was called <i>Allon-bachuth, the oak
of weeping.</i> Note, 1. Old servants in a family, that have in
their time been faithful and useful, ought to be respected. Honour
was done to this nurse, at her death, by Jacob's family, though she
was not related to them, and though she was aged. Former services,
in such a case, must be remembered. 2. We do not know where death
may meet us; perhaps at Beth-el, the house of God. Therefore let us
be always ready. 3. Family-afflictions may come even when
family-reformation and religion are on foot. Therefore rejoice with
trembling.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11">III. There God appeared to him (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:9" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|35|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), to own his altar, to
answer to the name by which he had called him, <i>The God of
Beth-el</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:7" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|35|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>),
and to comfort him under his affliction, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:8" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|35|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Note, God will appear to those in
a way of grace that attend on him in a way of duty. Here, 1. He
confirmed the change of his name, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:10" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.4" parsed="|Gen|35|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. It was done before by the angel
that wrestled with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:28" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.5" parsed="|Gen|32|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.28"><i>ch.</i>
xxxii. 28</scripRef>), and here it was ratified by the divine
Majesty, or <i>Shechinah,</i> that appeared to him. There it was to
encourage him against the fear of Esau, here against the fear of
the Canaanites. Who can be too hard for Israel, a prince with God?
It is below those who are thus dignified to droop and despond. 2.
He renewed and ratified the covenant with him, by the name
<i>El-shaddai. I am God Almighty, God all-sufficient</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:11" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.6" parsed="|Gen|35|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), able to make good the
promise in due time, and to support thee and provide for thee in
the meantime. Two things are promised him which we have met with
often before:&#8212;(1.) That he should be the father of a great
nation, great in number&#8212;<i>a company of nations shall be of
thee</i> (every tribe of Israel was a nation, and all the twelve a
company of nations), great in honour and power&#8212;<i>kings shall come
out of thy loins.</i> (2.) That he should be the master of a good
land (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:12" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.7" parsed="|Gen|35|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>),
described by the grantees, Abraham and Isaac, to whom it was
promised, not by the occupants, the Canaanites in whose possession
it now was. The land that was given to Abraham and Isaac is here
entailed on Jacob and his seed. He shall not have children without
an estate, which is often the case of the poor, nor an estate
without children, which is often the grief of the rich; but both.
These two promises had a spiritual signification, of which we may
suppose Jacob himself had some notion, though not so clear and
distinct as we now have; for, without doubt, Christ is the promised
seed, and heaven is the promised land; the former is the
foundation, and the latter the top-stone, of all God's favours. 3.
He then went up from him, or <i>from over him,</i> in some visible
display of glory, which had hovered over him while he talked with
him, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:13" id="Gen.xxxvi-p11.8" parsed="|Gen|35|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Note,
The sweetest communions the saints have with God in this world are
short and transient, and soon have an end. Our vision of God in
heaven will be everlasting; there we shall be ever with the Lord;
it is not so here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p12">IV. There Jacob erected a memorial of this,
<scripRef passage="Ge 35:14" id="Gen.xxxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|35|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. 1. He set up
a pillar. When he was going to Padan-aram, he set up for a pillar
that stone on which he had laid his head. This was agreeable enough
to his low condition and his hasty flight; but now he took time to
erect one more stately, more distinguishable and durable, probably
placing that stone in it. In token of his intending it for a sacred
memorial of his communion with God, he poured oil and the other
ingredients of a drink-offering upon it. His vow was, <i>This stone
shall be God's house,</i> that is, shall be set up for his honour,
as houses to the praise of their builders; and here he performs it,
transferring it to God by anointing it. 2. He confirmed the name he
had formerly given to the place (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:15" id="Gen.xxxvi-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|35|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), <i>Beth-el, the house of
God.</i> Yet this very place afterwards lost the honour of its
name, and became <i>Beth-aven, a house of iniquity;</i> for here it
was that Jeroboam set up one of his calves. It is impossible for
the best man to entail upon a place so much as the profession and
form of religion.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 35:16-20" id="Gen.xxxvi-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|35|16|35|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.16-Gen.35.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.35.16-Gen.35.20">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxvi-p12.4">Death of Rachel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxvi-p12.5">b. c.</span> 1732.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvi-p13">16 And they journeyed from Beth-el; and there
was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and
she had hard labour. &#160; 17 And it came to pass, when she was in
hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt
have this son also. &#160; 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was
in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Ben-oni: but
his father called him Benjamin. &#160; 19 And Rachel died, and was
buried in the way to Ephrath, which <i>is</i> Beth-lehem. &#160; 20
And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that <i>is</i> the pillar of
Rachel's grave unto this day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14">We have here the story of the death of
Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob. 1. She fell in travail by the
way, not able to reach to Bethlehem, the next town, though they
were near it; so suddenly does pain sometimes come upon a woman in
travail, which she cannot escape, or put off. We may suppose Jacob
had soon a tent up, convenient enough for her reception. 2. Her
pains were violent. She had hard labour, harder than usual: this
was the effect of sin, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:16" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.16"><i>ch.</i> iii.
16</scripRef>. Note, Human life begins with sorrow, and the roses
of its joy are surrounded with thorns. 3. The midwife encouraged
her, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:17" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|35|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. No doubt
she had her midwife with her, ready at hand, yet that would not
secure her. Rachel had said, when she bore Joseph, <i>God shall add
another son,</i> which now the midwife remembers, and tells her her
words were made good. Yet this did not avail to keep up her
spirits; unless God command away fear, no one else can. He only
says as one having authority, <i>Fear not.</i> We are apt, in
extreme perils, to comfort ourselves and our friends with the hopes
of a temporal deliverance, in which we may be disappointed; we had
better found our comforts on that which cannot fail us, the hope of
eternal life. 4. Her travail was to the life of the child, but to
her own death. Note, Though the pains and perils of childbearing
were introduced by sin, yet they have sometimes been fatal to very
holy women, who, though not saved in childbearing, are saved
through it with an everlasting salvation. Rachel had passionately
said, <i>Give me children, or else I die;</i> and now that she had
children (for this was her second) she died. Her dying is here
called <i>the departing of her soul.</i> Note, The death of the
body is but the departure of the soul to the world of spirits. 5.
Her dying lips called her new-born son <i>Ben-oni, The son of my
sorrow.</i> And many a son, not born in such hard labour, yet
proves the son of his
<pb n="208" id="Gen.xxxvi-Page_208"/>
parent's sorrow, and
the heaviness of her that bore him. Children are enough the sorrow
of their poor mothers in the breeding, bearing, and nursing of
them; they should therefore, when they grow up, study to be their
joy, and so, if possible, to make them some amends. But Jacob,
because he would not renew the sorrowful remembrance of the
mother's death every time he called his son by his name, changed
his name, and called him <i>Benjamin, The son of my right hand;</i>
that is, "very dear to me, set on my right hand for a blessing, the
support of my age, like the staff in my right hand." 6. Jacob
buried her near the place where she died. As she died in child-bed,
it was convenient to bury her quickly; and therefore he did not
bring her to the burying-place of his family. If the soul be at
rest after death, it matters little where the body lies. In the
place where the tree falls, there let it be. No mention is made of
the mourning that was at her death, because that might easily be
taken for granted. Jacob, no doubt, was a true mourner. Note, Great
afflictions sometimes befal us immediately after great comforts.
Lest Jacob should be lifted up with the visions of the Almighty
with which he was honoured, this was sent as a thorn in the flesh
to humble him. Those that enjoy the favours peculiar to the
children of God must yet expect the troubles that are common to the
children of men. Deborah, who, had she lived, would have been a
comfort to Rachel in her extremity, died but a little before. Note,
When death comes into a family, it often strikes double. God by it
speaks once, yea, twice. The Jewish writers say, "The death of
Deborah and Rachel was to expiate the murder of the Shechemites,
occasioned by Dinah, a daughter of the family." 7. Jacob set up a
pillar upon her grave, so that it was known, long after, to be
Rachel's sepulchre (<scripRef passage="1Sa 10:2" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.3" parsed="|1Sam|10|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.10.2">1 Sam. x.
2</scripRef>), and Providence so ordered it that this place
afterwards fell in the lot of Benjamin. Jacob set up a pillar in
remembrance of his joys (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:14" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.4" parsed="|Gen|35|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), and here he sets up one in remembrance of his
sorrows; for, as it may be of use to ourselves to keep both in
mind, so it may be of use to others to transmit the memorials of
both: the church, long afterwards, owned that what God said to
Jacob at Bethel, both by his word and by his rod, he intended for
their instruction (<scripRef passage="Ho 12:4" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.5" parsed="|Hos|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.12.4">Hos. xii.
4</scripRef>), <i>There he spoke with us.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 35:21-29" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.6" parsed="|Gen|35|21|35|29" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.21-Gen.35.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.35.21-Gen.35.29">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.7">The Disgrace of Reuben. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxvi-p14.8">b. c.</span> 1716.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvi-p15">21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent
beyond the tower of Edar. &#160; 22 And it came to pass, when
Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his
father's concubine: and Israel heard <i>it.</i> Now the sons of
Jacob were twelve: &#160; 23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's
firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and
Zebulun: &#160; 24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: &#160;
25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:
&#160; 26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher:
these <i>are</i> the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in
Padan-aram. &#160; 27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto
Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which <i>is</i> Hebron, where
Abraham and Isaac sojourned. &#160; 28 And the days of Isaac were
an hundred and fourscore years. &#160; 29 And Isaac gave up the
ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, <i>being</i> old
and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16">Here is, 1. Jacob's removal, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:21" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|35|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. He also, as his
fathers, sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country,
and was not long in a place. Immediately after the story of
Rachel's death he is here called <i>Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:21,22" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|35|21|35|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.21-Gen.35.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>), and not often so
afterwards: the Jews say, "The historian does him this honour here
because he bore that affliction with such admirable patience and
submission to Providence." Note, Those are Israels indeed, princes
with God, that support the government of their own passions. He
that has this rule over his own spirit is better than the mighty.
Israel, a prince with God, yet dwells in tents; the city is
reserved for him in the other world. 2. The sin of Reuben. A piece
of abominable wickedness it was that he was guilty of (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:22" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.3" parsed="|Gen|35|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), that very sin which
the apostle says (<scripRef passage="1Co 5:1" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.4" parsed="|1Cor|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.1">1 Cor v.
1</scripRef>) is not so much as named among the Gentiles, <i>that
one should have his father's wife.</i> It is said to have been
<i>when Israel dwelt in that land;</i> as if he were then absent
from his family, which might be the unhappy occasion of these
disorders. Though perhaps Bilhah was the greater criminal, and it
is probable was abandoned by Jacob for it, yet Reuben's crime was
so provoking that, for it, he lost his birthright and blessing,
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:4" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.5" parsed="|Gen|49|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.4"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 4</scripRef>. The
first-born is not always the best, nor the most promising. This was
Reuben's sin, but it was Jacob's affliction; and what a sore
affliction it was is intimated in a little compass, <i>and Israel
heard it.</i> No more is said&#8212;that is enough; he heard it with the
utmost grief and shame, horror and displeasure. Reuben thought to
conceal it, that his father should never hear of it; but those that
promise themselves secresy in sin are generally disappointed; a
bird of the air carries the voice. 3. A complete list of the sons
of Jacob, now that Benjamin the youngest was born. This is the
first time we have the names of these heads of the twelve tribes
together; afterwards we find them very often spoken of and
<pb n="209" id="Gen.xxxvi-Page_209"/>
enumerated, even to the end of the Bible, <scripRef passage="Re 7:4,21:12" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.6" parsed="|Rev|7|4|0|0;|Rev|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.4 Bible:Rev.21.12">Rev. vii. 4; xxi. 12</scripRef>. 4. The
visit which Jacob made to his father Isaac at Hebron. We may
suppose he had visited him before since his return, for he
<i>sorely longed after his father's house;</i> but never, till now,
brought his family to settle with him, or near him, <scripRef passage="Ge 35:27" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.7" parsed="|Gen|35|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Probably he did this
now upon the death of Rebekah, by which Isaac was left solitary,
and not disposed to marry again. 5. The age and death of Isaac are
here recorded, though it appears, by computation, that he died not
till many years after Joseph was sold into Egypt, and much about
the time that he was preferred there. Isaac, a mild quiet man,
lived the longest of all the patriarchs, for he was 180 years old;
Abraham was but 175. Isaac lived about forty years after he had
made his will, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:22" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.8" parsed="|Gen|27|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.22"><i>ch.</i> xxvii.
2</scripRef>. We shall not die an hour the sooner, but abundantly
the better, for our timely setting our heart and house in order.
Particular notice is taken of the amicable agreement of Esau and
Jacob, in solemnizing their father's funeral (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:29" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.9" parsed="|Gen|35|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), to show how wonderfully God
had changed Esau's mind since he vowed his brother's murder
immediately after his father's death, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:41" id="Gen.xxxvi-p16.10" parsed="|Gen|27|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.41"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. 41</scripRef>. Note, God has many ways
of preventing bad men from doing the mischief they intended; he can
either tie their hands or turn their hearts.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVI" n="xxxvii" progress="24.36%" prev="Gen.xxxvi" next="Gen.xxxviii" id="Gen.xxxvii">
<pb n="209" id="Gen.xxxvii-Page_209"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxvii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1">In this chapter we have an account of the
posterity of Esau, who, from him, were called Edomites, that Esau
who sold his birthright, and lost his blessing, and was not loved
of God as Jacob was. Here is a brief register kept of his family
for some generations. 1. Because he was the son of Isaac, for whose
sake this honour is put upon him. 2. Because the Edomites were
neighbours to Israel, and their genealogy would be of use to give
light to the following stories of what passed between them. 3. It
is to show the performance of the promise to Abraham, that he
should be "the father of many nations," and of that answer which
Rebekah had from the oracle she consulted, "Two nations are in thy
womb," and of the blessing of Isaac, "Thy dwelling shall be the
fatness of the earth." We have here, I. Esau's wives, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:1-5" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|36|1|36|5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.1-Gen.36.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. His remove to mount
Seir, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:6-8" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|36|6|36|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.6-Gen.36.8">ver. 6-8</scripRef>. III. The
names of his sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:9-14" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|36|9|36|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.9-Gen.36.14">ver.
9-14</scripRef>. IV. The dukes who descended of his sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:15-19" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|36|15|36|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.15-Gen.36.19">ver. 15-19</scripRef>. V. The dukes of the
Horites, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:20-30" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|36|20|36|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.20-Gen.36.30">ver. 20-30</scripRef>. VI.
The kings and dukes of Edom, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:31-43" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|36|31|36|43" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.31-Gen.36.43">ver.
31-43</scripRef>. Little more is recorded than their names, because
the history of those that were out of the church (though perhaps it
might have been serviceable in politics) would have been of little
use in divinity. It is in the church that the memorable instances
are found of special grace, and special providence; for that is the
enclosure, the rest is common. This chapter is abridged, <scripRef passage="1Ch 1:35-54" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.7" parsed="|1Chr|1|35|1|54" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.1.35-1Chr.1.54">1 Chron. i. 35</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 36" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|36|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 36:1-8" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|36|1|36|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.1-Gen.36.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.36.1-Gen.36.8">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.10">The Generations of Esau. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxvii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1780.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvii-p2">1 Now these <i>are</i> the generations of Esau,
who <i>is</i> Edom. &#160; 2 Esau took his wives of the daughters
of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah
the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; &#160; 3
And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth. &#160; 4 And
Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; &#160; 5 And
Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these <i>are</i> the
sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.
&#160; 6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters,
and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his
beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of
Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother
Jacob. &#160; 7 For their riches were more than that they might
dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not
bear them because of their cattle. &#160; 8 Thus dwelt Esau in
mount Seir: Esau <i>is</i> Edom.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3">Observe here, 1. Concerning Esau himself,
<scripRef passage="Ge 36:1" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|36|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He is called
<i>Edom</i> (and again, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:8" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|36|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>), that name by which was perpetuated the remembrance
of the foolish bargain he made, when he sold his birthright for
<i>that red, that red pottage.</i> The very mention of that name is
enough to intimate the reason why his family is turned off with
such a short account. Note, If men do a wrong thing they must thank
themselves, when it is, long afterwards, remembered against them to
their reproach. 2. Concerning his wives, and the children they bore
him in the land of Canaan. He had three wives, and, by them all,
but five sons: many a one has more by one wife. God in his
providence often disappoints those who take indirect courses to
build up a family; yet here the promise prevailed, and Esau's
family was built up. 3. Concerning his removal to mount Seir, which
was the country God had given him for a possession, when he
reserved Canaan for the seed of Jacob. God owns it, long
afterwards: <i>I gave to Esau mount Seir</i> (<scripRef passage="De 2:5,Jos 24:4" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|2|5|0|0;|Josh|24|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.5 Bible:Josh.24.4">Deut. ii. 5; Josh. xxiv. 4</scripRef>), which was
the reason why the Edomites must not be disturbed in their
possession. Those that have not a right by promise, such as Jacob
had, to Canaan, may have a very good title by providence to their
estates, such as Esau had to mount Seir. Esau had begun to settle
among his wives' relations, in Seir, before Jacob came from
Padan-aram, <scripRef passage="Ge 32:3" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|32|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.3"><i>ch.</i> xxxii.
3</scripRef>. Isaac, it is likely, had sent him thither (as Abraham
in his life-time had sent the sons of the concubines from Isaac his
son into the east country, <scripRef passage="Ge 26:6" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.6"><i>ch.</i>
xxv. 6</scripRef>), that Jacob might have the clearer way made for
him to the possession of the promised land. During the life of
Isaac, however, Esau had probably still some effects remaining in
Canaan; but, after his death, he wholly withdrew to mount Seir,
took with him what came to his share of his father's personal
estate, and left Canaan to Jacob, not only because he had the
promise of it, but because Esau perceived that if they should
continue to thrive as they had begun there would not be room for
both. <i>Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 36:8" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|36|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Note, Whatever opposition may be
made, God's word will be accomplished, and even those that have
opposed it will see themselves, some time or other, under a
necessity of yielding to it, and acquiescing in it. Esau had
struggled for Canaan, but now he tamely retires to mount Seir; for
God's counsels shall
<pb n="210" id="Gen.xxxvii-Page_210"/>
certainly stand,
concerning the times before appointed, and the bounds of our
habitation.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 36:9-19" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.7" parsed="|Gen|36|9|36|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.9-Gen.36.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.36.9-Gen.36.19">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.8">The Dukes of Edom. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxvii-p3.9">b. c.</span> 1729.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvii-p4">9 And these <i>are</i> the generations of Esau
the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: &#160; 10 These
<i>are</i> the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the
wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. &#160;
11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and
Kenaz. &#160; 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and
she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these <i>were</i> the sons of Adah
Esau's wife. &#160; 13 And these <i>are</i> the sons of Reuel;
Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of
Bashemath Esau's wife. &#160; 14 And these were the sons of
Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's
wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. &#160; 15
These <i>were</i> dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz
the firstborn <i>son</i> of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke
Zepho, duke Kenaz, &#160; 16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, <i>and</i>
duke Amalek: these <i>are</i> the dukes <i>that came</i> of Eliphaz
in the land of Edom; these <i>were</i> the sons of Adah. &#160; 17
And these <i>are</i> the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath,
duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these <i>are</i> the dukes
<i>that came</i> of Reuel in the land of Edom; these <i>are</i> the
sons of Bashemath Esau's wife. &#160; 18 And these <i>are</i> the
sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke
Korah: these <i>were</i> the dukes <i>that came</i> of Aholibamah
the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. &#160; 19 These <i>are</i> the
sons of Esau, who <i>is</i> Edom, and these <i>are</i> their
dukes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5">Observe here, 1. That only the names of
Esau's sons and grandsons are recorded, only their names, not their
history; for it is the church that Moses preserves the records of,
not the record of those that are without. Those elders that lived
by faith alone obtained a good report. It is Sion that produces the
men of renown, not Seir, <scripRef passage="Ps 87:5" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5.1" parsed="|Ps|87|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.87.5">Ps. lxxxvii.
5</scripRef>. Nor does the genealogy go any further than the third
and fourth generation; the very names of all after are buried in
oblivion. It is only the pedigree of the Israelites, who were to be
the heirs of Canaan, and of whom were to come the promised seed,
and the holy seed, that is drawn out to any length, as far as there
was occasion for it, even of all the tribes till Canaan was divided
among them, and of the royal line till Christ came. 2. That these
sons and grandsons of Esau are called <i>dukes,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 36:15-19" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|36|15|36|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.15-Gen.36.19"><i>v.</i> 15-19</scripRef>. Probably they
were military commanders, dukes, or captains, that had soldiers
under them; for Esau and his family lived <i>by the sword,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 27:40" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|27|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.40"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. 40</scripRef>. Note,
Titles of honour have been more ancient out of the church than in
it. Esau's sons were dukes when Jacob's sons were but plain
shepherds, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:3" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5.4" parsed="|Gen|47|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.3"><i>ch.</i> xlvii.
3</scripRef>. This is not a reason why such titles should not be
used among Christians; but it is a reason why men should not
overvalue themselves, or others, for the sake of them. There is an
honour that comes from God, and a name in his house that is
infinitely more valuable. Edomites may be dukes with men, but
Israelites indeed are made to our God kings and priests. 3. We may
suppose those dukes had numerous families of children and servants
that were their dukedoms. God promised to multiply Jacob, and to
enrich him; yet Esau increases, and is enriched first. Note, It is
no new thing for the men of this world to be full of children, and
to have their bellies too <i>filled with hidden treasures,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 17:14" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5.5" parsed="|Ps|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.17.14">Ps. xvii. 14</scripRef>. God's promise
to Jacob began to work late, but the effect of it remained longer,
and it had its complete accomplishment in the spiritual Israel.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 36:20-30" id="Gen.xxxvii-p5.6" parsed="|Gen|36|20|36|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.20-Gen.36.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.36.20-Gen.36.30">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvii-p6">20 These <i>are</i> the sons of Seir the Horite,
who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,
&#160; 21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these <i>are</i> the
dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.
&#160; 22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and
Lotan's sister <i>was</i> Timna. &#160; 23 And the children of
Shobal <i>were</i> these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho,
and Onam. &#160; 24 And these <i>are</i> the children of Zibeon;
both Ajah, and Anah: this <i>was that</i> Anah that found the mules
in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. &#160;
25 And the children of Anah <i>were</i> these; Dishon, and
Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. &#160; 26 And these <i>are</i> the
children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
&#160; 27 The children of Ezer <i>are</i> these; Bilhan, and
Zaavan, and Akan. &#160; 28 The children of Dishan <i>are</i>
these; Uz, and Aran. &#160; 29 These <i>are</i> the dukes <i>that
came</i> of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke
Anah, &#160; 30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these
<i>are</i> the dukes <i>that came</i> of
<pb n="211" id="Gen.xxxvii-Page_211"/>
Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7">In the midst of this genealogy of the
Edomites here is inserted the genealogy of the Horites, those
Canaanites, or Hittites (compare <scripRef passage="Ge 26:34" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|26|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.34"><i>ch.</i> xxvi. 34</scripRef>), that were the natives
of Mount Seir. Mention is made of them, <scripRef passage="Ge 14:6" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|14|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.6"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 6</scripRef>, and of their interest in
Mount Seir, before the Edomites took possession of it, <scripRef passage="De 2:12,22" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|2|12|0|0;|Deut|2|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.12 Bible:Deut.2.22">Deut. ii. 12, 22</scripRef>. This comes in
here, not only to give light to the story, but to be a standing
reflection upon the Edomites for intermarrying with them, by which,
it is probable, they learned their way, and corrupted themselves.
Esau having sold his birthright, and lost his blessing, and entered
into alliance with the Hittites, his posterity and the sons of Seir
are here reckoned together. Note, Those that treacherously desert
God's church are justly numbered with those that were never in it;
apostate Edomites stand on the same ground with accursed Horites.
Particular notice is taken of one Anah who fed the asses of Zibeon
his father (<scripRef passage="Ge 36:24" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7.4" parsed="|Gen|36|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>),
and yet is called <i>duke Anah,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 36:29" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7.5" parsed="|Gen|36|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Note, Those that expect to rise
high should begin low. An honourable descent should not keep men
from an honest employment, nor a mean employment hinder any man's
preferment. This Anah was not only industrious in his business, but
ingenious too, and successful; for he found <i>mules,</i> or (as
some read it) <i>waters, hot-baths,</i> in the wilderness. Those
that are diligent in their business sometimes find more advantages
than they expected.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 36:31-43" id="Gen.xxxvii-p7.6" parsed="|Gen|36|31|36|43" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.31-Gen.36.43"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.36.31-Gen.36.43">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxvii-p8">31 And these <i>are</i> the kings that reigned
in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the
children of Israel. &#160; 32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in
Edom: and the name of his city <i>was</i> Dinhabah. &#160; 33 And
Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his
stead. &#160; 34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani
reigned in his stead. &#160; 35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son
of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his
stead: and the name of his city <i>was</i> Avith. &#160; 36 And
Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. &#160; 37
And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth <i>by</i> the river reigned
in his stead. &#160; 38 And Saul died, and Baal-hanan the son of
Achbor reigned in his stead. &#160; 39 And Baal-hanan the son of
Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his
city <i>was</i> Pau; and his wife's name <i>was</i> Mehetabel, the
daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. &#160; 40 And these
<i>are</i> the names of the dukes <i>that came</i> of Esau,
according to their families, after their places, by their names;
duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, &#160; 41 Duke Aholibamah,
duke Elah, duke Pinon, &#160; 42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke
Mibzar, &#160; 43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these <i>be</i> the
dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their
possession: he <i>is</i> Esau the father of the Edomites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9">By degrees, it seems, the Edomites wormed
out the Horites, obtained full possession of the country, and had a
government of their own. 1. They were ruled by kings, who governed
the whole country, and seem to have come to the throne by election,
and not by lineal descent; so bishop Patrick observes. These kings
reigned in <i>Edom before there reigned any king over the children
of Israel,</i> that is, before Moses's time, for <i>he was king in
Jeshurun,</i> <scripRef passage="De 33:5" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.5">Deut. xxxiii.
5</scripRef>. God had lately promised <i>Jacob that kings should
come out of his loins</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:11" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|35|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.11"><i>ch.</i>
xxxv. 11</scripRef>), yet Esau's blood becomes royal long before
any of Jacob's did. Note, In external prosperity and honour, the
children of the covenant are often cast behind, and those that are
out of covenant get the start. The triumphing of the wicked may be
quick, but it is short; soon ripe, and as soon rotten: but the
products of the promise, though they are slow, are sure and
lasting; <i>at the end it shall speak, and not lie.</i> We may
suppose it was a great trial to the faith of God's Israel to hear
of the pomp and power of the kings of Edom, while they were
bond-slaves in Egypt; but those that look for great things from God
must be content to wait for them; God's time is the best time. 2.
They were afterwards governed by dukes, again here named, who, I
suppose, ruled all at the same time in several places in the
country. Either they set up this form of government in conformity
to the Horites, who had used it (<scripRef passage="Ge 36:29" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|36|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), or God's providence reduced
them to it, as some conjecture, to correct them for their
unkindness to Israel, in refusing them a passage though their
country, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:18" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.4" parsed="|Num|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.18">Num. xx. 18</scripRef>. Note,
When power is abused, it is just with God to weaken it, by turning
it into divers channels. <i>For the transgression of a land, many
are the princes thereof.</i> Sin brought Edom from kings to dukes,
from crowns to coronets. We read of the dukes of Edom (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:15" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|15|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.15">Exod. xv: 15</scripRef>), yet, long afterwards,
of their kings again. 3. Mount Seir is called <i>the land of their
possession,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 36:43" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.6" parsed="|Gen|36|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.43"><i>v.</i>
43</scripRef>. While the Israelites dwelt in the house of bondage,
and their Canaan was only the land of promise, the Edomites dwelt
in their own habitations, and Seir was in their possession. Note,
The children of this world have their all in hand, and nothing in
hope (<scripRef passage="Lu 16:25" id="Gen.xxxvii-p9.7" parsed="|Luke|16|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.16.25">Luke xvi. 25</scripRef>); while
<pb n="212" id="Gen.xxxvii-Page_212"/>
the children of God have their all in hope,
and next to nothing in hand. But, all things considered, it is
better to have Canaan in promise than mount Seir in possession.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVII" n="xxxviii" progress="24.67%" prev="Gen.xxxvii" next="Gen.xxxix" id="Gen.xxxviii">
<pb n="212" id="Gen.xxxviii-Page_212"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxviii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1">At this chapter begins the story of Joseph, who,
in every subsequent chapter but one to the end of this book, makes
the greatest figure. He was Jacob's eldest son by his beloved wife
Rachel, born, as many eminent men were, of a mother that had been
long barren. His story is so remarkably divided between his
humiliation and his exaltation that we cannot avoid seeing
something of Christ in it, who was first humbled and then exalted,
and, in many instances, so as to answer the type of Joseph. It also
shows the lot of Christians, who must through many tribulations
enter into the kingdom. In this chapter we have, I. The malice his
brethren bore against him. They hated him, 1. Because he informed
his father of their wickedness, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:1,2" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|37|1|37|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.1-Gen.37.2">ver.
1, 2</scripRef>. 2. Because his father loved him, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:3,4" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|37|3|37|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.3-Gen.37.4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>. 3. Because he dreamed of
his dominion over them, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:5-11" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|37|5|37|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.5-Gen.37.11">ver.
5-11</scripRef>. II. The mischiefs his brethren designed and did to
him. 1. The kind visit he made them gave an opportunity, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:12-17" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|37|12|37|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.12-Gen.37.17">ver. 12-17</scripRef>. 2. They designed to
slay him, but determined to starve him, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:18-24" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|37|18|37|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.18-Gen.37.24">ver. 18-24</scripRef>. 3. They changed their purpose,
and sold him for a slave, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:25-28" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|37|25|37|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.25-Gen.37.28">ver.
25-28</scripRef>. 4. They made their father believe that he was
torn in pieces, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:29-35" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|37|29|37|35" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.29-Gen.37.35">ver.
29-35</scripRef>. 5. He was sold into Egypt to Potiphar, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:36" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|37|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.36">ver. 36</scripRef>. And all this was working
together for good.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 37" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|37|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 37:1-4" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.10" parsed="|Gen|37|1|37|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.1-Gen.37.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.37.1-Gen.37.4">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.11">The History of Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxviii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1729.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxviii-p2">1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father
was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. &#160; 2 These <i>are</i>
the generations of Jacob. Joseph, <i>being</i> seventeen years old,
was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad <i>was</i>
with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's
wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. &#160;
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he
<i>was</i> the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of
<i>many</i> colours. &#160; 4 And when his brethren saw that their
father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and
could not speak peaceably unto him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3">Moses has no more to say of the Edomites,
unless as they happen to fall in Israel's way; but now applies
himself closely to the story of Jacob's family: <i>These are the
generations of Jacob.</i> His is not a bare barren genealogy as
that of Esau (<scripRef passage="Ge 36:1" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|36|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.1"><i>ch.</i> xxxvi.
1</scripRef>), but a memorable useful history. Here is, 1. Jacob a
sojourner with his father Isaac, who has yet living, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:1" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|37|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. We shall never be at
home, till we come to heaven. 2. Joseph, a shepherd, <i>feeding the
flock with his brethren,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:2" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|37|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Though he was his father's darling, yet he was not
brought up in idleness or delicacy. Those do not truly love their
children that do not inure them to business, and labour, and
mortification. The fondling of children is with good reason
commonly called the spoiling of them. Those that are trained up to
do nothing are likely to be good for nothing. 3. Joseph beloved by
his father (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:3" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|37|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>),
partly for his dear mother's sake that was dead, and partly for his
own sake, because he was the greatest comfort of his old age;
probably he waited on him, and was more observant of him than the
rest of his sons; he was the <i>son of the ancient</i> so some;
that is, when he was a child, he was as grave and discreet as if he
had been an old man, a child, but not childish. Jacob proclaimed
his affection to him by dressing him finer than the rest of his
children: He <i>made him a coat of divers colours,</i> which
probably was significant of further honors intended him. Note,
Though those children are happy that have that in them which justly
recommends them to their parents' particular love, yet it is the
prudence of parents not to make a difference between one child and
another, unless there be a great and manifest cause given for it by
the children's dutifulness or undutifulness; paternal government
must be impartial, and managed with a steady hand. 4. Joseph hated
by his brethren, (1.) Because his father loved him; when parents
make a difference, children soon take notice of it, and it often
occasions feuds and quarrels in families. (2.) Because he
<i>brought to his father their evil report.</i> Jacob's sons did
that, when they were from under his eye, which they durst not have
done if they had been at home with him; but Joseph gave his father
an account of their bad carriage, that he might reprove and
restrain them; not as a malicious tale-bearer, to sow discord, but
as a faithful brother, who, when he durst not admonish them
himself, represented their faults to one that had authority to
admonish them. Note, [1.] It is common for friendly monitors to be
looked upon as enemies. Those that hate to be reformed hate those
that would reform them, <scripRef passage="Pr 9:8" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3.5" parsed="|Prov|9|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.9.8">Prov. ix.
8</scripRef>. [2.] It is common for those that are beloved of God
to be hated by the world; whom Heaven blesses, hell curses. To
those to whom God speaks comfortably wicked men will not speak
peaceably. It is said here of Joseph, <i>the lad was with the sons
of Bilhah;</i> some read it, and he was <i>servant to them,</i>
they made him their drudge.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 37:5-11" id="Gen.xxxviii-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|37|5|37|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.5-Gen.37.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.37.5-Gen.37.11">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxviii-p4">5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told
<i>it</i> his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. &#160; 6
And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have
dreamed: &#160; 7 For, behold, we <i>were</i> binding sheaves in
the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and,
behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my
sheaf. &#160; 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed
reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they
hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. &#160; 9
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and
said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and
the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. &#160; 10 And
he told <i>it</i> to his father, and
<pb n="213" id="Gen.xxxviii-Page_213"/>
to his
brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What
<i>is</i> this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother
and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the
earth? &#160; 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father
observed the saying.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p5">Here, I. Joseph relates the prophetical
dreams he had, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:6,7,9,10" id="Gen.xxxviii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|37|6|37|7;|Gen|37|9|0|0;|Gen|37|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.6-Gen.37.7 Bible:Gen.37.9 Bible:Gen.37.10"><i>v.</i> 6, 7,
9, 10</scripRef>. Though he was now very young (about seventeen
years old), yet he was pious and devout, and well-inclined, and
this fitted him for God's gracious discoveries of himself to him.
Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him, and therefore God
gave him betimes this prospect of his advancement, to support and
comfort him under the long and grievous troubles with which he was
to be exercised. Thus Christ had a <i>joy set before him,</i> and
so have Christians. Note, God has ways of preparing his people
beforehand for the trials which they cannot foresee, but which he
has an eye to in the comforts with which he furnishes them. His
dreams were, 1. That his brethren's sheaves all bowed to his,
intimating upon what occasion they should be brought to do homage
to him, namely, in seeking to him for corn; their empty sheaves
should bow to his full one. 2. That the sun, and moon, and eleven
stars, did obeisance to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:9" id="Gen.xxxviii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|37|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Joseph was more of a prophet than a politician, else
he would have kept this to himself, when he could not but know that
his brethren did already hate him and that this would but the more
exasperate them. But, if he told it in his simplicity, yet God
directed it for the mortification of his brethren. Observe, Joseph
dreamed of his preferment, but he did not dream of his
imprisonment. Thus many young people, when they are setting out in
the world, think of nothing but prosperity and pleasure, and never
dream of trouble.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p6">II. His brethren take it very ill, and are
more and more enraged against him (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:8" id="Gen.xxxviii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|37|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>Shalt thou indeed reign over
us?</i> See here, 1. How truly they interpreted his dream, that he
should reign over them. Those become the expositors of his dream
who were enemies to the accomplishment of it, as in Gideon's story
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 7:13,14" id="Gen.xxxviii-p6.2" parsed="|Judg|7|13|7|14" osisRef="Bible:Judg.7.13-Judg.7.14">Judg. vii. 13, 14</scripRef>);
they perceived that he spoke of them, <scripRef passage="Mt 21:45" id="Gen.xxxviii-p6.3" parsed="|Matt|21|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.21.45">Matt. xxi. 45</scripRef>. The event exactly answered to
this interpretation, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:6" id="Gen.xxxviii-p6.4" parsed="|Gen|42|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.6"><i>ch.</i> xlii.
6</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2. How scornfully they resented it: "<i>Shalt
thou,</i> who are but one, <i>reign over us,</i> who are many?
Thou, who are the youngest, over us who are older?" Note, The reign
and dominion of Jesus Christ, our Joseph, have been, and are,
despised and striven against by a carnal and unbelieving world, who
cannot endure to think that this man should reign over them. The
dominion also of the upright, in the morning of the resurrection,
is thought of with the utmost disdain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p7">III. His father gives him a gentle rebuke
for it, yet observes the saying, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:10,11" id="Gen.xxxviii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|37|10|37|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.10-Gen.37.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. Probably he checked him
for it, to lessen the offence which his brethren would be apt to
take at it; yet he took notice of it more than he seemed to do: he
insinuated that it was but an idle dream, because his mother was
brought in, who had been dead some time since; whereas <i>the sun,
moon, and eleven stars,</i> signify no more than the whole family
that should have a dependence upon him, and be glad to be beholden
to him. Note, The faith of God's people in God's promises is often
sorely shaken by their misunderstanding the promises and then
suggesting the improbabilities that attend the performance; but God
is doing his own work, and will do it, whether we understand him
aright or no. Jacob, like Mary (<scripRef passage="Lu 2:51" id="Gen.xxxviii-p7.2" parsed="|Luke|2|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.51">Luke
ii. 51</scripRef>), kept these things in his heart, and no doubt
remembered them long afterwards, when the event answered to the
prediction.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 37:12-22" id="Gen.xxxviii-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|37|12|37|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.12-Gen.37.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.37.12-Gen.37.22">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxviii-p8">12 And his brethren went to feed their father's
flock in Shechem. &#160; 13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy
brethren feed <i>the flock</i> in Shechem? come, and I will send
thee unto them. And he said to him, Here <i>am I.</i> &#160; 14 And
he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy
brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he
sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. &#160;
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, <i>he was</i>
wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest
thou? &#160; 16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray
thee, where they feed <i>their flocks.</i> &#160; 17 And the man
said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to
Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in
Dothan. &#160; 18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he
came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. &#160;
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
&#160; 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him
into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him:
and we shall see what will become of his dreams. &#160; 21 And
Reuben heard <i>it,</i> and he delivered him out of their hands;
and said, Let us not kill him. &#160; 22 And Reuben said unto them,
Shed no blood, <i>but</i> cast him into this pit
<pb n="214" id="Gen.xxxviii-Page_214"/>
that <i>is</i> in the wilderness, and lay no hand
upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him
to his father again.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p9">Here is, I. The kind visit which Joseph, in
obedience to his father's command, made to his brethren, who were
feeding the flock at Shechem, many miles off. Some suggest that
they went thither on purpose, expecting that Joseph would be sent
to see them, and that then they should have an opportunity to do
him a mischief. However, Joseph and his father had both of them
more of the innocence of the dove than of the wisdom of the
serpent, else he had never come thus into the hands of those that
hated him: but God designed it all for good. See in Joseph an
instance, 1. Of dutifulness to his father. Though he was his
father's darling, yet he was made, and was willing to be, his
father's servant. How readily does he wait his father's orders!
<i>Here I am,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:13" id="Gen.xxxviii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|37|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Note, Those children that are best beloved by their
parents should be most obedient to their parents; and then their
love is well-bestowed and well-returned. 2. Of kindness to his
brethren. Though he knew they hated him and envied him, yet he made
no objections against his father's commands, either from the
distance of the place or the danger of the journey, but cheerfully
embraced the opportunity of showing his respect to his brethren.
Note, It is a very good lesson, though it is learnt with difficulty
and rarely practised, <i>to love those that hate us;</i> if our
relations do not their duty to us, yet we must not be wanting in
our duty to them. This is thank-worthy. Joseph was sent by his
father to Shechem, to see whether his brethren were well there, and
whether the country had not risen upon them and destroyed them, in
revenge of their barbarous murder of the Shechemites some years
before. But Joseph, not finding them there, went to Dothan, which
showed that he undertook this journey, not only in obedience to his
father (for then he might have returned when he missed them at
Shechem, having done what his father told him), but out of love to
his brethren, and therefore he sought diligently till he found
them. Thus let brotherly love continue, and let us give proofs of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10">II. The bloody and malicious plot of his
brethren against him, who rendered good for evil, and, for his
love, were his adversaries. Observe, 1. How deliberate they were in
the contrivance of this mischief: when they <i>saw him afar off,
they conspired against him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:18" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|37|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. It was not in a heat, or upon a
sudden provocation, that they thought to slay him, but from malice
prepense, and in cold blood. Note, Whosoever hateth his brother is
a murderer; for he will be one if he have an opportunity, <scripRef passage="1Jo 3:15" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.2" parsed="|1John|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.15">1 John iii. 15</scripRef>. Malice is a most
mischievous thing, and is in danger of making bloody work where it
is harboured and indulged. The more there is of a project and
contrivance in a sin the worse it is; it is bad to do evil, but
worse to devise it. 2. How cruel they were in their design; nothing
less than his blood would satisfy them: <i>Come, and let us slay
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:20" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|37|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>.
Note, The old enmity hunts for the precious life. It is the
<i>blood-thirsty</i> that <i>hate the upright</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 29:10" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.4" parsed="|Prov|29|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.29.10">Prov. xxix. 10</scripRef>), and it is the blood
of the saints that the harlot is drunk with. 3. How scornfully they
reproached him for his dreams (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:19" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.5" parsed="|Gen|37|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>This dreamer cometh;</i>
and (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:20" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.6" parsed="|Gen|37|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), <i>We
shall see what will become of his dreams.</i> This shows what it
was that fretted and enraged them. They could not endure to think
of doing homage to him; this was what they were plotting to prevent
by the murder of him. Note, Men that fret and rage at God's
counsels are impiously aiming to defeat them; but they imagine a
vain thing, <scripRef passage="Ps 2:1-3" id="Gen.xxxviii-p10.7" parsed="|Ps|2|1|2|3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.1-Ps.2.3">Ps. ii. 1-3</scripRef>.
God's counsels will stand. 4. How they agreed to keep one another's
counsel, and to cover the murder with a lie: <i>We will say, Some
evil beast hath devoured him;</i> whereas in thus consulting to
devour him they proved themselves worse than the most evil beasts;
for evil beasts prey not on those of their own kind, but they were
tearing a piece of themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p11">III. Reuben's project to deliver him,
<scripRef passage="Ge 37:21,22" id="Gen.xxxviii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|37|21|37|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.21-Gen.37.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. Note,
God can raise up friends for his people, even among their enemies;
for he has all hearts in his hands. Reuben, of all the brothers,
had most reason to be jealous of Joseph, for he was the first-born,
and so entitled to those distinguishing favours which Jacob was
conferring on Joseph; yet he proves his best friend. Reuben's
temper seems to have been soft and effeminate, which had betrayed
him to the sin of uncleanness; while the temper of the next two
brothers, Simeon and Levi, was fierce, which betrayed them to the
sin of murder, a sin which Reuben startled at the thought of. Note,
Our natural constitution should be guarded against those sins to
which it is most inclinable, and improved (as Reuben's here)
against those sins to which it is most averse. Reuben made a
proposal which they thought would effectually answer their
intention of destroying Joseph, and yet which he designed should
answer his intention of rescuing Joseph out of their hands and
restoring him to his father, probably hoping thereby to recover his
father's favour, which he had lately lost; but God overruled all to
serve his own purpose of making Joseph an instrument to save much
people alive. Joseph was here a type of Christ. Though he was the
beloved Son of his Father, and hated by a wicked world, yet the
Father sent him out of his bosom to visit us in great humility and
love. He came from heaven to earth, to seek and save us; yet then
malicious plots were laid against him. He came to his own, and his
own not only received him not, but consulted against him: <i>This
is the heir, come let us kill him; Crucify him,
<pb n="215" id="Gen.xxxviii-Page_215"/>
crucify him.</i> This he submitted to, in pursuance
of his design to redeem and save us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 37:23-30" id="Gen.xxxviii-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|37|23|37|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.23-Gen.37.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.37.23-Gen.37.30">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxviii-p12">23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come
unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat,
<i>his</i> coat of <i>many</i> colours that <i>was</i> on him;
&#160; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit
<i>was</i> empty, <i>there was</i> no water in it. &#160; 25 And
they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and
looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with
their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry
<i>it</i> down to Egypt. &#160; 26 And Judah said unto his
brethren, What profit <i>is it</i> if we slay our brother, and
conceal his blood? &#160; 27 Come, and let us sell him to the
Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he <i>is</i> our
brother <i>and</i> our flesh. And his brethren were content. &#160;
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and
lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites
for twenty <i>pieces</i> of silver: and they brought Joseph into
Egypt. &#160; 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold,
Joseph <i>was</i> not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. &#160;
30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child <i>is</i>
not; and I, whither shall I go?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13">We have here the execution of their plot
against Joseph. 1. They stripped him, each striving to seize the
envied coat of many colours, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:23" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|37|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Thus, in imagination, they degraded him from the
birthright, of which perhaps this was the badge, grieving him,
affronting their father, and making themselves sport, while they
insulted over him. "Now, Joseph, where is the fine coat?" Thus our
Lord Jesus was stripped of his seamless coat, and thus his
suffering saints have first been industriously divested of their
privileges and honours, and then made the off-scouring of all
things. 2. They went about to starve him, throwing him into a dry
pit, to perish there with hunger and cold, so cruel were their
tender mercies, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:25" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|37|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.25"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. Note, Where envy reigns pity is banished, and
humanity itself is forgotten, <scripRef passage="Pr 27:4" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.3" parsed="|Prov|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.4">Prov.
xxvii. 4</scripRef>. So full of deadly poison is malice that the
more barbarous any thing is the more grateful it is. Now Joseph
begged for his life, in <i>the anguish of his soul</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:21" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.4" parsed="|Gen|42|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.21"><i>ch.</i> xlii. 21</scripRef>), entreated, by
all imaginable endearments, that they would be content with his
coat and spare his life. He pleads innocence, relation, affection,
submission; he weeps and makes supplication, but all in vain.
Reuben alone relents and intercedes for him, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:22" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.5" parsed="|Gen|42|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.22"><i>ch.</i> xlii. 22</scripRef>. But he cannot prevail to
save Joseph from the horrible pit, in which they resolve he shall
die by degrees, and be buried alive. Is this he to whom his
brethren must do homage? Note, God's providences often seem to
contradict his purposes, even when they are serving them, and
working at a distance towards the accomplishment of them. 3. They
slighted him when he was in distress, and were not grieved for the
affliction of Joseph; for when he was pining away in the pit,
bemoaning his own misery, and with a languishing cry calling to
them for pity, <i>they sat down to eat bread,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:25" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.6" parsed="|Gen|37|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. (1.) They felt no
remorse of conscience for the sin; if they had, it would have
spoiled their appetite for their meat, and the relish of it. Note,
A great force put upon conscience commonly stupefies it, and for
the time deprives it both of sense and speech. Daring sinners are
secure ones. But the consciences of Joseph's brethren, though
asleep now, were roused long afterwards, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:21" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.7" parsed="|Gen|42|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.21"><i>ch.</i> xlii. 21</scripRef>. (2.) They were now
pleased to think how they were freed from the fear of their
brother's dominion over them, and that, on the contrary, they had
turned the wheel upon him. They made merry over him, as the
persecutors over the two witnesses that had tormented them,
<scripRef passage="Re 11:10" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.8" parsed="|Rev|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.10">Rev. xi. 10</scripRef>. Note, Those
that oppose God's counsels may possibly prevail so far as to think
they have gained their point, and yet be deceived. 4. They sold
him. A caravan of merchants very opportunely passed by (Providence
so ordering it), and Judah made the motion that they should sell
Joseph to them, to be carried far enough off into Egypt, where, in
all probability, he would be lost, and never heard of more. (1.)
Judah proposed it in compassion to Joseph (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:26" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.9" parsed="|Gen|37|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>): "<i>What profit is it if we
slay our brother?</i> it will be less guilt, and more gain, to sell
him." Note, When we are tempted to sin, we should consider the
unprofitableness of it. It is what there is nothing to be got by.
(2.) They acquiesced in it, because they thought that if he were
sold for a slave he would never be a lord, if sold into Egypt he
would never be their lord; yet all this was working towards it.
Note, The wrath of man shall praise God, and the remainder of wrath
he will restrain, <scripRef passage="Ps 76:10" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.10" parsed="|Ps|76|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.10">Ps. lxxvi.
10</scripRef>. Joseph's brethren were wonderfully restrained from
murdering him, and their selling him was as wonderfully turned to
God's praise. As Joseph was sold by the contrivance of Judah for
twenty pieces of silver, so was our Lord Jesus for thirty, and by
one of the same name too, <i>Judas.</i> Reuben (it seems) had gone
away from his brethren, when they sold Joseph, intending to come
round some other way to the pit, and to help Joseph out of it, and
return him safely to his father. This was a kind project, but, if
it had taken effect, what had become of God's purpose concerning
his preferment in Egypt? Note, There
<pb n="216" id="Gen.xxxviii-Page_216"/>
are
many devices in man's heart, many devices of the enemies of God's
people to destroy them and of their friends to help them, which
perhaps are both disappointed, as these were; but the counsel of
the Lord, that shall stand. Reuben thought himself undone, because
the child was sold: <i>I, whither shall I go?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:30" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.11" parsed="|Gen|37|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. He being the eldest,
his father would expect from him an account of Joseph; but, as it
proved, they would all have been undone if he had not been
sold.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 37:31-36" id="Gen.xxxviii-p13.12" parsed="|Gen|37|31|37|36" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.31-Gen.37.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.37.31-Gen.37.36">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxviii-p14">31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid
of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; &#160; 32 And they
sent the coat of <i>many</i> colours, and they brought <i>it</i> to
their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it
<i>be</i> thy son's coat or no. &#160; 33 And he knew it, and said,
<i>It is</i> my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph
is without doubt rent in pieces. &#160; 34 And Jacob rent his
clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son
many days. &#160; 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up
to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I
will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father
wept for him. &#160; 36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, <i>and</i> captain of the
guard.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p15">I. Joseph would soon be missed, great
enquiry would be made for him, and therefore his brethren have a
further design, to make the world believe that Joseph was torn in
pieces by a wild beast; and this they did, 1. To clear themselves,
that they might not be suspected to have done him any mischief.
Note, We have all learned of Adam to cover our transgression,
<scripRef passage="Job 31:33" id="Gen.xxxviii-p15.1" parsed="|Job|31|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.33">Job xxxi. 33</scripRef>. When the
devil has taught men to commit one sin, he then teaches them to
conceal it with another, theft and murder with lying and perjury;
but he that covers his sin shall not prosper long. Joseph's
brethren kept their own and one another's counsel for some time,
but their villany came to light at last, and it is here published
to the world, and the remembrance of it transmitted to every age.
2. To grieve their good father. It seems designed by them on
purpose to be revenged upon him for his distinguishing love of
Joseph. It was contrived on purpose to create the utmost vexation
to him. They sent him Joseph's coat of many colours, with one
colour more than it had had, a bloody colour, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:32" id="Gen.xxxviii-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|37|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. They pretended they had found
it in the fields, and Jacob himself must be scornfully asked, <i>Is
this thy son's coat?</i> Now the badge of his honour is the
discovery of his fate; and it is rashly inferred from the bloody
coat that <i>Joseph, without doubt, is rent in pieces.</i> Love is
always apt to fear the worst concerning the person beloved; there
is a love that casteth out fear, but that is a perfect love. Now
let those that know the heart of a parent suppose the agonies of
poor Jacob, and put their souls into his soul's stead. How strongly
does he represent to himself the direful idea of Joseph's misery!
Sleeping or waking, he imagines he sees the wild beast setting upon
Joseph, thinks he hears his piteous shrieks when the lion roared
against him, makes himself tremble and grow chill, many a time,
when he fancies how the beast sucked his blood, tore him limb from
limb, and left no remains of him, but the coat of many colours, to
carry the tidings. And no doubt it added no little to the grief
that he had exposed him, by sending him, and sending him all alone,
on this dangerous journey, which proved so fatal to him. This cuts
him to the heart, and he is ready to look upon himself as an
accessory to the death of his son. Now, (1.) Endeavours were used
to comfort him. His sons basely pretended to do it (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:35" id="Gen.xxxviii-p15.3" parsed="|Gen|37|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>); but miserable
hypocritical comforters were they all. Had they really desired to
comfort him, they might easily have done it, by telling him the
truth, "Joseph is alive, he is indeed sold into Egypt, but it will
be an easy thing to send thither and ransom him." This would have
<i>loosened his sackcloth, and girded him with gladness</i>
presently. I wonder their countenances did not betray their guilt,
and with what face they could pretend to condole with Jacob on the
death of Joseph, when they knew he was alive. Note, The heart is
strangely hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. But, (2.) It was
all in vain: <i>Jacob refused to be comforted,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 37:35" id="Gen.xxxviii-p15.4" parsed="|Gen|37|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. He was an obstinate
mourner, resolved to go down to the grave mourning. It was not a
sudden transport of passion, like that of David, <i>Would God I had
died for thee, my son, my son!</i> But, like Job, he hardened
himself in sorrow. Note, [1.] Great affection to any creature does
not prepare for so much the greater affliction, when it is either
removed from us or embittered to us. Inordinate love commonly ends
in immoderate grief; as much as the sway of the pendulum throws one
way, so much it will throw the other way. [2.] Those consult
neither the comfort of their souls nor the credit of their religion
that are determined in their sorrow upon any occasion whatsoever.
We must never say, "We will go to our grave mourning," because we
know not what joyful days Providence may yet reserve for us, and it
is our wisdom and duty to accommodate ourselves to Providence. [3.]
We often perplex ourselves with imaginary troubles. We fancy things
worse than they are, and then afflict ourselves more than we need.
Sometimes there needs no more to comfort us than to undeceive us:
it is good to hope the best.</p>
<pb n="217" id="Gen.xxxviii-Page_217"/>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxviii-p16">II. The Ishmaelites and Midianites having
bought Joseph only to make their market of him, here we have him
sold again (with gain enough to the merchants, no doubt) to
Potiphar, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:36" id="Gen.xxxviii-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|37|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>.
Jacob was lamenting the loss of his life; had he known all he would
have lamented, though not so passionately, the loss of liberty.
Shall Jacob's freeborn son exchange the best robe of his family for
the livery of an Egyptian lord, and all the marks of servitude? How
soon was the land of Egypt made a house of bondage to the seed of
Jacob! Note, It is the wisdom of parents not to bring up their
children too delicately, because they know not to what hardships
and mortifications Providence may reduce them before they die.
Jacob little thought that ever his beloved Joseph would be thus
bought and sold for a servant.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVIII" n="xxxix" progress="25.24%" prev="Gen.xxxviii" next="Gen.xl" id="Gen.xxxix">
<pb n="217" id="Gen.xxxix-Page_217"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xxxix-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xxxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xxxix-p1">This chapter gives us an account of Judah and his
family, and such an account it is that one would wonder that, of
all Jacob's sons, our Lord should spring out of Judah, <scripRef passage="Heb 7:14" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.1" parsed="|Heb|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.14">Heb. vii. 14</scripRef>. If we were to form a
character of him by this story, we should not say, "Judah, thou art
he whom thy brethren shall praise," <scripRef passage="Ge 49:8" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|49|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.8"><i>ch.</i> xlix. 8</scripRef>. But God will show that his
choice is of grace and not of merit, and that Christ came into the
world to save sinners, even the chief, and is not ashamed, upon
their repentance, to be allied to them, also that the worth and
worthiness of Jesus Christ are personal, of himself, and not
derived from his ancestors. Humbling himself to be "made in the
likeness of sinful flesh," he was pleased to descend from some that
were infamous. How little reason had the Jews, who were so called
from this Judah, to boast, as they did, that they were not born of
fornication! <scripRef passage="Joh 8:41" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.3" parsed="|John|8|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.41">John viii. 41</scripRef>.
We have, in this chapter, I. Judah's marriage and issue, and the
untimely death of his two eldest sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:1-11" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|38|1|38|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.1-Gen.38.11">ver. 1-11</scripRef>. II. Judah's incest with his
daughter-in-law Tamar, without his knowing it, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:12-23" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|38|12|38|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.12-Gen.38.23">ver. 12-23</scripRef>. III. His confusion, when it
was discovered, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:24-26" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|38|24|38|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.24-Gen.38.26">ver.
24-26</scripRef>. IV. The birth of his twin sons, in whom his
family was built up, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:27-30" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|38|27|38|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.27-Gen.38.30">ver.
27</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 38" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|38|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 38:1-11" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.9" parsed="|Gen|38|1|38|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.1-Gen.38.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.38.1-Gen.38.11">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxix-p1.10">Judah's Profligacy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxix-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1717.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxix-p2">1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah
went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite,
whose name <i>was</i> Hirah. &#160; 2 And Judah saw there a
daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name <i>was</i> Shuah; and
he took her, and went in unto her. &#160; 3 And she conceived, and
bare a son; and he called his name Er. &#160; 4 And she conceived
again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan. &#160; 5 And
she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name
Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. &#160; 6 And Judah
took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name <i>was</i> Tamar.
&#160; 7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxix-p2.1">Lord</span>; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxix-p2.2">Lord</span> slew him. &#160; 8 And Judah said unto
Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up
seed to thy brother. &#160; 9 And Onan knew that the seed should
not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's
wife, that he spilled <i>it</i> on the ground, lest that he should
give seed to his brother. &#160; 10 And the thing which he did
displeased the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxix-p2.3">Lord</span>: wherefore he
slew him also. &#160; 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in
law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be
grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren
<i>did.</i> And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p3">Here is, 1. Judah's foolish friendship with
a Canaanite-man. He went down from his brethren, and withdrew for a
time from their society and his father's family, and got to be
intimately acquainted with one Hirah, an Adullamite, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:1" id="Gen.xxxix-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|38|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. It is computed that he
was now not much above fifteen or sixteen years of age, an easy
prey to the tempter. Note, When young people that have been well
educated begin to change their company, they will soon change their
manners, and lose their good education. Those that go down from
their brethren, that despise and forsake the society of the seed of
Israel, and pick up Canaanites for their companions, are going down
the hill apace. It is of great consequence to young people to
choose proper associates; for these they will imitate, study to
recommend themselves to, and, by their opinion of them, value
themselves: an error in this choice is often fatal. 2. His foolish
marriage with a Canaanite-woman, a match made, not by his father,
who, it should seem, was not consulted, but by his new friend
Hirah, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:2" id="Gen.xxxix-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|38|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Many
have been drawn into marriages scandalous and pernicious to
themselves and their families by keeping bad company, and growing
familiar with bad people: one wicked league entangles men in
another. Let young people be admonished by this to take their good
parents for their best friends, and to be advised by them, and not
by flatterers, who wheedle them, to make a prey of them. 3. His
children by this Canaanite, and his disposal of them. Three sons he
had by her, Er, Onan, and Shelah. It is probable that she embraced
the worship of the God of Israel, at least in profession, but, for
aught that appears, there was little of the fear of God in the
family. Judah married too young, and very rashly; he also married
his sons too young, when they had neither wit nor grace to govern
themselves, and the consequences were very bad. (1.) His
first-born, <i>Er,</i> was notoriously wicked; he was so <i>in the
sight of the Lord,</i> that is, in defiance of God and his law; or,
if perhaps he was not wicked in the sight of the world, he was so
in the sight of God, to whom all men's wickedness is open; and what
came of it? Why, God cut him off presently (<scripRef passage="Ge 38:7" id="Gen.xxxix-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|38|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>The Lord slew him.</i> Note,
Sometimes God makes quick work with sinners, and takes them away in
his wrath, when they are but just setting out in a wicked course of
life. (2.) The next son, <i>Onan,</i> was, according to the ancient
usage, married to the
<pb n="218" id="Gen.xxxix-Page_218"/>
widow, to preserve the
name of his deceased brother that died childless. Though God had
taken away his life for his wickedness, yet they were solicitous to
preserve his memory; and their disappointment therein, through
Onan's sin, was a further punishment of his wickedness. The custom
of marrying the brother's widow was afterwards made one of the laws
of Moses, <scripRef passage="De 25:5" id="Gen.xxxix-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|25|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.5">Deut. xxv. 5</scripRef>.
Onan, though he consented to marry the widow, yet, to the great
abuse of his own body, of the wife that he had married, and of the
memory of his brother that was gone, he refused to raise up seed
unto his brother, as he was in duty bound. This was so much the
worse because the Messiah was to descend from Judah, and, had he
not been guilty of this wickedness, he might have had the honour of
being one of his ancestors. Note, Those sins that dishonour the
body and defile it are very displeasing to God and evidences of
vile affections. (3.) <i>Shelah,</i> the third son, was reserved
for the widow (<scripRef passage="Ge 38:11" id="Gen.xxxix-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|38|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), yet with a design that he should not marry so young
as his brothers had done, <i>lest he die also.</i> Some think that
Judah never intended to marry Shelah to Tamar, but unjustly
suspected her to have been the death of her two former husbands
(whereas it was their own wickedness that slew them), and then sent
her to her father's house, with a charge to remain a widow. If so,
it was an inexcusable piece of prevarication that he was guilty of.
However, Tamar acquiesced for the present, and waited the
issue.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 38:12-23" id="Gen.xxxix-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|38|12|38|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.12-Gen.38.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.38.12-Gen.38.23">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxix-p4">12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah
Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his
sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
&#160; 13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law
goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. &#160; 14 And she put her
widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a veil, and
wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which <i>is</i> by the
way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not
given unto him to wife. &#160; 15 When Judah saw her, he thought
her <i>to be</i> an harlot; because she had covered her face.
&#160; 16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I
pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she
<i>was</i> his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give
me, that thou mayest come in unto me? &#160; 17 And he said, I will
send <i>thee</i> a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give
<i>me</i> a pledge, till thou send <i>it?</i> &#160; 18 And he
said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and
thy bracelets, and thy staff that <i>is</i> in thine hand. And he
gave <i>it</i> her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
&#160; 19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her veil from
her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. &#160; 20 And Judah
sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive
<i>his</i> pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
&#160; 21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where
<i>is</i> the harlot, that <i>was</i> openly by the way side? And
they said, There was no harlot in this <i>place.</i> &#160; 22 And
he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her, and also the men
of the place said, <i>that</i> there was no harlot in this
<i>place.</i> &#160; 23 And Judah said, Let her take <i>it</i> to
her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not
found her.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p5">It is a very ill-favoured story that is
here told concerning Judah; one would not have expected such folly
in Israel. Judah had buried his wife; and widowers have need to
stand upon their guard with the utmost caution and resolution
against all fleshly lusts. He was unjust to his daughter-in-law,
either through negligence or design, in not giving her his
surviving son, and this exposed her to temptation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p6">I. Tamar wickedly prostituted herself as a
harlot to Judah, that, if the son might not, the father might raise
up seed to the deceased. Some excuse this by suggesting that,
though she was a Canaanite, yet she had embraced the true religion,
and believed the promise made to Abraham and his seed, particularly
that of the Messiah, who was to descend from the loins of Judah,
and that she was therefore thus earnestly desirous to have a child
by one of that family that she might have the honour, or at least
stand fair for the honour, of being the mother of the Messiah. And,
if this was indeed her desire, it had its success; she is one of
the four women particularly named in the genealogy of Christ,
<scripRef passage="Mt 1:3" id="Gen.xxxix-p6.1" parsed="|Matt|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.3">Matt. i. 3</scripRef>. Her sinful
practice was pardoned, and her good intention was accepted, which
magnifies the grace of God, but can by no means be admitted to
justify or encourage the like. Bishop Patrick thinks it probable
that she hoped Shelah, who was by right her husband, might have
come along with his father, and that he might have been allured to
her embraces. There was a great deal of plot and contrivance in
Tamar's sin. 1. She took an opportunity for it, when Judah had a
time of
<pb n="219" id="Gen.xxxix-Page_219"/>
mirth and feasting with his
sheep-shearers. Note, Time of jollity often prove times of
temptation, particularly to the sin of uncleanness; when men are
fed to the full, the reins are apt to be let loose. 2. She exposed
herself as a harlot <i>in an open place,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 38:14" id="Gen.xxxix-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|38|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Those that are, and would be,
chaste, must be <i>keepers at home,</i> <scripRef passage="Tit 2:5" id="Gen.xxxix-p6.3" parsed="|Titus|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.2.5">Tit. ii. 5</scripRef>. It should seem, it was the custom
of harlots, in those times, to cover their faces, that, though they
were not ashamed, yet they might seem to be so. The sin of
uncleanness did not then go so barefaced as it does now.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p7">II. Judah was taken in the snare, and
though it was ignorantly that he was guilty of incest with his
daughter-in-law (not knowing who she was), yet he was willfully
guilty of fornication: whoever she was, he knew she was not his
wife, and therefore not to be touched. Nor was his sin capable, in
the least, of such a charitable excuse as some make for Tamar, that
though the action was bad the intention possibly might be good.
Observe, 1. Judah's sin began in the eye (<scripRef passage="Ge 38:15" id="Gen.xxxix-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|38|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): <i>He saw her.</i> Note, Those
have eyes, and hearts too, full of adultery (as it is <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:14" id="Gen.xxxix-p7.2" parsed="|2Pet|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.14">2 Pet. ii. 14</scripRef>), that catch at every
bait that presents itself to them and are as tinder to every spark.
We have need to make a covenant with our eyes, and to turn them
from beholding vanity, lest the eye infect the heart. 2. It added
to the scandal that the hire of a harlot (than which nothing is
more infamous) was demanded, offered, and accepted&#8212;<i>a kid from
the flock,</i> a goodly price at which her chastity and honour were
valued! Nay, had the consideration been thousands of rams, and ten
thousand rivers of oil, it had not been a valuable consideration.
The favour of God, the purity of the soul, the peace of conscience,
and the hope of heaven, are too precious to be exposed to sale at
any such rates; the Topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal them: what are
those profited that lose their souls to gain the world? 3. It
turned to the reproach of Judah that he left his jewels in pawn for
a kid. Note, Fleshly lusts are not only brutish, but sottish, and
ruining to men's secular interests. It is plain that whoredom, as
well as wine, and new wine, takes away the heart first, else it
would never take away the signet and the bracelets.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p8">III. He lost his jewels by the bargain; he
sent the kid, according to this promise, to redeem his pawn, but
the supposed harlot could not be found. He sent it by his friend
(who was indeed his <i>back-friend,</i> because he was aiding and
abetting in his evil deeds) the Adullamite, who came back without
the pledge. It is a good account (if it be but true) of any place
which they here gave, <i>there is no harlot in this place;</i> for
such sinners are the scandals and plagues of any place. Judah sits
down content to lose his signet and his bracelets, and forbids his
friend to make any further enquiry after them, giving this reason,
<i>lest we be shamed,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 38:23" id="Gen.xxxix-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|38|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Either, 1. Lest his sin should come to be known
publicly, and be talked of. Fornication and uncleanness have ever
been looked upon as scandalous things and the reproach and shame of
those that are convicted of them. Nothing will make those blush
that are not ashamed of these. 2. Lest he should be laughed at as a
fool for trusting a strumpet with his signet and his bracelets. He
expresses no concern about the sin, to get that pardoned, only
about the shame, to prevent that. Note, There are many who are more
solicitous to preserve their reputation with men than to secure the
favour of God and a good conscience; <i>lest we be shamed</i> goes
further with them than <i>lest we be damned.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 38:24-30" id="Gen.xxxix-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|38|24|38|30" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.24-Gen.38.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.38.24-Gen.38.30">
<h4 id="Gen.xxxix-p8.3">Birth of Phares and Zarah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xxxix-p8.4">b. c.</span> 1714.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xxxix-p9">24 And it came to pass about three months after,
that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath
played the harlot; and also, behold, she <i>is</i> with child by
whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
&#160; 25 When she <i>was</i> brought forth, she sent to her father
in law, saying, By the man, whose these <i>are, am</i> I with
child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose <i>are</i> these,
the signet, and bracelets, and staff. &#160; 26 And Judah
acknowledged <i>them,</i> and said, She hath been more righteous
than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew
her again no more. &#160; 27 And it came to pass in the time of her
travail, that, behold, twins <i>were</i> in her womb. &#160; 28 And
it came to pass, when she travailed, that <i>the one</i> put out
<i>his</i> hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a
scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. &#160; 29 And it came
to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came
out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? <i>this</i> breach
<i>be</i> upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. &#160;
30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread
upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p10">Here is, I. Judah's rigour against Tamar,
when he heard she was an adulteress. She was, in the eye of the
law, Shelah's wife, and therefore her being with child by another
was looked upon as an injury and reproach to Judah's family:
<i>Bring her forth therefore,</i> says Judah, the master of the
family, and <i>let her be burnt;</i> not burnt to death, but burnt
in the cheek or forehead, stigmatized for a harlot. This seems
probable, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:24" id="Gen.xxxix-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|38|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>.
<pb n="220" id="Gen.xxxix-Page_220"/>
Note, it is a common thing for men to be severe
against those very sins in others in which yet they allow
themselves; and so, in judging others, they condemn themselves,
<scripRef passage="Ro 2:1,14:22" id="Gen.xxxix-p10.2" parsed="|Rom|2|1|0|0;|Rom|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.1 Bible:Rom.14.22">Rom. ii. 1; xiv. 22</scripRef>. If
he designed that she should be burnt to death, perhaps, under
pretence of zeal against the sin, he was contriving how to get rid
of his daughter-in-law, being loath to marry Shelah to her. Note,
It is a common thing, but a very bad thing, to cover malice against
men's persons with a show of zeal against their vices.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p11">II. Judah's shame, when it was made to
appear that he was the adulterer. She produced <i>the ring and the
bracelets</i> in court, which justified the fathering of the child
upon Judah, <scripRef passage="Ge 38:25,26" id="Gen.xxxix-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|38|25|38|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.25-Gen.38.26"><i>v.</i> 25,
26</scripRef>. Note, The wickedness that has been most secretly
committed, and most industriously concealed, yet sometimes is
strangely brought to light, to the shame and confusion of those who
have said, <i>No eye sees.</i> A bird of the air may carry the
voice; however, there is a destroying day coming, when all will be
laid open. Some of the Jewish writers observe that as Judah had
said to his father, <i>See, is this thy son's coat?</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:32" id="Gen.xxxix-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|37|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.32"><i>ch.</i> xxxvii. 32</scripRef>) so it was now
said to him, "See, are these thy signet and bracelets?" Judah,
being convicted by his own conscience, 1. Confesses his sin: <i>She
has been more righteous than I.</i> He owns that a perpetual mark
of infamy should be fastened rather upon him, who had been so much
accessory to it. Note, Those offenders ought to be treated with the
greatest tenderness to whom we have any way given occasion of
offending. If servants purloin, and their masters, by withholding
from them what is due, tempt them to it, they ought to forgive
them. 2. He never returned to it again: <i>He knew her again no
more.</i> Note, Those do not truly repent of their sins that do not
forsake them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xxxix-p12">III. The building up of Judah's family
hereby, notwithstanding, in the birth of Pharez and Zarah, from
whom descended the most considerable families of the illustrious
tribe of Judah. It should seem, the birth was hard to the mother,
by which she was corrected for her sin. The children also, like
Jacob and Esau, struggled for the birthright, and Pharez obtained
it, who is ever named first, and from him Christ descended. He had
his name from his breaking forth before his brother: <i>This breach
be upon thee,</i> which is applicable to those that sow discord,
and create distance, between brethren. The Jews, as Zarah, bade
fair for the birthright, and were marked with a scarlet thread, as
those that came out first; but the Gentiles, like Pharez, as a son
of violence, got the start of them, by that violence which the
kingdom of heaven suffers, and attained to the righteousness of
which the Jews came short. Yet, when the fulness of time is come,
all Israel shall be saved. Both these sons are named in the
genealogy of our Saviour (<scripRef passage="Mt 1:3" id="Gen.xxxix-p12.1" parsed="|Matt|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.3">Matt. i.
3</scripRef>), to perpetuate the story, as an instance of the
humiliation of our Lord Jesus. Some observe that the four eldest
sons of Jacob fell under very foul guilt, Reuben and Judah under
the guilt of incest, Simeon and Levi under that of murder; yet they
were patriarchs, and from Levi descended the priests, from Judah
the kings and Messiah. Thus they became examples of repentance, and
monuments of pardoning mercy.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIX" n="xl" progress="25.62%" prev="Gen.xxxix" next="Gen.xli" id="Gen.xl">
<pb n="220" id="Gen.xl-Page_220"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xl-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xl-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xl-p1">At this chapter we return to the story of Joseph.
We have him here, I. A servant, a slave in Potiphar's house
(<scripRef passage="Ge 39:1" id="Gen.xl-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|39|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), and yet there
greatly honoured and favoured, 1. By the providence of God, which
made him, in effect, a master, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:2-6" id="Gen.xl-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|39|2|39|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.2-Gen.39.6">ver.
2-6</scripRef>. 2. By the grace of God, which made him more than a
conqueror over a strong temptation to uncleanness, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:7-12" id="Gen.xl-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|39|7|39|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.7-Gen.39.12">ver. 7-12</scripRef>. II. We have him here a
sufferer, falsely accused (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:13-18" id="Gen.xl-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|39|13|39|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.13-Gen.39.18">ver.
13-18</scripRef>), imprisoned (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:19,20" id="Gen.xl-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|39|19|39|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.19-Gen.39.20">ver.
19, 20</scripRef>), and yet his imprisonment made both honourable
and comfortable by the tokens of God's special presence with him,
<scripRef passage="Ge 39:21-23" id="Gen.xl-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|39|21|39|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.21-Gen.39.23">ver. 21-23</scripRef>. And herein
Joseph was a type of Christ, "who took upon him the form of a
servant," and yet then did that which made it evident that "God was
with him," who was tempted by Satan, but overcame the temptation,
who was falsely accused and bound, and yet had all things committed
to his hand.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 39" id="Gen.xl-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|39|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 39:1-6" id="Gen.xl-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|39|1|39|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.1-Gen.39.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.39.1-Gen.39.6">
<h4 id="Gen.xl-p1.9">The History of Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1721.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xl-p2">1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian,
bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him
down thither. &#160; 2 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p2.1">Lord</span>
was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the
house of his master the Egyptian. &#160; 3 And his master saw that
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p2.2">Lord</span> <i>was</i> with him, and
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p2.3">Lord</span> made all that he did
to prosper in his hand. &#160; 4 And Joseph found grace in his
sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house,
and all <i>that</i> he had he put into his hand. &#160; 5 And it
came to pass from the time <i>that</i> he had made him overseer in
his house, and over all that he had, that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p2.4">Lord</span> blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's
sake; and the blessing of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p2.5">Lord</span>
was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. &#160; 6
And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought
he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was <i>a</i>
goodly <i>person,</i> and well favoured.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p3">Here is, I. Joseph bought (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:1" id="Gen.xl-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|39|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), and he that bought him,
whatever he gave for him, had a good bargain of him; it was better
than the merchandise of silver. The Jews have a proverb, "If the
world did but know the worth of good men, they would hedge them
about with pearls." He was sold to an officer of Pharaoh, with whom
he might get acquainted with public persons and public business,
and so be fitted for the preferment for which he was designed.
Note, 1. What
<pb n="221" id="Gen.xl-Page_221"/>
God intends men for he will be
sure, some way or other, to qualify them for. 2. Providence is to
be acknowledged in the disposal even of poor servants and in their
settlements, and therein may perhaps be working towards something
great and important.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p4">II. Joseph blessed, wonderfully blessed,
even in the house of his servitude.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p5">1. God prospered him, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:2,3" id="Gen.xl-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|39|2|39|3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.2-Gen.39.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. Perhaps the affairs of
Potiphar's family had remarkably gone backward before; but, upon
Joseph's coming into it, a discernible turn was given to them, and
the face and posture of them altered on a sudden. Though, at first,
we may suppose that his hand was put to the meanest services, even
in those appeared his ingenuity and industry; a particular blessing
of Heaven attended him, which, as he rose in his employment, became
more and more discernible. Note, (1.) Those that have wisdom and
grace have that which cannot be taken away from them, whatever else
they are robbed of. Joseph's brethren had stripped him of his coat
of many colours, but they could not strip him of his virtue and
prudence. (2.) Those that can separate us from all our friends, yet
cannot deprive us of the gracious presence of our God. When Joseph
had none of all his relations with him, he had his God with him,
even in the house of the Egyptian. Joseph was separated from his
brethren, but not from his God; banished from his father's house,
but <i>the Lord was with him,</i> and this comforted him. (3.) It
is God's presence with us that makes all we do prosperous. Those
that would prosper must therefore make God their friend; and those
that do prosper must therefore give God the praise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p6">2. His master preferred him, by degrees
made him steward of his household, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:4" id="Gen.xl-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|39|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Note, (1.) Industry and honesty
are the surest and safest way both of rising and thriving: <i>Seest
thou a man</i> prudent, and faithful, and <i>diligent in his
business? He shall stand before kings</i> at length, and not always
<i>before mean men.</i> (2.) It is the wisdom of those that are in
any sort of authority to countenance and employ those with whom it
appears that the presence of God is, <scripRef passage="Ps 101:6" id="Gen.xl-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|101|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.101.6">Ps. ci. 6</scripRef>. Potiphar knew what he did when he
put all into the hands of Joseph; for he knew it would prosper
better there than in his own hand. (3.) He that is faithful in a
few things stand fair for being made ruler over many things,
<scripRef passage="Mt 25:21" id="Gen.xl-p6.3" parsed="|Matt|25|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.25.21">Matt. xxv. 21</scripRef>. Christ goes
by this rule with his servants. (4.) It is a great ease to a master
to have those employed under him that are trusty. Potiphar was so
well satisfied with Joseph's conduct that <i>he knew not aught he
had, save the bread which he did eat,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 39:6" id="Gen.xl-p6.4" parsed="|Gen|39|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. The servant had all the care and
trouble of the estate; the master had only the enjoyment of it: an
example not to be imitated by any master, unless he could be sure
that he had one in all respects like Joseph for a servant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p7">3. God favoured his master for his sake
(<scripRef passage="Ge 39:5" id="Gen.xl-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|39|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>He blessed
the Egyptian's house,</i> though he was an Egyptian, a stranger to
the true God, <i>for Joseph's sake;</i> and he himself, like Laban,
soon learned it by experience, <scripRef passage="Ge 30:27" id="Gen.xl-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|30|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.27"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 27</scripRef>. Note, (1.) Good men are
the blessings of the places where they live; even good servants may
be so, though mean, and lightly esteemed. (2.) The prosperity of
the wicked is, one way or other, for the sake of the godly. Here
was a wicked family blessed for the sake of one good servant in
it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 39:7-12" id="Gen.xl-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|39|7|39|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.7-Gen.39.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.39.7-Gen.39.12">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xl-p8">7 And it came to pass after these things, that
his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with
me. &#160; 8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife,
Behold, my master wotteth not what <i>is</i> with me in the house,
and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; &#160; 9
<i>There is</i> none greater in this house than I; neither hath he
kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou <i>art</i> his
wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
&#160; 10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day,
that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, <i>or</i> to be with
her. &#160; 11 And it came to pass about this time, that
<i>Joseph</i> went into the house to do his business; and <i>there
was</i> none of the men of the house there within. &#160; 12 And
she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his
garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p9">Here is, I. A most shameful instance of
impudence and immodesty in Joseph's mistress, the shame and scandal
of her sex, perfectly lost to all virtue and honour, and not to be
mentioned, nor thought of, without the utmost indignation. It was
well that she was an Egyptian; for we must have shared in the
confusion if such folly had been found in Israel. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p10">I. Her sin began in the eye: She <i>cast
her eyes upon Joseph</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:7" id="Gen.xl-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|39|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), who <i>was a goodly person, and well-favoured,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 39:6" id="Gen.xl-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|39|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Note, (1.)
Remarkable beauty, either of men or women, often proves a dangerous
snare both to themselves and others, which forbids pride in it and
commands constant watchfulness against the temptation that attends
it; favour is deceitful&#8212;deceiving. (2.) We have great need to make
a covenant with our eyes (<scripRef passage="Job 31:1" id="Gen.xl-p10.3" parsed="|Job|31|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.1">Job xxxi.
1</scripRef>), lest the eye infect the heart. Joseph's mistress had
a husband that ought to have been to her for a covering of the eyes
from all others, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:16" id="Gen.xl-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.16"><i>ch.</i> xx.
16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p11">2. She was daring and shameless in the
<pb n="222" id="Gen.xl-Page_222"/>
sin. With an impudent face, and a harlot's
forehead, she said, <i>Lie with me,</i> having already, by her
wanton looks and unchaste desires, committed adultery with him in
her heart. Note, Where the unclean spirit gets possession and
dominion in a soul, it is as with the possessed of the devils
(<scripRef passage="Lu 7:27,29" id="Gen.xl-p11.1" parsed="|Luke|7|27|0|0;|Luke|7|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.7.27 Bible:Luke.7.29">Luke viii. 27, 29</scripRef>), the
clothes of modesty are thrown off and the bands and fetters of
shame are broken in pieces. When lust has got head, it will stick
at nothing, blush at nothing; decency, and reputation, and
conscience, are all sacrificed to that Baal-peor. 3. She was urgent
and violent in the temptation. Often she had been denied with the
strongest reasons, and yet as often renewed her vile solicitations.
She <i>spoke to him day by day,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 39:10" id="Gen.xl-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|39|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Now this was, (1.) Great
wickedness in her, and showed her heart fully set to do evil. (2.)
A great temptation to Joseph. The hand of Satan, no doubt, was in
it, who, when he found he could not overcome him with troubles and
the frowns of the world (for in them he still held fast his
integrity), assaulted him with soft and charming pleasures, which
have ruined more than the former, and have slain their
ten-thousands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p12">II. Here is a most illustrious instance of
virtue and resolved chastity in Joseph, who, by the grace of God,
was enabled to resist and overcome this temptation; and, all things
considered, his escape was, for aught I know, as great an instance
of the divine power as the deliverance of the three children out of
the fiery furnace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p13">1. The temptation he was assaulted with was
very strong. Never was a more violent onset made upon the fort of
chastity than this recorded here. (1.) The sin he was tempted to
was uncleanness, which considering his youth, his beauty, his
single state, and his plentiful living at the table of a ruler, was
a sin which, one would think, might most easily beset him and
betray him. (2.) The tempter was his mistress, a person of quality,
whom it was his place to obey and his interest to oblige, whose
favour would contribute more than any thing to his preferment, and
by whose means he might arrive at the highest honours of the court.
On the other hand, it was at his utmost peril if he slighted her,
and made her his enemy. (3.) Opportunity makes a thief, makes an
adulterer, and that favoured the temptation. The tempter was in the
house with him; his business led him to be, without any suspicion,
where she was; none of the family were within (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:11" id="Gen.xl-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|39|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>); there appeared no danger of
its being ever discovered, or, if it should be suspected, his
mistress would protect him. (4.) To all this was added importunity,
frequent constant importunity, to such a degree that, at last, she
laid violent hands on him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p14">2. His resistance of the temptation was
very brave, and the victory truly honourable. The almighty grace of
God enabled him to overcome this assault of the enemy,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p15">(1.) By strength of reason; and wherever
right reason may be heard, religion no doubt will carry the day. He
argues from the respect he owed both to God and his master,
<scripRef passage="Ge 39:8,9" id="Gen.xl-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|39|8|39|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.8-Gen.39.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. [1.] He
would not wrong his master, nor do such an irreparable injury to
his honour. He considers, and urges, how kind his master had been
to him, what a confidence he had reposed in him, in how many
instances he had befriended him, for which he abhorred the thought
of making such an ungrateful return. Note, We are bound in honour,
as well as justice and gratitude, not in any thing to injure those
that have a good opinion of us and place a trust in us, how
secretly soever it may be done. See how he argues (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:9" id="Gen.xl-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|39|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): "<i>There is none
greater in this house than I,</i> therefore I will not do it."
Note, Those that are great, instead of being proud of their
greatness, should use it as an argument against sin. "Is none
greater than I? Then I will scorn to do a wicked thing; it is below
me to serve a base lust; I will not disparage myself so much." [2.]
He would not offend his God. This is the chief argument with which
he strengthens his aversion to the sin. <i>How can I do this?</i>
not only, How shall I? or, How dare I? but, <i>How can I? Id
possumus, quod jure possumus&#8212;We can do that which we can do
lawfully.</i> It is good to shut out sin with the strongest bar,
even that of an impossibility. He that is born of God cannot sin,
<scripRef passage="1Jo 3:9" id="Gen.xl-p15.3" parsed="|1John|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.9">1 John iii. 9</scripRef>. Three
arguments Joseph urges upon himself. <i>First,</i> He considers who
he was that was tempted. "<i>I;</i> others may perhaps take their
liberty, but <i>I</i> cannot. <i>I</i> that am an Israelite in
covenant with God, that profess religion, and relation to him: it
is next to impossible for me to do so." <i>Secondly,</i> What the
sin was to which he was tempted: <i>This great wickedness.</i>
Others might look upon it as a small matter, a peccadillo, a trick
of youth; but Joseph had another idea of it. In general, when at
any time we are tempted to sin, we must consider the great
wickedness there is in it, let sin appear sin (<scripRef passage="Ro 7:13" id="Gen.xl-p15.4" parsed="|Rom|7|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.13">Rom. vii. 13</scripRef>), call it by its own name, and
never go about to lessen it. Particularly let the sin of
uncleanness always be looked upon as great wickedness, as an
exceedingly sinful sin, that wars against the soul as much as any
other. <i>Thirdly,</i> Against whom he was tempted to
sin&#8212;<i>against God;</i> not only, "How shall I do it, and sin
against my master, my mistress, myself, my own body and soul; but
against God?" Note, Gracious souls look upon this as the worst
thing in sin that it is against God, against his nature and his
dominion, against his love and his design. Those that love God do
for this reason hate sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p16">(2.) By stedfastness of resolution. The
grace of God enabled him to overcome the temptation by avoiding the
tempter. [1.] He <i>hearkened not to her,</i> so much as to be with
her, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:10" id="Gen.xl-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|39|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Note,
Those that would be
<pb n="223" id="Gen.xl-Page_223"/>
kept from harm must keep
themselves out of harm's way. <i>Avoid it, pass not by it.</i> Nay,
[2.] When she laid hold of him, he <i>left his garment in her
hand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 39:12" id="Gen.xl-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|39|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. He
would not stay so much as to parley with the temptation, but flew
out from it with the utmost abhorrence; he left his garment, as one
escaping for his life. Note, It is better to lose a good coat than
a good conscience.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 39:13-18" id="Gen.xl-p16.3" parsed="|Gen|39|13|39|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.13-Gen.39.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.39.13-Gen.39.18">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xl-p17">13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had
left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, &#160; 14 That
she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying,
See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in
unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: &#160; 15
And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and
cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
&#160; 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came
home. &#160; 17 And she spake unto him according to these words,
saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came
in unto me to mock me: &#160; 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted
up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled
out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p18">Joseph's mistress, having tried in vain to
make him a criminal, now endeavours to represent him as one; so to
be revenged on him for his virtue. Now was her love turned into the
utmost rage and malice, and she pretends she cannot endure the
sight of him whom awhile ago she could not endure out of her sight.
Chaste and holy love will continue, though slighted; but sinful
love, like Amnon's to Tamar, is easily changed into sinful hatred.
1. She accused him to his fellow servants (<scripRef passage="Ge 39:13-15" id="Gen.xl-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|39|13|39|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.13-Gen.39.15"><i>v.</i> 13-15</scripRef>) and gave him a bad name
among them. Probably they envied him his interest in their master's
favour, and his authority in the house; and perhaps found
themselves aggrieved sometimes by his fidelity, which prevented
their purloining; and therefore they were glad to hear any thing
that might tend to his disgrace, and, if there was room for it,
incensed their mistress yet more against him. Observe, When she
speaks of her husband, she does not call him her husband, or her
lord, but only <i>he;</i> for she had forgotten the covenant of her
God, that was between them. Thus the adulteress (<scripRef passage="Pr 7:19" id="Gen.xl-p18.2" parsed="|Prov|7|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.19">Prov. vii. 19</scripRef>) calls her husband <i>the good
man.</i> Note, Innocence itself cannot secure a man's reputation.
Not every one that keeps a good conscience can keep a good name. 2.
She accused him to his master, who had power in his hand to punish
him, which his fellow servants had not, <scripRef passage="Ge 39:17,18" id="Gen.xl-p18.3" parsed="|Gen|39|17|39|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.17-Gen.39.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>. Observe, (1.) What an
improbable story she tells, producing his garment as an evidence
that he had offered violence to her, which was a plain indication
that she had offered violence to him. Note, Those that have broken
the bonds of modesty will never be held by the bonds of truth. No
marvel that she who had impudence enough to say, <i>Lie with
me,</i> had front enough to say, "He would have lien with me." Had
the lie been told to conceal her own crime it would have been bad
enough, yet, in some degree, excusable; but it was told to be
revenged upon his virtue, a most malicious lie. And yet, (2.) She
manages it so as to incense her husband against him, reflecting
upon him for bringing this Hebrew servant among them, perhaps at
first against her mind, because he was a Hebrew. Note, It is no new
thing for the best of men to be falsely accused of the worst of
crimes by those who themselves are the worst of criminals. As this
matter was represented, one would have thought chaste Joseph a very
bad man and his wanton mistress a virtuous woman; it is well that
there is a day of discovery coming, in which all shall appear in
their true characters. This was not the first time that Joseph's
coat was made use of as a false witness concerning him; his father
had been deceived by it before, now his master.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 39:19-23" id="Gen.xl-p18.4" parsed="|Gen|39|19|39|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.19-Gen.39.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.39.19-Gen.39.23">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xl-p19">19 And it came to pass, when his master heard
the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this
manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. &#160; 20
And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place
where the king's prisoners <i>were</i> bound: and he was there in
the prison. &#160; 21 But the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p19.1">Lord</span>
was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour in the
sight of the keeper of the prison. &#160; 22 And the keeper of the
prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that
<i>were</i> in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was
the doer <i>of it.</i> &#160; 23 The keeper of the prison looked
not to any thing <i>that was</i> under his hand; because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p19.2">Lord</span> was with him, and <i>that</i> which
he did, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xl-p19.3">Lord</span> made <i>it</i> to
prosper.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xl-p20">Here is, 1. Joseph wronged by his master.
He believed the accusation, and either Joseph durst not make his
defence by telling the truth, as it would reflect too much upon his
mistress, or his master would not hear it, or would not believe it,
and there is no remedy, he is condemned to perpetual imprisonment,
<scripRef passage="Ge 39:19,20" id="Gen.xl-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|39|19|39|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.19-Gen.39.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. God
restrained his wrath, else he had put him to death; and that wrath
which
<pb n="224" id="Gen.xl-Page_224"/>
imprisoned him God made to turn to his
praise, in order to which Providence so disposed that he should be
shut up among the king's prisoners, the state-prisoners. Potiphar,
it is likely, chose that prison because it was the worst; for there
the iron entered into the soul (<scripRef passage="Ps 105:18" id="Gen.xl-p20.2" parsed="|Ps|105|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.18">Ps.
cv. 18</scripRef>), but God designed to pave the way to his
enlargement. He was committed to the king's prison, that he might
thence be preferred to the king's person. Note, Many an action of
false imprisonment will, in the great day, be found to lie against
the enemies and persecutors of God's people. Our Lord Jesus, like
Joseph here, was bound, and numbered with the transgressors. 2.
Joseph owned and righted by his God, who is, and will be, the just
and powerful patron of oppressed innocence. Joseph was at a
distance from all his friends and relations, had not them with him
to comfort him, or to minister to him, or to mediate for him; but
<i>the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 39:21" id="Gen.xl-p20.3" parsed="|Gen|39|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Note, (1.) God despises
not his prisoners, <scripRef passage="Ps 69:33" id="Gen.xl-p20.4" parsed="|Ps|69|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.69.33">Ps. lxix.
33</scripRef>. No gates nor bars can shut out his gracious presence
from his people; for he has promised that he will never leave them.
(2.) Those that have a good conscience in a prison have a good God
there. Integrity and uprightness qualify us for the divine favour,
wherever we are. Joseph is not long a prisoner before he becomes a
little ruler even in the prison, which is to be attributed, under
God, [1.] To the keeper's favour. God <i>gave him favour in the
sight of the keeper of the prison.</i> Note, God can raise up
friends for his people even where they little expect to find them,
and can <i>make them to be pitied</i> even of those that carry them
captive, <scripRef passage="Ps 106:46" id="Gen.xl-p20.5" parsed="|Ps|106|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.46">Ps. cvi. 46</scripRef>. [2.]
To Joseph's fitness for business. The keeper saw that God was with
him, and that every thing prospered under his hand; and therefore
entrusted him with the management of the affairs of the prison,
<scripRef passage="Ge 39:22,23" id="Gen.xl-p20.6" parsed="|Gen|39|22|39|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.39.22-Gen.39.23"><i>v.</i> 22, 23</scripRef>. Note,
Wisdom and virtue will shine in the narrowest spheres. A good man
will do good wherever he is, and will be a blessing even in bonds
and banishment; for the Spirit of the Lord is not bound nor
banished, witness St. Paul, <scripRef passage="Php 1:12,13" id="Gen.xl-p20.7" parsed="|Phil|1|12|1|13" osisRef="Bible:Phil.1.12-Phil.1.13">Phil.
i. 12, 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XL" n="xli" progress="26.05%" prev="Gen.xl" next="Gen.xlii" id="Gen.xli">
<pb n="224" id="Gen.xli-Page_224"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xli-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xli-p0.2">CHAP. XL.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xli-p1">In this chapter things are working, though slowly,
towards Joseph's advancement. I. Two of Pharaoh's servants are
committed to prison, and there to Joseph's care, and so become
witnesses of his extraordinary conduct, <scripRef passage="Ge 40:1-4" id="Gen.xli-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|40|1|40|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.1-Gen.40.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. They dreamed each of them a
dream, which Joseph interpreted (<scripRef passage="Ge 40:5-19" id="Gen.xli-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|40|5|40|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.5-Gen.40.19">ver. 5-19</scripRef>), and the event verified the
interpretation (<scripRef passage="Ge 40:20-22" id="Gen.xli-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|40|20|40|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.20-Gen.40.22">ver.
20-22</scripRef>), and so they became witnesses of his
extraordinary skill. III. Joseph recommends his case to one of
them, whose preferment he foresaw (<scripRef passage="Ge 40:14,15" id="Gen.xli-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|40|14|40|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.14-Gen.40.15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>), but in vain, <scripRef passage="Ge 40:23" id="Gen.xli-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|40|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.23">ver. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 40" id="Gen.xli-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|40|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 40:1-4" id="Gen.xli-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|40|1|40|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.1-Gen.40.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.40.1-Gen.40.4">
<h4 id="Gen.xli-p1.8">The History of Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xli-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1717.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xli-p2">1 And it came to pass after these things,
<i>that</i> the butler of the king of Egypt and <i>his</i> baker
had offended their lord the king of Egypt. &#160; 2 And Pharaoh was
wroth against two <i>of</i> his officers, against the chief of the
butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. &#160; 3 And he put
them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the
prison, the place where Joseph <i>was</i> bound. &#160; 4 And the
captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them:
and they continued a season in ward.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p3">We should not have had this story of
Pharaoh's butler and baker recorded in scripture if it had not been
serviceable to Joseph's preferment. The world stands for the sake
of the church, and is governed for its good. Observe, 1. Two of the
great officers of Pharaoh's court, having offended the king, are
committed to prison. Note, High places are slippery places; nothing
more uncertain than the favour of princes. Those that make God's
favour their happiness, and his service their business, will find
him a better Master than Pharaoh was, and not so extreme to mark
what they do amiss. Many conjectures there are concerning the
offence of these servants of Pharaoh; some make it no less than an
attempt to take away his life, others no more than the casual
lighting of a fly into his cup and a little sand into his bread.
Whatever it was, Providence by this means brought them into the
prison where Joseph was. 2. The <i>captain of the guard</i>
himself, who was Potiphar, charged Joseph with them (<scripRef passage="Ge 40:4" id="Gen.xli-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|40|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), which intimates that he
began now to be reconciled to him, and perhaps to be convinced of
his innocence, though he durst not release him for fear of
disobliging his wife. John Baptist must lose his head, to please
Herodias.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 40:5-19" id="Gen.xli-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|40|5|40|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.5-Gen.40.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.40.5-Gen.40.19">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xli-p4">5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each
man his dream in one night, each man according to the
interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king
of Egypt, which <i>were</i> bound in the prison. &#160; 6 And
Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and,
behold, they <i>were</i> sad. &#160; 7 And he asked Pharaoh's
officers that <i>were</i> with him in the ward of his lord's house,
saying, Wherefore look ye <i>so</i> sadly to day? &#160; 8 And they
said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and <i>there is</i> no
interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, <i>Do</i> not
interpretations <i>belong</i> to God? tell me <i>them,</i> I pray
you. &#160; 9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and
said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine <i>was</i> before me;
&#160; 10 And in the vine <i>were</i> three branches: and it
<i>was</i> as though it budded, <i>and</i> her blossoms shot forth;
and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: &#160; 11 And
Pharaoh's cup <i>was</i> in my hand: and I took the grapes, and
<pb n="225" id="Gen.xli-Page_225"/>
pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the
cup into Pharaoh's hand. &#160; 12 And Joseph said unto him, This
<i>is</i> the interpretation of it: The three branches <i>are</i>
three days: &#160; 13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up
thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver
Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast
his butler. &#160; 14 But think on me when it shall be well with
thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of
me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: &#160; 15 For
indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here
also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
&#160; 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was
good, he said unto Joseph, I also <i>was</i> in my dream, and,
behold, <i>I had</i> three white baskets on my head: &#160; 17 And
in the uppermost basket <i>there was</i> of all manner of bakemeats
for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my
head. &#160; 18 And Joseph answered and said, This <i>is</i> the
interpretation thereof: The three baskets <i>are</i> three days:
&#160; 19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from
off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat
thy flesh from off thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p5">Observe, I. The special providence of God,
which filled the heads of these two prisoners with unusual dreams,
such as made extraordinary impressions upon them, and carried with
them evidences of a divine origin, both in one night. Note, God has
immediate access to the spirits of men, which he can make
serviceable to his own purposes whenever he pleases, quite beyond
the intention of those concerned. To him all hearts are open, and
anciently he spoke not only to his own people, but to others, in
dreams, <scripRef passage="Job 33:15" id="Gen.xli-p5.1" parsed="|Job|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.15">Job xxxiii. 15</scripRef>.
Things to come were thus foretold, but very obscurely.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p6">II. The impression which was made upon
these prisoners by their dreams (<scripRef passage="Ge 40:6" id="Gen.xli-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|40|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>They were sad.</i> It was not
the prison that made them sad (they were pretty well used to that,
and perhaps lived jovially there), but the dream. Note, God has
more ways than one to sadden the spirits of those that are to be
made sad. Those sinners that are hardy enough under outward
troubles, and will not yield to them, yet God can find out a way to
punish; he can take off their wheels, by wounding their spirits,
and laying loads upon them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p7">III. Joseph's great tenderness and
compassion towards them. He enquired with concern, <i>Wherefore
look you so sadly to-day?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 40:7" id="Gen.xli-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|40|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. Joseph was their keeper, and in that office he was
mild. Note, It becomes us to take cognizance of the sorrows even of
those that are under our check. Joseph was their companion in
tribulation, he was now a prisoner with them, and had been a
dreamer too. Note, Communion in sufferings helps to work compassion
towards those that do suffer. Let us learn hence, 1. To concern
ourselves in the sorrows and troubles of others, and to enquire
into the reason of the sadness of our brethren's countenances; we
should be often considering the tears of the oppressed, <scripRef passage="Ec 4:1" id="Gen.xli-p7.2" parsed="|Eccl|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.4.1">Eccl. iv. 1</scripRef>. It is some relief to those
that are in trouble to be taken notice of. 2. To enquire into the
causes of our own sorrow, "Wherefore do I look so sadly? Is there a
reason? Is it a good reason? Is there not a reason for comfort
sufficient to balance it, whatever it is? <i>Why art thou cast
down, O my soul?</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p8">IV. The dreams themselves, and the
interpretation of them. That which troubled these prisoners was
that being confined they could not have recourse to the diviners of
Egypt who pretended to interpret dreams: <i>There is no
interpreter</i> here in the prison, <scripRef passage="Ge 40:8" id="Gen.xli-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|40|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Note, There are interpreters
which those that are in prison and sorrow should wish to have with
them, to instruct them in the meaning and design of Providence
(Elihu alludes to such, when he says, If <i>there be an
interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his
uprightness,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 33:23,24" id="Gen.xli-p8.2" parsed="|Job|33|23|33|24" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.23-Job.33.24">Job xxxiii. 23,
24</scripRef>), interpreters to guide their consciences, not to
satisfy their curiosity. Joseph hereupon directed them which way to
look: <i>Do not interpretations belong to God?</i> He means the God
whom he worshipped, to the knowledge of whom he endeavours hereby
to lead them. Note, It is God's prerogative to foretel things to
come, <scripRef passage="Isa 46:10" id="Gen.xli-p8.3" parsed="|Isa|46|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.10">Isa. xlvi. 10</scripRef>. He
must therefore have the praise of all the gifts of foresight which
men have, ordinary or extraordinary. Joseph premises a caveat
against his own praise, and is careful to transmit the glory to
God, as Daniel, <scripRef passage="Da 2:30" id="Gen.xli-p8.4" parsed="|Dan|2|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.2.30"><i>ch.</i> ii.
30</scripRef>. Joseph suggests, "If interpretations belong to God,
he is a free agent, and may communicate the power to whom he
pleases, and therefore tell me your dreams." Now, 1. The chief
butler's dream was a happy presage of his enlargement, and
re-advancement, within three days; and so Joseph explained it to
him, <scripRef passage="Ge 40:12,13" id="Gen.xli-p8.5" parsed="|Gen|40|12|40|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.12-Gen.40.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>.
Probably it had been usual with him to press the full-ripe grapes
immediately into Pharaoh's cup, the simplicity of that age not
being acquainted with the modern arts of making the wine fine.
Observe, Joseph foretold the chief butler's deliverance, but he did
not foresee his own. He had long before dreamt of his own honour,
and the obeisance which his brethren should do to him, with the
remembrance of which
<pb n="226" id="Gen.xli-Page_226"/>
he must now support
himself, without any new or fresh discoveries. The visions that are
for the comfort of God's saints are for a great while to come, and
relate to things that are very far off, while the foresights of
others, like this recorded there, look but three days before them.
2. The chief baker's dream portended his ignominious death,
<scripRef passage="Ge 40:18,19" id="Gen.xli-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|40|18|40|19" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.18-Gen.40.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>. The
happy interpretation of the other's dream encouraged him to relate
his. Thus hypocrites, when they hear good things promised to good
Christians, would put in for a share, though they have no part nor
lot in the matter. It was not Joseph's fault that he brought him no
better tidings. Ministers are but interpreters, they cannot make
the thing otherwise than it is; if therefore they deal faithfully,
and their message prove unpleasing, it is not their fault. Bad
dreams cannot expect a good interpretation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p9">V. The improvement Joseph made of this
opportunity to get a friend at court, <scripRef passage="Ge 40:14,15" id="Gen.xli-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|40|14|40|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.14-Gen.40.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. He modestly bespoke the
favour of the chief butler, whose preferment he foretold: <i>But
think of me when it shall be well with thee.</i> Though the respect
paid to Joseph made the prison as easy to him as a prison could be,
yet none can blame him for being desirous of liberty. See here, 1.
What a modest representation he makes of his own case, <scripRef passage="Ge 40:15" id="Gen.xli-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|40|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. He does not reflect
upon his brethren that sold him; he only says, <i>I was stolen out
of the land of the Hebrews,</i> that is, unjustly sent thence, no
matter where the fault was. Nor does he reflect on the wrong done
him in this imprisonment by his mistress that was his prosecutrix,
and his master that was his judge; but mildly avers his own
innocence: <i>Here have I done nothing that they should put me into
the dungeon.</i> Note, When we are called to vindicate ourselves we
should carefully avoid, as much as may be, speaking ill of others.
Let us be content to prove ourselves innocent, and not be fond of
upbraiding others with their guilt. 2. What a modest request he
makes to the chief butler: "Only, <i>think of me.</i> Pray do me a
kindness, if it lie in your way." And his particular petition is,
<i>Bring me out of this house.</i> He does not say, "Bring me into
Pharaoh's house, get me a place at court." No, he begs for
enlargement, not preferment. Note, Providence sometimes designs the
greatest honours for those that least covet or expect them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 40:20-23" id="Gen.xli-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|40|20|40|23" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.20-Gen.40.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.40.20-Gen.40.23">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xli-p10">20 And it came to pass the third day, <i>which
was</i> Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his
servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the
chief baker among his servants. &#160; 21 And he restored the chief
butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into
Pharaoh's hand: &#160; 22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph
had interpreted to them. &#160; 23 Yet did not the chief butler
remember Joseph, but forgat him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p11">Here is, 1. The verifying of Joseph's
interpretation of the dreams, on the very day prefixed. The chief
butler and baker were both advanced, one to his office, the other
to the gallows, and both at the three days' end. Note, Very great
changes, both for the better and for the worse, often happen in a
very little time, so sudden are the revolutions of the wheel of
nature. The occasion of giving judgment severally upon their case
was the solemnizing of Pharaoh's birth-day, on which, all his
servants being obliged by custom to attend him, these two came to
be enquired after, and the cause of their commitment looked into.
The solemnizing of the birth-day of princes has been an ancient
piece of respect done them; and if it be not abused, as Jeroboam's
was (<scripRef passage="Ho 7:5" id="Gen.xli-p11.1" parsed="|Hos|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.7.5">Hos. vii. 5</scripRef>), and
Herod's (<scripRef passage="Mk 6:21" id="Gen.xli-p11.2" parsed="|Mark|6|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.6.21">Mark vi. 21</scripRef>), is a
usage innocent enough: and we may all profitably take notice of our
birth-days, with thankfulness for the mercies of our birth, sorrow
for the sinfulness of it, and an expectation of the day of our
death as better than the day of our birth. On Pharaoh's birth-day
he lifted up the head of these two prisoners, that is, arraigned
and tried them (when Naboth was tried he was <i>set on high</i>
among the people, <scripRef passage="1Ki 21:9" id="Gen.xli-p11.3" parsed="|1Kgs|21|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.21.9">1 Kings xxi.
9</scripRef>), and <i>he restored the chief butler,</i> and
<i>hanged the chief baker.</i> If the butler was innocent and the
baker guilty, we must own the equity of Providence in clearing up
the innocency of the innocent, and making the sin of the guilty to
find him out. If both were either equally innocent or equally
guilty, it is an instance of the arbitrariness of such great
princes as pride themselves in that power which Nebuchadnezzar set
up for (<scripRef passage="Da 5:19" id="Gen.xli-p11.4" parsed="|Dan|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.5.19">Dan. v. 19</scripRef>, <i>whom
he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive</i>), forgetting
that there is a higher than they, to whom they are accountable. 2.
The disappointing of Joseph's expectation from the chief butler: He
<i>remembered not Joseph, but forgot him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 40:23" id="Gen.xli-p11.5" parsed="|Gen|40|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. (1.) See here an instance of
base ingratitude; Joseph had deserved well at his hands, had
ministered to him, sympathized with him, helped him to a favourable
interpretation of his dream, had recommended himself to him as an
extraordinary person upon all accounts; and yet he forgot him. We
must not think it strange if in this world we have hatred shown us
for our love, and slights for our respects. (2.) See how apt those
that are themselves at ease are to forget others in distress.
Perhaps it is in allusion to this story that the prophet speaks of
those that <i>drink wine in bowls, and are not grieved for the
affliction of Joseph,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 6:6" id="Gen.xli-p11.6" parsed="|Amos|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.6.6">Amos vi.
6</scripRef>. Let us learn hence to cease from man. Joseph perhaps
depended too much upon his interest in the chief butler, and
promised himself too much from him; he learned by his
disappointment to trust in
<pb n="227" id="Gen.xli-Page_227"/>
God only. We
cannot expect too little from man nor too much from God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xli-p12">Some observe the resemblance between Joseph
and Christ in this story. Joseph's fellow-sufferers were like the
two thieves that were crucified with Christ&#8212;the one saved, the
other condemned. (It is Dr. Lightfoot's remark, from Mr.
Broughton.) One of these, when Joseph said to him, <i>Remember me
when it shall be well with thee,</i> forget him; but one of those,
when he said to Christ, <i>Remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom,</i> was not forgotten. We justly blame the chief butler's
ingratitude to Joseph, yet we conduct ourselves much more
disingenuously towards the Lord Jesus. Joseph had but foretold the
chief butler's enlargement, but Christ wrought out ours, mediated
with the King of kings for us; yet we forget him, though often
reminded of him, though we have promised never to forget him: thus
ill do we requite him, like foolish people and unwise.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLI" n="xlii" progress="26.36%" prev="Gen.xli" next="Gen.xliii" id="Gen.xlii">
<pb n="227" id="Gen.xlii-Page_227"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xlii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlii-p0.2">CHAP. XLI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlii-p1">Two things Providence is here bringing about:&#8212;I.
The advancement of Joseph. II. The maintenance of Jacob and his
family in a time of famine; for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
through the earth, and direct the affairs of the children of men
for the benefit of those few whose hearts are upright with him. In
order to these, we have here, 1. Pharaoh's dreams, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:1-8" id="Gen.xlii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|41|1|41|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.1-Gen.41.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. 2. The recommendation of
Joseph to him for an interpreter, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:9-13" id="Gen.xlii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|41|9|41|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.9-Gen.41.13">ver. 9-13</scripRef>. 3. The interpretation of the
dreams, and the prediction of seven years of plenty and seven years
of famine in Egypt, with the prudent advice given to Pharaoh
thereupon, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:14-36" id="Gen.xlii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|41|14|41|36" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.14-Gen.41.36">ver. 14-36</scripRef>.
4. The preferment of Joseph to a place of the highest power and
trust in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:37-45" id="Gen.xlii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|41|37|41|45" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.37-Gen.41.45">ver.
37-45</scripRef>. 5. The accomplishment of Joseph's prediction, and
his fidelity to his trust, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:46-57" id="Gen.xlii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|41|46|41|57" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.46-Gen.41.57">ver.
46</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 41" id="Gen.xlii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|41|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 41:1-8" id="Gen.xlii-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|41|1|41|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.1-Gen.41.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.41.1-Gen.41.8">
<h4 id="Gen.xlii-p1.8">Pharaoh's Portentous Dream. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1715.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlii-p2">1 And it came to pass at the end of two full
years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
&#160; 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well
favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. &#160; 3
And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river,
ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the <i>other</i> kine
upon the brink of the river. &#160; 4 And the ill favoured and
leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine.
So Pharaoh awoke. &#160; 5 And he slept and dreamed the second
time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank
and good. &#160; 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with
the east wind sprung up after them. &#160; 7 And the seven thin
ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and,
behold, <i>it was</i> a dream. &#160; 8 And it came to pass in the
morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for
all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and
Pharaoh told them his dreams; but <i>there was</i> none that could
interpret them unto Pharaoh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p3">Observe, 1. The delay of Joseph's
enlargement. It was not till <i>the end of two full years</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 41:1" id="Gen.xlii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|41|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>); so long he
waited after he had entrusted the chief butler with his case and
began to have some prospect of relief. Note, We have need of
patience, not only bearing, but waiting, patience. Joseph lay in
prison until the time that his word came, <scripRef passage="Ps 105:19" id="Gen.xlii-p3.2" parsed="|Ps|105|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.19">Ps. cv. 19</scripRef>. There is a time set for the
deliverance of God's people; that time will come, though it seem to
tarry; and, when it comes, it will appear to have been the best
time, and therefore we ought to wait for it (<scripRef passage="Hab 2:3" id="Gen.xlii-p3.3" parsed="|Hab|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.3">Hab. ii. 3</scripRef>), and not think two full years too
long to continue waiting. 2. The means of Joseph's enlargement,
which were Pharaoh's dreams, here related. If we were to look upon
them as ordinary dreams, we might observe from them the follies and
absurdities of a roving working fancy, how it represents to itself
tame cows as beasts of prey (nay, more ravenous than any, eating up
those of their own kind), and ears of corn as devouring one
another. Surely in the multitude of dreams, nay, even in one dream,
there are divers vanities, <scripRef passage="Ec 5:7" id="Gen.xlii-p3.4" parsed="|Eccl|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.7">Eccl. v.
7</scripRef>. Now that God no longer speaks to us in that way, I
think it is no matter how little we either heed them or tell them.
Foolish dreams related can make no better than foolish talk. But
these dreams which Pharaoh dreamed carried their own evidence with
them that they were sent of God; and therefore, when he awoke, his
spirit was troubled, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:8" id="Gen.xlii-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|41|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. It cannot but put us into a concern to receive any
extraordinary message from heaven, because we are conscious to
ourselves that we have no reason to expect any good tidings thence.
His magicians were puzzled, the rules of their art failed them:
these dreams of Pharaoh, it seems, did not fall within the compass
of them, so that they could not offer at the interpretation of
them. This was to make Joseph's performance by the Spirit of God
the more admirable. Human reason, prudence, and foresight, must be
nonplussed, that divine revelation may appear the more glorious in
the contrivance of our redemption, <scripRef passage="1Co 2:13,14" id="Gen.xlii-p3.6" parsed="|1Cor|2|13|2|14" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.13-1Cor.2.14">1 Cor. 2. 13, 14</scripRef>. Compare with this
story, <scripRef passage="Da 2:27,4:7,5:8" id="Gen.xlii-p3.7" parsed="|Dan|2|27|0|0;|Dan|4|7|0|0;|Dan|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.2.27 Bible:Dan.4.7 Bible:Dan.5.8">Dan. ii. 27; iv. 7; v.
8</scripRef>. Joseph's own dreams were the occasion of his
troubles, and now Pharaoh's dreams were the occasion of his
enlargement.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 41:9-16" id="Gen.xlii-p3.8" parsed="|Gen|41|9|41|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.9-Gen.41.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.41.9-Gen.41.16">
<h4 id="Gen.xlii-p3.9">Joseph Brought before
Pharaoh. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlii-p3.10">b. c.</span> 1715.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlii-p4">9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh,
saying, I do remember my faults this day: &#160; 10 Pharaoh was
wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the
guard's house, <i>both</i> me and the chief baker: &#160; 11 And we
dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man
according to the interpretation of his dream. &#160; 12 And
<i>there was</i> there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to
the captain of the guard; and we told
<pb n="228" id="Gen.xlii-Page_228"/>
him,
and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his
dream he did interpret. &#160; 13 And it came to pass, as he
interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and
him he hanged. &#160; 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and
they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved
<i>himself,</i> and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
&#160; 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and
<i>there is</i> none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of
thee, <i>that</i> thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
&#160; 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, <i>It is</i> not in
me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p5">Here is, 1. The recommending of Joseph to
Pharaoh for an interpreter. The chief butler did it more in
compliment to Pharaoh, to oblige him, than in gratitude to Joseph,
or in compassion for his case. He makes a fair confession
(<scripRef passage="Ge 41:9" id="Gen.xlii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|41|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): "<i>I
remember my faults this day,</i> in forgetting Joseph." Note, It is
best to remember our duty, and to do it in its time; but, if we
have neglected that, it is next best to remember our faults, and
repent of them, and do our duty at last; better late than never.
Some think he means his faults against Pharaoh, for which he was
imprisoned; and then he would insinuate that, though Pharaoh had
forgiven him, he had not forgiven himself. The story he had to tell
was, in short, That there was an obscure young man in the king's
prison, who had very properly interpreted his dream, and the chief
baker's (the event corresponding in each with the interpretation),
and that he would recommend him to the king his master for an
interpreter. Note, God's time for the enlargement of his people
will appear at last to be the fittest time. If the chief butler had
at first used his interest for Joseph's enlargement, and had
obtained it, it is probable that upon his release he would have
gone back to <i>the land of the Hebrews</i> again, which he spoke
of so feelingly (<scripRef passage="Ge 40:15" id="Gen.xlii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|40|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.40.15"><i>ch.</i> xl.
15</scripRef>), and then he would neither have been so blessed
himself, nor such a blessing to his family, as afterwards he
proved. But staying two years longer, and coming out now upon this
occasion, at last, to interpret the king's dreams, way was made for
his very great preferment. Those that patiently wait for God shall
be paid for their waiting, not only principal but interest,
<scripRef passage="La 3:26" id="Gen.xlii-p5.3" parsed="|Lam|3|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.3.26">Lam. iii. 26</scripRef>. 2. The
introducing of Joseph to Pharaoh. The king's business requires
haste. Joseph is sent for out of the dungeon with all speed;
Pharaoh's order discharged him both from his imprisonment and from
his servitude, and made him a candidate for some of the highest
trusts at court. The king can scarcely allow him time, but that
decency required it, to shave himself, and to change his raiment,
<scripRef passage="Ge 41:14" id="Gen.xlii-p5.4" parsed="|Gen|41|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. It is done
with all possible expedition, and Joseph is brought in, perhaps
almost as much surprised as Peter was, <scripRef passage="Ac 12:9" id="Gen.xlii-p5.5" parsed="|Acts|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.12.9">Acts xii. 9</scripRef>. So suddenly is his captivity
brought back that he is as one that dreams, <scripRef passage="Ps 126:1" id="Gen.xlii-p5.6" parsed="|Ps|126|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.126.1">Ps. cxxvi. 1</scripRef>. Pharaoh immediately, without
enquiring who or whence he was, tells him his business, that he
expected he should interpret his dream, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:15" id="Gen.xlii-p5.7" parsed="|Gen|41|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. To which, Joseph makes him a
very modest decent reply, (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:16" id="Gen.xlii-p5.8" parsed="|Gen|41|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), in which, (1.) He gives honour to God. "It is not
in me, God must give it." Note, Great gifts appear most graceful
and illustrious when those that have them use them humbly, and take
not the praise of them to themselves, but give it to God. To such
God gives more grace. (2.) He shows respect to Pharaoh, and hearty
good-will to him and his government, in supposing that the
interpretation would be an answer of peace. Note, Those that
consult God's oracles may expect an answer of peace. If Joseph be
made the interpreter, hope the best.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 41:17-32" id="Gen.xlii-p5.9" parsed="|Gen|41|17|41|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.17-Gen.41.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.41.17-Gen.41.32">
<h4 id="Gen.xlii-p5.10">Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's
Dream. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlii-p5.11">b. c.</span> 1715.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlii-p6">17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream,
behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: &#160; 18 And, behold,
there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well
favoured; and they fed in a meadow: &#160; 19 And, behold, seven
other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and
leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for
badness: &#160; 20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat
up the first seven fat kine: &#160; 21 And when they had eaten them
up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they
<i>were</i> still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
&#160; 22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in
one stalk, full and good: &#160; 23 And, behold, seven ears,
withered, thin, <i>and</i> blasted with the east wind, sprung up
after them: &#160; 24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good
ears: and I told <i>this</i> unto the magicians; but <i>there
was</i> none that could declare <i>it</i> to me. &#160; 25 And
Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh <i>is</i> one: God
hath showed Pharaoh what he <i>is</i> about to do. &#160; 26 The
seven good kine <i>are</i> seven years; and the seven good ears
<i>are</i> seven years: the dream <i>is</i> one. &#160; 27 And the
seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them <i>are</i>
seven years; and the seven empty ears
<pb n="229" id="Gen.xlii-Page_229"/>
blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. &#160;
28 This <i>is</i> the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What
God <i>is</i> about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh. &#160; 29
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the
land of Egypt: &#160; 30 And there shall arise after them seven
years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land
of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; &#160; 31 And the
plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine
following; for it <i>shall be</i> very grievous. &#160; 32 And for
that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; <i>it is</i> because
the thing <i>is</i> established by God, and God will shortly bring
it to pass.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p7">Here, I. Pharaoh relates his dream. He
dreamt that he stood upon the bank of the river Nile, and saw the
kine, both the fat ones and the lean ones, come out of the river.
For the kingdom of Egypt had no rain, as appears, <scripRef passage="Zec 14:18" id="Gen.xlii-p7.1" parsed="|Zech|14|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.14.18">Zech. xiv. 18</scripRef>, but the plenty of the
year depended upon the overflowing of the river, and it was about
one certain time of the year that it overflowed. If it rose to
fifteen or sixteen cubits, there was plenty; if to twelve or
thirteen only, or under, there was scarcity. See how many ways
Providence has of dispensing its gifts; yet, whatever the second
causes are, our dependence is still the same upon the first Cause,
who makes every creature that to us that it is, be it rain or
river.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p8">II. Joseph interprets his dream, and tells
him that it signified seven years of plenty now immediately to
ensue, which should be succeeded by as many years of famine.
Observe, 1. The two dreams signified the same thing, but the
repetition was to denote the certainty, the nearness, and the
importance, of the event, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:32" id="Gen.xlii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|41|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>. Thus God has often shown <i>the immutability of his
counsel by two immutable things,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 6:17,18" id="Gen.xlii-p8.2" parsed="|Heb|6|17|6|18" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.17-Heb.6.18">Heb. vi. 17, 18</scripRef>. The covenant is sealed
with two sacraments; and in the one of them there are both bread
and wine, wherein the dream is one, and yet it is doubled, for the
thing is certain. 2. Yet the two dreams had a distinct reference to
the two things wherein we most experience plenty and scarcity,
namely, grass and corn. The plenty and scarcity of grass for the
cattle were signified by the fat kine and the lean ones; the plenty
and scarcity of herb for the service of man by the full ears and
the thin ones. 3. See what changes the comforts of this life are
subject to. After great plenty may come great scarcity; how strong
soever we may think our mountain stands, if God speak the word, it
will soon be moved. We cannot be sure that <i>to-morrow shall be as
this day,</i> next year as this, and <i>much more abundant,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 56:12" id="Gen.xlii-p8.3" parsed="|Isa|56|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.12">Isa. lvi. 12</scripRef>. We must
learn how to want, as well as how to abound. 4. See the goodness of
God in sending the seven years of plenty before those of famine,
that provision might be made accordingly. Thus he <i>sets the one
over-against the other,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 7:14" id="Gen.xlii-p8.4" parsed="|Eccl|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.14">Eccl. vii.
14</scripRef>. With what wonderful wisdom has Providence, that
great housekeeper, ordered the affairs of this numerous family from
the beginning hitherto! Great variety of seasons there have been,
and the produce of the earth is sometimes more and sometimes less;
yet, take one time with another, what was miraculous concerning the
manna is ordinarily verified in the common course of Providence,
<i>He that gathers much has nothing over, and he that gathers
little has no lack,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 16:18" id="Gen.xlii-p8.5" parsed="|Exod|16|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.18">Exod. xvi.
18</scripRef>. 5. See the perishing nature of our worldly
enjoyments. The great increase of the years of plenty was quite
lost and swallowed up in the years of famine; and the overplus of
it, which seemed very much, yet did but just serve to keep men
alive, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:29-31" id="Gen.xlii-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|41|29|41|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.29-Gen.41.31"><i>v.</i> 29-31</scripRef>.
<i>Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall
destroy both it and them,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 6:13" id="Gen.xlii-p8.7" parsed="|1Cor|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.13">1 Cor.
vi. 13</scripRef>. There is bread which <i>endures to everlasting
life,</i> which shall not be forgotten, and which it is worth while
to labour for, <scripRef passage="Joh 6:27" id="Gen.xlii-p8.8" parsed="|John|6|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.27">John vi. 27</scripRef>.
Those that make the things of this world their good things will
find but little pleasure in remembering that they have received
them, <scripRef passage="Lu 16:25" id="Gen.xlii-p8.9" parsed="|Luke|16|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.16.25">Luke xvi. 25</scripRef>. 6.
Observe, God revealed this beforehand to Pharaoh, who, as king of
Egypt, was to be the father of his country, and to make prudent
provision for them. Magistrates are called <i>shepherds,</i> whose
care it must be, not only to rule, but to feed.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 41:33-45" id="Gen.xlii-p8.10" parsed="|Gen|41|33|41|45" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.33-Gen.41.45"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.41.33-Gen.41.45">
<h4 id="Gen.xlii-p8.11">Joseph's Exaltation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlii-p8.12">b. c.</span> 1715.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlii-p9">33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man
discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. &#160; 34
Let Pharaoh do <i>this,</i> and let him appoint officers over the
land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven
plenteous years. &#160; 35 And let them gather all the food of
those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of
Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. &#160; 36 And that
food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of
famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish
not through the famine. &#160; 37 And the thing was good in the
eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. &#160; 38 And
Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find <i>such a one</i> as
this <i>is,</i> a man in whom the Spirit of God <i>is?</i> &#160;
39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee
all this, <i>there is</i> none so discreet and wise as thou
<pb n="230" id="Gen.xlii-Page_230"/>
<i>art:</i> &#160; 40 Thou shalt be over my
house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled:
only in the throne will I be greater than thou. &#160; 41 And
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of
Egypt. &#160; 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and
put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine
linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; &#160; 43 And he made
him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried
before him, Bow the knee: and he made him <i>ruler</i> over all the
land of Egypt. &#160; 44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I <i>am</i>
Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in
all the land of Egypt. &#160; 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name
Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of
Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over <i>all</i> the
land of Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p10">Here is, I. The good advice that Joseph
gave to Pharaoh, which was, 1. That in the years of plenty he
should lay up for the years of famine, buy up corn when it was
cheap, that he might both enrich himself and supply the country
when it would be dear and scarce. Note, Fair warning should always
be followed with good counsel. Therefore the prudent man foresees
the evil, that he may hide himself. God has in his word told us of
a day of trial and exigence before us, when we shall need all the
grace we can get, and all little enough, "Now, therefore, provide
accordingly." Note, further, Times of gathering must be diligently
improved, because there will come a time of spending. Let us go to
the ant, and learn of her this wisdom, <scripRef passage="Pr 6:6-8" id="Gen.xlii-p10.1" parsed="|Prov|6|6|6|8" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.6-Prov.6.8">Prov. vi. 6-8</scripRef>. 2. Because that which is
everybody's work commonly proves nobody's work, he advises Pharaoh
to appoint officers who should make it their business, and to
select some one person to preside in the affair, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:33" id="Gen.xlii-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|41|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Probably, if Joseph had not
advised this, it would not have been done; Pharaoh's counsellors
could no more improve the dream than his magicians interpret it;
therefore it is said of him (<scripRef passage="Ps 105:22" id="Gen.xlii-p10.3" parsed="|Ps|105|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.22">Ps. cv.
22</scripRef>) that he <i>taught the senators, wisdom.</i> Hence we
may justly infer with Solomon (<scripRef passage="Ec 4:13" id="Gen.xlii-p10.4" parsed="|Eccl|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.4.13">Eccl.
iv. 13</scripRef>), <i>Better is a poor and a wise child than an
old and foolish king.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p11">II. The great honour that Pharaoh did to
Joseph. 1. He gave him an honourable testimony: He is <i>a man in
whom the Spirit of God is;</i> and this puts a great excellency
upon any man; such men ought to be valued, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:38" id="Gen.xlii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|41|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. He is a nonsuch for prudence:
<i>There is none so discreet and wise as thou art,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 41:39" id="Gen.xlii-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|41|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. Now he is abundantly
recompensed for the disgrace that had been done him; and his
righteousness is as the morning-light, <scripRef passage="Ps 37:6" id="Gen.xlii-p11.3" parsed="|Ps|37|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.6">Ps. xxxvii. 6</scripRef>. 2. He put him into an
honourable office; not only employed him to buy up corn, but made
him prime-minister of state, comptroller of the household&#8212;<i>Thou
shalt be over my house,</i> chief justice of the
kingdom&#8212;<i>according to thy word shall all my people be ruled,</i>
or <i>armed,</i> as some read it, and then it bespeaks him general
of the forces. Him commission was very ample: <i>I have set thee
over all the land of Egypt</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:41" id="Gen.xlii-p11.4" parsed="|Gen|41|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>); <i>without thee shall no man
lift up his hand or foot</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:44" id="Gen.xlii-p11.5" parsed="|Gen|41|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>); all the affairs of the kingdom
must pass through his hand. Nay (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:40" id="Gen.xlii-p11.6" parsed="|Gen|41|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>), <i>only in the throne will I
be greater than thou.</i> Note, It is the wisdom of princes to
prefer those, and the happiness of people to have those preferred,
to places of power and trust, in whom the Spirit of God is. It is
probable that there were those about the court who opposed Joseph's
preferment, which occasioned Pharaoh so often to repeat the grant,
and with that solemn sanction (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:44" id="Gen.xlii-p11.7" parsed="|Gen|41|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>), <i>I am Pharaoh.</i> When the
proposal was made that there should be a corn-master-general
nominated, it is said (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:37" id="Gen.xlii-p11.8" parsed="|Gen|41|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.37"><i>v.</i>
37</scripRef>), <i>Pharaoh's servants were all pleased</i> with the
proposal, each hoping for the place; but when Pharaoh said to them,
"Joseph shall be the man," we do not read that they made him any
answer, being uneasy at it, and acquiescing only because they could
not help it. Joseph had enemies, no doubt, archers that shot at
him, and hated him (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:23" id="Gen.xlii-p11.9" parsed="|Gen|49|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.23"><i>ch.</i> xlix.
23</scripRef>), as Daniel, <scripRef passage="Da 6:4" id="Gen.xlii-p11.10" parsed="|Dan|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.6.4"><i>ch.</i>
vi. 4</scripRef>. 3. He put upon him all the marks of honour
imaginable, to recommend him to the esteem and respect of the
people as the king's favourite, and one whom he delighted to
honour. (1.) He gave him his own ring, as a ratification of his
commission, and in token of peculiar favour; or it was like
delivering him the great seal. (2.) He put fine clothes upon him,
instead of his prison garments. For those that are in kings'
palaces must wear soft clothing; he that, in the morning, was
dragging his fetters of iron, before night was adorned with a chain
of gold. (3.) He made him <i>ride in the second chariot</i> to his
own, and ordered all to do homage to him: "<i>Bow the knee,</i> as
to Pharaoh himself." (4.) He gave him a new name, to show his
authority over him, and yet such a name as bespoke the value he had
for him, <i>Zaphnath-paaneah&#8212;A revealer of secrets.</i> (5.) He
married him honourably to a prince's daughter. Where God had been
liberal in giving wisdom and other merits, Pharaoh was not sparing
in conferring honours. Now this preferment of Joseph was, [1.] An
abundant recompense for his innocent and patient suffering, a
lasting instance of the equity and goodness of Providence, and an
encouragement to all good people to trust in a good God. [2.] It
was typical of the
<pb n="231" id="Gen.xlii-Page_231"/>
exaltation of Christ,
that great <i>revealer of secrets</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 1:18" id="Gen.xlii-p11.11" parsed="|John|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.18">John i. 18</scripRef>), or, as some translate Joseph's
new name, the <i>Saviour of the world.</i> The brightest glories of
the upper world are put upon him, the highest trust is lodged in
his hand, and all power is given to him both in heaven and earth.
He is gatherer, keeper, and disposer, of all the stores of divine
grace, and chief ruler of the kingdom of God among men. The work of
ministers is to cry before him, "<i>Bow the knee; kiss the
Son.</i>"</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 41:46-57" id="Gen.xlii-p11.12" parsed="|Gen|41|46|41|57" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.46-Gen.41.57"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.41.46-Gen.41.57">
<h4 id="Gen.xlii-p11.13">The Famine in Egypt and
Canaan. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlii-p11.14">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlii-p12">46 And Joseph <i>was</i> thirty years old when
he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the
presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
&#160; 47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth
by handfuls. &#160; 48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven
years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the
cities: the food of the field, which <i>was</i> round about every
city, laid he up in the same. &#160; 49 And Joseph gathered corn as
the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for <i>it
was</i> without number. &#160; 50 And unto Joseph were born two
sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of
Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him. &#160; 51 And Joseph called
the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, <i>said he,</i> hath
made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. &#160; 52
And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused
me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. &#160; 53 And the
seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were
ended. &#160; 54 And the seven years of dearth began to come,
according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but
in all the land of Egypt there was bread. &#160; 55 And when all
the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for
bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph;
what he saith to you, do. &#160; 56 And the famine was over all the
face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold
unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
&#160; 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy
<i>corn;</i> because that the famine was <i>so</i> sore in all
lands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p13">Observe here, I. The building of Joseph's
family in the birth of two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:50-52" id="Gen.xlii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|41|50|41|52" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.50-Gen.41.52"><i>v.</i> 50-52</scripRef>. In the names he
gave them, he owned the divine Providence giving this happy turn to
his affairs, 1. He was made to forget his misery, <scripRef passage="Job 11:16" id="Gen.xlii-p13.2" parsed="|Job|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.11.16">Job xi. 16</scripRef>. We should bear our
afflictions when they are present as those that know not but
Providence may so outweigh them by after-comforts as that we may
even forget them when they are past. But could he be so unnatural
as to <i>forget all his father's house?</i> He means the unkindness
he received from his brethren, or perhaps the wealth and honour he
expected from his father, with the birthright. The robes he now
wore made him forget the coat of divers colours which he wore in
his father's house. 2. He was made <i>fruitful in the land of his
affliction.</i> It had been the land of his affliction, and in some
sense it was still so, for it was not Canaan, the land of promise.
His distance from his father was still his affliction. Note, Light
is sometimes sown for the righteous in a barren and unlikely soil;
and yet if God sow it, and water it, it will come up again. The
afflictions of the saints promote their fruitfulness.
<i>Ephraim</i> signifies <i>fruitfulness,</i> and <i>Manasseh
forgetfulness,</i> for these two often go together; when Jeshurun
waxed fat, he forgot God his Maker.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p14">II. The accomplishment of Joseph's
predictions. Pharaoh had great confidence in the truth of them,
perhaps finding in his own mind, beyond what another person could,
an exact correspondence between them and his dreams, as between the
key and the lock; and the event showed that he was not deceived.
The seven plenteous years came (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:47" id="Gen.xlii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|41|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.47"><i>v.</i> 47</scripRef>), and, at length, they were
ended, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:54" id="Gen.xlii-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|41|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.54"><i>v.</i> 53</scripRef>. Note,
We ought to foresee the approaching period of the days both of our
prosperity and of our opportunity, and therefore must not be secure
in the enjoyment of our prosperity nor slothful in the improvement
of our opportunity; years of plenty will end, therefore, Whatever
thy hand finds to do do it; and gather in gathering time. <i>The
morning cometh and also the night</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 21:12" id="Gen.xlii-p14.3" parsed="|Isa|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.21.12">Isa. xxi. 12</scripRef>), the plenty and also the
famine. <i>The seven years of dearth began to come,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 41:54" id="Gen.xlii-p14.4" parsed="|Gen|41|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.54"><i>v.</i> 54</scripRef>. See what changes of
condition we are liable to in this world, and what need we have to
be joyful in a day of prosperity and in a day of adversity to
consider, <scripRef passage="Ec 7:14" id="Gen.xlii-p14.5" parsed="|Eccl|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.14">Eccl. vii. 14</scripRef>.
This famine, it seems, was not only in Egypt, but in other lands,
in <i>all lands,</i> that is, all the neighbouring countries;
<i>fruitful lands</i> are soon <i>turned into barrenness for the
iniquity of those that dwell therein,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 107:34" id="Gen.xlii-p14.6" parsed="|Ps|107|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.34">Ps. cvii. 34</scripRef>. It is here said that <i>in the
land of Egypt there was bread,</i> meaning probably, not only that
which Joseph had bought up for the king, but that which private
persons, by his example, and
<pb n="232" id="Gen.xlii-Page_232"/>
upon the public
notice of this prediction, as well as by the rules of common
prudence, had laid up.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlii-p15">III. The performance of Joseph's trust. He
was found faithful to it, as a steward ought to be. 1. He was
diligent in laying up, while the plenty lasted, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:48,49" id="Gen.xlii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|41|48|41|49" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.48-Gen.41.49"><i>v.</i> 48, 49</scripRef>. He that thus gathers is
a wise son. 2. He was prudent and careful in giving out, when the
famine came, and kept the markets low by furnishing them at
reasonable rates out of his stores. The people in distress cried to
Pharaoh, as that woman to the king of Israel (<scripRef passage="2Ki 6:26" id="Gen.xlii-p15.2" parsed="|2Kgs|6|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.6.26">2 Kings vi. 26</scripRef>), <i>Help, my lord, O
king:</i> he sent them to his treasurer, <i>Go to Joseph.</i> Thus
God in the gospel directs those that apply to him for mercy and
grace to <i>go to the Lord Jesus,</i> in whom all fulness dwells;
and, <i>What he saith to you, do.</i> Joseph, no doubt, with wisdom
and justice fixed the price of the corn he sold, so that Pharaoh,
whose money had bought it up, might have a reasonable profit, and
yet the country might not be oppressed, nor advantage taken of
their prevailing necessity; while he that withholdest corn when it
is dear, in hopes it will yet grow dearer, though people perish for
want of it, has many a curse for so doing (and it is not a curse
causeless), <i>blessings shall be upon the head of him that</i>
thus <i>selleth it,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 11:26" id="Gen.xlii-p15.3" parsed="|Prov|11|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.11.26">Prov. xi.
26</scripRef>. And let the price be determined by that golden rule
of justice, to do as we would be done by.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLII" n="xliii" progress="26.90%" prev="Gen.xlii" next="Gen.xliv" id="Gen.xliii">
<pb n="232" id="Gen.xliii-Page_232"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xliii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xliii-p0.2">CHAP. XLII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xliii-p1">We had, in the foregoing chapter, the fulfilling
of the dreams which Joseph had interpreted: in this and the
following chapters we have the fulfilling of the dreams which
Joseph himself had dreamed, that his father's family should do
homage to him. The story is very largely and particularly related
of what passed between Joseph and his brethren, not only because it
is an entertaining story, and probably was much talked of, both
among the Israelites and among the Egyptians, but because it is
very instructive, and it gave occasion for the removal of Jacob's
family into Egypt, on which so many great events afterwards
depended. We have, in this chapter, I. The humble application of
Jacob's sons to Joseph to buy corn, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:1-6" id="Gen.xliii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|42|1|42|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.1-Gen.42.6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>. II. The fright Joseph put them
into, for their trial, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:7-20" id="Gen.xliii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|42|7|42|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.7-Gen.42.20">ver.
7-20</scripRef>. III. The conviction they were now under of their
sin concerning Joseph long before, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:21-24" id="Gen.xliii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|42|21|42|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.21-Gen.42.24">ver. 21-24</scripRef>. IV. Their return to Canaan
with corn, and the great distress their good father was in upon
hearing the account of their expedition, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:25-38" id="Gen.xliii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|42|25|42|38" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.25-Gen.42.38">ver. 25</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 42" id="Gen.xliii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|42|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 42:1-6" id="Gen.xliii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|42|1|42|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.1-Gen.42.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.42.1-Gen.42.6">
<h4 id="Gen.xliii-p1.7">Jacob Sends to Egypt to Buy
Corn. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliii-p2">1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in
Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
&#160; 2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in
Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we
may live, and not die. &#160; 3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down
to buy corn in Egypt. &#160; 4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother,
Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure
mischief befal him. &#160; 5 And the sons of Israel came to buy
<i>corn</i> among those that came: for the famine was in the land
of Canaan. &#160; 6 And Joseph <i>was</i> the governor over the
land, <i>and</i> he <i>it was</i> that sold to all the people of
the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves
before him <i>with</i> their faces to the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p3">Though Jacob's sons were all married, and
had families of their own, yet, it should seem, they were still
incorporated in one society, under the conduct and presidency of
their father Jacob. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p4">I. The orders he gave them to go and buy
corn in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:1,2" id="Gen.xliii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|42|1|42|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.1-Gen.42.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. Observe, 1. The famine was grievous in the land of
Canaan. It is observable that all the three patriarchs, to whom
Canaan was the land of promise, met with famine in that land, which
was not only to try their faith, whether they could trust God
though he should slay them, though he should starve them, but to
teach them to seek the better country, that is, the heavenly,
<scripRef passage="Heb 11:14-16" id="Gen.xliii-p4.2" parsed="|Heb|11|14|11|16" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.14-Heb.11.16">Heb. xi. 14-16</scripRef>. We have
need of something to wean us from this world, and make us long for
a better. 2. Still, when there was famine in Canaan, there was corn
in Egypt. Thus Providence orders it, that one place should be a
succour and supply to another; for we are all brethren. The
Egyptians, the seed of accursed Ham, have plenty, when God's
blessed Israel want: thus God, in dispensing common favours, often
crosses hands. Yet observe, The plenty Egypt now had was owing,
under God, to Joseph's prudence and care: if his brethren had not
sold him into Egypt, but respected him according to his merits, who
knows but he might have done the same thing for Jacob's family
which now he had done for Pharaoh, and the Egyptians might then
have come to them to buy corn? but those who drive away from among
them wise and good men know not what they do. 3. <i>Jacob saw that
there was corn in Egypt;</i> he saw the corn that his neighbours
had bought there and brought home. It is a spur to exertion to see
where supplies are to be had, and to see others supplied. Shall
others get food for their souls, and shall we starve while it is to
be had? 4. He reproved his sons for delaying to provide corn for
their families. <i>Why do you look one upon another?</i> Note, When
we are in trouble and want, it is folly for us to stand looking
upon one another, that is, to stand desponding and despairing, as
if there were no hope, no help,&#8212;to stand disputing either which
shall have the honour of going first or which shall have the safety
of coming last,&#8212;to stand deliberating and debating what we shall
do, and doing nothing,&#8212;to stand dreaming under a spirit of
slumber, as if we had nothing to do, and to stand delaying, as if
we had time at command. Let it never be said, "We left that to be
done to-morrow which we could as well have done to-day." 5. He
quickened them to go to Egypt: <i>Get you down thither.</i> Masters
of families must not only pray for daily bread for their families,
and food convenient,
<pb n="233" id="Gen.xliii-Page_233"/>
but must lay out
themselves with care and industry to provide it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p5">II. Their obedience to these orders,
<scripRef passage="Ge 42:3" id="Gen.xliii-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|42|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They <i>went
down to buy corn;</i> they did not send their servants, but very
prudently went themselves, to lay out their own money. Let none
think themselves too great nor too good to take pains. Masters of
families should see with their own eyes, and take heed of leaving
too much to servants. Only Benjamin went not with them, for he was
his father's darling. To Egypt they came, among others, and, having
a considerable cargo of corn to buy, they were brought before
Joseph himself, who probably expected they would come; and,
according to the laws of courtesy, <i>they bowed down themselves
before him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 42:6" id="Gen.xliii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|42|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
Now their empty sheaves did obeisance to his full one. Compare this
with <scripRef passage="Isa 60:14,Re 3:9" id="Gen.xliii-p5.3" parsed="|Isa|60|14|0|0;|Rev|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.60.14 Bible:Rev.3.9">Isa. lx. 14 and Rev. iii.
9</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 42:7-20" id="Gen.xliii-p5.4" parsed="|Gen|42|7|42|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.7-Gen.42.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.42.7-Gen.42.20">
<h4 id="Gen.xliii-p5.5">Joseph Speaks Roughly to His
Brethren. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliii-p5.6">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliii-p6">7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them,
but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them;
and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land
of Canaan to buy food. &#160; 8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but
they knew not him. &#160; 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which
he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye <i>are</i> spies; to see
the nakedness of the land ye are come. &#160; 10 And they said unto
him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. &#160; 11
We <i>are</i> all one man's sons; we <i>are</i> true <i>men,</i>
thy servants are no spies. &#160; 12 And he said unto them, Nay,
but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. &#160; 13 And
they said, Thy servants <i>are</i> twelve brethren, the sons of one
man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest <i>is</i> this
day with our father, and one <i>is</i> not. &#160; 14 And Joseph
said unto them, That <i>is it</i> that I spake unto you, saying, Ye
<i>are</i> spies: &#160; 15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life
of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest
brother come hither. &#160; 16 Send one of you, and let him fetch
your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may
be proved, whether <i>there be any</i> truth in you: or else by the
life of Pharaoh surely ye <i>are</i> spies. &#160; 17 And he put
them all together into ward three days. &#160; 18 And Joseph said
unto them the third day, This do, and live; <i>for</i> I fear God:
&#160; 19 If ye <i>be</i> true <i>men,</i> let one of your brethren
be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the
famine of your houses: &#160; 20 But bring your youngest brother
unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And
they did so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p7">We may well wonder that Joseph, during the
twenty years that he had now been in Egypt, especially during the
last seven years that he had been in power there, never sent to his
father to acquaint him with his circumstances; nay, it is strange
that he who so often <i>went throughout all the land of Egypt</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 41:45,46" id="Gen.xliii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|41|45|41|46" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.45-Gen.41.46"><i>ch.</i> xli. 45, 46</scripRef>)
never made an excursion to Canaan, to visit his aged father, when
he was in the borders of Egypt, that lay next to Canaan. Perhaps it
would not have been above three or four days' journey for him in
his chariot. It is a probable conjecture that his whole management
of himself in this affair was by special direction from Heaven,
that the purpose of God concerning Jacob and his family might be
accomplished. When Joseph's brethren came, he knew them by many a
satisfactory token, but they knew not him, little thinking to find
him there, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:8" id="Gen.xliii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|42|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. He
<i>remembered the dreams</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:9" id="Gen.xliii-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|42|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>), but they had forgotten them. The laying up of God's
oracles in our hearts will be of excellent use to us in all our
conduct. Joseph had an eye to his dreams, which he knew to be
divine, in his carriage towards his brethren, and aimed at the
accomplishment of them and the bringing of his brethren to
repentance for their former sins; and both these points were
gained.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p8">I. He showed himself very rigorous and
harsh with them. The very manner of his speaking, considering the
post he was in, was enough to frighten them; for <i>he spoke
roughly to them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 42:7" id="Gen.xliii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|42|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. He charged them with bad designs against the
government (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:9" id="Gen.xliii-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|42|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>),
treated them as dangerous persons, saying, <i>You are spies,</i>
and protesting <i>by the life of Pharaoh</i> that they were so,
<scripRef passage="Ge 42:16" id="Gen.xliii-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|42|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Some make
this an oath, others make it no more than a vehement asseveration,
like that, <i>as thy soul liveth;</i> however it was more than yea,
yea, and nay, nay, and therefore came of evil. Note, Bad words are
soon learned by converse with those that use them, but not so soon
unlearned. Joseph, by being much at court, got the courtier's oath,
<i>By the life of Pharaoh,</i> perhaps designing hereby to confirm
his brethren in their belief that he was an Egyptian, and not an
Israelite. They knew this was not the language of a son of Abraham.
When Peter would prove himself no disciple of Christ, he cursed and
swore. Now why was Joseph thus hard upon his brethren? We may be
sure it was not from a spirit of revenge, that he might now trample
upon those who had formerly trampled upon him; he was not a man of
<pb n="234" id="Gen.xliii-Page_234"/>
that temper. But, 1. It was to enrich his
own dreams, and complete the accomplishment of them. 2. It was to
bring them to repentance. 3. It was to get out of them an account
of the state of their family, which he longed to know: they would
have discovered him if he had asked as a friend, therefore he asks
as a judge. Not seeing his brother Benjamin with them, perhaps he
began to suspect that they had made away with him too, and
therefore gives them occasion to speak of their father and brother.
Note, God in his providence sometimes seems harsh with those he
loves, and speaks roughly to those for whom yet he has great mercy
in store.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p9">II. They, hereupon, were very submissive.
They spoke to him with all the respect imaginable: <i>Nay, my
lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:10" id="Gen.xliii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|42|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>)&#8212;a
great change since they said, <i>Behold, this dreamer comes.</i>
They very modestly deny the charge: <i>We are no spies.</i> They
tell him their business, that they came to buy food, a justifiable
errand, and the same that many strangers came to Egypt upon at this
time. They undertake to give a particular account of themselves and
their family (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:13" id="Gen.xliii-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|42|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), and this was what they wanted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p10">III. He clapped them all up in prison for
three days, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:17" id="Gen.xliii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|42|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
Thus God deals with the souls he designs for special comfort and
honour; he first humbles them, and terrifies them, and brings them
under a spirit of bondage, and then binds up their wounds by the
Spirit of adoption.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p11">IV. He concluded with them, at last, that
one of them should be left as a hostage, and the rest should go
home and fetch Benjamin. It was a very encouraging word he said to
them (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:18" id="Gen.xliii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|42|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>I
fear God;</i> as if he had said, "You may assure yourselves I will
do you no wrong; I dare not, for I know that, high as I am, there
is one higher than I." Note, With those that fear God we have
reason to expect fair dealing. The fear of God will be a check upon
those that are in power, to restrain them from abusing their power
to oppression and tyranny. Those that have no one else to stand in
awe of ought to stand in awe of their own consciences. See
<scripRef passage="Ne 5:15" id="Gen.xliii-p11.2" parsed="|Neh|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.15">Neh. v. 15</scripRef>, <i>So did not I,
because of the fear of God.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 42:21-28" id="Gen.xliii-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|42|21|42|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.21-Gen.42.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.42.21-Gen.42.28">
<h4 id="Gen.xliii-p11.4">Reflections of Joseph's
Brethren. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliii-p11.5">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliii-p12">21 And they said one to another, We <i>are</i>
verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of
his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is
this distress come upon us. &#160; 22 And Reuben answered them,
saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child;
and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is
required. &#160; 23 And they knew not that Joseph understood
<i>them;</i> for he spake unto them by an interpreter. &#160; 24
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to
them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and
bound him before their eyes. &#160; 25 Then Joseph commanded to
fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into
his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he
unto them. &#160; 26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and
departed thence. &#160; 27 And as one of them opened his sack to
give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for,
behold, it <i>was</i> in his sack's mouth. &#160; 28 And he said
unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, <i>it is</i> even
in my sack: and their heart failed <i>them,</i> and they were
afraid, saying one to another, What <i>is</i> this <i>that</i> God
hath done unto us?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p13">Here is, I. The penitent reflection
Joseph's brethren made upon the wrong they had formerly done to
him, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:21" id="Gen.xliii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|42|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. They
talked the matter over in the Hebrew tongue, not suspecting that
Joseph, whom they took for a native of Egypt, understood them, much
less that he was the person they spoke of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p14">1. They remembered with regret the
barbarous cruelty wherewith they persecuted him: <i>We are verily
guilty concerning our brother.</i> We do not read that they said
this during their three days' imprisonment; but now, when the
matter had come to some issue and they saw themselves still
embarrassed, now they began to relent. Perhaps Joseph's mention of
<i>the fear of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:18" id="Gen.xliii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|42|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>) put them upon consideration and extorted this
reflection. Now see here, (1.) The office of conscience; it is a
remembrancer, to bring to mind things long since said and done, to
show us wherein we have erred, though it was long ago, as the
reflection here mentioned was above twenty years after the sin was
committed. As time will not wear out the guilt of sin, so it will
not blot out the records of conscience; when the guilt of this sin
of Joseph's brethren was fresh they made light of it, and sat down
to eat bread; but now, long afterwards, their consciences reminded
them of it. (2.) The benefit of affliction; they often prove the
happy and effectual means of awakening conscience, and bringing sin
to our remembrance, <scripRef passage="Job 13:26" id="Gen.xliii-p14.2" parsed="|Job|13|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.13.26">Job xiii.
26</scripRef>. (3.) The evil of guilt concerning our brethren; of
all their sins, it was this that conscience now reproached them
for. Whenever we think we have wrong done us, we ought to remember
the wrong we have done to others, <scripRef passage="Ec 7:21,22" id="Gen.xliii-p14.3" parsed="|Eccl|7|21|7|22" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.21-Eccl.7.22">Eccl. vii. 21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p15">2. Reuben alone remembered, with comfort,
that he had been an advocate for his
<pb n="235" id="Gen.xliii-Page_235"/>
brother, and had done what he could to prevent the mischief they
did him (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:22" id="Gen.xliii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|42|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>):
<i>Spoke I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child?</i>
Note, (1.) It is an aggravation of any sin that it was committed
against admonitions. (2.) When we come to share with others in
their calamities, it will be a comfort to us if we have the
testimony of our consciences for us that we did not share with them
in their iniquities, but, in our places, witnessed against them.
This shall be our rejoicing in the day of evil, and shall take out
the sting.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p16">II. Joseph's tenderness towards them upon
this occasion. He retired from them to weep, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:24" id="Gen.xliii-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|42|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. Though his reason directed that
he should still carry himself as a stranger to them, because they
were not as yet humbled enough, yet natural affection could not but
work, for he was a man of a tender spirit. This represents the
tender mercies of our God towards repenting sinners. See <scripRef passage="Jer 31:20" id="Gen.xliii-p16.2" parsed="|Jer|31|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.31.20">Jer. xxxi. 20</scripRef>, <i>Since I spoke
against him I do earnestly remember him still.</i> See <scripRef passage="Jdg 10:16" id="Gen.xliii-p16.3" parsed="|Judg|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.16">Judg. x. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p17">III. The imprisonment of Simeon, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:24" id="Gen.xliii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|42|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. He chose him for the
hostage probably because he remembered him to have been his most
bitter enemy, or because he observed him now to be least humbled
and concerned; he bound him <i>before their eyes</i> to affect them
all; or perhaps it is intimated that, though he bound him with some
severity before them, yet afterwards, when they were gone, he took
off his bonds.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p18">IV. The dismission of the rest of them.
They came for corn, and corn they had; and not only so, but every
man had his money restored in his sack's mouth. Thus Christ, our
Joseph, gives out supplies without money and without price.
Therefore the poor are invited to buy, <scripRef passage="Re 3:17,18" id="Gen.xliii-p18.1" parsed="|Rev|3|17|3|18" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.17-Rev.3.18">Rev. iii. 17, 18</scripRef>. This put them into great
consternation (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:28" id="Gen.xliii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|42|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>): <i>Their heart failed them, and they were afraid,
saying one to another, What is this that God hath done to
us?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p19">1. It was really a merciful event; for I
hope they had no wrong done to them when they had their money given
them back, but a kindness; yet they were thus terrified by it.
Note, (1.) Guilty consciences are apt to take good providences in a
bad sense, and to put wrong constructions even upon those things
that make for them. They flee when none pursues. (2.) Wealth
sometimes brings as much care along with it as want does, and more
too. If they had been robbed of their money, they could not have
been worse frightened than they were now when they found their
money in their sacks. Thus he whose ground brought forth
plentifully said, <i>What shall I do?</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 12:17" id="Gen.xliii-p19.1" parsed="|Luke|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.17">Luke xii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p20">2. Yet in their circumstances it was very
amazing. They knew that the Egyptians abhorred a Hebrew (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:32" id="Gen.xliii-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|43|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.32"><i>ch.</i> xliii. 32</scripRef>), and therefore,
since they could not expect to receive any kindness from them, they
concluded that this was done with a design to pick a quarrel with
them, and the rather because the man, the lord of the land, had
charged them as spies. Their own consciences also were awake, and
their sins set in order before them; and this put them into
confusion. Note, (1.) When men's spirits are sinking every thing
helps to sink them. (2.) When the events of Providence concerning
us are surprising it is good to enquire what it is that God has
done and is doing with us, and to consider the operation of his
hands.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 42:29-38" id="Gen.xliii-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|42|29|42|38" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.29-Gen.42.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.42.29-Gen.42.38">
<h4 id="Gen.xliii-p20.3">The Report Made to Jacob. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliii-p20.4">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliii-p21">29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto
the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
&#160; 30 The man, <i>who is</i> the lord of the land, spake
roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. &#160; 31 And
we said unto him, We <i>are</i> true <i>men;</i> we are no spies:
&#160; 32 We <i>be</i> twelve brethren, sons of our father; one
<i>is</i> not, and the youngest <i>is</i> this day with our father
in the land of Canaan. &#160; 33 And the man, the lord of the
country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye <i>are</i> true
<i>men;</i> leave one of your brethren <i>here</i> with me, and
take <i>food for</i> the famine of your households, and be gone:
&#160; 34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I
know that ye <i>are</i> no spies, but <i>that</i> ye <i>are</i>
true <i>men: so</i> will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall
traffic in the land. &#160; 35 And it came to pass as they emptied
their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money <i>was</i>
in his sack: and when <i>both</i> they and their father saw the
bundles of money, they were afraid. &#160; 36 And Jacob their
father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved <i>of my children:</i>
Joseph <i>is</i> not, and Simeon <i>is</i> not, and ye will take
Benjamin <i>away:</i> all these things are against me. &#160; 37
And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I
bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring
him to thee again. &#160; 38 And he said, My son shall not go down
with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if
mischief befal him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye
bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliii-p22">Here is, 1. The report which Jacob's sons
made to their father of the great distress they had been in in
Egypt; how they had been suspected, and threatened, and obliged
<pb n="236" id="Gen.xliii-Page_236"/>
to leave Simeon a prisoner there, till they
should bring Benjamin with them thither. Who would have thought of
this when they left home? When we go abroad we should consider how
many sad accidents, that we little think of, may befal us before we
return home. <i>We know not what a day may bring forth;</i> we
ought therefore to be always ready for the worst. 2. The deep
impression this made upon the good man. The very bundles of money
which Joseph returned, in kindness to his father, frightened him
(<scripRef passage="Ge 42:35" id="Gen.xliii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|42|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>); for he
concluded it was done with some mischievous design, or perhaps
suspected his own sons to have committed some offence, and so to
have run themselves into a <i>pr&#230;munire&#8212;a penalty,</i> which is
intimated in what he says (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:36" id="Gen.xliii-p22.2" parsed="|Gen|42|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.36"><i>v.</i>
36</scripRef>): <i>Me have you bereaved.</i> He seems to lay the
fault upon them; knowing their characters, he feared they had
provoked the Egyptians, and perhaps forcibly, or fraudulently,
brought home their money. Jacob is here much out of temper. (1.) He
has very melancholy apprehensions concerning the present state of
his family: <i>Joseph is not, and Simeon is not;</i> whereas Joseph
was in honour and Simeon in the way to it. Note, We often perplex
ourselves with our own mistakes, even in matters of fact. True
griefs may arise from false intelligence and suppositions,
<scripRef passage="2Sa 13:31" id="Gen.xliii-p22.3" parsed="|2Sam|13|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.13.31">2 Sam. xiii. 31</scripRef>. Jacob
gives up Joseph for gone, and Simeon and Benjamin as being in
danger; and he concludes, <i>All these things are against me.</i>
It proved otherwise, that all these were for him, were working
together for his good and the good of his family: yet here he
thinks them all against him. Note, Through our ignorance and
mistake, and the weakness of our faith, we often apprehend that to
be against us which is really for us. We are afflicted in body,
estate, name, and relations; and we think all these things are
against us, whereas these are really working for us the weight of
glory. (2.) He is at present resolved that Benjamin shall not go
down. Reuben will undertake to bring him back in safety (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:37" id="Gen.xliii-p22.4" parsed="|Gen|42|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>), not so much as putting
in, <i>If the Lord will,</i> nor expecting the common disasters of
travellers; but he foolishly bids Jacob slay his two sons (which,
it is likely, he was very proud of) if he brought him not back; as
if the death of two grandsons could satisfy Jacob for the death of
a son. No, Jacob's present thoughts are, <i>My son shall not go
down with you.</i> He plainly intimates a distrust of them,
remembering that he never saw Joseph since he had been with them;
therefore, "Benjamin shall not go with you, by the way in which you
go, for <i>you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the
grave.</i>" Note, It is bad with a family when children conduct
themselves so ill that their parents know not how to trust
them.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLIII" n="xliv" progress="27.37%" prev="Gen.xliii" next="Gen.xlv" id="Gen.xliv">
<pb n="236" id="Gen.xliv-Page_236"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xliv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xliv-p0.2">CHAP. XLIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xliv-p1">Here the story of Joseph's brethren is carried on,
and very particularly related. I. Their melancholy parting with
their father Jacob in Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:1-14" id="Gen.xliv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|43|1|43|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.1-Gen.43.14">ver.
1-14</scripRef>. II. Their pleasant meeting with Joseph in Egypt,
<scripRef passage="Ge 43:15-34" id="Gen.xliv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|43|15|43|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.15-Gen.43.34">ver. 15</scripRef>, &amp;c. For on
this occasion nothing occurs there but what is agreeable and
pleasant.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 43" id="Gen.xliv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|43|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 43:1-10" id="Gen.xliv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|43|1|43|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.1-Gen.43.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.43.1-Gen.43.10">
<h4 id="Gen.xliv-p1.5">Jacob Unwilling to Part with
Benjamin. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliv-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliv-p2">1 And the famine <i>was</i> sore in the land.
&#160; 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which
they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go
again, buy us a little food. &#160; 3 And Judah spake unto him,
saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not
see my face, except your brother <i>be</i> with you. &#160; 4 If
thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee
food: &#160; 5 But if thou wilt not send <i>him,</i> we will not go
down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except
your brother <i>be</i> with you. &#160; 6 And Israel said,
Wherefore dealt ye <i>so</i> ill with me, <i>as</i> to tell the man
whether ye had yet a brother? &#160; 7 And they said, The man asked
us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, <i>Is</i>
your father yet alive? have ye <i>another</i> brother? and we told
him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know
that he would say, Bring your brother down? &#160; 8 And Judah said
unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and
go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, <i>and</i>
also our little ones. &#160; 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand
shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him
before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: &#160; 10 For
except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second
time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p3">Here, 1. Jacob urges his sons to go and buy
more corn in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:1,2" id="Gen.xliv-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|43|1|43|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.1-Gen.43.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. The famine continued; and the corn they had bought
was all spent, for it is meat that perisheth. Jacob, as a good
master of a family, is in care to provide for those of his own
house food convenient; and shall not God provide for his children,
for <i>the household of faith?</i> Jacob bids them go again and buy
a <i>little</i> food; now, in time of scarcity, a little must
suffice, for nature is content with a little. 2. Judah urges him to
consent that Benjamin should go down with them, how much soever it
went against his feelings and previous determination. Note, It is
not at all inconsistent with the honour and duty which children owe
their parents humbly and modestly to advise them, and, as occasion
is, to reason with them. <i>Plead with your mother, plead,</i>
<scripRef passage="ho 2:2" id="Gen.xliv-p3.2" parsed="|Hos|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.2">Hos. ii. 2</scripRef>. (1.) He insists
upon the
<pb n="237" id="Gen.xliv-Page_237"/>
absolute necessity they were under
of bringing Benjamin with them, of which he, who was a witness to
all that had passed in Egypt, was a more competent judge than Jacob
could be. Joseph's protestation (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:3" id="Gen.xliv-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|43|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) may be alluded to to show upon
what terms we must draw nigh to God; unless we bring Christ along
with us in the arms of our faith, we cannot see the face of God
with comfort. (2.) He engages to take all possible care of him, and
to do his utmost for his safety, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:8,9" id="Gen.xliv-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|43|8|43|9" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.8-Gen.43.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. Judah's conscience had
lately smitten him for what he had done a great while ago against
Joseph (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:21" id="Gen.xliv-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|42|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.21"><i>ch.</i> xlii.
21</scripRef>); and, as an evidence of the truth of his repentance,
he is ready to undertake, as far as a man could do it, for
Benjamin's security. He will not only not wrong him, but will do
all he can to protect him. This is restitution, as far as the case
will admit; when he knew not how he could restore Joseph, he would
make some amends for the irreparable injury he had done him by
doubling his care concerning Benjamin.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 43:11-14" id="Gen.xliv-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|43|11|43|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.11-Gen.43.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.43.11-Gen.43.14">
<h4 id="Gen.xliv-p3.7">Joseph's Brethren Again Sent to
Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliv-p3.8">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliv-p4">11 And their father Israel said unto them, If
<i>it must be</i> so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the
land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little
balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
&#160; 12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that
was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry <i>it</i> again
in your hand; peradventure it <i>was</i> an oversight: &#160; 13
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: &#160; 14
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send
away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved <i>of my
children,</i> I am bereaved.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p5">Observe here, I. Jacob's persuasibleness.
He would be ruled by reason, though they were his inferiors that
urged it. He saw the necessity of the case; and, since there was no
remedy, he consented to yield to the necessity (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:11" id="Gen.xliv-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|43|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): "<i>If it must be so now, take
your brother.</i> If no corn can be had but upon those terms, we
may as well expose him to the perils of the journey as suffer
ourselves and families, and Benjamin amongst the rest, to perish
for want of bread." <i>Skin for skin, and all that a man has,</i>
even a Benjamin, the dearest of all, <i>will he give for his
life.</i> No death so dreadful as that by famine, <scripRef passage="La 4:9" id="Gen.xliv-p5.2" parsed="|Lam|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.4.9">Lam. iv. 9</scripRef>. Jacob had said (<scripRef passage="Ge 42:38" id="Gen.xliv-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|42|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.38"><i>ch.</i> xlii. 38</scripRef>), <i>My son shall
not go down;</i> but now he is over-persuaded to consent. Note, It
is no fault, but our wisdom and duty, to alter our purposes and
resolutions when there is a good reason for our so doing. Constancy
is a virtue, but obstinacy is not. It is God's prerogative not to
repent, and to make unchangeable resolves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p6">II. Jacob's prudence and justice, which
appeared in three things:&#8212;1. He sent back the money which they had
found in the sacks' mouths, with this discreet construction of it,
<i>Peradventure it was an oversight.</i> Note, Honesty obliges us
to make restitution, not only of that which comes to us by our own
fault, but of that which comes to us by the mistakes of others.
Though we get it by oversight, if we keep it when the oversight is
discovered, it is kept by deceit. In the stating of accounts,
errors must be excepted, even those that make for us as well as
those that make against us. Jacob's words furnish us with a
favourable construction to put upon that which we are tempted to
resent as an injury and affront; pass it by, and say,
<i>Peradventure it was an oversight.</i> 2. He sent double money,
as much again as they took the time before, upon supposition that
the price of corn might have risen,&#8212;or that if it should be
insisted upon they might pay a ransom for Simeon, or his
prison-fees,&#8212;or to show a generous spirit, that they might be the
more likely to find generous treatment with <i>the man, the lord of
the land.</i> 3. He sent a present of such things as the land
afforded, and as were scarce in Egypt&#8212;<i>balm and honey,
&amp;c.</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:11" id="Gen.xliv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|43|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>),
the commodities that Canaan exported, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:25" id="Gen.xliv-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|37|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.25"><i>ch.</i> xxxvii. 25</scripRef>. Note, (1.) Providence
dispenses its gifts variously. Some countries produce one
commodity, others another, that commerce may be preserved. (2.)
Honey and spice will never make up the want of bread-corn. The
famine was sore in Canaan, and yet they had balm and myrrh, &amp;c.
We may live well enough upon plain food without dainties; but we
cannot live upon dainties without plain food. Let us thank God that
that which is most needful and useful is generally most cheap and
common. (3.) A <i>gift in secret pacifies wrath,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 21:14" id="Gen.xliv-p6.3" parsed="|Prov|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.21.14">Prov. xxi. 14</scripRef>. Jacob's sons were
unjustly accused as spies, yet Jacob was willing to be at the
expense of a present, to pacify the accuser. Sometimes we must not
think it too much to buy peace even where we may justly demand it,
and insist upon it as our right.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p7">III. Jacob's piety appearing in his prayer:
<i>God Almighty give you mercy before the man!</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 43:14" id="Gen.xliv-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|43|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Jacob had formerly
turned an angry brother into a kind one with a present and a
prayer; and here he betakes himself to the same tried method, and
it sped well. Note, Those that would find mercy with men must seek
it of God, who has all hearts in his hands, and turns them as he
pleases.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p8">IV. Jacob's patience. He concludes all with
this: "<i>If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved;</i> If I
must part with them thus one after another, I must acquiesce, and
say, <i>The will of the Lord be done.</i>" Note, It is our wisdom
to reconcile ourselves to the sorest afflictions, and make the best
of
<pb n="238" id="Gen.xliv-Page_238"/>
them; for there is nothing got by
striving with our Maker, <scripRef passage="2Sa 15:25,26" id="Gen.xliv-p8.1" parsed="|2Sam|15|25|15|26" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.15.25-2Sam.15.26">2 Sam.
xv. 25, 26</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 43:15-25" id="Gen.xliv-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|43|15|43|25" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.15-Gen.43.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.43.15-Gen.43.25">
<h4 id="Gen.xliv-p8.3">Joseph Entertains His
Brethren. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xliv-p8.4">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliv-p9">15 And the men took that present, and they took
double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went
down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. &#160; 16 And when Joseph
saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring
<i>these</i> men home, and slay, and make ready; for <i>these</i>
men shall dine with me at noon. &#160; 17 And the man did as Joseph
bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house. &#160; 18
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's
house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our
sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek
occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and
our asses. &#160; 19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's
house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, &#160;
20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy
food: &#160; 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that
we opened our sacks, and, behold, <i>every</i> man's money
<i>was</i> in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and
we have brought it again in our hand. &#160; 22 And other money
have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who
put our money in our sacks. &#160; 23 And he said, Peace <i>be</i>
to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given
you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon
out unto them. &#160; 24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's
house, and gave <i>them</i> water, and they washed their feet; and
he gave their asses provender. &#160; 25 And they made ready the
present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they
should eat bread there.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p10">Jacob's sons, having got leave to take
Benjamin with them, were observant of the orders their father had
given them, and went down the second time into Egypt to buy corn.
If we should ever know what a famine of the word means, let us not
think it much to travel as far for spiritual food as they did for
corporal food. Now here we have an account of what passed between
them and Joseph's steward, who, some conjecture, was in the secret,
and knew them to be Joseph's brethren, and helped to humour the
thing; I rather think not, because no man was permitted to be
present when Joseph afterwards made himself known to them,
<scripRef passage="Ge 45:1" id="Gen.xliv-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|45|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.1"><i>ch.</i> xlv. 1</scripRef>. Observe,
1. Joseph's steward has orders from his master (who was busy
selling corn, and receiving money) to take them to his house, and
make ready for their entertainment. Though Joseph saw Benjamin
there, he would not leave his work at working-time, nor trust
another with it. Note, Business must take place of civility in its
season. Our needful employments must not be neglected, no, not to
pay respect to our friends. 2. Even this frightened them: <i>They
were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 43:18" id="Gen.xliv-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|43|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. The just
challenges of their own consciences, and Joseph's violent
suspicions of them, forbade them to expect any favour, and
suggested to them that this was done with a bad design upon them.
Note, Those that are guilty and timorous are apt to make the worst
of every thing. Now they thought they should be reckoned with about
the money in the sacks' mouths, and should be charged as cheats,
and men not fit to be dealt with, who had taken advantage of the
hurry of the market to carry off their corn unpaid for. They
therefore laid the case before the steward, that he, being apprized
of it, might stand between them and danger; and, as a substantial
proof of their honesty, before they were charged with taking back
their money they produced it. Note, Integrity and uprightness will
preserve us, and will clear themselves as the light of the morning.
3. The steward encouraged them (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:23" id="Gen.xliv-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|43|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>Peace be to you, fear
not;</i> though he knew not what his master drove at, yet he was
aware these were men whom he meant no harm to, while he thus amused
them; and therefore he directs them to look at the divine
Providence in the return of their money: <i>Your God, and the God
of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks.</i> Observe,
(1.) Hereby he shows that he had no suspicion at all of dishonesty
in them: for of what we get by deceit we cannot say, "God gives it
to us." (2.) Hereby he silences their further enquiry about it.
"Ask not how it came thither; Providence brought it to you, and let
that satisfy you." (3.) It appears by what he said that, by his
good master's instructions, he was brought to the knowledge of the
true God, the God of the Hebrews. It may justly be expected that
those who are servants in religious families should take all fit
occasions to speak of God and his providence with reverence and
seriousness. (4.) He directs them to look up to God, and
acknowledge his providence in the good bargain they had. We must
own ourselves indebted to God, as <i>our God and the God of our
fathers</i> (a God in covenant with
<pb n="239" id="Gen.xliv-Page_239"/>
us and
them) for all our successes and advantages, and the kindnesses of
our friends; for every creature is that to us, and no more, which
God makes it to be. The steward encouraged them, not only in words
but in deeds; for he made very much of them till his master came,
<scripRef passage="Ge 43:24" id="Gen.xliv-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|43|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 43:26-34" id="Gen.xliv-p10.5" parsed="|Gen|43|26|43|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.26-Gen.43.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.43.26-Gen.43.34">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xliv-p11">26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him
the present which <i>was</i> in their hand into the house, and
bowed themselves to him to the earth. &#160; 27 And he asked them
of <i>their</i> welfare, and said, <i>Is</i> your father well, the
old man of whom ye spake? <i>Is</i> he yet alive? &#160; 28 And
they answered, Thy servant our father <i>is</i> in good health, he
<i>is</i> yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made
obeisance. &#160; 29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother
Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, <i>Is</i> this your younger
brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious
unto thee, my son. &#160; 30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels
did yearn upon his brother: and he sought <i>where</i> to weep; and
he entered into <i>his</i> chamber, and wept there. &#160; 31 And
he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said,
Set on bread. &#160; 32 And they set on for him by himself, and for
them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him,
by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the
Hebrews; for that <i>is</i> an abomination unto the Egyptians.
&#160; 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his
birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men
marvelled one at another. &#160; 34 And he took <i>and sent</i>
messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five
times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p12">Here is, I. The great respect that Joseph's
brethren paid to him. When they brought him the present, <i>they
bowed themselves before him</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:26" id="Gen.xliv-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|43|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>); and again, when they gave him
an account of their father's health, <i>they made obeisance,</i>
and called him, <i>Thy servant our father,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 43:28" id="Gen.xliv-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|43|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. Thus were Joseph's dreams
fulfilled more and more: and even the father, by the sons, <i>bowed
before him,</i> according to the dream, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:10" id="Gen.xliv-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|37|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.10"><i>ch.</i> xxxvii. 10</scripRef>. Probably Jacob had
directed them, if they had occasion to speak of him to <i>the man,
the lord of the land,</i> to call him <i>his servant.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p13">II. The great kindness that Joseph showed
to them, while they little thought it was a brotherly kindness.
Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p14">1. His kind enquiry concerning Jacob: <i>Is
he yet alive?</i>&#8212;a very fit question to be asked concerning any,
especially concerning old people; for we are dying daily: it is
strange that we are <i>yet alive.</i> Jacob had said many years
before, <i>I will go to the grave to my son;</i> but <i>he is yet
alive:</i> we must not die when we will.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p15">2. The kind notice he took of Benjamin, his
own brother. (1.) He put up a prayer for him: <i>God be gracious
unto thee, my son,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 43:29" id="Gen.xliv-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|43|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>. Joseph's favour, though he was the lord of the land,
would do him little good, unless God were gracious to him. Many
seek the ruler's favour, but Joseph directs him to seek the favour
of the ruler of rulers. (2.) He shed some tears for him, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:30" id="Gen.xliv-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|43|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. His natural affection
to his brother, his joy to see him, his concern at seeing him and
the rest of them in distress for bread, and the remembrance of his
own griefs since he last saw him, produced a great agitation in
him, which perhaps was the more uneasy because he endeavoured to
stifle and suppress it; but he was forced to retire into his
closet, there to give vent to his feeling by tears. Note, [1.]
Tears of tenderness and affection are no disparagement at all, even
to great and wise men. [2.] Gracious weepers should not proclaim
their tears. <i>My soul shall weep in secret,</i> says the prophet,
<scripRef passage="Jer 13:17" id="Gen.xliv-p15.3" parsed="|Jer|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.13.17">Jer. xiii. 17</scripRef>. <i>Peter
went out and wept bitterly.</i> See <scripRef passage="Mt 26:75" id="Gen.xliv-p15.4" parsed="|Matt|26|75|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.26.75">Matt. xxvi. 75</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p16">3. His kind entertainment of them all. When
his weeping had subsided so that he could refrain himself, he sat
down to dinner with them, treated them nobly, and yet contrived
every thing to amuse them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p17">(1.) He ordered three tables to be spread,
one for his brethren, another for the Egyptians that dined with him
(for so different were their customs that they did not care to eat
together), another for himself, who durst not own himself a Hebrew,
and yet would not sit with the Egyptians. See here an instance,
[1.] Of hospitality and good house-keeping, which are very
commendable, according as the ability is. [2.] Of compliance with
people's humours, even whimsical ones, as bishop Patrick calls this
of the Egyptians not eating with the Hebrews. Though Joseph was the
lord of the land, and orders were given that all people should obey
him, yet he would not force the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews,
against their minds, but let them enjoy their humours. Spirits
truly generous hate to impose. [3.] Of the early distance between
Jews and Gentiles; one table would not hold them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p18">(2.) He placed his brethren according to
their seniority (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:33" id="Gen.xliv-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|43|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.33"><i>v.</i>
33</scripRef>), as if he <i>could certainly divine.</i> Some think
they placed themselves so, according to their custom; but, if so, I
see not why such particular notice is taken of it, especially as a
thing they marvelled at.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xliv-p19">(3.) He gave them a very plentiful
<pb n="240" id="Gen.xliv-Page_240"/>
entertainment, sent messes to them from his own
table, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:34" id="Gen.xliv-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|43|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. This
was the more generous in him, and the more obliging to them,
because of the present scarcity of provisions. In a day of famine,
it is enough to be fed; but here they were feasted. Perhaps they
had not had such a good dinner for many months. It is said, <i>They
drank and were merry;</i> their cares and fears were now over, and
they ate their bread with joy, concluding they were now upon good
terms with the man, the lord of the land. If God accept our works,
<i>our present,</i> we have reason to be cheerful. Yet when we sit,
as they here did, to eat with a ruler, we should consider what is
before us, and not indulge our appetite, nor be desirous of
dainties, <scripRef passage="Pr 23:1-3" id="Gen.xliv-p19.2" parsed="|Prov|23|1|23|3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.1-Prov.23.3">Prov. xxiii.
1-3</scripRef>. Joseph gave them to understand that Benjamin was
his favourite; for his mess was <i>five times as much as any of
theirs,</i> not as if he would have him eat so much more than the
rest, for then he must eat more than would do him good (and it is
no act of friendship, but rather an injury and unkindness, to press
any either to eat or drink to excess), but thus he would testify
his particular respect for him, that he might try whether his
brethren would envy Benjamin his larger messes, as formerly they
had envied himself his finer coat. And it must be our rule, in such
cases, to be content with what we have, and not to grieve at what
others have.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLIV" n="xlv" progress="27.77%" prev="Gen.xliv" next="Gen.xlvi" id="Gen.xlv">
<pb n="240" id="Gen.xlv-Page_240"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xlv-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlv-p0.2">CHAP. XLIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlv-p1">Joseph, having entertained his brethren, dismissed
them; but here we have them brought back in a greater fright than
any they had been in yet. Observe, I. What method he took both to
humble them further and also to try their affection to his brother
Benjamin, by which he would be able to judge of the sincerity of
their repentance for what they had done against himself, of which
he was desirous to be satisfied before he manifested his
reconciliation to them. This he contrived to do by bringing
Benjamin into distress, <scripRef passage="Ge 44:1-17" id="Gen.xlv-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|44|1|44|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.1-Gen.44.17">ver.
1-17</scripRef>. II. The good success of the experiment; he found
them all heartily concerned, and Judah particularly, both for the
safety of Benjamin and for the comfort of their aged father,
<scripRef passage="Ge 44:18-34" id="Gen.xlv-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|44|18|44|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.18-Gen.44.34">ver. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 44" id="Gen.xlv-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|44|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 44:1-17" id="Gen.xlv-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|44|1|44|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.1-Gen.44.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.44.1-Gen.44.17">
<h4 id="Gen.xlv-p1.5">Joseph's Policy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlv-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlv-p2">1 And he commanded the steward of his house,
saying, Fill the men's sacks <i>with</i> food, as much as they can
carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. &#160; 2 And
put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest,
and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph
had spoken. &#160; 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were
sent away, they and their asses. &#160; 4 <i>And</i> when they were
gone out of the city, <i>and</i> not <i>yet</i> far off, Joseph
said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost
overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for
good? &#160; 5 <i>Is</i> not this <i>it</i> in which my lord
drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so
doing. &#160; 6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these
same words. &#160; 7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my
lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according
to this thing: &#160; 8 Behold, the money, which we found in our
sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of
Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or
gold? &#160; 9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both
let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. &#160; 10 And
he said, Now also <i>let</i> it <i>be</i> according unto your
words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall
be blameless. &#160; 11 Then they speedily took down every man his
sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. &#160; 12 And he
searched, <i>and</i> began at the eldest, and left at the youngest:
and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. &#160; 13 Then they rent
their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the
city. &#160; 14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house;
for he <i>was</i> yet there: and they fell before him on the
ground. &#160; 15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed <i>is</i>
this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can
certainly divine? &#160; 16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto
my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God
hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we <i>are</i>
my lord's servants, both we, and <i>he</i> also with whom the cup
is found. &#160; 17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so:
<i>but</i> the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my
servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p3">Joseph heaps further kindnesses upon his
brethren, fills their sacks, returns their money, and sends them
away full of gladness; but he also exercises them with further
trials. Our God thus humbles those whom he loves and loads with
benefits. Joseph ordered his steward to put a fine silver cup which
he had (and which, it is likely, was used at his table when they
dined with him) into Benjamin's sack's mouth, that it might seem as
if he had stolen it from the table, and put it here himself, after
his corn was delivered to him. If Benjamin had stolen it, it had
been the basest piece of dishonesty and ingratitude that could be
<pb n="241" id="Gen.xlv-Page_241"/>
and if Joseph, by ordering it to be there,
had designed really to take advantage against him, it had been in
him most horrid cruelty and oppression; but it proved, in the
issue, that there was no harm done, nor any designed, on either
side. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p4">I. How the pretended criminals were pursued
and arrested, on suspicion of having stolen a silver cup. The
steward charged them with ingratitude&#8212;rewarding evil for good; and
with folly, in taking away a cup of daily use, and which therefore
would soon be missed, and diligent search made for it; for so it
may be read: <i>Is not this it in which my lord drinketh</i> (as
having a particular fondness for it), <i>and for which he would
search thoroughly?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 44:5" id="Gen.xlv-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|44|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Or, "By which, leaving it carelessly at your table,
he would make trial whether you were honest men or no."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p5">II. How they pleaded for themselves. They
solemnly protested their innocence, and detestation of so base a
thing (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:7" id="Gen.xlv-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|44|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), urged
it as an instance of their honesty that they had brought their
money back (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:8" id="Gen.xlv-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|44|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>),
and offered to submit to the severest punishment if they should be
found guilty, <scripRef passage="Ge 44:9,10" id="Gen.xlv-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|44|9|44|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.9-Gen.44.10"><i>v.</i> 9,
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p6">III. How the theft was fastened upon
Benjamin. In his sack the cup was found to whom Joseph had been
particularly kind. Benjamin, no doubt, was ready to deny, upon
oath, the taking of the cup, and we may suppose him as little
liable to suspicion as any of them; but it is in vain to confront
such notorious evidence: the cup is found in his custody; they dare
not arraign Joseph's justice, nor so much as suggest that perhaps
he that had put their money in their sacks' mouths had put the cup
there; but they throw themselves upon Joseph's mercy. And,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p7">IV. Here is their humble submission,
<scripRef passage="Ge 44:16" id="Gen.xlv-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|44|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. 1. They
acknowledge the righteousness of God: <i>God hath found out the
iniquity of thy servants,</i> perhaps referring to the injury they
had formerly done to Joseph, for which they thought God was now
reckoning with them. Note, Even in those afflictions wherein we
apprehend ourselves wronged by men yet we must own that God is
righteous, and finds out our iniquity. 2. They surrender themselves
prisoners to Joseph: <i>We are my lord's servants.</i> Now Joseph's
dreams were accomplished to the utmost. Their bowing so often, and
doing homage, might be looked upon but as a compliment, and no more
than what other strangers did; but the construction they
themselves, in their pride, had put upon his dreams was, <i>Shalt
though have dominion over us?</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 37:8" id="Gen.xlv-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|37|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.8"><i>ch.</i> xxxvii. 8</scripRef>), and in this sense it is
now at length fulfilled,; they own themselves his vassals. Since
they did invidiously so understand it, so it shall be fulfilled in
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p8">V. Joseph, with an air of justice, gives
sentence that Benjamin only should be kept in bondage, and the rest
should be dismissed; for why should any suffer but the guilty?
Perhaps Joseph intended hereby to try Benjamin's temper, whether he
could bear such a hardship as this with the calmness and composure
of mind that became a wise and good man: in short, whether he was
indeed his own brother, in <i>spirit</i> as well as <i>blood;</i>
for Joseph himself had been falsely accused, and had suffered hard
things in consequence, and yet kept possession of his own soul.
However, it is plain he intended hereby to try the affection of his
brethren to Benjamin and to their father. If they had gone away
contentedly, and left Benjamin in bonds, no doubt Joseph would soon
have released and promoted him, and sent notice to Jacob, and would
have left the rest of his brethren justly to suffer for their
hard-heartedness; but they proved to be better affected to Benjamin
than he feared. Note, We cannot judge what men are by what they
have been formerly, nor what they will do by what they have done:
age and experience may make men wiser and better. Those that had
sold Joseph would not now abandon Benjamin. The worst may mend in
time.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 44:18-34" id="Gen.xlv-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|44|18|44|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.18-Gen.44.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.44.18-Gen.44.34">
<h4 id="Gen.xlv-p8.2">Judah's Appeal on Behalf of
Benjamin. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlv-p8.3">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlv-p9">18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh
my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's
ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou
<i>art</i> even as Pharaoh. &#160; 19 My lord asked his servants,
saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? &#160; 20 And we said unto
my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age,
a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his
mother, and his father loveth him. &#160; 21 And thou saidst unto
thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon
him. &#160; 22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his
father: for <i>if</i> he should leave his father, <i>his father</i>
would die. &#160; 23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your
youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
&#160; 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my
father, we told him the words of my lord. &#160; 25 And our father
said, Go again, <i>and</i> buy us a little food. &#160; 26 And we
said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then
will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our
youngest brother <i>be</i> with us. &#160; 27 And thy servant my
father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two <i>sons:</i>
&#160; 28 And the one went
<pb n="242" id="Gen.xlv-Page_242"/>
out from me, and
I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
&#160; 29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall
him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
&#160; 30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and
the lad <i>be</i> not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in
the lad's life; &#160; 31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that
the lad <i>is</i> not <i>with us,</i> that he will die: and thy
servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father
with sorrow to the grave. &#160; 32 For thy servant became surety
for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee,
then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. &#160; 33 Now
therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a
bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. &#160;
34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad <i>be</i> not
with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my
father.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p10">We have here a most ingenious and pathetic
speech which Judah made to Joseph on Benjamin's behalf, to obtain
his discharge from the sentence passed upon him. Perhaps Judah was
a better friend to Benjamin than the rest were, and more solicitous
to bring him off; or he thought himself under greater obligations
to attempt it than the rest, because he had passed his word to his
father for his safe return; or the rest chose him for their
spokesman, because he was a man of better sense, and better spirit,
and had a greater command of language than any of them. His
address, as it is here recorded, is so very natural and so
expressive of his present feelings that we cannot but suppose
Moses, who wrote it so long after, to have written it under the
special direction of him that made man's mouth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p11">I. A great deal of unaffected art, and
unstudied unforced rhetoric, there is in this speech. 1. He
addresses himself to Joseph with a great deal of respect and
deference, calls him his <i>lord,</i> himself and his brethren his
<i>servants,</i> begs his patient hearing, and ascribes sovereign
authority to him: "<i>Thou art even as Pharaoh,</i> one whose
favour we desire and whose wrath we dread as we do Pharaoh's."
Religion does not destroy good manners, and it is prudence to speak
respectfully to those at whose mercy we lie: titles of honour to
those that are entitled to them are not flattering titles. 2. He
represented Benjamin as one well worthy of his compassionate
consideration (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:20" id="Gen.xlv-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|44|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>); he was <i>a little one,</i> compared with the rest
of them; the youngest, not acquainted with the world, nor ever
inured to hardship, having always been brought up tenderly with his
father. It made the case the more pitiable that he alone was left
of his mother, and his brother was dead, namely, <i>Joseph.</i>
Little did Judah think what a tender point he touched upon now.
Judah knew that Joseph was sold, and therefore had reason enough to
think that he was alive; at least he could not be sure that he was
dead: but they had made their father believe he was dead; and now
they had told that lie so long that they had forgotten the truth,
and begun to believe the lie themselves. 3. He urged it very
closely that Joseph had himself constrained them to bring Benjamin
with them, had expressed a desire to see him (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:21" id="Gen.xlv-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|44|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), and had forbidden them his
presence unless they brought Benjamin with them (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:23,26" id="Gen.xlv-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|44|23|0|0;|Gen|44|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.23 Bible:Gen.44.26"><i>v.</i> 23, 26</scripRef>), all which intimated
that he designed him some kindness; and must he be brought with so
much difficulty to the preferment of a perpetual slavery? Was he
not brought to Egypt, in obedience, purely in obedience, to the
command of Joseph? and would he not show him some mercy? Some
observe that Jacob's sons, in reasoning with their father, had
said, <i>We will not go down unless Benjamin go with us</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 43:5" id="Gen.xlv-p11.4" parsed="|Gen|43|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.5"><i>ch.</i> xliii. 5</scripRef>); but
that when Judah comes to relate the story he expresses it more
decently: "<i>We cannot go down</i> with any expectation to speed
well." Indecent words spoken in haste to our superiors should be
recalled and amended. 4. The great argument he insisted upon was
the insupportable grief it would be to his aged father if Benjamin
should be left behind in servitude: <i>His father loveth him,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 44:20" id="Gen.xlv-p11.5" parsed="|Gen|44|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. This they had
pleaded against Joseph's insisting on his coming down (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:22" id="Gen.xlv-p11.6" parsed="|Gen|44|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): "<i>If he should leave
his father, his father would die;</i> much more if now he be left
behind, never more to return to him." This the old man, of whom
they spoke, had pleaded against his going down: <i>If mischief
befal him, you shall bring down my gray hairs,</i> that crown of
glory, <i>with sorrow to the grave,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 44:29" id="Gen.xlv-p11.7" parsed="|Gen|44|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. This therefore Judah presses
with a great deal of earnestness: "<i>His life is bound up in the
lad's life</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:30" id="Gen.xlv-p11.8" parsed="|Gen|44|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>); when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will
faint away, and die immediately (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:31" id="Gen.xlv-p11.9" parsed="|Gen|44|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), or will abandon himself to
such a degree of sorrow as will, in a few days, make an end of
him." And, <i>lastly,</i> Judah pleads that, for his part, he could
not bear to see this: <i>Let me not see the evil that shall come on
my father,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 44:34" id="Gen.xlv-p11.10" parsed="|Gen|44|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.34"><i>v.</i>
34</scripRef>. Note, It is the duty of children to be very tender
of their parents' comfort, and to be afraid of every thing that may
be an occasion of grief to them. Thus the love that descended first
must again ascend, and something must be done towards a recompense
for their care. 5. Judah, in honour to the justice of Joseph's
sentence, and to show his sincerity in this
<pb n="243" id="Gen.xlv-Page_243"/>
plea, offers himself to become a bondsman instead of Benjamin,
<scripRef passage="Ge 44:33" id="Gen.xlv-p11.11" parsed="|Gen|44|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Thus the law
would be satisfied; Joseph would be no loser (for we may suppose
Judah a more able-bodied man than Benjamin, and fitter for
service); and Jacob would better bear the loss of him than of
Benjamin. Now, so far was he from grieving at his father's
particular fondness for Benjamin, that he was himself willing to be
a bondman to indulge it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p12">Now, had Joseph been, as Judah supposed
him, an utter stranger to the family, yet even common humanity
could not but be wrought upon by such powerful reasonings as these;
for nothing could be said more moving, more tender; it was enough
to melt a heart of stone. But to Joseph, who was nearer akin to
Benjamin than Judah himself was, and who, at this time, felt a
greater affection both for him and his aged father than Judah did,
nothing could be more pleasingly nor more happily said. Neither
Jacob nor Benjamin needed an intercessor with Joseph; for he
himself loved them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlv-p13">II. Upon the whole matter let us take
notice, 1. How prudently Judah suppressed all mention of the crime
that was charged upon Benjamin. Had he said any thing by way of
acknowledgment of it, he would have reflected on Benjamin's
honesty, and seemed too forward to suspect that; had he said any
thing by way of denial of it, he would have reflected on Joseph's
justice, and the sentence he had passed: therefore he wholly waives
that head, and appeals to Joseph's pity. Compare with this that of
Job, in humbling himself before God (<scripRef passage="Job 9:15" id="Gen.xlv-p13.1" parsed="|Job|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.9.15">Job ix. 15</scripRef>), <i>Though I were righteous, yet
would I not answer;</i> I would not argue, but petition; <i>I would
make supplication to my Judge.</i> 2. What good reason dying Jacob
had to say, <i>Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall
praise</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:8" id="Gen.xlv-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|49|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.8"><i>ch.</i> xlix.
8</scripRef>), for he excelled them all in boldness, wisdom,
eloquence, and especially tenderness for their father and family.
3. Judah's faithful adherence to Benjamin, now in his distress, was
recompensed long after by the constant adherence of the tribe of
Benjamin to the tribe of Judah, when all the other ten tribes
deserted it. 4. How fitly does the apostle, when he is discoursing
of the mediation of Christ, observe, that <i>our Lord sprang out of
Judah</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 7:14" id="Gen.xlv-p13.3" parsed="|Heb|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.14">Heb. vii. 14</scripRef>);
for, like his father Judah, he not only <i>made intercession for
the transgressors,</i> but he became a surety for them, as it
follows there (<scripRef passage="Ge 44:22" id="Gen.xlv-p13.4" parsed="|Gen|44|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.44.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), testifying therein a very tender concern both for
his father and for his brethren.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLV" n="xlvi" progress="28.11%" prev="Gen.xlv" next="Gen.xlvii" id="Gen.xlvi">
<pb n="243" id="Gen.xlvi-Page_243"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xlvi-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlvi-p0.2">CHAP. XLV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlvi-p1">It is a pity that this chapter and the foregoing
should be parted, and read asunder. There we had Judah's
intercession for Benjamin, with which, we may suppose, the rest of
his brethren signified their concurrence; Joseph let him go on
without interruption, heard all he had to say, and then answered it
all in one word, "I am Joseph." Now he found his brethren humbled
for their sins, mindful of himself (for Judah had mentioned him
twice in his speech), respectful to their father, and very tender
of their brother Benjamin; now they were ripe for the comfort he
designed them, by making himself known to them, the story of which
we have in this chapter. It was to Joseph's brethren as clear
shining after rain, nay, it was to them as life from the dead. Here
is, I. Joseph's discovery of himself to his brethren, and his
discourse with them upon that occasion, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:1-15" id="Gen.xlvi-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|45|1|45|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.1-Gen.45.15">ver. 1-15</scripRef>. II. The orders Pharaoh,
hereupon, gave to fetch Jacob and his family down to Egypt, and
Joseph's despatch of his brethren, accordingly, back to his father
with those orders, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:16-24" id="Gen.xlvi-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|45|16|45|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.16-Gen.45.24">ver.
16-24</scripRef>. III. The joyful tidings of this brought to Jacob,
<scripRef passage="Ge 45:25-28" id="Gen.xlvi-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|45|25|45|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.25-Gen.45.28">ver. 25</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 45" id="Gen.xlvi-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|45|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 45:1-15" id="Gen.xlvi-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|45|1|45|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.1-Gen.45.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.45.1-Gen.45.15">
<h4 id="Gen.xlvi-p1.6">Joseph Discovers Himself to His
Brethren. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvi-p2">1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before
all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out
from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself
known unto his brethren. &#160; 2 And he wept aloud: and the
Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. &#160; 3 And Joseph said
unto his brethren, I <i>am</i> Joseph; doth my father yet live? And
his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his
presence. &#160; 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to
me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I <i>am</i> Joseph
your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. &#160; 5 Now therefore be
not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for
God did send me before you to preserve life. &#160; 6 For these two
years <i>hath</i> the famine <i>been</i> in the land: and yet
<i>there are</i> five years, in the which <i>there shall</i>
neither <i>be</i> earing nor harvest. &#160; 7 And God sent me
before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save
your lives by a great deliverance. &#160; 8 So now <i>it was</i>
not you <i>that</i> sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a
father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler
throughout all the land of Egypt. &#160; 9 Haste ye, and go up to
my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath
made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: &#160; 10
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near
unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and
thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: &#160; 11 And
there will I nourish thee; for yet <i>there are</i> five years of
famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come
to poverty. &#160; 12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of
my brother Benjamin, that <i>it is</i> my mouth that speaketh unto
you. &#160; 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in
Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring
<pb n="244" id="Gen.xlvi-Page_244"/>
down my father hither. &#160; 14 And he fell
upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon
his neck. &#160; 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept
upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p3">Judah and his brethren were waiting for an
answer, and could not but be amazed to discover, instead of the
gravity of a judge, the natural affection of a father or
brother.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p4">I. Joseph ordered all his attendants to
withdraw, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:1" id="Gen.xlvi-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|45|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The
private conversations of friends are the most free. When Joseph
would put on love he puts off state, and it was not fit his
servants should be witnesses of this. Thus Christ graciously
manifests himself and his loving-kindness to his people, out of the
sight and hearing of the world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p5">II. Tears were the preface or introduction
to his discourse, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:2" id="Gen.xlvi-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|45|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. He had dammed up this stream a great while, and with
much ado: but now it swelled so high that he could no longer
contain, but <i>he wept aloud,</i> so that those whom he had
forbidden to see him could not but hear him. These were tears of
tenderness and strong affection, and with these he threw off that
austerity with which he had hitherto carried himself towards his
brethren; for he could bear it no longer. This represents the
divine compassion towards returning penitents, as much as that of
the father of the prodigal, <scripRef passage="Lu 15:20,Ho 14:8,9" id="Gen.xlvi-p5.2" parsed="|Luke|15|20|0|0;|Hos|14|8|14|9" osisRef="Bible:Luke.15.20 Bible:Hos.14.8-Hos.14.9">Luke xv. 20; Hos. xiv. 8, 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p6">III. He very abruptly (as one uneasy till
it was out) tells them who he was: <i>I am Joseph.</i> They knew
him only by his Egyptian name, <i>Zaphnath-paaneah,</i> his Hebrew
name being lost and forgotten in Egypt; but now he teaches them to
call him by that: <i>I am Joseph;</i> nay, that they might not
suspect it was another of the same name, he explains himself
(<scripRef passage="Ge 45:4" id="Gen.xlvi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|45|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>I am
Joseph, your brother.</i> This would both humble them yet more for
their sin in selling him, and would encourage them to hope for kind
treatment. Thus when Christ would convince Paul he said, <i>I am
Jesus;</i> and when he would comfort his disciples he said, <i>It
is I, be not afraid.</i> This word, at first, startled Joseph's
brethren; they started back through fear, or at least stood still
astonished; but Joseph called kindly and familiarly to them:
<i>Come near, I pray you.</i> Thus when Christ manifests himself to
his people he encourages them to draw near to him with a true
heart. Perhaps, being about to speak of their selling him, he would
not speak aloud, lest the Egyptians should overhear, and it should
make the Hebrews to be yet more an abomination to them; therefore
he would have them come near, that he might whisper with them,
which, now that the tide of his passion was a little over, he was
able to do, whereas at first he could not but cry out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p7">IV. He endeavours to assuage their grief
for the injuries they had done him, by showing them that whatever
they designed God meant it for good, and had brought much good out
of it (<scripRef passage="Ge 45:5" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|45|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>Be
not grieved, nor angry with yourselves.</i> Sinners must grieve,
and be angry with themselves, for their sins; yea, though God by
his power brings good out of them, for no thanks are due to the
sinner for this: but true penitents should be greatly affected when
they see God thus bringing good out of evil, <i>meat out of the
eater.</i> Though we must not with this consideration extenuate our
own sins and so take off the edge of our repentance, yet it may be
well thus to extenuate the sins of others and so take off the edge
of our angry resentments. Thus Joseph does here; his brethren
needed not to fear that he would avenge upon them an injury which
God's providence had made to turn so much to his advantage and that
of his family. Now he tells them how long the famine was likely to
last&#8212;<i>five years;</i> yet (<scripRef passage="Ge 45:6" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|45|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>) what a capacity he was in of being kind to his
relations and friends, which is the greatest satisfaction that
wealth and power can give to a good man, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:8" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.3" parsed="|Gen|45|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. See what a favourable colour he
puts upon the injury they had done him: <i>God sent me before
you,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:5,7" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.4" parsed="|Gen|45|5|0|0;|Gen|45|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.5 Bible:Gen.45.7"><i>v.</i> 5, 7</scripRef>.
Note, 1. God's Israel is the particular care of God's providence.
Joseph reckoned that his advancement was not so much designed to
save a whole kingdom of Egyptians as to preserve a small family of
Israelites: <i>for the Lord's portion is his people;</i> whatever
becomes of others, they shall be secured. 2. Providence looks a
great way forward, and has a long reach. Even long before the years
of plenty, Providence was preparing for the supply of Jacob's house
in the years of famine. The psalmist praises God for this
(<scripRef passage="Ps 105:17" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.5" parsed="|Ps|105|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.17">Ps. cv. 17</scripRef>): <i>He sent a
man before them, even Joseph.</i> God sees his work from the
beginning to the end, but we do not, <scripRef passage="Ec 3:11" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.6" parsed="|Eccl|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.11">Eccl. iii. 11</scripRef>. How admirable are the projects
of providence! How remote its tendencies! What wheels are there
within wheels, and yet all directed by the eyes in the wheels, and
the spirit of the living creature! Let us therefore judge nothing
before the time. 3. God often works by contraries. The envy and
contention of brethren threaten the ruin of families, yet, in this
instance, they prove the occasion of preserving Jacob's family.
Joseph could never have been <i>the shepherd and stone of
Israel</i> if his brethren had not shot at him, and hated him; even
those that had wickedly sold Joseph into Egypt yet themselves
reaped the benefit of the good God brought out of it; as those that
put Christ to death were many of them saved by his death. 4. God
must have all the glory of the seasonable preservations of his
people, by what way soever they are effected. <i>It was not you
that sent me hither, but God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:8" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.7" parsed="|Gen|45|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. As, on the one hand, they must
not fret at it, because it ended so well, so on the other hand they
must not be proud
<pb n="245" id="Gen.xlvi-Page_245"/>
of it, because it was
God's doing, and not theirs. They designed, by selling him into
Egypt, to defeat his dreams, but God thereby designed to accomplish
them. <scripRef passage="Isa 10:7" id="Gen.xlvi-p7.8" parsed="|Isa|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.7">Isa. x. 7</scripRef>, <i>Howbeit
he meaneth not so.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p8">V. He promises to take care of his father
and all the family during the rest of the years of famine. 1. He
desires that his father may speedily be made glad with the tidings
of his life and dignity. His brethren must hasten to Canaan, and
must inform Jacob that his son Joseph was <i>lord of all Egypt;</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ge 45:9" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|45|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): they must
tell him of all his glory there, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:13" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|45|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. He knew it would be a
refreshing oil to his hoary head and a sovereign cordial to his
spirits. If any thing would make him young again, this would. He
desires them to give themselves, and take with them to their
father, all possible satisfaction of the truth of these surprising
tidings: <i>Your eyes see that it is my mouth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:12" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|45|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. If they would recollect
themselves, they might remember something of his features, speech,
&amp;c., and be satisfied. 2. He is very earnest that his father
and all his family should come to him to Egypt: <i>Come down unto
me, tarry not,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:9" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.4" parsed="|Gen|45|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. He allots his dwelling in Goshen, that part of Egypt
which lay towards Canaan, that they might be mindful of the country
from which they were to come out, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:10" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.5" parsed="|Gen|45|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. He promises to provide for him:
<i>I will nourish thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:11" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|45|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. Note, It is the duty of children, if the necessity
of their parents do at any time require it, to support and supply
them to the utmost of their ability; and <i>Corban</i> will never
excuse them, <scripRef passage="Mk 7:11" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.7" parsed="|Mark|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.7.11">Mark vii. 11</scripRef>.
This is showing piety at home, <scripRef passage="1ti 5:4" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.8" parsed="|1Tim|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.5.4">1 Tim.
v. 4</scripRef>. Our Lord Jesus being, like Joseph, exalted to the
highest honours and powers of the upper world, it is his will that
all that are his should be with him where he is, <scripRef passage="Joh 17:24" id="Gen.xlvi-p8.9" parsed="|John|17|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.24">John xvii. 24</scripRef>. This is his commandment, that
we be with him now in faith and hope, and a heavenly conversation;
and this is his promise, that we shall be for ever with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p9">VI. Endearments were interchanged between
him and his brethren. He began with the youngest, his own brother
Benjamin, who was but about a year old when Joseph was separated
from his brethren; they wept on each other's neck (<scripRef passage="Ge 45:14" id="Gen.xlvi-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|45|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), perhaps to think of
their mother Rachel, who died in travail of Benjamin. Rachel, in
her husband Jacob, had been lately weeping for her children,
because, in his apprehension, they were not&#8212;Joseph gone, and
Benjamin going; and now they were weeping for her, because she was
not. After he had embraced Benjamin, he, in like manner, caressed
them all (<scripRef passage="Ge 45:15" id="Gen.xlvi-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|45|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>);
and then <i>his brethren talked with him</i> freely and familiarly
of all the affairs of their father's house. After the tokens of
true reconciliation follow the instances of a sweet communion.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 45:16-24" id="Gen.xlvi-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|45|16|45|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.16-Gen.45.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.45.16-Gen.45.24">
<h4 id="Gen.xlvi-p9.4">Pharaoh's Kindness to
Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvi-p9.5">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvi-p10">16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's
house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh
well, and his servants. &#160; 17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say
unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you
unto the land of Canaan; &#160; 18 And take your father and your
households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the
land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. &#160; 19 Now
thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of
Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your
father, and come. &#160; 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the
good of all the land of Egypt <i>is</i> yours. &#160; 21 And the
children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according
to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
&#160; 22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but
to Benjamin he gave three hundred <i>pieces</i> of silver, and five
changes of raiment. &#160; 23 And to his father he sent after this
<i>manner;</i> ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and
ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by
the way. &#160; 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed:
and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p11">Here is, 1. The kindness of Pharaoh to
Joseph, and to his relations for his sake: he bade his brethren
welcome (<scripRef passage="Ge 45:16" id="Gen.xlvi-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|45|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>),
though it was a time of scarcity, and they were likely to be a
charge to him. Nay, because it pleased Pharaoh, it pleased his
servants, too, at least they pretended to be pleased because Pharaoh
was. He engaged Joseph to send for his father down to Egypt, and
promised to furnish them with all conveniences both for his removal
thither and his settlement there. If the good of all the land of
Egypt (as it was not better stocked than any other land, thanks to
Joseph, under God) would suffice him, he was welcome to it all, it
was all his own, even <i>the fat of the land</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 45:18" id="Gen.xlvi-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|45|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), so that they need not
<i>regard their stuff,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:20" id="Gen.xlvi-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|45|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. What they had in Canaan he reckoned but stuff, in
comparison with what he had for them in Egypt; and therefore if
they should be constrained to leave some of that behind them, let
them not be discontented; Egypt would afford them enough to make up
the losses of their removal. Thus those for whom Christ intends
shares in his heavenly glory ought not to regard the stuff of this
world: The best of its enjoyments are but stuff, but
<pb n="246" id="Gen.xlvi-Page_246"/>
lumber; we cannot make sure of it while we are here,
much less can we carry it away with us; let us not therefore be
solicitous about it, nor set our eyes or hearts upon it. There are
better things reserved for us in that blessed land whither our
Joseph has gone to prepare a place.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p12">II. The kindness of Joseph to his father
and brethren. Pharaoh was respectful to Joseph, in gratitude,
because he had been an instrument of much good to him and his
kingdom, not only preserving it from the common calamity, but
helping to make it considerable among the nations; for all their
neighbours would say, "Surely the Egyptians are a wise and an
understanding people, that are so well stocked in a time of
scarcity." For this reason Pharaoh never thought any thing too much
that he could do for Joseph. Note, There is a gratitude owing even
to inferiors; and when any have shown us kindness we should study
to requite it, not only to them, but to their relations. And Joseph
likewise was respectful to his father and brethren in duty, because
they were his near relations, though his brethren had been his
enemies, and his father long a stranger. 1. He furnished them for
necessity, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:21" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|45|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. He
gave them wagons and provisions for the way, both going and coming;
for we never find that Jacob was very rich, and, at this time, when
the famine prevailed, we may suppose he was rather poor. 2. He
furnished them for ornament and delight. To his brethren he gave
two suits apiece of good clothes, to Benjamin five suits, and money
besides in his pocket, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:22" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|45|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. To his father he sent a very handsome present of the
varieties of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:23" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|45|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Note, Those that are wealthy should be generous, and
devise liberal things; what is an abundance good for, but to do
good with it? 3. He dismissed them with a seasonable caution:
<i>See that you fall not out by the way,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 45:24" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.4" parsed="|Gen|45|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. He knew they were but too apt
to be quarrelsome; and what had lately passed, which revived the
remembrance of what they had done formerly against their brother,
might give them occasion to quarrel. Joseph had observed them to
contend about it, <scripRef passage="Ge 42:22" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.5" parsed="|Gen|42|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.22"><i>ch.</i> xlii.
22</scripRef>. To one they would say, "It was you that first
upbraided him with his dreams;" to another, "It was you that said,
Let us kill him;" to another, "It was you that stripped him of his
fine coat;" to another, "It was you that threw him into the pit,"
&amp;c. Now Joseph, having forgiven them all, lays this obligation
upon them, not to upbraid one another. This charge our Lord Jesus
has given to us, <i>that we love one another,</i> that we live in
peace, that whatever occurs, or whatever former occurrences are
remembered, we fall not out. For, (1.) We are brethren, we have all
one Father. (2.) We are his brethren, and we shame our relation to
him <i>who is our peace,</i> if we fall out. (3.) We are guilty,
<i>verily guilty,</i> and, instead of quarrelling with one another,
have a great deal of reason to fall out with ourselves. (4.) We
are, or hope to be, forgiven of God whom we have all offended, and
therefore should be ready to forgive one another. (5.) We are <i>by
the way,</i> a way that lies through the land of Egypt, where we
have many eyes upon us, that seek occasion and advantage against
us, a way that leads to Canaan, where we hope to be for ever in
perfect peace.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 45:25-28" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|45|25|45|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.25-Gen.45.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.45.25-Gen.45.28">
<h4 id="Gen.xlvi-p12.7">The History of Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvi-p12.8">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvi-p13">25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into
the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, &#160; 26 And told him,
saying, Joseph <i>is</i> yet alive, and he <i>is</i> governor over
all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed
them not. &#160; 27 And they told him all the words of Joseph,
which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which
Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father
revived: &#160; 28 And Israel said, <i>It is</i> enough; Joseph my
son <i>is</i> yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvi-p14">We have here the good news brought to
Jacob. 1. The relation of it, at first, sunk his spirits. When,
without any preamble, his sons came in, crying, <i>Joseph is yet
alive,</i> each striving which should first proclaim it, perhaps he
thought they bantered him, and the affront grieved him; or the very
mention of Joseph's name revived his sorrow, so that his heart
fainted, <scripRef passage="Ge 45:26" id="Gen.xlvi-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|45|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. It
was a good while before he came to himself. He was in such care and
fear about the rest of them that at this time it would have been
joy enough to him to hear that Simeon was released, and that
Benjamin had come safely home (for he had been ready to despair
concerning both these); but to hear that <i>Joseph is alive</i> is
too good news to be true; he faints, for he believes it not. Note,
We faint, because we do not believe; David himself had fainted if
he had not believed, <scripRef passage="Ps 27:13" id="Gen.xlvi-p14.2" parsed="|Ps|27|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.13">Ps. xxvii.
13</scripRef>. 2. The confirmation of it, by degrees, revived his
spirit. Jacob had easily believed his sons formerly when they told
him, <i>Joseph is dead;</i> but he can hardly believe them now that
they tell him, <i>Joseph is alive.</i> Weak and tender spirits are
influenced more by fear than hope, and are more apt to receive
impressions that are discouraging than those that are encouraging.
But at length Jacob is convinced of the truth of the story,
especially when he sees the waggons which were sent to carry him
(for seeing is believing), then his <i>spirit revived.</i> Death is
as the waggons which are sent to fetch us to Christ: the very sight
of it approaching should revive us. Now Jacob is called Israel
(<scripRef passage="Ge 45:28" id="Gen.xlvi-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|45|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.45.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>), for he
begins to recover his wonted vigour. (1.) It pleases him to think
that Joseph is alive. He says nothing of Joseph's glory, of which
they told him; it
<pb n="247" id="Gen.xlvi-Page_247"/>
was enough to him that
Joseph was alive. Note, Those that would be content with less
degrees of comfort are best prepared for greater. (2.) It pleases
him to think of going to see him. Though he was old, and the
journey long, yet he would go to see Joseph, because Joseph's
business would not permit him to come to see him. Observe, He says,
"<i>I will go and see him,</i>" not, "I will go and live with him;"
Jacob was old, and did not expect to live long; "But I will go and
see him <i>before I die,</i> and then let me depart in peace; let
my eyes be refreshed with this sight before they are closed, and
then it is <i>enough,</i> I need no more to make me happy in this
world." Note, It is good for us all to make death familiar to us,
and to speak of it as near, that we may think how little we have to
do before we die, that we may do it with all our might, and may
enjoy our comforts as those that must quickly die, and leave
them.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLVI" n="xlvii" progress="28.53%" prev="Gen.xlvi" next="Gen.xlviii" id="Gen.xlvii">
<pb n="247" id="Gen.xlvii-Page_247"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xlvii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlvii-p0.2">CHAP. XLVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlvii-p1">Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age,
forced thither by a famine, and invited thither by a son. Here, I.
God sends him thither, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:1-4" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|46|1|46|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>. II. All his family goes with him, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:5-27" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|46|5|46|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.5-Gen.46.27">ver. 5-27</scripRef>. III. Joseph bids him
welcome, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:28-34" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|46|28|46|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.28-Gen.46.34">ver. 28-34</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 46" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|46|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 46:1-4" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|46|1|46|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.4">
<h4 id="Gen.xlvii-p1.6">Jacob Sacrifices at
Beersheba. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1707.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvii-p2">1 And Israel took his journey with all that he
had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of
his father Isaac. &#160; 2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions
of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here <i>am</i>
I. &#160; 3 And he said, I <i>am</i> God, the God of thy father:
fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a
great nation: &#160; 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I
will also surely bring thee up <i>again:</i> and Joseph shall put
his hand upon thine eyes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p3">The divine precept is, <i>In all thy ways
acknowledge God;</i> and the promise annexed to it is, <i>He shall
direct thy paths.</i> Jacob has here a very great concern before
him, not only a journey, but a removal, to settle in another
country, a change which was very surprising to him (for he never
had any other thoughts than to live and die in Canaan), and which
would be of great consequence to his family for a long time to
come. Now here we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p4">I. How he acknowledged God in this way. He
<i>came to Beersheba,</i> from Hebron, where he now dwelt; and
there <i>he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 46:1" id="Gen.xlvii-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|46|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. He chose that
place, in remembrance of the communion which his father and
grandfather had with God in that place. Abraham called on God there
(<scripRef passage="Ge 21:33" id="Gen.xlvii-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|21|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.33"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 33</scripRef>), so
did Isaac (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:25" id="Gen.xlvii-p4.3" parsed="|Gen|26|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.25"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.
25</scripRef>), and therefore Jacob made it the place of his
devotion, the rather because it lay in his way. In his devotion, 1.
He had an eye to God as the God of his father Isaac, that is, a God
in covenant with him; for by Isaac the covenant was entailed upon
him. God had forbidden Isaac to go down to Egypt when there was a
famine in Canaan (<scripRef passage="Ge 26:2" id="Gen.xlvii-p4.4" parsed="|Gen|26|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.26.2"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.
2</scripRef>), which perhaps Jacob calls to mind when he consults
God as the God of his father Isaac, with this thought, "Lord,
though I am very desirous to see Joseph, yet if thou forbid me to
go down to Egypt, as thou didst my father Isaac, I will submit, and
very contentedly stay where I am." 2. He <i>offered sacrifices,</i>
extraordinary sacrifices, besides those at his stated times; these
sacrifices were offered, (1.) By way of thanksgiving for the late
blessed change of the face of his family, for the good news he had
received concerning Joseph, and for the hopes he had of seeing him.
Note, We should give God thanks for the beginnings of mercy, though
they are not yet perfected; and this is a decent way of begging
further mercy. (2.) By way of petition for the presence of God with
him in his intended journey; he desired by these sacrifices to make
his peace with God, to obtain the forgiveness of sin, that he might
take no guilt along with him in this journey, for that is a bad
companion. By Christ, the great sacrifice, we must reconcile
ourselves to God, and offer up our requests to him. (3.) By way of
consultation. The heathen consulted their oracles by sacrifice.
Jacob would not go till he had asked God's leave: "Shall I go down
to Egypt, or back to Hebron?" Such must be our enquiries in
doubtful cases; and, though we cannot expect immediate answers from
heaven, yet, if we diligently attend to the directions of the word,
conscience, and providence, we shall find it is not in vain to ask
counsel of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p5">II. How God directed his paths: <i>In the
visions of the night</i> (probably the very next night after he had
offered his sacrifices, as <scripRef passage="2Ch 1:7" id="Gen.xlvii-p5.1" parsed="|2Chr|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.1.7">2 Chron. i.
7</scripRef>) <i>God spoke unto him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 46:2" id="Gen.xlvii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|46|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, Those who desire to keep up
communion with God shall find that it never fails on his side. If
we speak to him as we ought, he will not fail to speak to us. God
called him by name, by his old name, <i>Jacob, Jacob,</i> to remind
him of his low estate; his present fears did scarcely become an
Israel. Jacob, like one well acquainted with the visions of the
Almighty, and ready to obey them, answers, "<i>Here I am,</i> ready
to receive orders:" and what has God to say to him?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p6">1. He renews the covenant with him: <i>I am
God, the God of thy father</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:3" id="Gen.xlvii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|46|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>); that is, "I am what thou ownest
me to be: thou shalt find me a God, a divine wisdom and power
engaged for thee; and thou shalt find me the God of thy father,
true to the covenant made with him."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p7">2. He encourages him to make this removal
of his family: <i>Fear not to go down into Egypt.</i> It seems,
though Jacob, upon the first intelligence of Joseph's life and
glory in Egypt, resolved, without any hesitation, <i>I will go and
see him;</i> yet, upon second thoughts, he saw some difficulties in
it, which
<pb n="248" id="Gen.xlvii-Page_248"/>
he knew not well how to get over.
Note, Even those changes that seem to have in them the greatest
joys and hopes, yet have an alloy of cares and fears, <i>Nulla est
sincera voluptas&#8212;There is no unmingled pleasure.</i> We must
always rejoice with trembling. Jacob had many careful thoughts
about this journey, which God took notice of. (1.) He was old, 130
years old; and it is mentioned as one of the infirmities of old
people that they are <i>afraid of that which is high, and fears are
in the way,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 12:5" id="Gen.xlvii-p7.1" parsed="|Eccl|12|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.5">Eccl. xii.
5</scripRef>. It was a long journey, and Jacob was unfit for
travel, and perhaps remembered that his beloved Rachel died in a
journey. (2.) He feared lest his sons should be tainted with the
idolatry of Egypt, and forget the God of their fathers, or
enamoured with the pleasures of Egypt, and forget the land of
promise. (3.) Probably he thought of what God had said to Abraham
concerning the bondage and affliction of his seed (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:13" id="Gen.xlvii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|15|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.13"><i>ch.</i> xv. 13</scripRef>), and was
apprehensive that his removal to Egypt would issue in that. Present
satisfactions should not take us off from the consideration and
prospect of future inconveniences, which possibly may arise from
what now appears most promising. (4.) He could not think of laying
his bones in Egypt. But, whatever his discouragements were, this
was enough to answer them all, <i>Fear not to go down into
Egypt.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p8">3. He promises him comfort in the removal.
(1.) That he should multiply in Egypt: "<i>I will there,</i> where
thou fearest that thy family will sink and be lost, <i>make it a
great nation.</i> That is the place Infinite Wisdom has chosen for
the accomplishment of that promise." (2.) That he should have God's
presence with him: <i>I will go down with thee into Egypt.</i>
Note, Those that go whither God sends them shall certainly have God
with them, and that is enough to secure them wherever they are and
to silence their fears; we may safely venture even into Egypt if
God go down with us. (3.) That neither he nor his should be lost in
Egypt: <i>I will surely bring thee up again.</i> Though Jacob died
in Egypt, yet this promise was fulfilled, [1.] In the bringing up
of his body, to be buried in Canaan, about which, it appears, he
was very solicitous, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:29,32" id="Gen.xlvii-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|49|29|0|0;|Gen|49|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.29 Bible:Gen.49.32"><i>ch.</i>
xlix. 29, 32</scripRef>. [2.] In the bringing up of his seed to be
settled in Canaan. Whatever low or darksome valley we are called
into at any time, we may be confident, if God go down with us into
it, that he will surely bring us up again. If he go with us down to
death, he will surely bring us up again to glory. (4.) That living
and dying, his beloved Joseph should be a comfort to him: <i>Joseph
shall put his hand upon thine eyes.</i> This is a promise that
Joseph should live as long as he lived, that he should be with him
at his death, and close his eyes with all possible tenderness and
respect, as the dearest relations used to do. Probably Jacob, in
the multitude of his thoughts within him, had been wishing that
Joseph might do this last office of love for him: <i>Ille meos
oculos comprimat&#8212;Let him close my eyes;</i> and God thus answered
him in the letter of his desire. Thus God sometimes gratifies the
innocent wishes of his people, and makes not only their death
happy, but the very circumstances of it agreeable.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 46:5-27" id="Gen.xlvii-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|46|5|46|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.5-Gen.46.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.46.5-Gen.46.27">
<h4 id="Gen.xlvii-p8.3">Jacob's Removal to Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvii-p8.4">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvii-p9">5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the
sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones,
and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
&#160; 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they
had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and
all his seed with him: &#160; 7 His sons, and his sons' sons with
him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed
brought he with him into Egypt. &#160; 8 And these <i>are</i> the
names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and
his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. &#160; 9 And the sons of
Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. &#160; 10 And
the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and
Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. &#160; 11 And the
sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. &#160; 12 And the sons
of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er
and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were
Hezron and Hamul. &#160; 13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and
Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. &#160; 14 And the sons of Zebulun;
Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. &#160; 15 These <i>be</i> the sons of
Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter
Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters <i>were</i>
thirty and three. &#160; 16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and
Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. &#160; 17 And
the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and
Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
&#160; 18 These <i>are</i> the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to
Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, <i>even</i>
sixteen souls. &#160; 19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph,
and Benjamin. &#160; 20 And unto Joseph in
<pb n="249" id="Gen.xlvii-Page_249"/>
the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the
daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him. &#160; 21 And
the sons of Benjamin <i>were</i> Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel,
Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
&#160; 22 These <i>are</i> the sons of Rachel, which were born to
Jacob: all the souls <i>were</i> fourteen. &#160; 23 And the sons
of Dan; Hushim. &#160; 24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and
Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. &#160; 25 These <i>are</i> the sons
of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare
these unto Jacob: all the souls <i>were</i> seven. &#160; 26 All
the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his
loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls <i>were</i>
threescore and six; &#160; 27 And the sons of Joseph, which were
born him in Egypt, <i>were</i> two souls: all the souls of the
house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, <i>were</i> threescore and
ten.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p10">Old Jacob is here flitting. Little did he
think of ever leaving Canaan; he expected, no doubt, <i>to die in
his nest,</i> and to leave his seed in actual possession of the
promised land: but Providence orders it otherwise. Note, Those that
think themselves well settled may yet be unsettled in a little
time. Even old people, who think of no other removal than that to
the grave (which Jacob had much upon his heart, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:35,42:38" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|37|35|0|0;|Gen|42|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.35 Bible:Gen.42.38">ch. xxxvii. 35; xlii. 38</scripRef>), sometimes
live to see great changes in their family. It is good to be ready,
not only for the grave, but for whatever may happen betwixt us and
the grave. Observe, 1. How Jacob was conveyed; not in a chariot,
though chariots were then used, but in a waggon, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:5" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|46|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Jacob had the character of a
plain man, who did not affect any thing stately or magnificent; his
son rode in a chariot (<scripRef passage="Ge 41:43" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|41|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.43"><i>ch.</i> xli.
43</scripRef>), but a waggon would serve him. 2. The removal of
what he had with him. (1.) His effects (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:6" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|46|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), <i>cattle and goods;</i> these
he took with him that he might not wholly be beholden to Pharaoh
for a livelihood, and that it might not afterwards be said of them,
"that they came beggars to Egypt." (2.) His family, <i>all his
seed,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 46:7" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.5" parsed="|Gen|46|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It is
probable that they had continued to live together in common with
their father; and therefore when he went they all went, which
perhaps they were the more willing to do, because, though they had
heard that the land of Canaan was promised them, yet, to this day,
they had none of it in possession. We have here a particular
account of the names of Jacob's family, <i>his sons' sons,</i> most
of whom are afterwards mentioned as heads of houses in the several
tribes. See <scripRef passage="Nu 26:5-65" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.6" parsed="|Num|26|5|26|65" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.5-Num.26.65">Num. xxvi. 5</scripRef>,
&amp;c. Bishop Patrick observes that Issachar called his eldest son
<i>Tola,</i> which signifies a <i>worm,</i> probably because when
he was born he was a very little weak child, a worm, and no man,
not likely to live; and yet there sprang from him a very numerous
offspring, <scripRef passage="1Ch 7:2" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.7" parsed="|1Chr|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.7.2">1 Chron. vii. 2</scripRef>.
Note, Living and dying do not go by probability. The whole number
that went down into Egypt was sixty-six (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:26" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.8" parsed="|Gen|46|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), to which add Joseph and his
two sons, who were there before, and Jacob himself, the head of the
family, and you have the number of seventy, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:27" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.9" parsed="|Gen|46|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. The LXX. makes them
seventy-five, and Stephen follows them (<scripRef passage="Ac 7:14" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.10" parsed="|Acts|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.14">Acts vii. 14</scripRef>), the reason of which we leave to
the conjecture of the critics; but let us observe, [1.] Masters of
families ought to take care of all under their charge, and to
provide for those of their own house food convenient both for body
and soul. When Jacob himself removed to a land of plenty, he would
not leave any of his children behind him to starve in a barren
land. [2.] Though the accomplishment of promises is always sure,
yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised
Abraham to make of him a great nation (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:2" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.11" parsed="|Gen|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.2"><i>ch.</i> xii. 2</scripRef>); and yet that branch of his
seed on which the promise was entailed had increased only to
seventy, of which this particular account is kept, that the power
of God in multiplying these seventy to so vast a multitude, even in
Egypt, may appear the more illustrious. When God pleases, <i>a
little one shall become a thousand,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 60:22" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.12" parsed="|Isa|60|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.60.22">Isa. lx. 22</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 46:28-34" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.13" parsed="|Gen|46|28|46|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.28-Gen.46.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.46.28-Gen.46.34">
<h4 id="Gen.xlvii-p10.14">Meeting between Jacob and
Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlvii-p10.15">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlvii-p11">28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to
direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
&#160; 29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet
Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and
he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. &#160; 30
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy
face, because thou <i>art</i> yet alive. &#160; 31 And Joseph said
unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and
show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house,
which <i>were</i> in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; &#160;
32 And the men <i>are</i> shepherds, for their trade hath been to
feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds,
and all that they have. &#160; 33 And it shall come to pass, when
Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What <i>is</i> your
occupation? &#160; 34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath
been
<pb n="250" id="Gen.xlvii-Page_250"/>
about cattle from our youth even until
now, both we, <i>and</i> also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the
land of Goshen; for every shepherd <i>is</i> an abomination unto
the Egyptians.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p12">We have here, I. The joyful meeting between
Jacob and his son Joseph, in which observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p13">1. Jacob's prudence in sending Judah before
him to Joseph, to give him notice of his arrival in Goshen. This
was a piece of respect owing to the government, under the
protection of which these strangers had come to put themselves,
<scripRef passage="Ge 46:28" id="Gen.xlvii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|46|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. We should be
very careful not to give offence to any, especially not to the
higher powers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p14">2. Joseph's filial respect to him. He went
in his chariot to met him, and, in the interview, showed, (1.) How
much he honoured him: <i>He presented himself unto him.</i> Note,
It is the duty of children to reverence their parents, yea, though
Providence, as to outward condition, has advanced them above their
parents. (2.) How much he loved him. Time did not wear out the
sense of his obligations, but his tears which he shed abundantly
upon his father's neck, for joy to see him, were real indications
of the sincere and strong affection he had for him. See how near
sorrow and joy are to each other in this world, when tears serve
for the expression of both. In the other world weeping will be
restrained to sorrow only; in heaven there is perfect joy, but no
tears of joy: all tears, even those, shall there be wiped away,
because the joys there are, as no joys are here, without any alloy.
When Joseph embraced Benjamin he <i>wept upon his neck,</i> but
when he embraced his father he <i>wept upon his neck a good
while;</i> his brother Benjamin was dear, but his father Jacob must
be dearer.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p15">3. Jacob's great satisfaction in this
meeting: <i>Now let me die,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 46:30" id="Gen.xlvii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|46|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Not but that it was further
desirable to live with Joseph, and to see his honour and
usefulness; but he had so much pleasure and satisfaction in this
first meeting that he thought it too much to desire or expect any
more in this world, where our comforts must always be imperfect.
Jacob wished to die immediately, and lived seventeen years longer,
which, as our lives go now, is a considerable part of a man's age.
Note, Death will not always come just when we call for it, whether
in a passion of sorrow or in a passion of joy. Our times are in
God's hand, and not in our own; we must die just when God pleases,
and not either just when we are surfeited with the pleasures of
life or just when we are overwhelmed with its griefs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlvii-p16">II. Joseph's prudent care concerning his
brethren's settlement. It was justice to Pharaoh to let him know
that such a colony had come to settle in his dominions. Note, If
others repose a confidence in us, we must not be so base and
disingenuous as to abuse it by imposing upon them. If Jacob and his
family should come to be a charge to the Egyptians, yet it should
never be said that they came among them clandestinely and by
stealth. Thus Joseph took care to pay his respects to Pharaoh,
<scripRef passage="Ge 46:31" id="Gen.xlvii-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|46|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. But how shall
he dispose of his brethren? Time was when they were contriving to
get rid of him; now he is contriving to settle them to their
satisfaction and advantage: this is rendering good for evil. Now,
1. He would have them to live by themselves, separate as much as
might be from the Egyptians, <i>in the land of Goshen,</i> which
lay nearest to Canaan, and which perhaps was more thinly peopled by
the Egyptians, and well furnished with pastures for cattle. He
desired they might live separately, that they might be in the less
danger both of being infected by the vices of the Egyptians and of
being insulted by the malice of the Egyptians. Shepherds, it seems,
<i>were an abomination to the Egyptians,</i> that is, they looked
upon them with contempt, and scorned to converse with them; and he
would not send for his brethren to Egypt to be trampled upon. And
yet, 2. He would have them to continue shepherds, and not to be
ashamed to own that as their occupation before Pharaoh. He could
have employed them under himself in the corn-trade, or perhaps, by
his interest in the king, might have procured places for them at
court or in the army, and some of them, at least, were deserving
enough; but such preferments would have exposed them to the envy of
the Egyptians, and would have tempted them to forget Canaan and the
promise made unto their fathers; therefore he contrives to continue
them in their old employment. Note, (1.) An honest calling is no
disparagement, nor ought we to account it so either in ourselves or
in our relations, but rather reckon it a shame to be idle, or to
have nothing to do. (2.) It is generally best for people to abide
in the callings that they have been bred to, and used to, <scripRef passage="1Co 7:24" id="Gen.xlvii-p16.2" parsed="|1Cor|7|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.24">1 Cor. vii. 24</scripRef>. Whatever employment
or condition God, in his providence, has allotted for us, let us
accommodate ourselves to it, and satisfy ourselves with it, and
<i>not mind high things.</i> It is better to be the credit of a
mean post than the shame of a high one.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLVII" n="xlviii" progress="28.94%" prev="Gen.xlvii" next="Gen.xlix" id="Gen.xlviii">
<pb n="250" id="Gen.xlviii-Page_250"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xlviii-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlviii-p0.2">CHAP. XLVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlviii-p1">In this chapter we have instances, I. Of Joseph's
kindness and affection to his relations, presenting his brethren
first and then his father to Pharaoh (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:1-10" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|47|1|47|10" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.1-Gen.47.10">ver. 1-10</scripRef>), settling them in Goshen, and
providing for them there (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:11,12" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|47|11|47|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.11-Gen.47.12">ver. 11,
12</scripRef>), and paying his respects to his father when he sent
for him, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:27-31" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|47|27|47|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.27-Gen.47.31">ver. 27-31</scripRef>. II.
Of Joseph's justice between prince and people in a very critical
affair, selling Pharaoh's corn to his subjects with reasonable
profits to Pharaoh, and yet without any wrong to them, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:13-26" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|47|13|47|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.13-Gen.47.26">ver. 13</scripRef>, &amp;c. Thus he approved
himself wise and good, both in his private and in his public
capacity.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 47" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|47|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 47:1-12" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|47|1|47|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.1-Gen.47.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.47.1-Gen.47.12">
<h4 id="Gen.xlviii-p1.7">Pharaoh's Generosity; Jacob Presented to
Pharaoh. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlviii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlviii-p2">1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said,
My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and
all that they have,
<pb n="251" id="Gen.xlviii-Page_251"/>
are come out of the land
of Canaan; and, behold, they <i>are</i> in the land of Goshen.
&#160; 2 And he took some of his brethren, <i>even</i> five men,
and presented them unto Pharaoh. &#160; 3 And Pharaoh said unto his
brethren, What <i>is</i> your occupation? And they said unto
Pharaoh, Thy servants <i>are</i> shepherds, both we, <i>and</i>
also our fathers. &#160; 4 They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to
sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture
for their flocks; for the famine <i>is</i> sore in the land of
Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the
land of Goshen. &#160; 5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy
father and thy brethren are come unto thee: &#160; 6 The land of
Egypt <i>is</i> before thee; in the best of the land make thy
father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell:
and if thou knowest <i>any</i> men of activity among them, then
make them rulers over my cattle. &#160; 7 And Joseph brought in
Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed
Pharaoh. &#160; 8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old <i>art</i>
thou? &#160; 9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years
of my pilgrimage <i>are</i> a hundred and thirty years: few and
evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not
attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in
the days of their pilgrimage. &#160; 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh,
and went out from before Pharaoh. &#160; 11 And Joseph placed his
father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of
Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh
had commanded. &#160; 12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his
brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to
<i>their</i> families.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p3">Here is, I. The respect which Joseph, as a
subject, showed to his prince. Though he was his favourite, and
prime-minister of state, and had had particular orders from him to
send for his father down to Egypt, yet he would not suffer him to
settle till he had given notice of it to Pharaoh, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:1" id="Gen.xlviii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|47|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Christ, our Joseph,
disposes of his followers in his kingdom as it is prepared of his
Father, saying, <i>It is not mine to give,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 20:23" id="Gen.xlviii-p3.2" parsed="|Matt|20|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.23">Matt. xx. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p4">II. The respect which Joseph, as a brother,
showed to his brethren, notwithstanding all the unkindness he had
formerly received from them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p5">1. Though he was a great man, and they were
comparatively mean and despicable, especially in Egypt, yet he
owned them. Let those that are rich and great in the world learn
hence not to overlook nor despise their poor relations. Every
branch of the tree is not a top branch; but, because it is a lower
branch, is it therefore not of the tree? Our Lord Jesus, like
Joseph here, is not <i>ashamed to call us brethren.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p6">2. They being strangers and no courtiers,
he introduced some of them to Pharaoh, <i>to kiss his hand,</i> as
we say, intending thereby to put an honour upon them among the
Egyptians. Thus Christ presents his brethren in the court of
heaven, and improves his interest for them, though in themselves
unworthy and <i>an abomination to the Egyptians.</i> Being
presented to Pharaoh, according to the instructions which Joseph
had given them, they tell him, (1.) What was their business&#8212;that
they were shepherds, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:3" id="Gen.xlviii-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|47|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Pharaoh asked them (and Joseph knew it would be one
of his first questions, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:33" id="Gen.xlviii-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|46|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.33"><i>ch.</i>
xlvi. 33</scripRef>), <i>What is your occupation?</i> He takes it
for granted they had something to do, else Egypt should be no place
for them, no harbour for idle vagrants. If they would not work,
they should not eat of his bread in this time of scarcity. Note,
All that have a place in the world should have an employment in it
according to their capacity, some occupation or other, mental or
manual. Those that need not work for their bread must yet have
something to do, to keep them from idleness. Again, Magistrates
should enquire into the occupation of their subjects, as those that
have the care of the public welfare; for idle people are as drones
in the hive, unprofitable burdens of the commonwealth. (2.) What
was their business in Egypt&#8212;to sojourn in the land (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:4" id="Gen.xlviii-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|47|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), not to settle there for
ever, only to sojourn there for a time, while the famine so
prevailed in Canaan, which lay high, that it was not habitable for
shepherds, the grass being burnt up much more than in Egypt, which
lay low, and where the corn chiefly failed, while there was
tolerably good pasture.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p7">3. He obtained for them a grant of a
settlement in the land of Goshen, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:5,6" id="Gen.xlviii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|47|5|47|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.5-Gen.47.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. This was an instance of
Pharaoh's gratitude to Joseph; because he had been such a blessing
to him and his kingdom, he would be kind to his relations, purely
for his sake. He offered them preferment as shepherds over his
cattle, provided they were men of activity; for it is the man who
is diligent in his business that shall stand before kings. And,
whatever our profession or employment is, we should aim to be
excellent in it, and to prove ourselves ingenious and
industrious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p8">III. The respect Joseph, as a son, showed
to his father.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p9">1. He presented him to Pharaoh, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:7" id="Gen.xlviii-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|47|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. And here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p10">(1.) Pharaoh asks Jacob a common question:
<i>How old art thou?</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 47:8" id="Gen.xlviii-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|47|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. A question usually put to old men, for it is natural
to us to admire old age and to reverence it (<scripRef passage="Le 19:32" id="Gen.xlviii-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|19|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.32">Lev. xix. 32</scripRef>), as it is very unnatural and
unbecoming to despise it, <scripRef passage="Isa 3:5" id="Gen.xlviii-p10.3" parsed="|Isa|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.3.5">Isa. iii.
5</scripRef>. Jacob's countenance, no doubt, showed him to be very
old, for he had been a man of labour and sorrow; in Egypt people
were not so long-lived as in Canaan, and therefore Pharaoh looks
upon Jacob with wonder; he was as a show in his court. When we are
reflecting upon ourselves, this should come into the account, "How
old are we?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p11">(2.) Jacob gives Pharaoh an uncommon
answer, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:9" id="Gen.xlviii-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|47|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. He
speaks as becomes a patriarch, with an air of seriousness, for the
instruction of Pharaoh. Though our speech be not always of grace,
yet it must thus be always with grace. Observe here, [1.] He calls
his life <i>a pilgrimage,</i> looking upon himself as a stranger in
this world, and a traveller towards another world: this earth his
inn, not his home. To this the apostle refers (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:13" id="Gen.xlviii-p11.2" parsed="|Heb|11|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.13">Heb. xi. 13</scripRef>), <i>They confessed that they
were strangers and pilgrims.</i> He not only reckoned himself a
pilgrim now that he was in Egypt, a strange country in which he
never was before; but his life, even in the land of his nativity,
was a pilgrimage, and those who so reckon it can the better bear
the inconvenience of banishment from their native soil; they are
but pilgrims still, and so they were always. [2.] He reckons his
life by <i>days;</i> for, even so, it is soon reckoned, and we are
not sure of the continuance of it for a day to an end, but may be
turned out of this tabernacle at less than an hour's warning. Let
us therefore number our days (<scripRef passage="Ps 90:12" id="Gen.xlviii-p11.3" parsed="|Ps|90|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.12">Ps. xc.
12</scripRef>), and measure them, <scripRef passage="Ps 39:4" id="Gen.xlviii-p11.4" parsed="|Ps|39|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.4">Ps.
xxxix. 4</scripRef>. [3.] The character he gives of them is,
<i>First,</i> That they were few. Though he had now lived 130
years, they seemed to him but a few days, in comparison with the
days of eternity, the eternal God, and the eternal state, in which
a thousand years (longer than ever any man lived) are but as one
day. <i>Secondly,</i> That they were evil. This is true concerning
man in general, <i>he is of few days, and full of trouble</i>
(<scripRef passage="Job 14:1" id="Gen.xlviii-p11.5" parsed="|Job|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.14.1">Job xiv. 1</scripRef>); and, since
his days are evil, it is well they are few. Jacob's life,
particularly, had been made up of evil days; and the pleasantest
days of his life were yet before him. <i>Thirdly,</i> That they
were short of the days of his fathers, not so many, not so
pleasant, as their days. Old age came sooner upon him than it had
done upon some of his ancestors. As the young man should not be
proud of his strength or beauty, so the old man should not be proud
of his age, and the crown of his hoary hairs, though others justly
reverence it; for those who are accounted very old attain not to
the years of the patriarchs. The hoary head is a crown of glory
only when it is found in the way of righteousness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p12">(3.) Jacob both addresses himself to
Pharaoh and takes leave of him with a blessing (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:7" id="Gen.xlviii-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|47|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>Jacob blessed Pharaoh,</i>
and again, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:10" id="Gen.xlviii-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|47|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>,
which was not only an act of civility (he paid him respect and
returned him thanks for his kindness), but an act of piety&#8212;he
prayed for him, as one having the authority of a prophet and a
patriarch. Though in worldly wealth Pharaoh was the greater, yet,
in interest with God, Jacob was the greater; he was God's anointed,
<scripRef passage="Ps 105:15" id="Gen.xlviii-p12.3" parsed="|Ps|105|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.15">Ps. cv. 15</scripRef>. And a
patriarch's blessing was not a thing to be despised, no, not by a
potent prince. Darius valued the prayers of the church for himself
and for his sons, <scripRef passage="Ezr 6:10" id="Gen.xlviii-p12.4" parsed="|Ezra|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.6.10">Ezra vi.
10</scripRef>. Pharaoh kindly received Jacob, and, whether in the
name of a prophet or no, thus he had a prophet's reward, which
sufficiently recompensed him, not only for his courteous converse
with him, but for all the other kindnesses he showed to him and
his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p13">2. He provided well for him and his,
<i>placed him in Goshen</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:11" id="Gen.xlviii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|47|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), <i>nourished him</i> and all his with food
convenient for them, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:12" id="Gen.xlviii-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|47|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. This bespeaks, not only Joseph a good man, who took
this tender care of his poor relations, but God a good God, who
raised him up for this purpose, and put him into a capacity of
doing it, as Esther came to the kingdom for such a time as this.
What God here did for Jacob he has, in effect, promised to do for
all his, that serve him and trust in him. <scripRef passage="Ps 37:19" id="Gen.xlviii-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|37|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.19">Ps. xxxvii. 19</scripRef>, <i>In the days of famine they
shall be satisfied.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 47:13-26" id="Gen.xlviii-p13.4" parsed="|Gen|47|13|47|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.13-Gen.47.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.47.13-Gen.47.26">
<h4 id="Gen.xlviii-p13.5">Distressed Occasioned by the
Famine. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlviii-p13.6">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlviii-p14">13 And <i>there was</i> no bread in all the
land; for the famine <i>was</i> very sore, so that the land of
Egypt and <i>all</i> the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the
famine. &#160; 14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was
found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn
which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's
house. &#160; 15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in
the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said,
Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money
faileth. &#160; 16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will
give you for your cattle, if money fail. &#160; 17 And they brought
their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread <i>in
exchange</i> for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of
the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all
their cattle for that year. &#160; 18 When that year was ended,
they came
<pb n="253" id="Gen.xlviii-Page_253"/>
unto him the second year, and said
unto him, We will not hide <i>it</i> from my lord, how that our
money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not
ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:
&#160; 19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our
land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be
servants unto Pharaoh: and give <i>us</i> seed, that we may live,
and not die, that the land be not desolate. &#160; 20 And Joseph
bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold
every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the
land became Pharaoh's. &#160; 21 And as for the people, he removed
them to cities from <i>one</i> end of the borders of Egypt even to
the <i>other</i> end thereof. &#160; 22 Only the land of the
priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion <i>assigned
them</i> of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave
them: wherefore they sold not their lands. &#160; 23 Then Joseph
said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your
land for Pharaoh: lo, <i>here is</i> seed for you, and ye shall sow
the land. &#160; 24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that
ye shall give the fifth <i>part</i> unto Pharaoh, and four parts
shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and
for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
&#160; 25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find
grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
&#160; 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this
day, <i>that</i> Pharaoh should have the fifth <i>part;</i> except
the land of the priests only, <i>which</i> became not
Pharaoh's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p15">Care being taken of Jacob and his family,
the preservation of which was especially designed by Providence in
Joseph's advancement, an account is now given of the saving of the
kingdom of Egypt too from ruin; for God is King of nations as well
as King of saints, and provideth food for all flesh. Joseph now
returns to the management of that great trust which Pharaoh had
lodged in his hand. It would have been pleasing enough to him to
have gone and lived with his father and brethren in Goshen; but his
employment would not permit it. When he had seen his father, and
seen him well settled, he applied himself as closely as ever to the
execution of his office. Note, Even natural affection must give way
to necessary business. Parents and children must be content to be
absent one from another, when it is necessary, on either side, for
the service of God or their generation. In Joseph's transactions
with the Egyptians observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p16">I. The great extremity that Egypt, and the
parts adjacent, were reduced to by the famine. There was no bread,
and they <i>fainted</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:13" id="Gen.xlviii-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|47|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), they were ready to die, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:15,19" id="Gen.xlviii-p16.2" parsed="|Gen|47|15|0|0;|Gen|47|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.15 Bible:Gen.47.19"><i>v.</i> 15, 19</scripRef>. 1. See here what a
dependence we have upon God's providence. If its usual favours are
suspended but for a while, we die, we perish, we all perish. All
our wealth would not keep us from starving if the rain of heaven
were but withheld for two or three years. See how much we lie at
God's mercy, and let us keep ourselves always in his love. 2. See
how much we smart by our own improvidence. If all the Egyptians had
done for themselves in the seven years of plenty as Joseph did for
Pharaoh, they had not been now in these straits; but they regarded
not the warning they had of the years of famine, concluding that
to-morrow shall be as this day, next year as this, and much more
abundant. Note, Because man knows not his time (his time of
gathering when he has it) therefore his misery is great upon him
when the spending time comes, <scripRef passage="Ec 8:6,7" id="Gen.xlviii-p16.3" parsed="|Eccl|8|6|8|7" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.6-Eccl.8.7">Eccl.
viii. 6, 7</scripRef>. 3. See how early God put a difference
between the Egyptians and the Israelites, as afterwards in the
plagues, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:22,9:4,10:23" id="Gen.xlviii-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|8|22|0|0;|Exod|9|4|0|0;|Exod|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.22 Bible:Exod.9.4 Bible:Exod.10.23">Exod. viii. 22; ix.
4, 26; x. 23</scripRef>. Jacob and his family, though strangers,
were plentifully fed on free cost, while the Egyptians were dying
for want. See <scripRef passage="Isa 65:13" id="Gen.xlviii-p16.5" parsed="|Isa|65|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.13">Isa. lxv.
13</scripRef>, <i>My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry.
Happy art thou, O Israel.</i> Whoever wants, God's children shall
not, <scripRef passage="Ps 34:10" id="Gen.xlviii-p16.6" parsed="|Ps|34|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.34.10">Ps. xxxiv. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p17">II. The price they had come up to, for
their supply, in this exigency. 1. They parted with all their money
which they had hoarded up, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:14" id="Gen.xlviii-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|47|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. Silver and gold would not feed them, they must have
corn. All the money of the kingdom was by this means brought into
the exchequer. 2. When the money failed, they parted with all their
cattle, those for labour, as the horses and asses, and those for
food, as the flocks and the herds, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:17" id="Gen.xlviii-p17.2" parsed="|Gen|47|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. By this it should seem that we
may better live upon bread without flesh than upon flesh without
bread. We may suppose they parted the more easily with their cattle
because they had little or no grass for them; and now Pharaoh saw
in reality what he had before seen in vision, nothing but lean
kine. 3. When they had sold their stocks off their land, it was
easy to persuade themselves (rather than starve) to sell their land
too; for what good would that do them, when they had neither corn
to sow it nor cattle to eat of it? They
<pb n="254" id="Gen.xlviii-Page_254"/>
therefore sold that next, for a further supply of corn. 4. When
their land was sold, so that they had nothing to live on, they must
of course sell themselves, that they might live purely upon their
labour, and hold their lands by the base tenure of villanage, at
the courtesy of the crown. Note, <i>Skin for skin, and all that a
man hath,</i> even liberty and property (those darling twins),
<i>will he give for his life;</i> for life is sweet. There are few
(though perhaps there are some) who would even dare to die rather
than live in slavery, and dependence on an arbitrary power. And
perhaps there are those who, in that case, could die by the sword,
in a heat, who yet could not deliberately die by famine, which is
much worse, <scripRef passage="La 4:9" id="Gen.xlviii-p17.3" parsed="|Lam|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.4.9">Lam. iv. 9</scripRef>. Now
it was a great mercy to the Egyptians that, in this distress, they
could have corn at any rate; if they had all died for hunger, their
lands perhaps would have escheated to the crown of course, for want
of heirs; they therefore resolved to make the best of bad.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p18">III. The method which Joseph took to
accommodate the matter between prince and people, so that the
prince might have his just advantage, and yet the people not be
quite ruined. 1. For their lands, he needed not come to any bargain
with them while the years of famine lasted; but when these were
over (for God will not contend for ever, nor will he be always
wroth) he came to an agreement, which it seems both sides were
pleased with, that the people should occupy and enjoy the lands, as
he thought fit to assign them, and should have seed to sow them
with out of the king's stores, for their own proper use and behoof,
yielding and paying only a fifth part of the yearly profits as a
chief rent to the crown. This became a standing law, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:26" id="Gen.xlviii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|47|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. And it was a very good
bargain to have food for their lands, when otherwise they and
theirs must have starved, and then to have their lands again upon
such easy terms. Note, Those ministers of state are worthy of
double honour, both for wisdom and integrity, that keep the balance
even between prince and people, so that liberty and property may
not intrench upon prerogative, nor the prerogative bear hard upon
liberty and property: in the multitude of such counsellors there is
safety. If afterwards the Egyptians thought it hard to pay so great
a duty to the king out of their lands, they must remember, not only
how just, but how kind, the first imposing of it was. They might
thankfully pay a fifth where all was due. It is observable how
faithful Joseph was to him that appointed him. He did not put the
money into his own pocket, nor entail the lands upon his own
family; but converted both entirely to Pharaoh's use; and therefore
we do not find that his posterity went out of Egypt any richer than
the rest of their poor brethren. Those in public trusts, if they
raise great estates, must take heed that it be not at the expense
of a good conscience, which is much more valuable. 2. For their
persons, he removed them to cities, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:21" id="Gen.xlviii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|47|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. He transplanted them, to show
Pharaoh's sovereign power over them, and that they might, in time,
forget their titles to their lands, and be the more easily
reconciled to their new condition of servitude. The Jewish writers
say, "He removed them thus from their former habitations because
they reproached his brethren as strangers, to silence which
reproach they were all made, in effect, strangers." See what
changes a little time may make with a people, and how soon God can
empty those from vessel to vessel who had settled upon their lees.
How hard soever this seems to have been upon them, they themselves
were at this time sensible of it as a very great kindness, and were
thankful they were not worse used: <i>Thou hast saved our
lives,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 47:25" id="Gen.xlviii-p18.3" parsed="|Gen|47|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>.
Note, There is good reason that the Saviour of our lives should be
the Master of our lives. "Thou hast saved us; do what thou wilt
with us."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p19">IV. The reservation he made in favour of
the priests. They were maintained on free cost, so that they needed
not to sell their lands, <scripRef passage="Ge 47:22" id="Gen.xlviii-p19.1" parsed="|Gen|47|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. <i>All people will thus walk in the name of their
God;</i> they will be kind to those that attend the public service
of their God, and that minister to them in holy things; and we
should, in like manner, honour our God, by esteeming his ministers
highly in love for their work's sake.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 47:27-31" id="Gen.xlviii-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|47|27|47|31" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.27-Gen.47.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.47.27-Gen.47.31">
<h4 id="Gen.xlviii-p19.3">Jacob's Charge Concerning His
Burial. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlviii-p19.4">b. c.</span> 1706.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlviii-p20">27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the
country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and
multiplied exceedingly. &#160; 28 And Jacob lived in the land of
Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was a hundred
forty and seven years. &#160; 29 And the time drew nigh that Israel
must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I
have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my
thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee,
in Egypt: &#160; 30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt
carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he
said, I will do as thou hast said. &#160; 31 And he said, Swear
unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the
bed's head.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlviii-p21">Observe, 1. The comfort Jacob lived in
(<scripRef passage="Ge 47:27,28" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|47|27|47|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.27-Gen.47.28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>);
while the Egyptians were impoverished in their own land, Jacob was
replenished in a strange land. He lived seventeen years after he
came into Egypt, far beyond his own expectation. Seventeen
<pb n="255" id="Gen.xlviii-Page_255"/>
years he had nourished Joseph (for so old he was
when he was sold from him, <scripRef passage="Ge 37:2" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|37|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.37.2"><i>ch.</i>
xxxvii. 2</scripRef>), and now, by way of requital, seventeen years
Joseph nourished him. Observe how kindly Providence ordered Jacob's
affairs, that when he was old, and least able to bear care or
fatigue, he had least occasion for it, being well provided for by
his son without his own forecast. Thus God considers the frame of
his people. 2. The care Jacob died in. At last <i>the time drew
nigh that Israel must die,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 47:29" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.3" parsed="|Gen|47|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Israel, a prince with God, that
had power over the angel and prevailed, yet must yield to death.
There is no remedy, he <i>must die:</i> it is appointed for all
men, therefore for him; and there is no discharge in that war.
Joseph supplied him with bread, that he might not die by famine;
but this did not secure him from dying by age or sickness. He died
by degrees; his candle was not blown out, but gradually burnt down
to the socket, so that he saw, at some distance, the time drawing
nigh. Note, It is an improvable advantage to see the approach of
death before we feel its arrests, that we may be quickened to do
what our hand finds to do with all our might: however, it is not
far from any of us. Now Jacob's care, as he saw the day
approaching, was about his burial, not the pomp of it (he was no
way solicitous about that), but the place of it. (1.) He would be
buried in Canaan. This he resolved on, not from mere humour,
because Canaan was the land of his nativity, but in faith, because
it was the land of promise (which he desired thus, as it were, to
keep possession of, till the time should come when his posterity
should be masters of it), and because it was a type of heaven, that
better country which he that said these things declared plainly
that he was in expectation of, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:14" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.4" parsed="|Heb|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.14">Heb.
xi. 14</scripRef>. He aimed at a good land, which would be his rest
and bliss on the other side death. (2.) He would have Joseph sworn
to bring him thither to be buried (<scripRef passage="Ge 47:29,31" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.5" parsed="|Gen|47|29|0|0;|Gen|47|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.29 Bible:Gen.47.31"><i>v.</i> 29, 31</scripRef>), that Joseph, being
under such a solemn obligation to do it, might have that to answer
to the objections which otherwise might have been made against it,
and for the greater satisfaction of Jacob now in his dying minutes.
Nothing will better help to make a death-bed easy than the certain
prospect of a rest in Canaan after death. (3.) When this was done
<i>Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head,</i> yielding himself,
as it were, to the stroke of death ("Now let it come, and it shall
be welcome"), or worshipping God, as it is explained, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:21" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.6" parsed="|Heb|11|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.21">Heb. xi. 21</scripRef>, giving God thanks for
all his favours, and particularly for this, that Joseph was ready,
not only to put his hand upon his eyes to close them, but under his
thigh to give him the satisfaction he desired concerning his
burial. Thus those that go down to the dust should, with humble
thankfulness, bow before God, the God of their mercies, <scripRef passage="Ps 22:29" id="Gen.xlviii-p21.7" parsed="|Ps|22|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.29">Ps. xxii. 29</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLVIII" n="xlix" progress="29.44%" prev="Gen.xlviii" next="Gen.l" id="Gen.xlix">
<pb n="255" id="Gen.xlix-Page_255"/>
<h2 id="Gen.xlix-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.xlix-p0.2">CHAP. XLVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.xlix-p1">The time drawing nigh that Israel must die,
having, in the former chapter, given order about his burial, in
this he takes leave of his grand-children by Joseph, and in the
next of all his children. Thus Jacob's dying words are recorded,
because he then spoke by a spirit of prophecy; Abraham's and
Isaac's are not. God's gifts and graces shine forth much more in
some saints than in others upon their death-beds. The Spirit, like
the wind, blows where it listeth. In this chapter, I. Joseph,
hearing of his father's sickness, goes to visit him, and takes his
two sons with him, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:1,2" id="Gen.xlix-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|48|1|48|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.1-Gen.48.2">ver. 1,
2</scripRef>. II. Jacob solemnly adopts his two sons, and takes
them for his own, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:3-7" id="Gen.xlix-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|48|3|48|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.3-Gen.48.7">ver.
3-7</scripRef>. III. He blesses them, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:8-16" id="Gen.xlix-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|48|8|48|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.8-Gen.48.16">ver. 8-16</scripRef>. IV. He explains and justifies
the crossing of his hands in blessing them, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:17-20" id="Gen.xlix-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|48|17|48|20" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.17-Gen.48.20">ver. 17-20</scripRef>. V. He leaves a particular
legacy to Joseph, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:21,22" id="Gen.xlix-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|48|21|48|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.21-Gen.48.22">ver. 21,
22</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 48" id="Gen.xlix-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|48|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 48:1-7" id="Gen.xlix-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|48|1|48|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.1-Gen.48.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.48.1-Gen.48.7">
<h4 id="Gen.xlix-p1.8">Jacob's Last Illness. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlix-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlix-p2">1 And it came to pass after these things, that
<i>one</i> told Joseph, Behold, thy father <i>is</i> sick: and he
took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. &#160; 2 And
<i>one</i> told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto
thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. &#160;
3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz
in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, &#160; 4 And said unto me,
Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will
make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy
seed after thee <i>for</i> an everlasting possession. &#160; 5 And
now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee
in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, <i>are</i>
mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. &#160; 6 And thy
issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, <i>and</i>
shall be called after the name of their brethren in their
inheritance. &#160; 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel
died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet <i>there
was</i> but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her
there in the way of Ephrath; the same <i>is</i> Beth-lehem.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p3">Here, I. Joseph, upon notice of his
father's illness, goes to see him; though a man of honour and
business, yet he will not fail to show this due respect to his aged
father, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:1" id="Gen.xlix-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|48|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Visiting the sick, to whom we lie under obligations, or may have
opportunity of doing good, either for body or soul, is our duty.
The sick bed is a proper place both for giving comfort and counsel
to others and receiving instruction ourselves. Joseph took his two
sons with him, that they might receive their dying grandfather's
blessing, and that what they might see in him, and hear from him,
might make an abiding impression upon them. Note, 1. It is good to
acquaint young people that are coming into the world with the aged
servants of God that are going out of it, whose dying testimony to
the
<pb n="256" id="Gen.xlix-Page_256"/>
goodness of God, and the pleasantness of
wisdom's ways, may be a great encouragement to the rising
generation. Manasseh and Ephraim (I dare say) would never forget
what passed at this time. 2. Pious parents are desirous of a
blessing, not only for themselves, but for their children. "O that
they may live before God!" Joseph had been, above all his brethren,
kind to his father, and therefore had reason to expect particular
favour from him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p4">II. Jacob, upon notice of his son's visit,
prepared himself as well as he could to entertain him, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:2" id="Gen.xlix-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|48|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. He did what he could to
rouse his spirits, and to stir up the gift that was in him; what
little was left of bodily strength he put forth to the utmost, and
<i>sat upon the bed.</i> Note, It is very good for sick and aged
people to be as lively and cheerful as they can, that they may not
faint in the day of adversity. <i>Strengthen thyself,</i> as Jacob
here, and God will strengthen thee; hearten thyself and help
thyself, and God will help and hearten thee. Let the spirit sustain
the infirmity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p5">III. In recompence to Joseph for all his
attentions to him, he adopted his two sons. In this charter of
adoption there is, 1. A particular recital of God's promise to him,
to which this had reference: "<i>God blessed me</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 48:3" id="Gen.xlix-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|48|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and let that blessing be
entailed upon them." God had promised him two things, a numerous
issue, and Canaan for an inheritance (<scripRef passage="Ge 48:4" id="Gen.xlix-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|48|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>); and Joseph's sons, pursuant
hereunto, should each of them multiply into a tribe, and each of
them have a distinct lot in Canaan, equal with Jacob's own sons.
See how he blessed them by faith in that which God had said to him,
<scripRef passage="Heb 11:21" id="Gen.xlix-p5.3" parsed="|Heb|11|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.21">Heb. xi. 21</scripRef>. Note, In all
our prayers, both for ourselves and for our children, we ought to
have a particular eye to, and remembrance of, God's promises to us.
2. An express reception of Joseph's sons into his family: "<i>Thy
sons are mine</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 48:5" id="Gen.xlix-p5.4" parsed="|Gen|48|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), not only my grand-children, but as my own children."
Though they were born in Egypt, and their father was then separated
from his brethren, which might seem to have cut them off from the
heritage of the Lord, yet Jacob takes them in, and owns them for
visible church members. He explains this at <scripRef passage="Ge 48:16" id="Gen.xlix-p5.5" parsed="|Gen|48|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>, <i>Let my name be named upon
them, and the name of my fathers;</i> as if he had said, "Let them
not succeed their father in his power and grandeur here in Egypt,
but let them succeed me in the inheritance of the promise made to
Abraham," which Jacob looked upon as much more valuable and
honourable, and would have them to prize and covet accordingly.
Thus the aged dying patriarch teaches these young persons, now that
they were of age (being about twenty-one years old), not to look
upon Egypt as their home, nor to incorporate themselves with the
Egyptians, but to take their lot with the people of God, as Moses
afterwards in the like temptation, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:24-26" id="Gen.xlix-p5.6" parsed="|Heb|11|24|11|26" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.24-Heb.11.26">Heb. xi. 24-26</scripRef>. And because it would be a
piece of self-denial in them, who stood so fair for preferment in
Egypt, to adhere to the despised Hebrews, to encourage them he
constitutes each of them the head of a tribe. Note, Those are
worthy of double honour who, through God's grace, break through the
temptations of worldly wealth and preferment, to embrace religion
in disgrace and poverty. Jacob will have Ephraim and Manasseh to
believe that it is better to be low and in the church than high and
out of it, to be called by the name of poor Jacob than to be called
by the name of rich Joseph. 3. A proviso inserted concerning the
children he might afterwards have; they should not be accounted
heads of tribes, as Ephraim and Manasseh were, but should fall in
with either the one or the other of their brethren, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:6" id="Gen.xlix-p5.7" parsed="|Gen|48|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It does not appear that
Joseph had any more children; however, it was Jacob's prudence to
give this direction, for the preventing of contest and
mismanagement. Note, In making settlements, it is good to take
advice, and to provide for what may happen, while we cannot foresee
what will happen. Our prudence must attend God's providence. 4.
Mention is made of the death and burial of Rachel, Joseph's mother,
and Jacob's best beloved wife (<scripRef passage="Ge 48:7" id="Gen.xlix-p5.8" parsed="|Gen|48|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), referring to that story,
<scripRef passage="Ge 35:19" id="Gen.xlix-p5.9" parsed="|Gen|35|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.19"><i>ch.</i> xxxv. 19</scripRef>. Note,
(1.) When we come to die ourselves, it is good to call to mind the
death of our dear relations and friends, that have gone before us,
to make death and the grave the more familiar to us. See <scripRef passage="Nu 27:13" id="Gen.xlix-p5.10" parsed="|Num|27|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.13">Num. xxvii. 13</scripRef>. Those that were to us
as our own souls are dead and buried; and shall we think it much to
follow them in the same path? (2.) The removal of dear relations
from us is an affliction the remembrance of which cannot but abide
with us a great while. Strong affections in the enjoyment cause
long afflictions in the loss.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 48:8-22" id="Gen.xlix-p5.11" parsed="|Gen|48|8|48|22" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.8-Gen.48.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.48.8-Gen.48.22">
<h4 id="Gen.xlix-p5.12">Jacob Blesses the Sons of Joseph; Jacob's
Dying Prophecy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.xlix-p5.13">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.xlix-p6">8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who
<i>are</i> these? &#160; 9 And Joseph said unto his father, They
<i>are</i> my sons, whom God hath given me in this <i>place.</i>
And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless
them. &#160; 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, <i>so
that</i> he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and
he kissed them, and embraced them. &#160; 11 And Israel said unto
Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath showed
me also thy seed. &#160; 12 And Joseph brought them out from
between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
&#160; 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his
<pb n="257" id="Gen.xlix-Page_257"/>
right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh
in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought
<i>them</i> near unto him. &#160; 14 And Israel stretched out his
right hand, and laid <i>it</i> upon Ephraim's head, who <i>was</i>
the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his
hands wittingly; for Manasseh <i>was</i> the firstborn. &#160; 15
And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long
unto this day, &#160; 16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil,
bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of
my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in
the midst of the earth. &#160; 17 And when Joseph saw that his
father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased
him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's
head unto Manasseh's head. &#160; 18 And Joseph said unto his
father, Not so, my father: for this <i>is</i> the firstborn; put
thy right hand upon his head. &#160; 19 And his father refused, and
said, I know <i>it,</i> my son, I know <i>it:</i> he also shall
become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger
brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a
multitude of nations. &#160; 20 And he blessed them that day,
saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as
Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. &#160;
21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be
with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. &#160;
22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren,
which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with
my bow.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p7">Here is, I. The blessing with which Jacob
blessed the two sons of Joseph, which is the more remarkable
because the apostle makes such particular mention of it (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:21" id="Gen.xlix-p7.1" parsed="|Heb|11|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.21">Heb. xi. 21</scripRef>), while he says nothing
of the blessing which Jacob pronounced on the rest of his sons,
though that also was done in faith. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p8">1. Jacob was blind for age, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:10" id="Gen.xlix-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|48|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. It is one of the common
infirmities of old age. <i>Those that look out at the windows are
darkened,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 12:3" id="Gen.xlix-p8.2" parsed="|Eccl|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.3">Eccl. xii. 3</scripRef>.
It is folly to <i>walk in the sight of our eyes,</i> and to suffer
our hearts to go after them, while we know death will shortly close
them, and we do not know but some accident between us and death may
darken them. Jacob, like his father before him, when he was old,
was dim-sighted. Note, (1.) Those that have the honour of age must
therewith be content to take the burden of it. (2.) The eye of
faith may be very clear even when the eye of the body is very much
clouded.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p9">2. Jacob was very fond of Joseph's sons:
<i>He kissed them and embraced them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 48:10" id="Gen.xlix-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|48|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. It is common for old people to
have a very particular affection for their grand-children, perhaps
more than they had for their own children when they were little,
which Solomon gives a reason for (<scripRef passage="Pr 17:6" id="Gen.xlix-p9.2" parsed="|Prov|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.6">Prov.
xvii. 6</scripRef>), <i>Children's children are the crown of old
men.</i> With what satisfaction does Jacob say here (<scripRef passage="Ge 48:11" id="Gen.xlix-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|48|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), <i>I had not thought
to see thy face</i> (having many years given him up for lost),
<i>and, lo, God has shown me also thy seed!</i> See here, (1.) How
these two good men own God in their comforts. Joseph says
(<scripRef passage="Ge 48:9" id="Gen.xlix-p9.4" parsed="|Gen|48|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), <i>They are
my sons whom God has given me,</i> and, to magnify the favour, he
adds, "<i>In this place</i> of my banishment, slavery, and
imprisonment." Jacob says here, <i>God has shown me thy seed.</i>
Our comforts are then doubly sweet to us when we see them coming
from God's hand. (2.) How often God, in his merciful providences,
outdoes our expectations, and thus greatly magnifies his favours.
He not only prevents our fears, but exceeds our hopes. We may apply
this to the promise which is made to us and to our children. We
could not have thought that we should have been taken into covenant
with God ourselves, considering how guilty and corrupt we are; and
yet, lo, he has shown us our seed also in covenant with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p10">3. Before he entails his blessing, he
recounts his experiences of God's goodness to him. He had spoken
(<scripRef passage="Ge 48:3" id="Gen.xlix-p10.1" parsed="|Gen|48|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) of God's
appearing to him. The particular visits of his grace, and the
special communion we have sometimes had with him, ought never to be
forgotten. But (<scripRef passage="Ge 48:15,16" id="Gen.xlix-p10.2" parsed="|Gen|48|15|48|16" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.15-Gen.48.16"><i>v.</i> 15,
16</scripRef>) he mentions the constant care which the divine
Providence had taken of him all his days. (1.) He had <i>fed him
all his life long unto this day,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 48:15" id="Gen.xlix-p10.3" parsed="|Gen|48|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Note, As long as we have lived
in this world we have had continual experience of God's goodness to
us, in providing for the support of our natural life. Our bodies
have called for daily food, and no little has gone to feed us, yet
we have never wanted food convenient. He that has fed us <i>all our
life long</i> surely will not fail us at last. (2.) He had by his
angel <i>redeemed him from all evil,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 48:16" id="Gen.xlix-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|48|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. A great deal of hardship he had
known in his time, but God had graciously kept him from the evil of
his troubles. Now that he was dying he looked upon himself as
<i>redeemed from all evil,</i> and bidding an everlasting farewell
to sin and sorrow. Christ, the Angel of the covenant, is he that
redeems us from
<pb n="258" id="Gen.xlix-Page_258"/>
all evil, <scripRef passage="2Ti 4:18" id="Gen.xlix-p10.5" parsed="|2Tim|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.4.18">2 Tim. iv. 18</scripRef>. Note, [1.] It becomes the
servants of God, when they are old and dying, to witness for our
God that they have found him gracious. [2.] Our experiences of
God's goodness to us are improvable, both for the encouragement of
others to serve God, and for encouragement to us in blessing them
and praying for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p11">4. When he confers the blessing and name of
Abraham and Isaac upon them he recommends the pattern and example
of Abraham and Isaac to them, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:15" id="Gen.xlix-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|48|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. He calls God the <i>God before
whom his fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,</i> that is, in whom
they believed, whom they observed and obeyed, and with whom they
kept up communion in instituted ordinances, according to the
condition of the covenant. <i>Walk before me,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 17:1" id="Gen.xlix-p11.2" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 1</scripRef>. Note, (1.) Those
that would inherit the blessing of their godly ancestors, and have
the benefit of God's covenant with them, must tread in the steps of
their piety. (2.) It should recommend religion and the service of
God to us that God was the God of our fathers, and that they had
satisfaction in walking before him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p12">5. In blessing them, he <i>crossed
hands.</i> Joseph placed them so as that Jacob's right hand should
be put on the head of Manasseh the elder, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:12,13" id="Gen.xlix-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|48|12|48|13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.12-Gen.48.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. But Jacob would put it
on the head of Ephraim the younger, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:14" id="Gen.xlix-p12.2" parsed="|Gen|48|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. This displeased Joseph, who was
willing to support the reputation of his first-born, and would
therefore have removed his father's hands, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:17,18" id="Gen.xlix-p12.3" parsed="|Gen|48|17|48|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.17-Gen.48.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>. But Jacob gave him to
understand that he know what he did, and that he did it not by
mistake, nor in a humour, nor from a partial affection to one more
than the other, but from a spirit of prophecy, and in compliance
with the divine counsels. Manasseh should be great, but truly
Ephraim should be greater. When the tribes were mustered in the
wilderness, Ephraim was more numerous than Manasseh, and had the
standard of that squadron (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:32,33,35,2:18,20" id="Gen.xlix-p12.4" parsed="|Num|1|32|1|33;|Num|1|35|0|0;|Num|2|18|0|0;|Num|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.32-Num.1.33 Bible:Num.1.35 Bible:Num.2.18 Bible:Num.2.20">Num. i. 32, 33, 35; ii. 18, 20</scripRef>),
and is named first, <scripRef passage="Ps 80:2" id="Gen.xlix-p12.5" parsed="|Ps|80|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.2">Ps. lxxx.
2</scripRef>. Joshua was of that tribe, so was Jeroboam. The tribe
of Manasseh was divided, one half on one side Jordan, the other
half on the other side, which made it the less powerful and
considerable. In the foresight of this, <i>Jacob crossed hands.</i>
Note. (1.) God, in bestowing his blessings upon his people, gives
more to some than to others, more gifts, graces, and comforts, and
more of the good things of this life. (2.) He often gives most to
those that are least likely. He chooses the weak things of the
world; raises the poor out of the dust. Grace observes not the
order of nature, nor does God prefer those whom we think fittest to
be preferred, but as it pleases him. It is observable how often
God, by the distinguishing favours of his covenant, advanced the
younger above the elder, Abel above Cain, Shem above Japheth,
Abraham above Nahor and Haran, Isaac above Ishmael, Jacob above
Esau; Judah and Joseph were preferred before Reuben, Moses before
Aaron, David and Solomon before their elder brethren. See <scripRef passage="1Sa 16:7" id="Gen.xlix-p12.6" parsed="|1Sam|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.16.7">1 Sam. xvi. 7</scripRef>. He tied the Jews to
observe the birthright (<scripRef passage="De 21:17" id="Gen.xlix-p12.7" parsed="|Deut|21|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.17">Deut. xxi.
17</scripRef>), but he never tied himself to observe it. Some make
this typical of the preference given to the Gentiles above the
Jews; the Gentile converts were much more numerous than those of
the Jews. See <scripRef passage="Gal 4:27" id="Gen.xlix-p12.8" parsed="|Gal|4|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.27">Gal. iv. 27</scripRef>.
Thus free grace becomes more illustrious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.xlix-p13">II. The particular tokens of his favour to
Joseph. 1. He left with him the promise of their return out of
Egypt, as a sacred trust: <i>I die, but God shall be with you, and
bring you again,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 48:21" id="Gen.xlix-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|48|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. Accordingly, Joseph, when he died, left it with his
brethren, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:24" id="Gen.xlix-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|50|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.24"><i>ch.</i> l. 24</scripRef>.
This assurance was given them, and carefully preserved among them,
that they might neither love Egypt too much when it favoured them,
nor fear it too much when it frowned upon them. These words of
Jacob furnish us with comfort in reference to the death of our
friends: <i>They die;</i> but God shall be with us, and his
gracious presence is sufficient to make up the loss: they leave us,
but he will never fail us. Further, He will bring us to the land of
our fathers, the heavenly Canaan, whither our godly fathers have
gone before us. If God be with us while we stay behind in this
world, and will receive us shortly to be with those that have gone
before to a better world, we ought not to sorrow as those that have
no hope. 2. He bestowed one portion upon him above his brethren,
<scripRef passage="Ge 48:22" id="Gen.xlix-p13.3" parsed="|Gen|48|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. The lands
bequeathed are described to be those which he <i>took out of the
hand of the Amorite with his sword, and with his bow.</i> He
purchased them first (<scripRef passage="Jos 24:32" id="Gen.xlix-p13.4" parsed="|Josh|24|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.32">Josh. xxiv.
32</scripRef>), and, it seems, was afterwards disseized of them by
the Amorites, but retook them by the sword, repelling force by
force, and recovering his right by violence when he could not
otherwise recover it. These lands he settled upon Joseph; mention
is made of this grant, <scripRef passage="Joh 4:5" id="Gen.xlix-p13.5" parsed="|John|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.4.5">John iv.
5</scripRef>. Pursuant to it, this parcel of ground was given to
the tribe of Ephraim as their right, and the lot was never cast
upon it; and in it Joseph's bones were buried, which perhaps Jacob
had an eye to as much as to any thing in this settlement. Note, It
may sometimes be both just and prudent to give some children
portions above the rest; but a grave is that which we can most
count upon as our own in this earth.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XLIX" n="l" progress="29.82%" prev="Gen.xlix" next="Gen.li" id="Gen.l">
<pb n="258" id="Gen.l-Page_258"/>
<h2 id="Gen.l-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.l-p0.2">CHAP. XLIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.l-p1">This chapter is a prophecy; the likest to it we
have yet met with was that of Noah, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:25-27" id="Gen.l-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|9|25|9|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.25-Gen.9.27"><i>ch.</i> ix. 25</scripRef>, &amp;c. Jacob is here
upon his death-bed, making his will. He put it off till now,
because dying men's words are apt to make deep impressions, and to
be remembered long: what he said here, he could not say when he
would, but as the Spirit gave him utterance, who chose this time,
that divine strength might be perfected in his weakness. The twelve
sons of Jacob were, in their day, men of renown, but the twelve
tribes of Israel, which descended and were denominated from them,
were much more renowned; we find their names upon the gates of the
New Jerusalem, <scripRef passage="Re 21:12" id="Gen.l-p1.2" parsed="|Rev|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.21.12">Rev. xxi.
12</scripRef>. In the prospect of this their dying father says
something remarkable of each son, or of the tribe that bore his
name. Here is, I. The preface, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:1,2" id="Gen.l-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|49|1|49|2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.1-Gen.49.2">ver.
1, 2</scripRef>. II. The prediction concerning each tribe,
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:3-28" id="Gen.l-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|49|3|49|28" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.3-Gen.49.28">ver. 3-28</scripRef>. III. The
charge repeated concerning his burial, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:29-32" id="Gen.l-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|49|29|49|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.29-Gen.49.32">ver. 29-32</scripRef>. IV. His death, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:33" id="Gen.l-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|49|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.33">ver. 33</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49" id="Gen.l-p1.7" parsed="|Gen|49|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49:1-4" id="Gen.l-p1.8" parsed="|Gen|49|1|49|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.1-Gen.49.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.49.1-Gen.49.4">
<h4 id="Gen.l-p1.9">Jacob's Prophecy Concerning His
Sons. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.l-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.l-p2">1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said,
Gather yourselves
<pb n="259" id="Gen.l-Page_259"/>
together, that I may tell
you <i>that</i> which shall befal you in the last days. &#160; 2
Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken
unto Israel your father. &#160; 3 Reuben, thou <i>art</i> my
firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the
excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: &#160; 4
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to
thy father's bed; then defiledst thou <i>it:</i> he went up to my
couch.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p3">Here is, I. The preface to the prophecy, in
which, 1. The congregation is called together (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:2" id="Gen.l-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|49|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Gather yourselves
together;</i> let them all be sent for from their several
employments, to see their father die, and to hear his dying words.
It was a comfort to Jacob, now that he was dying, to see all his
children about him, and none missing, though he had sometimes
thought himself bereaved. It was of use to them to attend him in
his last moments, that they might learn of him how to die, as well
as how to live: what he said to each he said in the hearing of all
the rest; for we may profit by the reproofs, counsels, and
comforts, that are principally intended for others. His calling
upon them once and again to gather together intimated both a
precept to them to unite in love, (to keep together, not to mingle
with the Egyptians, not to forsake the assembling of themselves
together,) and a prediction that they should not be separated from
each other, as Abraham's sons and Isaac's were, but should be
incorporated, and all make one people. 2. A general idea is given
of the intended discourse (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:1" id="Gen.l-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|49|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>): <i>That I may tell you that which shall befal
you</i> (not your persons, but your posterity) <i>in the latter
days;</i> this prediction would be of use to those that came after
them, for the confirming of their faith and the guiding of their
way, on their return to Canaan, and their settlement there. We
cannot tell our children what shall befal them or their families in
this world; but we can tell them, from the word of God, what will
befal them in the last day of all, according as they conduct
themselves in this world. 3. Attention is demanded (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:2" id="Gen.l-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|49|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): "<i>Hearken to Israel
your father;</i> let Israel, that has prevailed with God, prevail
with you." Note, Children must diligently hearken to what their
godly parents say, particularly when they are dying. <i>Hear, you
children, the instruction of a father,</i> which carries with it
both authority and affection, <scripRef passage="Pr 4:1" id="Gen.l-p3.4" parsed="|Prov|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.4.1">Prov. iv.
1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p4">II. The prophecy concerning Reuben. He
begins with him (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:3,4" id="Gen.l-p4.1" parsed="|Gen|49|3|49|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.3-Gen.49.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>), for he was the firstborn; but by committing
uncleanness with his father's wife, to the great reproach of the
family to which he ought to have been an ornament, he forfeited the
prerogatives of the birthright; and his dying father here solemnly
degrades him, though he does not disown nor disinherit him: he
shall have all the privileges of a son, but not of a firstborn. We
have reason to think Reuben had repented of his sin, and it was
pardoned; yet it was a necessary piece of justice, in detestation
of the villany, and for warning to others, to put this mark of
disgrace upon him. Now according to the method of degrading, 1.
Jacob here puts upon him the ornaments of the birthright (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:3" id="Gen.l-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|49|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), that he and all his
brethren might see what he had forfeited, and, in that, might see
the evil of the sin: as the firstborn, he was his father's joy,
almost his pride, being <i>the beginning of his strength.</i> How
welcome he was to his parents his name bespeaks, <i>Reuben, See a
son.</i> To him belonged the excellency of dignity above his
brethren, and some power over them. Christ Jesus is the firstborn
among many brethren, and to him, of right, belong the most
excellent power and dignity: his church also, through him, is a
church of firstborn. 2. He then strips him of these ornaments
(<scripRef passage="Ge 49:4" id="Gen.l-p4.3" parsed="|Gen|49|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), lifts him up,
that he may cast him down, by that one word, "<i>Thou shalt not
excel;</i> a being thou shalt have as a tribe, but not an
excellency." No judge, prophet, nor prince, is found of that tribe,
nor any person of renown except Dathan and Abiram, who were noted
for their impious rebellion against Moses. That tribe, as not
aiming to excel, meanly chose a settlement on the other side
Jordan. Reuben himself seems to have lost all that influence upon
his brethren to which his birthright entitled him; for <i>when he
spoke unto them they would not hear,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 42:22" id="Gen.l-p4.4" parsed="|Gen|42|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.42.22"><i>ch.</i> xlii. 22</scripRef>. Those that have not
understanding and spirit to support the honours and privileges of
their birth will soon lose them, and retain only the name of them.
The character fastened upon Reuben, for which he is laid under this
mark of infamy, is that he was <i>unstable as water.</i> (1.) His
virtue was unstable; he had not the government of himself and his
own appetites: sometimes he would be very regular and orderly, but
at other times he deviated into the wildest courses. Note,
Instability is the ruin of men's excellency. Men do not thrive
because they do not fix. (2.) His honour consequently was unstable;
it departed from him, vanished into smoke, and became as water
spilt upon the ground. Note, Those that throw away their virtue
must not expect to save their reputation. Jacob charges him
particularly with the sin for which he was thus disgraced: <i>Thou
wentest up to thy father's bed.</i> It was forty years ago that he
had been guilty of this sin, yet now it is remembered against him.
Note, As time will not of itself wear off the guilt of any sin from
the conscience, so there are some sins whose stains it will not
wipe off from the good name, especially seventh-commandment sins.
Reuben's sin left an indelible mark of infamy upon his family, a
dishonour that was a wound not to be healed
<pb n="260" id="Gen.l-Page_260"/>
without a scar, <scripRef passage="Pr 6:32,33" id="Gen.l-p4.5" parsed="|Prov|6|32|6|33" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.32-Prov.6.33">Prov. vi. 32,
33</scripRef>. Let us never do evil, and then we need not fear
being told of it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49:5-7" id="Gen.l-p4.6" parsed="|Gen|49|5|49|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.5-Gen.49.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.49.5-Gen.49.7">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.l-p5">5 Simeon and Levi <i>are</i> brethren;
instruments of cruelty <i>are in</i> their habitations. &#160; 6 O
my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine
honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and
in their selfwill they digged down a wall. &#160; 7 Cursed
<i>be</i> their anger, for <i>it was</i> fierce; and their wrath,
for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in
Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p6">These were next in age to Reuben, and they
also had been a grief and shame to Jacob, when they treacherously
and barbarously destroyed the Shechemites, which he here remembers
against them. Children should be afraid of incurring their parents'
just displeasure, lest they fare the worse for it long afterwards,
and, when they would inherit the blessing, be rejected. Observe, 1.
The character of Simeon and Levi: they were brethren in
disposition; but, unlike their father, they were passionate and
revengeful, fierce and uncontrollable; their swords, which should
have been only weapons of defence, were (as the margin reads it,
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:5" id="Gen.l-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|49|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>) <i>weapons of
violence,</i> to do wrong to others, not to save themselves from
wrong. Note, It is no new thing for the temper of children to
differ very much from that of their parents. We need not think this
strange: it was so in Jacob's family. It is not in the power of
parents, no, not by education, to form the dispositions of their
children; Jacob bred his sons to every thing that was mild and
quiet, and yet they proved to be thus furious. 2. A proof of this
is the murder of the Shechemites, which Jacob deeply resented at
the time (<scripRef passage="Ge 34:30" id="Gen.l-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|34|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.30"><i>ch.</i> xxxiv.
30</scripRef>) and still continued to resent. They slew a man,
Shechem himself, and many others; and, to effect that, they digged
down a wall, broke the houses, to plunder them, and murder the
inhabitants. Note, The best governors cannot always restrain those
under their charge from committing the worst villanies. And when
two in a family are mischievous they commonly make one another so
much the worse, and it were wisdom to part them. Simeon and Levi,
it is probable, were most active in the wrong done to Joseph, to
which some think Jacob has here some reference; for in their anger
they would have slain <i>that man.</i> Observe what a mischievous
thing self-will is in young people: Simeon and Levi would not be
advised by their aged and experienced father; no, they would be
governed by their own passion rather than by his prudence. Young
people would better consult their own interests if they would less
indulge their own will. 3. Jacob's protestation against this
barbarous act of theirs: <i>O my soul, come not thou into their
secret.</i> Hereby he professes not only his abhorrence of such
practices in general, but his innocence particularly in that
matter. Perhaps he had been suspected as, under-hand, aiding and
abetting; he therefore thus solemnly expresses his detestation of
the fact, that he might not die under that suspicion. Note, Our
soul is our honour; by its powers and faculties we are
distinguished from, and dignified above, the beasts that perish.
Note, further, We ought, from our hearts, to detest and abhor all
society and confederacy with bloody and mischievous men. We must
not be ambitious of coming into their secret, or knowing the depths
of Satan. 4. His abhorrence of those brutish lusts that led them to
this wickedness: <i>Cursed be their anger.</i> He does not curse
their persons, but their lusts. Note, (1.) Anger is the cause and
original of a great deal of sin, and exposes us to the curse of
God, and his judgment, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:22" id="Gen.l-p6.3" parsed="|Matt|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.22">Matt. v.
22</scripRef>. (2.) We ought always, in the expressions of our
zeal, carefully to distinguish between the sinner and the sin, so
as not to love nor bless the sin for the sake of the person, nor to
hate nor curse the person for the sake of the sin. 5. A token of
displeasure which he foretells their posterity should lie under for
this: <i>I will divide them.</i> The Levites were scattered
throughout all the tribes, and Simeon's lot lay not together, and
was so strait that many of the tribe were forced to disperse
themselves in quest of settlements and subsistence. This curse was
afterwards turned into a blessing to the Levites; but the
Simeonites, for Zimri's sin (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:14" id="Gen.l-p6.4" parsed="|Num|25|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.14">Num. xxv.
14</scripRef>), had it bound on. Note, Shameful dispersions are the
just punishment of sinful unions and confederacies.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49:8-12" id="Gen.l-p6.5" parsed="|Gen|49|8|49|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.8-Gen.49.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.49.8-Gen.49.12">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.l-p7">8 Judah, thou <i>art he</i> whom thy brethren
shall praise: thy hand <i>shall be</i> in the neck of thine
enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. &#160; 9
Judah <i>is</i> a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art
gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion;
who shall rouse him up? &#160; 10 The sceptre shall not depart from
Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and
unto him <i>shall</i> the gathering of the people <i>be.</i> &#160;
11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the
choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the
blood of grapes: &#160; 12 His eyes <i>shall be</i> red with wine,
and his teeth white with milk.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p8">Glorious things are here said of Judah. The
mention of the crimes of the three elder
<pb n="261" id="Gen.l-Page_261"/>
of
his sons had not so put the dying patriarch out of humour but that
he had a blessing ready for Judah, to whom blessings belonged.
Judah's name signifies <i>praise,</i> in allusion to which he says,
<i>Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:8" id="Gen.l-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|49|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. God was praised for him
(<scripRef passage="Ge 29:35" id="Gen.l-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|29|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.35"><i>ch.</i> xxix. 35</scripRef>),
praised by him, and praised in him; and therefore his brethren
shall praise him. Note, Those that are to God for a praise shall be
the praise of their brethren. It is prophesied that, 1. The tribe
of Judah should be victorious and successful in war: <i>Thy hand
shall be in the neck of thy enemies.</i> This was fulfilled in
David, <scripRef passage="Ps 18:40" id="Gen.l-p8.3" parsed="|Ps|18|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.40">Ps. xviii. 40</scripRef>. 2. It
should be superior to the rest of the tribes; not only in itself
more numerous and illustrious, but having a dominion over them:
<i>Thy father's children shall bow down before thee.</i> Judah was
the <i>lawgiver,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 60:7" id="Gen.l-p8.4" parsed="|Ps|60|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.60.7">Ps. lx.
7</scripRef>. That tribe led the van through the wilderness, and in
the conquest of Canaan, <scripRef passage="Jdg 1:2" id="Gen.l-p8.5" parsed="|Judg|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.1.2">Judg. i.
2</scripRef>. The prerogatives of the birthright which Reuben had
forfeited, the excellency of dignity and power, were thus conferred
upon Judah. Observe, "Thy brethren shall bow down before thee, and
yet shall praise thee, reckoning themselves happy in having so wise
and bold a commander." Note, Honour and power are then a blessing
to those that have them when they are not grudged and envied, but
praised and applauded, and cheerfully submitted to. 3. It should be
a strong and courageous tribe, and so qualified for command and
conquest: <i>Judah is a lion's whelp,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:9" id="Gen.l-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|49|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. The lion is the king of beasts,
the terror of the forest when he roars; when he seizes his prey,
none can resist him; when he goes up from the prey, none dare
pursue him to revenge it. By this it is foretold that the tribe of
Judah should become very formidable, and should not only obtain
great victories, but should peaceably and quietly enjoy what was
obtained by those victories&#8212;that they should make war, not for the
sake of war, but for the sake of peace. Judah is compared, not to a
lion <i>rampant,</i> always tearing, always raging, always ranging;
but to a lion <i>couchant,</i> enjoying the satisfaction of his
power and success, without creating vexation to others: this is to
be truly great. 4. It should be the royal tribe, and the tribe from
which Messiah the Prince should come: <i>The sceptre shall not
depart from Judah, till Shiloh come,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:10" id="Gen.l-p8.7" parsed="|Gen|49|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Jacob here foresees and
foretells, (1.) That the sceptre should come into the tribe of
Judah, which was fulfilled in David, on whose family the crown was
entailed. (2.) That Shiloh should be of this tribe&#8212;his seed, that
promised seed, in whom the earth should be blessed: <i>that
peaceable and prosperous one,</i> or <i>the Saviour,</i> so others
translate it, he shall come of Judah. Thus dying Jacob, at a great
distance, saw Christ's day, and it was his comfort and support on
his death-bed. (3.) That after the coming of the sceptre into the
tribe of Judah it should continue in that tribe, at least a
government of their own, till the coming of the Messiah, in whom,
as the king of the church, and the great high priest, it was fit
that both the priesthood and the royalty should determine. Till the
captivity, all along from David's time, the sceptre was in Judah,
and subsequently the governors of Judea were of that tribe, or of
the Levites that adhered to it (which was equivalent), till Judea
became a province of the Roman empire, just at the time of our
Saviour's birth, and was at that time taxed as one of the
provinces, <scripRef passage="Lu 2:1" id="Gen.l-p8.8" parsed="|Luke|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.1">Luke ii. 1</scripRef>. And at
the time of his death the Jews expressly owned, <i>We have no king
but C&#230;sar.</i> Hence it is undeniably inferred against the Jews
that our Lord Jesus is he that should come, and that we are to look
for no other; for he came exactly at the time appointed. Many
excellent pens have been admirable well employed in explaining and
illustrating this famous prophecy of Christ. 5. It should be a very
fruitful tribe, especially that it should abound with milk for
babes, and wine to make glad the heart of strong men (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:11,12" id="Gen.l-p8.9" parsed="|Gen|49|11|49|12" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.11-Gen.49.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>)&#8212;vines so common
in the hedge-rows and so strong that they should tie their asses to
them, and so fruitful that they should load their asses from
them&#8212;wine as plentiful as water, so that the men of that tribe
should be very healthful and lively, their eyes brisk and
sparkling, their teeth white. Much of what is here said concerning
Judah is to be applied to our Lord Jesus. (1.) He is the ruler of
all his father's children, and the conqueror of all his father's
enemies; and he it is that is the praise of all the saints. (2.) He
is <i>the lion of the tribe of Judah,</i> as he is called with
reference to this prophecy (<scripRef passage="Re 5:5" id="Gen.l-p8.10" parsed="|Rev|5|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.5.5">Rev. v.
5</scripRef>), who, having spoiled principalities and powers, went
up a conqueror, and couched so as none can stir him up, when he sat
down on the right hand of the Father. (3.) To him belongs the
sceptre; he is the <i>lawgiver,</i> and <i>to him shall the
gathering of the people be,</i> as the desire of all nations
(<scripRef passage="Ga 2:7" id="Gen.l-p8.11" parsed="|Gal|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.2.7">Hag. ii. 7</scripRef>), who, being
lifted up from the earth, should draw all men unto him (<scripRef passage="Joh 12:32" id="Gen.l-p8.12" parsed="|John|12|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.32">John xii. 32</scripRef>), and in whom the
children of God that are scattered abroad should meet as the centre
of their unity, <scripRef passage="Joh 11:52" id="Gen.l-p8.13" parsed="|John|11|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.11.52">John xi.
52</scripRef>. (4.) In him there is plenty of all that which is
nourishing and refreshing to the soul, and which maintains and
cheers the divine life in it; in him we may have wine and milk, the
riches of Judah's tribe, without money and without price, <scripRef passage="Isa 55:1" id="Gen.l-p8.14" parsed="|Isa|55|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.55.1">Isa. lv. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49:13-21" id="Gen.l-p8.15" parsed="|Gen|49|13|49|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.13-Gen.49.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.49.13-Gen.49.21">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.l-p9">13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea;
and he <i>shall be</i> for a haven of ships; and his border
<i>shall be</i> unto Zidon. &#160; 14 Issachar <i>is</i> a strong
ass couching down between two burdens: &#160; 15 And he saw that
rest <i>was</i> good, and the land that <i>it was</i> pleasant;
<pb n="262" id="Gen.l-Page_262"/>
and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a
servant unto tribute. &#160; 16 Dan shall judge his people, as one
of the tribes of Israel. &#160; 17 Dan shall be a serpent by the
way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his
rider shall fall backward. &#160; 18 I have waited for thy
salvation, O <span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.l-p9.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 19 Gad, a
troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last. &#160;
20 Out of Asher his bread <i>shall be</i> fat, and he shall yield
royal dainties. &#160; 21 Naphtali <i>is</i> a hind let loose: he
giveth goodly words.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p10">Here we have Jacob's prophecy concerning
six of his sons.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p11">I. Concerning Zebulun (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:13" id="Gen.l-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|49|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), that his posterity should have
their lot upon the seacoast, and should be merchants, and mariners,
and traders at sea. This was fulfilled when, two or three hundred
years after, the land of Canaan was divided by lot, and the
<i>border of Zebulun went up towards the sea,</i> <scripRef passage="Jos 19:11" id="Gen.l-p11.2" parsed="|Josh|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.19.11">Josh. xix. 11</scripRef>. Had they chosen their
lot themselves, or Joshua appointed it, we might have supposed it
done with design to make Jacob's words good; but, being done by
lot, it appears that it was divinely disposed, and Jacob divinely
inspired. Note, The lot of God's providence exactly agrees with the
plan of God's counsel, like a true copy with the original. If
prophecy says, <i>Zebulun shall be a haven of ships,</i> Providence
will so plant him. Note, 1. God appoints the bounds of our
habitation. 2. It is our wisdom and duty to accommodate ourselves
to our lot and to improve it. If Zebulun dwell at the haven of the
sea, let him be for a haven of ships.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p12">II. Concerning Issachar, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:14,15" id="Gen.l-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|49|14|49|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.14-Gen.49.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. 1. That the men of that
tribe should be strong and industrious, fit for labour and inclined
to labour, particularly the toil of husbandry, like the ass, that
patiently carries his burden, and, by using himself to it, makes it
the easier. Issachar submitted to two burdens, tillage and tribute.
It was a tribe that took pains, and, thriving thereby, was called
upon for rents and taxes. 2. That they should be encouraged in
their labour by the goodness of the land that should fall to their
lot. (1.) <i>He saw that rest</i> at home <i>was good.</i> Note,
The labour of the husbandman is really rest, in comparison with
that of soldiers and seamen, whose hurries and perils are such that
those who tarry at home in the most constant service have no reason
to envy them. (2.) <i>He saw that the land was pleasant,</i>
yielding not only pleasant prospects to charm the eye of the
curious, but pleasant fruits to recompense his toils. Many are the
pleasures of a country life, abundantly sufficient to balance the
inconveniences of it, if we can but persuade ourselves to think so,
Issachar, in prospect of advantage, <i>bowed his shoulders to
bear:</i> let us, with an eye of faith, see the heavenly rest to be
good, and that land of promise to be pleasant; and this will make
our present services easy, and encourage us to bow our shoulder to
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p13">III. Concerning Dan, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:16,17" id="Gen.l-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|49|16|49|17" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.16-Gen.49.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. What is said concerning
Dan has reference either, 1. To that tribe in general, that though
Dan was one of the sons of the concubines yet he should be a tribe
governed by judges of his own as well as other tribes, and should,
by art, and policy, and surprise, gain advantages against his
enemies, like a serpent suddenly biting the heel of the traveller.
Note, In God's spiritual Israel there is no distinction made of
<i>bond or free,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 3:11" id="Gen.l-p13.2" parsed="|Col|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.11">Col. iii.
11</scripRef>. Dan shall be incorporated by as good a charter as
any of the other tribes. Note, also, Some, like Dan, may excel in
the subtlety of the serpent, as others, like Judah, in the courage
of the lion; and both may do good service to the cause of God
against the Canaanites. Or it may refer, 2. To Samson, who was of
that tribe, and judged Israel, that is, delivered them out of the
hands of the Philistines, not as the other judges, by fighting them
in the field, but by the vexations and annoyances he gave them
underhand: when he pulled the house down under the Philistines that
were upon the roof of it, he made the horse throw his rider.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p14">Thus was Jacob going on with his discourse;
but now, being almost spent with speaking, and ready to faint and
die away, he relieves himself with those words which come in as a
parenthesis (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:18" id="Gen.l-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|49|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>),
<i>I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord!</i> as those that are
fainting are helped by taking a spoonful of a cordial, or smelling
at a bottle of spirits; or, if he must break off here, and his
breath will not serve him to finish what he intended, with these
words he pours out his soul into the bosom of his God, and even
breathes it out. Note, The pious ejaculations of a warm and lively
devotion, though sometimes they may be incoherent, are not
therefore to be censured as impertinent; that may be uttered
affectionately which does not come in methodically. It is no
absurdity, when we are speaking to men, to lift up our hearts to
God. The salvation he waited for was <i>Christ,</i> the promised
seed, whom he had spoken of, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:10" id="Gen.l-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|49|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. Now that he was going to be gathered to his people,
he breathes after him to whom the gathering of the people shall be.
The salvation he waited for was also <i>heaven,</i> the better
country, which he declared plainly that he sought (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:13,14" id="Gen.l-p14.3" parsed="|Heb|11|13|11|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.13-Heb.11.14">Heb. xi. 13, 14</scripRef>), and continued
seeking, now that he was in Egypt. Now that he is going to enjoy
the salvation he comforts himself with this, that he had waited for
the salvation. Note, It is the character of a living saint that he
waits for the salvation of the Lord. Christ, as our way to heaven,
is to be waited on;
<pb n="263" id="Gen.l-Page_263"/>
and heaven, as our rest
in Christ, is to be waited for. Again, It is the comfort of a dying
saint thus to have waited for the salvation of the Lord; for then
he shall have what he has been waiting for: long-looked-for will
come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p15">IV. Concerning Gad, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:19" id="Gen.l-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|49|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. He alludes to his name, which
signifies a <i>troop,</i> foresees the character of that tribe,
that it should be a warlike tribe, and so we find (<scripRef passage="1Ch 12:8" id="Gen.l-p15.2" parsed="|1Chr|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.12.8">1 Chron. xii. 8</scripRef>); the <i>Gadites were
men of war fit for the battle.</i> He foresees that the situation
of that tribe on the other side Jordan would expose it to the
incursions of its neighbours, the Moabites and Ammonites; and, that
they might not be proud of their strength and valour, he foretells
that the troops of their enemies should, in many skirmishes,
overcome them; yet, that they might not be discouraged by their
defeats, he assures them that they should <i>overcome at the
last,</i> which was fulfilled when, in Saul's time and David's, the
Moabites and Ammonites were wholly subdued: see <scripRef passage="1Ch 5:18-22" id="Gen.l-p15.3" parsed="|1Chr|5|18|5|22" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.5.18-1Chr.5.22">1 Chron. v. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c. Note, The cause of
God and his people, though it may seem for a time to be baffled and
run down, will yet be victorious at last. <i>Vincimur in pr&#230;lio,
sed non in bello&#8212;We are foiled in a battle, but not in a
campaign.</i> Grace in the soul is often foiled in its conflicts,
troops of corruption overcome it, but the cause is God's, and grace
will in the issue come off conqueror, yea, <i>more than
conqueror,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 8:37" id="Gen.l-p15.4" parsed="|Rom|8|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.37">Rom. viii.
37</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p16">V. Concerning Asher (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:20" id="Gen.l-p16.1" parsed="|Gen|49|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), that it should be a very rich
tribe, replenished not only with bread for necessity, but with
fatness, with <i>dainties, royal dainties</i> (for the king himself
is <i>served of the field,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 5:9" id="Gen.l-p16.2" parsed="|Eccl|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.9">Eccl. v.
9</scripRef>), and these exported out of Asher to other tribes,
perhaps to other lands. Note, The God of nature has provided for us
not only necessaries but dainties, that we might call him a
bountiful benefactor; yet, whereas all places are competently
furnished with necessaries, only some places afford dainties. Corn
is more common than spices. Were the supports of luxury as
universal as the supports of life, the world would be worse than it
is, and that it needs not be.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p17">VI. Concerning Naphtali (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:21" id="Gen.l-p17.1" parsed="|Gen|49|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), a tribe that carries struggles
in its name; it signifies <i>wrestling,</i> and the blessing
entailed upon it signifies prevailing; it is <i>a hind let
loose.</i> Though we find not this prediction so fully answered in
the event as some of the rest, yet, no doubt, it proved true that
those of this tribe were, 1. As the loving hind (for that is her
epithet, <scripRef passage="Pr 5:19" id="Gen.l-p17.2" parsed="|Prov|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.5.19">Prov. v. 19</scripRef>),
friendly and obliging to one another and to other tribes; their
converse remarkably kind and endearing. 2. As the loosened hind,
zealous for their liberty. 3. As the swift hind (<scripRef passage="Ps 18:33" id="Gen.l-p17.3" parsed="|Ps|18|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.33">Ps. xviii. 33</scripRef>), quick in despatch of
business; and perhaps, 4. As the trembling, timorous in times of
public danger. It is rare that those that are most amiable to their
friends are most formidable to their enemies. 5. That they should
be affable and courteous, their language refined, and they
complaisant, <i>giving goodly words.</i> Note, Among God's Israel
there is to be found a great variety of dispositions, contrary to
each other, yet all contributing to the beauty and strength of the
body, Judah like a lion, Issachar like an ass, Dan like a serpent,
Naphtali like a hind. Let not those of different tempers and gifts
censure one another, nor envy one another, any more than those of
different statures and complexions.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49:22-27" id="Gen.l-p17.4" parsed="|Gen|49|22|49|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.22-Gen.49.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.49.22-Gen.49.27">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.l-p18">22 Joseph <i>is</i> a fruitful bough,
<i>even</i> a fruitful bough by a well; <i>whose</i> branches run
over the wall: &#160; 23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and
shot <i>at him,</i> and hated him: &#160; 24 But his bow abode in
strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands
of the mighty <i>God</i> of Jacob; (from thence <i>is</i> the
shepherd, the stone of Israel:) &#160; 25 <i>Even</i> by the God of
thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall
bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep
that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: &#160;
26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings
of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills:
they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head
of him that was separate from his brethren. &#160; 27 Benjamin
shall ravin <i>as</i> a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the
prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p19">He closes with the blessings of his best
beloved sons, Joseph and Benjamin; with these he will breathe his
last.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p20">I. The blessing of Joseph, which is very
large and full. He is compared (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:22" id="Gen.l-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|49|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>) to <i>a fruitful bough,</i> or
young tree; for God had made him fruitful in the land of his
affliction; he owned it, <scripRef passage="Ge 41:52" id="Gen.l-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|41|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.41.52"><i>ch.</i>
xli. 52</scripRef>. His two sons were as branches of a vine, or
other spreading plant, <i>running over the wall.</i> Note, God can
make those fruitful, great comforts to themselves and others, who
have been looked upon as dry and withered. More is recorded in the
history concerning Joseph than concerning any other of Jacob's
sons; and therefore what Jacob says of him is historical as well as
prophetical. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p21">1. The providences of God concerning
Joseph, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:23,24" id="Gen.l-p21.1" parsed="|Gen|49|23|49|24" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.23-Gen.49.24"><i>v.</i> 23,
24</scripRef>. These are mentioned to the glory of God, and for the
encouragement of Jacob's faith and hope, that God had blessings in
store for his seed. Here observe (1.) Joseph's straits and
troubles, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:23" id="Gen.l-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|49|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
Though he now lived at ease and in honour,
<pb n="264" id="Gen.l-Page_264"/>
Jacob reminds him of the difficulties he had formerly waded
through. He had had many enemies, here called <i>archers,</i> being
skilful to do mischief, masters of their art of persecution. They
hated him: there persecution begins. They shot their poisonous
darts at him, and thus they sorely grieved him. His brethren, in
his father's house, were very spiteful towards him, mocked him,
stripped him, threatened him, sold him, thought they had been the
death of him. His mistress, in the house of Potiphar, sorely
grieved him, and shot at him, when she impudently assaulted his
chastity (temptations are fiery darts, thorns in the flesh, sorely
grievous to gracious souls); when she prevailed not in this, she
hated him, and shot at him by her false accusations, arrows against
which there is little fence but the hold God has in the consciences
of the worst of men. Doubtless he had enemies in the court of
Pharaoh, that envied his preferment, and sought to undermine him.
(2.) Joseph's strength and support under all these troubles
(<scripRef passage="Ge 49:24" id="Gen.l-p21.3" parsed="|Gen|49|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>): <i>His bow
abode in strength,</i> that is, his faith did not fail, but he kept
his ground, and came off a conqueror. The <i>arms of his hands were
made strong,</i> that is, his other graces did their part, his
wisdom, courage, and patience, which are better than weapons of
war. In short, he maintained both his integrity and his comfort
through all his trials; he bore all his burdens with an invincible
resolution, and did not sink under them, nor do any thing
unbecoming him. (3.) The spring and fountain of this strength; it
was <i>by the hands of the mighty God,</i> who was therefore able
to strengthen him, and <i>the God of Jacob,</i> a God in covenant
with him, and therefore engaged to help him. All our strength for
the resisting of temptations, and the bearing of afflictions, comes
from God: his grace is sufficient, and his strength is perfected in
our weakness. (4.) The state of honour and usefulness to which he
was subsequently advanced: <i>Thence</i> (from this strange method
of providence) he became the <i>shepherd and stone,</i> the feeder
and supporter, <i>of</i> God's <i>Israel,</i> Jacob and his family.
Herein Joseph was a type, [1.] Of Christ; he was shot at and hated,
but borne up under his sufferings (<scripRef passage="Isa 50:7-9" id="Gen.l-p21.4" parsed="|Isa|50|7|50|9" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.7-Isa.50.9">Isa. l. 7-9</scripRef>), and was afterwards advanced
to be <i>the shepherd and stone.</i> [2.] Of the church in general,
and particular believers; hell shoots its arrows against the
saints, but Heaven protects and strengthens them, and will crown
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p22">2. The promises of God to Joseph. See how
these are connected with the former: <i>Even by the God of thy
father Jacob, who shall help thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:25" id="Gen.l-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|49|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Note, Our experiences of God's
power and goodness in strengthening us hitherto are our
encouragements still to hope for help from him; he that has helped
us will help: we may build much upon our <i>Eben-ezers.</i> See
what Joseph may expect from <i>the Almighty,</i> even <i>the God of
his father.</i> (1.) He shall help thee in difficulties and dangers
which may yet be before thee, help thy seed in their wars. Joshua
came from him, who commanded in chief in the wars of Canaan. (2.)
He shall bless thee; and he only blesses indeed. Jacob prays for a
blessing upon Joseph, but the God of Jacob commands the blessing.
Observe the blessings conferred on Joseph. [1.] Various and
abundant blessings: <i>Blessings of heaven above</i> (rain in its
season, and fair weather in its season, and the benign influences
of the heavenly bodies); <i>blessings of the deep that lieth
under</i> this earth, which, compared with the upper world, is but
a great deep, with subterraneous mines and springs. Spiritual
blessings are blessings of heaven above, which we ought to desire
and seek for in the first place, and to which we must give the
preference; while temporal blessings, those of this earth, must lie
under in our account and esteem. <i>Blessings of the womb and the
breasts</i> are given when children are safely born and comfortably
nursed. In the word of God, by which we are born again, and
nourished up (<scripRef passage="1Pe 1:23,2:2" id="Gen.l-p22.2" parsed="|1Pet|1|23|0|0;|1Pet|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.23 Bible:1Pet.2.2">1 Pet. i. 23; ii.
2</scripRef>), there are to the new man blessings both of the womb
and the breasts. [2.] Eminent and transcendent blessings, which
<i>prevail above the blessings of my progenitors,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:26" id="Gen.l-p22.3" parsed="|Gen|49|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. His father Isaac had
but one blessing, and, when he had given that to Jacob, he was at a
loss for a blessing to bestow upon Esau; but Jacob had a blessing
for each of his twelve sons, and now, at the latter end, a copious
one for Joseph. The great blessing entailed upon that family was
increase, which did not so immediately and so signally follow the
blessings which Abraham and Isaac gave to their sons as it followed
the blessing which Jacob gave to his; for, soon after his death,
they multiplied exceedingly. [3.] Durable and extensive blessings:
<i>Unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills,</i> including
all the productions of the most fruitful hills, and lasting as long
as they last, <scripRef passage="Isa 54:10" id="Gen.l-p22.4" parsed="|Isa|54|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.10">Isa. liv.
10</scripRef>. Note, the blessings of the everlasting God include
the riches of the everlasting hills, and much more. Well, of these
blessings it is here said, <i>They shall be,</i> so it is a
promise, or, <i>Let them be,</i> so it is a prayer, <i>on the head
of Joseph,</i> to which let them be as a crown to adorn it and a
helmet to protect it. Joseph <i>was separated from his brethren</i>
(so we read it) for a time; yet, as others read it, <i>he was a
Nazarite among his brethren,</i> better and more excellent than
they. Note, It is no new thing for the best men to meet with the
worst usage, for Nazarites among their brethren to be cast out and
separated from their brethren; but the blessing of God will make it
up to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p23">II. The blessing of Benjamin (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:27" id="Gen.l-p23.1" parsed="|Gen|49|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>): He <i>shall raven as a
wolf;</i> it is plain by this that Jacob was guided in what he said
by a spirit of prophecy, and not by natural affection; else he
would have spoken with more tenderness of his beloved son Benjamin,
concerning whom he only foresees and foretells this, that
<pb n="265" id="Gen.l-Page_265"/>
his posterity should be a warlike tribe, strong and
daring, and that they should enrich themselves with the spoils of
their enemies&#8212;that they should be active and busy in the world,
and a tribe as much feared by their neighbours as any other: <i>In
the morning, he shall devour the prey,</i> which he seized and
divided over night. Or, in the first times of Israel, they shall be
noted for activity, though many of them left-handed, <scripRef passage="Jdg 3:15,20:16" id="Gen.l-p23.2" parsed="|Judg|3|15|0|0;|Judg|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.15 Bible:Judg.20.16">Judg. iii. 15; xx. 16</scripRef>. Ehud the
second judge, and Saul the first king, were of this tribe; and so
also in the last times Esther and Mordecai, by whom the enemies of
the Jews were destroyed, were of this tribe. The Benjamites ravened
like wolves when they desperately espoused the cause of the men of
Gibeah, those men of Belial, <scripRef passage="Jdg 20:14" id="Gen.l-p23.3" parsed="|Judg|20|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.20.14">Judg.
xx. 14</scripRef>. Blessed Paul was of this tribe (<scripRef passage="Ro 11:1,Php 3:5" id="Gen.l-p23.4" parsed="|Rom|11|1|0|0;|Phil|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.1 Bible:Phil.3.5">Rom. xi. 1; Phil. iii. 5</scripRef>); and
he did, in the morning of his day, devour the prey as a persecutor,
but, in the evening, divided the spoil as a preacher. Note, God can
serve his own purposes by the different tempers of men; <i>the
deceived and the deceiver are his.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 49:28-33" id="Gen.l-p23.5" parsed="|Gen|49|28|49|33" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.28-Gen.49.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.49.28-Gen.49.33">
<h4 id="Gen.l-p23.6">Death of Jacob. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.l-p23.7">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.l-p24">28 All these <i>are</i> the twelve tribes of
Israel: and this <i>is it</i> that their father spake unto them,
and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed
them. &#160; 29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be
gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that
<i>is</i> in the field of Ephron the Hittite, &#160; 30 In the cave
that <i>is</i> in the field of Machpelah, which <i>is</i> before
Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field
of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. &#160; 31
There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried
Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. &#160; 32 The
purchase of the field and of the cave that <i>is</i> therein
<i>was</i> from the children of Heth. &#160; 33 And when Jacob had
made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into
the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his
people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p25">Here is, I. The summing up of the blessings
of Jacob's sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:28" id="Gen.l-p25.1" parsed="|Gen|49|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. Though Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were put under the
marks of their father's displeasure, yet he is said to <i>bless
them every one according to his blessing;</i> for none of them were
rejected as Esau was. Note, Whatever rebukes of God's word or
providence we are under at any time, yet, as long as we have an
interest in God's covenant, a place and a name among his people,
and good hopes of a share in the heavenly Canaan, we must account
ourselves blessed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p26">II. The solemn charge Jacob gave them
concerning his burial, which is a repetition of what he had before
given to Joseph. See how he speaks of death, now that he is dying:
<i>I am to be gathered unto my people,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:29" id="Gen.l-p26.1" parsed="|Gen|49|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Note, It is good to represent
death to ourselves under the most desirable images, that the terror
of it may be taken off. Though it separates us from our children
and our people in this world, it gathers us to our fathers and to
our people in the other world. Perhaps Jacob uses this expression
concerning death as a reason why his sons should bury him in
Canaan; for, says he, "<i>I am to be gathered unto my people,</i>
my soul must go to <i>the spirits of just men made perfect:</i> and
therefore bury me with my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and their
wives," <scripRef passage="Ge 49:31" id="Gen.l-p26.2" parsed="|Gen|49|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. His heart was very much upon it, not so much from a
natural affection to his native soil as from a principle of faith
in the promise of God, that Canaan should be the inheritance of his
seed in due time. Thus he would keep up in his sons a remembrance
of the promised land, and not only would have their acquaintance
with it renewed by a journey thither on that occasion, but their
desire towards it and their expectation of it preserved. 2. He is
very particular in describing the place both by the situation of it
and by the purchase Abraham had made of it for a burying-place,
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:30,32" id="Gen.l-p26.3" parsed="|Gen|49|30|0|0;|Gen|49|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.30 Bible:Gen.49.32"><i>v.</i> 30, 32</scripRef>. He was
afraid lest his sons, after seventeen years' sojourning in Egypt,
had forgotten Canaan, and even the burying-place of their ancestors
there, or lest the Canaanites should dispute his title to it; and
therefore he specifies it thus largely, and the purchase of it,
even when he lies a-dying, not only to prevent mistakes, but to
show how mindful he was of that country. Note, It is, and should
be, a great pleasure to dying saints to fix their thoughts upon the
heavenly Canaan, and the rest they hope for there after death.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.l-p27">III. The death of Jacob, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:33" id="Gen.l-p27.1" parsed="|Gen|49|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. When he had finished both his
blessing and his charge (both which are included in the commanding
of his sons), and so had finished his testimony, he addressed
himself to his dying work. 1. He put himself into a posture for
dying; having before seated himself upon the bed-side, to bless his
sons (the spirit of prophecy bringing fresh oil to his expiring
lamp, <scripRef passage="Da 10:19" id="Gen.l-p27.2" parsed="|Dan|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.10.19">Dan. x. 19</scripRef>), when
that work was done, <i>he gathered up his feet into the bed,</i>
that he might lie along, not only as one patiently submitting to
the stroke, but as one cheerfully composing himself to rest, now
that he was weary. <i>I will lay me down, and sleep.</i> 2. He
freely resigned his spirit into the hand of God, the Father of
spirits: <i>He yielded up the ghost.</i> 3. His separated soul went
to the assembly of the souls of the faithful, which, after they are
delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity: he
was <i>gathered to his people.</i> Note, If God's people be our
people, death will gather us to them.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter L" n="li" progress="30.64%" prev="Gen.l" next="Ex" id="Gen.li">
<pb n="266" id="Gen.li-Page_266"/>
<h2 id="Gen.li-p0.1">G E N E S I S</h2>
<h3 id="Gen.li-p0.2">CHAP. L.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Gen.li-p1">Here is, I. The preparation for Jacob's funeral,
<scripRef passage="Ge 50:1-6" id="Gen.li-p1.1" parsed="|Gen|50|1|50|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.1-Gen.50.6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>. II. The funeral
itself, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:7-14" id="Gen.li-p1.2" parsed="|Gen|50|7|50|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.7-Gen.50.14">ver. 7-14</scripRef>. III.
The settling of a good understanding between Joseph and his
brethren after the death of Jacob, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:15-21" id="Gen.li-p1.3" parsed="|Gen|50|15|50|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.15-Gen.50.21">ver. 15-21</scripRef>. IV. The age and death of
Joseph, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:22-26" id="Gen.li-p1.4" parsed="|Gen|50|22|50|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.22-Gen.50.26">ver. 22-26</scripRef>. Thus
the book of Genesis, which began with the origin of light and life,
ends with nothing but death and darkness; so sad a change has sin
made.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 50" id="Gen.li-p1.5" parsed="|Gen|50|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 50:1-6" id="Gen.li-p1.6" parsed="|Gen|50|1|50|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.1-Gen.50.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.50.1-Gen.50.6">
<h4 id="Gen.li-p1.7">The Burial of Jacob. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.li-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.li-p2">1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and
wept upon him, and kissed him. &#160; 2 And Joseph commanded his
servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians
embalmed Israel. &#160; 3 And forty days were fulfilled for him;
for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the
Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. &#160; 4 And
when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the
house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes,
speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, &#160; 5 My
father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have
digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now
therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will
come again. &#160; 6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father,
according as he made thee swear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p3">Joseph is here paying his last respects to
his deceased father. 1. With tears and kisses, and all the tender
expressions of a filial affection, he takes leave of the deserted
body, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:1" id="Gen.li-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|50|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Though
Jacob was old and decrepit, and must needs die in the course of
nature&#8212;though he was poor comparatively, and a constant charge to
his son Joseph, yet such an affection he had for a loving father,
and so sensible was he of the loss of a prudent, pious, praying
father, that he could not part with him without floods of tears.
Note, As it is an honour to die lamented, so it is the duty of
survivors to lament the death of those who have been useful in
their day, though for some time they may have survived their
usefulness. The departed soul is out of the reach of our tears and
kisses, but with them it is proper to show our respect to the poor
body, of which we look for a glorious and joyful resurrection. Thus
Joseph showed his faith in God, and love to his father, by kissing
his pale and cold lips, and so giving an affectionate farewell.
Probably the rest of Jacob's sons did the same, much moved, no
doubt, with his dying words. 2. He ordered the body to be embalmed
(<scripRef passage="Ge 50:2" id="Gen.li-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|50|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), not only
because he died in Egypt, and that was the manner of the Egyptians,
but because he was to be carried to Canaan, which would be a work
of time, and therefore it was necessary the body should be
preserved as well as it might be from putrefaction. See how vile
our bodies are, when the soul has forsaken them; without a great
deal of art, and pains, and care, they will, in a very little time,
become noisome. If the body have been dead four days, by that time
it is offensive. 3. He observed the ceremony of solemn mourning for
him, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:3" id="Gen.li-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|50|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Forty days
were taken up in embalming the body, which the Egyptians (they say)
had an art of doing so curiously as to preserve the very features
of the face unchanged; all this time, and thirty days more, seventy
in all, they either confined themselves and sat solitary, or, when
they went out, appeared in the habit of close mourners, according
to the decent custom of the country. Even the Egyptians, many of
them, out of the great respect they had for Joseph (whose good
offices done for the king and country were now fresh in
remembrance), put themselves into mourning for his father: as with
us, when the court goes into mourning, those of the best quality do
so too. About ten weeks was the court of Egypt in mourning for
Jacob. Note, What they did in state, we should do in sincerity,
<i>weep with those that weep,</i> and mourn with those that mourn,
as being ourselves also in the body. 4. He asked and obtained leave
of Pharaoh to go to Canaan, thither to attend the funeral of his
father, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:4-6" id="Gen.li-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|50|4|50|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.4-Gen.50.6"><i>v.</i> 4-6</scripRef>.
(1.) It was a piece of necessary respect to Pharaoh that he would
not go without leave; for we may suppose that, though his charge
about the corn was long since over, yet he continued a
prime-minister of state, and therefore would not be so long absent
from his business without licence. (2.) He observed a decorum, in
employing some of the royal family, or some of the officers of the
household, to intercede for this licence, either because it was not
proper for him in the days of his mourning to come into the
presence-chamber, or because he would not presume too much upon his
own interest. Note, Modesty is a great ornament to dignity. (3.) He
pleaded the obligation his father had laid upon him, by an oath, to
bury him in Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:5" id="Gen.li-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|50|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. It was not from pride or humour, but from his regard
to an indispensable duty, that he desired it. All nations reckon
that oaths must be performed, and the will of the dead must be
observed. (4.) He promised to return: <i>I will come again.</i>
When we return to our own houses from burying the bodies of our
relations, we say, "We have left them behind;" but, if their souls
have gone to our heavenly Father's house, we may say with more
reason, "They have left us behind." (5.) He obtained leave
(<scripRef passage="Ge 50:6" id="Gen.li-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|50|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>Go and
bury thy father.</i> Pharaoh was willing his business should stand
still so long; but the service of Christ is more needful, and
therefore he would not allow one that had work to do for him to go
first and bury his father; no, <i>Let the dead bury their dead,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mt 8:22" id="Gen.li-p3.7" parsed="|Matt|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.22">Matt. viii. 22</scripRef>.</p>
<pb n="267" id="Gen.li-Page_267"/>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 50:7-14" id="Gen.li-p3.8" parsed="|Gen|50|7|50|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.7-Gen.50.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.50.7-Gen.50.14">
<p class="passage" id="Gen.li-p4">7 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and
with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his
house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, &#160; 8 And all
the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only
their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in
the land of Goshen. &#160; 9 And there went up with him both
chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. &#160; 10
And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which <i>is</i> beyond
Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore
lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
&#160; 11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw
the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This <i>is</i> a
grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was
called Abel-mizraim, which <i>is</i> beyond Jordan. &#160; 12 And
his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: &#160; 13 For
his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the
cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field
for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before
Mamre. &#160; 14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his
brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after
he had buried his father.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p5">We have here an account of Jacob's funeral.
Of the funerals of the kings of Judah, usually, no more is said
than this, <i>They were buried with their fathers in the city of
David:</i> but the funeral of the patriarch Jacob is more largely
and fully described, to show how much better God was to him than he
expected (he had spoken more than once of dying for grief, and
going to the grave bereaved of his children, but, behold, he dies
in honour, and is followed to the grave by all his children), and
also because his orders concerning his burial were given and
observed in faith, and in expectation both of the earthly and of
the heavenly Canaan. Now, 1. It was a stately funeral. He was
attended to the grave, not only by his own family, but by the
courtiers, and all the great men of the kingdom, who, in token of
their gratitude to Joseph, showed this respect to his father for
his sake, and did him honour at his death. Though the Egyptians had
had an antipathy to the Hebrews, and had looked upon them with
disdain (<scripRef passage="Ge 43:32" id="Gen.li-p5.1" parsed="|Gen|43|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.32"><i>ch.</i> xliii.
32</scripRef>), yet now, that they were better acquainted with
them, they began to have a respect for them. Good old Jacob had
conducted himself so well among them as to gain universal esteem.
Note, Professors of religion should endeavour, by wisdom and love,
to remove the prejudices which many may have conceived against them
because they do not know them. There went abundance of chariots and
horsemen, not only to attend them a little way, but to go through
with them. Note, The decent solemnities of funerals, according to a
man's situation, are very commendable; and we must not say of them,
<i>To what purpose is this waste?</i> See <scripRef passage="Ac 8:2,Lu 7:12" id="Gen.li-p5.2" parsed="|Acts|8|2|0|0;|Luke|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.8.2 Bible:Luke.7.12">Acts viii. 2; Luke vii. 12</scripRef>. 2. It was a
sorrowful funeral (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:10,11" id="Gen.li-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|50|10|50|11" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.10-Gen.50.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>); standers-by took notice of it as a grievous
mourning. Note, The death of good men is a great loss to any place,
and ought to be greatly lamented. Stephen dies a martyr, and yet
devout men make great lamentations for him. The solemn mourning for
Jacob gave a name to the place, <i>Abel-Mizraim, the mourning of
the Egyptians,</i> which served for a testimony against the next
generation of the Egyptians, who oppressed the posterity of this
Jacob to whom their ancestors showed such respect.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 50:15-21" id="Gen.li-p5.4" parsed="|Gen|50|15|50|21" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.15-Gen.50.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.50.15-Gen.50.21">
<h4 id="Gen.li-p5.5">Joseph Comforts His
Brethren. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.li-p5.6">b. c.</span> 1689.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.li-p6">15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their
father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and
will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
&#160; 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father
did command before he died, saying, &#160; 17 So shall ye say unto
Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and
their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee,
forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And
Joseph wept when they spake unto him. &#160; 18 And his brethren
also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we
<i>be</i> thy servants. &#160; 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear
not: for <i>am</i> I in the place of God? &#160; 20 But as for you,
ye thought evil against me; <i>but</i> God meant it unto good, to
bring to pass, as <i>it is</i> this day, to save much people alive.
&#160; 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your
little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p7">We have here the settling of a good
correspondence between Joseph and his brethren, now that their
father was dead. Joseph was at court, in the royal city; his
brethren were in Goshen, remote in the
<pb n="268" id="Gen.li-Page_268"/>
country; yet the keeping up of a good understanding, and a good
affection, between them, would be both his honour and their
interest. Note, When Providence has removed the parents by death,
the best methods ought to be taken, not only for the preventing of
quarrels among the children (which often happen about the dividing
of the estate), but for the preserving of acquaintance and love,
that unity may continue even when that centre of unity is taken
away.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p8">I. Joseph's brethren humbly make their
court to him for his favour. 1. They began to be jealous of Joseph,
not that he had given them any cause to be so, but the
consciousness of guilt, and of their own inability in such a case
to forgive and forget, made them suspicious of the sincerity and
constancy of Joseph's favour (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:15" id="Gen.li-p8.1" parsed="|Gen|50|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): <i>Joseph will peradventure
hate us.</i> While their father lived, they thought themselves safe
under his shadow; but now that he was dead they feared the worst
from Joseph. Note, A guilty conscience exposes men to continual
frights, even where no fear is, and makes them suspicious of every
body, as Cain, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:14" id="Gen.li-p8.2" parsed="|Gen|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.14"><i>ch.</i> iv.
14</scripRef>. Those that would be fearless must keep themselves
guiltless. If our heart reproach us not, then have we confidence
both towards God and man. 2. They humbled themselves before him,
confessed their fault, and begged his pardon. They did it by proxy
(<scripRef passage="Ge 50:17" id="Gen.li-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|50|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>); they did it
in person, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:18" id="Gen.li-p8.4" parsed="|Gen|50|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Now that the sun and moon had set, the eleven stars did homage to
Joseph, for the further accomplishment of his dream. They speak of
their former offence with fresh regret: <i>Forgive the
trespass.</i> They throw themselves at Joseph's feet, and refer
themselves to his mercy: <i>We are thy servants.</i> Thus we must
bewail the sins we committed long ago, even those which we hope
through grace are forgiven; and, when we pray to God for pardon, we
must promise to be his servants. 3. They pleaded their relation to
Jacob and to Jacob's God. (1.) To Jacob, urging that he directed
them to make this submission, rather because he questioned whether
they would do their duty in humbling themselves than because he
questioned whether Joseph would do his duty in forgiving them; nor
could he reasonably expect Joseph's kindness to them unless they
thus qualified themselves for it (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:16" id="Gen.li-p8.5" parsed="|Gen|50|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>Thy father did command.</i>
Thus, in humbling ourselves to Christ by faith and repentance, we
may plead that it is the command of his Father, and our Father,
that we do so. (2.) To Jacob's God. They plead (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:17" id="Gen.li-p8.6" parsed="|Gen|50|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), <i>We</i> are the<i>servants
of the God of thy father;</i> not only children of the same Jacob,
but worshippers of the same Jehovah. Note, Though we must be ready
to forgive all that are any way injurious to us, yet we must
especially take heed of bearing malice towards any that are the
servants of the God of our father: such we should always treat with
a peculiar tenderness; for we and they have the same Master.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p9">II. Joseph, with a great deal of
compassion, confirms his reconciliation and affection to them; his
compassion appears, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:17" id="Gen.li-p9.1" parsed="|Gen|50|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. <i>He wept when they spoke to him.</i> These were
tears of sorrow for their suspicion of him, and tears of tenderness
upon their submission. In his reply, 1. He directs them to look up
to God in their repentance (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:19" id="Gen.li-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|50|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): <i>Am I in the place of God?</i> He, in his great
humility, thought they showed him too much respect, as if all their
happiness were bound up in his favour, and said to them, in effect,
as Peter to Cornelius, "<i>Stand up, I myself also am a man.</i>
Make your peace with God, and then you will find it an easy matter
to make your peace with me." Note, When we ask forgiveness of those
whom we have offended we must take heed of putting them in the
place of God, by dreading their wrath and soliciting their favour
more than God's. "Am I in the place of God, to whom alone vengeance
belongs? No, I will leave you to his mercy." Those that avenge
themselves step into the place of God, <scripRef passage="Ro 12:19" id="Gen.li-p9.3" parsed="|Rom|12|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.19">Rom. xii. 19</scripRef>. 2. He extenuates their fault,
from the consideration of the great good which God wonderfully
brought out of it, which, though it should not make them the less
sorry for their sin, yet might make him the more willing to forgive
it (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:20" id="Gen.li-p9.4" parsed="|Gen|50|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): <i>You
thought evil</i> (to disappoint the dreams), <i>but God meant it
unto good,</i> in order to the fulfilling of the dreams, and the
making of Joseph a greater blessing to his family than otherwise he
could have been. Note, when God makes use of men's agency for the
performance of his counsels, it is common for him to mean one thing
and them another, even the quite contrary, but God's counsel shall
stand. See <scripRef passage="Isa 10:7" id="Gen.li-p9.5" parsed="|Isa|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.7">Isa. x. 7</scripRef>.
Again, God often brings good out of evil, and promotes the designs
of his providence even by the sins of men; not that he is the
author of sin, far be it from us to think so; but his infinite
wisdom so overrules events, and directs the chain of them, that, in
the issue, that ends in his praise which in its own nature had a
direct tendency to his dishonour; as the putting of Christ to
death, <scripRef passage="Ac 2:23" id="Gen.li-p9.6" parsed="|Acts|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.23">Acts ii. 23</scripRef>. This
does not make sin the less sinful, nor sinners the less punishable,
but it redounds greatly to the glory of God's wisdom. 3. He assures
them of the continuance of his kindness to them: <i>Fear not; I
will nourish you,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 50:21" id="Gen.li-p9.7" parsed="|Gen|50|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. See what an excellent spirit Joseph was of, and
learn of him to render good for evil. He did not tell them they
were upon their good behaviour, and he would be kind to them if he
saw they conducted themselves well; no, he would not thus hold them
in suspense, nor seem jealous of them, though they had been
suspicious of him: <i>He comforted them,</i> and, to banish all
their fears, <i>he spoke kindly to them.</i> Note,
<pb n="269" id="Gen.li-Page_269"/>
Broken spirits must be bound up and encouraged.
Those we love and forgive we must not only do well for but speak
kindly to.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ge 50:22-26" id="Gen.li-p9.8" parsed="|Gen|50|22|50|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.22-Gen.50.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Gen.50.22-Gen.50.26">
<h4 id="Gen.li-p9.9">The Death of Joseph. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Gen.li-p9.10">b. c.</span> 1635.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Gen.li-p10">22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his
father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. &#160;
23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third
<i>generation:</i> the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh
were brought up upon Joseph's knees. &#160; 24 And Joseph said unto
his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you
out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob. &#160; 25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of
Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my
bones from hence. &#160; 26 So Joseph died, <i>being</i> an hundred
and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a
coffin in Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p11">Here is, I. The prolonging of Joseph's life
in Egypt: he lived to be <i>a hundred and ten years old,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 50:22" id="Gen.li-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|50|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Having
honoured his father, his days were long in the land which, for the
present, God had given him; and it was a great mercy to his
relations that God continued him so long, a support and comfort to
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p12">II. The building up of Joseph's family: he
lived to see his great-grand-children by both his sons (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:23" id="Gen.li-p12.1" parsed="|Gen|50|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), and probably he saw
his two sons solemnly owned as heads of distinct tribes, equal to
any of his brethren. It contributes much to the comfort of aged
parents if they see their posterity in a flourishing condition,
especially if with it they see peace upon Israel, <scripRef passage="Ps 128:6" id="Gen.li-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|128|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.6">Ps. cxxviii. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p13">III. The last will and testament of Joseph
published in the presence of his brethren, when he saw his death
approaching. Those that were properly his brethren perhaps were
some of them dead before him, as several of them were older than
he; but to those of them who yet survived, and to the sons of those
who were gone, who stood up in their fathers' stead, he said this.
1. He comforted them with the assurance of their return to Canaan
in due time: <i>I die, but God will surely visit you,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 50:24" id="Gen.li-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|50|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. To this purport Jacob
had spoken to him, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:21" id="Gen.li-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|48|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.21"><i>ch.</i> xlviii.
21</scripRef>. Thus must we comfort others with the same comforts
with which we ourselves have been comforted of God, and encourage
them to rest on those promises which have been our support. Joseph
was, under God, both the protector and the benefactor of his
brethren; and what would become of them now that he was dying? Why,
let this be their comfort, <i>God will surely visit you.</i> Note,
God's gracious visits will serve to make up the loss of our best
friends. They die; but we may live, and live comfortably, if we
have the favour and presence of God with us. He bids them be
confident: <i>God will bring you out of this land,</i> and
therefore, (1.) They must not hope to settle there, nor look upon
it as their rest for ever; they must set their hearts upon the land
of promise, and call that their home. (2.) They must not fear
sinking, and being ruined there; probably he foresaw the ill usage
they would meet with there after his death, and therefore gives
them this word of encouragement: "<i>God will bring you</i> in
triumph <i>out of this land</i> at last." Herein he has an eye to
the promise, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:13,14" id="Gen.li-p13.3" parsed="|Gen|15|13|15|14" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.13-Gen.15.14"><i>ch.</i> xv. 13,
14</scripRef>, and, in God's name, assures them of the performance
of it. 2. For a confession of his own faith, and a confirmation of
theirs, he charges them to keep him unburied till that day, that
glorious day, should come, when they should be settled in the land
of promise, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:25" id="Gen.li-p13.4" parsed="|Gen|50|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>.
He makes them promise him with an oath that they would bury him in
Canaan. In Egypt they buried their great men very honourably and
with abundance of pomp; but Joseph prefers a significant burial in
Canaan, and that deferred too almost 200 years, before a
magnificent one in Egypt. Thus Joseph, by faith in the doctrine of
the resurrection and the promise of Canaan, gave <i>commandment
concerning his bones,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 11:22" id="Gen.li-p13.5" parsed="|Heb|11|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.22">Heb. xi.
22</scripRef>. He dies in Egypt; but lays his bones at stake that
God will surely visit Israel, and bring them to Canaan.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Gen.li-p14">IV. The death of Joseph, and the
reservation of his body for a burial in Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ge 50:26" id="Gen.li-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|50|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. He was <i>put in a coffin in
Egypt,</i> but not buried till his children had received their
inheritance in Canaan, <scripRef passage="Jos 24:32" id="Gen.li-p14.2" parsed="|Josh|24|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.32">Josh. xxiv.
32</scripRef>. Note, 1. If the separate soul, at death, do but
return to its rest with God, the matter is not great though the
deserted body find not at all, or not quickly, its rest in the
grave. 2. Yet care ought to be taken of the dead bodies of the
saints, in the belief of their resurrection; for there is a
covenant with the dust, which shall be remembered, and a
commandment is given concerning the bones.</p>
</div></div2>
</div1>
<div1 title="Exodus" n="ii" progress="31.07%" prev="Gen.li" next="Ex.i" id="Ex">
<div2 title="Introduction" n="i" progress="31.07%" prev="Ex" next="Ex.ii" id="Ex.i">
<h2 id="Ex.i-p0.1">Exodus</h2>
<hr/>
<pb n="270" id="Ex.i-Page_270"/>
<div class="Center" id="Ex.i-p0.3">
<p id="Ex.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Ex.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Ex.i-p1.2">W I T H &#160; P R A C T I C A L &#160; O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Ex.i-p1.3">OF THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED</h5>
<h2 id="Ex.i-p1.4">E X O D U S.</h2>
<hr style="width:2in"/>
</div>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.i-p2"><span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.i-p2.1">Moses</span> (the
<i>servant of the Lord</i> in writing for him as well as in acting
for him&#8212;with the pen of God as well as with the rod of God in his
hand) having, in the first book of his history, preserved and
transmitted the records of the church, while it existed in private
families, comes, in this second book, to give us an account of its
growth into a great nation; and, as the former furnishes us with
the best economics, so this with the best politics. The beginning
of the former book shows us how God formed the world for himself;
the beginning of this shows us how he formed Israel for himself,
and both to show forth his praise, <scripRef passage="Isa 43:21" id="Ex.i-p2.2" parsed="|Isa|43|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.21">Isa. xliii. 21</scripRef>. There we have the creation
of the world in history, here the redemption of the world in type.
The Greek translators called this book <i>Exodus</i> (which
signifies a <i>departure</i> or <i>going out</i>) because it begins
with the story of the going out of the children of Israel from
Egypt. Some allude to the names of this and the foregoing book, and
observe that immediately after <i>Genesis,</i> which signifies the
<i>beginning</i> or <i>original,</i> follows <i>Exodus,</i> which
signifies <i>a departure;</i> for a time to be born is immediately
succeeded by a time to die. No sooner have we made our entrance
into the world than we must think of making our exit, and going out
of the world. When we begin to live we begin to die. The forming of
Israel into a people was a new creation. As the earth was, in the
beginning, first fetched from under water, and then beautified and
replenished, so Israel was first by an almighty power made to
emerge out of Egyptian slavery, and then enriched with God's law
and tabernacle. This book gives us, I. The accomplishment of the
promises made before to Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ex 1:1-19:25" id="Ex.i-p2.3" parsed="|Exod|1|1|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.1-Exod.19.25"><i>ch.</i> i.-xix.</scripRef>), and then, II. The
establishment of the ordinances which were afterwards observed by
Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:1-40:38" id="Ex.i-p2.4" parsed="|Exod|20|1|40|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.40.38"><i>ch.</i>
xx.-xl.</scripRef> Moses, in this book, begins, like C&#230;sar, to
write his own Commentaries; nay, a greater, a far greater, than
C&#230;sar is here. But henceforward the penman is himself the hero, and
gives us the history of those things of which he was himself an eye
and ear-witness, <i>et quorum pars magna fuit&#8212;and in which he bore
a conspicuous part.</i> There are more types of Christ in this book
than perhaps in any other book of the Old Testament; for Moses
wrote of him, <scripRef passage="Joh 5:46" id="Ex.i-p2.5" parsed="|John|5|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.5.46">John v. 46</scripRef>.
The way of man's reconciliation to God, and coming into covenant
and communion with him by a Mediator, is here variously
represented; and it is of great use to us for the illustration of
the New Testament, now that we have that to assist us in the
explication of the Old.</p>
</div2>
<div2 title="Chapter I" n="ii" progress="31.12%" prev="Ex.i" next="Ex.iii" id="Ex.ii">
<pb n="270" id="Ex.ii-Page_270"/>
<h2 id="Ex.ii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.ii-p0.2">CHAP. I.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.ii-p1">We have here, I. God's kindness to Israel, in
multiplying them exceedingly, (<scripRef passage="Ex 1:1-7" id="Ex.ii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|1|1|1|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.1-Exod.1.7">ver.
1-7</scripRef>). II. The Egyptians' wickedness to them, 1.
Oppressing and enslaving them, (<scripRef passage="Ex 1:8-14" id="Ex.ii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|1|8|1|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.8-Exod.1.14">ver.
8-14</scripRef>). 2. Murdering their children, (<scripRef passage="Ex 1:15-22" id="Ex.ii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|1|15|1|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.15-Exod.1.22">ver. 15-22</scripRef>). Thus whom the court of heaven
blessed the country of Egypt cursed, and for that reason.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 1" id="Ex.ii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 1:1-7" id="Ex.ii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|1|1|1|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.1-Exod.1.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.1.1-Exod.1.7">
<h4 id="Ex.ii-p1.6">The Israelites Oppressed in
Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1588.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.ii-p2">1 Now these <i>are</i> the names of the children
of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came
with Jacob. &#160; 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, &#160; 3
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, &#160; 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad,
and Asher. &#160; 5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of
Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt <i>already.</i>
&#160; 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that
generation. &#160; 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and
increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty;
and the land was filled with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p3">In these verses we have, 1. A recital of
the names of the <i>twelve patriarchs,</i> as they are called,
<scripRef passage="Ac 7:8" id="Ex.ii-p3.1" parsed="|Acts|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.8">Acts vii. 8</scripRef>. Their names are
often repeated in scripture, that they may not sound uncouth to us,
as other hard names, but that, by their occurring so frequently,
they may become familiar to us; and to show how precious God's
spiritual Israel are to him, and how much he delights in them. 2.
The account which was kept of the number of Jacob's family, when
they went down into Egypt; they were in all <i>seventy souls</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 1:5" id="Ex.ii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>). according to
the computation we had, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:27" id="Ex.ii-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|46|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.27">Gen. xlvi.
27</scripRef>. This was just the number of the nations by which the
earth was peopled, according to the account given, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:1-32" id="Ex.ii-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|10|1|10|32" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.1-Gen.10.32">Gen. x.</scripRef> <i>For
<pb n="271" id="Ex.ii-Page_271"/>
when the Most High separated the sons of Adam, he
set the bounds of the people according to the number of the
children of Israel,</i> as Moses observes, <scripRef passage="De 32:8" id="Ex.ii-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.8">Deut. xxxii. 8</scripRef>. Notice is here taken of this
that their increase in Egypt might appear the more wonderful. Note,
It is good for those whose latter end greatly increases often to
remember how small their beginning was, <scripRef passage="Job 8:7" id="Ex.ii-p3.6" parsed="|Job|8|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.8.7">Job viii. 7</scripRef>. 3. The death of Joseph, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:6" id="Ex.ii-p3.7" parsed="|Exod|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. <i>All that generation</i>
by degrees wore off. Perhaps all Jacob's sons died much about the
same time; for there was not more than seven years' difference in
age between the eldest and the youngest of them, except Benjamin;
and, when death comes into a family, sometimes it makes a full end
in a little time. When Joseph, the stay of the family, died, the
rest went off apace. Note, We must look upon ourselves and our
brethren, and all we converse with, as dying and hastening out of
the world. This generation passeth away, as that did which went
before. 4. The strange increase of Israel in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:7" id="Ex.ii-p3.8" parsed="|Exod|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Here are four words used
to express it: They <i>were fruitful,</i> and <i>increased
abundantly,</i> like fishes or insects, so that they
<i>multiplied;</i> and, being generally healthful and strong, they
<i>waxed exceedingly mighty,</i> so that they began almost to
outnumber the natives, for the land was in all places filled with
them, at least Goshen, their own allotment. Observe, (1.) Though,
no doubt, they increased considerably before, yet, it should seem,
it was not till after the death of Joseph that it began to be taken
notice of as extraordinary. Thus, when they lost the benefit of his
protection, God made their numbers their defence, and they became
better able than they had been to shift for themselves. If God
continue our friends and relations to us while we most need them,
and remove them when they can be better spared, let us own that he
is wise, and not complain that he is hard upon us. After the death
of Christ, our Joseph, his gospel Israel began most remarkably to
increase: and his death had an influence upon it; it was like the
sowing of a corn of wheat, which, if it die, bringeth forth much
fruit, <scripRef passage="Joh 12:24" id="Ex.ii-p3.9" parsed="|John|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.24">John xii. 24</scripRef>. (2.)
This wonderful increase was the fulfillment of the promise long
before made unto the fathers. From the call of Abraham, when God
first told him he would make of him a great nation, to the
deliverance of his seed out of Egypt, it was 430 years, during the
first 215 of which they were increased but to seventy, but, in the
latter half, those seventy multiplied to 600,000 fighting men.
Note, [1.] Sometimes God's providences may seem for a great while
to thwart his promises, and to go counter to them, that his
people's faith may be tried, and his own power the more magnified.
[2.] Though the performance of God's promises is sometimes slow,
yet it is always sure; <i>at the end it shall speak, and not
lie,</i> <scripRef passage="Hab 2:3" id="Ex.ii-p3.10" parsed="|Hab|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.3">Hab. ii. 3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 1:8-14" id="Ex.ii-p3.11" parsed="|Exod|1|8|1|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.8-Exod.1.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.1.8-Exod.1.14">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.ii-p4">8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt,
which knew not Joseph. &#160; 9 And he said unto his people,
Behold, the people of the children of Israel <i>are</i> more and
mightier than we: &#160; 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them;
lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth
out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us,
and <i>so</i> get them up out of the land. &#160; 11 Therefore they
did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.
And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
&#160; 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they
multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children
of Israel. &#160; 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel
to serve with rigour: &#160; 14 And they made their lives bitter
with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of
service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them
serve, <i>was</i> with rigour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p5">The land of Egypt here, at length, becomes
to Israel a house of bondage, though hitherto it had been a happy
shelter and settlement for them. Note, The place of our
satisfaction may soon become the place of our affliction, and that
may prove the greatest cross to us of which we said, <i>This same
shall comfort us.</i> Those may prove our sworn enemies whose
parents were our faithful friends; nay, the same persons that loved
us may possibly turn to hate us: therefore cease from man, and say
not concerning any place on this side heaven, <i>This is my rest
for ever.</i> Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p6">I. The obligations they lay under to Israel
upon Joseph's account were forgotten: <i>There arose a new
king,</i> after several successions in Joseph's time, <i>who knew
not Joseph,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 1:8" id="Ex.ii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
All that knew him loved him, and were kind to his relations for his
sake; but when he was dead he was soon forgotten, and the
remembrance of the good offices he had done was either not retained
or not regarded, nor had it any influence upon their councils.
Note, the best and the most useful and acceptable services done to
men are seldom remembered, so as to be recompensed to those that
did them, in the notice taken either of their memory, or of their
posterity, after their death, <scripRef passage="Ec 9:5,15" id="Ex.ii-p6.2" parsed="|Eccl|9|5|0|0;|Eccl|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.5 Bible:Eccl.9.15">Eccl.
ix. 5, 15</scripRef>. Therefore our great care should be to serve
God, and please him, who is not unrighteous, whatever men are, to
forget our work and labour of love, <scripRef passage="Heb 6:10" id="Ex.ii-p6.3" parsed="|Heb|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.10">Heb. vi. 10</scripRef>. If we work for men only, our
works, at furthest, will die with us; if for God, they will follow
us, <scripRef passage="Re 14:13" id="Ex.ii-p6.4" parsed="|Rev|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.13">Rev. xiv. 13</scripRef>. This king
of Egypt knew not Joseph; and after him arose one that had the
impudence to say, <i>I know
<pb n="272" id="Ex.ii-Page_272"/>
not the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 5:2" id="Ex.ii-p6.5" parsed="|Exod|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.2"><i>ch.</i> v. 2</scripRef>.
Note, Those that are unmindful of their other benefactors, it is to
be feared, will forget the supreme benefactor, <scripRef passage="1Jo 4:20" id="Ex.ii-p6.6" parsed="|1John|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.4.20">1 John iv. 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p7">II. Reasons of state were suggested for
their dealing hardly with Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:9,10" id="Ex.ii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|1|9|1|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.9-Exod.1.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. 1. They are represented as
more and mightier than the Egyptians; certainly they were not so,
but the king of Egypt, when he resolved to oppress them, would have
them thought so, and looked on as a formidable body. 2. Hence it is
inferred that if care were not taken to keep them under they would
become dangerous to the government, and in time of war would side
with their enemies and revolt from their allegiance to the crown of
Egypt. Note, It has been the policy of persecutors to represent
God's Israel as a dangerous people, <i>hurtful to kings and
provinces,</i> not fit to be trusted, nay, not fit to be tolerated,
that they may have some pretence for the barbarous treatment they
design them, <scripRef passage="Ezr 4:12,Es 3:8" id="Ex.ii-p7.2" parsed="|Ezra|4|12|0|0;|Esth|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.4.12 Bible:Esth.3.8">Ezra iv. 12,
&amp;c.; Esth. iii. 8</scripRef>. Observe, The thing they feared
was lest they should <i>get them up out of the land,</i> probably
having heard them speak of the promise made to their fathers that
they should settle in Canaan. Note, The policies of the church's
enemies aim to defeat the promises of the church's God, but in
vain; God's counsels shall stand. 3. It is therefore proposed that
a course be taken to prevent their increase: <i>Come on, let us
deal wisely with them, lest they multiply.</i> Note, (1.) The
growth of Israel is the grief of Egypt, and that against which the
powers and policies of hell are levelled. (2.) When men deal
wickedly, it is common for them to imagine that they deal wisely;
but the folly of sin will, at last, be manifested before all
men.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p8">III. The method they took to suppress them,
and check their growth, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:11,13,14" id="Ex.ii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|1|11|0|0;|Exod|1|13|0|0;|Exod|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.11 Bible:Exod.1.13 Bible:Exod.1.14"><i>v.</i>
11, 13, 14</scripRef>. The Israelites behaved themselves so
peaceably and inoffensively that they could not find any occasion
of making war upon them, and weakening them by that means: and
therefore, 1. They took care to keep them poor, by charging them
with heavy taxes, which, some think, is included in the
<i>burdens</i> with which they afflicted them. 2. By this means
they took an effectual course to make them slaves. The Israelites,
it should seem, were much more industrious laborious people than
the Egyptians, and therefore Pharaoh took care to find them work,
both in building (they built him <i>treasure-cities</i>), and in
husbandry, even <i>all manner of service in the field:</i> and this
was exacted from them with the utmost rigour and severity. Here are
many expressions used, to affect us with the condition of God's
people. They had <i>taskmasters</i> set over them, who were
directed, not only to burden them, but, as much as might be, <i>to
afflict them with their burdens,</i> and contrive how to make them
grievous. They not only made them serve, which was sufficient for
Pharaoh's profit, but they made them <i>serve with rigour,</i> so
that their lives became bitter to them, intending hereby, (1.) To
break their spirits, and rob them of every thing in them that was
ingenuous and generous. (2.) To ruin their health and shorten their
days, and so diminish their numbers. (3.) To discourage them from
marrying, since their children would be born to slavery. (4.) To
oblige them to desert the Hebrews, and incorporate themselves with
the Egyptians. Thus he hoped to cut off the name of Israel, that it
might be no more in remembrance. And it is to be feared that the
oppression they were under had this bad effect upon them, that it
brought over many of them to join with the Egyptians in their
idolatrous worship; for we read (<scripRef passage="Jos 24:14" id="Ex.ii-p8.2" parsed="|Josh|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.14">Josh. xxiv. 14</scripRef>) that they served other gods
in Egypt; and, though it is not mentioned here in this history, yet
we find (<scripRef passage="Eze 20:8" id="Ex.ii-p8.3" parsed="|Ezek|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.20.8">Ezek. xx. 8</scripRef>) that
God had threatened to destroy them for it, even while they were in
the land of Egypt: however, they were kept a distinct body,
unmingled with the Egyptians, and by their other customs separated
from them, which was <i>the Lord's doing, and marvellous.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p9">IV. The wonderful increase of the
Israelites, notwithstanding the oppressions they groaned under
(<scripRef passage="Ex 1:12" id="Ex.ii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): <i>The more
they afflicted them the more they multiplied,</i> sorely to the
grief and vexation of the Egyptians. Note, 1. Times of affliction
have often been the church's growing times, <i>Sub pondere
crescit&#8212;Being pressed, it grows.</i> Christianity spread most when
it was persecuted: the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the
church. 2. Those that take counsel against the Lord and his Israel
do but imagine a vain thing (<scripRef passage="Ps 2:1" id="Ex.ii-p9.2" parsed="|Ps|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.1">Ps. ii.
1</scripRef>), and create so much the greater vexation to
themselves: hell and earth cannot diminish those whom Heaven will
increase.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 1" id="Ex.ii-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 1:15-22" id="Ex.ii-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|1|15|1|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.15-Exod.1.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.1.15-Exod.1.22">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.ii-p10">15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew
midwives, of which the name of the one <i>was</i> Shiphrah, and the
name of the other Puah: &#160; 16 And he said, When ye do the
office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see <i>them</i> upon
the stools; if it <i>be</i> a son, then ye shall kill him: but if
it <i>be</i> a daughter, then she shall live. &#160; 17 But the
midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded
them, but saved the men children alive. &#160; 18 And the king of
Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done
this thing, and have saved the men children alive? &#160; 19 And
the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women <i>are</i>
not as the Egyptian women; for they <i>are</i> lively, and are
delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. &#160; 20 Therefore
God dealt well with the midwives:
<pb n="273" id="Ex.ii-Page_273"/>
and the
people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. &#160; 21 And it came to
pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
&#160; 22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son
that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye
shall save alive.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p11">The Egyptians' indignation at Israel's
increase, notwithstanding the many hardships they put upon them,
drove them at length to the most barbarous and inhuman methods of
suppressing them, by the murder of their children. It was strange
that they did not rather pick quarrels with the grown men, against
whom they might perhaps find some occasion: to be thus bloody
towards the infants, whom all must own to be innocents, was a sin
which they had to cloak for. Note, 1. There is more cruelty in the
corrupt heart of man than one would imagine, <scripRef passage="Ro 3:15,16" id="Ex.ii-p11.1" parsed="|Rom|3|15|3|16" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.15-Rom.3.16">Rom. iii. 15, 16</scripRef>. The enmity that is in the
seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman divests men of
humanity itself, and makes them forget all pity. One would not
think it possible that ever men should be so barbarous and
blood-thirsty as the persecutors of God's people have been,
<scripRef passage="Re 17:6" id="Ex.ii-p11.2" parsed="|Rev|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.17.6">Rev. xvii. 6</scripRef>. 2. Even
confessed innocence is no defence against the old enmity. What
blood so guiltless as that of a child new-born? Yet that is
prodigally shed like water, and sucked with delight like milk or
honey. Pharaoh and Herod sufficiently proved themselves agents for
that <i>great red dragon, who stood to devour the man-child as soon
as it was born,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 12:3,4" id="Ex.ii-p11.3" parsed="|Rev|12|3|12|4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.12.3-Rev.12.4">Rev. xii. 3,
4</scripRef>. Pilate delivered Christ to be crucified, after he had
confessed that he found no fault in him. It is well for us that,
though man can kill the body, this is all he can do. Two bloody
edicts are here signed for the destruction of all the male children
that were born to the Hebrews.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p12">I. The midwives were commanded to murder
them. Observe, 1. The orders given them, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:15,16" id="Ex.ii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|1|15|1|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.15-Exod.1.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. It added much to the
barbarity of the intended executions that the <i>midwives</i> were
appointed to be the executioners; for it was to make them, not only
bloody, but perfidious, and to oblige them to betray a trust, and
to destroy those whom they undertook to save and help. Could he
think that their sex would admit such cruelty, and their employment
such base treachery? Note, Those who are themselves barbarous think
to find, or make, others as barbarous. Pharaoh's project was
secretly to engage the midwives to stifle the men-children as soon
as they were born, and then to lay it upon the difficulty of the
birth, or some mischance common in that case, <scripRef passage="Job 3:11" id="Ex.ii-p12.2" parsed="|Job|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.3.11">Job iii. 11</scripRef>. The two midwives he tampered
with in order hereunto are here named; and perhaps, at this time,
which was above eighty years before their going out of Egypt, those
two might suffice for all the Hebrew women, at least so many of
them as lay near the court, as it is plain by <scripRef passage="Ex 2:5,6" id="Ex.ii-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|2|5|2|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.5-Exod.2.6"><i>ch.</i> ii. 5, 6</scripRef>, many of them did, and of
them he was most jealous. They are called <i>Hebrew midwives,</i>
probably not because they were themselves Hebrews (for surely
Pharaoh could never expect they should be so barbarous to those of
their own nation), but because they were generally made use of by
the Hebrews; and, being Egyptians, he hoped to prevail with them.
2. Their pious disobedience to this impious command, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:17" id="Ex.ii-p12.4" parsed="|Exod|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. <i>They feared God,</i>
regarded his law, and dreaded his wrath more than Pharaoh's, and
therefore saved the men-children alive. Note, If men's commands be
any way contrary to the commands of God, we must obey God and not
man, <scripRef passage="Ac 4:19,5:29" id="Ex.ii-p12.5" parsed="|Acts|4|19|0|0;|Acts|5|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.4.19 Bible:Acts.5.29">Acts iv. 19; v.
29</scripRef>. No power on earth can warrant us, much less oblige
us, to sin against God, our chief Lord. Again, Where the fear of
God rules in the heart, it will preserve it from the snare which
the inordinate fear of man brings. 3. Their justifying themselves
in this disobedience, when they were charged with it as a crime,
<scripRef passage="Ex 1:18" id="Ex.ii-p12.6" parsed="|Exod|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. They gave a
reason for it, which, it seems, God's gracious promise furnished
them with&#8212;that they came too late to do it, for generally the
children were born before they came, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:19" id="Ex.ii-p12.7" parsed="|Exod|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. I see no reason we have to doubt
the truth of this; it is plain that the Hebrews were now under an
extraordinary blessing of increase, which may well be supposed to
have this effect, that the women had very quick and easy labour,
and, the mothers and children being both lively, they seldom needed
the help of midwives: this these midwives took notice of, and,
concluding it to be the finger of God, were thereby emboldened to
disobey the king, in favour of those whom Heaven thus favoured, and
with this justified themselves before Pharaoh, when he called them
to an account for it. Some of the ancient Jews expound it thus,
<i>Ere the midwife comes to them they pray to their Father in
heaven, and he answereth them, and they do bring forth.</i> Note,
God is a readier help to his people in distress than any other
helpers are, and often anticipates them with the blessings of his
goodness; such deliverances lay them under peculiarly strong
obligations. 4. The recompence God gave them for their tenderness
towards his people: <i>He dealt well with them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 1:20" id="Ex.ii-p12.8" parsed="|Exod|1|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Note, God will be
behind-hand with none for any kindness done to his people, taking
it as done to himself. In particular, <i>he made them houses</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 1:21" id="Ex.ii-p12.9" parsed="|Exod|1|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), built them
up into families, blessed their children, and prospered them in all
they did. Note, The services done for God's Israel are often repaid
in kind. The midwives kept up the Israelites' houses, and, in
recompence for it, <i>God made them houses.</i> Observe, The
recompence has relation to the principle upon which they went:
<i>Because they feared God, he made them houses.</i> Note, Religion
and piety are good friends to outward prosperity:
<pb n="274" id="Ex.ii-Page_274"/>
the fear of God in a house will help to build it up
and establish it. Dr. Lightfoot's notion of it is, That, for their
piety, they were married to Israelites, and Hebrew families were
built up by them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ii-p13">II. When this project did not take effect,
Pharaoh gave public orders to all his people to drown all the male
children of the Hebrews, <scripRef passage="Ex 1:22" id="Ex.ii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|1|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. We may suppose it was made highly penal for any to
know of the birth of a son to an Israelite, and not to give
information to those who were appointed to throw him into the
river. Note, The enemies of the church have been restless in their
endeavours to <i>wear out the saints of the Most High,</i>
<scripRef passage="Da 7:25" id="Ex.ii-p13.2" parsed="|Dan|7|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.7.25">Dan. vii. 25</scripRef>. But <i>he that
sits in heaven shall laugh at them.</i> See <scripRef passage="Ps 2:4" id="Ex.ii-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.4">Ps. ii. 4</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter II" n="iii" progress="31.51%" prev="Ex.ii" next="Ex.iv" id="Ex.iii">
<h2 id="Ex.iii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.iii-p1">This chapter begins the story of Moses, that man
of renown, famed for his intimate acquaintance with Heaven and his
eminent usefulness on earth, and the most remarkable type of
Christ, as a prophet, saviour, lawgiver, and mediator, in all the
Old Testament. The Jews have a book among them of the life of
Moses, which tells a great many stories concerning him, which we
have reason to think are mere fictions; what he has recorded
concerning himself is what we may rely upon, for we know that his
record is true; and it is what we may be satisfied with, for it is
what Infinite Wisdom thought fit to preserve and transmit to us. In
this chapter we have, I. The perils of his birth and infancy,
<scripRef passage="Ex 2:1-4" id="Ex.iii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|2|1|2|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.1-Exod.2.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. His
preservation through those perils, and the preferment of his
childhood and youth, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:5-10" id="Ex.iii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|2|5|2|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.5-Exod.2.10">ver.
5-10</scripRef>. III. The pious choice of his riper years, which
was to own the people of God. 1. He offered them his service at
present, if they would accept it, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:11-14" id="Ex.iii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|2|11|2|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.11-Exod.2.14">ver. 11-14</scripRef>. 2. He retired, that he might
reserve himself for further service hereafter, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:15-22" id="Ex.iii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|2|15|2|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.15-Exod.2.22">ver. 15-22</scripRef>. IV. The dawning of the day of
Israel's deliverance, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:23-25" id="Ex.iii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|2|23|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.23-Exod.2.25">ver.
23</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2" id="Ex.iii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2:1-4" id="Ex.iii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|2|1|2|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.1-Exod.2.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.2.1-Exod.2.4">
<h4 id="Ex.iii-p1.8">The Birth of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1571.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iii-p2">1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and
took <i>to wife</i> a daughter of Levi. &#160; 2 And the woman
conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he <i>was
a</i> goodly <i>child,</i> she hid him three months. &#160; 3 And
when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of
bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the
child therein; and she laid <i>it</i> in the flags by the river's
brink. &#160; 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be
done to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p3">Moses was a Levite, both by father and
mother. Jacob left Levi under marks of disgrace (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:5" id="Ex.iii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|49|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.5">Gen. xlix. 5</scripRef>); and yet, soon after, Moses
appears a descendant from him, that he might typify Christ, who
came in the likeness of sinful flesh and was made a curse for us.
This tribe began to be distinguished from the rest by the birth of
Moses, as afterwards it became remarkable in many other instances.
Observe, concerning this newborn infant,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p4">I. How he was hidden. It seems to have been
just at the time of his birth that the cruel law was made for the
murder of all the male children of the Hebrews; and many, no doubt,
perished by the execution of it. The parents of Moses had Miriam
and Aaron, both older than he, born to them before this edict came
out, and had nursed them without that peril: but those that begin
the world in peace know not what troubles they may meet with before
they have got through it. Probably the mother of Moses was full of
anxiety in the expectation of his birth, now that this edict was in
force, and was ready to say, <i>Blessed are the barren that never
bore,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 23:29" id="Ex.iii-p4.1" parsed="|Luke|23|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.23.29">Luke xxiii. 29</scripRef>.
Better so than bring forth children to the murderer, <scripRef passage="Ho 9:13" id="Ex.iii-p4.2" parsed="|Hos|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.9.13">Hos. ix. 13</scripRef>. Yet this child proves the
glory of his father's house. Thus that which is most our fear often
proves, in the issue, most our joy. Observe the beauty of
providence: just at the time when Pharaoh's cruelty rose to this
height the deliverer was born, though he did not appear for many
years after. Note, When men are projecting the church's ruin God is
preparing for its salvation. Moses, who was afterwards to bring
Israel out of this house of bondage, was himself in danger of
falling a sacrifice to the fury of the oppressor, God so ordering
it that, being afterwards told of this, he might be the more
animated with a holy zeal for the deliverance of his brethren out
of the hands of such bloody men. 1. His parents observed him to be
a <i>goodly child,</i> more than ordinarily beautiful; he was
<i>fair to God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:20" id="Ex.iii-p4.3" parsed="|Acts|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.20">Acts vii.
20</scripRef>. They fancied he had a lustre in his countenance that
was something more than human, and was a specimen of the shining of
his face afterwards, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:29" id="Ex.iii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|34|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.29">Exod. xxxiv.
29</scripRef>. Note, God sometimes gives early earnests of his
gifts, and manifests himself betimes in those for whom and by whom
he designs to do great things. Thus he put an early strength into
Samson (<scripRef passage="Jdg 13:24,25" id="Ex.iii-p4.5" parsed="|Judg|13|24|13|25" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.24-Judg.13.25">Judge xiii. 24,
25</scripRef>), an early forwardness into Samuel (<scripRef passage="1Sa 2:18" id="Ex.iii-p4.6" parsed="|1Sam|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.18">1 Sam. ii. 18</scripRef>), wrought an early
deliverance for David (<scripRef passage="1Sa 17:37" id="Ex.iii-p4.7" parsed="|1Sam|17|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.17.37">1 Sam. xvii.
37</scripRef>), and began betimes with Timothy, <scripRef passage="1Ti 3:15" id="Ex.iii-p4.8" parsed="|1Tim|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.15">1 Tim. iii. 15</scripRef>. 2. Therefore they were the
more solicitous for his preservation, because they looked upon this
as an indication of some kind purpose of God concerning him, and a
happy omen of something great. Note, A lively active faith can take
encouragement from the least intimation of the divine favour; a
merciful hint of Providence will encourage those whose spirits make
diligent search, <i>Three months</i> they hid him in some private
apartment of their own house, though probably with the hazard of
their own lives, had he been discovered. Herein Moses was a type of
Christ, who, in his infancy, was forced to abscond, and in Egypt
too (<scripRef passage="Mt 2:13" id="Ex.iii-p4.9" parsed="|Matt|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.2.13">Matt. ii. 13</scripRef>), and was
wonderfully preserved, when many innocents were butchered. It is
said (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:23" id="Ex.iii-p4.10" parsed="|Heb|11|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.23">Heb. xi. 23</scripRef>) that
the parents of Moses <i>hid him by faith;</i> some think they had a
special revelation to them that the deliverer should spring from
their loins; however they had the general promise of Israel's
preservation, which they acted faith upon, and in that faith hid
their child, not being afraid of the penalty annexed to the king's
commandment. Note, Faith in God's promise is so far from
superseding that it rather excites and quickens to the use of
lawful means for the obtaining of mercy. Duty is ours, events are
God's. Again, Faith in God will set us above the ensnaring fear of
man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p5">II. How he was exposed. At three months'
end, probably when the searchers came about to look for concealed
children, so that they could not hide him any longer (their faith
perhaps beginning now to fail), they put him in an ark of bulrushes
by the <i>river's brink</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:3" id="Ex.iii-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), and set his little sister at some distance to watch
what would become of him, and into whose hands he would fall,
<scripRef passage="Ex 2:4" id="Ex.iii-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. God put it into
their hearts to do this, to bring about his own purposes, that
Moses might by this means be brought into the hands of Pharaoh's
daughter, and that by his deliverance from this imminent danger a
specimen might be given of the deliverance of God's church, which
now lay thus exposed. Note, 1. God takes special care of the
outcasts of Israel (<scripRef passage="Ps 147:2" id="Ex.iii-p5.3" parsed="|Ps|147|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.147.2">Ps. cxlvii.
2</scripRef>); they are <i>his</i> outcasts, <scripRef passage="Isa 16:4" id="Ex.iii-p5.4" parsed="|Isa|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.16.4">Isa. xvi. 4</scripRef>. Moses seemed quite abandoned by
his friends; his own mother durst not own him: but now the Lord
took him up and protected him, <scripRef passage="Ps 27:10" id="Ex.iii-p5.5" parsed="|Ps|27|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.10">Ps.
xxvii. 10</scripRef>. 2. In times of extreme difficulty it is good
to venture upon the providence of God. Thus to have exposed their
child while they might have preserved it, would have been to tempt
Providence; but, when they could not, it was to trust to
Providence. "Nothing venture, nothing win." <i>If I perish, I
perish.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2:5-10" id="Ex.iii-p5.6" parsed="|Exod|2|5|2|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.5-Exod.2.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.2.5-Exod.2.10">
<h4 id="Ex.iii-p5.7">The Deliverance of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iii-p5.8">b. c.</span> 1571.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iii-p6">5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash
<i>herself</i> at the river; and her maidens walked along by the
river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent
her maid to fetch it. &#160; 6 And when she had opened <i>it,</i>
she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had
compassion on him, and said, This <i>is one</i> of the Hebrews'
children. &#160; 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter,
Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she
may nurse the child for thee? &#160; 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said
to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. &#160;
9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and
nurse it for me, and I will give <i>thee</i> thy wages. And the
woman took the child, and nursed it. &#160; 10 And the child grew,
and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son.
And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out
of the water.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p7">Here is, I. Moses saved from perishing.
Come see the place where that great man lay when he was a little
child; he lay in a bulrush-basket by the river's side. Had he been
left to lie there, he must have perished in a little time with
hunger, if he had not been sooner washed into the river or devoured
by a crocodile. Had he fallen into any other hands than those he
did fall into, either they would not, or durst not, have done
otherwise than have thrown him straightway into the river; but
Providence brings no less a person thither than Pharaoh's daughter,
just at that juncture, guides her to the place where this poor
forlorn infant lay, and inclines her heart to pity it, which she
dares do when none else durst. Never did poor child cry so
seasonably, so happily, as this did: <i>The babe wept,</i> which
moved the compassion of the princess, as no doubt his beauty did,
<scripRef passage="Ex 2:5,6" id="Ex.iii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|2|5|2|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.5-Exod.2.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. Note, 1.
Those are hard-hearted indeed that have not a tender compassion for
helpless infancy. How pathetically does God represent his
compassion for the Israelites in general considered in this
pitiable state! <scripRef passage="Eze 16:5,6" id="Ex.iii-p7.2" parsed="|Ezek|16|5|16|6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.5-Ezek.16.6">Ezek. xvi. 5,
6</scripRef>. 2. It is very commendable in persons of quality to
take cognizance of the distresses of the meanest, and to be helpful
and charitable to them. 3. God's care of us in our infancy ought to
be often made mention of by us to his praise. Though we were not
thus exposed (that we were not was God's mercy) yet many were the
perils we were surrounded with in our infancy, out of which the
Lord delivered us, <scripRef passage="Ps 22:9,10" id="Ex.iii-p7.3" parsed="|Ps|22|9|22|10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.9-Ps.22.10">Ps. xxii. 9,
10</scripRef>. 4. God often raises up friends for his people even
among their enemies. Pharaoh cruelly seeks Israel's destruction,
but his own daughter charitably compassionates a Hebrew child, and
not only so, but, beyond her intention, preserves Israel's
deliverer. <i>O Lord, how wonderful are thy counsels!</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p8">II. Moses well provided with a good nurse,
no worse than his own dear mother, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:7-9" id="Ex.iii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|2|7|2|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.7-Exod.2.9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>. Pharaoh's daughter thinks it
convenient that he should have a Hebrew nurse (pity that so fair a
child should be suckled by a sable Moor), and the sister of Moses,
with art and good management, introduces the mother into the place
of a nurse, to the great advantage of the child; for mothers are
the best nurses, and those who receive the blessings of the breasts
with those of the womb are not just if they give them not to those
for whose sake they received them: it was also an unspeakable
satisfaction to the mother, who received her son as life from the
dead, and now could enjoy him without fear. The transport of her
joy, upon this happy turn, we may suppose sufficient to betray her
to be the true mother (had there been any suspicion of it) to a
less discerning eye than that of Solomon, <scripRef passage="1Ki 3:27" id="Ex.iii-p8.2" parsed="|1Kgs|3|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.3.27">1 Kings iii. 27</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p9">III. Moses preferred to be the son of
Pharaoh's daughter (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:10" id="Ex.iii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), his parents herein perhaps not only yielding to
necessity, having nursed him <i>for her,</i> but too much pleased
with the honour thereby done to their son; for the smiles of the
world are stronger temptations than its frowns, and more difficult
to resist. The tradition of the Jews is that Pharaoh's daughter had
no child of her own, and that she was the only child of her father,
so that when he was adopted for her son he stood fair for the
crown: however it is certain he stood fair for the best preferments
of the court in due time, and in the meantime had the advantage of
the best education and improvements of the court, with the help of
which, having a great genius, he became master of all the lawful
learning of the Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Ac 7:22" id="Ex.iii-p9.2" parsed="|Acts|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.22">Acts vii.
22</scripRef>. Note, 1. Providence pleases itself sometimes in
raising the poor out of the dust, to set them among princes,
<scripRef passage="Ps 113:7,8" id="Ex.iii-p9.3" parsed="|Ps|113|7|113|8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.113.7-Ps.113.8">Ps. cxiii. 7, 8</scripRef>. Many
who, by their birth, seem marked for obscurity and poverty, by
surprising events of Providence are brought to sit at the upper end
of the world, to make men know that <i>the heavens do rule.</i> 2.
Those whom God designs for great services he find out ways to
qualify and prepare beforehand. Moses, by having his education in a
court, is the fitter to be a prince and <i>king in Jeshurun;</i> by
having his education in a learned court (for such the Egyptian then
was) is the fitter to be an historian; and by having his education
in the court of Egypt is the fitter to be employed, in the name of
God, as an ambassador to that court.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p10">IV. Moses named. The Jews tell us that his
father, at his circumcision, called him <i>Joachim,</i> but
Pharaoh's daughter called him <i>Moses, Drawn out of the water,</i>
so it signifies in the Egyptian language. The calling of the Jewish
lawgiver by an Egyptian name is a happy omen to the Gentile world,
and gives hopes of that day when it shall be said, <i>Blessed be
Egypt my people,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 19:25" id="Ex.iii-p10.1" parsed="|Isa|19|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.19.25">Isa. xix.
25</scripRef>. And his tuition at court was an earnest of the
performance of that promise, <scripRef passage="Isa 49:23" id="Ex.iii-p10.2" parsed="|Isa|49|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.23">Isa.
xlix. 23</scripRef>, <i>Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and
queens thy nursing mothers.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2" id="Ex.iii-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2:11-15" id="Ex.iii-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|2|11|2|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.11-Exod.2.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.2.11-Exod.2.15">
<h4 id="Ex.iii-p10.5">Moses Slays an Egyptian; Rebukes a
Contentious Hebrew. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iii-p10.6">b. c.</span> 1533.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iii-p11">11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses
was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their
burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his
brethren. &#160; 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when
he saw that <i>there was</i> no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid
him in the sand. &#160; 13 And when he went out the second day,
behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him
that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? &#160; 14
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest
thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared,
and said, Surely this thing is known. &#160; 15 Now when Pharaoh
heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the
face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down
by a well.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p12">Moses had now passed the first forty years
of his life in the court of Pharaoh, preparing himself for
business; and now it was time for him to enter upon action,
and,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p13">I. He boldly owns and espouses the cause of
God's people: <i>When Moses was grown he went out unto his
brethren, and looked on their burdens,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 2:11" id="Ex.iii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. The best exposition of these
words we have from an inspired pen, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:24-26" id="Ex.iii-p13.2" parsed="|Heb|11|24|11|26" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.24-Heb.11.26">Heb. xi. 24-26</scripRef>, where we are told that by
this he expressed, 1. His holy contempt of the honours and
pleasures of the Egyptian court; he <i>refused to be called the son
of Pharaoh's daughter,</i> for <i>he went out.</i> The temptation
was indeed very strong. He had a fair opportunity (as we say) to
make his fortune, and to have been serviceable to Israel too, with
his interest at court. He was obliged, in gratitude as well as
interest, to Pharaoh's daughter, and yet he obtained a glorious
victory by faith over his temptation. He reckoned it much more his
honour and advantage to be a son of Abraham than to be the son of
Pharaoh's daughter. 2. His tender concern for his poor brethren in
bondage, with whom (though he might easily have avoided it) he
<i>chose to suffer affliction;</i> he looked on their burdens as
one that not only pitied them, but was resolved to venture with
them, and, if occasion were, to venture for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p14">II. He gives a specimen of the great things
he was afterwards to do for God and his Israel in two little
instances, related particularly by Stephen (<scripRef passage="Ac 7:23-53" id="Ex.iii-p14.1" parsed="|Acts|7|23|7|53" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.23-Acts.7.53">Acts vii. 23</scripRef>, &amp;c.) with design to show
how their fathers had <i>always resisted the Holy Ghost</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ac 7:51" id="Ex.iii-p14.2" parsed="|Acts|7|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.51"><i>v.</i> 51</scripRef>), even in
Moses himself, when he first appeared as their deliverer, wilfully
shutting their eyes against this day-break of their enlargement. He
found himself, no doubt, under a divine direction and impulse in
what he did, and that he was in an extraordinary manner called of
God to do it. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p15">1. Moses was afterwards to be employed in
plaguing the Egyptians for the wrongs they had done to God's
Israel; and, as a specimen of that, he killed the Egyptian who
smote the Hebrew (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:11,12" id="Ex.iii-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|2|11|2|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.11-Exod.2.12"><i>v.</i> 11,
12</scripRef>); probably it was one of the Egyptian taskmasters,
whom he found abusing his Hebrew slave, a relation (as some think)
of Moses, a man of the same tribe. It was by special warrant from
Heaven (which makes not a precedent in ordinary cases) that Moses
slew the Egyptian, and rescued his oppressed brother. The Jew's
tradition is that he did not slay him with any weapon, but, as
Peter slew Ananias and Sapphira, with the word of his mouth. His
<i>hiding him in the sand</i> signified that hereafter Pharaoh and
all his Egyptians should, under the control of the rod of Moses, be
buried in the sand of the Red Sea. His taking care to execute this
justice privately, when no man saw, was a piece of needful prudence
and caution, it being but an assay; and perhaps his faith was as
yet weak, and what he did was with some hesitation. Those who come
to be of great faith, yet began with a little, and at first spoke
tremblingly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p16">2. Moses was afterwards to be employed in
governing Israel, and as a specimen of this, we have him here
trying to end a controversy between two Hebrews, in which he is
forced (as he did afterwards for forty years) to suffer their
manners. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p17">(1.) The unhappy quarrel which Moses
observed between two Hebrews, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:13" id="Ex.iii-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. It does not appear what was the occasion; but,
whatever it was, it was certainly very unseasonable for Hebrews to
strive with one another when they were all oppressed and ruled with
rigour by the Egyptians. Had they not beating enough from the
Egyptians, but they must beat one another? Note, [1.] Even
sufferings in common do not always unite God's professing people to
one another, so much as one might reasonably expect. [2.] When God
raises up instruments of salvation for the church they will find
enough to do, not only with oppressing Egyptians, to restrain them,
but with quarrelsome Israelites, to reconcile them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p18">(2.) The way he took of dealing with them;
he marked him that caused the division, that did the wrong, and
mildly reasoned with him: <i>Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?</i>
The injurious Egyptian was killed, the injurious Hebrew was only
reprimanded; for what the former did was from a rooted malice, what
the latter did we may suppose was only upon a sudden provocation.
The wise God makes, and, according to his example, all wise
governors make, a difference between one offender and another,
according to the several qualities of the same offence. Moses
endeavoured to make them friends, a good office; thus we find
Christ often reproving his disciples' strifes (<scripRef passage="Lu 9:46-50,22:24-27" id="Ex.iii-p18.1" parsed="|Luke|9|46|9|50;|Luke|22|24|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Luke.9.46-Luke.9.50 Bible:Luke.22.24-Luke.22.27">Luke ix. 46, &amp;c.; xxii. 24,
&amp;c.</scripRef>), for he was a prophet like unto Moses, a
healing prophet, a peacemaker, who visited his brethren with a
design to slay all enmities. The reproof Moses gave on this
occasion may still be of use, <i>Wherefore smitest thou thy
fellow?</i> Note, Smiting our fellows is bad in any, especially in
Hebrews, smiting with tongue or hand, either in a way of
persecution or in a way of strife and contention. Consider the
person thou smitest; it is thy fellow, thy fellow-creature, thy
fellow-christian, it is thy fellow-servant, thy fellow-sufferer.
Consider the cause, <i>Wherefore smitest?</i> Perhaps it is for no
cause at all, or no just cause, or none worth speaking of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p19">(3.) The ill success of his attempt
(<scripRef passage="Ex 2:14" id="Ex.iii-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>He said,
Who made thee a prince?</i> He that did the wrong thus quarrelled
with Moses; the injured party, it should seem, was inclinable
enough to peace, but the wrong-doer was thus touchy. Note, It is a
sign of guilt to be impatient of reproof; and it is often easier to
persuade the injured to bear the trouble of taking wrong than the
injurious to bear the conviction of having <i>done wrong.</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 6:7,8" id="Ex.iii-p19.2" parsed="|1Cor|6|7|6|8" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.7-1Cor.6.8">1 Cor. vi. 7, 8</scripRef>. It was a
very wise and mild reproof which Moses gave to this quarrelsome
Hebrew, but he could not bear it, he kicked against the pricks
(<scripRef passage="Ac 9:5" id="Ex.iii-p19.3" parsed="|Acts|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.9.5">Acts ix. 5</scripRef>), and crossed
questions with his reprover. [1.] He challenges his authority:
<i>Who made thee a prince?</i> A man needs no great authority for
the giving of a friendly reproof, it is an act of kindness; yet
this man needs will interpret it an act of dominion, and represents
his reprover as imperious and assuming. Thus when people dislike
good discourse, or a seasonable admonition, they will call it
<i>preaching,</i> as if a man could not speak a work for God and
against sin but he took too much upon him. Yet Moses was indeed a
prince and a judge, and knew it, and thought the Hebrews would have
understood it, and struck in with him; but they stood in their own
light, and <i>thrust him away,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:25,27" id="Ex.iii-p19.4" parsed="|Acts|7|25|0|0;|Acts|7|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.25 Bible:Acts.7.27">Acts vii. 25, 27</scripRef>. [2.] He upbraids him with
what he had done in killing the Egyptian: <i>Intendest thou to kill
me?</i> See what base constructions malice puts upon the best words
and actions. Moses, for reproving him is immediately charged with a
design to kill him. An attempt upon his sin was interpreted an
attempt upon his life; and his having killed the Egyptian was
thought sufficient to justify the suspicion; as if Moses made no
difference between an Egyptian and a Hebrew. If Moses, to right an
injured Hebrew, had put his life in his hand, and slain an
Egyptian, he ought therefore to have submitted to him, not only as
a friend to the Hebrews, but as a friend that had more than
ordinary power and zeal. But he throws that in his teeth as a crime
which was bravely done, and was intended as a specimen of the
promised deliverance; if the Hebrews had taken the hint, and come
in to Moses as their head and captain, it is probable that they
would have been delivered now; but, despising their deliverer,
their deliverance was justly deferred, and their bondage prolonged
forty years, as afterwards their despising Canaan kept them out of
it forty years more. <i>I would, and you would not.</i> Note, Men
know not what they do, nor what enemies they are to their own
interest, when they resist and despise faithful reproofs and
reprovers. When the Hebrews strove with Moses, God sent him away
into Midian, and they never heard of him for forty years; thus the
things that belonged to their peace were hidden from their eyes,
because they knew not the day of their visitation. As to Moses, we
may look on it as a great damp and discouragement to him. He was
now <i>choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God,</i>
and embracing <i>the reproach of Christ;</i> and now, at his first
setting out, to meet with this affliction and reproach from them
was a very sore trial of his resolution. He might have said, "If
this be the spirit of the Hebrews, I will go to court again, and be
the son of Pharaoh's daughter." Note, <i>First,</i> We must take
heed of being prejudiced against the ways and people of God by the
follies and peevishness of some particular persons that profess
religion. <i>Secondly,</i> It is no new thing for the church's best
friends to meet with a great deal of opposition and discouragement
in their healing, saving attempts, even from their own mother's
children; Christ himself was set at nought by the builders, and is
still rejected by those he would save.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p20">(4.) The flight of Moses to Midian, in
consequence. The affront given him thus far proved a kindness to
him; it gave him to understand that his killing the Egyptian was
discovered, and so he had time to make his escape, otherwise the
wrath of Pharaoh might have surprised him and taken him off. Note,
God can overrule even the strife of tongues, so as, one way or
other, to bring good to his people out of it. Information was
brought to Pharaoh (and it is well if it was not brought by the
Hebrew himself whom Moses reproved) of his killing the Egyptian;
warrants are presently out for the apprehending of Moses, which
obliged him to shift for his own safety, by flying into the land of
Midian, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:15" id="Ex.iii-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. [1.]
Moses did this out of a prudent care of his own life. If this be
his forsaking of Egypt which the apostle refers to as done by faith
(<scripRef passage="Heb 11:27" id="Ex.iii-p20.2" parsed="|Heb|11|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.27">Heb. xi. 27</scripRef>), it teaches
us that when we are at any time in trouble and danger for doing our
duty the grace of faith will be of good use to us in taking proper
methods for our own preservation. Yet there it is said, <i>He
feared not the wrath of the king;</i> here it is said he
<i>feared,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 2:14" id="Ex.iii-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>.
He did not fear with a fear of diffidence and amazement, which
weakens and has torment, but with a fear of diligence, which
quickened him to take that way which Providence opened to him for
his own preservation. [2.] God ordered it for wise and holy ends.
Things were not yet ripe for Israel's deliverance: the measure of
Egypt's iniquity was not yet full; the Hebrews were not
sufficiently humbled, nor were they yet increased to such a
multitude as God designed; Moses is to be further fitted for the
service, and therefore is directed to withdraw for the present,
till the time to favour Israel, even the set time, should come. God
guided Moses to Midian because the Midianites were of the seed of
Abraham, and retained the worship of the true God among them, so
that he might have not only a safe but a comfortable settlement
among them. And through this country he was afterwards to lead
Israel, with which (that he might do it the better) he now had
opportunity of making himself acquainted. Hither he came, and sat
down by a well, tired and thoughtful, at a loss, and waiting to see
which way Providence would direct him. It was a great change with
him, since he was but the other day at ease in Pharaoh's court:
thus God tried his faith, and it was found to praise and
honour.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2" id="Ex.iii-p20.4" parsed="|Exod|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2:16-22" id="Ex.iii-p20.5" parsed="|Exod|2|16|2|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.16-Exod.2.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.2.16-Exod.2.22">
<h4 id="Ex.iii-p20.6">The Marriage of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iii-p20.7">b. c.</span> 1533.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iii-p21">16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters:
and they came and drew <i>water,</i> and filled the troughs to
water their father's flock. &#160; 17 And the shepherds came and
drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered
their flock. &#160; 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he
said, How <i>is it that</i> ye are come so soon to day? &#160; 19
And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the
shepherds, and also drew <i>water</i> enough for us, and watered
the flock. &#160; 20 And he said unto his daughters, And where
<i>is</i> he? why <i>is</i> it <i>that</i> ye have left the man?
call him, that he may eat bread. &#160; 21 And Moses was content to
dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. &#160;
22 And she bare <i>him</i> a son, and he called his name Gershom:
for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p22">Moses here gains a settlement in Midian,
just as his father Jacob had gained one in Syria, <scripRef passage="Ge 29:2" id="Ex.iii-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|29|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.2">Gen. xxix. 2</scripRef>, &amp;c. And both these
instances should encourage us to trust Providence, and to follow
it. Events that seem inconsiderable, and purely accidental, after
wards appear to have been designed by the wisdom of God for very
good purposes, and of great consequence to his people. A casual
transient occurrence has sometimes occasioned the greatest and
happiest turns of a man's life. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p23">I. Concerning the seven daughters of Reuel
the priest or prince of Midian. 1. They were humble, and very
industrious, according as the employment of the country was: they
<i>drew water for their father's flock,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 2:16" id="Ex.iii-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. If their father was a prince, it
teaches us that even those who are honourably born, and are of
quality and distinction in their country, should yet apply
themselves to some useful business, and what their hand finds to do
do it with all their might. Idleness can be no one's honour. If
their father was a priest, it teaches us that ministers' children
should, in a special manner, be examples of humility and industry.
2. They were modest, and would not ask this strange Egyptian to
come home with them (though handsome and a great courtier), till
their father sent for him. Modesty is the ornament of woman.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p24">II. Concerning Moses. He was taken for an
Egyptian (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:19" id="Ex.iii-p24.1" parsed="|Exod|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>); and
strangers must be content to be the subjects of mistake; but it is
observable, 1. How ready he was to help Reuel's daughters to water
their flocks. Though bred in learning and at court, yet he knew how
to turn his hand to such an office as this when there was occasion;
nor had he learned of the Egyptians to despise shepherds. Note,
Those that have had a liberal education yet should not be strangers
to servile work, because they know not what necessity Providence
may put them in of working for themselves, or what opportunity
Providence may give them of being serviceable to others. These
young women, it seems, met with some opposition in their
employment, more than they and their servants could conquer; the
shepherds of some neighbouring prince, as some think, or some idle
fellows that called themselves shepherds, <i>drove away their
flocks;</i> but Moses, though melancholy and in distress, <i>stood
up and helped them,</i> not only to get clear of the shepherds,
but, when that was done, to water the flocks. This he did, not only
in complaisance to the daughters of Reuel (though that also did
very well become him), but because, wherever he was, as occasion
offered itself, (1.) He loved to be doing justice, and appearing in
the defence of such as he saw injured, which every man ought to do
as far as it is in the power of his hand to do it. (2.) He loved to
be doing good. Wherever the Providence of God casts us we should
desire and endeavour to be useful; and, when we cannot do the good
we would, we must be ready to do the good we can. And he that is
faithful in a little shall be entrusted with more. 2. How well he
was paid for his serviceableness. When the young women acquainted
their father with the kindnesses they had received from this
stranger, he sent to invite him to his house, and made much of him,
<scripRef passage="Ex 2:20" id="Ex.iii-p24.2" parsed="|Exod|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Thus God will
recompense the kindnesses which are at any time shown to his
children; they shall in no wise lose their reward. Moses soon
recommended himself to the esteem and good affection of this prince
of Midian, who took him into his house, and, in process of time,
married one of his daughters to him (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:21" id="Ex.iii-p24.3" parsed="|Exod|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), by whom he had a son, whom he
called <i>Gershom, a stranger there</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:22" id="Ex.iii-p24.4" parsed="|Exod|2|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), that if ever God should give
him a home of his own he might keep in remembrance the land in
which he had been a stranger. Now this settlement of Moses in
Midian was designed by Providence, (1.) To shelter him for the
present. God will find hiding-places for his people in the day of
their distress; nay, he will himself be to them a little sanctuary,
and will secure them, either under heaven or in heaven. But, (2.)
It was also designed to prepare him for the great services he was
further designed for. His manner of life in Midian, where he kept
the flock of his father-in-law (having none of his own to keep),
would be of use to him, [1.] To inure him to hardship and poverty,
that he might learn how to want as well as how to abound. Those
whom God intends to exalt he first humbles. [2.] To inure him to
contemplation and devotion. Egypt accomplished him as a scholar, a
gentleman, a statesman, a soldier, all which accomplishments would
be afterwards of use to him; but yet he lacked one thing, in which
the court of Egypt could not befriend him. He that was to do all by
divine revelation must know, by a long experience, what it was to
live a life of communion with God; and in this he would be greatly
furthered by the solitude and retirement of a shepherd's life in
Midian. By the former he was prepared to rule in Jeshurun, but by
the latter he was prepared to converse with God in Mount Horeb,
near which mount he had spent much of his time. Those that know
what it is to be alone with God in holy exercises are acquainted
with better delights than ever Moses tasted in the court of
Pharaoh.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 2:23-25" id="Ex.iii-p24.5" parsed="|Exod|2|23|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.23-Exod.2.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.2.23-Exod.2.25">
<h4 id="Ex.iii-p24.6">Cry of the Oppressed
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iii-p24.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iii-p25">23 And it came to pass in process of time, that
the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason
of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by
reason of the bondage. &#160; 24 And God heard their groaning, and
God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with
Jacob. &#160; 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and
God had respect unto <i>them.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iii-p26">Here is, 1. The continuance of the
Israelites' bondage in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:23" id="Ex.iii-p26.1" parsed="|Exod|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Probably the murdering of their infants did not
continue; this part of their affliction attended only the period
immediately connected with the birth of Moses, and served to
signalize it. The Egyptians now were content with their increase,
finding that Egypt was enriched by their labour; so that they might
have them for slaves, they cared not how many they were. On this
therefore they were intent, to keep them all at work, and make the
best hand they could of their labour. When one Pharaoh died,
another rose up in his place that was governed by the same maxims,
and was as cruel to Israel as his predecessors. If there was
sometimes a little relaxation, yet it presently revived again with
as much rigour as ever; and probably, as the more Israel were
oppressed the more they multiplied, so the more they multiplied the
more they were oppressed. Note, Sometimes God suffers the rod of
the wicked to lie very long and very heavily on the lot of the
righteous. If Moses, in Midian, at any time began to think how much
better his condition might have been had he staid among the
courtiers, he must of himself think this also, how much worse it
would have been if he had had his lot with brethren: it was a great
degradation to him to be keeping sheep in Midian, but better so
than making brick in Egypt. The consideration of our brethren's
afflictions would help to reconcile us to our own. 2. The preface
to their deliverance at last. (1.) <i>They cried,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 2:23" id="Ex.iii-p26.2" parsed="|Exod|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Now, at last, they began
to think of God under their troubles, and to return to him from the
idols they had served, <scripRef passage="Eze 20:8" id="Ex.iii-p26.3" parsed="|Ezek|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.20.8">Ezek. xx.
8</scripRef>. Hitherto they had fretted at the instruments of their
trouble, but God was not in all their thoughts. Thus <i>hypocrites
in heart heap up wrath; they cry not when he binds them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Job 36:13" id="Ex.iii-p26.4" parsed="|Job|36|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.36.13">Job xxxvi. 13</scripRef>. But before
God unbound them he put it into their hearts to cry unto him, as it
is explained, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:16" id="Ex.iii-p26.5" parsed="|Num|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.16">Num. xx. 16</scripRef>.
Note, It is a good sign that God is coming towards us with
deliverance when he inclines and enables us to cry to him for it.
(2.) <i>God heard,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 2:24,25" id="Ex.iii-p26.6" parsed="|Exod|2|24|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.24-Exod.2.25"><i>v.</i> 24,
25</scripRef>. The name of God is here emphatically prefixed to
four different expressions of a kind intention towards them. [1.]
<i>God heard their groaning;</i> that is, he made it to appear that
he took notice of their complaints. The groans of the oppressed cry
aloud in the ears of the righteous God, to whom vengeance belongs,
especially the groans of God's spiritual Israel; he knows the
burdens they groan under and the blessings they groan after, and
that the blessed Spirit, by these groanings, makes intercession in
them. [2.] <i>God remembered his covenant,</i> which he seemed to
have forgotten, but of which he is ever mindful. This God had an
eye to, and not to any merit of theirs, in what he did for them.
See <scripRef passage="Le 26:42" id="Ex.iii-p26.7" parsed="|Lev|26|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.42">Lev. xxvi. 42</scripRef>. (3.)
<i>God looked upon the children of Israel.</i> Moses looked upon
them and pitied them (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:11" id="Ex.iii-p26.8" parsed="|Exod|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>); but now God looked upon them and helped them. (4.)
<i>God had a respect unto them,</i> a favourable respect to them as
his own. The frequent repetition of the name of God here intimates
that now we are to expect something great, <i>Opus Deo dignum&#8212;A
work worthy of God.</i> His eyes, which run to and fro through the
earth, are now fixed upon Israel, to show himself strong, to show
himself a God in their behalf.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter III" n="iv" progress="32.23%" prev="Ex.iii" next="Ex.v" id="Ex.iv">
<h2 id="Ex.iv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.iv-p1">As prophecy had ceased for many ages before the
coming of Christ, that the revival and perfection of it in that
great prophet might be the more remarkable, so vision had ceased
(for aught that appears) among the patriarchs for some ages before
the coming of Moses, that God's appearances to him for Israel's
salvation might be the more welcome; and in this chapter we have
God's first appearance to him in the bush and the conference
between God and Moses in that vision. Here is, I. The discovery God
was pleased to make of his glory to Moses at the bush, to which
Moses was forbidden to approach too near, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:1-5" id="Ex.iv-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|3|1|3|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.1-Exod.3.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. A general declaration of God's
grace and good-will to his people, who were beloved for their
fathers' sakes, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:6" id="Ex.iv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.6">ver. 6</scripRef>. III.
A particular notification of God's purpose concerning the
deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. 1. He assures Moses it should
now be done, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:7-9" id="Ex.iv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|3|7|3|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.7-Exod.3.9">ver. 7-9</scripRef>. 2.
He gives him a commission to act in it as his ambassador both to
Pharaoh, (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:10" id="Ex.iv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.10">ver. 10</scripRef>) and to
Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:16" id="Ex.iv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.16">ver. 16</scripRef>. 3. He
answers the objection Moses made of his own unworthiness, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:11,12" id="Ex.iv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|3|11|3|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.11-Exod.3.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. 4. He gives him full
instructions what to say both to Pharaoh and to Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:13-18" id="Ex.iv-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|3|13|3|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.13-Exod.3.18">ver. 13-18</scripRef>. 5. He tells him
beforehand what the issue would be, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:19-22" id="Ex.iv-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|3|19|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.19-Exod.3.22">ver. 19</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3" id="Ex.iv-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3:1-6" id="Ex.iv-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|3|1|3|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.1-Exod.3.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.3.1-Exod.3.6">
<h4 id="Ex.iv-p1.11">The Burning Bush. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iv-p2">1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father
in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside
of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, <i>even</i> to
Horeb. 2 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p2.1">Lord</span>
appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush:
and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush
<i>was</i> not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside,
and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p2.2">Lord</span> saw that he turned aside to
see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said,
Moses, Moses. And he said, Here <i>am</i> I. 5 And he said, Draw
not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place
whereon thou standest <i>is</i> holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I
<i>am</i> the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was
afraid to look upon God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p3">The years of the life of Moses are
remarkably divided into three forties: the first forty he spent as
a prince in Pharaoh's court, the second a shepherd in Midian, the
third a king in Jeshurun; so changeable is the life of men,
especially the life of good men. He had now finished his second
forty, when he received his commission to bring Israel out of
Egypt. Note, Sometimes it is long before God calls his servants out
of that work which of old he designed them for, and has been
graciously preparing them for. Moses was born to be Israel's
deliverer, and yet not a word is said of it to him till he is
eighty years of age. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p4">I. How this appearance of God to him found
him employed. He was keeping the flock (tending sheep) near mount
Horeb, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:1" id="Ex.iv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. This was
a poor employment for a man of his parts and education, yet he
rests satisfied with it, and thus learns meekness and contentment
to a high degree, for which he is more celebrated in sacred writ
than for all his other learning. Note, 1. In the calling to which
we are called we should abide, and not be given to change. 2. Even
those that are qualified for great employments and services must
not think it strange if they be confined to obscurity; it was the
lot of Moses before them, who foresaw nothing to the contrary but
that he should die, as he had lived a great while, a poor
despicable shepherd. Let those that think themselves buried alive
be content to shine like lamps in their sepulchres, and wait till
God's time come for setting them on a candlestick. Thus employed
Moses was, when he was honoured with this vision. Note, (1.) God
will encourage industry. The shepherds were keeping their flocks
when they received the tidings of our Saviour's birth, <scripRef passage="Lu 2:8" id="Ex.iv-p4.2" parsed="|Luke|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.8">Luke ii. 8</scripRef>. Satan loves to find us
idle; God is well pleased when he find us employed. (2.) Retirement
is a good friend to our communion with God. When we are alone, the
Father is with us. Moses saw more of God in a desert than ever he
had seen in Pharaoh's court.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p5">II. What the appearance was. To his great
surprise he saw a bush burning, when he perceived no fire either
from earth or heaven to kindle it, and, which was more strange, it
did not consume, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:2" id="Ex.iv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
It was an angel of the Lord that appeared to him; some think, a
created angel, who speaks in the language of him that sent him;
others, the second person, the angel of the covenant, who is
himself Jehovah. It was an extraordinary manifestation of the
divine presence and glory; what was visible was produced by the
ministry of an angel, but he heard God in it speaking to him. 1. He
saw a flame of fire; <i>for our God is a consuming fire.</i> When
Israel's deliverance out of Egypt was promised to Abraham, he saw a
burning lamp, which signified the light of joy which that
deliverance should cause (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:17" id="Ex.iv-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|15|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.17">Gen. xv.
17</scripRef>); but now it shines brighter, as a flame of fire, for
God in that deliverance brought terror and destruction to his
enemies, light and heat to his people, and displayed his glory
before all. See <scripRef passage="Isa 10:17" id="Ex.iv-p5.3" parsed="|Isa|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.17">Isa. x.
17</scripRef>. 2. This fire was not in a tall and stately cedar,
but in a bush, <i>a thorny bush,</i> so the word signifies; for God
chooses the weak and despised things of the world (such as Moses,
now a poor shepherd), with them to confound the wise; he delights
to beautify and crown the humble. 3. <i>The bush burned,</i> and
yet <i>was not consumed,</i> an emblem of the church now in bondage
in Egypt, burning in the brick-kilns, yet not consumed; perplexed,
but not in despair; cast down, but not destroyed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p6">III. The curiosity Moses had to enquire
into this extraordinary sight: <i>I will turn aside and see,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 3:3" id="Ex.iv-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. He speaks as one
inquisitive and bold in his enquiry; whatever it was, he would, if
possible, know the meaning of it. Note, Things revealed belong to
us, and we ought diligently to enquire into them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p7">IV. The invitation he had to draw near, yet
with a caution not to come too near, nor rashly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p8">1. God gave him a gracious call, to which
he returned a ready answer, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:4" id="Ex.iv-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. When God saw that he took notice of the burning bush,
and turned aside to see it, and left his business to attend it,
then God called to him. If he had carelessly neglected it as an
<i>ignis fatuus&#8212;a deceiving meteor,</i> a thing not worth taking
notice of, it is probable that God would have departed, and said
nothing to him; but, when he turned aside, God called to him. Note,
Those that would have communion with God must attend upon him, and
approach to him, in those ordinances wherein he is pleased to
manifest himself, and his power and glory, though it be in a bush;
they must come to the treasure, though in an earthen vessel. Those
that seek God diligently shall find him, and find him their
bountiful rewarder. <i>Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to
you.</i> God called him by name, <i>Moses, Moses.</i> This which he
heard could not but surprise him much more than what he saw. The
word of the Lord always went along with the glory of the Lord, for
every divine vision was designed for divine revelation, <scripRef passage="Job 4:16-21,32:14-15" id="Ex.iv-p8.2" parsed="|Job|4|16|4|21;|Job|32|14|32|15" osisRef="Bible:Job.4.16-Job.4.21 Bible:Job.32.14-Job.32.15">Job iv. 16, &amp;c.; xxxii.
14-15</scripRef>. Divine calls are then effectual, (1.) When the
Spirit of God makes them particular, and calls us by name. The word
calls, <i>Ho, every one!</i> The Spirit, by the application of
that, calls, <i>Ho, such a one! I know thee by name,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:12" id="Ex.iv-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|33|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.12">Exod. xxxiii. 12</scripRef>. (2.) When we return
an obedient answer to them, as Moses here, "<i>Here am I, what
saith my Lord unto his servant? Here am I,</i> not only to hear
what is said, but to do what I am bidden."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p9">2. God gave him a needful caution against
rashness and irreverence in his approach, (1.) He must keep his
distance; draw near, but not too near; so near as to hear, but not
so near as to pry. His conscience must be satisfied, but not his
curiosity; and care must be taken that familiarity do not breed
contempt. Note, In all our approaches to God, we ought to be deeply
affected with the infinite distance there is between us and God,
<scripRef passage="Ec 5:2" id="Ex.iv-p9.1" parsed="|Eccl|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.2">Eccl. v. 2</scripRef>. Or this may be
taken as proper to the Old-Testament dispensation, which was a
dispensation of darkness, bondage, and terror, from which the
gospel happily frees us, giving us boldness to enter into the
holiest, and inviting us to draw near. (2.) He must express his
reverence, and his readiness to obey: <i>Put off thy shoes from off
thy feet,</i> as a servant. Putting off the shoe was then what
putting off the hat is now, a token of respect and submission. "The
ground, for the present, is <i>holy ground,</i> made so by this
special manifestation of the divine presence, during the
continuance of which it must retain this character; therefore tread
not on that ground with soiled shoes." <i>Keep thy foot,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ec 5:1" id="Ex.iv-p9.2" parsed="|Eccl|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.1">Eccl. v. 1</scripRef>. Note, We ought to
approach to God with a solemn pause and preparation; and, though
bodily exercise alone profits little, yet we ought to glorify God
with our bodies, and to express our inward reverence by a grave and
reverent behaviour in the worship of God, carefully avoiding
everything that looks light, and rude, and unbecoming the awfulness
of the service.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p10">V. The solemn declaration God made of his
name, by which he would be known to Moses: <i>I am the God of thy
father,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:6" id="Ex.iv-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. 1.
He lets him know that it is God who speaks to him, to engage his
reverence and attention, his faith and obedience; for this is
enough to command all these: <i>I am the Lord.</i> Let us always
hear the word <i>as the word of God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Th 2:13" id="Ex.iv-p10.2" parsed="|1Thess|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.2.13">1 Thess. ii. 13</scripRef>. 2. He will be known as the
God of his father, his pious father Amram, and the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, his ancestors, and the ancestors of all Israel,
for whom God was now about to appear. By this God designed, (1.) To
instruct Moses in the knowledge of another world, and to strengthen
his belief of a future state. Thus it is interpreted by our Lord
Jesus, the best expositor of scripture, who from this proves that
the dead are raised, against the Sadducees. <i>Moses,</i> says he,
<i>showed it at the bush</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 20:37" id="Ex.iv-p10.3" parsed="|Luke|20|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.37">Luke xx.
37</scripRef>), that is, God there showed it to him, and in him to
us, <scripRef passage="Mt 22:31" id="Ex.iv-p10.4" parsed="|Matt|22|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.31">Matt. xxii. 31</scripRef>, &amp;c.
Abraham was dead, and yet God is the God of Abraham; therefore
Abraham's soul lives, to which God stands in relation; and, to make
his soul completely happy, his body must live again in due time.
This promise made unto the fathers, that God would be their God,
must include a future happiness; for he never did anything for them
in this world sufficient to answer to the vast extent and compass
of that great word, but, having prepared for them a city, he is not
ashamed to be called their God, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:16" id="Ex.iv-p10.5" parsed="|Heb|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.16">Heb.
xi. 16</scripRef>; and see <scripRef passage="Ac 26:6,7,24:15" id="Ex.iv-p10.6" parsed="|Acts|26|6|26|7;|Acts|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.26.6-Acts.26.7 Bible:Acts.24.15">Acts
xxvi. 6, 7; xxiv. 15</scripRef>. (2.) To assure Moses of the
fulfillment of all those particular promises made to the fathers.
He may confidently expect this, for by these words it appears that
God remembered his covenant, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:24" id="Ex.iv-p10.7" parsed="|Exod|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.24"><i>ch.</i>
ii. 24</scripRef>. Note, [1.] God's covenant-relation to us as our
God is the best support in the worst of times, and a great
encouragement to our faith in particular promises. [2.] When we are
conscious to ourselves of our own great unworthiness we may take
comfort from God's relation to our fathers, <scripRef passage="2Ch 20:6" id="Ex.iv-p10.8" parsed="|2Chr|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.20.6">2 Chron. xx. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p11">VI. The solemn impression this made upon
Moses: He <i>hid his face,</i> as one both ashamed and afraid to
look upon God. Now that he knew it was a divine light his eyes were
dazzled with it; he was not afraid of a burning bush till he
perceived that God was in it. Yea, though God called himself <i>the
God of his father,</i> and a God in covenant with him, yet he was
afraid. Note, 1. The more we see of God the more cause we shall see
to worship him with reverence and godly fear. 2. Even the
manifestations of God's grace and covenant-love should increase our
humble reverence of him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3:7-10" id="Ex.iv-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|3|7|3|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.7-Exod.3.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.3.7-Exod.3.10">
<h4 id="Ex.iv-p11.2">Compassion of God for the
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p11.3">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iv-p12">7 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p12.1">Lord</span>
said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which
<i>are</i> in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to
deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up
out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing
with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites,
and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children
of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression
wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I
will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people
the children of Israel out of Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p13">Now that Moses had put off his shoes (for,
no doubt, he observed the orders given him, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:5" id="Ex.iv-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and covered his face, God enters
upon the particular business that was now to be concerted, which
was the bringing of Israel out of Egypt. Now, after forty years of
Israel's bondage and Moses's banishment, when we may suppose both
he and they began to despair, they of being delivered and he of
delivering them, at length, the time has come, even the year of the
redeemed. Note, God often comes for the salvation of his people
when they have done looking for him. <i>Shall he find faith?</i>
<scripRef passage="Lu 18:8" id="Ex.iv-p13.2" parsed="|Luke|18|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.8">Luke xviii. 8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p14">Here is, I. The notice God takes of the
afflictions of Israel (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:7,9" id="Ex.iv-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|3|7|0|0;|Exod|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.7 Bible:Exod.3.9"><i>v.</i> 7,
9</scripRef>): <i>Seeing I have seen,</i> not only, <i>I have
surely seen,</i> but I have strictly observed and considered the
matter. Three things God took cognizance of:&#8212;1. <i>Their
sorrows,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:7" id="Ex.iv-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It
is likely they were not permitted to make a remonstrance of their
grievances to Pharaoh, nor to seek relief against their
task-masters in any of his courts, nor scarcely durst complain to
one another; but God observed their tears. Note, Even the secret
sorrows of God's people are known to him. 2. Their cry: <i>I have
heard their cry</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:7" id="Ex.iv-p14.3" parsed="|Exod|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), <i>it has come unto me,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:9" id="Ex.iv-p14.4" parsed="|Exod|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Note, God is not deaf to the cries
of his afflicted people. 3. The tyranny of their persecutors: <i>I
have seen the oppression,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:9" id="Ex.iv-p14.5" parsed="|Exod|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Note, As the poorest of the oppressed are not below
God's cognizance, so the highest and greatest of their oppressors
are not above his check, but he will surely visit for these
things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p15">II. The promise God makes of their speedy
deliverance and enlargement: <i>I have come down to deliver
them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:8" id="Ex.iv-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 1. It
denotes his resolution to deliver them, and that his heart was upon
it, so that it should be done speedily and effectually, and by
methods out of the common road of providence: when God does
something very extraordinary he is said to <i>come down</i> to do
it, as <scripRef passage="Isa 64:1" id="Ex.iv-p15.2" parsed="|Isa|64|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.64.1">Isa. lxiv. 1</scripRef>. 2.
This deliverance was typical of our redemption by Christ, in which
the eternal Word did indeed come down from heaven to deliver us: it
was his errand into the world. He promises also their happy
settlement in the land of Canaan, that they should exchange bondage
for liberty, poverty for plenty, labour for rest, and the
precarious condition of tenants at will for the ease and honour of
lords proprietors. Note, Whom God by his grace delivers out of a
spiritual Egypt he will bring to a heavenly Canaan.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p16">III. The commission he gives to Moses in
order hereunto, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:10" id="Ex.iv-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. He is not only sent as a prophet to Israel, to
assure them that they should speedily be delivered (even that would
have been a great favour), but he is sent as an ambassador to
Pharaoh, to treat with him, or rather as a herald at arms, to
demand their discharge, and to denounce war in case of refusal; and
he is sent as a prince to Israel, to conduct and command them. Thus
is he taken from <i>following the ewes great with young,</i> to a
pastoral office much more noble, as David, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:71" id="Ex.iv-p16.2" parsed="|Ps|78|71|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.71">Ps. lxxviii. 71</scripRef>. Note, God is the fountain of
power, and the powers that be are ordained of him as he pleases.
The same hand that now fetched a shepherd out of a desert, to be
the planter of a Jewish church, afterwards fetched fishermen from
their ships, to be the planters of the Christian church, <i>That
the excellency of the power might be of God.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3" id="Ex.iv-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3:11-15" id="Ex.iv-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|3|11|3|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.11-Exod.3.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.3.11-Exod.3.15">
<h4 id="Ex.iv-p16.5">Instructions Given to Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p16.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iv-p17">11 And Moses said unto God, Who <i>am</i> I,
that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the
children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, Certainly I will
be with thee; and this <i>shall be</i> a token unto thee, that I
have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of
Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. 13 And Moses said
unto God, Behold, <i>when</i> I come unto the children of Israel,
and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto
you; and they shall say to me, What <i>is</i> his name? what shall
I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he
said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath
sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p17.1">Lord</span> God of your fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this
<i>is</i> my name for ever, and this <i>is</i> my memorial unto all
generations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p18">God, having spoken to Moses, allows him
also a liberty of speech, which he here improves; and,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p19">I. He objects his own insufficiency for the
service he was called to (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:11" id="Ex.iv-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): <i>Who am I?</i> He thinks himself unworthy of the
honour, and not <i>par negotio&#8212;equal to the task.</i> He thinks he
wants courage, and therefore cannot go to Pharaoh, to make a demand
which might cost the demandant his head: he thinks he wants skill,
and therefore cannot bring forth the children of Israel out of
Egypt; they are unarmed, undisciplined, quite dispirited, utterly
unable to help themselves; it is morally impossible to bring them
out. 1. Moses was incomparably the fittest of any man living for
this work, eminent for learning, wisdom, experience, valour, faith,
holiness; and yet he says, <i>Who am I?</i> Note, The more fit any
person is for service commonly the less opinion he has of himself:
see <scripRef passage="Jdg 9:8" id="Ex.iv-p19.2" parsed="|Judg|9|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.9.8">Judg. ix. 8</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2.
The difficulties of the work were indeed very great, enough to
startle the courage and stagger the faith of Moses himself. Note,
Even wise and faithful instruments may be much discouraged at the
difficulties that lie in the way of the church's salvation. 3.
Moses had formerly been very courageous when he slew the Egyptian,
but now his heart failed him; for good men are not always alike
bold and zealous. 4. Yet Moses is the man that does it at last; for
God gives grace to the lowly. Modest beginnings are very good
presages.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p20">II. God answers this objection, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:12" id="Ex.iv-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. 1. He promises him his
presence: <i>Certainly I will be with thee,</i> and that is enough.
Note, Those that are weak in themselves may yet do wonders, being
strong in the Lord and in the power of his might; and those that
are most diffident of themselves may be most confident in God.
God's presence puts an honour upon the worthless, wisdom and
strength into the weak and foolish, makes the greatest difficulties
dwindle to nothing, and is enough to answer all objections. 2. He
assures him of success, and that the Israelites should serve God
upon this mountain. Note, (1.) Those deliverances are most valuable
which open to us a door of liberty to serve God. (2.) If God gives
us opportunity and a heart to serve him, it is a happy and
encouraging earnest of further favours designed us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p21">III. He begs instructions for the executing
of his commission, and has them, thoroughly to furnish him. He
desires to know by what name God would at this time make himself
known, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:13" id="Ex.iv-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p22">1. He supposes the children of Israel would
ask him, <i>What is his name?</i> This they would ask either, (1.)
To perplex Moses: he foresaw difficulty, not only in dealing with
Pharaoh, to make him willing to part with them, but in dealing with
them, to make them willing to remove. They would be scrupulous and
apt to cavil, would bid him produce his commission, and probably
this would be the trial: "Does he know the name of God? Has he the
watch-word?" Once he was asked, <i>Who made thee a judge?</i> Then
he had not his answer ready, and he would not be nonplussed so
again, but would be able to tell in whose name he came. Or, (2.)
For their own information. It is to be feared that they had grown
very ignorant in Egypt, by reason of their hard bondage, want of
teachers, and loss of the sabbath, so that they needed to be told
the first principles of the oracles of God. Or this question,
<i>What is his name?</i> amounted to an enquiry into the nature of
the dispensation they were now to expect: "How will God in it be
known to us, and what may we depend upon from him?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p23">2. He desires instructions what answer to
give them: "<i>What shall I say to them?</i> What name shall I
vouch to them for the proof of my authority? I must have something
great and extraordinary to say to them; what must it be? If I must
go, let me have full instructions, that I may not run in vain."
Note, (1.) It highly concerns those who speak to people in the name
of God to be well prepared beforehand. (2.) Those who would know
what to say must go to God, to the word of his grace and to the
throne of his grace, for instructions, <scripRef passage="Eze 2:7,3:4,10,17" id="Ex.iv-p23.1" parsed="|Ezek|2|7|0|0;|Ezek|3|4|0|0;|Ezek|3|10|0|0;|Ezek|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.2.7 Bible:Ezek.3.4 Bible:Ezek.3.10 Bible:Ezek.3.17">Ezek. ii. 7; iii. 4, 10, 17</scripRef>. (3.)
Whenever we have any thing to do with God, it is desirable to know,
and our duty to consider, what is his name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p24">IV. God readily gives him full instructions
in this matter. Two names God would now be known by:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p25">1. A name that denotes what he is in
himself (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:14" id="Ex.iv-p25.1" parsed="|Exod|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>I
am that I am.</i> This explains his name <i>Jehovah,</i> and
signifies, (1.) That he is self-existent; he has his being of
himself, and has no dependence upon any other: the greatest and
best man in the world must say, By the grace of God <i>I am what I
am;</i> but God says absolutely&#8212;and it is more than any creature,
man or angel, can say&#8212;<i>I am that I am.</i> Being self-existent,
he cannot but be self-sufficient, and therefore all-sufficient, and
the inexhaustible fountain of being and bliss. (2.) That he is
eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, to-day,
and for ever; he will be what he will be and what he is; see
<scripRef passage="Re 1:8" id="Ex.iv-p25.2" parsed="|Rev|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.8">Rev. i. 8</scripRef>. (3.) That we
cannot by searching find him out. This is such a name as checks all
bold and curious enquiries concerning God, and in effect says,
<i>Ask not after my name, seeing it is secret,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 13:18,Pr 30:4" id="Ex.iv-p25.3" parsed="|Judg|13|18|0|0;|Prov|30|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.18 Bible:Prov.30.4">Judg. xiii. 18; Prov. xxx.
4</scripRef>. Do we ask what is God? Let it suffice us to know that
he is what he is, what he ever was, and ever will be. <i>How little
a portion is heard of him!</i> <scripRef passage="Job 26:14" id="Ex.iv-p25.4" parsed="|Job|26|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.14">Job
xxvi. 14</scripRef>. (4.) That he is faithful and true to all his
promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature, and
not a man that he should lie. Let Israel know this, <i>I AM hath
sent me unto you.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p26">2. A name that denotes what he is to his
people. Lest that name <i>I AM</i> should amuse and puzzle them, he
is further directed to make use of another name of God more
familiar and intelligible: <i>The Lord God of your fathers hath
sent me unto you</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:15" id="Ex.iv-p26.1" parsed="|Exod|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>): Thus God had made himself know to him (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:6" id="Ex.iv-p26.2" parsed="|Exod|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and thus he must make him
known to them, (1.) That he might revive among them the religion of
their fathers, which, it is to be feared, was much decayed and
almost lost. This was necessary to prepare them for deliverance,
<scripRef passage="Ps 80:19" id="Ex.iv-p26.3" parsed="|Ps|80|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.19">Ps. lxxx. 19</scripRef>. (2.) That he
might raise their expectations of the speedy performance of the
promises made unto their fathers. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are
particularly named, because with Abraham the covenant was first
made, and with Isaac and Jacob often expressly renewed; and these
three were distinguished from their brethren, and chosen to be the
trustees of the covenant, when their brethren were rejected. God
will have this to be his name for ever, and it has been, is, and
will be, his name, by which his worshippers know him, and
distinguish him from all false gods; see <scripRef passage="1Ki 18:36" id="Ex.iv-p26.4" parsed="|1Kgs|18|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.36">1 Kings xviii. 36</scripRef>. Note, God's
covenant-relation to his people is what he will be ever mindful of,
what he glories in, and what he will have us never forget, but give
him the glory of: if he will have this to be his memorial unto all
generations, we have all the reason in the world to make it so with
us, for it is a precious memorial.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3" id="Ex.iv-p26.5" parsed="|Exod|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 3:16-22" id="Ex.iv-p26.6" parsed="|Exod|3|16|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.16-Exod.3.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.3.16-Exod.3.22">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.iv-p27">16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together,
and say unto them, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p27.1">Lord</span> God of
your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared
unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and <i>seen</i> that
which is done to you in Egypt: 17 And I have said, I will bring you
up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites,
and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the
Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and
honey. 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come,
thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall
say unto him, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p27.2">Lord</span> God of the
Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three
days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.iv-p27.3">Lord</span> our God. 19 And I am sure that
the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20
And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders
which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let
you go. 21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall
not go empty: 22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and
of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels
of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put <i>them</i> upon your sons,
and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.iv-p28">Moses is here more particularly instructed
in his work, and informed beforehand of his success. 1. He must
deal with the elders of Israel, and raise their expectation of a
speedy removal to Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:16,17" id="Ex.iv-p28.1" parsed="|Exod|3|16|3|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.16-Exod.3.17"><i>v.</i>
16, 17</scripRef>. He must repeat to them what God had said to him,
as a faithful ambassador. Note, That which ministers have received
of the Lord they must deliver to his people, and keep back nothing
that is profitable. Lay an emphasis on that, <scripRef passage="Ex 3:17" id="Ex.iv-p28.2" parsed="|Exod|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>: "<i>I have said, I will bring
you up;</i> that is enough to satisfy them, <i>I have said it:</i>"
hath he spoken, and will he not make it good? With us saying and
doing are two things, but they are not so with God, for he is in
one mind and who can turn him? "I have said it, and all the world
cannot gainsay it. My counsel shall stand." His success with the
elders of Israel would be good; so he is told (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:18" id="Ex.iv-p28.3" parsed="|Exod|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>They shall hearken to thy
voice,</i> and not thrust thee away as they did forty years ago. He
who, by his grace, inclines the heart, and opens the ear, could say
beforehand, <i>They shall hearken to thy voice,</i> having
determined to make them willing in this day of power. 2. He must
deal with the king of Egypt (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:18" id="Ex.iv-p28.4" parsed="|Exod|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>), he and the elders of Israel, and in this they must
not begin with a demand, but with a humble petition; that gentle
and submissive method must be first tried, even with one who, it
was certain, would not be wrought upon by it: <i>We beseech thee,
let us go.</i> Moreover, they must only beg leave of Pharaoh to go
as far as Mount Sinai to worship God, and say nothing to him of
going quite away to Canaan; the latter would have been immediately
rejected, but the former was a very modest and reasonable request,
and his denying it was utterly inexcusable and justified them in
the total deserting of his kingdom. If he would not give them leave
to go and sacrifice at Sinai, justly did they go without leave to
settle in Canaan. Note, The calls and commands which God sends to
sinners are so highly reasonable in themselves, and delivered to
them in such a gentle winning way, that the mouth of the
disobedient must needs be for ever stopped. As to his success with
Pharaoh, Moses is here told, (1.) That petitions, and persuasions,
and humble remonstrances, would not prevail with him, no, nor a
mighty hand stretched out in signs and wonders: <i>I am sure he
will not let you go,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:19" id="Ex.iv-p28.5" parsed="|Exod|3|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Note, God sends his messengers to those whose
hardness and obstinacy he certainly knows and foresees, that it may
appear he would have them turn and live. (2.) That plagues should
compel him to it: <i>I will smite Egypt,</i> and then he will
<i>let you go,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:20" id="Ex.iv-p28.6" parsed="|Exod|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. Note, Those will certainly be broken by the power of
God's hand that will not bow to the power of his word; we may be
sure that <i>when God judges he will overcome.</i> (3.) That his
people should be more kind to them, and furnish them at their
departure with abundance of plate and jewels, to their great
enriching: <i>I will give this people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 3:21,22" id="Ex.iv-p28.7" parsed="|Exod|3|21|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.21-Exod.3.22"><i>v.</i> 21,
22</scripRef>. Note, [1.] God sometimes makes the enemies of his
people, not only to be at peace with them, but to be kind to them.
[2.] God has many ways of balancing accounts between the injured
and the injurious, of righting the oppressed, and compelling those
that have done wrong to make restitution; for he sits in the throne
judging right.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IV" n="v" progress="32.82%" prev="Ex.iv" next="Ex.vi" id="Ex.v">
<h2 id="Ex.v-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.v-p0.2">CHAP. IV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.v-p1">This chapter, I. Continues and concludes God's
discourse with Moses at the bush concerning this great affair of
bringing Israel out of Egypt. 1. Moses objects the people's
unbelief (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:1" id="Ex.v-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), and God
answers that objection by giving him a power to work miracles, (1.)
To turn his rod into a serpent, and then into a rod again,
<scripRef passage="Ex 4:2-5" id="Ex.v-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|4|2|4|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.2-Exod.4.5">ver. 2-5</scripRef>. (2.) To make his
hand leprous, and then whole again, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:6-8" id="Ex.v-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|4|6|4|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.6-Exod.4.8">ver. 6-8</scripRef>. (3.) To turn the water into blood,
<scripRef passage="Ex 4:9" id="Ex.v-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. 2. Moses objects his
own slowness of speech (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:10" id="Ex.v-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.10">ver.
10</scripRef>), and begs to be excused (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:13" id="Ex.v-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.13">ver. 13</scripRef>); but God answers this objection, (1.)
By promising him his presence, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:11,12" id="Ex.v-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|4|11|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.11-Exod.4.12">ver.
11, 12</scripRef>. (2.) By joining Aaron in commission with him,
<scripRef passage="Ex 4:14-16" id="Ex.v-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|4|14|4|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.14-Exod.4.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>. (3.) By
putting an honour upon the very staff in his hand, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:17" id="Ex.v-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.17">ver. 17</scripRef>. II. It begins Moses's
execution of his commission. 1. He obtains leave of his
father-in-law to return into Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:18" id="Ex.v-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.18">ver. 18</scripRef>. 2. He receives further instructions
and encouragements from God, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:19,21-23" id="Ex.v-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|4|19|0|0;|Exod|4|21|4|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.19 Bible:Exod.4.21-Exod.4.23">ver.
19, 21-23</scripRef>. 3. He hastens his departure, and takes his
family with him, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:20" id="Ex.v-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.20">ver. 20</scripRef>. 4.
He meets with some difficulty in the way about the circumcising of
his son, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:24-26" id="Ex.v-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|4|24|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.24-Exod.4.26">ver. 24-26</scripRef>. 5.
He has the satisfaction of meeting his brother Aaron, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:27,28" id="Ex.v-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|4|27|4|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.27-Exod.4.28">ver. 27, 28</scripRef>. 6. He produces his
commission before the elders of Israel, to their great joy,
<scripRef passage="Ex 4:29-31" id="Ex.v-p1.15" parsed="|Exod|4|29|4|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.29-Exod.4.31">ver. 29-31</scripRef>. And thus the
wheels were set a going towards that great deliverance.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4" id="Ex.v-p1.16" parsed="|Exod|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4:1-9" id="Ex.v-p1.17" parsed="|Exod|4|1|4|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.1-Exod.4.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.4.1-Exod.4.9">
<h4 id="Ex.v-p1.18">The Objections of Moses
Overruled. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p1.19">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.v-p2">1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they
will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say,
The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p2.1">Lord</span> hath not appeared unto
thee. &#160; 2 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p2.2">Lord</span> said
unto him, What <i>is</i> that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
&#160; 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the
ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
&#160; 4 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p2.3">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put
forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
&#160; 5 That they may believe that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p2.4">Lord</span> God of their fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
&#160; 6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p2.5">Lord</span> said
furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put
his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand
<i>was</i> leprous as snow. &#160; 7 And he said, Put thine hand
into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and
plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as
his <i>other</i> flesh. &#160; 8 And it shall come to pass, if they
will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first
sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. &#160; 9
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two
signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the
water of the river, and pour <i>it</i> upon the dry <i>land:</i>
and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood
upon the dry <i>land.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p3">It was a very great honour that Moses was
called to when God commissioned him to bring Israel out of Egypt;
yet he is with difficulty persuaded to accept the commission, and
does it at last with great reluctance, which we should rather
impute to a humble diffidence of himself and his own sufficiency
than to any unbelieving distrust of God and his word and power.
Note, Those whom God designs for preferment he clothes with
humility; the most fit for service are the least forward.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p4">I. Moses objects that in all probability
the people would not <i>hearken to his voice</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:1" id="Ex.v-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), that is, they would not
take his bare word, unless he showed them some sign, which he had
not been yet instructed to do. This objection cannot be justified,
because it contradicts what God had said (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:18" id="Ex.v-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.18"><i>ch.</i> iii. 18</scripRef>), <i>They shall hearken to
thy voice.</i> If God says, <i>They will,</i> does it become Moses
to say, <i>They will not?</i> Surely he means, "Perhaps they will
not at first, or some of them will not." If there should be some
gainsayers among them who would question his commission, how should
he deal with them? And what course should he take to convince them?
He remembered how they had once rejected him, and feared it would
be so again. Note, 1. Present discouragements often arise from
former disappointments. 2. Wise and good men have sometimes a worse
opinion of people than they deserve. Moses said (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:1" id="Ex.v-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), <i>They will not believe me;</i>
and yet he was happily mistaken, for it is said (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:31" id="Ex.v-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|4|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), <i>The people believed;</i> but
then the signs which God appointed in answer to this objection were
first wrought in their sight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p5">II. God empowers him to work miracles,
directs him to three particularly, two of which were now
immediately wrought for his own satisfaction. Note, True miracles
are the most convincing external proofs of a divine mission
attested by them. Therefore our Saviour often appealed to his works
(as <scripRef passage="Joh 5:36" id="Ex.v-p5.1" parsed="|John|5|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.5.36">John v. 36</scripRef>), and
Nicodemus owns himself convinced by them, <scripRef passage="Joh 3:2" id="Ex.v-p5.2" parsed="|John|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.2">John iii. 2</scripRef>. And here Moses, having a special
commission given him as a judge and lawgiver to Israel, has this
seal affixed to his commission, and comes supported by these
credentials.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p6">1. The rod in his hand is made the subject
of a miracle, a double miracle: it is but thrown out of his hand
and it becomes a serpent; he resumes it and it becomes a rod again,
<scripRef passage="Ex 4:2-4" id="Ex.v-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|4|2|4|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.2-Exod.4.4"><i>v.</i> 2-4</scripRef>. Now, (1.)
Here was a divine power manifested in the change itself, that a dry
stick should be turned into a living serpent, a lively one, so
formidable a one that Moses himself, on whom, it should seem, it
turned in some threatening manner, <i>fled from before it,</i>
though we may suppose, in that desert, serpents were no strange
things to him; but what was produced miraculously was always the
best and strongest of the kind, as the water turned to wine: and,
then, that this living serpent should be turned into a dry stick
again, this was the Lord's doing. (2.) Here was an honour put upon
Moses, that this change was wrought upon his throwing it down and
taking it up, without any spell, or charm, or incantation: his
being empowered thus to act under God, out of the common course of
nature and providence, was a demonstration of his authority, under
God, to settle a new dispensation of the kingdom of grace. We
cannot imagine that the God of truth would delegate such a power as
this to an impostor. (3.) There was a significancy in the miracle
itself. Pharaoh had turned the rod of Israel into a serpent,
representing them as dangerous (<scripRef passage="Ex 1:10" id="Ex.v-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.10"><i>ch.</i> i. 10</scripRef>), causing their belly to
cleave to the dust, and seeking their ruin; but now they should be
turned into a rod again: or, thus Pharaoh had turned the rod of
government into the serpent of oppression, from which Moses had
himself fled into Midian; but by the agency of Moses the scene was
altered again. (4.) There was a direct tendency in it to convince
the children of Israel that Moses was indeed sent of God to do what
he did, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:5" id="Ex.v-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Miracles
were for signs to those that believed not, <scripRef passage="1Co 14:22" id="Ex.v-p6.4" parsed="|1Cor|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.14.22">1 Cor. xiv. 22</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p7">2. His hand itself is next made the subject
of a miracle. He puts it once into his bosom, and takes it out
leprous; he puts it again into the same place, and takes it out
well, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:6,7" id="Ex.v-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|4|6|4|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.6-Exod.4.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>. This
signified, (1.) That Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore
diseases upon Egypt, and that, at his prayer, they should be
removed. (2.) That whereas the Israelites in Egypt had become
leprous, polluted by sin, and almost consumed by oppression (a
leper is <i>as one dead,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 12:12" id="Ex.v-p7.2" parsed="|Num|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.12">Num. xii.
12</scripRef>), by being taken into the bosom of Moses they should
be cleansed and cured, and have all their grievances redressed.
(3.) That Moses was not to work miracles by his own power, nor for
his own praise, but by the power of God and for his glory; the
leprous hand of Moses does forever exclude boasting. Now it was
supposed that, if the former sign did not convince, this latter
would. Note, God is willing more abundantly to show the truth of
his word, and is not sparing in his proofs; the multitude and
variety of the miracles corroborate the evidence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p8">3. He is directed, when he shall come to
Egypt, to turn some of the water of the river into blood, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:9" id="Ex.v-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. This was done, at first,
as a sign, but, not gaining due credit with Pharaoh, the whole
river was afterwards turned into blood, and then it became a
plague. He is ordered to work this miracle in case they would not
be convinced by the other two. Note, Unbelief shall be left
inexcusable, and convicted of a wilful obstinacy. As to the people
of Israel, God had said (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:18" id="Ex.v-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.18"><i>ch.</i>
iii. 18</scripRef>), <i>They shall hearken;</i> yet he appoints
these miracles to be wrought for their conviction, for he that has
ordained the end has ordained the means.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4" id="Ex.v-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4:10-17" id="Ex.v-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|4|10|4|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.10-Exod.4.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.4.10-Exod.4.17">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.v-p9">10 And Moses said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p9.1">Lord</span>, O my Lord, I <i>am</i> not eloquent,
neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant:
but I <i>am</i> slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. &#160; 11 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p9.2">Lord</span> said unto him, Who hath
made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing,
or the blind? have not I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p9.3">Lord</span>?
&#160; 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach
thee what thou shalt say. &#160; 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I
pray thee, by the hand <i>of him whom</i> thou wilt send. &#160; 14
And the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p9.4">Lord</span> was
kindled against Moses, and he said, <i>Is</i> not Aaron the Levite
thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he
cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad
in his heart. &#160; 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put
words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his
mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. &#160; 16 And he shall
be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, <i>even</i> he
shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him
instead of God. &#160; 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine
hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p10">Moses still continues backward to the
service for which God had designed him, even to a fault; for now we
can no longer impute it to his humility and modesty, but must own
that here was too much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in
it. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p11">I. How Moses endeavours to excuse himself
from the work.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p12">1. He pleads that he was no good spokesman:
<i>O my Lord! I am not eloquent,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 4:10" id="Ex.v-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. He was a great philosopher,
statesman, and divine, and yet no orator; a man of a clear head,
great thought, and solid judgment, but had not a voluble tongue, or
ready utterance, and therefore he thought himself unfit to speak
before great men about great affairs, and in danger of being run
down by the Egyptians. Observe, (1.) We must not judge of men by
the readiness and fluency of their discourse. Moses was <i>mighty
in word</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 7:22" id="Ex.v-p12.2" parsed="|Acts|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.22">Acts vii. 22</scripRef>),
and yet not eloquent: what he said was strong and nervous, and to
the purpose, and distilled as the dew (<scripRef passage="De 32:2" id="Ex.v-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|32|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.2">Deut. xxxii. 2</scripRef>), though he did not deliver
himself with that readiness, ease, and elegance, that some do, who
have not the tenth part of his sense. St. Paul's speech was
contemptible, <scripRef passage="2Co 10:10" id="Ex.v-p12.4" parsed="|2Cor|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.10.10">2 Cor. x.
10</scripRef>. A great deal of wisdom and true worth is concealed
by a slow tongue. (2.) God is pleased sometimes to make choice of
those as his messengers who have fewest of the advantages of art or
nature, that his grace in them may appear the more glorious.
Christ's disciples were no orators, till the Spirit made them
such.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p13">2. When this plea was overruled, and all
his excuses were answered, he begged that God would send somebody
else on this errand and leave him to keep sheep in Midian
(<scripRef passage="Ex 4:13" id="Ex.v-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): "Send by any
hand but mine; thou canst certainly find one much more fit." Note,
An unwilling mind will take up with a sorry excuse rather than
none, and is willing to devolve those services upon others that
have any thing of difficulty or danger in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p14">II. How God condescends to answer all his
excuses. Though <i>the anger of the Lord was kindled against
him</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:14" id="Ex.v-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), yet
he continued to reason with him, till he had overcome him. Note,
Even self-diffidence, when it grows into an extreme&#8212;when it either
hinders us from duty or clogs us in duty, or when it discourages
our dependence upon the grace of God&#8212;is very displeasing to him.
God justly resents our backwardness to serve him, and has reason to
take it ill; for he is such a benefactor as is before-hand with us,
and such a rewarder as will not be behind-hand with us. Note
further, God is justly displeased with those whom yet he does not
reject: he vouchsafes to reason the case even with his froward
children, and overcomes them, as he did Moses here, with grace and
kindness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p15">1. To balance the weakness of Moses, he
here reminds him of his own power, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:11" id="Ex.v-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. (1.) His power in that
concerning which Moses made the objection: <i>Who has made man's
mouth? Have not I the Lord?</i> Moses knew that God made man, but
he must be reminded now that God made man's mouth. An eye to God as
Creator would help us over a great many of the difficulties which
lie in the way of our duty, <scripRef passage="Ps 124:8" id="Ex.v-p15.2" parsed="|Ps|124|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.124.8">Ps. cxxiv.
8</scripRef>. God, as the author of nature, has given us the power
and faculty of speaking; and from him, as the fountain of gifts and
graces, comes the faculty of speaking well, the <i>mouth and
wisdom</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 21:15" id="Ex.v-p15.3" parsed="|Luke|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.15">Luke xxi. 15</scripRef>),
the <i>tongue of the learned</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 50:4" id="Ex.v-p15.4" parsed="|Isa|50|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.4">Isa.
l. 4</scripRef>); he <i>pours grace into the lips,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 45:2" id="Ex.v-p15.5" parsed="|Ps|45|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.45.2">Ps. xlv. 2</scripRef>. (2.) His power in general
over the other faculties. Who but God <i>makes the dumb and the
deaf, the seeing and the blind?</i> [1.] The perfections of our
faculties are his work, he makes the <i>seeing;</i> he formed the
eye (<scripRef passage="Ps 94:9" id="Ex.v-p15.6" parsed="|Ps|94|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.94.9">Ps. xciv. 9</scripRef>); he opens
the understanding, the eye of the mind, <scripRef passage="Lu 24:45" id="Ex.v-p15.7" parsed="|Luke|24|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.45">Luke xxiv. 45</scripRef>. [2.] Their imperfections are
from him too; he make the <i>dumb,</i> and <i>deaf,</i> and
<i>blind.</i> Is there any evil of this kind, and the Lord has not
done it? No doubt he has, and always in wisdom and righteousness,
and for his own glory, <scripRef passage="Joh 9:3" id="Ex.v-p15.8" parsed="|John|9|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.9.3">John ix.
3</scripRef>. Pharaoh and the Egyptians were made deaf and blind
spiritually, as <scripRef passage="Isa 6:9,10" id="Ex.v-p15.9" parsed="|Isa|6|9|6|10" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.9-Isa.6.10">Isa. vi. 9,
10</scripRef>. But God knew how to manage them, and get himself
honour upon them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p16">2. To encourage him in this great
undertaking, he repeats the promise of his presence, not only in
general, <i>I will be with thee</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:12" id="Ex.v-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.12"><i>ch.</i> iii. 12</scripRef>), but in particular, "<i>I
will be with thy mouth,</i> so that the imperfection in thy speech
shall be no prejudice to thy message." It does not appear that God
did immediately remove the infirmity, whatever it was; but he did
that which was equivalent, he taught him what to say, and then let
the matter recommend itself: if others spoke more gracefully, none
spoke more powerfully. Note, Those whom God employs to speak for
him ought to depend upon him for instructions, and <i>it shall be
given them what they shall speak,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 10:19" id="Ex.v-p16.2" parsed="|Matt|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.19">Matt. x. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p17">3. He joins Aaron in commission with him.
He promises that Aaron shall meet him opportunely, and that he will
be glad to see him, they having not seen one another (it is likely)
for many years, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:14" id="Ex.v-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. He directs him to make use of Aaron as his
spokesman, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:16" id="Ex.v-p17.2" parsed="|Exod|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. God
might have laid Moses wholly aside, for his backwardness to be
employed; but he considered his frame, and ordered him an
assistant. Observe, (1.) Two are better than one, <scripRef passage="Ec 4:9" id="Ex.v-p17.3" parsed="|Eccl|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.4.9">Eccl. iv. 9</scripRef>. God will have his two
witnesses (<scripRef passage="Re 11:3" id="Ex.v-p17.4" parsed="|Rev|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.3">Rev. xi. 3</scripRef>), that
out of their mouths every word may be established. (2.) Aaron was
the brother of Moses, divine wisdom so ordering it, that their
natural affection one to another might strengthen their union in
the joint execution of their commission. Christ sent his disciples
two and two, and some of the couples were brothers. (3.) Aaron was
the elder brother, and yet he was willing to be employed under
Moses in this affair, because God would have it so. (4.) Aaron
could speak well, and yet was far inferior to Moses in wisdom. God
dispenses his gifts variously to the children of men, that we may
see our need one of another, and each may contribute something to
the good of the body, <scripRef passage="1Co 12:21" id="Ex.v-p17.5" parsed="|1Cor|12|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.21">1 Cor. xii.
21</scripRef>. The tongue of Aaron, with the head and heart of
Moses, would make one completely fit for this embassy. (5.) God
promises, <i>I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth.</i> Even
Aaron, that could speak well, yet could not speak to purpose unless
God was with his mouth; without the constant aids of divine grace
the best gifts will fail.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p18">4. He bids him take the rod with him in his
hand (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:17" id="Ex.v-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), to
intimate that he must bring about his undertaking rather by acting
than by speaking; the signs he should work with this rod might
abundantly supply the want of eloquence; one miracle would do him
better service than all the rhetoric in the world. <i>Take this
rod,</i> the rod he carried as a shepherd, that he might not be
ashamed of that mean condition out of which God called him. This
rod must be his staff of authority, and must be to him in stead
both of sword and sceptre.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4" id="Ex.v-p18.2" parsed="|Exod|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4:18-23" id="Ex.v-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|4|18|4|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.18-Exod.4.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.4.18-Exod.4.23">
<h4 id="Ex.v-p18.4">Moses Returns in Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p18.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.v-p19">18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his
father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and
return unto my brethren which <i>are</i> in Egypt, and see whether
they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. &#160; 19
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p19.1">Lord</span> said unto Moses in
Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which
sought thy life. &#160; 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons,
and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and
Moses took the rod of God in his hand. &#160; 21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p19.2">Lord</span> said unto Moses, When thou goest to
return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before
Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his
heart, that he shall not let the people go. &#160; 22 And thou
shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p19.3">Lord</span>, Israel <i>is</i> my son, <i>even</i> my
firstborn: &#160; 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he
may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay
thy son, <i>even</i> thy firstborn.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p20">Here, I. Moses obtains leave of his
father-in-law to return into Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:18" id="Ex.v-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. His father-in-law had been kind
to him when he was a stranger, and therefore he would not be so
uncivil as to leave his family, nor so unjust as to leave his
service, without giving him notice. Note, The honour of being
admitted into communion with God, and of being employed for him,
does not exempt us from the duties of our relations and callings in
this world. Moses said nothing to his father-in-law (for aught that
appears) of the glorious manifestation of God to him; such favours
we are to be thankful for to God, but not to boast of before
men.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p21">II. He receives from God further
encouragements and directions in his work. After God had appeared
to him in the bush to settle a correspondence, it should seem, he
often spoke to him, as there was occasion, with less overwhelming
solemnity. And, 1. He assures Moses that the coasts were clear.
Whatever new enemies he might make by his undertaking, his old
enemies were <i>all dead, all that sought his life,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 4:19" id="Ex.v-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Perhaps some secret fear
of falling into their hands was at the bottom of Moses's
backwardness to go to Egypt, though he was not willing to own it,
but pleaded unworthiness, insufficiency, want of elocution, &amp;c.
Note, God knows all the temptations his people lie under, and how
to arm them against their secret fears, <scripRef passage="Ps 142:3" id="Ex.v-p21.2" parsed="|Ps|142|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.3">Ps. cxlii. 3</scripRef>. 2. He orders him to do the
miracles, not only before the elders of Israel, but before Pharaoh,
<scripRef passage="Ex 4:21" id="Ex.v-p21.3" parsed="|Exod|4|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. There were
some alive perhaps in the court of Pharaoh who remembered Moses
when he was the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and had many a time
called him a fool for deserting the honours of that relation; but
he is now sent back to court, clad with greater powers than
Pharaoh's daughter could have advanced him to, so that it might
appear he was no loser by his choice: this wonder-working rod did
more adorn the hand of Moses than the sceptre of Egypt could have
done. Note, Those that look with contempt upon worldly honours
shall be recompensed with the honour that cometh from God, which is
the true honour. 3. That Pharaoh's obstinacy might be no surprise
nor discouragement to him, God tells him before that he would
<i>harden his heart.</i> Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against
the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites, and shut up the
bowels of his compassion from them; and now God, in a way of
righteous judgment, hardens his heart against the conviction of the
miracles, and the terror of the plagues. Note, Ministers must
expect with many to labour in vain: we must not think it strange if
we meet with those who will not be wrought upon by the strongest
arguments and fairest reasonings; yet our judgment is with the
Lord. 4. Words are put into his mouth with which to address
Pharaoh, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:22,23" id="Ex.v-p21.4" parsed="|Exod|4|22|4|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.22-Exod.4.23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>. God had promised him (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:12" id="Ex.v-p21.5" parsed="|Exod|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), <i>I will teach thee what thou
shalt say;</i> and here he does teach him. (1.) He must deliver his
message in the name of the great Jehovah: <i>Thus saith the
Lord;</i> this is the first time <i>that</i> preface is used by any
man which afterwards is used so frequently by all the prophets:
whether Pharaoh will hear, or whether he will forbear, Moses must
tell him, <i>Thus saith the Lord.</i> (2.) He must let Pharaoh know
Israel's relation to God, and God's concern for Israel. <i>Is
Israel a servant? is he a home-born slave?</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 2:14" id="Ex.v-p21.6" parsed="|Jer|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.14">Jer. ii. 14</scripRef>. "No, <i>Israel is my son, my
firstborn, precious in my sight, honourable,</i> and dear to me,
not to be thus insulted and abused." (3.) He must demand a
discharge for them: "<i>Let my son go;</i> not only my servant whom
thou hast no right to detain, but my son whose liberty and honour I
am very jealous for. It is my son, my son that serves me, and
therefore must be spared, must be pleaded for," <scripRef passage="Mal 3:17" id="Ex.v-p21.7" parsed="|Mal|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.17">Mal. iii. 17</scripRef>. (4.) He must threaten Pharaoh
with the death of the first-born of Egypt, in case of a refusal:
<i>I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.</i> As men deal with
God's people, let them expect to be themselves dealt with; with the
froward he will wrestle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p22">III. Moses addresses himself to this
expedition. When God had assured him (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:19" id="Ex.v-p22.1" parsed="|Exod|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) that the men were dead who
sought his life, immediately it follows (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:20" id="Ex.v-p22.2" parsed="|Exod|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), <i>he took his wife, and his
sons,</i> and set out for Egypt. Note, Though corruption may object
much against the services God calls us to, yet grace will get the
upper hand, and will be obedient to the heavenly vision.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 4:24-31" id="Ex.v-p22.3" parsed="|Exod|4|24|4|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.24-Exod.4.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.4.24-Exod.4.31">
<h4 id="Ex.v-p22.4">The Circumcision of the Son of
Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p22.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.v-p23">24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn,
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p23.1">Lord</span> met him, and sought to
kill him. &#160; 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off
the foreskin of her son, and cast <i>it</i> at his feet, and said,
Surely a bloody husband <i>art</i> thou to me. &#160; 26 So he let
him go: then she said, A bloody husband <i>thou art,</i> because of
the circumcision. &#160; 27 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p23.2">Lord</span> said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to
meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and
kissed him. &#160; 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p23.3">Lord</span> who had sent him, and all the
signs which he had commanded him. &#160; 29 And Moses and Aaron
went and gathered together all the elders of the children of
Israel: &#160; 30 And Aaron spake all the words which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p23.4">Lord</span> had spoken unto Moses, and did the
signs in the sight of the people. &#160; 31 And the people
believed: and when they heard that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.v-p23.5">Lord</span> had visited the children of Israel, and
that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their
heads and worshipped.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p24">Moses is here going to Egypt, and we are
told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p25">I. How God met him in anger, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:24-26" id="Ex.v-p25.1" parsed="|Exod|4|24|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.24-Exod.4.26"><i>v.</i> 24-26</scripRef>. This is a very
difficult passage of story; much has been written, and excellently
written, to make it intelligible; we will try to make it improving.
Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p26">1. The sin of Moses, which was neglecting
to circumcise his son. This was probably the effect of his being
unequally yoked with a Midianite, who was too indulgent of her
child, while Moses was too indulgent of her. Note, (1.) We have
need to watch carefully over our own hearts, lest fondness for any
relation prevail above our love to God, and take us off from our
duty to him. It is charged upon Eli that he <i>honoured his sons
more than God</i> (<scripRef passage="1Sa 2:29" id="Ex.v-p26.1" parsed="|1Sam|2|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.29">1 Sam. ii.
29</scripRef>); and see <scripRef passage="Mt 10:37" id="Ex.v-p26.2" parsed="|Matt|10|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.37">Matt. x.
37</scripRef>. (2.) Even good men are apt to cool in their zeal for
God and duty when they have long been deprived of the society of
the faithful: solitude has its advantages, but they seldom
counterbalance the loss of Christian communion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p27">2. God's displeasure against him. He met
him, and, probably by a sword in an angel's hand, sought to kill
him. This was a great change; very lately God was conversing with
him, and lodging a trust in him, as a friend; and now he is coming
forth against him as an enemy. Note, (1.) Omissions are sins, and
must come into judgment, and particularly the contempt and neglect
of the seals of the covenant; for it is a sign that we undervalue
the promises of the covenant, and are displeased with the
conditions of it. He that has made a bargain, and is not willing to
seal and ratify it, one may justly suspect, neither likes it nor
designs to stand to it. (2.) God takes notice of, and is much
displeased with, the sins of his own people. If they neglect their
duty, let them expect to hear of it by their consciences, and
perhaps to feel from it by cross providences: for this cause many
are sick and weak, as some think Moses was here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p28">3. The speedy performance of the duty for
the neglect of which God had now a controversy with him. His son
must be circumcised; Moses is unable to circumcise him; therefore,
in this case of necessity, Zipporah does it, whether with
passionate words (expressing her dislike of the ordinance itself,
or at least the administration of it to so young a child, and in a
journey), as to me it seems, or with proper words&#8212;solemnly
expressing the espousal of the child to God by the covenant of
circumcision (as some read it) or her thankfulness to God for
sparing her husband, giving him a new life, and thereby giving her,
as it were, a new marriage to him, upon her circumcising her son
(as others read it)&#8212;I cannot determine: but we learn, (1.) That
when God discovers to us what is amiss in our lives we must give
all diligence to amend it speedily, and particularly return to the
duties we have neglected. (2.) The putting away of our sins is
indispensably necessary to the removal of God's judgements. This is
the voice of every rod, it calls to us to return to him that smites
us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p29">4. The release of Moses thereupon: <i>So he
let him go;</i> the distemper went off, the destroying angel
withdrew, and all was well: only Zipporah cannot forget the fright
she was in, but will unreasonably call Moses <i>a bloody
husband,</i> because he obliged her to circumcise the child; and,
upon this occasion (it is probable), he sent them back to his
father-in-law, that they might not create him any further
uneasiness. Note, (1.) When we return to God in a way of duty he
will return to us in a way of mercy; take away the cause, and the
effect will cease. (2.) We must resolve to bear it patiently, if
our zeal for God and his institutions be misinterpreted and
discouraged by some that should understand themselves, and us, and
their duty, better, as David's zeal was misinterpreted by Michal;
but if this be to be vile, if this be to be bloody, we must be yet
more so. (3.) When we have any special service to do for God we
should remove as far from us as we can that which is likely to be
our hindrance. <i>Let the dead bury their dead, but follow thou
me.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p30">II. How Aaron met him in love, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:27,28" id="Ex.v-p30.1" parsed="|Exod|4|27|4|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.27-Exod.4.28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>. 1. God sent Aaron
to meet him, and directed him where to find him, in the wilderness
that lay towards Midian. Note, The providence of God is to be
acknowledged in the comfortable meeting of relations and friends.
2. Aaron made so much haste, in obedience to his God, and in love
to his brother, that he met him <i>in the mount of God,</i> the
place where God had met with him. 3. They embraced one another with
mutual endearments. The more they saw of God's immediate direction
in bringing them together the more pleasant their interview was:
they <i>kissed,</i> not only in token of brotherly affection, and
in remembrance of ancient acquaintance, but as a pledge of their
hearty concurrence in the work to which they were jointly called.
4. Moses informed his brother of the commission he had received,
with all the instructions and credentials affixed to it, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:28" id="Ex.v-p30.2" parsed="|Exod|4|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. Note, What we know of
God we should communicate for the benefit of others; and those that
are fellow-servants to God in the same work should use a mutual
freedom, and endeavour rightly and fully to understand one
another.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.v-p31">III. How the elders of Israel met him in
faith and obedience. When Moses and Aaron first opened their
commission in Egypt, said what they were ordered to say, and, to
confirm it, did what they were ordered to do, they met with a
better reception than they promised themselves, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:29-31" id="Ex.v-p31.1" parsed="|Exod|4|29|4|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.29-Exod.4.31"><i>v.</i> 29-31</scripRef>. 1. The Israelites gave
credit to them: <i>The people believed,</i> as God had foretold
(<scripRef passage="Ex 3:18" id="Ex.v-p31.2" parsed="|Exod|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.18"><i>ch.</i> iii. 18</scripRef>),
knowing that no man could do those works that they did, unless God
were with him. They gave glory to God: <i>They bowed their heads
and worshipped,</i> therein expressing not only their humble
thankfulness to God, who had raised them up and sent them a
deliverer, but also their cheerful readiness to observe orders, and
pursue the methods of their deliverance.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter V" n="vi" progress="33.42%" prev="Ex.v" next="Ex.vii" id="Ex.vi">
<h2 id="Ex.vi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.vi-p1">Moses and Aaron are here dealing with Pharaoh, to
get leave of him to go and worship in the wilderness. I. They
demand leave in the name of God (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:1" id="Ex.vi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.1">ver.
1</scripRef>), and he answers their demand with a defiance of God,
<scripRef passage="Ex 5:2" id="Ex.vi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.2">ver. 2</scripRef>. II. They beg leave in
the name of Israel (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:3" id="Ex.vi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.3">ver. 3</scripRef>),
and he answers their request with further orders to oppress Israel,
<scripRef passage="Ex 5:4-9" id="Ex.vi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|5|4|5|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.4-Exod.5.9">ver. 4-9</scripRef>. These cruel
orders were, 1. Executed by the task-masters, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:10-14" id="Ex.vi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|5|10|5|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.10-Exod.5.14">ver. 10-14</scripRef>. 2. Complained of to Pharaoh,
but in vain, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:15-19" id="Ex.vi-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|5|15|5|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.15-Exod.5.19">ver. 15-19</scripRef>.
3. Complained of by the people to Moses <scripRef passage="Ex 5:20,21" id="Ex.vi-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|5|20|5|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.20-Exod.5.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>), and by him to God, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:22,23" id="Ex.vi-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|5|22|5|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.22-Exod.5.23">ver. 22, 23</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5" id="Ex.vi-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5:1-2" id="Ex.vi-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|5|1|5|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.1-Exod.5.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.5.1-Exod.5.2">
<h4 id="Ex.vi-p1.11">Sufferings of the Israelites
Increased. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vi-p2">1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and
told Pharaoh, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p2.1">Lord</span>
God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me
in the wilderness. &#160; 2 And Pharaoh said, Who <i>is</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p2.2">Lord</span>, that I should obey his voice
to let Israel go? I know not the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p2.3">Lord</span>, neither will I let Israel go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p3">Moses and Aaron, having delivered their
message to the elders of Israel, with whom they found good
acceptance, are now to deal with Pharaoh, to whom they come in
peril of their lives&#8212;<i>Moses</i> particularly, who perhaps was
out-lawed for killing the Egyptian forty years before, so that if
any of the old courtiers should happen to remember that against him
now it might cost him his head. Their message itself was
displeasing, and touch Pharaoh both in his honour and in his
profit, two tender points; yet these faithful ambassadors boldly
deliver it, whether he will hear or whether he will forbear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p4">I. Their demand is piously bold: <i>Thus
saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 5:1" id="Ex.vi-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Moses, in treating with
the elders of Israel, is directed to call God <i>the God of their
fathers;</i> but, in treating with Pharaoh, they call him <i>the
God of Israel,</i> and it is the first time we find him called so
in scripture: he is called <i>the God of Israel,</i> the
<i>person</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 33:20" id="Ex.vi-p4.2" parsed="|Gen|33|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.33.20">Gen. xxxiii.
20</scripRef>); but here it is Israel, the <i>people.</i> They are
just beginning to be formed into a people when God is called their
God. Moses, it is likely, was directed to call him so, at least it
might be inferred from <scripRef passage="Ex 9:22" id="Ex.vi-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.22"><i>ch.</i> ix.
22</scripRef>, <i>Israel is my son.</i> In this great name they
deliver their message: <i>Let my people go.</i> 1. They were God's
people, and therefore Pharaoh ought not to detain them in bondage.
Note, God will own his own people, though ever so poor and
despicable, and will find a time to plead their cause. "The
Israelites are slaves in Egypt, but they are my people," says God,
"and I will not suffer them to be always trampled upon." See
<scripRef passage="Isa 52:4,5" id="Ex.vi-p4.4" parsed="|Isa|52|4|52|5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.4-Isa.52.5">Isa. lii. 4, 5</scripRef>. 2. He
expected services and sacrifices from them, and therefore they must
have leave to go where they could freely exercise their religion,
without giving offence to, or receiving offence from, the
Egyptians. Note, God delivers his people out of the hand of their
enemies, that they may serve him, and serve him cheerfully, that
they may hold a feast to him, which they may do, while they have
his favour and presence, even in a wilderness, a dry and barren
land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p5">II. Pharaoh's answer is impiously bold:
<i>Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 5:2" id="Ex.vi-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Being summoned to
surrender, he thus hangs out the flag of defiance, hectors Moses
and the God that sends him, and peremptorily refuses to let Israel
go; he will not treat about it, nor so much as bear the mention of
it. Observe, 1. How scornfully he speaks of the God of Israel:
"<i>Who is Jehovah?</i> I neither know him nor care for him,
neither value him nor fear him:" it is a hard name that he never
heard of before, but he resolves it shall be no bug-bear to him.
Israel was now a despised oppressed people, looked on as the tail
of the nation, and, by the character they bore, Pharaoh makes his
estimate of their God, and concludes that he made no better a
figure among the gods than his people did among the nations. Note,
Hardened persecutors are more malicious against God himself than
they are against his people. See <scripRef passage="Isa 37:23" id="Ex.vi-p5.2" parsed="|Isa|37|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.37.23">Isa.
xxxvii. 23</scripRef>. Again, Ignorance and contempt of God are at
the bottom of all the wickedness that is in the world. Men know not
the Lord, or have very low and mean thoughts of him, and therefore
they obey not his voice, nor will let any thing go for him. 2. How
proudly he speaks of himself: "<i>That I should obey his voice;</i>
I, the king of Egypt, a great people, obey the God of Israel, a
poor enslaved people? Shall I, that rule the Israel of God, obey
the God of Israel? No, it is below me; I scorn to answer his
summons." Note, Those are the children of pride that are the
<i>children of disobedience,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 41:34,Eph 5:6" id="Ex.vi-p5.3" parsed="|Job|41|34|0|0;|Eph|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.41.34 Bible:Eph.5.6">Job xli. 34; Eph. v. 6</scripRef>. Proud men
think themselves too good to stoop even to God himself, and would
not be under control, <scripRef passage="Jer 43:2" id="Ex.vi-p5.4" parsed="|Jer|43|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.43.2">Jer. xliii.
2</scripRef>. Here is the core of the controversy: God must rule,
but man will not be ruled. "I will have my will done," says God:
"But I will do my own will," says the sinner. 3. How resolutely he
denies the demand: <i>Neither will I let Israel go.</i> Note, Of
all sinners none are so obstinate, nor so hardly persuaded to leave
their sin, as persecutors are.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5:3-9" id="Ex.vi-p5.5" parsed="|Exod|5|3|5|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.3-Exod.5.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.5.3-Exod.5.9">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vi-p6">3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met
with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the
desert, and sacrifice unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p6.1">Lord</span>
our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
&#160; 4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye,
Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your
burdens. &#160; 5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land
now <i>are</i> many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
&#160; 6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the
people, and their officers, saying, &#160; 7 Ye shall no more give
the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and
gather straw for themselves. &#160; 8 And the tale of the bricks,
which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall
not diminish <i>ought</i> thereof: for they <i>be</i> idle;
therefore they cry, saying, Let us go <i>and</i> sacrifice to our
God. &#160; 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they
may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p7">Finding that Pharaoh had no veneration at
all for God, Moses and Aaron next try whether he had any compassion
for Israel, and become humble suitors to him for leave to go and
sacrifice, but in vain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p8">I. Their request is very humble and modest,
<scripRef passage="Ex 5:3" id="Ex.vi-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They make no
complaint of the rigour they were ruled with. They plead that the
journey they designed was not a project formed among themselves,
but that their God had met with them, and called them to it. They
beg with all submission: <i>We pray thee.</i> The poor useth
entreaties; though God may summon princes that oppress, it becomes
us to beseech and make supplication to them. What they ask is very
reasonable, only for a short vacation, while they went three days'
journey into the desert, and that on a good errand, and
unexceptionable: "<i>We will sacrifice unto the Lord our God,</i>
as other people do to theirs;" and, <i>lastly,</i> they give a very
good reason, "Lest, if we quite cast off his worship, he fall upon
us with one judgment or other, and then Pharaoh will lose his
vassals."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p9">II. Pharaoh's denial of their request is
very barbarous and unreasonable, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:4-9" id="Ex.vi-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|5|4|5|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.4-Exod.5.9"><i>v.</i> 4-9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p10">1. His suggestions were very unreasonable.
(1.) That the people were idle, and that therefore they talked of
going to sacrifice. The cities they built for Pharaoh, and the
other fruit of their labours, were witnesses for them that they
were not idle; yet he thus basely misrepresents them, that he might
have a pretence to increase their burdens. (2.) That Moses and
Aaron made them idle with vain words, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:9" id="Ex.vi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. God's words are here called vain
words; and those that called them to the best and most needful
business are accused of making them idle. Note, The malice of Satan
has often represented the service and worship of God as fit
employment for those only that have nothing else to do, and the
business only of the idle; whereas indeed it is the indispensable
duty of those that are most busy in the world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p11">2. His resolutions hereupon were most
barbarous. (1.) Moses and Aaron themselves must get to <i>their
burdens</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:4" id="Ex.vi-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>);
they are Israelites, and, however God had distinguished them from
the rest, Pharaoh makes no difference: they must share in the
common slavery of their nation. Persecutors have always taken a
particular pleasure in putting contempt and hardship upon the
ministers of the churches. (2.) The usual tale of bricks must be
exacted, without the usual allowance of straw to mix with the clay,
or to burn the bricks with, that thus more work might be laid upon
the men, which if they performed, they would be broken with labour;
and, if not, they would be exposed to punishment.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5" id="Ex.vi-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5:10-14" id="Ex.vi-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|5|10|5|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.10-Exod.5.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.5.10-Exod.5.14">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vi-p12">10 And the taskmasters of the people went out,
and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus
saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. &#160; 11 Go ye, get you
straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be
diminished. &#160; 12 So the people were scattered abroad
throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of
straw. &#160; 13 And the taskmasters hasted <i>them,</i> saying,
Fulfil your works, <i>your</i> daily tasks, as when there was
straw. &#160; 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which
Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, <i>and</i>
demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick
both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p13">Pharaoh's orders are here put in execution;
straw is denied, and yet the work not diminished. 1. The Egyptian
task-masters were very severe. Pharaoh having decreed unrighteous
decrees, the task-masters were ready to write the grievousness that
he had prescribed, <scripRef passage="Isa 10:1" id="Ex.vi-p13.1" parsed="|Isa|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.1">Isa. x.
1</scripRef>. Cruel princes will never want cruel instruments to be
employed under them, who will justify them in that which is most
unreasonable. These task-masters insisted upon the daily tasks, as
when there was straw, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:13" id="Ex.vi-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. See what need we have to pray that <i>we may be
delivered from unreasonable and wicked men,</i> <scripRef passage="2Th 3:2" id="Ex.vi-p13.3" parsed="|2Thess|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.2">2 Thess. iii. 2</scripRef>. The enmity of the serpent's
seed against the seed of the woman is such as breaks through all
the laws of reason, honour, humanity, and common justice. 2. The
people hereby were dispersed throughout all the land of Egypt, to
gather stubble, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:12" id="Ex.vi-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|5|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. By this means Pharaoh's unjust and barbarous usage
of them came to be known to all the kingdom, and perhaps caused
them to be pitied by their neighbours, and made Pharaoh's
government less acceptable even to his own subjects: good-will is
never got by persecution. 3. The Israelite-officers were used with
particular harshness, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:14" id="Ex.vi-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|5|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. Those that were the fathers of the houses of Israel
paid dearly for their honour; for from them immediately the service
was exacted, and they were beaten when it was not performed. See
here, (1.) What a miserable thing slavery is, and what reason we
have to be thankful to God that we are a free people, and not
oppressed. Liberty and property are valuable jewels in the eyes of
those whose services and possessions lie at the mercy of an
arbitrary power. (2.) What disappointments we often meet with after
the raising of our expectations. The Israelites were now lately
encouraged to hope for enlargement, but behold greater distresses.
This teaches us always to rejoice with trembling. (3.) What strange
steps God sometimes takes in delivering his people; he often brings
them to the utmost straits when he is just ready to appear for
them. The lowest ebbs go before the highest tides; and very cloudy
mornings commonly introduce the fairest days, <scripRef passage="De 32:36" id="Ex.vi-p13.6" parsed="|Deut|32|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.36">Deut. xxxii. 36</scripRef>. God's time to help is when
things are at the worst; and Providence verifies the paradox,
<i>The worse the better.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5" id="Ex.vi-p13.7" parsed="|Exod|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 5:15-23" id="Ex.vi-p13.8" parsed="|Exod|5|15|5|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.15-Exod.5.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.5.15-Exod.5.23">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vi-p14">15 Then the officers of the children of Israel
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus
with thy servants? &#160; 16 There is no straw given unto thy
servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants
<i>are</i> beaten; but the fault <i>is</i> in thine own people.
&#160; 17 But he said, Ye <i>are</i> idle, <i>ye are</i> idle:
therefore ye say, Let us go <i>and</i> do sacrifice to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p14.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 18 Go therefore now,
<i>and</i> work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall
ye deliver the tale of bricks. &#160; 19 And the officers of the
children of Israel did see <i>that</i> they <i>were</i> in evil
<i>case,</i> after it was said, Ye shall not minish <i>ought</i>
from your bricks of your daily task. &#160; 20 And they met Moses
and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
&#160; 21 And they said unto them, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p14.2">Lord</span> look upon you, and judge; because ye have
made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the
eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
&#160; 22 And Moses returned unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vi-p14.3">Lord</span>, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou
<i>so</i> evil entreated this people? why <i>is</i> it <i>that</i>
thou hast sent me? &#160; 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak
in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou
delivered thy people at all.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p15">It was a great strait that the head-workmen
were in, when they must either abuse those that were under them or
be abused by those that were over them; yet, it should seem, rather
than they would tyrannize, they would be tyrannized over; and they
were so. In this evil case (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:19" id="Ex.vi-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>), observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p16">I. How justly they complained to Pharaoh:
They <i>came and cried unto Pharaoh,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 5:15" id="Ex.vi-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Whither should they go with a
remonstrance of their grievances but to the supreme power, which is
ordained for the protection of the injured? As bad as Pharaoh was
his oppressed subjects had liberty to complain to him; there was no
law against petitioning: it was a very modest, but moving,
representation that they made of their condition (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:16" id="Ex.vi-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|5|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>Thy servants are
beaten</i> (severely enough, no doubt, when things were in such a
ferment), and yet <i>the fault is in thy own people,</i> the
task-masters, who deny us what is necessary for carrying on our
work. Note, It is common for those to be most rigorous in blaming
others who are most blameworthy themselves. But what did they get
by this complaint? It did but make bad worse. 1. Pharaoh taunted
them (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:17" id="Ex.vi-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|5|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>); when
they were almost killed with working, he told them they were idle:
they underwent the fatigue of industry, and yet lay under the
imputation of slothfulness, while nothing appeared to ground the
charge upon but this, that they said, <i>Let us go and do
sacrifice.</i> Note, It is common for the best actions to be
mentioned under the worst names; holy diligence in the best
business is censured by many as a culpable carelessness in the
business of the world. It is well for us that men are not to be our
judges, but a God who knows what the principles are on which we
act. Those that are diligent in doing sacrifice to the Lord will,
with God, escape the doom of the slothful servant, though, with
men, they do not. 2. He bound on their burdens: <i>Go now and
work.</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 5:18" id="Ex.vi-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|5|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Note, wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; what can be expected
from unrighteous men but more unrighteousness?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vi-p17">II. How unjustly they complained of Moses
and Aaron: <i>The Lord look upon you, and judge,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 5:21" id="Ex.vi-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|5|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. This was not fair. Moses
and Aaron had given sufficient evidence of their hearty good-will
to the liberties of Israel; and yet, because things succeed not
immediately as they hoped, they are reproached as accessaries to
their slavery. They should have humbled themselves before God, and
taken to themselves the shame of their sin, which turned away good
things from them; but, instead of this, they fly in the face of
their best friends, and quarrel with the instruments of their
deliverance, because of some little difficulties and obstructions
they met with in effecting it. Note, Those that are called out to
public service for God and their generation must expect to be
tried, not only by the malicious threats of proud enemies, but by
the unjust and unkind censures of unthinking friends, who judge
only by outward appearance and look but a little way before them.
Now what did Moses do in this strait? It grieved him to the heart
that the event did not answer, but rather contradict, his
expectation; and their upbraidings were very cutting, and like a
sword in his bones; but, 1. He returned to the Lord (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:22" id="Ex.vi-p17.2" parsed="|Exod|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), to acquaint him with
it, and to represent the case to him: he knew that what he had said
and done was by divine direction; and therefore what blame is laid
upon him for it he considers as reflecting upon God, and, like
Hezekiah, spreads it before him as interested in the cause, and
appeals to him. Compare this with <scripRef passage="Jer 20:7-9" id="Ex.vi-p17.3" parsed="|Jer|20|7|20|9" osisRef="Bible:Jer.20.7-Jer.20.9">Jer. xx. 7-9</scripRef>. Note, When we find ourselves,
at any time, perplexed and embarrassed in the way of our duty, we
ought to have recourse to God, and lay open our case before him by
faithful and fervent prayer. If we retreat, let us retreat to him,
and no further. 2. He expostulated with him, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:22,23" id="Ex.vi-p17.4" parsed="|Exod|5|22|5|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.22-Exod.5.23"><i>v.</i> 22, 23</scripRef>. He knew not how to
reconcile the providence with the promise and the commission which
he had received. "Is this God's coming down to deliver Israel? Must
I, who hoped to be a blessing to them, become a scourge to them? By
this attempt to get them out of the pit, they are but sunk the
deeper into it." Now he asks, (1.) <i>Wherefore hast thou so evil
entreated this people?</i> Note, Even when God is coming towards
his people in ways of mercy, he sometimes takes such methods as
that they may think themselves but ill treated. The instruments of
deliverance, when they aim to help, are found to hinder, and that
becomes a trap which, it was hoped, would have been for their
welfare, God suffering it to be so that we may learn to cease from
man, and may come off from a dependence upon second causes. Note,
further, When the people of God think themselves ill treated, they
should go to God by prayer, and plead with him, and that is the way
to have better treatment in God's good time. (2.) <i>Why is it thou
hast sent me?</i> Thus, [1.] He complains of his ill success:
"Pharaoh has done evil to this people, and not one step seems to be
taken towards their deliverance." Note, It cannot but sit very
heavily upon the spirits of those whom God employs for him to see
that their labour does no good, and much more to see that it does
hurt eventually, though not designedly. It is uncomfortable to a
good minister to perceive that his endeavours for men's conviction
and conversion do but exasperate their corruptions, confirm their
prejudices, harden their hearts, and seal them up under unbelief.
This makes them go in the bitterness of their souls, as the
prophet, <scripRef passage="Eze 3:14" id="Ex.vi-p17.5" parsed="|Ezek|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.14">Ezek. 3. 14</scripRef>. Or,
[2.] He enquires what was further to be done: <i>Why hast thou sent
me</i>? that is, "What other method shall I take in pursuance of my
commission?" Note, Disappointments in our work must not drive us
from our God, but still we must consider why we are sent.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VI" n="vii" progress="33.80%" prev="Ex.vi" next="Ex.viii" id="Ex.vii">
<h2 id="Ex.vii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.vii-p1">Much ado there was to bring Moses to his work, and
when the ice was broken, some difficulty having occurred in
carrying it on, there was no less ado to put him forward in it.
Witness this chapter, in which, I. God satisfies Moses himself in
an answer to his complaints in the close of the foregoing chapter,
<scripRef passage="Ex 6:1" id="Ex.vii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. He gives him
fuller instructions than had yet been given him what to say to the
children of Israel, for their satisfaction (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:2-8" id="Ex.vii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|6|2|6|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.2-Exod.6.8">ver. 2-8</scripRef>), but to little purpose, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:9" id="Ex.vii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. III. He sends him again to
Pharaoh, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:10,11" id="Ex.vii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|6|10|6|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.10-Exod.6.11">ver. 10, 11</scripRef>. But
Moses objects against (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:12" id="Ex.vii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.12">ver.
12</scripRef>), upon which a very strict charge is given to him and
his brother to execute their commission with vigour, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:13" id="Ex.vii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.13">ver. 13</scripRef>. IV. Here is an abstract of
the genealogy of the tribes of Reuben and Simeon, to introduce that
of Levi, that the pedigree of Moses and Aaron might be cleared
(<scripRef passage="Ex 6:14-25" id="Ex.vii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|6|14|6|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.14-Exod.6.25">ver. 14-25</scripRef>), and then
the chapter concludes with a repetition of so much of the preceding
story as was necessary to make way for the following chapter.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 6" id="Ex.vii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 6:1-9" id="Ex.vii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|6|1|6|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.1-Exod.6.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.6.1-Exod.6.9">
<h4 id="Ex.vii-p1.10">The Promise of Deliverance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vii-p2">1 Then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for
with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand
shall he drive them out of his land. &#160; 2 And God spake unto
Moses, and said unto him, I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto
Isaac, and unto Jacob, by <i>the name of</i> God Almighty, but by
my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. &#160; 4 And I have also
established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan,
the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. &#160; 5
And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom
the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
&#160; 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.3">Lord</span>, and I will bring you out from
under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their
bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with
great judgments: &#160; 7 And I will take you to me for a people,
and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.4">Lord</span> your God, which bringeth you
out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. &#160; 8 And I will
bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to
give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you
for an heritage: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 9 And Moses spake so unto the
children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish
of spirit, and for cruel bondage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p3">Here, I. God silences Moses's complaints
with the assurance of success in this negotiation, repeating the
promise made him in <scripRef passage="Ex 3:20" id="Ex.vii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.20"><i>ch.</i> iii.
20</scripRef>, <i>After that, he will let you go.</i> When Moses
was at his wit's end, wishing he had staid in Midian, rather than
have come to Egypt to make bad worse&#8212;when he was quite at a loss
what to do&#8212;<i>Then the Lord said unto Moses,</i> for the quieting
of his mind, "<i>Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 6:1" id="Ex.vii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>); now that the
affair has come to a crisis, things are as bad as they can be,
Pharaoh is in the height of pride and Israel in the depth of
misery, now is my time to appear." See <scripRef passage="Ps 12:5" id="Ex.vii-p3.3" parsed="|Ps|12|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.12.5">Ps. xii. 5</scripRef>, <i>Now will I arise.</i> Note,
Man's extremity is God's opportunity of helping and saving. Moses
had been expecting what God would do; but now he shall see what he
will do, shall see his day at length, <scripRef passage="Job 24:1" id="Ex.vii-p3.4" parsed="|Job|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.24.1">Job xxiv. 1</scripRef>. Moses had been trying what he
could do, and could effect nothing. "Well," says God, "now thou
shalt see what <i>I</i> will do; let me alone to deal with this
proud man," <scripRef passage="Job 40:12,13" id="Ex.vii-p3.5" parsed="|Job|40|12|40|13" osisRef="Bible:Job.40.12-Job.40.13">Job xl. 12,
13</scripRef>. Note, Then the deliverance of God's church will be
accomplished, when God takes the work into his own hands. <i>With a
strong hand,</i> that is, being forced to it by a strong hand,
<i>he shall let them go.</i> Note, As some are brought to their
duty by the strong hand of God's grace, who are made willing in the
day of his power, so others by the strong hand of his justice,
breaking those that would not bend.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p4">II. He gives him further instructions, that
both he and the people of Israel might be encouraged to hope for a
glorious issue of this affair. Take comfort,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p5">1. From God's name, Jehovah, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:2,3" id="Ex.vii-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|6|2|6|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.2-Exod.6.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. He begins with this,
<i>I am Jehovah,</i> the same with, <i>I am that I am,</i> the
fountain of being, and blessedness, and infinite perfection. The
patriarchs knew this name, but they did not know him in this matter
by that which this name signifies. God would now be known by his
name <i>Jehovah,</i> that is, (1.) A God performing what he had
promised, and so inspiring confidence in his promises. (2.) A God
perfecting what he had begun, and finishing his own work. In the
history of the creation, God is never called Jehovah till the
heavens and the earth were finished, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:4" id="Ex.vii-p5.2" parsed="|Gen|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.4">Gen. ii. 4</scripRef>. When the salvation of the saints is
completed in eternal life, then he will be known by his name
Jehovah (<scripRef passage="Re 22:13" id="Ex.vii-p5.3" parsed="|Rev|22|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.13">Rev. xxii. 13</scripRef>); in
the meantime they shall find him, for their strength and support,
<i>El-shaddai, a God all-sufficient,</i> a God that is enough and
will be so, <scripRef passage="Mic 7:20" id="Ex.vii-p5.4" parsed="|Mic|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.20">Mic. vii.
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p6">2. From his covenant: <i>I have established
my covenant,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 6:4" id="Ex.vii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
Note, The covenants God makes he establishes; they are made as firm
as the power and truth of God can make them. We may venture our all
upon this bottom.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p7">3. From his compassions (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:5" id="Ex.vii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>I have heard the groaning of
the children of Israel;</i> he means their groaning on occasion of
the late hardships put upon them. Note, God take notice of the
increase of his people's calamities, and observes how their enemies
grow upon them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p8">4. From his present resolutions, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:6-8" id="Ex.vii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|6|6|6|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.6-Exod.6.8"><i>v.</i> 6-8</scripRef>. Here is line upon
line, to assure them that they should be brought triumphantly out
of Egypt (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:6" id="Ex.vii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and
should be put in possession of the land of Canaan (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:8" id="Ex.vii-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>I will bring you out.
I will rid you. I will redeem you. I will bring you into the land
of Canaan,</i> and <i>I will give it to you.</i> Let man take the
shame of his unbelief, which needs such repetitions; and let God
have the glory of his condescending grace, which gives us such
repeated assurances for our satisfaction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p9">5. From his gracious intentions in all
these, which were great, and worthy of him, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:7" id="Ex.vii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. (1.) He intended their happiness:
<i>I will take you to me for a people,</i> a peculiar people, and
<i>I will be to you a God;</i> more than this we need not ask, we
cannot have, to make us happy. (2.) He intended his own glory:
<i>You shall know that I am the Lord.</i> God will attain his own
ends, nor shall we come short of them if we make them our chief end
too. Now, one would think, these good words, and comfortable words,
should have revived the drooping Israelites, and cause them to
forget their misery; but, on the contrary, their miseries made them
regardless of God's promises (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:9" id="Ex.vii-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>They harkened not unto Moses for anguish of
spirit.</i> That is, [1.] They were so taken up with their troubles
that they did not heed him. [2.] They were so cast down with their
late disappointment that they did not believe him. [3.] They had
such a dread of Pharaoh's power and wrath that they durst not
themselves move in the least towards their deliverance. Note,
<i>First,</i> Disconsolate spirits often put from them the comforts
they are entitled to, and stand in their own light. See <scripRef passage="Isa 28:12" id="Ex.vii-p9.3" parsed="|Isa|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.12">Isa. xxviii. 12</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i>
Strong passions oppose strong consolations. By indulging ourselves
in discontent and fretfulness, we deprive ourselves of the comfort
we might have both from God's word and from his providence, and
must thank ourselves if we go comfortless.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 6" id="Ex.vii-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 6:10-13" id="Ex.vii-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|6|10|6|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.10-Exod.6.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.6.10-Exod.6.13">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vii-p10">10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p10.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king
of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
&#160; 12 And Moses spake before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p10.2">Lord</span>, saying, Behold, the children of Israel
have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who
<i>am</i> of uncircumcised lips? &#160; 13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p10.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave
them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of
Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p11">Here, I. God sends Moses the second time to
Pharaoh (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:11" id="Ex.vii-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|6|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>) upon
the same errand as before, to command him, at his peril, that he
<i>let the children of Israel go.</i> Note, God repeats his
precepts before he begins his punishments. Those that have often
been called in vain to leave their sins must yet be called again
and again, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear,
<scripRef passage="Eze 3:1" id="Ex.vii-p11.2" parsed="|Ezek|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.1">Ezek. iii. 11</scripRef>. God is said
to <i>hew</i> sinners by his prophets (<scripRef passage="Ho 6:5" id="Ex.vii-p11.3" parsed="|Hos|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.6.5">Hos. vi. 5</scripRef>), which denotes the repetition of
the strokes. <i>How often would I have gathered you?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p12">II. Moses makes objections, as one
discouraged, and willing to give up the cause, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:12" id="Ex.vii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. He pleads, 1. The unlikelihood
of Pharaoh's hearing: "<i>Behold the children of Israel have not
hearkened unto me;</i> they give no heed, no credit, to what I have
said; how then can I expect that Pharaoh should hear me? If the
anguish of their spirit makes them deaf to that which would compose
and comfort them, much more will the anger of his spirit, his pride
and insolence, make him deaf to that which will but exasperate and
provoke him." If God's professing people hear not his messengers,
how can it be thought that his professed enemy should? Note, The
frowardness and untractableness of those that are called Christians
greatly discourage ministers, and make them ready to despair of
success in dealing with those that are atheistical and profane. We
would be instrumental to unite Israelites, to refine and purify
them, to comfort and pacify them; but, if they hearken not to us,
how shall we prevail with those in whom we cannot pretend to such
an interest? But with God all things are possible. 2. He pleads the
unreadiness and infirmity of his own speaking: <i>I am of
uncircumcised lips;</i> it is repeated, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:30" id="Ex.vii-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|6|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. He was conscious to himself that
he had not the gift of utterance, had no command of language; his
talent did not lie that way. To this objection God had given a
sufficient answer before, and therefore he ought not to have
insisted upon it, for the sufficiency of grace can supply the
defects of nature at any time. Note, Though our infirmities ought
to humble us, yet they ought not to discourage us from doing our
best in any service we have to do for God. His strength is made
perfect in our weakness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p13">III. God again joins Aaron in commission
with Moses, and puts an end to the dispute by interposing his own
authority, and giving them both a solemn charge, upon their
allegiance to their great Lord, to execute it with all possible
expedition and fidelity. When Moses repeats his baffled arguments,
he shall be argued with no longer, but God gives him a charge, and
Aaron with him, both to the children of Israel and to Pharaoh,
<scripRef passage="Ex 6:13" id="Ex.vii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Note, God's
authority is sufficient to answer all objections, and binds us to
obedience, without murmuring or disputing, <scripRef passage="Php 2:14" id="Ex.vii-p13.2" parsed="|Phil|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.14">Phil. ii. 14</scripRef>. Moses himself has need to be
charged, and so has Timothy, <scripRef passage="1Ti 6:13,2Ti 4:1" id="Ex.vii-p13.3" parsed="|1Tim|6|13|0|0;|2Tim|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.13 Bible:2Tim.4.1">1
Tim. vi. 13; 2 Tim. iv. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 6" id="Ex.vii-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 6:14-30" id="Ex.vii-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|6|14|6|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.14-Exod.6.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.6.14-Exod.6.30">
<h4 id="Ex.vii-p13.6">Genealogies of Reuben, Simeon, and
Levi. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p13.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.vii-p14">14 These <i>be</i> the heads of their fathers'
houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and
Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these <i>be</i> the families of Reuben.
&#160; 15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and
Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these
<i>are</i> the families of Simeon. &#160; 16 And these <i>are</i>
the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations;
Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi
<i>were</i> an hundred thirty and seven years. &#160; 17 The sons
of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. &#160;
18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and
Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath <i>were</i> an hundred
thirty and three years. &#160; 19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali
and Mushi: these <i>are</i> the families of Levi according to their
generations. &#160; 20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's
sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of
the life of Amram <i>were</i> an hundred and thirty and seven
years. &#160; 21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and
Zichri. &#160; 22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan,
and Zithri. &#160; 23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of
Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and
Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. &#160; 24 And the sons of Korah;
Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these <i>are</i> the families of
the Korhites. &#160; 25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him <i>one</i>
of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas:
these <i>are</i> the heads of the fathers of the Levites according
to their families. &#160; 26 These <i>are</i> that Aaron and Moses,
to whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.1">Lord</span> said, Bring out the
children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their
armies. &#160; 27 These <i>are</i> they which spake to Pharaoh king
of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these
<i>are</i> that Moses and Aaron. &#160; 28 And it came to pass on
the day <i>when</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.2">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses in the land of Egypt, &#160; 29 That the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.4">Lord</span>: speak thou unto Pharaoh king
of Egypt all that I say unto thee. &#160; 30 And Moses said before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.vii-p14.5">Lord</span>, Behold, I <i>am</i> of
uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p15">I. We have here a genealogy, not an endless
one, such as the apostle condemns (<scripRef passage="1Ti 1:4" id="Ex.vii-p15.1" parsed="|1Tim|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.4">1
Tim. i. 4</scripRef>), for it ends in those two great patriots
Moses and Aaron, and comes in here to show that they were
Israelites, bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh whom they
were sent to deliver, raised up unto them of their brethren, as
Christ also should be, who was to be the prophet and priest, the
Redeemer and lawgiver, of the people of Israel, and whose genealogy
also, like this, was to be carefully preserved. The heads of the
houses of three of the tribes are here named, agreeing with the
accounts we had, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:1-34" id="Ex.vii-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|46|1|46|34" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.1-Gen.46.34">Gen. 46</scripRef>.
Dr. Lightfoot thinks that Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, are thus
dignified here by themselves for this reason, because they were
left under marks of infamy by their dying father, Reuben for his
incest and Simeon and Levi for their murder of the Shechemites; and
therefore Moses would put this particular honour upon them, to
magnify God's mercy in their repentance and remission, as a pattern
to those that should afterwards believe: the two former seem rather
to be mentioned only for the sake of a third, which was Levi, from
whom Moses and Aaron descended, and all the priests of the Jewish
church. Thus was the tribe of Levi distinguished betimes. Observe
here, 1. That Kohath, from whom Moses and Aaron, and all the
priests, derived their pedigree, was a younger son of Levi,
<scripRef passage="Ex 6:16" id="Ex.vii-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Note, The
grants of God's favours do not go by seniority of age and priority
of birth, but the divine sovereignty often prefers the younger
before the elder, so crossing hands. 2. That the ages of Levi,
Kohath, and Amram, the father, grandfather, and great grandfather,
of Moses, are here recorded; they all lived to a great age, Levi to
137, Kohath to 133, and Amram to 137. Moses himself came much short
of them, and fixed seventy or eighty for the ordinary stretch of
human life (<scripRef passage="Ps 90:10" id="Ex.vii-p15.4" parsed="|Ps|90|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.10">Ps. xc. 10</scripRef>);
for now that God's Israel was multiplied and had become a great
nation, and divine revelation was by the hand of Moses committed to
writing and no longer trusted to tradition, the two great reasons
for the long lives of the patriarchs had ceased, and therefore
henceforward fewer years must serve men. 3. That Aaron married
Elisheba (the same name with that of the wife of Zecharias,
Elizabeth, as Miriam is the same with Mary), daughter of Amminadab,
one of the chief of the fathers of the tribe of Judah; for the
tribes of Levi and Judah often intermarried, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:23" id="Ex.vii-p15.5" parsed="|Exod|6|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. 4. It must not be omitted that
Moses has recorded the marriage of his father Amram with Jochebed
his own aunt (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:20" id="Ex.vii-p15.6" parsed="|Exod|6|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>);
and it appears by <scripRef passage="Nu 26:59" id="Ex.vii-p15.7" parsed="|Num|26|59|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.59">Num. xxvi.
59</scripRef> that it must be taken strictly for his father's own
sister, at least by the half blood. This marriage was afterwards
forbidden as incestuous (<scripRef passage="Le 18:12" id="Ex.vii-p15.8" parsed="|Lev|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.12">Lev. xviii.
12</scripRef>), which might be looked upon as a blot upon his
family, though before that law; yet Moses does not conceal it, for
he sought not his own praise, but wrote with a sincere regard to
truth, whether it smiled or frowned upon him. 5. He concludes it
with a particular mark of honour on the persons he is writing of,
though he himself was one of them, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:26,27" id="Ex.vii-p15.9" parsed="|Exod|6|26|6|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.26-Exod.6.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. These are <i>that Moses
and Aaron</i> whom God pitched upon to be his plenipotentiaries in
this treaty. These were those to whom <i>God spoke</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:26" id="Ex.vii-p15.10" parsed="|Exod|6|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), and who <i>spoke to
Pharaoh</i> on Israel's behalf, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:27" id="Ex.vii-p15.11" parsed="|Exod|6|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Note, Communion with God and
serviceableness to his church are things that, above any other, put
true honour upon men. Those are great indeed with whom God
converses and whom he employs on his service. Such were that Moses
and Aaron; and something of this honour have all his saints, who
are made to our God kings and priests.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.vii-p16">II. In the close of the chapter Moses
returns to his narrative, from which he had broken off somewhat
abruptly (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:13" id="Ex.vii-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), and
repeats, 1. The charge God had given him to deliver his message to
Pharaoh (<scripRef passage="Ex 6:29" id="Ex.vii-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|6|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>):
<i>Speak all that I say unto thee,</i> as a faithful ambassador.
Note, Those that go on God's errand must not shun to declare <i>the
whole counsel of God.</i> 2. His objection against it, <scripRef passage="Ex 6:30" id="Ex.vii-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|6|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Note, Those that have at
any time spoken unadvisedly with their lips ought often to reflect
upon it with regret, as Moses seems to do here.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VII" n="viii" progress="34.16%" prev="Ex.vii" next="Ex.ix" id="Ex.viii">
<h2 id="Ex.viii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.viii-p0.2">CHAP. VII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.viii-p1">In this chapter, I. The dispute between God and
Moses finishes, and Moses applies himself to the execution of his
commission, in obedience to God's command, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:1-7" id="Ex.viii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|7|1|7|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.1-Exod.7.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. II. The dispute between Moses and
Pharaoh begins, and a famous trial of skill it was. Moses, in God's
name, demands Israel's release; Pharaoh denies it. The contest is
between the power of the great God and the power of a proud prince;
and it will be found, in the issue, that when God judgeth he will
overcome. 1. Moses confirms the demand he had made to Pharaoh, by a
miracle, turning his rod into a serpent; but Pharaoh hardens his
heart against this conviction, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:8-13" id="Ex.viii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|7|8|7|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.8-Exod.7.13">ver.
8-13</scripRef>. 2. He chastises his disobedience by a plague, the
first of the ten, turning the waters into blood; but Pharaoh
hardens his heart against this correction, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:14-25" id="Ex.viii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|7|14|7|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.14-Exod.7.25">ver. 14</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 7" id="Ex.viii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 7:1-7" id="Ex.viii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|7|1|7|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.1-Exod.7.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.7.1-Exod.7.7">
<h4 id="Ex.viii-p1.6">Moses Receives a Fresh
Commission. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.viii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron
thy brother shall be thy prophet. &#160; 2 Thou shalt speak all
that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto
Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
&#160; 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs
and my wonders in the land of Egypt. &#160; 4 But Pharaoh shall not
hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring
forth mine armies, <i>and</i> my people the children of Israel, out
of the land of Egypt by great judgments. &#160; 5 And the Egyptians
shall know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p2.2">Lord</span>, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt,
and bring out the children of Israel from among them. &#160; 6 And
Moses and Aaron did as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p2.3">Lord</span>
commanded them, so did they. &#160; 7 And Moses <i>was</i>
fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when
they spake unto Pharaoh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p3">Here, I. God encourages Moses to go to
Pharaoh, and at last silences all his discouragements. 1. He
clothes him with great power and authority (<scripRef passage="Ex 7:1" id="Ex.viii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>I have made thee a god to
Pharaoh;</i> that is, my representative in this affair, as
magistrates are called <i>gods,</i> because they are God's
vicegerents. He was authorized to speak and act in God's name and
stead, and, under the divine direction, was endued with a divine
power to do that which is above the ordinary power of nature, and
invested with a divine authority to demand obedience from a
sovereign prince and punish disobedience. Moses was a god, but he
was only a <i>made</i> god, not essentially one by nature; he was
no god but by commission. He was a god, but he was a god only to
Pharaoh; the living and true God is a God to all the world. It is
an instance of God's condescension, and an evidence that his
thoughts towards us are thoughts of peace, that when he treats with
men he treats by men, whose terror shall not make us afraid. 2. He
again nominates him an assistant, his brother Aaron, who was not a
man of uncircumcised lips, but a notable spokesman: "He shall be
<i>thy prophet,</i>" that is, "he shall speak from thee to Pharaoh,
as prophets do from God to the children of men. Thou shalt, as a
god, inflict and remove the plagues, and Aaron, as a prophet, shall
denounce them, and threaten Pharaoh with them." 3. He tells him the
worst of it, that Pharaoh would not hearken to him, and yet the
work should be done at last, Israel should be delivered and God
therein would be glorified, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:4,5" id="Ex.viii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|7|4|7|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.4-Exod.7.5"><i>v.</i>
4, 5</scripRef>. The Egyptians, who would not know the Lord, should
be made to know him. Note, It is, and ought to be, satisfaction
enough to God's messengers that, whatever contradiction and
opposition may be given them, thus far they shall gain their point,
that God will be glorified in the success of their embassy, and all
his chosen Israel will be saved, and then they have no reason to
say that they have laboured in vain. See here, (1.) How God
glorifies himself; he makes people know that he is Jehovah. Israel
is made to know it by the performance of his promises to them
(<scripRef passage="Ex 6:3" id="Ex.viii-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.3"><i>ch.</i> vi. 3</scripRef>), and the
Egyptians are made to know it by the pouring out of his wrath upon
them. Thus God's name is exalted both in those that are saved and
in those that perish. (2.) What method he takes to do this: he
humbles the proud, and exalts the poor, <scripRef passage="Lu 1:51,52" id="Ex.viii-p3.4" parsed="|Luke|1|51|1|52" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.51-Luke.1.52">Luke i. 51, 52</scripRef>. If God stretch out his hand
to sinners in vain, he will at last stretch out his hand upon them;
and who can bear the weight of it?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p4">II. Moses and Aaron apply themselves to
their work without further objection: <i>They did as the Lord
commanded them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 7:6" id="Ex.viii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|7|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. Their obedience, all things considered, was well
worthy to be celebrated, as it is by the Psalmist (<scripRef passage="Ps 105:28" id="Ex.viii-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|105|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.28">Ps. cv. 28</scripRef>), <i>They rebelled not
against his word,</i> namely, Moses and Aaron, whom he mentions,
<scripRef passage="Ex 7:26" id="Ex.viii-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|7|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Thus Jonah,
though at first he was very averse, at length went to Nineveh.
Notice is taken of the age of Moses and Aaron when they undertook
this glorious service. Aaron the elder (and yet the inferior in
office) was eighty-three, Moses was eighty; both of them men of
great gravity and experience, whose age was venerable, and whose
years might teach wisdom, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:7" id="Ex.viii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. Joseph, who was to be only a servant to Pharaoh, was
preferred at thirty years old; but Moses, who was to be a god to
Pharaoh, was not so dignified until he was eighty years old. It was
fit that he should long wait for such an honour, and be long in
preparing for such a service.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 7:8-13" id="Ex.viii-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|7|8|7|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.8-Exod.7.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.7.8-Exod.7.13">
<h4 id="Ex.viii-p4.6">Magicians of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p4.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.viii-p5">8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p5.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 9 When Pharaoh
shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou
shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast <i>it</i> before
Pharaoh, <i>and</i> it shall become a serpent. &#160; 10 And Moses
and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p5.2">Lord</span> had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod
before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
&#160; 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers:
now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their
enchantments. &#160; 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and
they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
&#160; 13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not
unto them; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p5.3">Lord</span> had said.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p6">The first time that Moses made his
application to Pharaoh, he produced his instructions only; now he
is directed to produce his credentials, and does accordingly. 1. It
is taken for granted that Pharaoh would challenge these demandants
to work a miracle, that, by a performance evidently above the power
of nature, they might prove their commission from the God of
nature. Pharaoh will say, <i>Show a miracle;</i> not with any
desire to be convinced, but with the hope that none will be
wrought, and then he would have some colour for his infidelity. 2.
Orders are therefore given to turn the rod into a serpent,
according to the instructions, <scripRef passage="Ex 4:3" id="Ex.viii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.3"><i>ch.</i> iv. 3</scripRef>. The same rod that was to give
the signal of the other miracles is now itself the subject of a
miracle, to put a reputation upon it. Aaron cast his rod to the
ground, and instantly it became a serpent, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:10" id="Ex.viii-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. This was proper, not only to
affect Pharaoh with wonder, but to strike a terror upon him.
Serpents are hurtful dreadful animals; the very sight of one, thus
miraculously produced, might have softened his heart into a fear of
that God by whose power it was produced. This first miracle, though
it was not a plague, yet amounted to the threatening of a plague.
If it made not Pharaoh feel, it made him fear; and this is God's
method of dealing with sinners&#8212;he comes upon them gradually. 3.
This miracle, though too plain to be denied, is enervated, and the
conviction of it taken off, by the magicians' imitation of it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 7:11,12" id="Ex.viii-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|7|11|7|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.11-Exod.7.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. Moses
had been originally instructed in the learning of the Egyptians,
and was suspected to have improved himself in magical arts in his
long retirement; the magicians are therefore sent for, to vie with
him. And some think those of that profession had a particular spite
against the Hebrews ever since Joseph put them all to shame, by
interpreting a dream which they could make nothing of, in
remembrance of which slur put on their predecessors these magicians
withstood Moses, as it is explained, <scripRef passage="2Ti 3:8" id="Ex.viii-p6.4" parsed="|2Tim|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.3.8">2
Tim. iii. 8</scripRef>. Their rods became serpents, real serpents;
some think, by the power of God, beyond their intention or
expectation, for the hardening of Pharaoh's heart; others think, by
the power of evil angels, artfully substituting serpents in the
room of the rods, God permitting the delusion to be wrought for
wise and holy ends, that those might believe a lie who received not
the truth: and herein the Lord was righteous. Yet this might have
helped to frighten Pharaoh into a compliance with the demands of
Moses, that he might be freed from these dreadful unaccountable
phenomena, with which he saw himself on all sides surrounded. But
to the seed of the serpent these serpents were no amazement. Note,
God suffers the lying spirit to do strange things, that the faith
of some may be tried and manifested (<scripRef passage="De 13:3,1Co 11:19" id="Ex.viii-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|13|3|0|0;|1Cor|11|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.3 Bible:1Cor.11.19">Deut. xiii. 3; 1 Cor. xi. 19</scripRef>), that
the infidelity of others may be confirmed, and that he who is
filthy may be filthy still, <scripRef passage="2Co 4:4" id="Ex.viii-p6.6" parsed="|2Cor|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.4.4">2 Cor. iv.
4</scripRef>. 4. Yet, in this contest, Moses plainly gains the
victory. The serpent which Aaron's rod was turned into swallowed up
the others, which was sufficient to have convinced Pharaoh on which
side the right lay. Note, Great is the truth, and will prevail. The
cause of God will undoubtedly triumph at last over all competition
and contradiction, and will reign alone, <scripRef passage="Da 2:44" id="Ex.viii-p6.7" parsed="|Dan|2|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.2.44">Dan. ii. 44</scripRef>. But Pharaoh was not wrought upon
by this. The magicians having produced serpents, he had this to
say, that the case between them and Moses was disputable; and the
very appearance of an opposition to truth, and the least head made
against it, serve those for a justification of their infidelity who
are prejudiced against the light and love of it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 7" id="Ex.viii-p6.8" parsed="|Exod|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 7:14-25" id="Ex.viii-p6.9" parsed="|Exod|7|14|7|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.14-Exod.7.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.7.14-Exod.7.25">
<h4 id="Ex.viii-p6.10">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p6.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.viii-p7">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart <i>is</i> hardened, he refuseth to
let the people go. &#160; 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning;
lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the
river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a
serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. &#160; 16 And thou shalt say
unto him, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.2">Lord</span> God of the
Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they
may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest
not hear. &#160; 17 Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.3">Lord</span>, In this thou shalt know that I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.4">Lord</span>: behold, I will smite with
the rod that <i>is</i> in mine hand upon the waters which
<i>are</i> in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. &#160;
18 And the fish that <i>is</i> in the river shall die, and the
river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the
water of the river. &#160; 19 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.5">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy
rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon
their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon
all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and
<i>that</i> there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt,
both in <i>vessels of</i> wood, and in <i>vessels of</i> stone.
&#160; 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.6">Lord</span> commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and
smote the waters that <i>were</i> in the river, in the sight of
Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that
<i>were</i> in the river were turned to blood. &#160; 21 And the
fish that <i>was</i> in the river died; and the river stank, and
the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there
was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. &#160; 22 And the
magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's
heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.7">Lord</span> had said. &#160; 23 And Pharaoh
turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to
this also. &#160; 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the
river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of
the river. &#160; 25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.viii-p7.8">Lord</span> had smitten the river.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p8">Here is the first of the ten plagues, the
turning of the water into blood, which was, 1. A dreadful plague,
and very grievous. The very sight of such vast rolling streams of
blood, pure blood no doubt, florid and high-colored, could not but
strike a horror upon people: much more afflictive were the
consequences of it. Nothing more common than water: so wisely has
Providence ordered it, and so kindly, that that which is so needful
and serviceable to the comfort of human life should be cheap, and
almost everywhere to be had; but now the Egyptians must either
drink blood, or die for thirst. Fish was much of their food
(<scripRef passage="Nu 11:5" id="Ex.viii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.5">Num. xi. 5</scripRef>), but the
changing of the waters was the death of the fish; it was a
pestilence in that element (<scripRef passage="Ex 7:21" id="Ex.viii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>): <i>The fish died.</i> In the general deluge they
escaped, because perhaps they had not then contributed so much to
the luxury of man as they have since; but in this particular
judgment they perished (<scripRef passage="Ps 105:29" id="Ex.viii-p8.3" parsed="|Ps|105|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.29">Ps. cv.
29</scripRef>): <i>He slew their fish;</i> and when another
destruction of Egypt, long afterwards, is threatened, the
disappointment of those that make sluices and ponds for fish is
particularly noticed, <scripRef passage="Isa 19:10" id="Ex.viii-p8.4" parsed="|Isa|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.19.10">Isa. xix.
10</scripRef>. Egypt was a pleasant land, but the noisome stench of
dead fish and blood, which by degrees would grow putrid, now
rendered it very unpleasant. 2. It was a righteous plague, and
justly inflicted upon the Egyptians. For, (1.) Nilus, the river of
Egypt, was their idol; they and their land derived so much benefit
from it that they served and worshipped it more than the Creator.
The true fountain of the Nile being unknown to them, they paid all
their devotions to its streams: here therefore God punished them,
and turned that into blood which they had turned into a god. Note,
That creature which we idolize God justly removes from us, or
embitters to us. He makes that a scourge to us which we make a
competitor with him. (2.) They had stained the river with the blood
of the Hebrews' children, and now God made that river all bloody.
Thus he gave them blood to drink, for they were worthy, <scripRef passage="Re 16:6" id="Ex.viii-p8.5" parsed="|Rev|16|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.6">Rev. xvi. 6</scripRef>. Note, Never any thirsted
after blood, but, sooner or later, they had enough of it. 3. It was
a significant plague. Egypt had a great dependence upon their river
(<scripRef passage="Zec 14:18" id="Ex.viii-p8.6" parsed="|Zech|14|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.14.18">Zech. xiv. 18</scripRef>), so that
in smiting the river they were warned of the destruction of all the
productions of their country, till it came at last to their
firstborn; and this red river proved a direful omen of the ruin of
Pharaoh and all his forces in the Red Sea. This plague of Egypt is
alluded to in the prediction of the ruin of the enemies of the
New-Testament church, <scripRef passage="Re 16:3,4" id="Ex.viii-p8.7" parsed="|Rev|16|3|16|4" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.3-Rev.16.4">Rev. xvi. 3,
4</scripRef>. But there the sea, as well as the rivers and
fountains of water, is turned into blood; for spiritual judgments
reach further, and strike deeper, than temporal judgments do. And,
<i>lastly,</i> let me observe in general concerning this plague
that one of the first miracles Moses wrought was turning water into
blood, but one of the first miracles our Lord Jesus wrought was
turning water into wine; for the law was given by Moses, and it was
a dispensation of death and terror; but grace and truth, which,
like wine, make glad the heart, came by Jesus Christ. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p9">I. Moses is directed to give Pharaoh
warning of this plague. "Pharaoh's heart is hardened (<scripRef passage="Ex 7:14" id="Ex.viii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), therefore go and try
what this will do to soften it," <scripRef passage="Ex 7:15" id="Ex.viii-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|7|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Moses perhaps may not be
admitted into Pharaoh's presence-chamber, or the room of state
where he used to give audience to ambassadors; and therefore he is
directed to meet him by the river's brink, whither God foresaw he
would come in the morning, either for the pleasure of a morning's
walk or to pay his morning devotions to the river: for thus all
people will walk, every one in the name of his god; they will not
fail to worship their god every morning. There Moses must be ready
to give him a new summons to surrender, and, in case of a refusal,
to tell him of the judgment that was coming upon that very river on
the banks of which they were now standing. Notice is thus given him
of it beforehand, that they might have no colour to say it was a
chance, or to attribute it to any other cause, but that it might
appear to be done by the power of the God of the Hebrews, and as a
punishment upon him for his obstinacy. Moses is expressly ordered
to take the rod with him, that Pharaoh might be alarmed at the
sight of that rod which had so lately triumphed over the rods of
the magicians. Now learn hence, 1. That the judgments of God are
all known to himself beforehand. He knows what he will do in wrath
as well as in mercy. Every consumption is a consumption determined,
<scripRef passage="Isa 10:23" id="Ex.viii-p9.3" parsed="|Isa|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.23">Isa. x. 23</scripRef>. 2. That men
cannot escape the alarms of God's wrath, because they cannot go out
of the hearing of their own consciences: he that made their hearts
can make his sword to approach them. 3. That God warns before he
wounds; for he is <i>long-suffering, not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p10">II. Aaron (who carried the mace) is
directed to summon the plague by smiting the river with his rod,
<scripRef passage="Ex 7:19,20" id="Ex.viii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|7|19|7|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.19-Exod.7.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. It was
done in the sight of Pharaoh and his attendants; for God's true
miracles were not performed, as Satan's lying wonders were, by
those that peeped and muttered: truth seeks no corners. An amazing
change was immediately wrought; all the waters, not only in the
rivers but in all their ponds, were turned into blood. 1. See here
the almighty power of God. Every creature is that to us which he
makes it to be, water or blood. 2. See the mutability of all things
under the sun, and what changes we may meet with in them. That
which is water to-day may be blood to-morrow; what is always vain
may soon become vexatious. A river, at the best, is transient; but
divine justice can quickly make it malignant. 3. See what
mischievous work sin makes. if the things that have been our
comforts prove our crosses, we must thank ourselves: it is sin that
turns our waters into blood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p11">III. Pharaoh endeavours to confront the
miracle, because he resolves not to humble himself under the
plague. He sends for the magicians, and, by God's permission, they
ape the miracle with their enchantments (<scripRef passage="Ex 7:22" id="Ex.viii-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), and this serves Pharaoh for an
excuse not to set his heart to this also (<scripRef passage="Ex 7:23" id="Ex.viii-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), and a pitiful excuse it was.
Could they have turned the river of blood into water again, this
would have been something to the purpose; then they would have
proved their power, and Pharaoh would have been obliged to them as
his benefactors. But for them, when there was such scarcity of
water, to turn more of it into blood, only to show their art,
plainly intimates that the design of the devil is only to delude
his devotees and amuse them, not to do them any real kindness, but
to keep them from doing a real kindness to themselves by repenting
and returning to their God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p12">IV. The Egyptians, in the meantime, are
seeking for relief against the plague, digging round about the
river for water to drink, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:24" id="Ex.viii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|7|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. Probably they found some, with much ado, God
remembering mercy in the midst of wrath; for he is full of
compassion, and would not let the subjects smart too much for the
obstinacy of their prince.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.viii-p13">V. The plague continued seven days
(<scripRef passage="Ex 7:25" id="Ex.viii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|7|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), and, in all
that time, Pharaoh's proud heart would not let him so much as
desire Moses to intercede for the removal of it. Thus the
hypocrites in heart heap up wrath; <i>they cry not when he binds
them</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 36:13" id="Ex.viii-p13.2" parsed="|Job|36|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.36.13">Job xxxvi. 13</scripRef>);
and then no wonder that his anger is not turned away, but his hand
is stretched out still.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VIII" n="ix" progress="34.56%" prev="Ex.viii" next="Ex.x" id="Ex.ix">
<h2 id="Ex.ix-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.ix-p1">Three more of the plagues of Egypt are related in
this chapter, I. That of the frogs, which is, 1. Threatened,
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:1-4" id="Ex.ix-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|8|1|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.1-Exod.8.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. 2. Inflicted,
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:5,6" id="Ex.ix-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|8|5|8|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.5-Exod.8.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. 3. Mimicked by
the magicians, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:7" id="Ex.ix-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|8|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.7">ver. 7</scripRef>. 4.
Removed, at the humble request of Pharaoh (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:8-14" id="Ex.ix-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|8|8|8|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.8-Exod.8.14">ver. 8-14</scripRef>), who yet hardens his heart, and,
notwithstanding his promise while the plague was upon him
(<scripRef passage="Ex 8:8" id="Ex.ix-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.8">ver. 8</scripRef>), refuses to let
Israel go, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:15" id="Ex.ix-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.15">ver. 15</scripRef>. II. The
plague of lice (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:16,17" id="Ex.ix-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|8|16|8|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.16-Exod.8.17">ver. 16,
17</scripRef>), by which, 1. The magicians were baffled (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:18,19" id="Ex.ix-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|8|18|8|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.18-Exod.8.19">ver. 18, 19</scripRef>), and yet, 2. Pharaoh
was hardened, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:19" id="Ex.ix-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.19">ver. 19</scripRef>. III.
That of flies. 1. Pharaoh is warned of it before (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:20,21" id="Ex.ix-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|8|20|8|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.20-Exod.8.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>), and told that the
land of Goshen should be exempt from this plague, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:22,23" id="Ex.ix-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|8|22|8|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.22-Exod.8.23">ver. 22, 23</scripRef>. 2. The plague is
brought, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:24" id="Ex.ix-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|8|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.24">ver. 24</scripRef>. 3. Pharaoh
treats with Moses about the release of Israel, and humbles himself,
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:25-29" id="Ex.ix-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|8|25|8|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.25-Exod.8.29">ver. 25-29</scripRef>. 4. The plague
is thereupon removed (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:31" id="Ex.ix-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|8|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.31">ver.
31</scripRef>), and Pharaoh's heart hardened, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:32" id="Ex.ix-p1.15" parsed="|Exod|8|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.32">ver. 32</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 8" id="Ex.ix-p1.16" parsed="|Exod|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 8:1-15" id="Ex.ix-p1.17" parsed="|Exod|8|1|8|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.1-Exod.8.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.8.1-Exod.8.15">
<h4 id="Ex.ix-p1.18">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p1.19">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.ix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.2">Lord</span>, Let my people go, that they
may serve me. &#160; 2 And if thou refuse to let <i>them</i> go,
behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: &#160; 3 And the
river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and
come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed,
and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into
thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: &#160; 4 And the frogs
shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy
servants. &#160; 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.3">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy
rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and
cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. &#160; 6 And Aaron
stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came
up, and covered the land of Egypt. &#160; 7 And the magicians did
so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of
Egypt. &#160; 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said,
Intreat the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.4">Lord</span>, that he may take
away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the
people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh,
Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants,
and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses,
<i>that</i> they may remain in the river only? &#160; 10 And he
said, To morrow. And he said, <i>Be it</i> according to thy word:
that thou mayest know that <i>there is</i> none like unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.6">Lord</span> our God. &#160; 11 And the frogs
shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants,
and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only. &#160; 12
And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.7">Lord</span> because of the frogs which he
had brought against Pharaoh. &#160; 13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.8">Lord</span> did according to the word of Moses; and the
frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the
fields. &#160; 14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and
the land stank. &#160; 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was
respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p2.9">Lord</span> had said.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p3">Pharaoh is here first threatened and then
plagued with frogs, as afterwards, in this chapter, with lice and
flies, little despicable inconsiderable animals, and yet by their
vast numbers rendered sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have
plagued them with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with vultures or
other birds of prey; but he chose to do it by these contemptible
instruments. 1. That he might magnify his own power. He is Lord of
the hosts of the whole creation, has them all at his beck, and
makes what use he pleases of them. Some have thought that the power
of God is shown as much in the making of an ant as in the making of
an elephant; so is his providence in serving his own purposes by
the least creatures as effectually as by the strongest, that the
excellency of the power, in judgment as well as mercy, may be of
God, and not of the creature. See what reason we have to stand in
awe of this God, who, when he pleases, can arm the smallest parts
of the creation against us. If God be our enemy, all the creatures
are at war with us. 2. That he might humble Pharaoh's pride, and
chastise his insolence. What a mortification must it needs be to
this haughty monarch to see himself brought to his knees, and
forced to submit, by such despicable means! Every child is,
ordinarily, able to deal with those invaders, and can triumph over
them; yet now so numerous were their troops, and so vigorous their
assaults, that Pharaoh, with all his chariots and horsemen, could
make no head against them. Thus he <i>poureth contempt upon
princes</i> that offer contempt to him and his sovereignty, and
makes those who will not own him above them to know that, when he
pleases, he can make the meanest creature to insult them and
trample upon them. As to the plague of frogs we may observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p4">I. How it was threatened. Moses, no doubt,
attended the divine Majesty daily for fresh instructions, and
(perhaps while the river was yet blood) he is here directed to give
notice to Pharaoh of another judgment coming upon him, in case he
continue obstinate: <i>If thou refuse to let them go,</i> it is at
thy peril, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:1,2" id="Ex.ix-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|8|1|8|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.1-Exod.8.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>.
Note, God does not punish men for sin unless they persist in it.
<i>If he turn not, he will whet his sword</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 7:12" id="Ex.ix-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.7.12">Ps. vii. 12</scripRef>), which implies favour <i>if he
turn.</i> So here, <i>If thou refuse, I will smite thy borders,</i>
intimating that if Pharaoh complied the controversy should
immediately be dropped. The plague threatened, in case of refusal,
was formidably extensive. Frogs were to make such an inroad upon
them as should make them uneasy in their houses, in their beds, and
at their tables; they should not be able to eat, nor drink, nor
sleep in quietness, but, wherever they were, should be infested by
them, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:3,4" id="Ex.ix-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|8|3|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.3-Exod.8.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. Note,
1. God's curse upon a man will pursue him wherever he goes, and lie
heavily upon him whatever he does. See <scripRef passage="De 28:16" id="Ex.ix-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|28|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.16">Deut. xxviii. 16</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2. There is no
avoiding divine judgments when they invade with commission.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p5">II. How it was inflicted. Pharaoh not
regarding the alarm, nor being at all inclined to yield to the
summons, Aaron is ordered to draw out the forces, and with his
outstretched arm and rod to give the signal of battle. <i>Dictum
factum&#8212;No sooner said then done;</i> the host is mustered, and,
under the direction and command of an invisible power, shoals of
frogs invade the land, and the Egyptians, with all their art and
all their might, cannot check their progress, nor so much as give
them a diversion. Compare this with that prophecy of an army of
locusts and caterpillars, <scripRef passage="Joe 2:2" id="Ex.ix-p5.1" parsed="|Joel|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.2">Joel ii.
2</scripRef>, &amp;c.; and see <scripRef passage="Isa 34:16,17" id="Ex.ix-p5.2" parsed="|Isa|34|16|34|17" osisRef="Bible:Isa.34.16-Isa.34.17">Isa. xxxiv. 16, 17</scripRef>. Frogs came up, at the
divine call, and <i>covered the land.</i> Note, God has many ways
of disquieting those that live at ease.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p6">III. How the magicians were permitted to
imitate it, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:7" id="Ex.ix-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|8|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. They
also brought up frogs, but could not remove those that God sent.
The unclean spirits which came <i>out of the mouth of the
dragon</i> are said to be like frogs, which go forth to the kings
of the earth, to deceive them (<scripRef passage="Re 16:13" id="Ex.ix-p6.2" parsed="|Rev|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.13">Rev.
xvi. 13</scripRef>), which probably alludes to these frogs, for it
follows the account of the turning of the waters into blood. The
dragon, like the magicians, intended by them to deceive, but God
intended by them to destroy those that would be deceived.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p7">IV. How Pharaoh relented under this plague:
it was the first time he did so, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:8" id="Ex.ix-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. He begs of Moses to intercede for
the removal of the frogs, and promises fair that he will let the
people go. He that a little while ago had spoken with the utmost
disdain both of God and Moses is now glad to be beholden to the
mercy of God and the prayers of Moses. Note, Those that bid
defiance to God and prayer in a day of extremity will, first or
last, be made to see their need of both, and will cry, <i>Lord,
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 7:22" id="Ex.ix-p7.2" parsed="|Matt|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.22">Matt. vii. 22</scripRef>.
Those that have bantered prayer have been brought to beg it, as the
rich man that had scorned Lazarus courted him for a drop of
water.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p8">V. How Moses fixes the time with Pharaoh,
and then prevails with God by prayer for the removal of the frogs.
Moses, to show that his performances had no dependence upon the
conjunctions or oppositions of the planets, or the luckiness of any
one hour more than another, bids Pharaoh name his time. <i>Nellum
occurrit tempus regi&#8212;No time fixed on by the king shall be
objected to,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 8:9" id="Ex.ix-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|8|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
<i>Have thou this honour over me,</i> tell me <i>against when I
shall entreat for thee.</i> This was designed for Pharaoh's
conviction, that, if his eyes were not opened by the plague, they
might by the removal of it. So various are the methods God takes to
bring men to repentance. Pharaoh sets the time for
<i>to-morrow,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 8:10" id="Ex.ix-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. And why not immediately? Was he so fond of his
guests that he would have them stay another night with him? No, but
probably he hoped that they would go away of themselves, and then
he should get clear of the plague without being obliged either to
God or Moses. However, Moses joins issue with him upon it: "<i>Be
it according to thy word,</i> it shall be done just when thou
wouldst have it done, <i>that thou mayest know that,</i> whatever
the magicians pretend to, <i>there is none like unto the Lord our
God.</i> None has such a command as he has over all the creatures,
nor is any one so ready to forgive those that humble themselves
before him." Note, The great design both of judgments and mercies
is to convince us that there is none like the Lord our God, none so
wise, so mighty, so good, no enemy so formidable, no friend so
desirable, so valuable. Moses, hereupon, applies to God, prays
earnestly to him, to remand the frogs, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:12" id="Ex.ix-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Note, We must pray for our
enemies and persecutors, even the worst as Christ did. In answer to
the prayer of Moses, the frogs that came up one day perished the
next, or the next but one. They all died (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:13" id="Ex.ix-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), and, that it might appear that
they were real frogs, their dead bodies were left to be raked
together in heaps, so that the smell of them became offensive,
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:14" id="Ex.ix-p8.5" parsed="|Exod|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Note, The
great Sovereign of the world makes what use he pleases of the lives
and deaths of his creatures; and he that gives a being, to serve
one purpose, may, without wrong to his justice, call for it again
immediately, to serve another purpose.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p9">VI. What was the issue of this plague
(<scripRef passage="Ex 8:15" id="Ex.ix-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): <i>When
Pharaoh saw there was a respite,</i> without considering either
what he had lately felt or what he had reason to fear, he hardened
his heart. Note, 1. Till the heart is renewed by the grace of God,
the impressions made by the force of affliction do not abide; the
convictions wear off, and the promises that were extorted are
forgotten. Till the disposition of the air is changed, what thaws
in the sun will freeze again in the shade. 2. God's patience is
shamefully abused by impenitent sinners. The respite he gives them,
to lead them to repentance, they are hardened by; and while he
graciously allows them a truce, in order to the making of their
peace, they take that opportunity to rally again the baffled forces
of an obstinate infidelity. See <scripRef passage="Ec 8:11,Ps 78:34" id="Ex.ix-p9.2" parsed="|Eccl|8|11|0|0;|Ps|78|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.11 Bible:Ps.78.34">Eccl. viii. 11; Ps. lxxviii. 34</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 8" id="Ex.ix-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 8:16-19" id="Ex.ix-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|8|16|8|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.16-Exod.8.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.8.16-Exod.8.19">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.ix-p10">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p10.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the
dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land
of Egypt. &#160; 17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his
hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became
lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice
throughout all the land of Egypt. &#160; 18 And the magicians did
so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not:
so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. &#160; 19 Then the
magicians said unto Pharaoh, This <i>is</i> the finger of God: and
Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p10.2">Lord</span> had said.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p11">Here is a short account of the plague of
lice. It does not appear that any warning was given of it before.
Pharaoh's abuse of the respite granted to him might have been a
sufficient warning to him to expect another plague: for if the
removal of an affliction harden us, and so we lose the benefit of
it, we may conclude it goes away with a purpose to return or to
make room for a worse. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p12">I. How this plague of lice was inflicted on
the Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:16,17" id="Ex.ix-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|8|16|8|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.16-Exod.8.17"><i>v.</i> 16,
17</scripRef>. The frogs were produced out of the waters, but these
live out of <i>the dust of the earth;</i> for out of any part of
the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those
that rebel against him. He has many arrows in his quiver. Even the
dust of the earth obeys him. "<i>Fear not then, thou worm
Jacob,</i> for God can use thee as a threshing instrument, if he
please," <scripRef passage="Isa 41:14,15" id="Ex.ix-p12.2" parsed="|Isa|41|14|41|15" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.14-Isa.41.15">Isa. xli. 14,
15</scripRef>. These lice, no doubt, were extremely vexatious, as
well as scandalous, to the Egyptians. Though they had respite, they
had respite but awhile, <scripRef passage="Re 11:14" id="Ex.ix-p12.3" parsed="|Rev|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.14">Rev. xi.
14</scripRef>. The second woe was past, but behold the third woe
came very quickly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p13">II. How the magicians were baffled by it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:18" id="Ex.ix-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|8|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. They attempted
to imitate it, but they could not. When they failed in this, it
should seem they attempted to remove it; for it follows, <i>So
there were lice upon man and beast,</i> in spite of them. This
forced them to confess themselves overpowered: <i>This is the
finger of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:19" id="Ex.ix-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>); that is, "This check and restraint put upon us must
needs be from a divine power." Note, 1. God has the devil in a
chain, and limits him both as a deceiver and as a destroyer;
<i>hitherto he shall come, but no further.</i> The devil's agents
when God permitted them, could do great things; but when he laid an
embargo upon them, though but with his finger, they could do
nothing. The magicians' inability, in this less instance, showed
whence they had their ability in the former instances which seemed
greater, and that they had no power against Moses but what was
given them from above. 2. Sooner or later God will extort, even
from his enemies, an acknowledgment of his own sovereignty and
over-ruling power. It is certain they must all (as we say) knock
under at last, as Julian the apostate did, when his dying lips
confessed, <i>Thou hast overcome me, O thou Galilean!</i> God will
not only be too hard for all opposers, but will force them to own
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p14">III. How Pharaoh, notwithstanding this, was
made more and more obstinate (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:19" id="Ex.ix-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>); even those that had deceived him now said enough to
undeceive him, and yet he grew more and more obstinate. Even the
miracles and the judgments were to him a savour of death unto
death. Note, Those that are not made better by God's word and
providences are commonly made worse by them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 8:20-32" id="Ex.ix-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|8|20|8|32" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.20-Exod.8.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.8.20-Exod.8.32">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.ix-p15">20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before
Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus
saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.2">Lord</span>, Let my people go,
that they may serve me. &#160; 21 Else, if thou wilt not let my
people go, behold, I will send swarms <i>of flies</i> upon thee,
and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses:
and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms <i>of
flies,</i> and also the ground whereon they <i>are.</i> &#160; 22
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people
dwell, that no swarms <i>of flies</i> shall be there; to the end
thou mayest know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.3">Lord</span> in the midst of the earth. &#160; 23 And I
will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow
shall this sign be. &#160; 24 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.4">Lord</span> did so; and there came a grievous swarm
<i>of flies</i> into the house of Pharaoh, and <i>into</i> his
servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was
corrupted by reason of the swarm <i>of flies.</i> &#160; 25 And
Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice
to your God in the land. &#160; 26 And Moses said, It is not meet
so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians
to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.5">Lord</span> our God: lo, shall we
sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and
will they not stone us? &#160; 27 We will go three days' journey
into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.6">Lord</span> our God, as he shall command us. &#160; 28
And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.7">Lord</span> your God in the wilderness;
only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me. &#160; 29 And
Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.8">Lord</span> that the swarms <i>of flies</i>
may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to
morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not
letting the people go to sacrifice to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.9">Lord</span>. &#160; 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh,
and intreated the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.10">Lord</span>. &#160; 31
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.ix-p15.11">Lord</span> did according to the
word of Moses; and he removed the swarms <i>of flies</i> from
Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not
one. &#160; 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also,
neither would he let the people go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p16">Here is the story of the plague of flies,
in which we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p17">I. How it was threatened, like that of
frogs, before it was inflicted. Moses is directed (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:20" id="Ex.ix-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) to rise early in the
morning, to meet Pharaoh when he came forth to the water, and there
to repeat his demands. Note, 1. Those that would bring great things
to pass for God and their generation must rise early, and redeem
time in the morning. Pharaoh was early up at his superstitious
devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more
slumber when any service is to be done which would pass well in our
account in the great day? 2. Those that would approve themselves
God's faithful servants must not be afraid of the face of man.
Moses must <i>stand before Pharaoh,</i> proud as he was, and tell
him that which was in the highest degree humbling, must challenge
him (if he refused to release his captives) to engage with any army
of flies, which would obey God's orders of Pharaoh would not. See a
similar threatening, <scripRef passage="Isa 7:18" id="Ex.ix-p17.2" parsed="|Isa|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.7.18">Isa. vii.
18</scripRef>, <i>The Lord will hiss</i> (or whistle) <i>for the
fly and the bee,</i> to come and serve his purposes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p18">II. How the Egyptians and the Hebrews were
to be remarkably distinguished in this plague, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:22,23" id="Ex.ix-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|8|22|8|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.22-Exod.8.23"><i>v.</i> 22, 23</scripRef>. It is probable that this
distinction had not been so manifest and observable in any of the
foregoing plagues as it was to be in this. Thus, as the plague of
lice was made more convincing than any before it, by its running
the magicians aground, so was this, by the distinction made between
the Egyptians and the Hebrews. Pharaoh must be made to know that
<i>God is the Lord in the midst of the earth;</i> and by this it
will be known beyond dispute. 1. Swarms of flies, which seem to us
to fly at random, shall be manifestly under the conduct of an
intelligent mind, while they are above the direction of any man.
"Hither they shall go," says Moses, "and thither they shall not
come;" and the performance is punctually according to this
appointment, and both, compared, amount to a demonstration that he
that said it and he that did it was the same, even a Being of
infinite power and wisdom. 2. The servants and worshippers of the
great Jehovah shall be preserved from sharing in the common
calamities of the place they live in, so that the plague which
annoys all their neighbours shall not approach them; and this shall
be an incontestable proof that God is <i>the Lord in the midst of
the earth.</i> Put both these together, and it appears that <i>the
eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the earth,</i> and through
the air too, to direct that which to us seems most casual, to serve
some great designed end, that he may <i>show himself strong on the
behalf of those whose hearts are upright with him,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 16:9" id="Ex.ix-p18.2" parsed="|2Chr|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.16.9">2 Chron. xvi. 9</scripRef>. Observe how it is
repeated: <i>I will put a division between my people and thy
people</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 8:23" id="Ex.ix-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|8|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
Note, The Lord knows those that are his, and will make it appear,
perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them
apart for himself. A day will come when you shall <i>return and
discern between the righteous and the wicked</i> (<scripRef passage="Mal 3:18" id="Ex.ix-p18.4" parsed="|Mal|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.18">Mal. iii. 18</scripRef>), <i>the sheep and the
goats</i> (<scripRef passage="Mt 25:32,Eze 34:17" id="Ex.ix-p18.5" parsed="|Matt|25|32|0|0;|Ezek|34|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.25.32 Bible:Ezek.34.17">Matt. xxv. 32;
Ezek. xxxiv. 17</scripRef>), though now intermixed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p19">III. How it was inflicted, the day after it
was threatened: <i>There came a grievous swarm of flies</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 8:24" id="Ex.ix-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|8|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), flies of
divers sorts, and such as devoured them, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:45" id="Ex.ix-p19.2" parsed="|Ps|78|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.45">Ps. lxxviii. 45</scripRef>. The prince of the power of
the air has gloried in being <i>Beelzebub&#8212;the god of flies;</i>
but here it is proved that even in <i>that</i> he is a pretender
and a usurper, for even with swarms of flies God fights against his
kingdom and prevails.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p20">IV. How Pharaoh, upon this attack, sounded
a parley, and entered into a treaty with Moses and Aaron about a
surrender of his captives: but observe with what reluctance he
yields.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p21">1. He is content they should sacrifice to
their God, provided they would do it in the land of Egypt,
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:25" id="Ex.ix-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|8|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Note, God can
extort a toleration of his worship, even from those that are really
enemies to it. Pharaoh, under the smart of the rod, is content they
should do sacrifice, and will allow liberty of conscience to God's
Israel, even in his own land. But Moses will not accept his
concession; he cannot do it, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:26" id="Ex.ix-p21.2" parsed="|Exod|8|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. It would be an abomination to God should they offer
the Egyptian sacrifices, and an abomination to the Egyptians should
they offer to God their own sacrifices, as they ought; so that they
could not sacrifice in the land without incurring the displeasure
either of their God or of their task-masters; therefore he insists:
<i>We will go three days' journey into the wilderness,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:27" id="Ex.ix-p21.3" parsed="|Exod|8|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Note, Those
that would offer an acceptable sacrifice to God must, (1.) Separate
themselves from the wicked and profane; for we cannot have
fellowship both with the Father of lights and with the works of
darkness, both with Christ and with Belial, <scripRef passage="2Co 6:14,Ps 26:4,6" id="Ex.ix-p21.4" parsed="|2Cor|6|14|0|0;|Ps|26|4|0|0;|Ps|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.14 Bible:Ps.26.4 Bible:Ps.26.6">2 Cor. vi. 14, &amp;c.; Ps. xxvi. 4,
6</scripRef>. (2.) They must retire from the distractions of the
world, and get as far as may be from the noise of it. Israel cannot
keep the feast of the Lord either among the brick-kilns or among
the flesh-pots of Egypt; no, <i>We will go into the wilderness,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ho 2:14,So 7:11" id="Ex.ix-p21.5" parsed="|Hos|2|14|0|0;|Song|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.14 Bible:Song.7.11">Hos. ii. 14; Cant. vii.
11</scripRef>. (3.) They must observe the divine appointment: "We
will sacrifice as God shall command us, and not otherwise." Though
they were in the utmost degree of slavery to Pharaoh, yet in the
worship of God, they must observe his commands and not
Pharaoh's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p22">2. When this proposal is rejected, he
consents for them to go into the wilderness, provided they do not
go <i>very far away,</i> not so far but that he might fetch them
back again, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:28" id="Ex.ix-p22.1" parsed="|Exod|8|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. It
is probable he had heard of their design upon Canaan, and suspected
that if once they left Egypt they would never come back again; and
therefore, when he is forced to consent that they shall go (the
swarms of flies buzzing the necessity in his ears), yet he is not
willing that they should go out of his reach. Thus some sinners
who, in a pang of conviction, part with their sins, yet are loth
they should go very far away; for, when the fright is over, they
will return to them again. We observe here a struggle between
Pharaoh's convictions and his corruptions; his convictions said,
"Let them go;" his corruptions said, "Yet not very far away:" but
he sided with his corruptions against his convictions, and this was
his ruin. This proposal Moses so far accepted as that he promised
the removal of this plague upon it, <scripRef passage="Ex 8:29" id="Ex.ix-p22.2" parsed="|Exod|8|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. See here, (1.) How ready God is
to accept sinners' submissions. Pharaoh does but say, <i>Entreat
for me</i> (though it is with regret that he humbles so far), and
Moses promises immediately, <i>I will entreat the Lord for
thee,</i> that Pharaoh might see what the design of the plague was,
not to bring him to ruin, but to bring him to repentance. With what
pleasure did God say (<scripRef passage="1Ki 21:29" id="Ex.ix-p22.3" parsed="|1Kgs|21|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.21.29">1 Kings xxi.
29</scripRef>), <i>Seest thou how Ahab humbles himself?</i> (2.)
What need we have to be admonished that we be sincere in our
submission: <i>But let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more.</i>
Those that deal deceitfully are justly suspected, and must be
cautioned not to return again to folly, after God has once more
spoken peace. <i>Be not deceived, God is not mocked;</i> if we
think to put a cheat upon God by a counterfeit repentance, and a
fraudulent surrender of ourselves to him, we shall prove, in the
end, to have put a fatal cheat upon our own souls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.ix-p23"><i>Lastly,</i> The issue of all was that
God graciously removed the plague (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:30,31" id="Ex.ix-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|8|30|8|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.30-Exod.8.31"><i>v.</i> 30, 31</scripRef>), but Pharaoh perfidiously
returned to his hardness, and <i>would not let the people go,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 8:32" id="Ex.ix-p23.2" parsed="|Exod|8|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. His pride
would not let him part with such a flower of his crown as his
dominion over Israel was, nor his covetousness with such a branch
of his revenue as their labours were. Note, Reigning lusts break
through the strongest bounds, and make men impudently presumptuous
and scandalously perfidious. Let not sin therefore reign; for, if
it do, it will betray and hurry us to the grossest absurdities.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IX" n="x" progress="35.06%" prev="Ex.ix" next="Ex.xi" id="Ex.x">
<h2 id="Ex.x-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.x-p1">In this chapter we have an account of three more
of the plagues of Egypt. I. Murrain among the cattle, which was
fatal to them, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:1-7" id="Ex.x-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|9|1|9|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.1-Exod.9.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>.
II. Boils upon man and beast, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:8-12" id="Ex.x-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|9|8|9|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.8-Exod.9.12">ver.
8-12</scripRef>. III. Hail, with thunder and lightning. 1. Warning
is given of this plague, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:13-21" id="Ex.x-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|9|13|9|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.13-Exod.9.21">ver.
13-21</scripRef>. 2. It is inflicted, to their great terror,
<scripRef passage="Ex 9:22-26" id="Ex.x-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|9|22|9|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.22-Exod.9.26">ver. 22-26</scripRef>. 3. Pharaoh,
in a fright, renews his treaty with Moses, but instantly breaks his
word, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:27-35" id="Ex.x-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|9|27|9|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.27-Exod.9.35">ver. 27</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 9" id="Ex.x-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 9:1-7" id="Ex.x-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|9|1|9|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.1-Exod.9.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.9.1-Exod.9.7">
<h4 id="Ex.x-p1.8">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.x-p2">1 Then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.2">Lord</span> God of the Hebrews, Let my
people go, that they may serve me. &#160; 2 For if thou refuse to
let <i>them</i> go, and wilt hold them still, &#160; 3 Behold, the
hand of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.3">Lord</span> is upon thy cattle
which <i>is</i> in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon
the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: <i>there shall
be</i> a very grievous murrain. &#160; 4 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.4">Lord</span> shall sever between the cattle of Israel
and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all <i>that
is</i> the children's of Israel. &#160; 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.5">Lord</span> appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.6">Lord</span> shall do this thing in the
land. &#160; 6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p2.7">Lord</span> did that
thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the
cattle of the children of Israel died not one. &#160; 7 And Pharaoh
sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the
Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did
not let the people go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p3">Here is, I. Warning given of another
plague, namely, the murrain of beasts. When Pharaoh's heart was
hardened, after he had seemed to relent under the former plague,
then Moses is sent to tell him there is another coming, to try what
that would do towards reviving the impressions of the former
plagues. Thus is the wrath of God revealed from heaven, both in his
word and in his works, <i>against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men.</i> 1. Moses puts Pharaoh in a very fair
way to prevent it: <i>Let my people go,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 9:1" id="Ex.x-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. This was still the demand. God
will have Israel released; Pharaoh opposes it, and the trial is,
<i>whose word shall stand.</i> See how jealous God is for his
people. When <i>the year of his redeemed has come,</i> he will
<i>give Egypt for their ransom;</i> that kingdom shall be ruined,
rather than Israel shall not be delivered. See how reasonable God's
demands are. Whatever he calls for, it is but <i>his own:</i> They
are my people, therefore let them go. 2. He describes the plague
that should come, if he refused, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:2,3" id="Ex.x-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|9|2|9|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.2-Exod.9.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. <i>The hand of the Lord</i>
immediately, without the stretching out of Aaron's hand, <i>is upon
the cattle,</i> many of which, some of all kinds, should die by a
sort of pestilence. This was greatly to the loss of the owners:
they had made Israel poor, and now God would make them poor. Note,
The hand of God is to be acknowledged even in the sickness and
death of cattle, or other damage sustained in them; for a
<i>sparrow falls not to the ground without our Father.</i> 3. As an
evidence of the special hand of God in it, and of his particular
favour to his own people, he foretells that none of their cattle
should die, though they breathed in the same air and drank of the
same water with the Egyptians' cattle: <i>The Lord shall sever,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 9:4" id="Ex.x-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Note, When God's
judgments are abroad, though they may fall both on the righteous
and the wicked, yet God makes such a distinction that they are not
the same to the one that they are to the other. See <scripRef passage="Isa 27:7" id="Ex.x-p3.4" parsed="|Isa|27|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.7">Isa. xxvii. 7</scripRef>. The providence of God
is to be acknowledged with thankfulness in the life of the cattle,
for he preserveth man and beast, <scripRef passage="Ps 36:6" id="Ex.x-p3.5" parsed="|Ps|36|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.36.6">Ps.
xxxvi. 6</scripRef>. 4. To make the warning the more remarkable,
the time is fixed (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:5" id="Ex.x-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>): <i>To-morrow</i> it shall be done. We know not what
any day will bring forth, and therefore we cannot say what we will
do to-morrow, but it is not so with God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p4">II. The plague itself inflicted. The cattle
died, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:6" id="Ex.x-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Note, The
creature is made subject to vanity by the sin of man, being liable,
according to its capacity, both to serve his wickedness and to
share in his punishment, as in the universal deluge. <scripRef passage="Ro 8:20,22" id="Ex.x-p4.2" parsed="|Rom|8|20|0|0;|Rom|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.20 Bible:Rom.8.22">Rom. viii. 20, 22</scripRef>. Pharaoh and the
Egyptians sinned; but the <i>sheep, what had they done?</i> Yet
they are plagued. See <scripRef passage="Jer 12:4" id="Ex.x-p4.3" parsed="|Jer|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.12.4">Jer. xii.
4</scripRef>, For the <i>wickedness of the land, the beasts are
consumed.</i> The Egyptians afterwards, and (some think) now,
worshipped their cattle; it was among them that the Israelites
learned to make a god of a calf: in this therefore the plague here
spoken of meets with them. Note, What we make an idol of it is just
with God to remove from us, or embitter to us. See <scripRef passage="Isa 19:1" id="Ex.x-p4.4" parsed="|Isa|19|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.19.1">Isa. xix. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p5">III. The distinction put between the cattle
of the Egyptians and the Israelites' cattle, according to the word
of God: Not <i>one of the cattle of the Israelites died,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 9:6,7" id="Ex.x-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|9|6|9|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.6-Exod.9.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>. Does God
take care of oxen? Yes, he does; his providence extends itself to
the meanest of his creatures. But it is written also for our sakes,
that, trusting in God, and making him our refuge, we may not be
<i>afraid of the pestilence that walketh in darkness,</i> no, not
though <i>thousands fall at our side,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 91:6,7" id="Ex.x-p5.2" parsed="|Ps|91|6|91|7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.6-Ps.91.7">Ps. xci. 6, 7</scripRef>. Pharaoh sent to see if the
cattle of the Israelites were infected, not to satisfy his
conscience, but only to gratify his curiosity, or with design, by
way of reprisal, to repair his own losses out of their stocks; and,
having no good design in the enquiry, the report brought to him
made no impression upon him, but, on the contrary, his heart was
hardened. Note, To those that are wilfully blind, even those
methods of conviction which are ordained to life prove a savour of
death unto death.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 9:8-12" id="Ex.x-p5.3" parsed="|Exod|9|8|9|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.8-Exod.9.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.9.8-Exod.9.12">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.x-p6">8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p6.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of
the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the
sight of Pharaoh. &#160; 9 And it shall become small dust in all
the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth <i>with</i>
blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
&#160; 10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before
Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a
boil breaking forth <i>with</i> blains upon man, and upon beast.
&#160; 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of
the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the
Egyptians. &#160; 12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p6.2">Lord</span>
hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p6.3">Lord</span> had spoken unto Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p7">Observe here, concerning the plague of
boils and blains,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p8">I. When they were not wrought upon by the
death of their cattle, God sent a plague that seized their own
bodies, and touched them to the quick. If less judgments do not do
their work, God will send greater. Let us therefore humble
ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and go forth to meet him in
the way of his judgments, that his anger may be turned away from
us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p9">II. The signal by which this plague was
summoned was the sprinkling of warm ashes from the <i>furnace,
towards heaven</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:8,10" id="Ex.x-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|9|8|0|0;|Exod|9|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.8 Bible:Exod.9.10"><i>v.</i> 8,
10</scripRef>), which was to signify the heating of the air with
such an infection as should produce in the bodies of the Egyptians
sore boils, which would be both noisome and painful. Immediately
upon the scattering of the ashes, a scalding dew came down out of
the air, which blistered wherever it fell. Note, Sometimes God
shows men their sin in their punishment; they had oppressed Israel
in the furnaces, and now the ashes of the furnace are made as much
a terror to them as ever their task-masters had been to the
Israelites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p10">III. The plague itself was very grievous&#8212;a
common eruption would be so, especially to the nice and delicate,
but these eruptions were inflammations, like Job's. This is
afterwards called the <i>botch of Egypt</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:27" id="Ex.x-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|28|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.27">Deut. xxviii. 27</scripRef>), as if it were some new
disease, never heard of before, and known ever after by that name,
Note, Sores in the body are to be looked upon as the punishments of
sin, and to be hearkened to as calls to repentance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p11">IV. The magicians themselves were struck
with these boils, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:11" id="Ex.x-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. 1. Thus they were punished, (1.) For helping to
harden Pharaoh's heart, as Elymas for seeking to <i>pervert the
right ways of the Lord;</i> God will severely reckon with those
that strengthen the hands of the wicked in their wickedness. (2.)
For pretending to imitate the former plagues, and making themselves
and Pharaoh sport with them. Those that would produce lice shall,
against their wills, produce boils. Note, It is ill jesting with
God's judgments, and more dangerous than playing with fire. <i>Be
you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong.</i> 2. Thus they
were shamed in the presence of their admirers. How weak were their
enchantments, which could not so much as secure themselves! The
devil can give no protection to those that are in confederacy with
him. 3. Thus they were driven from the field. Their power was
restrained before (<scripRef passage="Ex 8:18" id="Ex.x-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|8|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.8.18"><i>ch.</i> viii.
18</scripRef>), but they continued to confront Moses, and confirm
Pharaoh in his unbelief, till now, at length, they were forced to
retreat, and could not stand before Moses, to which the apostle
refers (<scripRef passage="2Ti 3:9" id="Ex.x-p11.3" parsed="|2Tim|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.3.9">2 Tim. iii. 9</scripRef>) when
he says that their <i>folly was made manifest unto all men.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p12">V. Pharaoh continued obstinate, for now
<i>the Lord hardened</i> his heart, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:12" id="Ex.x-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Before, he had hardened his own
heart, and resisted the grace of God; and now God justly gave him
up to his own heart's lusts, to a reprobate mind, and strong
delusions, permitting Satan to blind and harden him, and ordering
every thing, henceforward, so as to make him more and more
obstinate. Note, Wilful hardness is commonly punished with judicial
hardness. If men shut their eyes against the light, it is just with
God to close their eyes. Let us dread this as the sorest judgment a
man can be under on this side hell.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 9" id="Ex.x-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 9:13-21" id="Ex.x-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|9|13|9|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.13-Exod.9.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.9.13-Exod.9.21">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.x-p13">13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p13.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before
Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p13.2">Lord</span> God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that
they may serve me. &#160; 14 For I will at this time send all my
plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy
people; that thou mayest know that <i>there is</i> none like me in
all the earth. &#160; 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I
may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be
cut off from the earth. &#160; 16 And in very deed for this
<i>cause</i> have I raised thee up, for to show <i>in</i> thee my
power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
&#160; 17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou
wilt not let them go? &#160; 18 Behold, to morrow about this time I
will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been
in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. &#160; 19
Send therefore now, <i>and</i> gather thy cattle, and all that thou
hast in the field; <i>for upon</i> every man and beast which shall
be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail
shall come down upon them, and they shall die. &#160; 20 He that
feared the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p13.3">Lord</span> among
the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into
the houses: &#160; 21 And he that regarded not the word of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p13.4">Lord</span> left his servants and his
cattle in the field.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p14">Here is, I. A general declaration of the
wrath of God against Pharaoh for his obstinacy. Though God has
hardened his heart (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:12" id="Ex.x-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), yet Moses must repeat his applications to him; God
suspends his grace and yet demands obedience, to punish him for
requiring bricks of the children of Israel when he denied them
straw. God would likewise show forth a pattern of long-suffering,
and how he waits to be gracious to a <i>rebellious and gainsaying
people</i> Six times the demand had been made in vain, yet Moses
must make it the seventh time: <i>Let my people go,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 9:13" id="Ex.x-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. A most dreadful message
Moses is here ordered to deliver to him, whether he will hear or
whether he will forbear. 1. He must tell him that he is marked for
ruin, that he now stands as the butt at which God would shoot all
the arrows of his wrath, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:14,15" id="Ex.x-p14.3" parsed="|Exod|9|14|9|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.14-Exod.9.15"><i>v.</i>
14, 15</scripRef>. "Now I will send <i>all my plagues.</i>" Now
that no place is found for repentance in Pharaoh, nothing can
prevent his utter destruction, for that only would have prevented
it. Now that God begins to <i>harden his heart,</i> his case is
desperate. "I will send my plagues <i>upon thy heart,</i> not only
temporal plagues upon thy body, but spiritual plagues upon thy
soul." Note, God can send plagues upon thy soul." Note, God can
send plagues upon the heart, either by making it senseless or by
making it hopeless&#8212;and these are the worst plagues. Pharaoh must
now expect no respite, no cessation of arms, but to be followed
with plague upon plague, till he is utterly consumed. Note, When
God judges he will overcome; none ever hardened his heart against
him and prospered. 2. He must tell him that he is to remain in
history a standing monument of the justice and power of God's wrath
(<scripRef passage="Ex 9:16" id="Ex.x-p14.4" parsed="|Exod|9|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): "<i>For this
cause have I raised thee up</i> to the throne at this time, and
made thee to stand the shock of the plagues hitherto, to <i>show in
thee my power.</i>" Providence ordered it so that Moses should have
a man of such a fierce and stubborn spirit as he was to deal with;
and every thing was so managed in this transaction as to make it a
most signal and memorable instance of the power God has to humble
and bring down the proudest of his enemies. Every thing concurred
to signalize this, that God's name (that is, his incontestable
sovereignty, his irresistible power, and his inflexible justice)
might be declared throughout all the earth, not only to all places,
but through all ages while the earth remains. Note, God sometimes
raises up very bad men to honour and power, spares them long, and
suffers them to grow insufferably insolent, that he may be so much
the more glorified in their destruction at last. See how the
neighbouring nations, at that time, improved the ruin of Pharaoh to
the glory of God. Jethro said upon it, <i>Now know I that the Lord
is greater than all gods,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:11" id="Ex.x-p14.5" parsed="|Exod|18|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.11"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 11</scripRef>. The apostle illustrates
the doctrine of God's sovereignty with this instance, <scripRef passage="Ro 9:17" id="Ex.x-p14.6" parsed="|Rom|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.17">Rom. ix. 17</scripRef>. To justify God in these
resolutions, Moses is directed to ask him (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:17" id="Ex.x-p14.7" parsed="|Exod|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), <i>As yet exaltest thou thyself
against my people?</i> Pharaoh was a great king; God's people were
poor shepherds at the best, and now poor slaves; and yet Pharaoh
shall be ruined if he exalt himself against them, for it is
considered as exalting himself against God. This was not the first
time that God reproved kings for their sakes, and let them know
that he would not suffer his people to be trampled upon and
insulted, no, not by the most powerful of them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p15">II. A particular prediction of the plague
of hail (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:18" id="Ex.x-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|9|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), and
a gracious advice to Pharaoh and his people to send for their
servants and cattle out of the field, that they might be sheltered
from the hail, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:19" id="Ex.x-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|9|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>.
Note, When God's justice threatens ruin his mercy, at the same
time, shows us a way of escape from it, so unwilling is he that any
should perish. See here what care God took, not only to distinguish
between Egyptians and Israelites, but between some Egyptians and
others. If Pharaoh will not yield, and so prevent the judgment
itself, yet an opportunity is given to those that have any dread of
God and his word to save themselves from sharing in the judgment.
Note, Those that will take warning may take shelter; and those that
will not may thank themselves if they fall by the overflowing
scourge, and the hail which will <i>sweep away the refuge of
lies,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 28:17" id="Ex.x-p15.3" parsed="|Isa|28|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.17">Isa. xxviii. 17</scripRef>.
See the different effect of this warning. 1. <i>Some believed the
things that were spoken,</i> and they feared, and housed their
servants and cattle (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:20" id="Ex.x-p15.4" parsed="|Exod|9|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.20"><i>v.</i>
20)</scripRef>, like Noah (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:7" id="Ex.x-p15.5" parsed="|Heb|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.7">Heb. xi.
7</scripRef>), and it was their wisdom. Even among the servants of
Pharaoh there were some that trembled at God's word; and shall not
the sons of Israel dread it? But, 2. Others believed not: though,
whatever plague Moses had hitherto foretold, the event exactly
answered to the prediction; and though, if they had had any reason
to question this, it would have been no great damage to them to
have kept their cattle in the house for one day, and so, supposing
it a doubtful case, to have chosen the surer side; yet they were so
foolhardy as in defiance to the truth of Moses, and the power of
God (of both which they had already had experience enough, to their
cost), to leave their cattle in the field, Pharaoh himself, it is
probable, giving them an example of the presumption, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:21" id="Ex.x-p15.6" parsed="|Exod|9|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Note, Obstinate
infidelity, which is deaf to the fairest warnings and the wisest
counsels, leaves the blood of those that perish upon their own
heads.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 9:22-35" id="Ex.x-p15.7" parsed="|Exod|9|22|9|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.22-Exod.9.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.9.22-Exod.9.35">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.x-p16">22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there
may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and
upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. &#160;
23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.2">Lord</span> sent thunder and hail, and the fire
ran along upon the ground; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.3">Lord</span> rained hail upon the land of Egypt. &#160;
24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very
grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt
since it became a nation. &#160; 25 And the hail smote throughout
all the land of Egypt all that <i>was</i> in the field, both man
and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake
every tree of the field. &#160; 26 Only in the land of Goshen,
where the children of Israel <i>were,</i> was there no hail. &#160;
27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto
them, I have sinned this time: the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.4">Lord</span> <i>is</i> righteous, and I and my people
<i>are</i> wicked. &#160; 28 Intreat the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.5">Lord</span> (for <i>it is</i> enough) that there be no
<i>more</i> mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and
ye shall stay no longer. &#160; 29 And Moses said unto him, As soon
as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.6">Lord</span>; <i>and</i> the thunder
shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest
know how that the earth <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.7">Lord</span>'s. &#160; 30 But as for thee and thy
servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.8">Lord</span> God. &#160; 31 And the flax and the barley
was smitten: for the barley <i>was</i> in the ear, and the flax
<i>was</i> bolled. &#160; 32 But the wheat and the rye were not
smitten: for they <i>were</i> not grown up. &#160; 33 And Moses
went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.9">Lord</span>: and the thunders and hail
ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. &#160; 34 And
when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were
ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his
servants. &#160; 35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither
would he let the children of Israel go; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.x-p16.10">Lord</span> had spoken by Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p17">The threatened plague of hail is here
summoned by the powerful hand and rod of Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:22,23" id="Ex.x-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|9|22|9|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.22-Exod.9.23"><i>v.</i> 22, 23</scripRef>), and it obeys the
summons, or rather the divine command; for <i>fire and hail fulfil
God's word,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 148:8" id="Ex.x-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|148|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.148.8">Ps. cxlviii.
8</scripRef>. And here we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p18">I. What desolations it made upon the earth.
The thunder, and fire from heaven (or lightning), made it both the
more dreadful and the more destroying, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:23,24" id="Ex.x-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|9|23|9|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.23-Exod.9.24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>. Note, God makes the
clouds, not only his store-houses whence he drops fatness on his
people, but his magazines whence, when he pleases, he can draw out
a most formidable train of artillery, with which to destroy his
enemies. He himself speaks of the <i>treasures of hail which he
hath reserved against the day of battle and war,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:22,23" id="Ex.x-p18.2" parsed="|Job|38|22|38|23" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.22-Job.38.23">Job xxxviii. 22, 23</scripRef>. Woeful havoc
this hail made in the land of Egypt. It killed both men and cattle,
and battered down, not only the herbs, but the trees, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:25" id="Ex.x-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. The corn that was above
ground was destroyed, and that only preserved which as yet had not
come up, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:31,32" id="Ex.x-p18.4" parsed="|Exod|9|31|9|32" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.31-Exod.9.32"><i>v.</i> 31,
32</scripRef>. Note, God has many ways of <i>taking away the corn
in the season thereof</i> (<scripRef passage="Ho 2:9" id="Ex.x-p18.5" parsed="|Hos|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.9">Hos. ii.
9</scripRef>), either by a secret blasting, or a noisy hail. In
this plague the <i>hot thunderbolts,</i> as well as the hail, are
said to destroy <i>their flocks,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 78:47,48" id="Ex.x-p18.6" parsed="|Ps|78|47|78|48" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.47-Ps.78.48">Ps. lxxviii. 47, 48</scripRef>; and see <scripRef passage="Ps 105:32,33" id="Ex.x-p18.7" parsed="|Ps|105|32|105|33" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.32-Ps.105.33">Ps. cv. 32, 33</scripRef>. Perhaps David
alludes to this when, describing God's glorious appearances for the
discomfiture of his enemies, he speaks of the hailstones and coals
of fire he threw among them, <scripRef passage="Ps 18:12,13" id="Ex.x-p18.8" parsed="|Ps|18|12|18|13" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.12-Ps.18.13">Ps.
xviii. 12, 13</scripRef>. And there is a plan reference to it on
the pouring out of the seventh vial, <scripRef passage="Re 16:21" id="Ex.x-p18.9" parsed="|Rev|16|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.21">Rev. xvi. 21</scripRef>. Notice is here taken (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:26" id="Ex.x-p18.10" parsed="|Exod|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>) of the land of Goshen's
being preserved from receiving any damage by this plague. God has
the directing of the pregnant clouds, and causes it to rain or hail
on one city and not on another, either in mercy or in judgment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.x-p19">II. What a consternation it put Pharaoh in.
See what effect it had upon him, 1. He humbled himself to Moses in
the language of a penitent, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:27,28" id="Ex.x-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|9|27|9|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.27-Exod.9.28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>. No man could have spoken
better. He owns himself on the wrong side in his contest with the
God of the Hebrews: "<i>I have sinned</i> in standing it out so
long." He owns the equity of God's proceedings against him: <i>The
Lord is righteous,</i> and must be justified when he speaks, though
he speak in thunder and lightning. He condemns himself and his
land: "<i>I and my people are wicked,</i> and deserve what is
brought upon us." He begs the prayers of Moses: "<i>Entreat the
Lord</i> for me, that this direful plague may be removed." And,
<i>lastly,</i> he promises to yield up his prisoners: <i>I will let
you go.</i> What could one desire more? And yet his heart was
hardened all this while. Note, The terror of the rod often extorts
penitent acknowledgments from those who have no penitent
affections; under the surprise and smart of affliction, they start
up, and say that which is pertinent enough, not because they are
deeply affected, but because they know that they should be and that
<i>it is meet to be said.</i> 2. Moses, hereupon, becomes an
intercessor for him with God. Though he had all the reason in the
world to think that he would immediately repent of his repentance,
and told him so (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:30" id="Ex.x-p19.2" parsed="|Exod|9|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), yet he promises to be this friend in the court of
heaven. Note, Even those whom we have little hopes of, yet we
should continue to pray for, and to admonish, <scripRef passage="1Sa 12:23" id="Ex.x-p19.3" parsed="|1Sam|12|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.23">1 Sam. xii. 23</scripRef>. Observe, (1.) The place
Moses chose for his intercession. He went <i>out of the city</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 9:33" id="Ex.x-p19.4" parsed="|Exod|9|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>), not only for
privacy in his communion with God, but to show that he durst
venture abroad into the field, notwithstanding the hail and
lightning which kept Pharaoh and his servants withindoors, knowing
that every hail-stone had its direction from his God, who meant him
no hurt. Note, Peace with God makes men thunderproof, for thunder
is the voice of their Father. (2.) The gesture: He <i>spread abroad
his hands unto the Lord</i>&#8212;an outward expression of earnest
desire and humble expectation. Those that come to God for mercy
must stand ready to receive it. (3.) The end Moses aimed at in
interceding for him: <i>That thou mayest know,</i> and be
convinced, <i>that the earth is the Lord's</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 9:29" id="Ex.x-p19.5" parsed="|Exod|9|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), that is, that God has a
sovereign dominion over all the creatures, that they all are ruled
by him, and therefore that thou oughtest to be so. See what various
methods God uses to bring men to their proper senses. Judgments are
sent, judgments removed, and all for the same end, to make men know
that he Lord reigns. (4.) The success of it. [1.] He prevailed with
God, <scripRef passage="Ex 9:33" id="Ex.x-p19.6" parsed="|Exod|9|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. But, [2.]
He could not prevail with Pharaoh: <i>He sinned yet more, and
hardened his heart,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 9:34,35" id="Ex.x-p19.7" parsed="|Exod|9|34|9|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.34-Exod.9.35"><i>v.</i>
34, 35</scripRef>. The prayer of Moses opened and shut heaven, like
Elias's (<scripRef passage="Jam 5:17,18" id="Ex.x-p19.8" parsed="|Jas|5|17|5|18" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.17-Jas.5.18">Jam. v. 17,
18</scripRef>), and such is the power of God's two witnesses
(<scripRef passage="Re 11:6" id="Ex.x-p19.9" parsed="|Rev|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.6">Rev. xi. 6</scripRef>); yet neither
Moses nor Elias, nor those two witnesses, could subdue the hard
hearts of men. Pharaoh was frightened into a compliance by the
judgment, but, when it was over, his convictions vanished, and his
fair promises were forgotten. Note, Little credit is to be given to
confessions upon the rack. Note also, Those that are not bettered
by judgments and mercies are commonly made worse.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter X" n="xi" progress="35.55%" prev="Ex.x" next="Ex.xii" id="Ex.xi">
<h2 id="Ex.xi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xi-p1">The eighth and ninth of the plagues of Egypt, that
of locusts and that of darkness, are recorded in this chapter. I.
Concerning the plague of locusts, 1. God instructs Moses in the
meaning of these amazing dispensations of his providence, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:1,2" id="Ex.xi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. 2. He threatens the
locusts, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:3-6" id="Ex.xi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|10|3|10|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.3-Exod.10.6">ver. 3-6</scripRef>. 3.
Pharaoh, at the persuasion of his servants, is willing to treat
again with Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:7-9" id="Ex.xi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|10|7|10|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.7-Exod.10.9">ver.
7-9</scripRef>), but they cannot agree, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:10,11" id="Ex.xi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|10|10|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.10-Exod.10.11">ver. 10, 11</scripRef>. 4. The locusts come,
<scripRef passage="Ex 10:12-15" id="Ex.xi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|10|12|10|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.12-Exod.10.15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. 5. Pharaoh
cries Peccavi&#8212;I have offended (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:16,17" id="Ex.xi-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|10|16|10|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.16-Exod.10.17">ver. 16, 17</scripRef>), whereupon Moses prays for
the removal of the plague, and it is done; but Pharaoh's heart is
still hardened, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:18-20" id="Ex.xi-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|10|18|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.18-Exod.10.20">ver.
18-20</scripRef>. II. Concerning the plague of darkness, 1. It is
inflicted, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:21-23" id="Ex.xi-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|10|21|10|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.21-Exod.10.23">ver. 21-23</scripRef>.
2. Pharaoh again treats with Moses about a surrender, but the
treaty breaks off in a heat, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:26-29" id="Ex.xi-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|10|26|10|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.26-Exod.10.29">ver.
26</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 10" id="Ex.xi-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 10:1-11" id="Ex.xi-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|10|1|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xi-p1.12">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart,
and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs
before him: &#160; 2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy
son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and
my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 3 And
Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.3">Lord</span> God of the Hebrews, How
long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people
go, that they may serve me. &#160; 4 Else, if thou refuse to let my
people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy
coast: &#160; 5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that
one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue
of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail,
and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
&#160; 6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy
servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy
fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that
they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and
went out from Pharaoh. &#160; 7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto
him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go,
that they may serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.4">Lord</span> their
God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? &#160; 8 And
Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto
them, Go, serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.5">Lord</span> your God:
<i>but</i> who <i>are</i> they that shall go? &#160; 9 And Moses
said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and
with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go;
for we <i>must hold</i> a feast unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 10 And he said unto them, Let the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.7">Lord</span> be so with you, as I will let
you go, and your little ones: look <i>to it;</i> for evil <i>is</i>
before you. &#160; 11 Not so: go now ye <i>that are</i> men, and
serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.8">Lord</span>; for that ye did
desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p3">Here, I. Moses is instructed. We may well
suppose that he, for his part, was much astonished both at
Pharaoh's obstinacy and at God's severity, and could not but be
compassionately concerned for the desolations of Egypt, and at a
loss to conceive what this contest would come to at last. Now here
God tells him what he designed, not only Israel's release, but the
magnifying of his own name: <i>That thou mayest tell</i> in thy
writings, which shall continue to the world's end, <i>what I have
wrought in Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 10:1,2" id="Ex.xi-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. The ten plagues of Egypt must be inflicted, that they
may be recorded for the generations to come as undeniable proofs,
1. Of God's overruling power in the kingdom of nature, his dominion
over all the creatures, and his authority to use them either as
servants to his justice or sufferers by it, according to the
counsel of his will. 2. Of God's victorious power over the kingdom
of Satan, to restrain the malice and chastise the insolence of his
and his church's enemies. These plagues are standing monuments of
the greatness of God, the happiness of the church, and the
sinfulness of sin, and standing monitors to the children of men in
all ages not to <i>provoke the Lord to jealousy</i> nor to
<i>strive with their Maker.</i> The benefit of these instructions
to the world sufficiently balances the expense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p4">II. Pharaoh is reproved (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:3" id="Ex.xi-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>Thus saith the Lord God of
the</i> poor, despised, persecuted, Hebrews, <i>How long wilt thou
refuse to humble thyself before me?</i> Note, It is justly expected
from the greatest of men that they humble themselves before the
great God, and it is at their peril if they refuse to do it. This
has more than once been God's quarrel with princes. Belshazzar did
not humble his heart, <scripRef passage="Da 5:22" id="Ex.xi-p4.2" parsed="|Dan|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.5.22">Dan. v.
22</scripRef>. Zedekiah humbled not himself before Jeremiah,
<scripRef passage="2Ch 36:12" id="Ex.xi-p4.3" parsed="|2Chr|36|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.12">2 Chron. xxxvi. 12</scripRef>. Those
that will not humble themselves God will humble. Pharaoh had
sometimes pretended to humble himself, but no account was made of
it, because he was neither sincere nor constant in it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p5">III. The plague of locusts is threatened,
<scripRef passage="Ex 10:4-6" id="Ex.xi-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|10|4|10|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.4-Exod.10.6"><i>v.</i> 4-6</scripRef>. The hail
had broken down the fruits of the earth, but these locusts should
come and devour them: and not only so, but they should fill their
houses, whereas the former inroads of these insects had been
confined to their lands. This should be much worse than all the
calamities of that king which had ever been known. Moses, when he
had delivered his message, not expecting any better answer than he
had formerly, <i>turned himself and went out from</i> Pharaoh,
<scripRef passage="Ex 10:6" id="Ex.xi-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Thus Christ
appointed his disciples to depart from those who would not receive
them, and to <i>shake off the dust of their feet for a testimony
against them;</i> and ruin is not far off from those who are thus
justly abandoned by the Lord's messengers, <scripRef passage="1Sa 15:27" id="Ex.xi-p5.3" parsed="|1Sam|15|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.27">1 Sam. xv. 27</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p6">IV. Pharaoh's attendants, his ministers of
state, or privy-counsellors, interpose, to persuade him to come to
some terms with Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:7" id="Ex.xi-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. They, as in duty bound, represent to him the
deplorable condition of the kingdom (<i>Egypt is destroyed</i>),
and advise him by all means to release his prisoners (<i>Let the
men go</i>); for Moses, they found, would be a snare to them till
it was done, and it were better to consent at first than to be
compelled at last. The Israelites had become a burdensome stone to
the Egyptians, and now, at length, the princes of Egypt were
willing to be rid of them, <scripRef passage="Zec 12:3" id="Ex.xi-p6.2" parsed="|Zech|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.3">Zech. xii.
3</scripRef>. Note, It is a thing to be regretted (and prevented,
if possible) that a whole nation should be ruined for the pride and
obstinacy of its princes, <i>Salus populi suprema lex&#8212;To consult
the welfare of the people is the first of laws.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p7">V. A new treaty is, hereupon, set on foot
between Pharaoh and Moses, in which Pharaoh consents for the
Israelites to go into the wilderness to do sacrifice; but the
matter in dispute was who should go, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:8" id="Ex.xi-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|10|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 1. Moses insists that they should
take their whole families, and all their effects, along with them,
<scripRef passage="Ex 10:9" id="Ex.xi-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|10|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Note, Those
that serve God must serve him with all they have. Moses pleads, "We
must hold a feast, therefore we must have our families to feast
with, and our flocks and herds to feast upon, to the honour of
God." 2. Pharaoh will by no means grant this: he will allow the men
to go, pretending that this was all they desired, though this
matter was never yet mentioned in any of the former treaties; but,
for the <i>little ones,</i> he resolves to keep them as hostages,
to oblige them to return, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:10,11" id="Ex.xi-p7.3" parsed="|Exod|10|10|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.10-Exod.10.11"><i>v.</i>
10, 11</scripRef>. In a great passion he curses them, and threatens
that, if they offer to remove their little ones, they will do it at
their peril. Note, Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve
God themselves from bringing their children in to serve him. He is
a sworn enemy to early piety, knowing how destructive it is to the
interests of his kingdom; whatever would hinder us from engaging
our children to the utmost in God's service, we have reason to
suspect the hand of Satan in it. 3. The treaty, hereupon, breaks
off abruptly; those that before went out from Pharaoh's presence
(<scripRef passage="Ex 10:6" id="Ex.xi-p7.4" parsed="|Exod|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) were now
driven out. Those will quickly hear their doom that cannot bear to
hear their duty. See <scripRef passage="2Ch 25:16" id="Ex.xi-p7.5" parsed="|2Chr|25|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.25.16">2 Chron. xxv.
16</scripRef>. <i>Quos Deus destruet eos dementat&#8212;Whom God intends
to destroy he delivers up to infatuation.</i> Never was man so
infatuated to his own ruin as Pharaoh was.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 10" id="Ex.xi-p7.6" parsed="|Exod|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 10:12-20" id="Ex.xi-p7.7" parsed="|Exod|10|12|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.12-Exod.10.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.10.12-Exod.10.20">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xi-p8">12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for
the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat
every herb of the land, <i>even</i> all that the hail hath left.
&#160; 13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt,
and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.2">Lord</span> brought an east wind
upon the land all that day, and all <i>that</i> night; <i>and</i>
when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. &#160; 14
And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in
all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous <i>were they;</i> before
them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall
be such. &#160; 15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so
that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the
land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and
there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of
the field, through all the land of Egypt. &#160; 16 Then Pharaoh
called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned
against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.3">Lord</span> your God, and
against you. &#160; 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin
only this once, and intreat the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.4">Lord</span>
your God, that he may take away from me this death only. &#160; 18
And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 19 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.6">Lord</span> turned a mighty strong west wind, which
took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there
remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. &#160; 20 But
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.7">Lord</span> hardened Pharaoh's heart,
so that he would not let the children of Israel go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p9">Here is, I. The invasion of the land by the
locusts&#8212;<i>God's great army,</i> <scripRef passage="Joe 2:11" id="Ex.xi-p9.1" parsed="|Joel|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.11">Joel
ii. 11</scripRef>. God bids <i>Moses stretch out his hand</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 10:12" id="Ex.xi-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), to beckon
them, as it were (for they came at a call), and he <i>stretched
forth his rod,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 10:13" id="Ex.xi-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Compare <scripRef passage="Ex 9:22,23" id="Ex.xi-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|9|22|9|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.22-Exod.9.23"><i>ch.</i>
ix. 22, 23</scripRef>. Moses ascribes it to the stretching out, not
of his own hand, but the <i>rod of God,</i> the instituted sign of
God's presence with him. The locusts obey the summons, and fly upon
the wings of the wind, the east wind, and <i>caterpillars without
number,</i> as we are told, <scripRef passage="Ps 105:34,35" id="Ex.xi-p9.5" parsed="|Ps|105|34|105|35" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.34-Ps.105.35">Ps.
cv. 34, 35</scripRef>. A formidable army of horse and foot might
more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then
is able to stand before the great God?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p10">II. The desolations they made in it
(<scripRef passage="Ex 10:15" id="Ex.xi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|10|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): They
<i>covered the face of the earth,</i> and <i>ate up the fruit</i>
of it. The earth God has <i>given to the children of men;</i> yet,
when God pleases, he can disturb their possession and send locusts
and caterpillars to force them out. Herbs grow <i>for the service
of man;</i> yet, when God pleases, those contemptible insects shall
not only be fellow-commoners with him, but shall plunder him, and
eat the bread out of his mouth. Let our labour be, not for the
habitation and meat which thus lie exposed, but for those which
<i>endure to eternal life,</i> which cannot be thus invaded, nor
thus corrupted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p11">III. Pharaoh's admission, hereupon,
<scripRef passage="Ex 10:16,17" id="Ex.xi-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|10|16|10|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.16-Exod.10.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. He had
driven Moses and Aaron from him (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:11" id="Ex.xi-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), telling them (it is likely) he
would have no more to do with them. But now he calls for them again
in all haste, and makes court to them with as much respect as
before he had dismissed them with disdain. Note, The day will come
when those who set at nought their counsellors, and despise all
their reproofs, will be glad to make an interest in them and engage
them to intercede on their behalf. The foolish virgins court the
wise to <i>give them of their oil;</i> and see <scripRef passage="Ps 141:6" id="Ex.xi-p11.3" parsed="|Ps|141|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.141.6">Ps. cxli. 6</scripRef>. 1. Pharaoh confesses his fault:
<i>I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.</i> He
now sees his own folly in the slights and affronts he had put on
God and his ambassadors, and <i>seems</i> at least, to repent of
it. When God convinces men of sin, and humbles them for it, their
contempt of God's ministers, and the word of the Lord in their
mouths, will certainly come into the account, and lie heavily upon
their consciences. Some think that when Pharaoh said, "The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p11.4">Lord</span> <i>your</i> God," he did in effect
say, "The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p11.5">Lord</span> shall not be
<i>my</i> God." Many treat with God as a potent enemy, whom they
are willing not to be at war with, but care not for treating with
him as their rightful prince, to whom they are willing to submit
with loyal affection. True penitents lament sin as committed
against God, even their own God, to whom they stand obliged. 2. He
begs pardon, not of God, as penitents ought, but of Moses, which
was more excusable in him, because, by a special commission, Moses
was made a <i>god to Pharaoh,</i> and <i>whosesoever sins he
remitted</i> they were forgiven; when he prays, <i>Forgive this
once,</i> he, in effect, promises not to offend in like manner any
more, yet seems loth to express that promise, nor does he say any
thing particularly of letting the people go. Note, Counterfeit
repentance commonly cheats men with general promises and is loth to
covenant against particular sins. 3. He entreats Moses and Aaron to
pray for him. There are those who, in distress, implore the help of
other persons' prayers, but have no mind to pray for themselves,
showing thereby that they have no true love to God, nor any delight
in communion with him. Pharaoh desires their prayers <i>that this
death</i> only might be taken away, not <i>this sin:</i> he
deprecates the plague of locusts, not the plague of a hard heart,
which yet was much the more dangerous.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p12">IV. The removal of the judgment, upon the
prayer of Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:18,19" id="Ex.xi-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|10|18|10|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.18-Exod.10.19"><i>v.</i> 18,
19</scripRef>. This was, 1. As great an instance of the power of
God as the judgment itself. An east wind brought the locusts, and
now a west wind carried them off. Note, Whatever point of the
compass the wind is in, it is fulfilling God's word, and turns
about by his counsel. The <i>wind bloweth where it listeth,</i> as
it respects any control of ours; not so as it respects the control
of God: he <i>directeth it under the whole heaven.</i> 2. It was as
great a proof of the authority of Moses, and as firm a ratification
of his commission and his interest in that God who both <i>makes
peace</i> and <i>creates evil,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 45:7" id="Ex.xi-p12.2" parsed="|Isa|45|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.7">Isa. xlv. 7</scripRef>. Nay, hereby he not only
commanded the respect, but recommended himself to the good
affections of the Egyptians, inasmuch as, while the judgment came
in obedience to his summons, the removal of it was in answer to his
prayers. He never desired the woeful day, though he threatened it.
His commission indeed ran against Egypt, but his intercession was
for it, which was a good reason why they should love him, though
they feared him. 3. It was also as strong an argument for their
repentance as the judgment itself; for by this it appeared that God
is ready to forgive, and swift to show mercy. If he turn away a
particular judgment, as he did often from Pharaoh, or defer it, as
in Ahab's case, upon the profession of repentance and the outward
tokens of humiliation, what will he do if we be sincere, and how
welcome will true penitents be to him! O that this goodness of God
might lead us to repentance!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p13">V. Pharaoh's return to his impious
resolution again not to let the people go (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:20" id="Ex.xi-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), through the righteous hand of
God upon him, hardening his heart, and confirming him in his
obstinacy. Note, Those that have often baffled their convictions,
and stood it out against them, forfeit the benefit of them, and are
justly given up to those lusts of their own hearts which (how
strong soever their convictions) prove too strong for them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 10:21-29" id="Ex.xi-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|10|21|10|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.21-Exod.10.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.10.21-Exod.10.29">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xi-p14">21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there
may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness <i>which</i>
may be felt. &#160; 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward
heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt
three days: &#160; 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any
from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had
light in their dwellings. &#160; 24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses,
and said, Go ye, serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.2">Lord</span>;
only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones
also go with you. &#160; 25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also
sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.3">Lord</span> our God. &#160; 26 Our cattle
also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for
thereof must we take to serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.4">Lord</span> our God; and we know not with what we must
serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.5">Lord</span>, until we come
thither. &#160; 27 But the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.6">Lord</span>
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. &#160; 28
And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself,
see my face no more; for in <i>that</i> day thou seest my face thou
shalt die. &#160; 29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will
see thy face again no more.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p15">Here is, I. The plague of darkness brought
upon Egypt, and a most dreadful plague it was, and therefore is put
first of the ten in <scripRef passage="Ps 105:28" id="Ex.xi-p15.1" parsed="|Ps|105|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.28">Ps. cv.
28</scripRef>, though it was one of the last; and in the
destruction of the spiritual Egypt it is produced by the fifth
vial, which is poured out upon the <i>seat of the beast,</i>
<scripRef passage="Re 16:10" id="Ex.xi-p15.2" parsed="|Rev|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.10">Rev. xvi. 10</scripRef>. <i>His
kingdom was full of darkness.</i> Observe particularly concerning
this plague, 1. That it was a total darkness. We have reason to
think, not only that the lights of heaven were clouded, but that
all their fires and candles were put out by the damps or clammy
vapours which were the cause of this darkness; for it is said
(<scripRef passage="Ex 10:23" id="Ex.xi-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), They <i>saw
not one another.</i> It is threatened to the wicked (<scripRef passage="Job 18:5,6" id="Ex.xi-p15.4" parsed="|Job|18|5|18|6" osisRef="Bible:Job.18.5-Job.18.6">Job xviii. 5, 6</scripRef>) that the <i>spark
of his fire shall not shine</i> (even <i>the sparks of his own
kindling,</i> as they are called, <scripRef passage="Isa 50:11" id="Ex.xi-p15.5" parsed="|Isa|50|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.11">Isa. l. 11</scripRef>), and that the <i>light shall be
dark in his tabernacle.</i> Hell is <i>utter darkness.</i> The
light of <i>a candle shall shine no more at all in thee,</i>
<scripRef passage="Re 18:23" id="Ex.xi-p15.6" parsed="|Rev|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.18.23">Rev. xviii. 23</scripRef>. 2. That it
was darkness which <i>might be felt</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:21" id="Ex.xi-p15.7" parsed="|Exod|10|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), felt in its <i>causes</i> by
their fingers' ends (so thick were the fogs), felt in its
<i>effects,</i> some think, by their eyes, which were pricked with
pain, and made the more sore by their rubbing them. Great pain is
spoken of as the effect of that darkness, <scripRef passage="Re 16:10" id="Ex.xi-p15.8" parsed="|Rev|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.10">Rev. xvi. 10</scripRef>, which alludes to this. 3. No
doubt it astonished and terrified them. The cloud of locusts, which
had <i>darkened the land</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:15" id="Ex.xi-p15.9" parsed="|Exod|10|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), was nothing to this. The
tradition of the Jews is that in this darkness they were terrified
by the apparitions of evil spirits, or rather by dreadful sounds
and murmurs which they made, or (which is no less frightful) by the
horrors of their own consciences; and this is the plague which some
think is intended (for, otherwise, it is not mentioned at all
there) <scripRef passage="Ps 78:49" id="Ex.xi-p15.10" parsed="|Ps|78|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.49">Ps. lxxviii. 49</scripRef>,
<i>He poured upon them the fierceness of his anger, by sending evil
angels among them;</i> for to those to whom the devil has been a
deceiver he will, at length, be a terror. 4. It continued three
days, <i>six nights</i> (says bishop Hall) <i>in one;</i> so long
they were imprisoned by those chains of darkness, and the most
lightsome palaces were perfect dungeons. No <i>man rose from his
place,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 10:23" id="Ex.xi-p15.11" parsed="|Exod|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
They were all confined to their houses; and such a terror seized
them that few of them had the courage to go from the chair to the
bed, or from the bed to the chair. Thus were they <i>silent in
darkness,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 2:9" id="Ex.xi-p15.12" parsed="|1Sam|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.9">1 Sam. ii. 9</scripRef>.
Now Pharaoh had time to consider, if he would have improved it.
Spiritual darkness is spiritual bondage; while Satan blinds men's
eyes that they see not, he binds them hands and feet that they work
not for God, nor move towards heaven. They <i>sit in darkness.</i>
5. It was a righteous thing with God thus to punish them. Pharaoh
and his people had rebelled against the light of God's word, which
Moses spoke to them; justly therefore are they punished with
darkness, for they loved it and chose it rather. The blindness of
their minds brings upon them this darkness of the air. Never was
mind so blinded as Pharaoh's, never was air so darkened as Egypt's.
The Egyptians by their cruelty would have extinguished the lamp of
Israel, and quenched their coal; justly therefore does God put out
their lights. Compare it with the punishment of the Sodomites,
<scripRef passage="Ge 19:11" id="Ex.xi-p15.13" parsed="|Gen|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.11">Gen. xix. 11</scripRef>. Let us dread
the consequences of sin; if three days' darkness was so dreadful,
what will everlasting darkness be? 6. The children of Israel, at
the same time, had <i>light in their dwellings</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:23" id="Ex.xi-p15.14" parsed="|Exod|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), not only in the land
of Goshen, where most of them dwelt, but in the habitations of
those who were dispersed among the Egyptians: for that some of them
were thus dispersed appears from the distinction afterwards
appointed to be put on their door-posts, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:7" id="Ex.xi-p15.15" parsed="|Exod|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.7"><i>ch.</i> xii. 7</scripRef>. This is an instance, (1.)
Of the power of God above the ordinary power of nature. We must not
think that we share in common mercies as a matter of course, and
therefore that we owe no thanks to God for them; he could
distinguish, and withhold that from us which he grants to other. He
does indeed ordinarily make his sun to shine on the just and
unjust; but he could make a difference, and we must own ourselves
indebted to his mercy that he does not. (2.) Of the particular
favour he bears to his people: they <i>walk in the light</i> when
others <i>wander</i> endlessly <i>in thick darkness;</i> wherever
there is an Israelite indeed, though in this dark world, there is
light, there is a <i>child of light,</i> one for whom <i>light is
sown,</i> and whom the <i>day-spring from on high visits.</i> When
God made this difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians,
who would not have preferred the poorest cottage of an Israelite to
the finest palace of an Egyptian? There is still a real difference,
though not so discernible a one, between the house of the wicked,
which is under a curse, and the habitation of the just, which is
blessed, <scripRef passage="Pr 3:33" id="Ex.xi-p15.16" parsed="|Prov|3|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.33">Prov. iii. 33</scripRef>. We
should believe in that difference, and govern ourselves
accordingly. Upon <scripRef passage="Ps 105:28" id="Ex.xi-p15.17" parsed="|Ps|105|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.28">Ps. cv.
28</scripRef>, <i>He sent darkness and made it dark, and they
rebelled not against his word,</i> some ground a conjecture that,
during these three days of darkness, the Israelites were
circumcised, in order to their celebrating the passover which was
now approaching, and that the command which authorized this was the
word against which they rebelled not; for their circumcision, when
they entered Canaan, is spoken of as a second general circumcision,
<scripRef passage="Josh 5:2" id="Ex.xi-p15.18" parsed="|Josh|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.5.2">Josh. v. 2</scripRef>. During these
three days of darkness to the Egyptians, if God had so pleased, the
Israelites, by the light which they had, might have made their
escape, and without asking leave of Pharaoh; but God would bring
them out <i>with a high hand,</i> and not by stealth, nor in haste,
<scripRef passage="Isa 52:12" id="Ex.xi-p15.19" parsed="|Isa|52|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.12">Isa. lii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p16">II. Here is the impression made upon
Pharaoh by this plague, much like that of the foregoing plagues. 1.
It awakened him so far that he renewed the treaty with Moses and
Aaron, and now, at length, consented that they should take their
little ones with them, only he would have their cattle left in
pawn, <scripRef passage="Ex 10:24" id="Ex.xi-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|10|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. It is
common for sinners thus to bargain with God Almighty. Some sins
they will leave, but not all; they will leave their sins for a
time, but they will not bid them a final farewell; they will allow
him some share in their hearts, but the world and the flesh must
share with him: thus they mock God, but they deceive themselves.
Moses resolves not to abate in his terms: <i>Our cattle shall go
with us,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 10:26" id="Ex.xi-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|10|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>.
Note, The terms of reconciliation are so fixed that though men
dispute them ever so long they cannot possibly alter them, nor
bring them lower. We must come up to the demands of God's will, for
we cannot expect he should condescend to the provisos of our lusts.
God's messengers must always be bound up by that rule (<scripRef passage="Jer 15:19" id="Ex.xi-p16.3" parsed="|Jer|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.15.19">Jer. xv. 19</scripRef>), <i>Let them return
unto thee, but return not thou unto them.</i> Moses gives a very
good reason why they must take their cattle with them; they must go
to do sacrifice, and therefore they must take wherewithal. What
numbers and kinds of sacrifices would be required they did not yet
know, and therefore they must take all they had. Note, With
ourselves, and our children, we must devote all our worldly
possessions to the service of God, because we know not what use God
will make of what we have, nor in what way we may be called upon to
honour God with it. 2. Yet it exasperated him so far that, when he
might not make his own terms, he broke off the conference abruptly,
and took up a resolution to treat no more. Wrath now came upon him
to the utmost, and he became outrageous beyond all bounds,
<scripRef passage="Ex 10:28" id="Ex.xi-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|10|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. Moses is
dismissed in anger, forbidden the court upon pain of death,
forbidden so much as to meet Pharaoh any more, as he had been used
to do, by the river's side: <i>In that day thou seest my face, thou
shalt die.</i> Prodigious madness! Had he not found that Moses
could plague him without seeing his face? Or had he forgotten how
often he had sent for Moses as his physician to heal him and ease
him of his plagues? and must he now be bidden to come near him no
more? Impotent malice! To threaten him with death who was armed
with such a power, and at whose mercy he had so often laid himself.
What will not hardness of heart and contempt of God's word and
commandments bring men to? Moses takes him at his word (<scripRef passage="Ex 10:29" id="Ex.xi-p16.5" parsed="|Exod|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>): <i>I will see thy face
no more,</i> that is, "after this time;" for this conference did
not break off till <scripRef passage="Ex 11:8" id="Ex.xi-p16.6" parsed="|Exod|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.8"><i>ch.</i> xi.
8</scripRef>, when Moses went out <i>in a great anger,</i> and told
Pharaoh how soon he would change his mind, and his proud spirit
would come down, which was fulfilled (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:31" id="Ex.xi-p16.7" parsed="|Exod|12|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.31"><i>ch.</i> xii. 31</scripRef>), when Pharaoh became a
humble supplicant to Moses to depart. So that, after this
interview, Moses came no more, till he was sent for. Note, When men
drive God's word from them he justly permits their delusions, and
answers them according to the multitude of their idols. When the
Gadarenes desired Christ to depart, he presently left them.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XI" n="xii" progress="36.07%" prev="Ex.xi" next="Ex.xiii" id="Ex.xii">
<h2 id="Ex.xii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xii-p1">Pharaoh had told Moses to get out of his presence
(<scripRef passage="Ex 10:28" id="Ex.xii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|10|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.28"><i>ch.</i> x. 28</scripRef>), and
Moses had promised this should be the last time he would trouble
him, yet he resolves to say out what he had to say, before he left
him; accordingly, we have in this chapter, I. The instructions God
had given to Moses, which he was now to pursue (<scripRef passage="Ex 11:1,2" id="Ex.xii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|11|1|11|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.1-Exod.11.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>), together with the interest
Israel and Moses had in the esteem of the Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:3" id="Ex.xii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.3">ver. 3</scripRef>. II. The last message Moses
delivered to Pharaoh, concerning the death of the firstborn,
<scripRef passage="Ex 11:4-8" id="Ex.xii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|11|4|11|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.8">ver. 4-8</scripRef>. III. A
repetition of the prediction of Pharaoh's hardening his heart,
(<scripRef passage="Ex 11:9" id="Ex.xii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.9">ver. 9</scripRef>), and the event
answering to it, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:10" id="Ex.xii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.10">ver.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 11" id="Ex.xii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 11:1-3" id="Ex.xii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|11|1|11|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.1-Exod.11.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.11.1-Exod.11.3">
<h4 id="Ex.xii-p1.9">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague <i>more</i> upon
Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when
he shall let <i>you</i> go, he shall surely thrust you out hence
altogether. &#160; 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let
every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her
neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. &#160; 3 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p2.2">Lord</span> gave the people favour in the
sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses <i>was</i> very
great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and
in the sight of the people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xii-p3">Here is, I. The high favour Moses and
Israel were in with God. 1. Moses was a favourite of Heaven, for
God will not hide from him the thing he will do. God not only makes
him his messenger to deliver his errands, but communicates to him
his purpose (as the man of his counsel) that he would bring one
plague more, and but one, upon Pharaoh, by which he would complete
the deliverance of Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:1" id="Ex.xii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|11|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. Moses longed to see an end of this dreadful work, to
see Egypt no more plagued and Israel no more oppressed: "Well,"
says God, "now it is near an end; the warfare shall shortly be
accomplished, the point gained; Pharaoh shall be forced to own
himself conquered, and to give up the cause." After all the rest of
the plagues, God says, <i>I will bring one more.</i> Thus, after
all the judgments executed upon sinners in this world, still there
is one more reserved to be brought on them in the other world,
which will completely humble those whom nothing else would humble.
2. The Israelites were favourites of Heaven; for God himself
espouses their injured cause, and takes care to see them paid for
all their pains in serving the Egyptians. This was the last day of
their servitude; they were about to go away, and their masters, who
had abused them in their work, would not have defrauded them of
their wages, and have sent them away empty; while the poor
Israelites were so fond of liberty that they would be satisfied
with that, without pay, and would rejoice to get that upon any
terms: but he that <i>executeth righteousness and judgment for the
oppressed</i> provided that the labourers should not lose their
hire, and ordered them to demand it now at their departure
(<scripRef passage="Ex 11:2" id="Ex.xii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), <i>in jewels
of silver and jewels of gold,</i> to prepare for which God, by the
plagues, had now made the Egyptians as willing to part with them
upon any terms as, before, the Egyptians, by their severities, had
made them willing to go upon any terms. Though the patient
Israelites were content to lose their wages, yet God would not let
them go without them. Note, One way or other, God will give redress
to the injured, who in a humble silence commit their cause to him;
and he will see to it that none be losers at last by their patient
suffering any more than by their services.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xii-p4">II. The high favour Moses and Israel were
in with the Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:3" id="Ex.xii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. 1. Even the people that has been hated and despised
now came to be respected; the wonders wrought on their behalf put
an honour upon them and made them considerable. How great do they
become for whom God thus fights! Thus <i>the Lord gave them
favour</i> in the sight of the Egyptians, by making it appear how
much he favoured them: he also changed the spirit of the Egyptians
towards them, and made them to be pitied of their oppressors,
<scripRef passage="Ps 106:46" id="Ex.xii-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|106|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.46">Ps. cvi. 46</scripRef>. 2. <i>The man
Moses was very great.</i> How could it be otherwise when they saw
what power he was clothed with, and what wonders were wrought by
his hand? Thus the apostles, though otherwise despicable men, came
to be magnified, <scripRef passage="Ac 5:13" id="Ex.xii-p4.3" parsed="|Acts|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.5.13">Acts v. 13</scripRef>.
Those that honour God he will honour; and with respect to those
that approve themselves faithful to him, how meanly soever they may
pass through this world, there is a day coming when they will look
great, very great, in the eyes of all the world, even theirs who
now look upon them with the utmost contempt. Observe, Though
Pharaoh hated Moses, there were those of Pharaoh's servants that
respected him. Thus in Caesar's household, even Nero's, there were
some that had an esteem for blessed Paul, <scripRef passage="Php 1:13" id="Ex.xii-p4.4" parsed="|Phil|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.1.13">Phil. i. 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 11:4-10" id="Ex.xii-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|11|4|11|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.10">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xii-p5">4 And Moses said, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.1">Lord</span>, About midnight will I go out into the
midst of Egypt: &#160; 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt
shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his
throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that <i>is</i>
behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. &#160; 6 And
there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such
as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. &#160; 7
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his
tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.2">Lord</span> doth put a difference between the
Egyptians and Israel. &#160; 8 And all these thy servants shall
come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get
thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I
will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. &#160;
9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.3">Lord</span> said unto Moses,
Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be
multiplied in the land of Egypt. &#160; 10 And Moses and Aaron did
all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xii-p5.4">Lord</span> hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would
not let the children of Israel go out of his land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xii-p6">Warning is here given to Pharaoh of the
last and conquering plague which was now to be inflicted. This was
the <i>death of all the first-born in</i> Egypt at once, which had
been first threatened (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:23" id="Ex.xii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.23"><i>ch.</i> iv.
23</scripRef>, <i>I will slay thy son, thy first-born</i>), but is
last executed; less judgments were tried, which, if they had done
the work would have prevented this. See how slow God is to wrath,
and how willing to be met with in the way of his judgments, and to
have his anger turned away, and particularly how precious the lives
of men are in his eyes: if the death of their cattle had humbled
and reformed them, their children would have been spared; but, if
men will not improve the gradual advances of divine judgments, they
must thank themselves if they find, in the issue, that the worst
was reserved for the last. 1. The plague itself is here
particularly foretold, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:4-6" id="Ex.xii-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|11|4|11|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4-Exod.11.6"><i>v.</i>
4-6</scripRef>. The time is fixed&#8212;about midnight, the very next
midnight, the dead time of the night; when they were all asleep,
all their first-born should sleep the sleep of death, not silently
and insensibly, so as not to be discovered till morning, but so as
to rouse the families at midnight to stand by and see them die. The
extent of this plague is described, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:5" id="Ex.xii-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. The prince that was to succeed in
the throne was not too high to be reached by it, nor were the
slaves at the mill too low to be taken notice of. Moses and Aaron
were not ordered to summon this plague; no <i>I will go out, saith
the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 11:4" id="Ex.xii-p6.4" parsed="|Exod|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
<i>It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God;</i> what is hell but this? 2. The special protection which the
children of Israel should be under, and the manifest difference
that should be put between them and the Egyptians. While angels
drew their swords against the Egyptians, there should not so much
as a dog bark at any of the children of Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:7" id="Ex.xii-p6.5" parsed="|Exod|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. An earnest was hereby given of
the difference which shall be put in the great day between God's
people and his enemies: did men know what a difference God puts,
and will put to eternity, between those that serve him and those
that serve him not, religion would not seem to them such an
indifferent thing as they make it, nor would they act in it with so
much indifference as they do. 3. The humble submission which
Pharaoh's servants should make to Moses, and how submissively they
should request him to go (<scripRef passage="Ex 11:8" id="Ex.xii-p6.6" parsed="|Exod|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>): <i>They shall come down, and bow themselves.</i>
Note, The proud enemies of God and his Israel shall be made to fall
under at last (<scripRef passage="Re 3:9" id="Ex.xii-p6.7" parsed="|Rev|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.9">Rev. iii. 9</scripRef>),
and shall be found liars to them, <scripRef passage="De 33:29" id="Ex.xii-p6.8" parsed="|Deut|33|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.29">Deut. xxxiii. 29</scripRef>. When Moses had thus
delivered his message, it is said, <i>He went out from Pharaoh in a
great anger,</i> though he was the meekest of all the men of the
earth. Probably he expected that the very threatening of the death
of the firstborn would have induced Pharaoh to comply, especially
as Pharaoh had complied so far already, and had seen how exactly
all Moses's predictions hitherto were fulfilled. But it had not
that effect; his proud heart would not yield, no, not to save all
the firstborn of his kingdom: no marvel that men are not deterred
from vicious courses by the prospects given them of eternal misery
in the other world, when the imminent peril they run of the loss of
all that is dear to them in this world will not frighten them.
Moses, hereupon, was provoked to a holy indignation, being grieved
(as our Saviour afterwards) for the <i>hardness of his heart,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mk 3:5" id="Ex.xii-p6.9" parsed="|Mark|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.3.5">Mark iii. 5</scripRef>. Note, It is a
great vexation to the spirits of good ministers to see people deaf
to all the fair warnings given them, and running headlong upon
ruin, notwithstanding all the kind methods taken to prevent it.
Thus Ezekiel went in <i>the bitterness of his spirit</i> (<scripRef passage="Eze 3:14" id="Ex.xii-p6.10" parsed="|Ezek|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.14">Ezek. iii. 14</scripRef>), because God had told
him that the house of Israel would not hearken to him, <scripRef passage="Ex 11:7" id="Ex.xii-p6.11" parsed="|Exod|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. To be angry at nothing
but sin is the way not to sin in anger. Moses, having thus adverted
to the disturbance which Pharaoh's obstinacy gave him, (1.)
Reflects upon the previous notice God had given him of this
(<scripRef passage="Ex 11:9" id="Ex.xii-p6.12" parsed="|Exod|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>The Lord
said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken to you.</i> The
scripture has foretold the incredulity of those who should hear the
gospel, that it might not be a surprise nor stumbling-block to us,
<scripRef passage="Joh 12:37,38,Ro 10:16" id="Ex.xii-p6.13" parsed="|John|12|37|12|38;|Rom|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.37-John.12.38 Bible:Rom.10.16">John xii. 37, 38; Rom. x.
16</scripRef>. Let us think never the worse of the gospel of Christ
for the slights men generally put upon it, for we were told before
what cold entertainment it would meet with. (2.) He recapitulates
all he had said before to this purport (<scripRef passage="Ex 11:10" id="Ex.xii-p6.14" parsed="|Exod|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), that Moses did all these
wonders, as they are here related, before Pharaoh (he himself was
an eye-witness of them), and yet he could not prevail, which was a
certain sign that God himself had, in a way of righteous judgment,
hardened his heart. Thus the Jews' rejection of the gospel of
Christ was so gross an absurdity that it might easily be inferred
from it that <i>God had given them the spirit of slumber,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ro 11:8" id="Ex.xii-p6.15" parsed="|Rom|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.8">Rom. xi. 8</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XII" n="xiii" progress="36.30%" prev="Ex.xii" next="Ex.xiv" id="Ex.xiii">
<h2 id="Ex.xiii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xiii-p1">This chapter gives an account of one of the most
memorable ordinances, and one of the most memorable providences, of
all that are recorded in the Old Testament. I. Not one of all the
ordinances of the Jewish church was more eminent than that of the
passover, nor is any one more frequently mentioned in the New
Testament; and we have here an account of the institution to it.
The ordinance consisted of three parts:&#8212;1. The killing and eating
of the paschal lamb, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:1-6,8-11" id="Ex.xiii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|12|1|12|6;|Exod|12|8|12|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.1-Exod.12.6 Bible:Exod.12.8-Exod.12.11">ver. 1-6,
8-11</scripRef>. 2. The sprinkling of the blood upon the
door-posts, spoken of as a distinct thing (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:28" id="Ex.xiii-p1.2" parsed="|Heb|11|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.28">Heb. xi. 28</scripRef>), and peculiar to this first
passover (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:7" id="Ex.xiii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.7">ver. 7</scripRef>), with the
reason for it, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:13" id="Ex.xiii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.13">ver. 13</scripRef>. 3.
The feast of unleavened bread for seven days following; this points
rather at what was to be done afterwards, in the observance of this
ordinance, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:14-20" id="Ex.xiii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|12|14|12|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.14-Exod.12.20">ver. 14-20</scripRef>.
This institution is communicated to the people, and they are
instructed in the observance, (1.) Of this first passover,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:21-23" id="Ex.xiii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|12|21|12|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.21-Exod.12.23">ver. 21-23</scripRef>. (2.) Of the
after passovers, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:24-27" id="Ex.xiii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|12|24|12|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.24-Exod.12.27">ver.
24-27</scripRef>. And the Israelites' obedience to these orders,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:28" id="Ex.xiii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|12|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.28">ver. 28</scripRef>. II. Not one of all
the providences of God concerning the Jewish church was more
illustrious, or is more frequently mentioned, than the deliverance
of the children of Israel out of Egypt. 1. The firstborn of the
Egyptians are slain, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:29,30" id="Ex.xiii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|12|29|12|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.29-Exod.12.30">ver. 29,
30</scripRef>. 2. Orders are given immediately for their discharge,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:31-33" id="Ex.xiii-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|12|31|12|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.31-Exod.12.33">ver. 31-33</scripRef>. 3. They
begin their march. (1.) Loaded with their own effects, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:34" id="Ex.xiii-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|12|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.34">ver. 34</scripRef>. (2.) Enriched with the
spoils of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:35,36" id="Ex.xiii-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|12|35|12|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.35-Exod.12.36">ver. 35,
36</scripRef>. (3.) Attended with a mixed multitude, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:37,38" id="Ex.xiii-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|12|37|12|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.37-Exod.12.38">ver. 37, 38</scripRef>. (4.) Put to their
shifts for present supply, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:39" id="Ex.xiii-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|12|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.39">ver.
39</scripRef>. The event is dated, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:40-42" id="Ex.xiii-p1.15" parsed="|Exod|12|40|12|42" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.40-Exod.12.42">ver. 40-42</scripRef>. Lastly, A recapitulation in
the close, [1.] Of this memorable ordinance, with some additions,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:43-49" id="Ex.xiii-p1.16" parsed="|Exod|12|43|12|49" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.43-Exod.12.49">ver. 43-49</scripRef>. [2.] Of this
memorable providence, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:50,51" id="Ex.xiii-p1.17" parsed="|Exod|12|50|12|51" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.50-Exod.12.51">ver. 50,
51</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 12" id="Ex.xiii-p1.18" parsed="|Exod|12|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 12:1-20" id="Ex.xiii-p1.19" parsed="|Exod|12|1|12|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.1-Exod.12.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.12.1-Exod.12.20">
<h4 id="Ex.xiii-p1.20">The Appointment of the Passover; the Feast
of Unleavened Bread. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p1.21">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, &#160; 2
This month <i>shall be</i> unto you the beginning of months: it
<i>shall be</i> the first month of the year to you. &#160; 3 Speak
ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth
<i>day</i> of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb,
according to the house of <i>their</i> fathers, a lamb for an
house: &#160; 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb,
let him and his neighbour next unto his house take <i>it</i>
according to the number of the souls; every man according to his
eating shall make your count for the lamb. &#160; 5 Your lamb shall
be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take
<i>it</i> out from the sheep, or from the goats: &#160; 6 And ye
shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and
the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in
the evening. &#160; 7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike
<i>it</i> on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the
houses, wherein they shall eat it. &#160; 8 And they shall eat the
flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread;
<i>and</i> with bitter <i>herbs</i> they shall eat it. &#160; 9 Eat
not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast <i>with</i>
fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
&#160; 10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning;
and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with
fire. &#160; 11 And thus shall ye eat it; <i>with</i> your loins
girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and
ye shall eat it in haste: it <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p2.2">Lord</span>'s passover. &#160; 12 For I will pass
through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all
the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p2.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 13 And the blood shall be to
you for a token upon the houses where ye <i>are:</i> and when I see
the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon
you to destroy <i>you,</i> when I smite the land of Egypt. &#160;
14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep
it a feast to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p2.4">Lord</span> throughout
your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for
ever. &#160; 15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the
first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for
whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the
seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. &#160; 16 And
in the first day <i>there shall be</i> an holy convocation, and in
the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no
manner of work shall be done in them, save <i>that</i> which every
man must eat, that only may be done of you. &#160; 17 And ye shall
observe <i>the feast of</i> unleavened bread; for in this selfsame
day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore
shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for
ever. &#160; 18 In the first <i>month,</i> on the fourteenth day of
the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and
twentieth day of the month at even. &#160; 19 Seven days shall
there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that
which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the
congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the
land. &#160; 20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your
habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p3">Moses and Aaron here <i>receive of the
Lord</i> what they were afterwards to <i>deliver to the people</i>
concerning the ordinance of the passover, to which is prefixed an
order for a new style to be observed in their months (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:1,2" id="Ex.xiii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|12|1|12|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.1-Exod.12.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>): <i>This shall be to
you the beginning of months.</i> They had hitherto begun their year
from the middle of September, but henceforward they were to begin
it from the middle of March, at least in all their ecclesiastical
computations. Note, It is good to begin the day, and begin the
year, and especially to begin our lives, with God. This new
calculation began the year with the spring, which <i>reneweth the
face of the earth,</i> and was used as a figure of the coming of
Christ, <scripRef passage="So 2:11,12" id="Ex.xiii-p3.2" parsed="|Song|2|11|2|12" osisRef="Bible:Song.2.11-Song.2.12">Cant. ii. 11, 12</scripRef>.
We may suppose that, while Moses was bringing the ten plagues upon
the Egyptians, he was directing the Israelites to prepare for their
departure at an hour's warning. Probably he had by degrees brought
them near together from their dispersions, for they are here
called <i>the congregation of Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:3" id="Ex.xiii-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and to them as a congregation
orders are here sent. Their amazement and hurry, it is easy to
suppose, were great; yet now they must apply themselves to the
observance of a sacred rite, to the honour of God. Note, When our
heads are fullest of care, and our hands of business, yet we must
not forget our religion, nor suffer ourselves to be indisposed for
acts of devotion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p4">I. God appointed that on the night wherein
they were to go out of Egypt they should, in each of their
families, <i>kill a lamb,</i> or that two or three families, if
they were small, should join for a lamb. The lamb was to be got
ready four days before and that afternoon they were to <i>kill
it</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:6" id="Ex.xiii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) as a
sacrifice; not strictly, for it was not offered <i>upon the
altar,</i> but as a religious ceremony, acknowledging God's
goodness to them, not only in preserving them from, but in
delivering them by, the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians. See the
antiquity of family-religion; and see the convenience of the
joining of small families together for religious worship, that it
may be made the more solemn.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p5">II. The lamb so slain they were to eat,
roasted (we may suppose, in its several quarters), with unleavened
bread and bitter herbs, because they were to eat it <i>in haste</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:11" id="Ex.xiii-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|12|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), and to
leave none of it until the morning; for God would have them to
depend upon him for their daily bread, and not to take thought for
the morrow. He that led them would feed them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p6">III. Before they ate the flesh of the lamb,
they were to sprinkle the blood upon the doorposts, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:7" id="Ex.xiii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. By this their houses were
to be distinguished from the houses of the Egyptians, and so their
first-born secured from the sword of the destroying angel,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:12,13" id="Ex.xiii-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|12|12|12|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.12-Exod.12.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>.
Dreadful work was to be made this night in Egypt; all the
first-born both of man and beast were to be slain, and judgment
executed upon the gods of Egypt. Moses does not mention the
fulfillment, in this chapter, yet he speaks of it <scripRef passage="Nu 33:4" id="Ex.xiii-p6.3" parsed="|Num|33|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.4">Num. xxxiii. 4</scripRef>. It is very probable
that the idols which the Egyptians worshipped were destroyed, those
of metal melted, those of wood consumed, and those of stone broken
to pieces, whence Jethro infers (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:11" id="Ex.xiii-p6.4" parsed="|Exod|18|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.11"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 11</scripRef>), <i>The Lord is greater
than all gods.</i> The same angel that destroyed their first-born
demolished their idols, which were no less dear to them. For the
protection of Israel from this plague they were ordered to sprinkle
the blood of the lamb upon the door-posts, their doing which would
be accepted as an instance of their faith in the divine warnings
and their obedience to the divine precepts. Note, 1. If in times of
common calamity God will secure his own people, and set a mark upon
them; they shall be hidden either in heaven or under heaven,
preserved either from the stroke of judgments or at least from the
sting of them. 2. The blood of sprinkling is the saint's security
in times of common calamity; it is this that marks them for God,
pacifies conscience, and gives them boldness of access to the
throne of grace, and so becomes a wall of protection round them and
a wall of partition between them and the children of this
world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p7">IV. This was to be annually observed as a
feast of the Lord in their generations, to which the <i>feast of
unleavened bread</i> was annexed, during which, for seven days,
they were to eat no bread but what was unleavened, in remembrance
of their being confined to such bread, of necessity, for many days
after they came out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:14-20" id="Ex.xiii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|12|14|12|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.14-Exod.12.20"><i>v.</i> 14-20</scripRef>. The appointment is
inculcated for their better direction, and that they might not
mistake concerning it, and to awaken those who perhaps in Egypt had
grown generally very stupid and careless in the matters of religion
to a diligent observance of the institution. Now, without doubt,
there was much of the gospel in this ordinance; it is often
referred to in the New Testament, and, in it, to us is <i>the
gospel preached,</i> and <i>not to them only,</i> who <i>could not
stedfastly look to the end of these things,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 4:2,2Co 3:13" id="Ex.xiii-p7.2" parsed="|Heb|4|2|0|0;|2Cor|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.2 Bible:2Cor.3.13">Heb. iv. 2; 2 Cor. iii. 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p8">1. The paschal lamb was typical. Christ is
<i>our Passover,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 5:7" id="Ex.xiii-p8.1" parsed="|1Cor|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.7">1 Cor. v.
7</scripRef>. (1.) It was to be a <i>lamb;</i> and Christ is <i>the
Lamb of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 1:29" id="Ex.xiii-p8.2" parsed="|John|1|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.29">John i.
29</scripRef>), often in the Revelation called the <i>Lamb,</i>
meek and innocent as a lamb, dumb before the shearers, before the
butchers. (2.) It was to be a <i>male of the first year</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:5" id="Ex.xiii-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|12|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), in its prime;
Christ offered up himself in the midst of his days, not in infancy
with the babes of Bethlehem. It denotes the strength and
sufficiency of the Lord Jesus, on whom our help was laid. (3.) It
was to be <i>without blemish</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:5" id="Ex.xiii-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|12|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), denoting the purity of the Lord
Jesus, a Lamb <i>without spot,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:19" id="Ex.xiii-p8.5" parsed="|1Pet|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.19">1
Pet. i. 19</scripRef>. The judge that condemned him (as if his
trial were only like the scrutiny that was made concerning the
sacrifices, whether they were without blemish or no) pronounced him
innocent. (4.) It was to be set apart four days before (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:3,6" id="Ex.xiii-p8.6" parsed="|Exod|12|3|0|0;|Exod|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.3 Bible:Exod.12.6"><i>v.</i> 3, 6</scripRef>), denoting the
designation of the Lord Jesus to be a Saviour, both in the purpose
and in the promise. It is very observable that as Christ was
crucified at the passover, so he solemnly entered into Jerusalem
four days before, the very day that the paschal lamb was set apart.
(5.) It was to be <i>slain,</i> and <i>roasted with fire</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:6-9" id="Ex.xiii-p8.7" parsed="|Exod|12|6|12|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.6-Exod.12.9"><i>v.</i> 6-9</scripRef>), denoting
the exquisite sufferings of the Lord Jesus, even unto death, the
death of the cross. The wrath of God is as fire, and Christ was
made a curse for us. (6.) It was to be killed by the whole
congregation between the two evenings, that is, between three
o'clock and six. Christ suffered in the <i>end of the world</i>
(<scripRef passage="Heb 9:26" id="Ex.xiii-p8.8" parsed="|Heb|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.26">Heb. ix. 26</scripRef>), by the hand
of the Jews, the whole multitude of them (<scripRef passage="Lu 23:18" id="Ex.xiii-p8.9" parsed="|Luke|23|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.23.18">Luke xxiii. 18</scripRef>), and for the good of all his
spiritual Israel. (7.) Not <i>a bone of it must be broken</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:46" id="Ex.xiii-p8.10" parsed="|Exod|12|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>), which is
expressly said to be fulfilled in Christ (<scripRef passage="Joh 19:33,36" id="Ex.xiii-p8.11" parsed="|John|19|33|0|0;|John|19|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.19.33 Bible:John.19.36">John xix. 33, 36</scripRef>), denoting the unbroken
strength of the Lord Jesus.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p9">2. The sprinkling of the blood was typical.
(1.) It was not enough that the blood of the lamb was shed, but it
must be sprinkled, denoting the application of the merits of
Christ's death to our souls; we must <i>receive the atonement,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ro 5:11" id="Ex.xiii-p9.1" parsed="|Rom|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.11">Rom. v. 11</scripRef>. (2.) It was to
be sprinkled with <i>a bunch of hyssop</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:22" id="Ex.xiii-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|12|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>) <i>dipped in the basin.</i> The
everlasting covenant, like the basin, in the conservatory of this
blood, the benefits and privileges purchased by it are laid up for
us there; faith is the bunch of hyssop by which we apply the
promises to ourselves and the benefits of the blood of Christ laid
up in them. (3.) It was to be sprinkled upon the <i>door-posts,</i>
denoting the open profession we are to make of faith in Christ, and
obedience to him, as those that are not ashamed to own our
dependence upon him. The mark of the beast may be received on the
forehead or in the right hand, but the seal of the <i>Lamb</i> is
always <i>in the forehead,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 7:3" id="Ex.xiii-p9.3" parsed="|Rev|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.3">Rev. vii.
3</scripRef>. There is a back-way to hell, but no back-way to
heaven; no, the only way to this is a high-way, <scripRef passage="Isa 35:8" id="Ex.xiii-p9.4" parsed="|Isa|35|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.35.8">Isa. xxxv. 8</scripRef>. (4.) It was to be sprinkled
upon the <i>lintel</i> and the <i>sideposts,</i> but not upon the
<i>threshold</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:7" id="Ex.xiii-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), which cautions us to take heed of trampling under
foot the blood of the covenant, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:29" id="Ex.xiii-p9.6" parsed="|Heb|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.29">Heb.
x. 29</scripRef>. It is precious blood, and must be precious to us.
(5.) The blood, thus sprinkled, was a means of the preservation of
the Israelites from the destroying angel, who had nothing to do
where the blood was. If the blood of Christ be sprinkled upon our
consciences, it will be our protection from the wrath of God, the
curse of the law, and the damnation of hell, <scripRef passage="Ro 8:1" id="Ex.xiii-p9.7" parsed="|Rom|8|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.1">Rom. viii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p10">3. The solemnly eating of the lamb was
typical of our gospel-duty to Christ. (1.) The paschal lamb was
killed, not to be looked upon only, but to be fed upon; so we must
by faith make Christ ours, as we do that which we eat, and we must
receive spiritual strength and nourishment from him, as from our
food, and have delight and satisfaction in him, as we have in
eating and drinking when we are hungry or thirsty: see <scripRef passage="Joh 6:53-55" id="Ex.xiii-p10.1" parsed="|John|6|53|6|55" osisRef="Bible:John.6.53-John.6.55">John vi. 53-55</scripRef>. (2.) It was to be
all eaten; those that by faith feed upon Christ must feed upon a
whole Christ; they must take Christ and his yoke, Christ and his
cross, as well as Christ and his crown. <i>Is Christ divided?</i>
Those hat gather much of Christ will have nothing over. (3.) It was
to be eaten immediately, not deferred till morning, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:10" id="Ex.xiii-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|12|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. <i>To-day</i> Christ is
offered, and is to be accepted while it is called to-day, before we
sleep the sleep of death. (4.) It was to be eaten <i>with bitter
herbs</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:8" id="Ex.xiii-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), in
remembrance of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt. We must
feed upon Christ with sorrow and brokenness of heart, in
remembrance of sin; this will give an admirable relish to the
paschal lamb. Christ will be sweet to us if sin be bitter. (5.) It
was to be eaten in a departing posture (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:11" id="Ex.xiii-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|12|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>); when we feed upon Christ by
faith we must absolutely forsake the rule and dominion of sin,
shake off Pharaoh's yoke; and we must sit loose to the world, and
every thing in it, forsake all for Christ, and reckon it no bad
bargain, <scripRef passage="Heb 13:13,14" id="Ex.xiii-p10.5" parsed="|Heb|13|13|13|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.13-Heb.13.14">Heb. xiii. 13,
14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p11">4. The feast of unleavened bread was
typical of the Christian life, <scripRef passage="1Co 5:7,8" id="Ex.xiii-p11.1" parsed="|1Cor|5|7|5|8" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.7-1Cor.5.8">1 Cor.
v. 7, 8</scripRef>. Having received Christ Jesus the Lord, (1.) We
must keep a feast in holy joy, continually delighting ourselves in
Christ Jesus; no <i>manner of work must be done</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:16" id="Ex.xiii-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), no care admitted or
indulged, inconsistent with, or prejudicial to, this holy joy: if
true believers have not a continual feast, it is their own fault.
(2.) It must be a feast of unleavened bread, kept in charity,
without the leaven of malice, and insincerity, without the leaven
of hypocrisy. The law was very strict as to the passover, and the
Jews were so in their usages, that no leaven should be <i>found in
their houses,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:19" id="Ex.xiii-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|12|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. All the old leaven of sin must be put far from us,
with the utmost caution and abhorrence, if we would keep the feast
of a holy life to the honour of Christ. (3.) It was by an
<i>ordinance for ever</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:17" id="Ex.xiii-p11.4" parsed="|Exod|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>); as long as we live, we must continue feeding upon
Christ and rejoicing in him, always making thankful mention of the
great things he has done for us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 12:21-28" id="Ex.xiii-p11.5" parsed="|Exod|12|21|12|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.21-Exod.12.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.12.21-Exod.12.28">
<h4 id="Ex.xiii-p11.6">The Passover. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p11.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiii-p12">21 Then Moses called for all the elders of
Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according
to your families, and kill the passover. &#160; 22 And ye shall
take a bunch of hyssop, and dip <i>it</i> in the blood that
<i>is</i> in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side
posts with the blood that <i>is</i> in the bason; and none of you
shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. &#160; 23
For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p12.1">Lord</span> will pass through to
smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel,
and on the two side posts, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p12.2">Lord</span>
will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come
in unto your houses to smite <i>you.</i> &#160; 24 And ye shall
observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for
ever. &#160; 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the
land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p12.3">Lord</span> will give you,
according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
&#160; 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say
unto you, What mean ye by this service? &#160; 27 That ye shall
say, It <i>is</i> the sacrifice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p12.4">Lord</span>'s passover, who passed over the houses of
the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and
delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
&#160; 28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p12.5">Lord</span> had commanded Moses and Aaron,
so did they.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p13">I. Moses is here, as a faithful steward in
God's house, teaching the children of Israel to <i>observe all
things which God had commanded him;</i> and no doubt he gave the
instructions as largely as he received them, though they are not so
largely recorded. It is here added,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p14">1. That this night, when the first-born
were to be destroyed, no Israelite must <i>stir out of doors till
morning,</i> that is, till towards morning, when they would be
called to march out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:22" id="Ex.xiii-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|12|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Not but that the destroying
angel could have known an Israelite from an Egyptian in the street;
but God would intimate to them that their safety was owing to the
<i>blood of sprinkling;</i> if they put themselves from under the
protection of that, it was at their peril. Those whom God has
marked for himself must not mingle with evil doers: see <scripRef passage="Isa 26:20,21" id="Ex.xiii-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|26|20|26|21" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.20-Isa.26.21">Isa. xxvi. 20, 21</scripRef>. They must not
go out of the doors, lest they should straggle and be out of the
way when they should be summoned to depart: they must stay within,
to <i>wait for the salvation of the Lord,</i> and it is good to do
so.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p15">2. That hereafter they should carefully
teach their children the meaning of this service, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:26,27" id="Ex.xiii-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|12|26|12|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.26-Exod.12.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p16">(1.) The question which the children would
ask concerning this solemnity (which they would soon take notice of
in the family): "<i>What mean you by this service?</i> What is he
meaning of all this care and exactness about eating this lamb, and
this unleavened bread, more than about common food? Why such a
difference between this meal and other meals?" Note, [1.] It is a
good thing to see children inquisitive about the things of God; it
is to be hoped that those who are careful to ask for the way will
find it. Christ himself, when a child, <i>heard and asked
questions,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 2:46" id="Ex.xiii-p16.1" parsed="|Luke|2|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.46">Luke ii. 46</scripRef>.
[2.] It concerns us all rightly to understand the meaning of those
holy ordinances wherein we worship God, what is the nature and what
the end of them, what is signified and what intended, what is the
duty expected from us in them and what are the advantages to be
expected by us. Every ordinance has a meaning; some ordinances, as
sacraments, have not their meaning so plain and obvious as others
have; therefore we are concerned to search, that we may not offer
<i>the blind for sacrifice,</i> but may do a reasonable service. If
either we are ignorant of, or mistake about, the meaning of holy
ordinances, we can neither please God nor profit ourselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p17">(2.) The answer which the parents were to
return to this question (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:27" id="Ex.xiii-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|12|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>): <i>You shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's
passover,</i> that is, "By the killing and sacrificing of this
lamb, we keep in remembrance the work of wonder and grace which God
did for our fathers, when," [1.] "To make way for our deliverance
out of bondage, he slew the firstborn of the Egyptians, so
compelling them to sign our discharge;" and, [2.] "Though there
were <i>with us, even with us, sins against the Lord our God,</i>
for which the destroying angel, when he was abroad doing execution,
might justly have destroyed our first-born too, yet God graciously
appointed and accepted the family-sacrifice of a lamb, instead of
the first-born, as, of old, the ram instead of Isaac, and in every
house where the lamb was slain the first-born were saved." The
repetition of this solemnity in the return of every year was
designed, <i>First,</i> To look backward as a memorial, that in it
they might remember what great things God had done for them and
their fathers. The word <i>pesach</i> signifies a <i>leap,</i> or
<i>transition;</i> it is a passing over; for the destroying angel
passed over the houses of the Israelites, and did not destroy their
first-born. When God brings utter ruin upon his people he says,
<i>I will not pass by them any more</i> (<scripRef passage="Am 7:8,8:2" id="Ex.xiii-p17.2" parsed="|Amos|7|8|0|0;|Amos|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.7.8 Bible:Amos.8.2">Amos vii. 8; viii. 2</scripRef>), intimating how often
he had passed by them, as now when the destroying angel passed over
their houses. Note, 1. Distinguishing mercies lay under peculiar
obligations. When <i>a thousand fall at our side, and ten thousand
at our right hand,</i> and yet we are preserved, and have our lives
given us for a prey, this should greatly affect us, <scripRef passage="Ps 91:7" id="Ex.xiii-p17.3" parsed="|Ps|91|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.7">Ps. xci. 7</scripRef>. In war or pestilence, if
the arrow of death have passed by us, passed over us, hit the next
to us and just missed us, we must not say it was by chance that we
were preserved but by the special providence of our God. 2. Old
mercies to ourselves, or to our fathers, must not be forgotten, but
be had in everlasting remembrance, that God may be praised, our
faith in him encouraged, and our hearts enlarged in his service.
<i>Secondly,</i> It was designed to look forward as an earnest of
the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God in the fulness of time,
instead of us and our first-born. We were obnoxious to the sword of
the destroying angel, but <i>Christ our passover was sacrificed for
us,</i> his death was our life, and thus he was the <i>Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world,</i> from the foundation of the
Jewish church: Moses kept the passover by faith in Christ, for
Christ was <i>the end of the law for righteousness.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p18">II. The people received these instructions
with reverence and ready obedience. 1. They <i>bowed the head and
worshipped</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:27" id="Ex.xiii-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|12|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>): they hereby signified their submission to this
institution as a law, and their thankfulness for it as a favour and
privilege. Note, When God gives law to us, we must give honour to
him; when he speaks, we must <i>bow our heads and worship.</i> 2.
They <i>went away and did</i> as they were commanded, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:23" id="Ex.xiii-p18.2" parsed="|Exod|12|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Here was none of that
discontent and murmuring among them which we read of, <scripRef passage="Ex 5:20,21" id="Ex.xiii-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|5|20|5|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.20-Exod.5.21"><i>ch.</i> v. 20, 21</scripRef>. The plagues
of Egypt had done them good, and raised their expectations of a
glorious deliverance, which before they despaired of; and now they
went forth to meet it in the way appointed. Note, The perfecting of
God's mercies to us must be waited for in a humble observance of
his institutions.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 12:29-36" id="Ex.xiii-p18.4" parsed="|Exod|12|29|12|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.29-Exod.12.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.12.29-Exod.12.36">
<h4 id="Ex.xiii-p18.5">The Death of the Firstborn. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p18.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiii-p19">29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p19.1">Lord</span> smote all the firstborn in the
land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne
unto the firstborn of the captive that <i>was</i> in the dungeon;
and all the firstborn of cattle. &#160; 30 And Pharaoh rose up in
the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and
there was a great cry in Egypt; for <i>there was</i> not a house
where <i>there was</i> not one dead. &#160; 31 And he called for
Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, <i>and</i> get you
forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and
go, serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p19.2">Lord</span>, as ye have said.
&#160; 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said,
and be gone; and bless me also. &#160; 33 And the Egyptians were
urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land
in haste; for they said, We <i>be</i> all dead <i>men.</i> &#160;
34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their
kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their
shoulders. &#160; 35 And the children of Israel did according to
the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of
silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: &#160; 36 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p19.3">Lord</span> gave the people favour in the sight
of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them <i>such things as
they required.</i> And they spoiled the Egyptians.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p20">Here we have, I. The Egyptians' sons, even
their first-born, slain, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:29,30" id="Ex.xiii-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|12|29|12|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.29-Exod.12.30"><i>v.</i>
29, 30</scripRef>. If Pharaoh would have taken the warning which
was given him of this plague, and would thereupon have released
Israel, what a great many dear and valuable lives might have been
preserved! But see what obstinate infidelity brings upon men.
Observe, 1. The time when this blow was given: It was <i>at
midnight,</i> which added to the terror of it. The three preceding
nights were made dreadful by the additional plague of darkness,
which might be felt, and doubtless disturbed their repose; and now,
when they hoped for one quiet night's rest, at midnight was the
alarm given. When the destroying angel drew his sword against
Jerusalem, it was in the day-time (<scripRef passage="2Sa 24:15" id="Ex.xiii-p20.2" parsed="|2Sam|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.15">2
Sam. xxiv. 15</scripRef>), which made it the less frightful; but
the destruction of Egypt was by a <i>pestilence walking in
darkness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 91:6" id="Ex.xiii-p20.3" parsed="|Ps|91|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.6">Ps. xci. 6</scripRef>.
Shortly there will be an alarming cry at midnight, <i>Behold, the
bridegroom cometh.</i> 2. On whom the plague fastened&#8212;on <i>their
first-born,</i> the joy and hope of their respective families. They
had slain the Hebrews' children, and now God slew theirs. Thus he
visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children; and he is
<i>not unrighteous who taketh vengeance.</i> 3. How far it
reached&#8212;from the throne to the dungeon. Prince and peasant stand
upon the same level before God's judgments, for there is no respect
of persons with him; see <scripRef passage="Job 34:19,20" id="Ex.xiii-p20.4" parsed="|Job|34|19|34|20" osisRef="Bible:Job.34.19-Job.34.20">Job
xxxiv. 19, 20</scripRef>. Now the <i>slain of the Lord were many;
multitudes, multitudes,</i> fall in this <i>valley of decision,</i>
when the controversy between God and Pharaoh was to be determined.
4. What an outcry was made upon it: <i>There was a great cry in
Egypt,</i> universal lamentation for their <i>only</i> son (with
many), and with all for their <i>first-born.</i> If any be suddenly
taken ill in the night, we are wont to call up neighbours; but the
Egyptians could have no help, no comfort, from their neighbours,
all being involved in the same calamity. Let us learn hence, (1.)
To tremble before God, and to be <i>afraid of his judgments,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 119:120" id="Ex.xiii-p20.5" parsed="|Ps|119|120|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.120">Ps. cxix. 120</scripRef>. Who is
able to stand before him, or dares resist him? (2.) To be thankful
to God for the daily preservation of ourselves and our families:
lying so much exposed, we have reason to say, "It is of the Lord's
mercies that we are not consumed."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p21">II. God's sons, even his first-born,
released; this judgment conquered Pharaoh, and obliged him to
<i>surrender at discretion,</i> without capitulating. Men had
better come up to God's terms at first, for he will never come down
to theirs, let them object as long as they will. Now Pharaoh's
pride is abased, and he yields to all that Moses had insisted on:
<i>Serve the Lord as you have said</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:31" id="Ex.xiii-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|12|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), and <i>take your flocks as you
have said,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:32" id="Ex.xiii-p21.2" parsed="|Exod|12|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>. Note, God's word will stand, and we shall get
nothing by disputing it, or delaying to submit to it. Hitherto the
Israelites were not permitted to depart, but now things had come to
the last extremity, in consequence of which, 1. They are commanded
to depart: <i>Rise up, and get you forth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:31" id="Ex.xiii-p21.3" parsed="|Exod|12|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. Pharaoh had told Moses he
should <i>see his face no more;</i> but now he sent for him. Those
will seek God early in their distress who before had set him at
defiance. Such a fright he was now in that he gave orders by night
for their discharge, fearing lest, if he delayed any longer, he
himself should fall next; and that he sent them out, not as men
hated (as the pagan historians have represented this matter), but
as men feared, is plainly discovered by his humble request to them
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:32" id="Ex.xiii-p21.4" parsed="|Exod|12|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>): "<i>Bless
me also;</i> let me have your prayers, that I may not be plagued
for what is past, when you are gone." Note, Those that are enemies
to God's church are enemies to themselves, and, sooner or later,
they will be made to see it. 2. They are hired to depart by the
Egyptians; they cried out (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:33" id="Ex.xiii-p21.5" parsed="|Exod|12|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.33"><i>v.</i>
33</scripRef>), <i>We be all dead men.</i> Note, When death comes
into our houses, it is seasonable for us to think of our own
mortality. Are our relations dead? It is easy to infer thence that
we are dying, and, in effect, already dead men. Upon this
consideration they were urgent with the Israelites to be gone,
which gave great advantage to the Israelites in borrowing their
jewels, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:35,36" id="Ex.xiii-p21.6" parsed="|Exod|12|35|12|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.35-Exod.12.36"><i>v.</i> 35,
36</scripRef>. When the Egyptians urged them to be gone, it was
easy for them to say that the Egyptians had kept them poor, that
they could not undertake such a journey with empty purses, but,
that, if they would give them wherewithal to bear their charges,
they would be gone. And this the divine Providence designed in
suffering things to come to this extremity, that they, becoming
formidable to the Egyptians, might have what they would, for
asking; the Lord also, by the influence he has on the minds of
people, inclined the hearts of the Egyptians to furnish them with
what they desired, they probably intending thereby to <i>make
atonement,</i> that the plagues might be stayed, as the
Philistines, when they returned the ark, sent a present with it for
a trespass-offering, having an eye to this precedent, <scripRef passage="1Sa 6:3,6" id="Ex.xiii-p21.7" parsed="|1Sam|6|3|0|0;|1Sam|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.6.3 Bible:1Sam.6.6">1 Sam. vi. 3, 6</scripRef>. The Israelites
might receive and keep what they thus borrowed, or rather required,
of the Egyptians, (1.) As justly as servants receive wages from
their masters for work done, and sue for it if it be detained. (2.)
As justly as conquerors take the spoils of their enemies whom they
have subdued; Pharaoh was in rebellion against the <i>God of the
Hebrews,</i> by which all that he had was forfeited. (3.) As justly
as subjects receive the estates granted to them by their prince.
God is the sovereign proprietor of the earth, and the fulness
thereof; and, if he take from one and give to another, who may say
unto him, <i>What doest thou?</i> It was by God's special order and
appointment that the Israelites did what they did, which was
sufficient to justify them, and bear them out; but what they did
will by no means authorize others (who cannot pretend to any such
warrant) to do the same. Let us remember, [1.] That the King of
kings can do no wrong. [2.] That he will do right to those whom men
injure, <scripRef passage="Ps 146:7" id="Ex.xiii-p21.8" parsed="|Ps|146|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.146.7">Ps. cxlvi. 7</scripRef>. Hence
it is that the <i>wealth of the sinner</i> often proves to be
<i>laid up for the just,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 13:22,Job 27:16,17" id="Ex.xiii-p21.9" parsed="|Prov|13|22|0|0;|Job|27|16|27|17" osisRef="Bible:Prov.13.22 Bible:Job.27.16-Job.27.17">Prov. xiii. 22; Job xxvii. 16,
17</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 12:37-42" id="Ex.xiii-p21.10" parsed="|Exod|12|37|12|42" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.37-Exod.12.42"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.12.37-Exod.12.42">
<h4 id="Ex.xiii-p21.11">Departure of the Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p21.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiii-p22">37 And the children of Israel journeyed from
Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot <i>that
were</i> men, beside children. &#160; 38 And a mixed multitude went
up also with them; and flocks, and herds, <i>even</i> very much
cattle. &#160; 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough
which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened;
because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither
had they prepared for themselves any victual. &#160; 40 Now the
sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt,
<i>was</i> four hundred and thirty years. &#160; 41 And it came to
pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the
selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p22.1">Lord</span> went out from the land of Egypt.
&#160; 42 It <i>is</i> a night to be much observed unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p22.2">Lord</span> for bringing them out from the land
of Egypt: this <i>is</i> that night of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p22.3">Lord</span> to be observed of all the children of
Israel in their generations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p23">Here is the departure of the children of
Israel out of Egypt; having obtained their dismission, they set
forward without delay, and did not defer to a more convenient
season. Pharaoh was now in a good mind; but they had reason to
think he would not long continue so, and therefore it was no time
to linger. We have here an account, 1. Of their number, about
600,000 men (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:37" id="Ex.xiii-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|12|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>),
besides women and children, which I think, we cannot suppose to
make less than 1,200,000 more. What a vast increase was this, to
arise from seventy souls in little more than 200 years' time! See
the power and efficacy of that blessing, when God commands it,
<i>Be fruitful and multiply.</i> This was typical of the multitudes
that were brought into the gospel church when it was first founded;
<i>so mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed.</i> 2. Of their
retinue (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:38" id="Ex.xiii-p23.2" parsed="|Exod|12|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>):
<i>A mixed multitude went up with them,</i> hangers on to that
great family, some perhaps willing to leave their country, because
it was laid waste by the plagues, and to seek their fortune, as we
say, with the Israelites; others went out of curiosity, to see the
solemnities of Israel's sacrifice to their God, which had been so
much talked of, and expecting to see some glorious appearances of
their God to them in the wilderness, having seen such glorious
appearances of their God for them in the field of Zoan, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:12" id="Ex.xiii-p23.3" parsed="|Ps|78|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.12">Ps. lxxviii. 12</scripRef>. Probably the
greatest part of this mixed multitude were but a rude unthinking
mob, that followed the crowd they knew not why; we afterwards find
that they proved a snare to them (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:4" id="Ex.xiii-p23.4" parsed="|Num|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4">Num.
xi. 4</scripRef>), and it is probable that when, soon afterwards,
they understood that the children of Israel were to continue forty
years in the wilderness, they quitted them, and returned to Egypt.
Note, There were always those among the Israelites that were not
Israelites, and there are still hypocrites in the church, who make
a deal of mischief, but will be shaken off at last. 3. Of their
effects. They had with them <i>flocks and herds,</i> even <i>very
much cattle.</i> This is taken notice of because it was long before
Pharaoh would give them leave to remove their effects, which were
chiefly cattle, <scripRef passage="Ge 46:32" id="Ex.xiii-p23.5" parsed="|Gen|46|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.32">Gen. xlvi.
32</scripRef>. 4. Of the provision made for the camp, which was
very poor and slender. They brought some dough with them out of
Egypt in their knapsacks, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:34" id="Ex.xiii-p23.6" parsed="|Exod|12|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.34"><i>v.</i>
34</scripRef>. They had prepared to bake, the next day, in order to
their removal, understanding it was very near; but, being hastened
away sooner than they thought of, by some hours, they took the
dough as it was, unleavened; when they came to Succoth, their first
stage, they baked unleavened cakes, and, though these were of
course insipid, yet the liberty they were brought into made this
the most joyful meal they had ever eaten in their lives. Note, The
servants of God must not be slaves to their appetites, nor
solicitous to wind up all the delights of sense to their highest
pitch. We should be willing to take up with dry bread, nay, with
unleavened bread, rather than neglect or delay any service we have
to do for God, as those whose meat and drink it is to do his will.
5. Of the date of this great event: it was just 430 years from the
promise made to Abraham (as the apostle explains it, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:17" id="Ex.xiii-p23.7" parsed="|Gal|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.17">Gal. iii. 17</scripRef>) at his first coming into
Canaan, during all which time <i>the children of Israel,</i> that
is, the Hebrews, the distinguished chosen seed, were sojourners in
a land that was not theirs, either Canaan or Egypt. So long the
promise God made to Abraham of a settlement lay dormant and
unfulfilled, but now, at length, it revived, and things began to
work towards the accomplishment of it. The first day of the march
of Abraham's seed towards Canaan was just 430 years (it should seem
to a day) from the promise made to Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:2" id="Ex.xiii-p23.8" parsed="|Gen|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.2">Gen. xii. 2</scripRef>, <i>I will make of thee a great
nation.</i> See how punctual God is to his time; though his
promises be not performed quickly, they will be accomplished in
their season. 6. Of the memorableness of it: <i>It is a night to be
much observed,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:42" id="Ex.xiii-p23.9" parsed="|Exod|12|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.42"><i>v.</i>
42</scripRef>. (1.) The providences of that first night were very
observable; memorable was the destruction of the Egyptians, and the
deliverance of the Israelites by it; God herein made himself taken
notice of. (2.) The ordinances of that night, in the annual return
of it, were to be carefully observed: <i>This is that night of the
Lord,</i> that remarkable night, to be celebrated in all
generations. Note, The great things God does for his people are not
to be a nine days' wonder, as we say, but the remembrance of them
is to be perpetuated throughout all ages, especially the work of
our redemption by Christ. This first passover-night was a night of
the Lord <i>much to be observed;</i> but the last passover-night,
in which Christ was betrayed (and in which the passover, with the
rest of the ceremonial institutions, was superseded and abolished),
was a night of the Lord <i>much more to be observed,</i> when a
yoke heavier than that of Egypt was broken from off our necks, and
a land better than that of Canaan set before us. That was a
temporal deliverance to be celebrated <i>in their generation;</i>
this is an eternal redemption to be celebrated in the praises of
glorious saints, <i>world without end.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 12:43-51" id="Ex.xiii-p23.10" parsed="|Exod|12|43|12|51" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.43-Exod.12.51"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.12.43-Exod.12.51">
<h4 id="Ex.xiii-p23.11">Directions Concerning the
Passover. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p23.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiii-p24">43 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p24.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses and Aaron, This <i>is</i> the ordinance of the
passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: &#160; 44 But every
man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised
him, then shall he eat thereof. &#160; 45 A foreigner and an hired
servant shall not eat thereof. &#160; 46 In one house shall it be
eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of
the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. &#160; 47 All the
congregation of Israel shall keep it. &#160; 48 And when a stranger
shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p24.2">Lord</span>, let all his males be circumcised,
and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that
is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
&#160; 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the
stranger that sojourneth among you. &#160; 50 Thus did all the
children of Israel; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p24.3">Lord</span>
commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. &#160; 51 And it came to
pass the selfsame day, <i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiii-p24.4">Lord</span> did bring the children of Israel out of the
land of Egypt by their armies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p25">Some further precepts are here given
concerning the passover, as it should be observed in times to
come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p26">I. <i>All the congregation of Israel must
keep it,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:47" id="Ex.xiii-p26.1" parsed="|Exod|12|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.47"><i>v.</i> 47</scripRef>.
All that share in God's mercies should join in thankful praises for
them. Though it was observed in families apart, yet it is looked
upon as the act of the whole congregation; for the smaller
communities constituted the greater. The New-Testament passover,
the Lord's supper, ought not to be neglected by any who are capable
of celebrating it. He is unworthy the name of an Israelite that can
contentedly neglect the commemoration of so great a deliverance. 1.
No stranger that was uncircumcised might be admitted to eat of it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:43,45,48" id="Ex.xiii-p26.2" parsed="|Exod|12|43|0|0;|Exod|12|45|0|0;|Exod|12|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.43 Bible:Exod.12.45 Bible:Exod.12.48"><i>v.</i> 43, 45, 48</scripRef>.
None might sit at the table but those that came in by the door; nor
may any now approach to the improving ordinance of the Lord's
supper who have not first submitted to the initiating ordinance of
baptism. We must be born again by the word ere we can be nourished
by it. Nor shall any partake of the benefit of Christ's sacrifice,
or feast upon it, who are not first circumcised in heart, <scripRef passage="Col 2:11" id="Ex.xiii-p26.3" parsed="|Col|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.11">Col. ii. 11</scripRef>. 2. Any stranger that was
circumcised might be welcome to eat of the passover, even
<i>servants,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:44" id="Ex.xiii-p26.4" parsed="|Exod|12|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.44"><i>v.</i>
44</scripRef>. If, by circumcision, they would make themselves
debtors to the law in its burdens, they were welcome to share in
the joy of its solemn feasts, and not otherwise. Only it is
intimated (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:48" id="Ex.xiii-p26.5" parsed="|Exod|12|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.48"><i>v.</i> 48</scripRef>)
that those who were masters of families must not only be
circumcised themselves, but have all their males circumcised, too.
If in sincerity, and with that zeal which the thing required and
deserves, we give up ourselves to God, we shall, with ourselves,
give up all we have to him, and do our utmost that all ours may be
his too. Here is an early indication of favour to the poor
Gentiles, that the stranger, if circumcised, stands upon the same
level with the home-born Israelite. <i>One law</i> for both,
<scripRef passage="Ex 12:49" id="Ex.xiii-p26.6" parsed="|Exod|12|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>. This was a
mortification to the Jews, and taught them that it was their
dedication to God, not their descent from Abraham, that entitled
them to their privileges. A sincere proselyte was as welcome to the
passover as a native Israelite, <scripRef passage="Isa 56:6,7" id="Ex.xiii-p26.7" parsed="|Isa|56|6|56|7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.6-Isa.56.7">Isa.
lvi. 6, 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p27">II. <i>In one house shall it be eaten</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:46" id="Ex.xiii-p27.1" parsed="|Exod|12|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>), for
good-fellowship sake, that they might rejoice together, and edify
one another in the eating of it. None of it must be carried to
another place, nor left to another time; for God would not have
them so taken up with care about their departure as to be
indisposed to take the comfort of it, but to leave Egypt, and enter
upon a wilderness, with cheerfulness, and, in token of that, to eat
a good hearty meal. The papists' carrying their consecrated host
from house to house is not only superstitious in itself, but
contrary to this typical law of the passover, which directed that
no part of the lamb should be carried abroad.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiii-p28">The chapter concludes with a repetition of
the whole matter, that the children of Israel did as they were
bidden, and God did for them as he promised (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:50,51" id="Ex.xiii-p28.1" parsed="|Exod|12|50|12|51" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.50-Exod.12.51"><i>v.</i> 50, 51</scripRef>); for he will certainly
be the author of salvation to those that obey him.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIII" n="xiv" progress="37.15%" prev="Ex.xiii" next="Ex.xv" id="Ex.xiv">
<h2 id="Ex.xiv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xiv-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The commands God gave
to Israel, 1. To sanctify all their firstborn to him, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:1,2" id="Ex.xiv-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|13|1|13|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.1-Exod.13.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. 2. To be sure to remember
their deliverance out of Egypt (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:3,4" id="Ex.xiv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|13|3|13|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.3-Exod.13.4">v. 3,
4</scripRef>), and, in remembrance of it, to keep the feast of
unleavened bread, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:5-7" id="Ex.xiv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|13|5|13|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.5-Exod.13.7">ver.
5-7</scripRef>. 3. To transmit the knowledge of it with all
possible care to their children, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:8-10" id="Ex.xiv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|13|8|13|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.8-Exod.13.10">ver. 8-10</scripRef>. 4. To set apart unto God the
firstlings of their cattle, (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:11-13" id="Ex.xiv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|13|11|13|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.11-Exod.13.13">ver.
11-13</scripRef>), and to explain that also to their children,
<scripRef passage="Ex 13:14-16" id="Ex.xiv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|13|14|13|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.14-Exod.13.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>. II. The care
God took of Israel, when he had brought them out of Egypt. 1.
Choosing their way for them, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:17,18" id="Ex.xiv-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|13|17|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.17-Exod.13.18">ver.
17, 18</scripRef>. 2. Guiding them in the way, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:20-22" id="Ex.xiv-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|13|20|13|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.20-Exod.13.22">ver. 20-22</scripRef>. And III. Their care of
Joseph's bones, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:19" id="Ex.xiv-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|13|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.19">ver.
19</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 13" id="Ex.xiv-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 13:1-10" id="Ex.xiv-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|13|1|13|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.1-Exod.13.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.13.1-Exod.13.10">
<h4 id="Ex.xiv-p1.12">The Sanctification of the
Firstborn. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Sanctify unto me all the
firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of
Israel, <i>both</i> of man and of beast: it <i>is</i> mine. &#160;
3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye
came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength
of hand the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.2">Lord</span> brought you out
from this <i>place:</i> there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
&#160; 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. &#160; 5 And it
shall be when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.3">Lord</span> shall bring
thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto
thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that
thou shalt keep this service in this month. &#160; 6 Seven days
thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day <i>shall
be</i> a feast to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 7
Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no
leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven
seen with thee in all thy quarters. &#160; 8 And thou shalt show
thy son in that day, saying, <i>This is done</i> because of that
<i>which</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.5">Lord</span> did unto me
when I came forth out of Egypt. &#160; 9 And it shall be for a sign
unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes,
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.6">Lord</span>'s law may be in thy
mouth: for with a strong hand hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p2.7">Lord</span> brought thee out of Egypt. &#160; 10 Thou
shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to
year.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p3">Care is here taken to perpetuate the
remembrance,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p4">I. Of the preservation of Israel's
firstborn, when the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain. In
memory of that distinguishing favour, and in gratitude for it, the
firstborn, in all ages, were to be consecrated to God, as his
peculiars (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:2" id="Ex.xiv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and
to be redeemed, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:13" id="Ex.xiv-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|13|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. God, who by the right of creation is proprietor and
sovereign of all the creatures, here lays claim in particular to
the firstborn of the Israelites, by right of protection:
<i>Sanctify to me all the firstborn.</i> The parents were not to
look upon themselves as interested in their firstborn, till they
had first solemnly presented them to God, recognized his title to
them, and received them back, at a certain rate, from him again.
Note, 1. That which is by special distinguishing mercy spared to us
should be in a peculiar manner dedicated to God's honour; at least
some grateful acknowledgment, in works of piety and charity, should
be made, when our lives, or the lives of our children, have been
given us for a prey. 2. God, who is the first and best, should have
the first and best, and to him we should resign that which is most
dear to us, and most valuable. The firstborn were the joy and hope
of their families. Therefore <i>they shall be mine,</i> says God.
By this it will appear that we love God best (as we ought) if we
are willing to part with that to him which we love best in this
world. 3. It is the <i>church of the firstborn</i> that is
sanctified to God, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:23" id="Ex.xiv-p4.3" parsed="|Heb|12|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.23">Heb. xii.
23</scripRef>. Christ it the <i>firstborn among many brethren</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ro 8:29" id="Ex.xiv-p4.4" parsed="|Rom|8|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.29">Rom. viii. 29</scripRef>), and, by
virtue of their union with him, all that are born again, and born
from above, are accounted as firstborn. There is an <i>excellency
of dignity and power</i> belonging to them; and, <i>if children,
then heirs.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p5">II. The remembrance of their coming out of
Egypt must also be perpetuated: "<i>Remember this day,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 13:3" id="Ex.xiv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|13|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Remember it by
a good token, as the most remarkable day of your lives, the
birthday of your nation, or the day of its coming of age, to be no
longer under the rod." Thus the day of Christ's resurrection is to
be remembered, for in it we were raised up with Christ out of
death's <i>house of bondage.</i> The scripture tells us not
expressly what day of the <i>year</i> Christ rose (as Moses told
the Israelites what day of the year they were brought out of Egypt,
that they might remember it yearly), but very particularly what day
of the <i>week</i> it was, plainly intimating that, as the more
valuable deliverance, and of greater importance, it should be
remembered <i>weekly.</i> Remember it, for <i>by strength of hand
the Lord brought you out.</i> Note, The more of God and his power
appears in any deliverance, the more memorable it is. Now, that it
might be remembered,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p6">1. They must be sure to <i>keep the feast
of unleavened bread,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 13:5-7" id="Ex.xiv-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|13|5|13|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.5-Exod.13.7"><i>v.</i>
5-7</scripRef>. It was not enough that they remembered it, but they
must celebrate the memorial of it in that way which God had
appointed, and use the instituted means of preserving the
remembrance of it. So, under the gospel, we must not only remember
Christ, but <i>do this in remembrance</i> of him. Observe, How
strict the prohibition of leaven is (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:7" id="Ex.xiv-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|13|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); not only no leaven must be
eaten, but none must be seen, no, not in all their quarters.
Accordingly, the Jews' usage was, before the feast of the passover,
to cast all the leavened bread out of their houses: they burnt it,
or buried it, or broke it small and scattered it in the wind; they
searched diligently with lighted candles in all the corners of
their houses, lest any leaven should remain. The care and
strictness enjoined in this matter were designed, (1.) To make the
feast the more solemn, and consequently the more taken notice of by
their children, who would ask, "Why is so much ado made?" (2.) To
teach us how solicitous we should be to put away from us all sin,
<scripRef passage="1Co 5:7" id="Ex.xiv-p6.3" parsed="|1Cor|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.7">1 Cor. v. 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p7">2. They must instruct their children in the
meaning of it, and relate to them the story of their deliverance
out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:8" id="Ex.xiv-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|13|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Note, (1.) Care must be taken betimes to instruct children in the
knowledge of God. Here is an ancient law for catechising. (2.) It
is particularly of great use to acquaint children betimes with the
stories of the scripture, and to make them familiar to them. (3.)
It is a debt we owe to the honour of God, and to the benefit of our
children's souls, to tell them of the great works God has done for
his church, both those which we have seen with our eyes done in our
day and which we have heard with our ears and our fathers have told
us: <i>Thou shalt show thy son in that day</i> (the day of the
feast) these things. When they were celebrating the ordinance, they
must explain it. <i>Every thing is beautiful in its season.</i> The
passover is appointed <i>for a sign, and for a memorial,</i> that
<i>the Lord's law may be in thy mouth.</i> Note, We must retain the
remembrance of God's works, that we may remain under the influence
of God's law. And those that have God's law in their heart should
have it in their mouth, and be often speaking of it, the more to
affect themselves and to instruct others.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 13" id="Ex.xiv-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 13:11-16" id="Ex.xiv-p7.3" parsed="|Exod|13|11|13|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.11-Exod.13.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.13.11-Exod.13.16">
<h4 id="Ex.xiv-p7.4">God's Claim upon the
Firstborn. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p7.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiv-p8">11 And it shall be when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.1">Lord</span> shall bring thee into the land of the
Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall
give it thee, &#160; 12 That thou shalt set apart unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.2">Lord</span> all that openeth the matrix, and
every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males
<i>shall be</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.3">Lord</span>'s. &#160;
13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and
if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all
the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. &#160;
14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come,
saying, What <i>is</i> this? that thou shalt say unto him, By
strength of hand the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.4">Lord</span> brought us
out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: &#160; 15 And it came to
pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.5">Lord</span> slew all the firstborn in the land of
Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast:
therefore I sacrifice to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.6">Lord</span>
all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of
my children I redeem. &#160; 16 And it shall be for a token upon
thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength
of hand the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p8.7">Lord</span> brought us forth
out of Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p9">Here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p10">I. Further directions concerning the
dedicating of their firstborn to God. 1. The firstlings of their
cattle were to be dedicated to God, as part of their possessions.
Those of clean beasts&#8212;calves, lambs, and kids&#8212;if males, were to
be sacrificed, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:30,Nu 18:17,18" id="Ex.xiv-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|22|30|0|0;|Num|18|17|18|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.30 Bible:Num.18.17-Num.18.18">Exod. xxii.
30; Num. xviii. 17, 18</scripRef>. Those of unclean beasts, as
colts, were to be redeemed with a lamb, or knocked on the head. For
whatsoever is unclean (as we all are by nature), if it be not
redeemed, will be destroyed, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:11,13" id="Ex.xiv-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|13|11|0|0;|Exod|13|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.11 Bible:Exod.13.13"><i>v.</i> 11, 13</scripRef>. 2. The firstborn of
their children were to be redeemed, and by no means sacrificed, as
the Gentiles sacrificed their children to Moloch. The price of the
redemption of the firstborn was fixed by the law (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:16" id="Ex.xiv-p10.3" parsed="|Num|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.16">Num. xviii. 16</scripRef>) at <i>five
shekels.</i> We were all obnoxious to the wrath and curse of God;
by the blood of Christ we are redeemed, that we may be joined to
the <i>church of the firstborn.</i> They were to redeem their
children, as well as the firstlings of the unclean beasts, for our
children are by nature polluted. <i>Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p11">II. Further directions concerning the
catechising of their children, and all those of the rising
generation, from time to time, in this matter. It is supposed that,
when they saw all the firstlings thus devoted, they would ask the
meaning of it, and their parents and teachers must tell them
(<scripRef passage="Ex 13:14-16" id="Ex.xiv-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|13|14|13|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.14-Exod.13.16"><i>v.</i> 14-16</scripRef>) that
God's special propriety in their firstborn, and all their
firstlings, was founded in his special preservation of them from
the sword of the destroying angel. Being thus delivered, they must
serve him. Note, 1. Children should be directed and encouraged to
ask their parents questions concerning the things of God, a
practice which would be perhaps of all others the most profitable
way of catechising; and parents must furnish themselves with useful
knowledge, that they may be ready always to give an answer to their
enquiries. If ever the <i>knowledge of God cover the earth,</i> as
the waters do the sea, the fountains of family-instruction must
first be broken up. 2. We should all be able to show cause for what
we do in religion. As sacraments are sanctified by the word, so
they must be explained and understood by it. God's service is
reasonable, and it is then acceptable when we perform it
intelligently, knowing what we do and why we do it. 3. It must be
observed how often it is said in this chapter that <i>by strength
of hand</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:3,14,16" id="Ex.xiv-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|13|3|0|0;|Exod|13|14|0|0;|Exod|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.3 Bible:Exod.13.14 Bible:Exod.13.16"><i>v.</i> 3, 14,
16</scripRef>), <i>with a strong hand</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:9" id="Ex.xiv-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), the Lord brought them out of
Egypt. The more opposition is given to the accomplishment of God's
purposes the more is his power magnified therein. It is a strong
hand that conquers hard hearts. Sometimes God is said to work
deliverance <i>not by might nor power</i> (<scripRef passage="Zec 4:6" id="Ex.xiv-p11.4" parsed="|Zech|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.4.6">Zech. iv. 6</scripRef>), not by such visible displays of
his power as that recorded here. 4. Their posterity that should be
born in Canaan are directed to say, <i>The Lord brought us out of
Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 13:14,16" id="Ex.xiv-p11.5" parsed="|Exod|13|14|0|0;|Exod|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.14 Bible:Exod.13.16"><i>v.</i> 14,
16</scripRef>. Mercies to our fathers are mercies to us; we reap
the benefit of them, and therefore must keep up a grateful
remembrance of them. We stand upon the bottom of former
deliverances, and were in the loins of our ancestors when they were
delivered. Much more reason have we to say that in the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ we were redeemed.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 13" id="Ex.xiv-p11.6" parsed="|Exod|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 13:17-22" id="Ex.xiv-p11.7" parsed="|Exod|13|17|13|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.17-Exod.13.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.13.17-Exod.13.22">
<h4 id="Ex.xiv-p11.8">The Pillar of Fire and Fire. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p11.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xiv-p12">17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the
people go, that God led them not <i>through</i> the way of the land
of the Philistines, although that <i>was</i> near; for God said,
Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they
return to Egypt: &#160; 18 But God led the people about,
<i>through</i> the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the
children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
&#160; 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had
straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely
visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
&#160; 20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in
Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. &#160; 21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xiv-p12.1">Lord</span> went before them by day in a pillar
of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire,
to give them light; to go by day and night: &#160; 22 He took not
away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by
night, <i>from</i> before the people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p13">Here is, I. The choice God made of their
way, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:17,18" id="Ex.xiv-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|13|17|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.17-Exod.13.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>.
He was their guide. Moses gave them direction but as he received it
from the Lord. Note, The way of man is not in himself, <scripRef passage="Jer 10:23" id="Ex.xiv-p13.2" parsed="|Jer|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.10.23">Jer. x. 23</scripRef>. He may <i>devise his
way,</i> and design it; but, after all, it is God that <i>directs
his steps,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 16:9" id="Ex.xiv-p13.3" parsed="|Prov|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.16.9">Prov. xvi. 9</scripRef>.
Man proposes, but God disposes, and in his disposal we must
acquiesce, and set ourselves to follow providence. There were two
ways from Egypt to Canaan. One was a short cut from the north of
Egypt to the south of Canaan, perhaps about four or five days'
journey; the other was much further about, through the wilderness,
and that was the way in which God chose to lead his people Israel,
<scripRef passage="Ex 13:18" id="Ex.xiv-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. 1. There were
many reasons why God led them <i>through the way of the wilderness
of the Red Sea.</i> The Egyptians were to be drowned in the Red
Sea. The Israelites were to be humbled and proved in the
wilderness, <scripRef passage="De 8:2" id="Ex.xiv-p13.5" parsed="|Deut|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.2">Deut. viii. 2</scripRef>.
God had given it to Moses for a sign (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:12" id="Ex.xiv-p13.6" parsed="|Exod|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.12"><i>ch.</i> iii. 12</scripRef>), <i>You shall serve God in
this mountain.</i> They had again and again told Pharaoh that they
must go <i>three days' journey into the wilderness to do
sacrifice,</i> and therefore it was requisite that they should bend
their march that way, else they would justly have been exclaimed
against as notorious dissemblers. Before they entered the lists
with their enemies, matters must be settled between them and their
God, laws must be given, ordinances instituted, covenants sealed,
and the original contract ratified, for the doing of which it was
necessary that they should retire into the solitudes of a
wilderness, the only closet for such a crowd; the high road would
be no proper place for these transactions. It is said (<scripRef passage="De 32:10" id="Ex.xiv-p13.7" parsed="|Deut|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.10">Deut. xxxii. 10</scripRef>), <i>He led them
about,</i> some hundreds of miles about, and yet (<scripRef passage="Ps 107:7" id="Ex.xiv-p13.8" parsed="|Ps|107|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.7">Ps. cvii. 7</scripRef>), <i>He led them forth by
the right way.</i> God's way is the right way, though it seem
<i>about.</i> If we think he leads not his people the nearest way,
yet we may be sure he leads them the best way, and so it will
appear when we come to our journey's end. <i>Judge nothing before
the time.</i> 2. There was one reason why God did not lead them the
nearest way, which would have brought them after a few days' march
to <i>the land of the Philistines</i> (for it was that part of
Canaan that lay next to Egypt), namely, because they were not as
yet fit for war, much less for war with the Philistines, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:17" id="Ex.xiv-p13.9" parsed="|Exod|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Their spirits were
broken with slavery; it was not easy for them to turn their hands
of a sudden from the trowel to the sword. The Philistines were
formidable enemies, too fierce to be encountered by raw recruits;
it was more suitable that they should begin with the Amalekites,
and be prepared for the wars of Canaan by experiencing the
difficulties of the wilderness. Note, God proportions his people's
trials to their strength, and will <i>not suffer them to be tempted
above what they are able,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 10:13" id="Ex.xiv-p13.10" parsed="|1Cor|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.13">1 Cor.
x. 13</scripRef>. That promise, if compared with the foregoing
verses, will seem to refer to this event, as an instance of it.
<i>God knows our frame,</i> and considers our weakness and
faintheartedness, and by less trials will prepare us for greater.
God is said to bring Israel out of Egypt as the eagle <i>brings up
her young ones</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:11" id="Ex.xiv-p13.11" parsed="|Deut|32|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.11">Deut. xxxii.
11</scripRef>), teaching them by degrees to fly. Orders being thus
given which way they should go, we are told, (1.) That they went up
themselves, not as a confused rout, but in good order, rank and
file: they <i>went up harnessed,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 13:18" id="Ex.xiv-p13.12" parsed="|Exod|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. They went up by <i>five in a
rank</i> (so some), in <i>five squadrons,</i> so others. They
marched like an army with banners, which added much to their
strength and honour. (2.) That they took the <i>bones of Joseph</i>
along with them (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:19" id="Ex.xiv-p13.13" parsed="|Exod|13|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>), and probably the bones of the rest of Jacob's sons,
unless (as some think) they had been privately carried to Canaan
(<scripRef passage="Ac 7:16" id="Ex.xiv-p13.14" parsed="|Acts|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.16">Acts vii. 16</scripRef>), severally as
they died. Joseph had particularly appointed that his bones should
be carried up when God should visit the (<scripRef passage="Ge 50:25,26" id="Ex.xiv-p13.15" parsed="|Gen|50|25|50|26" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.25-Gen.50.26">Gen. l. 25, 26</scripRef>), so that their carrying up
his bones was not only a performance of the oath their fathers had
sworn to Joseph, but an acknowledgment of the performance of God's
promise to them by Joseph that he would visit them and bring them
out of the land of Egypt, and an encouragement to their faith and
hope that he would fulfil the other part of the promise, which was
to bring them to Canaan, in expectation of which they carried these
bones with them while they wandered in the desert. They might
think, "Joseph's bones must rest at last, and then we shall." Moses
is said to take these bones with him. Moses was now a very great
man; so had Joseph been in his day, yet he was now but a box full
of dry bones; this was all that remained of him in this world,
which might serve for a monitor to Moses to remember his mortality.
<i>I have said, You are gods;</i> it was said so to Moses expressly
(<scripRef passage="Ex 7:1" id="Ex.xiv-p13.16" parsed="|Exod|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.1"><i>ch.</i> vii. 1</scripRef>); <i>but
you shall die like men.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p14">II. Here is the guidance they were blessed
with in the way: <i>The Lord went before them in a pillar,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 13:21,22" id="Ex.xiv-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|13|21|13|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.21-Exod.13.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. In the
first two stages it was enough that God directed Moses whither to
march: he knew the country and the road well enough; but now that
they had come <i>to the edge of the wilderness</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:20" id="Ex.xiv-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|13|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) they would have
occasion for a guide; and a very good guide they had, one that was
infinitely wise, kind, and faithful: <i>The Lord went before
them,</i> the <i>shechinah</i> (or appearance of the divine
Majesty, which was typical of Christ) or a previous manifestation
of the eternal Word, which, in the fulness of time, was to be
<i>made flesh,</i> and <i>dwell among us.</i> Christ was with the
church in the wilderness, <scripRef passage="1Co 10:9" id="Ex.xiv-p14.3" parsed="|1Cor|10|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.9">1 Cor. x.
9</scripRef>. Now <i>their King passed before them, even the Lord
on the head of them,</i> <scripRef passage="Mic 2:13" id="Ex.xiv-p14.4" parsed="|Mic|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.2.13">Mic. ii.
13</scripRef>. Note, Those whom God brings into a wilderness he
will not leave nor lose there, but will take care to lead them
through it; we may well think it was a very great satisfaction to
Moses and the pious Israelites to be sure that they were under
divine guidance. Those needed not to fear missing their way who
were thus led, nor being lost who were thus directed; those needed
not to fear being benighted who were thus illuminated, nor being
robbed who were thus protected. Those who make the glory of God
their end, and the word of God their rule, the Spirit of God the
guide of their affections, and the providence of God the guide of
their affairs, may be confident that <i>the Lord goes before
them,</i> as truly as he went before Israel in the wilderness,
though not so sensibly; we must live by faith. 1. They had sensible
evidences of God's going before them. They all saw an appearance
from heaven of a pillar, which in the bright day appeared cloudy,
and in the dark night appeared fiery. We commonly see that that
which is a flame in the night is a smoke in the day; so was this.
God gave them this ocular demonstration of his presence, in
compassion to the infirmity of their faith, and in compliance with
that infant state of the church, which needed to be thus lisped to
in their own language; but blessed are <i>those that have not seen
and yet have believed</i> God's gracious presence with them,
according to his promise. 2. They had sensible effects of God's
going before them in this pillar. For, (1.) It led the way in that
vast howling wilderness, in which there was no road, no track, no
way-mark, of which they had no maps, through which they had no
guides. When they marched, this pillar went before them, at the
rate that they could follow, and appointed the place of their
encampment, as Infinite Wisdom saw fit, which both eased them from
care, and secured them from danger, both in moving and in resting.
(2.) It sheltered them by day from the heat, which, at some times
of the year, was extreme. (3.) It gave them light by night when
they had occasion for it, and at all times made their camp pleasant
and the wilderness they were in less frightful.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xiv-p15">III. These were constant standing miracles
(<scripRef passage="Ex 13:22" id="Ex.xiv-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|13|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): He <i>took
not away the pillar of cloud;</i> no, not when they seemed to have
less occasion for it, travelling through inhabited countries, no,
not when they murmured and were provoking; it never left them, till
it brought them to the borders of Canaan. It was a cloud which the
wind could not scatter. This favour is acknowledged with
thankfulness long afterwards, <scripRef passage="Ne 9:19,Ps 78:14" id="Ex.xiv-p15.2" parsed="|Neh|9|19|0|0;|Ps|78|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.19 Bible:Ps.78.14">Neh. ix. 19; Ps. lxxviii. 14</scripRef>. There
was something spiritual in this pillar of cloud and fire. 1. The
children of Israel were baptized unto Moses in this cloud, which,
some think, distilled dew upon them, <scripRef passage="1Co 10:2" id="Ex.xiv-p15.3" parsed="|1Cor|10|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.2">1
Cor. x. 2</scripRef>. By coming under this cloud, they signified
their putting themselves under the divine guidance and command by
the ministry of Moses. Protection draws allegiance; this cloud was
the badge of God's protection, and so became the bond of their
allegiance. Thus they were initiated, and admitted under that
government, now when they were entering upon the wilderness. 2.
Some make this cloud a type of Christ. The cloud of his human
nature was a veil to the light and fire of his divine nature; we
find him (<scripRef passage="Re 10:1" id="Ex.xiv-p15.4" parsed="|Rev|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.10.1">Rev. x. 1</scripRef>)
<i>clothed with a cloud, and his feet as pillars of fire.</i>
Christ is our way, the light of our way and the guide of it. 3. It
signified the special guidance and protection which the church of
Christ is under in this world. God himself is the keeper of Israel,
and he <i>neither slumbers nor sleeps,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 121:4,Isa 27:3" id="Ex.xiv-p15.5" parsed="|Ps|121|4|0|0;|Isa|27|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.121.4 Bible:Isa.27.3">Ps. cxxi. 4; Isa. xxvii. 3</scripRef>. There is
a defence created, not only on Sion's assemblies, but on every
dwelling-place in Sion. See <scripRef passage="Isa 4:5,6" id="Ex.xiv-p15.6" parsed="|Isa|4|5|4|6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.5-Isa.4.6">Isa. iv.
5, 6</scripRef>. Nay, every Israelite indeed is hidden under the
shadow of God's wings (<scripRef passage="Ps 17:8" id="Ex.xiv-p15.7" parsed="|Ps|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.17.8">Ps. xvii.
8</scripRef>); angels, whose ministry was made use of in this
cloud, are employed for their good, and pitch their tents about
them. <i>Happy art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O
people?</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIV" n="xv" progress="37.61%" prev="Ex.xiv" next="Ex.xvi" id="Ex.xv">
<h2 id="Ex.xv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xv-p0.2">CHAP. XIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xv-p1">The departure of the children of Israel out of
Egypt (which was indeed the birth of the Jewish church) is made yet
more memorable by further works of wonder, which were wrought
immediately upon it. Witness the records of this chapter, the
contents whereof, together with a key to it, we have, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:29" id="Ex.xv-p1.1" parsed="|Heb|11|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.29">Heb. xi. 29</scripRef>. "They passed through
the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians assaying to do were
drowned;" and this they did by faith, which intimates that there
was something typical and spiritual in it. Here is, I. The extreme
distress and danger that Israel was in at the Red Sea. 1. Notice
was given of it to Moses before, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:1-4" id="Ex.xv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|14|1|14|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.1-Exod.14.4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>. 2. The cause of it was Pharaoh's violent pursuit of
them, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:5-9" id="Ex.xv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|14|5|14|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.5-Exod.14.9">ver. 5-9</scripRef>. 3. Israel
was in a great consternation upon it, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:10-12" id="Ex.xv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|14|10|14|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.10-Exod.14.12">ver. 10-12</scripRef>. 4. Moses endeavours to
encourage them, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:13" id="Ex.xv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.13">ver. 13,
14</scripRef>. II. The wonderful deliverance that God wrought for
them out of this distress. 1. Moses is instructed concerning it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 14:15-18" id="Ex.xv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|14|15|14|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.15-Exod.14.18">ver. 15-18</scripRef>. 2. Lines
that could not be forced are set between the camp of Israel and
Pharaoh's camp, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:19,20" id="Ex.xv-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|14|19|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.19-Exod.14.20">ver. 19,
20</scripRef>. 3. By the divine power the Red Sea is divided
(<scripRef passage="Ex 14:31" id="Ex.xv-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|14|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.31">ver. 31</scripRef>), and is made,
(1.) A lane to the Israelites, who marched safely through it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 14:22,29" id="Ex.xv-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|14|22|0|0;|Exod|14|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.22 Bible:Exod.14.29">ver. 22, 29</scripRef>. But, (2.)
To the Egyptians it was made, [1.] An ambush into which they were
drawn, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:23-25" id="Ex.xv-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|14|23|14|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.23-Exod.14.25">ver. 23-25</scripRef>. And,
[2.] A grave in which they were all buried, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:26-28" id="Ex.xv-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|14|26|14|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.26-Exod.14.28">ver. 26-28</scripRef>. III. The impressions this made
upon the Israelites, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:30,31" id="Ex.xv-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|14|30|14|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.30-Exod.14.31">ver. 30,
31</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14" id="Ex.xv-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14:1-9" id="Ex.xv-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|14|1|14|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.1-Exod.14.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.14.1-Exod.14.9">
<h4 id="Ex.xv-p1.15">The Israelites Pursued by
Pharaoh. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p1.16">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between
Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye
encamp by the sea. &#160; 3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of
Israel, They <i>are</i> entangled in the land, the wilderness hath
shut them in. &#160; 4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he
shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and
upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p2.2">Lord</span>. And they did so. &#160; 5 And
it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart
of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and
they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from
serving us? &#160; 6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his
people with him: &#160; 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots,
and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
&#160; 8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p2.3">Lord</span> hardened the
heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children
of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
&#160; 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses
<i>and</i> chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and
overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before
Baal-zephon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p3">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p4">I. Instructions given to Moses concerning
Israel's motions and encampments, which were so very surprising
that if Moses had not express orders about them before they would
scarcely have been persuaded to follow the pillar of cloud and
fire. That therefore there might be no scruple nor dissatisfaction
about it, Moses is told before, 1. Whither they must go, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:1,2" id="Ex.xv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|14|1|14|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.1-Exod.14.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. They had got to the
edge of the wilderness (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:20" id="Ex.xv-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|13|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.20"><i>ch.</i>
xiii. 20</scripRef>), and a stage or two more would have brought
them to Horeb, the place appointed for their serving God; but,
instead of going forward, they are ordered to turn short off, on
the right hand from Canaan, and to march towards the Red Sea. Where
they were, at Etham, there was no sea in their way to obstruct
their passage: but God himself orders them into straits, which
might give them an assurance that when his purposes were served he
would without fail bring them out of those straits. Note, God
sometimes raises difficulties in the way of the salvation of his
people, that he may have the glory of subduing them, and helping
his people over them. 2. What God designed in these strange orders.
Moses would have yielded an implicit obedience, though God had
given him no reason; but shall he hide from Moses the thing that he
does? No, Moses shall know, (1.) That Pharaoh has a design to ruin
Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:3" id="Ex.xv-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. (2.)
That therefore God has a design to ruin Pharaoh, and he takes this
way to effect it, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:4" id="Ex.xv-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|14|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. Pharaoh's sagacity would conclude that Israel was
entangled in the wilderness and so would become an easy prey to
him; and, that he might be the more apt to think so, God orders
them into yet greater entanglements; also, by turning them so much
out of their road, he amazes him yet more, and gives him further
occasion to suppose that they were in a state of embarrassment and
danger. And thus (says God) <i>I will be honoured upon Pharaoh.</i>
Note, [1.] All men being made for the honour of their Maker, those
whom he is not honoured by he will be honoured upon. [2.] What
seems to tend to the church's ruin is often overruled to the ruin
of the church's enemies, whose pride and malice are fed by
Providence, that they may be ripened for destruction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p5">II. Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel, in which,
while he gratifies his own malice and revenge, he is furthering the
accomplishment of God's counsels concerning him. <i>It was told him
that the people fled,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 14:5" id="Ex.xv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Such a fright was he in, when he gave them leave to
go, that when the fright was a little over he either forgot, or
would not own, that they departed with his consent, and therefore
was willing that it should be represented to him as a revolt from
their allegiance. Thus what may easily be justified is easily
condemned, by putting false colours upon it. Now, hereupon,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p6">1. He reflects upon it with regret that he
had connived at their departure. He and his servants, though it was
with the greatest reason in the world that they had let Israel go,
yet were now angry with themselves for it: <i>Why have we done
thus?</i> (1.) It vexed them that Israel had their liberty, that
they had lost the profit of their labours, and the pleasure of
chastising them. It is meat and drink to proud persecutors to
trample upon the saints of the Most High, and say to their souls,
<i>Bow down, that we may go over;</i> and therefore it vexes them
to have their hands tied. Note, The liberty of God's people is a
heavy grievance to their enemies, <scripRef passage="Es 5:12,13,Ac 5:17,33" id="Ex.xv-p6.1" parsed="|Esth|5|12|5|13;|Acts|5|17|0|0;|Acts|5|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Esth.5.12-Esth.5.13 Bible:Acts.5.17 Bible:Acts.5.33">Esth. v. 12, 13; Acts v. 17, 33</scripRef>.
(2.) It aggravated the vexation that they themselves had consented
to it, thinking now that they might have hindered it, and that they
needed not to have yielded, though they had stood it out to the
last extremity. Thus God makes men's envy and rage against his
people a torment to themselves, <scripRef passage="Ps 112:10" id="Ex.xv-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|112|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.112.10">Ps.
cxii. 10</scripRef>. It was well done to let Israel go, and what
they would have reflected on with comfort if they had done it from
an honest principle; but doing it by constraint, they called
themselves a thousand fools for doing it, and passionately wished
it undone again. Note, It is very common, but very absurd and
criminal, for people to repent of their good deeds; their justice
and charity, and even their repentance, are repented of. See an
instance somewhat like this, <scripRef passage="Jer 34:10,11" id="Ex.xv-p6.3" parsed="|Jer|34|10|34|11" osisRef="Bible:Jer.34.10-Jer.34.11">Jer.
xxxiv. 10, 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p7">2. He resolves, if possible, either to
reduce them or to be revenged on them; in order to this, he levies
an army, musters all his force of chariots and horsemen, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:17,18" id="Ex.xv-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|14|17|14|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.17-Exod.14.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef> (for, it should
seem, he took no foot with him, because the king's business
required haste), and thus he doubts not but he shall re-enslave
them, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:6,7" id="Ex.xv-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|14|6|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.6-Exod.14.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>. It
is easy to imagine what a rage Pharaoh was now in, roaring like a
lion disappointed of his prey, how his proud heart aggravated the
affront, swelled with indignation, scorned to be baffled, longed to
be revenged: and now all the plagues are as if they had never been.
He has quite forgotten the sorrowful funerals of his firstborn, and
can think of nothing but making Israel feel his resentments; now he
thinks he can be too hard for God himself; for, otherwise, could he
have hoped to conquer a people so dear to him? God gave him up to
these passions of his own heart, and so hardened it. It is said
(<scripRef passage="Ex 14:8" id="Ex.xv-p7.3" parsed="|Exod|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), The children
of Israel went out with <i>a high hand,</i> that is, with a great
deal of courage and bravery, triumphing in their release, and
resolved to break through the difficulties that lay in their way.
<i>But the Egyptians</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 14:9" id="Ex.xv-p7.4" parsed="|Exod|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.9">v.
9</scripRef>) <i>pursued after them.</i> Note, Those that in good
earnest set their faces heaven-ward, and will live godly in Christ
Jesus, must expect to be set upon by Satan's temptations and
terrors. He will not tamely part with any out of his service, nor
go out without raging, <scripRef passage="Mk 9:26" id="Ex.xv-p7.5" parsed="|Mark|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.9.26">Mark ix.
26</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14" id="Ex.xv-p7.6" parsed="|Exod|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14:10-14" id="Ex.xv-p7.7" parsed="|Exod|14|10|14|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.10-Exod.14.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.14.10-Exod.14.14">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xv-p8">10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of
Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched
after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel
cried out unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p8.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 11
And they said unto Moses, Because <i>there were</i> no graves in
Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore
hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
&#160; 12 <i>Is</i> not this the word that we did tell thee in
Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For
<i>it had been</i> better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that
we should die in the wilderness. &#160; 13 And Moses said unto the
people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p8.2">Lord</span>, which he will show to you to
day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them
again no more for ever. &#160; 14 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p8.3">Lord</span> shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your
peace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p9">We have here, I. The fright that the
children of Israel were in when they perceived that Pharaoh pursued
them, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:10" id="Ex.xv-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. They
knew very well the strength and rage of the enemy, and their own
weakness; numerous indeed they were, but all on foot, unarmed,
undisciplined, disquieted by long servitude, and (which was worst
of all) now penned up by the situation of their camp, so that they
could not make their escape. On the one hand was Pi-hahiroth, a
range of craggy rocks impassable; on the other hand were Migdol and
Baalzephon, which, some think were forts and garrisons upon the
frontiers of Egypt; before them was the sea; behind them were the
Egyptians: so that there was no way open for them but upwards, and
thence their deliverance came. Note, We may be in the way of our
duty, following God and hastening towards heaven, and yet may be in
great straits, <i>troubled on every side,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 4:8" id="Ex.xv-p9.2" parsed="|2Cor|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.4.8">2 Cor. iv. 8</scripRef>. In this distress, no marvel that
the children of Israel were sorely afraid; their father Jacob was
so in a like case (<scripRef passage="Ge 32:7" id="Ex.xv-p9.3" parsed="|Gen|32|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.7">Gen. xxxii.
7</scripRef>); when without are fightings, it cannot be otherwise
but that within are fears: what therefore was the fruit of this
fear? According as that was, the fear was good or evil. 1. Some of
them cried out unto the Lord; their fear set them a praying, and
that was a good effect of it. God brings us into straits that he
may bring us to our knees. 2. Others of them cried out against
Moses; their fear set them a murmuring, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:11,12" id="Ex.xv-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|14|11|14|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.11-Exod.14.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. They give up themselves
for lost; and as if God's arm were shortened all of a sudden, and
he were not as able to work miracles to-day as he was yesterday,
they despair of deliverance, and can count upon nothing but
<i>dying in the wilderness.</i> How inexcusable was their distrust!
Did they not see themselves under the guidance and protection of a
pillar from heaven? And can almighty power fail them, or infinite
goodness be false to them? Yet this was not the worst; they quarrel
with Moses for bringing them out of Egypt, and, in quarrelling with
him, fly in the face of God himself, and provoke him to wrath whose
favour was now the only succour they had to flee to. As the
Egyptians were angry with themselves for the best deed they ever
did, so the Israelites were angry with God for the greatest
kindness that was ever done them; so gross are the absurdities of
unbelief. They here express, (1.) A sordid contempt of liberty,
preferring servitude before it, only because it was attended with
some difficulties. A generous spirit would have said, "If the worst
come to the worst," as we say, "It is better to die in the field of
honour than to live in the chains of slavery;" nay, under God's
conduct, they could not miscarry, and therefore they might say,
"Better live God's freemen in the open air of a wilderness than the
Egyptians' bondmen in the smoke of the brick-kilns." But because,
for the present, they are a little embarrassed, they are angry that
they were not left buried alive in their house of bondage. (2.)
Base ingratitude to Moses, who had been the faithful instrument of
their deliverance. They condemn him, as if he had dealt hardly and
unkindly with them, whereas it was evident, beyond dispute, that
whatever he did, and however it issued, it was by direction from
their God, and with design for their good. What they had said in a
former ferment (when they hearkened not to Moses for anguish of
spirit), they repeat and justify in this: <i>We said in Egypt, Let
us alone;</i> and it was ill-said, yet more excusable, because then
they had not had so much experience as they had now of God's
wonderful appearances in their favour. But they had as soon
forgotten the miracles of mercy as the Egyptians had forgotten the
miracles of wrath; and they, as well as the Egyptians, hardened
their hearts, at last, to their own ruin; as Egypt after ten
plagues, so Israel after ten provocations, of which this was the
first (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:22" id="Ex.xv-p9.5" parsed="|Num|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.22">Num. xiv. 22</scripRef>), were
sentenced to die in the wilderness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p10">II. The seasonable encouragement that Moses
gave them in this distress, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:13,14" id="Ex.xv-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|14|13|14|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.13-Exod.14.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. He answered not these
fools according to their folly. God bore with the provocation they
gave to him, and did not (as he might justly have done) chose their
delusions, and bring their fears upon them; and therefore Moses
might well afford to pass by the affront they put upon him. Instead
of chiding them, he comforts them, and with an admirable presence
and composure of mind, not disheartened either by the threatenings
of Egypt or the tremblings of Israel, stills their murmuring, with
the assurance of a speedy and complete deliverance: <i>Fear you
not.</i> Note, It is our duty and interest, when we cannot get out
of our troubles, yet to get above our fears, so that they may only
serve to quicken our prayers and endeavours, but may not prevail to
silence our faith and hope. 1. He assures them that God would
deliver them, that he would undertake their deliverance, and that
he would effect it in the utter ruin of their pursuers: <i>The Lord
shall fight for you.</i> This Moses was confident of himself, and
would have them to be so, though as yet he knew not how or which
way it would be brought to pass. God had assured him that Pharaoh
and his host should be ruined, and he comforts them with the same
comforts wherewith he had been comforted. 2. He directs them to
leave it to God, in a silent expectation of the event: "<i>Stand
still,</i> and think not to save yourselves either by fighting or
flying; wait God's orders, and observe them; be not contriving what
course to take, but follow your leader; wait God's appearances, and
take notice of them, that you may see how foolish you are to
distrust them. Compose yourselves, by an entire confidence in God,
into a peaceful prospect of the great salvation God is now about to
work for you. Hold your peace; you need not so much as give a shout
against the enemy, as <scripRef passage="Jos 6:16" id="Ex.xv-p10.2" parsed="|Josh|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.6.16">Josh. vi.
16</scripRef>. The work shall be done without any concurrence of
yours." Note, (1.) If God himself bring his people into straits, he
will himself discover a way to bring them out again. (2.) In times
of great difficulty and great expectation, it is our wisdom to keep
our spirits calm, quiet, and sedate; for then we are in the best
frame both to do our own work and to <i>consider the work of God.
Your strength is to sit still</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 30:7" id="Ex.xv-p10.3" parsed="|Isa|30|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.7">Isa. xxx. 7</scripRef>), <i>for the Egyptians shall help
in vain,</i> and threaten to hurt in vain.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14" id="Ex.xv-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14:15-20" id="Ex.xv-p10.5" parsed="|Exod|14|15|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.15-Exod.14.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.14.15-Exod.14.20">
<h4 id="Ex.xv-p10.6">The Pillar of Cloud. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p10.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xv-p11">15 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p11.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the
children of Israel, that they go forward: &#160; 16 But lift thou
up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it:
and the children of Israel shall go on dry <i>ground</i> through
the midst of the sea. &#160; 17 And I, behold, I will harden the
hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get
me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots,
and upon his horsemen. &#160; 18 And the Egyptians shall know that
I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p11.2">Lord</span>, when I have
gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his
horsemen. &#160; 19 And the angel of God, which went before the
camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the
cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: &#160; 20
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of
Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness <i>to them,</i> but it gave
light by night <i>to these:</i> so that the one came not near the
other all the night.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p12">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p13">I. Direction given to Israel's leader.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p14">1. What he must do himself. He must, for
the present, leave off praying, and apply himself to his business
(<scripRef passage="Ex 14:15" id="Ex.xv-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|14|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>):
<i>Wherefore cryest thou unto me?</i> Moses, though he was assured
of a good issue to the present distress, yet did not neglect
prayer. We read not of one word he said in prayer, but he lifted up
to God his heart, the language of which God well understood and
took notice of. Moses's silent prayers of faith prevailed more with
God than Israel's loud outcries of fear, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:10" id="Ex.xv-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Note, (1.) Praying, if of the
right kind, is <i>crying to God,</i> which denotes it to be the
language both of a natural and of an importunate desire. (2.) To
quicken his diligence. Moses had something else to do besides
praying; he was to command the hosts of Israel, and it was now
requisite that he should be at his post. <i>Every thing is
beautiful in its season.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p15">2. What he must order Israel to do.
<i>Speak to them, that they go forward.</i> Some think that Moses
had prayed, not so much for their deliverance (he was assured of
that) as for the pardon of their murmurings, and that God's ordering
them to go forward was an intimation of the pardon. There is no
going forward with any comfort but in the sense of our
reconciliation to God. Moses had bidden them stand still, and
expect orders from God; and now orders are given. They thought they
must have been directed either to the right hand or to the left.
"No," says God, "speak to them to go forward, directly to the
sea-side;" as if there had lain a fleet of transport-ships ready
for them to embark in. Note, When we are in the way of our duty,
though we met with difficulties, we must go forward, and not stand
in mute astonishment; we must mind present work and then leave the
even to God, use means and trust him with the issue.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p16">3. What he might expect God to do. Let the
children of Israel go as far as they can upon dry ground, and then
God will divide the sea, and open a passage for them through it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 14:16-18" id="Ex.xv-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|14|16|14|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.16-Exod.14.18"><i>v.</i> 16-18</scripRef>. God
designs, not only to deliver the Israelites, but to destroy the
Egyptians; and the plan of his counsels is accordingly. (1.) He
will show favour to Israel; the waters shall be divided for them to
pass through, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:16" id="Ex.xv-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>.
The same power could have congealed the waters for them to pass
over; but Infinite Wisdom chose rather to divide the waters for
them to pass through; for that way of salvation is always pitched
upon which is most humbling. Thus it is said, with reference to
this (<scripRef passage="Isa 63:13,14" id="Ex.xv-p16.3" parsed="|Isa|63|13|63|14" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.13-Isa.63.14">Isa. lxiii. 13,
14</scripRef>), <i>He led them through the deep, as a beast goes
down into the valley,</i> and thus <i>made himself a glorious
name.</i> (2.) He will get him honour upon Pharaoh. If the due rent
of honour be not paid to the great landlord, by and from whom we
have and hold our beings and comforts, he will distrain for it, and
recover it. God will be a loser by no man. In order to this, it is
threatened: <i>I, behold I, will harden Pharaoh's heart,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 14:17" id="Ex.xv-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|14|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. The manner of
expression is observable: <i>I, behold I, will do it.</i> "I, that
may do it;" so it is the language of his sovereignty. We may not
contribute to the hardening of any man's heart, nor withhold any
thing that we can do towards the softening of it; but God's grace
is his own, <i>he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom
he will be hardeneth.</i> "I, that can do it;" so it is the
language of his power; none but the Almighty can make the heart
soft (<scripRef passage="Job 23:16" id="Ex.xv-p16.5" parsed="|Job|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.23.16">Job xxiii. 16</scripRef>), nor
can any other being make it hard. "I, that will do it;" for it is
the language of his justice; it is a righteous thing with God to
put those under the impressions of his wrath who have long resisted
the influences of his grace. It is spoken in a way of triumph over
this obstinate and presumptuous rebel: "<i>I even I,</i> will take
an effectual course to humble him; he shall break that would not
bend." It is an expression like that (<scripRef passage="Isa 1:24" id="Ex.xv-p16.6" parsed="|Isa|1|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.24">Isa. i. 24</scripRef>), <i>Ah, I will ease me of my
adversaries.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p17">II. A guard set upon Israel's camp where it
now lay most exposed, which was <i>in the rear,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 14:19,20" id="Ex.xv-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|14|19|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.19-Exod.14.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. <i>The angel of
God,</i> whose ministry was made use of in the pillar of cloud and
fire, went from <i>before the camp of Israel,</i> where they did
not now need a guide (there was no danger of missing their way
through the sea, nor needed they any other word of command than to
go forward), and it came behind them, where now they needed a guard
(the Egyptians being just ready to seize the hindmost of them), and
so was a wall of partition between them. There it was of use to the
Israelites, not only to protect them, but to light them through the
sea, and, at the same time, it confounded the Egyptians, so that
they lost sight of their prey just when they were ready to lay
hands on it. The word and providence of God have a black and dark
side towards sin and sinners, but a bright and pleasant side
towards those that are Israelites indeed. That which is a savour of
life unto life to some is a savour of death unto death to others.
This was not the first time that he who in the beginning divided
between light and darkness (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:4" id="Ex.xv-p17.2" parsed="|Gen|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.4">Gen. i.
4</scripRef>), and still forms both (<scripRef passage="Isa 45:7" id="Ex.xv-p17.3" parsed="|Isa|45|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.7">Isa. xlv. 7</scripRef>), had, at the same time, allotted
darkness to the Egyptians and light to the Israelites, a specimen
of the endless distinction which will be made between the
inheritance of the saints in light and that utter darkness which
for ever will be the portion of hypocrites. God will separate
between the precious and the vile.</p>
<h4 id="Ex.xv-p17.4">The Destruction of the
Egyptians. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p17.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 14:21-31" id="Ex.xv-p17.6" parsed="|Exod|14|21|14|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.21-Exod.14.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.14.21-Exod.14.31">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xv-p18">21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the
sea; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.1">Lord</span> caused the sea to
go <i>back</i> by a strong east wind all that night, and made the
sea dry <i>land,</i> and the waters were divided. &#160; 22 And the
children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry
<i>ground:</i> and the waters <i>were</i> a wall unto them on their
right hand, and on their left. &#160; 23 And the Egyptians pursued,
and went in after them to the midst of the sea, <i>even</i> all
Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. &#160; 24 And it
came to pass, that in the morning watch the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.2">Lord</span> looked unto the host of the Egyptians
through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host
of the Egyptians, &#160; 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that
they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee
from the face of Israel; for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.3">Lord</span> fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
&#160; 26 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.4">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may
come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their
horsemen. &#160; 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the
sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning
appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.5">Lord</span> overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the
sea. &#160; 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots,
and the horsemen, <i>and</i> all the host of Pharaoh that came into
the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
&#160; 29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry <i>land</i> in
the midst of the sea; and the waters <i>were</i> a wall unto them
on their right hand, and on their left. &#160; 30 Thus the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.6">Lord</span> saved Israel that day out of the hand
of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea
shore. &#160; 31 And Israel saw that great work which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.7">Lord</span> did upon the Egyptians: and the
people feared the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.8">Lord</span>, and believed
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xv-p18.9">Lord</span>, and his servant Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p19">We have here the history of that work of
wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New
Testament, the dividing of the Red Sea before the children of
Israel. It was the terror of the Canaanites (<scripRef passage="Jos 2:9,10" id="Ex.xv-p19.1" parsed="|Josh|2|9|2|10" osisRef="Bible:Josh.2.9-Josh.2.10">Josh. ii. 9, 10</scripRef>), the praise and triumph of
the Israelites, <scripRef passage="Ps 114:3,Ps 106:9,136:13,14" id="Ex.xv-p19.2" parsed="|Ps|114|3|0|0;|Ps|106|9|0|0;|Ps|136|13|136|14" osisRef="Bible:Ps.114.3 Bible:Ps.106.9 Bible:Ps.136.13-Ps.136.14">Ps.
cxiv. 3; cvi. 9; cxxxvi. 13, 14</scripRef>. It was a type of
baptism, <scripRef passage="1Co 10:1,2" id="Ex.xv-p19.3" parsed="|1Cor|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.1-1Cor.10.2">1 Cor. x. 1, 2</scripRef>.
Israel's passage through it was typical of the conversion of souls
(<scripRef passage="Isa 11:15" id="Ex.xv-p19.4" parsed="|Isa|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.15">Isa. xi. 15</scripRef>), and the
Egyptians' perdition in it was typical of the final ruin of all
impenitent sinners, <scripRef passage="Re 20:14" id="Ex.xv-p19.5" parsed="|Rev|20|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.20.14">Rev. xx.
14</scripRef>. Here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p20">I. An instance of God's almighty power in
the kingdom of nature, in dividing the sea, and opening a passage
through the waters. It was a bay, or gulf, or arm of the sea, two
or three leagues over, which was divided, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:21" id="Ex.xv-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. The instituted sign made use of
was Moses's stretching out his hand over it, to signify that it was
done in answer to his prayer, for the confirmation of his mission,
and in favour to the people whom he led. The natural sign was a
strong east wind, signifying that it was done by the power of God,
whom the winds and the seas obey. If there be any passage in the
book of Job which has reference to the miracles wrought for
Israel's deliverance out of Egypt, it is that in <scripRef passage="Job 26:12" id="Ex.xv-p20.2" parsed="|Job|26|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.12">Job xxvi. 12</scripRef>, <i>He divideth the sea with
his power, and by his understanding he smileth through Rahab</i>
(so the word is), that is, Egypt. Note, God can bring his people
through the greatest difficulties, and force a way where he does
not find it. The God of nature has not tied himself to its laws,
but, when he pleases, dispenses with them, and then the fire does
not burn, nor the water flow.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p21">II. An instance of his wonderful favour to
his Israel. They went through the sea to the opposite shore, for I
cannot suppose, with some, that they fetched a compass, and came
out again on the same side, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:22" id="Ex.xv-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. They <i>walked upon dry land in the midst of the
sea,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 14:29" id="Ex.xv-p21.2" parsed="|Exod|14|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. And
the pillar of cloud, <i>that glory of the Lord,</i> being their
<i>rearward</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 58:8" id="Ex.xv-p21.3" parsed="|Isa|58|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.8">Isa. lviii.
8</scripRef>), that the Egyptians might not charge them in the
flank, the <i>waters were a wall to them</i> (it is twice
mentioned) <i>on their right hand and on their left.</i> Moses and
Aaron, it is probable, ventured first into this untrodden path, and
then all Israel after them; and this march through the paths of the
great waters would make their march afterwards, through the
wilderness, less formidable. Those who had followed God through the
sea needed not to fear following him whithersoever he led them.
This march through the sea was in the night, and not a moon-shiny
night, for it was seven days after the full moon, so that they had
no light but what they had from the pillar of cloud and fire. This
made it the more awful; but where God leads us he will light us;
while we follow his conduct, we shall not want his comforts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p22">This was done, and recorded, in order to
encourage God's people in all ages to trust in him in the greatest
straits. What cannot he do who did this? What will not he do for
those that fear and love him who did this for these murmuring
unbelieving Israel is, who yet were <i>beloved for their fathers'
sake,</i> and for the sake of a remnant among them? We find the
saints, long afterwards, making themselves sharers in the triumphs
of this march (<scripRef passage="Ps 66:6" id="Ex.xv-p22.1" parsed="|Ps|66|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.66.6">Ps. lxvi. 6</scripRef>):
<i>They went through the flood on foot; there did we rejoice in
him:</i> and see how this work of wonder is improved, <scripRef passage="Ps 77:11,16,19" id="Ex.xv-p22.2" parsed="|Ps|77|11|0|0;|Ps|77|16|0|0;|Ps|77|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.77.11 Bible:Ps.77.16 Bible:Ps.77.19">Ps. lxxvii. 11, 16, 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p23">III. An instance of his just and righteous
wrath upon his and his people's enemies, the Egyptians. Observe
here, 1. How they were infatuated. In the heat of their pursuit,
they went after the Israelites <i>into the midst of the sea,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 14:23" id="Ex.xv-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|14|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. "Why,"
thought they, "may not we venture where Israel did?" Once or twice
the magicians of Egypt had done what Moses did, with their
enchantments; Pharaoh remembered this, but forgot how they were
nonplussed at last. They were more advantageously provided with
chariots and horses, while the Israelites were on foot. Pharaoh had
said, <i>I know not the Lord;</i> and by this it appeared he did
not, else he would not have ventured thus. None so bold as those
that are blind. Rage against Israel made them thus daring and
inconsiderate: they had long hardened their own hearts; and now God
hardened them to their ruin, and hid from their eyes the things
that belonged to their peace and safety. <i>Surely in vain is the
net spread in the sight of any bird</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 1:17" id="Ex.xv-p23.2" parsed="|Prov|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.17">Prov. i. 17</scripRef>); yet so blind where the Egyptians
that they <i>hastened to the snare,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 7:23" id="Ex.xv-p23.3" parsed="|Prov|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.23">Prov. vii. 23</scripRef>. Note, The ruin of sinners is
brought on by their own presumption, which hurries them headlong
into the pit. They are self-destroyers. 2. How they were troubled
and perplexed, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:24,25" id="Ex.xv-p23.4" parsed="|Exod|14|24|14|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.24-Exod.14.25"><i>v.</i> 24,
25</scripRef>. For some hours they marched through the divided
waters as safely and triumphantly as Israel did, not doubting but,
that, in a little time, they should gain their point. But, <i>in
the morning watch, the Lord looked upon the host of the Egyptians,
and troubled them.</i> Something or other they saw or heard from
the pillar of cloud and fire which put them into great
consternation, and gave them an apprehension of their ruin before
it was brought upon them. Now it appeared that the <i>triumphing of
the wicked is short,</i> and that God has ways to frighten sinners
into despair, before he plunges them into destruction. <i>He cuts
off the spirit of princes, and is terrible to the kings of the
earth.</i> (1.) They had hectored and boasted as if the day were
their own; but now they were troubled and dismayed, struck with a
panic-fear. (2.) They had driven furiously; but now they drove
heavily, and found themselves plugged and embarrassed at every
step; the way grew deep, their hearts grew sad, their wheels
dropped off, and the axle-trees failed. Thus can God check the
violence of those that are in pursuit of his people. (3.) They had
been flying upon the back of Israel, as the hawk upon the trembling
dove; but now they cried, <i>Let us flee from the face of
Israel,</i> which had become to them <i>like a torch of fire in a
sheaf,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 12:6" id="Ex.xv-p23.5" parsed="|Zech|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.6">Zech. xii. 6</scripRef>.
Israel has now, all of a sudden, become as much a terror to them as
they had been to Israel. They might have let Israel alone and would
not; now they would flee from the face of Israel and cannot. Men
will not be convinced, till it is too late, that those who meddle
with God's people meddle to their own hurt; when the Lord shall
come with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment, the
mighty men will in vain seek to shelter themselves under rocks and
mountains <i>from the face of Israel</i> and Israel's King,
<scripRef passage="Re 6:15" id="Ex.xv-p23.6" parsed="|Rev|6|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.15">Rev. vi. 15</scripRef>. Compare with
this story, <scripRef passage="Job 27:20" id="Ex.xv-p23.7" parsed="|Job|27|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.27.20">Job xxvii. 20</scripRef>,
&amp;c. 3. How they were all drowned. As soon as ever the children
of Israel had got safely to the shore, Moses was ordered to
<i>stretch out his hand over the sea,</i> and thereby give a signal
to the waters to close again, as before, upon he word of command,
they had <i>opened to the right and the left,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 14:29" id="Ex.xv-p23.8" parsed="|Exod|14|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. He did so, and
immediately the waters returned to their place, and overwhelmed all
the host of the Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:27,28" id="Ex.xv-p23.9" parsed="|Exod|14|27|14|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.27-Exod.14.28"><i>v.</i> 27, 28</scripRef>. Pharaoh and his
servants, who had hardened one another in sin, now fell together,
and not one escaped. An ancient tradition says that Pharaoh's
magicians, Jannes and Jambres, perished with the rest, as Balaam
with the Midianites whom he had seduced, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:8" id="Ex.xv-p23.10" parsed="|Num|31|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.8">Num. xxxi. 8</scripRef>. And now, (1.) God avenged upon
the Egyptians the blood of the firstborn whom they had drowned: and
the principal is repaid with interest, it is recompensed double,
full-grown Egyptians for newborn Israelites; thus the Lord is
righteous, and precious is his people's blood in his sight,
<scripRef passage="Ps 72:14" id="Ex.xv-p23.11" parsed="|Ps|72|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.14">Ps. lxxii. 14</scripRef>. (2.) God
reckoned with Pharaoh for all his proud and insolent conduct
towards Moses his ambassador. Mocking the messengers of the Lord,
and playing the fool with them, bring ruin without remedy. Now God
<i>got him honour upon Pharaoh,</i> looking upon that proud man,
and abasing him, <scripRef passage="Job 40:12" id="Ex.xv-p23.12" parsed="|Job|40|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.40.12">Job. xl.
12</scripRef>. Come and see the desolations he made, and write it,
not in water, but with an iron pen in the rock for ever. Here lies
that bloody tyrant who bade defiance to his Maker, to his demands,
threatenings, and judgments; a rebel to God, and a slave to his own
barbarous passions; perfectly lost to humanity, virtue, and all
true honour; here he lies, buried in the deep, a perpetual monument
of divine justice. Here he went down to the pit, though he was the
terror of the mighty in the land of the living. This is Pharaoh and
all his multitude, <scripRef passage="Eze 31:18" id="Ex.xv-p23.13" parsed="|Ezek|31|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.31.18">Ezek. xxxi.
18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p24">IV. Here is the notice which the Israelites
took of this wonderful work which God wrought for them, and the
good impressions which it made upon them for the present.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p25">1. They saw the Egyptians dead upon the
sands, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:30" id="Ex.xv-p25.1" parsed="|Exod|14|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>.
Providence so ordered it that the next tide threw up the dead
bodies, (1.) For the greater disgrace of the Egyptians. Now the
beasts and birds of prey were called to <i>eat the flesh of the
captains and mighty men,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 19:17,18" id="Ex.xv-p25.2" parsed="|Rev|19|17|19|18" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.17-Rev.19.18">Rev.
xix. 17, 18</scripRef>. The Egyptians were very nice and curious in
embalming and preserving the bodies of their great men, but here
the utmost contempt is poured upon all the grandees of Egypt; see
how they lie, heaps upon heaps, as dung upon the face of the earth.
(2.) For the greater triumph of the Israelites, and to affect them
the more with their deliverance; for the eye affects the heart. See
<scripRef passage="Isa 66:24" id="Ex.xv-p25.3" parsed="|Isa|66|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.24">Isa. lxvi. 24</scripRef>, <i>They
shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have
transgressed against me.</i> Probably they stripped the slain and,
having borrowed jewels of their neighbours before, which (the
Egyptians having by this hostile pursuit of them broken their faith
with them) henceforward they were not under any obligation to
restore, they now got arms from them, which, some think, they were
not before provided with. Thus, when God broke the heads of
Leviathan in pieces, <i>he gave him to be meat to the people
inhabiting the wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 74:14" id="Ex.xv-p25.4" parsed="|Ps|74|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.74.14">Ps.
lxxiv. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xv-p26">2. The sight of this great work greatly
affected them, and now they <i>feared the Lord, and believed the
Lord, and his servant Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 14:31" id="Ex.xv-p26.1" parsed="|Exod|14|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. Now they were ashamed of their
distrusts and murmurings, and, in the good mind they were in, they
would never again despair of help from Heaven, no, not in the
greatest straits; they would never again quarrel with Moses, nor
talk of returning to Egypt. They were now baptized unto Moses in
the sea, <scripRef passage="1Co 10:2" id="Ex.xv-p26.2" parsed="|1Cor|10|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.2">1 Cor. x. 2</scripRef>. This
great work which God wrought for them by the ministry of Moses
bound them effectually to follow his directions, under God. This
confirmed their faith in the promises that were yet to be
fulfilled; and, being brought thus triumphantly out of Egypt, they
did not doubt that they should be in Canaan shortly, having such a
God to trust to, and such a mediator between them and him. O that
there had been such a heart in them as now there seemed to be!
Sensible mercies, when they are fresh, make sensible impressions;
but with many these impressions soon wear off: while they see God's
works, and feel the benefit of them, they fear him and trust in
him; but they soon forget his works, and then they slight him. How
well were it for us if we were always in as good a frame as we are
in sometimes!</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XV" n="xvi" progress="38.33%" prev="Ex.xv" next="Ex.xvii" id="Ex.xvi">
<h2 id="Ex.xvi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xvi-p0.2">CHAP. XV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xvi-p1">In this chapter, I. Israel looks back upon Egypt
with a song of praise for their deliverance. Here is, 1. The song
itself, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:1-19" id="Ex.xvi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|15|1|15|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.1-Exod.15.19">ver. 1-19</scripRef>. 2. The
solemn singing of it, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:20,21" id="Ex.xvi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|15|20|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.20-Exod.15.21">ver. 20,
21</scripRef>. II. Israel marches forward in the wilderness
(<scripRef passage="Ex 15:22" id="Ex.xvi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|15|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.22">ver. 22</scripRef>), and there, 1.
Their discontent at the waters of Marah (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:23,24" id="Ex.xvi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|15|23|15|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.23-Exod.15.24">ver. 23, 24</scripRef>), and the relief granted them,
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:25,26" id="Ex.xvi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|15|25|15|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.25-Exod.15.26">ver. 25, 26</scripRef>. 2. Their
satisfaction in the waters of Elim, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:27" id="Ex.xvi-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|15|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.27">ver. 27</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 15" id="Ex.xvi-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 15:1-21" id="Ex.xvi-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|15|1|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.1-Exod.15.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.15.1-Exod.15.21">
<h4 id="Ex.xvi-p1.9">Triumphant Song of the
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xvi-p2">1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel
this song unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.1">Lord</span>, and spake,
saying, I will sing unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.2">Lord</span>,
for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he
thrown into the sea. &#160; 2 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.3">Lord</span> <i>is</i> my strength and song, and he is
become my salvation: he <i>is</i> my God, and I will prepare him an
habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. &#160; 3 The
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.4">Lord</span> <i>is</i> a man of war: the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.5">Lord</span> <i>is</i> his name. &#160; 4
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his
chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. &#160; 5 The
depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
&#160; 6 Thy right hand, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.6">O Lord</span>, is
become glorious in power: thy right hand, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.7">O
Lord</span>, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. &#160; 7 And in the
greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose
up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, <i>which</i>
consumed them as stubble. &#160; 8 And with the blast of thy
nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood
upright as an heap, <i>and</i> the depths were congealed in the
heart of the sea. &#160; 9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will
overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon
them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. &#160; 10
Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as
lead in the mighty waters. &#160; 11 Who <i>is</i> like unto thee,
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.8">O Lord</span>, among the gods? who
<i>is</i> like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful <i>in</i>
praises, doing wonders? &#160; 12 Thou stretchedst out thy right
hand, the earth swallowed them. &#160; 13 Thou in thy mercy hast
led forth the people <i>which</i> thou hast redeemed: thou hast
guided <i>them</i> in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. &#160;
14 The people shall hear, <i>and</i> be afraid: sorrow shall take
hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. &#160; 15 Then the dukes of
Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take
hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
&#160; 16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of
thine arm they shall be <i>as</i> still as a stone; till thy people
pass over, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.9">O Lord</span>, till the people
pass over, <i>which</i> thou hast purchased. &#160; 17 Thou shalt
bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance,
<i>in</i> the place, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.10">O Lord</span>,
<i>which</i> thou hast made for thee to dwell in, <i>in</i> the
Sanctuary, O Lord, <i>which</i> thy hands have established. &#160;
18 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.11">Lord</span> shall reign for ever and
ever. &#160; 19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots
and with his horsemen into the sea, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.12">Lord</span> brought again the waters of the sea upon
them; but the children of Israel went on dry <i>land</i> in the
midst of the sea. &#160; 20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister
of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out
after her with timbrels and with dances. &#160; 21 And Miriam
answered them, Sing ye to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p2.13">Lord</span>,
for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he
thrown into the sea.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p3">Having read how that complete victory of
Israel over the Egyptians was obtained, here we are told how it was
celebrated; those that were to hold their peace while the
deliverance was in working (<scripRef passage="Ex 14:14" id="Ex.xvi-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.14"><i>ch.</i>
xiv. 14</scripRef>) must not hold their peace now that it was
wrought; the less they had to do then the more they had to do now.
If God accomplishes deliverance by his own immediate power, it
redounds so much the more to his glory. Moses, no doubt by divine
inspiration, indited this song, and delivered it to the children of
Israel, to be sung before they stirred from the place where they
saw the Egyptians dead upon the shore. Observe, 1. They expressed
their joy in God, and thankfulness to him, by singing; it is almost
natural to us thus to give vent to our joy and the exultations of
our spirit. By this instance it appears that the singing of psalms,
as an act of religious worship, was used in the church of Christ
before the giving of the ceremonial law, and therefore was no part
of it, nor abolished with it. Singing is as much the language of
holy joy as praying is of holy desire. 2. Moses, who had gone
before them through the sea, goes before them in the song, and
composes it for them. Note, Those that are active in public
services should not be neuters in public praises. 3. When the mercy
was fresh, and they were much affected with it, then they sang this
song. Note, When we have received special mercy from God, we ought
to be quick and speedy in our returns of praise to him, before time
and the deceitfulness of our own hearts efface the good impressions
that have been made. David sang his triumphant song in the day that
the Lord delivered him, <scripRef passage="2Sa 22:1" id="Ex.xvi-p3.2" parsed="|2Sam|22|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.22.1">2 Sam. xxii.
1</scripRef>. <i>Bis dat qui cito dat&#8212;He gives twice who gives
quickly.</i> 4. When they <i>believed the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 14:31" id="Ex.xvi-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|14|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.31"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 31</scripRef>) then they sang
this song: it was a song of faith; this connection is observed
(<scripRef passage="Ps 106:12" id="Ex.xvi-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|106|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.12">Ps. cvi. 12</scripRef>): <i>Then
believed they his words, they sang his praise.</i> If with the
heart man believes, thus confession must be made. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p4">I. The song itself; and,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p5">1. We may observe respecting this song,
that it is, (1.) An ancient song, the most ancient that we know of.
(2.) A most admirable composition, the style lofty and magnificent,
the images lively and proper, and the whole very moving. (3.) It is
a holy song, consecrated to the honour of God, and intended to
exalt his name and celebrate his praise, and his only, not in the
least to magnify any man: holiness to the Lord is engraven in it,
and to him they made melody in the singing of it. (4.) It is a
typical song. The triumphs of the gospel church, in the downfall of
its enemies, are expressed in the song of Moses and the song of the
Lamb put together, which are said to be sung upon a sea of glass,
as this was upon the Red Sea, <scripRef passage="Re 15:2,3" id="Ex.xvi-p5.1" parsed="|Rev|15|2|15|3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.15.2-Rev.15.3">Rev.
xv. 2, 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p6">2. Let us observe what Moses chiefly aims
at in this song.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p7">(1.) He gives glory to God, and triumphs in
him; this is first in his intention (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:1" id="Ex.xvi-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>I will sing unto the
Lord.</i> Note, All our joy must terminate in God, and all our
praises be offered up to him, the Father of lights and Father of
mercies, <i>for he hath triumphed.</i> Note, All that love God
triumph in his triumphs; what is his honour should be our joy.
Israel rejoiced in God, [1.] As their own God, and therefore their
<i>strength, song,</i> and <i>salvation,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:2" id="Ex.xvi-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Happy therefore the people whose
God is the Lord; they need no more to make them happy. They have
work to do, temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear,
and are weak in themselves; but he strengthens them: his grace is
their strength. They are often in sorrow, upon many accounts, but
in him they have comfort, he is <i>their song;</i> sin, and death,
and hell, threaten them, but he is, and will be, <i>their
salvation:</i> See <scripRef passage="Isa 12:2" id="Ex.xvi-p7.3" parsed="|Isa|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.12.2">Isa. xii.
2</scripRef>. [2.] <i>As their fathers' God.</i> This they take
notice of, because, being conscious to themselves of their own
unworthiness and provocations, they had reason to think that what
God had now done for them was for their <i>fathers' sake,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 4:37" id="Ex.xvi-p7.4" parsed="|Deut|4|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.37">Deut. iv. 37</scripRef>. Note, The
children of the covenant ought to improve their fathers' relation
to God as their God for comfort, for caution, and for quickening.
[3.] As a God of infinite power (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:3" id="Ex.xvi-p7.5" parsed="|Exod|15|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>The Lord is a man of war,</i>
that is, well able to deal with all those that strive with their
Maker, and will certainly be too hard for them. [4.] As a God of
matchless and incomparable perfection, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:11" id="Ex.xvi-p7.6" parsed="|Exod|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. This is expressed,
<i>First,</i> More generally: <i>Who is like unto thee, O Lord,
among the gods!</i> This is pure praise, and a high expression of
humble adoration.&#8212;It is a challenge to all other gods to compare
with him: "Let them stand forth, and pretend their utmost; none of
them dare make the comparison." Egypt was notorious for the
multitude of its gods, but the <i>God of the Hebrews</i> was too
hard for them and baffled them all, <scripRef passage="Nu 38:4,De 32:23-39" id="Ex.xvi-p7.7" parsed="|Num|38|4|0|0;|Deut|32|23|32|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.38.4 Bible:Deut.32.23-Deut.32.39">Num. xxxviii. 4; Deut. xxxii.
23-39</scripRef>. The princes and potentates of the world are
called <i>gods,</i> but they are feeble and mortal, none of them
all comparable to Jehovah, the almighty and eternal God.&#8212;It is
confession of his infinite perfection, as transcendent and
unparalleled. Note, God is to be worshipped and adored as a being
of such infinite perfection that there is none like him, nor any to
be compared with him, as one that in all things has and must have
the pre-eminence, <scripRef passage="Ps 89:6" id="Ex.xvi-p7.8" parsed="|Ps|89|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.6">Ps. lxxxix.
6</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> More particularly, 1. <i>He is
glorious in holiness;</i> his holiness is his glory. It is that
attribute which angels adore, <scripRef passage="Isa 6:3" id="Ex.xvi-p7.9" parsed="|Isa|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.3">Isa. vi.
3</scripRef>. His holiness appeared in the destruction of Pharaoh,
his hatred of sin, and his wrath against obstinate sinners. It
appeared in the deliverance of Israel, his delight in the holy
seed, and his faithfulness to his own promise. God is <i>rich in
mercy</i>&#8212;this is his treasure, <i>glorious in holiness</i>&#8212;this
is his honour. Let us always give thanks at the remembrance of his
holiness. 2. <i>He is fearful in praises.</i> That which is the
matter of our praise, though it is joyful to the servants of God,
is dreadful and very terrible to his enemies, <scripRef passage="Ps 66:1-3" id="Ex.xvi-p7.10" parsed="|Ps|66|1|66|3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.66.1-Ps.66.3">Ps. lxvi. 1-3</scripRef>. Or it directs us in the
manner of our praising God; we should praise him with a humble holy
awe, and <i>serve the Lord with fear.</i> Even our spiritual joy
and triumph must be balanced with a religious fear. 3. He is
<i>doing wonders,</i> wondrous to all, being above the power and
out of the common course of nature; especially wondrous to us, in
whose favour they are wrought, who are so unworthy that we had
little reason to expect them. They were wonders of power and
wonders of grace; in both God was to be humbly adored.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p8">(2.) He describes the deliverance they were
now triumphing in, because the song was intended, not only to
express and excite their thankfulness for the present, but to
preserve and perpetuate the remembrance of this work of wonder to
after-ages. Two things were to be taken notice of:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p9">[1.] The destruction of the enemy; the
waters were divided, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:8" id="Ex.xvi-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. <i>The floods stood upright as a heap.</i> Pharaoh
and all his hosts were buried in the waters. <i>The horse and his
rider</i> could not escape (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:1" id="Ex.xvi-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>), the <i>chariots,</i> and the <i>chosen captains</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 15:4" id="Ex.xvi-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>); they
themselves went into the sea, and they were overwhelmed, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:19" id="Ex.xvi-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. <i>The depths, the sea,
covered them,</i> and the proud waters went over the proud sinners;
they <i>sank like a stone, like lead</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:5,10" id="Ex.xvi-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|15|5|0|0;|Exod|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.5 Bible:Exod.15.10"><i>v.</i> 5, 10</scripRef>), under the weight of their
own guilt and God's wrath. Their sin had made them hard like a
stone, and now they justly sink like a stone. Nay, <i>the earth
itself swallowed them</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:12" id="Ex.xvi-p9.6" parsed="|Exod|15|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>); their dead bodies sank into the sands upon which
they were thrown up, which sucked them in. Those whom the Creator
fights against the whole creation is at war with. All this was the
Lord's doing, and his only. It was an act of his power: <i>Thy
right hand, O Lord,</i> not ours, <i>has dashed in pieces the
enemy,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:6" id="Ex.xvi-p9.7" parsed="|Exod|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It
was with <i>the blast of thy nostrils</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:8" id="Ex.xvi-p9.8" parsed="|Exod|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and <i>thy wind</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:10" id="Ex.xvi-p9.9" parsed="|Exod|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), and the <i>stretching
out of thy right hand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:12" id="Ex.xvi-p9.10" parsed="|Exod|15|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. It was an instance of his transcendent power&#8212;in
<i>the greatness of thy excellency;</i> and it was the execution of
his justice: <i>Thou sentest forth thy wrath,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:7" id="Ex.xvi-p9.11" parsed="|Exod|15|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. This destruction of the
Egyptians was made the more remarkable by their pride and
insolence, and their strange assurance of success: <i>The enemy
said, I will pursue,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:9" id="Ex.xvi-p9.12" parsed="|Exod|15|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Here is, <i>First,</i> Great confidence. When they
pursue, they do not question but they shall overtake; and, when
they overtake, they do not question but they shall overcome, and
obtain so decisive a victory as to <i>divide the spoil.</i> Note,
It is common for men to be most elevated with the hope of success
when they are upon the brink of ruin, which makes their ruin so
much the sorer. See <scripRef passage="Isa 37:24,25" id="Ex.xvi-p9.13" parsed="|Isa|37|24|37|25" osisRef="Bible:Isa.37.24-Isa.37.25">Isa. xxxvii.
24, 25</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> Great cruelty&#8212;nothing but
killing, and slaying, and destroying, and this will satisfy his
lust; and a barbarous lust that is which so much blood must be the
satisfaction of. Note, It is a cruel hatred with which the church
is hated; its enemies are bloody men. This is taken notice of here
to show, 1. That God resists the proud, and delights to humble
those who lift up themselves; he that says, "I will, and I will,
whether God will or no," shall be made to know that wherein he
deals proudly God is above him. 2. That those who thirst for blood
shall have enough of it. Those who love to be destroying shall be
destroyed; for we know who has said, <i>Vengeance is mine, I will
repay.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p10">[2.] The protection and guidance of Israel
(<scripRef passage="Ex 15:13" id="Ex.xvi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|15|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>Thou in
thy mercy hast led forth the people,</i> led them forth out of the
bondage Egypt, led them forth out of the perils of the Red Sea,
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:19" id="Ex.xvi-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. <i>But the
children of Israel went on dry land.</i> Note, The destruction of
the wicked serves for a foil to set off the salvation of Israel,
and to make it the more illustrious, <scripRef passage="Isa 45:13-15" id="Ex.xvi-p10.3" parsed="|Isa|45|13|45|15" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.13-Isa.45.15">Isa. xlv. 13-15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p11">(3.) He sets himself to improve this
wonderful appearance of God for them. [1.] In order to quicken them
to serve God: in consideration of this, <i>I will prepare him
habitation,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:2" id="Ex.xvi-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
God having preserved them, and prepared a covert for them under
which they had been safe and easy, they resolve to spare no cost
nor pains for the erecting of a tabernacle to his honour, and there
they will exalt him, and mention, to his praise, the honour he had
got upon Pharaoh. God had now exalted them, making them great and
high, and therefore they will exalt him, by speaking of his
infinite height and grandeur. Note, Our constant endeavour should
be, by praising his name and serving his interests, to exalt God;
and it is an advancement to us to be so employed. [2.] In order to
encourage them to trust in God. So confident is this Psalmist of
the happy issue of the salvation which was so gloriously begun that
he looks upon it as in effect finished already: "<i>Thou hast
guided them to thy holy habitation,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:13" id="Ex.xvi-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|15|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Thou hast thus put them into
the way to it, and wilt in due time bring them to the end of that
way," for God's work is perfect; or, "<i>Thou hast guided them</i>
to attend thy holy habitation in heaven with their praises." Note,
Those whom God takes under his direction he will guide to his holy
habitation in faith now, and in fruition shortly. Two ways this
great deliverance was encouraging:&#8212;<i>First,</i> It was such an
instance of God's power as would terrify their enemies, and quite
dishearten them, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:14-16" id="Ex.xvi-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|15|14|15|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.14-Exod.15.16"><i>v.</i>
14-16</scripRef>. The very report of the overthrow of the Egyptians
would be more than half the over throw of all their other enemies;
it would sink their spirits, which would go far towards the sinking
of their powers and interests; he Philistines, Moabites, Edomites,
and Canaanites (with each of which nations Israel was to grapple),
would be alarmed by it, would be quite dispirited, and would
conclude it was in vain to fight against Israel, when a God of such
power fought for them. It had this effect; the Edomites were afraid
of them (<scripRef passage="De 2:4" id="Ex.xvi-p11.4" parsed="|Deut|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.4">Deut. ii. 4</scripRef>), so
were the Moabites (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:3" id="Ex.xvi-p11.5" parsed="|Num|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.3">Num. xxii.
3</scripRef>), and the Canaanites, <scripRef passage="Jos 2:9,10,5:1" id="Ex.xvi-p11.6" parsed="|Josh|2|9|2|10;|Josh|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.2.9-Josh.2.10 Bible:Josh.5.1">Josh. ii. 9, 10; v. 1</scripRef>. Thus God sent
his fear before them (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:27" id="Ex.xvi-p11.7" parsed="|Exod|23|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.27"><i>ch.</i>
xxiii. 27</scripRef>), and cut off the spirit of princes.
<i>Secondly,</i> It was such a beginning of God's favour to them as
gave them an earnest of he perfection of his kindness. This was but
in order to something further: <i>Thou shalt bring them in,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:17" id="Ex.xvi-p11.8" parsed="|Exod|15|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. If he thus
<i>bring them out of Egypt,</i> notwithstanding their unworthiness,
and the difficulties that lay in the way of their escape, doubtless
he will bring them into Canaan; for has he begun (<i>so</i> begun),
and will he not make an end? Note, Our experiences of God's power
and favour should be improved for the support of our expectations.
"Thou <i>hast,</i> therefore, not only thou <i>canst,</i> but we
trust thou <i>wilt,</i>" is good arguing. <i>Thou wilt plant them
in the place which thou has made for thee to dwell in.</i> Note, It
is good dwelling where God dwells, in his church on earth
(<scripRef passage="Ps 27:4" id="Ex.xvi-p11.9" parsed="|Ps|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.4">Ps. xxvii. 4</scripRef>), in his
church in heaven, <scripRef passage="Joh 17:24" id="Ex.xvi-p11.10" parsed="|John|17|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.24">John xvii.
24</scripRef>. Where he says, "This is my rest for ever," we should
say, "Let it be ours." <i>Lastly,</i> The great ground of the
encouragement which they draw from this work of wonder is, <i>The
Lord shall reign for ever and ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:18" id="Ex.xvi-p11.11" parsed="|Exod|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. They had now seen an end of
Pharaoh's reign; but time itself shall not put a period to
Jehovah's reign, which, like himself, is eternal, and not subject
to change. Note, It is the unspeakable comfort of all God's
faithful subjects, not only that he does reign universally and with
an incontestable sovereignty, but that he will reign eternally, and
there shall be no end of his dominion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p12">II. The solemn singing of this song,
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:20,21" id="Ex.xvi-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|15|20|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.20-Exod.15.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>. Miriam
(or Mary, it is the same name) presided in an assembly of the
women, who (according to the softness of their sex, and the common
usage of those times for expressing joy, with timbrels and dances)
sang this song. Moses led the psalm, and gave it out for the men,
and then Miriam for the women. Famous victories were wont to be
applauded by the daughters of Israel (<scripRef passage="1Sa 18:6,7" id="Ex.xvi-p12.2" parsed="|1Sam|18|6|18|7" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.18.6-1Sam.18.7">1 Sam. xviii. 6, 7</scripRef>); so was this. When God
brought Israel out of Egypt, it is said (<scripRef passage="Mic 6:4" id="Ex.xvi-p12.3" parsed="|Mic|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.4">Micah vi. 4</scripRef>), <i>He sent before them Moses,
Aaron, and Miriam,</i> though we read not of any thing memorable
that Miriam did but this. But those are to be reckoned great
blessings to a people who assist them, and go before them, in
praising God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 15:22-27" id="Ex.xvi-p12.4" parsed="|Exod|15|22|15|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.22-Exod.15.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.15.22-Exod.15.27">
<h4 id="Ex.xvi-p12.5">The Waters of Marah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p12.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xvi-p13">22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and
they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days
in the wilderness, and found no water. &#160; 23 And when they came
to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they
<i>were</i> bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
&#160; 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall
we drink? &#160; 25 And he cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p13.1">Lord</span>; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p13.2">Lord</span> showed him a tree, <i>which</i> when he had
cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for
them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, &#160;
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p13.3">Lord</span> thy God, and wilt do that which
is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and
keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee,
which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvi-p13.4">Lord</span> that healeth thee. &#160; 27 And they
came to Elim, where <i>were</i> twelve wells of water, and
threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the
waters.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p14">It should seem, it was with some difficulty
that Moses prevailed with Israel to leave that triumphant shore on
which they sang the foregoing song. They were so taken up with the
sight, or with the song, or with the spoiling of the dead bodies,
that they cared not to go forward, but Moses with much ado brought
them from the Red Sea into a wilderness. The pleasures of our way
to Canaan must not retard our progress, but quicken it, though we
have a wilderness before us. Now here we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p15">I. That in the wilderness of Shur they had
no water, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:22" id="Ex.xvi-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|15|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>.
This was a sore trial to the young travellers, and a diminution to
their joy; thus God would train them up to difficulties. David, in
a dry and thirsty land where no water is, reaches forth towards
God, <scripRef passage="Ps 63:1" id="Ex.xvi-p15.2" parsed="|Ps|63|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.63.1">Ps. lxiii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p16">II. That at Marah they had water, but it
was bitter, so that though they had been three days without water
they could not drink it, because it was extremely unpleasant to the
taste or was likely to be prejudicial to their health, or was so
brackish that it rather increased their thirst than quenched it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:23" id="Ex.xvi-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|15|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Note, God can
embitter that to us from which we promise ourselves most
satisfaction, and often does so in the wilderness of this world,
that our wants and disappointments in the creature may drive us to
the Creator, in whose favour alone true comfort is to be had. Now
in this distress, 1. The people fretted and quarrelled with Moses,
as if he had done ill by them. <i>What shall we drink?</i> is all
their clamour, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:24" id="Ex.xvi-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|15|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. Note, The greatest joys and hopes are soon turned
into the greatest griefs and fears with those that live by sense
only, and not by faith. 2. Moses prayed: <i>He cried unto the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 15:25" id="Ex.xvi-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|15|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. The
complaints which they brought to him he brought to God, on whom,
notwithstanding his elevation, Moses owned a constant dependence.
Note, It is the greatest relief of the cares of magistrates and
ministers, when those under their charge make them uneasy, that
they may have recourse to God by prayer: he is the guide of the
church's guides and to him, as the Chief Shepherd, the
under-shepherds must upon all occasions apply. 3. God provided
graciously for them. He directed Moses to a tree, which he cast
into the waters, in consequence of which, all of a sudden, they
were made sweet. Some think this wood had a peculiar virtue in it
for this purpose, because it is said, <i>God showed him the
tree.</i> God is to be acknowledged, not only in the creating of
things useful for man, but in discovering their usefulness. Or
perhaps this was only a sign, and not at all a means, of the cure,
any more than the brazen serpent, or Elisha's casting one cruse
full of salt into the waters of Jericho. Some make this tree
typical of the cross of Christ, which sweetens the bitter waters of
affliction to all the faithful, and enables them to rejoice in
tribulation. The Jews' tradition is that the wood of this tree was
itself bitter, yet it sweetened the waters of Marah; the bitterness
of Christ's sufferings and death alters the property of ours. 4.
Upon this occasion, God came upon terms with them, and plainly told
them, now that they had got clear of the Egyptians, and had entered
into the wilderness, that they were upon their good behaviour, and
that according as they carried themselves so it would be well or
ill with them: <i>There he made a statute and an ordinance,</i> and
settled matters with them. <i>There he proved them,</i> that is,
there he put them upon the trial, admitted them as probationers for
his favour. In short, he tells them, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:26" id="Ex.xvi-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|15|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>, (1.) What he expected from
them, and that was, in one word, obedience. They must diligently
<i>hearken to his voice, and give ear to his commandments,</i> that
they might know their duty, and not transgress through ignorance;
and they must take care in every thing to do that which was right
in God's sight, and to <i>keep all his statutes.</i> They must not
think, now that they were delivered from their bondage in Egypt,
that they had no lord over them, but were their own masters; no,
therefore they must look upon themselves as God's servants, because
he had <i>loosed their bonds,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 116:16,Lu 1:74,75" id="Ex.xvi-p16.5" parsed="|Ps|116|16|0|0;|Luke|1|74|1|75" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.16 Bible:Luke.1.74-Luke.1.75">Ps. cxvi. 16; Luke i. 74, 75</scripRef>.
(2.) What they might then expect from him: <i>I will put none of
these diseases upon thee,</i> that is, "I will not bring upon thee
any of the plagues of Egypt." This intimates that, if they were
rebellious and disobedient, the very plagues which they had seen
inflicted upon their enemies should be brought upon them; so it is
threatened, <scripRef passage="De 28:60" id="Ex.xvi-p16.6" parsed="|Deut|28|60|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.60">Deut. xxviii.
60</scripRef>. God's judgments upon Egypt, as they were mercies to
Israel, opening the way to their deliverance, so they were warnings
to Israel, and designed to awe them into obedience. Let not the
Israelites think, because God had thus highly honoured them in the
great things he had done for them, and had proclaimed them to all
the world his favourites, that therefore he would connive at their
sins and let them do as they would. No, God is no respecter of
persons; a rebellious Israelite shall fare no better than a
rebellious Egyptian; and so they found, to their cost, before the
got to Canaan. "But, if thou wilt be obedient, thou shalt be safe
and happy;" the threatening is implied only, but the promise is
expressed: "<i>I am the Lord that healeth thee,</i> and will take
care of thy comfort wherever thou goest." Note, God is the great
physician. If we be kept well, it is he that keeps us; if we be
made well, it is he that restores us; he is our life, and the
length of our days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvi-p17">III. That at Elim they had good water, and
enough of it, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:27" id="Ex.xvi-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|15|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>.
Though God may, for a time, order his people to encamp by the
waters of Marah, yet that shall not always be their lot. See how
changeable our condition is in this world, from better to worse,
from worse to better. Let us therefore learn both how to be abased
and how to abound, to rejoice as though we rejoiced not when we are
full, and to weep as though we wept not when we are emptied. Here
were twelve wells for their supply, one for every tribe, that they
might not strive for water, as their fathers had sometimes done;
and, for their pleasure, there were seventy palm-trees, under the
shadow of which their great men might repose themselves. Note, God
can find places of refreshment for his people even in the
wilderness of this world, wells in the valley of Baca, lest they
should faint in their mind with perpetual fatigue: yet, whatever
our delights may be in the land of our pilgrimage, we must remember
that we do but encamp by them for a time, that here we have no
continuing city.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVI" n="xvii" progress="38.85%" prev="Ex.xvi" next="Ex.xviii" id="Ex.xvii">
<h2 id="Ex.xvii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xvii-p0.2">CHAP. XVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xvii-p1">This chapter gives us an account of the
victualling of the camp of Israel. I. Their complaint for want of
bread, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:1-3" id="Ex.xvii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|16|1|16|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.1-Exod.16.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. The
notice God gave them beforehand of the provision he intended to
make for them, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:4-12" id="Ex.xvii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|16|4|16|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.4-Exod.16.12">ver. 4-12</scripRef>.
III. The sending of the manna, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:13-15" id="Ex.xvii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|16|13|16|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.13-Exod.16.15">ver.
13-15</scripRef>. IV. The laws and orders concerning the manna. 1.
That they should gather it daily for their daily bread, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:16-21" id="Ex.xvii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|16|16|16|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.16-Exod.16.21">ver. 16-21</scripRef>. 2. That they should
gather a double portion on the sixth day, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:22-26" id="Ex.xvii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|16|22|16|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.22-Exod.16.26">ver. 22-26</scripRef>. 3. That they should expect
none on the seventh day, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:27-31" id="Ex.xvii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|16|27|16|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.27-Exod.16.31">ver.
27-31</scripRef>. 4. That they should preserve a pot of it for a
memorial, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:32-36" id="Ex.xvii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|16|32|16|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.32-Exod.16.36">ver. 32</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 16" id="Ex.xvii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 16:1-12" id="Ex.xvii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|16|1|16|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.1-Exod.16.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.16.1-Exod.16.12">
<h4 id="Ex.xvii-p1.10">The Israelites Murmur for
Bread. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xvii-p2">1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all
the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness
of Sin, which <i>is</i> between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth
day of the second month after their departing out of the land of
Egypt. &#160; 2 And the whole congregation of the children of
Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: &#160; 3
And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died
by the hand of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.1">Lord</span> in the land
of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, <i>and</i> when we did eat
bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this
wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. &#160; 4 Then
said the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.2">Lord</span> unto Moses, Behold, I
will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out
and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether
they will walk in my law, or no. &#160; 5 And it shall come to
pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare <i>that</i> which
they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
&#160; 6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel,
At even, then ye shall know that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.3">Lord</span> hath brought you out from the land of
Egypt: &#160; 7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.4">Lord</span>; for that he heareth your
murmurings against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.5">Lord</span>: and
what <i>are</i> we, that ye murmur against us? &#160; 8 And Moses
said, <i>This shall be,</i> when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.6">Lord</span> shall give you in the evening flesh to eat,
and in the morning bread to the full; for that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.7">Lord</span> heareth your murmurings which ye murmur
against him: and what <i>are</i> we? your murmurings <i>are</i> not
against us, but against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.8">Lord</span>.
&#160; 9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation
of the children of Israel, Come near before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.9">Lord</span>: for he hath heard your murmurings. &#160;
10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation
of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness,
and, behold, the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.10">Lord</span>
appeared in the cloud. &#160; 11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.11">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 12 I have
heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them,
saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be
filled with bread; and ye shall know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p2.12">Lord</span> your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p3">The host of Israel, it seems, took along
with them out of Egypt, when they came thence on the fifteenth day
of the first month, a month's provisions, which, by the fifteenth
day of the second month, was all spent; and here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p4">I. Their discontent and murmuring upon that
occasion, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:2,3" id="Ex.xvii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|16|2|16|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.2-Exod.16.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>.
The whole congregation, the greatest part of them, joined in this
mutiny; it was not immediately against God that they murmured, but
(which was equivalent) against Moses and Aaron, God's vicegerents
among them. 1. They count upon being killed in the
wilderness&#8212;nothing less, at the first appearance of disaster. If
the Lord had been pleased to kill them, he could easily have done
that in the Red Sea; but then he preserved them, and now could as
easily provide for them. It argues great distrust of God, and of
his power and goodness, in every distress and appearance of danger
to despair of life, and to talk of nothing but being speedily
killed. 2. They invidiously charge Moses with a design to starve
them when he brought them out of Egypt; whereas what he had done
was both by order from God and with a design to promote their
welfare. Note, It is no new thing for the greatest kindnesses to be
misinterpreted and basely represented as the greatest injuries. The
worst colours are sometimes put upon the best actions. Nay, 3. They
so far undervalue their deliverance that they wish they had died in
Egypt, nay, and died by the hand of the Lord too, that is, by some
of the plagues which cut off the Egyptians, as if it were not the
hand of the Lord, but of Moses only, that brought them into this
hungry wilderness. It is common for people to say of that pain, or
sickness, or sore, of which they see not the second causes, "It is
what pleases God," as if that were not so likewise which comes by
the hand of man, or some visible accident. Prodigious madness! They
would rather die by the fleshpots of Egypt, where they found
themselves with provision, than live under the guidance of the
heavenly pillar in a wilderness and be provided for by the hand of
God! they pronounce it better to have fallen in the destruction of
God's enemies than to bear the fatherly discipline of his children!
We cannot suppose that they had any great plenty in Egypt, how
largely soever they now talk of the flesh-pots; nor could they fear
dying for want in the wilderness, while they had their flocks and
herds with them. But discontent magnifies what is past, and
vilifies what is present, without regard to truth or reason. None
talk more absurdly than murmurers. Their impatience, ingratitude,
and distrust of God, were so much the worse in that they had lately
received such miraculous favours, and convincing proofs both that
God could help them in the greatest exigencies and that really he
had mercy in store for them. See how <i>soon they forgot his works,
and provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 106:7-13" id="Ex.xvii-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|106|7|106|13" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.7-Ps.106.13">Ps. cvi. 7-13</scripRef>. Note, Experiences
of God's mercies greatly aggravate our distrusts and
murmurings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p5">II. The care God graciously took for their
supply. Justly he might have said, "I will rain fire and brimstone
upon these murmurers, and consume them;" but, quite contrary, he
promises to rain bread upon them. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p6">1. How God makes known to Moses his kind
intentions, that he might not be uneasy at their murmurings, nor be
tempted to wish he had let them alone in Egypt. (1.) He takes
notice of the people's complaints: <i>I have heard the murmurings
of the children of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 16:12" id="Ex.xvii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. As a God of pity, he took
cognizance of their necessity, which was the occasion of their
murmuring; as a just and holy God, he took cognizance of their base
and unworthy reflections upon his servant Moses, and was much
displeased with them. Note, When we begin to fret and be uneasy, we
ought to consider that God hears all our murmurings, though silent,
and only the murmurings of the heart. Princes, parents, masters, do
not hear all the murmurs of their inferiors against them, and it is
well they do not, for perhaps they could not bear it; but God
hears, and yet bears. We must not think, because God does not
immediately take vengeance on men for their sins, that therefore he
does not take notice of them; no, he hears the murmurings of
Israel, and is grieved with this generation, and yet continues his
care of them, as the tender parent of the froward child. (2.) He
promises them a speedy, sufficient, and constant supply, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:4" id="Ex.xvii-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Man being made out of the
earth, his Maker has wisely ordered him food out of the earth,
<scripRef passage="Ps 104:14" id="Ex.xvii-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|104|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.14">Ps. civ. 14</scripRef>. But the
people of Israel, typifying the church of the first-born that are
written in heaven, and born from above, and being themselves
immediately under the direction and government of heaven, receiving
their charters, laws, and commissions, from heaven, from heaven
also received their food: their law being given by the disposition
of angels, they did also eat angels' food. See what God designed in
making this provision for them: <i>That I may prove them, whether
they will walk in my law or no.</i> [1.] Thus he tried whether they
would trust him, and walk in the law of faith or no, whether they
could live from hand to mouth, and (though now uneasy because their
provisions were spent) could rest satisfied with the bread of the
day in its day, and depend upon God for fresh supplies to-morrow.
[2.] Thus he tried whether they would serve him, and be always
faithful to so good a Master, that provided so well for his
servants; and hereby he made it appear to all the world, in the
issue, what an ungrateful people they were, whom nothing could
affect with a sense of obligation. Let <i>favour be shown</i> to
them, yet <i>will they not learn righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 26:10" id="Ex.xvii-p6.4" parsed="|Isa|26|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.10">Isa. xxvi. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p7">2. How Moses made known these intentions to
Israel, as God ordered him. Here Aaron was his prophet, as he had
been to Pharaoh. Moses directed Aaron what to <i>speak to the
congregation of Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:9" id="Ex.xvii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>); and some think that, while Aaron was giving a public
summons to the congregation to <i>come near before the Lord,</i>
Moses retired to pray, and that the appearance of the glory of the
Lord (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:10" id="Ex.xvii-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) was in
answer to his prayer. They are called to come near, as <scripRef passage="Isa 1:18" id="Ex.xvii-p7.3" parsed="|Isa|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.18">Isa. i. 18</scripRef>, <i>Come, and let us
reason together.</i> Note, God condescends to give even murmurers a
fair hearing; and shall we then despise the cause of our inferiors
when they contend with us? <scripRef passage="Job 31:13" id="Ex.xvii-p7.4" parsed="|Job|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.13">Job xxxi.
13</scripRef>. (1.) He convinces them of the evil of their
murmurings. They thought they reflected only upon Moses and Aaron,
but here they are told that God was struck at through their sides.
This is much insisted on (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:7,8" id="Ex.xvii-p7.5" parsed="|Exod|16|7|16|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.7-Exod.16.8"><i>v.</i>
7, 8</scripRef>): "<i>Your murmurings are not against us,</i> then
we would have been silent, but <i>against the Lord;</i> it was he
that led you into these straits, and not we." Note, When we murmur
against those who are instruments of any uneasiness to us, whether
justly or unjustly, we should do well to consider how much we
reflect upon God by it; men are but God's hand. Those that quarrel
with the reproofs and convictions of the word, and are angry with
their ministers when they are touched in a tender part, know not
what they do, for therein they strive with their Maker. Let this
for ever stop the mouth of murmuring, that it is daring impiety to
murmur at God, because he is God; and gross absurdity to murmur at
men, because they are but men. (2.) He assures them of the supply
of their wants, that since they had harped upon the flesh-pots so
much they should for once have flesh in abundance that evening, and
bread the next morning, and so on every day thenceforward,
<scripRef passage="Ex 16:8,12" id="Ex.xvii-p7.6" parsed="|Exod|16|8|0|0;|Exod|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.8 Bible:Exod.16.12"><i>v.</i> 8, 12</scripRef>. Many
there are of whom we say that they are better fed than taught; but
the Israelites were thus fed, that they might be taught. <i>He led
him about, he instructed him</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:10" id="Ex.xvii-p7.7" parsed="|Deut|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.10">Deut. xxxii. 10</scripRef>); and, as to this instance,
see <scripRef passage="De 8:3" id="Ex.xvii-p7.8" parsed="|Deut|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.3">Deut. viii. 3</scripRef>, <i>He fed
thee with manna, that thou mightest know that man doth not live by
bread only.</i> And, besides this, here are two things mentioned,
which he intended to teach them by sending them manna:&#8212;[1.] <i>By
this you shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the
land of Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 16:6" id="Ex.xvii-p7.9" parsed="|Exod|16|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. That they were brought out of Egypt was plain enough;
but so strangely sottish and short-sighted were they that they said
it was Moses that brought them out, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:3" id="Ex.xvii-p7.10" parsed="|Exod|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Now God sent them manna, to prove
that it was no less than infinite power and goodness that brought
them out, and this could perfect what was begun. If Moses only had
brought them out of Egypt, he could not thus have fed them; they
must therefore own that that was the Lord's doing, because this was
so, and both were marvellous in their eyes; yet, long afterwards,
they needed to be told that <i>Moses gave them not this bread from
heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 6:32" id="Ex.xvii-p7.11" parsed="|John|6|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.32">John vi. 32</scripRef>.
[2.] <i>By this you shall know that I am the Lord your God,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 16:12" id="Ex.xvii-p7.12" parsed="|Exod|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. This gave
proof of his power as the Lord, and his particular favour to them
as their God. When God plagued the Egyptians, it was to make them
know that he was the Lord; when he provided for the Israelites, it
was to make them know that he was their God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p8">3. How God himself manifested his glory, to
still the murmurings of the people, and to put a reputation upon
Moses and Aaron, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:10" id="Ex.xvii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. While Aaron was speaking, <i>the glory of the Lord
appeared in the cloud.</i> The cloud itself, one would think, was
enough both to strike an awe upon them and to give encouragement to
them; yet, in a few days, it had grown so familiar to them that it
made no impression upon them, unless it shone with an unusual
brightness. Note, What God's ministers say to us is then likely to
do us good when the glory of God shines in with it upon our
souls.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 16" id="Ex.xvii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 16:13-21" id="Ex.xvii-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|16|13|16|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.13-Exod.16.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.16.13-Exod.16.21">
<h4 id="Ex.xvii-p8.4">Manna Rained from Heaven. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p8.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xvii-p9">13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails
came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round
about the host. &#160; 14 And when the dew that lay was gone up,
behold, upon the face of the wilderness <i>there lay</i> a small
round thing, <i>as</i> small as the hoar frost on the ground.
&#160; 15 And when the children of Israel saw <i>it,</i> they said
one to another, It <i>is</i> manna: for they wist not what it
<i>was.</i> And Moses said unto them, This <i>is</i> the bread
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p9.1">Lord</span> hath given you to
eat. &#160; 16 This <i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p9.2">Lord</span> hath commanded, Gather of it every man
according to his eating, an omer for every man, <i>according to</i>
the number of your persons; take ye every man for <i>them</i> which
<i>are</i> in his tents. &#160; 17 And the children of Israel did
so, and gathered, some more, some less. &#160; 18 And when they did
mete <i>it</i> with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing
over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every
man according to his eating. &#160; 19 And Moses said, Let no man
leave of it till the morning. &#160; 20 Notwithstanding they
hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the
morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with
them. &#160; 21 And they gathered it every morning, every man
according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p10">Now they begin to be provided for by the
immediate hand of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p11">I. He makes them a feast, at night, of
delicate fowl, <i>feathered fowl</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 78:27" id="Ex.xvii-p11.1" parsed="|Ps|78|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.27">Ps. lxxviii. 27</scripRef>), therefore not
<i>locusts,</i> as some think; quails, or pheasants, or some wild
fowl, came up, and covered the camp, so tame that they might take
up as many of them as they pleased. Note, God gives us of the good
things of this life, not only for necessity, but for delight, that
we may not only serve him, but serve him cheerfully.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p12">II. Next morning he rained manna upon them,
which was to be continued to them for their daily bread. 1. That
which was provided for them was manna, which descended from the
clouds, so that, in some sense, they might be said to live upon the
air. It came down in dew that melted, and yet was itself of such a
consistency as to serve for nourishing strengthening food, without
any thing else. They called it <i>manna, manhu,</i> "What is this?"
Either, "What a poor thing this is!" despising it: or, "What a
strange thing this is!" admiring it: or, "It is a portion, no
matter what it is; it is that which our God has allotted us, and we
will take it and be thankful," <scripRef passage="Ex 16:14,15" id="Ex.xvii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|16|14|16|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.14-Exod.16.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. It was pleasant food;
the Jews say that it was palatable to all, however varied their
tastes. It was wholesome food, light of digestion, and very
necessary (Dr. Grew says) to cleanse them from disorders with which
he thinks it probable that they were, in the time of their bondage,
more or less infected, which disorders a luxurious diet would have
made contagious. By this spare and plain diet we are all taught a
lesson of temperance, and forbidden to desire dainties and
varieties. 2. They were to gather it every morning (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:21" id="Ex.xvii-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|16|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), <i>the portion of a
day in his day,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 16:4" id="Ex.xvii-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. Thus they must live upon daily providence, as the
fowls of the air, of which it is said, <i>That which thou givest
them they gather</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 104:28" id="Ex.xvii-p12.4" parsed="|Ps|104|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.28">Ps. civ.
28</scripRef>); not to-day for to-morrow: <i>let the morrow take
thought for the things of itself.</i> To this daily raining and
gathering of manna our Saviour seems to allude when he teaches us
to pray, <i>Give us this day our daily bread.</i> We are hereby
taught, (1.) Prudence and diligence in providing food convenient
for ourselves and our household. What God graciously gives we must
industriously gather; with quietness working, and eating our own
bread, not the bread either of idleness or deceit. God's bounty
leaves room for man's duty; it did so even when manna was rained:
they must not eat till they have gathered. (2.) Contentment and
satisfaction with a sufficiency. They must gather, <i>every man
according to his eating;</i> enough is as good as a feast, and more
than enough is as bad as a surfeit. Those that have most have, for
themselves, but food, and raiment, and mirth; and those that have
least generally have these: so that <i>he who gathers much has
nothing over, and he who gathers little has no lack.</i> There is
not so great a disproportion between one and another in the
comforts and enjoyments of the things of this life as there is in
the property and possession of the things themselves. (3.)
Dependence upon Providence: <i>Let no man leave till morning</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 16:19" id="Ex.xvii-p12.5" parsed="|Exod|16|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), but let
them learn to go to bed and sleep quietly, though they have not a
bit of bread in their tent, nor in all their camp, trusting that
God, with the following day, will bring them their daily bread." It
was surer and safer in God's store-house than in their own, and
would thence come to them sweeter and fresher. Read with this,
<scripRef passage="Mt 6:25" id="Ex.xvii-p12.6" parsed="|Matt|6|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.25">Matt. vi. 25</scripRef>, <i>Take no
thought for your life,</i> &amp;c. See here the folly of hoarding.
The manna that was laid up by some (who thought themselves wiser
and better managers than their neighbours, and who would provide in
case it should fail next day), putrefied, and bred worms, and
became good for nothing. Note, That proves to be most wasted which
is covetously and distrustfully spared. Those riches are corrupted,
<scripRef passage="Jam 5:2,3" id="Ex.xvii-p12.7" parsed="|Jas|5|2|5|3" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.2-Jas.5.3">James v. 2, 3</scripRef>. Let us set
ourselves to think, [1.] Of that great power of God which fed
Israel in the wilderness, and made miracles their daily bread. What
cannot this God do, who prepared a table in the wilderness, and
furnished it richly even for those who questioned whether he could
or no? <scripRef passage="Ps 78:19,20" id="Ex.xvii-p12.8" parsed="|Ps|78|19|78|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.19-Ps.78.20">Ps. lxxviii. 19,
20</scripRef>. Never was there such a market of provisions as this,
where so many hundred thousand men were daily furnished, without
money and without price. Never was there such an open house kept as
God kept in the wilderness for forty years together, nor such free
and plentiful entertainment given. The feast which Ahasuerus made,
to show the <i>riches of his kingdom,</i> and the <i>honour of his
majesty,</i> was nothing to this, <scripRef passage="Es 1:4" id="Ex.xvii-p12.9" parsed="|Esth|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Esth.1.4">Esth.
i. 4</scripRef>. It is said (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:21" id="Ex.xvii-p12.10" parsed="|Exod|16|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), <i>When the sun waxed hot, it melted;</i> as if
what was left were drawn up by the heat of the sun into the air to
be the seed of the next day's harvest, and so from day to day. [2.]
Of that constant providence of God which <i>gives food to all
flesh, for his mercy endures for ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 136:25" id="Ex.xvii-p12.11" parsed="|Ps|136|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.136.25">Ps. cxxxvi. 25</scripRef>. He is a great house-keeper
that provides for all the creatures. The same wisdom, power, and
goodness that now brought food daily out of the clouds, are
employed in the constant course of nature, bringing food yearly out
of the earth, and giving us all things richly to enjoy.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 16:22-31" id="Ex.xvii-p12.12" parsed="|Exod|16|22|16|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.22-Exod.16.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.16.22-Exod.16.31">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xvii-p13">22 And it came to pass, <i>that</i> on the sixth
day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one
<i>man:</i> and all the rulers of the congregation came and told
Moses. &#160; 23 And he said unto them, This <i>is that</i> which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p13.1">Lord</span> hath said, To morrow
<i>is</i> the rest of the holy sabbath unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p13.2">Lord</span>: bake <i>that</i> which ye will bake <i>to
day,</i> and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth
over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. &#160; 24 And
they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not
stink, neither was there any worm therein. &#160; 25 And Moses
said, Eat that to day; for to day <i>is</i> a sabbath unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p13.3">Lord</span>: to day ye shall not find it in
the field. &#160; 26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the
seventh day, <i>which is</i> the sabbath, in it there shall be
none. &#160; 27 And it came to pass, <i>that</i> there went out
<i>some</i> of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and
they found none. &#160; 28 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p13.4">Lord</span> said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep
my commandments and my laws? &#160; 29 See, for that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p13.5">Lord</span> hath given you the sabbath, therefore
he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye
every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the
seventh day. &#160; 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
&#160; 31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna:
and it <i>was</i> like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it
<i>was</i> like wafers <i>made</i> with honey.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p14">We have here, 1. A plain intimation of the
observing of a <i>seventh day sabbath,</i> not only before the
giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, but before the bringing of
Israel out of Egypt, and therefore, <i>from the beginning,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 2:3" id="Ex.xvii-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.3">Gen. ii. 3</scripRef>. If the sabbath
had now been first instituted, how could Moses have understood what
God said to him (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:5" id="Ex.xvii-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|16|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), concerning a double portion to be gathered on the
sixth day, without making any express mention of the sabbath? And
how could the people so readily take the hint (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:22" id="Ex.xvii-p14.3" parsed="|Exod|16|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), even to the surprise of the
rulers, before Moses had declared that it was done with a regard to
the sabbath, if they had not had some knowledge of the sabbath
before? The setting apart of one day in seven for holy work, and,
in order to that, for holy rest, was a divine appointment ever
since God created man upon the earth, and the most ancient of
positive laws. The way of sabbath-sanctification is the good old
way. 2. The double provision which God made for the Israelites, and
which they were to make for themselves, on the sixth day: God gave
them <i>on the sixth day the bread of two days,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 16:29" id="Ex.xvii-p14.4" parsed="|Exod|16|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Appointing them to rest
on the seventh day, he took care that they should be no losers by
it; and none ever will be losers by serving God. On that day they
were to fetch in enough for two days, and to prepare it, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:23" id="Ex.xvii-p14.5" parsed="|Exod|16|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. The law was very
strict, that they must bake and seeth, the day before, and not on
the sabbath day. This does not now make it unlawful for us to dress
meat on the Lord's day, but directs us to contrive our family
affairs so that they may hinder us as little as possible in the
work of the sabbath. Works of necessity, no doubt, are to be done
on that day; but it is desirable to have as little as may be to do
of things necessary to the life that now is, that we may apply
ourselves the more closely to the one thing needful. That which
they kept of for their food on the sabbath day did not putrefy,
<scripRef passage="Ex 16:24" id="Ex.xvii-p14.6" parsed="|Exod|16|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. When they
kept it in opposition to a command (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:20" id="Ex.xvii-p14.7" parsed="|Exod|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) it stank; when they kept it in
obedience to a command it was sweet and good; for every thing is
sanctified by the <i>word of God and prayer.</i> 3. The
intermission of the manna on the seventh day. God did not send it
then, and therefore they must not expect it, nor go out to gather,
<scripRef passage="Ex 16:25,26" id="Ex.xvii-p14.8" parsed="|Exod|16|25|16|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.25-Exod.16.26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>. This
showed that it was not produced by natural causes, and that it was
designed for a confirmation of the divine authority of the law
which was to be given by Moses. Thus God took an effectual course
to make them <i>remember the sabbath day;</i> they could not forget
it, nor the day of preparation for it. Some, it seems, went out on
the seventh day, expecting to find manna (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:27" id="Ex.xvii-p14.9" parsed="|Exod|16|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>); but they found none, for those
that will find must seek in the appointed time: seek the Lord
<i>while he may be found.</i> God, upon this occasion, said to
Moses, <i>How long refuse you to keep my commandments?</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 16:28" id="Ex.xvii-p14.10" parsed="|Exod|16|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. Why did he
say this to Moses? He was not disobedient. No, but he was the ruler
of a disobedient people, and God charges it upon him that he might
the more warmly charge it upon them, and might take care that their
disobedience should not be through any neglect or default of his.
It was for going out to seek for manna on he seventh day that they
were thus reproved. Note, (1.) Disobedience, even in a small
matter, is very provoking. (2.) God is jealous for the honour of
his sabbaths. If walking out on the sabbath to seek for food was
thus reproved, walking out on that day purely to find our own
pleasure cannot be justified.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 16:32-36" id="Ex.xvii-p14.11" parsed="|Exod|16|32|16|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.32-Exod.16.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.16.32-Exod.16.36">
<h4 id="Ex.xvii-p14.12">A Pot of Manna Preserved. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p14.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xvii-p15">32 And Moses said, This <i>is</i> the thing
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p15.1">Lord</span> commandeth, Fill an
omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the
bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought
you forth from the land of Egypt. &#160; 33 And Moses said unto
Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay
it up before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p15.2">Lord</span>, to be kept
for your generations. &#160; 34 As the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xvii-p15.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before
the Testimony, to be kept. &#160; 35 And the children of Israel did
eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they
did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of
Canaan. &#160; 36 Now an omer <i>is</i> the tenth <i>part</i> of an
ephah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xvii-p16">God having provided manna to be his
people's food in the wilderness, and to be to them a continual
feast, we are here told, 1. How the memory of it was preserved. An
omer of this manna was laid up in <i>a golden pot,</i> as we are
told (<scripRef passage="Heb 9:4" id="Ex.xvii-p16.1" parsed="|Heb|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.4">Heb. ix. 4</scripRef>), and kept
<i>before the testimony,</i> or the ark, when it was afterwards
made, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:32-34" id="Ex.xvii-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|16|32|16|34" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.32-Exod.16.34"><i>v.</i> 32-34</scripRef>.
The preservation of this manna from waste and corruption was a
standing miracle, and therefore the more proper memorial of this
miraculous food. "Posterity shall <i>see the bread,</i>" says God,
"<i>wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness,</i>" see what sort
of food it was, and how much each man's daily proportion of it was,
that it may appear they were neither kept to hard fare nor to short
allowance, and then judge between God and Israel, whether they had
any cause given them to murmur and find fault with their
provisions, and whether they and their seed after them had not a
great deal of reason gratefully to won God's goodness to them.
Note, Eaten bread must not be forgotten. God's miracles and mercies
are to be had in everlasting remembrance, for our encouragement to
trust in him at all times. 2. How the mercy of it was continued as
long as they had occasion for it. The manna never ceased till they
came to the borders of Canaan, where there was bread enough and to
spare, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:35" id="Ex.xvii-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|16|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. See
how constant the care of Providence is; seedtime and harvest fail
not, while the earth remains. Israel was very provoking in the
wilderness, yet the manna never failed them: thus still God causes
his rain to fall on the just and unjust. The manna is called
<i>spiritual meat</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 10:3" id="Ex.xvii-p16.4" parsed="|1Cor|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.3">1 Cor. x.
3</scripRef>), because it was typical of spiritual blessings in
heavenly things. Christ himself is the true manna, the bread of
life, of which this was a figure, <scripRef passage="Joh 6:49-51" id="Ex.xvii-p16.5" parsed="|John|6|49|6|51" osisRef="Bible:John.6.49-John.6.51">John vi. 49-51</scripRef>. The word of God is the
manna by which our souls are nourished, <scripRef passage="Mt 4:4" id="Ex.xvii-p16.6" parsed="|Matt|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.4">Matt. iv. 4</scripRef>. The comforts of the Spirit are
hidden manna, <scripRef passage="Re 2:17" id="Ex.xvii-p16.7" parsed="|Rev|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.17">Rev. ii. 17</scripRef>.
These come from heaven, as the manna did, and are the support and
comfort of the divine life in the soul, while we are in the
wilderness of this world. It is food for <i>Israelites,</i> for
those only that follow the pillar of cloud and fire. It is to be
<i>gathered;</i> Christ in the word is to be applied to the soul,
and the means of grace are to be used. We must every one of us
gather for ourselves, and gather in the morning of our
opportunities, which if we let slip, it may be too late to gather.
The manna they gathered must not be hoarded up, but eaten; those
that have received Christ must by faith live upon him, and not
receive his grace in vain. There was manna enough for all, enough
for each, and none had too much; so in Christ there is a complete
sufficiency, and no superfluity. But those that did eat manna
hungered again, died at last, and with many of them God was not
well-pleased; whereas those that feed on Christ by faith shall
never hunger, and shall die no more, and with them God will be for
ever well pleased. The Lord evermore give us this bread!</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVII" n="xviii" progress="39.42%" prev="Ex.xvii" next="Ex.xix" id="Ex.xviii">
<h2 id="Ex.xviii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xviii-p1">Two passages of story are recorded in this
chapter, I. The watering of the host of Israel. 1. In the
wilderness they wanted water, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:1" id="Ex.xviii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1">ver.
1</scripRef>. 2. In their want they chided Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:2,3" id="Ex.xviii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|17|2|17|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2-Exod.17.3">ver. 2, 3</scripRef>. 3. Moses cried to God,
<scripRef passage="Ex 17:4" id="Ex.xviii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. 4. God ordered him
to smite the rock, and fetch water out of that; Moses did so,
<scripRef passage="Ex 17:5,6" id="Ex.xviii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|17|5|17|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.5-Exod.17.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. 5. The place
named from it, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:7" id="Ex.xviii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7">ver. 7</scripRef>. II.
The defeating of the host of Amalek. 1. The victory obtained by the
prayer of Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:8-12" id="Ex.xviii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|17|8|17|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.8-Exod.17.12">ver.
8-12</scripRef>. 2. By the sword of Joshua, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:13" id="Ex.xviii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|17|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.13">ver. 13</scripRef>. 3. A record kept of it, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:14,16" id="Ex.xviii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0;|Exod|17|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14 Bible:Exod.17.16">ver. 14, 16</scripRef>. And these things
which happened to them are written for our instruction in our
spiritual journey and warfare.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 17" id="Ex.xviii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 17:1-7" id="Ex.xviii-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|17|1|17|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1-Exod.17.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.17.1-Exod.17.7">
<h4 id="Ex.xviii-p1.11">The Israelites Murmur for
Water. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xviii-p2">1 And all the congregation of the children of
Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys,
according to the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span>, and pitched in Rephidim: and <i>there
was</i> no water for the people to drink. &#160; 2 Wherefore the
people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may
drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do
ye tempt the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span>? &#160; 3 And the
people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against
Moses, and said, Wherefore <i>is</i> this <i>that</i> thou hast
brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our
cattle with thirst? &#160; 4 And Moses cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span>, saying, What shall I do unto this people?
they be almost ready to stone me. &#160; 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.4">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Go on before the people,
and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith
thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. &#160; 6
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and
thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it,
that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the
elders of Israel. &#160; 7 And he called the name of the place
Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of
Israel, and because they tempted the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.5">Lord</span>, saying, Is the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p2.6">Lord</span> among us, or not?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p3">Here is, I. The strait that the children of
Israel were in for want of water; once before the were in the like
distress, and now, a second time, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:1" id="Ex.xviii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. They journeyed <i>according to
the commandment of the Lord,</i> led by the pillar of cloud and
fire, and yet they came to a place where there was no water for
them to drink. Note, We may be in the way of our duty, and yet may
meet with troubles, which Providence brings us into for the trial
of our faith, and that God may be glorified in our relief.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p4">II. Their discontent and distrust in this
strait. It is said (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:3" id="Ex.xviii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|17|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), They <i>thirsted there for water.</i> If they had no
water to drink, they must needs thirst; but this intimates, not
only that they wanted water and felt the inconvenience of that
want, but that their passion sharpened their appetites and they
were violent and impatient in their desire; their thirst made them
outrageous. Natural desires, and those that are most craving, have
need to be kept under the check and control of religion and reason.
See what was the language of this inordinate desire. 1. They
challenged Moses to supply them (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:2" id="Ex.xviii-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|17|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Give us water, that we may
drink,</i> demanding it as a debt, and strongly suspecting that he
was not able to discharge it. Because they were supplied with
bread, they insist upon it that they must be supplied with water
too; and indeed to those that by faith and prayer live a life of
dependence upon God one favour is an earnest of another, and may be
humbly pleaded; but the unthankful and unbelieving have reason to
think that the abuse of former favours is the forfeiture of further
favours: <i>Let not them think that they shall receive any
thing</i> (<scripRef passage="Jam 1:7" id="Ex.xviii-p4.3" parsed="|Jas|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.7">Jam. i. 7</scripRef>), yet
they are ready to demand every thing. 2. They quarrelled with him
for bringing them out of Egypt, as if, instead of delivering them,
he designed to murder them, than which nothing could be more base
and invidious, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:3" id="Ex.xviii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|17|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
Many that have not only designed well, but done well, for their
generation, have had their best services thus misconstrued, and
their patience thereby tried, by unthinking unthankful people. To
such a degree their malice against Moses rose that they were
<i>almost ready to stone him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 17:4" id="Ex.xviii-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. <i>Many good works he had shown
them;</i> and for which of these would they stone him? <scripRef passage="Joh 10:32" id="Ex.xviii-p4.6" parsed="|John|10|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.10.32">John x. 32</scripRef>. Ungoverned passions,
provoked by the crossing of unbridled appetites, sometimes make men
guilty of the greatest absurdities, and act like madmen, that cast
firebrands, arrows, and death, among their best friends. 3. They
began to question whether God were with them or not: They
<i>tempted the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 17:7" id="Ex.xviii-p4.7" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Is Jehovah
among us by that name by which he made himself known to us in
Egypt?" They question his essential presence&#8212;whether there was a
God or not; his common providence&#8212;whether that God governed the
world; and his special promise&#8212;whether he would be as good as his
word to them. This is called their <i>tempting God,</i> which
signifies, not only a distrust of God in general, but a distrust of
him after they had received such proofs of his power and goodness,
for the confirmation of his promise. They do, in effect, suppose
that Moses was an impostor, Aaron a deceiver, the pillar of cloud
and fire a mere sham and illusion, which imposed upon their senses,
that long series of miracles which had rescued them, served them,
and fed them, a chain of cheats, and the promise of Canaan a banter
upon them; it was all so, if <i>the Lord was not among them.</i>
Note, It is a great provocation to God for us to question his
presence, providence, or promise, especially for his Israel to do
it, who are so peculiarly bound to trust him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p5">III. The course that Moses took, when he
was thus set upon, and insulted. 1. He reproved the murmurers
(<scripRef passage="Ex 17:2" id="Ex.xviii-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|17|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>Why chide
you with me?</i> Observe how mildly he answered them; it was well
that he was a man of extraordinary meekness, else their tumultuous
conduct would have made him lose the possession of himself: it is
folly to answer passion with passion, for that makes bad worse; but
<i>soft answers turn away wrath.</i> He showed them whom their
murmurings reflected upon, and that the reproaches they cast on him
fell on God himself: <i>You tempt the Lord;</i> that is, "By
distrusting his power, you try his patience, and so provoke his
wrath." 2. He made his complaint to God (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:4" id="Ex.xviii-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>Moses cried unto the
Lord.</i> This servant came, and showed his Lord all these things,
<scripRef passage="Lu 14:21" id="Ex.xviii-p5.3" parsed="|Luke|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.14.21">Luke xiv. 21</scripRef>. When men
unjustly censure us and quarrel with us, it will be a great relief
to us to go to God, and by prayer lay the case before him and leave
it with him: if men will not hear us, God will; if their bad
conduct towards us ruffle our spirits, God's consolations will
compose them. Moses begs of God to direct him what he should do,
for he was utterly at a loss; he could not of himself either supply
their want or pacify their tumult; God only could do it. He pleads
his own peril: "<i>They are almost ready to stone me;</i> Lord, if
thou hast any regard to the life of thy poor servant, interpose
now."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p6">IV. God's gracious appearance for their
relief, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:5,6" id="Ex.xviii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|17|5|17|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.5-Exod.17.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. He
orders Moses to go on before the people, and venture himself in his
post, though they spoke of stoning him. He must take his rod with
him, not (as God might justly have ordered) to summon some plague
or other to chastise them for their distrust and murmuring, but to
fetch water for their supply. O the wonderful patience and
forbearance of God towards provoking sinners! He loads those with
benefits that make him to serve with their sins, maintains those
that are at war with him, and reaches out the hand of his bounty to
those that lift up the heel against him. Thus he teaches us, if our
enemy hunger, to feed him, and if he thirst, as Israel did now,
<i>to give him drink,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 12:20,Mt 5:44,45" id="Ex.xviii-p6.2" parsed="|Rom|12|20|0|0;|Matt|5|44|5|45" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.20 Bible:Matt.5.44-Matt.5.45">Rom. xii. 20; Matt. v. 44, 45</scripRef>.
Will he fail those that trust him, when he was so liberal even to
those that tempted him? If God had only shown Moses a fountain of
water in the wilderness, as he did Hagar not far hence (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:19" id="Ex.xviii-p6.3" parsed="|Gen|21|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.19">Gen. xxi. 19</scripRef>), that would have been a
great favour; but that he might show his power as well as his pity,
and make it a miracle of mercy, he gave them water out of a rock.
He directed Moses whither to go, and appointed him to take some of
the elders of Israel with him, to be witnesses of what was done,
that they might themselves be satisfied, and might satisfy others,
of the certainty of God's presence with them. He promised to meet
him there in the cloud of glory (to encourage him), and ordered him
to smite the rock; Moses obeyed, and immediately water came out of
the rock in great abundance, which ran throughout the camp in
streams and rivers (<scripRef passage="Ps 78:15,16" id="Ex.xviii-p6.4" parsed="|Ps|78|15|78|16" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.15-Ps.78.16">Ps. lxxviii.
15, 16</scripRef>), and followed them wherever they went in that
wilderness: it is called <i>a fountain of waters,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 114:8" id="Ex.xviii-p6.5" parsed="|Ps|114|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.114.8">Ps. cxiv. 8</scripRef>. God showed the care he
took of his people in giving them water when they wanted it; he
showed his power in fetching the water out of a rock; and he put an
honour upon Moses in appointing the water to flow out upon his
smiting the rock. This fair water, that came out of the rock, is
called <i>honey and oil</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:13" id="Ex.xviii-p6.6" parsed="|Deut|32|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.13">Deut.
xxxii. 13</scripRef>), because the people's thirst made it doubly
pleasant; coming when they were in extreme want, it was like honey
and oil to them. It is probable that the people digged canals for
the conveyance of it, and pools for the reception of it, in like
manner as, long afterwards, passing through the valley of Baca,
they made it a well, <scripRef passage="Ps 84:6,Nu 21:18" id="Ex.xviii-p6.7" parsed="|Ps|84|6|0|0;|Num|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.84.6 Bible:Num.21.18">Ps.
lxxxiv. 6; Num. xxi. 18</scripRef>. Let this direct us to live in a
dependence, 1. Upon God's providence, even in the greatest straits
and difficulties. God can open fountains for our supply where we
least expect them, <i>waters in the wilderness</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 43:20" id="Ex.xviii-p6.8" parsed="|Isa|43|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.20">Isa. xliii. 20</scripRef>), because he makes a
<i>way in the wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 17:19" id="Ex.xviii-p6.9" parsed="|Exod|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Those who, in this wilderness,
keep to God's way, may trust him to provide for them. While we
follow the pillar of cloud and fire, surely goodness and mercy
shall follow us, like the water out of the rock. 2. Upon Christ's
grace: <i>That rock was Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 10:4" id="Ex.xviii-p6.10" parsed="|1Cor|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.4">1
Cor. x. 4</scripRef>. The graces and comforts of the Spirit are
compared to <i>rivers of living water,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 7:38,39,Joh 4:14" id="Ex.xviii-p6.11" parsed="|John|7|38|7|39;|John|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.38-John.7.39 Bible:John.4.14">John vii. 38, 39; iv. 14</scripRef>. These
flow from Christ, who is the rock smitten by the law of Moses, for
he was made under the law. Nothing will supply the needs, and
satisfy the desires, of a soul, but water out of this rock, this
fountain opened. The pleasures of sense are puddle-water; spiritual
delights are rock-water, so pure, so clear, so refreshing&#8212;rivers
of pleasure.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p7">V. A new name was, upon this occasion,
given to the place, preserving the remembrance, not of the mercy of
their supply (the water that followed them was sufficient to do
that), but of the sin of their murmuring&#8212;<i>Massah,
temptation,</i> because they tempted God; <i>Meribah, strife,</i>
because they chid with Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:7" id="Ex.xviii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. There was thus a remembrance kept of sin, both for
the disgrace of the sinners themselves (sin leaves a blot upon the
name) and for warning to their seed to take heed of sinning after
the similitude of their transgression.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 17:8-16" id="Ex.xviii-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|17|8|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.8-Exod.17.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.17.8-Exod.17.16">
<h4 id="Ex.xviii-p7.3">The Conflict with Amalek; The Defeat of
Amalek. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p7.4">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xviii-p8">8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in
Rephidim. &#160; 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men,
and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of
the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. &#160; 10 So Joshua did
as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron,
and Hur went up to the top of the hill. &#160; 11 And it came to
pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when
he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. &#160; 12 But Moses' hands
<i>were</i> heavy; and they took a stone, and put <i>it</i> under
him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the
one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands
were steady until the going down of the sun. &#160; 13 And Joshua
discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
&#160; 14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p8.1">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Write this <i>for</i> a memorial in a book, and rehearse
<i>it</i> in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the
remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. &#160; 15 And Moses built
an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: &#160; 16 For he
said, Because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p8.2">Lord</span> hath sworn
<i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xviii-p8.3">Lord</span> <i>will
have</i> war with Amalek from generation to generation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p9">We have here the story of the war with
Amalek, which, we may suppose, was the first that was recorded in
the <i>book of the wars of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 21:14" id="Ex.xviii-p9.1" parsed="|Num|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.14">Num. xxi. 14</scripRef>. Amalek was the first of the
nations that Israel fought with, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:20" id="Ex.xviii-p9.2" parsed="|Num|24|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.20">Num.
xxiv. 20</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p10">I. Amalek's attempt: They <i>came out, and
fought with Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 17:8" id="Ex.xviii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. The Amalekites were the posterity of Esau, who hated
Jacob because of the birthright and blessing, and this was an
effort of the hereditary enmity, a malice that ran in the blood,
and perhaps was now exasperated by the working of the promise
towards an accomplishment. Consider this, 1. As Israel's
affliction. They had been quarrelling with Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:2" id="Ex.xviii-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|17|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and now God sends
Amalekites to quarrel with them; wars abroad are the just
punishment of strifes and discontents at home. 2. As Amalek's sin;
so it is reckoned, <scripRef passage="De 25:17,18" id="Ex.xviii-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|25|17|25|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.17-Deut.25.18">Deut. xxv. 17,
18</scripRef>. They did not boldly front them as a generous enemy,
but without any provocation given by Israel, or challenge given to
them, basely fell upon their rear, and smote those that were faint
and feeble and could neither make resistance nor escape. Herein
they bade defiance to that power which had so lately ruined the
Egyptians; but in vain did they attack a camp guarded and
victualled by miracles: verily they knew not what they did.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p11">II. Israel's engagement with Amalek, in
their own necessary defence against the aggressors. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p12">1. The post assigned to Joshua, of whom
this is the first mention: he is nominated commander-in-chief in
this expedition, that he might be trained up to the services he was
designed for after the death of Moses, and be a <i>man of war from
his youth.</i> He is ordered to draw out a detachment of choice men
from the thousands of Israel and to drive back the Amalekites,
<scripRef passage="Ex 17:9" id="Ex.xviii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|17|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. When the
Egyptians pursued them Israel must stand still and see what God
would do; but now it was required that they should bestir
themselves. Note, God is to be trusted in the use of means.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p13">2. The post assumed by Moses: <i>I will
stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 17:9" id="Ex.xviii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|17|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. See how God
qualifies his people for, and calls them to, various services for
the good of his church: Joshua fights, Moses prays, and both
minister to Israel. Moses went up to the top of the hill, and
placed himself, probably, so as to be seen by Israel; there he held
up <i>the rod of God in his hand,</i> that wonder-working rod which
had summoned the plagues of Egypt, and under which Israel had
passed out of the house of bondage. This rod Moses held up to
Israel, to animate them; the rod was held up as the banner to
encourage the soldiers, who might look up, and say, "Yonder is the
rod, and yonder the hand that used it, when such glorious things
were wrought for us." Note, It tends much to the encouragement of
faith to reflect upon the great things God has done for us, and
review the monuments of his favours. Moses also held up this rod to
God, by way of appeal to him: "Is not the battle the Lord's? Is not
he able to help, and engaged to help? Witness this rod, the voice
of which, thus held up, is (<scripRef passage="Isa 51:9,10" id="Ex.xviii-p13.2" parsed="|Isa|51|9|51|10" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.9-Isa.51.10">Isa.
li. 9, 10</scripRef>), <i>Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; art
not thou it that hath cut Rahab?</i>" Moses was not only a
standard-bearer, but an intercessor, pleading with God for success
and victory. Note, When the host goes forth against the enemy
earnest prayers should be made to the God of hosts for his presence
with them. It is here the praying legion that proves the thundering
legion. There, in Salem, in Sion where prayers were made, there the
victory was won, <i>there broke the arrows of the bow,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 76:2,3" id="Ex.xviii-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|76|2|76|3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.2-Ps.76.3">Ps. lxxvi. 2, 3</scripRef>. Observe,
(1.) How Moses was tired (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:12" id="Ex.xviii-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>His hands were heavy.</i> The strongest arm will
fail with being long extended; it is God only whose hand is
<i>stretched out still.</i> We do not find that Joshua's hands were
heavy in fighting, but Moses's hands were heavy in praying. The
more spiritual any service is the more apt we are to fail and flag
in it. Praying work, if done with due intenseness of mind and
vigour of affection, will be found hard work, and, though <i>the
spirit be willing, the flesh will be weak.</i> Our great
Intercessor in heaven faints not, nor is he weary, though he
attends continually to this very thing. (2.) What influence the rod
of Moses had upon the battle (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:11" id="Ex.xviii-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|17|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>When Moses held up his
hand</i> in prayer (so the Chaldee explains it) <i>Israel
prevailed,</i> but, <i>when he let down his hand</i> from prayer,
<i>Amalek prevailed.</i> To convince Israel that the hand of Moses
(with whom they had just now been chiding) contributed more to
their safety than their own hands, his rod than their sword, the
success rises and falls as Moses lifts up or lets down his hands.
It seems, the scale wavered for some time, before it turned on
Israel's side. Even the best cause must expect disappointments as
an alloy to its successes; though the battle be the Lord's, Amalek
may prevail for a time. The reason was, Moses let down his hands.
Note, The church's cause is, commonly, more or less successful
according as the church's friends are more or less strong in faith
and fervent in prayer. (3.) The care that was taken for the support
of Moses. When he could not stand any longer he sat down, not in a
chair of state, but upon a stone (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:12" id="Ex.xviii-p13.6" parsed="|Exod|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); when he could not hold up his
hands, he would have them held up. Moses, the man of God, is glad
of the assistance of Aaron his brother, and Hur, who, some think,
was his brother-in-law, the husband of Miriam. We should not be shy
either of asking help from others or giving help to others, for we
are members one of another. Moses's hands, thus stayed, were
<i>steady till the going down of the sun;</i> and, though it was
with much ado that he held out, yet his willing mind was accepted.
No doubt it was a great encouragement to the people to see Joshua
before them in the field of battle and Moses above them upon the
top of the hill: Christ is both to us&#8212;our Joshua, the captain of
our salvation who fights our battles, and our Moses, who, in the
upper world, ever lives making intercession, that our faith fail
not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p14">III. The defeat of Amalek. Victory had
hovered awhile between the camps; sometimes Israel prevailed and
sometimes Amalek, but Israel carried the day, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:13" id="Ex.xviii-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|17|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Though Joshua fought with great
disadvantages&#8212;his soldiers undisciplined, ill-armed, long inured
to servitude, and apt to murmur; yet by them God wrought a great
salvation, and made Amalek pay dearly for his insolence. Note,
Weapons formed against God's Israel cannot prosper long, and shall
be broken at last. The cause of God and his Israel will be
victorious. Though God gave the victory, yet it is said, <i>Joshua
discomfited Amalek,</i> because Joshua was a type of Christ, and of
the same name, and in him it is that we are more than conquerors.
It was his arm alone that spoiled principalities and powers, and
routed all their force.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xviii-p15">IV. The trophies of this victory set up. 1.
Moses took care that God should have the glory of it (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:15" id="Ex.xviii-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|17|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>); instead of setting up
a triumphal arch, to the honour of Joshua (though it had been a
laudable policy to put marks of honour upon him), he builds an
altar to the honour of God, and we may suppose it was not an altar
without sacrifice; but that which is most carefully recorded is the
inscription upon the altar, <i>Jehovah-nissi&#8212;The Lord is my
banner,</i> which probably refers to the lifting up of the rod of
God as a banner in this action. The presence and power of Jehovah
were the banner under which they enlisted, by which they were
animated and kept together, and therefore which they erected in the
day of their triumph. In the name of our God we must always lift up
our banners, <scripRef passage="Ps 20:5" id="Ex.xviii-p15.2" parsed="|Ps|20|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.5">Ps. xx. 5</scripRef>. It
is fit that he who does all the work should have all the praise. 2.
God took care that posterity should have the comfort and benefit of
it: "<i>Write this for a memorial,</i> not in loose papers, but in
a book, <i>write it,</i> and then <i>rehearse it in the ears of
Joshua,</i> let him be entrusted with this memorial, to transmit it
to the generations to come." Moses must now begin to keep a diary
or journal of occurrences; it is the first mention of writing that
we find in scripture, and perhaps the command was not given till
after the writing of the law upon the tables of stone: "Write it
<i>in perpetuam rei memoriam&#8212;that the event may be had in
perpetual remembrance;</i> that which is written remains." (1.)
"Write what has been done, what Amalek has done against Israel;
write in gall their bitter hatred, write in blood their cruel
attempts, let them never be forgotten, nor yet what God has done
for Israel in saving them from Amalek. Let ages to come know that
God fights for his people, and <i>he that touches them touches the
apple of his eye.</i>" (2.) Write what shall be done. [1.] That in
process of time Amalek shall be totally ruined and rooted out
(<scripRef passage="Ex 17:14" id="Ex.xviii-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), that he
shall be remembered only in history." Amalek would have cut off the
name of Israel, that it might be no more in remembrance (<scripRef passage="Ps 83:4,7" id="Ex.xviii-p15.4" parsed="|Ps|83|4|0|0;|Ps|83|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.83.4 Bible:Ps.83.7">Ps. lxxxiii. 4, 7</scripRef>); and therefore
God not only disappoints him in this, but cuts off his name. "Write
it for the encouragement of Israel, whenever the Amalekites are an
annoyance to them, that Israel will at last undoubtedly triumph in
the fall of Amalek." This sentence was executed in part by Saul
(<scripRef passage="1Sa 15:1-35" id="Ex.xviii-p15.5" parsed="|1Sam|15|1|15|35" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.1-1Sam.15.35">1 Sam. xv</scripRef>), and
completely by David (<scripRef passage="1Sa 30:1-31,2Sa 1:1,8:12" id="Ex.xviii-p15.6" parsed="|1Sam|30|1|30|31;|2Sam|1|1|0|0;|2Sam|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.30.1-1Sam.30.31 Bible:2Sam.1.1 Bible:2Sam.8.12"><i>ch.</i> xxx.; 2 Sam. i. 1; viii.
12</scripRef>); after his time we never read so much as of the name
of Amalek. [2.] This is the meantime God would have a continual
controversy with him (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:16" id="Ex.xviii-p15.7" parsed="|Exod|17|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>Because his hand is upon the throne of the
Lord,</i> that is, against the camp of Israel in which the Lord
ruled, which was the <i>place of his sanctuary,</i> and is
therefore called a <i>glorious high throne from the beginning</i>
(<scripRef passage="Jer 17:12" id="Ex.xviii-p15.8" parsed="|Jer|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.17.12">Jer. xvii. 12</scripRef>); therefore
the Lord will have <i>war with Amalek from generation to
generation.</i> This was written for direction to Israel never to
make any league with the Amalekites, but to look upon them as
irreconcilable enemies, doomed to ruin. Amalek's destruction was
typical of the destruction of all the enemies of Christ and his
kingdom. Whoever <i>make war with the Lamb, the Lamb will overcome
them.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVIII" n="xix" progress="39.88%" prev="Ex.xviii" next="Ex.xx" id="Ex.xix">
<h2 id="Ex.xix-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xix-p1">This chapter is concerning Moses himself, and the
affairs of his own family. I. Jethro his father-in-law brings to
him his wife and children, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:1-6" id="Ex.xix-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|18|1|18|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.1-Exod.18.6">ver.
1-6</scripRef>. II. Moses entertains his father-in-law with great
respect (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:7" id="Ex.xix-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|18|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.7">ver. 7</scripRef>), with good
discourse (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:8-11" id="Ex.xix-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|18|8|18|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.8-Exod.18.11">ver. 8-11</scripRef>),
with a sacrifice and a feast, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:12" id="Ex.xix-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.12">ver.
12</scripRef>. III. Jethro advises him about the management of his
business as a judge in Israel, to take inferior judges in to his
assistance (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:13-23" id="Ex.xix-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|18|13|18|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.13-Exod.18.23">ver. 13-23</scripRef>),
and Moses, after some time, takes his counsel (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:24-26" id="Ex.xix-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|18|24|18|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.24-Exod.18.26">ver. 24-26</scripRef>), and so they part, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:27" id="Ex.xix-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.27">ver. 27</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 18" id="Ex.xix-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 18:1-6" id="Ex.xix-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|18|1|18|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.1-Exod.18.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.18.1-Exod.18.6">
<h4 id="Ex.xix-p1.10">Jethro's Visit to Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xix-p2">1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses'
father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for
Israel his people, <i>and</i> that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p2.1">Lord</span> had brought Israel out of Egypt; &#160; 2
Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife,
after he had sent her back, &#160; 3 And her two sons; of which the
name of the one <i>was</i> Gershom; for he said, I have been an
alien in a strange land: &#160; 4 And the name of the other
<i>was</i> Eliezer; for the God of my father, <i>said he, was</i>
mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: &#160; 5 And
Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto
Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God:
&#160; 6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come
unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p3">This incident may very well be allowed to
have happened as it is placed here, before the giving of the law,
and not, as some place it, in connection with what is recorded,
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:11,29" id="Ex.xix-p3.1" parsed="|Num|10|11|0|0;|Num|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.11 Bible:Num.10.29">Num. x. 11, 29</scripRef>, &amp;c.
Sacrifices were offered before; in these mentioned here (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:12" id="Ex.xix-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>) it is observable that
<i>Jethro</i> is said to take them, not <i>Aaron.</i> And as to
Jethro's advising Moses to constitute judges under him, though it
is intimate (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:13" id="Ex.xix-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|18|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>)
that the occasion of his giving that advice was <i>on the
morrow,</i> yet it does not follow but that Moses's settlement of
that affair might be some time after, when the law was given, as it
is placed, <scripRef passage="De 1:9" id="Ex.xix-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.9">Deut. i. 9</scripRef>. It is
plain that Jethro himself would not have him make this alteration
in the government till he had received instructions from God about
it (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:23" id="Ex.xix-p3.5" parsed="|Exod|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), which he
did not till some time after. Jethro comes,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p4">I. To congratulate the happiness of Israel,
and particularly the honour of Moses his son-in-law; and now Jethro
thinks himself well paid for all the kindness he had shown to Moses
in his distress, and his daughter better matched than he could have
expected. Jethro could not but hear what all the country rang of,
the glorious appearances of God for his people Israel (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:1" id="Ex.xix-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|18|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>); and he comes to enquire,
and inform himself more fully thereof (see <scripRef passage="Ps 111:2" id="Ex.xix-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|111|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.111.2">Ps. cxi. 2</scripRef>), and to rejoice with them as one
that had a true respect both for them and for their God. Though he,
as a Midianite, was not to share with them in the promised land,
yet he shared with them in the joy of their deliverance. We may
thus make the comforts of others our own, by taking pleasure, as
God does, in the <i>prosperity of the righteous.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p5">II. To bring Moses's wife and children to
him. It seems, he had sent them back, probably from the inn where
his wife's aversion to the circumcision of her son had like to have
cost him his life (<scripRef passage="Ex 4:25" id="Ex.xix-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|4|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.25"><i>ch.</i> iv.
25</scripRef>); fearing lest they should prove a further hindrance,
he sent them home to his father-in-law. He foresaw what
discouragements he was likely to meet with in the court of Pharaoh,
and therefore would not take any with him in his own family. He was
of that tribe that said to his father, <i>I have not known him,</i>
when service was to be done for God, <scripRef passage="De 33:9" id="Ex.xix-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.9">Deut. xxxiii. 9</scripRef>. Thus Christ's disciples, when
they were to go upon an expedition not much unlike that of Moses,
were to forsake <i>wife and children,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 19:29" id="Ex.xix-p5.3" parsed="|Matt|19|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.29">Matt. xix. 29</scripRef>. But though there might be
reason for the separation that was between Moses and his wife for a
time, yet they must come together again, as soon as ever they could
with any convenience. It is the law of the relation. <i>You
husbands, dwell with your wives,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:7" id="Ex.xix-p5.4" parsed="|1Pet|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.7">1
Pet. iii. 7</scripRef>. Jethro, we may suppose, was glad of his
daughter's company, and fond of her children, yet he would not keep
her from her husband, nor them from their father, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:5,6" id="Ex.xix-p5.5" parsed="|Exod|18|5|18|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.5-Exod.18.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. Moses must have his
family with him, that while he ruled the church of God he might set
a good example of prudence in family-government, <scripRef passage="1Ti 3:5" id="Ex.xix-p5.6" parsed="|1Tim|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.5">1 Tim. iii. 5</scripRef>. Moses had now a great deal both
of honour and care put upon him, and it was fit that his wife
should be with him to share with him in both. Notice is taken of
the significant names of his two sons. 1. The eldest was called
<i>Gershom</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:3" id="Ex.xix-p5.7" parsed="|Exod|18|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), <i>a stranger,</i> Moses designing thereby, not only
a memorial of his own condition, but a memorandum to his son of his
condition also: for we are all strangers upon earth, as all our
fathers were. Moses had a great uncle almost of the same name,
<i>Gershon, a stranger;</i> for though he was born in Canaan
(<scripRef passage="Ge 46:11" id="Ex.xix-p5.8" parsed="|Gen|46|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.11">Gen. xlvi. 11</scripRef>), yet even
there the patriarchs confessed themselves strangers. 2. The other
he called <i>Eliezer</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:4" id="Ex.xix-p5.9" parsed="|Exod|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), <i>My God a help,</i> as we translate it; it looks
back to his deliverance from Pharaoh, when he made his escape,
after the slaying of the Egyptian; but, if this was (as some think)
the son that was circumcised at the inn as he was going, I would
rather translate it so as to look forward, which the original will
bear, <i>The Lord is my help, and will deliver me</i> from the
sword of Pharaoh, which he had reason to expect would be drawn
against him when he was going to fetch Israel out of bondage. Note,
When we are undertaking any difficult service for God and our
generation, it is good for us to encourage ourselves in God as our
help: he that has delivered does and will deliver.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 18:7-12" id="Ex.xix-p5.10" parsed="|Exod|18|7|18|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.7-Exod.18.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.18.7-Exod.18.12">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xix-p6">7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law,
and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of
<i>their</i> welfare; and they came into the tent. &#160; 8 And
Moses told his father in law all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p6.1">Lord</span> had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians
for Israel's sake, <i>and</i> all the travail that had come upon
them by the way, and <i>how</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p6.2">Lord</span> delivered them. &#160; 9 And Jethro
rejoiced for all the goodness which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p6.3">Lord</span> had done to Israel, whom he had delivered
out of the hand of the Egyptians. &#160; 10 And Jethro said,
Blessed <i>be</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p6.4">Lord</span>, who hath
delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand
of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of
the Egyptians. &#160; 11 Now I know that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p6.5">Lord</span> <i>is</i> greater than all gods: for in the
thing wherein they dealt proudly <i>he was</i> above them. &#160;
12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and
sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel,
to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p7">Observe here, I. The kind greeting that
took place between Moses and his father-in-law, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:7" id="Ex.xix-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|18|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Though Moses was a prophet of the
Lord, a great prophet, and king in Jeshurun, yet he showed a very
humble respect to his father-in-law. However God in his providence
is pleased to advance us, we must make conscience of giving honour
to whom honour is due, and never look with disdain upon our poor
relations. Those that stand high in the favour of God are not
thereby discharged from the duty they owe to men, nor will that
justify them in a stately haughty carriage. Moses went out to meet
Jethro, did <i>homage to him, and kissed him.</i> Religion does not
destroy good manners. <i>They asked each other of their
welfare.</i> Even the kind How-do-you-do's that pass between them
are taken notice of, as the expressions and improvements of mutual
love and friendship.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p8">II. The narrative that Moses gave his
father-in-law of the great things God had done for Israel,
<scripRef passage="Ex 18:8" id="Ex.xix-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|18|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. This was one
thing Jethro came for, to know more fully and particularly what he
had heard the general report of. Note, Conversation concerning
<i>God's wondrous works</i> is profitable conversation; it is
<i>good, and to the use of edifying,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 105:2" id="Ex.xix-p8.2" parsed="|Ps|105|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.2">Ps. cv. 2</scripRef>. Compare <scripRef passage="Ps 145:11,12" id="Ex.xix-p8.3" parsed="|Ps|145|11|145|12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.145.11-Ps.145.12">Ps. cxlv. 11, 12</scripRef>. Asking and telling
news, and discoursing of it, are not only an allowable
entertainment of conversation, but are capable of being tuned to a
very good account, by taking notice of God's providence, and the
operations and tendencies of that providence, in all
occurrences.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p9">III. The impressions this narrative made
upon Jethro. 1. He congratulated God's Israel: <i>Jethro
rejoiced,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:9" id="Ex.xix-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|18|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
He not only rejoiced in the honour done to his son-in-law, but in
<i>all the goodness done to Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:9" id="Ex.xix-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|18|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Note, Public blessings are the
joy of public spirits. While the Israelites were themselves
murmuring, notwithstanding all God's goodness to them, here was a
Midianite rejoicing. This was not the only time that the faith of
the Gentiles shamed the unbelief of the Jews; see <scripRef passage="Mt 8:10" id="Ex.xix-p9.3" parsed="|Matt|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.10">Matt. viii. 10</scripRef>. Standers-by were more
affected with the favours God had shown to Israel than those were
that received them. 2. He gave the glory to Israel's God (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:10" id="Ex.xix-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|18|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): "<i>Blessed be
Jehovah</i>" (for by that name he is now known), "<i>who hath
delivered you,</i> Moses and Aaron, <i>out of the hand of
Pharaoh,</i> so that though he designed your death he could not
effect it, and by your ministry has <i>delivered the people.</i>"
Note, Whatever we have the joy of God must have the praise of. 3.
His faith was hereby confirmed, and he took this occasion to make a
solemn profession of it: <i>Now know I that Jehovah is greater than
all gods,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:11" id="Ex.xix-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|18|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>.
Observe, (1.) The matter of his faith: that the God of Israel is
greater than all pretenders, all false and counterfeit-deities,
that usurp divine honours; he silences them, subdues them, and is
too hard for them all, and therefore is himself the only <i>living
and true God.</i> He is also higher than all princes and potentates
(who are called gods), and has both an incontestable authority over
them and an irresistible power to control and over-rule them; he
manages them all as he pleases, and gets honour upon them, how
great soever they are. (2.) The confirmation and improvement of his
faith: <i>Now know I;</i> he knew it before, but now he knew it
better; his faith great up to a full assurance, upon this fresh
evidence. Those obstinately shut their eyes against the clearest
light who do not know that <i>the Lord is greater than all
gods.</i> (3.) The ground and reason upon which he built it: <i>For
wherein they dealt proudly,</i> the magicians, and the idols which
the Egyptians worshipped, or Pharaoh and his grandees (they both
opposed God and set up in competition with him), <i>he was above
them.</i> The magicians were baffled, the idols shaken, Pharaoh
humbled, his powers broken, and, in spite of all their
confederacies, God's Israel was rescued out of their hands. Note,
Sooner or later, God will show himself above those that by their
proud dealings contest with him. He that <i>exalts himself</i>
against God <i>shall be abased.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p10">IV. The expressions of their joy and
thankfulness. They had communion with each other both in a feast
and in a sacrifice, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:12" id="Ex.xix-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. Jethro, being hearty in Israel's interests, was
cheerfully admitted though a Midianite, into fellowship with Moses
and the elders of Israel, <i>forasmuch as he also was a son of
Abraham,</i> though of a younger house. 1. They joined in a
sacrifice of thanksgiving: <i>Jethro took burnt offerings for
God,</i> and probably offered them himself, for he was a priest in
Midian, and a worshipper of the true God, and the priesthood was
not yet settled in Israel. Note, Mutual friendship is sanctified by
joint-worship. It is a very good thing for relations and friends,
when they come together, to join in the spiritual sacrifice of
prayer and praise, as those that meet in Christ the centre of
unity. 2. They joined in a feast of rejoicing, a feast upon the
sacrifice. Moses, upon this occasion, invited his relations and
friends to an entertainment in his own tent, a laudable usage among
friends, and which Christ himself, not only warranted, but
recommended, by his acceptance of such invitations. This was a
temperate feast: <i>They did eat bread;</i> this bread, we may
suppose, was manna. Jethro must see and taste that bread from
heaven, and, though a Gentile, is as welcome to it as any
Israelite; the Gentiles still are so to Christ the bread of life.
It was a feast kept after a godly sort: <i>They did eat bread
before God,</i> soberly, thankfully, in the fear of God; and their
table-talk was such as became saints. Thus we must eat and drink to
the glory of God, behaving ourselves at our tables as those who
believe that God's eye is upon us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 18" id="Ex.xix-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 18:13-27" id="Ex.xix-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|18|13|18|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.13-Exod.18.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.18.13-Exod.18.27">
<h4 id="Ex.xix-p10.4">Jethro's Advice to Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xix-p10.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xix-p11">13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses
sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the
morning unto the evening. &#160; 14 And when Moses' father in law
saw all that he did to the people, he said, What <i>is</i> this
thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself
alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
&#160; 15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people
come unto me to enquire of God: &#160; 16 When they have a matter,
they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do
make <i>them</i> know the statutes of God, and his laws. &#160; 17
And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest
<i>is</i> not good. &#160; 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both
thou, and this people that <i>is</i> with thee: for this thing
<i>is</i> too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it
thyself alone. &#160; 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give
thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to
God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: &#160; 20 And
thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the
way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. &#160;
21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such
as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place
<i>such</i> over them, <i>to be</i> rulers of thousands, <i>and</i>
rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: &#160;
22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be,
<i>that</i> every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but
every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for
thyself, and they shall bear <i>the burden</i> with thee. &#160; 23
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee <i>so,</i> then
thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to
their place in peace. &#160; 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of
his father in law, and did all that he had said. &#160; 25 And
Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over
the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of
fifties, and rulers of tens. &#160; 26 And they judged the people
at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every
small matter they judged themselves. &#160; 27 And Moses let his
father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p12">Here is, I. The great zeal and industry of
Moses as a magistrate.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p13">1. Having been employed to redeem Israel
out of the house of bondage, herein he is a further type of Christ,
that he is employed as a lawgiver and a judge among them. (1.) He
was to answer enquiries, to acquaint them with the will of God in
doubtful cases, and to explain the laws of God that were already
given them, concerning the sabbath, the man, &amp;c., beside the
laws of nature, relating both to piety and equity, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:15" id="Ex.xix-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. <i>They came to enquire
of God;</i> and happy it was for them that they had such an oracle
to consult: we are ready to wish, many a time, that we had some
such certain way of knowing God's mind when we are at a loss what
to do. Moses was faithful both to him that appointed him and to
those that consulted him, and made them <i>know the statutes of God
and his laws,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:16" id="Ex.xix-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. His business was, not to make laws, but to make
known God's laws; his place was but that of a servant. (2.) He was
to decide controversies, and determine matters in variance, judging
between a man and his fellow, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:16" id="Ex.xix-p13.3" parsed="|Exod|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. And, if the people were as
quarrelsome one with another as they were with God, no doubt he had
a great many causes brought before him, and the more because their
trials put them to no expense, nor was the law costly to them. When
a quarrel happened in Egypt, and Moses would have reconciled the
contenders, they asked, <i>Who made thee a prince and a judge?</i>
But now it was past dispute that God had made him one; and they
humbly attend him whom they had then proudly rejected.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p14">2. Such was the business Moses was called
to, and it appears that he did it, (1.) With great consideration,
which, some think, is intimated in his posture: he <i>sat</i> to
judge (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:13" id="Ex.xix-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|18|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>),
composed and sedate. (2.) With great condescension to the people,
who stood <i>by him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:14" id="Ex.xix-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|18|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. He was very easy of access; the meanest Israelite
was welcome himself to bring his cause before him. (3.) With great
constancy and closeness of application. [1.] Though Jethro, his
father-in-law, was with him, which might have given him a good
pretence for a vacation (he might have adjourned the court for that
day, or at least have shortened it), yet he sat, even the next day
after his coming, <i>from morning till evening.</i> Note, Necessary
business must always take place of ceremonious attentions. It is
too great a compliment to our friends to prefer the enjoyment of
their company before our duty to God, which ought to be done, while
yet the other is not left undone. [2.] Though Moses was advanced to
great honour, yet he did not therefore take his case and throw upon
others the burden of care and business; no, he thought his
preferment, instead of discharging him from service, made it more
obligatory upon him. Those think of themselves above what is meet
who think it below them to do good. It is the honour even of angels
themselves to be serviceable. [3.] Though the people had been
provoking to him, and were ready to stone him (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:4" id="Ex.xix-p14.3" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 4</scripRef>), yet still he made himself
the servant of all. Note, Though others fail in their duty to us,
yet we must not therefore neglect ours to them. [4.] Though he was
an old man, yet he kept to his business from morning to night, and
made it his meat and drink to do it. God had given him great
strength both of body and mind, which enabled him to go through a
great deal of work with ease and pleasure; and, for the
encouragement of others to spend and be spent in the service of
God, it proved that after all his labours his natural force was not
diminished. Those that wait on the Lord and his service shall renew
their strength.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p15">II. The great prudence and consideration of
Jethro as a friend.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p16">1. He disliked the method that Moses took,
and was so free with him as to tell him so, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:14,17,18" id="Ex.xix-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|18|14|0|0;|Exod|18|17|0|0;|Exod|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.14 Bible:Exod.18.17 Bible:Exod.18.18"><i>v.</i> 14, 17, 18</scripRef>. He thought it was
too much business for Moses to undertake alone, that it would be a
prejudice to his health and too great a fatigue to him, and also
that it would make the administration of justice tiresome to the
people; and therefore he tells him plainly, <i>It is not good.</i>
Note, There may be over-doing even in well-doing, and therefore our
zeal must always be governed by discretion, that our good may not
be evil spoken of. Wisdom is profitable to direct, that we may
neither content ourselves with less than our duty nor over-task
ourselves with that which is beyond our strength.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p17">2. He advised him to such a model of
government as would better answer the intention, which was, (1.)
That he should reserve to himself all applications to God
(<scripRef passage="Ex 18:19" id="Ex.xix-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>Be thou
for them to God-ward;</i> that was an honour in which it was not
fit any other should share with him, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:6-8" id="Ex.xix-p17.2" parsed="|Num|12|6|12|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.6-Num.12.8">Num. xii. 6-8</scripRef>. Also whatever concerned the
whole congregation in general must pass through his hand, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:20" id="Ex.xix-p17.3" parsed="|Exod|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. But, (2.) That he
should appoint judges in the several tribes and families, who
should try causes between man and man, and determine them, which
would be done with less noise, and more despatch, than in the
general assembly wherein Moses himself presided. Thus they must be
governed as a nation by a king as supreme, and inferior magistrates
sent and commissioned by him, <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:13" id="Ex.xix-p17.4" parsed="|1Pet|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.13">1 Pet.
ii. 13, 14</scripRef>. Thus many hands would make light work,
causes would be sooner heard, and the people eased by having
justice thus brought to their tent-doors. Yet, (3.) An appeal might
lie, if there were just cause for it, from these inferior courts to
Moses himself; at least if the judges were themselves at a loss:
<i>Every great matter they shall bring unto thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:22" id="Ex.xix-p17.5" parsed="|Exod|18|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Thus that great man
would be the more serviceable by being employed only in great
matters. Note, Those whose gifts and stations are most eminent may
yet be greatly furthered in their work by the assistance of those
that are every way their inferiors, whom therefore they should not
despise. The head has need of the hands and feet, <scripRef passage="1Co 12:21" id="Ex.xix-p17.6" parsed="|1Cor|12|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.21">1 Cor. xii. 21</scripRef>. Great men should not
only study to be useful themselves, but contrive how to make others
useful, according as their capacity is. Such is Jethro's advice, by
which it appears that though Moses excelled him in prophecy he
excelled Moses in politics; yet,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p18">3. He adds two qualifications to his
counsel:&#8212;(1.) That great care should be taken in the choice of
the persons who should be admitted into this trust (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:21" id="Ex.xix-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>); they must <i>be able
men,</i> &amp;c. It was requisite that they should be men of the
very best character, [1.] For judgment and resolution&#8212;<i>able
men,</i> men of good sense, that understood business, and bold men,
that would not be daunted by frowns or clamours. Clear heads and
stout hearts make good judges. [2.] For piety and religion&#8212;<i>such
as fear God,</i> as believe there is a God above them, whose eye is
upon them, to whom they are accountable, and of whose judgment they
stand in awe. Conscientious men, that dare not do a base thing,
though they could do it ever so secretly and securely. The fear of
God is that principle which will best fortify a man against all
temptations to injustice, <scripRef passage="Ne 5:15,Ge 42:18" id="Ex.xix-p18.2" parsed="|Neh|5|15|0|0;|Gen|42|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.15 Bible:Gen.42.18">Neh.
v. 15; Gen. xlii. 18</scripRef>. [3.] For integrity and
honesty&#8212;<i>men of truth,</i> whose word one may take, and whose
fidelity one may rely upon, who would not for a world tell a lie,
betray a trust, or act an insidious part. [4.] For noble and
generous contempt of worldly wealth&#8212;<i>hating covetousness,</i>
not only not seeking bribes nor aiming to enrich themselves, but
abhorring the thought of it; he is fit to be a magistrate, and he
alone, who <i>despiseth the gain of oppressions, and shaketh his
hands from the holding of bribes,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 33:15" id="Ex.xix-p18.3" parsed="|Isa|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.33.15">Isa. xxxiii. 15</scripRef>. (2.) That he should attend
God's direction in the case (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:23" id="Ex.xix-p18.4" parsed="|Exod|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>): <i>If thou shalt do this thing, and God command
thee so.</i> Jethro knew that Moses had a better counsellor than he
was, and to his counsel he refers him. Note, Advice must be given
with a humble submission to the word and providence of God, which
must always overrule.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p19">Now Moses did not despise this advice
because it came from one not acquainted, as he was, with the words
of God and the visions of the Almighty; but he <i>hearkened to the
voice of his father-in-law,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 18:24" id="Ex.xix-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. When he came to consider the
thing, he saw the reasonableness of what his father-in-law proposed
and resolved to put it in practice, which he did soon afterwards,
when he had received directions from God in the matter. Note, Those
are not so wise as they would be thought to be who think themselves
too wise to be counselled; for <i>a wise man</i> (one who is truly
so) <i>will hear, and will increase learning,</i> and not slight
good counsel, though given by an inferior. Moses did not leave the
election of the magistrates to the people, who had already done
enough to prove themselves unfit for such a trust; but he chose
them, and appointed them, some for greater, others for less
division, the less probably subordinate to the greater. We have
reason to value government as a very great mercy, and to thank God
for laws and magistrates, so that we are not like <i>the fishes of
the sea, where the greater devour the less.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xix-p20">III. Jethro's return to his own land,
<scripRef passage="Ex 18:27" id="Ex.xix-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. No doubt he
took home with him the improvements he had made in the knowledge of
God, and communicated them to his neighbours for their instruction.
It is supposed that the Kenites (mentioned in <scripRef passage="1Sa 15:6" id="Ex.xix-p20.2" parsed="|1Sam|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.6">1 Sam. xv. 6</scripRef>) were the posterity of Jethro
(compare <scripRef passage="Jdg 1:16" id="Ex.xix-p20.3" parsed="|Judg|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.1.16">Judg. i. 16</scripRef>), and
they are there taken under special protection, for the kindness
their ancestor here showed to Israel. The good-will shown to God's
people, even in the smallest instances, shall in no wise lose its
reward, but shall be recompensed, at furthest, in the
resurrection.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIX" n="xx" progress="40.38%" prev="Ex.xix" next="Ex.xxi" id="Ex.xx">
<h2 id="Ex.xx-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xx-p0.2">CHAP. XIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xx-p1">This chapter introduces the solemnity of the
giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, which was one of the most
striking appearances of the divine glory that ever was in this
lower world. We have here, I. The circumstances of time and place,
<scripRef passage="Ex 19:1,2" id="Ex.xx-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|19|1|19|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.1-Exod.19.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. The
covenant between God and Israel settled in general. The gracious
proposal God made to them (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:3-6" id="Ex.xx-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|19|3|19|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.3-Exod.19.6">ver.
3-6</scripRef>), and their consent to the proposal, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:7,8" id="Ex.xx-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|19|7|19|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.7-Exod.19.8">ver. 7, 8</scripRef>. III. Notice given three
days before of God's design to give the law out of a thick cloud,
<scripRef passage="Ex 19:9" id="Ex.xx-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. Orders given to
prepare the people to receive the law (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:10-13" id="Ex.xx-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|19|10|19|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.10-Exod.19.13">ver. 10-13</scripRef>), and care taken to execute
those orders, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:14,15" id="Ex.xx-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|19|14|19|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.14-Exod.19.15">ver. 14,
15</scripRef>. IV. A terrible appearance of God's glory upon mount
Sinai, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:16-20" id="Ex.xx-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|19|16|19|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.16-Exod.19.20">ver. 16-20</scripRef>. V.
Silence proclaimed, and strict charges given to the people to
observe decorum while God spoke to them, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:21-25" id="Ex.xx-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|19|21|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.21-Exod.19.25">ver. 21</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 19" id="Ex.xx-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 19:1-8" id="Ex.xx-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|19|1|19|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.1-Exod.19.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.19.1-Exod.19.8">
<h4 id="Ex.xx-p1.11">The Covenant of Sinai. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xx-p2">1 In the third month, when the children of
Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came
they <i>into</i> the wilderness of Sinai. &#160; 2 For they were
departed from Rephidim, and were come <i>to</i> the desert of
Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped
before the mount. &#160; 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p2.1">Lord</span> called unto him out of the
mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and
tell the children of Israel; &#160; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto
the Egyptians, and <i>how</i> I bare you on eagles' wings, and
brought you unto myself. &#160; 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my
voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar
treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth <i>is</i>
mine: &#160; 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an
holy nation. These <i>are</i> the words which thou shalt speak unto
the children of Israel. &#160; 7 And Moses came and called for the
elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded him. &#160;
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p2.3">Lord</span> hath spoken we will do. And
Moses returned the words of the people unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p2.4">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p3">Here is, I. The date of that great charter
by which Israel was incorporated. 1. The time when it bears date
(<scripRef passage="Ex 19:1" id="Ex.xx-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|19|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>)&#8212;<i>in the
third month</i> after they came out of Egypt. It is computed that
the law was given just fifty days after their coming out of Egypt,
in remembrance of which the feast of Pentecost was observed the
fiftieth day after the passover, and in compliance with which the
Spirit was poured out upon the apostles at the feast of pentecost,
fifty days after the death of Christ. In Egypt they had spoken of a
three days' journey into the wilderness to the place of their
sacrifice (<scripRef passage="Ex 5:3" id="Ex.xx-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.5.3"><i>ch.</i> v. 3</scripRef>),
but it proved to be almost a two months' journey; so often are we
out in the calculation of times, and things prove longer in the
doing than we expected. 2. The place whence it bears date&#8212;from
<i>Mount Sinai,</i> a place which nature, not art, had made eminent
and conspicuous, for it was the highest in all that range of
mountains. Thus God put contempt upon cities, and palaces, and
magnificent structures, setting up his pavilion on the top of a
high mountain, in a waste and barren desert, there to carry on this
treaty. It is called <i>Sinai,</i> from the multitude of thorny
bushes that overspread it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p4">II. The charter itself. Moses was called up
the mountain (on the top of which God had pitched his tent, and at
the foot of which Israel had pitched theirs), and was employed as
the mediator, or rather no more than the messenger of the covenant:
<i>Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children
of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:3" id="Ex.xx-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
Here the learned bishop Patrick observes that the people are called
by the names both of <i>Jacob</i> and <i>Israel,</i> to remind them
that those who had lately been as low as Jacob when he went to
Padan-aram had now grown as great as God made him when he came
thence (justly enriched with the spoils of him that had oppressed
him) and was called <i>Israel.</i> Now observe, 1. That the maker,
and first mover, of the covenant, is God himself. Nothing was said
nor done by this stupid unthinking people themselves towards this
settlement; no motion made, no petition put up for God's favour,
but this blessed charter was granted <i>ex mero motu&#8212;purely out of
God's own good-will.</i> Note, In all our dealings with God, free
grace anticipates us with the blessings of goodness, and all our
comfort is owing, not to our knowing God, but rather to our being
<i>known of him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 4:9" id="Ex.xx-p4.2" parsed="|Gal|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.9">Gal. iv.
9</scripRef>. <i>We love him,</i> visit him, and covenant with him,
<i>because he first loved us,</i> visited us, and covenanted with
us. God is the Alpha, and therefore must be the Omega. 2. That the
matter of the covenant is not only just and unexceptionable, and
such as puts no hardship upon them, but kind and gracious, and such
as gives them the greatest privileges and advantages imaginable.
(1.) He reminds them of what he had done for them, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:4" id="Ex.xx-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|19|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. He had righted them, and
avenged them upon their persecutors and oppressors: "<i>You have
seen what I did unto the Egyptians,</i> how many lives were
sacrificed to Israel's honour and interests:" He had given them
unparalleled instances of his favour to them, and his care of them:
<i>I bore you on eagles' wings,</i> a high expression of the
wonderful tenderness God had shown for them. It is explained,
<scripRef passage="De 32:11,12" id="Ex.xx-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|32|11|32|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.11-Deut.32.12">Deut. xxxii. 11, 12</scripRef>. It
denotes great speed. God not only came upon the wing for their
deliverance (when the set time was come, he rode on a cherub, and
did fly), but he hastened them out, as it were, upon the wing. He
did it also with great ease, with the strength as well as with the
swiftness of an eagle: those that faint not, nor are weary, are
said to <i>mount up with wings as eagles,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 40:31" id="Ex.xx-p4.5" parsed="|Isa|40|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.31">Isa. xl. 31</scripRef>. Especially, it denotes God's
particular care of them and affection to them. Even Egypt, that
iron furnace, was the nest in which these young ones were hatched,
where they were first formed as the embryo of a nation; when, by
the increase of their numbers, they grew to some maturity, they
were carried out of that nest. Other birds carry their young in
their talons, but the eagle (they say) upon her wings, so that even
those archers who shoot flying cannot hurt the young ones, unless
they first shoot through the old one. Thus, in the Red Sea, the
pillar of cloud and fire, the token of God's presence, interposed
itself between the Israelites and their pursuers (lines of defence
which could not be forced, a wall which could not be penetrated):
yet this was not all; their way so paved, so guarded, was glorious,
but their end much more so: <i>I brought you unto myself.</i> They
were brought not only into a state of liberty and honour, but into
covenant and communion with God. This, this was the glory of their
deliverance, as it is of ours by Christ, that he died, <i>the just
for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.</i> This God aims at
in all the gracious methods of his providence and grace, to bring
us back to himself, from whom we have revolted, and to bring us
home to himself, in whom alone we can be happy. He appeals to
themselves, and their own observation and experience, for the truth
of what is here insisted on: <i>You have seen what I did;</i> so
that they could not disbelieve God, unless they would first
disbelieve their own eyes. They saw how all that was done was
purely the Lord's doing. It was not they that reached towards God,
but it was he that brought them to himself. Some have well observed
that the <i>Old-Testament church</i> is said to be borne upon
eagles' wings, denoting the power of that dispensation, which was
carried on with <i>a high hand an out-stretched arm;</i> but the
<i>New-Testament church</i> is said to be gathered by the Lord
Jesus, <i>as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings</i>
(<scripRef passage="Mt 23:37" id="Ex.xx-p4.6" parsed="|Matt|23|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.37">Matt. xxiii. 37</scripRef>), denoting
the grace and compassion of that dispensation, and the admirable
condescension and humiliation of the Redeemer. (2.) He tells them
plainly what he expected and required from them in one word,
obedience (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:5" id="Ex.xx-p4.7" parsed="|Exod|19|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>),
that they should <i>obey his voice indeed and keep his
covenant.</i> Being thus saved by him, that which he insisted upon
was that they should be ruled by him. The reasonableness of this
demand is, long after, pleaded with them, that <i>in the day he
brought them out of the land of Egypt</i> this was the condition of
the covenant, <i>Obey my voice</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 7:23" id="Ex.xx-p4.8" parsed="|Jer|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.7.23">Jer. vii. 23</scripRef>); and this he is said to protest
earnestly to them, <scripRef passage="Jer 11:4,7" id="Ex.xx-p4.9" parsed="|Jer|11|4|0|0;|Jer|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.11.4 Bible:Jer.11.7">Jer. xi. 4,
7</scripRef>. Only obey <i>indeed,</i> not in profession and
promise only, not in pretence, but in sincerity. God had shown them
real favours, and therefore required real obedience. (3.) He
assures them of the honour he would put upon them, and the kindness
he would show them, in case they did thus keep his covenant
(<scripRef passage="Ex 19:5,6" id="Ex.xx-p4.10" parsed="|Exod|19|5|19|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.5-Exod.19.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>): <i>Then
you shall be a peculiar treasure to me.</i> He does not specify any
one particular favour, as giving them the land of Canaan, or the
like, but expresses it in that which was inclusive of all
happiness, that he would be to them a God in covenant, and they
should be to him a people. [1.] God here asserts his sovereignty
over, and propriety in, the whole visible creation: <i>All the
earth is mine.</i> Therefore he needed them not; he that had so
vast a dominion was great enough, and happy enough, without
concerning himself for so small a demesne as Israel was. All
nations on the earth being his, he might choose which he pleased
for his peculiar, and act in a way of sovereignty. [2.] He
appropriates Israel to himself, <i>First,</i> As a people dear unto
him. <i>You shall be a peculiar treasure;</i> not that God was
enriched by them, as a man is by his treasure, but he was pleased
to value and esteem them as a man does his treasure; they were
<i>precious in his sight and honourable</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 43:4" id="Ex.xx-p4.11" parsed="|Isa|43|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.4">Isa. xliii. 4</scripRef>); he <i>set his love upon
them</i> (<scripRef passage="De 7:7" id="Ex.xx-p4.12" parsed="|Deut|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.7">Deut. vii. 7</scripRef>), took
them under his special care and protection, as a treasure that is
kept under lock and key. He looked upon the rest of the world but
as trash and lumber in comparison with them. By giving them divine
revelation, instituted ordinances, and promises inclusive of
eternal life, by sending his prophets among them, and pouring out
his Spirit upon them, he distinguished them from, and dignified
them above, all people. And this honour have all the saints; they
are unto God a <i>peculiar people</i> (<scripRef passage="Tit 2:4" id="Ex.xx-p4.13" parsed="|Titus|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.2.4">Tit. ii. 14</scripRef>), his when he <i>makes up his
jewels. Secondly,</i> As a people devoted to him, to his honour and
service (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:6" id="Ex.xx-p4.14" parsed="|Exod|19|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), a
<i>kingdom of priests,</i> a <i>holy nation.</i> All the
Israelites, if compared with other people, were priests unto God,
so near were they to him (<scripRef passage="Ps 148:14" id="Ex.xx-p4.15" parsed="|Ps|148|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.148.14">Ps.
cxlviii. 14</scripRef>), so much employed in his immediate service,
and such intimate communion they had with him. When they were first
made a free people it was that they might <i>sacrifice to the Lord
their God,</i> as <i>priests;</i> they were under God's immediate
government, and the tendency of the laws given them was to
distinguish them from others, and engage them for God as a holy
nation. Thus all believers are, through Christ, made to our God
kings and priests (<scripRef passage="Re 1:6" id="Ex.xx-p4.16" parsed="|Rev|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.6">Rev. i.
6</scripRef>), <i>a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Pe 2:9" id="Ex.xx-p4.17" parsed="|1Pet|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.9">1 Pet. ii. 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p5">III. Israel's acceptance of this charter,
and consent to the conditions of it. 1. Moses faithfully delivered
God's message to them (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:7" id="Ex.xx-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|19|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>): He <i>laid before their faces all those words;</i>
he not only explained to them what God had given him in charge, but
he put it to their choice whether they would accept these promises
upon these terms or no. His laying it to their faces denotes his
laying it to their consciences. 2. They readily agreed to the
covenant proposed. They would oblige themselves to obey the voice
of God, and take it as a great favour to be made a kingdom of
priests to him. They answered together as one man, <i>nemine
contradicente&#8212;without a dissentient voice</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:8" id="Ex.xx-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>All that the Lord hath spoken
we will do.</i> Thus they strike the bargain, accepting the Lord to
be to them a God, and giving up themselves to be to him a people. O
that there had been such a heart in them! 3. Moses, as a mediator,
returned the words of the people to God, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:8" id="Ex.xx-p5.3" parsed="|Exod|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Thus Christ, the Mediator between
us and God, as a prophet reveals God's will to us, his precepts and
promises, and then as a priest offers up to God our spiritual
sacrifices, not only of prayer and praise, but of devout affections
and pious resolutions, the work of his own Spirit in us. Thus he is
that blessed <i>days-man who lays his hand upon us both.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 19:9-15" id="Ex.xx-p5.4" parsed="|Exod|19|9|19|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.9-Exod.19.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.19.9-Exod.19.15">
<h4 id="Ex.xx-p5.5">The Approach of God
Announced. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p5.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xx-p6">9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p6.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the
people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever.
And Moses told the words of the people unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p6.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p6.3">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and
sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their
clothes, &#160; 11 And be ready against the third day: for the
third day the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p6.4">Lord</span> will come down in
the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. &#160; 12 And thou
shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to
yourselves, <i>that ye</i> go <i>not</i> up into the mount, or
touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be
surely put to death: &#160; 13 There shall not an hand touch it,
but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether <i>it
be</i> beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth
long, they shall come up to the mount. &#160; 14 And Moses went
down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and
they washed their clothes. &#160; 15 And he said unto the people,
Be ready against the third day: come not at <i>your</i> wives.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p7">Here, I. God intimates to Moses his purpose
of coming down upon Mount Sinai, in some visible appearance of his
glory, in <i>a thick cloud</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:9" id="Ex.xx-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>); for he said that he would
<i>dwell in the thick darkness</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ch 6:1" id="Ex.xx-p7.2" parsed="|2Chr|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.6.1">2
Chron. vi. 1</scripRef>), and make this his pavilion (<scripRef passage="Ps 18:11" id="Ex.xx-p7.3" parsed="|Ps|18|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.11">Ps. xviii. 11</scripRef>), <i>holding back the
face of his throne</i> when he set it upon <i>Mount Sinai, and
spreading a cloud upon it,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 26:9" id="Ex.xx-p7.4" parsed="|Job|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.9">Job
xxvi. 9</scripRef>. This thick cloud was to prohibit curious
enquiries into things secret, and to command an awful adoration of
that which was revealed. God would come down <i>in the sight of all
the people</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:11" id="Ex.xx-p7.5" parsed="|Exod|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>); though they should see no manner of similitude, yet
they should see so much as would convince them that God was among
them of a truth. And so high was the top of Mount Sinai that it is
supposed that not only the camp of Israel, but even the countries
about, might discern some extraordinary appearance of glory upon
it, which would strike a terror upon them. It seems also to have
been particularly intended to put an honour upon Moses: <i>That
they may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for
ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:9" id="Ex.xx-p7.6" parsed="|Exod|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Thus
the correspondence was to be first settled by a sensible appearance
of the divine glory, which was afterwards to be carried on more
silently by the ministry of Moses. In like manner, the Holy Ghost
descended visibly upon Christ at his baptism, and all that were
present heard God speak to him (<scripRef passage="Mt 3:17" id="Ex.xx-p7.7" parsed="|Matt|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.3.17">Matt.
iii. 17</scripRef>), that afterwards, without the repetition of
such visible tokens, they might believe him. So likewise the Spirit
descended in cloven tongues upon the apostles (<scripRef passage="Ac 2:3" id="Ex.xx-p7.8" parsed="|Acts|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.3">Acts ii. 3</scripRef>), that they might be believed.
Observe, When the people had declared themselves willing to obey
the voice of God, then God promised they should hear his voice;
for, if any man be resolved to <i>do his will, he shall know
it,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 7:17" id="Ex.xx-p7.9" parsed="|John|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.17">John vii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p8">II. He orders Moses to make preparation for
this great solemnity, giving him two days' time for it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p9">1. He must <i>sanctify the people</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 19:10" id="Ex.xx-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), as Job,
before this, sent and <i>sanctified his sons,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 1:5" id="Ex.xx-p9.2" parsed="|Job|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.1.5">Job i. 5</scripRef>. He must raise their
expectation by giving them notice what God would do, and assist
their preparation by directing them what they must do. "<i>Sanctify
them,</i>" that is, "Call them off from their worldly business, and
call them to religious exercises, meditation and prayer, that they
may receive the law from God's mouth with reverence and devotion.
<i>Let them be ready,</i>" <scripRef passage="Ex 19:11" id="Ex.xx-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. Note, When we are to attend upon God in solemn
ordinances it concerns us to sanctify ourselves, and to get ready
beforehand. Wandering thoughts must be gathered in, impure
affections abandoned, disquieting passions suppressed, nay, and all
cares about secular business, for the present, dismissed and laid
by, that our hearts may be <i>engaged to approach unto God.</i> Two
things particularly prescribed as signs and instances of their
preparation:&#8212;(1.) In token of their cleansing themselves from all
sinful pollutions, that they might be holy to God, they must
<i>wash their clothes</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:10" id="Ex.xx-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), and they did so (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:14" id="Ex.xx-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>); not that God regards our
clothes; but while they were washing their clothes he would have
them think of washing their souls by repentance from the sins they
had contracted in Egypt and since their deliverance. It becomes us
to appear in clean clothes when we wait upon great men; so clean
hearts are required in our attendance on the great God, who sees
them as plainly as men see our clothes. This is absolutely
necessary to our acceptably worshipping God. See <scripRef passage="Ps 26:6,Isa 1:16-18,Heb 10:22" id="Ex.xx-p9.6" parsed="|Ps|26|6|0|0;|Isa|1|16|1|18;|Heb|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.26.6 Bible:Isa.1.16-Isa.1.18 Bible:Heb.10.22">Ps. xxvi. 6; Isa. i. 16-18; Heb. x.
22</scripRef>. (2.) In token of their devoting themselves entirely
to religious exercises, upon this occasion, they must abstain even
from lawful enjoyments during these three days, and not <i>come at
their wives,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:15" id="Ex.xx-p9.7" parsed="|Exod|19|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="1Co 7:5" id="Ex.xx-p9.8" parsed="|1Cor|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.5">1 Cor. vii.
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p10">2. He must <i>set bounds about the
mountain,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:12,13" id="Ex.xx-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|19|12|19|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.12-Exod.19.13"><i>v.</i> 12,
13</scripRef>. Probably he drew a line, or ditch, round at the foot
of the hill, which none were to pass upon pain of death. This was
to intimate, (1.) That humble awful reverence which ought to
possess the minds of all those that worship God. We are mean
creatures before a great Creator, vile sinners before a holy
righteous Judge; and therefore a godly fear and shame well become
us, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:28,Ps 2:11" id="Ex.xx-p10.2" parsed="|Heb|12|28|0|0;|Ps|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.28 Bible:Ps.2.11">Heb. xii. 28; Ps. ii.
11</scripRef>. (2.) The distance at which worshippers were kept,
under that dispensation, which we ought to take notice of, that we
may the more value our privilege under the gospel, having
<i>boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 10:19" id="Ex.xx-p10.3" parsed="|Heb|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.19">Heb. x. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p11">3. He must order the people to attend upon
the summons that should be given (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:13" id="Ex.xx-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|19|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): "<i>When the trumpet soundeth
long</i> then let them take their places at the foot of the mount,
and so sit down at God's feet," as it is explained, <scripRef passage="De 33:3" id="Ex.xx-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|33|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.3">Deut. xxxiii. 3</scripRef>. Never was so great a
congregation called together, and preached to, at once, as this was
here. No one man's voice could have reached so many, but the voice
of God did.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 19" id="Ex.xx-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 19:16-25" id="Ex.xx-p11.4" parsed="|Exod|19|16|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.16-Exod.19.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.19.16-Exod.19.25">
<h4 id="Ex.xx-p11.5">The Divine Presence on Mount
Sinai. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p11.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xx-p12">16 And it came to pass on the third day in the
morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud
upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so
that all the people that <i>was</i> in the camp trembled. &#160; 17
And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with
God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. &#160; 18 And
Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.1">Lord</span> descended upon it in fire: and the smoke
thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount
quaked greatly. &#160; 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded
long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered
him by a voice. &#160; 20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.2">Lord</span> came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of
the mount: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.3">Lord</span> called Moses
<i>up</i> to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. &#160; 21 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.4">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Go down,
charge the people, lest they break through unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.5">Lord</span> to gaze, and many of them perish. &#160; 22
And let the priests also, which come near to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.6">Lord</span>, sanctify themselves, lest the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.7">Lord</span> break forth upon them. &#160; 23 And Moses
said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.8">Lord</span>, The people
cannot come up to Mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set
bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. &#160; 24 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.9">Lord</span> said unto him, Away, get thee down,
and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the
priests and the people break through to come up unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xx-p12.10">Lord</span>, lest he break forth upon them.
&#160; 25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p13">Now, at length, comes that memorable day,
that terrible day of the Lord, that day of judgment, in which
<i>Israel heard the voice of the Lord God</i> speaking to them
<i>out of the midst of the fire, and lived,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:33" id="Ex.xx-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|4|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.33">Deut. iv. 33</scripRef>. Never was there such a sermon
preached, before nor since, as this which was here preached to the
church in the wilderness. For,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p14">I. The preacher was God himself (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:18" id="Ex.xx-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|19|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>The Lord descended
in fire,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:20" id="Ex.xx-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|19|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>), <i>The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai.</i> The
<i>shechinah,</i> or glory of the Lord, appeared in the sight of
all the people; he <i>shone forth from mount Paran with ten
thousands of his saints</i> (<scripRef passage="De 33:2" id="Ex.xx-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.2">Deut.
xxxiii. 2</scripRef>), that is, attended, as the divine Majesty
always is, by a multitude of the holy angels, who were both to
grace the solemnity and to assist at it. Hence the law is said to
be given <i>by the disposition of angels,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:53" id="Ex.xx-p14.4" parsed="|Acts|7|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.53">Acts vii. 53</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p15">II. The pulpit (or throne rather) was mount
Sinai, hung with a <i>thick cloud</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:16" id="Ex.xx-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|19|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), covered with <i>smoke</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 19:18" id="Ex.xx-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|19|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), and made to
<i>quake</i> greatly. Now it was that the earth <i>trembled at the
presence of the Lord,</i> and the <i>mountains skipped like
rams</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 114:4" id="Ex.xx-p15.3" parsed="|Ps|114|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.114.4">Ps. cxiv. 4, 7</scripRef>),
that Sinai itself, though rough and rocky, <i>melted from before
the Lord God of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 5:5" id="Ex.xx-p15.4" parsed="|Judg|5|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.5.5">Judg. v.
5</scripRef>. Now it was that the <i>mountains saw him, and
trembled</i> (<scripRef passage="Hab 3:10" id="Ex.xx-p15.5" parsed="|Hab|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.3.10">Hab. iii.
10</scripRef>), and were witnesses against a hard-hearted unmoved
people, whom nothing would influence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p16">III. The congregation was called together
by the <i>sound of a trumpet, exceedingly loud</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:16" id="Ex.xx-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|19|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), and <i>waxing louder
and louder,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:19" id="Ex.xx-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. This was done by the ministry of the angels, and we
read of trumpets sounded by angels, <scripRef passage="Re 8:6" id="Ex.xx-p16.3" parsed="|Rev|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.8.6">Rev.
viii. 6</scripRef>. It was the <i>sound of the trumpet that made
all the people tremble,</i> as those who knew their own guilt, and
who had reason to expect that the sound of this trumpet was to them
the <i>alarm of war.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p17">IV. Moses brought the hearers to the place
of meeting, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:17" id="Ex.xx-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
He that had led them out of the bondage of Egypt now led them to
receive the law from God's mouth. Public persons are indeed public
blessings when they lay out themselves in their places to promote
the public worship of God. Moses, at the head of an assembly
worshipping God, was as truly great as Moses at the head of an army
in the field.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p18">V. The introductions to the service were
<i>thunders and lightnings,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:16" id="Ex.xx-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|19|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. These were designed to strike
an awe upon the people, and to raise and engage their attention.
Were they asleep? The thunders would awaken them. Were they looking
another way? The lightnings would engage them to turn their faces
towards him that spoke to them. Thunder and lightning have natural
causes, but the scripture directs us in a particular manner to take
notice of the power of God, and his terror, in them. Thunder is the
voice of God, and lightning the fire of God, proper to engage the
senses of sight and hearing, those senses by which we receive so
much of our information.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xx-p19">VI. Moses is God's minister, who is spoken
to, to command silence, and keep the congregation in order:
<i>Moses spoke,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:19" id="Ex.xx-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Some think it was now that he said, <i>I exceedingly
fear and quake</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:21" id="Ex.xx-p19.2" parsed="|Heb|12|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.21">Heb. xii.
21</scripRef>); but God stilled his fear by his distinguishing
favour to him, in calling him up to the top of the mount (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:20" id="Ex.xx-p19.3" parsed="|Exod|19|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), by which also he tried
his faith and courage. No sooner had Moses got up a little way
towards the top of the mount than he was sent down again to keep
the people from <i>breaking through to gaze,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 19:21" id="Ex.xx-p19.4" parsed="|Exod|19|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Even the priests or princes,
the heads of the houses of their fathers, who officiated for their
respective families, and therefore are said to <i>come near to the
Lord</i> at other times, must now keep their distance, and conduct
themselves with a great deal of caution. Moses pleads that they
needed not to have any further orders given them, effectual care
being taken already to prevent any intrusions, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:23" id="Ex.xx-p19.5" parsed="|Exod|19|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. But God, who knew their
wilfulness and presumption, and what was now in the hearts of some
of them, hastens him down with this in charge, that neither the
priests nor the people should offer to force the lines that were
set, to <i>come up unto the Lord,</i> but Moses and Aaron on, the
men whom God delighted to honour. Observe, 1. What it was that God
forbade them&#8212;breaking through to gaze; enough was provided to
awaken their consciences, but they were not allowed to gratify
their vain curiosity. They might see, but not gaze. Some of them,
probably, were desirous to see some similitude, that they might
know how to make an image of God, which he took care to prevent,
for they <i>saw no manner of similitude,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:5" id="Ex.xx-p19.6" parsed="|Deut|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.5">Deut. iv. 5</scripRef>. Note, In divine things we must not
covet to know more than God would have us know; and he has allowed
us as much as is good for us. A desire of forbidden knowledge was
the ruin of our first parents. Those that would be wise above what
is written, and intrude into those things which they have not seen,
need this admonition, that they <i>break not through to gaze.</i>
2. Under what penalty it was forbidden: <i>Lest the Lord break
forth upon them</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:22-24" id="Ex.xx-p19.7" parsed="|Exod|19|22|19|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.22-Exod.19.24"><i>v.</i>
22-24</scripRef>), and <i>many of them perish.</i> Note, (1.) The
restraints and warnings of the divine law are all intended for our
good, and to keep us out of that danger into which we should
otherwise, by our own folly, run ourselves. (2.) It is at our peril
if we break the bounds that God has set us, and intrude upon that
which he has not allowed us; the Bethshemites and Uzzah paid dearly
for their presumption. And, even when we are called to approach
God, we must remember that he is in heaven and we upon earth, and
therefore it behoves us to exercise reverence and godly fear.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XX" n="xxi" progress="40.90%" prev="Ex.xx" next="Ex.xxii" id="Ex.xxi">
<h2 id="Ex.xxi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxi-p1">All things being prepared for the solemn
promulgation of the divine law, we have, in this chapter, I. The
ten commandments, as God himself spoke them upon Mount Sinai
(<scripRef passage="Ex 20:1-17" id="Ex.xxi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|20|1|20|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.17">ver. 1-17</scripRef>), as
remarkable a portion of scripture as any in the Old Testament. II.
The impressions made upon the people thereby, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:18-21" id="Ex.xxi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|20|18|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18-Exod.20.21">ver. 18-21</scripRef>. III. Some particular
instructions which God gave privately to Moses, to be by him
communicated to the people, relating to his worship, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:22-26" id="Ex.xxi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|20|22|20|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.26">ver. 22</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20" id="Ex.xxi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20:1-11" id="Ex.xxi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|20|1|20|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xxi-p1.6">The Ten Commandments. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p2">1 And God spake all these words, saying, &#160;
2 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God,
which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house
of bondage. &#160; 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
&#160; 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness <i>of any thing</i> that <i>is</i> in heaven above, or
that <i>is</i> in the earth beneath, or that <i>is</i> in the water
under the earth: &#160; 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.2">Lord</span> thy
God <i>am</i> a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth <i>generation</i> of
them that hate me; &#160; 6 And showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments. &#160; 7 Thou shalt
not take the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.3">Lord</span> thy
God in vain; for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.4">Lord</span> will not
hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. &#160; 8 Remember
the sabbath day, to keep it holy. &#160; 9 Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work: &#160; 10 But the seventh day
<i>is</i> the sabbath of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.5">Lord</span>
thy God: <i>in it</i> thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy
son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy
cattle, nor thy stranger that <i>is</i> within thy gates: &#160; 11
For <i>in</i> six days the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.6">Lord</span> made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them <i>is,</i> and
rested the seventh day: wherefore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p2.7">Lord</span> blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p3">Here is, I. The preface of the law-writer,
Moses: <i>God spoke all these words,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:1" id="Ex.xxi-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The law of the ten commandments
is, 1. A law of God's making. They are enjoined by the infinite
eternal Majesty of heaven and earth. And <i>where the word of the
King</i> of kings <i>is surely there is power.</i> 2. It is a law
of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children
of men (<scripRef passage="Job 33:14" id="Ex.xxi-p3.2" parsed="|Job|33|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.14">Job xxxiii. 14</scripRef>);
<i>once, yea twice</i>&#8212;by his Spirit, by conscience, by
providences, by his voice, all which we ought carefully to attend
to; but he never spoke, at any time, upon any occasion, as he spoke
the ten commandments, which therefore we ought to hear with the
<i>more earnest heed.</i> They were not only spoken audibly (so he
owned the Redeemer by a voice from heaven, <scripRef passage="Mt 3:17" id="Ex.xxi-p3.3" parsed="|Matt|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.3.17">Matt. iii. 17</scripRef>), but with a great deal of
dreadful pomp. This law God had given to man before (it was written
in his heart by nature); but sin had so defaced that writing that
it was necessary, in this manner, to revive the knowledge of
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p4">II. The preface of the Law-maker: <i>I am
the Lord thy God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:2" id="Ex.xxi-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Herein, 1. God asserts his own authority to enact
this law in general: "I am the Lord who command thee all that
follows." 2. He proposes himself as the sole object of that
religious worship which is enjoined in the first four of the
commandments. They are here bound to obedience by a threefold cord,
which, one would think, could not <i>easily be broken.</i> (1.)
Because God <i>is the Lord</i>&#8212;Jehovah, self-existent,
independent, eternal, and the fountain of all being and power;
therefore he has an incontestable right to command us. He that
gives being may give law; and therefore he is able to bear us out
in our obedience, to reward it, and to punish our disobedience.
(2.) He was their God, a God in covenant with them, their God by
their own consent; and, if they would not keep his commandments,
who would? He had laid himself under obligations to them by
promise, and therefore might justly lay his obligations on them by
precept. Though that covenant of peculiarity is now no more, yet
there is another, by virtue of which all that are baptized are
taken into relation to him as their God, and are therefore unjust,
unfaithful, and very ungrateful, if they obey him not. (3.) He had
<i>brought them out of the land of Egypt;</i> therefore they were
bound in gratitude to obey him, because he had done them so great a
kindness, had brought them out of a grievous slavery into a
glorious liberty. They themselves had been eye-witnesses of the
great things God had done in order to their deliverance, and could
not but have observed that every circumstance of it heightened
their obligation. They were now enjoying the blessed fruits of
their deliverance, and in expectation of a speedy settlement in
Canaan; and could they think any thing too much to do for him that
had done so much for them? Nay, by redeeming them, he acquired a
further right to rule them; they owed their service to him to whom
they owed their freedom, and whose they were by purchase. And thus
Christ, having rescued us out of the bondage of sin, is entitled to
the best service we can do him, <scripRef passage="Lu 1:74" id="Ex.xxi-p4.2" parsed="|Luke|1|74|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.74">Luke i.
74</scripRef>. Having loosed our bonds, he has bound us to obey
him, <scripRef passage="Ps 116:16" id="Ex.xxi-p4.3" parsed="|Ps|116|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.16">Ps. cxvi. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p5">III. The law itself. The first four of the
ten commandments, which concern our duty to God (commonly called
<i>the first table</i>), we have in these verses. It was fit that
those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love before
he had a neighbour to love; and justice and charity are acceptable
acts of obedience to God only when they flow from the principles of
piety. It cannot be expected that he should be true to his brother
who is false to his God. Now our duty to God is, in one word, to
worship him, that is, to give to him the glory due to his name, the
inward worship of our affections, the outward worship of solemn
address and attendance. This is spoken of as the sum and substance
of the everlasting gospel. <scripRef passage="Re 14:7" id="Ex.xxi-p5.1" parsed="|Rev|14|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.7">Rev. xiv.
7</scripRef>, <i>Worship God.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p6">1. The first commandment concerns the
object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:3" id="Ex.xxi-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt have no other gods
before me.</i> The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had
many gods, the creatures of their own fancy, strange gods, <i>new
gods;</i> this law was prefixed because of that transgression, and,
Jehovah being the God of Israel, they must entirely cleave to him,
and not be for any other, either of their own invention or borrowed
from their neighbours. This was the sin they were most in danger of
now that the world was so overspread with polytheism, which yet
could not be rooted out effectually but by the gospel of Christ.
The sin against this commandment which <i>we</i> are most in danger
of is giving the glory and honour to any creature which are due to
God only. Pride makes a god of self, covetousness makes a god of
money, sensuality makes a god of the belly; whatever is esteemed or
loved, feared or served, delighted in or depended on, more than
God, that (whatever it is) we do in effect make a god of. This
prohibition includes a precept which is the foundation of the whole
law, that we take the Lord for our God, acknowledge that he is God,
accept him for ours, adore him with admiration and humble
reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him. In the last
words, <i>before me,</i> it is intimated, (1.) That we cannot have
any other God but he will certainly know it. There is none besides
him but what is before him. Idolaters covet secresy; but <i>shall
not God search this out?</i> (2.) That it is very provoking to him;
it is a sin that dares him to his face, which he cannot, which he
will not, overlook, nor connive at. See <scripRef passage="Ps 44:20,21" id="Ex.xxi-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|44|20|44|21" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.20-Ps.44.21">Ps. xliv. 20, 21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p7">2. The second commandment concerns the
ordinances of worship, or the way in which God will be worshipped,
which it is fit that he himself should have the appointing of. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p8">(1.) The prohibition: we are here forbidden
to worship even the true God by images, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:4,5" id="Ex.xxi-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|20|4|20|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.4-Exod.20.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. [1.] The Jews (at least
after the captivity) thought themselves forbidden by this
commandment to make any image or picture whatsoever. Hence the very
images which the Roman armies had in their ensigns are called <i>an
abomination</i> to them (<scripRef passage="Mt 24:15" id="Ex.xxi-p8.2" parsed="|Matt|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.15">Matt. xxiv.
15</scripRef>), especially when they were set up <i>in the holy
place.</i> It is certain that it forbids making any image of God
(for <i>to whom can we liken him?</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 40:15,18" id="Ex.xxi-p8.3" parsed="|Isa|40|15|0|0;|Isa|40|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.15 Bible:Isa.40.18">Isa. xl. 18, 15</scripRef>), or the image of any
creature for a religious use. It is called the changing of the
truth of God into a lie (<scripRef passage="Ro 1:25" id="Ex.xxi-p8.4" parsed="|Rom|1|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.25">Rom. i.
25</scripRef>), for an image is a teacher of lies; it insinuates to
us that God has a body, whereas he is an infinite spirit, <scripRef passage="Hab 2:18" id="Ex.xxi-p8.5" parsed="|Hab|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.18">Hab. ii. 18</scripRef>. It also forbids us to
make images of God in our fancies, as if he were a man as we are.
Our religious worship must be governed by the power of faith, not
by the power of imagination. They must not make such images or
pictures as the heathen worshipped, lest they also should be
tempted to worship them. Those who would be kept from sin must keep
themselves from the occasions of it. [2.] They must not <i>bow down
to them</i> occasionally, that is, show any sign of respect or
honour to them, much less serve them constantly, by sacrifice or
incense, or any other act of religious worship. When they paid
their devotion to the true God, they must not have any image before
them, for the directing, exciting, or assisting of their devotion.
Though the worship was designed to terminate in God, it would not
please him if it came to him through an image. The best and most
ancient lawgivers among the heathen forbade the setting up of
images in their temples. This practice was forbidden in Rome by
Numa, a pagan prince; yet commanded in Rome by the pope, a
Christian bishop, but, in this, anti-christian. The use of images
in the church of Rome, at this day, is so plainly contrary to the
letter of this command, and so impossible to be reconciled to it,
that in all their catechisms and books of devotion, which they put
into the hands of the people, they leave out this commandment,
joining the reason of it to the first; and so the third commandment
they call the second, the fourth the third, &amp;c.; only, to make
up the number ten, they divide the tenth into two. Thus have they
committed two great evils, in which they persist, and from which
they hate to be reformed; they take away from God's word, and add
to his worship.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p9">(2.) The reasons to enforce this
prohibition (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:5,6" id="Ex.xxi-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|20|5|20|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.5-Exod.20.6"><i>v.</i> 5,
6</scripRef>), which are, [1.] God's jealousy in the matters of his
worship: "<i>I am the Lord</i> Jehovah, and <i>thy God, am a
jealous God,</i> especially in things of this nature." This
intimates the care he has of his own institutions, his hatred of
idolatry and all false worship, his displeasure against idolaters,
and that he resents every thing in his worship that looks like, or
leads to, idolatry. Jealousy is quicksighted. Idolatry being
spiritual adultery, as it is very often represented in scripture,
the displeasure of God against it is fitly called <i>jealousy.</i>
If God is jealous herein, we should be so, afraid of offering any
worship to God otherwise than as he has appointed in his word. [2.]
The punishment of idolaters. God looks upon them as haters of him,
though they perhaps pretend love to him; he will <i>visit their
iniquity,</i> that is, he will very severely punish it, not only as
a breach of his law, but as an affront to his majesty, a violation
of the covenant, and a blow at the root of all religion. He will
<i>visit it upon the children,</i> that is, this being a sin for
which churches shall be unchurched and a bill of divorce given
them, the children shall be cast out of covenant and communion
together with the parents, as with the parents the children were at
first taken in. Or he will bring such judgments upon a people as
shall be the total ruin of families. If idolaters live to be old,
so as to see their children of the third or fourth generation, it
shall be the vexation of their eyes, and the breaking of their
hearts, to see them fall by the sword, carried captive, and
enslaved. Nor is it an unrighteous thing with God (if the parents
died in their iniquity, and the children tread in their steps, and
keep up false worships, because they received them by tradition
from their fathers), when the measure is full, and God comes by his
judgments to reckon with them, to bring into the account the
idolatries their fathers were guilty of. Though he bear long with
an idolatrous people, he will not bear always, but by the fourth
generation, at furthest, he will begin to visit. Children are dear
to their parents; therefore, to deter men from idolatry, and to
show how much God is displeased with it, not only a brand of infamy
is by it entailed upon families, but the judgments of God may for
it be executed upon the poor children when the parents are dead and
gone. [3.] The favour God would show to his faithful worshippers:
<i>Keeping mercy for thousands</i> of persons, thousands of
generations <i>of those that love me, and keep my commandments.</i>
This intimates that the second commandment, though, in the letter
of it, it is only a prohibition of false worships, yet includes a
precept of worshipping God in all those ordinances which he has
instituted. As the first commandment requires the inward worship of
love, desire, joy, hope, and admiration, so the second requires the
outward worship of prayer and praise, and solemn attendance on
God's word. Note, <i>First,</i> Those that truly love God will make
it their constant care and endeavour to keep his commandments,
particularly those that relate to his worship. Those that love God,
and keep those commandments, shall receive grace to keep his other
commandments. Gospel worship will have a good influence upon all
manner of gospel obedience. <i>Secondly,</i> God has mercy in store
for such. Even they need mercy, and cannot plead merit; and mercy
they shall find with God, merciful protection in their obedience
and a merciful recompence of it. <i>Thirdly,</i> This mercy shall
extend to thousands, much further than the wrath threatened to
those that hate him, for that reaches but to the third or fourth
generation. The streams of mercy run now as full, as free, and as
fresh, as ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p10">3. The third commandment concerns the
manner of our worship, that it be done with all possible reverence
and seriousness, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:7" id="Ex.xxi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|20|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p11">(1.) A strict prohibition: <i>Thou shalt
not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.</i> It is supposed
that, having taken Jehovah for their God, they would make mention
of his name (for thus <i>all people will walk every one in the name
of his god</i>); this command gives a needful caution not to
mention it in vain, and it is still as needful as ever. We take
God's name in vain, [1.] By hypocrisy, making a profession of God's
name, but not living up to that profession. Those that name the
name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity, as that name binds
them to do, name it in vain; their worship is vain (<scripRef passage="Mt 15:7-9" id="Ex.xxi-p11.1" parsed="|Matt|15|7|15|9" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.7-Matt.15.9">Matt. xv. 7-9</scripRef>), their oblations are
vain (<scripRef passage="Isa 1:11,13" id="Ex.xxi-p11.2" parsed="|Isa|1|11|0|0;|Isa|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.11 Bible:Isa.1.13">Isa. i. 11, 13</scripRef>),
their religion is vain, <scripRef passage="Jam 1:26" id="Ex.xxi-p11.3" parsed="|Jas|1|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.26">Jam. i.
26</scripRef>. [2.] By covenant-breaking; if we make promises to
God, binding our souls with those bonds to that which is good, and
yet perform not to the Lord our vows, we take his name in vain
(<scripRef passage="Mt 5:33" id="Ex.xxi-p11.4" parsed="|Matt|5|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.33">Matt. v. 33</scripRef>), it is folly,
and God <i>has no pleasure in fools</i> (<scripRef passage="Ec 5:4" id="Ex.xxi-p11.5" parsed="|Eccl|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.4">Eccl. v. 4</scripRef>), nor will he be <i>mocked,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ga 6:7" id="Ex.xxi-p11.6" parsed="|Gal|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.7">Gal. vi. 7</scripRef>. [3.] By rash
swearing, mentioning the name of God, or any of his attributes, in
the form of an oath, without any just occasion for it, or due
application of mind to it, but as a by-word, to no purpose at all,
or to no good purpose. [4.] By false swearing, which, some think,
is chiefly intended in the letter of the commandment; so it was
expounded by those of old time. <i>Thou shalt not forswear
thyself,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 5:33" id="Ex.xxi-p11.7" parsed="|Matt|5|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.33">Matt. v. 33</scripRef>.
One part of the religious regard the Jews were taught to pay to
their God was to <i>swear by his name,</i> <scripRef passage="De 10:20" id="Ex.xxi-p11.8" parsed="|Deut|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.20">Deut. x. 20</scripRef>. But they affronted him, instead
of doing him honour, if they called him to be witness to a lie.
[5.] By using the name of God lightly and carelessly, and without
any regard to its awful significancy. The profanation of the forms
of devotion is forbidden, as well as the profanation of the forms
of swearing; as also the profanation of any of those things whereby
God makes himself known, his word, or any of his institutions; when
they are either turned into charms and spells, or into jest and
sport, the name of God is taken in vain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p12">(2.) A severe penalty: <i>The Lord will not
hold him guiltless;</i> magistrates, who punish other offences, may
not think themselves concerned to take notice of this, because it
does not immediately offer injury either to private property or the
public peace; but God, who is jealous for his honour, will not thus
connive at it. The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and
think there is no harm in it, and that God will never call him to
an account for it. To obviate this suggestion, the threatening is
thus expressed, God will <i>not hold him guiltless,</i> as he hopes
he will; but more is implied, namely, that God will himself be the
avenger of those that take his name in vain, and they will find it
a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p13">4. The fourth commandment concerns the time
of worship. God is to be served and honoured daily, but one day in
seven is to be particularly dedicated to his honour and spent in
his service. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p14">(1.) The command itself (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:8" id="Ex.xxi-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>Remember the sabbath day to
keep it holy;</i> and (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:10" id="Ex.xxi-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), <i>In it thou shalt do no manner of work.</i> It is
taken for granted that the sabbath was instituted before; we read
of God's blessing and sanctifying a seventh day from the beginning
(<scripRef passage="Ge 2:3" id="Ex.xxi-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.3">Gen. ii. 3</scripRef>), so that this
was not the enacting of a new law, but the reviving of an old law.
[1.] They are told what is the day they must religiously
observe&#8212;<i>a seventh, after six days' labour;</i> whether this was
the seventh by computation from the first seventh, or from the day
of their coming out of Egypt, or both, is not certain: now the
precise day was notified to them (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:23" id="Ex.xxi-p14.4" parsed="|Exod|16|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.23"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 23</scripRef>), and from this they were
to observe the seventh. [2.] How it must be observed. <i>First,</i>
As a day of rest; they were to do no manner of work on this day in
their callings or worldly business. <i>Secondly,</i> As a holy day,
set apart to the honour of the holy God, and to be spent in holy
exercises. God, by blessing it, had made it holy; they, by solemnly
blessing him, must keep it holy, and not alienate it to any other
purpose than that for which the difference between it and other
days was instituted. [3.] Who must observe it: <i>Thou, and thy
son, and thy daughter;</i> the wife is not mentioned, because she
is supposed to be one with the husband and present with him, and,
if he sanctify the sabbath, it is taken for granted that she will
join with him; but the rest of the family are specified. Children
and servants must keep the sabbath, according to their age and
capacity: in this, as in other instances of religion, it is
expected that masters of families should take care, not only to
serve the Lord themselves, but that their houses also should serve
him, at least that it may not be through their neglect if they do
not, <scripRef passage="Jos 24:15" id="Ex.xxi-p14.5" parsed="|Josh|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.15">Josh. xxiv. 15</scripRef>. Even
the proselyted strangers must observe a difference between this day
and other days, which, if it laid some restraint upon them then,
yet proved a happy indication of God's gracious purpose, in process
of time, to bring the Gentiles into the church, that they might
share in the benefit of sabbaths. Compare <scripRef passage="Isa 56:6,7" id="Ex.xxi-p14.6" parsed="|Isa|56|6|56|7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.6-Isa.56.7">Isa. lvi. 6, 7</scripRef>. God takes notice of what we
do, particularly what we do on sabbath days, though we should be
where we are strangers. [4.] A particular memorandum put upon this
duty: <i>Remember it.</i> It is intimated that the sabbath was
instituted and observed before; but in their bondage in Egypt they
had lost their computation, or were restrained by their
task-masters, or, through a great degeneracy and indifference in
religion, they had let fall the observance of it, and therefore it
was requisite they should be reminded of it. Note, Neglected duties
remain duties still, notwithstanding our neglect. It also intimates
that we are both apt to forget it and concerned to remember it.
Some think it denotes the preparation we are to make for the
sabbath; we must think of it before it comes, that, when it does
come, we may keep it holy, and do the duty of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p15">(2.) The reasons of this command. [1.] We
have time enough for ourselves in those six days, on the seventh
day let us serve God; and time enough to tire ourselves, on the
seventh it will be a kindness to us to be obliged to rest. [2.]
This is God's day: it is the <i>sabbath of the Lord thy God,</i>
not only instituted by him, but consecrated to him. It is sacrilege
to alienate it; the sanctification of it is a debt. [3.] It is
designed for a memorial of the creation of the world, and therefore
to be observed to the glory of the Creator, as an engagement upon
ourselves to serve him and an encouragement to us to trust in him
who made heaven and earth. By the sanctification of the sabbath,
the Jews declared that they worshipped the God that made the world,
and so distinguished themselves from all other nations, who
worshipped gods which they themselves made. [4.] God has given us
an example of rest, after six days' work: he <i>rested the seventh
day,</i> took a complacency in himself, and <i>rejoiced in the work
of his hand,</i> to teach us, on that day, to take a complacency in
him, and to give him the glory of his works, <scripRef passage="Ps 92:4" id="Ex.xxi-p15.1" parsed="|Ps|92|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.92.4">Ps. xcii. 4</scripRef>. The sabbath began in the
finishing of the work of creation, so will the everlasting sabbath
in the finishing of the work of providence and redemption; and we
observe the weekly sabbath in expectation of that, as well as in
remembrance of the former, in both conforming ourselves to him we
worship. [5.] He has himself <i>blessed the sabbath day and
sanctified it.</i> He has put an honour upon it by setting it apart
for himself; it is the holy of the Lord and honourable: and he has
put blessings into it, which he has encouraged us to expect from
him in the religious observance of that day. It is <i>the day which
the Lord hath made,</i> let not us do what we can to unmake it. He
has blessed, honoured, and sanctified it, let not us profane it,
dishonour it, and level that with common time which God's blessing
has thus dignified and distinguished.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20" id="Ex.xxi-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20:12-17" id="Ex.xxi-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|20|12|20|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.12-Exod.20.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.12-Exod.20.17">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p16">12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy
days may be long upon the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p16.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee. &#160; 13 Thou shalt
not kill. &#160; 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. &#160; 15 Thou
shalt not steal. &#160; 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour. &#160; 17 Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor
his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor
any thing that <i>is</i> thy neighbour's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p17">We have here the laws of the second table,
as they are commonly called, the last six of the ten commandments,
comprehending our duty to ourselves and to one another, and
constituting a comment upon the second great commandment, <i>Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.</i> As religion towards God is
an essential branch of universal righteousness, so righteousness
towards men is an essential branch of true religion. Godliness and
honesty must go together.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p18">I. The fifth commandment concerns the
duties we owe to our relations; those of children to their parents
are alone specified: <i>Honour thy father and thy mother,</i> which
includes, 1. A decent respect to their persons, an inward esteem of
them outwardly expressed upon all occasions in our conduct towards
them. <i>Fear them</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 19:3" id="Ex.xxi-p18.1" parsed="|Lev|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.3">Lev. xix.
3</scripRef>), <i>give them reverence,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 12:9" id="Ex.xxi-p18.2" parsed="|Heb|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.9">Heb. xii. 9</scripRef>. The contrary to this is mocking
at them and despising them, <scripRef passage="Pr 30:17" id="Ex.xxi-p18.3" parsed="|Prov|30|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.17">Prov. xxx.
17</scripRef>. 2. Obedience to their lawful commands; so it is
expounded (<scripRef passage="Eph 6:1-3" id="Ex.xxi-p18.4" parsed="|Eph|6|1|6|3" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.1-Eph.6.3">Eph. vi. 1-3</scripRef>):
"<i>Children, obey your parents,</i> come when they call you, go
where they send you, do what they bid you, refrain from what they
forbid you; and this, as children, cheerfully, and from a principle
of love." Though you have said, "We will not," yet afterwards
repent and obey, <scripRef passage="Mt 21:29" id="Ex.xxi-p18.5" parsed="|Matt|21|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.21.29">Matt. xxi.
29</scripRef>. 3. Submission to their rebukes, instructions, and
corrections; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the
froward, out of conscience towards God. 4. Disposing of themselves
with the advice, direction, and consent, of parents, not alienating
their property, but with their approbation. 5. Endeavouring, in
every thing, to be the comfort of their parents, and to make their
old age easy to them, maintaining them if they stand in need of
support, which our Saviour makes to be particularly intended in
this commandment, <scripRef passage="Mt 15:4-6" id="Ex.xxi-p18.6" parsed="|Matt|15|4|15|6" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.4-Matt.15.6">Matt. xv.
4-6</scripRef>. The reason annexed to this commandment is a
promise: <i>That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord
thy God giveth thee.</i> Having mentioned, in the preface to the
commandments, has bringing them out of Egypt as a reason for their
obedience, he here, in the beginning of the second table, mentions
his bringing them into Canaan, as another reason; that good land
they must have upon their thoughts and in their eye, now that they
were in the wilderness. They must also remember, when they came to
that land, that they were upon their good behaviour, and that, if
they did not conduct themselves well, their days should be
shortened in that land, both the days of particular persons who
should be cut off from it, and the days of their nation which
should be removed out of it. But here a long life in that good land
is promised particularly to obedient children. Those that do their
duty to their parents are most likely to have the comfort of that
which their parents gather for them and leave to them; those that
support their parents shall find that God, the common Father, will
support them. This promise is expounded (<scripRef passage="Eph 6:3" id="Ex.xxi-p18.7" parsed="|Eph|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.3">Eph. vi. 3</scripRef>), <i>That it may be well with thee,
and thou mayest live long on the earth.</i> Those who, in
conscience towards God, keep this and the rest of God's
commandments, may be sure that it shall be well with them, and that
they shall live as long on earth as Infinite Wisdom sees good for
them, and that what they may seem to be cut short of on earth shall
be abundantly made up in eternal life, the heavenly Canaan which
God will give them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p19">II. The sixth commandment concerns our own
and our neighbour's life (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:13" id="Ex.xxi-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt not kill;</i> thou shalt not do any
thing hurtful or injurious to the health, ease, and life, of thy
own body, or any other person's unjustly." This is one of the laws
of nature, and was strongly enforced by the precepts given to Noah
and his sons, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:5,6" id="Ex.xxi-p19.2" parsed="|Gen|9|5|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.5-Gen.9.6">Gen. ix. 5,
6</scripRef>. It does not forbid killing in lawful war, or in our
own necessary defence, nor the magistrate's putting offenders to
death, for those things tend to the preserving of life; but it
forbids all malice and hatred to the person of any (for <i>he that
hateth his brother is a murderer</i>), and all personal revenge
arising therefrom; also all rash anger upon sudden provocations,
and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done, in passion: of this our
Saviour expounds this commandment, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:22" id="Ex.xxi-p19.3" parsed="|Matt|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.22">Matt. v. 22</scripRef>. And, as that which is worst of
all, it forbids persecution, laying wait for the blood of the
innocent and excellent ones of the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p20">III. The seventh commandment concerns our
own and our neighbour's chastity: <i>Thou shalt not commit
adultery,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:14" id="Ex.xxi-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|20|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>.
This is put before the sixth by our Saviour (<scripRef passage="Mk 10:19" id="Ex.xxi-p20.2" parsed="|Mark|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.10.19">Mark. x. 19</scripRef>): <i>Do not commit adultery, do
not kill;</i> for our chastity should be as dear to us as our
lives, and we should be as much afraid of that which defiles the
body as of that which destroys it. This commandment forbids all
acts of uncleanness, with all those fleshly lusts which produce
those acts and war against the soul, and all those practices which
cherish and excite those fleshly lusts, as looking, in order to
lust, which, Christ tells us, is forbidden in this commandment,
<scripRef passage="Mt 5:28" id="Ex.xxi-p20.3" parsed="|Matt|5|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.28">Matt. v. 28</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p21">IV. The eighth commandment concerns our own
and our neighbour's wealth, estate, and goods: <i>Thou shalt not
steal,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:15" id="Ex.xxi-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|20|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
Though God had lately allowed and appointed them to spoil the
Egyptians in a way of just reprisal, yet he did not intend that it
should be drawn into a precedent and that they should be allowed
thus to spoil one another. This command forbids us to rob ourselves
of what we have by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it
by sinful sparing, and to rob others by removing the ancient
landmarks, invading our neighbour's rights, taking his goods from
his person, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely,
over-reaching in bargains, nor restoring what is borrowed or found,
withholding just debts, rents, or wages, and (which is worst of
all) to rob the public in the coin or revenue, or that which is
dedicated to the service of religion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p22">V. The ninth commandment concerns our own
and our neighbour's good name: <i>Thou shalt not bear false
witness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:16" id="Ex.xxi-p22.1" parsed="|Exod|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>.
This forbids, 1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying,
equivocating, and any way devising and designing to deceive our
neighbour. 2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the
prejudice of his reputation; and (which involves the guilty of
both), 3. Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge
things that he knows not, either judicially, upon oath (by which
the third commandment, and the sixth of eighth, as well as this,
are broken), or extrajudicially, in common converse, slandering,
backbiting, tale-bearing, aggravating what is done amiss and making
it worse than it is, and any way endeavouring to raise our own
reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p23">VI. The tenth commandment strikes at the
root: <i>Thou shalt not covet,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:17" id="Ex.xxi-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|20|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. The foregoing commands
implicitly forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury
to our neighbour; this forbids all inordinate desire of having that
which will be a gratification to ourselves. "O that such a man's
house were mine! Such a man's wife mine! Such a man's estate mine!"
This is certainly the language of discontent at our own lot, and
envy at our neighbour's; and these are the sins principally
forbidden here. St. Paul, when the grace of God caused the scales
to fall from his eyes, perceived that this law, <i>Thou shalt not
covet,</i> forbade all those irregular appetites and desires which
are the first-born of the corrupt nature, the first risings of the
sin that dwelleth in us, and the beginnings of all the sin that is
committed by us: this is that lust which, he says, he had not known
the evil of, if this commandment, when it came to his conscience in
the power of it, had not shown it to him, <scripRef passage="Ro 7:7" id="Ex.xxi-p23.2" parsed="|Rom|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.7">Rom. vii. 7</scripRef>. God give us all to see our face in
the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government
of it!</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20" id="Ex.xxi-p23.3" parsed="|Exod|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20:18-21" id="Ex.xxi-p23.4" parsed="|Exod|20|18|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18-Exod.20.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.18-Exod.20.21">
<h4 id="Ex.xxi-p23.5">Terror with Which the Law Was
Given. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p23.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p24">&#160; 18 And all the people saw the
thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and
the mountain smoking: and when the people saw <i>it,</i> they
removed, and stood afar off. &#160; 19 And they said unto Moses,
Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with
us, lest we die. &#160; 20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear
not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before
your faces, that ye sin not. &#160; 21 And the people stood afar
off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God
<i>was.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p25">I. The extraordinary terror with which the
law was given. Never was any thing delivered with such awful pomp;
every word was accented, and every sentence paused, with thunder
and lightning, much louder and brighter, no doubt, than ordinary.
And why was the law given in this dreadful manner, and with all
this tremendous ceremony? 1. It was designed (once for all) to give
a sensible discovery of the glorious majesty of God, for the
assistance of our faith concerning it, that, <i>knowing the terror
of the Lord,</i> we may be persuaded to live in his fear. 2. It was
a specimen of the terrors of the general judgment, in which sinners
will be called to an account for the breach of this law: the
archangel's trumpet will then sound an alarm, to give notice of the
Judge's coming, and a <i>fire shall devour before him.</i> 3. It
was an indication of the terror of those convictions which the law
brings into conscience, to prepare the soul for the comforts of the
gospel. Thus was the law given by Moses in such a way as might
startle, affright, and humble men, that the <i>grace and truth
which came by Jesus Christ</i> might be the more welcome. The
apostle largely describes this instance of the terror of that
dispensation, as a foil to set off our privileges, as Christians,
in the light, liberty, and joy, of the New-Testament dispensation,
<scripRef passage="Heb 12:18" id="Ex.xxi-p25.1" parsed="|Heb|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.18">Heb. xii. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p26">II. The impression which this made, for the
present, upon the people; they must have had stupid hearts indeed,
if this had not affected them. 1. <i>They removed, and stood afar
off,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:18" id="Ex.xxi-p26.1" parsed="|Exod|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze
(<scripRef passage="Ex 19:21" id="Ex.xxi-p26.2" parsed="|Exod|19|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.21"><i>ch.</i> xix. 21</scripRef>); but
now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to
keep their distance. 2. <i>They entreated that the word should not
be so spoken to them any more</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:19" id="Ex.xxi-p26.3" parsed="|Heb|12|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.19">Heb. xii. 19</scripRef>), but begged that God would
speak to them by Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:19" id="Ex.xxi-p26.4" parsed="|Exod|20|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the
mediation of Moses, they themselves nominating him as a fit person
to deal between them and God, and promising to hearken to him as to
God's messenger; hereby also they teach us to acquiesce in that
method which Infinite Wisdom takes, of speaking to us by men like
ourselves, whose <i>terror shall not make us afraid, nor their hand
be heavy upon us.</i> Once God tried the expedient of speaking to
the children of men immediately, but it was found that they could
not bear it; it rather drove men from God than brought them to him,
and, as it proved in the issue, though it terrified them, it did
not deter them from idolatry, for soon after this they worshipped
the golden calf. Let us therefore rest satisfied with the
instructions given us by the scriptures and the ministry; for, if
we believe not them, neither should we be persuaded though God
should speak to us in thunder and lightning, as he did from Mount
Sinai: here that matter was determined.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p27">III. The encouragement Moses gave them, by
explaining the design of God in his terror (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:20" id="Ex.xxi-p27.1" parsed="|Exod|20|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): <i>Fear not,</i> that is,
"Think not that the thunder and fire are designed to consume you,"
which was the thing they feared (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:19" id="Ex.xxi-p27.2" parsed="|Exod|20|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>, <i>lest we die</i>); thunder
and lightning constituted one of the plagues of Egypt, but Moses
would not have them think they were sent to them on the same errand
on which they were sent to the Egyptians: no, they were intended,
1. To prove them, to try how they would like dealing with God
immediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how
admirably well God had chosen for them, in putting Moses into that
office. Ever since Adam fled, upon hearing God's voice in the
garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God or hear
from him immediately. 2. To keep them to their duty, and prevent
their sinning against God. He encourages them, saying, <i>Fear
not,</i> and yet tells them that God thus spoke to them, <i>that
his fear might be before their face.</i> We must not fear with
amazement&#8212;with that fear which has torment, which only works upon
the fancy for the present, sets us a trembling, genders to bondage,
betrays us to Satan, and alienates us from God; but we must always
have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his
displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority over
us: this fear will quicken us to our duty and make us circumspect
in our walking. Thus <i>stand in awe, and sin not,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 4:4" id="Ex.xxi-p27.3" parsed="|Ps|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.4.4">Ps. iv. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p28">IV. The progress of their communion with
God by the mediation of Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:21" id="Ex.xxi-p28.1" parsed="|Exod|20|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. While the people continued to
stand afar off, conscious of guilt and afraid of God's wrath,
<i>Moses drew near unto the thick darkness;</i> he <i>was made to
draw near,</i> so the word is: Moses, of himself, durst not have
ventured into the thick darkness, if God had not called him, and
encouraged him, and, as some of the rabbies suppose, sent an angel
to take him by the hand, and lead him up. Thus it is said of the
great Mediator, <i>I will cause him to draw near</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 30:21" id="Ex.xxi-p28.2" parsed="|Jer|30|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.30.21">Jer. xxx. 21</scripRef>), and by him it is that
we also are introduced, <scripRef passage="Eph 3:12" id="Ex.xxi-p28.3" parsed="|Eph|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.3.12">Eph. iii.
12</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 20:22-26" id="Ex.xxi-p28.4" parsed="|Exod|20|22|20|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.26">
<h4 id="Ex.xxi-p28.5">The Law Concerning Altars. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p28.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxi-p29">22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxi-p29.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel,
Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. &#160; 23 Ye
shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto
you gods of gold. &#160; 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto
me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace
offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record
my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. &#160; 25 And
if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of
hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast
polluted it. &#160; 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine
altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p30">Moses having gone into <i>the thick
darkness, where God was,</i> God there spoke in his hearing only,
privately and without terror, all that follows hence to the end of
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:1-32" id="Ex.xxi-p30.1" parsed="|Exod|23|1|23|32" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.1-Exod.23.32"><i>ch.</i> xxiii</scripRef>, which
is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments; and he was to
transmit it by word of mouth first, and afterwards in writing, to
the people. The laws in these verses related to God's worship.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p31">I. They are here forbidden to make images
for worship (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:22,23" id="Ex.xxi-p31.1" parsed="|Exod|20|22|20|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.22-Exod.20.23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>): <i>You have seen that I have talked with you from
heaven</i> (such was his wonderful condescension, much more than
for some mighty prince to talk familiarly with a company of poor
beggars); now <i>you shall not make gods of silver.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p32">1. This repetition of the second
commandment comes in here, either (1.) As pointing to that which
God had chiefly in view in giving them this law in this manner,
that is, their peculiar addictedness to idolatry, and the peculiar
sinfulness of that crime. Ten commandments God had given them, but
Moses is ordered to inculcate upon them especially the first two.
They must not forget any of them, but they must be sure to remember
those. Or, (2.) As pointing to that which might properly be
inferred from God's speaking to them as he had done. He had given
them sufficient demonstration of his presence among them; they
needed not to make images of him, as if he were absent. Besides,
they had only seen that he talked with them; they had seen no
manner of similitude, so that they could not make any image of God;
and his manifesting himself to them only by a voice plainly showed
them that they must not make any such image, but keep up their
communion with God by his word, and not otherwise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p33">2. Two arguments are here hinted against
image-worship:&#8212;(1.) That thereby they would affront God,
intimated in that, <i>You shall not make with me gods.</i> Though
they pretended to worship them but as representations of God, yet
really they made them rivals with God, which he would not endure.
(2.) That thereby they would abuse themselves, intimated in that,
"<i>You shall not make unto you gods;</i> while you think by them
to assist your devotion, you will really corrupt it, and put a
cheat upon yourselves." At first, it should seem, they made their
images for worship of gold and silver, pretending, by the richness
of those metals, to honour God, and, by the brightness of them, to
affect themselves with his glory; but, even in these, they
<i>changed the truth of God into a lie,</i> and so, by degrees,
were justly given up to such strong delusions as to worship images
of wood or stone.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p34">II. They are here directed in making altars
for worship: it is meant of occasional altars, such as they reared
now in the wilderness, before the tabernacle was erected, and
afterwards upon special emergencies, for present use, such as
Gideon built (<scripRef passage="Jdg 6:24" id="Ex.xxi-p34.1" parsed="|Judg|6|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.24">Judg. vi.
24</scripRef>), Manoah (<scripRef passage="Jdg 13:19" id="Ex.xxi-p34.2" parsed="|Judg|13|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.19">Judg. xiii.
19</scripRef>), Samuel (<scripRef passage="1Sa 7:17" id="Ex.xxi-p34.3" parsed="|1Sam|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.7.17">1 Sam. vii.
17</scripRef>), and many others. We may suppose, now that the
people of Israel were, with this glorious discovery which God had
made of himself to them, that many of them would incline, in this
pang of devotion, to offer sacrifice to God; and, it being
necessary to a sacrifice that there be an alter, they are here
appointed,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p35">1. To make their altars very plain, either
of <i>earth</i> or of <i>unhewn stone,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:24,25" id="Ex.xxi-p35.1" parsed="|Exod|20|24|20|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24-Exod.20.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. That they might not be
tempted to think of a graven image, they must not so much as hew
into shape the stones that they made their altars of, but pile them
up as they were, in the rough. This rule being prescribed before
the establishment of the ceremonial law, which appointed altars
much more costly, intimates that, after the period of that law,
plainness should be accepted as the best ornament of the external
services of religion, and that gospel-worship should not be
performed with external pomp and gaiety. The beauty of holiness
needs no paint, nor do those do any service to the spouse of Christ
that dress her in the attire of a harlot, as the church of Rome
does: an <i>altar of earth</i> does best.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p36">2. To make their altars very low (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:26" id="Ex.xxi-p36.1" parsed="|Exod|20|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), so that they might not
go up by steps to them. That the higher the altar was, and the
nearer heaven, the more acceptable the sacrifice was, was a foolish
fancy of the heathen, who therefore chose high places; in
opposition to this, and to show that it is the elevation of the
heart, not of the sacrifice, that God looks at, they were here
ordered to make their altars low. We may suppose that the altars
they reared in the wilderness, and other occasional altars, were
designed only for the sacrifice of one beast at a time; but the
altar in Solomon's temple, which was to be made much longer and
broader, that it might contain many sacrifices at once, was made
ten cubits high, that the height might bear a decent proportion to
the length and breadth; and to that it was requisite they should go
up by steps, which yet, no doubt, were so contrived as to prevent
the inconvenience here spoken of, the <i>discovering of their
nakedness</i> thereon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxi-p37">III. They are here assured of God's
gracious acceptance of their devotions, wherever they were paid
according to his will (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:24" id="Ex.xxi-p37.1" parsed="|Exod|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>): <i>In all places where I record my name,</i> or
where my name is recorded (that is, where I am worshipped in
sincerity), <i>I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.</i>
Afterwards, God chose one particular place wherein to record his
name: but that being taken away now under the gospel, when men are
encouraged to pray everywhere, this promise revives in its full
extent, that, wherever God's people meet in his name to worship
him, he will be <i>in the midst of them,</i> he will honour them
with his presence, and reward them with the gifts of his grace;
there he will come unto them, and will bless them, and more than
this we need not desire for the beautifying of our solemn
assemblies.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXI" n="xxii" progress="41.78%" prev="Ex.xxi" next="Ex.xxiii" id="Ex.xxii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxii-p1">The laws recorded in this chapter relate to the
fifth and sixth commandments; and though they are not accommodated
to our constitution, especially in point of servitude, nor are the
penalties annexed binding on us, yet they are of great use for the
explanation of the moral law, and the rules of natural justice.
Here are several enlargements, I. Upon the fifth commandment, which
concerns particular relations. 1. The duty of masters towards their
servants, their men-servants (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:2-6" id="Ex.xxii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|21|2|21|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.2-Exod.21.6">ver.
2-6</scripRef>), and the maidservants, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:7-11" id="Ex.xxii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|21|7|21|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.7-Exod.21.11">ver. 7-11</scripRef>. 2. The punishment of disobedient
children that strike their parents (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:15" id="Ex.xxii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.15">ver. 15</scripRef>), or curse them, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:17" id="Ex.xxii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|21|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.17">ver. 17</scripRef>. II. Upon the sixth commandment,
which forbids all violence offered to the person of a man. Here is,
1. Concerning murder, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:12-14" id="Ex.xxii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|21|12|21|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.12-Exod.21.14">ver.
12-14</scripRef>. 2. Man-stealing, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:16" id="Ex.xxii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|21|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.16">ver. 16</scripRef>. 3. Assault and battery, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:18,19" id="Ex.xxii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|21|18|21|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.18-Exod.21.19">ver. 18, 19</scripRef>. 4. Correcting a
servant, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:20,21" id="Ex.xxii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|21|20|21|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.20-Exod.21.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>. 5.
Hurting a woman with child, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:22,23" id="Ex.xxii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|21|22|21|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.22-Exod.21.23">ver.
22, 23</scripRef>. 6. The law of retaliation, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:24,25" id="Ex.xxii-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|21|24|21|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.24-Exod.21.25">ver. 24, 25</scripRef>. 7. Maiming a servant,
<scripRef passage="Ex 21:26" id="Ex.xxii-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|21|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.26">ver. 26, 27</scripRef>. 8. An ox
goring, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:28-32" id="Ex.xxii-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|21|28|21|32" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.28-Exod.21.32">ver. 28-32</scripRef>. 9.
Damage by opening a pit, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:33,34" id="Ex.xxii-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|21|33|21|34" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.33-Exod.21.34">ver. 33,
34</scripRef>. 10. Cattle fighting, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:35,36" id="Ex.xxii-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|21|35|21|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.35-Exod.21.36">ver. 35, 36</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 21" id="Ex.xxii-p1.15" parsed="|Exod|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 21:1-11" id="Ex.xxii-p1.16" parsed="|Exod|21|1|21|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.1-Exod.21.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.21.1-Exod.21.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xxii-p1.17">Judicial Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxii-p1.18">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxii-p2">1 Now these <i>are</i> the judgments which thou
shalt set before them. &#160; 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six
years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for
nothing. &#160; 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by
himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
&#160; 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him
sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's,
and he shall go out by himself. &#160; 5 And if the servant shall
plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not
go out free: &#160; 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the
judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post;
and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall
serve him for ever. &#160; 7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a
maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. &#160; 8
If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself,
then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange
nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully
with her. &#160; 9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he
shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. &#160; 10 If he
take him another <i>wife;</i> her food, her raiment, and her duty
of marriage, shall he not diminish. &#160; 11 And if he do not
these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p3">The <scripRef passage="Ex 21:1" id="Ex.xxii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|21|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.1">first
verse</scripRef> is the general title of the laws contained in this
and the two following chapters, some of them relating to the
religious worship of God, but most of them relating to matters
between man and man. Their government being purely a Theocracy,
that which in other states is to be settled by human prudence was
directed among them by a divine appointment, so that the
constitution of their government was peculiarly adapted to make
them happy. These laws are called <i>judgments,</i> because they
are framed in infinite wisdom and equity, and because their
magistrates were to give judgment according to the people. In the
doubtful cases that had hitherto occurred, Moses had particularly
enquired of God for them, as appeared, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:15" id="Ex.xxii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.15"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 15</scripRef>; but now God gave him
statutes in general by which to determine particular cases, which
likewise he must apply to other like cases that might happen,
which, falling under the same reason, fell under the same rule. He
begins with the laws concerning servants, commanding mercy and
moderation towards them. The Israelites had lately been servants
themselves; and now that they had become, not only their own
masters, but masters of servants, too, lest they should abuse their
servants, as they themselves had been abused and ruled with rigour
by the Egyptian task-masters, provision was made by these laws for
the mild and gentle usage of servants. Note, If those who have had
power over us have been injurious to us this will not in the least
excuse us if we be in like manner injurious to those who are under
our power, but will rather aggravate our crime, because, in that
case, we may the more easily put our souls into their soul's stead.
Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p4">I. A law concerning men-servants, sold,
either by themselves or their parents, through poverty, or by the
judges, for their crimes; even those of the latter sort (if
Hebrews) were to continue in slavery but seven years at the most,
in which time it was taken for granted that they would sufficiently
have smarted for their folly or offence. At the seven years' end
the servant should either go out free (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:2,3" id="Ex.xxii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|21|2|21|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.2-Exod.21.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>), or his servitude should
thenceforward be his choice, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:5,6" id="Ex.xxii-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|21|5|21|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.5-Exod.21.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. If he had a wife given him
by his master, and children, he might either leave them and go out
free himself, or, if he had such a kindness for them that he would
rather tarry with them in bondage than go out at liberty without
them, he was to have his ear bored through to the doorpost and
serve till the death of his master, or the year of jubilee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p5">1. By this law God taught, (1.) The Hebrew
servants generosity, and a noble love of liberty, for they were the
Lord's freemen; a mark of disgrace must be put upon him who refused
liberty when he might have it, though he refused it upon
considerations otherwise laudable enough. Thus Christians, being
<i>bought with a price, and called unto liberty,</i> must not be
the servants of men, nor of the lusts of men, <scripRef passage="1Co 7:23" id="Ex.xxii-p5.1" parsed="|1Cor|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.23">1 Cor. vii. 23</scripRef>. There is a free and princely
spirit that much helps to uphold a Christian, <scripRef passage="Ps 51:12" id="Ex.xxii-p5.2" parsed="|Ps|51|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.12">Ps. li. 12</scripRef>. He likewise taught, (2.) The
Hebrew masters not to trample upon their poor servants, knowing,
not only that they had been by birth upon a level with them, but
that, in a few years, they would be so again. Thus Christian
masters must look with respect on believing servants, <scripRef passage="Philemon 1:16" id="Ex.xxii-p5.3" parsed="|Phlm|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phlm.1.16">Philem. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p6">2. This law will be further useful to us,
(1.) To illustrate the right God has to the children of believing
parents, as such, and the place they have in his church. They are
by baptism enrolled among his servants, because they are <i>born in
his house,</i> for they are therefore <i>born unto him,</i>
<scripRef passage="Eze 16:20" id="Ex.xxii-p6.1" parsed="|Ezek|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.20">Ezek. xvi. 20</scripRef>. David owns
himself God's servant, as he was <i>the son of his handmaid</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ps 116:16" id="Ex.xxii-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|116|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.16">Ps. cxvi. 16</scripRef>), and
therefore entitled to protection, <scripRef passage="Ps 86:16" id="Ex.xxii-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|86|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.86.16">Ps.
lxxxvi. 16</scripRef>. (2.) To explain the obligation which the
great Redeemer laid upon himself to prosecute the work of our
salvation, for he says (<scripRef passage="Ps 40:6" id="Ex.xxii-p6.4" parsed="|Ps|40|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.40.6">Ps. xl.
6</scripRef>), <i>My ears hast thou opened,</i> which seems to
allude to this law. He loved his Father, and his captive spouse,
and the children that were given him, and would not go out free
from his undertaking, but engaged to serve in it for ever,
<scripRef passage="Isa 42:1,4" id="Ex.xxii-p6.5" parsed="|Isa|42|1|0|0;|Isa|42|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.42.1 Bible:Isa.42.4">Isa. xlii. 1, 4</scripRef>. Much
more reason have we thus to engage ourselves to serve God for ever;
we have all the reason in the world to love our Master and his
work, and to have our ears bored to his door-posts, as those who
desire not to go out free from his service, but to be found more
and more free to it, and in it, <scripRef passage="Ps 84:10" id="Ex.xxii-p6.6" parsed="|Ps|84|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.84.10">Ps.
lxxxiv. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p7">Concerning maid-servants, whom their
parents, through extreme poverty, had sold, when they were very
young, to such as they hoped would marry them when they grew up; if
they did not, yet they must not sell them to strangers, but rather
study how to make them amends for the disappointment; if they did,
they must maintain them handsomely, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:7-11" id="Ex.xxii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|21|7|21|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.7-Exod.21.11"><i>v.</i> 7-11</scripRef>. Thus did God provide for
the comfort and reputation of the daughters of Israel, and has
taught husbands to <i>give honour to their wives</i> (be their
extraction ever so mean) as to the <i>weaker vessels,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:7" id="Ex.xxii-p7.2" parsed="|1Pet|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.7">1 Pet. iii. 7</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 21" id="Ex.xxii-p7.3" parsed="|Exod|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 21:12-21" id="Ex.xxii-p7.4" parsed="|Exod|21|12|21|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.12-Exod.21.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.21.12-Exod.21.21">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxii-p8">12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall
be surely put to death. &#160; 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but
God deliver <i>him</i> into his hand; then I will appoint thee a
place whither he shall flee. &#160; 14 But if a man come
presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou
shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. &#160; 15 And he
that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to
death. &#160; 16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if
he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. &#160; 17
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put
to death. &#160; 18 And if men strive together, and one smite
another with a stone, or with <i>his</i> fist, and he die not, but
keepeth <i>his</i> bed: &#160; 19 If he rise again, and walk abroad
upon his staff, then shall he that smote <i>him</i> be quit: only
he shall pay <i>for</i> the loss of his time, and shall cause
<i>him</i> to be thoroughly healed. &#160; 20 And if a man smite
his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he
shall be surely punished. &#160; 21 Notwithstanding, if he continue
a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he <i>is</i> his
money.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p9">Here is, I. A law concerning murder. He had
lately said, <i>Thou shalt not kill;</i> here he provides, 1. For
the punishing of wilful murder (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:12" id="Ex.xxii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): <i>He that smiteth a man,</i>
whether upon a sudden passion or in malice prepense, <i>so that he
die,</i> the government must take care that the murderer be <i>put
to death,</i> according to that ancient law (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Ex.xxii-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6">Gen. ix. 6</scripRef>), <i>Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by
man shall his blood be shed.</i> God, who by his providence gives
and maintains life, thus by his law protects it; so that mercy
shown to a wilful murderer is real cruelty to all mankind besides:
such a one, God here says, shall be taken even <i>from his
altar</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:14" id="Ex.xxii-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>),
to which he might flee for protection; and, if God will not shelter
him, let him <i>flee to the pit, and let no man stay him.</i> 2.
For the relief of such as killed by accident, <i>per
infortunium&#8212;by misfortune,</i> or <i>chance-medley,</i> as our law
expresses it, when a man, in doing a lawful act, without intent of
hurt to any, happens to kill another, or, as it is here described,
<i>God delivers him into his hand;</i> for nothing comes to pass by
chance; what seems to us purely casual is ordered by the divine
Providence, for wise and holy ends secret to us. In this case God
provided cities of refuge for the protection of those whose
infelicity it was, but not their fault, to occasion the death of
another, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:13" id="Ex.xxii-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. With
us, who know no avengers of blood but the magistrates, the law
itself is a sufficient sanctuary for those whose minds are
innocent, though their hands are guilty, and there needs no
other.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p10">II. Concerning rebellious children. It is
here made a capital crime, to be punished with death, for children
either, 1. To strike their parents (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:15" id="Ex.xxii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) so as either to draw blood or
to make the place struck black and blue. Or, 2. To curse their
parents (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:17" id="Ex.xxii-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|21|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), if
they profaned any name of God in doing it, as the rabbies say.
Note, The undutiful behaviour of children towards their parents is
a very great provocation to God our common Father; and, if men do
not punish it, he will. Those are perfectly lost to all virtue, and
abandoned to all wickedness, that have broken through the bonds of
filial reverence and duty to such a degree as in word or action to
abuse their own parents. What yoke will those bear that have shaken
off this? Let children take heed of entertaining in their minds any
such thought or passions towards their parents as savour of
undutifulness and contempt; for the righteous God searches the
heart.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p11">III. Here is a law against man-stealing
(<scripRef passage="Ex 21:16" id="Ex.xxii-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|21|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>He that
steals a man</i> (that is, a person, man, woman, or child), with
design to sell him to the Gentiles (for no Israelite would buy
him), was adjudged to death by this statute, which is ratified by
the apostle (<scripRef passage="1Ti 1:10" id="Ex.xxii-p11.2" parsed="|1Tim|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.10">1 Tim. i. 10</scripRef>),
where <i>men-stealers</i> are reckoned among those wicked ones
against whom laws must be made by Christian princes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p12">IV. Care is here taken that satisfaction be
made for hurt done to a person, though death do not ensue,
<scripRef passage="Ex 21:18,19" id="Ex.xxii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|21|18|21|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.18-Exod.21.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>. He
that did the hurt must be accountable for damages, and pay, not
only for the cure, but for the loss of time, to which the Jews add
that he must likewise give some recompence both for the pain and
for the blemish, if there were any.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p13">V. Direction is given what should be done
if a servant died by his master's correction. This servant must not
be an Israelite, but a Gentile slave, as the negroes to our
planters; and it is supposed that he smite him with a rod, and not
with any thing that was likely to give a mortal wound; yet, if he
died under his hand, he should be punished for his cruelty, at the
discretion of the judges, upon consideration of circumstances,
<scripRef passage="Ex 21:20" id="Ex.xxii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|21|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. But, if he
continued a day or two after the correction given, the master was
supposed to suffer enough by losing his servant, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:21" id="Ex.xxii-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|21|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Our law makes the death of a
servant, by his master's reasonable beating of him, but
<i>chance-medley.</i> Yet let all masters take heed of tyrannizing
over their servants; the gospel teaches them even to forbear and
moderate threatenings (<scripRef passage="Eph 6:9" id="Ex.xxii-p13.3" parsed="|Eph|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.9">Eph. vi.
9</scripRef>), considering with holy Job, <i>What shall I do, when
God riseth up?</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:13-15" id="Ex.xxii-p13.4" parsed="|Job|31|13|31|15" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.13-Job.31.15">Job xxxi.
13-15</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 21:22-36" id="Ex.xxii-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|21|22|21|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.22-Exod.21.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.21.22-Exod.21.36">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxii-p14">22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child,
so that her fruit depart <i>from her,</i> and yet no mischief
follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's
husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges
<i>determine.</i> &#160; 23 And if <i>any</i> mischief follow, then
thou shalt give life for life, &#160; 24 Eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, &#160; 25 Burning for burning,
wound for wound, stripe for stripe. &#160; 26 And if a man smite
the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he
shall let him go free for his eye's sake. &#160; 27 And if he smite
out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall
let him go free for his tooth's sake. &#160; 28 If an ox gore a man
or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and
his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox <i>shall
be</i> quit. &#160; 29 But if the ox were wont to push with his
horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he
hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the
ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
&#160; 30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall
give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. &#160;
31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according
to this judgment shall it be done unto him. &#160; 32 If the ox
shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their
master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. &#160;
33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and
not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; &#160; 34 The owner
of the pit shall make <i>it</i> good, <i>and</i> give money unto
the owner of them; and the dead <i>beast</i> shall be his. &#160;
35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall
sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead
<i>ox</i> also they shall divide. &#160; 36 Or if it be known that
the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept
him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his
own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p15">Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p16">I. The particular care which the law took
of women with child, that no hurt should be done them which might
occasion their mis-carrying. The law of nature obliges us to be
very tender in that case, lest the tree and fruit be destroyed
together, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:22,23" id="Ex.xxii-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|21|22|21|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.22-Exod.21.23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>. Women with child, who are thus taken under the
special protection of the law of God, if they live in his fear, may
still believe themselves under the special protection of the
providence of God, and hope that they shall be saved in
child-bearing. On this occasion comes in that general law of
retaliation which our Saviour refers to, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:38" id="Ex.xxii-p16.2" parsed="|Matt|5|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.38">Matt. v. 38</scripRef>, <i>An eye for an eye.</i> Now, 1.
The execution of this law is not hereby put into the hands of
private persons, as if every man might avenge himself, which would
introduce universal confusion, and make men like the fishes of the
sea. The tradition of the elders seems to have put this corrupt
gloss upon it, in opposition to which our Saviour commands us to
forgive injuries, and not to meditate revenge, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:39" id="Ex.xxii-p16.3" parsed="|Matt|5|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.39">Matt. v. 39</scripRef>. 2. God often executes it in the
course of his providence, making the punishment, in many cases, to
answer to the sin, as <scripRef passage="Jdg 1:7,Isa 33:1,Hab 2:13,Mt 26:52" id="Ex.xxii-p16.4" parsed="|Judg|1|7|0|0;|Isa|33|1|0|0;|Hab|2|13|0|0;|Matt|26|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.1.7 Bible:Isa.33.1 Bible:Hab.2.13 Bible:Matt.26.52">Judg. i. 7; Isa. xxxiii. 1;
Hab. ii. 13; Matt. xxvi. 52</scripRef>. 3. Magistrates ought to
have an eye to this rule in punishing offenders, and doing right to
those that are injured. Consideration must be had of the nature,
quality, and degree of the wrong done, that reparation may be made
to the party injured, and others deterred from doing the like;
either <i>an eye</i> shall go <i>for an eye,</i> or the forfeited
eye shall be redeemed by a sum of money. Note, He that does wrong
must expect one way or other to receive <i>according to the wrong
he has done,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 3:25" id="Ex.xxii-p16.5" parsed="|Col|3|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.25">Col. iii.
25</scripRef>. God sometimes brings men's violent dealings upon
their own heads (<scripRef passage="Ps 7:16" id="Ex.xxii-p16.6" parsed="|Ps|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.7.16">Ps. vii.
16</scripRef>); and magistrates are in this the ministers of the
justice, that they are <i>avengers</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 13:4" id="Ex.xxii-p16.7" parsed="|Rom|13|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.13.4">Rom. xiii. 4</scripRef>), and they shall not bear the
sword in vain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p17">II. The care God took of servants. If their
masters maimed them, though it was only striking out a tooth, that
should be their discharge, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:26,27" id="Ex.xxii-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|21|26|21|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.26-Exod.21.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. This was intended, 1. To
prevent their being abused; masters would be careful not to offer
them any violence, lest they should lose their service. 2. To
comfort them if they were abused; the loss of a limb should be the
gaining of their liberty, which would do something towards
balancing both the pain and disgrace they underwent. Nay,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p18">III. <i>Does God take care for oxen?</i>
Yes, it appears by the following laws in this chapter that he does,
<i>for our sakes,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 9:9,10" id="Ex.xxii-p18.1" parsed="|1Cor|9|9|9|10" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.9-1Cor.9.10">1 Cor. ix. 9,
10</scripRef>. The Israelites are here directed what to do,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p19">1. In case of hurt done by oxen, or any
other brute-creature; for the law, doubtless, was designed to
extend to all parallel cases. (1.) As an instance of God's care of
the life of man (though forfeited a thousand times into the hands
of divine justice), and in token of his detestation of the sin of
murder. If an ox killed any man, woman, or child, the ox was to be
<i>stoned</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:28" id="Ex.xxii-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|21|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>); and, because the greatest honour of the inferior
creatures is to be serviceable to man, the criminal is denied that
honour: his <i>flesh shall not be eaten.</i> Thus God would keep up
in the minds of his people a rooted abhorrence of the sin of murder
and every thing that was barbarous. (2.) To make men careful that
none of their cattle might do hurt, but that, by all means
possible, mischief might be prevented. If the owner of the beast
knew that he was mischievous, he must answer for the hurt done,
and, according as the circumstances of the case proved him to be
more or less accessory, he must either be <i>put to death</i> or
ransom his life with a sum of money, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:29-32" id="Ex.xxii-p19.2" parsed="|Exod|21|29|21|32" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.29-Exod.21.32"><i>v.</i> 29-32</scripRef>. Some of our ancient books
make this felony, by the common law of England, and give this
reason, "The owner, by suffering his beast to go at liberty when he
knew it to be mischievous, shows that he was very willing that hurt
should be done." Note, It is not enough for us not to do mischief
ourselves, but we must take care that no mischief be done by those
whom it is in our power to restrain, whether man or beast.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxii-p20">2. In case of hurt done to oxen, or other
cattle. (1.) If they fall into a pit, and perish there, he that
opened the pit must make good the loss, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:33,34" id="Ex.xxii-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|21|33|21|34" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.33-Exod.21.34"><i>v.</i> 33, 34</scripRef>. Note, We must take heed
not only of doing that which will be hurtful, but of doing that
which may be so. It is not enough not to design and devise
mischief, but we must contrive to prevent mischief, else we become
accessory to our neighbours' damage. Mischief done in malice is the
great transgression; but mischief done through negligence, and for
want of due care and consideration, is not without fault, but ought
to be reflected upon with great regret, according as the degree of
the mischief is: especially we must be careful that we do nothing
to make ourselves accessory to the sins of others, by laying an
occasion of offence in our brother's way, <scripRef passage="Ro 14:13" id="Ex.xxii-p20.2" parsed="|Rom|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.14.13">Rom. xiv. 13</scripRef>. (2.) If cattle fight, and one
kill another, the owners shall equally share in the loss, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:35" id="Ex.xxii-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|21|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. Only if the beast that
had done the harm was known to the owner to have been mischievous
he shall answer for the damage, because he ought either to have
killed him or kept him up, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:36" id="Ex.xxii-p20.4" parsed="|Exod|21|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.36"><i>v.</i>
36</scripRef>. The determinations of these cases carry with them
the evidence of their own equity, and give such rules of justice as
were then, and are still, in use, for the decision of similar
controversies that arise between man and man. But I conjecture that
these cases might be specified, rather than others (though some of
them seem minute), because they were then cases in fact actually
depending before Moses; for in the wilderness where they lay
closely encamped, and had their flocks and herds among them, such
mischiefs as these last mentioned were likely enough to occur. That
which we are taught by these laws is that we should be very careful
to do no wrong, either directly or indirectly; and that, if we have
done wrong, we must be very willing to make satisfaction, and
desirous that nobody may lose by us.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXII" n="xxiii" progress="42.21%" prev="Ex.xxii" next="Ex.xxiv" id="Ex.xxiii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxiii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxiii-p1">The laws of this chapter relate, I. To the eighth
commandment, concerning theft (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:1-4" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|22|1|22|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.1-Exod.22.4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>), trespass by cattle (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:5" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.5">ver. 5</scripRef>), damage by fire (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:6" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.6">ver. 6</scripRef>), trusts (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:7-13" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|22|7|22|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.7-Exod.22.13">ver. 7-13</scripRef>), borrowing cattle (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:14,15" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|22|14|22|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.14-Exod.22.15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>), or money, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:25" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|22|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.25">ver. 25-27</scripRef>. II. To the seventh
commandment. Against fornication (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:16,17" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|22|16|22|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.16-Exod.22.17">ver. 16, 17</scripRef>), bestiality, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:19" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|22|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.19">ver. 19</scripRef>. III. To the first table,
forbidding witchcraft (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:18" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.18">ver.
18</scripRef>), idolatry, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:20" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|22|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.20">ver.
20</scripRef>. Commanding to offer the firstfruits, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:29,30" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|22|29|22|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.29-Exod.22.30">ver. 29, 30</scripRef>. IV. To the poor,
<scripRef passage="Ex 22:21-24" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|22|21|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.21-Exod.22.24">ver. 21-24</scripRef>. V. To the
civil government, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:28" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.28">ver. 28</scripRef>.
VI. To the peculiarity of the Jewish nation, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:31" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|22|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.31">ver. 31</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 22" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.15" parsed="|Exod|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 22:1-6" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.16" parsed="|Exod|22|1|22|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.1-Exod.22.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.22.1-Exod.22.6">
<h4 id="Ex.xxiii-p1.17">Judicial Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiii-p1.18">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiii-p2">1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and
kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four
sheep for a sheep. &#160; 2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be
smitten that he die, <i>there shall</i> no blood <i>be shed</i> for
him. &#160; 3 If the sun be risen upon him, <i>there shall be</i>
blood <i>shed</i> for him; <i>for</i> he should make full
restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his
theft. &#160; 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive,
whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double. &#160;
5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall
put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the
best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall
he make restitution. &#160; 6 If fire break out, and catch in
thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the
field, be consumed <i>therewith;</i> he that kindled the fire shall
surely make restitution.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p3">Here are the laws,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p4">I. Concerning theft, which are these:&#8212;1.
If a man steal any cattle (in which the wealth of those times
chiefly consisted), and they be found in his custody, he must
restore double, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:4" id="Ex.xxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|22|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
Thus he must both satisfy for the wrong and suffer for the crime.
But it was afterwards provided that if the thief were touched in
conscience, and voluntarily confessed it, before it was discovered
or enquired into by any other, then he should only make restitution
of what he had stolen, and add to it a fifth part, <scripRef passage="Le 6:4,5" id="Ex.xxiii-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|6|4|6|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.4-Lev.6.5">Lev. vi. 4, 5</scripRef>. 2. If he had killed or
sold the sheep or ox he had stolen, and thereby persisted in his
crime, he must restore <i>five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a
sheep</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:1" id="Ex.xxiii-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|22|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>),
more for an ox than for a sheep because the owner, besides all the
other profit, lost the daily labour of his ox. This law teaches us
that fraud and injustice, so far from enriching men, will
impoverish them: if we unjustly get and keep that which is
another's, it will not only waste itself, but it will consume that
which is our own. 3. If he was not able to make restitution, he
must be sold for a slave, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:3" id="Ex.xxiii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. The court of judgment was to do it, and it is
probable that the person robbed had the money. Thus with us, in
some cases, felons are transported into plantations where alone
Englishmen know what slavery is. 4. If a thief broke a house in the
night, and was killed in the doing of it, his blood was upon his
own head, and should not be required at the hand of him that shed
it, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:2" id="Ex.xxiii-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. As he that
does an unlawful act bears the blame of the mischief that follows
to others, so likewise of that which follows to himself. A man's
house is his castle, and God's law, as well as man's, sets a guard
upon it; he that assaults it does so at his peril. Yet, if it was
in the day-time that the thief was killed, he that killed him must
be accountable for it (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:3" id="Ex.xxiii-p4.6" parsed="|Exod|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), unless it was in the necessary defence of his own
life. Note, We ought to be tender of the lives even of bad men; the
magistrate must afford us redress, and we must not avenge
ourselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p5">II. Concerning trespass, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:5" id="Ex.xxiii-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. He that wilfully put his cattle
into his neighbour's field must make restitution of the best of his
own. Our law makes a much greater difference between this and other
thefts than the law of Moses did. The Jews hence observed it as a
general rule that restitution must always be made of the best, and
that no man should keep any cattle that were likely to trespass
upon his neighbours or do them any damage. We should be more
careful not to do wrong than not to suffer wrong, because to suffer
wrong is only an affliction, but to do wrong is a sin, and sin is
always worse than affliction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p6">III. Concerning damage done by fire,
<scripRef passage="Ex 22:6" id="Ex.xxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. He that
designed only the burning of thorns might become accessory to the
burning of corn, and should not be held guiltless. Men of hot and
eager spirits should take heed, lest, while they pretend only to
pluck up the tares, they root out the wheat also. If the fire did
mischief, he that kindled it must answer for it, though it could
not be proved that he designed the mischief. Men must suffer for
their carelessness, as well as for their malice. We must take heed
of beginning strife; for, though it seem but little, we know not
how great a matter it may kindle, the blame of which we must bear,
if, with the madman, we cast fire-brands, arrows, and death, and
pretend we mean no harm. It will make us very careful of ourselves,
if we consider that we are accountable, not only for the hurt we
do, but for the hurt we occasion through inadvertency.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 22:7-15" id="Ex.xxiii-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|22|7|22|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.7-Exod.22.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.22.7-Exod.22.15">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiii-p7">7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour
money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if
the thief be found, let him pay double. &#160; 8 If the thief be
not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the
judges, <i>to see</i> whether he have put his hand unto his
neighbour's goods. &#160; 9 For all manner of trespass, <i>whether
it be</i> for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, <i>or</i> for
any manner of lost thing, which <i>another</i> challengeth to be
his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges;
<i>and</i> whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto
his neighbour. &#160; 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an
ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be
hurt, or driven away, no man seeing <i>it:</i> &#160; 11
<i>Then</i> shall an oath of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiii-p7.1">Lord</span> be between them both, that he hath not put
his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall
accept <i>thereof,</i> and he shall not make <i>it</i> good. &#160;
12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the
owner thereof. &#160; 13 If it be torn in pieces, <i>then</i> let
him bring it <i>for</i> witness, <i>and</i> he shall not make good
that which was torn. &#160; 14 And if a man borrow <i>ought</i> of
his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof
<i>being</i> not with it, he shall surely make <i>it</i> good.
&#160; 15 <i>But</i> if the owner thereof <i>be</i> with it, he
shall not make <i>it</i> good: if it <i>be</i> an hired
<i>thing,</i> it came for his hire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p8">These laws are,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p9">I. Concerning trusts, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:7-13" id="Ex.xxiii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|22|7|22|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.7-Exod.22.13"><i>v.</i> 7-13</scripRef>. If a man deliver goods,
suppose to a carrier to be conveyed, or to a warehouse-keeper to be
preserved, or cattle to a farmer to be fed, upon a valuable
consideration, and if a special confidence be reposed in the person
they are lodged with, in case these goods be stolen or lost, perish
or be damaged, if it appear that it was not by any fault of the
trustee, the owner must stand to the loss, otherwise he that has
been false to this trust must be compelled to make satisfaction.
The trustee must aver his innocence upon oath before the judges, if
the case was such as afforded no other proof, and they were to
determine the matter according as it appeared. This teaches us, 1.
That we ought to be very careful of every thing we are entrusted
with, as careful of it, though it be another's, as if it were our
own. It is unjust and base, and that which all the world cries
shame on, to betray a trust. 2. That there is such a general
failing of truth and justice upon earth as gives too much occasion
to suspect men's honesty whenever it is their interest to be
dishonest. 3. That <i>an oath for confirmation is an end of
strife,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 6:16" id="Ex.xxiii-p9.2" parsed="|Heb|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.16">Heb. vi. 16</scripRef>. It
is called an <i>oath for the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:11" id="Ex.xxiii-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|22|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), because to him the appeal is
made, not only as to a witness of truth, but as to an avenger of
wrong and falsehood. Those that had offered injury to their
neighbour by doing any unjust thing, yet, it might be hoped, had
not so far debauched their consciences as to profane an oath of the
Lord, and call the God of truth to be witness to a lie: perjury is
a sin which natural conscience startles at as much as any other.
The religion of an oath is very ancient, and a plain indication of
the universal belief of a God, and a providence, and a judgment to
come. 4. That magistracy is an ordinance of God, designed, among
other intentions, to assist men both in discovering rights disputed
and recovering rights denied; and great respect ought to be paid to
the determination of the judges. 5. That there is no reason why a
man should suffer for that which he could not help: masters should
consider this, in dealing with their servants, and not rebuke that
as a fault which was a mischance, and which they themselves, had
they been in their servants' places, could not have prevented.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p10">II. Concerning loans, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:14,15" id="Ex.xxiii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|22|14|22|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.14-Exod.22.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. If a man (suppose) lent
his team to his neighbour, if the owner was with it, or was to
receive profit for the loan of it, whatever harm befel the cattle
the owner must stand to the loss of: but if the owner was so kind
to the borrower as to lend it to him gratis, and put such a
confidence in him as to trust it from under his own eye, then, if
any harm happened, the borrower must make it good. Let us learn
hence to be very careful not to abuse any thing that is lent us; it
is not only unjust, but base and disingenuous, inasmuch as it is
rendering evil for good; we should much rather choose to lose
ourselves than that any should sustain loss by their kindness to
us. <i>Alas, master! for it was borrowed,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ki 6:5" id="Ex.xxiii-p10.2" parsed="|2Kgs|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.6.5">2 Kings vi. 5</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 22" id="Ex.xxiii-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 22:16-24" id="Ex.xxiii-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|22|16|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.16-Exod.22.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.22.16-Exod.22.24">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiii-p11">16 And if a man entice a maid that is not
betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his
wife. &#160; 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him,
he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. &#160; 18
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. &#160; 19 Whosoever lieth
with a beast shall surely be put to death. &#160; 20 He that
sacrificeth unto <i>any</i> god, save unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiii-p11.1">Lord</span> only, he shall be utterly destroyed. &#160;
21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt. &#160; 22 Ye shall not afflict any
widow, or fatherless child. &#160; 23 If thou afflict them in any
wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry;
&#160; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the
sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children
fatherless.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p12">Here is, I. A law that he who debauched a
young woman should be obliged to marry her, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:16,17" id="Ex.xxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|22|16|22|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.16-Exod.22.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. If she was betrothed to
another, it was death to debauch her (<scripRef passage="De 22:23,24" id="Ex.xxiii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|22|23|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.23-Deut.22.24">Deut. xxii. 23, 24</scripRef>); but the law here
mentioned respects her as single. But, if the father refused her to
him, he was to give satisfaction in money for the injury and
disgrace he had done her. This law puts an honour upon marriage and
shows likewise how improper a thing it is that children should
marry without their parents' consent: even here, where the divine
law appointed the marriage, both as a punishment to him that had
done wrong and a recompence to her that had suffered wrong, yet
there was an express reservation for the father's power; if he
denied his consent, it must be no marriage.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p13">II. A law which makes witchcraft a capital
crime, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:18" id="Ex.xxiii-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Witchcraft not only gives that honour to the devil which is due to
God alone, but bids defiance to the divine Providence, wages war
with God's government, and puts his work into the devil's hand,
expecting him to do good and evil, and so making him indeed <i>the
god of this world;</i> justly therefore was it punished with death,
especially among a people that were blessed with a divine
revelation, and cared for by divine Providence above any people
under the sun. By our law, consulting, covenanting with,
invocating, or employing, any evil spirit, to any intent
whatsoever, and exercising any enchantment, charm, or sorcery,
whereby hurt shall be done to any person whatsoever, is made
felony, without benefit of clergy; also pretending to tell where
goods lost or stolen may be found, or the like, is an iniquity
punishable by the judge, and the second offence with death. The
justice of our law herein is supported by the law of God recorded
here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p14">III. Unnatural abominations are here made
capital; such beasts in the shape of men as are guilty of them are
unfit to live (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:19" id="Ex.xxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|22|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): <i>Whosoever lies with a beast shall die.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p15">IV. Idolatry is also made capital,
<scripRef passage="Ex 22:20" id="Ex.xxiii-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|22|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. God having
declared himself jealous in this matter, the civil powers must be
jealous in it too, and utterly destroy those persons, families, and
places of Israel, that worshipped any god, save the Lord: this law
might have prevented the woeful apostasies of the Jewish nation in
after times, if those that should have executed it had not been
ringleaders in the breach of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p16">V. A caution against oppression. Because
those who were empowered to punish other crimes were themselves
most in danger of this, God takes the punishing of it into his own
hands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p17">1. Strangers must not be abused (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:21" id="Ex.xxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|22|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), not wronged in
judgment by the magistrates, not imposed upon in contracts, nor
must any advantage be taken of their ignorance or necessity; no,
nor must they be taunted, trampled upon, treated with contempt, or
upbraided with being strangers; for all these were vexations, and
would discourage strangers from coming to live among them, or would
strengthen their prejudices against their religion, to which, by
all kind and gentle methods, they should endeavour to proselyte
them. The reason given why they should be kind to strangers is,
"<i>You were strangers in Egypt,</i> and knew what it was to be
vexed and oppressed there," Note, (1.) Humanity is one of the laws
of religion, and obliges us particularly to be tender of those that
lie most under disadvantages and discouragements, and to extend our
compassionate concern to strangers, and those to whom we are not
under the obligations of alliance or acquaintance. Those that are
strangers to us are known to God, and he preserves them, <scripRef passage="Ps 146:9" id="Ex.xxiii-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|146|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.146.9">Ps. cxlvi. 9</scripRef>. (2.) Those that profess
religion should study to oblige strangers, that they may thereby
recommend religion to their good opinion, and take heed of doing
any thing that may tempt them to think ill of it or its professors,
<scripRef passage="1Pe 2:12" id="Ex.xxiii-p17.3" parsed="|1Pet|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.12">1 Pet. ii. 12</scripRef>. (3.) Those
that have themselves been in poverty and distress, if Providence
enrich and enlarge them, ought to show a particular tenderness
towards those that are now in such circumstances as they were in
formerly, doing now by them as they then wished to be done by.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p18">2. Widows and fatherless must not be abused
(<scripRef passage="Ex 22:22" id="Ex.xxiii-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|22|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): <i>You
shall not afflict them,</i> that is, "You shall comfort and assist
them, and be ready upon all occasions to show them kindness." In
making just demands from them, their condition must be considered,
who have lost those that should deal for them, and protect them;
they are supposed to be unversed in business, destitute of advice,
timorous, and of a tender spirit, and therefore must be treated
with kindness and compassion; no advantage must be taken against
them, nor any hardship put upon them, from which a husband or a
father would have sheltered them. For, (1.) God takes particular
cognizance of their case, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:23" id="Ex.xxiii-p18.2" parsed="|Exod|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Having no one else to complain and appeal to, they
will <i>cry unto God,</i> and he will be sure <i>to hear them;</i>
for his law and his providence are guardians to the widows and
fatherless, and if men do not pity them, and will not hear them, he
will. Note, It is a great comfort to those who are injured and
oppressed by men that they have a God to go to who will do more
than <i>give them the hearing;</i> and it ought to be a terror to
those who are oppressive that they have the cry of the poor against
them, which God will hear. Nay, (2.) He will severely reckon with
those that do oppress them. Though they escape punishments from
men, God's righteous judgments will pursue and overtake them,
<scripRef passage="Ex 22:24" id="Ex.xxiii-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|22|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. Men that have
a sense of justice and honour will espouse the injured cause of the
weak and helpless; and shall not the righteous God do it? Observe
the equity of the sentence here passed upon those that oppress the
widows and fatherless: their wives shall become widows, and their
children fatherless; and the Lord is known by these judgments,
which he sometimes executes still.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 22:25-31" id="Ex.xxiii-p18.4" parsed="|Exod|22|25|22|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.25-Exod.22.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.22.25-Exod.22.31">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiii-p19">25 If thou lend money to <i>any of</i> my people
<i>that is</i> poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer,
neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. &#160; 26 If thou at all
take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto
him by that the sun goeth down: &#160; 27 For that <i>is</i> his
covering only, it <i>is</i> his raiment for his skin: wherein shall
he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I
will hear; for I <i>am</i> gracious. &#160; 28 Thou shalt not
revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. &#160; 29 Thou
shalt not delay <i>to offer</i> the first of thy ripe fruits, and
of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
&#160; 30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, <i>and</i> with
thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day
thou shalt give it me. &#160; 31 And ye shall be holy men unto me:
neither shall ye eat <i>any</i> flesh <i>that is</i> torn of beasts
in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p20">Here is, I. A law against extortion in
lending. 1. They must not receive use for money from any that
borrowed for necessity (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:25" id="Ex.xxiii-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|22|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>), as in that case, <scripRef passage="Ne 5:5,7" id="Ex.xxiii-p20.2" parsed="|Neh|5|5|0|0;|Neh|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.5 Bible:Neh.5.7">Neh.
v. 5, 7</scripRef>. And such provision the law made for the
preservation of estates to their families by the year of jubilee
that a people who had little concern in trade could not be supposed
to borrow money but for necessity, and therefore it is generally
forbidden among themselves; but to a stranger, whom yet they might
not oppress, they were allowed to lend upon usury: this law,
therefore, in the strictness of it, seems to have been peculiar to
the Jewish state; but, in the equity of it, it obliges us to show
mercy to those of whom we might take advantage, and to be content
to share, in loss as well as profit, with those we lend to, if
Providence cross them; and, upon this condition, it seems as lawful
to receive interest for my money, which another takes pains with
and improves, but runs the hazard of, in trade, as it is to receive
rent for my land, which another takes pains with and improves, but
runs the hazard of, in husbandry. 2. They must not take a poor
man's bed-clothes in pawn; but, if they did, must restore them by
bed-time, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:26,27" id="Ex.xxiii-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|22|26|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.26-Exod.22.27"><i>v.</i> 26,
27</scripRef>. Those who lie soft and warm themselves should
consider the hard and cold lodgings of many poor people, and not do
any thing to make bad worse, or to add affliction to the
afflicted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p21">II. A law against the contempt of authority
(<scripRef passage="Ex 22:28" id="Ex.xxiii-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>): <i>Thou
shalt not revile the gods,</i> that is, the <i>judges</i> and
<i>magistrates,</i> for their executing these laws; they must do
their duty, whoever suffer by it. Magistrates ought not to fear the
reproach of men, nor their revilings, but to despise them as long
as they keep a good conscience; but those that do revile them for
their being a terror to evil works and workers reflect upon God
himself, and will have a great deal to answer for another day. We
find those under a black character, and a heavy doom, that
<i>despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities,</i> <scripRef passage="Jude 1:8" id="Ex.xxiii-p21.2" parsed="|Jude|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.8">Jude 8</scripRef>. Princes and magistrates are
our fathers, whom the fifth commandment obliges us to honour and
forbids us to revile. St. Paul applies this law to himself, and
owns that he ought not to <i>speak evil of the ruler of his
people;</i> no, not though the ruler was then his most unrighteous
persecutor, <scripRef passage="Ac 23:5" id="Ex.xxiii-p21.3" parsed="|Acts|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.23.5">Acts xxiii. 5</scripRef>;
see <scripRef passage="Ec 10:20" id="Ex.xxiii-p21.4" parsed="|Eccl|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.20">Eccl. x. 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p22">III. A law concerning the offering of their
first-fruits to God, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:29,30" id="Ex.xxiii-p22.1" parsed="|Exod|22|29|22|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.29-Exod.22.30"><i>v.</i> 29,
30</scripRef>. It was appointed before (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:1-22" id="Ex.xxiii-p22.2" parsed="|Exod|13|1|13|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.1-Exod.13.22"><i>ch.</i> xiii</scripRef>), and it is here repeated:
<i>The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me;</i> and much
more reason have we to give ourselves, and all we have, to God, who
<i>spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.</i> The
first ripe of their corn they must not delay to offer. There is
danger, if we delay our duty, lest we wholly omit it; and by
slipping the first opportunity, in expectation of another, we
suffer Satan to cheat us of all our time. Let not young people
delay to offer to God the first-fruits of their time and strength,
lest their delays come, at last, to be denials, through the
deceitfulness of sin, and the more convenient season they promise
themselves never arrive. Yet it is provided that the firstlings of
their cattle should not be dedicated to God till they were past
seven days old, for then they began to be good for something. Note,
God is the first and best, and therefore must have the first and
best.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiii-p23">IV. A distinction put between the Jews and
all other people: <i>You shall be holy men unto me;</i> and one
mark of that honourable distinction is appointed in their diet,
which was, that they should not <i>eat any flesh that was torn of
beasts</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 22:31" id="Ex.xxiii-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|22|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>),
not only because it was unwholesome, but because it was paltry, and
base, and covetous, and a thing below those who were holy men unto
God, to eat the leavings of the beasts of prey. We that are
sanctified to God must not be curious in our diet; but we must be
conscientious, not feeding ourselves without fear, but eating and
drinking by rule, the rule of sobriety, to the glory of God.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIII" n="xxiv" progress="42.65%" prev="Ex.xxiii" next="Ex.xxv" id="Ex.xxiv">
<h2 id="Ex.xxiv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxiv-p1">This chapter continues and concludes the acts that
passed in the first session (if I may so call it) upon Mount Sinai.
Here are, I. Some laws of universal obligation, relating especially
to the ninth commandment, against bearing false witness (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:1" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|23|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), and giving false judgment,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:2,3,6-8" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|23|2|23|3;|Exod|23|6|23|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.2-Exod.23.3 Bible:Exod.23.6-Exod.23.8">ver. 2, 3, 6-8</scripRef>. Also a
law of doing good to our enemies (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:4,5" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|23|4|23|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.4-Exod.23.5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>), and not oppressing strangers,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:9" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|23|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. II. Some laws
peculiar to the Jews. The sabbatical year (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:10,11" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|23|10|23|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.10-Exod.23.11">ver. 10, 11</scripRef>), the three annual feasts
(<scripRef passage="Ex 23:14-17" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|23|14|23|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.14-Exod.23.17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>), with some
laws pertaining thereto. III. Gracious promises of the completing
of the mercy God had begun for them, upon condition of their
obedience. That God would conduct them through the wilderness
(<scripRef passage="Ex 23:20-24" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|23|20|23|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.20-Exod.23.24">ver. 20-24</scripRef>), that he
would prosper all they had (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:25,26" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|23|25|23|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.25-Exod.23.26">ver.
25, 26</scripRef>), that he would put them in possession of Canaan,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:27-31" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|23|27|23|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.27-Exod.23.31">ver. 27-31</scripRef>. But they
must not mingle themselves with the nations, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:32,33" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|23|32|23|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.32-Exod.23.33">ver. 32, 33</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 23" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 23:1-9" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|23|1|23|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.1-Exod.23.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.23.1-Exod.23.9">
<h4 id="Ex.xxiv-p1.13">Judicial Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiv-p1.14">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiv-p2">1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not
thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. &#160; 2
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to <i>do</i> evil; neither shalt
thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest
<i>judgment:</i> &#160; 3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man
in his cause. &#160; 4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass
going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. &#160;
5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his
burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help
with him. &#160; 6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in
his cause. &#160; 7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the
innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the
wicked. &#160; 8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth
the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. &#160; 9 Also
thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a
stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p3">Here are, I. Cautions concerning judicial
proceedings; it was not enough that they had good laws, better than
ever any nation had, but care must be taken for the due
administration of justice according to those laws.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p4">1. The witnesses are here cautioned that
they neither occasion an innocent man to be indicted, by raising a
false report of him and setting common fame against him, nor assist
in the prosecution of an innocent man, or one whom they do not know
to be guilty, by <i>putting their hand</i> in swearing as witnesses
against him, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:1" id="Ex.xxiv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|23|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Bearing false witness against a man, in a matter that touches his
life, has in it all the guilty of lying, perjury, malice, theft,
murder, with the additional stains of colouring all with a pretence
of justice and involving many others in the same guilt. There is
scarcely any one act of wickedness that a man can possibly be
guilty of which has in it a greater complication of villanies than
this has. Yet the former part of this caution is to be extended,
not only to judicial proceedings, but to common conversation; so
that slandering and backbiting are a species of
falsewitness-bearing. A man's reputation lies as much at the mercy
of every company as his estate or life does at the mercy of a judge
or jury; so that he who raises, or knowingly spreads, a false
report against his neighbour, especially if the report be made to
wise and good men whose esteem one would desire to enjoy, sins as
much against the laws of truth, justice, and charity, as a false
witness does&#8212;with this further mischief, that he leaves it not in
the power of the person injured to obtain redress. That which we
translate, Thou shalt not <i>raise,</i> the margin reads, Thou
shalt not <i>receive</i> a false report; for sometimes the
receiver, in this case, is as bad as the thief; and a backbiting
tongue would not do so much mischief as it does if it were not
countenanced. Sometimes we cannot avoid hearing a false report, but
we must not receive it, that is, we must not hear it with pleasure
and delight as those that rejoice in iniquity, nor give credit to
it as long as there remains any cause to question the truth of it.
This is charity to our neighbour's good name, and doing as we would
be done by.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p5">2. The judges are here cautioned not to
pervert judgment. (1.) They must not be overruled, either by might
or multitude, to go against their consciences in giving judgment,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:2" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|23|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. With the Jews
causes were tried by a bench of justices, and judgment given
according to the majority of votes, in which cause every particular
justice must go according to truth, as it appeared to him upon the
strictest and most impartial enquiry, though the multitude of the
people, and their outcries, or, the sentence of the <i>rabbim</i>
(we translate it <i>many</i>), the more ancient and honourable of
the justices, went the other way. Therefore (as with us), among the
Jews, the junior upon the bench voted first, that he might not be
swayed nor overruled by the authority of the senior. Judges must
not respect the persons either of the parties or of their
fellow-judges. The former part of this verse also gives a general
rule for all, as well as judges, not <i>to follow a multitude to do
evil.</i> General usage will never excuse us in a bad practice; nor
is the broad way ever the better or safer for its being tracked and
crowded. We must enquire what we ought to do, not what the majority
do; because we must be judged by our Master, not by our
fellow-servants, and it is too great a compliment to be willing to
go to hell for company. (2.) They must not pervert judgment, no,
not in favour of a poor man, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:3" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Right must in all cases take place and wrong must be
punished, and justice never biassed nor injury connived at under
pretence of charity and compassion. If a poor man be a bad man, and
do a bad thing, it is foolish pity to let him fare the better for
his poverty, <scripRef passage="De 1:16,17" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.3" parsed="|Deut|1|16|1|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.16-Deut.1.17">Deut. i. 16,
17</scripRef>. (3.) Neither must they pervert judgment in prejudice
to a poor man, nor suffer him to be wronged because he had not
wherewithal to right himself; in such cases the judges themselves
must become advocates for the poor, as far as their cause was good
and honest (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:6" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.4" parsed="|Exod|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>):
"<i>Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of the poor;</i> remember
they are thy poor, bone of thy bone, thy poor neighbours, thy poor
brethren; let them not therefore fare the worse for being poor."
(4.) They must dread the thoughts of assisting or abetting a bad
cause (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:7" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.5" parsed="|Exod|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>):
"<i>Keep thyself far from a false matter;</i> do not only keep
thyself free from it, nor think it enough to say thou art
unconcerned in it, but keep far from it, dread it as a dangerous
snare. The innocent and righteous thou wouldest not, for all the
world, slay with thy own hands; keep far therefore from a false
matter, for thou knowest not but it may end in that, and the
righteous God will not leave such wickedness unpunished: <i>I will
not justify the wicked,</i>" that is, "I will condemn him that
unjustly condemns others." Judges themselves are accountable to the
great judge. (5.) They must not take bribes, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:8" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.6" parsed="|Exod|23|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. They must not only not be swayed
by a gift to give an unjust judgment, to condemn the innocent, or
acquit the guilty, or adjudge a man's right from him, but they must
not so much as take a gift, lest it should have a bad influence
upon them, and overrule them, contrary to their intentions; for it
has a strange tendency to blind those that otherwise would do well.
(6.) They must not oppress a stranger, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:9" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.7" parsed="|Exod|23|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Though aliens might not inherit
lands among them, yet they must have justice done them, must
peaceably enjoy their own, and be redressed if they were wronged,
though they were strangers to the commonwealth of Israel. It is an
instance of the equity and goodness of our law, that, if an alien
be tried for any crime except treason, the one half of his jury, if
he desire it, shall be foreigners; they call it a trial <i>per
mediatatem linguae,</i> a kind provision that strangers may not be
oppressed. The reason here given is the same with that in <scripRef passage="Ex 22:21" id="Ex.xxiv-p5.8" parsed="|Exod|22|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.21"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 21</scripRef>, <i>You were
strangers,</i> which is here elegantly enforced, <i>You know the
heart of a stranger;</i> you know something of the griefs and fears
of a stranger by sad experience, and therefore, being delivered,
can the more easily put your souls into their souls' stead.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p6">II. Commands concerning neighbourly
kindnesses. We must be ready to do all good offices, as there is
occasion, for any body, yea even for those that have done us ill
offices, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:4,5" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|23|4|23|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.4-Exod.23.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>.
The command of loving our enemies, and doing good to those that
hate us, is not only a <i>new,</i> but an <i>old</i> commandment,
<scripRef passage="Pr 25:21,22" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Prov|25|21|25|22" osisRef="Bible:Prov.25.21-Prov.25.22">Prov. xxv. 21, 22</scripRef>. Infer
hence, 1. If we must do this kindness for an enemy, much more for a
friend, though an enemy only is mentioned, because it is supposed
that a man would not be unneighbourly to any unless such as he had
a particular spleen against. 2. If it be wrong not to prevent our
enemy's loss and damage, how much worse is it to occasion harm and
loss to him, or any thing he has. 3. If we must bring back our
neighbours' cattle when they go astray, much more must we
endeavour, by prudent admonitions and instructions, to bring back
our neighbours themselves, when they go astray in any sinful path,
see <scripRef passage="Jam 5:19,20" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.3" parsed="|Jas|5|19|5|20" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.19-Jas.5.20">Jam. v. 19, 20</scripRef>. And,
if we must endeavour to help up a fallen ass, much more should we
endeavour, by comforts and encouragements, to help up a sinking
spirit, <i>saying to those that are of a fearful heart, Be
strong.</i> We must seek the relief and welfare of others <i>as our
own,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 2:4" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.4" parsed="|Phil|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.4">Phil. ii. 4</scripRef>. <i>If
thou sayest, Behold, we know it not, doth not he that pondereth the
heart consider it?</i> See <scripRef passage="Pr 24:11,12" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.5" parsed="|Prov|24|11|24|12" osisRef="Bible:Prov.24.11-Prov.24.12">Prov.
xxiv. 11, 12</scripRef>.</p>
<h4 id="Ex.xxiv-p6.6">Sacred Feasts. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 23" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.8" parsed="|Exod|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 23:10-19" id="Ex.xxiv-p6.9" parsed="|Exod|23|10|23|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.10-Exod.23.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.23.10-Exod.23.19">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiv-p7">10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and
shalt gather in the fruits thereof: &#160; 11 But the seventh
<i>year</i> thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of
thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field
shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard,
<i>and</i> with thy oliveyard. &#160; 12 Six days thou shalt do thy
work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and
thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger,
may be refreshed. &#160; 13 And in all <i>things</i> that I have
said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of
other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. &#160; 14
Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. &#160; 15
Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time
appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt:
and none shall appear before me empty:) &#160; 16 And the feast of
harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in
the field: and the feast of ingathering, <i>which is</i> in the end
of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the
field. &#160; 17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear
before the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiv-p7.1">God</span>. &#160; 18 Thou
shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread;
neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
&#160; 19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring
into the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiv-p7.2">Lord</span> thy God.
Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p8">Here is, I. The institution of the
sabbatical year, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:10,11" id="Ex.xxiv-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|23|10|23|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.10-Exod.23.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>. Every seventh year the land was to rest; they must
not plough nor sow it at the beginning of the year, and then they
could not expect any great harvest at the end of the year: but what
the earth did produce of itself should be eaten from hand to mouth,
and not laid up. Now this was designed, 1. To show what a plentiful
land that was into which God was bringing them&#8212;that so numerous a
people could have rich maintenance out of the produce of so small a
country, without foreign trade, and yet could spare the increase of
every seventh year. 2. To remind them of their dependence upon God
their great landlord, and their obligation to use the fruit of
their land as he should direct. Thus he would try their obedience
in a matter that nearly touched their interest. Afterwards we find
that their disobedience to this command was a forfeiture of the
promises, <scripRef passage="2Ch 36:21" id="Ex.xxiv-p8.2" parsed="|2Chr|36|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.21">2 Chron. xxxvi.
21</scripRef>. 3. To teach them a confidence in the divine
Providence, while they did their duty&#8212;that, as the sixth day's
manna served for two day's meat, so the sixth year's increase
should serve for two years' subsistence. Thus they must learn not
to <i>take thought for their life,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 6:25" id="Ex.xxiv-p8.3" parsed="|Matt|6|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.25">Matt. vi. 25</scripRef>. If we are prudent and diligent
in our affairs, we may trust Providence to furnish us with the
bread of the day in its day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p9">II. The repetition of the law of the fourth
commandment concerning the weekly sabbath, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:12" id="Ex.xxiv-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|23|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Even in the year of rest they
must not think that the sabbath day was laid in common with the
other days, but, even that year, it must be religiously observed;
yet thus some have endeavoured to take away the observance of the
sabbath, by pretending that every day must be a sabbath day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p10">III. All manner of respect to the gods of
the heathen is here strictly forbidden, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:13" id="Ex.xxiv-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|23|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. A general caution is prefixed
to this, which has reference to all these precepts: <i>In all
things that I have said unto you, be circumspect.</i> We are in
danger of missing our way on the right hand and on the left, and it
is at our peril if we do; therefore we have need to look about us.
A man may ruin himself through mere carelessness, but he cannot
save himself without great care and circumspection: particularly,
since idolatry was a sin which they were much addicted to, and
would be greatly tempted to, they must endeavour to blot out the
remembrance of the gods of the heathen, and must disuse and forget
all their superstitious forms of speech, and never mention them but
with detestation. In Christian schools and academies (for it is in
vain to think of reforming the play-houses), it were to be wished
that the names and stories of the heathen deities, or demons
rather, were not so commonly and familiarly used as they are, even
with intimations of respect, and sometimes with forms of
invocation. Surely we have <i>not so learned Christ.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p11">IV. Their solemn religious attendance on
God in the place which he should choose is here strictly required,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:14-17" id="Ex.xxiv-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|23|14|23|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.14-Exod.23.17"><i>v.</i> 14-17</scripRef>. 1.
Thrice a year all their males must come together in a holy
convocation, that they might the better know and love one another,
and keep up their communion as a dignified and peculiar people. 2.
They must come together <i>before the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:17" id="Ex.xxiv-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|23|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>) to present themselves before
him, looking towards the place where his honour dwelt, and to pay
their homage to him as their great Lord, from and under whom they
held all their enjoyments. 3. They must feast together before the
Lord, eating and drinking together, in token of their joy in God
and their grateful sense of his goodness to them; for <i>a feast is
made for laughter,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 10:19" id="Ex.xxiv-p11.3" parsed="|Eccl|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.19">Eccl. x.
19</scripRef>. O what a good Master do we serve, who has made it
our duty to <i>rejoice before him,</i> who feasts his servants when
they are in waiting! Never let religion be called a melancholy
thing, when its solemn services are solemn feasts. 4. They must not
<i>appear before God empty,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 23:15" id="Ex.xxiv-p11.4" parsed="|Exod|23|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Some free-will offering or
other they must bring, in token of their respect and gratitude to
their great benefactor; and, as they were not allowed to come
empty-handed, so we must not come to worship God empty-hearted; our
souls must be filled with grace, with pious and devout affections,
holy desires towards him, and dedications of ourselves to him, for
<i>with such sacrifices God is well-pleased.</i> 5. The passover,
pentecost, and feast of tabernacles, in spring, summer, and autumn,
were the three times appointed for their attendance: not in winter,
because travelling was then uncomfortable; not in the midst of
their harvest, because then they were otherwise employed; so that
they had no reason to say that he <i>made them to serve with an
offering,</i> or <i>wearied them with incense.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p12">V. Some particular directions are here
given about the three feasts, though not so fully as afterwards. 1.
As to the passover, it was not to be offered with leavened bread,
for at that feast all leaven was to be cast out, nor was the fat of
it to remain until the morning, lest it should become offensive,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:18" id="Ex.xxiv-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|23|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. 2. At the
feast of pentecost, when they were to begin their harvest, they
must bring <i>the first of their first-fruits</i> to God, by the
pious presenting of which the whole harvest was sanctified,
<scripRef passage="Ex 23:19" id="Ex.xxiv-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|23|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. 3. At the
feast of <i>ingathering,</i> as it is called (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:16" id="Ex.xxiv-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), they must give God thanks for
the harvest-mercies they had received, and must depend upon him for
the next harvest, and must not think to receive benefit by that
superstitious usage of some of the Gentiles, who, it is said, at
the end of their harvest, <i>seethed a kid in its dam's milk,</i>
and sprinkled that milk-pottage, in a magical way, upon their
gardens and fields, to make them more fruitful next year. But
Israel must abhor such foolish customs.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 23:20-33" id="Ex.xxiv-p12.4" parsed="|Exod|23|20|23|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.20-Exod.23.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.23.20-Exod.23.33">
<h4 id="Ex.xxiv-p12.5">Precepts and Promises. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiv-p12.6">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxiv-p13">20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep
thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have
prepared. &#160; 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him
not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name
<i>is</i> in him. &#160; 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his
voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine
enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. &#160; 23 For
mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the
Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites,
the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. &#160; 24
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after
their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break
down their images. &#160; 25 And ye shall serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxiv-p13.1">Lord</span> your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and
thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
&#160; 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in
thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. &#160; 27 I will
send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom
thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs
unto thee. &#160; 28 And I will send hornets before thee, which
shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from
before thee. &#160; 29 I will not drive them out from before thee
in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the
field multiply against thee. &#160; 30 By little and little I will
drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and
inherit the land. &#160; 31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red
sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto
the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your
hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. &#160; 32 Thou
shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. &#160; 33
They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against
me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto
thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p14">Three gracious promises are here made to
Israel, to engage them to their duty and encourage them in it; and
each of the promises has some needful precepts and cautions joined
to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p15">I. It is here promised that they should be
guided and kept in their way through the wilderness to the land of
promise: <i>Behold, I send an angel before thee</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:20" id="Ex.xxiv-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|23|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), <i>my angel</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 23:23" id="Ex.xxiv-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|23|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), a created
angel, say some, a minister of God's providence, employed in
conducting and protecting the camp of Israel; that it might appear
that God took a particular care of them, he appointed one of his
chief servants to make it his business to attend them, and see that
they wanted for nothing. Others suppose it to be the Son of God,
the angel of the covenant; for the Israelites in the wilderness are
said to <i>tempt Christ;</i> and we may as well suppose him God's
messenger, and the church's Redeemer, before his incarnation, as
<i>the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.</i> And we may
the rather think he was pleased to undertake the deliverance and
guidance of Israel because they were typical of his great
undertaking. It is promised that this blessed angel should <i>keep
them in the way,</i> though it lay through a wilderness first, and
afterwards through their enemies' country; thus God's spiritual
Israel shall be kept through the wilderness of this earth, and from
the insults of the gates of hell. It is also promised that he
should bring them into the place which God had not only designed
but prepared for them: and thus Christ has prepared a place for his
followers, and will preserve them to it, for he is faithful to him
that appointed him. The precept joined with this promise is that
they be observant of, and obedient to, this angel whom God would
send before them (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:21" id="Ex.xxiv-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|23|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>): "<i>Beware of him, and obey his voice</i> in every
thing; <i>provoke him not</i> in any thing, for it is at your peril
if you do, he will <i>visit your iniquity.</i>" Note, 1. Christ is
the author of salvation to those only that obey him. The word of
command is <i>Hear you him,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 17:5" id="Ex.xxiv-p15.4" parsed="|Matt|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.17.5">Matt.
xvii. 5</scripRef>. <i>Observe what he hath commanded,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mt 28:20" id="Ex.xxiv-p15.5" parsed="|Matt|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.20">Matt. xxviii. 20</scripRef>. 2. Our
necessary dependence upon the divine power and goodness should awe
us into obedience. We do well to take heed of provoking our
protector and benefactor, because if our defence depart from us,
and the streams of his goodness be cut off, we are undone.
Therefore, "<i>Beware of him,</i> and carry it towards him with all
possible reverence and caution. Fear the <i>Lord, and his
goodness.</i>" 3. Christ will be faithful to those who are faithful
to him, and will espouse their cause who adhere to his: <i>I will
be an adversary to thine adversaries,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 23:22" id="Ex.xxiv-p15.6" parsed="|Exod|23|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. The league shall be offensive
and defensive, like that with Abraham, <i>I will bless him that
blesseth thee, and curse him that curseth thee.</i> Thus is God
pleased to twist his interests and friendships with his
people's.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p16">II. It is promised that they should have a
comfortable settlement in the land of Canaan, which they hoped now
(though it proved otherwise) within a few months to be in the
possession of, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:24-26" id="Ex.xxiv-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|23|24|23|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.24-Exod.23.26"><i>v.</i>
24-26</scripRef>. Observe, 1. How reasonable the conditions of this
promise are&#8212;only that they should serve their own God, who was
indeed the only true God, and not the gods of the nations, which
were no gods at all, and which they had no reason at all to have
any respect for. They must not only not worship their gods, but
they must utterly overthrow them, in token of their great
abhorrence of idolatry, their resolution never to worship idols
themselves, and their care to prevent any other from worshipping
them; as the converted conjurors <i>burnt their books,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ac 19:19" id="Ex.xxiv-p16.2" parsed="|Acts|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.19.19">Acts xix. 19</scripRef>. 2. How rich
the particulars of this promise are. (1.) The comfort of their
food. He shall <i>bless thy bread and thy water;</i> and God's
blessing will make bread and water more refreshing and nourishing
than a feast of fat things and wines on the lees without that
blessing. (2.) The continuance of their health: "<i>I will take
sickness away,</i> either prevent it or remove it. Thy land shall
not be visited with epidemical diseases, which are very dreadful,
and sometimes have laid countries waste." (3.) The increase of
their wealth. Their cattle should not be barren, nor cast their
young, which is mentioned as an instance of prosperity, <scripRef passage="Job 21:10" id="Ex.xxiv-p16.3" parsed="|Job|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.10">Job xxi. 10</scripRef>. (4.) The prolonging of
their lives to old age: "<i>The number of thy days I will
fulfil,</i> and they shall not be cut off in the midst by untimely
deaths." Thus hath godliness the <i>promise of the life that now
is.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxiv-p17">III. It is promised that they should
conquer and subdue their enemies, the present occupants of the land
of Canaan, who must be driven out to make room for them. This God
would do, 1. Effectually by his power (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:17,18" id="Ex.xxiv-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|23|17|23|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.17-Exod.23.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>); not so much by the
sword and bow of Israel as by the terrors which he would strike
into the Canaanites. Though they were so obstinate as not to be
willing to submit to Israel, resign their country, and retire
elsewhere, which they might have done, yet they were so dispirited
that they were not able to stand before them. This completed their
ruin; such power had the devil in them that they would resist, but
such power had God over them that they could not. <i>I will send my
fear before thee;</i> and those that fear will soon flee. Hosts of
hornets made way for the hosts of Israel; such mean creatures can
God make use of for the chastising of his people's enemies, as in
the plagues of Egypt. When God pleases, hornets can drive out
Canaanites, as well as lions could, <scripRef passage="Jos 24:12" id="Ex.xxiv-p17.2" parsed="|Josh|24|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.12">Josh. xxiv. 12</scripRef>. 2. He would do it gradually,
in wisdom (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:29,30" id="Ex.xxiv-p17.3" parsed="|Exod|23|29|23|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.29-Exod.23.30"><i>v.</i> 29,
30</scripRef>), not all at once, but by little and little. As the
Canaanites had kept possession till Israel had grown into a people,
so there should still be some remains of them till Israel should
grow so numerous as to replenish the whole. Note, The wisdom of God
is to be observed in the gradual advances of the church's
interests. It is in real kindness to the church that its enemies
are subdued by little and little; for thus we are kept upon our
guard, and in a continual dependence upon God. Corruptions are thus
driven out of the hearts of God's people; not all at once, but by
little and little; the old man is crucified, and therefore dies
slowly. God, in his providence, often delays mercies, because we
are not ready for them. Canaan has room enough to receive Israel,
but Israel is not numerous enough to occupy Canaan. We are not
straitened in God; if we are straitened, it is in ourselves. The
land of Canaan is promised them (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:31" id="Ex.xxiv-p17.4" parsed="|Exod|23|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>) in its utmost extent, which yet
they were not possessed of till the days of David; and by their
sins they soon lost possession. The precept annexed to this promise
is that they should not make any friendship, nor have any
familiarity, with idolaters, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:32,33" id="Ex.xxiv-p17.5" parsed="|Exod|23|32|23|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.32-Exod.23.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. Idolaters must not so
much as sojourn in their land, unless they renounced their
idolatry. Thus they must avoid the reproach of intimacy with the
worshippers of false gods and the danger of being drawn to worship
with them. By familiar converse with idolaters, their dread and
detestation of the sin would wear off; they would think it no harm,
in compliment to their friends, to pay some respect to their gods,
and so by degrees would be drawn into the fatal snare. Note, Those
that would be kept from bad courses must keep from bad company; it
is dangerous living in a bad neighbourhood; others' sins will be
our snares, if we look not well to ourselves. We must always look
upon our greatest danger to be from those that would cause us to
sin against God. Whatever friendship is pretended, that is really
our worst enemy that draws us from our duty.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIV" n="xxv" progress="43.19%" prev="Ex.xxiv" next="Ex.xxvi" id="Ex.xxv">
<h2 id="Ex.xxv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxv-p1">Moses, as mediator between God and Israel, having
received divers laws and ordinances from God privately in the three
foregoing chapters, in this chapter, I. Comes down to the people,
acquaints them with the laws he had received, and takes their
consent to those laws (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:3" id="Ex.xxv-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|24|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.3">ver.
3</scripRef>), writes the laws, and reads them to the people, who
repeat their consent (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:4-7" id="Ex.xxv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|24|4|24|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.4-Exod.24.7">ver.
4-7</scripRef>), and then by sacrifice, and the sprinkling of
blood, ratifies the covenant between them and God, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:5,6,8" id="Ex.xxv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|24|5|24|6;|Exod|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.5-Exod.24.6 Bible:Exod.24.8">ver. 5, 6, 8</scripRef>. II. He returns to
God again, to receive further directions. When he was dismissed
from his former attendance, he was ordered to attend again,
<scripRef passage="Ex 24:1,2" id="Ex.xxv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|24|1|24|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. He did so with
seventy of the elders, to whom God made a discovery of his glory,
<scripRef passage="Ex 24:9-11" id="Ex.xxv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|24|9|24|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.9-Exod.24.11">ver. 9-11</scripRef>. Moses is
ordered up into the mount (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:12,13" id="Ex.xxv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|24|12|24|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.12-Exod.24.13">ver. 12,
13</scripRef>); the rest are ordered down to the people, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:14" id="Ex.xxv-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.14">ver. 14</scripRef>. The cloud of glory is seen
by all the people on the top of Mount Sinai (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:15-17" id="Ex.xxv-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|24|15|24|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.15-Exod.24.17">ver. 15-17</scripRef>), and Moses is therewith God
forty days and forty nights, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:18" id="Ex.xxv-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|24|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.18">ver.
18</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 24" id="Ex.xxv-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 24:1-8" id="Ex.xxv-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|24|1|24|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.8">
<h4 id="Ex.xxv-p1.12">Israel's Acceptance of the
Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxv-p2">1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span>, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu,
and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
&#160; 2 And Moses alone shall come near the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span>: but they shall not come nigh; neither
shall the people go up with him. &#160; 3 And Moses came and told
the people all the words of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.3">Lord</span>, and all the judgments: and all the people
answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.4">Lord</span> hath said will we do. &#160; 4 And
Moses wrote all the words of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.5">Lord</span>, and rose up early in the morning, and
builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to
the twelve tribes of Israel. &#160; 5 And he sent young men of the
children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed
peace offerings of oxen unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 6 And Moses took half of the blood,
and put <i>it</i> in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on
the altar. &#160; 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read
in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.7">Lord</span> hath said will we do, and be
obedient. &#160; 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled
<i>it</i> on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the
covenant, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p2.8">Lord</span> hath made
with you concerning all these words.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p3">The first two verses record the appointment
of a second session upon Mount Sinai, for the making of laws, when
an end was put to the first. When a communion is begun between God
and us, it shall never fail on his side, if it do not first fail on
ours. Moses is directed to bring Aaron and his sons, and the
seventy elders of Israel, that they might be witnesses of the glory
of God, and that communion with him to which Moses was admitted;
and that their testimony might confirm the people's faith. In this
approach, 1. They must all be very reverent: <i>Worship you afar
off,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 24:1" id="Ex.xxv-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Before
they came near, they must worship. Thus we must enter into God's
gates with humble and solemn adorations, draw near as those that
know our distance, and admire the condescensions of God's grace in
admitting us to draw near. Are great princes approached with the
profound reverences of the body? And shall not the soul that draws
near to God be bowed before him? 2. They must none of them come so
near as Moses, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:2" id="Ex.xxv-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
They must come up to the Lord (and those that would approach to God
must <i>ascend</i>), but Moses alone must come near, being therein
a type of Christ, who, as the high priest, entered alone into the
most holy place.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p4">In the following verses, we have the solemn
covenant made between God and Israel, and the exchanging of the
ratifications; and a very solemn transaction it was, typifying the
covenant of grace between God and believers through Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p5">I. Moses told the people the words of the
Lord, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:3" id="Ex.xxv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|24|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. He did
not lead them blindfold into the covenant, nor teach them a
devotion that was the daughter of ignorance; but laid before them
all the precepts, general and particular, in the foregoing
chapters; and fairly put it to them whether they were willing to
submit to these laws or no.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p6">II. The people unanimously consented to the
terms proposed, without reservation or exception: <i>All the words
which the Lord hath said will we do.</i> They had before consented
in general to be under God's government (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:8" id="Ex.xxv-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.8"><i>ch.</i> xix. 8</scripRef>); here they consent in
particular to these laws now given. <i>O that there had been such a
heart in them!</i> How well were it if people would but be always
in the same good mind that sometimes they seem to be in! Many
consent to the law, and yet do not live up to it; they have nothing
to except against it, and yet will not persuade themselves to be
ruled by it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p7">This is the tenour of the covenant, That,
if they would observe the foregoing precepts, God would perform the
foregoing promises. "Obey, and be happy." Here is the bargain made.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p8">1. How it was engrossed in the book of the
covenant: <i>Moses wrote the words of the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:4" id="Ex.xxv-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|24|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), that there might be no
mistake; probably he had written them as God dictated them on the
mount. As soon as ever God had separated to himself a peculiar
people in the world, he governed them by a written word, as he has
done ever since, and will do while the world stands and the church
in it. Moses, having engrossed the articles of agreement concluded
upon between God and Israel, <i>read them in the audience of the
people</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:7" id="Ex.xxv-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>),
that they might be perfectly apprised of the thing, and might try
whether their second thoughts were the same with their first, upon
the whole matter. And we may suppose they were so; for their words
(<scripRef passage="Ex 24:7" id="Ex.xxv-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>) are the same
with what they were (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:3" id="Ex.xxv-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|24|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), but something stronger: <i>All that the Lord hath
said</i> (be it good, or be it evil, to flesh and blood, <scripRef passage="Jer 42:6" id="Ex.xxv-p8.5" parsed="|Jer|42|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.42.6">Jer. xlii. 6</scripRef>) <i>we will do;</i> so
they had said before, but now they add, "<i>And will be
obedient;</i> not only we will do what has been commanded, but in
every thing which shall further be ordained <i>we will be
obedient.</i>" Bravely resolved! if they had but stuck to their
resolution. See here that God's covenants and commands are so
incontestably equitable in themselves, and so highly advantageous
to us, that the more we think of them, and the more plainly and
fully they are set before us, the more reason we shall see to
comply with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p9">2. How it was sealed by the blood of the
covenant, that Israel might receive strong consolations from the
ratifying of God's promises to them, and might lie under strong
obligations from the ratifying of their promises to God. Thus has
Infinite Wisdom devised means that we may be confirmed both in our
faith and in our obedience, may be both encouraged in our duty and
engaged to it. The covenant must be made by sacrifice (<scripRef passage="Ps 50:5" id="Ex.xxv-p9.1" parsed="|Ps|50|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.5">Ps. l. 5</scripRef>), because, since man has
sinned, and forfeited his Creator's favour, there can be no
fellowship by covenant till there be first friendship and atonement
by sacrifice.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p10">(1.) In preparation therefore for the
parties interchangeably putting their seals to this covenant, [1.]
Moses builds an altar, to the honour of God, which was principally
intended in all the altars that were built, and which was the first
thing to be looked at in the covenant they were now to seal. No
addition to the perfections of the divine nature can be made by any
of God's dealings with the children of men, but in them his
perfections are manifested and magnified, and his honour is shown
forth; therefore he will not be represented by an altar, to signify
that all he expected from them was that they should do him honour,
and that, being his people, they should be to him for a name and a
praise. [2.] He erects twelve pillars, according to the number of
the tribes. These were to represent the people, the other party to
the covenant; and we may suppose that they were set up against the
altar, and that Moses, as mediator, passed to and fro between them.
Probably each tribe set up and knew its own pillar, and their
elders stood by it. [3.] He appointed sacrifices to be offered upon
the altar (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:5" id="Ex.xxv-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>),
burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, which yet were designed to be
expiatory. We are not concerned to enquire who these young men were
that were employed in offering these sacrifices; for Moses was
himself the priest, and what they did was purely as his servants,
by his order and appointment. No doubt they were men who by their
bodily strength were qualified for the service, and by their
station among the people were fittest for the honour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p11">(2.) Preparation being thus made, the
ratifications were very solemnly exchanged. [1.] The blood of the
sacrifice which the people offered was (part of it) sprinkled upon
the altar (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:6" id="Ex.xxv-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|24|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>),
which signifies the people's dedicating themselves, their lives,
and beings, to God, and to his honour. In the blood (which is the
life) of the dead sacrifices all the Israelites were presented unto
God as living sacrifices, <scripRef passage="Ro 12:1" id="Ex.xxv-p11.2" parsed="|Rom|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.1">Rom. xii.
1</scripRef>. [2.] The blood of the sacrifice which God had owned
and accepted was (the remainder of it) sprinkled either upon the
people themselves (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:8" id="Ex.xxv-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>) or upon the pillars that represented them, which
signified God's graciously conferring his favour upon them and all
the fruits of that favour, and his giving them all the gifts they
could expect or desire from a God reconciled to them and in
covenant with them by sacrifice. This part of the ceremony was thus
explained: "<i>Behold the blood of the covenant;</i> see here how
God has sealed to you to be a people; his promises to you, and
yours to him, are both <i>yea and amen.</i>" Thus our Lord Jesus,
the Mediator of the new covenant (of whom Moses was a type), having
offered up himself a sacrifice upon the cross, that his blood might
be indeed the blood of the covenant, sprinkled it upon the altar in
his intercession (<scripRef passage="Heb 9:12" id="Ex.xxv-p11.4" parsed="|Heb|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.12">Heb. ix.
12</scripRef>), and sprinkles it upon his church by his word and
ordinances and the influences and operations of the Spirit of
promise, by whom we are sealed. He himself seemed to allude to this
solemnity when, in the institution of the Lord's supper, he said,
<i>This cup is the New Testament</i> (or covenant) <i>in my
blood.</i> Compare with this, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:19,20" id="Ex.xxv-p11.5" parsed="|Heb|9|19|9|20" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.19-Heb.9.20">Heb.
ix. 19, 20</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 24:9-11" id="Ex.xxv-p11.6" parsed="|Exod|24|9|24|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.9-Exod.24.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.24.9-Exod.24.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xxv-p11.7">A Manifestation of God. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p11.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxv-p12">9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and
Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: &#160; 10 And they saw
the God of Israel: and <i>there was</i> under his feet as it were a
paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven
in <i>his</i> clearness. &#160; 11 And upon the nobles of the
children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did
eat and drink.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p13">The people having, besides their submission
to the ceremony of the sprinkling of blood, declared their
well-pleasedness in their God and his law, again and again, God
here gives to their representatives some special tokens of his
favour to them (for God meets him that rejoices and works
righteousness), and admits them nearer to him than they could have
expected. Thus, in the New-Testament church, we find the <i>four
living creatures,</i> and the <i>four and twenty elders,</i>
honoured with places round the throne, being <i>redeemed unto
God</i> by the <i>blood of the Lamb</i> which is <i>in the midst of
the throne,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 4:4,6,5:8,9" id="Ex.xxv-p13.1" parsed="|Rev|4|4|0|0;|Rev|4|6|0|0;|Rev|5|8|5|9" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.4 Bible:Rev.4.6 Bible:Rev.5.8-Rev.5.9">Rev. iv. 4, 6;
v. 8, 9</scripRef>. Observe, 1. They saw the God of Israel
(<scripRef passage="Ex 24:10" id="Ex.xxv-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|24|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), that is,
they had some glimpse of his glory, in light and fire, though they
saw <i>no manner of similitude,</i> and his being <i>no man hath
seen nor can see,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 6:16" id="Ex.xxv-p13.3" parsed="|1Tim|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.16">1 Tim. vi.
16</scripRef>. They saw the place where the God of Israel stood (so
the LXX.), something that came near a similitude, but was not;
whatever they saw, it was certainly something of which no image nor
picture could be made, and yet enough to satisfy them that God was
with them of a truth. Nothing is described but that which was under
his feet; for our conceptions of God are all below him, and fall
infinitely short of being adequate. They saw not so much as God's
feet; but at the bottom of the brightness, and as the footstool or
pedestal of it, they saw a most rich and splendid pavement, such as
they never saw before nor after, as it had been of sapphires, azure
or sky-coloured. The heavens themselves are the pavement of God's
palace, and his throne is above the firmament. See how much better
wisdom is than the precious onyx or the sapphires, for wisdom was
from eternity God's delight (<scripRef passage="Pr 8:30" id="Ex.xxv-p13.4" parsed="|Prov|8|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.8.30">Prov.
viii. 30</scripRef>), and lay in his bosom, but the sapphires are
the pavement under his feet; there let us put all the wealth of
this world, and not in our hearts. 2. <i>Upon the nobles</i> (or
elders) <i>of Israel, he laid not his hand,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 24:11" id="Ex.xxv-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|24|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Though they were men, the
dazzling splendour of his glory did not overwhelm them; but it was
so moderated (<scripRef passage="Job 26:9" id="Ex.xxv-p13.6" parsed="|Job|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.9">Job xxvi. 9</scripRef>),
and they were so strengthened (<scripRef passage="Da 10:19" id="Ex.xxv-p13.7" parsed="|Dan|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.10.19">Dan. x.
19</scripRef>), that they were able to bear it. Nay, though they
were sinful men, and obnoxious to God's justice, yet he did not lay
his punishing avenging hand upon them, as they feared he would.
When we consider what a consuming fire God is, and what stubble we
are before him, we shall have reason to say, in all our approaches
to him, <i>It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not
consumed.</i> 3. <i>They saw God, and did eat and drink.</i> They
had not only their lives preserved, but their vigour, courage, and
comfort; it cast no damp upon their joy, but rather increased and
elevated it. They <i>feasted upon the sacrifice,</i> before God, in
token of their cheerful consent to the covenant now made, their
grateful acceptance of the benefits of it, and their communion with
God, in pursuance of that covenant. Thus believers <i>eat and drink
with Christ at his table,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 22:30" id="Ex.xxv-p13.8" parsed="|Luke|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.30">Luke
xxii. 30</scripRef>. Blessed are those that shall eat bread in the
kingdom of our Father, and drink of the wine new there.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 24" id="Ex.xxv-p13.9" parsed="|Exod|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 24:12-18" id="Ex.xxv-p13.10" parsed="|Exod|24|12|24|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.12-Exod.24.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.24.12-Exod.24.18">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxv-p14">12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p14.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I
will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I
have written; that thou mayest teach them. &#160; 13 And Moses rose
up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of
God. &#160; 14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us,
until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur <i>are</i>
with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto
them. &#160; 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud
covered the mount. &#160; 16 And the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p14.2">Lord</span> abode upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud
covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out
of the midst of the cloud. &#160; 17 And the sight of the glory of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxv-p14.3">Lord</span> <i>was</i> like devouring
fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
&#160; 18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him
up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty
nights.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p15">The public ceremony of sealing the covenant
being over, Moses is called up to receive further instructions,
which we have in the following chapters.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p16">I. He is called up into the mount, and
there he remains six days at some distance. Orders are given him
(<scripRef passage="Ex 24:12" id="Ex.xxv-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|24|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): <i>Come up
to the mount, and be there,</i> that is, "Expect to continue there
for some considerable time." Those that would have communion with
God must not only come to ordinances, but they must abide by them.
Blessed are those that dwell in his house, not that merely call
there. "Come up, and <i>I will give thee a law, that thou mayest
teach them.</i>" Moses taught them nothing but what he had received
from the Lord, and he received nothing from the Lord but what he
taught them; for he was faithful both to God and Israel, and did
neither add nor diminish, but kept close to his instructions.
Having received these orders, 1. He appointed Aaron and Hur to be
as lords-justices in his absence, to keep the peace and good order
in the congregation, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:14" id="Ex.xxv-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. The care of his government he would leave behind him
when he went up into the mount, that he might not have that to
distract his mind; and yet he would not leave the people as sheep
having no shepherd, no, not for a few days. Good princes find their
government a constant care, and their people find it a constant
blessing. 2. He took Joshua up with him into the mount, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:13" id="Ex.xxv-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|24|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Joshua was his
minister, and it would be a satisfaction to him to have him with
him as a companion, during the six days that he tarried in the
mount, before God called to him. Joshua was to be his successor,
and therefore thus he was honoured before the people, above the
rest of the elders, that they might afterwards the more readily
take him for their governor; and thus he was prepared for service,
by being trained up in communion with God. Joshua was a type of
Christ, and (as the learned bishop Pearson well observes) Moses
takes him with him into the mount, because without Jesus, in whom
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, there is no
looking into the secrets of heaven, nor approaching the glorious
presence of God. 3. A cloud covered the mount six days, a visible
token of God's special presence there, for he so shows himself to
us as at the same time to conceal himself from us. He lets us know
so much as to assure us of his presence, power, and grace, but
intimates to us that we cannot find him out to perfection. During
these six days Moses staid waiting upon the mountain for a call
into the presence-chamber, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:15,16" id="Ex.xxv-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|24|15|24|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.15-Exod.24.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. God thus tried the
patience of Moses, and his obedience to that command (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:12" id="Ex.xxv-p16.5" parsed="|Exod|24|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), <i>Be there.</i> If
Moses had been tired before the seventh day (as Saul, <scripRef passage="1Sa 13:8,9" id="Ex.xxv-p16.6" parsed="|1Sam|13|8|13|9" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.13.8-1Sam.13.9">1 Sam. xiii. 8, 9</scripRef>), and had said,
<i>What should I wait for the Lord any longer?</i> he would have
lost the honour of entering into the cloud; but communion with God
is worth waiting for. And it is fit we should address ourselves to
solemn ordinances with a solemn pause, taking time to compose
ourselves, <scripRef passage="Ps 108:1" id="Ex.xxv-p16.7" parsed="|Ps|108|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.108.1">Ps. cviii.
1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxv-p17">II. He is called up into a cloud on the
seventh day, probably on the sabbath day, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:16" id="Ex.xxv-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|24|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Now, 1. The thick cloud opened
in the sight of all Israel, and the glory of the Lord broke forth
<i>like devouring fire,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 24:17" id="Ex.xxv-p17.2" parsed="|Exod|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. God, even our God, is a consuming fire, and so he
was pleased to manifest himself in the giving of the law, that,
knowing the terrors of the Lord, we may be persuaded to obey, and
may by them be prepared for the comforts of the gospel, and that
the <i>grace and truth</i> which come by Jesus Christ may be the
more acceptable. 2. The entrance of Moses into the cloud was very
wonderful: <i>Moses went into the midst of the cloud,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 24:18" id="Ex.xxv-p17.3" parsed="|Exod|24|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. It was an extraordinary
presence of mind which the grace of God furnished him with by his
six days' preparation, else he durst not have ventured into the
cloud, especially when it broke out in devouring fire. Moses was
sure that he who called him would protect him; and even those
glorious attributes of God which are most terrible to the wicked
the saints with a humble reverence rejoice in. He that walks
righteously, and speaks uprightly, is able to <i>dwell even with
this devouring fire,</i> as we are told, <scripRef passage="Isa 33:14,15" id="Ex.xxv-p17.4" parsed="|Isa|33|14|33|15" osisRef="Bible:Isa.33.14-Isa.33.15">Isa. xxxiii. 14, 15</scripRef>. There are persons
and works that will abide the fire, <scripRef passage="1Co 3:12" id="Ex.xxv-p17.5" parsed="|1Cor|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.12">1
Cor. iii. 12</scripRef>, &amp;c., and some that will have
confidence before God. 3. His continuance in the cloud was no less
wonderful; he was there <i>forty days and forty nights.</i> It
should seem, the six days (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:16" id="Ex.xxv-p17.6" parsed="|Exod|24|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>) were not part of the forty; for, during those six
days, Moses was with Joshua, who did eat of the manna, and drink of
the brook, mentioned, <scripRef passage="De 9:21" id="Ex.xxv-p17.7" parsed="|Deut|9|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.21">Deut. ix.
21</scripRef>, and while they were together it is probable that
Moses did eat and drink with him; but when Moses was called <i>into
the midst of the cloud</i> he left Joshua without, who continued to
eat and drink daily while he waited for Moses's return, but
thenceforward Moses fasted. Doubtless God could have said what he
had now to say to Moses in one day, but, for the greater solemnity
of the thing, he kept him with him in the mount <i>forty days and
forty nights.</i> We are hereby taught to spend much time in
communion with God, and to think that time best spent which is so
spent. Those that would get the knowledge of God's will must
meditate <i>thereon day and night.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXV" n="xxvi" progress="43.60%" prev="Ex.xxv" next="Ex.xxvii" id="Ex.xxvi">
<h2 id="Ex.xxvi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxvi-p1">At this chapter begins an account of the orders
and instructions God gave to Moses upon the mount for the erecting
and furnishing of a tabernacle to the honour of God. We have here.
I. Orders given for a collection to be made among the people for
this purpose, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:1-9" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|25|1|25|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.1-Exod.25.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>.
II. Particular instructions, 1. Concerning the ark of the covenant,
<scripRef passage="Ex 25:10-22" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|25|10|25|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.10-Exod.25.22">ver. 10-22</scripRef>. 2. The table
of showbread, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:23-30" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|25|23|25|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.23-Exod.25.30">ver.
23-30</scripRef>. 3. The golden candlestick, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:31-40" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|25|31|25|40" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.31-Exod.25.40">ver. 31</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 25" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 25:1-9" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|25|1|25|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.1-Exod.25.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.25.1-Exod.25.9">
<h4 id="Ex.xxvi-p1.7">The Tabernacle and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxvi-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxvi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it
willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. &#160; 3 And
this <i>is</i> the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and
silver, and brass, &#160; 4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine linen, and goats' <i>hair,</i> &#160; 5 And rams' skins dyed
red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, &#160; 6 Oil for the
light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, &#160; 7
Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the
breastplate. &#160; 8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may
dwell among them. &#160; 9 According to all that I show thee,
<i>after</i> the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all
the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make <i>it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p3">We may suppose that when Moses went into
the midst of the cloud, and abode there so long, where the holy
angels attended the <i>shechinah,</i> or divine Majesty, he saw and
heard very glorious things relating to the upper world, but they
were things which it was not lawful nor possible to utter; and
therefore, in the records he kept of the transactions there, he
says nothing to satisfy the curiosity of those who would intrude
into the things which they have not seen, but writes that only
which he was to speak to the children of Israel. For the scripture
is designed to direct us in our duty, not to fill our heads with
speculations, nor to please our fancies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p4">In these verses God tells Moses his
intention in general, that the children of Israel should build him
a sanctuary, for he designed to <i>dwell among them</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:8" id="Ex.xxvi-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|25|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>); and some think that,
though there were altars and groves used for religious worship
before this, yet there never was any house, or temple, built for
sacred uses in any nation before this tabernacle was erected by
Moses, and that all the temples which were afterwards so much
celebrated among the heathen took rise from this and pattern by it.
God had chosen the people of Israel to be a peculiar people to
himself (above all people), among whom divine revelation, and a
religion according to it, should be lodged and established: he
himself would be their King. As their King, he had already given
them laws for the government of themselves, and their dealings one
with another, with some general rules for religious worship,
according to the light of reason and the law of nature, in the ten
commandments and the following comments upon them. But this was not
thought sufficient to distinguish them from other nations, or to
answer to the extent of that covenant which God would make with
them to be <i>their God;</i> and therefore,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p5">I. He orders a royal palace to be set up
among them for himself, here called <i>a sanctuary,</i> or <i>holy
place,</i> or <i>habitation,</i> of which it is said (<scripRef passage="Jer 17:12" id="Ex.xxvi-p5.1" parsed="|Jer|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.17.12">Jer. xvii. 12</scripRef>), <i>A glorious high
throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.</i> This
sanctuary is to be considered,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p6">1. As ceremonial, consonant to the
other institutions of that dispensation, which consisted in carnal
ordinances (<scripRef passage="Heb 9:10" id="Ex.xxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Heb|9|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.10">Heb. ix. 10</scripRef>);
hence it is called a <i>worldly sanctuary,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:1" id="Ex.xxvi-p6.2" parsed="|Heb|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.1">Heb. ix. 1</scripRef>. God in it kept his court, as
Israel's King. (1.) There he manifested his presence among them,
and it was intended for a sign or token of his presence, that,
while they had that in the midst of them, they might never again
ask, <i>Is the Lord among us or not?</i> And, because in the
wilderness they dwelt in tents, even this royal palace was ordered
to be a tabernacle too, that it might move with them, and might be
an instance of the condescension of the divine favour. (2.) There
he ordered his subjects to attend him with their homage and
tribute. Thither they must come to consult his oracles, thither
they must bring their sacrifices, and there all Israel must meet,
to pay their joint respects to the God of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p7">2. As typical; the holy places made with
hands were the <i>figures of the true,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:24" id="Ex.xxvi-p7.1" parsed="|Heb|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.24">Heb. ix. 24</scripRef>. The gospel church is the true
<i>tabernacle, which the Lord hath pitched, and not man,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 8:2" id="Ex.xxvi-p7.2" parsed="|Heb|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.2">Heb. viii. 2</scripRef>. The body of
Christ, in and by which he made atonement, was the <i>greater and
more perfect tabernacle,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:11" id="Ex.xxvi-p7.3" parsed="|Heb|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.11">Heb. ix.
11</scripRef>. <i>The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,</i>
as in a tabernacle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p8">II. When Moses was to erect this palace, it
was requisite that he should first be instructed where he must have
the materials, and where he must have the model; for he could
neither contrive it by his own ingenuity nor build it at his own
charge; he is therefore directed here concerning both.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p9">1. The people must furnish him with the
materials, not by a tax imposed upon them, but by a voluntary
contribution. This is the first thing concerning which orders are
here given.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p10">(1.) <i>Speak unto the children of Israel
that they bring me an offering;</i> and there was all the reason in
the world that they should, for (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:1" id="Ex.xxvi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|25|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), [1.] It was God himself that had
not only enlarged them, but enriched them with the spoils of the
Egyptians. He had instructed them to borrow, and he had inclined
the Egyptians to lend, so that from him they had their wealth, and
therefore it was fit they should devote it to him and use it for
him, and thus make a grateful acknowledgement of the favours they
had received. Note, <i>First,</i> The best use we can make of our
worldly wealth is to honour God with it in works of piety and
charity. <i>Secondly,</i> When we have been blessed with some
remarkable success in our affairs, and have had, as we say, a good
turn, it may be justly expected that we should do something more
than ordinary for the glory of God, consecrating our gain, in some
reasonable proportion of it, to the Lord of the whole earth,
<scripRef passage="Mic 4:3" id="Ex.xxvi-p10.2" parsed="|Mic|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.3">Mic. iv. 13</scripRef>. [2.] The
sanctuary that was to be built was intended for their benefit and
comfort, and therefore they must be at the expense of it. They had
been unworthy of the privilege if they had grudged at the charge.
They might well afford to offer liberally for the honour of God,
while they lived at free quarters, having food for themselves and
their families rained upon them daily from heaven. We also must own
that we have our all from God's bounty, and therefore ought to use
all for his glory. Since we live upon him, we must live to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p11">(2.) This offering must be given willingly,
and with the heart, that is, [1.] It was not prescribed to them
what or how much they must give, but it was left to their
generosity, that they might show their good-will to the house of
God and the offices thereof, and might do it with a holy emulation,
the zeal of a few <i>provoking many,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 9:2" id="Ex.xxvi-p11.1" parsed="|2Cor|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.9.2">2 Cor. ix. 2</scripRef>. We should ask, not only, "What
must we do?" but, "What may we do for God?" [2.] Whatever they
gave, they must give it cheerfully, not grudgingly and with
reluctance, for <i>God loves a cheerful giver,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 9:7" id="Ex.xxvi-p11.2" parsed="|2Cor|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.9.7">2 Cor. ix. 7</scripRef>. What is laid out in the
service of God we must reckon well bestowed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p12">(3.) The particulars are here mentioned
which they must offer (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:3-7" id="Ex.xxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|25|3|25|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.3-Exod.25.7"><i>v.</i>
3-7</scripRef>), all of them things that there would be occasion
for in the tabernacle, or the service of it. Some observe that here
was gold, silver, and brass, provided, but no iron; that is the
military metal, and this was to be a house of peace. Every thing
that was provided was very rich and fine, and the best of the sort;
for God, who is the best, should have the best.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p13">2. God himself would furnish him with the
model: <i>According to all that I show thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 25:9" id="Ex.xxvi-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|25|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. God showed him an exact plan of
it, in miniature, which he must conform to in all points. Thus
Ezekiel saw in vision the form of the house and the fashion
thereof, <scripRef passage="Eze 43:11" id="Ex.xxvi-p13.2" parsed="|Ezek|43|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.43.11">Ezek. xliii. 11</scripRef>.
Note, Whatsoever is done in God's service must be done by his
direction, and not otherwise. Yet God did not only show him the
model, but gave him also particular directions how to frame the
tabernacle according to that model, in all the parts of it, which
he goes over distinctly in this and the following chapters. When
Moses, in the beginning of Genesis, was to describe the creation of
the world, though it is such a stately and curious fabric and made
up of such a variety and vast number of particulars, yet he gave a
very short and general account of it, and nothing compared with
what the wisdom of this world would have desired and expected from
one that wrote by divine revelation; but, when he comes to describe
the tabernacle, he does it with the greatest niceness and accuracy
imaginable. He that gave us no account of the lines and circles of
the globe, the diameter of the earth, or the height and magnitude
of the stars, has told us particularly the measure of every board
and curtain of the tabernacle; for God's church and instituted
religion are more precious to him and more considerable than all
the rest of the world. And the scriptures were written, not to
describe to us the works of nature, a general view of which is
sufficient to lead us to the knowledge and service of the Creator,
but to acquaint us with the methods of grace, and those things
which are purely matters of divine revelation. The blessedness of
the future state is more fully represented under the notion of a
new Jerusalem than under the notion of new heavens and a new
earth.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 25" id="Ex.xxvi-p13.3" parsed="|Exod|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 25:10-22" id="Ex.xxvi-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|25|10|25|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.10-Exod.25.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.25.10-Exod.25.22">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvi-p14">10 And they shall make an ark <i>of</i> shittim
wood: two cubits and a half <i>shall be</i> the length thereof, and
a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the
height thereof. &#160; 11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,
within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a
crown of gold round about. &#160; 12 And thou shalt cast four rings
of gold for it, and put <i>them</i> in the four corners thereof;
and two rings <i>shall be</i> in the one side of it, and two rings
in the other side of it. &#160; 13 And thou shalt make staves
<i>of</i> shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. &#160; 14 And
thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark,
that the ark may be borne with them. &#160; 15 The staves shall be
in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. &#160; 16
And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give
thee. &#160; 17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat <i>of</i> pure
gold: two cubits and a half <i>shall be</i> the length thereof, and
a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. &#160; 18 And thou shalt
make two cherubims <i>of</i> gold, <i>of</i> beaten work shalt thou
make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. &#160; 19 And make
one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end:
<i>even</i> of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the
two ends thereof. &#160; 20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth
<i>their</i> wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their
wings, and their faces <i>shall look</i> one to another; toward the
mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. &#160; 21 And thou
shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou
shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. &#160; 22 And there
I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the
mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which <i>are</i> upon
the ark of the testimony, of all <i>things</i> which I will give
thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p15">The first thing which is here ordered to be
made is the ark with its appurtenances, the furniture of the most
holy place, and the special token of God's presence, for which the
tabernacle was erected to be the receptacle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p16">I. The ark itself was a chest, or coffer,
in which the two tables of the law, written with the finger of God,
were to be honourably deposited, and carefully kept. The dimensions
of it are exactly ordered; if the Jewish cubit was, as some learned
men compute, three inches longer than our half-yard (twenty-one
inches in all), this chest or cabinet was about fifty-two inches
long, thirty-one broad, and thirty-one deep. It was overlaid within
and without with thin plates of gold. It had a crown, or cornice,
of gold, round it, with rings and staves to carry it with; and in
it he must put the testimony, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:10-16" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|25|10|25|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.10-Exod.25.16"><i>v.</i> 10-16</scripRef>. The tables of the law are
called the <i>testimony</i> because God did in them testify his
will: his giving them that law was in token of his favour to them;
and their acceptance of it was in token of their subjection and
obedience to him. This law was a testimony to them, to direct them
in their duty, and would be a testimony against them if they
transgressed. The ark is called the <i>ark of the testimony</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 30:6" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|30|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.6"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 6</scripRef>), and the
tabernacle <i>the tabernacle of the testimony</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 10:11" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.3" parsed="|Num|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.11">Num. x. 11</scripRef>) or witness, <scripRef passage="Ac 7:44" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.4" parsed="|Acts|7|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.44">Acts vii. 44</scripRef>. The gospel of Christ is
also called a testimony or witness, <scripRef passage="Mt 24:14" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.5" parsed="|Matt|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.14">Matt. xxiv. 14</scripRef>. It is observable, 1. That the
tables of the law were carefully preserved in the ark for the
purpose, to teach us to make much of the word of God, and to hide
it in our hearts, in our innermost thoughts, as the ark was placed
in the holy of holies. It intimates likewise the care which divine
Providence ever did, and ever will, take to preserve the records of
divine revelation in the church, so that even in the latter days
there shall be seen in his temple the <i>ark of his testament.</i>
See <scripRef passage="Re 11:19" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.6" parsed="|Rev|11|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.19">Rev. xi. 19</scripRef>. 2. That
this ark was the chief token of God's presence, which teaches us
that the first and great evidence and assurance of God's favour is
the putting of his law in the heart. God dwells where that rules,
<scripRef passage="Heb 8:10" id="Ex.xxvi-p16.7" parsed="|Heb|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.10">Heb. viii. 10</scripRef>. 3. That
provision was made for the carrying of this ark about with them in
all their removals, which intimates to us that, wherever we go, we
should take our religion along with us, always bearing about with
us the love of the Lord Jesus, and his law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p17">II. The mercy-seat was the covering of the
ark or chest, made of solid gold, exactly to fit the dimensions of
the ark, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:17,21" id="Ex.xxvi-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|25|17|0|0;|Exod|25|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.17 Bible:Exod.25.21"><i>v.</i> 17,
21</scripRef>. This <i>propitiatory covering,</i> as it might well
be translated, was a type of Christ, the great propitiation, whose
satisfaction fully answers the demands of the law, covers our
transgressions, and comes between us and the curse we deserve. Thus
he is the <i>end of the law for righteousness.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p18">III. The cherubim of gold were fixed to the
mercy-seat, and of a piece with it, and spread their wings over it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 25:18" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|25|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. It is
supposed that these cherubim were designed to represent the holy
angels, who always attended the <i>shechinah,</i> or divine
Majesty, particularly at the giving of the law; not by any effigies
of an angel, but some emblem of the angelical nature, probably some
one of those four faces spoken of, <scripRef passage="Eze 1:10" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.2" parsed="|Ezek|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.1.10">Ezek. i. 10</scripRef>. Whatever the faces were, they
looked one towards another, and both downward towards the ark,
while their wings were stretched out so as to touch one another.
The apostle calls them <i>cherubim of glory shadowing the
mercy-seat,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:5" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.3" parsed="|Heb|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.5">Heb. ix. 5</scripRef>.
It denotes their attendance upon the Redeemer, to whom they were
ministering spirits, their readiness to do his will, their special
presence in the assemblies of saints (<scripRef passage="Ps 68:17,1Co 11:10" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.4" parsed="|Ps|68|17|0|0;|1Cor|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.17 Bible:1Cor.11.10">Ps. lxviii. 17; 1 Cor. xi. 10</scripRef>), and
their desire to look into the mysteries of the gospel which they
diligently contemplate, <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:12" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.5" parsed="|1Pet|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.12">1 Pet. i.
12</scripRef>. God is said to dwell, or sit, <i>between the
cherubim,</i> on the mercy-seat (<scripRef passage="Ps 80:1" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.6" parsed="|Ps|80|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.1">Ps.
lxxx. 1</scripRef>), and thence he here promises, for the future,
to meet with Moses, and to <i>commune with him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 25:22" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.7" parsed="|Exod|25|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. There he would give
law, and there he would give audience, as a prince on his throne;
and thus he manifests himself willing to be reconciled to us, and
keep up communion with us, in and by the mediation of Christ. In
allusion to this mercy-seat, we are said to come boldly to <i>the
throne of grace</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 4:16" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.8" parsed="|Heb|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.16">Heb. iv.
16</scripRef>); for we <i>are not under the law,</i> which is
covered, <i>but under grace,</i> which is displayed; its wings are
stretched out, and we are invited to come under the shadow of them,
<scripRef passage="Ru 2:12" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.9" parsed="|Ruth|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.2.12">Ruth ii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 25:23-30" id="Ex.xxvi-p18.10" parsed="|Exod|25|23|25|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.23-Exod.25.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.25.23-Exod.25.30">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvi-p19">&#160; 23 Thou shalt also make a table <i>of</i>
shittim wood: two cubits <i>shall be</i> the length thereof, and a
cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height
thereof. &#160; 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and
make thereto a crown of gold round about. &#160; 25 And thou shalt
make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou
shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. &#160;
26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings
in the four corners that <i>are</i> on the four feet thereof.
&#160; 27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of
the staves to bear the table. &#160; 28 And thou shalt make the
staves <i>of</i> shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the
table may be borne with them. &#160; 29 And thou shalt make the
dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls
thereof, to cover withal: <i>of</i> pure gold shalt thou make them.
&#160; 30 And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me
alway.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p20">Here is, 1. A table ordered to be made of
wood overlaid with gold, which was to stand, not in the holy of
holies (nothing was in that but the ark with its appurtenances),
but in the outer part of the tabernacle, called the
<i>sanctuary,</i> or <i>holy place,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:2,23" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.1" parsed="|Heb|9|2|0|0;|Heb|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.2 Bible:Heb.9.23">Heb. ix. 2, 23</scripRef>, &amp;c. There must also be
the usual furniture of the sideboard, dishes and spoons, &amp;c.,
and all <i>of gold,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 25:29" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.2" parsed="|Exod|25|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>. 2. This table was to be always spread, and furnished
with the show-bread (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:30" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|25|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), or <i>bread of faces,</i> twelve loaves, one for
each tribe, set in two rows, six in a row; see the law concerning
them, <scripRef passage="Le 24:5-10" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.4" parsed="|Lev|24|5|24|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.5-Lev.24.10">Lev. xxiv. 5</scripRef>,
&amp;c. The tabernacle being God's house, in which he was pleased
to say that he would dwell among them, he would show that he kept a
good house. In the royal palace it was fit that there should be a
royal table. Some make the twelve loaves to represent the twelve
tribes, set before God as his people and <i>the corn of his
floor,</i> as they are called, <scripRef passage="Isa 21:10" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.5" parsed="|Isa|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.21.10">Isa.
xxi. 10</scripRef>. As the ark signified God's being present with
them, so the twelve loaves signified their being presented to God.
This bread was designed to be, (1.) A thankful acknowledgement of
God's goodness to them, in giving them their daily bread, manna in
the wilderness, where he prepared a table for them, and, in Canaan,
the corn of the land. Hereby they owned their dependence upon
Providence, not only for the corn in the field, which they gave
thanks for in offering the sheaf of first-fruits, but for the bread
in their houses, that, when it was brought home, God did not
<i>blow upon it,</i> <scripRef passage="Hag 1:9" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.6" parsed="|Hag|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hag.1.9">Hag. i.
9</scripRef>. Christ has taught us to pray every day for the bread
of the day. (2.) A token of their communion with God. This bread on
God's table being made of the same corn with the bread on their own
tables, God and Israel did, as it were, eat together, as a pledge
of friendship and fellowship; he supped with them, and they with
him. (3.) A type of the spiritual provision which is made in the
church, by the gospel of Christ, for all that are made priests to
our God. <i>In our Father's house there is bread enough and to
spare,</i> a loaf for every tribe. All that attend in God's house
shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of it, <scripRef passage="Ps 36:8" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.7" parsed="|Ps|36|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.36.8">Ps. xxxvi. 8</scripRef>. Divine consolations are
the continual feast of holy souls, notwithstanding there are those
to whom <i>the table of the Lord,</i> and the <i>meat thereof</i>
(because it is plain bread), are <i>contemptible,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 1:12" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.8" parsed="|Mal|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.12">Mal. i. 12</scripRef>. Christ has a table in his
kingdom, at which all his saints shall for every eat and drink with
him, <scripRef passage="Lu 22:30" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.9" parsed="|Luke|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.30">Luke xxii. 30</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 25:31-40" id="Ex.xxvi-p20.10" parsed="|Exod|25|31|25|40" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.31-Exod.25.40"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.25.31-Exod.25.40">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvi-p21">31 And thou shalt make a candlestick <i>of</i>
pure gold: <i>of</i> beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his
shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers,
shall be of the same. &#160; 32 And six branches shall come out of
the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one
side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
&#160; 33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, <i>with</i> a knop
and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in
the other branch, <i>with</i> a knop and a flower: so in the six
branches that come out of the candlestick. &#160; 34 And in the
candlestick <i>shall be</i> four bowls made like unto almonds,
<i>with</i> their knops and their flowers. &#160; 35 And <i>there
shall be</i> a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop
under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of
the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the
candlestick. &#160; 36 Their knops and their branches shall be of
the same: all it <i>shall be</i> one beaten work <i>of</i> pure
gold. &#160; 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and
they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over
against it. &#160; 38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes
thereof, <i>shall be of</i> pure gold. &#160; 39 <i>Of</i> a talent
of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. &#160; 40
And look that thou make <i>them</i> after their pattern, which was
showed thee in the mount.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p22">I. The next thing ordered to be made for
the furnishing of God's palace was a rich stately candlestick, all
of pure gold, not hollow, but solid. The particular directions here
given concerning it show, 1. That it was very magnificent, and a
great ornament to the place; it had many branches drawn from the
main shaft, which had not only their bowls (to put the oil and the
kindled wick in) for necessity, but knops and flowers for ornament.
2. That it was very convenient, and admirably contrived both to
scatter the light and to keep the tabernacle clean from smoke and
snuffs. 3. That it was very significant. The tabernacle had no
windows by which to let in the light of the day, all its light was
candle-light, which intimates the comparative darkness of that
dispensation, while the Sun or righteousness had not as yet risen,
nor had the day-star from on high yet visited his church. Yet God
left not himself without witness, nor them without instruction; the
commandment was a lamp, and the law a light, and the prophets were
branches from that lamp, which gave light in their several ages to
the Old-Testament church. The church is still dark, as the
tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven; but
the word of God is the candlestick, <i>a light shining in a dark
place</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 1:19" id="Ex.xxvi-p22.1" parsed="|2Pet|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.19">2 Pet. i. 19</scripRef>),
and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. The Spirit
of God, in his various gifts and graces, is compared to the
<i>seven lamps</i> which <i>burn before the throne,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 4:5" id="Ex.xxvi-p22.2" parsed="|Rev|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.5">Rev. iv. 5</scripRef>. The churches are golden
candlesticks, the lights of the world, <i>holding forth the word of
life</i> as the candlestick does the light, <scripRef passage="Php 2:15,16" id="Ex.xxvi-p22.3" parsed="|Phil|2|15|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.15-Phil.2.16">Phil. ii. 15, 16</scripRef>. Ministers are to light
the lamps, and snuff them (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:37" id="Ex.xxvi-p22.4" parsed="|Exod|25|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.37"><i>v.</i>
37</scripRef>), by opening the scriptures. The treasure of this
light is now put into <i>earthen vessels,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 4:6,7" id="Ex.xxvi-p22.5" parsed="|2Cor|4|6|4|7" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.4.6-2Cor.4.7">2 Cor. iv. 6, 7</scripRef>. The branches of the
candlestick spread every way, to denote the diffusing of the light
of the gospel into all parts by the Christian ministry, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:14,15" id="Ex.xxvi-p22.6" parsed="|Matt|5|14|5|15" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.14-Matt.5.15">Matt. v. 14, 15</scripRef>. There is a
<i>diversity of gifts,</i> but the same Spirit gives to each to
profit withal.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvi-p23">II. There is in the midst of these
instructions an express caution given to Moses, to take heed of
varying from his model: <i>Make them after the pattern shown
thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 25:40" id="Ex.xxvi-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|25|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>.
Nothing was left to his own invention, or the fancy of the workmen,
or the people's humour; but the will of God must be religiously
observed in every particular. Thus, 1. All God's providences are
exactly according to his counsels, and the copy never varies from
the original. Infinite Wisdom never changes its measures; whatever
is purposed shall undoubtedly be performed. 2. All his ordinances
must be administered according to his institutions. Christ's
instruction to his disciples (<scripRef passage="Mt 28:20" id="Ex.xxvi-p23.2" parsed="|Matt|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.20">Matt.
xxviii. 20</scripRef>) is similar to this: <i>Observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVI" n="xxvii" progress="44.09%" prev="Ex.xxvi" next="Ex.xxviii" id="Ex.xxvii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxvii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxvii-p1">Moses here receives instructions, I. Concerning
the inner curtains of the tent or tabernacle, and the coupling of
those curtains, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:1-6" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|26|1|26|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.1-Exod.26.6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>.
II. Concerning the outer curtains which were of goats' hair, to
strengthen the former, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:7-13" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|26|7|26|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.7-Exod.26.13">ver.
7-13</scripRef>. III. Concerning the case or cover which was to
secure it from the weather, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:14" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|26|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.14">ver.
14</scripRef>. IV. Concerning the boards which were to be reared up
to support the curtains, with their bars and sockets, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:15-30" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|26|15|26|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.15-Exod.26.30">ver. 15-30</scripRef>. V. The partition
between the holy place and the most holy, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:31-35" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|26|31|26|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.31-Exod.26.35">ver. 31-35</scripRef>. VI. The veil for the door,
<scripRef passage="Ex 26:36,37" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|26|36|26|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.36-Exod.26.37">ver. 36, 37</scripRef>. These
particulars, thus largely recorded, seem of little use to us now;
yet, having been of great use to Moses and Israel, and God having
thought fit to preserve down to us the remembrance of them, we
ought not to overlook them. Even the antiquity renders this account
venerable.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 26" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 26:1-6" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|26|1|26|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.1-Exod.26.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.26.1-Exod.26.6">
<h4 id="Ex.xxvii-p1.9">The Tabernacle and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxvii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvii-p2">1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle
<i>with</i> ten curtains <i>of</i> fine twined linen, and blue, and
purple, and scarlet: <i>with</i> cherubims of cunning work shalt
thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain <i>shall be</i> eight
and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and
every one of the curtains shall have one measure. 3 The five
curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and <i>other</i>
five curtains <i>shall be</i> coupled one to another. 4 And thou
shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the
selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the
uttermost edge of <i>another</i> curtain, in the coupling of the
second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty
loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that <i>is</i> in
the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of
another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the
curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one
tabernacle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvii-p3">I. The house must be a <i>tabernacle</i> or
<i>tent,</i> such as soldiers now use in the camp, which was both a
mean dwelling and a movable one; and yet the ark of God had not
better, till Solomon built the temple 480 years after this,
<scripRef passage="1Ki 6:1" id="Ex.xxvii-p3.1" parsed="|1Kgs|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.6.1">1 Kings vi. 1</scripRef>. God
manifested his presence among them thus in a tabernacle, 1. In
compliance with their present condition in the wilderness, that
they might have him with them wherever they went. Note, God suits
the tokens of his favour, and the gifts of his grace, to his
people's wants and necessities, according as they are,
accommodating his mercy to their state, prosperous or adverse,
settled or unsettled. <i>When thou passest through the waters, I
will be with thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 43:2" id="Ex.xxvii-p3.2" parsed="|Isa|43|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.2">Isa. xliii.
2</scripRef>. 2. That it might represent the state of God's church
in this world, it is a <i>tabernacle-state,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 15:1" id="Ex.xxvii-p3.3" parsed="|Ps|15|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.15.1">Ps. xv. 1</scripRef>. <i>We have here no continuing
city;</i> being strangers in this world, and travellers towards a
better, we shall never be fixed till we come to heaven.
Church-privileges are movable goods, from one place to another; the
gospel is not tied to any place; the candlestick is in a tent, and
may easily be taken away, <scripRef passage="Re 2:5" id="Ex.xxvii-p3.4" parsed="|Rev|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.5">Rev. ii.
5</scripRef>. If we make much of the tabernacle, and improve the
privilege of it, wherever we go it will accompany us; but, if we
neglect and disgrace it, wherever we stay it will forsake us.
<i>What hath my beloved to do in my house?</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 11:15" id="Ex.xxvii-p3.5" parsed="|Jer|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.11.15">Jer. xi. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvii-p4">II. The curtains of the tabernacle must
correspond to a divine pattern. 1. They were to be very rich, the
best of the kind, <i>fine twined linen;</i> and colours very
pleasing, <i>blue,</i> and <i>purple,</i> and <i>scarlet.</i> 2.
They were to be embroidered with cherubim (<scripRef passage="Ex 26:1" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|26|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), to intimate that the angels of
God pitch their tents round about the church, <scripRef passage="Ps 34:7" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.34.7">Ps. xxxiv. 7</scripRef>. As there were cherubim over the
mercy-seat, so there were round the tabernacle; for we find the
angels compassing, not only the throne, but the elders; see
<scripRef passage="Re 5:11" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.3" parsed="|Rev|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.5.11">Rev. v. 11</scripRef>. 3. There were to
be two hangings, five breadths in each, sewed together, and the two
hangings coupled together with golden clasps, or tacks, so that it
might be all one tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:6" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.6">v.
6</scripRef>. Thus the churches of Christ and the saints, though
they are many, are yet one, being <i>fitly joined together</i> in
holy love, and by the <i>unity of the Spirit,</i> so growing into
one <i>holy temple</i> in <i>the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 2:21,22,4:16" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.5" parsed="|Eph|2|21|2|22;|Eph|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.21-Eph.2.22 Bible:Eph.4.16">Eph. ii. 21, 22; iv. 16</scripRef>. This
tabernacle was very strait and narrow; but, at the preaching of the
gospel, the church is bidden to <i>enlarge the place of her
tent,</i> and to <i>stretch forth her curtains,</i> <scripRef passage="Is 54:2" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.6" parsed="|Isa|54|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.2">Isa. liv. 2</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 26:7-14" id="Ex.xxvii-p4.7" parsed="|Exod|26|7|26|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.7-Exod.26.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.26.7-Exod.26.14">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvii-p5">7 And thou shalt make curtains <i>of</i> goats'
<i>hair</i> to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains
shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain <i>shall be</i> thirty
cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven
curtains <i>shall be all</i> of one measure. 9 And thou shalt
couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves,
and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the
tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the
one curtain <i>that is</i> outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops
in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou
shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the
loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one. 12 And the
remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half
curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the
tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the
other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of
the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this
side and on that side, to cover it. 14 And thou shalt make a
covering for the tent <i>of</i> rams' skins dyed red, and a
covering above <i>of</i> badgers' skins.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvii-p6">Moses is here ordered to make a double
covering for the tabernacle, that it might not rain in, and that
the beauty of those fine curtains might not be damaged. 1. There
was to be a covering of hair camlet curtains, which were somewhat
larger every way than the inner curtains, because they were to
enclose them, and probably were stretched out at some little
distance from them, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:7" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|26|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.7">v. 7</scripRef>,
&amp;c. These were coupled together with brass clasps. The stuff
being less valuable, the tacks were so; but the brass tacks would
answer the intention as effectually as the golden ones. The bonds
of unity may be as strong between curtains of goats' hair as
between those of purple and scarlet. 2. Over this there was to be
another covering, and that a double one (<scripRef passage="Ex 26:14" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.2" parsed="|Exod|26|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), one of <i>rams' skins dyed
red,</i> probably dressed with the wool on; another of <i>badgers'
skins,</i> so we translate it, but it should rather seem to have
been some strong sort of leather (but very fine), for we read of
the best sort of shoes being made of it, <scripRef passage="Eze 16:10" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.3" parsed="|Ezek|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.10">Ezek. xvi. 10</scripRef>. Now observe here, (1.) That
the outside of the tabernacle was coarse and rough, the beauty of
it was in the inner curtains. Those in whom God dwells must labour
to be better than they seem to be. Hypocrites put the best side
outwards, like <i>whited sepulchres;</i> but <i>the king's daughter
is all glorious within</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 45:13" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.4" parsed="|Ps|45|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.45.13">Ps. xlv.
13</scripRef>); in the eye of the world black as the tents of
Kedar, but, in the eye of God, comely as the curtains of Solomon,
<scripRef passage="So 1:5" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.5" parsed="|Song|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.1.5">Cant. i. 5</scripRef>. Let our adorning
be that of the hidden man of the heart, which God values, <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:4" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.6" parsed="|1Pet|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.4">1 Pet. iii. 4</scripRef>. (2.) That where God
places his glory he will create a defence upon it; even upon the
habitations of the righteous there shall be a covert, <scripRef passage="Isa 6:5,6" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.7" parsed="|Isa|6|5|6|6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.5-Isa.6.6">Isa. vi. 5, 6</scripRef>. The protection of
Providence shall always be upon the beauty of holiness. God's tent
will be a pavilion, <scripRef passage="Ps 27:5" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.8" parsed="|Ps|27|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.5">Ps. xxvii.
5</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 26" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.9" parsed="|Exod|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 26:15-30" id="Ex.xxvii-p6.10" parsed="|Exod|26|15|26|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.15-Exod.26.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.26.15-Exod.26.30">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvii-p7">15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle
<i>of</i> shittim wood standing up. 16 Ten cubits <i>shall be</i>
the length of a board, and a cubit and a half <i>shall be</i> the
breadth of one board. 17 Two tenons <i>shall there be</i> in one
board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for
all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And thou shalt make the boards
for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 19
And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty
boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two
sockets under another board for his two tenons. 20 And for the
second side of the tabernacle on the north side <i>there shall
be</i> twenty boards: 21 And their forty sockets <i>of</i> silver;
two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six
boards. 23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the
tabernacle in the two sides. 24 And they shall be coupled together
beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it
unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for
the two corners. 25 And they shall be eight boards, and their
sockets <i>of</i> silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one
board, and two sockets under another board. 26 And thou shalt make
bars <i>of</i> shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of
the tabernacle, 27 And five bars for the boards of the other side
of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the
tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 28 And the middle bar in
the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 And thou
shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings <i>of</i>
gold <i>for</i> places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the
bars with gold. 30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according
to the fashion thereof which was showed thee in the mount.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvii-p8">Very particular directions are here given
about the boards of the tabernacle, which were to bear up the
curtains, as the stakes of a tent which had need to be strong,
<scripRef passage="Isa 54:2" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Isa|54|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.2">Isa. liv. 2</scripRef>. These boards
had tenons which fell into the mortises that were made for them in
silver bases. God took care to have every thing strong, as well as
fine, in his tabernacle. Curtains without boards would have been
shaken by every wind; but <i>it is a good thing</i> to have the
<i>heart established with grace,</i> which is as the boards to
support the curtains of profession, which otherwise will not hold
out long. The boards were coupled together with gold rings at top
and bottom (<scripRef passage="Ex 26:24" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|26|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>),
and kept firm with bars that ran through golden staples in every
board (<scripRef passage="Ex 26:26" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|26|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), and
the boards and bars were all richly gilded, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:29" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|26|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.29">v. 29</scripRef>. Thus every thing in the tabernacle was
very splendid, agreeable to that infant state of the church, when
such things were proper enough to please children, to possess the
minds of the worshippers with a reverence of the divine glory, and
to affect them with the greatness of that prince who said, <i>Here
will I dwell;</i> in allusion to this the new Jerusalem is said to
be of <i>pure gold,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 21:18" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.5" parsed="|Rev|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.21.18">Rev. xxi.
18</scripRef>. But the builders of the gospel church said,
<i>Silver and gold have we none;</i> and yet the glory of their
building far exceeded that of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="2Co 3:10,11" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.6" parsed="|2Cor|3|10|3|11" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.10-2Cor.3.11">2 Cor. iii. 10, 11</scripRef>. <i>How much better is
wisdom than gold!</i> No orders are given here about the floor of
the tabernacle; probably that also was boarded; for we cannot think
that within all these fine curtains they trod upon the cold or wet
ground; if it was so left, it may remind us of <scripRef passage="Ex 20:24" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.7" parsed="|Exod|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24"><i>ch.</i> xx. 24</scripRef>, <i>An altar of earth shalt
thou make unto me.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 26:31-37" id="Ex.xxvii-p8.8" parsed="|Exod|26|31|26|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.31-Exod.26.37"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.26.31-Exod.26.37">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxvii-p9">31 And thou shalt make a vail <i>of</i> blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work:
with cherubims shall it be made: 32 And thou shalt hang it upon
four pillars of shittim <i>wood</i> overlaid with gold: their hooks
<i>shall be of</i> gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 33 And
thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest
bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the
vail shall divide unto you between the holy <i>place</i> and the
most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the
testimony in the most holy <i>place.</i> 35 And thou shalt set the
table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table
on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put
the table on the north side. 36 And thou shalt make an hanging for
the door of the tent, <i>of</i> blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen, wrought with needlework. 37 And thou shalt make
for the hanging five pillars <i>of</i> shittim <i>wood,</i> and
overlay them with gold, <i>and</i> their hooks <i>shall be of</i>
gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxvii-p10">Two veils are here ordered to be made, 1.
One for a partition between the holy place and the most holy, which
not only forbade any to enter, but forbade them so much as to look
into the holiest of all, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:31,33" id="Ex.xxvii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|26|31|0|0;|Exod|26|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.31 Bible:Exod.26.33">v. 31,
33</scripRef>. Under that dispensation, divine grace was veiled,
but now we behold it with open face, <scripRef passage="2Co 3:18" id="Ex.xxvii-p10.2" parsed="|2Cor|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.18">2
Cor. iii. 18</scripRef>. The apostle tells us (<scripRef passage="Heb 9:8,9" id="Ex.xxvii-p10.3" parsed="|Heb|9|8|9|9" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.8-Heb.9.9">Heb. ix. 8, 9</scripRef>) what was the meaning of this
veil; it intimated that the ceremonial law <i>could not make the
comers thereunto perfect,</i> nor would the observance of it bring
men to heaven; the <i>way into the holiest of all was not made
manifest while the first tabernacle was standing; life and
immortality</i> lay concealed till they were <i>brought to light by
the gospel,</i> which was therefore signified by the rending of
this veil at the death of Christ, <scripRef passage="Mt 27:51" id="Ex.xxvii-p10.4" parsed="|Matt|27|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.27.51">Matt. xxvii. 51</scripRef>. We have not <i>boldness to
enter into the holiest,</i> in all acts of devotion, <i>by the
blood of Jesus,</i> yet such as obliges us to a holy reverence and
a humble sense of our distance. 2. Another veil was for the outer
door of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 26:36,37" id="Ex.xxvii-p10.5" parsed="|Exod|26|36|26|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.26.36-Exod.26.37">v. 36,
37</scripRef>. Through this first veil the priests went in every
day to minister in the holy place, but not the people, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:6" id="Ex.xxvii-p10.6" parsed="|Heb|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.6">Heb. ix. 6</scripRef>. This veil, which was all
the defence the tabernacle had against thieves and robbers, might
easily be broken through, for it could be neither locked nor
barred, and the abundance of wealth in the tabernacle, one would
think, might be a temptation; but by leaving it thus exposed, (1.)
The priests and Levites would be so much the more obliged to keep a
strict watch upon it, and, (2.) God would show his care of his
church on earth, though it is weak and defenceless, and continually
exposed. A curtain shall be (if God please to make it so) as strong
a defence to his house as gates of brass and bars of iron.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVII" n="xxviii" progress="44.37%" prev="Ex.xxvii" next="Ex.xxix" id="Ex.xxviii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxviii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxviii-p1">In this chapter directions are given, I.
Concerning the brazen altar for burnt-offerings, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:1-8" id="Ex.xxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|27|1|27|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.1-Exod.27.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. II. Concerning the court of the
tabernacle, with the hangings of it, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:9-19" id="Ex.xxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|27|9|27|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.9-Exod.27.19">ver. 9-19</scripRef>. III. Concerning oil for the
lamp, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:20,21" id="Ex.xxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|27|20|27|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.20-Exod.27.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 27" id="Ex.xxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 27:1-8" id="Ex.xxviii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|27|1|27|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.1-Exod.27.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.27.1-Exod.27.8">
<h4 id="Ex.xxviii-p1.6">The Tabernacle and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxviii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxviii-p2">1 And thou shalt make an altar <i>of</i> shittim
wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be
foursquare: and the height thereof <i>shall be</i> three cubits.
&#160; 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners
thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it
with brass. &#160; 3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his
ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his
firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make <i>of</i> brass.
&#160; 4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network <i>of</i>
brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the
four corners thereof. &#160; 5 And thou shalt put it under the
compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst
of the altar. &#160; 6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar,
staves <i>of</i> shittim wood, and overlay them with brass. &#160;
7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall
be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. &#160; 8 Hollow
with boards shalt thou make it: as it was showed thee in the mount,
so shall they make <i>it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxviii-p3">As God intended in the tabernacle to
manifest his presence among his people, so there they were to pay
their devotions to him, not in the tabernacle itself (into that
only the priests entered as God's domestic servants), but in the
court before the tabernacle, where, as common subjects, they
attended. There an altar was ordered to be set up, to which they
must bring their sacrifices, and on which their priests must offer
them to God: and this altar was to sanctify their gifts. Here they
were to present their services to God, as from the mercy-seat he
gave his oracles to them; and thus a communion was settled between
God and Israel. Moses is here directed about, 1. The dimensions of
it; it was square, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:1,2" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|27|1|27|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.1-Exod.27.2"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. 2. The horns of it (<scripRef passage="Ex 27:2" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|27|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), which were for ornament and for
use; the sacrifices were <i>bound with cords to the horns of the
altar,</i> and to them malefactors fled for refuge. 3. The
materials; it was of wood overlaid with brass, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:1,2" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|27|1|27|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.1-Exod.27.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. 4. The appurtenances of it
(<scripRef passage="Ex 27:3" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.4" parsed="|Exod|27|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), which were
all of brass. 5. The grate, which was let into the hollow of the
altar, about the middle of it, in which the fire was kept, and the
sacrifice burnt; it was made of network like a sieve, and hung
hollow, that the fire might burn the better, and that the ashes
might fall through into the hollow of the altar, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:4,5" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.5" parsed="|Exod|27|4|27|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.4-Exod.27.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. 6. The staves with which it
must be carried, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:6,7" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|27|6|27|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.6-Exod.27.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. And, <i>lastly,</i> he is referred to the pattern
shown him, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:8" id="Ex.xxviii-p3.7" parsed="|Exod|27|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxviii-p4">Now this brazen altar was a type of Christ
dying to make atonement for our sins: the wood would have been
consumed by the fire from heaven if it had not been secured by the
brass; nor could the human nature of Christ have borne the wrath of
God if it had not been supported by a divine power. Christ
sanctified himself for his church, as their altar (<scripRef passage="Joh 17:19" id="Ex.xxviii-p4.1" parsed="|John|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.19">John xvii. 19</scripRef>), and by his mediation
sanctifies the daily services of his people, who have also <i>a
right to eat of this altar</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 13:10" id="Ex.xxviii-p4.2" parsed="|Heb|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.10">Heb.
xiii. 10</scripRef>), for they serve at it as spiritual priests. To
the horns of this altar poor sinners fly for refuge when justice
pursues them, and they are safe in virtue of the sacrifice there
offered.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 27:9-19" id="Ex.xxviii-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|27|9|27|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.9-Exod.27.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.27.9-Exod.27.19">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxviii-p5">9 And thou shalt make the court of the
tabernacle: for the south side southward <i>there shall be</i>
hangings for the court <i>of</i> fine twined linen of an hundred
cubits long for one side: &#160; 10 And the twenty pillars thereof
and their twenty sockets <i>shall be of</i> brass; the hooks of the
pillars and their fillets <i>shall be of</i> silver. &#160; 11 And
likewise for the north side in length <i>there shall be</i>
hangings of an hundred <i>cubits</i> long, and his twenty pillars
and their twenty sockets <i>of</i> brass; the hooks of the pillars
and their fillets <i>of</i> silver. &#160; 12 And <i>for</i> the
breadth of the court on the west side <i>shall be</i> hangings of
fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. &#160; 13
And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward <i>shall
be</i> fifty cubits. &#160; 14 The hangings of one side <i>of the
gate shall be</i> fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their
sockets three. &#160; 15 And on the other side <i>shall be</i>
hangings fifteen <i>cubits:</i> their pillars three, and their
sockets three. &#160; 16 And for the gate of the court <i>shall
be</i> an hanging of twenty cubits, <i>of</i> blue, and purple, and
scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: <i>and</i>
their pillars <i>shall be</i> four, and their sockets four. &#160;
17 All the pillars round about the court <i>shall be</i> filleted
with silver; their hooks <i>shall be of</i> silver, and their
sockets <i>of</i> brass. &#160; 18 The length of the court <i>shall
be</i> an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty everywhere, and
the height five cubits <i>of</i> fine twined linen, and their
sockets <i>of</i> brass. &#160; 19 All the vessels of the
tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof,
and all the pins of the court, <i>shall be of</i> brass.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxviii-p6">Before the tabernacle there was to be a
court or yard, enclosed with hangings of the finest linen that was
used for tents. This court, according to the common computation of
cubits, was fifty yards long, and twenty-five broad. Pillars were
set up at convenient distances, in sockets of brass, the pillars
filleted with silver, and silver tenter-hooks in them, on which the
linen hangings were fastened: the hanging which served for the gate
was finer than the rest, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:16" id="Ex.xxviii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|27|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. This court was a type of the church, enclosed and
distinguished from the rest of the world, the enclosure supported
by pillars, denoting the stability of the church, hung with the
clean linen, which is said to be the <i>righteousness of
saints,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 19:8" id="Ex.xxviii-p6.2" parsed="|Rev|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.8">Rev. xix. 8</scripRef>.
These were the courts David longed for and coveted to reside in
(<scripRef passage="Ps 84:2,10" id="Ex.xxviii-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|84|2|0|0;|Ps|84|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.84.2 Bible:Ps.84.10">Ps. lxxxiv. 2, 10</scripRef>), and
into which the people of God entered with praise and thanksgiving
(<scripRef passage="Ps 100:4" id="Ex.xxviii-p6.4" parsed="|Ps|100|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.100.4">Ps. c. 4</scripRef>); yet this court
would contain but a few worshippers. Thanks be to God, now, under
the gospel, the enclosure is taken down. God's will is that men
<i>pray everywhere;</i> and there is room for all that in every
place call on the name of Jesus Christ.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 27:20-21" id="Ex.xxviii-p6.5" parsed="|Exod|27|20|27|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.20-Exod.27.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.27.20-Exod.27.21">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxviii-p7">20 And thou shalt command the children of
Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light,
to cause the lamp to burn always. &#160; 21 In the tabernacle of
the congregation without the vail, which <i>is</i> before the
testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to
morning before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxviii-p7.1">Lord</span>: <i>it shall
be</i> a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of
the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxviii-p8">We read of the candlestick in the
twenty-fifth chapter; here is an order given for the keeping of the
lamps constantly burning in it, else it was useless; in every
candlestick there should be a burning and shining light;
candlesticks without candles are as <i>wells without water</i> or
as <i>clouds without rain.</i> Now, 1. The people were to provide
the oil; from them the Lord's ministers must have their
maintenance. Or, rather, the pure oil signified the gifts and
graces of the Spirit, which are communicated to all believers from
Christ the good olive, of whose fulness we receive (<scripRef passage="Zec 4:11,12" id="Ex.xxviii-p8.1" parsed="|Zech|4|11|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Zech.4.11-Zech.4.12">Zech. iv. 11, 12</scripRef>), and without
which our light cannot shine before men. 2. The priests were to
light the lamps, and to tend them; it was part of their daily
service to <i>cause the lamp to burn always,</i> night and day;
thus it is the work of ministers, by the preaching and expounding
of the scriptures (which are as a lamp), to enlighten the church,
God's tabernacle upon the earth, and to direct the spiritual
priests in his service. This is to be <i>a statute for ever,</i>
that the lamps of the word be lighted as duly as the incense of
prayer and praise is offered.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVIII" n="xxix" progress="44.53%" prev="Ex.xxviii" next="Ex.xxx" id="Ex.xxix">
<h2 id="Ex.xxix-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxix-p1">Orders being given for the fitting up of the place
of worship, in this and the following chapter care is taken about
the priests that were to minister in this holy place, as the menial
servants of the God of Israel. He hired servants, as a token of his
purpose to reside among them. In this chapter, I. He pitches upon
the persons who should be his servants, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:1" id="Ex.xxix-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|28|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. He appoints their livery; their
work was holy, and so must their garments be, and unanswerable to
the glory of the house which was now to be erected, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:2-5" id="Ex.xxix-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|28|2|28|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.2-Exod.28.5">ver. 2-5</scripRef>. 1. He appoints the
garments of his head-servant, the high priest, which were very
rich. (1.) An ephod and girdle, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:6-14" id="Ex.xxix-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|28|6|28|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.6-Exod.28.14">ver.
6-14</scripRef>. (2.) A breast-plate of judgment (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:15-29" id="Ex.xxix-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|28|15|28|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.15-Exod.28.29">ver. 15-29</scripRef>), in which must be put
the urim and thummim, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:30" id="Ex.xxix-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|28|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.30">ver.
30</scripRef>. (3.) The robe of the ephod, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:31-35" id="Ex.xxix-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|28|31|28|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.31-Exod.28.35">ver. 31-35</scripRef>. (4.) The mitre, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:36-39" id="Ex.xxix-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|28|36|28|39" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.36-Exod.28.39">ver. 36-39</scripRef>. 2. The garments of the
inferior priests, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:40-43" id="Ex.xxix-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|28|40|28|43" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.40-Exod.28.43">ver.
40-43</scripRef>. And these also were shadows of good things to
come.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28" id="Ex.xxix-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28:1-5" id="Ex.xxix-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|28|1|28|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.1-Exod.28.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.28.1-Exod.28.5">
<h4 id="Ex.xxix-p1.11">The Priests' Attire. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxix-p2">1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and
his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may
minister unto me in the priest's office, <i>even</i> Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. &#160; 2 And thou
shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for
beauty. &#160; 3 And thou shalt speak unto all <i>that are</i> wise
hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they
may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister
unto me in the priest's office. &#160; 4 And these <i>are</i> the
garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a
robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall
make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may
minister unto me in the priest's office. &#160; 5 And they shall
take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p3">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p4">I. The priests nominated: <i>Aaron and his
sons,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:1" id="Ex.xxix-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|28|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Hitherto every master of a family was priest to his own family, and
offered, as he saw cause, upon altars of earth; but now that the
families of Israel began to be incorporated into a nation, and a
<i>tabernacle of the congregation</i> was to be erected, as a
visible centre of their unity, it was requisite there should be a
public priesthood instituted. Moses, who had hitherto officiated,
and is therefore reckoned among the <i>priests of the Lord</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ps 99:6" id="Ex.xxix-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|99|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.99.6">Ps. xcix. 6</scripRef>), had enough to
do as their prophet to consult the oracle for them, and as their
prince to judge among them; nor was he desirous to engross all the
honours to himself, or to entail that of the priesthood, which
alone was hereditary, upon his own family, but was very well
pleased to see his brother Aaron invested in this office, and his
sons after him, while (how great soever he was) his sons after him
would be but common Levites. It is an instance of the humility of
that great man, and an evidence of his sincere regard for the glory
of God, that he had so little regard to the preferment of his own
family. Aaron, who had humbly served as a prophet to his younger
brother Moses, and did not decline the office (<scripRef passage="Ex 7:1" id="Ex.xxix-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.1"><i>ch.</i> vii. 1</scripRef>), is now advanced to be a
priest, a high priest to God; for he will exalt those that abase
themselves. Nor could any man have <i>taken this honour to
himself,</i> but he that was <i>called of God to it,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 5:4" id="Ex.xxix-p4.4" parsed="|Heb|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.4">Heb. v. 4</scripRef>. God had said of Israel in
general that they should be to him a <i>kingdom of priests,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 19:6" id="Ex.xxix-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|19|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.6"><i>ch.</i> xix. 6</scripRef>. But
because it was requisite that those who ministered at the altar
should give themselves wholly to the service, and because that
which is everybody's work will soon come to be nobody's work, God
here chose from among them one to be a family of priests, the
father and his four sons; and from Aaron's loins descended all the
priests of the Jewish church, of whom we read so often, both in the
Old Testament and in the New. A blessed thing it is when real
holiness goes, as the ceremonial holiness did, by succession in a
family.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p5">II. The priests' garments appointed, <i>for
glory and beauty,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:2" id="Ex.xxix-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|28|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Some of the richest materials were to be provided
(<scripRef passage="Ex 28:5" id="Ex.xxix-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|28|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and the best
artists employed in the making of them, whose skill God, by a
<i>special gift</i> for this purpose, would improve to a very high
degree, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:3" id="Ex.xxix-p5.3" parsed="|Exod|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Note,
Eminence, even in common arts, is a gift of God, it comes from him,
and, as there is occasion, it ought to be used for him. He that
teaches the husbandman discretion teaches the tradesman also; both
therefore ought to honour God with their gain. Human learning ought
particularly to be consecrated to the service of the priesthood,
and employed for the adorning of those that minister about holy
things. The garments appointed were, 1. Four, which both the high
priest and the inferior priests wore, namely, the linen breeches,
the linen coat, the linen girdle which fastened it to them, and the
bonnet or turban; that which the high priest wore is called <i>a
mitre.</i> 2. Four more, which were peculiar to the high priest,
namely, the ephod, with the curious girdle of it, the breast-plate
of judgment, the long robe with the bells and pomegranates at the
bottom of it, and the golden plate on his forehead. These glorious
garments were appointed, (1.) That the priests themselves might be
reminded of the dignity of their office, and might behave
themselves with due decorum. (2.) That the people might thereby be
possessed with a holy reverence of that God whose ministers
appeared in such grandeur. (3.) That the priests might be types of
Christ, who should offer himself without spot to God, and of all
Christians, who have the beauty of holiness put upon them, in which
they are consecrated to God. Our adorning, now under the gospel,
both that of ministers and Christians, is not to be of gold, and
pearl, and costly array, but the <i>garments of salvation, and the
robe of righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 61:10,Ps 132:9,16" id="Ex.xxix-p5.4" parsed="|Isa|61|10|0|0;|Ps|132|9|0|0;|Ps|132|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.10 Bible:Ps.132.9 Bible:Ps.132.16">Isa. lxi. 10; Ps. cxxxii. 9, 16</scripRef>.
As the filthy garments wherewith Joshua the high priest was clothed
signified the iniquity which cleaved to his priesthood, from which
care was taken that it should be purged (<scripRef passage="Zec 3:3,4" id="Ex.xxix-p5.5" parsed="|Zech|3|3|3|4" osisRef="Bible:Zech.3.3-Zech.3.4">Zech. iii. 3, 4</scripRef>), so those <i>holy
garments</i> signified the perfect purity that there is in the
priesthood of Christ; he is holy, harmless, and undefiled.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28:6-14" id="Ex.xxix-p5.6" parsed="|Exod|28|6|28|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.6-Exod.28.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.28.6-Exod.28.14">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxix-p6">6 And they shall make the ephod <i>of</i> gold,
<i>of</i> blue, and <i>of</i> purple, <i>of</i> scarlet, and fine
twined linen, with cunning work. &#160; 7 It shall have the two
shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and
<i>so</i> it shall be joined together. &#160; 8 And the curious
girdle of the ephod, which <i>is</i> upon it, shall be of the same,
according to the work thereof; <i>even of</i> gold, <i>of</i> blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. &#160; 9 And thou
shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the
children of Israel: &#160; 10 Six of their names on one stone, and
<i>the other</i> six names of the rest on the other stone,
according to their birth. &#160; 11 With the work of an engraver in
stone, <i>like</i> the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave
the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt
make them to be set in ouches of gold. &#160; 12 And thou shalt put
the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod <i>for</i> stones of
memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their
names before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p6.1">Lord</span> upon his two
shoulders for a memorial. &#160; 13 And thou shalt make ouches
<i>of</i> gold; &#160; 14 And two chains <i>of</i> pure gold at the
ends; <i>of</i> wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the
wreathen chains to the ouches.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p7">Directions are here given concerning the
ephod, which was the outmost garment of the high priest.
<i>Linen</i> ephods were worn by the inferior priests, <scripRef passage="1Sa 22:18" id="Ex.xxix-p7.1" parsed="|1Sam|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.22.18">1 Sam. xxii. 18</scripRef>. Samuel wore one
when he was a child (<scripRef passage="1Sa 2:18" id="Ex.xxix-p7.2" parsed="|1Sam|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.18">1 Sam. ii.
18</scripRef>), and David when he danced before the ark (<scripRef passage="2Sa 6:14" id="Ex.xxix-p7.3" parsed="|2Sam|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.6.14">2 Sam. vi. 14</scripRef>); but this which the
high priest only wore was called a <i>golden ephod,</i> because
there was a great deal of gold woven into it. It was a short coat
without sleeves, buttoned closely to him, with a curious girdle of
the same stuff (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:6-8" id="Ex.xxix-p7.4" parsed="|Exod|28|6|28|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.6-Exod.28.8"><i>v.</i>
6-8</scripRef>); the shoulder-pieces were buttoned together with
two precious stones set in gold, one on each shoulder, on which
were engraven the names of the <i>children of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:9-12" id="Ex.xxix-p7.5" parsed="|Exod|28|9|28|12" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.9-Exod.28.12"><i>v.</i> 9-12</scripRef>. In allusion to
this, 1. Christ our high priest appeared to John <i>girt about the
breast with a golden girdle,</i> such as was the curious girdle of
the ephod, <scripRef passage="Re 1:13" id="Ex.xxix-p7.6" parsed="|Rev|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.13">Rev. i. 13</scripRef>.
Righteousness is the girdle of his loins (<scripRef passage="Isa 11:6" id="Ex.xxix-p7.7" parsed="|Isa|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.6">Isa. xi. 6</scripRef>), and should be of ours, <scripRef passage="Eph 6:14" id="Ex.xxix-p7.8" parsed="|Eph|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.14">Eph. vi. 14</scripRef>. He is girt with strength
for the work of our salvation, and is ready for it. 2. The
government is said to be <i>upon his shoulders</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 9:6" id="Ex.xxix-p7.9" parsed="|Isa|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.9.6">Isa. ix. 6</scripRef>), as Aaron had the names of
all Israel upon his shoulders in precious stone. He presents to
himself and to his Father <i>a glorious church,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 5:27" id="Ex.xxix-p7.10" parsed="|Eph|5|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.27">Eph. v. 27</scripRef>. He has power to support
them, interest to recommend them, and it is in him that they are
remembered with honour and favour. He bears them before the Lord
<i>for a memorial</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:12" id="Ex.xxix-p7.11" parsed="|Exod|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), in token of his <i>appearing before God</i> as the
representative of all Israel and an advocate for them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28" id="Ex.xxix-p7.12" parsed="|Exod|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28:15-30" id="Ex.xxix-p7.13" parsed="|Exod|28|15|28|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.15-Exod.28.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.28.15-Exod.28.30">
<h4 id="Ex.xxix-p7.14">Aaron's Attire. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p7.15">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxix-p8">15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of
judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt
make it; <i>of</i> gold, <i>of</i> blue, and <i>of</i> purple, and
<i>of</i> scarlet, and <i>of</i> fine twined linen, shalt thou make
it. &#160; 16 Foursquare it shall be <i>being</i> doubled; a span
<i>shall be</i> the length thereof, and a span <i>shall be</i> the
breadth thereof. &#160; 17 And thou shalt set in it settings of
stones, <i>even</i> four rows of stones: <i>the first</i> row
<i>shall be</i> a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: <i>this shall
be</i> the first row. &#160; 18 And the second row <i>shall be</i>
an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. &#160; 19 And the third row
a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. &#160; 20 And the fourth row a
beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in
their inclosings. &#160; 21 And the stones shall be with the names
of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names,
<i>like</i> the engravings of a signet; every one with his name
shall they be according to the twelve tribes. &#160; 22 And thou
shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends <i>of</i>
wreathen work <i>of</i> pure gold. &#160; 23 And thou shalt make
upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings
on the two ends of the breastplate. &#160; 24 And thou shalt put
the two wreathen <i>chains</i> of gold in the two rings <i>which
are</i> on the ends of the breastplate. &#160; 25 And <i>the
other</i> two ends of the two wreathen <i>chains</i> thou shalt
fasten in the two ouches, and put <i>them</i> on the shoulderpieces
of the ephod before it. &#160; 26 And thou shalt make two rings of
gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate
in the border thereof, which <i>is</i> in the side of the ephod
inward. &#160; 27 And two <i>other</i> rings of gold thou shalt
make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath,
toward the forepart thereof, over against the <i>other</i> coupling
thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod. &#160; 28 And they
shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of
the ephod with a lace of blue, that <i>it</i> may be above the
curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed
from the ephod. &#160; 29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the
children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart,
when he goeth in unto the holy <i>place,</i> for a memorial before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p8.1">Lord</span> continually. &#160; 30 And
thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the
Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p8.2">Lord</span>: and Aaron shall
bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p8.3">Lord</span> continually.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p9">The most considerable of the ornaments of
the high priest was this breast-plate, a rich piece of cloth,
curiously wrought with gold and purple, &amp;c., two spans long and
a span broad, so that, being doubled, it was a span square,
<scripRef passage="Ex 28:16" id="Ex.xxix-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|28|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. This was
fastened to the ephod with wreathen chains of gold (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:13,14,22" id="Ex.xxix-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|28|13|28|14;|Exod|28|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.13-Exod.28.14 Bible:Exod.28.22"><i>v.</i> 13, 14, 22</scripRef>, &amp;c.)
both at top and bottom, so that <i>the breast-plate might not be
loosed from the ephod,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:28" id="Ex.xxix-p9.3" parsed="|Exod|28|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. The ephod was the garment of service; the
breast-plate of judgment was an emblem of honour: these two must by
no means be separated. If any man will <i>minister unto the
Lord,</i> and <i>do his will,</i> he shall <i>know his
doctrine.</i> In this breast-plate,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p10">I. The tribes of Israel were recommended to
God's favour in twelve precious stones, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:17-21,29" id="Ex.xxix-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|28|17|28|21;|Exod|28|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.17-Exod.28.21 Bible:Exod.28.29"><i>v.</i> 17-21, 29</scripRef>. Some question
whether Levi had a precious stone with his name or no. If not,
Ephraim and Manasseh were reckoned distinct, as Jacob had said they
should be, and the high priest himself, being head of the tribe of
Levi, sufficiently represented that tribe. If there was a stone for
Levi, as is intimated by this, that they were <i>engraven according
to their birth</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:10" id="Ex.xxix-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|28|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), Ephraim and Manasseh were one in Joseph. Aaron was
to bear their names for a <i>memorial before the Lord
continually,</i> being <i>ordained for men,</i> to represent them
in things pertaining to God, herein typifying our great high
priest, who always appears in the presence of God for us. 1. Though
the people were forbidden to come near, and obliged to keep their
distance, yet by the high priest, who had their names on his
breast-plate, they entered into the holiest; so believers, even
while they are here on this earth, not only <i>enter into the
holiest,</i> but by faith are made to <i>sit with Christ in
heavenly places,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 2:6" id="Ex.xxix-p10.3" parsed="|Eph|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.6">Eph. ii.
6</scripRef>. 2. The name of each tribe was engraven in a precious
stone, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and
how honourable, <scripRef passage="Isa 43:4" id="Ex.xxix-p10.4" parsed="|Isa|43|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.4">Isa. xliii.
4</scripRef>. They shall be his in the day he <i>makes up his
jewels,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 3:17" id="Ex.xxix-p10.5" parsed="|Mal|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.17">Mal. iii. 17</scripRef>.
How small and poor soever the tribe was, it was a precious stone in
the breast-plate of the high priest; thus are all the saints dear
to Christ, and his delight is in them as the excellent ones of the
earth, however men may esteem them as <i>earthen pitchers,</i>
<scripRef passage="La 4:2" id="Ex.xxix-p10.6" parsed="|Lam|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.4.2">Lam. iv. 2</scripRef>. 3. The high
priest had the names of the tribes both on his shoulders and on his
breast, intimating both the power and the love with which our Lord
Jesus intercedes for those that are his. He not only bears them up
<i>upon his heart,</i> as the expression here is (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:29" id="Ex.xxix-p10.7" parsed="|Exod|28|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), <i>carries them in his
bosom</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 40:11" id="Ex.xxix-p10.8" parsed="|Isa|40|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.11">Isa. xl. 11</scripRef>),
with the most tender affection. How near should Christ's name be to
our hearts, since he is pleased to lay our names so near his! and
what a comfort it is to us, in all our addresses to God, that the
great high priest of our profession has the names of all his Israel
upon his breast before the Lord <i>for a memorial,</i> presenting
them to God as the people of his choice, who were to be made
<i>accepted in the beloved!</i> Let not any good Christians fear
that God has forgotten them, nor question his being mindful of them
upon all occasions, when they are not only engraven upon the
<i>palms of his hands</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 49:16" id="Ex.xxix-p10.9" parsed="|Isa|49|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.16">Isa. xlix.
16</scripRef>), but engraven upon the heart of the great
intercessor. See <scripRef passage="So 8:6" id="Ex.xxix-p10.10" parsed="|Song|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.8.6">Cant. viii.
6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p11">II. The urim and thummim, by which the will
of God was made known in doubtful cases, were put in this
breast-plate, which is therefore called the <i>breast-plate of
judgment,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:30" id="Ex.xxix-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|28|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>.
<i>Urim</i> and <i>thummim</i> signify <i>light</i> and
<i>integrity;</i> many conjectures there are among the learned what
they were; we have no reason to think they were any thing that
Moses was to make more than what was before ordered, so that either
God made them himself, and gave them to Moses, for him to put into
the breast-plate, when other things were prepared (<scripRef passage="Le 8:8" id="Ex.xxix-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.8">Lev. viii. 8</scripRef>), or no more is meant than
a declaration of the further use of what was already ordered to be
made. I think the words may be read thus, <i>And thou shalt
give,</i> or <i>add,</i> or <i>deliver, to the breast-plate of
judgment, the illuminations and perfections, and they shall be upon
the heart of Aaron;</i> that is, "He shall be endued with a power
of knowing and making known the mind of God in all difficult
doubtful cases, relating either to the civil or ecclesiastical
state of the nation." Their government was a theocracy: God was
their King, the high priest was, under God, their ruler, the urim
and thummim were his cabinet-council; probably Moses wrote upon the
breast-plate, or wove into it, these words, <i>Urim</i> and
<i>Thummim,</i> to signify that the high priest, having on him this
breast-plate, and asking counsel of God in any emergency relating
to the public, should be directed to take those measures, and give
that advice, which God would own. If he was standing before the ark
(but without the veil) probably he received instructions from off
the mercy-seat, as Moses did (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:22" id="Ex.xxix-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|25|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.22"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 22</scripRef>); thus, it should seem,
Phinehas did, <scripRef passage="Jdg 20:27,28" id="Ex.xxix-p11.4" parsed="|Judg|20|27|20|28" osisRef="Bible:Judg.20.27-Judg.20.28">Judg. xx. 27,
28</scripRef>. If he was at a distance from the ark, as Abiathar
was when he enquired of the Lord for David (<scripRef passage="1Sa 23:6" id="Ex.xxix-p11.5" parsed="|1Sam|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.23.6">1 Sam. xxiii. 6</scripRef>, &amp;c.), then the answer
was given either by a voice from heaven or rather by an impulse
upon the mind of the high priest, which last is perhaps intimated
in that expression, <i>He shall bear the judgment of the children
of Israel upon his heart.</i> This oracle was of great use to
Israel; Joshua consulted it (<scripRef passage="Nu 27:21" id="Ex.xxix-p11.6" parsed="|Num|27|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.21">Num.
xxvii. 21</scripRef>), and, it is likely, the judges after him. It
was lost in the captivity, and never regained after, though, it
should seem, it was expected, <scripRef passage="Ezr 2:63" id="Ex.xxix-p11.7" parsed="|Ezra|2|63|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.2.63">Ezra ii.
63</scripRef>. But it was a shadow of good things to come, and the
substance is Christ. He is our oracle; by him God in these last
days makes known himself and his mind to us, <scripRef passage="Heb 1:2,Joh 1:18" id="Ex.xxix-p11.8" parsed="|Heb|1|2|0|0;|John|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.2 Bible:John.1.18">Heb. i. 2; John i. 18</scripRef>. Divine
revelation centres in him, and comes to us through him; he is the
light, the true light, the faithful witness, the truth itself, and
from him we receive the Spirit of truth, who leads into all truth.
The joining of the breast-plate to the ephod denotes that his
prophetical office was founded in his priesthood; and it was by the
merit of his death that he purchased this honour for himself and
this favour for us. It was the <i>Lamb that had been slain</i> that
was worthy to <i>take the book</i> and to <i>open the seals,</i>
<scripRef passage="Re 5:9" id="Ex.xxix-p11.9" parsed="|Rev|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.5.9">Rev. v. 9</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28:31-39" id="Ex.xxix-p11.10" parsed="|Exod|28|31|28|39" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.31-Exod.28.39"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.28.31-Exod.28.39">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxix-p12">31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all
<i>of</i> blue. &#160; 32 And there shall be an hole in the top of
it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work
round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon,
that it be not rent. &#160; 33 And <i>beneath</i> upon the hem of
it thou shalt make pomegranates <i>of</i> blue, and <i>of</i>
purple, and <i>of</i> scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and
bells of gold between them round about: &#160; 34 A golden bell and
a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the
robe round about. &#160; 35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister:
and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy
<i>place</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p12.1">Lord</span>, and
when he cometh out, that he die not. &#160; 36 And thou shalt make
a plate <i>of</i> pure gold, and grave upon it, <i>like</i> the
engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. &#160; 37 And thou
shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon
the forefront of the mitre it shall be. &#160; 38 And it shall be
upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy
things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy
gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be
accepted before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p12.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 39
And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt
make the mitre <i>of</i> fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle
<i>of</i> needlework.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p13">Here is, 1. Direction given concerning
<i>the robe of the ephod,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:31-35" id="Ex.xxix-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|28|31|28|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.31-Exod.28.35"><i>v.</i> 31-35</scripRef>. This was next under the
ephod, and reached down to the knees, was without sleeves, and was
put on over their head, having holes on the sides to put the arms
through, or, as Maimonides describes it, was not sewed together on
the sides at all. The hole on the top, through which the head was
put, was carefully bound about, that it might not tear in the
putting on. In religious worship, care must be taken to prevent
every thing that may distract the minds of the worshippers, or
render the service despicable. Round the skirts of the robe were
hung golden bells, and the representations of pomegranates made of
yarn of divers colours. The pomegranates added to the beauty of the
robe, and the sound of the bells gave notice to the people in the
outer court when he went into the holy place to burn incense, that
they might then apply themselves to their devotions at the same
time (<scripRef passage="Lu 1:10" id="Ex.xxix-p13.2" parsed="|Luke|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.10">Luke i. 10</scripRef>), in token
of their concurrence with him in his offering, and their hopes of
the ascent of their prayers to God in virtue of the incense he
offered. Aaron must come near to minister in the garments that were
appointed him, <i>that he die not.</i> It is at his peril if he
attend otherwise than according to the institution. This intimates
that we must serve the Lord <i>with fear</i> and holy
<i>trembling,</i> as those that know we deserve to die, and are in
danger of making some fatal mistake. Some make the bells of the
holy robe to typify the sound of the gospel of Christ in the world,
giving notice of his entrance within the veil for us. <i>Blessed
are those that hear this joyful sound,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 89:15" id="Ex.xxix-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|89|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.15">Ps. lxxxix. 15</scripRef>. The adding of the
pomegranates, which are a fragrant fruit, denotes the sweet savour
of the gospel, as well as the joyful sound of it, for it is a
<i>savour of life unto life.</i> The church is called an <i>orchard
of pomegranates.</i> 2. Concerning the golden plate fixed upon
Aaron's forehead, on which must be engraven, <i>Holiness to the
Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:36,37" id="Ex.xxix-p13.4" parsed="|Exod|28|36|28|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.36-Exod.28.37"><i>v.</i> 36,
37</scripRef>), or <i>The holiness of Jehovah.</i> Aaron must
hereby be reminded that God is holy, and that his priests must be
holy. <i>Holiness becomes his house</i> and household. The high
priest must be sequestered from all pollution, and consecrated to
God and to his service and honour, and so must all his
ministrations be. All that attend in God's house must have
<i>Holiness to the Lord</i> engraven upon their foreheads, that is,
they must be holy, devoted to the Lord, and designing his glory in
all they do. This must appear in their forehead, in an open
profession of their relation to God, as those that are not ashamed
to own it, and in a conversation in the world answerable to it. It
must likewise be engraven like the engravings of a signet, so deep,
so durable, not painted to be washed off, but sincere and lasting;
such must our <i>holiness to the Lord</i> be. Aaron must have this
upon his forehead, that he may <i>bear the iniquity of the holy
things</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:38" id="Ex.xxix-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|28|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>),
and that <i>they may be accepted before the Lord.</i> Herein he was
a type of Christ, the great Mediator between God and man, through
whom it is that we have to do with God. (1.) Through him what is
amiss in our services is pardoned. The divine law is strict; in
many things we come short of our duty, so that we cannot but be
conscious to ourselves of much iniquity cleaving even to our holy
things; when we would do good evil is present; even this would be
our ruin if God should enter into judgment with us. But Christ, our
high priest, bears this iniquity, bears it for us so as to bear it
from us, and through him it is forgiven to us and not laid to our
charge. (2.) Through him what is good is accepted; our persons, our
performances, are pleasing to God upon the account of Christ's
intercession, and not otherwise, <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:5" id="Ex.xxix-p13.6" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5">1 Pet.
ii. 5</scripRef>. His being <i>holiness to the Lord</i> recommends
all those to the divine favour that are interested in his
righteousness, and clothed with his Spirit; and therefore he has
said it was for our sakes that he <i>sanctified himself,</i>
<scripRef passage="Joh 17:19" id="Ex.xxix-p13.7" parsed="|John|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.19">John xvii. 19</scripRef>. Having
<i>such a high priest,</i> we come <i>boldly to the throne of
grace,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 4:14-16" id="Ex.xxix-p13.8" parsed="|Heb|4|14|4|16" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.14-Heb.4.16">Heb. iv.
14-16</scripRef>. 3. The rest of the garments are but named
(<scripRef passage="Ex 28:39" id="Ex.xxix-p13.9" parsed="|Exod|28|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>), because
there was nothing extraordinary in them. The embroidered coat of
fine linen was the innermost of the priestly garments; it reached
to the feet, and the sleeves to the wrists, and was bound to the
body with a girdle or sash of needle-work. The mitre, or diadem,
was of linen, such as kings anciently wore in the east, typifying
the kingly office of Christ. He is a <i>priest upon a throne</i>
(<scripRef passage="Zec 6:13" id="Ex.xxix-p13.10" parsed="|Zech|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.6.13">Zech. vi. 13</scripRef>), a priest
with a crown. These two God has joined, and we must not think to
separate them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 28:40-43" id="Ex.xxix-p13.11" parsed="|Exod|28|40|28|43" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.40-Exod.28.43"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.28.40-Exod.28.43">
<h4 id="Ex.xxix-p13.12">The Priests' Attire. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxix-p13.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxix-p14">40 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats,
and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make
for them, for glory and for beauty. &#160; 41 And thou shalt put
them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt
anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may
minister unto me in the priest's office. &#160; 42 And thou shalt
make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins
even unto the thighs they shall reach: &#160; 43 And they shall be
upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the
tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the
altar to minister in the holy <i>place;</i> that they bear not
iniquity, and die: <i>it shall be</i> a statute for ever unto him
and his seed after him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxix-p15">We have here, 1. Particular orders about
the vestments of the inferior priests. They were to have coats, and
girdles, and bonnets, of the same materials with those of the high
priest; but there was a difference in shape between their bonnets
and his mitre. Theirs, as his, were to be <i>for glory and
beauty</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:40" id="Ex.xxix-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|28|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>),
that they might look great in their ministration: yet all this
glory was nothing compared with the glory of grace, this beauty
nothing to the beauty of holiness, of which these holy garments
were typical. They are particularly ordered, in their ministration,
to wear <i>linen breeches,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 28:42" id="Ex.xxix-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|28|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>. This teaches us modesty and
decency of garb and gesture at all times, especially in public
worship, in which a veil is becoming, <scripRef passage="1Co 11:5,6,10" id="Ex.xxix-p15.3" parsed="|1Cor|11|5|11|6;|1Cor|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.5-1Cor.11.6 Bible:1Cor.11.10">1 Cor. xi. 5, 6, 10</scripRef>. It also intimates
what need our souls have of a covering, when we come before God,
that the <i>shame of their nakedness may not appear.</i> 2. A
general rule concerning the garments both of the high priest and of
the inferior priests, that they were to be put upon them, at first,
when they were consecrated, in token of their being invested in the
office (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:41" id="Ex.xxix-p15.4" parsed="|Exod|28|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>), and
then they were to wear them in all their ministrations, but not at
other times (<scripRef passage="Ex 28:43" id="Ex.xxix-p15.5" parsed="|Exod|28|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>),
and this at their peril, lest they <i>bear iniquity and die.</i>
Those who are guilty of omissions in duty, as well as omissions of
duty, shall <i>bear their iniquity.</i> If the priests perform the
instituted service, and do not do it in the appointed garments, it
is (say the Jewish doctors) as if a stranger did it, and the
<i>stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death.</i> Nor will God
connive at the presumptions and irreverences even of those whom he
causes to draw most near to him; if Aaron himself put a slight upon
the divine institution, he shall bear iniquity, and die. To us
these garments typify, (1.) The righteousness of Christ; if we
appear not before God in this, we shall <i>bear iniquity and
die.</i> What have we to do at the wedding-feast without a
wedding-garment, or at God's altar without the array of his
priests? <scripRef passage="Mt 22:12,13" id="Ex.xxix-p15.6" parsed="|Matt|22|12|22|13" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.12-Matt.22.13">Matt. xxii. 12,
13</scripRef>. (2.) <i>The armour of God</i> prescribed <scripRef passage="Eph 6:13" id="Ex.xxix-p15.7" parsed="|Eph|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.13">Eph. vi. 13</scripRef>. If we venture without
that armour, our spiritual enemies will be the death of our souls,
and we shall bear the iniquity, our blood will be upon our own
heads. Blessed is he therefore that watcheth, and keepeth his
garments, <scripRef passage="Re 16:15" id="Ex.xxix-p15.8" parsed="|Rev|16|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.15">Rev. xvi. 15</scripRef>. 3.
This is said to be a <i>statute for ever,</i> that is, it is to
continue as long as the priesthood continues. But it is to have its
perpetuity in the substance of which these things were the
shadows.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIX" n="xxx" progress="45.09%" prev="Ex.xxix" next="Ex.xxxi" id="Ex.xxx">
<h2 id="Ex.xxx-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxx-p0.2">CHAP. XXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxx-p1">Particular orders are given in this chapter, I.
Concerning the consecration of the priests, and the sanctification
of the altar, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:1-37" id="Ex.xxx-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|29|1|29|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.1-Exod.29.37">ver. 1-37</scripRef>.
II. Concerning the daily sacrifice, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:38-41" id="Ex.xxx-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|29|38|29|41" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.38-Exod.29.41">ver. 38-41</scripRef>. To which gracious promises are
annexed that God would own and bless them in all their services,
<scripRef passage="Ex 29:42-46" id="Ex.xxx-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|29|42|29|46" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.42-Exod.29.46">ver. 42</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 29" id="Ex.xxx-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|29|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 29:1-37" id="Ex.xxx-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|29|1|29|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.1-Exod.29.37"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.29.1-Exod.29.37">
<h4 id="Ex.xxx-p1.6">The Consecration of the
Priests. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxx-p2">1 And this <i>is</i> the thing that thou shalt
do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's
office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
&#160; 2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with
oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: <i>of</i> wheaten
flour shalt thou make them. &#160; 3 And thou shalt put them into
one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the
two rams. &#160; 4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them
with water. &#160; 5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon
Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the
breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
&#160; 6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the
holy crown upon the mitre. &#160; 7 Then shalt thou take the
anointing oil, and pour <i>it</i> upon his head, and anoint him.
&#160; 8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
&#160; 9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons,
and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be
theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and
his sons. &#160; 10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought
before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons
shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. &#160; 11 And
thou shalt kill the bullock before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.1">Lord</span>, <i>by</i> the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation. &#160; 12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the
bullock, and put <i>it</i> upon the horns of the altar with thy
finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
&#160; 13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the
inwards, and the caul <i>that is</i> above the liver, and the two
kidneys, and the fat that <i>is</i> upon them, and burn <i>them</i>
upon the altar. &#160; 14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his
skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it
<i>is</i> a sin offering. &#160; 15 Thou shalt also take one ram;
and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the
ram. &#160; 16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his
blood, and sprinkle <i>it</i> round about upon the altar. &#160; 17
And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him,
and his legs, and put <i>them</i> unto his pieces, and unto his
head. &#160; 18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar:
it <i>is</i> a burnt offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.2">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> a sweet savour, an offering
made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.3">Lord</span>. &#160;
19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall
put their hands upon the head of the ram. &#160; 20 Then shalt thou
kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put <i>it</i> upon the tip
of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his
sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great
toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar
round about. &#160; 21 And thou shalt take of the blood that
<i>is</i> upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle
<i>it</i> upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and
upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed,
and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
&#160; 22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and
the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul <i>above</i> the
liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that <i>is</i> upon them,
and the right shoulder; for it <i>is</i> a ram of consecration:
&#160; 23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and
one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that <i>is</i>
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.4">Lord</span>: &#160; 24 And thou
shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons;
and shalt wave them <i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 25 And thou shalt receive
them of their hands, and burn <i>them</i> upon the altar for a
burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.6">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> an offering made by fire unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.7">Lord</span>. &#160; 26 And thou shalt
take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it
<i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.8">Lord</span>: and it shall be thy part. &#160; 27 And
thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the
shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved
up, of the ram of the consecration, <i>even</i> of <i>that</i>
which <i>is</i> for Aaron, and of <i>that</i> which is for his
sons: &#160; 28 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute
for ever from the children of Israel: for it <i>is</i> an heave
offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of
Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, <i>even</i> their
heave offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p2.9">Lord</span>. &#160;
29 And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to
be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them. &#160; 30
<i>And</i> that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on
seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation
to minister in the holy <i>place.</i> &#160; 31 And thou shalt take
the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy
place. &#160; 32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the
ram, and the bread that <i>is</i> in the basket, <i>by</i> the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 33 And they shall eat
those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate
<i>and</i> to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat
<i>thereof,</i> because they <i>are</i> holy. &#160; 34 And if
ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain
unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it
shall not be eaten, because it <i>is</i> holy. &#160; 35 And thus
shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all
<i>things</i> which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou
consecrate them. &#160; 36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock
<i>for</i> a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the
altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt
anoint it, to sanctify it. &#160; 37 Seven days thou shalt make an
atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar
most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p3">Here is, I. The law concerning the
consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priest's office, which
was to be done with a great deal of ceremony and solemnity, that
they themselves might be duly affected with the greatness of the
work to which they were called, and that the people also might
learn to magnify the office and none might dare to invade it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p4">1. The ceremonies wherewith it was to be
done were very fully and particularly appointed, because nothing of
this kind had been done before, and because it was to be a statute
for ever that the high priest should be thus inaugurated. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p5">(1.) The work to be done was the
consecrating of the persons whom God had chosen to be priests, by
which they devoted and gave up themselves to the service of God and
God declared his acceptance of them; and the people were made to
know that they <i>glorified not themselves</i> to be made priests,
but were <i>called of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 5:4,5" id="Ex.xxx-p5.1" parsed="|Heb|5|4|5|5" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.4-Heb.5.5">Heb.
v. 4, 5</scripRef>. They were thus distinguished from common men,
sequestered from common services, and set apart for God and an
immediate attendance on him. Note, All that are to be employed for
God are to be sanctified to him. The person must first be accepted,
and then the performance. The Hebrew phrase for consecrating <i>is
filling the hand</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:9" id="Ex.xxx-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt fill the hand of Aaron and his
sons,</i> and the <i>ram of consecration</i> is the <i>ram of
fillings,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 29:22,26" id="Ex.xxx-p5.3" parsed="|Exod|29|22|0|0;|Exod|29|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.22 Bible:Exod.29.26"><i>v.</i> 22,
26</scripRef>. The consecrating of them was the perfecting of them;
Christ is said to be <i>perfect</i> or <i>consecrated for
evermore,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 7:28" id="Ex.xxx-p5.4" parsed="|Heb|7|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.28">Heb. vii. 28</scripRef>.
Probably the phrase here is borrowed from the putting of the
sacrifice into their hand, to be waved before the Lord, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:24" id="Ex.xxx-p5.5" parsed="|Exod|29|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. But it intimates, [1.]
That ministers have their hands full; they have no time to trifle,
so great, so copious, so constant is their work. [2.] That they
must have their hands filled. Of necessity <i>they must have
something to offer,</i> and they cannot find it in themselves, it
must be given them from above. They cannot fill the people's hearts
unless God fill their hands; to him therefore they must go, and
<i>receive from his fulness.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p6">(2.) The person to do it was Moses, by
God's appointment. Though he was <i>ordained for men,</i> yet the
people were not to consecrate him; Moses the <i>servant of the
Lord,</i> and his agent herein, must do it. By God's special
appointment he now did the priest's work, and therefore that which
was the priest's part of the sacrifice was here ordered to be his,
<scripRef passage="Ex 29:26" id="Ex.xxx-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|29|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p7">(3.) The place was at the <i>door of the
tabernacle of meeting,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 29:4" id="Ex.xxx-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|29|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. God was pleased to dwell in the tabernacle, the
people attending in the courts, so that the door between the court
and the tabernacle was the fittest place for those to be
consecrated in who were to mediate between God and man, and to
stand between both, and <i>lay their hands</i> (as it were) <i>upon
both.</i> They were consecrated at the door, for they were to be
door-keepers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p8">(4.) It was done with many ceremonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p9">[1.] They were to be washed (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:4" id="Ex.xxx-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|29|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), signifying that those
must be clean who <i>bear the vessels of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 52:11" id="Ex.xxx-p9.2" parsed="|Isa|52|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.11">Isa. lii. 11</scripRef>. Those that would
<i>perfect holiness</i> must <i>cleanse themselves from all
filthiness of flesh and spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 7:1,Isa 1:16-18" id="Ex.xxx-p9.3" parsed="|2Cor|7|1|0|0;|Isa|1|16|1|18" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.7.1 Bible:Isa.1.16-Isa.1.18">2 Cor. vii. 1; Isa. i. 16-18</scripRef>. They
were now washed all over; but afterwards, when they went in to
minister, they washed only their hands and feet (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:19" id="Ex.xxx-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|30|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.19"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 19</scripRef>); for <i>he that is washed
needs</i> no more, <scripRef passage="Joh 13:10" id="Ex.xxx-p9.5" parsed="|John|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.13.10">John xiii.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p10">[2.] They were to be clothed with the holy
garments (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:5,6,8,9" id="Ex.xxx-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|29|5|29|6;|Exod|29|8|0|0;|Exod|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.5-Exod.29.6 Bible:Exod.29.8 Bible:Exod.29.9"><i>v.</i> 5, 6, 8,
9</scripRef>), to signify that it was not sufficient for them to
put away the pollutions of sin, but they must put on the graces of
the Spirit, be <i>clothed with righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 132:9" id="Ex.xxx-p10.2" parsed="|Ps|132|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.132.9">Ps. cxxxii. 9</scripRef>. They must be girded,
as men prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be
robed and crowned, as men that counted their work and office their
true honour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p11">[3.] The high priest was to be anointed
with the <i>holy anointing oil</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:7" id="Ex.xxx-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|29|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), that the church might be filled
and delighted with the sweet savour of his administrations (for
<i>ointment and perfume rejoice the heart</i>), and in token of the
pouring out of the Spirit upon him, to qualify him for his work.
Brotherly love is compared to this oil with which Aaron was
anointed, <scripRef passage="Ps 133:2" id="Ex.xxx-p11.2" parsed="|Ps|133|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.133.2">Ps. cxxxiii. 2</scripRef>.
The inferior priests are said to be anointed (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:30" id="Ex.xxx-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|30|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.30"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 30</scripRef>), not on their heads, as
the high priest (<scripRef passage="Le 21:10" id="Ex.xxx-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10">Lev. xxi.
10</scripRef>), the oil was only mingled with the blood that was
sprinkled upon their garments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p12">[4.] Sacrifices were to be offered for
them. The covenant of priesthood, as all other covenants, must be
<i>made by sacrifice.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p13"><i>First,</i> There must be a sin-offering,
to make atonement for them, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:10-14" id="Ex.xxx-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|29|10|29|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.10-Exod.29.14"><i>v.</i> 10-14</scripRef>. The law made those
priests that had infirmity, and therefore they must first offer for
their own sin, before they could make atonement <i>for the
people,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 7:27,28" id="Ex.xxx-p13.2" parsed="|Heb|7|27|7|28" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.27-Heb.7.28">Heb. vii. 27,
28</scripRef>. They were to put their hand on the head of their
sacrifice (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:10" id="Ex.xxx-p13.3" parsed="|Exod|29|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>),
confessing that they deserved to die for their own sin, and
desiring that the killing of the beast might expiate their guilt,
and be accepted as a vicarious satisfaction. It was used as other
sin-offerings were; only, whereas the flesh of other sin-offerings
was eaten by the priests (<scripRef passage="Le 10:18" id="Ex.xxx-p13.4" parsed="|Lev|10|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.18">Lev. x.
18</scripRef>), in token of the priest's taking away the sin of the
people, this was appointed to be all burnt without the camp
(<scripRef passage="Ex 29:14" id="Ex.xxx-p13.5" parsed="|Exod|29|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), to signify
the imperfection of the legal dispensation (as the learned bishop
Patrick notes); for the sins of the priests themselves could not be
taken away by those sacrifices, but they must expect a better high
priest and a better sacrifice.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p14"><i>Secondly,</i> There must be a
burnt-offering, a ram wholly burnt, to the honour of God, in token
of the dedication of themselves wholly to God and to his service,
as living sacrifices, kindled with the fire and ascending in the
flame of holy love, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:15-18" id="Ex.xxx-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|29|15|29|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.15-Exod.29.18"><i>v.</i>
15-18</scripRef>. The sin-offering must first be offered and then
the burnt-offering; for, till guilt be removed, no acceptable
service can be performed, <scripRef passage="Isa 6:7" id="Ex.xxx-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.7">Isa. vi.
7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p15"><i>Thirdly,</i> There must be a
peace-offering; it is called <i>the ram of consecration,</i>
because there was more in this peculiar to the occasion than in the
other two. In the burnt-offering God had the glory of their
priesthood, in this they had the comfort of it; and, in token of a
mutual covenant between God and them, 1. The blood of the sacrifice
was divided between God and them (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:20,21" id="Ex.xxx-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|29|20|29|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.20-Exod.29.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>); part of the blood was
<i>sprinkled upon the altar round about,</i> and part put upon
them, upon their bodies (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:20" id="Ex.xxx-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|29|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>), and upon their garments, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:21" id="Ex.xxx-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|29|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Thus the benefit of the
expiation made by the sacrifice was applied and assured to them,
and their whole selves from head to foot sanctified to the service
of God. The blood was put upon the extreme parts of the body, to
signify that it was all, as it were, enclosed and taken in for God,
the tip of the ear and the great toe not excepted. We reckon that
the blood and oil sprinkled upon garments spot and stain them; yet
the holy oil, and the blood of the sacrifice, sprinkled upon their
garments, must be looked upon as the greatest adorning imaginable
to them, for they signified the blood of Christ, and the graces of
the Spirit, which constitute and complete the beauty of holiness,
and recommend us to God; we read of robes <i>made white with the
blood of the Lamb.</i> 2. The <i>flesh of the sacrifice,</i> with
the meat-offering annexed to it, was likewise divided between God
and them, that (to speak with reverence) God and they might feast
together, in token of friendship and fellowship. (1.) Part of it
was to be first waved before the Lord, and then burnt upon the
altar; part of the <i>flesh</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:22" id="Ex.xxx-p15.4" parsed="|Exod|29|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), part of the <i>bread,</i> for
bread and flesh must go together (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:23" id="Ex.xxx-p15.5" parsed="|Exod|29|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>); these were first put into the
hands of Aaron to be waved to and fro, in token of their being
offered to God (who, though unseen, yet compasses us round on every
side), and then they were to be burnt upon the altar (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:24,25" id="Ex.xxx-p15.6" parsed="|Exod|29|24|29|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.24-Exod.29.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>), for the altar
was to devour God's part of the sacrifice. Thus God admitted Aaron
and his sons to be his servants, and wait at his table, taking the
mat of his altar from their hands. Here, in a parenthesis, as it
were, comes in the law concerning the priests' part of the
peace-offerings afterwards, the breast and shoulder, which were now
divided; Moses had the breast, and the shoulder was burnt on the
altar with God's part, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:26-28" id="Ex.xxx-p15.7" parsed="|Exod|29|26|29|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.26-Exod.29.28"><i>v.</i>
26-28</scripRef>. (2.) The other part, both of the flesh of the ram
and of the bread, Aaron and his sons were to eat at the door of the
tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:31-33" id="Ex.xxx-p15.8" parsed="|Exod|29|31|29|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.31-Exod.29.33"><i>v.</i>
31-33</scripRef>), to signify that he called them not only
<i>servants</i> but <i>friends,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 15:15" id="Ex.xxx-p15.9" parsed="|John|15|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.15.15">John xv. 15</scripRef>. He <i>supped with them,</i> and
<i>they with him.</i> Their eating of the things wherewith <i>the
atonement was made</i> signified their <i>receiving the
atonement,</i> as the expression is (<scripRef passage="Ro 5:11" id="Ex.xxx-p15.10" parsed="|Rom|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.11">Rom. v. 11</scripRef>), their thankful acceptance of the
benefit of it, and their joyful communion with God thereupon, which
was the true intent and meaning of a feast upon a sacrifice. If any
of it was left, it must be burnt, that it might not be in any
danger of putrefying, and to show that it was an extraordinary
peace-offering.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p16">2. The time that was to be spent in this
consecration: <i>Seven days shalt thou consecrate them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 29:35" id="Ex.xxx-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|29|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. Though all
the ceremonies were performed on the first day, yet, (1.) They were
not to look upon their consecration as completed till the seven
days' end, which put a solemnity upon their admission, and a
distance between this and their former state, and obliged them to
enter upon their work with a pause, giving them time to consider
the weight and seriousness of it. This was to be observed in
after-ages, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:30" id="Ex.xxx-p16.2" parsed="|Exod|29|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>.
He that was to succeed Aaron in the high-priesthood must put on the
holy garments seven days together, in token of a deliberate and
gradual advance into his office, and that one sabbath might pass
over him in his consecration. (2.) Every day of the seven, in this
first consecration, a bullock was to be offered for a sin-offering
(<scripRef passage="Ex 29:36" id="Ex.xxx-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|29|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>), which was
to intimate to them, [1.] That it was of very great concern to them
to get their sins pardoned, and that though atonement was made, and
they had the comfort of it, yet they must still keep up a penitent
sense of sin and often repeat the confession of it. [2.] That those
sacrifices which were thus offered day by day to make atonement
could not make the <i>comers thereunto perfect,</i> for then they
would have ceased to be offered, as the apostle argues, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:1,2" id="Ex.xxx-p16.4" parsed="|Heb|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.1-Heb.10.2">Heb. x. 1, 2</scripRef>. They must therefore
expect the <i>bringing in of a better hope.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p17">3. This consecration of the priests was a
<i>shadow of good things to come.</i> (1.) Our Lord Jesus is the
great high-priest of our profession, called of God to be so,
consecrated for evermore, anointed with the Spirit above his
fellows (whence he is called <i>Messiah,</i> the <i>Christ</i>),
clothed with the holy garments, even with glory and beauty,
sanctified by his own blood, not that of bullocks and rams
(<scripRef passage="Heb 9:12" id="Ex.xxx-p17.1" parsed="|Heb|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.12">Heb. ix. 12</scripRef>), <i>made
perfect,</i> or consecrated, <i>through sufferings,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 2:10" id="Ex.xxx-p17.2" parsed="|Heb|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.10">Heb. ii. 10</scripRef>. Thus in him this was a
perpetual statute, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:9" id="Ex.xxx-p17.3" parsed="|Exod|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. (2.) All believers are spiritual priests, to offer
spiritual sacrifices (<scripRef passage="1Pe 2:5" id="Ex.xxx-p17.4" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5">1 Pet. ii.
5</scripRef>), washed in the blood of Christ, and so <i>made to our
God priests,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 1:5,6" id="Ex.xxx-p17.5" parsed="|Rev|1|5|1|6" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.5-Rev.1.6">Rev. i. 5,
6</scripRef>. They also are clothed with the beauty of holiness,
and have received the anointing, <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:27" id="Ex.xxx-p17.6" parsed="|1John|2|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.27">1
John ii. 27</scripRef>. Their hands are filled with work, to which
they must continually attend; and it is through Christ, the great
sacrifice, that they are dedicated to this service. His blood
<i>sprinkled upon the conscience purges it from dead works, that
they may,</i> as priests, <i>serve the living God.</i> The Spirit
of God (as Ainsworth notes) is called the <i>finger of God</i>
(<scripRef passage="Lu 21:20" id="Ex.xxx-p17.7" parsed="|Luke|21|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.20">Luke xi. 20</scripRef>, compared with
<scripRef passage="Mt 12:28" id="Ex.xxx-p17.8" parsed="|Matt|12|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.28">Matt. xii. 28</scripRef>), and by him
the merit of Christ is effectually applied to our souls, as here
Moses with his finger was to put the blood upon Aaron. It is
likewise intimated that gospel ministers are to be solemnly set
apart to the work of the ministry with great deliberation and
seriousness both in the ordainers and in the ordained, as those
that are to be employed in a great work and entrusted with a great
charge.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p18">II. The consecration of the altar, which
seems to have been coincident with that of the priests, and the
sin-offerings which were offered every day for seven days together
had reference to the altar as well as the priests, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:36,37" id="Ex.xxx-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|29|36|29|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.36-Exod.29.37"><i>v.</i> 36, 37</scripRef>. An
<i>atonement</i> was <i>made for the altar.</i> Though that was not
a subject capable of sin, nor, having never yet been used, could it
be said to be polluted with the sins of the people, yet, since the
fall, there can be no sanctification to God but there must first be
<i>an atonement for sin,</i> which renders us both unworthy and
unfit to be employed for God. The altar was also <i>sanctified,</i>
not only set apart itself to a sacred use, but made so holy as to
<i>sanctify the gifts</i> that were offered upon it, <scripRef passage="Mt 23:19" id="Ex.xxx-p18.2" parsed="|Matt|23|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.19">Matt. xxiii. 19</scripRef>. Christ is our altar;
for our sakes he sanctified himself, that we and our performances
might be sanctified and recommended to God, <scripRef passage="Joh 17:19" id="Ex.xxx-p18.3" parsed="|John|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.19">John xvii. 19</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 29:38-46" id="Ex.xxx-p18.4" parsed="|Exod|29|38|29|46" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.38-Exod.29.46"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.29.38-Exod.29.46">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxx-p19">38 Now this <i>is that</i> which thou shalt
offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day
continually. &#160; 39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the
morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: &#160; 40 And
with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth
part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine
<i>for</i> a drink offering. &#160; 41 And the other lamb thou
shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat
offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering
thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p19.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 42 <i>This shall be</i>
a continual burnt offering throughout your generations <i>at</i>
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p19.2">Lord</span>: where I will meet you, to speak
there unto thee. &#160; 43 And there I will meet with the children
of Israel, and <i>the tabernacle</i> shall be sanctified by my
glory. &#160; 44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and
his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. &#160; 45 And I
will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
&#160; 46 And they shall know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p19.3">Lord</span> their God, that brought them forth out of
the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxx-p19.4">Lord</span> their God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p20">In this paragraph we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p21">I. The daily service appointed. A lamb was
to be offered upon the altar every morning, and a lamb every
evening, each with a meat-offering, both made by fire, as a
<i>continual burnt-offering throughout their generations,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 29:38-41" id="Ex.xxx-p21.1" parsed="|Exod|29|38|29|41" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.38-Exod.29.41"><i>v.</i> 38-41</scripRef>. Whether
there were any other sacrifices to be offered or not, these were
sure to be offered, at the public charge, for the benefit and
comfort of all Israel, to make atonement for their daily sins, and
to be an acknowledgement to God of their daily mercies. This was
that which <i>the duty of every day required.</i> The taking away
of this daily sacrifice by Antiochus, for so many evenings and
mornings, was that great calamity of the church which was foretold,
<scripRef passage="Da 8:11" id="Ex.xxx-p21.2" parsed="|Dan|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.8.11">Dan. viii. 11</scripRef>. Note, 1. This
typified the continual intercession which Christ ever lives to
make, in virtue of his satisfaction, for the continual
sanctification of his church: though he offered himself <i>once for
all,</i> yet that one offering thus becomes a continual offering.
2. This teaches us to offer up to God the spiritual sacrifices of
prayer and praise every day, morning and evening, in humble
acknowledgement of our dependence upon him and our obligations to
him. Our daily devotions must be looked upon as the most needful of
our daily works and the most pleasant of our daily comforts.
Whatever business we have, this must never be omitted, either
morning or evening; prayer-time must be kept up as duly as
meat-time. The daily sacrifices were as the daily meals in God's
house, and therefore they were always attended with bread and wine.
Those starve their own souls that keep not up a constant attendance
on the throne of grace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxx-p22">II. Great and precious promises made of
God's favour to Israel, and the tokens of his special presence with
them, while they thus kept up his institutions among them. He
speaks as one well pleased with the appointment of the daily
sacrifice; for, before he proceeds to the other appointments that
follow, he interposes these promises. It is constancy in religion
that brings in the comfort of it. He promises, 1. That he would
keep up communion with them; that he would not only meet Moses, and
speak to him, but that he would <i>meet the children of Israel,</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 29:43" id="Ex.xxx-p22.1" parsed="|Exod|29|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>), to accept
the daily sacrifices offered up on their behalf. Note, God will not
fail to give those the meeting who diligently and conscientiously
attend upon him in the ordinances of his own appointment. 2. That
he would own his own institutions, the tabernacle, the altar, the
priesthood (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:43,44" id="Ex.xxx-p22.2" parsed="|Exod|29|43|29|44" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.43-Exod.29.44"><i>v.</i> 43,
44</scripRef>); he would take possession of that which was
consecrated to him. Note, What is sanctified to the glory of God
shall be sanctified by his glory. If we do our part, God will do
his, and will mark and fit that for himself which is in sincerity
given up to him. 3. That he would reside among them as God in
covenant with them, and would give them sure and comfortable tokens
of his peculiar favour to them, and his special presence with them
(<scripRef passage="Ex 29:45,46" id="Ex.xxx-p22.3" parsed="|Exod|29|45|29|46" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.45-Exod.29.46"><i>v.</i> 45, 46</scripRef>): <i>I
will dwell among the children of Israel.</i> Note, Where God sets
up the tabernacle of his ordinances he will himself dwell. <i>Lo, I
am with you always,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 28:20" id="Ex.xxx-p22.4" parsed="|Matt|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.20">Matt. xxviii.
20</scripRef>. Those that abide in God's house shall have God to
abide with them. <i>I will be their God, and they shall know</i>
that I am so. Note, Those are truly happy that have a
covenant-interest in God as theirs and the comfortable evidence of
that interest. If we have this, we have enough, and need no more to
make us happy.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXX" n="xxxi" progress="45.58%" prev="Ex.xxx" next="Ex.xxxii" id="Ex.xxxi">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxi-p0.2">CHAP. XXX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxi-p1">Moses is, in this chapter, further instructed, I.
Concerning the altar of incense, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:1-10" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|30|1|30|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.1-Exod.30.10">ver. 1-10</scripRef>. II. Concerning the ransom-money
which the Israelites were to pay, when they were numbered,
<scripRef passage="Ex 30:11-16" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|30|11|30|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.11-Exod.30.16">ver. 11-16</scripRef>. III.
Concerning the laver of brass, which was set for the priests to
wash in, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:17-21" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|30|17|30|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.17-Exod.30.21">ver. 17-21</scripRef>. IV.
Concerning the making up of the anointing oil, and the use of it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 30:22-33" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|30|22|30|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.22-Exod.30.33">ver. 22-33</scripRef>. V.
Concerning the incense and perfume which were to be burned on the
golden altar, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:34" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|30|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.34">ver. 34</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30:1-10" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|30|1|30|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.1-Exod.30.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.30.1-Exod.30.10">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxi-p1.8">The Tabernacles and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxi-p2">1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense
upon: <i>of</i> shittim wood shalt thou make it. &#160; 2 A cubit
<i>shall be</i> the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits <i>shall be</i> the
height thereof: the horns thereof <i>shall be</i> of the same.
&#160; 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof,
and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou
shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. &#160; 4 And two
golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the
two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make
<i>it;</i> and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it
withal. &#160; 5 And thou shalt make the staves <i>of</i> shittim
wood, and overlay them with gold. &#160; 6 And thou shalt put it
before the vail that <i>is</i> by the ark of the testimony, before
the mercy seat that <i>is</i> over the testimony, where I will meet
with thee. &#160; 7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense
every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense
upon it. &#160; 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he
shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p2.1">Lord</span> throughout your generations. &#160; 9
Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor
meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. &#160;
10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a
year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the
year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations:
it <i>is</i> most holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p2.2">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxi-p3">I. The orders given concerning the altar of
incense are, 1. That it was to be made of wood, and covered with
gold, pure gold, about a yard high and half a yard square, with
horns at the corners, a golden cornice round it, with rings and
staves of gold, for the convenience of carrying it, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:1-5" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|30|1|30|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.1-Exod.30.5"><i>v.</i> 1-5</scripRef>. It does not appear
that there was any grate to this altar for the ashes to fall into,
that they might be taken away; but, when they burnt incense, a
golden censer was brought with coals in it, and placed upon the
altar, and in that censer the incense was burnt, and with it all
the coals were taken away, so that no coals nor ashes fell upon the
altar. The measure of the altar of incense in Ezekiel's temple is
double to what it is here (<scripRef passage="Eze 41:22" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.2" parsed="|Ezek|41|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.41.22">Ezek. xli.
22</scripRef>), and it is there called <i>an altar of wood,</i> and
there is no mention of gold, to signify that the incense, in gospel
times, should be spiritual, the worship plain, and the service of
God enlarged, for <i>in every place incense should be offered,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mal 1:11" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.3" parsed="|Mal|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.11">Mal. i. 11</scripRef>. 2. That it was
to be placed before the veil, on the outside of that partition, but
before the mercy-seat, which was within the veil, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:6" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.4" parsed="|Exod|30|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. For though he that
ministered at the altar could not see the mercy-seat, the veil
interposing, yet he must look towards it, and direct his incense
that way, to teach us that though we cannot with our bodily eyes
see the throne of grace, that blessed mercy-seat (for it is such a
throne of glory that God, in compassion to us, holds back the face
of it, and spreads a cloud upon it), yet we must in prayer by faith
set ourselves before it, direct our prayer, and look up. 3. That
Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this altar, every morning and
every evening, about half a pound at a time, which was intended,
not only to take away the ill smell of the flesh that was burnt
daily on the brazen altar, but for the honour of God, and to show
the acceptableness of his people's services to him, and the
pleasure which they should take in ministering to him, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:7,8" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.5" parsed="|Exod|30|7|30|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.7-Exod.30.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. As by the offerings
on the brazen altar satisfaction was made for what had been done
displeasing to God, so, by the offering on this, what they did well
was, as it were, recommended to the divine acceptance; for our two
great concerns with God are to be acquitted from guilt and accepted
as righteous in his sight. 4. That nothing was to be offered upon
it but incense, nor any incense but that which was appointed,
<scripRef passage="Ex 30:9" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. God will have
his own service done according to his own appointment, and not
otherwise. 5. That this altar should be purified with the blood of
the sin-offering put upon the <i>horns of it,</i> every year, upon
<i>the day of atonement,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 30:10" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.7" parsed="|Exod|30|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Le 16:18,19" id="Ex.xxxi-p3.8" parsed="|Lev|16|18|16|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.18-Lev.16.19">Lev. xvi. 18,
19</scripRef>. The high priest was to take this in his way, as he
came out from the holy of holies. This was to intimate to them that
the sins of the priests who ministered at this altar, and of the
people for whom they ministered, put a ceremonial impurity upon it,
from which it must be cleansed by the blood of atonement.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxi-p4">II. This incense-altar typified, 1. The
mediation of Christ. The brazen altar in the court was a type of
Christ dying on earth; the golden altar in the sanctuary was a type
of Christ interceding in heaven, in virtue of his satisfaction.
This altar was before the mercy-seat; for Christ always appears in
the presence of God for us; he is our <i>advocate with the
father</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 2:1" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.1" parsed="|1John|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.1">1 John ii. 1</scripRef>),
and his intercession is unto God of a sweet-smelling savour. This
altar had a crown fixed to it; for Christ intercedes as king.
<i>Father, I will,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 17:24" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.2" parsed="|John|17|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.24">John xvii.
24</scripRef>. 2. The devotions of the saints, whose prayers are
said to be set forth before God as incense, <scripRef passage="Ps 141:2" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.3" parsed="|Ps|141|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.141.2">Ps. cxli. 2</scripRef>. As the smoke of the incense
ascended, so much our desires towards God rise in prayer, being
kindled with the fire of holy love and other pious affections. When
the priest was burning incense the people were praying (<scripRef passage="Lu 1:10" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.4" parsed="|Luke|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.10">Luke i. 10</scripRef>), to signify that prayer is
the true incense. This incense was offered daily, it was a
perpetual incense (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:8" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|30|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>); for we must pray always, that is, we must keep up
stated times for prayer every day, morning and evening, at least,
and never omit it, but thus pray without ceasing. The lamps were
dressed or lighted at the same time that the incense was burnt, to
teach us that the reading of the scriptures (which are our light
and lamp) is a part of our daily work, and should ordinarily
accompany our prayers and praises. When we speak to God we must
hear what God says to us, and thus the communion is complete. The
devotions of sanctified souls are well-pleasing to God, of a
sweet-smelling savour; the prayers of saints are compared to sweet
odours (<scripRef passage="Re 5:8" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.6" parsed="|Rev|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.5.8">Rev. v. 8</scripRef>), but it is
the incense which Christ adds to them that makes them acceptable
(<scripRef passage="Re 8:3" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.7" parsed="|Rev|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.8.3">Rev. viii. 3</scripRef>), and his blood
that atones for the guilt which cleaves to our best services. And,
if the heart and life be not holy, even <i>incense is an
abomination</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 1:13" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.8" parsed="|Isa|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.13">Isa. i.
13</scripRef>), and he that offers it is <i>as if he blessed an
idol,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 56:3" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.9" parsed="|Isa|56|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.3">Isa. lxvi. 3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.10" parsed="|Exod|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30:11-16" id="Ex.xxxi-p4.11" parsed="|Exod|30|11|30|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.11-Exod.30.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.30.11-Exod.30.16">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxi-p5">11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p5.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 12 When thou takest the sum of the
children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every
man a ransom for his soul unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p5.2">Lord</span>, when thou numberest them; that there be no
plague among them, when <i>thou</i> numberest them. &#160; 13 This
they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are
numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a
shekel <i>is</i> twenty gerahs:) an half shekel <i>shall be</i> the
offering of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p5.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 14
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty
years old and above, shall give an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p5.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 15 The rich shall not give more,
and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when
<i>they</i> give an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p5.5">Lord</span>, to make an atonement for your souls.
&#160; 16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children
of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle
of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of
Israel before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p5.6">Lord</span>, to make an
atonement for your souls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxi-p6">Some observe that the repetition of those
words, <i>The Lord spoke unto Moses,</i> here and afterwards
(<scripRef passage="Ex 30:17,22,34" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|30|17|0|0;|Exod|30|22|0|0;|Exod|30|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.17 Bible:Exod.30.22 Bible:Exod.30.34"><i>v.</i> 17, 22,
34</scripRef>), intimates that God did not deliver these precepts
to Moses in the mount, in a continued discourse, but with many
intermissions, giving him time either to write what was said to him
or at least to charge his memory with it. Christ gave instructions
to his disciples as they were able to hear them. Moses is here
ordered to levy money upon the people by way of poll, so much a
head, for the service of the tabernacle. This he must do when he
numbered the people. Some think that it refers only to the first
numbering of them, now when the tabernacle was set up; and that
this tax was to make up what was deficient in the voluntary
contributions for the finishing of the work, or rather for the
beginning of the service in the tabernacle. Others think that it
was afterwards repeated upon any emergency and always when the
people were numbered, and that David offended in not demanding it
when he numbered the people. But many of the Jewish writers, and
others from them, are of opinion that it was to be an annual
tribute, only it was begun when Moses first numbered the people.
This was that tribute-money which Christ paid, for fear of
offending his adversaries (<scripRef passage="Mt 17:27" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.2" parsed="|Matt|17|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.17.27">Matt. xvii.
27</scripRef>), when yet he showed good reason why he should have
been excused. Men were appointed in every city to receive this
payment yearly. Now, 1. The tribute to be paid was <i>half a
shekel,</i> about fifteen pence of our money. The rich were not to
give more, nor the poor less (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:15" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|30|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), to intimate that the souls of
the rich and poor are alike precious, and that God is <i>no
respecter of persons,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 10:34,Job 34:19" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.4" parsed="|Acts|10|34|0|0;|Job|34|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.10.34 Bible:Job.34.19">Acts x. 34; Job xxxiv. 19</scripRef>. In other
offerings men were to give according to their ability; but this,
which was the <i>ransom of the soul,</i> must be alike for all; for
the rich have as much need of Christ as the poor, and the poor are
as welcome to him as the rich. They both alike contributed to the
maintenance of the temple-service, because both were to have a like
interest in it and benefit by it. In Christ and his ordinances
<i>rich and poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker,</i> the Lord
Christ is the Redeemer of them both, <scripRef passage="Pr 22:2" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.5" parsed="|Prov|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.22.2">Prov. xxii. 2</scripRef>. The Jews say, "If a man refused
to pay this tribute, he was not comprehended in the expiation." 2.
this tribute was to be paid as a <i>ransom of the soul, that there
might be no plague among them.</i> Hereby they acknowledged that
they received their lives from God, that they had forfeited their
lives to him, and that they depended upon his power and patience
for the continuance of them; and thus they did homage to the God of
their lives, and deprecated those plagues which their sins had
deserved. 3. This money that was raised was to be employed in the
service of the tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:16" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.6" parsed="|Exod|30|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>); with it they bought sacrifices, flour, incense,
wine, oil, fuel, salt, priests' garments, and all other things
which the whole congregation was interested in. Note, Those that
have the benefit of God's tabernacle among them must be willing to
defray the expenses of it, and not grudge the necessary charges of
God's public worship. Thus we must honour the Lord with our
substance, and reckon that best laid out which is laid out in the
service of God. Money indeed cannot make an <i>atonement for the
soul,</i> but it may be used for the honour of him who has made the
atonement, and for the maintenance of the gospel by which the
atonement is applied.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.7" parsed="|Exod|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30:17-21" id="Ex.xxxi-p6.8" parsed="|Exod|30|17|30|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.17-Exod.30.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.30.17-Exod.30.21">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxi-p7">17 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p7.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 18 Thou shalt also make a laver
<i>of</i> brass, and his foot <i>also of</i> brass, to wash
<i>withal:</i> and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the
congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
&#160; 19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their
feet thereat: &#160; 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the
congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or
when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made
by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p7.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 21 So
they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and
it shall be a statute for ever to them, <i>even</i> to him and to
his seed throughout their generations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxi-p8">Orders are here given, 1. For the making of
a laver, or font, of brass, a large vessel, that would contain a
good quantity of water, which was to be set near the door of the
tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:18" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|30|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
The foot of brass, it is supposed, was so contrived as to receive
the water, which was let into it out of the laver by spouts or
cocks. They then had a laver for the priests only to wash in, but
to us now there is a fountain open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash
in (<scripRef passage="Zec 13:1" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.2" parsed="|Zech|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.13.1">Zech. xiii. 1</scripRef>), an
inexhaustible <i>fountain of living water,</i> so that it is our
own fault if we remain in our pollution. 2. For the using of this
laver. Aaron and his sons must wash their hands and feet at this
laver every time they went in to minister, every morning, at least,
<scripRef passage="Ex 30:19-21" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|30|19|30|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.19-Exod.30.21"><i>v.</i> 19-21</scripRef>. For
this purpose clean water was put into the laver fresh every day.
Though they washed themselves ever so clean at their own houses,
that would not serve; they must wash at the laver, because that was
appointed for washing, <scripRef passage="2Ki 5:12-14" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.4" parsed="|2Kgs|5|12|5|14" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.5.12-2Kgs.5.14">2 Kings v.
12-14</scripRef>. This was designed, (1.) To teach them purity in
all their ministrations, and to possess them with a reverence of
God's holiness and a dread of the pollutions of sin. They must not
only wash and be made clean when they were first consecrated, but
they must wash and be kept clean whenever they went in to minister.
He only shall <i>stand in God's holy place</i> that has <i>clean
hands and a pure heart,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 24:3,4" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.5" parsed="|Ps|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.24.3-Ps.24.4">Ps. xxiv.
3, 4</scripRef>. And, (2.) It was to teach us, who are daily to
attend upon God, daily to renew our repentance for sin and our
believing application of the blood of Christ to our souls for
remission; for in many things we daily offend and contract
pollution, <scripRef passage="Joh 13:8,10,Jam 3:2" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.6" parsed="|John|13|8|0|0;|John|13|10|0|0;|Jas|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.13.8 Bible:John.13.10 Bible:Jas.3.2">John xiii. 8,
10; Jam. iii. 2</scripRef>. This is the preparation we are to make
for solemn ordinances. <i>Cleanse your hands and purify your
hearts,</i> and then <i>draw nigh to God,</i> <scripRef passage="Jam 4:8" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.7" parsed="|Jas|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.4.8">Jam. iv. 8</scripRef>. To this law David alludes in
<scripRef passage="Ps 26:6" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.8" parsed="|Ps|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.26.6">Ps. xxvi. 6</scripRef>, <i>I will wash
my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O
Lord.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 30:22-38" id="Ex.xxxi-p8.9" parsed="|Exod|30|22|30|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.22-Exod.30.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.30.22-Exod.30.38">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxi-p9">22 Moreover the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p9.1">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 23 Take
thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred
<i>shekels,</i> and of sweet cinnamon half so much, <i>even</i> two
hundred and fifty <i>shekels,</i> and of sweet calamus two hundred
and fifty <i>shekels,</i> &#160; 24 And of cassia five hundred
<i>shekels,</i> after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive
an hin: &#160; 25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment,
an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be
an holy anointing oil. &#160; 26 And thou shalt anoint the
tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the
testimony, &#160; 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the
candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, &#160; 28
And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver
and his foot. &#160; 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may
be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. &#160; 30 And
thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that
<i>they</i> may minister unto me in the priest's office. &#160; 31
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This
shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
&#160; 32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye
make <i>any other</i> like it, after the composition of it: it
<i>is</i> holy, <i>and</i> it shall be holy unto you. &#160; 33
Whosoever compoundeth <i>any</i> like it, or whosoever putteth
<i>any</i> of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his
people. &#160; 34 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p9.2">Lord</span> said
unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and
galbanum; <i>these</i> sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each
shall there be a like <i>weight:</i> &#160; 35 And thou shalt make
it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary,
tempered together, pure <i>and</i> holy: &#160; 36 And thou shalt
beat <i>some</i> of it very small, and put of it before the
testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet
with thee: it shall be unto you most holy. &#160; 37 And <i>as
for</i> the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to
yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto
thee holy for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxi-p9.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 38
Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even
be cut off from his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxi-p10">Directions are here given for the
composition of the holy anointing oil and the incense that were to
be used in the service of the tabernacle; with these God was to be
honoured, and therefore he would appoint the making of them; for
nothing comes <i>to</i> God but what comes <i>from</i> him. 1. The
holy anointing oil is here ordered to be made up the ingredients,
and their quantities, are prescribed, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:23-25" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|30|23|30|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.23-Exod.30.25"><i>v.</i> 23-25</scripRef>. Interpreters are not
agreed concerning them; we are sure, in general, they were the best
and fittest for the purpose; they must needs be so when the divine
wisdom appointed them for the divine honour. It was to be
compounded <i>secundum artem&#8212;after the art of the apothecary</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 30:25" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|30|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>); the spices,
which were in all nearly half a hundred weight, were to be infused
in the oil, which was to be about five or six quarts, and then
strained out, leaving an admirable sweet smell in the oil. With
this oil God's tent and all the furniture of it were to be
anointed; it was to be used also in the consecration of the
priests, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:26-30" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|30|26|30|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.26-Exod.30.30"><i>v.</i>
26-30</scripRef>. It was to be continued <i>throughout their
generations,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 30:31" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|30|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>. The tradition of the Jews is that this very oil
which was prepared by Moses himself lasted till near the captivity.
But bishop Patrick shows the great improbability of the tradition,
and supposes that it was repeated according to the prescription
here, for Solomon was anointed with it (<scripRef passage="2Ki 1:39" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.5" parsed="|2Kgs|1|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.1.39">2 Kings i. 39</scripRef>), and some other of the kings;
and all the high priests with such a quantity of it that it ran
down to the skirts of the garments; and we read of the making up of
this ointment (<scripRef passage="1Ch 9:30" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.6" parsed="|1Chr|9|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.9.30">1 Chron. ix.
30</scripRef>): yet all agree that in the second temple there was
none of this holy oil, which he supposes was owing to a notion they
had that it was not lawful to make it up, Providence overruling
that want as a presage of the better unction of the Holy Ghost in
gospel times, the variety of whose gifts was typified by these
several sweet ingredients. To show the excellency of holiness,
there was that in the tabernacle which was in the highest degree
grateful both to the sight and to the smell. Christ's name is said
to be as <i>ointment poured forth</i> (<scripRef passage="So 1:3" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.7" parsed="|Song|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.1.3">Cant. i. 3</scripRef>), and the good name of Christians
better than <i>precious ointment,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 7:1" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.8" parsed="|Eccl|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.1">Eccl. vii. 1</scripRef>. 2. The incense which was burned
upon the golden altar was prepared of sweet spices likewise, though
not so rare and rich as those of which the anointing oil was
compounded, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:34,35" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.9" parsed="|Exod|30|34|30|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.34-Exod.30.35"><i>v.</i> 34,
35</scripRef>. This was prepared once a year (the Jews say), a
pound for each day of the year, and three pounds over for the day
of atonement. When it was used, it was to be beaten very small:
thus it pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer when he offered
himself for a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour. 3. Concerning
both these preparations the same law is here given (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:32,33,37,38" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.10" parsed="|Exod|30|32|30|33;|Exod|30|37|0|0;|Exod|30|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.32-Exod.30.33 Bible:Exod.30.37 Bible:Exod.30.38"><i>v.</i> 32, 33, 37, 38</scripRef>),
that the like should not be made for any common use. Thus God would
preserve in the people's minds a reverence for his own
institutions, and teach us not to profane nor abuse any thing
whereby God makes himself known, as those did who invented to
themselves (for their common entertainments) instruments of music
like David, <scripRef passage="Am 6:5" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.11" parsed="|Amos|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.6.5">Amos vi. 5</scripRef>. It is
a great affront to God to jest with sacred things, particularly to
make sport with the word and ordinances of God, or to treat them
with lightness, <scripRef passage="Mt 22:5" id="Ex.xxxi-p10.12" parsed="|Matt|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.5">Matt. xxii.
5</scripRef>. That which is God's peculiar must not be used as a
common thing.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXI" n="xxxii" progress="45.99%" prev="Ex.xxxi" next="Ex.xxxiii" id="Ex.xxxii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxii-p1">God is here drawing towards a conclusion of what
he had to say to Moses upon the mount, where he had now been with
him forty days and forty nights; and yet no more is recorded of
what was said to him in all that time than what we have read in the
six chapters foregoing. In this, I. He appoints what workmen should
be employed in the building and furnishing of the tabernacle,
<scripRef passage="Ex 31:1-11" id="Ex.xxxii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|31|1|31|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.1-Exod.31.11">ver. 1-11</scripRef>. II. He repeats
the law of the sabbath, and the religious observance of it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 31:12-17" id="Ex.xxxii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|31|12|31|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.12-Exod.31.17">ver. 12-17</scripRef>. III. He
delivers to him the two tables of the testimony at parting,
<scripRef passage="Ex 31:18" id="Ex.xxxii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|31|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.18">ver. 18</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 31" id="Ex.xxxii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 31:1-11" id="Ex.xxxii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|31|1|31|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.1-Exod.31.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.31.1-Exod.31.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxii-p1.6">Appointment of Bezaleel and
Aholiab. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 See, I have called by name
Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
&#160; 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom,
and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanship, &#160; 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and
in silver, and in brass, &#160; 5 And in cutting of stones, to set
<i>them,</i> and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of
workmanship. &#160; 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab,
the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all
that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all
that I have commanded thee; &#160; 7 The tabernacle of the
congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that
<i>is</i> thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,
&#160; 8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick
with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, &#160; 9 And the
altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and
his foot, &#160; 10 And the cloths of service, and the holy
garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to
minister in the priest's office, &#160; 11 And the anointing oil,
and sweet incense for the holy <i>place:</i> according to all that
I have commanded thee shall they do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p3">A great deal of fine work God had ordered
to be done about the tabernacle; the materials the people were to
provide, but who must put them into form? Moses himself was learned
in all the learning of the Egyptians, nay, he was well acquainted
with the words of God, and the visions of the Almighty; but he knew
not how to engrave or embroider. We may suppose that there were
some very ingenious men among the Israelites; but, having lived all
their days in bondage in Egypt, we cannot think they were any of
them instructed in these curious arts. They knew how to make brick
and work in clay, but to work in gold and in cutting diamonds was
what they had never been brought up to. How should the work be done
with the neatness and exactness that were required when they had no
goldsmiths or jewellers but what must be made out of masons and
bricklayers? We may suppose that there were a sufficient number who
would gladly be employed, and would do their best; but it would be
hard to find out a proper person to preside in this work. <i>Who
was sufficient for these things?</i> But God takes care of this
matter also.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p4">I. He nominates the persons that were to be
employed, that there might be no contest about the preferment, nor
envy at those that were preferred, God himself having made the
choice. 1. Bezaleel was to be the architect, or master workman,
<scripRef passage="Ex 31:2" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|31|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. He was of the
tribe of Judah, a tribe that God delighted to honour; the grandson
of Hur, probably that Hur who had helped to hold up Moses's hands
(<scripRef passage="Ex 17:1-16" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|17|1|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1-Exod.17.16"><i>ch.</i> xvii.</scripRef>), and
was at this time in commission with Aaron for the government of the
people in the absence of Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:14" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.14"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 14</scripRef>); out of that family
which was of note in Israel was the workman chosen, and it added no
little honour to the family that a branch of it was employed,
though but as a mechanic, or handicraft tradesman, for the service
of the tabernacle. The Jews' tradition is that Hur was the husband
of Miriam; and, if so, it was requisite that God should appoint him
to this service, lest, if Moses himself had done it, he should be
thought partial to his own kindred, his brother Aaron also being
advanced to the priesthood. God will put honour upon Moses's
relations, and yet will make it to appear that he takes not the
honour to himself or his own family, but that it is purely the
Lord's doing. 2. Aholiab, of the tribe of Dan, is appointed next to
Bezaleel, and partner with him, <scripRef passage="Ex 31:6" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|31|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Two are better than one. Christ
sent forth his disciples who were to rear the gospel tabernacle,
two and two, and we read of his two witnesses. Aholiab was of the
tribe of Dan, which was one of the less honourable tribes, that the
tribes of Judah and Levi might not be lifted up, as if they were to
engross all the preferments; to prevent a schism in the body, God
gives honour to <i>that part which lacked,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:24" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.5" parsed="|1Cor|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.24">1 Cor. xii. 24</scripRef>. <i>The head cannot say to
the foot, I have no need of thee.</i> Hiram, who was the head
workman in the building of Solomon's temple, was also of the tribe
of Dan, <scripRef passage="2Ch 2:14" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.6" parsed="|2Chr|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.2.14">2 Chron. ii. 14</scripRef>. 3.
There were others that were employed by and under these in the
several operations about the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 31:6" id="Ex.xxxii-p4.7" parsed="|Exod|31|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Note, When God has work to do he
will never want instruments to do it with, for all hearts and heads
too are under his eye, and in his hand; and those may cheerfully go
about any service for God, and go on in it, who have reason to
think that, one way or other, he has called them to it; for whom he
calls he will own and bear out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p5">II. He qualifies these persons for the
service (<scripRef passage="Ex 31:3" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>I
have filled him with the Spirit of God;</i> and (<scripRef passage="Ex 31:6" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|31|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) <i>in the hearts of all that are
wise-hearted I have put wisdom.</i> Note, 1. Skill in common arts
and employments is the gift of God; from him are derived both the
faculty and the improvement of the faculty. It is he that puts even
this <i>wisdom into the inward parts,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:36" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.3" parsed="|Job|38|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.36">Job xxxviii. 36</scripRef>. He teaches the husbandman
discretion (<scripRef passage="Isa 28:26" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.4" parsed="|Isa|28|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.26">Isa. xxviii.
26</scripRef>), and the tradesman too; and he must have the praise
of it. 2. God dispenses his gifts variously, one gift to one,
another to another, and all for the good of the whole body, both of
mankind and of the church. Moses was fittest of all to govern
Israel, but Bezaleel was fitter than he to build the tabernacle.
The common benefit is very much supported by the variety of men's
faculties and inclinations; the genius of some leads them to be
serviceable one way, of others another way, and <i>all these
worketh that one and the self-same Spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:11" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.5" parsed="|1Cor|12|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.11">1 Cor. xii. 11</scripRef>. This forbids pride, envy,
contempt, and carnal emulation, and strengthens the bond of mutual
love. 3. Those whom God calls to any service he will either find,
or make, fit for it. If God give the commission, he will in some
measure give the qualifications, according as the service is. The
work, that was to be done here was to make the tabernacle and the
utensils of it, which are here particularly reckoned up, <scripRef passage="Ex 31:7" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.6" parsed="|Exod|31|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>, &amp;c. And for this the
persons employed were enabled to <i>work in gold, and silver, and
brass.</i> When Christ sent his apostles to rear the gospel
tabernacle, he poured out his Spirit upon them, to enable them to
speak with tongues the wonderful works of God; not to work upon
metal, but to work upon men; so much more excellent were the gifts,
as the tabernacle to be pitched was a <i>greater and more perfect
tabernacle,</i> as the apostle calls it, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:11" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.7" parsed="|Heb|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.11">Heb. ix. 11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 31" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.8" parsed="|Exod|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 31:12-18" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.9" parsed="|Exod|31|12|31|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.12-Exod.31.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.31.12-Exod.31.18">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxii-p5.10">The Observance of the
Sabbath. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p5.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxii-p6">12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p6.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 13 Speak thou also unto the
children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for
it <i>is</i> a sign between me and you throughout your generations;
that <i>ye</i> may know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p6.2">Lord</span> that doth sanctify you. &#160; 14 Ye shall
keep the sabbath therefore; for it <i>is</i> holy unto you: every
one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever
doeth <i>any</i> work therein, that soul shall be cut off from
among his people. &#160; 15 Six days may work be done; but in the
seventh <i>is</i> the sabbath of rest, holy to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p6.3">Lord</span>: whosoever doeth <i>any</i> work in the
sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. &#160; 16 Wherefore
the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the
sabbath throughout their generations, <i>for</i> a perpetual
covenant. &#160; 17 It <i>is</i> a sign between me and the children
of Israel for ever: for <i>in</i> six days the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxii-p6.4">Lord</span> made heaven and earth, and on the seventh
day he rested, and was refreshed. &#160; 18 And he gave unto Moses,
when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two
tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p7">Here is, I. A strict command for the
sanctification of the sabbath day, <scripRef passage="Ex 31:13-17" id="Ex.xxxii-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|31|13|31|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.13-Exod.31.17"><i>v.</i> 13-17</scripRef>. The law of the sabbath
had been given them before any other law, by was of preparation
(<scripRef passage="Ex 16:23" id="Ex.xxxii-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|16|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.23"><i>ch.</i> xvi. 23</scripRef>); it
had been inserted in the body of the moral law, in the fourth
commandment; it had been annexed to the judicial law (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:12" id="Ex.xxxii-p7.3" parsed="|Exod|23|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.12"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. 12</scripRef>); and here it is
added to the first part of the ceremonial law, because the
observance of the sabbath is indeed the hem and hedge of the whole
law; where no conscience is made of that, farewell both godliness
and honesty; for, in the moral law, it stands in the midst between
the two tables. Some suggest that it comes in here upon another
account. Orders were now given that a tabernacle should be set up
and furnished for the service of God with all possible expedition;
but lest they should think that the nature of the work, and the
haste that was required, would justify them in working at it on
sabbath days, that they might get it done the sooner, this caution
is seasonably inserted, <i>Verily,</i> or <i>nevertheless, my
sabbaths you shall keep.</i> Though they must hasten the work, yet
they must not make more haste than good speed; they must not break
the law of the sabbath in their haste: even tabernacle-work must
give way to the sabbath-rest; so jealous is God for the honour of
his sabbaths. Observe what is here said concerning the sabbath
day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p8">1. The nature, meaning, and intention, of
the sabbath, by the declaration of which God puts an honour upon
it, and teaches us to value it. Divers things are here said of the
sabbath. (1.) <i>It is a sign between me and you</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 31:13" id="Ex.xxxii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), and again, <scripRef passage="Ex 31:17" id="Ex.xxxii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|31|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. The institution of the
sabbath was a great instance of God's favour to them, and a sign
that he had distinguished them from all other people; and their
religious observance of the sabbath was a great instance of their
duty and obedience to him. God, by sanctifying this day among them,
let them know that he sanctified them, and set them apart for
himself and his service; otherwise he would not have revealed to
them his holy sabbaths, to be the support of religion among them.
Or it may refer to the law concerning the sabbath, <i>Keep my
sabbaths, that you may know that I the Lord do sanctify you.</i>
Note, If God by his grace incline our hearts to keep the law of the
fourth commandment, it will be an evidence of a good work wrought
in us by his Spirit. If we sanctify God's day, it is a sign between
him and us that he has sanctified our hearts: hence it is the
character of the blessed man that he <i>keepeth the sabbath from
polluting it,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 56:2" id="Ex.xxxii-p8.3" parsed="|Isa|56|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.2">Isa. lvi.
2</scripRef>. The Jews, by observing one day in seven, after six
days' labour, testified and declared that they worshipped the God
who made the world in six days, and rested the seventh; and so
distinguished themselves from other nations, who, having first lost
the sabbath, which was instituted to be a memorial of the creation,
by degrees lost the knowledge of the Creator, and gave that honour
to the creature which was due to him alone. (2.) <i>It is holy unto
you</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 31:14" id="Ex.xxxii-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|31|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>),
that is, "It is designed for your benefit as well as for God's
honour;" <i>the sabbath was made for man.</i> Or, "It shall be
accounted holy by you, and shall so be observed, and you shall look
upon it a sacrilege to profane it." (3.) It is the <i>sabbath of
rest, holy to the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 31:15" id="Ex.xxxii-p8.5" parsed="|Exod|31|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. It is separated from common use, and designed for
the honour and service of God, and by the observance of it we are
taught to rest from worldly pursuits and the service of the flesh,
and to devote ourselves, and all we are, have, and can do, to God's
glory. (4.) It was to be observed <i>throughout their
generations,</i> in every age, <i>for a perpetual covenant.</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 31:16" id="Ex.xxxii-p8.6" parsed="|Exod|31|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. This was to
be one of the most lasting tokens of that covenant which was
between God and Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p9">2. The law of the sabbath. They must keep
it (<scripRef passage="Ex 31:13,14,16" id="Ex.xxxii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|31|13|31|14;|Exod|31|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.13-Exod.31.14 Bible:Exod.31.16"><i>v.</i> 13, 14,
16</scripRef>), keep it as a treasure, as a trust, observe it and
preserve it, keep it from polluting it, keep it up as a sign
between God and them, keep it and never part with it. The Gentiles
had anniversary-feasts, to the honour of their gods; but it was
peculiar to the Jews to have a weekly festival; this therefore they
must carefully observe.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p10">3. The reason of the sabbath; for God's
laws are not only backed with the highest authority, but supported
with the best reason. God's own example is the great reason,
<scripRef passage="Ex 31:17" id="Ex.xxxii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|31|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. As the work
of creation is worthy to be thus commemorated, so the great Creator
is worthy to be thus imitated, by a holy rest, the seventh day,
after six days' labour, especially since we hope, in further
conformity to the same example, shortly to rest with him from all
our labours.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p11">4. The penalty to be inflicted for the
breach of this law: "Every one that <i>defileth the sabbath,</i> by
doing <i>any work therein</i> but works of piety and mercy,
<i>shall be cut off from among his people</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 31:14" id="Ex.xxxii-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|31|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>); <i>he shall surely be put to
death.</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 31:15" id="Ex.xxxii-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|31|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
The magistrate must cut him off the sword of justice if the crime
can be proved; if it cannot, or if the magistrate be remiss, and do
not do his duty, God will take the work into his own hands, and cut
him off by a stroke from heaven, and his family shall be rooted out
of Israel." Note, The contempt and profanation of the sabbath day
is an iniquity to be punished by the judges; and, if men do not
punish it, God will, here or hereafter, unless it be repented
of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxii-p12">II. The delivering of the two tables of
testimony to Moses. God had promised him these tables when he
called him up into the mount (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:12" id="Ex.xxxii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|24|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.12"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 12</scripRef>), and now, when he was
sending him down, he delivered them to him, to be carefully and
honourably deposited in the ark, <scripRef passage="Ex 31:18" id="Ex.xxxii-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|31|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. 1. The ten commandments which
God had spoken upon Mount Sinai in the hearing of all the people
were now written, <i>in perpetuam rei memoriam&#8212;for a perpetual
memorial,</i> because that which is written remains. 2. They were
written in <i>tables of stone,</i> prepared, not by Moses, as it
should seem (for it is intimated, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:12" id="Ex.xxxii-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|24|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.12"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 12</scripRef>, that he found them ready
written when he went up to the mount), but, as some think, by the
ministry of angels. The law was written in <i>tables of stone,</i>
to denote the perpetual duration of it (what can be supposed to
last longer than that which is written in stone, and laid up?), to
denote likewise the hardness of our hearts; one might more easily
write in stone than write any thing that is good in our corrupt and
sinful hearts. 3. They were written <i>with the finger of God,</i>
that is, by his will and power immediately, without the use of any
instrument. It is God only that can write his law in the heart; he
<i>gives a heart of flesh,</i> and then, by his Spirit, which is
the <i>finger of God,</i> he writes his will in the <i>fleshly
tables of the heart,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 3:3" id="Ex.xxxii-p12.4" parsed="|2Cor|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.3">2 Cor. iii.
3</scripRef>. 4. They were written in two tables, being designed to
direct us in our duty both towards God and towards man. 5. They are
called <i>tables of testimony,</i> because this written law
testified both the will of God concerning them and his good-will
towards them, and would be a testimony against them if they were
disobedient. 6. They were delivered to Moses, probably with a
charge, before he laid them up in the ark, to show them publicly,
that they might be <i>seen and read of all men,</i> and so what
they had heard with the hearing of the ear might now be brought to
their remembrance. Thus <i>the law was given by Moses, but grace
and truth came by Jesus Christ.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXII" n="xxxiii" progress="46.31%" prev="Ex.xxxii" next="Ex.xxxiv" id="Ex.xxxiii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxiii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1">It is a very lamentable interruption which the
story of this chapter gives to the record of the establishment of
the church, and of religion among the Jews. Things went on
admirably well towards that happy settlement: God had shown himself
very favourable, and the people also had seemed to be pretty
tractable. Moses had now almost completed his forty days upon the
mount, and, we may suppose, was pleasing himself with the thoughts
of the very joyful welcome he should have to the camp of Israel at
his return, and the speedy setting up of the tabernacle among them.
But, behold, the measures are broken, the sin of Israel turns away
those good things from them, and puts a stop to the current of
God's favours; the sin that did the mischief (would you think it?)
was worshipping a golden calf. The marriage was ready to be
solemnized between God and Israel, but Israel plays the harlot, and
so the match is broken, and it will be no easy matter to piece it
again. Here is, I. The sin of Israel, and of Aaron particularly, in
making the golden calf for a god (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:1-4" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|32|1|32|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.1-Exod.32.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>), and worshipping it, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:5,6" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|32|5|32|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.5-Exod.32.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. II. The notice which God
gave of this to Moses, who was now in the mount with him,
(<scripRef passage="Ex 32:7,8" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|32|7|32|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.7-Exod.32.8">ver. 7, 8</scripRef>), and the
sentence of his wrath against them, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:9,10" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|32|9|32|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.9-Exod.32.10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. III. The intercession which
Moses immediately made for them in the mount (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:11-13" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|32|11|32|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.11-Exod.32.13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>), and the prevalency of that
intercession, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:14" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|32|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.14">ver. 14</scripRef>. IV.
His coming down from the mount, when he became an eye-witness of
their idolatry (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:15-19" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|32|15|32|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.15-Exod.32.19">ver.
15-19</scripRef>), in abhorrence of which, and as an expression of
just indignation, he broke the tables (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:19" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|32|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.19">ver. 19</scripRef>), and burnt the golden calf,
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:20" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|32|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.20">ver. 20</scripRef>. V. The examination
of Aaron about it, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:21-24" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|32|21|32|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.21-Exod.32.24">ver.
21-24</scripRef>. VI. Execution done upon the ring-leaders in the
idolatry, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:25-29" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.11" parsed="|Exod|32|25|32|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.25-Exod.32.29">ver. 25-29</scripRef>.
VII. The further intercession Moses made for them, to turn away the
wrath of God from them (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:30-32" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.12" parsed="|Exod|32|30|32|32" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.30-Exod.32.32">ver.
30-32</scripRef>), and a reprieve granted thereupon, reserving them
for a further reckoning, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:33-35" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.13" parsed="|Exod|32|33|32|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.33-Exod.32.35">ver.
33</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.14" parsed="|Exod|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32:1-6" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.15" parsed="|Exod|32|1|32|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.1-Exod.32.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.32.1-Exod.32.6">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.16">The Golden Calf. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p1.17">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiii-p2">1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to
come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together
unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go
before us; for <i>as for</i> this Moses, the man that brought us up
out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. &#160;
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which
<i>are</i> in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your
daughters, and bring <i>them</i> unto me. &#160; 3 And all the
people brake off the golden earrings which <i>were</i> in their
ears, and brought <i>them</i> unto Aaron. &#160; 4 And he received
<i>them</i> at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool,
after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These <i>be</i>
thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
&#160; 5 And when Aaron saw <i>it,</i> he built an altar before it;
and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow <i>is</i> a feast
to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p2.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 6 And they rose
up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought
peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and
rose up to play.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p3">While Moses was in the mount, receiving the
law from God, the people had time to meditate upon what had been
delivered, and prepare themselves for what was further to be
revealed, and forty days was little enough for that work; but,
instead of that, there were those among them that were contriving
how to break the laws they had already received, and to anticipate
those which they were in expectation of. On the thirty-ninth day of
the forty, the plot broke out of rebellion against the Lord. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p4">I. A tumultuous address which the people
made to Aaron, who was entrusted with the government in the absence
of Moses: <i>Up, make us gods, which shall go before us,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:1" id="Ex.xxxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|32|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p5">1. See the ill effect of Moses's absence
from them; if he had not had God's call both to go and stay, he
would not have been altogether free from blame. Those that have the
charge of others, as magistrates, ministers, and masters of
families, ought not, without just cause, to absent themselves from
their charge, <i>lest Satan get advantage</i> thereby.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p6">2. See the fury and violence of a multitude
when they are influenced and corrupted by such as lie in wait to
deceive. Some few, it is likely, were at first possessed with this
humour, while many, who would never have thought of it if they had
not put it into their hearts, were brought to follow their
pernicious ways; and presently such a multitude were carried down
the stream that the few who abhorred the proposal durst not so much
as enter their protestation against it. <i>Behold how great a
matter a little fire kindles!</i> Now what was the matter with this
giddy multitude?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p7">(1.) They were weary of waiting for the
promised land. They thought themselves detained too long at mount
Sinai; though there they lay very safe and very easy, well fed and
well taught, yet they were impatient to be going forward. They had
a God that staid with them, and manifested his presence with them
by the cloud; but this would not serve. They must have a god to go
before them; they are for hastening to the land <i>flowing with
milk and honey,</i> and cannot stay to take their religion along
with them. Note, Those that would anticipate God's counsels are
commonly precipitate in their own. We must first wait for God's law
before we catch at his promises. He that believeth doth not make
haste, not more haste than good speed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p8">(2.) They were weary of waiting for the
return of Moses. When he went up into the mount, he had not told
them (for God had not told him) how long he must stay; and
therefore, when he had outstayed their time, though they were every
way well provided for in his absence, some bad people advanced I
know not what surmises concerning his delay: <i>As for this Moses,
the man that brought us up out of Egypt, we wot not what has become
of him.</i> Observe, [1.] How slightly they speak of his
person&#8212;<i>this Moses.</i> Thus ungrateful are they to Moses, who
had shown such a tender concern for them, and thus do they walk
contrary to God. While God delights to put honour upon him, they
delight to put contempt upon him, and this to the face of Aaron his
brother, and now his viceroy. Note, The greatest merits cannot
secure men from the greatest indignities and affronts in this
ungrateful world. [2.] How suspiciously they speak of his delay:
<i>We wot not what has become of him.</i> They thought he was
either consumed by the devouring fire or starved for want to food,
as if that God who kept and fed them, who were so unworthy, would
not take care for the protection and supply of Moses his favourite.
Some of them, who were willing to think well of Moses, perhaps
suggested that he was translated to heaven like Enoch; while others
that cared not how ill they thought of him insinuated that he had
deserted his undertaking, as unable to go on with it, and had
returned to his father-in-law to keep his flock. All these
suggestions were perfectly groundless and absurd, nothing could be
more so; it was easy to tell <i>what had become of him:</i> he was
seen to go into the cloud, and the cloud he went into was still
seen by all Israel upon the top of the mount; they had all the
reason in the world to conclude that he was safe there; if the Lord
had been pleased to kill him, he would not have shown him such
favours as these. If he tarried long, it was because God had a
great deal to say to him, for their good; he resided upon the mount
as the ambassador, and he would certainly return as soon as he had
finished the business he went upon; and yet they make this the
colour for their wicked proposal: <i>We wot not what has become of
him.</i> Note, <i>First,</i> Those that are resolved to think ill,
when they have ever so much reason to think well, commonly pretend
that they know not what to think. <i>Secondly,</i>
Misinterpretations of our Redeemer's delays are the occasion of a
great deal of wickedness. Our Lord Jesus has gone up into the mount
of glory, where he is appearing in the presence of Gold for us, but
out of our sight; the heavens must contain him, must conceal him,
that we may live by faith. There he has been long; there he is yet.
Hence unbelievers suggest that they know not what has become of
him; and ask, <i>Where is the promise of his coming?</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 3:4" id="Ex.xxxiii-p8.1" parsed="|2Pet|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.4">2 Pet. iii. 4</scripRef>), as if, because he has
not come yet, he would never come. The wicked servant emboldens
himself in his impieties with this consideration, <i>My Lord delays
his coming. Thirdly,</i> Weariness in waiting betrays us to a great
many temptations. This began Saul's ruin; he staid for Samuel to
the last hour of the time appointed, but had not patience to stay
that hour (<scripRef passage="1Sa 13:8" id="Ex.xxxiii-p8.2" parsed="|1Sam|13|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.13.8">1 Sam. xiii. 8</scripRef>,
&amp;c.); so Israel here, if they could but have staid one day
longer, would have seen what had become of Moses. <i>The Lord is a
God of judgment,</i> and must be waited for till he comes waited
for though he tarry; and then we shall not lose our labour, for he
that shall come will come, and will not tarry.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p9">(3.) They were weary of waiting for a
divine institution of religious worship among them for that was the
thing they were now in expectation of. They were told that they
must <i>serve God in this mountain,</i> and fond enough they would
be of the pomp and ceremony of it; but, because that was not
appointed them so soon as they wished, they would set their own
wits on work to devise signs of God's presence with them, and would
glory in them, and have a worship of their own invention, probably
such as they had seen among the Egyptians; for Stephen says that
when they said unto Aaron, <i>Make us gods,</i> they did, in heart,
<i>turn back into Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:39,40" id="Ex.xxxiii-p9.1" parsed="|Acts|7|39|7|40" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.39-Acts.7.40">Acts
vii. 39, 40</scripRef>. This was a very strange motion, <i>Up, make
us gods.</i> If they knew not what had become of Moses, and thought
him lost, it would have been decent for them to have appointed a
solemn mourning for him for certain days; but see how soon so great
a benefactor is forgotten. If they had said, "Moses is lost, make
us a governor," there would have been some sense in it, though a
great deal of ingratitude to the memory of Moses, and contempt of
Aaron and Hur who were left lords-justices in his absence; but to
say, <i>Moses is lost, make us a god,</i> was the greatest
absurdity imaginable. Was Moses their god? Had he ever pretended to
be so? Whatever had become of Moses, was it not evident, beyond
contradiction that God was still with them? And had they any room
to question his leading their camp who victualled it so well every
day? Could they have any other god that would provide so well for
them as he had done, nay as he now did? And yet, <i>Make us gods,
which shall go before us! Gods!</i> How many would they have? Is
not one sufficient? <i>Make us gods!</i> and what good would gods
of their own making do them? They must have such gods to go before
them as could not go themselves further than they were carried. So
wretchedly besotted and intoxicated are idolaters: they are <i>mad
upon their idols,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 50:38" id="Ex.xxxiii-p9.2" parsed="|Jer|50|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.50.38">Jer. l.
38</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p10">II. Here is the demand which Aaron makes of
their jewels thereupon: <i>Bring me your golden ear-rings,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:2" id="Ex.xxxiii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|32|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. We do not find
that he said one word to discountenance their proposal; he did not
reprove their insolence, did not reason with them to convince them
of the sin and folly of it, but seemed to approve the motion, and
showed himself not unwilling to humour them in it. One would hope
he designed, at first, only to make a jest of it, and, by setting
up a ridiculous image among them, to expose the motion, and show
them the folly of it. But, if so, it proved ill jesting with sin:
it is of dangerous consequence for the unwary fly to play about the
candle. Some charitably suppose that when Aaron told them to break
off their ear-rings, and bring them to him, he did it with design
to crush the proposal, believing that though their covetousness
would have let them <i>lavish gold out of the bag</i> to make an
idol of (<scripRef passage="Isa 46:6" id="Ex.xxxiii-p10.2" parsed="|Isa|46|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.6">Isa. xlvi. 6</scripRef>), yet
their pride would not have suffered them to part with the golden
ear-rings. But it is not safe to try how far men's sinful lusts
will carry them in a sinful way, and what expense they will be at;
it proved here a dangerous experiment.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p11">III. Here is the making of the golden calf,
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:3,4" id="Ex.xxxiii-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|32|3|32|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.3-Exod.32.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. 1. The
people brought in their ear-rings to Aaron, whose demand of them,
instead of discouraging the motion, perhaps did rather gratify
their superstition, and beget in them a fancy that the gold taken
from their ears would be the most acceptable, and would make the
most valuable god. Let their readiness to part with their rings to
make an idol of shame us out of our niggardliness in the service of
the true God. Did they not draw back from the charge of their
idolatry? And shall we grudge the expenses of our religion, or
starve so good a cause? 2. Aaron melted down their rings, and,
having a mould prepared for the purpose, poured the melted gold
into it, and then produced it in the shape of an ox or calf, giving
it some finishing strokes with a graving tool. Some think that
Aaron chose this figure, for a sign or token of the divine
presence, because he thought the head and horns of an ox a proper
emblem of the divine power, and yet, being so plain and common a
thing, he hoped the people would not be so sottish as to worship
it. But it is probable that they had learnt of the Egyptians thus
to represent the Deity, for it is said (<scripRef passage="Eze 20:8" id="Ex.xxxiii-p11.2" parsed="|Ezek|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.20.8">Ezek. xx. 8</scripRef>), <i>They did not forsake the
idols of Egypt,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:8" id="Ex.xxxiii-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|23|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.8"><i>ch.</i>
xxiii. 8</scripRef>), <i>Neither left she her whoredoms brought
from Egypt. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an
ox</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 106:20" id="Ex.xxxiii-p11.4" parsed="|Ps|106|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.20">Ps. cvi. 20</scripRef>), and
proclaimed their own folly, beyond that of other idolaters, who
worshipped the host of heaven.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12">IV. Having made the calf in Horeb, they
<i>worshipped the graven image,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 106:19" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Ps|106|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.19">Ps. cvi. 19</scripRef>. Aaron, seeing the people fond
of their calf, was willing yet further to humour them, and he built
an altar before it, and proclaimed a feast to the honour of it
(<scripRef passage="Ex 32:5" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), a feast of
dedication. Yet he calls it <i>a feast to Jehovah;</i> for, brutish
as they were, they did not imagine that this image was itself a
god, nor did they design to terminate their adoration in the image,
but they made it for a representation of the true God, whom they
intended to worship in and through this image; and yet this did not
excuse them from gross idolatry, any more than it will excuse the
papists, whose plea it is that they do not worship the image, but
God by the image, so making themselves just such idolaters as the
worshippers of the golden calf, whose feast was a feast to Jehovah,
and proclaimed to be so, that the most ignorant and unthinking
might not mistake it. The people are forward enough to celebrate
this feast (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:6" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|32|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>):
<i>They rose up early on the morrow,</i> to show how well pleased
they were with the solemnity, and, according to the ancient rites
of worship, they offered sacrifice to this new-made deity, and then
feasted upon the sacrifice; thus having, at the expense of their
ear-rings, made their god, they endeavour, at the expense of their
beasts, to make this god propitious. Had they offered these
sacrifices immediately to Jehovah, without the intervention of an
image, they might (for aught I know) have been accepted (<scripRef passage="Ex 20:24" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.4" parsed="|Exod|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24"><i>ch.</i> xx. 24</scripRef>); but having set up
an image before them as a symbol of God's presence, and so changed
the truth of God into a lie, these sacrifices were an abomination,
nothing could be more so. When the idolatry of theirs is spoken of
in the New Testament the account of their feast upon the sacrifice
is quoted and referred to (<scripRef passage="1Co 10:7" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.5" parsed="|1Cor|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.7">1 Cor. x.
7</scripRef>): <i>They sat down to eat and drink</i> of the
remainder of what was sacrificed, and then <i>rose up to play,</i>
to play the fool, to play the wanton. Like god, like worship. They
would not have made a calf their god if they had not first made
their belly their god; but, when the god was a jest, no marvel that
the service was sport. Being <i>vain in their imaginations,</i>
they became vain in their worship, so great was this vanity. Now,
1. It was strange that any of the people, especially so great a
number of them, should do such a thing. Had they not, but the other
day, in this very place, heard the voice of the Lord God speaking
to them out of the midst of the fire, <i>Thou shalt not make to
thyself any graven image?</i> Had they not heard the thunder, seen
the lightnings, and felt the earthquake, with the dreadful pomp of
which this law was given? Had they not been particularly cautioned
not to make <i>gods of gold?</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 20:23" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.6" parsed="|Exod|20|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.23"><i>ch.</i> xx. 23</scripRef>. Nay, had they not
themselves solemnly entered into covenant with God, and promised
that all that which he had said unto them they <i>would do, and
would be obedient?</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 24:7" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.7" parsed="|Exod|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.7"><i>ch.</i> xxiv.
7</scripRef>. And yet, before they stirred from the place where
this covenant had been solemnly ratified, and before the cloud was
removed from the top of Mount Sinai, thus to break an express
command, in defiance of an express threatening that this
<i>iniquity should be visited upon them and their
children</i>&#8212;what shall be think of it? It is a plain indication
that the law was no more able to sanctify than it was to justify;
by it is the knowledge of sin, but not the cure of it. This is
intimated in the emphasis laid upon the place where this sin was
committed (<scripRef passage="Ps 106:19" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.8" parsed="|Ps|106|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.19">Ps. cvi. 19</scripRef>).
<i>They made a calf in Horeb,</i> the very place where the law was
given. It was otherwise with those that received the gospel; they
immediately <i>turned from idols;</i> <scripRef passage="1Th 1:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.9" parsed="|1Thess|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.1.9">1
Thess. i. 9</scripRef>. 2. It was especially strange that Aaron
should be so deeply implicated in this sin, that he should make the
calf, and proclaim the feast! Is this Aaron, the saint of the Lord,
the brother of Moses his prophet, that could <i>speak so well.</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 4:14" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.10" parsed="|Exod|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.4.14"><i>ch.</i> iv. 14</scripRef>), and yet
speaks not one word against this idolatry? Is this he that had not
only seen, but had been employed in summoning, the plagues of
Egypt, and the judgments, executed upon the gods of the Egyptians?
What! and yet himself copying out the abandoned idolatries of
Egypt? With what face could they say, <i>These are thy gods</i>
that <i>brought thee out of Egypt,</i> when they thus bring the
idolatry of Egypt (the worst thing there) along with them? Is this
Aaron, who had been with Moses in the mount (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:24,24:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.11" parsed="|Exod|19|24|0|0;|Exod|24|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.24 Bible:Exod.24.9"><i>ch.</i> xix. 24; xxiv. 9</scripRef>), and knew
that there was no manner of similitude seen there, by which they
might make an image? Is this Aaron who was entrusted with the care
of the people in the absence of Moses? Is he aiding and abetting in
this rebellion against the Lord? How was it possible that he should
ever do so sinful a thing? Either he was strangely surprised into
it, and did it when he was half asleep, or he was frightened into
it by the outrages of the rabble. The Jews have a tradition that
his colleague Hur opposing it the people fell upon him and stoned
him (and therefore we never read of him after) and that this
frightened Aaron into a compliance. And God left him to himself,
[1.] To teach us what the best of men are when they are so left,
that we may <i>cease from man,</i> and that he who <i>thinks he
stands may take heed lest he fall.</i> [2.] Aaron was, at this
time, destined by the divine appointment to the great office of the
priesthood; though he knew it not, Moses in the mount did. Now,
lest he should be <i>lifted up, above measure,</i> with the honours
that were to be put upon him, a messenger of Satan was suffered to
prevail over him, that the remembrance thereof might keep him
humble all his days. He who had once shamed himself so far as to
build an altar to a golden calf must own himself altogether
unworthy of the honour of attending at the altar of God, and purely
indebted to free grace for it. Thus pride and boasting were for
ever silenced, and a good effect brought out of a bad cause. By
this likewise it was shown that <i>the law made those priests who
had infirmity, and needed first to offer for their own
sins.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32:7-14" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.12" parsed="|Exod|32|7|32|14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.7-Exod.32.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.32.7-Exod.32.14">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.13">The Intercession of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p12.14">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiii-p13">7 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p13.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou
broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted
<i>themselves:</i> &#160; 8 They have turned aside quickly out of
the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf,
and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said,
These <i>be</i> thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out
of the land of Egypt. &#160; 9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p13.2">Lord</span> said unto Moses, I have seen this people,
and, behold, it <i>is</i> a stiffnecked people: &#160; 10 Now
therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and
that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
&#160; 11 And Moses besought the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p13.3">Lord</span> his God, and said, <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p13.4">Lord</span>, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy
people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with
great power, and with a mighty hand? &#160; 12 Wherefore should the
Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to
slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of
the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil
against thy people. &#160; 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst
unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and
all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and
they shall inherit <i>it</i> for ever. &#160; 14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p13.5">Lord</span> repented of the evil which he thought
to do unto his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p14">Here, I. God acquaints Moses with what was
doing in the camp while he was absent, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:7,8" id="Ex.xxxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|32|7|32|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.7-Exod.32.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. He could have told him
sooner, as soon as the first step was taken towards it, and have
hastened him down to prevent it; but he suffered it to come to this
height, for wise and holy ends, and then sent him down to punish
it. Note, It is no reproach to the holiness of God that he suffers
sin to be committed, since he knows, not only how to restrain it
when he pleases, but how to make it serviceable to the designs of
his own glory. Observe what God here says to Moses concerning this
sin. 1. That they had <i>corrupted themselves.</i> Sin is the
corruption or depravation of the sinner, and it is a
self-corruption; <i>every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of
his own lust.</i> 2. That they had <i>turned aside out of the
way.</i> Sin is a deviation from the way of our duty into a
by-path. When they promised to do all that God should command them,
they set out as fair as could be; but now they missed their way,
and turned aside. 3. That they had turned aside quickly, quickly
after the law was given them and they had promised to obey it,
quickly after God had done such great things for them and declared
his kind intentions to do greater. <i>They soon forgot his
works.</i> To fall into sin quickly after we have renewed our
covenants with God, or received special mercy from him, is very
provoking. 4. He tells him particularly what they had done: <i>They
have made a calf, and worshipped it.</i> Note, Those sins which are
concealed from our governors are naked and open before God. He sees
that which they cannot discover, nor is any of the wickedness in
the world hidden from him. We could not bear to see the thousandth
part of that provocation which God sees every day and yet keeps
silence. 5. He seems to disown them, in saying to Moses, They are
<i>thy people whom thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt;</i>
as if he had said, "I will not own any relation to them, or concern
for them; let it never be said that they are my people, or that I
brought them out of Egypt." Note, Those that corrupt themselves not
only shame themselves, but even make God himself ashamed of them
and of his kindness to them. 6. He sends him down to them with all
speed: <i>Go, get thee down.</i> He must break off even his
communion with God to go and do his duty as a magistrate among the
people; so must Joshua, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:10" id="Ex.xxxiii-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.10"><i>ch.</i> vii.
10</scripRef>. Every thing is beautiful in its season.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p15">II. He expresses his displeasure against
Israel for this sin, and the determination of his justice to cut
them off, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:9,10" id="Ex.xxxiii-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|32|9|32|10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.9-Exod.32.10"><i>v.</i> 9,
10</scripRef>. 1. He gives this people their true character: "<i>It
is a stiff-necked people,</i> unapt to come under the yoke of the
divine law, and governed as it were by a spirit of contradiction,
averse to all good and prone to evil, obstinate against the methods
employed for their cure." Note, The righteous God sees, not only
what we do, but what we are, not only the actions of our lives, but
the dispositions of our spirits, and has an eye to them in all his
proceedings. 2. He declares what was their just desert&#8212;that his
wrath should <i>wax hot against them,</i> so as to consume them at
once, and <i>blot out their name from under heaven</i> (<scripRef passage="De 9:14" id="Ex.xxxiii-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|9|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.14">Deut. ix. 14</scripRef>); not only cast them out
of covenant, but chase them out of the world. Note, Sin exposes us
to the wrath of God; and that wrath, if it be not allayed by divine
mercy, will burn us up as stubble. It were just with God to let the
law have its course against sinners, and to cut them off
immediately in the very act of sin; and, if he should do so, it
would be neither loss nor dishonour to him. 3. He holds out
inducements to Moses not to intercede for them: <i>Therefore, let
me alone.</i> What did Moses, or what could he do, to hinder God
from consuming them? When God resolves to abandon a people, and the
decree of ruin has gone forth, no intercession can prevent it,
<scripRef passage="Eze 14:14,15:1" id="Ex.xxxiii-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.14 Bible:Jer.15.1">Ezek. xiv. 14; Jer. xv.
1</scripRef>. But God would thus express the greatness of his just
displeasure against them, after the manner of men, who would have
none to intercede for those they resolve to be severe with. Thus
also he would put an honour upon prayer, intimating that nothing
but the intercession of Moses could save them from ruin, that he
might be a type of Christ, by whose mediation alone God would
<i>reconcile the world unto himself.</i> That the intercession of
Moses might appear the more illustrious, God fairly offers him
that, if he would not interpose in this matter, he would <i>make of
him a great nation,</i> that either, in process of time, he would
raise up a people out of his loins, or that he would immediately,
by some means or other, bring another great nation under his
government and conduct, so that he should be no loser by their
ruin. Had Moses been of a narrow selfish spirit, he would have
closed with this offer; but he prefers the salvation of Israel
before the advancement of his own family. Here was a man fit to be
a governor.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16">III. Moses earnestly intercedes with God on
their behalf (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:11-13" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|32|11|32|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.11-Exod.32.13"><i>v.</i>
11-13</scripRef>): he besought the Lord his God. If God would not
be called <i>the God of Israel,</i> yet he hoped he might address
him as <i>his own God.</i> What interest we have at the throne of
grace we should improve for the church of God, and for our friends.
Now Moses is standing in the gap to turn away the wrath of God,
<scripRef passage="Ps 106:23" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.2" parsed="|Ps|106|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.23">Ps. cvi. 23</scripRef>. He wisely
took the hint which God gave him when he said, <i>Let me alone,</i>
which, though it seemed to forbid his interceding, did really
encourage it, by showing what power the prayer of faith has with
God. In such a case, God <i>wonders if there be no intercessor,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 59:16" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.3" parsed="|Isa|59|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.16">Isa. lix. 16</scripRef>. Observe, 1.
His prayer (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:12" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.4" parsed="|Exod|32|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>):
<i>Turn from thy fierce wrath;</i> not as if he thought God was not
justly angry, but he begs that he would not be so greatly angry as
to consume them. "Let mercy rejoice against judgment; <i>repent of
this evil;</i> change the sentence of destruction into that of
correction." 2. His pleas. He fills his mouth with arguments, not
to move God, but to express his own faith and to excite his own
fervency in prayer. He urges, (1.) God's interest in them, the
great things he had already done for them, and the vast expense of
favours and miracles he had been at upon them, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:11" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.5" parsed="|Exod|32|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. God had said to Moses
(<scripRef passage="Ex 32:7" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.6" parsed="|Exod|32|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), They are
<i>thy people, whom thou broughtest up out of Egypt;</i> but Moses
humbly turns them back upon God again: "They are <i>thy people,</i>
thou art their Lord and owner; I am but their servant. <i>Thou
broughtest them forth out of Egypt;</i> I was but the instrument in
thy hand; that was done in order to their deliverance which thou
only couldest do." Though their being his people was a reason why
he should be angry with them for setting up another god, yet it was
a reason why he should not be so angry with them as to consume
them. Nothing is more natural than for a father to correct his son,
but nothing more unnatural than for a father to slay his son. And
as the relation is a good plea ("they are <i>thy people</i>"), so
is the experience they had had of his kindness to them: "Thou
<i>broughtest them out of Egypt,</i> though they were unworthy, and
had there served the gods of the Egyptians, <scripRef passage="Jos 24:15" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.7" parsed="|Josh|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.15">Josh. xxiv. 15</scripRef>. If thou didst that for them,
notwithstanding their sins in Egypt, wilt thou undo it for their
sins of the same nature in the wilderness?" (2.) He pleads the
concern of God's glory (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:12" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.8" parsed="|Exod|32|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>Wherefore should the Egyptians say, For mischief
did he bring them out?</i> Israel is dear to Moses as his kindred,
as his charge; but it is the glory of God that he is most concerned
for; this lies nearer his heart than any thing else. If Israel
could perish without any reproach to God's name, Moses could
persuade himself to sit down contented; but he cannot bear to hear
God reflected on, and therefore this he insists upon, <i>Lord, what
will the Egyptians say?</i> Their eyes, and the eyes of all the
neighbouring nations, were now upon Israel; from the wondrous
beginnings of that people, they raised their expectations of
something great in their latter end; but, if a people so strangely
saved should be suddenly ruined, what would the world say of it,
especially the Egyptians, who have such an implacable hatred both
to Israel and to the God of Israel? They would say, "God was either
weak, and could not, or fickle, and would not, complete the
salvation he began; he brought them forth to that mountain, not to
sacrifice (as was pretended), but to be sacrificed." They will not
consider the provocation given by Israel, to justify the
proceeding, but will think it cause enough for triumph that God and
his people could not agree, but that their God had done that which
they (the Egyptians) wished to see done. Note, The glorifying of
God's name, as it ought to be our first petition (it is so in the
Lord's prayer), so it ought to be our great plea, <scripRef passage="Ps 79:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.9" parsed="|Ps|79|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.79.9">Ps. lxxix. 9</scripRef>, <i>Do not disgrace the
throne of thy glory,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 14:21" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.10" parsed="|Jer|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.14.21">Jer. xiv.
21</scripRef>; and see <scripRef passage="Jer 33:8,9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.11" parsed="|Jer|33|8|33|9" osisRef="Bible:Jer.33.8-Jer.33.9">Jer. xxxiii.
8, 9</scripRef>. And, if we would with comfort plead this with God
as a reason why he should not destroy us, we ought to plead it with
ourselves as a reason why we should not offend him: <i>What will
the Egyptians say?</i> We ought always to be careful that the name
of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed through us. (3.) He
pleads God's promise to the patriarchs that he would multiply their
seed, and give them the land of Canaan for an inheritance, and this
promise confirmed by an oath, an oath by himself, since he could
swear by no greater, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:13" id="Ex.xxxiii-p16.12" parsed="|Exod|32|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. God's promises are to be our pleas in prayer; for
what he has promised he is able to perform, and the honour of this
truth is engaged for the performance of it. "Lord, if Israel be cut
off, what will become of the promise? Shall their unbelief make
that of no effect? God forbid." Thus we must take our encouragement
in prayer from God only.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p17">IV. God graciously abated the rigour of the
sentence, and <i>repented of the evil he thought to do</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 32:14" id="Ex.xxxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|32|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>); though he
designed to punish them, yet he would not ruin them. See here, 1.
The power of prayer; God suffers himself to be prevailed with by
the humble believing importunity of intercessors. 2. The compassion
of God towards poor sinners, and how ready he is to forgive. Thus
he has given other proofs besides his own oath that he has no
pleasure in the death of those that die; for he not only pardons
upon the repentance of sinners, but spares and reprieves upon the
intercession of others for them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32" id="Ex.xxxiii-p17.2" parsed="|Exod|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32:15-20" id="Ex.xxxiii-p17.3" parsed="|Exod|32|15|32|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.15-Exod.32.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.32.15-Exod.32.20">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiii-p17.4">Moses Breaks the Tablets of the
Law. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p17.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiii-p18">15 And Moses turned, and went down from the
mount, and the two tables of the testimony <i>were</i> in his hand:
the tables <i>were</i> written on both their sides; on the one side
and on the other <i>were</i> they written. &#160; 16 And the tables
<i>were</i> the work of God, and the writing <i>was</i> the writing
of God, graven upon the tables. &#160; 17 And when Joshua heard the
noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, <i>There
is</i> a noise of war in the camp. &#160; 18 And he said, <i>It
is</i> not the voice of <i>them that</i> shout for mastery, neither
<i>is it</i> the voice of <i>them that</i> cry for being overcome:
<i>but</i> the noise of <i>them that</i> sing do I hear. &#160; 19
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he
saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he
cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
&#160; 20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt
<i>it</i> in the fire, and ground <i>it</i> to powder, and strawed
<i>it</i> upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink
<i>of it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p19">Here is, I. The favour of God to Moses, in
trusting him with the two tables of the testimony, which, though of
common stone, were far more valuable than all the precious stones
that adorned the breast-plate of Aaron. The topaz of Ethiopia could
not equal them, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:15,16" id="Ex.xxxiii-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|32|15|32|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.15-Exod.32.16"><i>v.</i> 15,
16</scripRef>. God himself, without the ministry either of man or
angel (for aught that appears), wrote the ten commandments on these
tables, <i>on both their sides,</i> some on one table and some on
the other, so that they were folded together like a book, to be
deposited in the ark.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p20">II. The familiarity between Moses and
Joshua. While Moses was in the cloud, as in the presence-chamber,
Joshua continued as near as he might, in the anti-chamber (as it
were), waiting till Moses came out, that he might be ready to
attend him; and though he was all alone for forty days (fed, it is
likely, with manna), yet he was not weary of waiting, as the people
were, but when Moses came down he came with him, and not till then.
And here we are told what constructions they put upon the noise
that they heard in the camp, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:17,18" id="Ex.xxxiii-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|32|17|32|18" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.17-Exod.32.18"><i>v.</i> 17, 18</scripRef>. Though Moses had been so
long in immediate converse with God, yet he did not disdain to talk
freely with his servant Joshua. Those whom God advances he
preserves from being puffed up. Nor did he disdain to talk of the
affairs of the camp. Blessed Paul was not the less mindful of the
church on earth for having been in the third heavens, where he
heard unspeakable words. Joshua, who was a military man, and had
the command of the train-bands, feared there was <i>a noise of war
in the camp,</i> and then he would be missed; but Moses, having
received notice of it from God, better distinguished the sound, and
was aware that it was <i>the voice of those that sing.</i> It does
not however appear that he told Joshua what he knew of the occasion
of their singing; for we should not be forward to proclaim men's
faults: they will be known too soon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21">III. The great and just displeasure of
Moses against Israel, for their idolatry. Knowing what to expect,
he was presently aware of the golden calf, and the sport the people
made with it. He saw how merry they could be in his absence, how
soon he was forgotten among them, and what little thought they had
of him and his return. He might justly take this ill, as an affront
to himself, but this was the least part of the grievance; he
resented it as an offence to God, and the scandal of his people.
See what a change it is to come down from the mount of communion
with God to converse with a world that <i>lies in wickedness.</i>
In God we see nothing but what is pure and pleasant, in the world
nothing but pollution and provocation. Moses was the meekest man on
the earth, and yet when he saw <i>the calf, and the dancing,</i>
his <i>anger waxed hot.</i> Note, It is no breach of the law of
meekness to show our displeasure at the wickedness of the wicked.
Those are <i>angry and sin not</i> that are angry at sin only, not
as against themselves, but as against God. Ephesus is famous for
patience, and yet <i>cannot bear those that are evil,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 2:2" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.1" parsed="|Rev|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.2">Rev. ii. 2</scripRef>. It becomes us to be cool in
our own cause, but warm in God's. Moses showed himself very angry,
both by breaking the tables and burning the calf, that he might, by
these expressions of strong indignation, awaken the people to a
sense of the greatness of the sin they had been guilty of, which
they would have been ready to make light of if he had not thus
shown his resentment, as one in earnest for their conviction. 1. To
convince them that they had forfeited and lost the favour of God,
<i>he broke the tables,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 32:19" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.2" parsed="|Exod|32|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. Though God knew of their sin, before Moses came
down, yet he did not order him to leave the tables behind him, but
gave them to him to take down in his hand, that the people might
see how forward God was to take them into covenant with himself,
and that nothing but their own sin prevented it; yet he put in into
his heart, when the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered (as the
expression is, <scripRef passage="Ho 7:1" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.3" parsed="|Hos|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.7.1">Hos. vii. 1</scripRef>),
to break the tables before their eyes (as it is <scripRef passage="De 9:17" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.4" parsed="|Deut|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.17">Deut. ix. 17</scripRef>), that the sight of it might the
more affect them, and fill them with confusion, when they saw what
blessings they had lost. Thus, they being guilty of so notorious an
infraction of the treaty now on foot, the writings were torn, even
when they lay ready to be sealed. Note, The greatest sign of God's
displeasure against any person or people is his taking his law from
them. The breaking of the tables is the breaking of the <i>staff of
beauty and band</i> (<scripRef passage="Zec 11:10,14" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.5" parsed="|Zech|11|10|0|0;|Zech|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.11.10 Bible:Zech.11.14">Zech. xi. 10,
14</scripRef>); it leaves a people unchurched and undone. Some
think that Moses sinned in breaking the tables, and observe that,
when men are angry, they are in danger of breaking all God's
commandments; but it rather seems to be an act of justice than of
passion, and we do not find that he himself speaks of it afterwards
(<scripRef passage="De 9:17" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.6" parsed="|Deut|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.17">Deut. ix. 17</scripRef>) with any
regret. 2. To convince them that they had betaken themselves to a
God that could not help them, he <i>burnt the calf</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:20" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.7" parsed="|Exod|32|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), melted it down, and
then filed it to dust; and, that the powder to which it was reduced
might be taken notice of throughout the camp, he strewed it upon
that water of which they all drank. That it might appear that <i>an
idol is nothing in the world</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 8:4" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.8" parsed="|1Cor|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.8.4">1
Cor. viii. 4</scripRef>); he reduced this to atoms, that it might
be as near nothing as could be. To show that false gods cannot help
their worshippers, he here showed that this could not save itself,
<scripRef passage="Isa 46:1,2" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.9" parsed="|Isa|46|1|46|2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.1-Isa.46.2">Isa. xlvi. 1, 2</scripRef>. And to
teach us that all the relics of idolatry ought to be abolished, and
that the names of Baalim should be taken away, the very dust to
which it was ground was scattered. Filings of gold are precious (we
say), and therefore are carefully gathered up; but the filings of
the golden calf were odious, and must be scattered with
detestation. Thus the idols of silver and gold must be cast to the
moles and the bats (<scripRef passage="Isa 2:20,30:22" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.10" parsed="|Isa|2|20|0|0;|Isa|30|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.2.20 Bible:Isa.30.22">Isa. ii. 20;
xxx. 22</scripRef>), and Ephraim shall say, <i>What have I to do
any more with idols?</i> His mixing this powder with their drink
signified to them that the curse they had thereby brought upon
themselves would mingle itself with all their enjoyments, and
embitter them; it would enter into their bowels like water, and
like oil into their bones. <i>The backslider in heart shall be
filled with his own ways;</i> he shall drink as he brews. These
were indeed waters of Marah.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32:21-29" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.11" parsed="|Exod|32|21|32|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.21-Exod.32.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.32.21-Exod.32.29">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.12">Moses Reproves Aaron; Destruction of the
Idolaters. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p21.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiii-p22">21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this
people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
&#160; 22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot:
thou knowest the people, that they <i>are set</i> on mischief.
&#160; 23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go
before us: for <i>as for</i> this Moses, the man that brought us up
out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. &#160;
24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break
<i>it</i> off. So they gave <i>it</i> me: then I cast it into the
fire, and there came out this calf. &#160; 25 And when Moses saw
that the people <i>were</i> naked; (for Aaron had made them naked
unto <i>their</i> shame among their enemies:) &#160; 26 Then Moses
stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who <i>is</i> on the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p22.1">Lord</span>'s side? <i>let him come</i> unto me.
And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
&#160; 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p22.2">Lord</span> God of Israel, Put every man his sword by
his side, <i>and</i> go in and out from gate to gate throughout the
camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion,
and every man his neighbour. &#160; 28 And the children of Levi did
according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that
day about three thousand men. &#160; 29 For Moses had said,
Consecrate yourselves to day to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p22.3">Lord</span>, even every man upon his son, and upon his
brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p23">Moses, having shown his just indignation
against the sin of Israel by breaking the tables and burning the
calf, now proceeds to reckon with the sinners and to call them to
an account, herein acting as the representative of God, who is not
only a holy God, and hates sin, but a just God, and is engaged in
honour to punish it, <scripRef passage="Isa 59:18" id="Ex.xxxiii-p23.1" parsed="|Isa|59|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.18">Isa. lix.
18</scripRef>. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p24">I. He begins with Aaron, as God began with
Adam, because he was the principal person, though not first in the
transgression, but drawn into it. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p25">1. The just reproof Moses gives him,
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:21" id="Ex.xxxiii-p25.1" parsed="|Exod|32|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. He does not
order him to be cut-off, as those (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:27" id="Ex.xxxiii-p25.2" parsed="|Exod|32|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>) that had been the ring-leaders
in the sin. Note, A great deal of difference will be made between
those that presumptuously rush into sin and those that through
infirmity are surprised into it, between those that overtake the
fault that flees from them and those that are overtaken in the
fault they flee from. See <scripRef passage="Ga 6:1" id="Ex.xxxiii-p25.3" parsed="|Gal|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.1">Gal. vi.
1</scripRef>. Not but that Aaron deserved to be cut off for this
sin, and would have been so if Moses had not interceded
particularly for him, as appears <scripRef passage="De 9:20" id="Ex.xxxiii-p25.4" parsed="|Deut|9|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.20">Deut.
ix. 20</scripRef>. And having prevailed with God for him, to save
him from ruin, he here expostulates with him, to bring him to
repentance. He puts Aaron upon considering, (1.) What he had done
to this people: <i>Thou hast brought so great a sin upon them.</i>
The sin of idolatry is a great sin, so great a sin that the evil of
it cannot be expressed; the people, as the first movers, might be
said to bring the sin upon Aaron; but he being a magistrate, who
should have suppressed it, and yet aiding and abetting it, might
truly be said to bring it upon them, because he hardened their
hearts and strengthened their hands in it. It is a shocking thing
for governors to humour people in their sins, and give countenance
to that to which they should be a terror. Observe, in general,
Those who bring sin upon others, either by drawing them into it or
encouraging them in it, do more mischief than they are aware of; we
really hate those whom we either bring or suffer sin upon,
<scripRef passage="Le 19:17" id="Ex.xxxiii-p25.5" parsed="|Lev|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.17">Lev. xix. 17</scripRef>. Those that
share in sin help to break their partners, and really ruin one
another. (2.) What moved him to it: <i>What did this people unto
thee?</i> He takes it for granted that it must needs be something
more than ordinary that prevailed with Aaron to do such a thing,
thus insinuating an excuse for him, because he knew that his heart
was upright: "<i>What did they?</i> Did they accost thee fairly,
and wheedle thee into it; and durst thou displease thy God, to
please the people? Did they overcome thee by importunity; and hadst
thou so little resolution left as to yield to the stream of a
popular clamour? Did they threaten to stone thee; and couldest not
thou have opposed God's threatenings to theirs, and frightened them
worse than they could frighten thee?" Note, We must never be drawn
into sin by any thing that man can say or do to us, for it will not
justify us to say that we were so drawn in. Men can but tempt us to
sin; they cannot force us. Men can but frighten us; if we do not
comply, they cannot hurt us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p26">2. The frivolous excuse Aaron makes for
himself. We will hope that he testified his repentance for the sin
afterwards better than he did now; for what he says here has little
in it of the language of a penitent. If a just man fall, he shall
rise again, but perhaps not quickly. (1.) He deprecates the anger
of Moses only, whereas he should have deprecated God's anger in the
first place: <i>Let not the anger of my Lord wax hot,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 32:22" id="Ex.xxxiii-p26.1" parsed="|Exod|32|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. (2.) He lays all the
fault upon the people: <i>They are set on mischief, and they said,
Make us gods.</i> It is natural to us to endeavour thus to transfer
our guilt; we have it in our kind, Adam and Eve did so; sin is a
brat that nobody is willing to own. Aaron was now the chief
magistrate and had power over the people, and yet pleads that the
people overpowered him; he that had authority to restrain them, yet
had so little resolution as to yield to them. (3.) It is well if he
did not intend a reflection upon Moses, as accessory to the sin, by
staying so long on the mount, in repeating, without need, that
invidious surmise of the people, <i>As for this Moses, we know not
what has become of him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 32:23" id="Ex.xxxiii-p26.2" parsed="|Exod|32|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. (4.) He extenuates and conceals his own share in the
sin, as if he had only bidden them <i>break off their gold</i> that
they had about them, intending to make a hasty assay for the
present, and to try what he could make of the gold that was next
hand: and childishly insinuates that when he cast the gold into the
fire it came out, either by accident or by the magic art of some of
the mixed multitude (as the Jewish writers dream), in this shape;
but not a word of his graving and fashioning it, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:24" id="Ex.xxxiii-p26.3" parsed="|Exod|32|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. But Moses relates to all ages
what he did (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:4" id="Ex.xxxiii-p26.4" parsed="|Exod|32|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>),
though he himself here would not own it. Note, <i>He that covers
his sin shall not prosper,</i> for sooner or later it will be
discovered. Well, this was all Aaron had to say for himself; and he
had better have said nothing, for his defence did but aggravate his
offence; and yet he is not only spared, but preferred; as sin did
abound, grace did much more abound.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p27">II. The people are next to be judged for
this sin. The approach of Moses soon spoiled their sport and turned
their dancing into trembling. Those that hectored Aaron into a
compliance with them in their sin durst not look Moses in the face,
nor make the least opposition to the severity which he thought fit
to use both against the idol and against the idolaters. Note, It is
not impossible to make those sins which were committed with daring
presumption appear contemptible, when the insolent perpetrators of
them slink away overwhelmed in their own confusion. <i>The king
that sits upon the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with
his eyes.</i> Observe two things:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p28">1. How they were exposed to shame by their
sin: <i>The people were naked</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:25" id="Ex.xxxiii-p28.1" parsed="|Exod|32|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), not so much because they had
some of them lost their ear-rings (that was inconsiderable), but
because they had lost their integrity, and lay under the reproach
of ingratitude to their best benefactor, and a treacherous revolt
from their rightful Lord. It was a shame to them, and a perpetual
blot, that they <i>changed their glory into the similitude of an
ox.</i> Other nations boasted that they were true to their false
gods; well may Israel blush for being false to the true God. Thus
were they <i>made naked,</i> stripped of their ornaments, and
exposed to contempt; stripped of their armour, and liable to
insults. Thus our first parents, when they had sinned, became
<i>naked, to their shame.</i> Note, Those that do dishonour to God
really bring the greatest dishonour upon themselves: so Israel here
did, and Moses was concerned to see it, though they themselves were
not; he <i>saw that they were naked.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p29">2. The course that Moses took to roll away
this reproach, not by concealing the sin, or putting any false
colour upon it, but by punishing it, and so bearing a public
testimony against it. Whenever it should be case in their teeth
that they had <i>made a calf in Horeb,</i> they might have this to
say, in answer to those that reproached them, that though it was
true there were those that did so, yet justice was executed upon
them. The government disallowed the sin, and suffered not the
sinners to go unpunished. They did so, but they paid dearly for it.
Thus (said God) thou shalt <i>put the evil away,</i> <scripRef passage="De 13:5" id="Ex.xxxiii-p29.1" parsed="|Deut|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.5">Deut. xiii. 5</scripRef>. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30">(1.) By whom vengeance was taken&#8212;by the
children of Levi (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:26,28" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.1" parsed="|Exod|32|26|0|0;|Exod|32|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.26 Bible:Exod.32.28"><i>v.</i> 26,
28</scripRef>); not by the immediate hand of God himself, as on
Nadab and Abihu, but by the sword of man, to teach them that
idolatry was an <i>iniquity to be punished by the judge,</i> being
a <i>denial of the God that is above,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:28,De 13:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.2" parsed="|Job|31|28|0|0;|Deut|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.28 Bible:Deut.13.9">Job xxxi. 28; Deut. xiii. 9</scripRef>. It was
to be done by the sword of their own brethren, that the execution
of justice might redound more to the honour of the nation. And, if
they must fall now into the hands of man, better so than flee
before their enemies. The innocent must be culled out to be the
executioners of the guilty, that it might be the more effectual
warning to themselves, that they did not the like another time; and
the putting of them upon such an unpleasant service, and so much
against the grain as this must needs be, to kill their next
neighbours, was a punishment to them too for not appearing sooner
to prevent the sin, and make head against it. The Levites
particularly were employed in doing this execution; for, it should
seem, there were more of them than of any other tribe that had kept
themselves free from the contagion, which was the more laudable
because Aaron, the head of their tribe, was so deeply concerned in
it. Now here we are told, [1.] How the Levites were called out to
this service: <i>Moses stood in the gate of the camp,</i> the place
of judgment; there he <i>displayed a banner,</i> as it were,
because of the truth, to enlist soldiers for God. He proclaimed,
<i>Who is on the Lord's side?</i> The idolaters had set up the
golden calf for their standard, and now Moses set up his, in
opposition to them. Now <i>Moses clad himself with zeal</i> as with
a robe, and summoned all those to appear forthwith that were on
God's side, against the golden calf. He does not proclaim, as Jehu,
"<i>Who is on my side</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ki 9:32" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.3" parsed="|2Kgs|9|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.9.32">2 Kings ix.
32</scripRef>), to avenge the indignity done to me?" but, <i>Who is
on the Lord's side?</i> It was God's cause that he espoused
<i>against the evil-doers,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 94:16" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.4" parsed="|Ps|94|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.94.16">Ps.
xciv. 16</scripRef>. Note, <i>First,</i> There are two great
interests on foot in the world, with the one or the other of which
all the children of men are siding. The interest of sin and
wickedness is the devil's interest, and all wicked people side with
that interest; the interest of truth and holiness is God's
interest, with which all godly people side; and it is a case that
will not admit a neutrality. <i>Secondly,</i> It concerns us all to
enquire whether we are on the Lord's side or not. <i>Thirdly,</i>
Those who are on his side are comparatively but few, and sometimes
seem fewer than really they are. <i>Fourthly,</i> God does
sometimes call out those that are on his side to appear for him, as
witnesses, as soldiers, as intercessors. [2.] How they were
commissioned for this service (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:27" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.5" parsed="|Exod|32|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>): <i>Slay every man his
brother,</i> that is, "Slay all those that you know to have been
active for the making and worshipping of the golden calf, though
they were your own nearest relations, or dearest friends." The
crime was committed publicly, the Levites saw who of their
acquaintance were concerned in it, and therefore needed no other
direction than their own knowledge whom to slay. And probably the
greatest part of those that were guilty were known, and known to be
so, by some or other of the Levites who were employed in the
execution. Yet, it should seem, they were to slay those only whom
they found <i>abroad in the streets</i> of the camp; for it might
be hoped that those who had retired into their tents were ashamed
of what they had done, and were upon their knees, repenting. Those
are marked for ruin who persist in sin, and are not ashamed of the
abominations they have committed, <scripRef passage="Jer 8:12" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.6" parsed="|Jer|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.8.12">Jer.
viii. 12</scripRef>. But how durst the Levites encounter so great a
body, who probably were much enraged by the burning of their calf?
It is easy to account for this; a sense of guilt disheartened the
delinquents, and a divine commission animated the executioners. And
one thing that put life into them was that Moses had said,
<i>Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, that he may bestow a
blessing upon you,</i> thereby intimating to them that they now
stood fair for preferment and that, if they would but signalize
themselves upon this occasion, it would be construed into such a
consecration of themselves to God, and to his service, as would put
upon their tribe a perpetual honour. Those that consecrate
themselves to the Lord he will set apart for himself. Those that do
the duty shall have the dignity; and, if we do signal services for
God, he will bestow especial blessings upon us. There was a
blessing designed for the tribe of Levi; now says Moses,
"<i>Consecrate yourselves to the Lord,</i> that you may qualify
yourselves to receive the blessing." The Levites were to assist in
the offering of sacrifice to God; and now they must begin with the
offering of these sacrifices to the honour of divine justice. Those
that are to minister about holy things must be not only sincere and
serious, but warm and zealous, bold and courageous, for God and
godliness. Thus all Christians, but especially ministers, must
<i>forsake father and mother,</i> and prefer the service of Christ
and his interest far before their nearest and dearest relations;
for if we love our relations better than Christ we are not
<i>worthy of him.</i> See how this zeal of the Levites is
applauded, <scripRef passage="De 33:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p30.7" parsed="|Deut|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.9">Deut. xxxiii.
9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p31">(2.) On whom vengeance is taken: <i>There
fell of the people that day about 3000 men,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 32:28" id="Ex.xxxiii-p31.1" parsed="|Exod|32|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. Probably these were but few, in
comparison with the many that were guilty; but these were the men
that headed the rebellion, and were therefore picked out, to be
made examples of, for terror to all others. Those that in the
morning were shouting and dancing before night were dying in their
own blood; such a sudden change do the judgments of God sometimes
make with sinners that are secure and jovial in their sin, as with
Belshazzar by the hand-writing upon the wall. This is written for
warning to us. <scripRef passage="1Co 10:7" id="Ex.xxxiii-p31.2" parsed="|1Cor|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.7">1 Cor. x. 7</scripRef>,
<i>Neither be you idolaters, as were some of them.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 32:30-35" id="Ex.xxxiii-p31.3" parsed="|Exod|32|30|32|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.30-Exod.32.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.32.30-Exod.32.35">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiii-p31.4">The Intercession of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p31.5">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiii-p32">30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses
said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go
up unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p32.1">Lord</span>; peradventure I
shall make an atonement for your sin. &#160; 31 And Moses returned
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p32.2">Lord</span>, and said, Oh, this
people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
&#160; 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin&#8212;; and if not,
blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
&#160; 33 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p32.3">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my
book. &#160; 34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto <i>the
place</i> of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel
shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will
visit their sin upon them. &#160; 35 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiii-p32.4">Lord</span> plagued the people, because they made the
calf, which Aaron made.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p33">Moses, having executed justice upon the
principal offenders, is here dealing both with the people and with
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p34">I. With the people, to bring them to
repentance, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:30" id="Ex.xxxiii-p34.1" parsed="|Exod|32|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p35">1. When some were slain, lest the rest
should imagine that, because they were exempt from the capital
punishment, they were therefore looked upon as free from guilt,
Moses here tells the survivors, <i>You have sinned a great sin,</i>
and therefore, though you have escaped this time, <i>except you
repent, you shall all likewise perish.</i> That they might not
think lightly of the sin itself, he calls it <i>a great sin;</i>
and that they might not think themselves innocent, because perhaps
they were not all so deeply guilty as some of those that were put
to death, he tells them all, <i>You have sinned a great sin.</i>
The work of ministers is to show people their sins, and the
greatness of their sins. "<i>You have sinned,</i> and therefore you
are undone if your sins be not pardoned, for ever undone without a
Saviour. It is a great sin, and therefore calls for great sorrow,
for it puts you in great danger." To affect them with the greatness
of their sin he intimates to them what a difficult thing it would
be to make up the quarrel which God had with them for it. (1.) It
would not be done, unless he himself <i>went up unto the Lord</i>
on purpose, and gave as long and as solemn attendance as he had
done for the receiving of the law. And yet, (2.) Even so it was but
a peradventure that he should make atonement for them; the case was
extremely hazardous. This should convince us of the great evil
there is in sin, that he who undertook to make atonement found it
no easy thing to do it; he must <i>go up to the Lord</i> with his
own blood to <i>make atonement.</i> The malignity of sin appears in
the price of pardons.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p36">2. Yet it was some encouragement to the
people (when they were told that they had <i>sinned a great
sin</i>) to hear that Moses, who had so great an interest in heaven
and so true an affection for them, would <i>go up unto the Lord to
make atonement</i> for them. Consolation should go along with
conviction: first wound, and then heal; first show people the
greatness of their sin, and then make known to them the atonement,
and give them hopes of mercy. <i>Moses will go up unto the
Lord,</i> though it be but a <i>peradventure</i> that he should
make atonement. Christ, the great Mediator, went upon greater
certainty than this, for he had lain in the bosom of the Father,
and perfectly knew all his counsels. But to us poor supplicants it
is encouragement enough in prayer for particular mercies that
<i>peradventure</i> we may obtain them, though we have not an
absolute promise. <scripRef passage="Zep 2:3" id="Ex.xxxiii-p36.1" parsed="|Zeph|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zeph.2.3">Zeph. ii.
3</scripRef>, <i>It may be, you shall be hid.</i> In our prayers
for others, we should be humbly earnest with God, though it is but
a <i>peradventure that God will give them repentance,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ti 2:25" id="Ex.xxxiii-p36.2" parsed="|2Tim|2|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.25">2 Tim. ii. 25</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p37">II. He intercedes with God for mercy.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38">1. How pathetic his address was. <i>Moses
returned unto the Lord,</i> not to receive further instructions
about the tabernacle: there were no more conferences now about that
matter. Thus men's sins and follies make work for their friends and
ministers, unpleasant work, many times, and give great
interruptions to that work which they delight in. Moses in this
address expresses, (1.) His great detestation of the people's sin,
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:31" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.1" parsed="|Exod|32|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. He speaks as
one overwhelmed with the horror of it: <i>Oh! this people have
sinned a great sin.</i> God had first told him of it (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:7" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.2" parsed="|Exod|32|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), and now he tells God of
it, by way of lamentation. He does not call them God's people, he
knew they were unworthy to be called so; but this people, this
treacherous ungrateful people, they have made for themselves gods
of gold. It is a great sin indeed to make gold our god, as those do
that make it their hope, and set their heart on it. He does not go
about to excuse or extenuate the sin; but what he had said to them
by way of conviction he says to God by way of confession: <i>They
have sinned a great sin;</i> he came not to make apologies, but to
make atonement. "Lord, pardon the sin, <i>for it is great,</i>"
<scripRef passage="Ps 25:11" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.3" parsed="|Ps|25|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.25.11">Ps. xxv. 11</scripRef>. (2.) His great
desire of the people's welfare (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:32" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.4" parsed="|Exod|32|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>): <i>Yet now</i> it is not too
great a sin for infinite mercy to pardon, and therefore <i>if thou
wilt forgive their sin.</i> What then Moses? It is an abrupt
expression, "<i>If thou wilt,</i> I desire no more; <i>if thou
wilt,</i> thou wilt be praised, I shall be pleased, and abundantly
recompensed for my intercession." It is an expression like that of
the dresser of the vineyard (<scripRef passage="Lu 13:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.5" parsed="|Luke|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.13.9">Luke xiii.
9</scripRef>), <i>If it bear fruit;</i> or, <i>If thou wilt
forgive,</i> is as much as, "O that thou wouldest forgive!" as
<scripRef passage="Lu 19:42" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.6" parsed="|Luke|19|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.42">Luke xix. 42</scripRef>, <i>If thou
hadst known</i> is, <i>O that thou hadst known.</i> "But <i>if
not,</i> if the decree has gone forth, and there is no remedy, but
they must be ruined; if this punishment which has already been
inflicted on many is not sufficient (<scripRef passage="2Co 2:6" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.7" parsed="|2Cor|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.6">2
Cor. ii. 6</scripRef>), but they must all be cut off, <i>blot me, I
pray thee, out of the book which thou hast written;</i>" that is,
"If they must be cut off, let me be cut off with them, and cut
short of Canaan; if all Israel must perish, I am content to perish
with them; let not the land of promise be mine by survivorship."
This expression may be illustrated from <scripRef passage="Eze 13:9" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.8" parsed="|Ezek|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.13.9">Ezek. xiii. 9</scripRef>, where this is threatened
against the false prophets, <i>They shall not be written in the
writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the
land of Israel.</i> God had told Moses that, if he would not
interpose he would make of him a <i>great nation,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 32:10" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.9" parsed="|Exod|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. "No," says Moses, "I am
so far from desiring to see my name and family built up on the
ruins of Israel, that I will choose rather to sink with them. If I
cannot prevent their destruction, let me not see it (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:15" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.10" parsed="|Num|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.15">Num. xi. 15</scripRef>); let me not be
<i>written among the living</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 4:3" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.11" parsed="|Isa|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.3">Isa.
iv. 3</scripRef>), nor among those that are marked for
preservation; even let me die in the last ditch." Thus he expresses
his tender affection for the people, and is a type of the good
Shepherd, that <i>lays down his life for the sheep</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 10:11" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.12" parsed="|John|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.10.11">John x. 11</scripRef>), who was to be <i>cut
off from the land of the living for the transgression of my
people,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 53:8,Da 9:26" id="Ex.xxxiii-p38.13" parsed="|Isa|53|8|0|0;|Dan|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.8 Bible:Dan.9.26">Isa. liii. 8; Dan.
ix. 26</scripRef>. He is also an example of public-spiritedness to
all, especially to those in public stations. All private interests
must be made subordinate to the good and welfare of communities. It
is no great matter what becomes of us and our families in this
world, so that it go well with the church of God, and there be
peace upon Israel. Moses thus importunes for a pardon, and wrestles
with God, not prescribing to him ("If thou wilt not forgive, thou
art either unjust or unkind"); no, he is far from that; but, "If
not, let me die with the Israelites, and the will of the Lord be
done."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39">2. Observe how prevalent his address was.
God would not take him at his word; no, he will not blot any out of
his book but those that by their wilful disobedience have forfeited
the honour of being enrolled in it (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:33" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39.1" parsed="|Exod|32|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>); the soul that sins shall die,
and not the innocent for the guilty. This was also an intimation of
mercy to the people, that they should not all be destroyed in a
body, but those only that had a hand in the sin. Thus Moses gets
ground by degrees. God would not at first give him full assurances
of his being reconciled to them, lest, if the comfort of a pardon
were too easily obtained, they should be emboldened to do the like
again, and should not be made sensible enough of the evil of the
sin. Comforts are suspended that convictions may be the deeper
impressed: also God would hereby exercise the faith and zeal of
Moses, their great intercessor. Further, in answer to the address
of Moses, (1.) God promises, notwithstanding this, to go on with
his kind intention of giving them the land of Canaan, the land he
had <i>spoken to them of,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 32:34" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39.2" parsed="|Exod|32|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. Therefore he sends Moses back
to them to lead them, though they were unworthy of him, and
promises that his angel should go before them, some created angel
that was employed in the common services of the kingdom of
providence, which intimated that they were not to expect any thing
for the future to be done for them out of the common road of
providence, not any thing extraordinary. Moses afterwards obtained
a promise of God's special presence with them (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:14,17" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39.3" parsed="|Exod|33|14|0|0;|Exod|33|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.14 Bible:Exod.33.17"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii. 14, 17</scripRef>); but at present
this was all he could prevail for. (2.) Yet he threatens to
remember this sin against them when hereafter he should see cause
to punish them for other sins: "<i>When I visit, I will visit</i>
for this among the rest. Next time I take the rod in hand, they
shall have one stripe the more for this." The Jews have a saying,
grounded on this, that henceforward no judgment fell upon Israel
but there was in it an ounce of the powder of the golden calf. I
see no ground in scripture for the opinion some are of, that God
would not have burdened them with such a multitude of sacrifices
and other ceremonial institutions if they had not provoked him by
worshipping the golden calf. On the contrary, Stephen says that
when they <i>made a calf, and offered sacrifice to the idol, God
turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ac 7:41,42" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39.4" parsed="|Acts|7|41|7|42" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.41-Acts.7.42">Acts vii. 41, 42</scripRef>); so
that the strange addictedness of that people to the sin of idolatry
was a just judgment upon them for making and worshipping the golden
calf, and a judgment they were never quite freed from till the
captivity of Babylon. See <scripRef passage="Ro 1:23-25" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39.5" parsed="|Rom|1|23|1|25" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.23-Rom.1.25">Rom. i.
23-25</scripRef>. Note, Many that are not immediately cut off in
their sins are reserved for a further day of reckoning: vengeance
is slow, but sure. For the present, <i>the Lord plagued the
people</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:35" id="Ex.xxxiii-p39.6" parsed="|Exod|32|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>),
probably by the pestilence, or some other infectious disease, which
was a messenger of God's wrath, and an earnest of worse. Aaron made
the calf, and yet it is said the people made it, because they
worshipped it. <i>Deos qui rogat, ille facit&#8212;He who asks for gods
makes them.</i> Aaron was not plagued, but the people; for his was
a sin of infirmity, theirs a presumptuous sin, between which there
is a great difference, not always discernable to us, but evident to
God, whose judgment therefore, we are sure, is according to truth.
Thus Moses prevailed for a reprieve and a mitigation of the
punishment, but could not wholly turn away the wrath of God. This
(some think) bespeaks the inability of the law of Moses to
reconcile men to God and to perfect our peace with him, which was
reserved for Christ to do, in whom alone it is that God so pardons
sin as to <i>remember it no more.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIII" n="xxxiv" progress="47.65%" prev="Ex.xxxiii" next="Ex.xxxv" id="Ex.xxxiv">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxiv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1">In this chapter we have a further account of the
mediation of Moses between God and Israel, for the making up of the
breach that sin had made between them. I. He brings a very humbling
message from God to them (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:1-3,5" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|33|1|33|3;|Exod|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.1-Exod.33.3 Bible:Exod.33.5">ver. 1-3,
5</scripRef>), which has a good effect upon them, and helps to
prepare them for mercy, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:4,6" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|33|4|0|0;|Exod|33|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.4 Bible:Exod.33.6">ver. 4,
6</scripRef>. II. He settles a correspondence between God and them,
and both God and the people signify their approbation of that
correspondence, God by descending in a cloudy pillar, and the
people by worshipping at the tent doors, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:7-11" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|33|7|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.7-Exod.33.11">ver. 7-11</scripRef>. III. He is earnest with God in
prayer, and prevails, 1. For a promise of his presence with the
people, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:12-17" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|33|12|33|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.12-Exod.33.17">ver. 12-17</scripRef>. 2.
For a sight of his glory for himself, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:18-23" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|33|18|33|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.18-Exod.33.23">ver. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 33" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 33:1-6" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|33|1|33|6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.1-Exod.33.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.33.1-Exod.33.6">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.8">The Israelites Reproved. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Depart, <i>and</i> go up hence, thou and the
people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto
the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,
saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: &#160; 2 And I will send an
angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite,
and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
&#160; 3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go
up in the midst of thee; for thou <i>art</i> a stiffnecked people:
lest I consume thee in the way. &#160; 4 And when the people heard
these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his
ornaments. &#160; 5 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p2.2">Lord</span> had
said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye <i>are</i> a
stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a
moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from
thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. &#160; 6 And the
children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the
mount Horeb.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3">Here is, I. The message which God sent by
Moses to the children of Israel, signifying the continuance of the
displeasure against them, and the bad terms they yet stood upon
with God. This he must let them know for their further
mortification. 1. He applies to them a mortifying name, by giving
them their just character&#8212;<i>a stiff-necked people,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:3,5" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|33|3|0|0;|Exod|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.3 Bible:Exod.33.5"><i>v.</i> 3, 5</scripRef>. "Go," says God to
Moses, "go and tell them that they are so." He that knows them
better than they know themselves says so of them. God would have
brought them under the yoke of his law, and into the bond of his
covenant, but their necks were too stiff to bow to them. God would
have cured them of their corrupt and crooked dispositions, and have
set them straight; but they were wilful and obstinate, and hated to
be reformed, and would not have God to reign over them. Note, God
judges of men by the temper of their minds. We know what man does;
God knows what he is: we know what proceeds from man; God knows
what is in man, and nothing is more displeasing to him than
stiff-neckedness, as nothing in children is more offensive to their
parents and teachers than stubbornness. 2. He tells them what they
deserved, that he should <i>come into the midst of them in a
moment, and consume them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:5" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Had he dealt with them according to their sins, he
had taken them away with a swift destruction. Note, Those whom God
pardons must be made to know what their sin deserved, and how
miserable they would have been if they had been unpardoned, that
God's mercy may be the more magnified. 3. He bids them <i>depart
and go up hence</i> to the land of Canaan, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:1" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|33|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. This Mount Sinai, where they now
were, was the place appointed for the setting up of God's
tabernacle and solemn worship among them; this was not yet done, so
that in bidding them depart hence God intimates that it should not
be done&#8212;"Let them go forward as they are;" and so it was very
expressive of God's displeasure. 4. He turns them over to Moses, as
the people whom he had brought up out of the land of Egypt, and
leaves it to him to lead them to Canaan. 5. Though he promises to
make good his covenant with Abraham, in giving them Canaan, yet he
denies them the extraordinary tokens of his presence, such as they
had hitherto been blessed with, and leaves them under the common
conduct of Moses their prince, and the common convoy of a guardian
angel: "<i>I will send an angel before thee,</i> for thy protector,
otherwise the evil angels would soon destroy thee; but <i>I will
not go up in the midst of thee, lest I consume thee</i>" (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:2,3" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3.4" parsed="|Exod|33|2|33|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.2-Exod.33.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>); not as if an angel
would be more patient and compassionate than God, but their
affronts given to an angel would not be so provoking as those given
to the <i>shechinah,</i> or divine Majesty itself. Note, The
greater the privileges we enjoy the greater is our danger if we do
not improve them and live up to them. 6. He speaks as one that was
at a loss what course to take with them. Justice said, "Cut them
off, and consume them." Mercy said, "<i>How shall I give thee up,
Ephraim?</i>" <scripRef passage="Ho 11:8" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3.5" parsed="|Hos|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.11.8">Hos. xi. 8</scripRef>.
Well, says God, <i>put off thy ornaments, that I may know what to
do with thee;</i> that is, "Put thyself into the posture of a
penitent, that the dispute may be determined in thy favour, and
mercy may rejoice against judgment," <scripRef passage="Ex 33:5" id="Ex.xxxiv-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Note, Calls to repentance are
plain indications of mercy designed. If the Lord were pleased to
kill us, justice knows what to do with a stiff-necked people: but
God has no pleasure in the death of those that die; let them return
and repent, and then mercy, which otherwise is at a loss, knows
what to do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4">II. The people's melancholy reception of
this message; it was evil tidings to them to hear that they should
not have God's special presence with them, and therefore, 1.
<i>They mourned</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:4" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|33|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), mourned for their sin which had provoked God to
withdraw from them, and mourned for this as the sorest punishment
of their sin. When 3000 of them were at one time laid dead upon the
spot by the Levites' sword, we do not find that they mourned for
this (hoping that it would help to expiate the guilt); but when God
denied them his favourable presence then they mourned and were in
bitterness. Note, Of all the bitter fruits and consequences of sin,
that which true penitents most lament, and dread most, is God's
departure from them. God had promised that, notwithstanding their
sin, he would give them the <i>land flowing with milk and
honey.</i> but they could have small joy of that if they had not
God's presence with them. Canaan itself would be no pleasant land
without that; therefore, if they want that, they mourn. 2. In token
of great shame and humiliation, those that were undressed did
<i>not put on their ornaments</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:4" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|33|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), and those that were dressed
<i>stripped themselves of their ornaments, by the mount;</i> or, as
some read it, <i>at a distance from the mount</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:6" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|33|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), standing afar off like
the publican, <scripRef passage="Lu 18:13" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.4" parsed="|Luke|18|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.13">Luke xviii.
13</scripRef>. God bade them <i>lay aside their ornaments</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 33:5" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.5" parsed="|Exod|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and they did
so, both to show, in general, their deep mourning, and, in
particular, to take a holy revenge upon themselves for giving their
ear-rings to make the golden calf of. Those that would part with
their ornaments for the maintenance of their sin could do no less
than lay aside their ornaments in token of their sorrow and shame
for it. When the <i>Lord God calls to weeping and mourning</i> we
must comply with the call, and not only fast from pleasant bread
(<scripRef passage="Da 10:3" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.6" parsed="|Dan|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.10.3">Dan. x. 3</scripRef>), but lay aside
our ornaments; even those that are decent enough at other times are
unseasonably worn on days of humiliation or in times of public
calamity, <scripRef passage="Isa 3:18" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.7" parsed="|Isa|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.3.18">Isa. iii. 18</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 33:7-11" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.8" parsed="|Exod|33|7|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.7-Exod.33.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.33.7-Exod.33.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.9">The Tabernacle of the
Congregation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p4.10">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiv-p5">7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it
without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the
Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, <i>that</i>
every one which sought the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p5.1">Lord</span> went
out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which <i>was</i>
without the camp. &#160; 8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out
unto the tabernacle, <i>that</i> all the people rose up, and stood
every man <i>at</i> his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he
was gone into the tabernacle. &#160; 9 And it came to pass, as
Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and
stood <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle, and <i>the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p5.2">Lord</span></i> talked with Moses. &#160; 10 And all
the people saw the cloudy pillar stand <i>at</i> the tabernacle
door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man
<i>in</i> his tent door. &#160; 11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p5.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses face to face, as a man
speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but
his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out
of the tabernacle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p6">Here is, I. One mark of displeasure put
upon them for their further humiliation: <i>Moses took the
tabernacle,</i> not his own tent for his family, but the tent
wherein he gave audience, heard causes, and enquired of God, the
<i>guild-hall</i> (as it were) of their camp, and <i>pitched it
without, afar off from the camp</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:7" id="Ex.xxxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|33|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), to signify to them that they had
rendered themselves unworthy of it, and that, unless peace was
made, it would return to them no more. God would thus let them know
that he was at variance with them: <i>The Lord is far from the
wicked.</i> Thus the glory of the Lord departed from the temple
when it was polluted with sin, <scripRef passage="Eze 10:4,11:23" id="Ex.xxxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Ezek|10|4|0|0;|Ezek|11|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.10.4 Bible:Ezek.11.23">Ezek. x. 4; xi. 23</scripRef>. Note, It is a sign
that God is angry when he removes his tabernacle, for his
ordinances are fruits of his favour and tokens of his presence;
while we have them with us we have him with us. Perhaps this
tabernacle was a plan, or model rather, of the tabernacle that was
afterwards to be erected, a hasty draught from the pattern shown
him in the mount, designed for direction to the workmen, and used,
in the meantime, as a tabernacle of meeting between God and Moses
about public affairs. This was set up at a distance, to affect the
people with the loss of that glorious structure which, if they had
not forsaken their own mercies for lying vanities, was to have been
set up in the midst of them. Let them see what they had
forfeited.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p7">II. Many encouragements give them,
notwithstanding, to hope that God would yet be reconciled to
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p8">1. Though the tabernacle was removed, yet
every one that was disposed to seek the Lord was welcome to follow
it, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:7" id="Ex.xxxiv-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|33|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Private
persons, as well as Moses, were invited and encouraged to apply to
God, as intercessors upon this occasion. A place was appointed for
them to go to <i>without the camp,</i> to solicit God's return to
them. Thus when Ezra (a second Moses) interceded for Israel there
were assembled to him many that <i>trembled at God's word,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ezr 9:4" id="Ex.xxxiv-p8.2" parsed="|Ezra|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.4">Ezra ix. 4</scripRef>. When God designs
mercy, he stirs up prayer. <i>He will be</i> sought unto (<scripRef passage="Eze 36:37" id="Ex.xxxiv-p8.3" parsed="|Ezek|36|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.36.37">Ezek. xxxvi. 37</scripRef>); and, thanks be to
his name, he may be sought unto, and will not reject the
intercession of the poorest. Every Israelite that sought the Lord
was welcome to this tabernacle, as well as Moses <i>the man of
God.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p9">2. Moses undertook to mediate between God
and Israel. He <i>went out to the tabernacle,</i> the place of
treaty, probably pitched between them and the mount (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:8" id="Ex.xxxiv-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|33|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and he <i>entered into
the tabernacle,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:9" id="Ex.xxxiv-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. That cause could not but speed well which had so good
a manager; when their judge (under God) becomes their advocate, and
he who was appointed to be their law-giver is an intercessor for
them, there is <i>hope in Israel concerning this thing.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p10">3. The people seemed to be in a very good
mind and well disposed towards a reconciliation. (1.) When Moses
went out to go to the tabernacle, the people <i>looked after
him</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:8" id="Ex.xxxiv-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|33|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), in
token of their respect to him whom before they had slighted, and
their entire dependence upon his mediation. By this it appeared
that they were very solicitous about this matter, desirous to be at
peace with God and concerned to know what would be the issue. Thus
the disciples looked after our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high
to enter into the holy place not made with hands, till a <i>cloud
received him out of their sight,</i> as Moses here. And we must
with an eye of faith follow him likewise thither, where he is
appearing in the presence of God for us; then shall we have the
benefit of his mediation. (2.) When they saw the cloudy pillar,
that symbol of God's presence, give Moses the meeting, they all
<i>worshipped, every man at his tent door,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:10" id="Ex.xxxiv-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|33|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Thereby they signified, [1.]
Their humble adoration of the divine Majesty, which they will ever
worship, and not gods of gold any more. [2.] Their joyful
thankfulness to God that he was pleased to show them this token for
good, and give them hopes of a reconciliation; for, if he had been
pleased to kill them, he would not have shown them such things as
these, would not have raised them up such a mediator, nor given him
such countenance. [3.] Their hearty concurrence with Moses as their
advocate in every thing he should promise for them, and their
expectation of a comfortable and happy issue of this treaty. Thus
must we worship God in our tents with an eye to Christ as the
Mediator. Their worshipping in their tent doors declared plainly
that they were not ashamed publicly to own their respect to God and
Moses, as they had publicly worshipped the calf.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11">4. God was, in Moses, reconciling Israel to
himself, and manifested himself very willing to be at peace. (1.)
God met Moses at the place of treaty, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:9" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. The cloudy pillar, which had
withdrawn itself from the camp when it was polluted with idolatry,
now returned to this tabernacle at some distance, coming back
gradually. If our hearts go forth towards God to meet him he will
graciously come down to meet us. (2.) God <i>talked with Moses</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 33:9" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), <i>spoke to
him face to face, as a man speaks to his friend</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:11" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|33|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), which intimates that
God revealed himself to Moses, not only with greater clearness and
evidence of divine light than to any other of the prophets, but
also with greater expressions of particular kindness and grace. He
spoke, not as a prince to a subject, but as a <i>man to his
friend,</i> whom he loves, and with whom he takes sweet counsel.
This was great encouragement to Israel, to see their advocate so
great a favourite; and, that they might be encouraged by it,
<i>Moses turned again into the camp,</i> to tell the people what
hopes he had of bringing this business to a good issue, and that
they might not despair if he should be long absent. But, because he
intended speedily to return to the tabernacle of the congregation,
he left Joshua there, for it was not fit that the place should be
empty, so long as the cloud of glory <i>stood at the door</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 33:9" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.4" parsed="|Exod|33|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>); but, if God
had any thing to say out of that cloud while Moses was absent,
Joshua was there, ready to hear it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 33" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.5" parsed="|Exod|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 33:12-23" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.6" parsed="|Exod|33|12|33|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.12-Exod.33.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.33.12-Exod.33.23">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.7">Moses Petitions to See God's
Glory. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p11.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxiv-p12">12 And Moses said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p12.1">Lord</span>, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this
people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me.
Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found
grace in my sight. &#160; 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have
found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know
thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this
nation <i>is</i> thy people. &#160; 14 And he said, My presence
shall go <i>with thee,</i> and I will give thee rest. &#160; 15 And
he said unto him, If thy presence go not <i>with me,</i> carry us
not up hence. &#160; 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I
and thy people have found grace in thy sight? <i>is it</i> not in
that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy
people, from all the people that <i>are</i> upon the face of the
earth. &#160; 17 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p12.2">Lord</span> said
unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for
thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. &#160;
18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. &#160; 19 And he
said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will
proclaim the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p12.3">Lord</span> before
thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will
show mercy on whom I will show mercy. &#160; 20 And he said, Thou
canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
&#160; 21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxiv-p12.4">Lord</span> said, Behold,
<i>there is</i> a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
&#160; 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by,
that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee
with my hand while I pass by: &#160; 23 And I will take away mine
hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be
seen.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p13">Moses, having returned to the door of the
tabernacle, becomes a humble and importunate supplicant there for
two very great favours, and as a prince he has power with God, and
prevails for both: herein he was a type of Christ the great
intercessor, <i>whom the Father heareth always.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p14">I. He is very earnest with God for a grant
of his presence with Israel in the rest of their march to Canaan,
notwithstanding their provocations. The people had by their sin
deserved the wrath of God, and for the turning away of that Moses
had already prevailed, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:14" id="Ex.xxxiv-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|32|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.14"><i>ch.</i>
xxxii. 14</scripRef>. But they had likewise forfeited God's
favourable presence, and all the benefit and comfort of that, and
this Moses is here begging for the return of. Thus, by the
intercession of Christ, we obtain not only the removal of the
curse, but an assurance of the blessing; we are not only saved from
ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe how
admirably Moses orders this cause before God, and <i>fills his
mouth with arguments.</i> What a value he expresses for God's
favour, what a concern for God's glory and the welfare of Israel.
How he pleads, and how he speeds.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p15">1. How he pleads. (1.) He insists upon the
commission God had given him to <i>bring up this people,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 33:12" id="Ex.xxxiv-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|33|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. This he
begins with: "Lord, it is thou thyself that employest me; and wilt
thou not own me? I am in the way of my duty; and shall I not have
thy presence with me in that way?" Whom God calls out to any
service he will be sure to furnish with necessary assistances.
"Now, Lord, thou hast ordered me a great work, and yet left me at a
loss how to go about it, and to through with it." Note, Those that
sincerely design and endeavour to do their duty may in faith beg of
God direction and strength for the doing of it. (2.) He improves
the interest he himself had with God, and pleads God's gracious
expressions of kindness to him: <i>Thou hast said, I know thee by
name,</i> as a particular friend and confidant, <i>and thou hast
also found grace in my sight,</i> above any other. <i>Now,
therefore,</i> says Moses, if it be indeed so, that <i>I have found
grace in thy sight, show me the way,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:13" id="Ex.xxxiv-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|33|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. What favour God had expressed
to the people they had forfeited the benefit of, there was no
insisting upon that; and therefore Moses lays the stress of his
plea upon what God had said to him, which, though he owns himself
unworthy of, yet he hopes he has not thrown himself out of the
benefit of. By this therefore he takes hold on God: "Lord, if ever
thou wilt do any thing for me, do this for the people." Thus our
Lord Jesus, in his intercession, presents himself to the Father, as
one in whom he is always well pleased, and so obtains mercy for us
with whom he is justly displeased; and we are <i>accepted in the
beloved.</i> Thus also men of public spirit love to improve their
interest both with God and man for the public good. Observe what it
is he is thus earnest for: <i>Show me thy way,</i> that I may know
that <i>I find grace in thy sight.</i> Note, Divine direction is
one of the best evidences of divine favour. By this we may know
that we <i>find grace in God's sight,</i> if we find grace in our
hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. God's good
work in us is the surest discovery of his good-will towards us.
(3.) He insinuates that the people also, though most unworthy, yet
were in some relation to God: "<i>Consider that this nation is thy
people,</i> a people that thou hast done great things for, redeemed
to thyself, and taken into covenant with thyself; Lord, they are
thy own, do not leave them." The offended father considers this,
"My child is foolish and froward, but he is my child, and I cannot
abandon him." (4.) He expresses the great value he had for the
presence of God. When God said, <i>My presence shall go with
thee,</i> he caught at that word, as that which he could not live
and move without: "<i>If thy presence go not with me, carry us not
up hence,</i>" <scripRef passage="Ex 33:15" id="Ex.xxxiv-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. He speaks as one that dreaded the thought of going
forward without God's presence, knowing that their marches could
not be safe, nor their encampments easy, if they had not God with
them. "Better lie down and die here in the wilderness than go
forward to Canaan without God's presence." Note, Those who know how
to value God's favours are best prepared to receive them. Observe
how earnest Moses is in this matter; he begs as one that would take
no denial. "Here we will stay till we obtain thy favour; like
Jacob, <i>I will not let thee go except thou bless me.</i>" And
observe how he advances upon God's concessions; the kind
intimations given him make him yet more importunate. Thus God's
gracious promises, and the advances of mercy towards us, should not
only encourage our faith, but excite our fervency in prayer. (5.)
He concludes with an argument taken from God's glory (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:16" id="Ex.xxxiv-p15.4" parsed="|Exod|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): "<i>Wherein shall it
be known</i> to the nations that have their eyes upon us that <i>I
and thy people</i> (with whom my interests are all blended) <i>have
found grace in thy sight,</i> distinguishing favour, so as to be
<i>separated from all people on earth?</i> How will it appear that
we are indeed thus honoured? <i>Is it not in that thou goest with
us?</i> Nothing short of this can answer these characters. Let it
never be said that we are a peculiar people, and highly favoured,
for we stand but upon a level with the rest of our neighbours
unless thou go with us; sending an angel with us will not serve."
He lays a stress upon the place&#8212;"<i>here</i> in this wilderness,
whither thou hast led us, and where we shall be certainly lost if
thou leave us." Note, God's special presence with us in this
wilderness, by his Spirit and grace, to direct, defend, and comfort
us, is the surest pledge of his special love to us and will redound
to his glory as well as our benefit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p16">2. Observe how he speeds. He obtained an
assurance of God's favour, (1.) To himself (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:14" id="Ex.xxxiv-p16.1" parsed="|Exod|33|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): "<i>I will give thee rest,</i>
I will take care to make thee easy in this matter; however it be,
thou shalt have satisfaction." Moses never entered Canaan, and yet
God made good his word that he would give him rest, <scripRef passage="Da 12:13" id="Ex.xxxiv-p16.2" parsed="|Dan|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.12.13">Dan. xii. 13</scripRef>. (2.) To the people for
his sake. Moses was not content with that answer which bespoke
favour to himself only, he must gain a promise, an express promise,
for the people too, or he is not at rest; gracious generous souls
think it not enough to get to heaven themselves, but would have all
their friends go thither, too. And in this also Moses prevailed:
<i>I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:17" id="Ex.xxxiv-p16.3" parsed="|Exod|33|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Moses is not checked as
an unreasonable beggar, whom no saying would serve, but he is
encouraged. God grants as long as he asks, <i>gives liberally,</i>
and <i>does not upbraid</i> him. See the power of prayer, and be
quickened hereby to ask, and seek, and knock, and to <i>continue
instant in prayer, to pray always and not to faint.</i> See the
riches of God's goodness. When he has done much, yet he is willing
to do more: <i>I will do this also</i>&#8212;above <i>what we are able
to ask or think.</i> See, in type, the prevalency of Christ's
intercession, which he ever lives to make for all those that come
to God by him, and the ground of that prevalency. It is purely his
own merit, not any thing in those for whom he intercedes; it is
because <i>thou hast found grace in my sight.</i> And now the
matter is settled, God is perfectly reconciled to them, his
presence in the pillar of cloud returns to them and shall continue
with them; all is well again, and henceforth we hear no more of the
golden calf. <i>Lord, who is a God like unto thee, pardoning
iniquity?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p17">II. Having gained this point, he next begs
<i>a sight of God's glory,</i> and is heard in this matter also.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p18">1. The humble request Moses makes: <i>I
beseech thee, show me thy glory,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:18" id="Ex.xxxiv-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|33|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Moses had lately been in the
mount with God, had continued there a great while, and had enjoyed
as intimate a communion with God as ever any man had on this side
heaven; and yet he is still desiring a further acquaintance. All
that are effectually called to the knowledge of God and fellowship
with him, though they desire nothing more than God, are
nevertheless still coveting more and more of him, till they come to
see as they are seen. Moses had wonderfully prevailed with God for
one favour after another, and the success of his prayers emboldened
him to go on still to seek God; the more he had the more he asked:
when we are in a good frame at the throne of grace, we should
endeavour to preserve and improve it, and strike while the iron is
hot: "<i>Show me thy glory; make me to see</i> it" (so the word
is); "make it some way or other visible, and enable me to bear the
sight of it." Not that he was so ignorant as to think God's essence
could be seen with bodily eyes; but, having hitherto only heard a
voice out of a pillar of cloud or fire, he desired to see some
representation of the divine glory, such as God saw fit to gratify
him with. It was not fit that the people should see any similitude
when the Lord spoke unto them, <i>lest they should corrupt
themselves;</i> but he hoped that there was not that danger in his
seeing some similitude. Something it was more than he had yet seen
that Moses desired. If it was purely for the assisting of his faith
and devotion, the desire was commendable; but perhaps there was in
it a mixture of human infirmity. God will have us walk by faith,
not by sight, in this world; and <i>faith comes by hearing.</i>
Some think that Moses desired a sight of God's glory as a token of
his reconciliation, and an earnest of that presence which he had
promised them; but he knew not what he asked.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19">2. The gracious reply God made to this
request. (1.) He denied that which was not fit to be granted, and
which Moses could not bear: <i>Thou canst not see my face,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 33:20" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|33|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. A full
discovery of the glory of God would quite overpower the faculties
of any mortal man in this present state, and overwhelm him, even
Moses himself. Man is mean and unworthy of it, weak and could not
bear it, guilty and could not but dread it. It is in compassion to
our infirmity that God <i>holdeth back the face of his throne, and
spreadeth a cloud upon it,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 26:9" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.2" parsed="|Job|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.9">Job
xxvi. 9</scripRef>. God has said that <i>here</i> (that is, in this
world) his <i>face shall not be seen</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:23" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.3" parsed="|Exod|33|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>); that is an honour reserved for
the future state, to be the eternal bliss of holy souls: should men
in this state know what it is, they would not be content to live
short of it. There is a knowledge and enjoyment of God which must
be waited for in another world, when we shall <i>see him as he
is,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 3:2" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.4" parsed="|1John|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.2">1 John iii. 2</scripRef>. In
the meantime let us adore the height of what we do know of God,
and the depth of what we do not. Long before this, Jacob had spoken
of it with wonder that he had <i>seen God face to face,</i> and yet
<i>his life was preserved,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 32:30" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.5" parsed="|Gen|32|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.32.30">Gen.
xxxii. 30</scripRef>. Sinful man dreads the sight of God his Judge;
but holy souls, being <i>by the Spirit of the Lord changed into the
same image, behold with open face the glory of the Lord.</i>
<scripRef passage="2Co 3:18" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.6" parsed="|2Cor|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.18">2 Cor. iii. 18</scripRef>. (2.) He
granted that which would be abundantly satisfying. [1.] He should
hear what would please him (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:19" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.7" parsed="|Exod|33|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): <i>I will make all my goodness pass before
thee.</i> He had given him wonderful instances of his goodness in
being reconciled to Israel: but that was only goodness in the
stream; he would show him goodness in the spring&#8212;<i>all his
goodness.</i> This was a sufficient answer to his request. "Show me
thy glory," says Moses. "I will show thee my goodness," says God.
Note, God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him
by the glory of his mercy more than by the glory of his majesty;
for we must fear even <i>the Lord and his goodness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 3:5" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.8" parsed="|Hos|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.3.5">Hos. iii. 5</scripRef>. That especially which is
the glory of God's goodness is the sovereignty of it, that he will
be <i>gracious to whom he will be gracious,</i> that, as an
absolute proprietor, he makes what difference he pleases in
bestowing his gifts, and is not debtor to any, nor accountable to
any (<i>may he not do what he will with his own?</i>); also that
all his reasons of mercy are fetched from within himself, not from
any merit in his creatures: as he has mercy on whom he will, so,
because he will. <i>Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy
sight.</i> It is never said, "I will be angry at whom I will be
angry," for his wrath is always just and holy; but <i>I will show
mercy on whom I will show mercy,</i> for his grace is always free.
He never damns by prerogative, but by prerogative he saves. The
apostle quotes this (<scripRef passage="Ro 9:15" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.9" parsed="|Rom|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.9.15">Rom. ix.
15</scripRef>) in answer to those who charged God with
unrighteousness in giving that grace freely to some which he
withholds justly from others. [2.] He should see what he could
bear, and what would suffice him. The matter is concerted so as
that Moses might be safe and yet satisfied. <i>First,</i> Save in a
<i>cleft of the rock,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 33:21,22" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.10" parsed="|Exod|33|21|33|22" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.21-Exod.33.22"><i>v.</i>
21, 22</scripRef>. In this he was to be sheltered from the dazzling
light and devouring fire of God's glory. This was the rock in Horeb
out of which water was brought, of which it is said, <i>That rock
was Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 10:4" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.11" parsed="|1Cor|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.4">1 Cor. x.
4</scripRef>. It is in the clefts of this rock that we are secured
from the wrath of God, which otherwise would consume us; God
himself will protect those that are thus hid. And it is only
through Christ that we have <i>the knowledge of the glory of
God.</i> None can see his glory to their comfort but those who
stand upon this rock, and take shelter in it. <i>Secondly,</i> He
was satisfied with a sight of his back-parts, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:23" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.12" parsed="|Exod|33|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. He should see more of God than
any ever saw on earth, but not so much as those see who are in
heaven. The face, in man, is the seat of majesty, and men are known
by their faces; in them we take a full view of men. That sight of
God Moses might not have, but such a sight as we have of a man who
has gone past us, so that we only see his back, and have (as we
say) a blush of him. We cannot be said to look at God, but rather
to look after him (<scripRef passage="Ge 16:13" id="Ex.xxxiv-p19.13" parsed="|Gen|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.16.13">Gen. xvi.
13</scripRef>); for we see <i>through a glass darkly.</i> When we
see what God has done in his works, observe the goings of our God,
our King, we see (as it were) his back-parts. The best thus <i>know
but in part,</i> and we cannot order our speech concerning God, by
reason of darkness, any more than we can describe a man whose face
we never saw. Now Moses was allowed to see only the back-parts; but
long afterwards, when he was a witness to Christ's transfiguration,
he saw <i>his face shine as the sun.</i> If we faithfully improve
the discoveries God gives us of himself while we are here, a
brighter and more glorious scene will shortly be opened to us; for
<i>to him that hath shall be given.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIV" n="xxxv" progress="48.28%" prev="Ex.xxxiv" next="Ex.xxxvi" id="Ex.xxxv">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxv-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxv-p1">God having in the foregoing chapter intimated to
Moses his reconciliation to Israel, here gives proofs of it,
proceeding to settle his covenant and communion with them. Four
instances of the return of his favour we have in this chapter:&#8212;I.
The orders he gives to Moses to come up to the mount, the next
morning, and bring two tables of stone with him, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:1-4" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|34|1|34|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.1-Exod.34.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. His meeting him there, and the
proclamation of his name, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:5-9" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|34|5|34|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.5-Exod.34.9">ver.
5-9</scripRef>. III. The instructions he gave him there, and his
converse with him for forty days together, without intermission,
<scripRef passage="Ex 34:10-28" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|34|10|34|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.10-Exod.34.28">ver. 10-28</scripRef>. IV. The
honour he put upon him when he sent him down with his face shining,
<scripRef passage="Ex 34:29-35" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|34|29|34|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.29-Exod.34.35">ver. 29-35</scripRef>. In all this
God dealt with Moses as a public person, and mediator between him
and Israel, and a type of the great Mediator.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34:1-4" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|34|1|34|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.1-Exod.34.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.34.1-Exod.34.4">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxv-p1.7">God's Proclamation of
Himself. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first:
and I will write upon <i>these</i> tables the words that were in
the first tables, which thou brakest. &#160; 2 And be ready in the
morning, and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai, and present
thyself there to me in the top of the mount. &#160; 3 And no man
shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all
the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
&#160; 4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and
Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai,
as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p2.2">Lord</span> had commanded him, and
took in his hand the two tables of stone.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p3">The treaty that was on foot between God and
Israel being broken off abruptly, by their worshipping the golden
calf, when peace was made all must be begun anew, not where they
left off, but from the beginning. Thus backsliders must <i>repent,
and do their first works,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 2:5" id="Ex.xxxv-p3.1" parsed="|Rev|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.5">Rev. ii.
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p4">I. Moses must prepare for the renewing of
the tables, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:1" id="Ex.xxxv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|34|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
Before, God himself provided the tables, and wrote on them; now,
Moses must <i>hew out the tables,</i> and God would only write upon
them. Thus, in the first writing of the law upon the heart of man
in innocency, both the tables and the writing were the work of God;
but when those were broken and defaced by sin, and the divine law
was to be preserved in the scriptures, God therein made use of the
ministry of man, and Moses first. But the prophets and apostles did
only hew the tables, as it were; the writing was God's still, for
<i>all scripture is given by inspiration of God.</i> Observe, When
God was reconciled to them, he ordered the tables to be renewed,
and wrote his law in them, which plainly intimates to us, 1. That
even under the gospel of peace and reconciliation by Christ (of
which the intercession of Moses was typical) the moral law should
continue to bind believers. Though Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law, yet not from the command of it, but still we are
<i>under the law to Christ;</i> when our Saviour, in his sermon on
the mount, expounded the moral law, and vindicated it from the
corrupt glosses with which the scribes and Pharisees had broken it
(<scripRef passage="Mt 5:19" id="Ex.xxxv-p4.2" parsed="|Matt|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.19">Matt. v. 19</scripRef>), he did in
effect renew the tables, and make them like the first, that is,
reduce the law to its primitive sense and intention. 2. That the
best evidence of the pardon of sin and peace with God is the
writing of the law in the heart. The first token God gave of his
reconciliation to Israel was the renewing of the tables of the law;
thus the first article of the new covenant is, <i>I will write my
law in their heart</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 8:10" id="Ex.xxxv-p4.3" parsed="|Heb|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.10">Heb. viii.
10</scripRef>), and it follows (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:12" id="Ex.xxxv-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|34|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), <i>for I will be merciful to
their unrighteousness.</i> 3. That, if we would have God to write
the law in our hearts, we must prepare our hearts for the reception
of it. The heart of stone must be hewn by conviction and
humiliation for sin (<scripRef passage="Ho 6:5" id="Ex.xxxv-p4.5" parsed="|Hos|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.6.5">Hos. vi.
5</scripRef>), the <i>superfluity of naughtiness</i> must be taken
off (<scripRef passage="Jam 1:21" id="Ex.xxxv-p4.6" parsed="|Jas|1|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.21">James i. 21</scripRef>), the
heart made smooth, and laboured with, that the word may have a
place in it. Moses did accordingly hew out the <i>tables of
stone,</i> or slate, for they were so slight and thin that Moses
carried them both in his hand; and, for their dimensions, they must
have been somewhat less, and perhaps not much, than the ark in
which they were deposited, which was a yard and quarter long, and
three quarters broad. It should seem there was nothing particularly
curious in the framing of them, for there was no great time taken;
Moses had them ready presently, to take up with him, next morning.
They were to receive their beauty, not from the art of man, but
from the finger of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p5">II. Moses must attend again on the top of
Mount Sinai, and present himself to God there, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:2" id="Ex.xxxv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|34|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Though the absence of Moses, and
his continuance so long on the mount, had lately occasioned their
making the golden calf, yet God did not therefore alter his
measures, but he shall come up and tarry as long as he had done, to
try whether they had learned to wait. To strike an awe upon the
people, they are directed to keep their distance, none must come up
with him, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:3" id="Ex.xxxv-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|34|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They
had said (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:1" id="Ex.xxxv-p5.3" parsed="|Exod|32|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.1"><i>ch.</i> xxxii.
1</scripRef>), <i>We know not what has become of him,</i> and God
will not let them know. Moses, accordingly, <i>rose up early</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 34:4" id="Ex.xxxv-p5.4" parsed="|Exod|34|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>) to go to the
place appointed, to show how forward he was to present himself
before God and loth to lose time. It is good to be early at our
devotions. The morning is perhaps as good a friend to the graces as
it is to the muses.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34:5-9" id="Ex.xxxv-p5.5" parsed="|Exod|34|5|34|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.5-Exod.34.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.34.5-Exod.34.9">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxv-p6">5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p6.1">Lord</span>
descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed
the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p6.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 6 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p6.3">Lord</span> passed by before him, and
proclaimed, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p6.4">Lord</span>, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p6.5">Lord</span> God, merciful and gracious,
longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, &#160; 7 Keeping
mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
and that will by no means clear <i>the guilty;</i> visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's
children, unto the third and to the fourth <i>generation.</i>
&#160; 8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth,
and worshipped. &#160; 9 And he said, If now I have found grace in
thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it
<i>is</i> a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our
sin, and take us for thine inheritance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p7">No sooner had Moses got to the top of the
mount than God gave him the meeting (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:5" id="Ex.xxxv-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|34|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>The Lord descended,</i> by
some sensible token of his presence, and manifestation of his
glory. His descending bespeaks his condescension; he humbles
himself to take cognizance of those that humble themselves to walk
with him. <scripRef passage="Ps 113:6" id="Ex.xxxv-p7.2" parsed="|Ps|113|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.113.6">Ps. cxiii. 6</scripRef>,
<i>Lord, what is man, that he should be thus visited?</i> He
descended <i>in the cloud,</i> probably that pillar of cloud which
had hitherto gone before Israel, and had the day before met Moses
at the door of the tabernacle. This cloud was to strike an awe upon
Moses, that the familiarity he was admitted to might not breed
contempt. The disciples <i>feared, when they entered the cloud.</i>
His making a cloud his pavilion intimated that, though he made
known much of himself, yet there was much more concealed. Now
observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p8">I. How God proclaimed his name (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:6,7" id="Ex.xxxv-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|34|6|34|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.6-Exod.34.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>): he did it <i>in
transitu&#8212;as he passed by him.</i> Fixed views of God are reserved
for the future state; the best we have in this world are transient.
God now was performing what he had promised Moses, the day before,
that his glory should pass by, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:22" id="Ex.xxxv-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|33|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.22"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii. 22</scripRef>. He <i>proclaimed the
name of the Lord,</i> by which he would make himself known. He had
made himself known to Moses in the glory of his self-existence and
self-sufficiency when he proclaimed that name, <i>I am that I
am;</i> now he makes himself known in the glory of his grace, and
goodness, and all-sufficiency to us. Now that God is about to
publish a second edition of the law he prefaces it with this
proclamation; for it is God's grace or goodness that gives the law,
especially the remedial law. The pardon of Israel's sin in
worshipping the calf was now to pass the seals; and God, by this
declaration, would let them know that he pardoned <i>ex mero
motu&#8212;merely out of his own good pleasure,</i> not for their
merits' sake, but from his own inclination to forgive. The
proclaiming of it denotes the universal extent of God's mercy. He
is not only good to Israel, but good to all; let all take notice of
it. He that hath an ear, let him hear, and know, and believe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p9">1. That the God with whom we have to do is
a great God. He is Jehovah, the Lord, who has his being of himself,
and is the fountain of all being, <i>Jehovah-El, the Lord, the
strong God,</i> a God of almighty power himself, and the original
of all power. This is prefixed before the display of his mercy, to
teach us to think and to speak even of God's grace and goodness
with great seriousness and a holy awe, and to encourage us to
depend upon these mercies; they are not the mercies of a man, that
is frail and feeble, false and fickle, but the mercies of the Lord,
the Lord God; therefore sure mercies, and sovereign mercies,
mercies that may be trusted, but not tempted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p10">2. That he is a good God. His greatness and
goodness illustrate and set off each other. That the terror of his
greatness may not make us afraid, we are told how good he is; and,
that we may not presume upon his goodness, we are told how great he
is. Many words are here heaped up, to acquaint us with, and
convince us of, God's goodness, and to show how much his goodness
is both his glory and his delight, yet without any tautology. (1.)
He is <i>merciful.</i> This bespeaks his tender compassion, like
that of a father to his children. This is put first, because it is
the first wheel in all the instances of God's good-will to fallen
man, whose misery makes him an object of pity, <scripRef passage="Jdg 10:16,Isa 63:9" id="Ex.xxxv-p10.1" parsed="|Judg|10|16|0|0;|Isa|63|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.16 Bible:Isa.63.9">Judg. x. 16; Isa. lxiii. 9</scripRef>. Let us
not then have either hard thoughts of God or hard hearts towards
our brethren. (2.) He is <i>gracious.</i> This bespeaks both
freeness and kindness; it intimates not only that he has a
compassion to his creatures, but a complacency in them and in doing
good to them, and this of his own good-will, and not for the sake
of any thing in them. His mercy is grace, free grace; this teaches
us to be not only pitiful, but courteous, <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:8" id="Ex.xxxv-p10.2" parsed="|1Pet|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.8">1 Pet. iii. 8</scripRef>. (3.) He is
<i>long-suffering.</i> This is a branch of God's goodness which the
wickedness of sinners gives occasion for; that of Israel had done
so: they had tried his patience, and experienced it. He is
long-suffering, that is, he is slow to anger, and delays the
execution of his justice; he waits to be gracious, and lengthens
out the offers of his mercy. (4.) He is <i>abundant in goodness and
truth.</i> This bespeaks plentiful goodness, goodness abounding
above our deserts, above our conception and expression. The springs
of mercy are always full, the streams of mercy always flowing;
there is mercy enough in God, enough for all, enough for each,
enough for ever. It bespeaks promised goodness, goodness and truth
put together, goodness engaged by promise, and his faithfulness
pledged for the security of it. He not only does good, but by his
promise he raises our expectation of it, and even binds himself to
show mercy. (5.) He keepeth <i>mercy for thousands.</i> This
denotes, [1.] Mercy extended to thousands of persons. When he gives
to some, still he keeps for others, and is never exhausted; he has
mercy enough for all the thousands of Israel, when they shall
<i>multiply as the sand.</i> [2.] Mercy entailed upon thousands of
generations, even those upon whom the ends of the world have come;
nay, the line of it is drawn parallel with that of eternity itself.
(6.) He <i>for giveth iniquity, transgression, and sin.</i>
Pardoning mercy is specified, because in this divine grace is most
magnified, and because in this divine grace is most magnified, and
because it is this which opens the door to all other gifts of his
divine grace, and because of this he had lately given a very
pregnant proof. He forgives offences of all sorts&#8212;<i>iniquity,
transgression, and sin,</i> multiplies his pardons; and with him is
<i>plenteous redemption.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p11">3. That he is a just and holy God. For,
(1.) <i>He will by no means clear the guilty.</i> Some read it so
as to express a mitigation of wrath, even when he does punish:
<i>When he empties, he will not make quite desolate;</i> that is,
"He does not proceed to the greatest extremity, till there be no
remedy." As we read it, we must expound it that he will by no means
connive at the guilty, as if he took no notice of their sin. Or, he
will not clear the impenitently guilty, that go on still in their
trespasses: he will not clear the guilty without some satisfaction
to his justice, and necessary vindications of the honour of his
government. (2.) <i>He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children.</i> He may justly do it, for all souls are his, and there
is a malignity in sin that taints the blood. He sometimes will do
it, especially for the punishment of idolaters. Thus he shows his
hatred to sin, and displeasure against it; yet he <i>keepeth not
his anger for ever,</i> but visits to the third and fourth
generation only, while he <i>keepeth his mercy for thousands.</i>
Well, this is God's name for ever, and this is his memorial unto
all generations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p12">II. How Moses received this declaration
which God made of himself, and of his grace and mercy. It should
seem as if Moses accepted this as a sufficient answer to his
request that God would <i>show him his glory;</i> for we read not
that he went into the cleft of the rock, whence to gain a sight of
God's back parts. Perhaps this satisfied him, and he desired no
more; as we read not that Thomas did <i>thrust his hand into
Christ's side,</i> though Christ invited him to do it. God having
thus proclaimed his name, Moses says, "It is enough, I expect no
more till I come to heaven;" at least he did not think fit to
relate what he saw. Now we are here told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p13">1. What impression it made upon him:
<i>Moses made haste, and bowed his head,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 34:8" id="Ex.xxxv-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|34|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Thus he expressed, (1.) His
humble reverence and adoration of God's glory, giving him <i>the
honour due to that name</i> he had thus proclaimed. Even the
goodness of God must be looked upon by us with a profound
veneration and holy awe. (2.) His joy in this discovery which God
had made of himself, and his thankfulness for it. We have reason
gratefully to acknowledge God's goodness to us, not only in the
real instances of it, but in the declarations he has made of it by
his word; not only that he is, and will be, gracious to us, but
that he is pleased to let us know it. (3.) His holy submission to
the will of God, made known in this declaration, subscribing to his
justice as well as mercy, and putting himself and his people Israel
under the government and direction of such a God as Jehovah had now
proclaimed himself to be. Let this God be our God for ever and
ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p14">2. What improvement he made of it. He
immediately grounded a prayer upon it (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:9" id="Ex.xxxv-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|34|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>); and a more earnest affectionate
prayer it is, (1.) For the presence of God with his people Israel
in the wilderness: "<i>I pray thee, go among us,</i> for thy
presence is all in all to our safety and success." (2.) For pardon
of sin: "<i>O pardon our iniquity and our sin,</i> else we cannot
expect thee to go among us." And, (3.) For the privileges of a
peculiar people: "Take us for <i>thy inheritance,</i> which thou
wilt have a particular eye to, and concern for, and delight in."
These things God had already promised, and given Moses assurances
of, and yet he prays for them, not as doubting the sincerity of
God's grants, but as one solicitous for the ratification of them.
God's promises are intended, not to supersede, but to direct and
encourage, prayer. Those who have some good hopes, through grace,
that their sins are pardoned, must yet continue to pray for pardon,
for the renewing of their pardon, and the clearing of it more and
more to their souls. The more we see of God's goodness the more
ashamed we should be of our own sins, and the more earnest for an
interest in it. God had said, in the close of the proclamation,
that he would <i>visit the iniquity upon the children;</i> and
Moses here deprecates that. "Lord, do not only pardon it to them,
but to their children, and let our covenant-relation to thee be
entailed upon our posterity, as an inheritance." Thus Moses, like a
man of a truly public spirit, intercedes even for the children that
should be born. But it is a strange plea he urges: <i>For it is a
stiff-necked people.</i> God had given this as a reason why he
would not go along with them, <scripRef passage="Ex 33:3" id="Ex.xxxv-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|33|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.3"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii. 3</scripRef>. "Yea," says Moses, "the
rather go along with us; for the worse they are the more need they
have of thy presence and grace to make them better." Moses sees
them so stiff-necked that, for his part, he has neither patience
nor power enough to deal with them. "Therefore, Lord, do thou go
among us, else they will never be kept in awe. Thou wilt spare, and
bear with them, for thou art <i>God, and not man,</i>" <scripRef passage="Ho 11:9" id="Ex.xxxv-p14.3" parsed="|Hos|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.11.9">Hos. xi. 9</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34" id="Ex.xxxv-p14.4" parsed="|Exod|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34:10-17" id="Ex.xxxv-p14.5" parsed="|Exod|34|10|34|17" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.10-Exod.34.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.34.10-Exod.34.17">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxv-p14.6">A Caution Against Idolatry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p14.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxv-p15">10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant:
before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done
in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which
thou <i>art</i> shall see the work of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p15.1">Lord</span>: for it <i>is</i> a terrible thing that I
will do with thee. &#160; 11 Observe thou that which I command thee
this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the
Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and
the Jebusite. &#160; 12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a
covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest
it be for a snare in the midst of thee: &#160; 13 But ye shall
destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their
groves: &#160; 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p15.2">Lord</span>, whose name <i>is</i> Jealous,
<i>is</i> a jealous God: &#160; 15 Lest thou make a covenant with
the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their
gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and <i>one</i> call thee,
and thou eat of his sacrifice; &#160; 16 And thou take of their
daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after
their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. &#160;
17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p16">Reconciliation being made, a covenant of
friendship is here settled between God and Israel. The traitors are
not only pardoned, but preferred and made favourites again. Well
may the assurances of this be ushered in with a <i>behold,</i> a
word commanding attention and admiration: <i>Behold, I make a
covenant.</i> When the covenant was broken, it was Israel that
broke it; now that it comes to be renewed, it is God that makes it.
If there be quarrels, we must bear all the blame; if there be
peace, God must have all the glory. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p17">I. God's part of this covenant, what he
would do for them, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:10,11" id="Ex.xxxv-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|34|10|34|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.10-Exod.34.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>. 1. In general: <i>Before all thy people, I will do
marvels.</i> Note, Covenant-blessings are marvellous things
(<scripRef passage="Ps 98:1" id="Ex.xxxv-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|98|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.98.1">Ps. xcviii. 1</scripRef>), marvels in
the kingdom of grace; those mentioned here were marvels in the
kingdom of nature, the drying up of Jordan, the standing still of
the sun, &amp;c. Marvels indeed, for they were without precedent,
<i>such as have not been done in all the earth.</i> They were the
joy of Israel, and the confirmation of their faith: <i>Thy people
shall see,</i> and own <i>the work of the Lord.</i> And they were
the terror of their enemies: <i>It is a terrible thing that I will
do.</i> Nay, even God's own people should see them with
astonishment. 2. In particular: <i>I drive out before thee the
Amorite.</i> God, as King of nations, plucks up some, to plant
others, as it pleases him; as King of saints, he made room for the
vine he brought out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ps 80:8,9" id="Ex.xxxv-p17.3" parsed="|Ps|80|8|80|9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.8-Ps.80.9">Ps.
lxxx. 8, 9</scripRef>. Kingdoms are sacrificed to Israel's
interests, <scripRef passage="Isa 43:3,4" id="Ex.xxxv-p17.4" parsed="|Isa|43|3|43|4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.3-Isa.43.4">Isa. xliii. 3,
4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p18">II. Their part of the covenant: <i>Observe
that which I command thee.</i> We cannot expect the benefit of the
promises unless we make conscience of the precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p19">1. The two great precepts are, (1.) <i>Thou
shalt worship no other gods</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:14" id="Ex.xxxv-p19.1" parsed="|Exod|34|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), not give divine honour to any
creature, or any name whatsoever, the creature of fancy. A good
reason is annexed. It is at thy peril if thou do: <i>For the Lord,
whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God,</i> as tender in the
matters of his worship as the husband is of the honour of the
marriage-bed. Jealousy is called the <i>rage of a man</i>
(<scripRef passage="Pr 6:34" id="Ex.xxxv-p19.2" parsed="|Prov|6|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.34">Prov. vi. 34</scripRef>), but it is
<i>God's holy and just displeasure.</i> Those cannot worship God
aright who do not worship him alone. (2.) "<i>Thou shalt make thee
no molten god</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:17" id="Ex.xxxv-p19.3" parsed="|Exod|34|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>); thou shalt not worship the true God by images."
This was the sin they had lately fallen into, which therefore they
are particularly cautioned against.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p20">2. Fences are here erected about these two
precepts by two others: (1.) That they might not be tempted to
worship other gods, they must not join in affinity or friendship
with those that did (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:12" id="Ex.xxxv-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|34|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): "<i>Take heed to thyself,</i> for thou art upon thy
good behaviour. It is a sin that thou art prone to and that will
easily beset thee, and therefore be very cautious, and carefully
abstain from all appearances of it and advances towards it. <i>Make
no covenant with the inhabitants of the land.</i>" If God, in
kindness to them, drove out the Canaanites, they ought, in duty to
God, not to harbour them. What could be insisted on more reasonable
than this? If God make war with the Canaanites, let not Israel make
peace with them. If God take care that the Canaanites be not their
lords, let them take care that they be not their snares. It was for
their civil interest to complete the conquest of the land; so much
does God consult our benefit in the laws he gives us. They must
particularly take heed of intermarrying with them, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:15,16" id="Ex.xxxv-p20.2" parsed="|Exod|34|15|34|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.15-Exod.34.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. If they espoused
their children, they would be in danger of espousing their gods;
such is the corruption of nature that the bad are much more likely
to debauch the good than the good to reform the bad. The way of sin
is downhill: those that are in league with idolaters will come by
degrees to be in love with idolatry; and those that are prevailed
upon to eat of the idolatrous sacrifice will come at length to
offer it. <i>Obsta principiis&#8212;Nip the mischief in the bud.</i>
(2.) That they might not be tempted to make molten gods, they must
utterly destroy those they found and all that belong to them, the
altars and groves (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:13" id="Ex.xxxv-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|34|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), lest, if these were left standing, they should be
brought, in process of time, either to use them or to take pattern
by them, or to abate in their detestation and dread of idolatry.
The relics of idolatry ought to be abolished as affronts to the
holy God and a great reproach to human nature. Let it never be said
that men who pretend to reason were ever guilty of such absurdities
as to make gods of their own and worship them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34" id="Ex.xxxv-p20.4" parsed="|Exod|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34:18-27" id="Ex.xxxv-p20.5" parsed="|Exod|34|18|34|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.18-Exod.34.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.34.18-Exod.34.27">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxv-p20.6">Solemn Feasts Appointed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p20.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxv-p21">18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou
keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded
thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou
camest out from Egypt. &#160; 19 All that openeth the matrix
<i>is</i> mine; and every firstling among thy cattle,
<i>whether</i> ox or sheep, <i>that is male.</i> &#160; 20 But the
firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou
redeem <i>him</i> not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the
firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear
before me empty. &#160; 21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the
seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou
shalt rest. &#160; 22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of
the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at
the year's end. &#160; 23 Thrice in the year shall all your men
children appear before the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p21.1">God</span>,
the God of Israel. &#160; 24 For I will cast out the nations before
thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy
land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p21.2">Lord</span> thy God thrice in the year. &#160; 25 Thou
shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither
shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the
morning. &#160; 26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou
shalt bring unto the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p21.3">Lord</span> thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his
mother's milk. &#160; 27 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p21.4">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Write thou these words:
for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee
and with Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p22">Here is a repetition of several
appointments made before, especially relating to their solemn
feasts. When they had made the calf, they proclaimed a feast in
honour of it; now, that they might never do so again, they are here
charged with the observance of the feasts which God had instituted.
Note, Men need not be drawn from their religion by the temptation
of mirth, for we serve a Master that has abundantly provided for
the joy of his servants: serious godliness is a continual feast,
and joy in God always.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p23">I. Once a week they must rest (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:21" id="Ex.xxxv-p23.1" parsed="|Exod|34|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), <i>even in earing
time, and in harvest,</i> the most busy times of the year. All
worldly business must give way to that holy rest; harvest-work will
prosper the better for the religious observance of the sabbath-day
in harvest-time. Hereby we must show that we prefer our communion
with God, and our duty to him, before either the business or the
joy of harvest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p24">II. Thrice a year they must feast
(<scripRef passage="Ex 34:23" id="Ex.xxxv-p24.1" parsed="|Exod|34|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>); they must
then appear <i>before the Lord, God, the God of Israel.</i> In all
our religious approaches to God, we must eye him as the Lord God,
infinitely blessed, great, and glorious, that we may worship him
with reverence and godly fear, as the God of Israel, a God in
covenant with us, that we may be encouraged to trust in him, and to
serve him cheerfully. We always are before God; but, in holy
duties, we present ourselves before him, as servants to receive
commands, as petitioners to sue for favours, and we have reason to
do both with joy. But it might be suggested that, when all the
males from every part of the country had gone up to worship in the
place that God should choose, the country would be left exposed to
the insults of their neighbours; and what would become of the poor
women and children, and sick and aged, that were left at home?
Trust God with them (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:24" id="Ex.xxxv-p24.2" parsed="|Exod|34|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>): <i>Neither shall any man desire thy land;</i> not
only they shall not invade it, but they shall not so much as think
of invading it. Note, 1. All hearts are in God's hands, and under
his check; he can lay a restraint, not only upon men's actions, but
upon their desires. Canaan was a desirable land, and the
neighbouring nations were greedy enough; and yet God says, "They
shall not desire it." Let us check all sinful desires in our own
hearts against God and his glory, and then trust him to check all
sinful desires in the hearts of others against us and our interest.
2. The way of duty is the way of safety. If we serve God, he will
preserve us; and those that venture for him shall never lose by
him. While we are employed in God's work, and are attending upon
him, we are taken under special protection, as noblemen and members
of parliament are privileged from arrests.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p25">III. The three feasts are here mentioned,
with their appendages. 1. The passover, and the feast of unleavened
bread, in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt; and to
this is annexed the law of the redemption of the first-born,
<scripRef passage="Ex 34:18-20" id="Ex.xxxv-p25.1" parsed="|Exod|34|18|34|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.18-Exod.34.20"><i>v.</i> 18-20</scripRef>. This
feast was instituted, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:13" id="Ex.xxxv-p25.2" parsed="|Exod|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.13"><i>ch.</i> xii.
13</scripRef>, and urged again, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:15" id="Ex.xxxv-p25.3" parsed="|Exod|23|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.15"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. 15</scripRef>. 2. The feast of weeks,
that is, that of pentecost, seven weeks after the passover; and to
this is annexed the law of the first-fruits. 3. The feast of
in-gathering at the year's end, which was the feast of tabernacles
(<scripRef passage="Ex 34:22" id="Ex.xxxv-p25.4" parsed="|Exod|34|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): of these
also he had spoken before, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:16" id="Ex.xxxv-p25.5" parsed="|Exod|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.16"><i>ch.</i>
xxiii. 16</scripRef>. As to those laws repeated here (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:25,26" id="Ex.xxxv-p25.6" parsed="|Exod|34|25|34|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.25-Exod.34.26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>), that against
leaven relates to the passover, that of the first-fruits to the
feast of pentecost, and therefore that against seething the kid in
his mother's milk in all probability relates to the feast of
in-gathering, at which God would not have them use that
superstitious ceremony, which probably they had seen the Egyptians,
or some other of the neighbouring nations, bless their harvests
with.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p26">IV. With these laws, here repeated, it is
probable all that was said to him when he was before upon the mount
was repeated likewise, and the model of the tabernacle shown him
again, lest the ruffle and discomposure, which the golden calf had
put him in to should have bereaved him of the ideas he had in mind
of what he had seen and heard; also in token of a complete
reconciliation, and to show that <i>not one jot or tittle of the
law should pass away,</i> but that all should be carefully
preserved by the great Mediator, who came not to destroy, but to
fulfil, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:17,18" id="Ex.xxxv-p26.1" parsed="|Matt|5|17|5|18" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.17-Matt.5.18">Matt. v. 17, 18</scripRef>.
And in the close, 1. Moses is ordered to write these words
(<scripRef passage="Ex 34:27" id="Ex.xxxv-p26.2" parsed="|Exod|34|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), that the
people might be the better acquainted with them by a frequent
perusal, and that they might be transmitted to the generations to
come. We can never be enough thankful to God for the written word.
2. He is told that according to the tenour of these words God would
make a covenant with Moses and Israel; not with Israel immediately,
but with them in Moses a mediator. Thus the covenant of grace is
made with believers through Christ, who is <i>given for a covenant
to the people,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 49:8" id="Ex.xxxv-p26.3" parsed="|Isa|49|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.8">Isa. xlix.
8</scripRef>. And, as here the covenant was made according to the
tenour of the command, so it is still; for we are by baptism
brought into covenant, that we may be <i>taught to observe all
things whatsoever Christ has commanded us,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 28:19,20" id="Ex.xxxv-p26.4" parsed="|Matt|28|19|28|20" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.19-Matt.28.20">Matt. xxviii. 19, 20</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 34:28-35" id="Ex.xxxv-p26.5" parsed="|Exod|34|28|34|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.28-Exod.34.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.34.28-Exod.34.35">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxv-p26.6">The Veil of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p26.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxv-p27">28 And he was there with the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p27.1">Lord</span> forty days and forty nights; he did neither
eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words
of the covenant, the ten commandments. &#160; 29 And it came to
pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of
testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that
Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with
him. &#160; 30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw
Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to
come nigh him. &#160; 31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and
all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses
talked with them. &#160; 32 And afterward all the children of
Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p27.2">Lord</span> had spoken with him in mount
Sinai. &#160; 33 And <i>till</i> Moses had done speaking with them,
he put a vail on his face. &#160; 34 But when Moses went in before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxv-p27.3">Lord</span> to speak with him, he took
the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto
the children of Israel <i>that</i> which he was commanded. &#160;
35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin
of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again,
until he went in to speak with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p28">Here is, I. The continuance of Moses in the
mount, where he was miraculously sustained, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:28" id="Ex.xxxv-p28.1" parsed="|Exod|34|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. He was there in very intimate
communion with God, without interruption, forty days and forty
nights, and did not think it long. When we are weary of an hour or
two spent in attendance upon God and adoration of him, we should
think how many days and nights Moses spent with him, and of the
eternal day we hope to spend in praising him. During all this time
Moses did neither eat nor drink. Though he had before been kept so
long fasting, yet he did not, this second time, take up so many
days' provision along with him, but believed that <i>man lives not
by bread alone,</i> and encouraged himself with the experience he
had of the truth of it. So long he continued without meat and drink
(and probably without sleep too), for, 1. The power of God
supported him, that he did not need it. He who made the body can
nourish it without ordinary means, which he uses, but is not tied
to. <i>The life is more than meat.</i> 2. His communion with God
entertained him, so that he did not desire it. He had meat to eat
which the world knew not of, for it was his meat and drink to hear
the word of God and pray. The abundant satisfaction his soul had in
the word of God and the visions of the Almighty made him forget the
body and the pleasures of it. When God would treat his favourite
Moses, it was not with meat and drink, but with his light, law, and
love, with the knowledge of himself and his will; then man did
indeed eat angels' food. See what we should value as the truest
pleasure. <i>The kingdom of God is not meat and drink,</i> neither
the abundance nor delicacy of food, but <i>righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Ghost.</i> As Moses, so Elijah and Christ,
fasted forty days and forty nights. The more dead we are to the
delights of sense the better prepared we are for the pleasures of
heaven.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p29">II. The coming down of Moses from the
mount, greatly enriched and miraculously adorned.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p30">1. He came down enriched with the best
treasure; for he brought in his hands the two tables of the law,
written with the finger of God, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:28,29" id="Ex.xxxv-p30.1" parsed="|Exod|34|28|34|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.28-Exod.34.29"><i>v.</i> 28, 29</scripRef>. It is a great favour to
have the law given us; this favour was shown to Israel, <scripRef passage="Ps 147:19,20" id="Ex.xxxv-p30.2" parsed="|Ps|147|19|147|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.147.19-Ps.147.20">Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20</scripRef>. It is a great
honour to be employed in delivering God's law to others; this
honour was done to Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p31">2. He came down adorned with the best
beauty; for the <i>skin of his face shone,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 34:29" id="Ex.xxxv-p31.1" parsed="|Exod|34|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. This time of his being in the
mount he heard only what he had heard before, but he saw more of
the glory of God, which having with open face beheld, he was in
some measure <i>changed into the same image from glory to
glory,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 3:18" id="Ex.xxxv-p31.2" parsed="|2Cor|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.18">2 Cor. iii. 18</scripRef>.
The last time he came down from the mount with the glory of a
magistrate, to frown upon and chastise Israel's idolatry; now with
the glory of an angel, with tidings of peace and reconciliation.
Then he came with a rod, now with the spirit of meekness. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p32">(1.) This may be looked upon, [1.] As a
great honour done to Moses, that the people might never again
question his mission nor think nor speak lightly of him. He carried
his credentials in his very countenance, which, some think,
retained, as long as he lived, some remainders of this glory, which
perhaps contributed to the vigour of his old age; that eye could
not wax dim which had seen God, nor that face become wrinkled which
had shone with his glory. The Israelites could not look him in the
face but they must there read his commission. Thus it was done to
the man whom the King of kings did delight to honour. Yet, after
this, they murmured against him; for the most sensible proofs will
not of themselves conquer an obstinate infidelity. The shining of
Moses's face was a great honour to him; yet that was no glory, in
comparison with the glory which excelled. We read of our Lord
Jesus, not only that <i>his face shone</i> as the sun, but his
whole body also, for his <i>raiment was white and glistering,</i>
<scripRef passage="Lu 9:29" id="Ex.xxxv-p32.1" parsed="|Luke|9|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.9.29">Luke ix. 29</scripRef>. But, when he
came down from the mount, he quite laid aside that glory, it being
his will that we should <i>walk by faith, not by sight.</i> [2.] It
was also a great favour to the people, and an encouragement to
them, that God put this glory upon him, who was their intercessor,
thereby giving them assurance that he was accepted, and they
through him. Thus the advancement of Christ, our advocate with the
Father, is the great support of our faith. [3.] It was the effect
of his sight of God. Communion with God, <i>First,</i> Makes the
face to shine in true honour. Serious godliness puts a lustre upon
a man's countenance, such as commands esteem and affection.
<i>Secondly,</i> It should make the face to shine in universal
holiness. When we have been in the mount with God, we should let
our <i>light shine before men,</i> in humility, meekness, and all
the instances of a heavenly conversation; thus must the <i>beauty
of the Lord our God be upon us,</i> even the <i>beauty of
holiness,</i> that all we converse with may <i>take knowledge of us
that we have been with Jesus,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 4:13" id="Ex.xxxv-p32.2" parsed="|Acts|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.4.13">Acts
iv. 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxv-p33">(2.) Concerning the shining of Moses's face
observe here, [1.] Moses was not aware of it himself: <i>He wist
not that the skin of his face shone,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 34:29" id="Ex.xxxv-p33.1" parsed="|Exod|34|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Thus, <i>First,</i> It is the
infelicity of some that, though their faces shine in true grace,
yet they do not know it, to take the comfort of it. Their friends
see much of God in them, but they themselves are ready to think
they have no grace. <i>Secondly,</i> It is the humility of others
that, though their faces shine in eminent gifts and usefulness, yet
they do not know it, to be puffed up with it. Whatever beauty God
puts upon us, we should still be filled with a humble sense of our
own unworthiness, and manifold infirmities, as will make us even
overlook and forget that which makes our faces shine. [2.] Aaron
and the children of Israel saw it, and <i>were afraid,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 34:30" id="Ex.xxxv-p33.2" parsed="|Exod|34|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. The truth of
it was attested by a multitude of witnesses, who were also
conscious of the terror of it. It not only dazzled their eyes, but
struck such an awe upon them as obliged them to retire. Probably
they doubted whether it were a token of God's favour or of his
displeasure; and, though it seemed most likely to be a good omen,
yet, being conscious of guilt, they feared the worst, especially
remembering the posture Moses found them in when he came last down
from the mount. Holiness will command reverence; but the sense of
sin makes men afraid of their friends, and even of that which
really is a favour to them. [3.] Moses put a <i>veil upon his
face,</i> when he perceived that it shone, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:33,35" id="Ex.xxxv-p33.3" parsed="|Exod|34|33|0|0;|Exod|34|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.33 Bible:Exod.34.35"><i>v.</i> 33, 35</scripRef>. <i>First,</i> This
teaches us all a lesson of modesty and humility. We must be content
to have our excellences obscured, and a veil drawn over them, not
coveting to <i>make a fair show in the flesh.</i> Those that are
truly desirous to be owned and accepted of God will likewise desire
not to be taken notice of nor applauded by men. <i>Qui bene latuit,
bene vixit&#8212;There is a laudable concealment. Secondly,</i> It
teaches ministers to accommodate themselves to the capacities of
people, and to preach to them as they are able to bear it. Let all
that art and all that learning be veiled which tend to amusement
rather than edification, and let the strong condescend to the
infirmities of the weak. <i>Thirdly,</i> This veil signified the
darkness of that dispensation. The ceremonial institutions had in
them much of Christ, much of the grace of the gospel, but a veil
was drawn over it, so that the children of Israel could not
distinctly and <i>stedfastly see those good things to come which
the law had the shadow of.</i> It was beauty veiled, gold in the
mine, a pearl in the shell; but, thanks be to God, by the gospel
life and immortality are brought to light, the veil is taken away
from off the Old Testament; yet still it remains upon the hearts of
those who shut their eyes against the light. Thus the apostle
expounds this passage, <scripRef passage="2Co 3:13-15" id="Ex.xxxv-p33.4" parsed="|2Cor|3|13|3|15" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.13-2Cor.3.15">2 Cor. iii.
13-15</scripRef>. [4.] When Moses <i>went in before the Lord,</i>
to speak with him in the tabernacle of meeting, he <i>put off the
veil,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 34:34" id="Ex.xxxv-p33.5" parsed="|Exod|34|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>.
Then there was no occasion for it, and, before God, every man does
and must appear unveiled; for <i>all things are naked and open
before the eyes of him with whom we have to do,</i> and it is folly
for us to think of concealing or disguising any thing. Every veil
must be thrown aside when we come to present ourselves unto the
Lord. This signified also, as it is explained (<scripRef passage="2Co 3:16" id="Ex.xxxv-p33.6" parsed="|2Cor|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.16">2 Cor. iii. 16</scripRef>), that when a soul turns to
the Lord the veil shall be taken away, and with open face it may
behold his glory. And when we shall come before the Lord in heaven,
to be there for ever speaking with him, the veil shall not only be
taken off from the divine glory, but from our hearts and eyes, that
we may see as we are seen, and know as we are known.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXV" n="xxxvi" progress="49.09%" prev="Ex.xxxv" next="Ex.xxxvii" id="Ex.xxxvi">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxvi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1">What should have been said and done upon Moses'
coming down the first time from the mount, if the golden calf had
not broken the measures and put all into disorder, now at last,
when with great difficulty reconciliation was made, begins to be
said and done; and that great affair of the setting up of God's
worship is put into its former channel again, and goes on now
without interruption. I. Moses gives Israel those instructions,
received from God, which required immediate observance. 1.
Concerning the sabbath, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:1-3" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|35|1|35|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.1-Exod.35.3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>. 2. Concerning the contribution that was to be made
for the erecting of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:4-9" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|35|4|35|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.4-Exod.35.9">ver. 4-9</scripRef>. 3. Concerning the framing of the
tabernacle and the utensils of it, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:10-19" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|35|10|35|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.10-Exod.35.19">ver. 10-19</scripRef>. II. The people bring in their
contributions, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:20-29" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|35|20|35|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.20-Exod.35.29">ver.
20-29</scripRef>. III. The head-workmen are nominated, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:30-35" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|35|30|35|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.30-Exod.35.35">ver. 30</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 35" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|35|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 35:1-19" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|35|1|35|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.1-Exod.35.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.35.1-Exod.35.19">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.8">Orders Concerning the
Tabernacle. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2">1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the
children of Israel together, and said unto them, These <i>are</i>
the words which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2.1">Lord</span> hath
commanded, that <i>ye</i> should do them. &#160; 2 Six days shall
work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy
day, a sabbath of rest to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2.2">Lord</span>:
whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. &#160; 3 Ye
shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath
day. &#160; 4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the
children of Israel, saying, This <i>is</i> the thing which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2.3">Lord</span> commanded, saying, &#160; 5
Take ye from among you an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2.4">Lord</span>: whosoever <i>is</i> of a willing heart,
let him bring it, an offering of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2.5">Lord</span>; gold, and silver, and brass, &#160; 6 And
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats'
<i>hair,</i> &#160; 7 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins,
and shittim wood, &#160; 8 And oil for the light, and spices for
anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, &#160; 9 And onyx stones,
and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate. &#160;
10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p2.6">Lord</span> hath commanded; &#160; 11
The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his
boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets, &#160; 12 The ark,
and the staves thereof, <i>with</i> the mercy seat, and the vail of
the covering, &#160; 13 The table, and his staves, and all his
vessels, and the showbread, &#160; 14 The candlestick also for the
light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the
light, &#160; 15 And the incense altar, and his staves, and the
anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door
at the entering in of the tabernacle, &#160; 16 The altar of burnt
offering, with his brazen grate, his staves, and all his vessels,
the laver and his foot, &#160; 17 The hangings of the court, his
pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the
court, &#160; 18 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the
court, and their cords, &#160; 19 The cloths of service, to do
service in the holy <i>place,</i> the holy garments for Aaron the
priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's
office.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p3">It was said in general (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:32" id="Ex.xxxvi-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|34|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.32"><i>ch.</i> xxxiv. 32</scripRef>), <i>Moses gave them in
commandment all that the Lord has spoken with him.</i> But, the
erecting and furnishing of the tabernacle being the work to which
they were now immediately to apply themselves, there is particular
mention of the orders given concerning it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p4">I. All the congregation is summoned to
attend (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:1" id="Ex.xxxvi-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|35|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>); that
is, the heads and rulers of the congregation, the representatives
of the several tribes, who must receive instructions from Moses as
he had received them from the Lord, and must communicate them to
the people. Thus John, being commanded to write to the seven
churches what had been revealed to him, writes it to the angels, or
ministers, of the churches.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p5">II. Moses gave them in charge all that (and
that only) which God had commanded him; thus he approved himself
faithful both to God and Israel, between whom he was a messenger or
mediator. If he had added, altered, or diminished, he would have
been false to both. But, both sides having reposed a trust in him,
he was true to the trust; yet he was faithful as a servant only,
but <i>Christ as a Son,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 3:5,6" id="Ex.xxxvi-p5.1" parsed="|Heb|3|5|3|6" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.5-Heb.3.6">Heb. iii.
5, 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p6">III. He begins with the law of the sabbath,
because that was much insisted on in the instructions he had
received (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:2,3" id="Ex.xxxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|35|2|35|3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.2-Exod.35.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>):
<i>Six days shall work be done,</i> work for the tabernacle, the
work of the day that was now to be done in its day; and they had
little else to do here in the wilderness, where they had neither
husbandry nor merchandise, neither food to get nor clothes to make:
<i>but on the seventh day</i> you must not strike a stroke, no, not
at the tabernacle-work; the honour of the sabbath was above that of
the sanctuary, more ancient and more lasting; that must be to you a
holy day, devoted to God, and not be spent in common business. It
is a sabbath of rest. It is a <i>sabbath of sabbaths</i> (so some
read it), more honourable and excellent than any of the other
feasts, and should survive them all. A <i>sabbath of sabbatism,</i>
so others read it, being typical of that sabbatism or rest, both
spiritual and eternal, which <i>remains for the people of God,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 4:9" id="Ex.xxxvi-p6.2" parsed="|Heb|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.9">Heb. iv. 9</scripRef>. It is a sabbath
of rest, that is, in which a rest from all worldly labour must be
very carefully and strictly observed. It is a sabbath and a little
sabbath, so some of the Jews would have it read; not only observing
the whole day as a sabbath, but an hour before the beginning of it,
and an hour after the ending of it, which they throw in over and
above out of their own time, and call <i>a little sabbath,</i> to
show how glad they are of the approach of the sabbath and how loth
to part with it. It is a sabbath of rest, but it is rest to the
Lord, to whose honour it must be devoted. A penalty is here annexed
to the breach of it: <i>Whosoever doeth work therein shall be put
to death.</i> Also a particular prohibition of kindling fires on
the sabbath day for any servile work, as smith's work, or plumbers,
&amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p7">IV. He orders preparation to be made for
the setting up of the tabernacle. Two things were to be done:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p8">1. All that were able must contribute:
<i>Take you from among you an offering,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 35:5" id="Ex.xxxvi-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|35|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. The tabernacle was to be
dedicated to the honour of God, and used in his service; and
therefore what was brought for the setting up and furnishing of
that was <i>an offering to the Lord.</i> Our goodness extends not
to God, but what is laid out for the support of his kingdom and
interest among men he is pleased to accept as an offering to
himself; and he requires such acknowledgements of our receiving our
all from him and such instances of our dedicating our all to him.
The rule is, <i>Whosoever is of a willing heart let him bring.</i>
It was not to be a tax imposed upon them, but a benevolence or
voluntary contribution, to intimate to us, (1.) That God has not
made our yoke heavy. He is a prince that does not burden his
subjects with taxes, nor <i>make them to serve with an
offering,</i> but <i>draws with the cords of a man,</i> and leaves
it to ourselves to <i>judge what is right;</i> his is a government
that there is no cause to complain of, for he does not rule with
rigour. (2.) That God loves a cheerful giver, and is best pleased
with the free-will offering. Those services are acceptable to him
that come from the willing heart of a willing people, <scripRef passage="Ps 110:3" id="Ex.xxxvi-p8.2" parsed="|Ps|110|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.3">Ps. cx. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9">2. All that were skilful must work:
<i>Every wise-hearted among you shall come, and make,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 35:10" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|35|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. See how God dispenses
his gifts variously; and, <i>as every man hath received the gift,
so he must minister,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 4:10" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.2" parsed="|1Pet|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.10">1 Pet. iv.
10</scripRef>. Those that were rich must bring in materials to work
on; those that were ingenious must serve the tabernacle with their
ingenuity; as they needed one another, so the tabernacle needed
them both, <scripRef passage="1Co 12:7-21" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.3" parsed="|1Cor|12|7|12|21" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.7-1Cor.12.21">1 Cor. xii.
7-21</scripRef>. The work was likely to go on when some helped with
their purses, others with their hands, and both with a willing
heart. Moses, as he had told them what must be given (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:5-9" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|35|5|35|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.5-Exod.35.9"><i>v.</i> 5-9</scripRef>), so he gives them the
general heads of what must be made (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:11-19" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|35|11|35|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.11-Exod.35.19"><i>v.</i> 11-19</scripRef>), that, seeing how much
work was before them, they might apply themselves to it the more
vigorously, and every hand might be busy; and it gave them such an
idea of the fabric designed that they could not but long to see it
finished.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 35:20-29" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.6" parsed="|Exod|35|20|35|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.20-Exod.35.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.35.20-Exod.35.29">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.7">The Contributions for the
Tabernacle. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p9.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvi-p10">20 And all the congregation of the children of
Israel departed from the presence of Moses. &#160; 21 And they
came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his
spirit made willing, <i>and</i> they brought the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p10.1">Lord</span>'s offering to the work of the tabernacle of
the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy
garments. &#160; 22 And they came, both men and women, as many as
were willing hearted, <i>and</i> brought bracelets, and earrings,
and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that
offered <i>offered</i> an offering of gold unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p10.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 23 And every man, with whom was
found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats'
<i>hair,</i> and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought
<i>them.</i> &#160; 24 Every one that did offer an offering of
silver and brass brought the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p10.3">Lord</span>'s
offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any
work of the service, brought <i>it.</i> &#160; 25 And all the women
that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that
which they had spun, <i>both</i> of blue, and of purple, <i>and</i>
of scarlet, and of fine linen. &#160; 26 And all the women whose
heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' <i>hair.</i> &#160; 27
And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the
ephod, and for the breastplate; &#160; 28 And spice, and oil for
the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
&#160; 29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p10.4">Lord</span>, every man and woman, whose
heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p10.5">Lord</span> had commanded to be made by the
hand of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p11">Moses having made known to them the will of
God, they went home and immediately put in practice what they had
heard, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:20" id="Ex.xxxvi-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|35|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. O that
every congregation would thus depart from the hearing of the word
of God, with a full resolution to be <i>doers of the same!</i>
Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12">I. The offerings that were brought for the
service of the tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:21" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|35|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>, &amp;c.), concerning which many things may be noted.
1. It is intimated that they brought their offerings immediately;
they departed to their tents immediately to fetch their offering,
and did not desire time to consider of it, lest their zeal should
be cooled by delays. What duty God convinces us of, and calls us
to, we should set about speedily. No season will be more convenient
than the present season. 2. It is said that <i>their spirits made
them willing</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:21" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|35|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), <i>and their hearts,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 35:29" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|35|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. What they did they did
cheerfully, and from a good principle. They were willing, and it
was not any external inducement that made them so, but their
spirits. It was from a principle of love to God and his service, a
desire of his presence with them in his ordinances, gratitude for
the great things he had done for them, faith in his promise of what
he would further do (or, at least, from the present consideration
of these things), that they were willing to offer. What we give and
do for God is then acceptable when it comes from a good principle
in the heart and spirit. 3. When it is said that as many as were
willing-hearted brought their offerings (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:22" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.4" parsed="|Exod|35|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), it should seem as if there
were some who were not, who loved their gold better than their God,
and would not part with it, no, not for the service of the
tabernacle. Such there are, who will be called Israelites, and yet
will not be moved by the equity of the thing, God's expectations
from them, and the good examples of those about them, to part with
any thing for the interests of God's kingdom: they are for the true
religion, provided it be cheap and will cost them nothing. 4. The
offerings were of divers kinds, according as they had; those that
had gold and precious stones brought them, not thinking any thing
too good and too rich to part with for the honour of God. Those
that had not precious stones to bring brought goats' hair, and
rams' skins. If we cannot do as much as others for God, we must not
therefore sit still and do nothing: if the meaner offerings which
are according to our ability gain us not such a reputation among
men, yet they shall not fail of acceptance with God, who requires
<i>according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath
not,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 8:12,2Ki 5:23" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.5" parsed="|2Cor|8|12|0|0;|2Kgs|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.12 Bible:2Kgs.5.23">2 Cor. viii. 12; 2
Kings v. 23</scripRef>. Two mites from a pauper were more pleasing
than so many talents from a Dives. God has an eye to the heart of
the giver more than to the value of the gift. 5. Many of the things
they offered were their ornaments, bracelets and rings, and tablets
or lockets (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:22" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.6" parsed="|Exod|35|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>);
and even the women parted with these. <i>Can a maid forget her
ornaments?</i> Thus far they forgot them that they preferred the
beautifying of the sanctuary before their own adorning. Let this
teach us, in general, to part with that for God, when he calls for
it, which is very dear to us, which we value, and value ourselves
by; and particularly to lay aside our ornaments, and deny ourselves
in them, when either they occasion offence to others or feed our
own pride. If we think those gospel rules concerning our clothing
too strict (<scripRef passage="1Ti 2:9,10,1Pe 3:3,4" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.7" parsed="|1Tim|2|9|2|10;|1Pet|3|3|3|4" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.9-1Tim.2.10 Bible:1Pet.3.3-1Pet.3.4">1 Tim. ii. 9,
10; 1 Pet. iii. 3, 4</scripRef>), I fear we should scarcely have
done as these Israelites did. If they thought their ornaments well
bestowed upon the tabernacle, shall not we think the want of
ornaments well made up by the graces of the Spirit? <scripRef passage="Pr 1:9" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.8" parsed="|Prov|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.9">Prov. i. 9</scripRef>. 6. These rich things that
they offered, we may suppose, were mostly the spoils of the
Egyptians; for the Israelites in Egypt were kept poor, till they
borrowed at parting. And we may suppose the rulers had better
things (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:27" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.9" parsed="|Exod|35|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>),
because, having more influence among the Egyptians, they borrowed
larger sums. Who would have thought that ever the wealth of Egypt
should have been so well employed? but thus God has often made
<i>the earth to help the woman,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 12:16" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.10" parsed="|Rev|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.12.16">Rev. xii. 16</scripRef>. It was by a special providence
and promise of God that the Israelites got all that spoil, and
therefore it was highly fit that they should devote a part of it to
the service of that God to whom they owed it all. Let every man
give <i>according as God hath prospered him,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 16:2" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.11" parsed="|1Cor|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.2">1 Cor. xvi. 2</scripRef>. Extraordinary successes should
be acknowledged by extraordinary offerings. Apply it to human
learning, arts and sciences, which are borrowed, as it were, from
the Egyptians. Those that are enriched with these must devote them
to the service of God and his tabernacle: they may be used as helps
to understand the scriptures, as ornaments or handmaids to
divinity. But then great care must be taken that Egypt's gods
mingle not with Egypt's gold. Moses, though learned in all the
learning of the Egyptians, did not therefore pretend, in the least
instance, to correct the pattern shown him in the mount. The
furnishing of the tabernacle with the riches of Egypt was perhaps a
good omen to the Gentiles, who, in the fulness of time, should be
brought into the gospel tabernacle, and their silver and their gold
with them (<scripRef passage="Isa 60:9" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.12" parsed="|Isa|60|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.60.9">Isa. lx. 9</scripRef>), and
it should be said, <i>Blessed be Egypt my people,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 19:25" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.13" parsed="|Isa|19|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.19.25">Isa. xix. 25</scripRef>. 7. We may suppose that
the remembrance of the offerings made for the golden calf made them
the more forward in these offerings. Those that had then parted
with their ear-rings would not testify their repentance by giving
the rest of their jewels to the service of God: godly sorrow
worketh such a revenge, <scripRef passage="2Co 7:11" id="Ex.xxxvi-p12.14" parsed="|2Cor|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.7.11">2 Cor. vii.
11</scripRef>. And those that had kept themselves pure from that
idolatry yet argued with themselves, "Were they so forward in
contributing to an idol, and shall we be backward or sneaking in
our offerings to the Lord?" Thus some good was brought even out of
that evil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13">II. The work that was done for the service
of the tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:25" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.1" parsed="|Exod|35|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>): <i>The women did spin with their hands.</i> Some
spun fine work, of blue and purple; others coarse work, of goats'
hair, and yet theirs also is said to be done in wisdom, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:26" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|35|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. As it is not only rich
gifts, so it is not only fine work that God accepts. Notice is here
taken of the good women's work for God, as well as of Bezaleel's
and Aholiab's. The meanest hand for the honour of God, shall have
an honourable recompence. Mary's anointing of Christ's head shall
be told for a memorial (<scripRef passage="Mt 26:13" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.3" parsed="|Matt|26|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.26.13">Matt. xxvi.
13</scripRef>); and a record is kept of the women that laboured in
the gospel tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Php 4:3" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.4" parsed="|Phil|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.3">Phil. iv.
3</scripRef>), and were helpers to Paul in Christ Jesus, <scripRef passage="Ro 16:3" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.5" parsed="|Rom|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.3">Rom. xvi. 3</scripRef>. It is part of the
character of the virtuous woman that she layeth <i>her hands to the
spindle,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 31:19" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.6" parsed="|Prov|31|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.19">Prov. xxxi.
19</scripRef>. This employment was here turned to a pious use, as
it may be still (though we have no hangings to make for the
tabernacle) by the imitation of the charity of Dorcas, who made
coats and garments for poor widows, <scripRef passage="Ac 9:39" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.7" parsed="|Acts|9|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.9.39">Acts ix. 39</scripRef>. Even those that are not in a
capacity to give in charity may yet work in charity; and thus the
poor may relieve the poor, and those that have nothing but their
limbs and senses may be very charitable in the labour of love.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 35:30-35" id="Ex.xxxvi-p13.8" parsed="|Exod|35|30|35|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.30-Exod.35.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.35.30-Exod.35.35">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvi-p14">30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel,
See, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvi-p14.1">Lord</span> hath called by name
Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
&#160; 31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom,
in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanship; &#160; 32 And to devise curious works, to work in
gold, and in silver, and in brass, &#160; 33 And in the cutting of
stones, to set <i>them,</i> and in carving of wood, to make any
manner of cunning work. &#160; 34 And he hath put in his heart that
he may teach, <i>both</i> he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of
the tribe of <scripRef passage="Dan. 35" id="Ex.xxxvi-p14.2" parsed="|Dan|35|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.35">Dan. &#160; 35</scripRef> Them hath he filled with wisdom of
heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the
cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in
scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, <i>even</i> of them
that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvi-p15">Here is the divine appointment of the
master-workmen, that there might be no strife for the office, and
that all who were employed in the work might take direction from,
and give account to, these general inspectors; for God is the God
of order and not of confusion. Observe, 1. Those whom God called by
name to this service he <i>filled with the Spirit of God,</i> to
qualify them for it, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:30,31" id="Ex.xxxvi-p15.1" parsed="|Exod|35|30|35|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.30-Exod.35.31"><i>v.</i> 30,
31</scripRef>. Skill in secular employments is God's gift, and
comes from above, <scripRef passage="Jam 1:17" id="Ex.xxxvi-p15.2" parsed="|Jas|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.17">Jam. i.
17</scripRef>. From him the faculty is, and the improvement of it.
To his honour therefore all knowledge must be devoted, and we must
study how to serve him with it. The work was extraordinary which
Bezaleel was designed for, and therefore he was qualified in an
extraordinary manner for it; thus when the apostles were appointed
to be master-builders in setting up the gospel tabernacle they were
<i>filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding.</i>
2. The were appointed, not only to devise, but to work (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:32" id="Ex.xxxvi-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|35|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), <i>to work all manner
of work,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 35:35" id="Ex.xxxvi-p15.4" parsed="|Exod|35|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>.
Those of eminent gifts, that are capable of directing others, must
not think that these will excuse them in idleness. Many are
ingenious enough in cutting out work for other people, and can tell
what this man and that man should do, but the burdens they bind on
others they themselves <i>will not touch with one of their
fingers.</i> These will fall under the character of slothful
servants. 3. They were not only to devise and work themselves, but
they were to teach others, <scripRef passage="Ex 35:34" id="Ex.xxxvi-p15.5" parsed="|Exod|35|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.34"><i>v.</i>
34</scripRef>. Not only had Bezaleel power to command, but he was
to take pains to instruct. Those that rule should teach; and those
to whom God had given knowledge should be willing to communicate it
for the benefit of others, not coveting to monopolize it.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVI" n="xxxvii" progress="49.50%" prev="Ex.xxxvi" next="Ex.xxxviii" id="Ex.xxxvii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxvii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1">In this chapter, I. The work of the tabernacle is
begun, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:1-4" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|36|1|36|4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.1-Exod.36.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. A
stop is put to the people's contributions, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:5-7" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|36|5|36|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.5-Exod.36.7">ver. 5-7</scripRef>. III. A particular account is given
of the making of the tabernacle itself; the fine curtains of it,
<scripRef passage="Ex 36:8-13" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|36|8|36|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.8-Exod.36.13">ver. 8-13</scripRef>. The coarse
ones, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:14-19" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|36|14|36|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.14-Exod.36.19">ver. 14-19</scripRef>. The
boards, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:20-30" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|36|20|36|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.20-Exod.36.30">ver. 20-30</scripRef>. The
bars, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:31-34" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|36|31|36|34" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.31-Exod.36.34">ver. 31-34</scripRef>. The
partition veil, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:35,36" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|36|35|36|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.35-Exod.36.36">ver. 35,
36</scripRef>. And the hanging for the door, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:37,38" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|36|37|36|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.37-Exod.36.38">ver. 37</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 36" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|36|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 36:1-7" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.10" parsed="|Exod|36|1|36|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.1-Exod.36.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.36.1-Exod.36.7">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.11">Appointment of Bezaleel and
Aholiab. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvii-p2">1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every
wise hearted man, in whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvii-p2.1">Lord</span>
put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work
for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvii-p2.2">Lord</span> had commanded. &#160; 2 And Moses
called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose
heart the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvii-p2.3">Lord</span> had put wisdom,
<i>even</i> every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the
work to do it: &#160; 3 And they received of Moses all the
offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of
the service of the sanctuary, to make it <i>withal.</i> And they
brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. &#160; 4 And all
the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came
every man from his work which they made; &#160; 5 And they spake
unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the
service of the work, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvii-p2.4">Lord</span>
commanded to make. &#160; 6 And Moses gave commandment, and they
caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither
man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.
So the people were restrained from bringing. &#160; 7 For the stuff
they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too
much.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3">I. The workmen set in without delay. Then
they wrought, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:1" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|36|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
When God had qualified them for the work, then they applied
themselves to it. Note, The talents we are entrusted with must not
be laid up, but laid out; not hid in a napkin, but traded with.
What have we all our gifts for, but to do good with them? They
began when Moses called them, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:2" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|36|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined
to, the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a regular call
to it, either extraordinary, as that of prophets and apostles, or
ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they
were that Moses called: Those <i>in whose heart God had put
wisdom</i> for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and
<i>whose heart stirred them up to come to the work</i> in good
earnest. Note, Those are to be called to the building of the gospel
tabernacle whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for
the work and free to engage in it. Ability and willingness (with
resolution) are the two things to be regarded in the call of
ministers. Has God given them not only knowledge, but wisdom? (for
those that would win souls must be wise, and have their hearts
stirred up to come to the work, and not to the honour only; to do
it, and not to talk of it only), let them come to it with full
purpose of heart to go through with it. The materials which the
people had contributed were delivered by Moses to the workmen,
<scripRef passage="Ex 36:3" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|36|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They could not
create a tabernacle, that is, make it out of nothing, nor work,
unless they had something to work upon; the people therefore
brought the materials and Moses put them into their hands. Precious
souls are the materials of the gospel tabernacle; they are <i>built
up a spiritual house,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:5" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3.4" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5">1 Pet. ii.
5</scripRef>. To this end they are to offer themselves a free-will
offering to the Lord, for his service (<scripRef passage="Ro 15:16" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3.5" parsed="|Rom|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.16">Rom. xv. 16</scripRef>), and they are then committed to
the care of his ministers, as builders, to be framed and wrought
upon by their edification and increase in holiness, till they all
come, like the curtains of the tabernacle, <i>in the unity of the
faith, to be a holy temple,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 2:21,22,4:12,13" id="Ex.xxxvii-p3.6" parsed="|Eph|2|21|2|22;|Eph|4|12|4|13" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.21-Eph.2.22 Bible:Eph.4.12-Eph.4.13">Eph. ii. 21, 22; iv. 12, 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4">II. The contributions restrained. The
people continued to bring <i>free offerings every morning,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 36:3" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|36|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Note, We should
always make it our morning's work to bring our offerings unto the
Lord; even the spiritual offerings of prayer and praise, and a
broken heart surrendered entirely to God. This is that which the
duty of every day requires. God's compassions are new every
morning, and so must our duty to him be. Probably there were some
that were backward at first to bring their offering, but their
neighbours' forwardness stirred them up and shamed them. The zeal
of some provoked many. There are those who will be content to
follow who yet do not care for leading in a good work. It is best
to be forward, but better late than never. Or perhaps some who had
offered at first, having pleasure in reflecting upon it, offered
more; so far were they from grudging what they had contributed,
that they doubled their contribution. Thus, in charity, <i>give a
portion to seven, and also to eight;</i> having given much, give
more. Now observe, 1. The honesty of the workmen. When they had cut
out their work, and found how their stuff held out, and that the
people were still forward to bring in more, they went in a body to
Moses to tell him that there needed no more contributions,
<scripRef passage="Ex 36:4,5" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|36|4|36|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.4-Exod.36.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. Had they
sought their own things, they had now a fair opportunity of
enriching themselves by the people's gifts; for they might have
made up their work, and converted the overplus to their own use, as
perquisites of their place. But they were men of integrity, that
scorned to do so mean a thing as to sponge upon the people, and
enrich themselves with that which was offered to the Lord. Those
are the greatest cheats that cheat the public. If to murder many is
worse than to murder one, by the same rule to defraud communities,
and to rob the church or state, is a much greater crime than to
pick the pocket of a single person. But these workmen were not only
ready to account for all they received, but were not willing to
receive more than they had occasion for, lest they should come
either into the temptation or under the suspicion of taking it to
themselves. These were men that knew when they had enough. 2. The
liberality of the people. Though they saw what an abundance was
contributed, yet they continued to offer, till they were forbidden
by proclamation, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:6,7" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|36|6|36|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.6-Exod.36.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. A rare instance! Most need a spur to quicken their
charity; few need a bridle to check it, yet these did. Had Moses
aimed to enrich himself, he might have suffered them still to bring
in their offerings; and when the work was finished might have taken
the remainder to himself: but he also preferred the public before
his own private interest, and was therein a good example to all in
public trusts. It is said (<scripRef passage="Ex 36:5" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|36|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.5"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>), <i>The people were restrained from bringing;</i>
they looked upon it as a restraint upon them not to be allowed to
do more for the tabernacle; such was the zeal of those people, who
gave <i>to their power, yea, and beyond their power, praying</i>
the collectors <i>with much entreaty to receive the gift,</i>
<scripRef passage="2Co 8:3,4" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.5" parsed="|2Cor|8|3|8|4" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.3-2Cor.8.4">2 Cor. viii. 3, 4</scripRef>. These
were the fruits of a first love; in these last-days charity has
grown too cold for us to expect such things from it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 36:8-13" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.6" parsed="|Exod|36|8|36|13" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.8-Exod.36.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.36.8-Exod.36.13">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.7">Construction of the
Tabernacle. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxvii-p4.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvii-p5">8 And every wise hearted man among them that
wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains <i>of</i> fine
twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: <i>with</i>
cherubims of cunning work made he them. &#160; 9 The length of one
curtain <i>was</i> twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one
curtain four cubits: the curtains <i>were</i> all of one size.
&#160; 10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and
<i>the other</i> five curtains he coupled one unto another. &#160;
11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the
selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of
<i>another</i> curtain, in the coupling of the second. &#160; 12
Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the
edge of the curtain which <i>was</i> in the coupling of the second:
the loops held one <i>curtain</i> to another. &#160; 13 And he made
fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another
with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvii-p6">The first work they set about was the
framing of the house, which must be done before the furniture of it
was prepared. This house was not made of timber or stone, but of
curtains curiously embroidered and coupled together. This served to
typify the state of the church in this world, the palace of God's
kingdom among men. 1. Though it is upon the earth, yet its
foundation is not in the earth, as that of a house is; no, Christ's
kingdom is not of this world, nor founded in it. 2. It is mean and
mutable, and in a militant state; shepherds dwelt in tents, and God
is the Shepherd of Israel; soldiers dwelt in tents, and the Lord is
a man of war, and his church marches through an enemy's country,
and must fight its way. The kings of the earth enclose themselves
in cedar (<scripRef passage="Jer 22:15" id="Ex.xxxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Jer|22|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.22.15">Jer. xxii. 15</scripRef>),
but the ark of God was lodged in curtains only. 3. Yet there is a
beauty in holiness; the curtains were embroidered, so is the church
adorned with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that <i>raiment of
needle-work,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 45:14" id="Ex.xxxvii-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|45|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.45.14">Ps. xlv.
14</scripRef>. 4. The several societies of believers are united in
one, and, as here, all <i>become one tabernacle; for there is one
Lord, one faith, and one baptism.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 36" id="Ex.xxxvii-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|36|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 36:14-34" id="Ex.xxxvii-p6.4" parsed="|Exod|36|14|36|34" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.14-Exod.36.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.36.14-Exod.36.34">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvii-p7">14 And he made curtains <i>of</i> goats'
<i>hair</i> for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he
made them. &#160; 15 The length of one curtain <i>was</i> thirty
cubits, and four cubits <i>was</i> the breadth of one curtain: the
eleven curtains <i>were</i> of one size. &#160; 16 And he coupled
five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. &#160;
17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain
in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the
curtain which coupleth the second. &#160; 18 And he made fifty
taches <i>of</i> brass to couple the tent together, that it might
be one. &#160; 19 And he made a covering for the tent <i>of</i>
rams' skins dyed red, and a covering <i>of</i> badgers' skins above
<i>that.</i> &#160; 20 And he made boards for the tabernacle
<i>of</i> shittim wood, standing up. &#160; 21 The length of a
board <i>was</i> ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit
and a half. &#160; 22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one
from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the
tabernacle. &#160; 23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty
boards for the south side southward: &#160; 24 And forty sockets of
silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board
for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two
tenons. &#160; 25 And for the other side of the tabernacle,
<i>which is</i> toward the north corner, he made twenty boards,
&#160; 26 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one
board, and two sockets under another board. &#160; 27 And for the
sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards. &#160; 28 And
two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two
sides. &#160; 29 And they were coupled beneath, and coupled
together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of
them in both the corners. &#160; 30 And there were eight boards;
and their sockets <i>were</i> sixteen sockets of silver, under
every board two sockets. &#160; 31 And he made bars of shittim
wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, &#160;
32 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the
tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the
sides westward. &#160; 33 And he made the middle bar to shoot
through the boards from the one end to the other. &#160; 34 And he
overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings <i>of</i> gold
<i>to be</i> places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with
gold.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvii-p8">Here, 1. The shelter and special protection
that the church is under are signified by the curtains of
hair-cloth, which were spread over the tabernacle, and the covering
of rams' skins and badgers' skins over them, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:14-19" id="Ex.xxxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|36|14|36|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.14-Exod.36.19"><i>v.</i> 14-19</scripRef>. God has provided for his
people a <i>shadow from the heat, and a covert from storm and
rain,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 4:6" id="Ex.xxxvii-p8.2" parsed="|Isa|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.6">Isa. iv. 6</scripRef>. They
are armed against all weathers; the sun and the moon shall not
smite them: and they are protected from the storms of divine wrath,
that hail which will <i>sweep away the refuge of lies,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 28:17" id="Ex.xxxvii-p8.3" parsed="|Isa|28|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.17">Isa. xxviii. 17</scripRef>. Those
that dwell in God's house shall find, be the tempest ever so
violent, or the dropping ever so continual, it does not rain in. 2.
The strength and stability of the church, though it is but a
tabernacle, are signified by the boards and bars with which the
curtains were borne up, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:20-34" id="Ex.xxxvii-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|36|20|36|34" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.20-Exod.36.34"><i>v.</i>
20-34</scripRef>. The boards were coupled together and joined by
the bars which shot through them; for the union of the church, and
the hearty agreement of those that are its stays and supporters,
contribute abundantly to its strength and establishment.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 36:35-38" id="Ex.xxxvii-p8.5" parsed="|Exod|36|35|36|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.35-Exod.36.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.36.35-Exod.36.38">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxvii-p9">35 And he made a vail <i>of</i> blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: <i>with</i> cherubims
made he it of cunning work. &#160; 36 And he made thereunto four
pillars <i>of</i> shittim <i>wood,</i> and overlaid them with gold:
their hooks <i>were of</i> gold; and he cast for them four sockets
of silver. &#160; 37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door
<i>of</i> blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of
needlework; &#160; 38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks:
and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but
their five sockets <i>were of</i> brass.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxvii-p10">In the building of a house there is a great
deal of work about the doors and partitions. In the tabernacle
these were answerable to the rest of the fabric; there were
curtains for doors, and veils for partitions. 1. There was a veil
made for a partition between the holy place, and the most holy,
<scripRef passage="Ex 36:35,36" id="Ex.xxxvii-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|36|35|36|36" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.35-Exod.36.36"><i>v.</i> 35, 36</scripRef>. This
signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation, compared
with the New Testament, which shows us the glory of God more
clearly and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and
distance of our present state, in comparison with heaven, where we
shall be <i>ever with the Lord</i> and <i>see him as he is.</i> 2.
There was a veil made for the door of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 36:37,38" id="Ex.xxxvii-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|36|37|36|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.36.37-Exod.36.38"><i>v.</i> 37, 38</scripRef>. At this door the
people assembled, though forbidden to enter; for, while we are in
this present state, we must get as near to God as we can.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVII" n="xxxviii" progress="49.78%" prev="Ex.xxxvii" next="Ex.xxxix" id="Ex.xxxviii">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxviii-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1">Bezaleel and his workmen are still busy, making I.
The ark with the mercy-seat and the cherubim, <scripRef passage="Ex 37:1-9" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|37|1|37|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.1-Exod.37.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II. The table with its vessels,
<scripRef passage="Ex 37:10-16" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|37|10|37|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.10-Exod.37.16">ver. 10-16</scripRef>. III. The
candlestick with its appurtenances, <scripRef passage="Ex 37:17-24" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|37|17|37|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.17-Exod.37.24">ver. 17-24</scripRef>. IV. The golden altar for
incense, <scripRef passage="Ex 37:25-28" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|37|25|37|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.25-Exod.37.28">ver. 25-28</scripRef>. V.
The holy oil and incense, <scripRef passage="Ex 37:29" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|37|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.29">ver.
29</scripRef>. The particular appointment concerning each of which
we had before the <scripRef passage="Ex 25:1-40,30:1-38" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|25|1|25|40;|Exod|30|1|30|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.1-Exod.25.40 Bible:Exod.30.1-Exod.30.38">25th and
30th chapters</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 37" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|37|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 37:1-9" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|37|1|37|9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.1-Exod.37.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.37.1-Exod.37.9">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.9">The Tabernacle and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxviii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxviii-p2">1 And Bezaleel made the ark <i>of</i> shittim
wood: two cubits and a half <i>was</i> the length of it, and a
cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the
height of it: &#160; 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and
without, and made a crown of gold to it round about. &#160; 3 And
he cast for it four rings of gold, <i>to be set</i> by the four
corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two
rings upon the other side of it. &#160; 4 And he made staves
<i>of</i> shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold. &#160; 5 And
he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear
the ark. &#160; 6 And he made the mercy seat <i>of</i> pure gold:
two cubits and a half <i>was</i> the length thereof, and one cubit
and a half the breadth thereof. &#160; 7 And he made two cherubims
<i>of</i> gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two
ends of the mercy seat; &#160; 8 One cherub on the end on this
side, and another cherub on the <i>other</i> end on that side: out
of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
&#160; 9 And the cherubims spread out <i>their</i> wings on high,
<i>and</i> covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their
faces one to another; <i>even</i> to the mercy seatward were the
faces of the cherubims.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxviii-p3">I. It may be thought strange that Moses,
when he had recorded so fully the instructions given him upon the
mount for the making of all these things, should here record as
particularly the making of them, when it might have sufficed only
to have said, in a few words, that each of these things was made
exactly according to the directions before recited. We are sure
that Moses, when he wrote by divine inspiration, used no vain
repetitions; there are no idle words in scripture. Why then are so
many chapters taken up with this narrative, which we are tempted to
think needless and tedious? But we must consider, 1. That Moses
wrote primarily for the people of Israel, to whom it would be of
great use to read and hear often of these divine and sacred
treasures with which they were entrusted. These several ornaments
wherewith the tabernacle was furnished they were not admitted to
see, but the priests only, and therefore it was requisite that they
should be thus largely described particularly to them. That which
they ought to read again (lest they should fail of doing it) is
written again and again: thus many of the same passages of the
history of Christ are in the New Testament related by two or three,
and some by four of the evangelists, for the same reason. The great
things of God's law and gospel we need to have inculcated upon us
again and again. To write the same (says St. Paul) to me <i>is not
grievous, but for you it is safe,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 3:1" id="Ex.xxxviii-p3.1" parsed="|Phil|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.1">Phil. iii. 1</scripRef>. 2. Moses would thus show the
great care which he and his workmen took to make every thing
exactly according to the pattern shown him in the mount. Having
before given us the original, he here gives us the copy, that we
may compare them, and observe how exactly they agree. Thus he
appeals to every reader concerning his fidelity to him that
appointed him, in all his house, and in all the particulars of it,
<scripRef passage="Heb 3:5" id="Ex.xxxviii-p3.2" parsed="|Heb|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.5">Heb. iii. 5</scripRef>. And thus he
teaches us to have respect to all God's commandments, even to every
iota and tittle of them. 3. It is intimated hereby that God takes
delight in the sincere obedience of his people, and keeps an exact
account of it, which shall be produced to their honour in the
resurrection of the just. None can be so punctual in their duty,
but God will be as punctual in his notices of it. He is <i>not
unrighteous to forget the work and labour of love,</i> in any
instance of it, <scripRef passage="Heb 6:10" id="Ex.xxxviii-p3.3" parsed="|Heb|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.10">Heb. vi.
10</scripRef>. 4. The spiritual riches and beauties of the gospel
tabernacle are hereby recommended to our frequent and serious
consideration. Go walk about this Zion, view it and review it: the
more you contemplate the glories of the church, the more you will
admire them and be in love with them. The charter of its
privileges, and the account of its constitution, will very well
bear a second reading.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxviii-p4">II. In these verses we have an account of
the making of the ark, with its glorious and most significant
appurtenances, the mercy-seat and the cherubim. Consider these
three together, and they represent the glory of a holy god, the
sincerity of a holy heart, and the communion that is between them,
in and by a Mediator. 1. It is the glory of a holy god that he
dwells between the cherubim; that is, is continually attended and
adored by the blessed angels, whose swiftness was signified by
their faces being one towards another. 2. It is the character of an
upright heart that, like the ark of the testimony, it has the law
of God hid and kept in it. 3. By Jesus Christ, the great
propitiation, there is reconciliation made, and a communion
settled, between us and God: he interposes between us and God's
displeasure; and not only so, but through him we become entitled to
God's favour. If he write his law in our heart, he will be to us a
God and we shall be to him a people. From the mercy-seat he will
teach us, there he will accept us, and show himself merciful to our
unrighteousness; and under the shadow of his wings we shall be safe
and easy.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 37" id="Ex.xxxviii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|37|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 37:10-24" id="Ex.xxxviii-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|37|10|37|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.10-Exod.37.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.37.10-Exod.37.24">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxviii-p5">10 And he made the table <i>of</i> shittim wood:
two cubits <i>was</i> the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: &#160; 11 And
he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold
round about. &#160; 12 Also he made thereunto a border of an
handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border
thereof round about. &#160; 13 And he cast for it four rings of
gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that <i>were</i> in
the four feet thereof. &#160; 14 Over against the border were the
rings, the places for the staves to bear the table. &#160; 15 And
he made the staves <i>of</i> shittim wood, and overlaid them with
gold, to bear the table. &#160; 16 And he made the vessels which
<i>were</i> upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his
bowls, and his covers to cover withal, <i>of</i> pure gold. &#160;
17 And he made the candlestick <i>of</i> pure gold: <i>of</i>
beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his
bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same: &#160; 18 And
six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the
candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the
candlestick out of the other side thereof: &#160; 19 Three bowls
made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a
flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop
and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the
candlestick. &#160; 20 And in the candlestick <i>were</i> four
bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers: &#160; 21 And
a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two
branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same,
according to the six branches going out of it. &#160; 22 Their
knops and their branches were of the same: all of it <i>was</i> one
beaten work <i>of</i> pure gold. &#160; 23 And he made his seven
lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, <i>of</i> pure gold.
&#160; 24 <i>Of</i> a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the
vessels thereof.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxviii-p6">Here is, 1. The making of the table on
which the show-bread was to be continually placed. God is a good
householder, that always keeps a plentiful table. Is the world his
tabernacle? His providence in it spreads a table for all the
creatures: he <i>provides food for all flesh.</i> Is the church his
tabernacle? His grace in it spreads a table for all believers,
furnished with the bread of life. But observe how much the
dispensation of the gospel exceeds that of the law. Though here was
a table furnished, it was only with <i>show-bread,</i> bread to be
looked upon, not to be fed upon, while it was on this table, and
afterwards only by the priests; but to the table which Christ has
spread in the new covenant all real Christians are invited guests;
and to them it is said, <i>Eat, O friends, come eat of my
bread.</i> What the law gave but a sight of at a distance, the
gospel gives the enjoyment of, and a hearty welcome to. 2. The
making of the candlestick, which was not of wood overlaid with
gold, but all beaten work of pure gold only, <scripRef passage="Ex 37:17,22" id="Ex.xxxviii-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|37|17|0|0;|Exod|37|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.17 Bible:Exod.37.22"><i>v.</i> 17, 22</scripRef>. This signified that
light of divine revelation with which God's church upon earth
(which is his tabernacle among men) has always been enlightened,
being always supplied with fresh oil from Christ the good Olive,
<scripRef passage="Zec 4:2,3" id="Ex.xxxviii-p6.2" parsed="|Zech|4|2|4|3" osisRef="Bible:Zech.4.2-Zech.4.3">Zech. iv. 2, 3</scripRef>. God's
manifestations of himself in this world are but candle-light
compared with the daylight of the future state. The Bible is a
golden candlestick; it is of pure gold, <scripRef passage="Ps 19:10" id="Ex.xxxviii-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.19.10">Ps. xix. 10</scripRef>. From it light is diffused to
every part of God's tabernacle, that by it his spiritual priests
may see to minister unto the Lord, and to do the service of his
sanctuary. This candlestick has not only its bowls for necessary
use, but its knops and flowers for ornament; there are many things
which God saw fit to beautify his word with which we can no more
give a reason for than for these knops and flowers, and yet we are
sure that they were added for a good purpose. Let us bless God for
this candlestick, have an eye to it continually, and dread the
removal of it out of its place.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 37:25-29" id="Ex.xxxviii-p6.4" parsed="|Exod|37|25|37|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.25-Exod.37.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.37.25-Exod.37.29">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxviii-p7">25 And he made the incense altar <i>of</i>
shittim wood: the length of it <i>was</i> a cubit, and the breadth
of it a cubit; <i>it was</i> foursquare; and two cubits <i>was</i>
the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same. &#160; 26 And
he overlaid it with pure gold, <i>both</i> the top of it, and the
sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto
it a crown of gold round about. &#160; 27 And he made two rings of
gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon
the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it
withal. &#160; 28 And he made the staves <i>of</i> shittim wood,
and overlaid them with gold. &#160; 29 And he made the holy
anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to
the work of the apothecary.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxviii-p8">Here is, 1. The making of the golden altar,
on which incense was to be burnt daily, which signified both the
prayers of saints and the intercession of Christ, to which are
owing the acceptableness and success of those prayers. The rings
and staves, and all the appurtenances of this altar, were overlaid
with gold, as all the vessels of the table and candlestick were of
gold, for these were used in the holy place. God is the best, and
we must serve him with the best we have; but the best we can serve
him with in his courts on earth is but as brass, compared with the
gold, the sinless and spotless perfection, with which his saints
shall serve him in his holy place above. 2. The preparing of the
incense which was to be burnt upon this altar, and with it the holy
anointing oil (<scripRef passage="Ex 37:29" id="Ex.xxxviii-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|37|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>), according to the dispensatory, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:22-38" id="Ex.xxxviii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|30|22|30|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.22-Exod.30.38"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 22</scripRef>, &amp;c. God taught
Bezaleel this art also; so that though he was not before acquainted
with it yet he made up these things according to the work of the
apothecary, as dexterously and exactly as if he had been bred up to
the trade. Where God gives wisdom and grace, it will make the man
of God <i>perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVIII" n="xxxix" progress="50.02%" prev="Ex.xxxviii" next="Ex.xl" id="Ex.xxxix">
<h2 id="Ex.xxxix-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xxxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xxxix-p1">Here is an account, I. Of the making of the brazen
altar (<scripRef passage="Ex 38:1-7" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|38|1|38|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.1-Exod.38.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>), and the
laver, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:8" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|38|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.8">ver. 8</scripRef>. II. The
preparing of the hangings for the enclosing of the court in which
the tabernacle was to stand, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:9-20" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|38|9|38|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.9-Exod.38.20">ver.
9-20</scripRef>. III. A summary of the gold, silver, and brass,
that was contributed to, and used in, the preparing of the
tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:21-31" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|38|21|38|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.21-Exod.38.31">ver. 21</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 38" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|38|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 38:1-8" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|38|1|38|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.1-Exod.38.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.38.1-Exod.38.8">
<h4 id="Ex.xxxix-p1.7">The Tabernacle and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxix-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxix-p2">1 And he made the altar of burnt offering
<i>of</i> shittim wood: five cubits <i>was</i> the length thereof,
and five cubits the breadth thereof; <i>it was</i> foursquare; and
three cubits the height thereof. &#160; 2 And he made the horns
thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the
same: and he overlaid it with brass. &#160; 3 And he made all the
vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons,
<i>and</i> the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels
thereof made he <i>of</i> brass. &#160; 4 And he made for the altar
a brazen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto
the midst of it. &#160; 5 And he cast four rings for the four ends
of the grate of brass, <i>to be</i> places for the staves. &#160; 6
And he made the staves <i>of</i> shittim wood, and overlaid them
with brass. &#160; 7 And he put the staves into the rings on the
sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow
with boards. &#160; 8 And he made the laver <i>of</i> brass, and
the foot of it <i>of</i> brass, of the looking-glasses of <i>the
women</i> assembling, which assembled <i>at</i> the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p3">Bezaleel having finished the gold-work,
which, though the richest, yet was ordered to lie most out of
sight, in the tabernacle itself, here goes on to prepare the court,
which lay open to the view of all. Two things the court was
furnished with, and both made of brass:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p4">I. An altar of burnt-offering, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:1-7" id="Ex.xxxix-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|38|1|38|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.1-Exod.38.7"><i>v.</i> 1-7</scripRef>. On this all their
sacrifices were offered, and it was this which, being sanctified
itself for this purpose by the divine appointment, sanctified the
gift that was in faith offered on it. Christ was himself the altar
to his own sacrifice of atonement, and so he is to all our
sacrifices of acknowledgment. We must have an eye to him in
offering them, as God has in accepting them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p5">II. A laver, to hold water for the priests
to wash in when they went in to minister, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:8" id="Ex.xxxix-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|38|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. This signified the provision that
is made in the gospel of Christ for the cleansing of our souls from
the moral pollution of sin by the merit and grace of Christ, that
we may be fit to serve the holy God in holy duties. This is here
said to be made of the <i>looking-glasses</i> (or mirrors) of the
women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p6">1. It should seem these women were eminent
and exemplary for devotion, attending more frequently and seriously
at the place of public worship than others did; and notice is here
taken of it to their honour. Anna was such a one long afterwards,
who <i>departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings
and prayers night and day,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 2:37" id="Ex.xxxix-p6.1" parsed="|Luke|2|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.37">Luke ii.
37</scripRef>. It seems in every age of the church there have been
some who have thus distinguished themselves by their serious
zealous piety, and they have thereby distinguished themselves; for
devout women are really honourable women (<scripRef passage="Ac 13:50" id="Ex.xxxix-p6.2" parsed="|Acts|13|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.13.50">Acts xiii. 50</scripRef>), and not the less so for their
being called, by the scoffers of the latter days, <i>silly
women.</i> Probably these women were such as showed their zeal upon
this occasion, by assisting in the work that was now going on for
the service of the tabernacle. They assembled by <i>troops,</i> so
the word is; a blessed sight, to see so many, and those so zealous
and so unanimous, in this good work.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p7">2. These women parted with their mirrors
(which were of the finest brass, burnished for that purpose) for
the use of the tabernacle. Those women that admire their own
beauty, are in love with their own shadow, and make the putting on
of apparel their chief adorning by which they value and recommend
themselves, can but ill spare their <i>looking-glasses;</i> yet
these women offered <i>them</i> to God, either, (1.) In token of
their repentance for the former abuse of them, to the support of
their pride and vanity; now that they were convinced of their
folly, and had devoted themselves to the service of God at the door
of the tabernacle, they thus threw away that which, though lawful
and useful in itself, yet had been an occasion of sin to them. Thus
Mary Magdalene, who had been a sinner, when she became a penitent
wiped Christ's feet with her hair. Or, (2.) In token of their great
zeal for the work of the tabernacle; rather than the workmen should
want brass, or not have of the best, they would part with their
mirrors, though they could not do well without them. God's service
and glory must always be preferred by us before any satisfactions
or accommodations of our own. Let us never complain of the want of
that which we may honour God by parting with.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p8">3. These mirrors were used for the making
of the laver. Either they were artfully joined together, or else
molten down and cast anew; but it is probable that the laver was so
brightly burnished that the sides of it still served for mirrors,
that the priests, when they came to wash, might there see their
faces, and so discover the spots, to wash them clean. Note, In the
washing of repentance, there is need of the looking-glass of
self-examination. The word of God is a glass, in which we may see
our own faces (see <scripRef passage="Jam 1:23" id="Ex.xxxix-p8.1" parsed="|Jas|1|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.23">Jam. i.
23</scripRef>); and with it we must compare our own hearts and
lives, that, finding out our blemishes, we may wash with particular
sorrow, and application of the blood of Christ to our souls.
Usually the more particular we are in the confession of sin the
more comfort we have in the sense of the pardon.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 38:9-20" id="Ex.xxxix-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|38|9|38|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.9-Exod.38.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.38.9-Exod.38.20">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxix-p9">9 And he made the court: on the south side
southward the hangings of the court <i>were of</i> fine twined
linen, an hundred cubits: &#160; 10 Their pillars <i>were</i>
twenty, and their brazen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars
and their fillets <i>were of</i> silver. &#160; 11 And for the
north side <i>the hangings were</i> an hundred cubits, their
pillars <i>were</i> twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the
hooks of the pillars and their fillets <i>of</i> silver. &#160; 12
And for the west side <i>were</i> hangings of fifty cubits, their
pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and
their fillets <i>of</i> silver. &#160; 13 And for the east side
eastward fifty cubits. &#160; 14 The hangings of the one side <i>of
the gate were</i> fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their
sockets three. &#160; 15 And for the other side of the court gate,
on this hand and that hand, <i>were</i> hangings of fifteen cubits;
their pillars three, and their sockets three. &#160; 16 All the
hangings of the court round about <i>were</i> of fine twined linen.
&#160; 17 And the sockets for the pillars <i>were of</i> brass; the
hooks of the pillars and their fillets <i>of</i> silver; and the
overlaying of their chapiters <i>of</i> silver; and all the pillars
of the court <i>were</i> filleted with silver. &#160; 18 And the
hanging for the gate of the court <i>was</i> needlework, <i>of</i>
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty
cubits <i>was</i> the length, and the height in the breadth
<i>was</i> five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
&#160; 19 And their pillars <i>were</i> four, and their sockets
<i>of</i> brass four; their hooks <i>of</i> silver, and the
overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets <i>of</i> silver.
&#160; 20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court
round about, <i>were of</i> brass.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p10">The walls of the court, or church-yard,
were like the rest curtains or hangings, made according to the
appointment, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:9-19" id="Ex.xxxix-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|27|9|27|19" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.9-Exod.27.19"><i>ch.</i> xxvii.
9</scripRef>, &amp;c. This represented the state of the
Old-Testament church: it was a garden enclosed; the worshippers
were then confined to a little compass. But the enclosure being of
curtains only intimated that the confinement of the church in one
particular nation was not to be perpetual. The dispensation itself
was a tabernacle-dispensation, movable and mutable, and in due time
to be taken down and folded up, when the place of the tent should
be enlarged and its cords lengthened, to make room for the Gentile
world, as is foretold, <scripRef passage="Isa 54:2,3" id="Ex.xxxix-p10.2" parsed="|Isa|54|2|54|3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.2-Isa.54.3">Isa. liv. 2,
3</scripRef>. The church here on earth is but the court of God's
house, and happy they that tread these courts and flourish in them;
but through these courts we are passing to the holy place above.
<i>Blessed are those that dwell in that house</i> of God: they well
be <i>still praising him.</i> The enclosing of a court before the
tabernacle teaches us a gradual approach to God. The priests that
ministered must pass through the holy court, before they entered
the holy house. Thus before solemn ordinances there ought to be the
separated and enclosed court of a solemn preparation, in which we
must wash our hands, and so draw near with a true heart.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 38:21-31" id="Ex.xxxix-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|38|21|38|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.21-Exod.38.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.38.21-Exod.38.31">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xxxix-p11">21 This is the sum of the tabernacle,
<i>even</i> of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted,
according to the commandment of Moses, <i>for</i> the service of
the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.
&#160; 22 And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe
of Judah, made all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xxxix-p11.1">Lord</span>
commanded Moses. &#160; 23 And with him <i>was</i> Aholiab, son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman,
and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine
linen. &#160; 24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all
the work of the holy <i>place,</i> even the gold of the offering,
was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels,
after the shekel of the sanctuary. &#160; 25 And the silver of them
that were numbered of the congregation <i>was</i> an hundred
talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: &#160; 26 A bekah for
every man, <i>that is,</i> half a shekel, after the shekel of the
sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty
years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand
and five hundred and fifty <i>men.</i> &#160; 27 And of the hundred
talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the
sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a
talent for a socket. &#160; 28 And of the thousand seven hundred
seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and
overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them. &#160; 29 And the
brass of the offering <i>was</i> seventy talents, and two thousand
and four hundred shekels. &#160; 30 And therewith he made the
sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the
brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of
the altar, &#160; 31 And the sockets of the court round about, and
the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle,
and all the pins of the court round about.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xxxix-p12">Here we have a breviat of the account
which, by Moses's appointment, the Levites took and kept of the
gold, silver, and brass, that was brought in for the tabernacle's
use, and how it was employed. Ithamar the son of Aaron was
appointed to draw up this account, and was thus by less services
trained up and fitted for greater, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:21" id="Ex.xxxix-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|38|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Bezaleel and Aholiab must bring
in the account (<scripRef passage="Ex 38:22,23" id="Ex.xxxix-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|38|22|38|23" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.22-Exod.38.23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>), and Ithamar must audit it, and give it in to Moses.
And it was thus:&#8212;1. All the gold was a free-will offering; every
man brought as he could and would, and it amounted to twenty-nine
talents, and 730 shekels over, which some compute to be about
150,000<i>l.</i> worth of gold, according to the present value of
it. Of this were made all the golden furniture and vessels. 2. The
silver was levied by way of tax; every man was assessed half a
shekel, a kind of poll-money, which amounted in the whole to 100
talents, and 1775 shekels over, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:25,26" id="Ex.xxxix-p12.3" parsed="|Exod|38|25|38|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.25-Exod.38.26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>. Of this they made the
sockets into which the boards of the tabernacle were let, and on
which they rested; so that they were as the foundation of the
tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:27" id="Ex.xxxix-p12.4" parsed="|Exod|38|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>.
The silver amounted to about 34,000<i>l.</i> of our money. The
raising of the gold by voluntary contribution, and of the silver by
way of tribute, shows that either way may be taken for the
defraying of public expenses, provided that nothing be done with
partiality. 3. The brass, though less valuable, was of use not only
for the brazen altar, but for the sockets of the court, which
probably in other tents were of wood: but it is promised (<scripRef passage="Isa 60:17" id="Ex.xxxix-p12.5" parsed="|Isa|60|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.60.17">Isa. lx. 17</scripRef>), <i>For wood I will
bring brass.</i> See how liberal the people were and how faithful
the workmen were, in both which respects their good example ought
to be followed.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIX" n="xl" progress="50.27%" prev="Ex.xxxix" next="Ex.xli" id="Ex.xl">
<h2 id="Ex.xl-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xl-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xl-p1">This chapter gives us an account of the finishing
of the work of the tabernacle. I. The last things prepared were the
holy garments. The ephod and its curious girdle, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:1-5" id="Ex.xl-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|39|1|39|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.1-Exod.39.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. The onyx-stones for the shoulders,
<scripRef passage="Ex 39:6,7" id="Ex.xl-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|39|6|39|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.6-Exod.39.7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>. The breastplate
with the precious stones in it, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:8-21" id="Ex.xl-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|39|8|39|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.8-Exod.39.21">ver.
8-21</scripRef>. The robe of the ephod, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:22-26" id="Ex.xl-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|39|22|39|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.22-Exod.39.26">ver. 22-26</scripRef>. The coats, bonnets, and
breeches, for the inferior priests, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:27-29" id="Ex.xl-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|39|27|39|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.27-Exod.39.29">ver. 27-29</scripRef>. And the plate of the holy
crown, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:30,31" id="Ex.xl-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|39|30|39|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.30-Exod.39.31">ver. 30, 31</scripRef>. II.
A summary account of the whole work, as it was presented to Moses
when it was all finished, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:32-43" id="Ex.xl-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|39|32|39|43" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.32-Exod.39.43">ver.
32</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 39" id="Ex.xl-p1.8" parsed="|Exod|39|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 39:1-31" id="Ex.xl-p1.9" parsed="|Exod|39|1|39|31" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.1-Exod.39.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.39.1-Exod.39.31">
<h4 id="Ex.xl-p1.10">The Tabernacle and Its
Furniture. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xl-p2">1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they
made cloths of service, to do service in the holy <i>place,</i> and
made the holy garments for Aaron; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 2 And he made the
ephod <i>of</i> gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
twined linen. &#160; 3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates,
and cut <i>it into</i> wires, to work <i>it</i> in the blue, and in
the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, <i>with</i>
cunning work. &#160; 4 They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple
<i>it</i> together: by the two edges was it coupled together.
&#160; 5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that <i>was</i> upon
it, <i>was</i> of the same, according to the work thereof;
<i>of</i> gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined
linen; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses.
&#160; 6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold,
graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of
Israel. &#160; 7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod,
<i>that they should be</i> stones for a memorial to the children of
Israel; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses.
&#160; 8 And he made the breastplate <i>of</i> cunning work, like
the work of the ephod; <i>of</i> gold, blue, and purple, and
scarlet, and fine twined linen. &#160; 9 It was foursquare; they
made the breastplate double: a span <i>was</i> the length thereof,
and a span the breadth thereof, <i>being</i> doubled. &#160; 10 And
they set in it four rows of stones: <i>the first</i> row <i>was</i>
a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this <i>was</i> the first row.
&#160; 11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a
diamond. &#160; 12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an
amethyst. &#160; 13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a
jasper: <i>they were</i> inclosed in ouches of gold in their
inclosings. &#160; 14 And the stones <i>were</i> according to the
names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names,
<i>like</i> the engravings of a signet, every one with his name,
according to the twelve tribes. &#160; 15 And they made upon the
breastplate chains at the ends, <i>of</i> wreathen work <i>of</i>
pure gold. &#160; 16 And they made two ouches <i>of</i> gold, and
two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the
breastplate. &#160; 17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold
in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate. &#160; 18 And the
two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two
ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.
&#160; 19 And they made two rings of gold, and put <i>them</i> on
the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which
<i>was</i> on the side of the ephod inward. &#160; 20 And they made
two <i>other</i> golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the
ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the
<i>other</i> coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the
ephod. &#160; 21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings
unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be
above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate
might not be loosed from the ephod; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.4">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 22 And he made the
robe of the ephod <i>of</i> woven work, all <i>of</i> blue. &#160;
23 And <i>there was</i> an hole in the midst of the robe, as the
hole of an habergeon, <i>with</i> a band round about the hole, that
it should not rend. &#160; 24 And they made upon the hems of the
robe pomegranates <i>of</i> blue, and purple, and scarlet,
<i>and</i> twined <i>linen.</i> &#160; 25 And they made bells
<i>of</i> pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates
upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates;
&#160; 26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round
about the hem of the robe to minister <i>in;</i> as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.5">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 27 And they
made coats <i>of</i> fine linen <i>of</i> woven work for Aaron, and
for his sons, &#160; 28 And a mitre <i>of</i> fine linen, and
goodly bonnets <i>of</i> fine linen, and linen breeches <i>of</i>
fine twined linen, &#160; 29 And a girdle <i>of</i> fine twined
linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, <i>of</i> needlework; as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.6">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 30
And they made the plate of the holy crown <i>of</i> pure gold, and
wrote upon it a writing, <i>like to</i> the engravings of a signet,
HOLINESS TO THE LORD. &#160; 31 And they tied unto it a lace of
blue, to fasten <i>it</i> on high upon the mitre; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p2.7">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xl-p3">In this account of the making of the
priests' garments, according to the instructions given (ch. 28), we
may observe, 1. That the priests' garments are called here
<i>clothes of service,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 39:1" id="Ex.xl-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|39|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. Note, Those that wear robes of honour must look upon
them as clothes of service; for from those upon whom honour is put
service is expected. It is said of those that are arrayed in white
robes that they <i>are before the throne of God, and serve him day
and night in his temple,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 7:13" id="Ex.xl-p3.2" parsed="|Rev|7|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.13">Rev. vii.
13, 15</scripRef>. Holy garments were not made for men to sleep in,
or to strut in, but to do service in; and then they are indeed for
glory and beauty. The Son of man himself <i>came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister.</i> 2. That all the six
paragraphs here, which give a distinct account of the making of
these holy garments, conclude with those words, <i>as the Lord
commanded Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 39:5,7,21,26,29,31" id="Ex.xl-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|39|5|0|0;|Exod|39|7|0|0;|Exod|39|21|0|0;|Exod|39|26|0|0;|Exod|39|29|0|0;|Exod|39|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.5 Bible:Exod.39.7 Bible:Exod.39.21 Bible:Exod.39.26 Bible:Exod.39.29 Bible:Exod.39.31"><i>v.</i> 5, 7, 21, 26, 29, 31</scripRef>.
The like is not in any of the foregoing accounts, as if in these,
more than any other of the appurtenances of the tabernacle, they
had a particular regard to the divine appointment, both for warrant
and for direction. It is an intimation to all the Lord's ministers
to make the word of God their rule in all their ministrations, and
to act in observance of and obedience to the command of God. 3.
That these garments, in conformity to the rest of the furniture of
the tabernacle, were very rich and splendid; the church in its
infancy was thus taught, thus pleased, with the rudiments of this
world; but now under the gospel, which is the ministration of the
Spirit, to affect and impose such pompous habits as the church of
Rome does, under pretence of decency and instruction, is to betray
<i>the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free,</i> and to
entangle the church again in the bondage of those carnal ordinances
which were imposed only till the time of reformation. 4. That they
were all shadows of good things to come, but the substance is
Christ, and the grace of the gospel; when therefore the substance
has come, it is a jest to be fond of the shadow. (1.) Christ is our
great high-priest; when he undertook the work of our redemption, he
put on the clothes of service&#8212;he arrayed himself with the gifts
and graces of the Spirit, which he received not by measure&#8212;girded
himself with the curious girdle of resolution, to go through with
his undertaking&#8212;charged himself with the curious girdle of
resolution, to go through with his undertaking&#8212;charged himself
with all God's spiritual Israel, bore them on his shoulders,
carried them in his bosom, laid them near his heart, engraved them
on the palms of his hands, and presented them in the breast-plate
of judgment unto his Father. And (lastly) he crowned himself with
<i>holiness to the Lord,</i> consecrating his whole undertaking to
the honour of his Father's holiness: now consider how great this
man is. (2.) True believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen
with which all their clothes of service must be made is <i>the
righteousness of saints</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 19:8" id="Ex.xl-p3.4" parsed="|Rev|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.8">Rev. xix.
8</scripRef>), and <i>Holiness to the Lord</i> must be so written
upon their foreheads that all who converse with them may see, and
say, that they bear the image of God's holiness, and are devoted to
the praise of it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 39:32-43" id="Ex.xl-p3.5" parsed="|Exod|39|32|39|43" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.32-Exod.39.43"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.39.32-Exod.39.43">
<h4 id="Ex.xl-p3.6">The Tabernacle Completed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p3.7">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xl-p4">32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of
the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel
did according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p4.1">Lord</span>
commanded Moses, so did they. &#160; 33 And they brought the
tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches,
his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, &#160; 34
And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of
badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, &#160; 35 The ark of
the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, &#160;
36 The table, <i>and</i> all the vessels thereof, and the
showbread, &#160; 37 The pure candlestick, <i>with</i> the lamps
thereof, <i>even with</i> the lamps to be set in order, and all the
vessels thereof, and the oil for light, &#160; 38 And the golden
altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the
hanging for the tabernacle door, &#160; 39 The brazen altar, and
his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and
his foot, &#160; 40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his
sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his
pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the
tent of the congregation, &#160; 41 The cloths of service to do
service in the holy <i>place,</i> and the holy garments for Aaron
the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's
office. &#160; 42 According to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p4.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses, so the children of Israel
made all the work. &#160; 43 And Moses did look upon all the work,
and, behold, they had done it as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xl-p4.3">Lord</span> had commanded, even so had they done it:
and Moses blessed them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xl-p5">Observe here, I. The builders of the
tabernacle made very good despatch. It was not much more than five
months from the beginning to the finishing of it. Though there was
a great deal of fine work about it, such as is usually the work of
time, embroidering and engraving, not only in gold, but in precious
stones, yet they went through with it in a little time. Church-work
is usually slow work, but they made quick work of this, and yet did
it with the greatest exactness imaginable. For, 1. Many hands were
employed, all unanimous, and not striving with each other. This
expedited the business, and made it easy. 2. The workmen were
taught of God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would
have retarded them. 3. The people were hearty and zealous in the
work, and impatient till it was finished. God had prepared their
hearts, and then <i>the thing was done suddenly,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 29:36" id="Ex.xl-p5.1" parsed="|2Chr|29|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.29.36">2 Chron. xxix. 36</scripRef>. Resolution and
industry, and a cheerful application of mind, will, by the grace of
God, bring a great deal of good work to pass in a little time, in
less than one would expect.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xl-p6">II. They punctually observed their orders,
and did not in the least vary from them. They did it <i>according
to all that the Lord commanded Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 39:32,42" id="Ex.xl-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|39|32|0|0;|Exod|39|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.32 Bible:Exod.39.42"><i>v.</i> 32, 42</scripRef>. Note, God's work must be
done, in every thing, according to his own will. His institutions
neither need nor admit men's inventions to make them either more
beautiful or more likely to answer the intention of them. <i>Add
thou not unto his words.</i> God is pleased with willing worship,
but not with will-worship.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xl-p7">III. They brought all their work to Moses,
and submitted it to his inspection and censure, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:33" id="Ex.xl-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|39|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. He knew what he had ordered
them to make; and now the particulars were called over, and all
produced, that Moses might see both that they had made all,
omitting nothing, and that they had made all according to the
instructions given them, and that, if they had made a mistake in
any thing, it might be forthwith rectified. Thus they showed
respect to Moses, who was set over them in the Lord; not objecting
that Moses did not understand such work, and therefore that there
was no reason for submitting it to his judgment. No, that God who
gave them so much knowledge as to do the work gave them also so
much humility as to be willing to have it examined and compared
with the model. Moses was in authority, and they would pay a
deference to his place. <i>The spirit of the prophets is subject to
the prophets.</i> And besides, though they knew how to do the work
better than Moses, Moses had a better and more exact idea of the
model than they had, and therefore they could not be well pleased
with their own work, unless they had his approbation. Thus in all
the services of religion we should <i>labour to be accepted of the
Lord.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xl-p8">IV. Moses, upon search, found all done
according to the rule, <scripRef passage="Ex 39:43" id="Ex.xl-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|39|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.43"><i>v.</i>
43</scripRef>. Moses, both for their satisfaction and for his own,
did look upon all the work, piece by piece, and behold they had
done it according to the pattern shown him, for the same Being that
showed him the pattern guided their hand in the work. All the
copies of God's grace exactly agree with the original of his
counsels: what God works in us, and by us, is the fulfilling of the
good pleasure of his own goodness; and when the mystery of God
shall be finished, and all his performances come to be compared
with his purposes, it will appear that behold all is done according
to the counsel of his own will, not one iota or tittle of which
shall fall to the ground, or be varied from.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xl-p9">V. Moses blessed them. 1. He commended
them, and signified his approbation of all they had done. He did
not find fault where there was none, as some do, who think they
disparage their own judgment if they do not find something amiss in
the best and most accomplished performance. In all this work it is
probable there might have been found here and there a stitch amiss,
and a stroke awry, which would have served for an over-curious and
censorious critic to animadvert upon; but Moses was too candid to
notice small faults where there were no great ones. Note, All
governors must be a praise to those that do well, as well as a
terror to evil-doers. Why should any take a pride in being hard to
be pleased? 2. He not only praised them, but prayed for them. He
blessed them as one having authority, for the less is blessed of
the better. We read not of any wages that Moses paid them for their
work, but this blessing he gave them. For, though ordinarily the
labourer be worthy of his hire, yet in this case, 1. They wrought
for themselves. The honour and comfort of God's tabernacle among
them would be recompence enough. <i>If thou be wise, thou shalt be
wise for thyself.</i> 2. They had their meat from heaven on
free-cost, for themselves and their families, and their raiment
waxed not old upon them; so that they neither needed wages nor had
reason to expect any. <i>Freely you have received, freely give.</i>
The obligations we lie under, both in duty and interest, to serve
God, should be sufficient to quicken us to our work, though we had
not a reward in prospect. But, 3. This blessing, in the name of the
Lord, was wages enough for all their work. Those whom God employs
he will bless, and those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. The
blessing he commands is <i>life for evermore.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XL" n="xli" progress="50.58%" prev="Ex.xl" next="Lev" id="Ex.xli">
<h2 id="Ex.xli-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xli-p0.2">CHAP. XL.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xli-p1">In this chapter, I. Orders are given for the
setting up of the tabernacle and the fixing of all the
appurtenances of it in their proper places (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:1-8" id="Ex.xli-p1.1" parsed="|Exod|40|1|40|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.1-Exod.40.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>), and the consecrating of it
(<scripRef passage="Ex 40:9-11" id="Ex.xli-p1.2" parsed="|Exod|40|9|40|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.9-Exod.40.11">ver. 9-11</scripRef>), and of the
priests, <scripRef passage="Ex 40:12-15" id="Ex.xli-p1.3" parsed="|Exod|40|12|40|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.12-Exod.40.15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. II.
Care is taken to do all this, and as it was appointed to be done,
<scripRef passage="Ex 40:16-33" id="Ex.xli-p1.4" parsed="|Exod|40|16|40|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.16-Exod.40.33">ver. 16-33</scripRef>. III. God
takes possession of it by the cloud, <scripRef passage="Ex 40:34-38" id="Ex.xli-p1.5" parsed="|Exod|40|34|40|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.34-Exod.40.38">ver. 34</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 40" id="Ex.xli-p1.6" parsed="|Exod|40|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 40:1-15" id="Ex.xli-p1.7" parsed="|Exod|40|1|40|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.1-Exod.40.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.40.1-Exod.40.15">
<h4 id="Ex.xli-p1.8">The Rearing of the
Tabernacle. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xli-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 On the first day of the first
month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the
congregation. &#160; 3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the
testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. &#160; 4 And thou shalt
bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set
in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and
light the lamps thereof. &#160; 5 And thou shalt set the altar of
gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the
hanging of the door to the tabernacle. &#160; 6 And thou shalt set
the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle
of the tent of the congregation. &#160; 7 And thou shalt set the
laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt
put water therein. &#160; 8 And thou shalt set up the court round
about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. &#160; 9 And thou
shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all
that <i>is</i> therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels
thereof: and it shall be holy. &#160; 10 And thou shalt anoint the
altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the
altar: and it shall be an altar most holy. &#160; 11 And thou shalt
anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it. &#160; 12 And thou
shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation, and wash them with water. &#160; 13 And thou
shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and
sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
&#160; 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with
coats: &#160; 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint
their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's
office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting
priesthood throughout their generations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p3">The materials and furniture of the
tabernacle had been viewed severally and approved, and now they
must be put together. 1. God here directs Moses to set up the
tabernacle and the utensils of it in their places. Though the work
of the tabernacle was finished, and every thing ready for rearing,
and the people, no doubt, were very desirous to see it up, yet
Moses will not erect it till he has express orders for doing so. It
is good to see God going before us in every step, <scripRef passage="Ps 37:23" id="Ex.xli-p3.1" parsed="|Ps|37|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.23">Ps. xxxvii. 23</scripRef>. The time for doing
this is fixed to <i>the first day of the first month</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:2" id="Ex.xli-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|40|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), which wanted but
fourteen days of a year since they came out of Egypt; and a good
year's work there was done in it. Probably the work was made ready
but just at the end of the year, so that the appointing of this day
gave no delay, or next to none, to this good work. We must not put
off any necessary duty under pretence of waiting for some
remarkable day; the present season is the most convenient. But the
tabernacle happening to be set up <i>on the first day of the first
month</i> intimates that it is good to begin the year with some
good work. Let him that is the first have the first; and let the
things of his kingdom be first sought. In Hezekiah's time we find
they began to sanctify the temple <i>on the first day of the first
month,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 29:17" id="Ex.xli-p3.3" parsed="|2Chr|29|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.29.17">2 Chron. xxix.
17</scripRef>. The new moon (which by their computation was the
first day of every month) was observed by them with some solemnity;
and therefore this first new moon of the year was thus made
remarkable. Note, When a new year begins, we should think of
serving God more and better than we did the year before. Moses is
particularly ordered to set up the tabernacle itself first, in
which God would dwell and would be served (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:2" id="Ex.xli-p3.4" parsed="|Exod|40|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), then to put the ark in its
place, and draw the veil before it (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:3" id="Ex.xli-p3.5" parsed="|Exod|40|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), then to fix the table, and the
candlestick, and the altar of incense, without the veil (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:4,5" id="Ex.xli-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|40|4|40|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.4-Exod.40.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>), and to fix the
hanging of the door before the door. Then in the court he must
place the altar of burnt offering, and the laver (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:6,7" id="Ex.xli-p3.7" parsed="|Exod|40|6|40|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.6-Exod.40.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>); and, lastly, he
must set up the curtains of the court, and a hanging for a
court-gate. And all this would be easily done in one day, many
hands no doubt being employed in it under the direction of Moses.
2. He directs Moses, when he had set up the tabernacle and all the
furniture of it, to consecrate it and them, by anointing them with
the oil which was prepared for the purpose, <scripRef passage="Ex 30:25-29" id="Ex.xli-p3.8" parsed="|Exod|30|25|30|29" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.25-Exod.30.29"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 25</scripRef>, &amp;c. It was there
ordered that this should be done; here it was ordered that it
should be done now, <scripRef passage="Ex 40:9-11" id="Ex.xli-p3.9" parsed="|Exod|40|9|40|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.9-Exod.40.11"><i>v.</i>
9-11</scripRef>. Observe, Every thing was sanctified when it was
put in its proper place, and not till then, for till then it was
not fit for the use to which it was to be sanctified. As every
thing is beautiful in its season, so is every thing in its place.
3. He directs him to consecrate Aaron and his sons. When the goods
were brought into God's house, they were marked first, and then
servants were hired to bear the vessels of the Lord; and those must
be clean who were put into that office, <scripRef passage="Ex 40:12-15" id="Ex.xli-p3.10" parsed="|Exod|40|12|40|15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.12-Exod.40.15"><i>v.</i> 12-15</scripRef>. The law which was now
ordered to be put in execution we had before, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:1-46" id="Ex.xli-p3.11" parsed="|Exod|29|1|29|46" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.1-Exod.29.46"><i>ch.</i> xxix.</scripRef> Thus in the visible
church, which is God's tabernacle among men, it is requisite that
there be ministers to keep the charge of the sanctuary, and that
they receive the anointing.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 40" id="Ex.xli-p3.12" parsed="|Exod|40|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 40:16-33" id="Ex.xli-p3.13" parsed="|Exod|40|16|40|33" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.16-Exod.40.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.40.16-Exod.40.33">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xli-p4">16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.1">Lord</span> commanded him, so did he.
&#160; 17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second
year, on the first <i>day</i> of the month, <i>that</i> the
tabernacle was reared up. &#160; 18 And Moses reared up the
tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards
thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
&#160; 19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and
put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 20 And he took and
put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and
put the mercy seat above upon the ark: &#160; 21 And he brought the
ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and
covered the ark of the testimony; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 22 And he put the
table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the
tabernacle northward, without the vail. &#160; 23 And he set the
bread in order upon it before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.4">Lord</span>; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.5">Lord</span>
had commanded Moses. &#160; 24 And he put the candlestick in the
tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of
the tabernacle southward. &#160; 25 And he lighted the lamps before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.6">Lord</span>; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.7">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 26 And he put the
golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail:
&#160; 27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.8">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 28 And he set up
the hanging <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle. &#160; 29 And he
put the altar of burnt offering <i>by</i> the door of the
tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the
burnt offering and the meat offering; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.9">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 30 And he set the
laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put
water there, to wash <i>withal.</i> &#160; 31 And Moses and Aaron
and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: &#160; 32
When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they
came near unto the altar, they washed; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p4.10">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 33 And he reared up
the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the
hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p5">When the tabernacle and the furniture of it
were prepared, they did not put off the rearing of it till they
came to Canaan, though they now hoped to be there very shortly;
but, in obedience to the will of God, they set it up in the midst
of their camp, while they were in the wilderness. Those that are
unsettled in the world must not think that this will excuse them in
their continued irreligion; as if it were enough to begin to serve
God when they begin to be settled in the world. No; a tabernacle
for God is a very needful and profitable companion even in a
wilderness, especially considering that our carcases may fall in
that wilderness, and we may be fixed in another world before we
come to fix in this.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p6">The rearing of the tabernacle was a good
day's work; the consecrating of it, and of the priests, was
attended to some days after. Here we have an account only of that
new-year's-day's work. 1. Moses not only did all that God directed
him to do, but in the order that God appointed; for God will be
sought in the due order. 2. To each particular there is added an
express reference to the divine appointment, which Moses governed
himself by as carefully and conscientiously as the workmen did; and
therefore, as before, so here it is repeated, <i>as the Lord
commanded Moses,</i> seven times in less than fourteen verses.
Moses himself, as great a man as he was, would not pretend to vary
from the institution, neither to add to it nor diminish from it, in
the least punctilio. Those that command others must remember that
their Master also is in heaven, and they must do as they are
commanded. 3. That which was to be veiled be veiled (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:21" id="Ex.xli-p6.1" parsed="|Exod|40|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), and that which was to
be used he used immediately, for the instruction of the priests,
that by seeing him do the several offices they might learn to do
them the more dexterously. Though Moses was not properly a priest,
yet he is numbered among the priests (<scripRef passage="Ps 99:6" id="Ex.xli-p6.2" parsed="|Ps|99|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.99.6">Ps. xcix. 6</scripRef>), and the Jewish writers call him
<i>the priest of the priests;</i> what he did he did by special
warrant and direction from God, rather as a prophet, or law-giver,
than as a priest. He set the wheels a going, and then left the work
in the hands of the appointed ministry. (1.) When he had placed the
table, he set the show-bread in order upon it (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:23" id="Ex.xli-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|40|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>); for God will never have his
table unfurnished. (2.) As soon as he had fixed the candlestick,
<i>he lighted the lamps before the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 40:25" id="Ex.xli-p6.4" parsed="|Exod|40|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Even that dark dispensation
would not admit of unlighted candles. (3.) The golden altar being
put in its place, immediately he <i>burnt sweet incense thereon</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ex 40:27" id="Ex.xli-p6.5" parsed="|Exod|40|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>); for God's
altar must be a smoking altar. (4.) The altar of the burnt-offering
was no sooner set up in the court of the tabernacle than he had a
<i>burnt-offering, and a meat-offering, ready to offer upon it,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 40:29" id="Ex.xli-p6.6" parsed="|Exod|40|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Some think,
though this is mentioned here, it was not done till some time
after; but it seems to me that he immediately began the ceremony of
its consecration, though it was not completed for seven days. (5.)
At the laver likewise, when he had fixed that, Moses himself washed
his hands and feet. Thus, in all these instances, he not only
showed the priests how to do their duty, but has taught us that
God's gifts are intended for use, and not barely for show. Though
the altars, and table, and candlestick, were fresh and new, he did
not say it was a pity to sully them; no, he handselled them
immediately. Talents were given to be occupied, not to be
buried.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Ex 40:34-38" id="Ex.xli-p6.7" parsed="|Exod|40|34|40|38" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.34-Exod.40.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.40.34-Exod.40.38">
<h4 id="Ex.xli-p6.8">The Tabernacle Filled with
Glory. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p6.9">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xli-p7">34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the
congregation, and the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p7.1">Lord</span> filled the tabernacle. &#160; 35 And Moses
was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because
the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p7.2">Lord</span> filled the tabernacle. &#160; 36 And when
the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of
Israel went onward in all their journeys: &#160; 37 But if the
cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that
it was taken up. &#160; 38 For the cloud of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xli-p7.3">Lord</span> <i>was</i> upon the tabernacle by day, and
fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel,
throughout all their journeys.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p8">As when, in the creation, God had finished
this earth, which he designed for man's habitation, he made man,
and put him in possession of it, so when Moses had finished the
tabernacle, which was designed for God's dwelling-place among men,
God came and took possession of it. The <i>shechinah,</i> the
divine eternal Word, though not yet made flesh, yet, as a prelude
to that event, came and dwelt among them, <scripRef passage="Joh 1:14" id="Ex.xli-p8.1" parsed="|John|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.14">John i. 14</scripRef>. This was henceforward the
<i>place of his throne,</i> and <i>the place of the soles of his
feet</i> (<scripRef passage="Eze 43:7" id="Ex.xli-p8.2" parsed="|Ezek|43|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.43.7">Ezek. xliii. 7</scripRef>);
here he resided, here he ruled. By the visible tokens of God's
coming among them to take possession of the tabernacle he testified
both the return of his favour to them, which they had forfeited by
the golden calf (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:7" id="Ex.xli-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|33|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.7"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii.
7</scripRef>), and his gracious acceptance of all the expense they
had been at, and all the care and pains they had taken about the
tabernacle. Thus God owned them, showed himself well pleased with
what they had done, and abundantly rewarded them. Note, God will
dwell with those that prepare him a habitation. The broken and
contrite heart, the clean and holy heart, that is furnished for his
service, and devoted to his honour, shall be his <i>rest for
ever;</i> here will Christ dwell by faith, <scripRef passage="Eph 3:17" id="Ex.xli-p8.4" parsed="|Eph|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.3.17">Eph. iii. 17</scripRef>. Where God has a throne and an
altar in the soul, there is a living temple. And God will be sure
to own and crown the operations of his own grace and the observance
of his own appointments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p9">As God had manifested himself upon mount
Sinai, so he did now in this newly-erected tabernacle. We read
(<scripRef passage="Ex 24:16" id="Ex.xli-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|24|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.16"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 16</scripRef>) that
<i>the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai,</i> which is said
to be like <i>devouring fire</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:17" id="Ex.xli-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|40|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), and that the <i>cloud covered
it</i> on the outside, and the <i>glory of the Lord filled it</i>
within, to which, probably there is an allusion in <scripRef passage="Zec 2:5" id="Ex.xli-p9.3" parsed="|Zech|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.2.5">Zech. ii. 5</scripRef>, where God promises to be
a <i>wall of fire round about Jerusalem</i> (and the pillar of
cloud was by night a pillar of fire) <i>and the glory in the midst
of her.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p10">I. <i>The cloud covered the tent.</i> That
same cloud which, as the chariot or pavilion of the
<i>shechinah,</i> had come up before them out of Egypt and led them
hither, now settled upon the tabernacle and hovered over it, even
in the hottest and clearest day; for it was none of those clouds
which the sun scatters. This cloud was intended to be, 1. A token
of God's presence constantly visible day and night (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:38" id="Ex.xli-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|40|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>) to all Israel, even to
those that lay in the remotest corners of the camp, that they might
never again make a question of it, <i>Is the Lord among us, or is
he not?</i> That very cloud which had already been so pregnant with
wonders in the Red Sea, and on Mount Sinai, sufficient to prove God
in it of a truth, was continually <i>in sight of all the house of
Israel throughout all their journeys;</i> so that they were
inexcusable if they believed not their own eyes. 2. A concealment
of the tabernacle, and the glory of God in it. God did indeed dwell
among them, but he dwelt in a cloud: <i>Verily thou art a God that
hidest, thyself.</i> Blessed be God for the gospel of Christ, in
which <i>we all with open face behold as in a glass,</i> not in a
cloud, <i>the glory of the Lord.</i> 3. A protection of the
tabernacle. They had sheltered it with one covering upon another,
but, after all, the cloud that covered it was its best guard. Those
that dwell in the house of the Lord are hidden there, and are safe
under the divine protection, <scripRef passage="Ps 27:4,5" id="Ex.xli-p10.2" parsed="|Ps|27|4|27|5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.4-Ps.27.5">Ps.
xxvii. 4, 5</scripRef>. Yet this, which was then a peculiar favour
to the tabernacle, is promised to every dwelling-place of mount
Zion (<scripRef passage="Isa 4:5" id="Ex.xli-p10.3" parsed="|Isa|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.5">Isa. iv. 5</scripRef>); for
<i>upon all the glory shall be a defence.</i> 4. A guide to the
camp of Israel in their march through the wilderness, <scripRef passage="Ex 40:36,37" id="Ex.xli-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|40|36|40|37" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.36-Exod.40.37"><i>v.</i> 36, 37</scripRef>. While the cloud
continued on the tabernacle, they rested; when it removed, they
removed and followed it, as being purely under divine direction.
This is spoken of more fully, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:19,Ps 78:14,105:39" id="Ex.xli-p10.5" parsed="|Num|9|19|0|0;|Ps|78|14|0|0;|Ps|105|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.19 Bible:Ps.78.14 Bible:Ps.105.39">Num. ix. 19; Ps. lxxviii. 14; cv.
39</scripRef>. As before the tabernacle was set up the Israelites
had the cloud for their guide, which appeared sometimes in one
place and sometimes in another, but henceforward rested on the
tabernacle and was to be found there only, so the church had divine
revelation for its guide from the first, before the scriptures were
written, but since the making up of that canon it rests in that as
its tabernacle, and there only it is to be found, as in the
creation the light which was made the first day, centered in the
sun the fourth day. Blessed be God for the law and the
testimony!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xli-p11">II. <i>The glory of the Lord filled the
tabernacle,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 40:34,35" id="Ex.xli-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|40|34|40|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.34-Exod.40.35"><i>v.</i> 34,
35</scripRef>. The <i>shechinah</i> now made an awful and pompous
entry into the tabernacle, through the outer part of which it
passed into the most holy place, as the presence-chamber, and there
seated itself between the cherubim. It was in light and fire, and
(for aught we know) no otherwise, that the <i>shechinah</i> made
itself visible; for <i>God is light; our God is a consuming
fire.</i> With these the tabernacle was now filled, yet, as before
the bush was not consumed, so now the curtains were not so much as
singed by this fire; for to those that have received the anointing
the terrible majesty of God is not destroying. Yet so dazzling was
the light, and so dreadful was the fire, that Moses was <i>not able
to enter into the tent of the congregation,</i> at the door of
which he attended, till the splendour had a little abated, and the
glory of the Lord retired within the veil, <scripRef passage="Ex 40:35" id="Ex.xli-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|40|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. This shows how terrible the
glory and majesty of God are, and how unable the greatest and best
of men are to stand before him. The divine light and fire, let
forth in their full strength, will overpower the strongest heads
and the purest hearts. But what Moses could not do, in that <i>he
was weak through the flesh,</i> has been done by our Lord Jesus,
whom God caused to draw near and approach, and who, as the
forerunner, <i>has for us entered,</i> and has invited us to come
boldly even to the mercy-seat. He was able to enter into the holy
place not made with hands (<scripRef passage="Heb 9:24" id="Ex.xli-p11.3" parsed="|Heb|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.24">Heb. ix.
24</scripRef>); nay, he is himself the true tabernacle, filled with
the glory of God (<scripRef passage="Joh 1:14" id="Ex.xli-p11.4" parsed="|John|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.14">John i.
14</scripRef>), even with the divine grace and truth prefigured by
this fire and light. In him the shechinah took up its rest for
ever, for in him <i>dwells all the fulness of the godhead
bodily.</i> Blessed be God for Jesus Christ!</p>
</div></div2>
</div1>
<div1 title="Leviticus" n="iii" progress="50.95%" prev="Ex.xli" next="Lev.i" id="Lev">
<div2 title="Introduction" n="i" progress="50.95%" prev="Lev" next="Lev.ii" id="Lev.i">
<h2 id="Lev.i-p0.1">Leviticus</h2>
<hr/>
<pb n="448" id="Lev.i-Page_448"/>
<div class="Center" id="Lev.i-p0.3">
<p id="Lev.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Lev.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Lev.i-p1.2">W I T H &#160; P R A C T I C A L &#160; O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Lev.i-p1.3">OF THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED</h5>
<h2 id="Lev.i-p1.4">L E V I T I C U S.</h2>
<hr style="width:2in"/>
</div>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.i-p2"><span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.i-p2.1">There</span> is
nothing historical in all this book of Leviticus except the account
which it gives us of the consecration of the priesthood (<scripRef passage="Le 8:1-9:24" id="Lev.i-p2.2" parsed="|Lev|8|1|9|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.1-Lev.9.24"><i>ch.</i> viii.-ix.</scripRef>), of the
punishment of Nadab and Abihu, by the hand of God, for offering
strange fire (<scripRef passage="Le 10:1-20" id="Lev.i-p2.3" parsed="|Lev|10|1|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.1-Lev.10.20"><i>ch.</i>
x</scripRef>), and of Shelomith's son, by the hand of the
magistrate, for blasphemy (<scripRef passage="Le 24:1-23" id="Lev.i-p2.4" parsed="|Lev|24|1|24|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.1-Lev.24.23"><i>ch.</i> xxiv</scripRef>). All the rest of the book
is taken up with the laws, chiefly the ecclesiastical laws, which
God gave to Israel by Moses, concerning their sacrifices and
offerings, their meats and drinks, and divers washings, and the
other peculiarities by which God set that people apart for himself,
and distinguished them from other nations, all which were shadows
of good things to come, which are realized and superseded by the
gospel of Christ. We call the book <i>Leviticus,</i> from the
Septuagint, because it contains the laws and ordinances of the
<i>levitical priesthood</i> (as it is called, <scripRef passage="Heb 7:11" id="Lev.i-p2.5" parsed="|Heb|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.11">Heb. vii. 11</scripRef>), and the ministrations of it.
The Levites were principally charged with these institutions, both
to do their part and to teach the people theirs. We read, in the
close of the foregoing book, of the setting up of the tabernacle,
which was to be the place of worship; and, as that was framed
according to the pattern, so must the ordinances of worship be,
which were there to be administered. In these the divine
appointment was as particular as in the former, and must be as
punctually observed. The remaining record of these abrogated laws
is of use to us, for the strengthening of our faith in Jesus
Christ, as <i>the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,</i>
and for the increase of our thankfulness to God, that by him we are
freed from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and live in the times of
reformation.</p>
</div2>
<div2 title="Chapter I" n="ii" progress="50.99%" prev="Lev.i" next="Lev.iii" id="Lev.ii">
<h2 id="Lev.ii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.ii-p0.2">CHAP. I.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.ii-p1">This book begins with the laws concerning
sacrifices, of which the most ancient were the burnt-offerings,
about which God gives Moses instructions in this chapter. Orders
are here given how that sort of sacrifice must be managed. I. If it
was a bullock out of the herd, <scripRef passage="Le 1:3-9" id="Lev.ii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|1|3|1|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.3-Lev.1.9">ver.
3-9</scripRef>. II. If it was a sheep or goat, a lamb or kid, out
of the flock, <scripRef passage="Le 1:10-13" id="Lev.ii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|1|10|1|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.10-Lev.1.13">ver. 10-13</scripRef>.
III. If it was a turtle-dove or a young pigeon, <scripRef passage="Le 1:14-17" id="Lev.ii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|1|14|1|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.14-Lev.1.17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>. And whether the offering was
more or less valuable in itself, if it was offered with an upright
heart, according to these laws, it was accepted of God.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 1" id="Lev.ii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 1:1-2" id="Lev.ii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|1|1|1|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.1-Lev.1.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.1.1-Lev.1.2">
<h4 id="Lev.ii-p1.6">The Law Concerning
Offerings. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.ii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p2.1">Lord</span>
called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the
congregation, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of Israel,
and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p2.2">Lord</span>, ye shall bring your offering
of the cattle, <i>even</i> of the herd, and of the flock.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ii-p3">Observe here, 1. It is taken for granted
that people would be inclined to bring offerings to the Lord. The
very light of nature directs man, some way or other, to do honour
to his Maker, and pay him homage as his Lord. Revealed religion
supposes natural religion to be an ancient and early institution,
since the fall had directed men to glorify God by sacrifice, which
was an implicit acknowledgment of their having received all from
God as creatures, and their having forfeited all to him as sinners.
A conscience thoroughly convinced of dependence and guilt would be
willing to come before God with <i>thousands of rams,</i> <scripRef passage="Mic 6:6,7" id="Lev.ii-p3.1" parsed="|Mic|6|6|6|7" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.6-Mic.6.7">Mic. vi. 6, 7</scripRef>. 2. Provision is made
that men should not indulge their own fancies, nor become vain in
their imaginations and inventions about their sacrifices, lest,
while they pretended to honour God, they should really dishonour
him, and do that which was unworthy of him. Every thing therefore
is directed to be done with due decorum, by a certain rule, and so
as that the sacrifices might be most significant both of the great
sacrifice of atonement which Christ was to offer in the fulness of
time and of the spiritual sacrifices of acknowledgment which
believers should offer daily. 3. God gave those laws to Israel by
Moses; nothing is more frequently repeated than this, <i>The Lord
spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel.</i>
God could have spoken it to the children of Israel himself, as he
did the ten commandments; but he chose to deliver it to them by
Moses, because they had desired he would no more speak to them
himself, and he had designed that Moses should, above all the
prophets, be a type of Christ, by whom God would in these last days
speak to us, <scripRef passage="Heb 1:2" id="Lev.ii-p3.2" parsed="|Heb|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.2">Heb. i. 2</scripRef>. By
other prophets God sent messages to his people, but by Moses he
gave them laws; and therefore he was fit to typify him to whom the
Father has given all judgment. And, besides, the treasure of divine
revelation was always to be put into earthen vessels, that our
faith might be tried, and that the excellency of the power might be
of God. 4. God spoke to him out of the tabernacle. As soon as ever
the shechinah had taken possession of its new habitation, in token
of the acceptance of what was done, God talked with Moses from the
mercy-seat, while he attended without the veil, or rather at the
door, hearing a voice only; and it is probable that he wrote what
he heard at that time, to prevent any mistake, or a slip of memory,
in the rehearsal of it. The tabernacle was set up to be a place of
communion between God and Israel; there, where they performed their
services to God, God revealed his will to them. Thus, by the word
and by prayer, we now have fellowship with the Father, and with his
Son Jesus Christ, <scripRef passage="Ac 6:4" id="Lev.ii-p3.3" parsed="|Acts|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.6.4">Acts vi. 4</scripRef>.
When we speak to God we must desire to hear from him, and reckon it
a great favour that he is pleased to speak to us. The Lord called
to Moses, not to come near (under that dispensation, even Moses
must keep his distance), but to attend and hearken to what should
be said. A letter less than ordinary in the Hebrew word for
<i>called,</i> the Jewish critics tell us, intimates that God spoke
in a still small voice. The moral law was given with terror from a
burning mountain in thunder and lightning; but the remedial law of
sacrifice was given more gently from a mercy-seat, because that was
typical of the grace of the gospel, which is the ministration of
life and peace.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 1:3-9" id="Lev.ii-p3.4" parsed="|Lev|1|3|1|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.3-Lev.1.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.1.3-Lev.1.9">
<h4 id="Lev.ii-p3.5">Law of the Burnt-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p3.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.ii-p4">3 If his offering <i>be</i> a burnt sacrifice of
the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it
of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p4.1">Lord</span>. &#160;
4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering;
and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. &#160;
5 And he shall kill the bullock before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p4.2">Lord</span>: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring
the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that
<i>is by</i> the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160;
6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
&#160; 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the
altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: &#160; 8 And the
priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat,
in order upon the wood that <i>is</i> on the fire which <i>is</i>
upon the altar: &#160; 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash
in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, <i>to be</i>
a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p4.3">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ii-p5">If a man were rich and could afford it, it
is supposed that he would bring his burnt-sacrifice, with which he
designed to honour God, out of his herd of larger cattle. He that
considers that God is the best that is will resolve to give him the
best he has, else he gives him not the glory due unto his name. Now
if a man determined to kill a bullock, not for an entertainment for
his family and friends, but for a sacrifice to his God, these rules
must be religiously observed:&#8212;1. The beast to be offered must be
a male, and without blemish, and the best he had in his pasture.
Being designed purely for the honour of him that is infinitely
perfect, it ought to be the most perfect in its kind. This
signified the complete strength and purity that were in Christ the
dying sacrifice, and the sincerity of heart and unblamableness of
life that should be in Christians, who are presented to God as
living sacrifices. But, literally, in Christ Jesus there is neither
male nor female; nor is any natural blemish in the body a bar to
our acceptance with God, but only the moral defects and deformities
introduced by sin into the soul. 2. The owner must offer it
voluntarily. What is done in religion, so as to please God, must be
done by no other constraint than that of love. God accepts the
willing people and the cheerful giver. Ainsworth and others read
it, not as the principle, but as the end of offering: "Let him
offer it <i>for his favourable acceptation before the Lord.</i> Let
him propose this to himself as his end in bringing his sacrifice,
and let his eye be fixed steadily upon that end&#8212;that he may be
accepted of the Lord." Those only shall find acceptance who
sincerely desire and design it in all their religious services,
<scripRef passage="2Co 5:9" id="Lev.ii-p5.1" parsed="|2Cor|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.9">2 Cor. v. 9</scripRef>. 3. It must be
offered at the door of the tabernacle, where the brazen altar of
burnt-offerings stood, which sanctified the gift, and not
elsewhere. He must offer it at the door, as one unworthy to enter,
and acknowledging that there is no admission for a sinner into
covenant and communion with God, but by sacrifice; but he must
offer it at the tabernacle of the congregation, in token of his
communion with the whole church of Israel even in this personal
service. 4. The offerer must put his hand upon the head of his
offering, <scripRef passage="Le 1:4" id="Lev.ii-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. "He
must put both his hands," say the Jewish doctors, "with all his
might, between the horns of the beast," signifying thereby, (1.)
The transfer of all his right to, and interest in, the beast, to
God, actually, and by a manual delivery, resigning it to his
service. (2.) An acknowledgment that he deserved to die, and would
have been willing to die if God had required it, for the serving of
his honour, and the obtaining of his favour. (3.) A dependence upon
the sacrifice, as an instituted type of the great sacrifice on
which the iniquity of us all was to be laid. The mystical
signification of the sacrifices, and especially this rite, some
think the apostle means by the doctrine of <i>laying on of
hands</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 6:2" id="Lev.ii-p5.3" parsed="|Heb|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.2">Heb. vi. 2</scripRef>),
which typified evangelical faith. The offerer's putting his hand on
the head of the offering was to signify his desire and hope that it
might <i>be accepted from him to make atonement for him.</i> Though
the burnt-offerings had not respect to any particular sin, as the
sin-offering had, yet they were to make atonement for sin in
general; and he that laid his hand on the head of a burnt-offering
was to confess that <i>he had left undone what he ought to have
done and had done that which he ought not to have done,</i> and to
pray that, though he deserved to die himself, the death of his
sacrifice might be accepted for the expiating of his guilt. 5. The
sacrifice was to be killed by the priests of Levites, before the
Lord, that is, in a devout religious manner, and with an eye to God
and his honour. This signified that our Lord Jesus was to make his
soul, or life, an offering for sin. Messiah the prince must be cut
off as a sacrifice, <i>but not for himself,</i> <scripRef passage="Da 9:26" id="Lev.ii-p5.4" parsed="|Dan|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.26">Dan. ix. 26</scripRef>. It signified also that in
Christians, who are living sacrifices, the brutal part must be
mortified or killed, the flesh crucified with its corrupt
affections and lusts and all the appetites of the mere animal life.
6. The priests were to <i>sprinkle the blood upon the altar</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 1:5" id="Lev.ii-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>); for, the blood
being the life, it was this that made atonement for the soul. This
signified the direct and actual regard which our Lord Jesus had to
the satisfaction of his Father's justice, and the securing of his
injured honour, in the shedding of his blood; <i>he offered himself
without spot to God.</i> It also signified the pacifying and
purifying of our consciences by the sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ upon them by faith, <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:2,Heb 10:22" id="Lev.ii-p5.6" parsed="|1Pet|1|2|0|0;|Heb|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.2 Bible:Heb.10.22">1 Pet. i. 2; Heb. x. 22</scripRef>. 7. The
beast was to be flayed and decently cut up, and divided into its
several joints or pieces, according to the art of the butcher; and
then all the pieces, with the head and the fat (the legs and
inwards being first washed), were to be burnt together upon the
altar, <scripRef passage="Le 1:6-9" id="Lev.ii-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|1|6|1|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.6-Lev.1.9"><i>v.</i> 6-9</scripRef>.
"<i>But to what purpose,</i>" would some say, "<i>was this
waste?</i> Why should all this good meat, which might have been
given to the poor, and have served their hungry families for food a
great while, be burnt together to ashes?" So was the will of God;
and it is not for us to object or to find fault with it. When it
was burnt for the honour of God, in obedience to his command, and
to signify spiritual blessings, it was really better bestowed, and
better answered the end of its creation, than when it was used as
food for man. We must never reckon that lost which is laid out for
God. The burning of the sacrifice signified the sharp sufferings of
Christ, and the devout affections with which, as a holy fire,
Christians must offer up themselves their whole spirit, soul, and
body, unto God. 8. This is said to be <i>an offering of a sweet
savour,</i> or <i>savour of rest, unto the Lord.</i> The burning of
flesh is unsavoury in itself; but this, as an act of obedience to a
divine command, and a type of Christ, was well pleasing to God: he
was reconciled to the offerer, and did himself take a complacency
in that reconciliation. He rested, and was refreshed with these
institutions of his grace, as, at first, with his works of creation
(<scripRef passage="Ex 31:17" id="Lev.ii-p5.8" parsed="|Exod|31|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.17">Exod. xxxi. 17</scripRef>), rejoicing
therein, <scripRef passage="Ps 104:31" id="Lev.ii-p5.9" parsed="|Ps|104|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.31">Ps. civ. 31</scripRef>.
Christ's offering of himself to God is said to be of <i>a
sweet-smelling savour</i> (<scripRef passage="Eph 5:2" id="Lev.ii-p5.10" parsed="|Eph|5|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.2">Eph. v.
2</scripRef>), and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians are said
to be <i>acceptable to God, through Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:5" id="Lev.ii-p5.11" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5">1 Pet. ii. 5</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 1" id="Lev.ii-p5.12" parsed="|Lev|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 1:10-17" id="Lev.ii-p5.13" parsed="|Lev|1|10|1|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.10-Lev.1.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.1.10-Lev.1.17">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.ii-p6">10 And if his offering <i>be</i> of the flocks,
<i>namely,</i> of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt
sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. &#160; 11 And
he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p6.1">Lord</span>: and the priests, Aaron's sons,
shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. &#160; 12 And
he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the
priest shall lay them in order on the wood that <i>is</i> on the
fire which <i>is</i> upon the altar: &#160; 13 But he shall wash
the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring
<i>it</i> all, and burn <i>it</i> upon the altar: it <i>is</i> a
burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p6.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 14 And if the burnt
sacrifice for his offering to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p6.3">Lord</span> <i>be</i> of fowls, then he shall bring his
offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. &#160; 15 And the
priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and
burn <i>it</i> on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung
out at the side of the altar: &#160; 16 And he shall pluck away his
crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east
part, by the place of the ashes: &#160; 17 And he shall cleave it
with the wings thereof, <i>but</i> shall not divide <i>it</i>
asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood
that <i>is</i> upon the fire: it <i>is</i> a burnt sacrifice, an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ii-p6.4">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ii-p7">Here we have the laws concerning the
burnt-offerings, which were of the flock or of the fowls. Those of
the middle rank, that could not well afford to offer a bullock,
would bring a sheep or a goat; and those that were not able to do
that should be accepted of God if they brought a turtle-dove or a
pigeon. For God, in his law and in his gospel, as well as in his
providence, considers the poor. It is observable that those
creatures were chosen for sacrifice which were most mild and
gentle, harmless and inoffensive, to typify the innocence and
meekness that were in Christ, and to teach the innocence and
meekness that should be in Christians. Directions are here given,
1. Concerning the burnt-offerings of the flock, <scripRef passage="Le 1:10" id="Lev.ii-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.10">v. 10</scripRef>. The method of managing these is much
the same with that of the bullocks; only it is ordered here that
the sacrifice should be killed <i>on the side of the altar
northward,</i> which, though mentioned here only, was probably to
be observed concerning the former, and other sacrifices. Perhaps on
that side of the altar there was the largest vacant space, and room
for the priests to turn them in. It was of old observed that
<i>fair weather comes out of the north,</i> and that <i>the north
wind drives away rain;</i> and by these sacrifices the storms of
God's wrath are scattered, and the light of God's countenance is
obtained, which is more pleasant than the brightest fairest
weather. 2. Concerning those of the fowls. They must be either
turtle-doves (and, if so, "they must be <i>old</i> turtles," say
the Jews), or <i>pigeons,</i> and, if so, they must be <i>young</i>
pigeons. What was most acceptable at men's tables must be brought
to God's altar. In the offering of these fowls, (1.) The head must
be wrung off, "quite off," say some; others think only pinched, so
as to kill the bird, and yet leave the head hanging to the body.
But it seems more likely that it was to be quite separated, for it
was to be burnt first. (2.) The blood was to be <i>wrung out at the
side of the altar.</i> (3.) The garbages with the feathers were to
be thrown by upon the dunghill. (4.) The body was to be opened,
sprinkled with salt, and then burnt upon the altar. "This sacrifice
of birds," the Jews say, "was one of the most difficult services
the priests had to do," to teach those that minister in holy things
to be as solicitous for the salvation of the poor as for that of
the rich, and that the services of the poor are as acceptable to
God, if they come from an upright heart, as the services of the
rich, for he accepts <i>according to what a man hath,</i> and not
<i>according to what he hath not,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 8:12" id="Lev.ii-p7.2" parsed="|2Cor|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.12">2 Cor. viii. 12</scripRef>. The poor man's turtle-doves,
or young pigeons, are here said to be <i>an offering of a
sweet-smelling savour,</i> as much as that of an ox or bullock that
hath horns or hoofs. Yet, after all, to <i>love God with all our
heart, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, is better than all
burnt-offerings and sacrifices,</i> <scripRef passage="Mk 12:33" id="Lev.ii-p7.3" parsed="|Mark|12|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.33">Mark xii. 33</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter II" n="iii" progress="51.33%" prev="Lev.ii" next="Lev.iv" id="Lev.iii">
<h2 id="Lev.iii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.iii-p1">In this chapter we have the law concerning the
meat-offering. I. The matter of it; whether of raw flour with oil
and incense (<scripRef passage="Le 2:1" id="Lev.iii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), or
baked in the oven (<scripRef passage="Le 2:4" id="Lev.iii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.4">ver. 4</scripRef>),
or upon a plate (<scripRef passage="Le 2:5,6" id="Lev.iii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|2|5|2|6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.5-Lev.2.6">ver. 5,
6</scripRef>), or in a frying pan, <scripRef passage="Le 2:7" id="Lev.iii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.7">ver.
7</scripRef>. II. The management of it, of the flour (<scripRef passage="Le 2:2,3" id="Lev.iii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|2|2|2|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.2-Lev.2.3">ver. 2, 3</scripRef>), of the cakes, <scripRef passage="Le 2:8-10" id="Lev.iii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|2|8|2|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.8-Lev.2.10">ver. 8-10</scripRef>. III. Some particular
rules concerning it, That leaven and honey must never be admitted
(<scripRef passage="Le 2:11,12" id="Lev.iii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|2|11|2|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11-Lev.2.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>), and salt
never omitted in the meat-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 2:13" id="Lev.iii-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.13">ver. 13</scripRef>. IV. The law concerning the offering
of firstfruits in the ear, <scripRef passage="Le 2:14" id="Lev.iii-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.14">ver.
14</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 2" id="Lev.iii-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 2:1-10" id="Lev.iii-p1.11" parsed="|Lev|2|1|2|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.10">
<h4 id="Lev.iii-p1.12">The Law of the
Meat-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.iii-p2">1 And when any will offer a meat offering unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.1">Lord</span>, his offering shall be
<i>of</i> fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put
frankincense thereon: &#160; 2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's
sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the
flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense
thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the
altar, <i>to be</i> an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 3 And the
remnant of the meat offering <i>shall be</i> Aaron's and his sons':
<i>it is</i> a thing most holy of the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.3">Lord</span> made by fire. &#160; 4 And if thou bring an
oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, <i>it shall be</i>
unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened
wafers anointed with oil. &#160; 5 And if thy oblation <i>be</i> a
meat offering <i>baken</i> in a pan, it shall be <i>of</i> fine
flour unleavened, mingled with oil. &#160; 6 Thou shalt part it in
pieces, and pour oil thereon: it <i>is</i> a meat offering. &#160;
7 And if thy oblation <i>be</i> a meat offering <i>baken</i> in the
fryingpan, it shall be made <i>of</i> fine flour with oil. &#160; 8
And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.4">Lord</span>: and when it is
presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar. &#160;
9 And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial
thereof, and shall burn <i>it</i> upon the altar: <i>it is</i> an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 10 And that which is left of the
meat offering <i>shall be</i> Aaron's and his sons': <i>it is</i> a
thing most holy of the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p2.6">Lord</span> made by fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p3">There were some meat-offerings that were
only appendices to the burnt-offerings, as that which was offered
with the daily sacrifice (<scripRef passage="Ex 29:38,39" id="Lev.iii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|29|38|29|39" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.38-Exod.29.39">Exod.
xxix. 38, 39</scripRef>) and with the peace-offerings; these had
drink-offerings joined with them (see <scripRef passage="Nu 15:4,7,9,10" id="Lev.iii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|15|4|0|0;|Num|15|7|0|0;|Num|15|9|0|0;|Num|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.4 Bible:Num.15.7 Bible:Num.15.9 Bible:Num.15.10">Num. xv. 4, 7, 9, 10</scripRef>), and in these the
quantity was appointed. But the law of this chapter concerns those
meat-offerings that were offered by themselves, whenever a man saw
cause thus to express his devotion. The first offering we read of
in scripture was of this kind (<scripRef passage="Ge 4:3" id="Lev.iii-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.3">Gen. iv.
3</scripRef>): <i>Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an
offering.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p4">I. This sort of offerings was appointed, 1.
In condescension to the poor, and their ability, that those who
themselves lived only upon bread and cakes might offer an
acceptable offering to God out of that which was their own coarse
and homely fare, and by making for God's altar, as the widow of
Sarepta for his prophet, a little cake first, might procure such a
blessing upon the handful of meal in the barrel, and the oil in the
cruse, as that it should not fail. 2. As a proper acknowledgment of
the mercy of God to them in their food. This was like a quitrent,
by which they testified their dependence upon God, their
thankfulness to him, and their expectations from him as their owner
and bountiful benefactor, who giveth to all life, and breath, and
food convenient. Thus must they honour the Lord with their
substance, and, in token of their eating and drinking to his glory,
must consecrate some of their meat and drink to his immediate
service. Those that now, with a grateful charitable heart, deal out
their bread to the hungry, and provide for the necessities of those
that are destitute of daily food, and when they eat the fat and
drink the sweet themselves send portions to those for whom nothing
is prepared, offer unto God an acceptable meat-offering. The
prophet laments it as one of the direful effects of famine that
thereby the <i>meat-offering and drink-offering were cut off from
the house of the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Joe 1:9" id="Lev.iii-p4.1" parsed="|Joel|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.1.9">Joel i.
9</scripRef>), and reckoned it the greatest blessing of plenty that
it would be the revival of them, <scripRef passage="Joe 2:14" id="Lev.iii-p4.2" parsed="|Joel|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.14">Joel
ii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p5">II. The laws of the meat-offerings were
these:&#8212;1. The ingredients must always be fine flour and oil, two
staple commodities of the land of Canaan, <scripRef passage="De 8:8" id="Lev.iii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.8">Deut. viii. 8</scripRef>. Oil was to them then in their
food what butter is now to us. If it was undressed, the oil must be
poured upon the flour (<scripRef passage="Le 2:1" id="Lev.iii-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>); if cooked, it must be mingled with the flour,
<scripRef passage="Le 2:4" id="Lev.iii-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2. If it
was flour unbaked, besides the oil it must have frankincense put
upon it, which was to be burnt with it (<scripRef passage="Le 2:1,2" id="Lev.iii-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>), for the perfuming of the
altar; in allusion to this, gospel ministers are said to be <i>a
sweet savour unto God,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 2:15" id="Lev.iii-p5.5" parsed="|2Cor|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.15">2 Cor. ii.
15</scripRef>. 3. If it was prepared, this might be done in various
ways; the offerer might bake it, or fry it, or mix the flour and
oil upon a plate, for the doing of which conveniences were provided
about the tabernacle. The law was very exact even about those
offerings that were least costly, to intimate the cognizance God
takes of the religious services performed with a devout mind, even
by the poor of his people. 4. It was to be presented by the offerer
to the priest, which is called <i>bringing it to the Lord</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 2:8" id="Lev.iii-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), for the
priests were God's receivers, and were ordained to offer gifts. 5.
Part of it was to be burnt upon the altar, for a memorial, that is,
in token of their mindfulness of God's bounty to them, in giving
them all things richly to enjoy. It was <i>an offering made by
fire,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 2:2,9" id="Lev.iii-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|2|2|0|0;|Lev|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.2 Bible:Lev.2.9"><i>v.</i> 2, 9</scripRef>.
The consuming of it by fire might remind them that they deserved to
have all the fruits of the earth thus burnt up, and that it was of
the Lord's mercies that they were not. They might also learn that
as <i>meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats,</i> so
<i>God shall destroy both it and them</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 6:13" id="Lev.iii-p5.8" parsed="|1Cor|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.13">1 Cor. vi. 13</scripRef>), and that <i>man lives not by
bread alone.</i> This offering made by fire is here said to be
<i>of a sweet savour unto the Lord;</i> and so are our spiritual
offerings, which are made by the fire of holy love, particularly
that of almsgiving, which is said to be <i>an odour of a sweet
smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God</i> (<scripRef passage="Php 4:18" id="Lev.iii-p5.9" parsed="|Phil|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.18">Phil. iv. 18</scripRef>), and <i>with such
sacrifices God is well pleased,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 13:16" id="Lev.iii-p5.10" parsed="|Heb|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.16">Heb. xiii. 16</scripRef>. 6. The remainder of the
meat-offering was to be given to the priests, <scripRef passage="Le 2:3,10" id="Lev.iii-p5.11" parsed="|Lev|2|3|0|0;|Lev|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.3 Bible:Lev.2.10"><i>v.</i> 3, 10</scripRef>. <i>It is a thing most
holy,</i> not to be eaten by the offerers, as the peace-offerings
(which, though holy, were not most holy), but by the priests only,
and their families. Thus God provided that those who served at the
altar should live upon the altar, and live comfortably.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 2" id="Lev.iii-p5.12" parsed="|Lev|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 2:11-16" id="Lev.iii-p5.13" parsed="|Lev|2|11|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11-Lev.2.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.2.11-Lev.2.16">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.iii-p6">11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.1">Lord</span>, shall be made with leaven:
for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.2">Lord</span> made by fire. &#160; 12 As for
the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.3">Lord</span>: but they shall not be burnt on the
altar for a sweet savour. &#160; 13 And every oblation of thy meat
offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the
salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat
offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. &#160; 14
And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.4">Lord</span>, thou shalt offer for the meat
offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire,
<i>even</i> corn beaten out of full ears. &#160; 15 And thou shalt
put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it <i>is</i> a meat
offering. &#160; 16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it,
<i>part</i> of the beaten corn thereof, and <i>part</i> of the oil
thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: <i>it is</i> an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iii-p6.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p7">Here, I. Leaven and honey are forbidden to
be put in any of their meat-offerings: <i>No leaven, nor any honey,
in any offering made by fire,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 2:11" id="Lev.iii-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. 1. The leaven was forbidden in
remembrance of the unleavened bread they ate when they came out of
Egypt. So much despatch was required in the offerings they made
that it was not convenient they should stay for the leavening of
them. The New Testament comparing pride and hypocrisy to leaven
because they swell like leaven, comparing also malice and
wickedness to leaven because they sour like leaven, we are to
understand and improve this as a caution to take heed of those sins
which will certainly spoil the acceptableness of our spiritual
sacrifices. Pure hands must be lifted up without wrath, and all our
gospel feasts kept with the unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth. 2. Honey was forbidden, though Canaan flowed with it,
because <i>to eat much honey is not good</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 25:16,27" id="Lev.iii-p7.2" parsed="|Prov|25|16|0|0;|Prov|25|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.25.16 Bible:Prov.25.27">Prov. xxv. 16, 27</scripRef>); it turns to choler and
bitterness in the stomach, though luscious to the taste. Some think
the chief reason why those two things, leaven and honey, were
forbidden, was because the Gentiles used them very much in their
sacrifices, and God's people must not learn or use the way of the
heathen, but his services must be the reverse of their idolatrous
services; see <scripRef passage="De 12:30,31" id="Lev.iii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|12|30|12|31" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.30-Deut.12.31">Deut. xii. 30,
31</scripRef>. Some make this application of this double
prohibition: leaven signifies grief and sadness of spirit
(<scripRef passage="Ps 73:21" id="Lev.iii-p7.4" parsed="|Ps|73|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.73.21">Ps. lxxiii. 21</scripRef>), <i>My
heart was leavened;</i> honey signifies sensual pleasure and mirth.
In our service of God both these must be avoided, and a mean
observed between those extremes; for the sorrow of the world
worketh death, and a love to the delights of sense is a great enemy
to holy love.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p8">II. Salt is required in all their
offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 2:13" id="Lev.iii-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. The
altar was the table of the Lord; and therefore, salt being always
set on our tables, God would have it always used at his. It is
called <i>the salt of the covenant,</i> because, as men confirmed
their covenants with each other by eating and drinking together, at
all which collations salt was used, so God, by accepting his
people's gifts and feasting them upon his sacrifices, supping with
them and they with him (<scripRef passage="Re 3:20" id="Lev.iii-p8.2" parsed="|Rev|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.20">Rev. iii.
20</scripRef>), did confirm his covenant with them. Among the
ancients salt was a symbol of friendship. The salt for the
sacrifice was not brought by the offerers, but was provided at the
public charge, as the wood was, <scripRef passage="Ezr 7:20-22" id="Lev.iii-p8.3" parsed="|Ezra|7|20|7|22" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.20-Ezra.7.22">Ezra vii. 20-22</scripRef>. And there was a chamber
in the court of the temple called <i>the chamber of salt,</i> in
which they laid it up. <i>Can that which is unsavoury be eaten
without salt?</i> God would hereby intimate to them that their
sacrifices in themselves were unsavoury. The saints, who are living
sacrifices to God, must have salt in themselves, for <i>every
sacrifice must be salted with salt</i> (<scripRef passage="Mk 9:49,50" id="Lev.iii-p8.4" parsed="|Mark|9|49|9|50" osisRef="Bible:Mark.9.49-Mark.9.50">Mark ix. 49, 50</scripRef>), and our speech must be
<i>always with grace</i> (<scripRef passage="Col 4:6" id="Lev.iii-p8.5" parsed="|Col|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.4.6">Col. iv.
6</scripRef>), so must all our religious performances be seasoned
with that salt. Christianity is the salt of the earth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iii-p9">III. Directions are given about the
first-fruits. 1. The oblation of their first-fruits at harvest, of
which we read, <scripRef passage="De 26:2" id="Lev.iii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|26|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.2">Deut. xxvi.
2</scripRef>. These were offered to the Lord, not to be burnt upon
the altar, but to be given to the priests as perquisites of their
office, <scripRef passage="Le 2:12" id="Lev.iii-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. And
<i>you shall offer them</i> (that is, leaven and honey) in the
oblation of the first-fruits, though they were forbidden in other
meat-offerings; for they were proper enough to be eaten by the
priests, though not to be burnt upon the altar. The loaves of the
first-fruits are particularly ordered to be <i>baked with
leaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 23:17" id="Lev.iii-p9.3" parsed="|Lev|23|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.17">Lev. xxiii. 17</scripRef>.
And we read of the first-fruits of honey brought to the house of
God, <scripRef passage="2Ch 31:5" id="Lev.iii-p9.4" parsed="|2Chr|31|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.31.5">2 Chron. xxxi. 5</scripRef>. 2. A
meat-offering of their first-fruits. The former was required by the
law; this was a free-will offering, <scripRef passage="Le 2:14-16" id="Lev.iii-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|2|14|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.14-Lev.2.16"><i>v.</i> 14-16</scripRef>. If a man, with a thankful
sense of God's goodness to him in giving him hopes of a plentiful
crop, was disposed to bring an offering in kind immediately out of
his field, and present it to God, owning thereby his dependence
upon God and obligations to him, (1.) Let him be sure to bring the
first ripe and full ears, not such as were small and half-withered.
Whatever was brought for an offering to God must be the best in its
kind, though it were but green ears of corn. We mock God, and
deceive ourselves, if we think to put him off with a corrupt thing
while we have in our flock a male, <scripRef passage="Mal 1:14" id="Lev.iii-p9.6" parsed="|Mal|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.14">Mal. i. 14</scripRef>. (2.) These green ears must be
dried by the fire, that the corn, such as it was, might be beaten
out of them. That is not expected from green ears which one may
justly look for from those that have been left to grow fully ripe.
If those that are young do God's work as well as they can, they
shall be accepted, though they cannot do it so well as those that
are aged and experienced. God makes the best of green ears of corn,
and so must we. (3.) Oil and frankincense must be put upon it. Thus
(as some allude to this) wisdom and humility must soften and
sweeten the spirits and services of young people, and then their
green ears of corn shall be acceptable. God takes a particular
delight in the first ripe fruits of the Spirit and the expressions
of early piety and devotion. Those that can but think and speak as
children, yet, if they think and speak well, God will be well
pleased with their buds and blossoms, and will never forget the
kindness of their youth. (4.) It must be used as other
meat-offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 2:16" id="Lev.iii-p9.7" parsed="|Lev|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>, compare <scripRef passage="Le 2:9" id="Lev.iii-p9.8" parsed="|Lev|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. He shall <i>offer all the frankincense; it is an
offering made by fire.</i> The fire and the frankincense seem to
have had a special significancy. [1.] The fire denotes the fervency
of spirit which ought to be in all our religious services. In every
good thing we must be zealously affected. Holy love to God is the
fire by which all our offerings must be made; else they are not of
a sweet savour to God. [2.] The frankincense denotes the mediation
and intercession of Christ, by which all our services are perfumed
and recommended to God's gracious acceptance. Blessed be God that
we have the substance of which all these observances were but
shadows, the fruit that was hid under these leaves.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter III" n="iv" progress="51.61%" prev="Lev.iii" next="Lev.v" id="Lev.iv">
<h2 id="Lev.iv-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.iv-p1">In this chapter we have the law concerning the
peace-offerings, whether they were, I. Of the heard, a bullock or a
heifer, <scripRef passage="Le 3:1-5" id="Lev.iv-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|3|1|3|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.1-Lev.3.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. Or, II.
Of the flock, either a lamb (<scripRef passage="Le 3:6-11" id="Lev.iv-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|3|6|3|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.6-Lev.3.11">ver.
6-11</scripRef>) or a goat, <scripRef passage="Le 3:12-17" id="Lev.iv-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|3|12|3|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.12-Lev.3.17">ver.
12-17</scripRef>. The ordinances concerning each of these are much
the same, yet they are repeated, to show the care we ought to take
that all our services be done according to the appointment and the
pleasure God takes in the services that are so performed. It is
likewise to intimate what need we have of precept upon precept, and
line upon line.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 3" id="Lev.iv-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 3:1-5" id="Lev.iv-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|3|1|3|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.1-Lev.3.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.3.1-Lev.3.5">
<h4 id="Lev.iv-p1.6">Law of the Peace-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.iv-p2">1 And if his oblation <i>be</i> a sacrifice of
peace offering, if he offer <i>it</i> of the herd; whether <i>it
be</i> a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p2.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 2 And he shall lay
his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it <i>at</i> the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the
priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. &#160;
3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p2.2">Lord</span>;
the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that <i>is</i>
upon the inwards, &#160; 4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that
<i>is</i> on them, which <i>is</i> by the flanks, and the caul
above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. &#160; 5
And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt
sacrifice, which <i>is</i> upon the wood that <i>is</i> on the
fire: <i>it is</i> an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p2.3">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iv-p3">The burnt-offerings had regard to God as in
himself the best of beings, most perfect and excellent; they were
purely expressive of adoration, and therefore were wholly burnt.
But the peace-offerings had regard to God as a benefactor to his
creatures, and the giver of all good things to us; and therefore
these were divided between the altar, the priest, and the owner.
Peace signifies, 1. Reconciliation, concord, and communion. And so
these were called <i>peace-offerings,</i> because in them God and
his people did, as it were, feast together, in token of friendship.
The priest, who was ordained for men in things pertaining to God,
gave part of this peace-offering to God (that part which he
required, and it was fit he should be first served), burning it
upon God's altar; part he gave to the offerer, to be eaten by him
with his family and friends; and part he took to himself, as the
days-man that laid his hand upon them both. They could not thus eat
together unless they were agreed; so that it was a symbol of
friendship and fellowship between God and man, and a confirmation
of the covenant of peace. 2. It signifies prosperity and all
happiness: <i>Peace be to you</i> was as much as, <i>All good</i>
be to you; and so the peace-offerings were offered either, (1.) By
way of supplication or request for some good that was wanted and
desired. If a man was in the pursuit or expectation of any mercy,
he would back his prayer for it with a peace-offering, and probably
put up the prayer when he laid his hand upon the head of his
offering. Christ is our peace, our peace-offering; for through him
alone it is that we can expect to obtain mercy, and an answer of
peace to our prayers; and in him an upright prayer shall be
acceptable and successful, though we bring not a peace-offering.
The less costly our devotions are the more lively and serious they
should be. Or, (2.) By way of thanksgiving for some particular
mercy received. It is called <i>a peace-offering of
thanksgiving,</i> for so it was sometimes; as in other cases <i>a
vow,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 7:15,16" id="Lev.iv-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|7|15|7|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.15-Lev.7.16"><i>ch.</i> vii. 15,
16</scripRef>. And some make the original word to signify
<i>retribution.</i> When they had received any special mercy, and
were enquiring what they should render, this they were directed to
render to the God of their mercies as a grateful acknowledgment for
the benefit done to them, <scripRef passage="Ps 116:12" id="Lev.iv-p3.2" parsed="|Ps|116|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.12">Ps. cxvi.
12</scripRef>. And we must offer to God the sacrifice of praise
continually, by Christ our peace; and then this shall please the
Lord better than an ox or bullock. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iv-p4">I. As to the matter of the peace-offering,
suppose it was of the herd, it must be <i>without blemish;</i> and,
if it was so, it was indifferent whether it was male or female,
<scripRef passage="Le 3:1" id="Lev.iv-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. In our spiritual
offerings, it is not the sex, but the heart, that God looks at,
<scripRef passage="Ga 3:28" id="Lev.iv-p4.2" parsed="|Gal|3|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.28">Gal. iii. 28</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iv-p5">II. As to the management of it. 1. The
offerer was, by a solemn manumission, to transfer his interest in
it to God (<scripRef passage="Le 3:2" id="Lev.iv-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and,
with <i>his hand on the head</i> of the sacrifice, to acknowledge
the particular mercies for which he designed this a thank-offering,
or, if it was a vow, to make his prayer. 2. It must be killed; and,
although this might be done in any part of the court, yet it is
said to be <i>at the door of the tabernacle,</i> because the
mercies received or expected were acknowledged to come from God,
and the prayers or praises were directed to him, and both, as it
were, through that door. Our Lord Jesus has said, <i>I am the
door,</i> for he is indeed the door of the tabernacle. 3. The
priest must <i>sprinkle the blood upon the altar,</i> for it was
the blood that made atonement for the soul; and, though this was
not a sin-offering, yet we must be taught that in all our offerings
we must have an eye to Christ as the propitiation for sin, as those
who know that the best of their services cannot be accepted unless
through him their sins be pardoned. Penitent confessions must
always go along with our thankful acknowledgments; and, whatever
mercy we pray for, in order to it we must pray for the removal of
guilt, as that which keeps good things from us. First <i>take away
all iniquity,</i> and then <i>receive us graciously,</i> or <i>give
good,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 14:2" id="Lev.iv-p5.2" parsed="|Hos|14|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.2">Hos. xiv. 2</scripRef>. 4.
All the fat of the inwards, that which we call the tallow and suet,
with the caul that encloses it and the kidneys in the midst of it,
were to be taken away, and burnt upon the altar, as an offering
<i>made by fire,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 3:3-5" id="Lev.iv-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|3|3|3|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.3-Lev.3.5"><i>v.</i>
3-5</scripRef>. And this was all that was sacrificed to the Lord
out of the peace-offering; how the rest was to be disposed of we
shall find, <scripRef passage="Le 7:11-34" id="Lev.iv-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|7|11|7|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.11-Lev.7.34"><i>ch.</i> vii.
11</scripRef>, &amp;c. It is ordered to be burnt upon the
burnt-sacrifice, that is, the daily burnt-offering, the lamb which
was offered every morning before any other sacrifice was offered;
so that the fat of the peace-offerings was an addition to that, and
a continuation of it. The great sacrifice of peace, that of the
Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world, prepares the
altar for our sacrifices of praise, which are not accepted till we
are reconciled. Now the burning of this fat is supposed to signify,
(1.) The offering up of our good affections to God in all our
prayers and praises. God must have the inwards; for we must pour
out our souls, and lift up our hearts, in prayer, and must bless
his name with all that is within us. It is required that we be
inward with God in every thing wherein we have to do with him. The
fat denotes the best and choicest, which must always be devoted to
God, who has made for us a feast of fat things. (2.) The mortifying
of our corrupt affections and lusts, and the burning up of them by
the fire of divine grace, <scripRef passage="Col 3:5" id="Lev.iv-p5.5" parsed="|Col|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.5">Col. iii.
5</scripRef>. Then we are truly thankful for former mercies, and
prepared to receive further mercy, when we part with our sins, and
have our minds cleared from all sensuality by the <i>spirit of
judgment</i> and the <i>spirit of burning,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 4:4" id="Lev.iv-p5.6" parsed="|Isa|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.4">Isa. iv. 4</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 3:6-17" id="Lev.iv-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|3|6|3|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.6-Lev.3.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.3.6-Lev.3.17">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.iv-p6">&#160; 6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of
peace offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.1">Lord</span>
<i>be</i> of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without
blemish. &#160; 7 If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall
he offer it before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.2">Lord</span>. &#160;
8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill
it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons
shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar. &#160;
9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.3">Lord</span>;
the fat thereof, <i>and</i> the whole rump, it shall he take off
hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and
all the fat that <i>is</i> upon the inwards, &#160; 10 And the two
kidneys, and the fat that <i>is</i> upon them, which <i>is</i> by
the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it
shall he take away. &#160; 11 And the priest shall burn it upon the
altar: <i>it is</i> the food of the offering made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 12 And if his offering
<i>be</i> a goat, then he shall offer it before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 13 And he shall lay his hand upon
the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the
congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood
thereof upon the altar round about. &#160; 14 And he shall offer
thereof his offering, <i>even</i> an offering made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.6">Lord</span>; the fat that covereth the
inwards, and all the fat that <i>is</i> upon the inwards, &#160; 15
And the two kidneys, and the fat that <i>is</i> upon them, which
<i>is</i> by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the
kidneys, it shall he take away. &#160; 16 And the priest shall burn
them upon the altar: <i>it is</i> the food of the offering made by
fire for a sweet savour: all the fat <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.iv-p6.7">Lord</span>'s. &#160; 17 <i>It shall be</i> a perpetual
statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye
eat neither fat nor blood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.iv-p7">Directions are here given concerning the
peace-offering, if it was a sheep or a goat. Turtle-doves or young
pigeons, which might be brought for whole burnt offerings, were not
allowed for peace-offerings, because they have no fat considerable
enough to be burnt upon the altar; and they would be next to
nothing if they were to be divided according to the law of the
peace-offerings. The laws concerning a lamb or goat offered for a
peace offering are much the same with those concerning a bullock,
and little now occurs here; but, 1. The rump of the mutton was to
be burnt with the fat of the inwards upon the altar, the <i>whole
rump</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 3:9" id="Lev.iv-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>),
because in those countries it was very fat and large. Some observe
from this that, be a thing ever so contemptible, God can make it
honourable, by applying it to his service. Thus God is said to give
more <i>abundant honour to that part which lacked,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:23,24" id="Lev.iv-p7.2" parsed="|1Cor|12|23|12|24" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.23-1Cor.12.24">1 Cor. xii. 23, 24</scripRef>. 2. That which
was burnt upon the altar is called the <i>food of the offering,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 3:11,16" id="Lev.iv-p7.3" parsed="|Lev|3|11|0|0;|Lev|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.11 Bible:Lev.3.16"><i>v.</i> 11, 16</scripRef>. It fed
the holy fire; it was acceptable to God as our food is to us; and
since in the tabernacle God did, as it were, keep house among them,
by the offerings on the altar he kept a good table, as Solomon in
his court, <scripRef passage="1Ki 4:22-28" id="Lev.iv-p7.4" parsed="|1Kgs|4|22|4|28" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.4.22-1Kgs.4.28">1 Kings iv.
22</scripRef>, &amp;c. 3. Here is a general rule laid down, that
<i>all the fat is the Lord's</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 3:16" id="Lev.iv-p7.5" parsed="|Lev|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), and a law made thereupon, that
they <i>should eat neither fat nor blood,</i> no, not in their
private houses, <scripRef passage="Le 3:17" id="Lev.iv-p7.6" parsed="|Lev|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. (1.) As for the <i>fat,</i> it is not meant of that
which is interlarded with the meat (that they might eat, <scripRef passage="Neh 8:10" id="Lev.iv-p7.7" parsed="|Neh|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.10">Neh. viii. 10</scripRef>), but the fat of the
inwards, the suet, which was always God's part out of the
sacrificed beasts; and therefore they must not eat of it, no, not
out of the beasts that they killed for their common use. Thus would
God preserve the honour of that which was sacred to himself. They
must not only not feed upon that fat which was to be the food of
the altar, but not upon any like it, lest the <i>table of the
Lord</i> (as the altar is called), if something were not reserved
peculiar to it, should become contemptible, and <i>the fruit
thereof, even its meat, contemptible,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 1:7,12" id="Lev.iv-p7.8" parsed="|Mal|1|7|0|0;|Mal|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.7 Bible:Mal.1.12">Mal. i. 7, 12</scripRef>. (2.) The blood was
universally forbidden likewise, for the same reason that the fat
was, because it was God's part of every sacrifice. The heathen
drank the blood of their sacrifices; hence we read of their
<i>drink-offerings of blood,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 16:4" id="Lev.iv-p7.9" parsed="|Ps|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.16.4">Ps.
xvi. 4</scripRef>. But God would not permit the blood, that made
atonement, to be used as a common thing (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:29" id="Lev.iv-p7.10" parsed="|Heb|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.29">Heb. x. 29</scripRef>), nor will he allow us, though we
have the comfort of the atonement made, to assume to ourselves any
share in the honour of making it. He that glories, let him glory in
the Lord, and to his praise let all the blood be poured out.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IV" n="v" progress="51.86%" prev="Lev.iv" next="Lev.vi" id="Lev.v">
<h2 id="Lev.v-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.v-p0.2">CHAP. IV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.v-p1">This chapter is concerning the sin-offering, which
was properly intended to make atonement for a sin committed through
ignorance, I. By the priest himself, <scripRef passage="Le 4:1-12" id="Lev.v-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|4|1|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.1-Lev.4.12">ver. 1-12</scripRef>. Or, II. By the whole
congregation, <scripRef passage="Le 4:13-21" id="Lev.v-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|4|13|4|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.13-Lev.4.21">ver. 13-21</scripRef>.
Or, III. By a ruler, <scripRef passage="Le 4:22-26" id="Lev.v-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|4|22|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.22-Lev.4.26">ver.
22-26</scripRef>. Or, IV. By a private person, <scripRef passage="Le 4:27-35" id="Lev.v-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|4|27|4|35" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.27-Lev.4.35">ver. 27</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 4" id="Lev.v-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 4:1-12" id="Lev.v-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|4|1|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.1-Lev.4.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.4.1-Lev.4.12">
<h4 id="Lev.v-p1.7">Law of the Sin-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.v-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any
of the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.2">Lord</span>
<i>concerning things</i> which ought not to be done, and shall do
against any of them: &#160; 3 If the priest that is anointed do sin
according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin,
which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.3">Lord</span> for a sin offering. &#160; 4
And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.4">Lord</span>;
and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the
bullock before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 5
And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood,
and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: &#160; 6 And
the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the
blood seven times before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.6">Lord</span>,
before the vail of the sanctuary. &#160; 7 And the priest shall put
<i>some</i> of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet
incense before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p2.7">Lord</span>, which
<i>is</i> in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all
the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt
offering, which <i>is at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. &#160; 8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of
the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the
inwards, and all the fat that <i>is</i> upon the inwards, &#160; 9
And the two kidneys, and the fat that <i>is</i> upon them, which
<i>is</i> by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the
kidneys, it shall he take away, &#160; 10 As it was taken off from
the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest
shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. &#160; 11 And
the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with
his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, &#160; 12 Even the whole
bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place,
where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire:
where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p3">The laws contained in the first three
chapters seem to have been delivered to Moses at one time. Here
begin the statutes of another session, another day. From the throne
of glory between the cherubim God delivered these orders. And he
enters now upon a subject more strictly new than those before.
Burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and peace-offerings, it should
seem, had been offered before the giving of the law upon mount
Sinai; those sacrifices the patriarchs had not been altogether
unacquainted with (<scripRef passage="Ge 8:20,Ex 20:24" id="Lev.v-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|8|20|0|0;|Exod|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.20 Bible:Exod.20.24">Gen. viii.
20; Exod. xx. 24</scripRef>), and in them they had respect to sin,
to make atonement for it, <scripRef passage="Job 1:5" id="Lev.v-p3.2" parsed="|Job|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.1.5">Job i.
5</scripRef>. But the law being now added <i>because of
transgressions</i> (<scripRef passage="Ga 3:19" id="Lev.v-p3.3" parsed="|Gal|3|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.19">Gal. iii.
19</scripRef>), and having entered, that eventually <i>the offence
might abound</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 5:20" id="Lev.v-p3.4" parsed="|Rom|5|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.20">Rom. v.
20</scripRef>), they were put into a way of making atonement for
sin more particularly by sacrifice, which was (more than any of the
ceremonial institutions) <i>a shadow of good things to come,</i>
but the substance is Christ, and that one offering of himself by
which he put away sin and <i>perfected for ever those who are
sanctified.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p4">I. The general case supposed we have,
<scripRef passage="Le 4:2" id="Lev.v-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Here observe, 1.
Concerning sin in general, that it is described to be against
<i>any of the commandments of the Lord;</i> for <i>sin is the
transgression of the law,</i> the divine law. The wits or wills of
men, their inventions or their injunctions, cannot make that to be
sin which the law of God has not made to be so. It is said
likewise, <i>if a soul sin,</i> for it is not sin if it be not some
way or other the soul's act; hence it is called the <i>sin of the
soul</i> (<scripRef passage="Mic 6:7" id="Lev.v-p4.2" parsed="|Mic|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.7">Mic. vi. 7</scripRef>), and
it is the soul that is injured by it, <scripRef passage="Pr 8:36" id="Lev.v-p4.3" parsed="|Prov|8|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.8.36">Prov. viii. 36</scripRef>. 2. Concerning the sins for
which those offerings were appointed. (1.) They are supposed to be
overt acts; for, had they been required to bring a sacrifice for
every sinful thought or word, the task had been endless. Atonement
was made for those in the gross, on the day of expiation, once a
year; but these are said to be done against the commandments. (2.)
They are supposed to be sins of commission, things which ought not
to be done. Omissions are sins, and must come into judgment; but
what had been omitted at one time might be done at another, and so
to obey was better than sacrifice: but a commission was past
recall. (3.) They are supposed to be sins committed through
ignorance. If they were done presumptuously, and with an avowed
contempt of the law and the Law-maker, the offender was to be cut
off, and there remained <i>no sacrifice for the sin,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:26,27,Nu 15:30" id="Lev.v-p4.4" parsed="|Heb|10|26|10|27;|Num|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.26-Heb.10.27 Bible:Num.15.30">Heb. x. 26, 27; Num. xv.
30</scripRef>. But if the offender were either ignorant of the law,
as in divers instances we may suppose many were (so numerous and
various were the prohibitions), or were surprised into the sin
unawares, the circumstances being such as made it evident that his
resolution against the sin was sincere, but that he was overtaken
in it, as the expression is (<scripRef passage="Ga 6:1" id="Lev.v-p4.5" parsed="|Gal|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.1">Gal. vi.
1</scripRef>), in this case relief was provided by the remedial law
of the sin-offering. And the Jews say, "Those crimes only were to
be expiated by sacrifice, if committed ignorantly, for which the
criminal was to have been cut off if they had been committed
presumptuously."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p5">II. The law begins with the case of the
anointed priest, that is, the high priest, provided he should sin
through ignorance; for <i>the law made men priests who had
infirmity.</i> Though his ignorance was of all others least
excusable, yet he was allowed to bring his offering. His office did
not so far excuse his offence as that it should be forgiven him
without a sacrifice; yet it did not so far aggravate it but that it
should be forgiven him when he did bring his sacrifice. If he sin
<i>according to the sin of the people</i> (so the case is put,
<scripRef passage="Le 4:3" id="Lev.v-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), which supposes
him in this matter to stand upon the level with other Israelites,
and to have no benefit of his clergy at all. Now the law concerning
the sin-offering for the high priest is, 1. That he must bring a
bullock without blemish for a sin-offering (<scripRef passage="Le 4:3" id="Lev.v-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), as valuable an offering as that
for the whole congregation (<scripRef passage="Le 4:14" id="Lev.v-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>); whereas for any other ruler, or a common person,
<i>a kid of the goats</i> should serve, <scripRef passage="Le 4:23,28" id="Lev.v-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|4|23|0|0;|Lev|4|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.23 Bible:Lev.4.28"><i>v.</i> 23, 28</scripRef>. This intimated the
greatness of the guilt connected with the sin of a high priest. The
eminency of his station, and his relation both to God and to the
people, greatly aggravated his offences; see <scripRef passage="Ro 2:21" id="Lev.v-p5.5" parsed="|Rom|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.21">Rom. ii. 21</scripRef>. 2. The hand of the offerer must
be laid upon the head of the offering (<scripRef passage="Le 4:4" id="Lev.v-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), with a solemn penitent confession
of the sin he had committed, putting it upon the head of the
sin-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 16:21" id="Lev.v-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|16|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.21"><i>ch.</i> xvi.
21</scripRef>. No remission without confession, <scripRef passage="Ps 32:5,Pr 28:13" id="Lev.v-p5.8" parsed="|Ps|32|5|0|0;|Prov|28|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.5 Bible:Prov.28.13">Ps. xxxii. 5; Prov. xxviii. 13</scripRef>. It
signified also a confidence in this instituted way of expiating
guilt, as a figure of something better yet to come, which they
could not stedfastly discern. He that laid his hand on the head of
the beast thereby owned that he deserved to die himself, and that
it was God's great mercy that he would please to accept the
offering of this beast to die for him. The Jewish writers
themselves say that neither the sin-offering nor the
trespass-offering made atonement, except for those that repented
and believed in their atonement. 3. The bullock must be killed, and
a great deal of solemnity there must be in disposing of the blood;
for it was <i>the blood that made atonement,</i> and <i>without
shedding of blood</i> there was <i>no remission,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 4:5-7" id="Lev.v-p5.9" parsed="|Lev|4|5|4|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.5-Lev.4.7"><i>v.</i> 5-7</scripRef>. Some of the blood of
the high-priest's sin-offering was to be <i>sprinkled seven times
before the veil,</i> with an eye towards the mercy-seat, though it
was veiled: some of it was to be put upon the horns of the golden
altar, because at that altar the priest himself ministered; and
thus was signified the putting away of that pollution which from
his sins did cleave to his services. It likewise serves to
illustrate the influence which Christ's satisfaction has upon the
prevalency of his intercession. The blood of his sacrifice is put
upon the altar of his incense and sprinkled before the Lord. When
this was done the remainder of the blood was poured at the foot of
the brazen altar. By this rite, the sinner acknowledged that he
deserved to have his blood thus poured out like water. It likewise
signified the pouring out of the soul before God in true
repentance, and typified our Saviour's <i>pouring out his soul unto
death.</i> 4. The fat of the inwards was to be burnt upon the altar
of burnt-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 4:8-10" id="Lev.v-p5.10" parsed="|Lev|4|8|4|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.8-Lev.4.10"><i>v.</i>
8-10</scripRef>. By this the intention of the offering and of the
atonement made by it was directed to the glory of God, who, having
been dishonoured by the sin, was thus honoured by the sacrifice. It
signified the sharp sufferings of our Lord Jesus, when he was made
sin (that is, a sin-offering) for us, especially the sorrows of his
soul and his inward agonies. It likewise teaches us, in conformity
to the death of Christ, to crucify the flesh. 5. The head and body
of the beast, skin and all, were to be carried <i>without the
camp,</i> to a certain place appointed for that purpose, and there
burnt to ashes, <scripRef passage="Le 4:11,12" id="Lev.v-p5.11" parsed="|Lev|4|11|4|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.11-Lev.4.12"><i>v.</i> 11,
12</scripRef>. This was very significant, (1.) Of the duty of
repentance, which is the putting away of sin as a detestable thing,
which our soul hates. True penitents say to their idols, "Get you
hence; what have we to do any more with idols?" The sin-offering is
called <i>sin.</i> What they did to that we must do to our sins;
the body of sin must be destroyed, <scripRef passage="Ro 6:6" id="Lev.v-p5.12" parsed="|Rom|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.6">Rom.
vi. 6</scripRef>. (2.) Of the privilege of remission. When God
pardons sin he quite abolishes it, casts it behind his back. <i>The
iniquity of Judah shall be sought for and not found.</i> The
apostle takes particular notice of this ceremony, and applies it to
Christ (<scripRef passage="Heb 13:11-13" id="Lev.v-p5.13" parsed="|Heb|13|11|13|13" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.11-Heb.13.13">Heb. xiii.
11-13</scripRef>), who suffered without the gate, in the place of a
skull, where the ashes of dead men, as those of the altar, were
poured out.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 4" id="Lev.v-p5.14" parsed="|Lev|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 4:13-21" id="Lev.v-p5.15" parsed="|Lev|4|13|4|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.13-Lev.4.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.4.13-Lev.4.21">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.v-p6">13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin
through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the
assembly, and they have done <i>somewhat against</i> any of the
commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p6.1">Lord</span>
<i>concerning things</i> which should not be done, and are guilty;
&#160; 14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is
known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the
sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
&#160; 15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands
upon the head of the bullock before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p6.2">Lord</span>: and the bullock shall be killed before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p6.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 16 And the priest that
is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of
the congregation: &#160; 17 And the priest shall dip his finger
<i>in some</i> of the blood, and sprinkle <i>it</i> seven times
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p6.4">Lord</span>, <i>even</i> before
the vail. &#160; 18 And he shall put <i>some</i> of the blood upon
the horns of the altar which <i>is</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p6.5">Lord</span>, that <i>is</i> in the tabernacle of the
congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the
altar of the burnt offering, which <i>is at</i> the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 19 And he shall take all his
fat from him, and burn <i>it</i> upon the altar. &#160; 20 And he
shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin
offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an
atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. &#160; 21 And he
shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he
burned the first bullock: it <i>is</i> a sin offering for the
congregation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p7">This is the law for expiating the guilt of
a national sin, by a sin offering. If the leaders of the people,
through mistake concerning the law, caused them to err, when the
mistake was discovered an offering must be brought, that wrath
might not come upon the whole congregation. Observe, 1. It is
possible that the church may err, and that her guides may mislead
her. It is here supposed that the whole congregation may sin, and
sin through ignorance. God will always have a church on earth; but
he never said it should be infallible, or perfectly pure from
corruption on this side heaven. 2. When a sacrifice was to be
offered for the whole congregation, the elders were to lay their
hands upon the head of it (three of them at least), as
representatives of the people and agents for them. The sin we
suppose to have been some common custom, taken up and used by the
generality of the people, upon presumption of its being lawful,
which afterwards, upon search, appeared to be otherwise. In this
case the commonness of the usage received perhaps by tradition from
their fathers, and the vulgar opinion of its being lawful, would
not so far excuse them from sin but that they must bring a
sacrifice to make atonement for it. There are many bad customs and
forms of speech which are thought to have no harm in them, and yet
may bring guilt and wrath upon a land, which therefore it concerns
the elders both to reform and to intercede with God for the pardon
of, <scripRef passage="Joe 2:16" id="Lev.v-p7.1" parsed="|Joel|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.16">Joel ii. 16</scripRef>. 3. The
blood of this sin-offering, as of the former, was to be
<i>sprinkled seven times before the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 4:17" id="Lev.v-p7.2" parsed="|Lev|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. It was not to be poured out
there, but sprinkled only; for the cleansing virtue of the blood of
Christ was then and still is sufficiently signified and represented
by sprinkling, <scripRef passage="Isa 52:15" id="Lev.v-p7.3" parsed="|Isa|52|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.15">Isa. lii.
15</scripRef>. It was to be sprinkled seven times. Seven is a
number of perfection, because when God had made the world in six
days he rested the seventh; so this signified the perfect
satisfaction Christ made, and the complete cleansing of the souls
of the faithful by it; see <scripRef passage="Heb 10:14" id="Lev.v-p7.4" parsed="|Heb|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.14">Heb. x.
14</scripRef>. The blood was likewise to be put upon the horns of
the incense-altar, to which there seems to be an allusion in
<scripRef passage="Jer 17:1" id="Lev.v-p7.5" parsed="|Jer|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.17.1">Jer. xvii. 1</scripRef>, where the sin
of Judah is said to be <i>graven upon the horns of their
altars.</i> If they did not forsake their sins, the putting of the
blood of their sin-offerings upon the horns of their altars,
instead of taking away their guilt, did but bind it on the faster,
perpetuated the remembrance of it, and remained a witness against
them. It is likewise alluded to in <scripRef passage="Re 9:13" id="Lev.v-p7.6" parsed="|Rev|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.9.13">Rev.
ix. 13</scripRef>, where a voice is heard <i>from the four horns of
the golden altar;</i> that is, an answer of peace is given to the
prayers of the saints, which are acceptable and prevalent only by
virtue of the blood of the sin-offering put upon the horns of that
altar; compare <scripRef passage="Re 8:3" id="Lev.v-p7.7" parsed="|Rev|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.8.3">Rev. viii. 3</scripRef>.
4. When the offering is completed, it is said, <i>atonement is
made, and the sin shall be forgiven,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 4:20" id="Lev.v-p7.8" parsed="|Lev|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. The promise of remission is
founded upon the atonement. It is spoken here of the forgiveness of
the sin of the whole congregation, that is, the turning away of
those national judgments which the sin deserved. Note, The saving
of churches and kingdoms from ruin is owing to the satisfaction and
mediation of Christ.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 4:22-26" id="Lev.v-p7.9" parsed="|Lev|4|22|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.22-Lev.4.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.4.22-Lev.4.26">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.v-p8">22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done
<i>somewhat</i> through ignorance <i>against</i> any of the
commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p8.1">Lord</span> his God
<i>concerning things</i> which should not be done, and is guilty;
&#160; 23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his
knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male
without blemish: &#160; 24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head
of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt
offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p8.2">Lord</span>: it
<i>is</i> a sin offering. &#160; 25 And the priest shall take of
the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put <i>it</i>
upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out
his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering. &#160; 26
And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the
sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an
atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven
him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p9">Observe here, 1. That God takes notice of
and is displeased with the sins of rulers. Those who have power to
call others to account are themselves accountable to the ruler of
rulers; for, as high as they are, there is a higher than they. This
is intimated in that the commandment transgressed is here said to
be the <i>commandment of the Lord his God,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 4:22" id="Lev.v-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|4|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. He is a prince to others, but
let him know the Lord is a God to him. 2. The sin of the ruler
which he committed through ignorance is supposed afterwards to come
to his knowledge (<scripRef passage="Le 4:23" id="Lev.v-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), which must be either by the check of his own
conscience or by the reproof of his friends, both which we should
all, even the best and greatest, not only submit to, but be
thankful for. What we have done amiss we should be very desirous to
come to the knowledge of. <i>That which I see not, teach thou me,
and show me wherein I have erred,</i> are prayers we should put up
to God every day, that though through ignorance we fall into sin we
may not through ignorance lie still in it. 3. The sin-offering for
a ruler was to be <i>a kid of the goats,</i> not a bullock, as for
the priest and the whole congregation; nor was the blood of his
sin-offering to be brought into the tabernacle, as of the other
two, but it was all bestowed upon the brazen altar (<scripRef passage="Le 4:25" id="Lev.v-p9.3" parsed="|Lev|4|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>); nor was the flesh of it
to be burnt, as that of the other two, without the camp, which
intimated that the sin of a ruler, though worse than that of a
common person, yet was not so heinous, nor of such pernicious
consequence, as the sin of the high priest, or of the whole
congregation. A kid of the goats was sufficient to be offered for a
ruler, but a bullock for a tribe, to intimate that the ruler,
though <i>major singulis&#8212;greater than each,</i> was <i>minor
universis&#8212;less than the whole.</i> It is bad when great men give
bad examples, but worse when all men follow them. 4. It is promised
that the atonement shall be accepted and the sin forgiven
(<scripRef passage="Le 4:26" id="Lev.v-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|4|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), that is, if
he repent and reform; for otherwise God swore concerning Eli, a
judge in Israel, that the iniquity of his house should not be
purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever, <scripRef passage="1Sa 3:14" id="Lev.v-p9.5" parsed="|1Sam|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.3.14">1 Sam. iii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 4:27-35" id="Lev.v-p9.6" parsed="|Lev|4|27|4|35" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.27-Lev.4.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.4.27-Lev.4.35">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.v-p10">27 And if any one of the common people sin
through ignorance, while he doeth <i>somewhat against</i> any of
the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p10.1">Lord</span>
<i>concerning things</i> which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then
he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without
blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his
hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering
in the place of the burnt offering. 30 And the priest shall take of
the blood thereof with his finger, and put <i>it</i> upon the horns
of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood
thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31 And he shall take away all
the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of
peace offerings; and the priest shall burn <i>it</i> upon the altar
for a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p10.2">Lord</span>;
and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be
forgiven him. 32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he
shall bring it a female without blemish. 33 And he shall lay his
hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin
offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 34 And
the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his
finger, and put <i>it</i> upon the horns of the altar of burnt
offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of
the altar: 35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the
fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace
offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according
to the offerings made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.v-p10.3">Lord</span>: and the priest shall make an atonement for
his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p11">I. Here is the law of the sin-offering for
a common person, which differs from that for a ruler only in this,
that a private person might bring either a kid or a lamb, a ruler
only a kid; and that for a ruler must be a male, for the other a
female: in all the circumstances of the management of the offering
they agreed. Observe, 1. The case supposed: <i>If any one of the
common people sin through ignorance,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 4:27" id="Lev.v-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|4|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. The prophet supposes that they
were not so likely as the great men to <i>know the way of the Lord,
and the judgment of their God</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 5:4" id="Lev.v-p11.2" parsed="|Jer|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.5.4">Jer.
v. 4</scripRef>), and yet, if they sin through ignorance, they must
bring a sin-offering. Note, Even sins of ignorance need to be
atoned for by sacrifice. To be able to plead, when we are charged
with sin, that we did it ignorantly, and through the surprise of
temptation, will not bring us off if we be not interested in that
great plea, <i>Christ hath died,</i> and entitled to the benefit of
that. We have all need to pray with David (and he was a ruler) to
be cleansed from <i>secret faults,</i> the errors which we
ourselves do not understand or are not aware of, <scripRef passage="Ps 19:12" id="Lev.v-p11.3" parsed="|Ps|19|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.19.12">Ps. xix. 12</scripRef>. 2. That the sins of ignorance
committed by a single person, a common obscure person, did require
a sacrifice; for, as the greatest are not above the censure, so the
meanest are not below the cognizance of the divine justice. None of
the common people, if offenders, were overlooked in a crowd. 3.
That a sin-offering was not only admitted, but accepted, even from
one of the common people, and an atonement made by it, <scripRef passage="Le 4:31,35" id="Lev.v-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|4|31|0|0;|Lev|4|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.31 Bible:Lev.4.35"><i>v.</i> 31, 35</scripRef>. Here rich and
poor, prince and peasant, meet together; they are both alike
welcome to Christ, and to an interest in his sacrifice, upon the
same terms. See <scripRef passage="Job 34:19" id="Lev.v-p11.5" parsed="|Job|34|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.34.19">Job xxxiv.
19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.v-p12">II. From all these laws concerning the
sin-offerings we may learn, 1. To hate sin, and to watch against
it. That is certainly a very bad thing to make atonement for which
so many innocent and useful creatures must be slain and mangled
thus. 2. To value Christ, the great and true sin-offering, whose
blood cleanses from all sin, which it was not possible that the
<i>blood of bulls and of goats should take away. Now, if any man
sin,</i> Christ is <i>the propitiation</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 2:1,2" id="Lev.v-p12.1" parsed="|1John|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.1-1John.2.2">1 John ii. 1, 2</scripRef>), not for Jews only, but for
Gentiles. And perhaps there was some allusion to this law
concerning sacrifices for sins of ignorance in that prayer of
Christ's, just when he was offering up himself a sacrifice,
<i>Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter V" n="vi" progress="52.31%" prev="Lev.v" next="Lev.vii" id="Lev.vi">
<h2 id="Lev.vi-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.vi-p1">This chapter, and part of the next, concern the
trespass-offering. The difference between this and the sin-offering
lay not so much in the sacrifices themselves, and the management of
them, as in the occasions of the offering of them. They were both
intended to make atonement for sin; but the former was more
general, this applied to some particular instances. Observe what is
here said, I. Concerning the trespass. If a man sin, 1. In
concealing his knowledge, when he is adjured, <scripRef passage="Le 5:1" id="Lev.vi-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. 2. In touching an unclean thing,
<scripRef passage="Le 5:2,3" id="Lev.vi-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|5|2|5|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.2-Lev.5.3">ver. 2, 3</scripRef>. 3. In swearing,
<scripRef passage="Le 5:4" id="Lev.vi-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. 4. In embezzling the
holy things, <scripRef passage="Le 5:14-16" id="Lev.vi-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|5|14|5|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.14-Lev.5.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>.
5. In any sin of infirmity, <scripRef passage="Le 5:17-19" id="Lev.vi-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|5|17|5|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.17-Lev.5.19">ver.
17-19</scripRef>. Some other cases there are, in which these
offerings were to be offered, <scripRef passage="Le 6:2-4,14:12,19:21,Nu 6:12" id="Lev.vi-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|6|2|6|4;|Lev|14|12|0|0;|Lev|19|21|0|0;|Num|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.2-Lev.6.4 Bible:Lev.14.12 Bible:Lev.19.21 Bible:Num.6.12"><i>ch.</i> vi. 2-4; xiv. 12; xix.
21; Num. vi. 12</scripRef>. II. Concerning the trespass-offerings,
1. Of the flock, <scripRef passage="Le 5:5,6" id="Lev.vi-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|5|5|5|6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.5-Lev.5.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>.
2. Of fowls, <scripRef passage="Le 5:7-10" id="Lev.vi-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|5|7|5|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.7-Lev.5.10">ver. 7-10</scripRef>. 3.
Of flour, <scripRef passage="Le 5:11-13" id="Lev.vi-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|5|11|5|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.11-Lev.5.13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>; but
chiefly a ram without blemish, <scripRef passage="Le 5:15" id="Lev.vi-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.15">ver.
15</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 5" id="Lev.vi-p1.11" parsed="|Lev|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 5:1-6" id="Lev.vi-p1.12" parsed="|Lev|5|1|5|6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.1-Lev.5.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.5.1-Lev.5.6">
<h4 id="Lev.vi-p1.13">Law of the Sin-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p1.14">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vi-p2">1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of
swearing, and <i>is</i> a witness, whether he hath seen or known
<i>of it;</i> if he do not utter <i>it,</i> then he shall bear his
iniquity. &#160; 2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether
<i>it be</i> a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean
cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and <i>if</i> it
be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. &#160; 3
Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness <i>it
be</i> that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him;
when he knoweth <i>of it,</i> then he shall be guilty. &#160; 4 Or
if a soul swear, pronouncing with <i>his</i> lips to do evil, or to
do good, whatsoever <i>it be</i> that a man shall pronounce with an
oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth <i>of it,</i> then he
shall be guilty in one of these. &#160; 5 And it shall be, when he
shall be guilty in one of these <i>things,</i> that he shall
confess that he hath sinned in that <i>thing:</i> &#160; 6 And he
shall bring his trespass offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p2.1">Lord</span> for his sin which he hath sinned, a female
from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering;
and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his
sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p3">I. The offences here supposed are, 1. A
man's concealing the truth when he was sworn as a witness to speak
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Judges among
the Jews had power to adjure not only the witnesses, as with us,
but the person suspected (contrary to a rule of our law, that no
man is bound to accuse himself), as appears by the high priest
adjuring our Saviour, who thereupon answered, though before he
stood silent, <scripRef passage="Mt 26:63,64" id="Lev.vi-p3.1" parsed="|Matt|26|63|26|64" osisRef="Bible:Matt.26.63-Matt.26.64">Matt. xxvi. 63,
64</scripRef>. Now (<scripRef passage="Le 5:1" id="Lev.vi-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.1">v. 1</scripRef>),
<i>If a soul sin</i> (that is, a person, for the soul is the man),
if he <i>hear the voice of swearing</i> (that is, if he be adjured
to testify what he knows, by an <i>oath</i> of the Lord upon him,
<scripRef passage="1Ki 8:31" id="Lev.vi-p3.3" parsed="|1Kgs|8|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.8.31">1 Kings viii. 31</scripRef>), if in
such a case, for fear of offending one that either has been his
friend or may be his enemy, he refuses to give evidence, or gives
it but in part, <i>he shall bear his iniquity.</i> And that is a
heavy burden, which, if some course be not taken to get it removed,
will sink a man to the lowest hell. He that <i>heareth cursing</i>
(that is, that is thus adjured) and betrayeth it not (that is,
stifles his evidence, and does not utter it), he is a partner with
the sinner, and <i>hateth his own soul;</i> see <scripRef passage="Pr 29:24" id="Lev.vi-p3.4" parsed="|Prov|29|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.29.24">Prov. xxix. 24</scripRef>. Let all that are called out
at any time to bear testimony think of this law, and be free and
open in their evidence, and take heed of prevaricating. An oath of
the Lord is a sacred thing, and not to be dallied with. 2. A man's
touching any thing that was ceremonially unclean, <scripRef passage="Le 5:2,3" id="Lev.vi-p3.5" parsed="|Lev|5|2|5|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.2-Lev.5.3">v. 2, 3</scripRef>. If a man, polluted by such
touch, came into the sanctuary inconsiderately, or if he neglected
to wash himself according to the law, then he was to look upon
himself as under guilt, and must bring his offering. Though his
touching the unclean thing contracted only a ceremonial defilement,
yet his neglect to wash himself according to the law was such an
instance either of carelessness or contempt as contracted a moral
guilt. If at first it be <i>hidden from him,</i> yet when he knows
it he <i>shall be guilty.</i> Note, As soon as ever God by his
Spirit convinces our consciences of any sin or duty we must
immediately set in with the conviction, and prosecute it, as those
that are not ashamed to own our former mistake. 3. Rash swearing.
If a man binds himself by an oath that he will do or not do such a
thing, and the performance of his oath afterwards proves either
unlawful or impracticable, by which he is discharged from the
obligation, yet he must bring an offering to atone for his fully in
swearing so rashly, as David that he would kill Nabal. And then it
was that he must <i>say before the angel</i> that it <i>was an
error,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 5:6" id="Lev.vi-p3.6" parsed="|Eccl|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.6">Eccl. v. 6</scripRef>. <i>He
shall be guilty in one of these</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 5:4" id="Lev.vi-p3.7" parsed="|Lev|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.4"><i>ch.</i> v. 4</scripRef>), guilty if he do not perform
his oath, and yet, if the matter of it were evil, guilty if he do.
Such wretched dilemmas as these do some men bring themselves into
by their own rashness and folly; go which way they will their
consciences are wounded, sin stares them in the face, so sadly are
they <i>snared in the words of their mouth.</i> A more sad dilemma
this is than that of the lepers, "If we sit still, we die; if we
stir, we die." Wisdom and watchfulness beforehand would prevent
these straits.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p4">II. Now in these cases, 1. The offender
must confess his sin and bring his offering (<scripRef passage="Le 5:5,6" id="Lev.vi-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|5|5|5|6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.5-Lev.5.6">v. 5, 6</scripRef>); and the offering was not accepted
unless it was accompanied with a penitential confession and a
humble prayer for pardon. Observe, The confession must be
particular, <i>that he hath sinned in that thing;</i> such was
David's confession (<scripRef passage="Ps 51:4" id="Lev.vi-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|51|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.4">Ps. li.
4</scripRef>), <i>I have done this evil;</i> and Achan's (<scripRef passage="Jos 7:20" id="Lev.vi-p4.3" parsed="|Josh|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.7.20">Josh. vii. 20</scripRef>), <i>Thus and thus have
I done.</i> Deceit lies in generals; many will own in general they
have sinned, for that all must own, so that it is not any
particular reproach to them; but that they have sinned <i>in this
thing</i> they stand too much upon their honour to acknowledge: but
the way to be well assured of pardon, and to be well armed against
sin for the future, is to be particular in our penitent
confessions. 2. The priest must <i>make atonement for him.</i> As
the atonement was not accepted without his repentance, so his
repentance would not justify him without the atonement. Thus, in
our reconciliation to God, Christ's part and ours are both
needful.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 5:7-13" id="Lev.vi-p4.4" parsed="|Lev|5|7|5|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.7-Lev.5.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.5.7-Lev.5.13">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vi-p5">7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he
shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p5.1">Lord</span>; one for a sin offering, and the other for
a burnt offering. &#160; 8 And he shall bring them unto the priest,
who shall offer <i>that</i> which <i>is</i> for the sin offering
first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide
<i>it</i> asunder: &#160; 9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of
the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the
blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it <i>is</i> a
sin offering. &#160; 10 And he shall offer the second <i>for</i> a
burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make
an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall
be forgiven him. &#160; 11 But if he be not able to bring two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring
for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin
offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put
<i>any</i> frankincense thereon: for it <i>is</i> a sin offering.
&#160; 12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest
shall take his handful of it, <i>even</i> a memorial thereof, and
burn <i>it</i> on the altar, according to the offerings made by
fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p5.2">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> a
sin offering. &#160; 13 And the priest shall make an atonement for
him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it
shall be forgiven him: and <i>the remnant</i> shall be the
priest's, as a meat offering.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p6">Provision is here made for the poor of
God's people, and the pacifying of their consciences under the
sense of guilt. Those that were not able to bring a lamb might
bring for a sin-offering a pair of <i>turtle-doves</i> or <i>two
young pigeons;</i> nay, if any were so extremely poor that they
were not able to procure these so often as they would have
occasion, they might bring a pottle of fine flour, and this should
be accepted. Thus the expense of the sin-offering was brought lower
than that of any other offering, to teach us that no man's poverty
shall ever be a bar in the way of his pardon. The poorest of all
may have atonement made for them, if it be not their own fault.
Thus the poor are evangelized; and no man shall say that he had not
wherewithal to bear the charges of a journey to heaven. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p7">I. If the sinner brought two doves, one was
to be offered for a sin-offering and the other for a
burnt-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 5:7" id="Lev.vi-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.7">v. 7</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. Before he offered the burnt-offering, which was for the
honour and praise of God, he must offer the sin-offering, to make
atonement. We must first see to it that our peace be made with God,
and then we may expect that our services for his glory will be
accepted. The sin-offering must make way for the burnt-offering. 2.
After the sin-offering, which made atonement, came the
burnt-offering, as an acknowledgment of the great mercy of God in
appointing and accepting the atonement.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p8">II. If he brought fine flour, a handful of
it was to be offered, but without either oil or frankincense
(<scripRef passage="Le 5:11" id="Lev.vi-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.11">v. 11</scripRef>), not only because
this would make it too costly for the poor, for whose comfort this
sacrifice was appointed, but because it was a sin-offering, and
therefore, to show the loathsomeness of the sin for which it was
offered, it must not be made grateful either to the taste by oil or
to the smell by frankincense. The unsavouriness of the offering was
to intimate that the sinner must never relish his sin again as he
had done. God by these sacrifices did speak, 1. Comfort to those
that had offended, that they might not despair, nor pine away in
their iniquity; but, peace being thus made for them with God, they
might have peace in him. 2. Caution likewise not to offend any
more, remembering what an expensive troublesome thing it was to
make atonement.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 5" id="Lev.vi-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 5:14-19" id="Lev.vi-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|5|14|5|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.14-Lev.5.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.5.14-Lev.5.19">
<h4 id="Lev.vi-p8.4">Law of the
Trespass-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p8.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vi-p9">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 15 If a soul commit a trespass,
and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.2">Lord</span>; then he shall bring for his trespass unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.3">Lord</span> a ram without blemish out
of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the
shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: &#160; 16 And he
shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing,
and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest:
and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the
trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him. &#160; 17 And if a
soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be
done by the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.4">Lord</span>; though he wist <i>it</i> not, yet is he
guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. &#160; 18 And he shall bring a
ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a
trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an
atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and
wist <i>it</i> not, and it shall be forgiven him. &#160; 19 It
<i>is</i> a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p10">Hitherto in this chapter orders were given
concerning those sacrifices that were both sin-offerings and
trespass-offerings, for they go by both names, <scripRef passage="Le 5:6" id="Lev.vi-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.6">v. 6</scripRef>. Here we have the law concerning those
that were properly and peculiarly <i>trespass-offerings,</i> which
were offered to atone for trespasses done against a neighbour,
those sins we commonly call trespasses. Now injuries done to
another may be either in holy things or in common things; of the
former we have the law in these verses; of the latter in the
beginning of the next chapter. If a man <i>did harm</i> (as it is
<scripRef passage="Le 5:16" id="Lev.vi-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|5|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.16">v. 16</scripRef>) <i>in the holy things
of the Lord,</i> he thereby committed a trespass against the
priests, the Lord's ministers, who were entrusted with the care of
these holy things, and had the benefit of them. Now if a man did
alienate or convert to his own use any thing that was dedicated to
God, unwittingly, he was to bring this sacrifice; as suppose he had
ignorantly made use of the tithes, or first-fruits, or first-born
of his cattle, or (which, it should seem by <scripRef passage="Le 22:14-16" id="Lev.vi-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|22|14|22|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.14-Lev.22.16"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 14-16</scripRef>, is principally
meant here) had eaten any of those parts of the sacrifices which
were appropriated to the priests; this was a trespass. It is
supposed to be done through mistake, or forgetfulness, for want
either of care or zeal; for if it was done presumptuously, and in
contempt of the law, the offender died without mercy, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:28" id="Lev.vi-p10.4" parsed="|Heb|10|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.28">Heb. x. 28</scripRef>. But in case of
negligence and ignorance this sacrifice was appointed; and Moses is
told, 1. What must be done in case the trespass appeared to be
certain. The trespasser must bring an offering to the Lord, which,
in all those that were purely trespass-offerings, must be a <i>ram
without blemish,</i> "of the second year," say the Jewish doctors.
He must likewise make restitution to the priest, according to a
just estimation of the thing which he had so alienated, adding a
fifth part to it, that he might learn to take more heed next time
of embezzling what was sacred to God, finding to his cost that
there was nothing got by it, and that he paid dearly for his
oversights. 2. What must be done in case it were doubtful whether
he had trespassed or no; he had cause to suspect it, but he <i>wist
it not</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 5:17" id="Lev.vi-p10.5" parsed="|Lev|5|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.17">v. 17</scripRef>), that is,
he was not very certain; in this case, because it is good to be
sure, he must bring his trespass-offering, and the value of that
which he feared he had embezzled, only he was not to add the fifth
part to it. Now this was designed to show the very great evil there
is in sacrilege. Achan, that was guilty of it presumptuously, died
for it; so did Ananias and Sapphira. But this goes further to show
the evil of it, that if a man had, through mere ignorance, and
unwittingly, alienated the holy things, nay, if he did but suspect
that he had done so, he must be at the expense, not only of a full
restitution with interest, but of an offering, with the trouble of
bringing it, and must take shame to himself, by making confession
of it; so bad a thing is it to invade God's property, and so
cautious should we be to abstain from all appearances of this evil.
We are also taught here to be jealous over ourselves with a godly
jealousy, to ask pardon for the sin, and make satisfaction for the
wrong, which we do but suspect ourselves guilty of. In doubtful
cases we should take and keep the safer side.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VI" n="vii" progress="52.62%" prev="Lev.vi" next="Lev.viii" id="Lev.vii">
<h2 id="Lev.vii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.vii-p1">The first seven verses of this chapter might fitly
have been added to the foregoing chapter, being a continuation of
the law of the trespass-offering, and the putting of other cases in
which it was to be offered; and with this end the instructions God
gave concerning the several kinds of sacrifices that should be
offered: and then at <scripRef passage="Le 6:8" id="Lev.vii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef> (which in the original begins a new section of the
law) he comes to appoint the several rites and ceremonies
concerning these sacrifices which had not been mentioned before. I.
The burnt-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 6:8-13" id="Lev.vii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|6|8|6|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.8-Lev.6.13">ver.
8-13</scripRef>. II. The meat-offering (<scripRef passage="Le 6:11-18" id="Lev.vii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|6|11|6|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.11-Lev.6.18">ver. 11-18</scripRef>), particularly that at the
consecration of the priest, <scripRef passage="Le 6:19-23" id="Lev.vii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|6|19|6|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.19-Lev.6.23">ver.
19-23</scripRef>. III. The sin-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 6:24-30" id="Lev.vii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|6|24|6|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.24-Lev.6.30">ver. 24</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 6" id="Lev.vii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 6:1-7" id="Lev.vii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|6|1|6|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.1-Lev.6.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.6.1-Lev.6.7">
<h4 id="Lev.vii-p1.8">Law of the
Trespass-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 If a soul sin, and commit a
trespass against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p2.2">Lord</span>, and lie
unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in
fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived
his neighbour; &#160; 3 Or have found that which was lost, and
lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that
a man doeth, sinning therein: &#160; 4 Then it shall be, because he
hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he
took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten,
or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he
found, &#160; 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he
shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth
part more thereto, <i>and</i> give it unto him to whom it
appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. &#160; 6 And he
shall bring his trespass offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p2.3">Lord</span>, a ram without blemish out of the flock,
with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
&#160; 7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p2.4">Lord</span>: and it shall be forgiven him
for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p3">This is the latter part of the law of the
trespass-offering: the former part, which concerned trespasses
about holy things, we had in the close of the foregoing chapter;
this concerns trespasses in common things. Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p4">I. The trespass supposed, <scripRef passage="Le 6:2,3" id="Lev.vii-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|6|2|6|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.2-Lev.6.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. Though all the
instances relate to our neighbour, yet it is called a <i>trespass
against the Lord,</i> because, though the injury be done
immediately to our neighbour, yet an affront is thereby given to
his Maker and our Master. He that speaks evil of his brother is
said to speak evil of the law, and consequently of the Law-maker,
<scripRef passage="Jam 4:11" id="Lev.vii-p4.2" parsed="|Jas|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.4.11">Jam. iv. 11</scripRef>. Though the
person injured be ever so mean and despicable, and every way our
inferior, yet the injury reflects upon that God who has made the
command of loving our neighbour second to that of loving himself.
The trespasses specified are, 1. Denying a trust: <i>If a man lie
unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep,</i> or,
which is worse, which was lent him for his use. If we claim that as
our own which is only borrowed, left in our custody, or committed
to our care, this is a trespass <i>against the Lord,</i> who, for
the benefit of human society, will have property and truth
maintained. 2. Defrauding a partner: <i>If a man lie in
fellowship,</i> claiming a sole interest in that wherein he has but
a joint-interest. 3. Disowning a manifest wrong: <i>If a man</i>
has the front to <i>lie in a thing taken away by violence,</i>
which ordinarily cannot be hid. 4. Deceiving in commerce, or, as
some think, by false accusation; if a man have <i>deceitfully
oppressed</i> his neighbour, as some read it, either withholding
what is due or extorting what is not. 5. Detaining what is found,
and denying it (<scripRef passage="Le 6:3" id="Lev.vii-p4.3" parsed="|Lev|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>);
if a man have <i>found that which was lost,</i> he must not call it
his own presently, but endeavour to find out the owner, to whom it
must be returned; this is doing as we would be done by: but he that
<i>lies concerning it,</i> that falsely says he knows nothing of
it, especially if he back this lie with a false oath,
<i>trespasseth against the Lord,</i> who to every thing that is
said is a witness, but in an oath he is the party appealed to, and
highly affronted when he is called to witness to a lie.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p5">II. The trespass-offering appointed. 1.
<i>In the day of his trespass-offering</i> he must make
satisfaction to his brother. This must be first done <i>if thy
brother hath aught against thee: Because he hath sinned and is
guilty,</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 6:4,5" id="Lev.vii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|6|4|6|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.4-Lev.6.5"><i>v.</i> 4,
5</scripRef>), that is, is convicted of his guilt by his own
conscience, and is touched with remorse for it; seeing himself
guilty before God, let him faithfully restore all that he has got
by fraud or oppression, with a fifth part added, to make amends to
the owner for the loss and trouble he had sustained in the mean
time; let him account both for debt and damages. Note, Where wrong
has been done restitution must be made; and till it is made to the
utmost of our power, or an equivalent accepted by the person
wronged, we cannot have the comfort of the forgiveness of the sin;
for the keeping of what is unjustly got avows the taking, and both
together make but one continued act of unrighteousness. To repent
is to undo what we have done amiss, which (whatever we pretend) we
cannot be said to do till we restore what has been got by it, as
Zaccheus (<scripRef passage="Lu 19:8" id="Lev.vii-p5.2" parsed="|Luke|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.8">Luke xix. 8</scripRef>), and
make satisfaction for the wrong done. 2. He must <i>then come and
offer his gift,</i> must <i>bring his trespass-offering to the
Lord</i> whom he had offended; and the priest must make an
atonement for him, <scripRef passage="Le 6:6,7" id="Lev.vii-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|6|6|6|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.6-Lev.6.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. This trespass-offering could not, of itself, make
satisfaction for sin, nor reconciliation between God and the
sinner, but as it signified the atonement that was to be made by
our Lord Jesus, when he should make his soul <i>an offering or
sin,</i> a <i>trespass-offering;</i> it is the same word that is
here used, <scripRef passage="Isa 53:10" id="Lev.vii-p5.4" parsed="|Isa|53|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.10">Isa. liii. 10</scripRef>.
The trespasses here mentioned are trespasses still against the law
of Christ, which insists as much upon justice and truth as ever the
law of nature or the law of Moses did; and though now we may have
them pardoned without a trespass-offering, yet not without true
repentance, restitution, reformation, and a humble faith in the
righteousness of Christ: and, if any make the more bold with these
sins because they are not now put to the expense of a
trespass-offering for them, they turn the grace of God into
wantonness, and so bring upon themselves a swift destruction. The
Lord is the avenger of all such, <scripRef passage="1Th 4:6" id="Lev.vii-p5.5" parsed="|1Thess|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.4.6">1
Thess. iv. 6</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 6:8-13" id="Lev.vii-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|6|8|6|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.8-Lev.6.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.6.8-Lev.6.13">
<h4 id="Lev.vii-p5.7">Law of the Burnt-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p5.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vii-p6">8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p6.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 9 Command Aaron and his sons,
saying, This <i>is</i> the law of the burnt offering: It <i>is</i>
the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night
unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
&#160; 10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his
linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes
which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar,
and he shall put them beside the altar. &#160; 11 And he shall put
off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the
ashes without the camp unto a clean place. &#160; 12 And the fire
upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and
the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt
offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the
peace offerings. &#160; 13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the
altar; it shall never go out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p7">Hitherto we have had the instructions which
Moses was directed to give to the people concerning the sacrifices;
but here begin the instructions he was to give to the priests; he
must <i>command Aaron and his sons,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 6:9" id="Lev.vii-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. The priests were rulers in the
house of God, but these rulers must be ruled; and those that had
the command of others must themselves be commanded. Let ministers
remember that not only commissions, but commands, were given to
Aaron and his sons, who must be in subjection to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p8">In these verses we have the law of the
burnt-offering, as far as it was the peculiar care of the priests.
The daily sacrifice of a lamb, which was offered morning and
evening for the whole congregation, is here chiefly referred
to.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p9">I. The priest must take care of the ashes
of the burnt-offering, that they be decently disposed of, <scripRef passage="Le 6:10,11" id="Lev.vii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|6|10|6|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.10-Lev.6.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. He must clear the
altar of them every morning, and put them on the east side of the
altar, which was furthest from the sanctuary; this he must do in
his linen garment, which he always wore when he did any service at
the altar; and then he must shift himself, and put on other
garments, either such as were his common wear, or (as some think)
other priestly garments less honourable, and must <i>carry the
ashes into a clean place without the camp.</i> Now, 1. God would
have this done, for the honour of his altar and the sacrifices that
were burnt upon it. Even the ashes of the sacrifices must be
preserved, to testify the regard God had to it; by the
burnt-offering <i>he</i> was honoured, and therefore thus <i>it</i>
was honoured. And some
think that this care which was taken of the ashes of the sacrifice
typified the burial of our Saviour; his dead body (the ashes of his
sacrifice) was carefully laid up in a garden, in a new sepulchre,
which was a <i>clean place.</i> It was also requisite that the
altar should be kept as clean as might be; the fire upon it would
burn the better, and it is decent in a house to have a clean
fire-side. 2. God would have the priests themselves to keep it so,
to teach them and us to stoop to the meanest services for the
honour of God and of his altar. The priest himself must not only
kindle the fire, but clean the hearth, and carry out the ashes.
God's servants must think nothing below them but sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p10">II. The priest must take care of the fire
upon the altar, that it be kept <i>always burning.</i> This is much
insisted on here (<scripRef passage="Le 6:9,12" id="Lev.vii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|6|9|0|0;|Lev|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.9 Bible:Lev.6.12"><i>v.</i> 9,
12</scripRef>), and this express law is given: <i>The fire shall
ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 6:13" id="Lev.vii-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. We may suppose
that no day passed without some extraordinary sacrifices, which
were always offered between the morning and evening lamb; so that
from morning to night the fire on the altar was kept up of course.
But to preserve it <i>all night unto the morning</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 6:9" id="Lev.vii-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>) required some care. Those
that keep good houses never let their kitchen fire go out;
therefore God would thus give an instance of his good
house-keeping. The first fire upon the altar came <i>from
heaven</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 9:24" id="Lev.vii-p10.4" parsed="|Lev|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.24"><i>ch.</i> ix.
24</scripRef>), so that by keeping that up continually with a
constant supply of fuel all their sacrifices throughout all their
generations might be said to be consumed with that fire from
heaven, in token of God's acceptance. If, through carelessness,
they should ever let it go out, they could not expect to have it so
kindled again. Accordingly the Jews tell us that the fire never did
go out upon the altar, till the captivity in Babylon. This is
referred to <scripRef passage="Isa 31:9" id="Lev.vii-p10.5" parsed="|Isa|31|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.31.9">Isa. xxxi. 9</scripRef>,
where God is said <i>to have his fire in Zion, and his furnace in
Jerusalem.</i> By this law we are taught to keep up in our minds a
constant disposition to all acts of piety and devotion, an habitual
affection to divine things, so as to be always ready to every good
word and work. We must not only not <i>quench the Spirit,</i> but
we must <i>stir up the gift</i> that is in us. Though we be not
always sacrificing, yet we must keep the fire of holy love always
burning; and thus we must pray always.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 6" id="Lev.vii-p10.6" parsed="|Lev|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 6:14-23" id="Lev.vii-p10.7" parsed="|Lev|6|14|6|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.14-Lev.6.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.6.14-Lev.6.23">
<h4 id="Lev.vii-p10.8">Law of the Meat-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p10.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vii-p11">14 And this <i>is</i> the law of the meat
offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.1">Lord</span>, before the altar. &#160; 15 And he shall
take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of
the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which <i>is</i> upon the
meat offering, and shall burn <i>it</i> upon the altar <i>for</i> a
sweet savour, <i>even</i> the memorial of it, unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 16 And the remainder thereof shall
Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in
the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation
they shall eat it. &#160; 17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I
have given it <i>unto them for</i> their portion of my offerings
made by fire; it <i>is</i> most holy, as <i>is</i> the sin
offering, and as the trespass offering. &#160; 18 All the males
among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. <i>It shall be</i> a
statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.3">Lord</span> made by fire: every one
that toucheth them shall be holy. &#160; 19 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.4">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 20 This
<i>is</i> the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall
offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.5">Lord</span> in the day when
he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat
offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at
night. &#160; 21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; <i>and when it
is</i> baken, thou shalt bring it in: <i>and</i> the baken pieces
of the meat offering shalt thou offer <i>for</i> a sweet savour
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 22 And the
priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it:
<i>it is</i> a statute for ever unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p11.7">Lord</span>; it shall be wholly burnt. &#160; 23 For
every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall
not be eaten.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p12">The meat-offering was either that which was
offered by the people or that by the priests at their consecration.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p13">I. As to the common meat-offering,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p14">1. Only a handful of it was to be burnt
upon the altar; all the rest was allowed to the priests for their
food. The law of the burnt-offerings was such as imposed upon the
priests a great deal of care and work, but allowed them little
profit; for the flesh was wholly burnt, and the priests had nothing
but the skin. But to make them amends the greatest part of the
meat-offering was their own. The burning of a handful of it upon
the altar (<scripRef passage="Le 6:15" id="Lev.vii-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|6|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) was
ordered before, <scripRef passage="Le 2:2,9" id="Lev.vii-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|2|2|0|0;|Lev|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.2 Bible:Lev.2.9"><i>ch.</i> ii. 2,
9</scripRef>. Here the remainder of it is consigned to the priests,
the servants of God's house: <i>I have given it unto them for their
portion of my offerings,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 6:17" id="Lev.vii-p14.3" parsed="|Lev|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. Note, (1.) It is the will of God that his ministers
should be well provided for with food convenient; and what is given
to them he accepts as offered to himself, if it be done with a
single eye. (2.) All Christians, being spiritual priests, do
themselves share in the spiritual sacrifices they offer. It is not
God that is the gainer by them; the handful burnt upon the altar
was not worth speaking of, in comparison with the priests' share;
we ourselves are the gainers by our religious services. Let God
have all the frankincense, and the priests shall have the flour and
the oil; what we give to God the praise and glory of we may take to
ourselves the comfort and benefit of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p15">2. The laws concerning the eating of it
were, (1.) That it must be <i>eaten unleavened,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 6:16" id="Lev.vii-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. What was offered to God
must have no leaven in it, and the priests must have it as the
altar had it, and no otherwise. Thus must we keep the feasts of the
Lord with the <i>unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.</i> (2.)
It must be eaten in <i>the court of the tabernacle</i> (here called
the <i>holy place</i>), in some room prepared by the side of the
court for this purpose. It was a great crime to carry any of it out
of the court. The very eating of it was a sacred rite, by which
they were to honour God, and therefore it must be done in a
religious manner, and with a holy reverence, which was preserved by
confining it to the holy place. (3.) The males only must eat of it,
<scripRef passage="Le 6:18" id="Lev.vii-p15.2" parsed="|Lev|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Of the less
holy things, as the first-fruits and tithes, and the shoulder and
breasts of the peace-offerings, the <i>daughters</i> of the priests
might eat, for they might be carried out of the court; but this was
of the most holy things, which being to be eaten only in the
tabernacle, the <i>sons</i> of Aaron only might eat of it. (4.) The
priests only that were clean might eat of it: <i>Every one that
toucheth them shall be holy,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 6:18" id="Lev.vii-p15.3" parsed="|Lev|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Holy things for holy persons.
Some read it, <i>Every thing that toucheth it shall be holy:</i> Al
the furniture of the table on which these holy things were eaten
must be appropriated to that use only, and never after used as
common things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p16">II. As to the consecration meat-offering,
which was offered for the priests themselves, it was to be
<i>wholly burnt, and none of it eaten,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 6:23" id="Lev.vii-p16.1" parsed="|Lev|6|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. It comes in here as an exception
to the foregoing law. It should seem that this law concerning the
meat-offering of initiation did not only oblige the high priest to
offer it, and on that day only that he was anointed, and so for his
successors in the day they were anointed; but the Jewish writers
say that by this law every priest, on the day he first entered upon
his ministry, was bound to offer this meat-offering,&#8212;that the high
priest was bound to offer it every day of his life, from the day in
which he was anointed,&#8212;and that it was to be offered besides the
meat-offering that attended the morning and evening sacrifice,
because it is said here to be a <i>meat-offering perpetual,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 6:20" id="Lev.vii-p16.2" parsed="|Lev|6|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Josephus says,
"The high priest sacrificed twice every day at his own charges, and
this was his sacrifice." Note, Those whom God has advanced above
others in dignity and power ought to consider that he expects more
from them than from others, and should attend to every intimation
of service to be done for him. The meat-offering of the priest was
to be baked as if it were to be eaten, and yet it must be wholly
burnt. Though the priest that ministered was to be paid for serving
the people, yet there was no reason that he should be paid for
serving the high priest, who was the father of the family of the
priests, and whom therefore any priest should take a pleasure in
serving gratis. Nor was it fit that the priests should eat of the
offerings of a priest; for as the sins of the people were typically
transferred to the priests, which was signified by their eating of
their offerings (<scripRef passage="Ho 4:8" id="Lev.vii-p16.3" parsed="|Hos|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.4.8">Hos. iv. 8</scripRef>),
so the sins of the priests must be typically transferred to the
altar, which therefore must eat up all their offerings. We are all
undone, both ministers and people, if we must <i>bear our own
iniquity;</i> nor could we have had any comfort or hope if God had
not laid on his dear Son the iniquity of us all, and he is both the
priest and the altar.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 6:24-30" id="Lev.vii-p16.4" parsed="|Lev|6|24|6|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.24-Lev.6.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.6.24-Lev.6.30">
<h4 id="Lev.vii-p16.5">Law of the Sin-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p16.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vii-p17">24 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p17.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, 25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons,
saying, This <i>is</i> the law of the sin offering: In the place
where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vii-p17.2">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> most
holy. 26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the
holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the
congregation. 27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be
holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any
garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy
place. 28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be
broken: and if it be sodden in a brazen pot, it shall be both
scoured, and rinsed in water. 29 All the males among the priests
shall eat thereof: it <i>is</i> most holy. 30 And no sin offering,
whereof <i>any</i> of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of
the congregation to reconcile <i>withal</i> in the holy
<i>place,</i> shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vii-p18">We have here so much of the law of the
sin-offering as did peculiarly concern the priests that offered it.
As, 1. That it must be killed <i>in the place where the
burnt-offering was killed</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 6:25" id="Lev.vii-p18.1" parsed="|Lev|6|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), that is, on the north side of
the altar (<scripRef passage="Le 1:11" id="Lev.vii-p18.2" parsed="|Lev|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.11"><i>ch.</i> i.
11</scripRef>), which, some think typified the crucifying of Christ
on mount Calvary, which was on the north side of Jerusalem. 2. That
the priest who offered it for the sinner was (with his sons, or
other priests, <scripRef passage="Le 6:29" id="Lev.vii-p18.3" parsed="|Lev|6|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>)
to eat the flesh of it, after the blood and fat had been offered to
God, in the <i>court of the tabernacle,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 6:26" id="Lev.vii-p18.4" parsed="|Lev|6|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Hereby they were to <i>bear the
iniquity of the congregation,</i> as it is explained, <scripRef passage="Le 10:17" id="Lev.vii-p18.5" parsed="|Lev|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.17"><i>ch.</i> x. 17</scripRef>. 3. The blood of the
sin-offering was with great reverence to be washed out of the
clothes on which it happened to light (<scripRef passage="Le 6:27" id="Lev.vii-p18.6" parsed="|Lev|6|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), which signified the awful
regard we ought to have to the blood of Christ, not counting it a
common thing; that blood must be sprinkled on the conscience, not
on the raiment. 4. The vessel in which the flesh of the
sin-offering was boiled must be broken if it were an earthen one,
and, if a brazen one, well washed, <scripRef passage="Le 6:28" id="Lev.vii-p18.7" parsed="|Lev|6|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. This intimated that the
defilement was not wholly taken away by the offering, but did
rather cleave to it, such was the weakness and deficiency of those
sacrifices; but the blood of Christ thoroughly cleanses from all
sin, and after it there needs no cleansing. 5. That all this must
be understood of the common sin-offerings, not of those for the
priest, or the body of the congregation, either occasional, or
stated upon the day of atonement; for it had been before ordained,
and was now ratified, that if the blood of the offering was brought
into the holy place, as it was in those extraordinary cases, the
flesh was not to be eaten, but burnt without the camp, <scripRef passage="Le 6:30" id="Lev.vii-p18.8" parsed="|Lev|6|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Hence the apostle infers
the advantage we have under the gospel above what they had under
the law; for though the blood of Christ was <i>brought into the
tabernacle, to reconcile within the holy place,</i> yet we have a
right by faith to <i>eat of the altar</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 13:10-12" id="Lev.vii-p18.9" parsed="|Heb|13|10|13|12" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.10-Heb.13.12">Heb. xiii. 10-12</scripRef>), and so to take the
comfort of the great propitiation.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VII" n="viii" progress="53.05%" prev="Lev.vii" next="Lev.ix" id="Lev.viii">
<h2 id="Lev.viii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.viii-p0.2">CHAP. VII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.viii-p1">Here is, I. The law of the trespass-offering
(<scripRef passage="Le 7:1-7" id="Lev.viii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|7|1|7|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.1-Lev.7.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>), with some
further directions concerning the burnt-offering and the
meat-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 7:8-10" id="Lev.viii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|7|8|7|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.8-Lev.7.10">ver. 8-10</scripRef>.
II. The law of the peace-offering. The eating of it (<scripRef passage="Le 7:11-21" id="Lev.viii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|7|11|7|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.11-Lev.7.21">ver. 11-21</scripRef>), on which occasion the
prohibition of eating fat or blood is repeated (<scripRef passage="Le 7:22-27" id="Lev.viii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|7|22|7|27" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.22-Lev.7.27">ver. 22-27</scripRef>), and the priests' share of it,
<scripRef passage="Le 7:28-34" id="Lev.viii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|7|28|7|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.28-Lev.7.34">ver. 28-34</scripRef>. III. The
conclusion of those institutions, <scripRef passage="Le 7:35-38" id="Lev.viii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|7|35|7|38" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.35-Lev.7.38">ver. 35</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 7" id="Lev.viii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 7:1-10" id="Lev.viii-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|7|1|7|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.1-Lev.7.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.7.1-Lev.7.10">
<h4 id="Lev.viii-p1.9">Law of the
Trespass-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.viii-p2">1 Likewise this <i>is</i> the law of the
trespass offering: it <i>is</i> most holy. &#160; 2 In the place
where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass
offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon
the altar. &#160; 3 And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof;
the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, &#160; 4 And the
two kidneys, and the fat that <i>is</i> on them, which <i>is</i> by
the flanks, and the caul <i>that is</i> above the liver, with the
kidneys, it shall he take away: &#160; 5 And the priest shall burn
them upon the altar <i>for</i> an offering made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p2.1">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> a trespass
offering. &#160; 6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof:
it shall be eaten in the holy place: it <i>is</i> most holy. &#160;
7 As the sin offering <i>is,</i> so <i>is</i> the trespass
offering: <i>there is</i> one law for them: the priest that maketh
atonement therewith shall have <i>it.</i> &#160; 8 And the priest
that offereth any man's burnt offering, <i>even</i> the priest
shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath
offered. &#160; 9 And all the meat offering that is baken in the
oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan,
shall be the priest's that offereth it. &#160; 10 And every meat
offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron
have, one <i>as much</i> as another.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p3">Observe here, 1. Concerning the
trespass-offering, that, being much of the same nature with the
sin-offering, it was to be governed by the same rules, <scripRef passage="Le 7:6" id="Lev.viii-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|7|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. When the blood and fat
were offered to God to make atonement, the priests were to eat the
flesh, as that of the sin-offering, in the holy place. The Jews
have a tradition (as we have it from the learned bishop Patrick)
concerning the sprinkling of the blood of the trespass-offering
<i>round about upon the altar,</i> "That there was a scarlet line
which went round about the altar exactly in the middle, and the
blood of the burnt-offerings was sprinkled round about above the
line, but that of the trespass-offerings and peace-offerings round
about below the line." As to the flesh of the trespass-offering,
the right to it belonged to the priest that offered it, <scripRef passage="Le 7:7" id="Lev.viii-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. He that did the work must
have the wages. This was an encouragement to the priests to give
diligent attendance on the altar; the more ready and busy they were
the more they got. Note, The more diligent we are in the services
of religion the more we shall reap of the advantages of it. But any
of the priests, and the males of their families, might be invited
by him to whom it belonged to partake with him: <i>Every male among
the priests shall eat thereof,</i> that is, may eat thereof, <i>in
the holy place,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 7:6" id="Lev.viii-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|7|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. And, no doubt, it was the usage to treat one another
with those perquisites of their office, by which friendship and
fellowship were kept up among the priests. Freely they had
received, and must freely give. It seems the offerer was not
himself to have any share of his trespass-offering, as he was to
have of his peace-offering; but it was all divided between the
altar and the priest. They offered peace-offerings in thankfulness
for mercy, and then it was proper to feast; but they offered
trespass-offerings in sorrow for sin, and then fasting was more
proper, in token of holy mourning, and a resolution to abstain from
sin. 2. Concerning the burnt-offering it is here appointed that the
priest that offered it should have the skin (<scripRef passage="Le 7:8" id="Lev.viii-p3.4" parsed="|Lev|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), which no doubt he might make
money of. "This" (the Jews say) "is meant only for the
burnt-offerings which were offered by particular persons; for the
profit of the skins of the daily burnt-offerings for the
congregation went to the repair of the sanctuary." Some suggest
that this appointment will help us to understand God's clothing our
first parents with <i>coats of skins,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 3:21" id="Lev.viii-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.21">Gen. iii. 21</scripRef>. It is probable that the beasts
whose skins they were were offered in sacrifice as whole
burnt-offerings, and that Adam was the priest that offered them;
and then God gave him the skins, as his fee, to make clothes of for
himself and his wife, in remembrance of which the skins ever after
pertained to the priest; and see <scripRef passage="Ge 27:16" id="Lev.viii-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|27|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.16">Gen.
xxvii. 16</scripRef>. 3. Concerning the meat-offering, if it was
dressed, it was fit to be eaten immediately; and therefore the
priest that offered it was to have it, <scripRef passage="Le 7:9" id="Lev.viii-p3.7" parsed="|Lev|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. If it was dry, there was not so
much occasion for being in haste to use it; and therefore an equal
dividend of it must be made among all the priests that were then in
waiting, <scripRef passage="Le 7:10" id="Lev.viii-p3.8" parsed="|Lev|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 7" id="Lev.viii-p3.9" parsed="|Lev|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 7:11-34" id="Lev.viii-p3.10" parsed="|Lev|7|11|7|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.11-Lev.7.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.7.11-Lev.7.34">
<h4 id="Lev.viii-p3.11">Law of the Peace-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p3.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.viii-p4">11 And this <i>is</i> the law of the sacrifice
of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 12 If he offer it for a
thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of
thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened
wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine
flour, fried. &#160; 13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer
<i>for</i> his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of
thanksgiving of his peace offerings. &#160; 14 And of it he shall
offer one out of the whole oblation <i>for</i> an heave offering
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.2">Lord</span>, <i>and</i> it shall
be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.
&#160; 15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for
thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he
shall not leave any of it until the morning. &#160; 16 But if the
sacrifice of his offering <i>be</i> a vow, or a voluntary offering,
it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and
on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten: &#160; 17
But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day
shall be burnt with fire. &#160; 18 And if <i>any</i> of the flesh
of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the
third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed
unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul
that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity. &#160; 19 And the flesh
that toucheth any unclean <i>thing</i> shall not be eaten; it shall
be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall
eat thereof. &#160; 20 But the soul that eateth <i>of</i> the flesh
of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that <i>pertain</i> unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.3">Lord</span>, having his uncleanness upon
him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. &#160; 21
Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean <i>thing, as</i> the
uncleanness of man, or <i>any</i> unclean beast, or any abominable
unclean <i>thing,</i> and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of
peace offerings, which <i>pertain</i> unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.4">Lord</span>, even that soul shall be cut off from his
people. &#160; 22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.5">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses, saying, &#160; 23 Speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of
goat. &#160; 24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and
the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other
use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. &#160; 25 For whosoever
eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by
fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.6">Lord</span>, even the soul
that eateth <i>it</i> shall be cut off from his people. &#160; 26
Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, <i>whether it be</i> of
fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. &#160; 27 Whatsoever
soul <i>it be</i> that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul
shall be cut off from his people. &#160; 28 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.7">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 29 Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice
of his peace offerings unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.8">Lord</span>
shall bring his oblation unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.9">Lord</span> of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
&#160; 30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.10">Lord</span> made by fire, the fat with the
breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved <i>for</i>
a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p4.11">Lord</span>.
&#160; 31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the
breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. &#160; 32 And the right
shoulder shall ye give unto the priest <i>for</i> an heave offering
of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. &#160; 33 He among the
sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and
the fat, shall have the right shoulder for <i>his</i> part. &#160;
34 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the
children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace
offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his
sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p5">All this relates to the peace-offerings: it
is the repetition and explication of what we had before, with
various additions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p6">I. The nature and intention of the
peace-offerings are here more distinctly opened. They were offered
either, 1. In thankfulness for some special mercy received, such as
recovery from sickness, preservation in a journey, deliverance at
sea, redemption out of captivity, all which are specified in
<scripRef passage="Ps 107:1-43" id="Lev.viii-p6.1" parsed="|Ps|107|1|107|43" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.1-Ps.107.43">Ps. cvii.</scripRef>, and for them
men are called upon to offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
<scripRef passage="Le 7:22" id="Lev.viii-p6.2" parsed="|Lev|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Or, 2. In
performance of some vow which a man made when he was in distress
(<scripRef passage="Le 7:16" id="Lev.viii-p6.3" parsed="|Lev|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), and this was
less honourable than the former, though the omission of it would
have been more culpable. Or, 3. In supplication for some special
mercy which a man was in the pursuit and expectation of, here
called a <i>voluntary offering.</i> This accompanied a man's
prayers, as the former did his praises. We do not find that men
were bound by the law, unless they had bound themselves by vow, to
offer these peace-offerings upon such occasions, as they were to
bring their sacrifices of atonement in case of sin committed. Not
but that prayer and praise are as much our duty as repentance is;
but here, in the expressions of their sense of mercy, God left them
more to their liberty than in the expressions of their sense of
sin&#8212;to try the generosity of their devotion, and that their
sacrifices, being free-will offerings, might be the more laudable
and acceptable; and, by obliging them to bring the sacrifices of
atonement, God would show the necessity of the great
propitiation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p7">II. The rites and ceremonies about the
peace-offerings are enlarged upon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p8">1. If the peace-offering was offered for a
thanksgiving, a meat-offering must be offered with it, cakes of
several sorts, and wafers (<scripRef passage="Le 7:12" id="Lev.viii-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), and (which was peculiar to the peace-offerings)
leavened bread must be offered, not to be burnt upon the altar,
that was forbidden (<scripRef passage="Le 2:11" id="Lev.viii-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.11"><i>ch.</i> ii.
11</scripRef>), but to be eaten with the flesh of the sacrifice,
that nothing might be wanting to make it a complete and pleasant
feast; for unleavened bread was less grateful to the taste, and
therefore, though enjoined in the passover for a particular reason,
yet in other festivals leavened bread, which was lighter and more
pleasant, was appointed, that men might feast at God's table as
well as at their own. And some think that a meat-offering is
required to be brought with every peace-offering, as well as with
that of thanksgiving, by that law (<scripRef passage="Le 7:29" id="Lev.viii-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|7|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>) which requires an oblation with
it, that the table might be as well furnished as the altar.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p9">2. The flesh of the peace-offerings, both
that which was the priest's share and that which was the offerer's
must be eaten quickly, and not kept long, either raw, or dressed,
cold. If it was a peace-offering for thanksgiving, it must be all
eaten the same day (<scripRef passage="Le 7:16" id="Lev.viii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>); if a vow, or voluntary offering, it must be eaten
either the same day or the day after, <scripRef passage="Le 7:16" id="Lev.viii-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. If any was left beyond the time
limited, it was to be burnt (<scripRef passage="Le 7:17" id="Lev.viii-p9.3" parsed="|Lev|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>); and, if any person ate of what was so left their
conduct should be animadverted upon as a very high misdemeanour,
<scripRef passage="Le 7:18" id="Lev.viii-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Though they
were not obliged to eat it in the holy place, as those offerings
that are called most holy, but might take it to their own tents and
feast upon it there, yet God would by this law make them to know a
difference between that and other meat, and religiously to observe
it, that whereas they might keep other meat cold in the house as
long as they thought fit, and warm it again if they pleased, and
eat it three or four days after, they might not do so with the
flesh of their peace-offerings, but it must be eaten immediately.
(1.) Because God would not have that holy flesh to be in danger of
putrefying, or being fly-blown, to prevent which it must be salted
with <i>fire</i> (as the expression is, <scripRef passage="Mk 9:49" id="Lev.viii-p9.5" parsed="|Mark|9|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.9.49">Mark ix. 49</scripRef>) if it were kept; as, if it was
used, it must be salted with salt. (2.) Because God would not have
his people to be niggardly and sparing, and distrustful of
providence, but cheerfully to enjoy what God gives them (<scripRef passage="Ec 8:15" id="Lev.viii-p9.6" parsed="|Eccl|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.15">Eccl. viii. 15</scripRef>), and to do good with
it, and not to be anxiously solicitous for the morrow. (3.) The
flesh of the peace-offerings was God's treat, and therefore God
would have the disposal of it; and he orders it to be used
generously for the entertainment of their friends, and charitably
for the relief of the poor, to show that he is a bountiful
benefactor, <i>giving us all things richly to enjoy,</i> the bread
of the day in its day. If the sacrifice was thanksgiving, they were
especially obliged thus to testify their holy joy in God's goodness
by their holy feasting. This law is made very strict (<scripRef passage="Le 7:18" id="Lev.viii-p9.7" parsed="|Lev|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), that if the offerer did
not take care to have all his offering eaten by himself or his
family, his friends or the poor, within the time limited by the
law, or, in the event of any part being left, to burn it (which was
the most decent way of disposing of it, the sacrifices upon the
altar being <i>consumed by fire</i>), then his offering should not
be accepted, nor imputed to him. Note, All the benefit of our
religious services is lost if we do not improve them, and conduct
ourselves aright afterwards. They are not acceptable to God if they
have not a due influence upon ourselves. If a man seemed generous
in bringing a peace-offering, and yet afterwards proved sneaking
and paltry in the using of it, it was as if he had never brought
it; nay, <i>it shall be an abomination.</i> Note, There is no mean
between God's acceptance and his abhorrence. If our persons and
performances are sincere and upright, they are accepted; if not,
they are an abomination, <scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Lev.viii-p9.8" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv.
8</scripRef>. He that eats it after the time appointed shall
<i>bear his iniquity,</i> that is, he shall be <i>cut off from his
people,</i> as it is explained (<scripRef passage="Le 19:8" id="Lev.viii-p9.9" parsed="|Lev|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.8"><i>ch.</i> xix. 8</scripRef>), where this law is
repeated. This law of eating the peace-offerings before the third
day, that they might not putrefy, is applicable tot the
resurrection of Christ after two days, that, being God's <i>holy
one,</i> he might not see corruption, <scripRef passage="Ps 16:10" id="Lev.viii-p9.10" parsed="|Ps|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.16.10">Ps. xvi. 10</scripRef>. And some think that it instructs
us speedily, and without delay, to partake of Christ and his grace,
feeding and feasting thereon by faith to-day, <i>while it is called
to-day</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 3:13,14" id="Lev.viii-p9.11" parsed="|Heb|3|13|3|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.13-Heb.3.14">Heb. iii. 13,
14</scripRef>), for it will be too late shortly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p10">3. But the flesh, and those that eat it,
must be pure. (1.) The flesh must <i>touch no unclean thing;</i> if
it did, it must not be eaten, but burnt, <scripRef passage="Le 7:19" id="Lev.viii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|7|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. If, in carrying it from the
altar to the place where it was eaten, a dog touched it, or it
touched a dead body or any other unclean thing, it was then unfit
to be used in a religious feast. Every thing we honour the holy God
with must be pure and carefully kept from all pollution. It is a
case adjudged (<scripRef passage="Hag 2:12" id="Lev.viii-p10.2" parsed="|Hag|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hag.2.12">Hag. ii. 12</scripRef>)
that the holy flesh could not by its touch communicate holiness to
what was common; but by this law it is determined that by the touch
of that which was unclean it received pollution from it, which
intimates that the infection of sin is more easily and more
frequently communicated than the savour of grace. (2.) It must not
be eaten by any unclean person. When a person was upon any account
ceremonially unclean it was at his peril if he presumed to eat of
the flesh of the peace-offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 7:20,21" id="Lev.viii-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|7|20|7|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.20-Lev.7.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>. Holy things are only for
holy persons; the holiness of the food being ceremonial, those were
incapacitated to partake of it who lay under any ceremonial
uncleanness; but we are hereby taught to preserve ourselves pure
from all the pollutions of sin, that we may have the benefit and
comfort of Christ's sacrifice, <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:1,2" id="Lev.viii-p10.4" parsed="|1Pet|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.1-1Pet.2.2">1 Pet.
ii. 1, 2</scripRef>. Our consciences must be purged from dead
works, that we may be fit to <i>serve the living God,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:14" id="Lev.viii-p10.5" parsed="|Heb|9|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.14">Heb. ix. 14</scripRef>. But if any dare to
partake of the table of the Lord under the pollution of sin
unrepented of, and so profane sacred things, they eat and drink
<i>judgment to themselves,</i> as those did that ate of the
peace-offerings (<scripRef passage="Le 7:20" id="Lev.viii-p10.6" parsed="|Lev|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>) and again (<scripRef passage="Le 7:21" id="Lev.viii-p10.7" parsed="|Lev|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), that they <i>pertain unto the Lord:</i> whatever
pertains to the Lord is sacred, and must be used with great
reverence and not with unhallowed hands. "<i>Be you holy,</i> for
God is holy, and you pertain to him."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p11">4. The eating of blood and the fat of the
inwards is here again prohibited; and the prohibition is annexed as
before to the law of the peace-offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 3:17" id="Lev.viii-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.17"><i>ch.</i> iii. 17</scripRef>. (1.) The prohibition of
the fat seems to be confined to those beasts which were used for
sacrifice, the bullocks, sheep, and goats: but of the roe-buck, the
hart, and other clean beasts, they might eat the fat; for those
only of which offerings were brought are mentioned here, <scripRef passage="Le 7:23-25" id="Lev.viii-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|7|23|7|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.23-Lev.7.25"><i>v.</i> 23-25</scripRef>. This was to
preserve in their minds a reverence for God's altar, on which the
fat of the inwards was burnt. The Jews say, "If a man eat so much
as an olive of forbidden fat&#8212;if he do it presumptuously, he is in
danger of being cut off by the hand of God&#8212;if ignorantly, he is to
bring a sin-offering, and so to pay dearly for his carelessness."
To eat of the flesh of that which died of itself, or was torn of
beasts, was unlawful; but to eat of the fat of such was doubly
unlawful, <scripRef passage="Le 7:24" id="Lev.viii-p11.3" parsed="|Lev|7|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. (2.)
The prohibition of blood is more general (<scripRef passage="Le 7:26,27" id="Lev.viii-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|7|26|7|27" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.26-Lev.7.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>), because the fat was
offered to God only by way of acknowledgment, but the blood <i>made
atonement for the soul,</i> and so typified Christ's sacrifice much
more than the burning of the fat did; to this therefore a greater
reverence must be paid, till these types had their accomplishment
in the offering up of the body of Christ once for all. The Jews
rightly expound this law as forbidding only the <i>blood of the
life,</i> as they express it, not that which we call the
<i>gravy,</i> for of that they supposed it was lawful to eat.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p12">5. The priest's share of the
peace-offerings is here prescribed. Out of every beast that was
offered for a peace-offering the priest that offered it was to have
to himself the breast and the right shoulder, <scripRef passage="Le 7:30-34" id="Lev.viii-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|7|30|7|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.30-Lev.7.34"><i>v.</i> 30-34</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) That
when the sacrifice was killed the offerer himself must, with his
own hands, present God's part of it, that he might signify thereby
his cheerfully giving it up to God, and his desire that it might be
accepted. He was with his own hands to <i>lift it up,</i> in token
of his regard to God as the God of heaven, and then to <i>wave it
to and fro,</i> in token of his regard to God as the Lord of the
whole earth, to whom thus, as far as he could reach, he offered it,
showing his readiness and wish to do him honour. Now that which was
thus heaved and waved was the fat, and the breast, and the right
shoulder, it was all offered to God; and then he ordered the fat to
his altar, and the breast and shoulder to his priest, both being
his receivers. (2.) That when the fat was burnt the priest took his
part, on which he and his family were to feast, as well as the
offerer and his family. In holy joy and thanksgiving, it is good to
have our ministers to go before us, and to be our mouth to God. The
melody is sweet when he that sows and those that reap rejoice
together. Some observe a significancy in the parts assigned to the
priests: the breast and the shoulder intimate the affections and
the actions, which must be devoted to the honour of God by all his
people and to the service also of the church by all his priests.
Christ, our great peace-offering, feasts all his spiritual priests
with the breast and shoulder, with the dearest love and the
sweetest and strongest supports; for his is the wisdom of God and
the power of God. When Saul was designed for a king Samuel ordered
the shoulder of the peace-offering to be set before him (<scripRef passage="1Sa 9:24" id="Lev.viii-p12.2" parsed="|1Sam|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.9.24">1 Sam. ix. 24</scripRef>), which gave him a hint
of something great and sacred intended for him. Jesus Christ is our
great peace-offering; for he made himself a sacrifice, not only to
atone for sin, and so to save us from the curse, but to purchase a
blessing for us, and all good. By our joyfully partaking of the
benefits of redemption we <i>feast upon the sacrifice,</i> to
signify which the Lord's supper was instituted.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 7:35-38" id="Lev.viii-p12.3" parsed="|Lev|7|35|7|38" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.35-Lev.7.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.7.35-Lev.7.38">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.viii-p13">35 This <i>is the portion</i> of the anointing
of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p13.1">Lord</span> made by fire, in the day
<i>when</i> he presented them to minister unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p13.2">Lord</span> in the priest's office; 36 Which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p13.3">Lord</span> commanded to be given them of the
children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, <i>by</i> a
statute for ever throughout their generations. 37 This <i>is</i>
the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin
offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations,
and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; 38 Which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p13.4">Lord</span> commanded Moses in Mount Sinai, in
the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their
oblations unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.viii-p13.5">Lord</span>, in the
wilderness of Sinai.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.viii-p14">Here is the conclusion of these laws
concerning the sacrifices, though some of them are afterwards
repeated and explained. These are to be considered, 1. As a grant to
the priests, <scripRef passage="Le 7:35,36" id="Lev.viii-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|7|35|7|36" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.35-Lev.7.36"><i>v.</i> 35,
36</scripRef>. In the day they were ordained to that work and
office this provision was made for their comfortable maintenance.
Note, God will take care that those who are employed for him be
well paid and well provided for. Those that receive the anointing
of the Spirit to minister unto the Lord shall have their portion,
and it shall be a worthy portion, out of the offerings of the Lord;
for God's work is its own wages, and there is a present reward of
obedience in obedience. 2. As a statute for ever to the people,
that they should bring these offerings according to the rules
prescribed, and cheerfully give the priests their share out of
them. God <i>commanded the children of Israel to offer their
oblations,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 7:38" id="Lev.viii-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|7|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>.
Note, The solemn acts religious worship are commanded. They are not
things that we are left to our liberty in, and which we may do or
not do at our pleasure; but we are under indispensable obligations
to perform them in their season, and it is at our peril if we omit
them. The observance of the laws of Christ cannot be less necessary
than the observance of the laws of Moses was.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VIII" n="ix" progress="53.52%" prev="Lev.viii" next="Lev.x" id="Lev.ix">
<h2 id="Lev.ix-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.ix-p1">This chapter gives us an account of the solemn
consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priest's office. I. It
was done publicly, and the congregation was called together to be
witnesses of it, <scripRef passage="Le 8:1-4" id="Lev.ix-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|8|1|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.1-Lev.8.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>.
II. It was done exactly according to God's appointment, <scripRef passage="Le 8:5" id="Lev.ix-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.5">ver. 5</scripRef>. 1. They were washed and
dressed, <scripRef passage="Le 8:6-9,13" id="Lev.ix-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|8|6|8|9;|Lev|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.6-Lev.8.9 Bible:Lev.8.13">ver. 6-9, 13</scripRef>.
2. The tabernacle and the utensils of it were anointed, and then
the priests, <scripRef passage="Le 8:10-12" id="Lev.ix-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|8|10|8|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.10-Lev.8.12">ver. 10-12</scripRef>.
3. A sin-offering was offered for them, <scripRef passage="Le 8:14-17" id="Lev.ix-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|8|14|8|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.14-Lev.8.17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>. 4. A burnt-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 8:18-21" id="Lev.ix-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|8|18|8|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.18-Lev.8.21">ver. 18-21</scripRef>. 5. The ram of
consecration, <scripRef passage="Le 8:22-30" id="Lev.ix-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|8|22|8|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.22-Lev.8.30">ver. 22-30</scripRef>.
6. The continuance of this solemnity for seven days, <scripRef passage="Le 8:31-36" id="Lev.ix-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|8|31|8|36" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.31-Lev.8.36">ver. 31</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 8" id="Lev.ix-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 8:1-13" id="Lev.ix-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|8|1|8|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.1-Lev.8.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.8.1-Lev.8.13">
<h4 id="Lev.ix-p1.11">Consecration of Aaron and His
Sons. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.ix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Take Aaron and his sons with
him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the
sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;
&#160; 3 And gather thou all the congregation together unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 4 And Moses did
as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded him; and the
assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation. &#160; 5 And Moses said unto the congregation,
This <i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p2.3">Lord</span> commanded to be done. &#160; 6 And Moses
brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. &#160; 7
And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and
clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he
girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound
<i>it</i> unto him therewith. &#160; 8 And he put the breastplate
upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
&#160; 9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre,
<i>even</i> upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the
holy crown; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p2.4">Lord</span> commanded
Moses. &#160; 10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the
tabernacle and all that <i>was</i> therein, and sanctified them.
&#160; 11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and
anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his
foot, to sanctify them. &#160; 12 And he poured of the anointing
oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. &#160; 13
And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded
them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p2.5">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p3">God had given Moses orders to consecrate
Aaron and his sons to the priests' office, when he was with him the
first time upon Mount Sinai, <scripRef passage="Ex 28:1-29:46" id="Lev.ix-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|28|1|29|46" osisRef="Bible:Exod.28.1-Exod.29.46">Exod. xxviii. and xxix.</scripRef>, where we have
also the particular instructions he had how to do it. Now here we
have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p4">I. The orders repeated. What was there
commanded to be done is here commanded to be done <i>now,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 8:2,3" id="Lev.ix-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|8|2|8|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.2-Lev.8.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. The
tabernacle was newly set up, which, without the priests, would be
as a candlestick without a candle; the law concerning sacrifices
was newly given, but could not be observed without priests; for,
though Aaron and his sons had been nominated to the office, they
could not officiate, till they were consecrated, which yet must not
be done till the place of their ministration was prepared, and the
ordinances were instituted, that they might apply themselves to
work as soon as ever they were consecrated, and might know that
they were ordained, not only to the honour and profit, but to the
business of the priesthood. Aaron and his sons were near relations
to Moses, and therefore he would not consecrate them till he had
further orders, lest he should seem too forward to bring honour
into his family.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p5">II. The congregation called together, <i>at
the door,</i> that is, in the court <i>of the tabernacle,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 8:4" id="Lev.ix-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. The elders and
principal men of the congregation, who represented the body of the
people, were summoned to attend; for the court would hold but a few
of the many thousands of Israel. It was done thus publicly, 1.
Because it was a solemn transaction between God and Israel; the
priests were to be <i>ordained for men in things pertaining to
God,</i> for the maintaining of a settled correspondence, and the
negotiating of all affairs between the people and God; and
therefore it was fit that both sides should appear, to own the
appointment, at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 2. The
spectators of the solemnity could not but be possessed, by the
sight of it, with a great veneration for the priests and their
office, which was necessary among a people so wretchedly prone as
these were to envy and discontent. It was strange that any of those
who were witnesses of what was here done should afterwards say, as
some of them did, <i>You take too much upon you, you sons of
Levi;</i> but what would they have said if it had been done
clandestinely? Note, It is very fit, and of good use, that
ministers should be ordained publicly, <i>plebe praesente&#8212;in the
presence of the common people,</i> according to the usage of the
primitive church.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p6">III. The commission read, <scripRef passage="Le 8:5" id="Lev.ix-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Moses, who was God's
representative in this solemnity, produced his orders before the
congregation: <i>This is the thing which the Lord commanded to be
done.</i> Though God had crowned him king in Jeshurun, when he made
his face to shine in the sight of all Israel, yet he did not
institute or appoint any thing in God's worship but what God
himself had commanded. The priesthood he delivered to them was that
which he had received from the Lord. Note, All that minister about
holy things must have an eye to God's command as their rule and
warrant; for it is only in the observance of this that they can
expect to be owned and accepted of God. Thus we must be able to
say, in all acts of religious worship, <i>This is the thing which
the Lord commanded to be done.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p7">IV. The ceremony performed according to the
divine ritual. 1. Aaron and his sons were <i>washed with water</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 8:6" id="Lev.ix-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), to signify
that they ought now to purify themselves from all sinful
dispositions and inclinations, and ever after to keep themselves
pure. Christ washes those from their sins in his own blood whom he
makes to our God kings and priests (<scripRef passage="Re 1:5,6" id="Lev.ix-p7.2" parsed="|Rev|1|5|1|6" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.5-Rev.1.6">Rev. i. 5, 6</scripRef>); and those that draw near to
God must be washed in pure water, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:22" id="Lev.ix-p7.3" parsed="|Heb|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.22">Heb. x. 22</scripRef>. Though they were ever so clean
before and no filth was to be seen upon them, yet they must be
washed, to signify their purification from sin, with which their
souls were polluted, how clean soever their bodies were. 2. They
were clothed with the holy garments, Aaron with his (<scripRef passage="Le 8:7-9" id="Lev.ix-p7.4" parsed="|Lev|8|7|8|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.7-Lev.8.9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>), which typified the
dignity of Christ our great high priest, and his sons with theirs
(<scripRef passage="Le 8:13" id="Lev.ix-p7.5" parsed="|Lev|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), which
typified the decency of Christians, who are spiritual priests.
Christ wears the breast-plate of judgment and the holy crown; for
the church's high priest is her prophet and king. All believers are
clothed with the robe of righteousness, and girt with the girdle of
truth, resolution, and close application; and their heads are
<i>bound,</i> as the word here is, with the bonnet or diadem of
beauty, the beauty of holiness. 3. The high priest was anointed,
and, it should seem, the holy things were anointed at the same
time; some think that they were anointed before, but that the
anointing of them is mentioned here because Aaron was anointed with
the same oil with which they were anointed; but the manner of
relating it here makes it more than probable that it was done at
the same time, and that the seven days employed in consecrating the
altar were coincident with the seven days of the priests'
consecration. The tabernacle, and all its utensils, had some of the
anointing oil put upon them with Moses's finger (<scripRef passage="Le 8:10" id="Lev.ix-p7.6" parsed="|Lev|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), so had the altar (<scripRef passage="Le 8:11" id="Lev.ix-p7.7" parsed="|Lev|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>); these were to sanctify
the gold and the gift (<scripRef passage="Mt 23:17-19" id="Lev.ix-p7.8" parsed="|Matt|23|17|23|19" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.17-Matt.23.19">Matt. xxiii.
17-19</scripRef>), and therefore must themselves be thus
sanctified; but he poured it out more plentifully upon the head of
Aaron (<scripRef passage="Le 8:12" id="Lev.ix-p7.9" parsed="|Lev|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), so
that it ran down to the <i>skirts of his garments,</i> because his
unction was to typify the anointing of Christ with the Spirit,
which was not given by measure to him. Yet all believers also have
received the anointing, which puts an indelible character upon
them, <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:27" id="Lev.ix-p7.10" parsed="|1John|2|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.27">1 John ii. 27</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 8" id="Lev.ix-p7.11" parsed="|Lev|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 8:14-30" id="Lev.ix-p7.12" parsed="|Lev|8|14|8|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.14-Lev.8.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.8.14-Lev.8.30">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.ix-p8">14 And he brought the bullock for the sin
offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of
the bullock for the sin offering. &#160; 15 And he slew <i>it;</i>
and Moses took the blood, and put <i>it</i> upon the horns of the
altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and
poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to
make reconciliation upon it. &#160; 16 And he took all the fat that
<i>was</i> upon the inwards, and the caul <i>above</i> the liver,
and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned <i>it</i> upon
the altar. &#160; 17 But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and
his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 18 And he brought
the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their
hands upon the head of the ram. &#160; 19 And he killed <i>it;</i>
and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. &#160; 20
And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the
pieces, and the fat. &#160; 21 And he washed the inwards and the
legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it
<i>was</i> a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, <i>and</i> an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.2">Lord</span>;
as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160;
22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron
and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. &#160; 23
And he slew <i>it;</i> and Moses took of the blood of it, and put
<i>it</i> upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of
his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. &#160; 24
And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the
tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands,
and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled
the blood upon the altar round about. &#160; 25 And he took the
fat, and the rump, and all the fat that <i>was</i> upon the
inwards, and the caul <i>above</i> the liver, and the two kidneys,
and their fat, and the right shoulder: &#160; 26 And out of the
basket of unleavened bread, that <i>was</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.4">Lord</span>, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of
oiled bread, and one wafer, and put <i>them</i> on the fat, and
upon the right shoulder: &#160; 27 And he put all upon Aaron's
hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them <i>for</i> a wave
offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 28
And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt <i>them</i> on
the altar upon the burnt offering: they <i>were</i> consecrations
for a sweet savour: it <i>is</i> an offering made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 29 And Moses took the
breast, and waved it <i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.7">Lord</span>: <i>for</i> of the ram of
consecration it was Moses' part; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p8.8">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 30 And Moses took
of the anointing oil, and of the blood which <i>was</i> upon the
altar, and sprinkled <i>it</i> upon Aaron, <i>and</i> upon his
garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him;
and sanctified Aaron, <i>and</i> his garments, and his sons, and
his sons' garments with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p9">The covenant of priesthood must be made by
sacrifice, as well as other covenants, <scripRef passage="Ps 50:5" id="Lev.ix-p9.1" parsed="|Ps|50|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.5">Ps. l. 5</scripRef>. And thus Christ was consecrated by
the sacrifice of himself, once for all. Sacrifices of each kind
must be offered for the priests, that they might with the more
tenderness and concern offer the gifts and sacrifices of the
people, with compassion on the ignorant, and on <i>those that were
out of the way,</i> not insulting over those for whom sacrifices
were offered, remembering that they themselves had had sacrifices
offered for them, being <i>compassed with infirmity.</i> 1. A
bullock, the largest sacrifice, was offered for a sin-offering
(<scripRef passage="Le 8:14" id="Lev.ix-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), that hereby
atonement might be made, and they might not bring any of the guilt
of the sins of their former state into the new character they were
now to put on. When Isaiah was sent to be a prophet, he was told to
his comfort, <i>Thy iniquity is taken away,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 6:7" id="Lev.ix-p9.3" parsed="|Isa|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.7">Isa. vi. 7</scripRef>. Ministers, that are to declare the
remission of sins to others, should give diligence to get it made
sure to themselves in the first place that their own sins are
pardoned. Those to whom is <i>committed the ministry of
reconciliation</i> must first be reconciled to God themselves, that
they may deal for the souls of others as for their own. 2. A ram
was offered for a burnt-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 8:18-21" id="Lev.ix-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|8|18|8|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.18-Lev.8.21"><i>v.</i> 18-21</scripRef>. By this they gave to God
the glory of this great honour which was now put upon them, and
returned him praise for it, as Paul thanked Christ Jesus for
<i>putting him into the ministry,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 1:12" id="Lev.ix-p9.5" parsed="|1Tim|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.12">1 Tim. i. 12</scripRef>. They also signified the
devoting of themselves and all their services to the honour of God.
3. Another ram, called the <i>ram of consecration,</i> was offered
for a peace-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 8:22" id="Lev.ix-p9.6" parsed="|Lev|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>, &amp;c. The blood of it was part put on the priests,
on their ears, thumbs, and toes, and part sprinkled upon the altar;
and thus he did (as it were) marry them to the altar, upon which
they must all their days give attendance. All the ceremonies about
this offering, as those before, were appointed by the express
command of God; and, if we compare this chapter with <scripRef passage="Ex 29:1-46" id="Lev.ix-p9.7" parsed="|Exod|29|1|29|46" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.1-Exod.29.46">Exod. xxix</scripRef>, we shall find that the
performance of the solemnity exactly agrees with the precept there,
and in nothing varies. Here, therefore, as in the account we had of
the tabernacle and its vessels, it is again and again repeated,
<i>As the Lord commanded Moses.</i> And thus Christ, when he
sanctified himself with his own blood, had an eye to his Father's
will in it. <i>As the Father gave me commandment so I do,</i>
<scripRef passage="Joh 14:31,Joh 10:18,Joh 6:38" id="Lev.ix-p9.8" parsed="|John|14|31|0|0;|John|10|18|0|0;|John|6|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.14.31 Bible:John.10.18 Bible:John.6.38">John xiv. 31; x.
18; vi. 38</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 8:31-36" id="Lev.ix-p9.9" parsed="|Lev|8|31|8|36" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.31-Lev.8.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.8.31-Lev.8.36">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.ix-p10">31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons,
Boil the flesh <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation: and there eat it with the bread that <i>is</i> in the
basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons
shall eat it. &#160; 32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and
of the bread shall ye burn with fire. &#160; 33 And ye shall not go
out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation <i>in</i>
seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for
seven days shall he consecrate you. &#160; 34 As he hath done this
day, <i>so</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p10.1">Lord</span> hath
commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. &#160; 35 Therefore
shall ye abide <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p10.2">Lord</span>, that ye die not: for so I am
commanded. &#160; 36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.ix-p10.3">Lord</span> commanded by the hand of
Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p11">Moses, having done his part of the
ceremony, now leaves Aaron and his sons to do theirs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p12">I. They must boil the flesh of their
peace-offering, and eat it in the court of the tabernacle, and what
remained they must burn with fire, <scripRef passage="Le 8:31,32" id="Lev.ix-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|8|31|8|32" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.31-Lev.8.32"><i>v.</i> 31, 32</scripRef>. This signified their
thankful consent to the consecration: when God gave Ezekiel his
commission, he told him to eat the roll, <scripRef passage="Eze 3:1,2" id="Lev.ix-p12.2" parsed="|Ezek|3|1|3|2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.3.1-Ezek.3.2">Ezek. iii. 1, 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p13">II. They must not stir out of the court of
the tabernacle for seven days, <scripRef passage="Le 8:33" id="Lev.ix-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|8|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. The priesthood being a good
warfare, they must thus learn to endure hardness, and to
disentangle themselves from the affairs of this life, <scripRef passage="2Ti 2:3,4" id="Lev.ix-p13.2" parsed="|2Tim|2|3|2|4" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.3-2Tim.2.4">2 Tim. ii. 3, 4</scripRef>. Being consecrated
to their service, they must <i>give themselves wholly to it,</i>
and <i>attend continually to this very thing.</i> Thus Christ's
apostles were appointed to <i>wait for the promise of the
Father,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 1:4" id="Lev.ix-p13.3" parsed="|Acts|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.4">Acts i. 4</scripRef>. During
this time appointed for their consecration, they were daily to
repeat the same sacrifices which were offered the first day,
<scripRef passage="Le 8:34" id="Lev.ix-p13.4" parsed="|Lev|8|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. This shows the
imperfection of the legal sacrifices, which, because they could not
take away sin, were often repeated (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:1,2" id="Lev.ix-p13.5" parsed="|Heb|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.1-Heb.10.2">Heb. x. 1, 2</scripRef>), but were here repeated seven
times (a number of perfection), because they typified that <i>one
offering, which perfected for ever those that were sanctified.</i>
The work lasted seven days; for it was a kind of creation: and this
time was appointed in honour of the sabbath, which, probably, was
the last day of the seven, for which they were to prepare during
the six days. Thus the time of our life, like the six days, must be
our preparation for the perfection of our consecration to God in
the everlasting sabbath: they attended <i>day and night</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 8:35" id="Lev.ix-p13.6" parsed="|Lev|8|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>), and so
constant should we be in our meditation on God's law, <scripRef passage="Ps 1:2" id="Lev.ix-p13.7" parsed="|Ps|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.2">Ps. i. 2</scripRef>. They attended to <i>keep the
charge of the Lord:</i> we have every one of us a charge to keep,
an eternal God to glorify, an immortal soul to provide for, needful
duty to be done, our generation to serve; and it must be our daily
care to keep this charge, for it is the charge of the Lord our
Master, who will shortly call us to an account about it, and it is
at our utmost peril if we neglect it. Keep it <i>that you die
not;</i> it is death, eternal death, to betray the trust we are
charged with; by the consideration of this we must be kept in awe.
<i>Lastly,</i> We are told (<scripRef passage="Le 8:36" id="Lev.ix-p13.8" parsed="|Lev|8|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.36"><i>v.</i>
36</scripRef>) that <i>Aaron and his sons did all that was
commanded.</i> Thus their consecration was completed; and thus they
set an example before the people of an exact obedience to the laws
of sacrifices now newly given, and then they could with the better
grace teach them. Thus the <i>covenant of peace</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:12" id="Lev.ix-p13.9" parsed="|Num|25|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.12">Num. xxv. 12</scripRef>), <i>of life and
peace</i> (<scripRef passage="Mal 2:5" id="Lev.ix-p13.10" parsed="|Mal|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.5">Mal. ii. 5</scripRef>), was
made with Aaron and his sons; but after all the ceremonies that
were used in their consecration there was one point of ratification
which was reserved to be the honour and establishment of Christ's
priesthood, which was this, that they were <i>made priests without
an oath, but Christ with an oath</i> (<scripRef passage="Hab 7:21" id="Lev.ix-p13.11" parsed="|Hab|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.7.21">Hab. vii. 21</scripRef>), for neither such priests nor
their priesthood could continue, but Christ's is a perpetual and
unchangeable priesthood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.ix-p14">Gospel ministers are compared to those who
served at the altar, for they <i>minister about holy things</i>
(<scripRef passage="1Co 9:13" id="Lev.ix-p14.1" parsed="|1Cor|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.13">1 Cor. ix. 13</scripRef>), they are
God's mouth to the people and the people's to God, the pastors and
teachers Christ has appointed to continue in the church to the end
of the world: they seem to be meant in that promise which points at
gospel times (<scripRef passage="Isa 66:21" id="Lev.ix-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|66|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.21">Isa. lvi.
21</scripRef>), <i>I will take of them for priests and for
Levites.</i> No man may take this honour to himself, but he who
upon trial is found to be clothed and anointed by the Spirit of God
with gifts and graces to qualify him for it, and who with purpose
of heart devotes himself entirely to the service, and is then by
the <i>word and prayer</i> (for so every thing is sanctified), and
the imposition of the hands of those that <i>give themselves to the
word and prayer,</i> set apart to the office, and recommended to
Christ as a servant and to the church as a steward and guide. And
those that are thus solemnly dedicated to God ought not to depart
from his service, but faithfully to abide in it all their days; and
those that do so, and continue <i>labouring in the word and
doctrine,</i> are to be accounted <i>worthy of double honour,</i>
double to that of the Old-Testament priests.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IX" n="x" progress="53.90%" prev="Lev.ix" next="Lev.xi" id="Lev.x">
<h2 id="Lev.x-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.x-p1">Aaron and his sons, having been solemnly
consecrated to the priesthood, are in this chapter entering upon
the execution of their office, the very next day after their
consecration was completed. I. Moses (no doubt by direction from
God) appoints a meeting between God and his priests, as the
representatives of his people, ordering them to attend him, and
assuring them that he would appear to them, <scripRef passage="Le 9:1-7" id="Lev.x-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|9|1|9|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.1-Lev.9.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. II. The meeting is held according
to the appointment. 1. Aaron attends on God by sacrifice, offering
a sin-offering and burnt-offering for himself (<scripRef passage="Le 9:8-14" id="Lev.x-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|9|8|9|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.8-Lev.9.14">ver. 8-14</scripRef>), and then the offerings for the
people, whom he blessed in the name of the Lord, <scripRef passage="Le 9:15-22" id="Lev.x-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|9|15|9|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.15-Lev.9.22">ver. 15-22</scripRef>. 2. God signifies his
acceptance, (1.) Of their persons, by showing them his glory,
<scripRef passage="Le 9:23" id="Lev.x-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.23">ver. 23</scripRef>. (2.) Of their
sacrifices, by consuming them with fire from heaven, <scripRef passage="Le 9:24" id="Lev.x-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.24">ver. 24</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 9" id="Lev.x-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 9:1-7" id="Lev.x-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|9|1|9|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.1-Lev.9.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.9.1-Lev.9.7">
<h4 id="Lev.x-p1.8">Aaron and His Sons Enter on Their
Office. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.x-p2">1 And it came to pass on the eighth day,
<i>that</i> Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of
Israel; &#160; 2 And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for
a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish,
and offer <i>them</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 3 And unto the children of Israel
thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin
offering; and a calf and a lamb, <i>both</i> of the first year,
without blemish, for a burnt offering; &#160; 4 Also a bullock and
a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.2">Lord</span>; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for
to day the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.3">Lord</span> will appear unto
you. &#160; 5 And they brought <i>that</i> which Moses commanded
before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation
drew near and stood before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.4">Lord</span>.
&#160; 6 And Moses said, This <i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.5">Lord</span> commanded that ye should do: and the
glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.6">Lord</span> shall appear unto
you. &#160; 7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and
offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an
atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering
of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p2.7">Lord</span> commanded.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p3">Orders are here given for another solemnity
upon the eighth day; for the newly-ordained priests were set to
work immediately after the days of their consecration were
finished, to let them know that they were not ordained to be idle:
<i>He that desires the office of a bishop desires a good work,</i>
which must be looked at with desire, more than the honour and
benefit. The priests had not so much as one day's respite from
service allowed them, that they might divert themselves, and
receive the compliments of their friends upon their elevation, but
were busily employed the very next day; for their consecration was
the <i>filling of their hands.</i> God's spiritual priests have
constant work cut out for them, which the duty of every day
requires; and those that would give up their account with joy must
redeem time; see <scripRef passage="Eze 43:26,27" id="Lev.x-p3.1" parsed="|Ezek|43|26|43|27" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.43.26-Ezek.43.27">Ezek. xliii. 26,
27</scripRef>. Now, 1. Moses raises their expectation of a glorious
appearance of God to them this day (<scripRef passage="Le 9:4" id="Lev.x-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): "<i>To day the Lord will appear
to you</i> that are the priests." And when all the congregation are
gathered together, and <i>stand before the Lord,</i> he tells them
(<scripRef passage="Le 9:6" id="Lev.x-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), <i>The glory
of the Lord shall appear to you.</i> Though they had reason enough
to believe God's acceptance of all that they had done according to
his appointment, upon the general assurance we have that he is the
<i>rewarder of those that diligently seek him</i> (even if he had
not given them any sensible token of it), yet that if possible they
and theirs might be effectually obliged to the service and worship
of God, and might never turn aside to idols, the glory of God
appeared to them, and visibly owned what they had done. We are not
now to expect such appearances; we Christians walk more by faith,
and less by sight, than they did. But we may be sure that God draws
nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and that the offerings of faith
are really acceptable to him, though, the sacrifices being
spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are, as it is fit they
should be, spiritual likewise. To those who are duly consecrated to
God he will undoubtedly manifest himself. 2. He puts both priests
and people upon preparing to receive this favour which God designed
them. <i>Aaron and his sons,</i> and <i>the elders of Israel,</i>
are all summoned to attend, <scripRef passage="Le 9:1" id="Lev.x-p3.4" parsed="|Lev|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. Note, God will manifest himself in the solemn
assemblies of his people and ministers; and those that would have
the benefit and comfort of God's appearances must in them give
their attendance. (1.) Aaron is ordered to prepare his offerings:
<i>A young calf for a sin-offering,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 9:2" id="Lev.x-p3.5" parsed="|Lev|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. The Jewish writers suggest that a
<i>calf</i> was appointed for a sin-offering to remind him of his
sin in making the golden calf, by which he had rendered himself for
ever unworthy of the honour of the priesthood, and which he had
reason to reflect upon with sorrow and shame in all the atonements
he made. (2.) Aaron must direct the people to get theirs ready.
Hitherto Moses had told the people what they must do; but now
Aaron, as high priest over the house of God, must be their teacher,
<i>in things pertaining to God: Unto the children of Israel thou
shalt speak,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 9:3" id="Lev.x-p3.6" parsed="|Lev|9|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
Now that he was to speak from them to God in the sacrifices (the
language of which he that appointed them very well understood) he
must speak from God to them in the laws about the sacrifices. Thus
Moses would engage the people's respect and obedience to him, as
one that was set <i>over them in the Lord, to admonish them.</i>
(3.) Aaron must offer his own first, and then the people's,
<scripRef passage="Le 9:7" id="Lev.x-p3.7" parsed="|Lev|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Aaron must now
<i>go to the altar,</i> Moses having shown him the way to it; and
there, [1.] He must <i>make an atonement for himself;</i> for the
high priest, being <i>compassed with infirmity, ought, as for the
people, so also for himself, to offer for sins</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 5:2,3" id="Lev.x-p3.8" parsed="|Heb|5|2|5|3" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.2-Heb.5.3">Heb. v. 2, 3</scripRef>), and for himself
first; for how can we expect to be accepted in our prayers for
others, if we ourselves be not reconciled to God? Nor is any
service pleasing to God till the guilt of sin be removed by our
interest in the great propitiation. Those that have the care of the
souls of others are also hereby taught to look to their own in the
first place; this charity must begin at home, though it must not
end there. It is the charge to Timothy, to take care to save
himself first, and then those that heard him, <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:16" id="Lev.x-p3.9" parsed="|1Tim|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.16">1 Tim. iv. 16</scripRef>. The high priest made atonement
for himself, as one that was joined with sinners; but we have a
high priest that was separated from sinners, and needed no
atonement. When Messiah the prince was cut off as a sacrifice, it
was not for himself; for he knew no sin. [2.] He must <i>make an
atonement for the people,</i> by offering their sacrifices. Now
that he was made a high priest he must lay to heart the concerns of
the people, and this as their great concern, their reconciliation
to God, and the putting away of sin which had separated between
them and God. He must <i>make atonement as the Lord commanded.</i>
See here the wonderful condescension of the mercy of God, that he
not only allows an atonement to be made, but commands it; not only
admits, but requires us to be reconciled to him. No room therefore
is left to doubt but that the atonement which is commanded will be
accepted.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 9:8-22" id="Lev.x-p3.10" parsed="|Lev|9|8|9|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.8-Lev.9.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.9.8-Lev.9.22">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.x-p4">8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew
the calf of the sin offering, which <i>was</i> for himself. &#160;
9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped
his finger in the blood, and put <i>it</i> upon the horns of the
altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar: &#160;
10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of
the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p4.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 11 And the flesh
and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. &#160; 12 And he
slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the
blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar. &#160; 13 And
they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces
thereof, and the head: and he burnt <i>them</i> upon the altar.
&#160; 14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt
<i>them</i> upon the burnt offering on the altar. &#160; 15 And he
brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which <i>was</i>
the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for
sin, as the first. &#160; 16 And he brought the burnt offering, and
offered it according to the manner. &#160; 17 And he brought the
meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt <i>it</i>
upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning. &#160;
18 He slew also the bullock and the ram <i>for</i> a sacrifice of
peace offerings, which <i>was</i> for the people: and Aaron's sons
presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar
round about, &#160; 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram,
the rump, and that which covereth <i>the inwards,</i> and the
kidneys, and the caul <i>above</i> the liver: &#160; 20 And they
put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
&#160; 21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved
<i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p4.2">Lord</span>; as Moses commanded. &#160; 22 And Aaron
lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came
down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and
peace offerings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p5">These being the first offerings that ever
were offered by the levitical priesthood, according to the
newly-enacted law of sacrifices, the manner of offering them is
particularly related, that it might appear how exactly they agreed
with the institution. 1. Aaron with his own hands <i>slew the
offering</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 9:8" id="Lev.x-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|9|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>),
and did the work of the inferior priests; for, great as he was, he
must not think any service below him which he could do for the
honour of God: and, as Moses had shown him how to do this work
decently and dexterously, so he showed his sons, that they might do
likewise; for this is the best way of teaching, and thus parents
should instruct their children by example. Therefore as Moses
before, so Aaron now offered some of each of the several sorts of
sacrifices that were appointed, whose rites differed, that they
might be <i>thoroughly furnished for every good work.</i> 2. He
offered these <i>besides the burnt-sacrifice of the morning,</i>
which was every day offered first, <scripRef passage="Le 9:17" id="Lev.x-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Note, Our accustomed devotions
morning and evening, alone and in our families, must not be omitted
upon any pretence whatsoever, no, not when extraordinary services
are to be performed; whatever is added, these must not be
diminished. 3. It is not clear whether, when it is said that he
burnt such and such parts of the sacrifices upon the altar
(<scripRef passage="Le 9:10-20" id="Lev.x-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|9|10|9|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.10-Lev.9.20"><i>v.</i> 10-20</scripRef>), the
meaning is that he burnt them immediately with ordinary fire, as
formerly, or that he laid them upon the altar ready to be burnt
with the fire from heaven which they expected (<scripRef passage="Le 9:24" id="Lev.x-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), or whether, as bishop Patrick
thinks, he burnt the offerings for himself with ordinary fire, but
when they were burnt out he laid the people's sacrifices upon the
altar, which were kindled and consumed by the fire of the Lord. I
would rather conjecture, because it is said of all these sacrifices
that <i>he burnt them</i> (except the burnt-offering for the
people, of which it is said that he offered it <i>according to the
manner,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 9:16" id="Lev.x-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|9|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>,
which seems to be equivalent), that he did not kindle the fire to
burn them, but that then the fire from the Lord fastened upon them,
put out the fire that he had kindled (as we know a greater fire
puts out a less), and suddenly consumed the remainder, which the
fire he had kindled would have consumed slowly. 4. When Aaron had
done all that on his part was to be done about the sacrifices he
<i>lifted up his hand towards the people, and blessed them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 9:22" id="Lev.x-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. This was one
part of the priest's work, in which he was a type of Christ, who
came into the world to bless us, and when he was parted from his
disciples, at his ascension, <i>lifted up his hands and blessed
them,</i> and in them his whole church, of which they were the
elders and representatives, as the great high priest of our
profession. Aaron <i>lifted up his hands</i> in blessing them, to
intimate whence he desired and expected the blessing to come, even
from heaven, which is God's throne. Aaron could but crave a
blessing, it is God's prerogative to command it. Aaron, when he had
blessed, came down; Christ, when he blessed, went up.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 9:23-24" id="Lev.x-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|9|23|9|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.23-Lev.9.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.9.23-Lev.9.24">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.x-p6">23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle
of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the
glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p6.1">Lord</span> appeared unto all
the people. &#160; 24 And there came a fire out from before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.x-p6.2">Lord</span>, and consumed upon the altar
the burnt offering and the fat: <i>which</i> when all the people
saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p7">We are not told what Moses and Aaron went
into the tabernacle to do, <scripRef passage="Le 9:23" id="Lev.x-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Some of the Jewish writers say, "They went in to
pray for the appearance of the divine glory;" most probably they
went in that Moses might instruct Aaron how to do the service that
was to be done there&#8212;burn incense, light the lamps, set the
show-bread, &amp;c., that he might instruct his sons in it. But,
when they came out, they both joined in blessing the people, who
stood expecting the promised appearance of the divine glory; and it
was now (when Moses and Aaron concurred in praying) that they had
what they waited for. Note, God's manifestations of himself, of his
glory and grace, are commonly given in answer to prayer. When
Christ was praying the <i>heavens were opened,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 3:21" id="Lev.x-p7.2" parsed="|Luke|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.3.21">Luke iii. 21</scripRef>. The glory of God
appeared, not while the sacrifices were in offering, but when the
priests prayed (as <scripRef passage="2Ch 5:13" id="Lev.x-p7.3" parsed="|2Chr|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.5.13">2 Chron. v.
13</scripRef>), when they praised God, which intimates that the
prayers and praises of God's spiritual priests are more pleasing to
God than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p8">When the solemnity was finished, the
blessing pronounced, and the congregation ready to be dismissed, in
the close of the day, then God testified his acceptance, which gave
them such satisfaction as was well worth waiting for.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p9">I. <i>The glory of the Lord appeared unto
all the people,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 9:23" id="Lev.x-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. What the appearance of it was we are not told; no
doubt it was such as carried its own evidence along with it. The
glory which <i>filled the tabernacle</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 40:34" id="Lev.x-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|40|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.40.34">Exod. xl. 34</scripRef>) now showed itself at the door
of the tabernacle to those who attended there, as a prince shows
himself to the expecting crowd, to gratify them. God hereby
testified of their gifts, and showed them that he was worthy for
whom they should do all this. Note, Those that diligently attend
upon God in the way he has appointed shall have such a sight of his
glory as shall be abundantly to their satisfaction. Those that
dwell in God's house with an eye of faith may <i>behold the beauty
of the Lord.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p10">II. <i>There came a fire out from before
the Lord, and consumed the sacrifice,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 9:24" id="Lev.x-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. Here the learned bishop Patrick
has a very probable conjecture, that Moses and Aaron staid in the
tabernacle till it was time to offer the evening sacrifice, which
Aaron did, but it is not mentioned, because it was done of course,
and it was this which the <i>fire that came out from the Lord
consumed.</i> Whether this fire came from heaven, or out of the
most holy place, or from that visible appearance of the glory of
God which all the people saw, it was a manifest token of God's
acceptance of their service, as, afterwards, of Solomon's
sacrifice, <scripRef passage="2Ch 7:1" id="Lev.x-p10.2" parsed="|2Chr|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.1">2 Chron. vii. 1</scripRef>,
and Elijah's, <scripRef passage="1Ki 18:38" id="Lev.x-p10.3" parsed="|1Kgs|18|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.38">1 Kings xviii.
38</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p11">1. This fire did consume (or, as the word
is, <i>eat up</i>) the present sacrifice. And two ways this was a
testimony of acceptance:&#8212;(1.) It signified the turning away of
God's wrath from them. God's wrath is a consuming fire; this fire
might justly have fastened upon the people, and consumed them for
their sins; but its fastening upon the sacrifice, and consuming
that, signified God's acceptance of that as an atonement for the
sinner. (2.) It signified God's entering into covenant and
communion with them: they ate their part of the sacrifice, and the
fire of the Lord ate up his part; and thus he did, as it were,
<i>sup with them, and they with him,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 3:20" id="Lev.x-p11.1" parsed="|Rev|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.20">Rev. iii. 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p12">2. This fire did, as it were, take
possession of the altar. The fire was thus kindled in God's house,
which was to continue as long as the house stood, as we read
before, <scripRef passage="Le 6:13" id="Lev.x-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.13"><i>ch.</i> vi. 13</scripRef>.
This also was a figure of good things to come. The Spirit descended
upon the apostles in <i>fire</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 2:3" id="Lev.x-p12.2" parsed="|Acts|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.3">Acts
ii. 3</scripRef>), so ratifying their commission, as this spoken of
here did the priests'. And the descent of this holy fire into our
souls to kindle in them pious and devout affections towards God,
and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the lusts of it, is
a certain token of God's gracious acceptance of our persons and
performances. That redounds to God's glory which is the work of his
own grace in us. <i>Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and God in
us, because he hath thus given us of his Spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 4:13" id="Lev.x-p12.3" parsed="|1John|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.4.13">1 John iv. 13</scripRef>. Now henceforward, (1.)
All their sacrifices and incense must be offered with this fire.
Note, Nothing goes to God but what comes from him. We must have
grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot
<i>serve him acceptably,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 12:28" id="Lev.x-p12.4" parsed="|Heb|12|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.28">Heb.
xii. 28</scripRef>. (2.) The priests must keep it burning with a
constant supply of fuel, and the fuel must be wood, the cleanest of
fuel. Thus those to whom God has given grace must take heed of
quenching the Spirit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.x-p13">III. We are here told how the people were
affected with this discovery of God's glory and grace; they
received it, 1. With the highest joy: <i>They shouted;</i> so
stirring up themselves and one another to a holy triumph, in the
assurance now given them that they had God nigh unto them, which is
spoken of the grandeur of their nation, <scripRef passage="De 4:7" id="Lev.x-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.7">Deut. iv. 7</scripRef>. 2. With the lowest reverence:
<i>They fell on their faces,</i> humbly adoring the majesty of that
God who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a
sinful fear of God which drives us from him; a gracious fear makes
us bow before him. Very good impressions were made upon their minds
for the present, but they soon wore off, as those commonly do which
are made by that which is only sensible; while the influences of
faith are durable.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter X" n="xi" progress="54.27%" prev="Lev.x" next="Lev.xii" id="Lev.xi">
<h2 id="Lev.xi-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xi-p1">The story of this chapter is as sad an
interruption to the institutions of the levitical law as that of
the golden calf was to the account of the erecting of the
tabernacle. Here is, I. The sin and death of Nadab and Abihu, the
sons of Aaron, <scripRef passage="Le 10:1,2" id="Lev.xi-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.1-Lev.10.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>.
II. The quieting of Aaron under this sore affliction, <scripRef passage="Le 10:3" id="Lev.xi-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.3">ver. 3</scripRef>. III. Orders given and observed
about the funeral and mourning, <scripRef passage="Le 10:4-7" id="Lev.xi-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|10|4|10|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.4-Lev.10.7">ver.
4-7</scripRef>. IV. A command to the priests not to drink wine when
they went in to minister, <scripRef passage="Le 10:8-11" id="Lev.xi-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|10|8|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.8-Lev.10.11">ver.
8-11</scripRef>. V. The care Moses took that they should go on with
their work, notwithstanding the agitation produced by this event,
<scripRef passage="Le 10:12-20" id="Lev.xi-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|10|12|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.12-Lev.10.20">ver. 12</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 10" id="Lev.xi-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 10:1-2" id="Lev.xi-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.1-Lev.10.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.10.1-Lev.10.2">
<h4 id="Lev.xi-p1.8">Death of Nadab and Abihu. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xi-p2">1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took
either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense
thereon, and offered strange fire before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p2.1">Lord</span>, which he commanded them not. &#160; 2 And
there went out fire from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p2.2">Lord</span>,
and devoured them, and they died before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p2.3">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p3">Here is, I. The great sin that Nadab and
Abihu were guilty of: and a great sin we must call it, how little
soever it appears in our eye, because it is evident by the
punishment of it that it was highly provoking to the God of heaven,
whose judgment, we are sure, is according to truth. But what was
their sin? All the account here given of it is that they <i>offered
strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 10:1" id="Lev.xi-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), and the same
<scripRef passage="Nu 3:4" id="Lev.xi-p3.2" parsed="|Num|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.4">Num. iii. 4</scripRef>. 1. It does not
appear the they had any orders to burn incense at all at this time.
It is true their consecration was completed the day before, and it
was part of their work, as priests, to serve at the altar of
incense; but, it should seem, the whole service of this solemn day
of inauguration was to be performed by Aaron himself, for he
<i>slew the sacrifices</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 9:8,15,18" id="Lev.xi-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|9|8|0|0;|Lev|9|15|0|0;|Lev|9|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.8 Bible:Lev.9.15 Bible:Lev.9.18"><i>ch.</i> ix. 8, 15, 18</scripRef>), and his sons
were only to attend him (<scripRef passage="Le 10:9,12,18" id="Lev.xi-p3.4" parsed="|Lev|10|9|0|0;|Lev|10|12|0|0;|Lev|10|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.9 Bible:Lev.10.12 Bible:Lev.10.18"><i>v.</i> 9, 12, 18</scripRef>); therefore Moses
and Aaron only <i>went into the tabernacle,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 10:23" id="Lev.xi-p3.5" parsed="|Lev|10|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. But Nadab and Abihu were so
proud of the honour they were newly advanced to, and so ambitious
of doing the highest and most honourable part of their work
immediately, that though the service of this day was extraordinary,
and done by particular direction from Moses, yet without receiving
orders, or so much as asking leave from him, they took their
censers, and they would enter into the tabernacle, at the door of
which they thought they had attended long enough, and would burn
incense. And then their <i>offering strange fire</i> is the same
with <i>offering strange incense,</i> which is expressly forbidden,
<scripRef passage="Ex 30:9" id="Lev.xi-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.9">Exod. xxx. 9</scripRef>. Moses, we may
suppose, had the custody of the incense which was prepared for this
purpose (<scripRef passage="Ex 39:38" id="Lev.xi-p3.7" parsed="|Exod|39|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.39.38">Exod. xxxix. 38</scripRef>),
and they, doing this without his leave, had none of the incense
which should have been offered, but common incense, so that the
smoke of their incense came from a <i>strange fire.</i> God had
indeed required the priests to burn incense, but, at this time, it
was what he commanded them not; and so their crime was like that of
Uzziah the king, <scripRef passage="2Ch 26:16" id="Lev.xi-p3.8" parsed="|2Chr|26|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.26.16">2 Chron. xxvi.
16</scripRef>. The priests were to burn incense only when <i>it was
their lot</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 1:9" id="Lev.xi-p3.9" parsed="|Luke|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.9">Luke i. 9</scripRef>),
and, at this time, it was not theirs. 2. Presuming thus to burn
incense of their own without order, no marvel that they made a
further blunder, and instead of taking of the fire from the altar,
which was newly kindled from before the Lord and which henceforward
must be used in offering both sacrifice and incense (<scripRef passage="Re 8:5" id="Lev.xi-p3.10" parsed="|Rev|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.8.5">Rev. viii. 5</scripRef>), they took common fire,
probably from that with which the flesh of the peace-offerings was
boiled, and this they made use of in burning incense; not being
holy fire, it is called <i>strange fire;</i> and, though not
expressly forbidden, it was crime enough that God <i>commanded it
not.</i> For (as bishop Hall well observes here) "It is a dangerous
thing, in the service of God, to decline from his own institutions;
we have to do with a God who is wise to prescribe his own worship,
just to require what he has prescribed, and powerful to revenge
what he has not prescribed." 3. Incense was always to be burned by
only one priest at a time, but here they would both go in together
to do it. 4. They did it rashly, and with precipitation. They
<i>snatched</i> their censers, so some read it, in a light careless
way, without due reverence and seriousness: when all the people
<i>fell upon their faces,</i> before the <i>glory of the Lord,</i>
they thought the dignity of their office was such as to exempt them
from such abasements. The familiarity they were admitted to bred a
contempt of the divine Majesty; and now that they were priests they
thought they might do what they pleased. 5. There is reason to
suspect that they were drunk when they did it, because of the law
which was given upon this occasion, <scripRef passage="Le 10:8" id="Lev.xi-p3.11" parsed="|Lev|10|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. They had been feasting upon the
peace-offerings, and the drink-offerings that attended them, and so
their heads were light, or, at least, their <i>hearts were merry
with wine;</i> they <i>drank and forgot the law</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 31:5" id="Lev.xi-p3.12" parsed="|Prov|31|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.5">Prov. xxxi. 5</scripRef>) and were guilty of this
fatal miscarriage. 6. No doubt it was done presumptuously; for, if
it had been done through ignorance, they would have been allowed
the benefit of the law lately made, even for the priests, that they
should bring a sin-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 4:2,3" id="Lev.xi-p3.13" parsed="|Lev|4|2|4|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.2-Lev.4.3"><i>ch.</i> iv. 2, 3</scripRef>. But <i>the soul that
doth aught presumptuously,</i> and in contempt of God's majesty,
authority, and justice, <i>that soul shall be cut of,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:30" id="Lev.xi-p3.14" parsed="|Num|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.30">Num. xv. 30</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p4">II. The dreadful punishment of this sin:
<i>There went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 10:2" id="Lev.xi-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|10|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. This fire which
consumed the sacrifices came the same way with that which had
consumed the sacrifices (<scripRef passage="Le 9:24" id="Lev.xi-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.24"><i>ch.</i> ix.
24</scripRef>), which showed what justice would have done to all
the guilty people if infinite mercy had not found and accepted a
ransom; and, if that fire struck such an awe upon the people, much
more would this.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p5">1. Observe the severity of their
punishment. (1.) They <i>died.</i> Might it not have sufficed if
they had been only struck with a leprosy, as Uzziah, or struck
dumb, as Zechariah, and both by the altar of incense? No; they were
both struck dead. The wages of this sin was death. (2.) They died
<i>suddenly,</i> in the very act of their sin, and had not time so
much as to cry, "Lord, have mercy upon us!" Though God is
long-suffering to us-ward, yet sometimes he makes quick work with
sinners; sentence is executed speedily: presumptuous sinners bring
upon themselves a swift destruction, and are justly denied even
space to repent. (3.) They died <i>before the Lord;</i> that is,
before the veil that covered the mercy-seat; for even mercy itself
will not suffer its own glory to be affronted. Those that sinned
before the Lord died before him. Damned sinners are said to be
tormented <i>in the presence of the Lamb,</i> intimating that he
does not interpose on their behalf, <scripRef passage="Re 14:10" id="Lev.xi-p5.1" parsed="|Rev|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.10">Rev. xiv. 10</scripRef>. (4.) They died <i>by fire,</i>
as by fire they sinned. They slighted the fire that came from
before the Lord to consume the sacrifices, and thought other fire
would do every jot as well; and now God justly made them feel the
power of that fire which they did not reverence. Thus those that
hate to be refined by the fire of divine grace will undoubtedly be
ruined by the fire of divine wrath. The fire did not burn them to
ashes, as it had done the sacrifices, nor so much as singe their
coats (<scripRef passage="Le 10:5" id="Lev.xi-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|10|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), but,
like lightning, struck them dead in an instant; by these different
effects of the same fire God would show that it was no common fire,
but kindled <i>by the breath of the Almighty,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 30:23" id="Lev.xi-p5.3" parsed="|Isa|30|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.23">Isa. xxx. 23</scripRef>. (5.) It is twice taken
notice of in scripture that they <i>died childless,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 3:4,1Ch 24:2" id="Lev.xi-p5.4" parsed="|Num|3|4|0|0;|1Chr|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.4 Bible:1Chr.24.2">Num. iii. 4, and 1 Chron. xxiv.
2</scripRef>. By their presumption they had reproached God's name,
and God justly blotted out their names, and laid that honour in the
dust which they were proud of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p6">2. But why did the Lord deal thus severely
with them? Were they not the sons of Aaron, the saint of the Lord,
nephews to Moses, the great favourite of heaven? Was not the holy
anointing oil sprinkled upon them, as men whom God had set apart
for himself? Had they not diligently attended during the seven days
of their consecration, and <i>kept the charge of the Lord,</i> and
might not that atone for this rashness? Would it not excuse them
that they were young men, as yet unexperienced in these services,
that it was the first offence, and done in a transport of joy for
their elevation? And besides, never could men be worse spared: a
great deal of work was now lately cut out for the priests to do,
and the priesthood was confined to Aaron and his seed; he has but
four sons; if two of them die, there will not be hands enough to do
the service of the tabernacle; if they die childless, the house of
Aaron will become weak and little, and the priesthood will be in
danger of being lost for want of heirs. But none of all these
considerations shall serve either to excuse the offence or bring
off the offenders. For, (1.) The sin was greatly aggravated. It was
a manifest contempt of Moses, and the divine law that was given by
Moses. Hitherto it had been expressly observed concerning every
thing that was done that they did it <i>as the Lord commanded
Moses,</i> in opposition to which it is here said they did that
<i>which the Lord commanded them not,</i> but they did it of their
own heads. God was now teaching his people obedience, and to do
every thing by rule, as becomes servants; for priests therefore to
break rules and disobey was such a provocation as must by no means
go unpunished. Their character made their sin more exceedingly
sinful. For the sons of Aaron, his eldest sons, whom God had chosen
to be immediate attendants upon him, for them to be guilty of such
a piece of presumption, it cannot be suffered. There was in their
sin a contempt of God's glory, which had now newly appeared in
fire, as if that fire were needless, they had as good of their own
before. (2.) Their punishment was a piece of necessary justice, now
at the first settling of the ceremonial institutions. It is often
threatened in the law that such and such offenders should be cut
off from the people; and here God explained the threatening with a
witness. Now that the laws concerning sacrifices were newly made,
lest any should be tempted to think lightly of them because they
descended to many circumstances which seemed very minute, these
that were the first transgressors were thus punished, for warning
to others, and to show how jealous God is in the matters of his
worship. Thus he <i>magnified the law and made it honourable;</i>
and let his priests know that the caution which so often occurs in
the laws concerning them, that they must do so <i>that they die
not,</i> was not a mere bugbear, but fair warning of their danger,
if they did the work of the Lord negligently. And no doubt this
exemplary piece of justice at first prevented many irregularities
afterwards. Thus Ananias and Sapphira were punished, when they
presumed to lie to the Holy Ghost, that newly-descended fire. (3.)
As the people's falling into idolatry, presently after the moral
law was given, shows the weakness of the law and its insufficiency
to take away sin, so the sin and punishment of these priests show
the imperfection of that priesthood from the very beginning, and
its inability to shelter any from the fire of God's wrath otherwise
than as it was typical of Christ's priesthood, in the execution of
which there never was, nor can be, any irregularity, or false step
taken.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 10:3-7" id="Lev.xi-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|10|3|10|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.3-Lev.10.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.10.3-Lev.10.7">
<h4 id="Lev.xi-p6.2">Mourning for Nadab and
Abihu. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p6.3">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xi-p7">3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This <i>is it</i>
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p7.1">Lord</span> spake, saying, I will
be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people
I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. &#160; 4 And Moses
called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron,
and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the
sanctuary out of the camp. &#160; 5 So they went near, and carried
them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. &#160; 6
And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his
sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye
die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your
brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p7.2">Lord</span> hath kindled. &#160; 7 And ye
shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p7.3">Lord</span> <i>is</i> upon you. And they did
according to the word of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p8">We may well think that when Nadab and Abihu
were struck with death all about them were struck with horror, and
every face, as well as theirs, gathered blackness. Great
consternation, no doubt, seized them, and they were all full of
confusion; but, whatever the rest were, Moses was composed, and
knew what he said and did, not being displeased, as David was in a
like case, <scripRef passage="2Sa 6:8" id="Lev.xi-p8.1" parsed="|2Sam|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.6.8">2 Sam. vi. 8</scripRef>. But
though it touched him in a very tender part, and was a dreadful
damp to one of the greatest joys he ever knew, yet he kept
possession of his own soul, and took care to keep good order and a
due decorum in the sanctuary.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p9">I. He endeavours to pacify Aaron, and to
keep him in a good frame under this sad dispensation, <scripRef passage="Le 10:3" id="Lev.xi-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Moses was a brother that
was born for adversity, and has taught us, by his example, with
seasonable counsels and comforts to <i>support the weak,</i> and
<i>strengthen the feeble-minded.</i> Observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p10">1. What it was that Moses suggested to his
poor brother upon this occasion: <i>This is it that the Lord
spoke.</i> Note, The most quieting considerations under affliction
are those that are fetched from the word of God. So and so <i>the
Lord hath said,</i> and it is not for us to gainsay it. Note, also,
In all God's providences it is good to observe the fulfilling of
scripture, and to compare God's word and his works together, which
if we do we shall find an admirable harmony and agreement between
them, and that they mutually explain and illustrate each other.
But, (1.) Where did God speak this? We do not find the very words;
but to this purport he had said (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:22" id="Lev.xi-p10.1" parsed="|Exod|19|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.22">Exod.
xix. 22</scripRef>), <i>Let the priests who come near to the Lord
sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break forth upon them.</i>
Indeed the whole scope and tenour of his law spoke this, that being
a holy God, and a sovereign Lord, he must always be worshipped with
holiness and reverence, and exactly according to his own
appointment; and, if any jest with him, it is at their peril. Much
had been said to this purport, as <scripRef passage="Ex 29:43,44,34:14,Le 8:35" id="Lev.xi-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|29|43|29|44;|Exod|34|14|0|0;|Lev|8|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.43-Exod.29.44 Bible:Exod.34.14 Bible:Lev.8.35">Exod. xxix. 43, 44; xxxiv. 14;
<i>ch.</i> viii. 35</scripRef>. (2.) What was it that God spoke? It
was this (the Lord by his grace speak it to all our hearts!) <i>I
will be sanctified in those that come nigh me,</i> whoever they
are, and <i>before all the people I will be glorified.</i> Note,
<i>First,</i> Whenever we worship God, we come nigh unto him, as
spiritual priests. This consideration ought to make us very
reverent and serious in all acts of devotion, that in them we
approach to God, and present ourselves before him. <i>Secondly,</i>
It concerns us all, when we come nigh to God, to sanctify him, that
is, to give him the praise of his holiness, to perform every
religious exercise as those who believe that the God with whom we
have to do is a holy God, a God of spotless purity and transcendent
perfection, <scripRef passage="Isa 8:13" id="Lev.xi-p10.3" parsed="|Isa|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.13">Isa. viii. 13</scripRef>.
<i>Thirdly,</i> When we sanctify God we glorify him, for his
holiness is his glory; and, when we sanctify him in our solemn
assemblies, we glorify him <i>before all the people,</i> confessing
our own belief of his glory and desiring that others also may be
affected with it. <i>Fourthly,</i> If God be not sanctified and
glorified by us, he will be sanctified and glorified upon us. He
will take vengeance on those that profane his sacred name by
trifling with him. If his rent be not paid, it shall be distrained
for. (3.) But what was this to the present case? What was there in
this to quiet Aaron? Two things:&#8212;[1.] This must silence him, that
his sons deserved their death; for they were thus cut off from
their people because they did not sanctify and glorify God. The
acts of necessary justice, how hard soever they may seem to bear
upon the persons concerned, are not to be complained of, but
submitted to. [2.] This must satisfy him, that the death of his
sons redounded to the honour of God, and his impartial justice
would for it be adored throughout all ages.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p11">2. What good effects this had upon him:
<i>Aaron held his peace,</i> that is, he patiently submitted to the
holy will of God in this sad providence, was <i>dumb, and opened
not his mouth,</i> because God did it. Something he was ready to
say by way of complaint (as losers think they may have leave to
speak), but he wisely suppressed it, <i>laid his hand upon his
mouth,</i> and said nothing, for fear lest he <i>should offend with
his tongue,</i> now that his <i>heart was hot within him.</i> Note,
(1.) When God corrects us or ours for sin, it is our duty to be
silent under the correction, not to quarrel with God, arraign his
justice, or charge him with folly, but to acquiesce in all that God
does; not only bearing, but accepting, the punishment of iniquity,
and saying, as Eli, in a case not much unlike this, <i>It is the
Lord, let him do what seemeth him good,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 3:18" id="Lev.xi-p11.1" parsed="|1Sam|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.3.18">1 Sam. iii. 18</scripRef>. <i>If our children have
sinned against God</i> (as Bildad puts the case, <scripRef passage="Job 8:4" id="Lev.xi-p11.2" parsed="|Job|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.8.4">Job viii. 4</scripRef>), <i>and he have cast them away
for their transgression,</i> though it must needs be grievous to
think that the children of our love should be the children of God's
wrath, yet we must awfully adore the divine justice, and make no
exceptions against its processes. (2.) The most effectual arguments
to quiet a gracious spirit under afflictions are those that are
fetched from God's glory; this silenced Aaron. It is true he is a
loser in his comforts by this severe execution, but Moses has shown
him that God is a gainer in his glory, and therefore he has not a
word to say against it: if God be sanctified, Aaron is satisfied.
Far be it from him that he should honour his sons more than God, or
wish that God's name, or house, or law, should be exposed to
reproach or contempt for the preserving of the reputation of his
family. No; now, as well as in the matter of the golden calf, Levi
does not <i>acknowledge his brethren,</i> nor <i>know his own
children;</i> and therefore <i>they shall teach Jacob thy
judgments, and Israel thy law,</i> <scripRef passage="De 33:9,10" id="Lev.xi-p11.3" parsed="|Deut|33|9|33|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.9-Deut.33.10">Deut. xxxiii. 9, 10</scripRef>. Ministers and their
families are sometimes exercised with sore trials that they may be
examples to the believers of patience and resignation to God, and
they may comfort others with that with which they themselves have
been comforted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p12">II. Moses gives orders about the dead
bodies. It was not fit that they should be left to lie where they
fell; yet their own father and brethren, the amazed spectators of
this dismal tragedy, durst not offer to lift them up, no, not to
see whether there was any life left in them; they must neither be
diverted from nor unfitted for the great work that was now upon
their hands. <i>Let the dead bury their dead,</i> but they must go
on with their service; that is, "Rather let the dead be unburied,
if there be nobody else to do it, than that work for God should be
left undone by those whom he has called to it." But Moses takes
care of this matter, that though they died by the hand of justice
in the act of sin, yet they should be decently buried, and they
were so, <scripRef passage="Le 10:4,5" id="Lev.xi-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|10|4|10|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.4-Lev.10.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>.
1. Some of their nearest relations were employed in it, who were
cousins-german to their father, and are here named, who would
perform this office with tenderness and respect. They were Levites
only, and might not have come into the sanctuary, no, not upon such
an occasion as this, if they had not had a special command for it.
2. They carried them out of the camp to be burned, so far were they
from burying them in the place of worship, or the court of it,
according to our modern usage, though they died there, that they
did not bury them, nor any of their dead, within the lines of their
camp; as afterwards their burying places were out of their cities.
The tabernacle was pitched in the midst of the camp, so that they
could not carry these dead priests to their graves without carrying
them through one of the squadrons of the camp; and doubtless it was
a very awful affecting sight to the people. The names of Nadab and
Abihu had become very great and honourable among them; none more
talked of, nor more expected to appear abroad after the days of
their consecration, to receive the honours and caresses of the
crowd, whose manner it is to adore the rising sun; and next to
Moses and Aaron, who were old and going off, Nadab and Abihu (who
had been in the mount with God, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:1" id="Lev.xi-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1">Exod.
xxiv. 1</scripRef>) were looked upon as the great favourites of
heaven, and the hopes of their people; and now on a sudden, when
the tidings of the event had scarcely reached their ears, to see
them both carried out dead, with the visible marks of divine
vengeance upon them, as sacrifices to the justice of God, they
could not choose but cry out, <i>Who is able to stand before this
holy Lord God?</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 6:20" id="Lev.xi-p12.3" parsed="|1Sam|6|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.6.20">1 Sam. vi.
20</scripRef>. 3. They carried them out (and probably buried them)
in their coats, and the garments of their priesthood, which they
had lately put on, and perhaps were too proud of. Thus the
impartiality of God's justice was proclaimed, and all the people
were made to know that even the priests' garments would not protect
an offender from the wrath of God. And it was easy to argue, "If
they escape not when they transgress, can we expect to go
unpunished?" And the priests' clothes being so soon made
grave-clothes might intimate both that <i>the law worketh
death,</i> and that in the process of time that priesthood itself
should be abolished and buried in the grave of the Lord Jesus.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p13">III. He gives directions about the
mourning.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p14">1. That the priests must not mourn. Aaron
and his two surviving sons, though sad in spirit, must not use any
outward expressions of sorrow upon this sad occasion, nor so much
as follow the corpse one step from the door of the tabernacle,
<scripRef passage="Le 10:7" id="Lev.xi-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It was
afterwards forbidden to the high priest to use the ceremonies of
mourning for the death of any friend whatsoever, though it were a
father or mother (<scripRef passage="Le 21:11" id="Lev.xi-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|21|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.11"><i>ch.</i> xxi.
11</scripRef>); yet it was allowed at the same time to the inferior
priests to mourn for their near relations, <scripRef passage="Le 10:2,3" id="Lev.xi-p14.3" parsed="|Lev|10|2|10|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.2-Lev.10.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. But here it was forbidden
both to Aaron and his sons, because, (1.) They were now actually
waiting, doing a great work, which must by no means cease
(<scripRef passage="Ne 6:3" id="Lev.xi-p14.4" parsed="|Neh|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.6.3">Neh. vi. 3</scripRef>); and it was very
much for the honour of God that their attendance on him should take
place of their respects to their nearest relations, and that all
services should give way to those of their ministry. By this they
must make it to appear that they had a greater value and affection
for their God and their work than for the best friend they had in
the world; as Christ did, <scripRef passage="Mt 12:47,48" id="Lev.xi-p14.5" parsed="|Matt|12|47|12|48" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.47-Matt.12.48">Matt.
xii. 47, 48</scripRef>. And we are hereby taught, when we are
serving God in holy duties, to keep out minds, as much as may be,
intent and engaged, and not to suffer them to be diverted by any
worldly thoughts, or cares, or passions. Let us always attend upon
the Lord without distraction. (2.) Their brethren were cut off for
their transgression by the immediate hand of God, and therefore
they must not mourn for them lest they should seem to countenance
the sin, or impeach the justice of God in the punishment. Instead
of lamenting their own loss, they must be wholly taken up in
applauding the sentence, and subscribing to the equity of it. Note,
The public concerns of God's glory ought to lie nearer our hearts
than any private affections of our own. Observe, How Moses
frightens them into this submission, and holds the rod over them to
still their crying (<scripRef passage="Le 10:6" id="Lev.xi-p14.6" parsed="|Lev|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>): "<i>Lest you die</i> likewise, and <i>lest wrath
come upon all the people,</i> who may be in danger of suffering for
your irreverence, and disobedience, and ungoverned passions;" and
again (<scripRef passage="Le 10:7" id="Lev.xi-p14.7" parsed="|Lev|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), <i>lest
you die.</i> See here what use we are to make of the judgments of
God upon others; we must double our guard over ourselves, <i>lest
we likewise perish.</i> The death, especially the sudden death, of
others, instead of moving our passion, should compose us into a
holy reverence of God, a cautious separation from all sin, and a
serious expectation of our own death. The reason given them is
because <i>the anointing oil of your God is upon you,</i> the
honour of which must be carefully preserved by your doing the duty
of your office with cheerfulness. Note, Those that through grace
have <i>received the anointing</i> ought not to disturb themselves
with the <i>sorrow of the world,</i> which <i>worketh death.</i> It
was very hard, no doubt, for Aaron and his sons to restrain
themselves upon such an extraordinary occasion from inordinate
grief, but reason and grace mastered the passion, and they bore the
affliction with an obedient patience: <i>They did according to the
word of Moses,</i> because they knew it to be the word of God.
Happy those who thus are themselves under God's government, and
have their passions under their own government.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p15">2. The people must mourn: <i>Let the whole
house of Israel bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.</i>
The congregation must lament, not only the loss of their priests,
but especially the displeasure of God which appeared in it. They
must bewail the burning that was kindled, that it might not burn
further. Aaron and his sons were in danger of being too much
affected with the providence, and therefore they are forbidden to
mourn: the house of Israel were in danger of being too little
affected with it, and therefore they are commanded to lament. Thus
nature must always be governed by grace, according as it needs to
be either constrained or restrained.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 10:8-11" id="Lev.xi-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|10|8|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.8-Lev.10.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.10.8-Lev.10.11">
<h4 id="Lev.xi-p15.2">Cautions for the Priests. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p15.3">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xi-p16">8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p16.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 9 Do not drink wine nor strong
drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle
of the congregation, lest ye die: <i>it shall be</i> a statute for
ever throughout your generations: &#160; 10 And that ye may put
difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
&#160; 11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the
statutes which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p16.2">Lord</span> hath spoken
unto them by the hand of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p17">Aaron having been very observant of what
God said to him by Moses, now God does him the honour to speak to
him immediately (<scripRef passage="Le 10:8" id="Lev.xi-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|10|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>): <i>The Lord spoke unto Aaron,</i> and the rather
because what was now to be said Aaron might perhaps have taken
amiss from Moses, as if he had suspected him to have been a
gluttonous man and a wine-bibber, so apt are we to resent cautions
as accusations; therefore God saith it himself to him, <i>Do not
drink wine, nor strong drink, when you go into the tabernacle,</i>
and this at their peril, <i>lest you die,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 10:9" id="Lev.xi-p17.2" parsed="|Lev|10|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Probably they had seen the ill
effect of it in Nadab and Abihu, and therefore must take warning by
them. Observe here, 1. The prohibition itself: <i>Do not drink wine
nor strong drink.</i> At other times they were allowed it (it was
not expected that every priest should be a Nazarite), but during
the time of their ministration they were forbidden it. This was one
of the laws in Ezekiel's temple (<scripRef passage="Eze 44:21" id="Lev.xi-p17.3" parsed="|Ezek|44|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.21">Ezek. xliv. 21</scripRef>), and so it is required of
gospel ministers that they be <i>not given to wine,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 3:3" id="Lev.xi-p17.4" parsed="|1Tim|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.3">1 Tim. iii. 3</scripRef>. Note, Drunkenness is
bad in any, but it is especially scandalous and pernicious in
ministers, who of all men ought to have the clearest heads and the
cleanest hearts. 2. The penalty annexed to the prohibition: <i>Lest
you die; lest you die</i> when you are in drink, <i>and so that day
come upon you unawares,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 21:34" id="Lev.xi-p17.5" parsed="|Luke|21|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.34">Luke xxi.
34</scripRef>. Or, "Lest you do that which will make you liable to
be cut off by the hand of God." The danger of death we are
continually in should engage us to <i>be sober,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 4:7" id="Lev.xi-p17.6" parsed="|1Pet|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.7">1 Pet. iv. 7</scripRef>. It is a pity that it
should ever be used for the support of licentiousness, as it is by
those who argue, <i>Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.</i>
3. The reasons assigned for this prohibition. They must needs to be
sober, else they could not duly discharge their office; they will
be in danger of <i>erring through wine,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 28:7" id="Lev.xi-p17.7" parsed="|Isa|28|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.7">Isa. xxviii. 7</scripRef>. They must be sure to keep
sober, (1.) That they might themselves be able to distinguish, in
their ministrations, between that which was sacred and that which
was common, and might never confound them, <scripRef passage="Le 10:10" id="Lev.xi-p17.8" parsed="|Lev|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. It concerns the Lord's
ministers to put a difference between holy and unholy, both things
and persons, that they may separate between <i>the precious and the
vile,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 15:19" id="Lev.xi-p17.9" parsed="|Jer|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.15.19">Jer. xv. 19</scripRef>.
(2.) That they might be able to teach the people (<scripRef passage="Le 10:11" id="Lev.xi-p17.10" parsed="|Lev|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), for that was a part of
the priests' work (<scripRef passage="De 33:10" id="Lev.xi-p17.11" parsed="|Deut|33|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.10">Deut. xxxiii.
10</scripRef>); and those that are addicted to drunkenness are very
unfit to teach people God's statutes, both because those that live
after the flesh can have no experimental acquaintance with the
things of the Spirit, and because such teachers pull down with one
hand what they build up with the other.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 10" id="Lev.xi-p17.12" parsed="|Lev|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 10:12-20" id="Lev.xi-p17.13" parsed="|Lev|10|12|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.12-Lev.10.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.10.12-Lev.10.20">
<h4 id="Lev.xi-p17.14">Moses Angry with Eleazar and
Ithamar. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p17.15">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xi-p18">12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar
and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering
that remaineth of the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.1">Lord</span> made by fire, and eat it without leaven
beside the altar: for it <i>is</i> most holy: &#160; 13 And ye
shall eat it in the holy place, because it <i>is</i> thy due, and
thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.2">Lord</span> made by fire: for so I am commanded. &#160;
14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean
place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for <i>they
be</i> thy due, and thy sons' due, <i>which</i> are given out of
the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel. &#160;
15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the
offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave <i>it for</i> a wave
offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.3">Lord</span>; and it
shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.4">Lord</span> hath commanded. &#160; 16
And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and,
behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar,
the sons of Aaron <i>which were</i> left <i>alive,</i> saying,
&#160; 17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy
place, seeing it <i>is</i> most holy, and <i>God</i> hath given it
you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for
them before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.5">Lord</span>? &#160; 18
Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy
<i>place:</i> ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy
<i>place,</i> as I commanded. &#160; 19 And Aaron said unto Moses,
Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their
burnt offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.6">Lord</span>; and
such things have befallen me: and <i>if</i> I had eaten the sin
offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xi-p18.7">Lord</span>? &#160; 20 And when Moses heard
<i>that,</i> he was content.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p19">Moses is here directing Aaron to go on with
his service after this interruption. Afflictions should rather
quicken us to our duty than take us off from it. Observe (<scripRef passage="Le 10:12" id="Lev.xi-p19.1" parsed="|Lev|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), He spoke unto Aaron
and to his sons <i>that were left.</i> The notice taken of their
survivorship intimates, 1. That Aaron should take comfort under the
loss of two of his sons, from this consideration, that God had
graciously spared him the other two, and that he had reason to be
thankful for the remnant that was left, and all his sons were not
dead, and, in token of his thankfulness to God, to go on cheerfully
in his work. 2. That God's sparing them should be an engagement
upon them to proceed in his service, and not to fly off from it.
Here were four priests consecrated together, two were taken away,
and two left; therefore the two that were left should endeavour to
fill up the places of those that were gone, by double care and
diligence in the services of the priesthood. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p20">I. Moses repeats the directions he had
formerly given them about eating their share of the sacrifices,
<scripRef passage="Le 10:12-15" id="Lev.xi-p20.1" parsed="|Lev|10|12|10|15" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.12-Lev.10.15"><i>v.</i> 12-14, 15</scripRef>. The
priests must learn not only to <i>put a difference between the holy
and the unholy,</i> as they had been taught (<scripRef passage="Le 10:10" id="Lev.xi-p20.2" parsed="|Lev|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), but also to distinguish
between that which was most holy and that which was only holy of
the things that were to eat. That part of the meat-offering which
remained to the priest was most holy, and therefore must be eaten
in the courts of the tabernacle, and by Aaron <i>sons</i> only
(<scripRef passage="Le 10:12,13" id="Lev.xi-p20.3" parsed="|Lev|10|12|10|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.12-Lev.10.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>); but
the breast and shoulder of the peace-offerings might be eaten in
any decent place out of the courts of the tabernacle, and by the
daughters of their families. The meat-offerings, being annexed to
the burnt-offerings, were intended only and wholly for the glory of
God; but the peace-offerings were ordained for the furtherance of
men's joy and comfort; the former therefore were the more sacred,
and to be had more in veneration. This distinction the priests must
carefully observe, and take heed of making any blunders. Moses does
not pretend to give any reasons for this difference, but refers to
his instructions: <i>For so am I commanded,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 10:13" id="Lev.xi-p20.4" parsed="|Lev|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. This was reason enough; he had
<i>received of the Lord all that he delivered unto them,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 11:23" id="Lev.xi-p20.5" parsed="|1Cor|11|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.23">1 Cor. xi. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p21">II. He enquires concerning one deviation
from the appointment, which it seems had happened upon this
occasion, which was this:&#8212;There was a goat to be sacrificed as a
<i>sin-offering or the people,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 9:15" id="Lev.xi-p21.1" parsed="|Lev|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.15"><i>ch.</i> ix. 15</scripRef>. Now the law of the
sin-offerings was that if the blood of them was brought into the
holy place, as that of the sin-offerings for the priest was, then
the flesh was to be burnt without the camp; otherwise it was to be
eaten by the priest in the holy place, <scripRef passage="Le 6:30" id="Lev.xi-p21.2" parsed="|Lev|6|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.30"><i>ch.</i> vi. 30</scripRef>. The meaning of this is here
explained (<scripRef passage="Le 10:17" id="Lev.xi-p21.3" parsed="|Lev|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>),
that the priests did hereby <i>bear the iniquity of the
congregation,</i> that is, they were types of him who was to be
made sin for us, and on whom God would <i>lay the iniquity of us
all.</i> Now the blood of this goat was not brought into the holy
place, and yet, it seems, it was burnt without the camp. Now
observe here, 1. The gentle reproof Moses gives to Aaron and his
sons for this irregularity. Here again Aaron sons are said to be
those <i>that were left alive</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 10:16" id="Lev.xi-p21.4" parsed="|Lev|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), who therefore ought to have
taken warning; and Moses was <i>angry with them.</i> Though he was
the meekest man in the world, it seems he could be angry; and when
he thought God was disobeyed and dishonoured, and the priesthood
endangered, he would be angry. Yet observe how very mildly he deals
with Aaron and his sons, considering their present affliction. He
only tells them <i>they should indeed have eaten it in the holy
place,</i> but is willing to hear what they have to say for
themselves, being loth to speak to the grief of those whom God had
wounded.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p22">2. The plausible excuse which Aaron makes
for this mistake. Moses charged the fault upon Eleazar and Ithamar
(<scripRef passage="Le 10:16" id="Lev.xi-p22.1" parsed="|Lev|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), but it is
probable that what they did was by Aaron direction, and therefore
he apologized for it. He might have pleaded that this was a
sin-offering for the congregation, and if it had been a bullock it
must have been wholly burnt (<scripRef passage="Le 4:21" id="Lev.xi-p22.2" parsed="|Lev|4|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.21"><i>ch.</i>
iv. 21</scripRef>), and therefore why not now that it was a goat?
But it seems it was otherwise ordered at this time, and therefore
he makes his affliction his excuse, <scripRef passage="Le 10:19" id="Lev.xi-p22.3" parsed="|Lev|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Observe, (1.) How he speaks of
affliction: <i>Such things have befallen me,</i> such sad things,
which could not but go near his heart, and make it very happy. He
was a high priest <i>taken from among men,</i> and could not put
off natural affection when he put on the holy garments. He held his
peace (<scripRef passage="Le 10:3" id="Lev.xi-p22.4" parsed="|Lev|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), yet his
sorrow was stirred, as David's, <scripRef passage="Ps 39:2" id="Lev.xi-p22.5" parsed="|Ps|39|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.2">Ps.
xxxix. 2</scripRef>. Note, There may be a deep sense of affliction
even where there is a sincere resignation to the will of God in the
affliction. "<i>Such things</i> as never befel me before, and as I
little expected now. My spirits cannot but sink, when I see my
family sinking; I must needs be heavy, when God is angry:" thus it
is easy to say a great deal to aggravate an affliction, but it is
better to say little. (2.) How he makes this an excuse for his
varying from the appointment about the sin-offering. He could not
have eaten it but in his mourning, and with a sorrowful spirit; and
would this have been accepted? He does not plead that his heart was
so full of grief that he had no appetite for it, but that he feared
it would not be accepted. Note, [1.] Acceptance with God is the
great thing we should desire and aim at in all our religious
services, particularly in the Lord's supper, which is our eating of
the sin-offering. [2.] The sorrow of the world is a very great
hindrance to our acceptable performance of holy duties, both as it
is discomposing to ourselves, takes off our chariot-wheels and
makes us drive heavily (<scripRef passage="1Sa 1:7,8" id="Lev.xi-p22.6" parsed="|1Sam|1|7|1|8" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.1.7-1Sam.1.8">1 Sam. i. 7,
8</scripRef>), and as it is displeasing to God, whose will it is
that we should serve him cheerfully, <scripRef passage="De 12:7" id="Lev.xi-p22.7" parsed="|Deut|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.7">Deut. xii. 7</scripRef>. Mourner's bread was polluted,
<scripRef passage="Ho 9:4" id="Lev.xi-p22.8" parsed="|Hos|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.9.4">Hos. ix. 4</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Mal 3:14" id="Lev.xi-p22.9" parsed="|Mal|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.14">Mal. iii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xi-p23">3. The acquiescence of Moses in this
excuse: <i>He was content,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 10:20" id="Lev.xi-p23.1" parsed="|Lev|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Perhaps he thought it justified
what they had done. God had provided that what could not be eaten
might be burnt. Our unfitness for duty, when it is natural and not
sinful, will have great allowances made for it; and God will have
mercy and not sacrifice. At least he thought it did very much
extenuate the fault; <i>the spirit indeed was willing, but the
flesh was weak.</i> God by Moses showed that he considered his
frame. It appeared that Aaron sincerely aimed at God's acceptance;
and those that do so with an upright heart shall find he is not
<i>extreme to mark what they do amiss.</i> Nor must we be severe in
our animadversions upon every mistake, <i>considering ourselves,
lest we also be tempted.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XI" n="xii" progress="55.04%" prev="Lev.xi" next="Lev.xiii" id="Lev.xii">
<h2 id="Lev.xii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xii-p1">The ceremonial law is described by the apostle
(<scripRef passage="Heb 9:9,10" id="Lev.xii-p1.1" parsed="|Heb|9|9|9|10" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.9-Heb.9.10">Heb. ix. 9, 10</scripRef>) to
consist, not only "in gifts and sacrifices," which hitherto have
been treated of in this book, but "in meats, and drinks, and divers
washings" from ceremonial uncleanness, the laws concerning which
begin with this chapter, which puts a difference between some sorts
of flesh-meat and others, allowing some to be eaten as clean and
forbidding others as unclean. "There is one kind of flesh of men."
Nature startles at the thought of eating this, and none do it but
such as have arrived at the highest degree of barbarity, and become
but one remove from brutes; therefore there needed no law against
it. But there is "another kind of flesh of beasts," concerning
which the law directs here (<scripRef passage="Le 11:1-8" id="Lev.xii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|11|1|11|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.1-Lev.11.8">ver.
1-8</scripRef>), "another of fishes" (<scripRef passage="Le 11:9-12" id="Lev.xii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|11|9|11|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.9-Lev.11.12">ver. 9-12</scripRef>), "another of birds" (<scripRef passage="Le 11:13-19" id="Lev.xii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|11|13|11|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.13-Lev.11.19">ver. 13-19</scripRef>), and "another of
creeping things," which are distinguished into two sorts, flying
creeping things (<scripRef passage="Le 11:20-28" id="Lev.xii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|11|20|11|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.20-Lev.11.28">ver.
20-28</scripRef>) and creeping things upon the earth, <scripRef passage="Le 11:29-43" id="Lev.xii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|11|29|11|43" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.29-Lev.11.43">ver. 29-43</scripRef>. And the law concludes
with the general rule of holiness, and reasons for it, <scripRef passage="Le 11:44-47" id="Lev.xii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|11|44|11|47" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.44-Lev.11.47">ver. 44</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 11" id="Lev.xii-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 11:1-8" id="Lev.xii-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|11|1|11|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.1-Lev.11.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.11.1-Lev.11.8">
<h4 id="Lev.xii-p1.10">Distinction of Meats. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, &#160; 2 Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying, These <i>are</i> the beasts
which ye shall eat among all the beasts that <i>are</i> on the
earth. &#160; 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted,
<i>and</i> cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
&#160; 4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the
cud, or of them that divide the hoof: <i>as</i> the camel, because
he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he <i>is</i> unclean
unto you. &#160; 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but
divideth not the hoof; he <i>is</i> unclean unto you. &#160; 6 And
the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he
<i>is</i> unclean unto you. &#160; 7 And the swine, though he
divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud;
he <i>is</i> unclean to you. &#160; 8 Of their flesh shall ye not
eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they <i>are</i> unclean
to you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xii-p3">Now that Aaron was consecrated a high
priest over the house of God, God spoke to him with Moses, and
appointed them both as joint-commissioners to deliver his will to
the people. He spoke both to Moses and to Aaron about this matter;
for it was particularly required of the priests that they should
put a difference between clean and unclean, and teach the people to
do so. After the flood, when God entered into covenant with Noah
and his sons, he allowed them to eat flesh (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:13" id="Lev.xii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.13">Gen. ix. 13</scripRef>), whereas before they were
confined to the productions of the earth. But the liberty allowed
to the sons of Noah is here limited to the sons of Israel. They
might eat flesh, but not all kinds of flesh; some they must look
upon as unclean and forbidden to them, others as clean and allowed
them. The law in this matter is both very particular and very
strict. But what reason can be given for this law? Why may not
God's people have as free a use of all the creatures as other
people? 1. It is reason enough that God would have it so: his will,
as it is law sufficient, so it is reason sufficient; for his will
is his wisdom. He saw good thus to try and exercise the obedience
of his people, not only in the solemnities of his altar, but in
matters of daily occurrence at their own table, that they might
remember they were under authority. Thus God had tried the
obedience of man in innocency, by forbidding him to eat of one
particular tree. 2. Most of the meats forbidden as unclean are such
as were really unwholesome, and not fit to be eaten; and those of
them that we think wholesome enough, and use accordingly, as the
rabbit, the hare, and the swine, perhaps in those countries, and to
their bodies, might be hurtful. And then God in this law did by
them but as a wise and loving father does by his children, whom he
restrains from eating that which he knows will make them sick.
Note, The Lord is for the body, and it is not only folly, but sin
against God, to prejudice our health for the pleasing of our
appetite. 3. God would thus teach his people to distinguish
themselves from other people, not only in their religious worship,
but in the common actions of life. Thus he would show them that
they must not be numbered among the nations. It should seem there
had been, before this, some difference between the Hebrews and
other nations in their food, kept up by tradition; for the
Egyptians and they would not eat together, <scripRef passage="Ge 43:32" id="Lev.xii-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|43|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.43.32">Gen. xliii. 32</scripRef>. And even before the flood
there was a distinction of beasts into clean and not clean
(<scripRef passage="Ge 7:2" id="Lev.xii-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.2">Gen. vii. 2</scripRef>), which
distinction was quite lost, with many other instances of religion,
among the Gentiles. But by this law it is reduced to a certainty,
and ordered to be kept up among the Jews, that thus, by having a
diet peculiar to themselves, they might be kept from familiar
conversation with their idolatrous neighbours, and might typify
God's spiritual Israel, who not in these little things, but in the
temper of their spirits, and the course of their lives, should be
governed by a sober singularity, and not be conformed to this
world. The learned observe further, That most of the creatures
which by this law were to be abominated as unclean were such as
were had in high veneration among the heathen, not so much for food
as for divination and sacrifice to their gods; and therefore those
are here mentioned as unclean, and an abomination, which yet they
would not be in any temptation to eat, that they might keep up a
religious loathing of that for which the Gentiles had a
superstitious value. The swine, with the later Gentiles, was sacred
to Venus, the owl to Minerva, the eagle to Jupiter, the dog to
Hecate, &amp;c., and all these are here made unclean. As to the
beasts, there is a general rule laid down, that those which both
part the hoof and chew the cud were clean, and those only: these
are particularly mentioned in the repetition of this law (<scripRef passage="De 14:4,5" id="Lev.xii-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|14|4|14|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.4-Deut.14.5">Deut. xiv. 4, 5</scripRef>), where it appears
that the Israelites had variety enough allowed them, and needed not
to complain of the confinement they were under. Those beasts that
did not both <i>chew the cud and divide the hoof</i> were unclean,
by which rule the flesh of swine, and of hares, and of rabbits, was
prohibited to them, though commonly used among us. Therefore,
particularly at the eating of any of these, we should give thanks
for the liberty granted us in this matter by the gospel, which
teaches us that <i>every creature of God is good,</i> and we are to
<i>call nothing common or unclean.</i> Some observe a significancy
in the rule here laid down for them to distinguish by, or at least
think it may be alluded to. Meditation, and other acts of devotion
done by the hidden man of the heart, may be signified by the
chewing of the cud, digesting our spiritual food; justice and
charity towards men, and the acts of a good conversation, may be
signified by the <i>dividing of the hoof.</i> Now either of these
without the other will not serve to recommend us to God, but both
must go together, good affections in the heart and good works in
the life: if either be wanting, we are not clean, surely we are not
clean. Of all the creatures here forbidden as unclean, none has
been more dreaded and detested by the pious Jews than swine's
flesh. Many were put to death by Antiochus because they would not
eat it. This, probably, they were most in danger of being tempted
to, and therefore possessed themselves and their children with a
particular antipathy to it, calling it not by its proper name, but
<i>a strange thing.</i> It should seem the Gentiles used it
superstitiously (<scripRef passage="Isa 65:4" id="Lev.xii-p3.5" parsed="|Isa|65|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.4">Isa. lxv.
4</scripRef>), <i>they eat swine's flesh;</i> and therefore God
forbids all use of it to his people, lest they should learn of
their neighbours to make that ill use of it. Some suggest that the
prohibition of these beasts as unclean was intended to be a caution
to the people against the bad qualities of these creatures. We must
not be filthy nor wallow in the mire as swine, nor be timorous and
faint-hearted as hares, nor dwell in the earth as rabbits; let not
man that is in honour make himself like these beasts that perish.
The law forbade, not only the eating of them, but the very touching
of them; for those that would be kept from any sin must be careful
to avoid all temptations to it, and every thing that looks towards
it or leads to it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 11:9-19" id="Lev.xii-p3.6" parsed="|Lev|11|9|11|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.9-Lev.11.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.11.9-Lev.11.19">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xii-p4">9 These shall ye eat of all that <i>are</i> in
the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the
seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. &#160; 10 And all that
have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all
that move in the waters, and of any living thing which <i>is</i> in
the waters, they <i>shall be</i> an abomination unto you: &#160; 11
They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of
their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
&#160; 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that
<i>shall be</i> an abomination unto you. &#160; 13 And these <i>are
they which</i> ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they
shall not be eaten, they <i>are</i> an abomination: the eagle, and
the ossifrage, and the ospray, &#160; 14 And the vulture, and the
kite after his kind; &#160; 15 Every raven after his kind; &#160;
16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk
after his kind, &#160; 17 And the little owl, and the cormorant,
and the great owl, &#160; 18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the
gier eagle, &#160; 19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and
the lapwing, and the bat.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xii-p5">Here is, 1. A general rule concerning
fishes, which were clean and which not. All that had fins and
scales they might eat, and only those odd sorts of water-animals
that have not were forbidden, <scripRef passage="Le 11:9,10" id="Lev.xii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|11|9|11|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.9-Lev.11.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. The ancients accounted
fish the most delicate food (so far were they from allowing it on
fasting-days, or making it an instance of mortification to eat
fish); therefore God did not lay much restraint upon his people in
them; for he is a Master that allows his servants not only for
necessity but for delight. Concerning the prohibited fish it is
said, <i>They shall be an abomination to you</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 11:10-12" id="Lev.xii-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|11|10|11|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.10-Lev.11.12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>), that is, "You
shall count them unclean, and not only not eat of them, but keep at
a distance from them." Note, Whatever is unclean should be to us an
abomination; <i>touch not the unclean thing.</i> But observe, It
was to be an abomination only to Jews; the neighbouring nations
were under none of these obligations, nor are these things to be an
abomination to us Christians. The Jews were honoured with peculiar
privileges, and therefore, lest they should be proud of those,
<i>Transeunt cum onere&#8212;They were likewise laid under peculiar
restraints.</i> Thus God's spiritual Israel, as they are dignified
above others by the gospel-covenant of adoption and friendship, so
they must be mortified more than others by the gospel-commands of
self-denial and bearing the cross. 2. Concerning fowls here is no
general rule given, but a particular enumeration of those fowls
that they must abstain from as unclean, which implies an allowance
of all others. The critics here have their hands full to find out
what is the true signification of the Hebrew words here used, some
of which still remain uncertain, some sorts of fowls being peculiar
to some countries. Were the law in force now, we should be
concerned to know with certainty what are prohibited by it; and
perhaps if we did, and were better acquainted with the nature of
the fowls here mentioned, we should admire the knowledge of Adam,
in giving them names expressive of their natures, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:20" id="Lev.xii-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|2|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.20">Gen. ii. 20</scripRef>. But the law being
repealed, and the learning in a great measure lost, it is
sufficient for us to observe that of the fowls here forbidden, (1.)
Some are birds of prey, as the eagle, vulture, &amp;c., and God
would have his people to abhor every thing that is barbarous and
cruel, and not to live by blood and rapine. Doves that are preyed
upon were fit to be food for man and offerings to God; but kites
and hawks that prey upon them must be looked upon as an abomination
to God and man; for the condition of those that are persecuted for
righteousness' sake appears to an eye of faith every way better
than that of their persecutors. (2.) Others of them are solitary
birds, that abide in dark and desolate places, as the owl and the
pelican (<scripRef passage="Ps 102:6" id="Lev.xii-p5.4" parsed="|Ps|102|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.102.6">Ps. cii. 6</scripRef>), and
the cormorant and raven (<scripRef passage="Isa 34:11" id="Lev.xii-p5.5" parsed="|Isa|34|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.34.11">Isa. xxxiv.
11</scripRef>); for God's Israel should not be a melancholy people,
nor affect sadness and constant solitude. (3.) Others of them feed
upon that which is impure, as the stork on serpents, others of them
on worms; and we must not only abstain from all impurity ourselves,
but from communion with those that allow themselves in it. (4.)
Others of them were used by the Egyptians and other Gentiles in
their divinations. Some birds were reckoned fortunate, others
ominous; and their soothsayers had great regard to the flights of
these birds, all which therefore must be an abomination to God's
people, who must not learn the way of the heathen.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 11:20-42" id="Lev.xii-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|11|20|11|42" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.20-Lev.11.42"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.11.20-Lev.11.42">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xii-p6">20 All fowls that creep, going upon <i>all</i>
four, <i>shall be</i> an abomination unto you. &#160; 21 Yet these
may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon
<i>all</i> four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal
upon the earth; &#160; 22 <i>Even</i> these of them ye may eat; the
locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the
beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. &#160;
23 But all <i>other</i> flying creeping things, which have four
feet, <i>shall be</i> an abomination unto you. &#160; 24 And for
these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them
shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 25 And whosoever beareth
<i>ought</i> of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be
unclean until the even. &#160; 26 <i>The carcases</i> of every
beast which divideth the hoof, and <i>is</i> not clovenfooted, nor
cheweth the cud, <i>are</i> unclean unto you: every one that
toucheth them shall be unclean. &#160; 27 And whatsoever goeth upon
his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on <i>all</i> four,
those <i>are</i> unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase
shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 28 And he that beareth the
carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the
even: they <i>are</i> unclean unto you. &#160; 29 These also
<i>shall be</i> unclean unto you among the creeping things that
creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise
after his kind, &#160; 30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and
the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. &#160; 31 These <i>are</i>
unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them,
when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 32 And
upon whatsoever <i>any</i> of them, when they are dead, doth fall,
it shall be unclean; whether <i>it be</i> any vessel of wood, or
raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel <i>it be,</i> wherein
<i>any</i> work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be
unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed. &#160; 33 And
every earthen vessel, whereinto <i>any</i> of them falleth,
whatsoever <i>is</i> in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
&#160; 34 Of all meat which may be eaten, <i>that</i> on which
<i>such</i> water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may
be drunk in every <i>such</i> vessel shall be unclean. &#160; 35
And every <i>thing</i> whereupon <i>any part</i> of their carcase
falleth shall be unclean; <i>whether it be</i> oven, or ranges for
pots, they shall be broken down: <i>for</i> they <i>are</i>
unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. &#160; 36 Nevertheless a
fountain or pit, <i>wherein there is</i> plenty of water, shall be
clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
&#160; 37 And if <i>any part</i> of their carcase fall upon any
sowing seed which is to be sown, it <i>shall be</i> clean. &#160;
38 But if <i>any</i> water be put upon the seed, and <i>any
part</i> of their carcase fall thereon, it <i>shall be</i> unclean
unto you. &#160; 39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he
that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
&#160; 40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his
clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the
carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the
even. &#160; 41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the
earth <i>shall be</i> an abomination; it shall not be eaten. &#160;
42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon
<i>all</i> four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping
things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they
<i>are</i> an abomination.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xii-p7">Here is the law, 1. Concerning flying
insects, as flies, wasps, bees, &amp;c.; these they might not eat
(<scripRef passage="Le 11:20" id="Lev.xii-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|11|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), nor indeed
are they fit to be eaten; but there were several sorts of locusts
which in those countries were very good meat, and much used: John
Baptist lived upon them in the desert, and they are here allowed
them, <scripRef passage="Le 11:21,22" id="Lev.xii-p7.2" parsed="|Lev|11|21|11|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.21-Lev.11.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>.
2. Concerning the creeping things on the earth; these were all
forbidden (<scripRef passage="Le 11:29,30" id="Lev.xii-p7.3" parsed="|Lev|11|29|11|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.29-Lev.11.30"><i>v.</i> 29,
30</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="Le 11:41,42" id="Lev.xii-p7.4" parsed="|Lev|11|41|11|42" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.41-Lev.11.42"><i>v.</i>
41, 42</scripRef>); for it was the curse of the serpent that
<i>upon his belly he should go,</i> and therefore between him and
man there was an enmity put (<scripRef passage="Ge 3:15" id="Lev.xii-p7.5" parsed="|Gen|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.15">Gen. iii.
15</scripRef>), which was preserved by this law. Dust is the meat
of the creeping things, and therefore they are not fit to be man's
meat. 3. Concerning the dead carcasses of all these unclean
animals. (1.) Every one that touched them was to be unclean until
the evening, <scripRef passage="Le 11:24-28" id="Lev.xii-p7.6" parsed="|Lev|11|24|11|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.24-Lev.11.28"><i>v.</i>
24-28</scripRef>. This law is often repeated, to possess them with
a dread of every thing that was prohibited, though no particular
reason for the prohibition did appear, but only the will of the
Law-maker. Not that they were to be looked upon as defiling to the
conscience, or that it was a sin against God to touch them, unless
done in contempt of the law: in many cases, somebody must of
necessity touch them, to remove them; but it was a
<i>ceremonial</i> uncleanness they contracted, which for the time
forbade them to come into the tabernacle, or to eat of any of the
holy things, or so much as to converse familiarly with their
neighbours. But the uncleanness continued only till the evening, to
signify that all ceremonial pollutions were to come to an end by
the death of Christ in the evening of the world. And we must learn,
by daily renewing our repentance every night for the sins of the
day, to cleanse ourselves from the pollution we contract by them,
that we may not lie down in our uncleanness. Even unclean animals
they might touch while they were alive without contracting any
ceremonial uncleanness by it, as horses and dogs, because they were
allowed to use them for service; but they might not touch them when
they were dead, because they might not eat their flesh; and what
must not be eaten must not be touched, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:3" id="Lev.xii-p7.7" parsed="|Gen|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.3">Gen. iii. 3</scripRef>. (2.) Even the vessels, or other
things they fell upon, were thereby made unclean until the evening
(<scripRef passage="Le 11:32" id="Lev.xii-p7.8" parsed="|Lev|11|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), and if they
were earthen vessels they must be broken, <scripRef passage="Le 11:33" id="Lev.xii-p7.9" parsed="|Lev|11|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. This taught them carefully to
avoid every thing that was polluting, even in their common actions.
Not only the vessels of the sanctuary, but every pot in Jerusalem
and Judah, must be <i>holiness to the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 14:20,21" id="Lev.xii-p7.10" parsed="|Zech|14|20|14|21" osisRef="Bible:Zech.14.20-Zech.14.21">Zech. xiv. 20, 21</scripRef>. The laws in these
cases are very critical, and the observance of them would be
difficult, we should think, if every thing that a dead mouse or
rat, for instance, falls upon must be unclean; and if it were an
oven, or ranges for pots, they must all be broken down, <scripRef passage="Le 11:35" id="Lev.xii-p7.11" parsed="|Lev|11|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. The exceptions also are
very nice, <scripRef passage="Le 11:36" id="Lev.xii-p7.12" parsed="|Lev|11|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>,
&amp;c. All this was designed to exercise them to a constant care
and exactness in their obedience, and to teach us, who by Christ
are delivered from these burdensome observances, not to be less
circumspect in the more weighty matters of the law. We ought as
industriously to preserve our precious souls from the pollutions of
sin, and as speedily to cleanse them when they are polluted, as
they were to preserve and cleanse their bodies and household goods
from those ceremonial pollutions.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 11:43-47" id="Lev.xii-p7.13" parsed="|Lev|11|43|11|47" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.43-Lev.11.47"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.11.43-Lev.11.47">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xii-p8">43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with
any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves
unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. &#160; 44 For
I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xii-p8.1">Lord</span> your God: ye
shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I
<i>am</i> holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner
of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. &#160; 45 For I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xii-p8.2">Lord</span> that bringeth you
up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be
holy, for I <i>am</i> holy. &#160; 46 This <i>is</i> the law of the
beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth
in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:
&#160; 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean,
and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not
be eaten.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xii-p9">Here is, I. The exposition of this law, or
a key to let us into the meaning of it. It was not intended merely
for a bill of fare, or as the directions of a physician about their
diet, but God would hereby teach them to sanctify themselves and to
be holy, <scripRef passage="Le 11:44" id="Lev.xii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|11|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>. That
is, 1. They must hereby learn to put a difference between good and
evil, and to reckon that it could not be all alike what they did,
when it was not all alike what they ate. 2. To maintain a constant
observance of the divine law, and to govern themselves by that in
all their actions, even those that are common, which ought to be
performed <i>after a godly sort,</i> <scripRef passage="3Jo 1:6" id="Lev.xii-p9.2" parsed="|3John|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:3John.1.6">3
John 6</scripRef>. Even eating and drinking must be by rule, and
<i>to the glory of God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 10:31" id="Lev.xii-p9.3" parsed="|1Cor|10|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.31">1 Cor. x.
31</scripRef>. 3. To distinguish themselves from all their
neighbours, as a people set apart for God, and obliged not to walk
as the Gentiles: and all this is holiness. Thus these <i>rudiments
of the world</i> were their tutors and governors (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:2,3" id="Lev.xii-p9.4" parsed="|Gal|4|2|4|3" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.2-Gal.4.3">Gal. iv. 2, 3</scripRef>), to bring them to that
which is the revival of our first state in Adam and the earnest of
our best state with Christ, that is, <i>holiness,</i> without which
no man shall see the Lord. This is indeed the great design of all
the ordinances, that by them we may sanctify ourselves and learn to
be holy. Even This law concerning their food, which seemed to stoop
so very low, aimed thus high, for it was the statute-law of heaven,
under the Old Testament as well as the New, that <i>without
holiness no man shall see the Lord.</i> The caution therefore
(<scripRef passage="Le 11:43" id="Lev.xii-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|11|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>) is, <i>You
shall not make yourselves abominable.</i> Note, By having
fellowship with sin, which is abominable, we make ourselves
abominable. That man is truly miserable who is in the sight of God
abominable; and none are so but those that make themselves so. The
Jewish writers themselves suggest that the intention of this law
was to forbid them all communion by marriage, or otherwise, with
the heathen, <scripRef passage="De 7:2,3" id="Lev.xii-p9.6" parsed="|Deut|7|2|7|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.2-Deut.7.3">Deut. vii. 2,
3</scripRef>. And thus the moral of it is obligatory on us,
forbidding us to <i>have fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness;</i> and, without this real holiness of the heart and
life, <i>he that offereth an oblation</i> is <i>as if he offered
swine's blood</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 66:3" id="Lev.xii-p9.7" parsed="|Isa|66|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.3">Isa. lxvi.
3</scripRef>); and, if it was such a provocation for a man to eat
swine's flesh himself, much more it must be so to offer swine's
blood at God's altar; see <scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Lev.xii-p9.8" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv.
8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xii-p10">II. The reasons of this law; and they are
all taken from the Law-maker himself, to whom we must have respect
in all acts of obedience. 1. <i>I am the Lord your God,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 11:44" id="Lev.xii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|11|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>. "Therefore
you are bound to do thus, in pure obedience." God's sovereignty
over us, and propriety in us, oblige us to do whatever he commands
us, how much soever it crosses our inclinations. 2. <i>I am
holy,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 11:44" id="Lev.xii-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|11|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>, and
again, <scripRef passage="Le 11:45" id="Lev.xii-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|11|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>. If God
be holy, we must be so, else we cannot expect to be accepted of
him. His holiness is his glory (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:11" id="Lev.xii-p10.4" parsed="|Exod|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.11">Exod.
xv. 11</scripRef>), and therefore it <i>becomes his house for
ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 93:5" id="Lev.xii-p10.5" parsed="|Ps|93|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.93.5">Ps. xciii. 5</scripRef>. This
great precept, thus enforced, though it comes in here in the midst
of abrogated laws, is quoted and stamped for a gospel precept,
<scripRef passage="1Pe 1:16" id="Lev.xii-p10.6" parsed="|1Pet|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.16">1 Pet. i. 16</scripRef>, where it is
intimated that all these ceremonial restraints were designed to
teach us that we must not <i>fashion ourselves according to our
former lusts in our ignorance,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 11:14" id="Lev.xii-p10.7" parsed="|Lev|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. 3. <i>I am the Lord that
bringeth you out of the land of Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 11:45" id="Lev.xii-p10.8" parsed="|Lev|11|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>. This was a reason why they
should cheerfully submit to distinguishing laws, having of late
been so wonderfully dignified with distinguishing favours. He that
had done more for them than for any other people might justly
expect more from them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xii-p11">III. The conclusion of this statute:
<i>This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl,</i> &amp;c.,
<scripRef passage="Le 11:46,47" id="Lev.xii-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|11|46|11|47" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.46-Lev.11.47"><i>v.</i> 46, 47</scripRef>. This
law was to them a statute for ever, that is, as long as that
economy lasted; but under the gospel we find it expressly repealed
by a voice from heaven to Peter (<scripRef passage="Ac 10:15" id="Lev.xii-p11.2" parsed="|Acts|10|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.10.15">Acts
x. 15</scripRef>), as it had before been virtually set aside by the
death of Christ, with the other ordinances that <i>perished in the
using: Touch not, taste not, handle not,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 2:21,22" id="Lev.xii-p11.3" parsed="|Col|2|21|2|22" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.21-Col.2.22">Col. ii. 21, 22</scripRef>. And now we are sure that
<i>meat commends us not to God</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 8:8" id="Lev.xii-p11.4" parsed="|1Cor|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.8.8">1
Cor. viii. 8</scripRef>), and that <i>nothing is unclean of
itself</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 14:14" id="Lev.xii-p11.5" parsed="|Rom|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.14.14">Rom. xiv. 14</scripRef>),
nor does that defile a man which goes into his mouth, but that
which comes out from the heart, <scripRef passage="Mt 15:11" id="Lev.xii-p11.6" parsed="|Matt|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.11">Matt.
xv. 11</scripRef>. Let us therefore, 1. Give thanks to God that we
are not under this yoke, but that to us every creature of God is
allowed as good, and nothing to be refused. 2. <i>Stand fast in the
liberty wherewith Christ has made us free,</i> and take heed of
those doctrines which <i>command to abstain from meats,</i> and so
would revive Moses again, <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:3,4" id="Lev.xii-p11.7" parsed="|1Tim|4|3|4|4" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.3-1Tim.4.4">1 Tim. iv.
3, 4</scripRef>. 3. Be strictly and conscientiously temperate in
the use of the good creatures God has allowed us. If God's law has
given us liberty, let us lay restraints upon ourselves, and never
feed ourselves without fear, lest our table be a snare. <i>Set a
knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite;</i> and
<i>be not desirous of dainties</i> or varieties, <scripRef passage="Pr 23:2,3" id="Lev.xii-p11.8" parsed="|Prov|23|2|23|3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.2-Prov.23.3">Prov. xxiii. 2, 3</scripRef>. Nature is content with
little, grace with less, but lust with nothing.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XII" n="xiii" progress="55.56%" prev="Lev.xii" next="Lev.xiv" id="Lev.xiii">
<h2 id="Lev.xiii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xiii-p1">After the laws concerning clean and unclean food
come the laws concerning clean and unclean persons; and the first
is in this chapter concerning the ceremonial uncleanness of women
in child-birth, <scripRef passage="Le 12:1-5" id="Lev.xiii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|12|1|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.1-Lev.12.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>.
And concerning their purification from that uncleanness, <scripRef passage="Le 12:6-8" id="Lev.xiii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|12|6|12|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.6-Lev.12.8">ver. 6</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 12" id="Lev.xiii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|12|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 12:1-5" id="Lev.xiii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|12|1|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.1-Lev.12.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.12.1-Lev.12.5">
<h4 id="Lev.xiii-p1.5">Ceremonial Purification. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xiii-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xiii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man
child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days
of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. &#160; 3
And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised. &#160; 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of
her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed
thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying
be fulfilled. &#160; 5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall
be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue
in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiii-p3">The law here pronounces women lying-in
ceremonially unclean. The Jews say, "The law extended even to an
abortion, if the child was so formed as that the sex was
distinguishable." 1. There was some time of strict separation
immediately after the birth, which continued seven days for a son
and fourteen for a daughter, <scripRef passage="Le 12:2,5" id="Lev.xiii-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|12|2|0|0;|Lev|12|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.2 Bible:Lev.12.5"><i>v.</i> 2, 5</scripRef>. During these days she was
separated from her husband and friends, and those that necessarily
attended her were ceremonially unclean, which was one reason why
the males were not circumcised till the eighth day, because they
participated in the mother's pollution during the days of her
separation. 2. There was also a longer time appointed for their
purifying; thirty-three days more (forty in all) if the birth were
a male, and double that time if a female, <scripRef passage="Le 12:4,5" id="Lev.xiii-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|12|4|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.4-Lev.12.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. During this time they were
only separated from the sanctuary and forbidden to eat of the
passover, or peace-offerings, or, if a priest's wife, to eat of any
thing that was holy to the Lord. Why the time of both those was
double for a female to what it was for a male I can assign no
reason but the will of the Law-maker; in Christ Jesus no difference
is made of male and female, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:28,Col 3:11" id="Lev.xiii-p3.3" parsed="|Gal|3|28|0|0;|Col|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.28 Bible:Col.3.11">Gal. iii. 28; Col. iii. 11</scripRef>. But this
ceremonial uncleanness which the law laid women in child-bed under
was to signify the pollution of sin which we are all conceived and
born in, <scripRef passage="Ps 51:5" id="Lev.xiii-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|51|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.5">Ps. li. 5</scripRef>. For, if
the root be impure, so is the branch, <i>Who can bring a clean
thing out of an unclean?</i> If sin had not entered, nothing but
purity and honour had attended all the productions of that great
blessing, <i>Be fruitful and multiply;</i> but now that the nature
of man is degenerated the propagation of that nature is laid under
these marks of disgrace, because of the sin and corruption that are
propagated with it, and in remembrance of the curse upon the woman
that was first in the transgression. That <i>in sorrow</i> (to
which it is here further added <i>in shame</i>) she should <i>bring
forth children.</i> And the exclusion of the woman for so many days
from the sanctuary, and all participation of the holy things,
signified that our original corruption (that sinning sin which we
brought into the world with us) would have excluded us for ever
from the enjoyment of God and his favours if he had not graciously
provided for our purifying.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 12:6-8" id="Lev.xiii-p3.5" parsed="|Lev|12|6|12|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.6-Lev.12.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.12.6-Lev.12.8">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xiii-p4">6 And when the days of her purifying are
fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of
the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a
turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation, unto the priest: &#160; 7 Who shall offer it
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xiii-p4.1">Lord</span>, and make an
atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her
blood. This <i>is</i> the law for her that hath born a male or a
female. &#160; 8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she
shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the
burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest
shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiii-p5">A woman that had lain in, when the time set
for her return to the sanctuary had come, was not to attend there
empty, but must bring her offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 12:6" id="Lev.xiii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.12.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. 1. A <i>burnt-offering;</i> a
lamb if she was able, if poor, a pigeon. This she was to offer in
thankfulness to God for his mercy to her, in bringing her safely
through the pains of child-bearing and all the perils of child-bed,
and in desire and hopes of God's further favour both to her and to
the child. When a child is born there is joy and there is hope, and
therefore it was proper to bring this offering, which was of a
general nature; for what we rejoice in we must give thanks for, and
what we are in hopes of we must pray for. But, besides this, 2. She
must offer a <i>sin-offering,</i> which must be the same for poor
and rich, a turtle-dove or a young pigeon; for, whatever difference
there may be between rich and poor in the sacrifices of
acknowledgment, that of atonement is the same for both. This
sin-offering was intended either, (1.) To complete her purification
from that ceremonial uncleanness which, though it was not in itself
sinful, yet was typical of moral pollution; or, (2.) To make
atonement for that which was really sin, either an inordinate
desire of the blessing of children or discontent or impatience
under the pains of child-bearing. It is only by Christ, the great
sin-offering, that the corruption of our nature is done away, and
to that it is owing that we are not for ever excluded by it from
the sanctuary, and from eating of the holy things. According to
this law, we find that the mother of our blessed Lord, though he
was not conceived in sin as others, yet <i>accomplished the days of
purification,</i> and then presented her son to the Lord, being a
first-born, and brought her own offering, <i>a pair of
turtle-doves,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 2:22-24" id="Lev.xiii-p5.2" parsed="|Luke|2|22|2|24" osisRef="Bible:Luke.2.22-Luke.2.24">Luke ii.
22-24</scripRef>. So poor were Christ's parents that they were not
able to bring a lamb for a burnt-offering; and so early was Christ
<i>made under the law, to redeem those that were under it.</i> The
morality of this law obliges those women that have received mercy
from God in child-bearing with all thankfulness to own God's
goodness to them, acknowledging themselves unworthy of it, and
(which is the best purification of women that have been saved in
child-bearing, <scripRef passage="1Ti 2:15" id="Lev.xiii-p5.3" parsed="|1Tim|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.15">1 Tim. ii.
15</scripRef>) to <i>continue in faith, and charity, and holiness,
with sobriety;</i> for this shall please the Lord better than the
turtle-doves or the young pigeons.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIII" n="xiv" progress="55.70%" prev="Lev.xiii" next="Lev.xv" id="Lev.xiv">
<h2 id="Lev.xiv-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xiv-p1">The next ceremonial uncleanness is that of the
leprosy, concerning which the law was very large and particular; we
have the discovery of it in this chapter, and the cleansing of the
leper in the next. Scarcely any one thing in all the levitical law
takes up so much room as this. I. Rules are here given by which the
priest must judge whether the man had the leprosy or no, according
as the symptom was that appeared. 1. If it was a swelling, a scab,
or a bright spot, <scripRef passage="Le 13:1-17" id="Lev.xiv-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|13|1|13|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.1-Lev.13.17">ver.
1-17</scripRef>. 2. If it was a bile, <scripRef passage="Le 13:18-23" id="Lev.xiv-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|13|18|13|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.18-Lev.13.23">ver. 18-23</scripRef>. 3. If it was in inflammation,
<scripRef passage="Le 13:24-28" id="Lev.xiv-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|13|24|13|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.24-Lev.13.28">ver. 24-28</scripRef>. 4. If it was
in the head or beard, <scripRef passage="Le 13:29-37" id="Lev.xiv-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|13|29|13|37" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.29-Lev.13.37">ver.
29-37</scripRef>. 5. If it was a bright spot, <scripRef passage="Le 13:38,39" id="Lev.xiv-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|13|38|13|39" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.38-Lev.13.39">ver. 38, 39</scripRef>. 6. If it was in a bald head,
<scripRef passage="Le 13:40-44" id="Lev.xiv-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|13|40|13|44" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.40-Lev.13.44">ver. 40-44</scripRef>. II.
Direction is given how the leper must be disposed of, <scripRef passage="Le 13:45,46" id="Lev.xiv-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|13|45|13|46" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.45-Lev.13.46">ver. 45, 46</scripRef>. III. Concerning the
leprosy in garments, <scripRef passage="Le 13:47-59" id="Lev.xiv-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|13|47|13|59" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.47-Lev.13.59">ver.
47</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 13" id="Lev.xiv-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 13:1-17" id="Lev.xiv-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|13|1|13|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.1-Lev.13.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.13.1-Lev.13.17">
<h4 id="Lev.xiv-p1.11">The Law Concerning Leprosy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xiv-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xiv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, &#160; 2 When a man shall have
in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it
be in the skin of his flesh <i>like</i> the plague of leprosy; then
he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons
the priests: &#160; 3 And the priest shall look on the plague in
the skin of the flesh: and <i>when</i> the hair in the plague is
turned white, and the plague in sight <i>be</i> deeper than the
skin of his flesh, it <i>is</i> a plague of leprosy: and the priest
shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. &#160; 4 If the
bright spot <i>be</i> white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight
<i>be</i> not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not
turned white; then the priest shall shut up <i>him that hath</i>
the plague seven days: &#160; 5 And the priest shall look on him
the seventh day: and, behold, <i>if</i> the plague in his sight be
at a stay, <i>and</i> the plague spread not in the skin; then the
priest shall shut him up seven days more: &#160; 6 And the priest
shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, <i>if</i> the
plague <i>be</i> somewhat dark, <i>and</i> the plague spread not in
the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it <i>is but</i> a
scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. &#160; 7 But if
the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been
seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the
priest again: &#160; 8 And <i>if</i> the priest see that, behold,
the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it <i>is</i> a leprosy. &#160; 9 When the plague of
leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;
&#160; 10 And the priest shall see <i>him</i>: and, behold,
<i>if</i> the rising <i>be</i> white in the skin, and it have
turned the hair white, and <i>there be</i> quick raw flesh in the
rising; &#160; 11 It <i>is</i> an old leprosy in the skin of his
flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not
shut him up: for he <i>is</i> unclean. &#160; 12 And if a leprosy
break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of
<i>him that hath</i> the plague from his head even to his foot,
wheresoever the priest looketh; &#160; 13 Then the priest shall
consider: and, behold, <i>if</i> the leprosy have covered all his
flesh, he shall pronounce <i>him</i> clean <i>that hath</i> the
plague: it is all turned white: he <i>is</i> clean. &#160; 14 But
when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean. &#160; 15 And
the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be
unclean: <i>for</i> the raw flesh <i>is</i> unclean: it <i>is</i> a
leprosy. &#160; 16 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed
unto white, he shall come unto the priest; &#160; 17 And the priest
shall see him: and, behold, <i>if</i> the plague be turned into
white; then the priest shall pronounce <i>him</i> clean <i>that
hath</i> the plague: he <i>is</i> clean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p3">I. Concerning the plague of leprosy we may
observe in general, 1. That it was rather an uncleanness than a
disease; or, at least, so the law considered it, and therefore
employed not the physicians but the priests about it. Christ is
said to cleanse lepers, not to cure them. We do not read of any
that died of the leprosy, but it rather buried them alive, by
rendering them unfit for conversation with any but such as were
infected like themselves. Yet there is a tradition that Pharaoh,
who sought to kill Moses, was the first that ever was struck with
this disease, and that he died of it. It is said to have begun
first in Egypt, whence it spread into Syria. It was very well known
to Moses, when he put his own hand into his bosom and took it out
leprous. 2. That it was a plague inflicted immediately by the hand
of God, and came not from natural causes, as other diseases; and
therefore must be managed according to a divine law. Miriam's
leprosy, and Gehazi's, and king Uzziah's, were all the punishments
of particular sins: and, if generally it was so, no marvel there
was so much care taken to distinguish it from a common distemper,
that none might be looked upon as lying under this extraordinary
token of divine displeasure but those that really were so. 3. That
it is a plague not now known in the world; what is commonly called
the leprosy is of a quite different nature. This seems to have been
reserved as a particular scourge for the sinners of those times and
places. The Jews retained the idolatrous customs they had learnt in
Egypt, and therefore God justly caused this with some others of the
diseases of Egypt to follow them. Yet we read of Naaman the Syrian,
who was a leper, <scripRef passage="2Ki 5:1" id="Lev.xiv-p3.1" parsed="|2Kgs|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.5.1">2 Kings v.
1</scripRef>. 4. That there were other breakings-out in the body
which did very much resemble the leprosy, but were not it, which
might make a man sore and loathsome and yet not ceremonially
unclean. Justly are our bodies called vile bodies, which have in
them the seeds of so many diseases, by which the lives of so many
are made bitter to them. 5. That the judgment of it was referred to
the priests. Lepers were looked upon as stigmatized by the justice
of God, and therefore it was left to his servants the priests, who
might be presumed to know his mark best, to pronounce who were
lepers and who were not. All the Jews say, "Any priest, though
disabled by a blemish to attend the sanctuary, might be a judge of
the leprosy, provided the blemish were not in his eye. And he
might" (they say) "take a common person to assist him in the
search, but the priest only must pronounce the judgment." 6. That
it was a figure of the moral pollution of men's minds by sin, which
is the leprosy of the soul, defiling to the conscience, and from
which Christ alone can cleanse us; for herein the power of his
grace infinitely transcends that of the legal priesthood, that the
priest could only convict the leper (for by the law is the
knowledge of sin), but Christ can cure the leper, he can take away
sin. <i>Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean,</i> which was
more than the priests could do, <scripRef passage="Mt 8:2" id="Lev.xiv-p3.2" parsed="|Matt|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.2">Matt.
viii. 2</scripRef>. Some think that the leprosy signified, not so
much sin in general as a state of sin, by which men are separated
from God (their spot not being the spot of God's children), and
scandalous sin, for which men are to be shut out from the communion
of the faithful. It is a work of great importance, but of great
difficulty, to judge of our spiritual state: we have all cause to
suspect ourselves, being conscious to ourselves of sores and spots,
but whether clean or unclean is the question. A man might have a
scab (<scripRef passage="Le 13:6" id="Lev.xiv-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|13|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) and yet
be clean: the best have their infirmities; but, as there were
certain marks by which to know that it was a leprosy, so there are
characters of such as are in the gall of bitterness, and the work
of ministers is to declare the judgment of leprosy and to assist
those that suspect themselves in the trial of their spiritual
state, remitting or retaining sin. And hence the keys of the
kingdom of heaven are said to be given to them, because they are to
separate between the precious and the vile, and to judge who are
fit as clean to partake of the holy things and who as unclean must
be debarred from them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p4">II. Several rules are here laid down by
which the judgment of the priest must be governed. 1. If the sore
was but <i>skin-deep,</i> it was to be hoped it was not the
<i>leprosy,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 13:4" id="Lev.xiv-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|13|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
But, if it was <i>deeper than the skin,</i> the man must be
pronounced unclean, <scripRef passage="Le 13:3" id="Lev.xiv-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|13|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. The infirmities that consist with grace do not sink
deep into the soul, but <i>the mind</i> still <i>serves the law of
God,</i> and the <i>inward man delights in it,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 7:22,25" id="Lev.xiv-p4.3" parsed="|Rom|7|22|0|0;|Rom|7|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.22 Bible:Rom.7.25">Rom. vii. 22, 25</scripRef>. But if the matter
be really worse than it shows, and the inwards be infected, the
case is dangerous. 2. If the sore <i>be at a stay,</i> and do not
<i>spread,</i> it is no leprosy, <scripRef passage="Le 13:4,5" id="Lev.xiv-p4.4" parsed="|Lev|13|4|13|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.4-Lev.13.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. But if it <i>spread much
abroad,</i> and continue to do so after several inspections, the
case is bad, <scripRef passage="Le 13:7,8" id="Lev.xiv-p4.5" parsed="|Lev|13|7|13|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.7-Lev.13.8"><i>v.</i> 7,
8</scripRef>. If men do not grow worse, but a stop be put to the
course of their sins and their corruptions be checked, it is to be
hoped they will grow better; but if sin get ground, and they become
worse every day, they are going downhill. 3. If there was <i>proud
raw flesh</i> in the rising, the priest needed not to wait any
longer, it was certainly a leprosy, <scripRef passage="Le 13:10,11" id="Lev.xiv-p4.6" parsed="|Lev|13|10|13|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.10-Lev.13.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. Nor is there any surer
indication of the badness of a man's spiritual state than the
heart's rising in self-conceit, confidence in the flesh, and
resistance of the reproofs of the word and strivings of the Spirit.
4. If the eruption, whatever it was, <i>covered all the skin</i>
from head to foot, it was no leprosy (<scripRef passage="Le 13:12,13" id="Lev.xiv-p4.7" parsed="|Lev|13|12|13|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.12-Lev.13.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>); for it was an evidence
that the vitals were sound and strong, and nature hereby helped
itself, throwing out what was burdensome and pernicious. There is
hope in the small-pox when they come out well: so if men freely
confess their sins, and hide them not, there is no danger
comparable to theirs that cover their sins. Some gather this from
it, that there is more hope of the profane than of hypocrites. The
publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of heaven before
scribes and Pharisees. In one respect, the sudden breakings-out of
passion, though bad enough, are not so dangerous as malice
concealed. Others gather this, that, if we judge ourselves, we
shall not be judged; if we see and own that there is <i>no health
in us, no soundness in our flesh,</i> by reason of sin, we shall
<i>find grace in the eyes of the Lord.</i> 5. The priest must take
time in making his judgment, and not give it rashly. If the matter
looked suspicious, he must shut up the patient seven days, and then
seven days more, that his judgment might be <i>according to
truth.</i> This teaches all, both ministers and people, not to be
hasty in their censures, nor to judge any thing <i>before the
time.</i> If <i>some men's sins go before unto judgment,</i> the
sins of others <i>follow after,</i> and so men's good works;
therefore let nothing be done <i>suddenly,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 5:22,24,25" id="Lev.xiv-p4.8" parsed="|1Tim|5|22|0|0;|1Tim|5|24|0|0;|1Tim|5|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.5.22 Bible:1Tim.5.24 Bible:1Tim.5.25">1 Tim. v. 22, 24, 25</scripRef>. 6. If the person
suspected was found to be clean, yet he must <i>wash his
clothes</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 13:6" id="Lev.xiv-p4.9" parsed="|Lev|13|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>),
because he had been under the suspicion, and there had been in him
that which gave ground for the suspicion. Even the prisoner that is
acquitted must go down on his knees. We have need to be washed in
the blood of Christ from our spots, though they be not
leprosy-spots; for who can say, <i>I am pure from sin?</i> though
there are those who through grace are <i>innocent from the great
transgression.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 13" id="Lev.xiv-p4.10" parsed="|Lev|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 13:18-37" id="Lev.xiv-p4.11" parsed="|Lev|13|18|13|37" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.18-Lev.13.37"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.13.18-Lev.13.37">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xiv-p5">18 The flesh also, in which, <i>even</i> in the
skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed, &#160; 19 And in the place
of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and
somewhat reddish, and it be showed to the priest; &#160; 20 And if,
when the priest seeth it, behold, it <i>be</i> in sight lower than
the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall
pronounce him unclean: it <i>is</i> a plague of leprosy broken out
of the boil. &#160; 21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold,
<i>there be</i> no white hairs therein, and <i>if</i> it <i>be</i>
not lower than the skin, but <i>be</i> somewhat dark; then the
priest shall shut him up seven days: &#160; 22 And if it spread
much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it <i>is</i> a plague. &#160; 23 But if the bright spot
stay in his place, <i>and</i> spread not, it <i>is</i> a burning
boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. &#160; 24 Or if
there be <i>any</i> flesh, in the skin whereof <i>there is</i> a
hot burning, and the quick <i>flesh</i> that burneth have a white
bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white; &#160; 25 Then the priest
shall look upon it: and, behold, <i>if</i> the hair in the bright
spot be turned white, and it <i>be in</i> sight deeper than the
skin; it <i>is</i> a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore
the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it <i>is</i> the plague of
leprosy. &#160; 26 But if the priest look on it, and, behold,
<i>there be</i> no white hair in the bright spot, and it <i>be</i>
no lower than the <i>other</i> skin, but <i>be</i> somewhat dark;
then the priest shall shut him up seven days: &#160; 27 And the
priest shall look upon him the seventh day: <i>and</i> if it be
spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it <i>is</i> the plague of leprosy. &#160; 28 And if the
bright spot stay in his place, <i>and</i> spread not in the skin,
but it <i>be</i> somewhat dark; it <i>is</i> a rising of the
burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it <i>is</i>
an inflammation of the burning. &#160; 29 If a man or woman have a
plague upon the head or the beard; &#160; 30 Then the priest shall
see the plague: and, behold, if it <i>be</i> in sight deeper than
the skin; <i>and there be</i> in it a yellow thin hair; then the
priest shall pronounce him unclean: it <i>is</i> a dry scall,
<i>even</i> a leprosy upon the head or beard. &#160; 31 And if the
priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it <i>be</i>
not in sight deeper than the skin, and <i>that there is</i> no
black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up <i>him that
hath</i> the plague of the scall seven days: &#160; 32 And in the
seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold,
<i>if</i> the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair,
and the scall <i>be</i> not in sight deeper than the skin; &#160;
33 He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the
priest shall shut up <i>him that hath</i> the scall seven days
more: &#160; 34 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the
scall: and, behold, <i>if</i> the scall be not spread in the skin,
nor <i>be</i> in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall
pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
&#160; 35 But if the scall spread much in the skin after his
cleansing; &#160; 36 Then the priest shall look on him: and,
behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not
seek for yellow hair; he <i>is</i> unclean. &#160; 37 But if the
scall be in his sight at a stay, and <i>that</i> there is black
hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he <i>is</i> clean: and
the priest shall pronounce him clean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p6">The priest is here instructed what judgment
to make if there was any appearance of a leprosy, either, 1. In an
old ulcer, or bile, that has been healed, <scripRef passage="Le 13:18" id="Lev.xiv-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>, &amp;c. When old sores, that
seemed to be cured, break out again, it is to be feared there is a
leprosy in them; such is the danger of those who, having escaped
the pollutions of the world, are again <i>entangled therein and
overcome.</i> Or, 2. In a burn by accident, for this seems to be
meant, <scripRef passage="Le 13:24" id="Lev.xiv-p6.2" parsed="|Lev|13|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>,
&amp;c. The burning of strife and contention often proves the
occasion of the rising up and breaking out of that corruption which
witnesses to men's faces that they are unclean. 3. In a scall-head.
And in this commonly the judgment turned upon a very small matter.
If the hair in the scall was black, it was a sign of soundness; if
yellow, it was an indication of a leprosy, <scripRef passage="Le 13:30-37" id="Lev.xiv-p6.3" parsed="|Lev|13|30|13|37" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.30-Lev.13.37"><i>v.</i> 30-37</scripRef>. The other rules in these
cases are the same with those mentioned before. In reading of these
several sorts of ailments, it will be good for us, 1. To lament the
calamitous state of human life, which lies exposed to so many
grievances. What troops of diseases are we beset with on every
side! and they all entered by sin. 2. To give thanks to God if he
has never afflicted us with any of these sores: if the constitution
is healthful, and the body lively and easy, we are bound to glorify
God with our bodies.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 13:38-46" id="Lev.xiv-p6.4" parsed="|Lev|13|38|13|46" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.38-Lev.13.46"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.13.38-Lev.13.46">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xiv-p7">38 If a man also or a woman have in the skin of
their flesh bright spots, <i>even</i> white bright spots; &#160; 39
Then the priest shall look: and, behold, <i>if</i> the bright spots
in the skin of their flesh <i>be</i> darkish white; it <i>is</i> a
freckled spot <i>that</i> groweth in the skin; he <i>is</i> clean.
&#160; 40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he
<i>is</i> bald; <i>yet is</i> he clean. &#160; 41 And he that hath
his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he
<i>is</i> forehead bald: <i>yet is</i> he clean. &#160; 42 And if
there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore;
it <i>is</i> a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald
forehead. &#160; 43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and,
behold, <i>if</i> the rising of the sore <i>be</i> white reddish in
his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in
the skin of the flesh; &#160; 44 He is a leprous man, he <i>is</i>
unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague
<i>is</i> in his head. &#160; 45 And the leper in whom the plague
<i>is,</i> his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he
shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean,
unclean. &#160; 46 All the days wherein the plague <i>shall be</i>
in him he shall be defiled; he <i>is</i> unclean: he shall dwell
alone; without the camp <i>shall</i> his habitation <i>be.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p8">We have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p9">I. Provisos that neither a <i>freckled
skin</i> nor a <i>bald head</i> should be mistaken for a leprosy,
<scripRef passage="Le 13:38-41" id="Lev.xiv-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|13|38|13|41" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.38-Lev.13.41"><i>v.</i> 38-41</scripRef>. Every
deformity must not forthwith be made a ceremonial defilement.
Elisha was jeered for his <i>bald head</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ki 2:23" id="Lev.xiv-p9.2" parsed="|2Kgs|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.2.23">2 Kings ii. 23</scripRef>); but it was the children of
Bethel, that knew not the judgments of their God, who turned it to
his reproach.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p10">II. A particular brand set upon the leprosy
if at any time it did appear in a <i>bald head: The plague is in
his head, he is utterly unclean,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 13:44" id="Lev.xiv-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|13|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>. If the leprosy of sin have
seized the head, if the judgment be corrupted, and wicked
principles which countenance and support wicked practices, be
embraced, it is an <i>utter uncleanness,</i> from which few are
ever cleansed. Soundness in the faith keeps the leprosy from the
head, and saves conscience from being shipwrecked.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p11">III. Directions what must be done with the
convicted leper. When the priest, upon mature deliberation, had
solemnly pronounced him unclean,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p12">1. He must pronounce himself so, <scripRef passage="Le 13:45" id="Lev.xiv-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|13|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>. He must put himself
into the posture of a mourner and cry, <i>Unclean, unclean.</i> The
leprosy was not itself a sin, but it was a sad token of God's
displeasure and a sore affliction to him that was under it. It was
a reproach to his name, put a full stop to his business in the
world, cut him off from conversation with his friends and
relations, condemned him to banishment till he was cleansed, shut
him out from the sanctuary, and was, in effect, the ruin of all the
comfort he could have in this world. Heman, it would seem, either
was a leper or alludes to the melancholy condition of a leper,
<scripRef passage="Ps 88:8-18" id="Lev.xiv-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|88|8|88|18" osisRef="Bible:Ps.88.8-Ps.88.18">Ps. lxxxviii. 8</scripRef>, &amp;c.
He must therefore, (1.) Humble himself under the mighty hand of
God, not insisting upon his cleanness when the priest had
pronounced him unclean, but justifying God and accepting the
<i>punishment of his iniquity.</i> He must signify this by
<i>rending his clothes, uncovering</i> his head, and <i>covering
his upper lip,</i> all tokens of shame and confusion of face, and
very significant of that self-loathing and self-abasement which
should fill the hearts of penitents, the language of which is
self-judging. Thus must we take to ourselves the shame that belongs
to us, and with broken hearts call ourselves by our own name,
<i>Unclean, unclean</i>&#8212;heart unclean, life unclean, unclean by
original corruption, unclean by actual transgression&#8212;unclean, and
therefore worthy to be for ever excluded from communion with God,
and all hope of happiness in him. <i>We are all as an unclean
thing</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 64:6" id="Lev.xiv-p12.3" parsed="|Isa|64|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.64.6">Isa. lxiv.
6</scripRef>)&#8212;unclean, and therefore undone, if infinite mercy do
not interpose. (2.) He must give warning to others to take heed of
coming near him. Wherever he went, he must cry to those he saw at a
distance, "<i>I am unclean, unclean,</i> take heed of touching me."
Not that the leprosy was catching, but by the touch of a leper
ceremonial uncleanness was contracted. Every one therefore was
concerned to avoid it; and the leper himself must give notice of
the danger. And this was all that the law could do, in that it was
weak through the flesh; it taught the leper to cry, <i>Unclean,
unclean,</i> but the gospel has put another cry into the lepers'
mouths, <scripRef passage="Lu 17:12,13" id="Lev.xiv-p12.4" parsed="|Luke|17|12|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Luke.17.12-Luke.17.13">Luke xvii. 12,
13</scripRef>, where we find ten lepers crying with a loud voice,
<i>Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.</i> The law only shows us our
disease; the gospel shows us our help in Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p13">2. He must then be shut out of the camp,
and afterwards, when they came to Canaan, out of the city, town, or
village, where he lived, and <i>dwell alone</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 13:46" id="Lev.xiv-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|13|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>), associating with none but
those that were lepers like himself. When king Uzziah became a
leper, he was banished from his palace, and <i>dwelt in a separate
house,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 26:21" id="Lev.xiv-p13.2" parsed="|2Chr|26|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.26.21">2 Chron. xxvi.
21</scripRef>. And see <scripRef passage="2Ki 7:3" id="Lev.xiv-p13.3" parsed="|2Kgs|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.7.3">2 Kings vii.
3</scripRef>. This typified the purity which ought to be preserved
in the gospel church, by the solemn and authoritative exclusion of
scandalous sinners, that hate to be reformed, from the communion of
the faithful. <i>Put away from among yourselves that wicked
person,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 5:13" id="Lev.xiv-p13.4" parsed="|1Cor|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.13">1 Cor. v.
13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 13:47-59" id="Lev.xiv-p13.5" parsed="|Lev|13|47|13|59" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.47-Lev.13.59"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.13.47-Lev.13.59">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xiv-p14">47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy
is in, <i>whether it be</i> a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
&#160; 48 Whether <i>it be</i> in the warp, or woof; of linen, or
of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin; &#160;
49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in
the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of
skin; it <i>is</i> a plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto
the priest: &#160; 50 And the priest shall look upon the plague,
and shut up <i>it that hath</i> the plague seven days: &#160; 51
And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague
be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in
a skin, <i>or</i> in any work that is made of skin; the plague
<i>is</i> a fretting leprosy; it <i>is</i> unclean. &#160; 52 He
shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen
or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it
<i>is</i> a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire. &#160;
53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not
spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in
any thing of skin; &#160; 54 Then the priest shall command that
they wash <i>the thing</i> wherein the plague <i>is,</i> and he
shall shut it up seven days more: &#160; 55 And the priest shall
look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, <i>if</i>
the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not
spread; it <i>is</i> unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it
<i>is</i> fret inward, <i>whether</i> it <i>be</i> bare within or
without. &#160; 56 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague
<i>be</i> somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend
it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or
out of the woof: &#160; 57 And if it appear still in the garment,
either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it
<i>is</i> a spreading <i>plague</i>: thou shalt burn that wherein
the plague <i>is</i> with fire. &#160; 58 And the garment, either
warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin <i>it be,</i> which thou
shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be
washed the second time, and shall be clean. &#160; 59 This
<i>is</i> the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen
or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to
pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xiv-p15">This is the law concerning the plague of
leprosy in a garment, whether linen or woollen. A leprosy in a
garment, with discernible indications of it, the colour changed by
it, the garment fretted, the nap worn off, and this in some one
particular part of the garment, and increasing when it was shut up,
and not to be got out by washing is a thing which to us now is
altogether unaccountable. The learned confess that it was a sign
and a miracle in Israel, an extraordinary punishment inflicted by
the divine power, as a token of great displeasure against a person
or family. 1. The process was much the same with that concerning a
leprous person. The garment suspected to be tainted was not to be
burnt immediately, though, it may be, there would have been no
great loss of it; for in no case must sentence be given merely upon
a surmise, but it must be <i>shown to the priest.</i> If, upon
search, it was found that there was a <i>leprous spot</i> (the Jews
say no bigger than a bean), it must be <i>burnt,</i> or at least
that part of the garment in which the spot was, <scripRef passage="Le 13:52,57" id="Lev.xiv-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|13|52|0|0;|Lev|13|57|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.52 Bible:Lev.13.57"><i>v.</i> 52, 57</scripRef>. If the cause of the
suspicion was gone, it must be <i>washed,</i> and then might be
used, <scripRef passage="Le 13:58" id="Lev.xiv-p15.2" parsed="|Lev|13|58|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.58"><i>v.</i> 58</scripRef>. 2. The
signification also was much the same, to intimate the great
malignity there is in sin: it not only defiles the sinner's
conscience, but it brings a stain upon all his employments and
enjoyments, all he has and all he does. <i>To those that are
defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure,</i> <scripRef passage="Tit 1:15" id="Lev.xiv-p15.3" parsed="|Titus|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.1.15">Tit. i. 15</scripRef>. And we are taught hereby to hate
even <i>the garments spotted with the flesh,</i> <scripRef passage="Jude 1:23" id="Lev.xiv-p15.4" parsed="|Jude|1|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.23">Jude 23</scripRef>. Those that make their clothes
servants to their pride and lust may see them thereby tainted with
a leprosy, and doomed to the fire, <scripRef passage="Isa 3:18-24" id="Lev.xiv-p15.5" parsed="|Isa|3|18|3|24" osisRef="Bible:Isa.3.18-Isa.3.24">Isa. iii. 18-24</scripRef>. But the ornament of
<i>the hidden man of the heart is incorruptible,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 3:4" id="Lev.xiv-p15.6" parsed="|1Pet|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.3.4">1 Pet. iii. 4</scripRef>. The robes of
righteousness never fret nor are moth-eaten.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIV" n="xv" progress="56.21%" prev="Lev.xiv" next="Lev.xvi" id="Lev.xv">
<h2 id="Lev.xv-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xv-p0.2">CHAP. XIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xv-p1">The former chapter directed the priests how to
convict a leper of ceremonial uncleanness. No prescriptions are
given for his cure; but, when God had cured him, the priests are in
this chapter directed how to cleanse him. The remedy here is only
adapted to the ceremonial part of his disease; but the authority
Christ gave to his ministers was to cure the lepers, and so to
cleanse them. We have here, I. The solemn declaration of the
leper's being clean, with the significant ceremony attending it,
<scripRef passage="Le 14:1-9" id="Lev.xv-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|14|1|14|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.1-Lev.14.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II. The
sacrifices which he was to offer to God eight days after, <scripRef passage="Le 14:10-32" id="Lev.xv-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|14|10|14|32" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.10-Lev.14.32">ver. 10-32</scripRef>. III. The management of
a house in which appeared signs of a leprosy, <scripRef passage="Le 14:33-53" id="Lev.xv-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|14|33|14|53" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.33-Lev.14.53">ver. 33-53</scripRef>. And the conclusion and summary
of this whole matter, <scripRef passage="Le 14:54-57" id="Lev.xv-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|14|54|14|57" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.54-Lev.14.57">ver.
54</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14" id="Lev.xv-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14:1-9" id="Lev.xv-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|14|1|14|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.1-Lev.14.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.14.1-Lev.14.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xv-p1.7">The Law Concerning Leprosy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 This shall be the law of the
leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the
priest: &#160; 3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and
the priest shall look, and, behold, <i>if</i> the plague of leprosy
be healed in the leper; &#160; 4 Then shall the priest command to
take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive <i>and</i>
clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: &#160; 5 And the
priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen
vessel over running water: &#160; 6 As for the living bird, he
shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop,
and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird
<i>that was</i> killed over the running water: &#160; 7 And he
shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy
seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the
living bird loose into the open field. &#160; 8 And he that is to
be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and
wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he
shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent
seven days. &#160; 9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he
shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his
eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash
his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be
clean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p3">Here, I. It is supposed that the plague of
the leprosy was not an incurable disease. Uzziah's indeed continued
to the day of his death, and Gehazi's was entailed upon his seed;
but Miriam's lasted only seven days: we may suppose that it often
wore off in process of time. Though God contend long, he will
<i>not contend for ever.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p4">II. The judgment of the cure, as well as
that of the disease, was referred to the priest. He must go out of
the camp to the leper, to see whether his leprosy was healed,
<scripRef passage="Le 14:3" id="Lev.xv-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. And we may
suppose the priest did not contract any ceremonial uncleanness by
coming near the leper, as another person would. It was in mercy to
the poor lepers that the priests particularly had orders to attend
them, for <i>the priests' lips should keep knowledge;</i> and those
in affliction have need to be instructed both how to bear their
afflictions and how to reap benefit by them, have need of the word,
in concurrence with the rod, to bring them to repentance; therefore
it is well for those that are sick if they have these messengers of
the Lord of hosts with them, these interpreters, to <i>show unto
them God's uprightness,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 33:23" id="Lev.xv-p4.2" parsed="|Job|33|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.23">Job
xxxiii. 23</scripRef>. When the leper was shut out, and could not
go to the priests, it was well that the priests might come to him.
<i>Is any sick? Let him send for the elders,</i> the ministers,
<scripRef passage="Jam 5:14" id="Lev.xv-p4.3" parsed="|Jas|5|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.14">Jam. v. 14</scripRef>. If we apply it
to the spiritual leprosy of sin, it intimates that when we withdraw
from those who walk disorderly, that they may be ashamed, we must
not count them as enemies, but admonish them as brethren, <scripRef passage="2Th 3:15" id="Lev.xv-p4.4" parsed="|2Thess|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.15">2 Thess. iii. 15</scripRef>. And also that when
God by his grace has brought those to repentance who were shut out
of communion for scandal, they ought with tenderness, and joy, and
sincere affection, to be received in again. Thus Paul orders
concerning the excommunicated Corinthian that when he had given
evidences of his repentance they should forgive him, and comfort
him, and <i>confirm their love towards him,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 2:7,8" id="Lev.xv-p4.5" parsed="|2Cor|2|7|2|8" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.7-2Cor.2.8">2 Cor. ii. 7, 8</scripRef>. And ministers are entrusted
by our Master with the declarative power of loosing as well as
binding: both must be done with great caution and deliberation,
impartially and without respect of persons, with earnest prayer to
God for directions, and a sincere regard to the edification of the
body of Christ, due care being always taken that sinners may not be
encouraged by an excess of lenity, nor penitents discouraged by an
excess of severity. Wisdom and sincerity are profitable to direct
in this case.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p5">III. If it was found that the leprosy was
healed, the priest must declare it with a particular solemnity. The
leper or his friends were to get ready two birds caught for this
purpose (any sort of wild birds that were clean), and cedar-wood,
and scarlet, and hyssop; for all these were to be used in the
ceremony. 1. A preparation was to be made of blood and water, with
which the leper must be sprinkled. One of the birds (and the Jews
say, if there was any difference, it must be the larger and better
of the two) was to be killed over an earthen cup of spring water,
so that the blood of the bird might discolour the water. This (as
some other types) had its accomplishment in the death of Christ,
when out of his pierced side there came water and blood, <scripRef passage="Joh 19:34" id="Lev.xv-p5.1" parsed="|John|19|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.19.34">John xix. 34</scripRef>. Thus Christ comes into
the soul for its cure and cleansing, <i>not by water only, but by
water and blood,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 5:6" id="Lev.xv-p5.2" parsed="|1John|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.6">1 John v.
6</scripRef>. 2. The living bird, with a little scarlet wool, and a
bunch of hyssop, must be fastened to a cedar stick, dipped in the
water and blood, which must be so sprinkled upon him that was to be
cleansed, <scripRef passage="Le 14:6,7" id="Lev.xv-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|14|6|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.6-Lev.14.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>.
The cedar-wood signified the restoring of the leper to his strength
and soundness, for that is a sort of wood not apt to putrefy. The
scarlet wool signified his recovering a florid colour again, for
the leprosy made him white as snow. And the hyssop intimated the
removing of the disagreeable scent which commonly attended the
leprosy. The cedar the stateliest plant, and hyssop the meanest,
are here used together in this service (see <scripRef passage="1Ki 4:33" id="Lev.xv-p5.4" parsed="|1Kgs|4|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.4.33">1 Kings iv. 33</scripRef>); for those of the lowest rank
in the church may be of use in their place, as well as those that
are most eminent, <scripRef passage="1Co 12:2" id="Lev.xv-p5.5" parsed="|1Cor|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.2">1 Cor. xii.
2</scripRef>. Some make the slain bird to typify Christ <i>dying
for our sins,</i> and the living bird Christ <i>rising again for
our justification.</i> The dipping of the living bird in the blood
of the slain bird intimated that the merit of Christ's death was
that which made his resurrection effectual for our justification.
He took his blood with him into the holy place, and there appeared
a lamb as it had been slain. The cedar, scarlet wool, and hyssop,
must all be dipped in the blood; for the word and ordinances, and
all the operations of the Spirit, receive their efficacy for our
cleansing from the blood of Christ. The leper must be sprinkled
<i>seven times,</i> to signify a complete purification, in allusion
to which David prays, <i>Wash me thoroughly,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 51:2" id="Lev.xv-p5.6" parsed="|Ps|51|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.2">Ps. li. 2</scripRef>. Naaman was directed to wash
<i>seven times,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ki 5:10" id="Lev.xv-p5.7" parsed="|2Kgs|5|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.5.10">2 Kings v.
10</scripRef>. 3. The living bird was then to be let loose in the
open field, to signify that the leper, being cleansed, was now no
longer under restraint and confinement, but might take his liberty
to go where he pleased. But this being signified by the flight of a
bird towards heaven was an intimation to him henceforward to seek
the things that are above, and not to spend this new life to which
God had restored him merely in the pursuit of earthly things. This
typified that glorious liberty of the children of God to which
those are advanced who through grace are sprinkled from an evil
conscience. Those whose souls before <i>bowed down to the dust</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ps 44:25" id="Lev.xv-p5.8" parsed="|Ps|44|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.25">Ps. xliv. 25</scripRef>), in grief
and fear, now fly in the open firmament of heaven, and soar upwards
upon the wings of faith and hope, and holy love and joy. 4. The
priest must, upon this, pronounce him clean. It was requisite that
this should be done with solemnity, that the leper might himself be
the more affected with the mercy of God to him in his recovery, and
that others might be satisfied to converse with him. Christ is our
priest, to whom the Father has committed all judgment, and
particularly the judgment of the leprosy. By his definitive
sentence impenitent sinners will have their everlasting portion
assigned them with the unclean (<scripRef passage="Job 36:14" id="Lev.xv-p5.9" parsed="|Job|36|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.36.14">Job
xxxvi. 14</scripRef>), out of the holy city; and all that by his
grace are cured and cleansed shall be received into the camp of the
saints, into which no unclean thing shall enter. Those are clean
indeed whom Christ pronounces so, and they need not regard what men
say of them. But, though Christ was the <i>end of this law for
righteousness,</i> yet being in the days of his flesh <i>made under
the law,</i> which as yet stood unrepealed, he ordered those lepers
whom he had cured miraculously to go and <i>show themselves to the
priest,</i> and <i>offer for their cleansing according to the
law,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 8:4,Lu 17:14" id="Lev.xv-p5.10" parsed="|Matt|8|4|0|0;|Luke|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.4 Bible:Luke.17.14">Matt. viii. 4; Luke
xvii. 14</scripRef>. The type must be kept up till it was answered
by its antitype. 5. When the leper was pronounced clean, he must
wash his body and his clothes, and shave <i>off all his hair</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 14:8" id="Lev.xv-p5.11" parsed="|Lev|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), must still
tarry seven days out of the camp, and on the seventh day must do it
again, <scripRef passage="Le 14:9" id="Lev.xv-p5.12" parsed="|Lev|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. The
priest having pronounced him clean from the disease, he must make
himself as clean as ever he could from all the remains of it, and
from all other defilements, and he must take time to do this. Thus
those who have the comfort of the remission of their sins, by the
sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon their consciences, must with
the utmost care and caution <i>cleanse themselves from all
filthiness both of flesh and spirit,</i> and thoroughly <i>purge
themselves from their old sins;</i> for <i>every one that hath this
hope in him will</i> be concerned to <i>purify himself.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14" id="Lev.xv-p5.13" parsed="|Lev|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14:10-20" id="Lev.xv-p5.14" parsed="|Lev|14|10|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.10-Lev.14.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.14.10-Lev.14.20">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xv-p6">10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he
lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without
blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour <i>for</i> a meat
offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. &#160; 11 And the
priest that maketh <i>him</i> clean shall present the man that is
to be made clean, and those things, before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p6.1">Lord</span>, <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation: &#160; 12 And the priest shall take one he lamb,
and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave
them <i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p6.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 13 And he shall slay the lamb in
the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt
offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering <i>is</i> the
priest's, <i>so is</i> the trespass offering: it <i>is</i> most
holy: &#160; 14 And the priest shall take <i>some</i> of the blood
of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put <i>it</i> upon
the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon
the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right
foot: &#160; 15 And the priest shall take <i>some</i> of the log of
oil, and pour <i>it</i> into the palm of his own left hand: &#160;
16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that
<i>is</i> in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his
finger seven times before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p6.3">Lord</span>:
&#160; 17 And of the rest of the oil that <i>is</i> in his hand
shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is
to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the
great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass
offering: &#160; 18 And the remnant of the oil that <i>is</i> in
the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be
cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p6.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 19 And the priest shall
offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be
cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the
burnt offering: &#160; 20 And the priest shall offer the burnt
offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall
make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p7">Observe, I. To complete the purification of
the leper, on the eighth day, after the former solemnity performed
without the camp, and, as it should seem, before he returned to his
own habitation, he was to attend <i>at the door of the
tabernacle,</i> and was there to be <i>presented to the Lord,</i>
with his offering, <scripRef passage="Le 14:11" id="Lev.xv-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|14|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. Observe here, 1. That the mercies of God oblige us
to present ourselves to him, <scripRef passage="Ro 12:1" id="Lev.xv-p7.2" parsed="|Rom|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.1">Rom. xii.
1</scripRef>. 2. When God has restored us to the liberty of
ordinances again, after restraint by sickness, distance, or
otherwise, we should take the first opportunity of testifying our
respect to God, and our affection to his sanctuary, by a diligent
improvement of the liberty we are restored to. When Christ had
healed the impotent man, he soon after <i>found him in the
temple,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 5:14" id="Lev.xv-p7.3" parsed="|John|5|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.5.14">John v. 14</scripRef>.
When Hezekiah asks, <i>What is the sign that I shall go up to the
house of the Lord?</i> he means, "What is the sign that I shall
recover?" intimating that if God restored him his health, so that
he should be able to go abroad, the house of the Lord should be the
first place he would go to. 3. When we present ourselves before the
Lord we must present our offerings, devoting to God with ourselves
all we have and can do. 4. Both we and our offerings must be
presented before the Lord by the priest that made us clean, even
our Lord Jesus, else neither we nor they can be accepted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p8">II. Three lambs the cleansed leper was to
bring, with a meat-offering, and a log of oil, which was about half
a pint. Now, 1. Most of the ceremony peculiar to this case was
about the trespass-offering, the lamb for which was offered first,
<scripRef passage="Le 14:12" id="Lev.xv-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|14|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. And, besides
the usual rites with which the trespass-offering was offered, some
of the blood was to be put upon the ear, and thumb, and great toe,
of the leper that was to be cleansed (<scripRef passage="Le 14:14" id="Lev.xv-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), the very same ceremony that
was used in the consecration of the priests, <scripRef passage="Le 8:23,24" id="Lev.xv-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|8|23|8|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.23-Lev.8.24"><i>ch.</i> viii. 23, 24</scripRef>. It was a
mortification to them to see the same purification necessary for
them that was for a leper. The Jews say that the leper stood
without the gate of the tabernacle and the priest within, and thus
the ceremony was performed through the gate, signifying that now he
was admitted with other Israelites to attend in the courts of the
Lord's house again, and was as welcome as ever; though he had been
a leper, and though perhaps the name might stick by him as long as
he lived (as we read of one who probably was cleansed by our Lord
Jesus, who yet afterwards is called <i>Simon the leper,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mt 26:6" id="Lev.xv-p8.4" parsed="|Matt|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.26.6">Matt. xxvi. 6</scripRef>), yet he was
as freely admitted as ever to communion with God and man. After the
blood of the offering had been put with the priest's finger upon
the extremities of the body, to include the whole, some of the oil
that he brought, which was first waved and then sprinkled before
the Lord, was in like manner put in the same places upon the blood.
"The blood" (says the learned bishop Patrick) "seems to have been a
token of forgiveness, the oil of healing," for God first
<i>forgiveth our iniquities</i> and then <i>healeth our
diseases,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 103:3" id="Lev.xv-p8.5" parsed="|Ps|103|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.3">Ps. ciii. 3</scripRef>.
See <scripRef passage="Isa 38:17" id="Lev.xv-p8.6" parsed="|Isa|38|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.38.17">Isa. xxxviii. 17</scripRef>.
Wherever the blood of Christ is applied for justification the oil
of the Spirit is applied for sanctification; for these two are
inseparable and both necessary to our acceptance with God. Nor
shall our former leprosy, if it be healed by repentance, be any bar
to these glorious privileges. Cleansed lepers are as welcome to the
blood and the oil as consecrated priests. <i>Such were some of you,
but you are washed.</i> When the leper was sprinkled the water must
have blood in it (<scripRef passage="Le 14:5" id="Lev.xv-p8.7" parsed="|Lev|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), when he was anointed the oil must have blood under
it, to signify that all the graces and comforts of the Spirit, all
his purifying dignifying influences, are owing to the death of
Christ: it is by his blood alone that we are sanctified. 2. Besides
this there must be a sin-offering and a burnt-offering, a lamb for
each, <scripRef passage="Le 14:19,20" id="Lev.xv-p8.8" parsed="|Lev|14|19|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.19-Lev.14.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>.
By each of these offerings, it is said, the priests shall <i>make
atonement for him.</i> (1.) His moral guilt shall be removed; the
sin for which the leprosy was sent shall be pardoned, and all the
sins he had been guilty of in his afflicted state. Note, The
removal of any outward trouble is then doubly comfortable to us
when at the same time God gives us some assurance of the
forgiveness of our sins. If we <i>receive the atonement,</i> we
have reason to rejoice, <scripRef passage="Ro 5:11" id="Lev.xv-p8.9" parsed="|Rom|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.11">Rom. v.
11</scripRef>. (2.) His ceremonial pollution shall be removed,
which had kept him from the participation of the holy things. And
this is called <i>making an atonement for him,</i> because our
restoration to the privileges of God's children, typified hereby,
is owing purely to the great propitiation. When the atonement is
made for him he shall be clean, both to his own satisfaction and to
his reputation among his neighbours; he shall retrieve both his
credit and his comfort, and both these true penitents become
entitled to, both ease and honour, by their interest in the
atonement. The burnt-offering, besides the atonement that was made
by it, was a thankful acknowledgment of God's mercy to him: and the
more immediate the hand of God was both in the sickness and in the
cure the more reason he had thus to give glory to him, and thus, as
our Saviour speaks (<scripRef passage="Mk 1:44" id="Lev.xv-p8.10" parsed="|Mark|1|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.1.44">Mark i.
44</scripRef>), to <i>offer for his cleansing</i> all <i>those
things which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14:21-32" id="Lev.xv-p8.11" parsed="|Lev|14|21|14|32" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.21-Lev.14.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.14.21-Lev.14.32">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xv-p9">21 And if he <i>be</i> poor, and cannot get so
much; then he shall take one lamb <i>for</i> a trespass offering to
be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine
flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil;
&#160; 22 And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is
able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a
burnt offering. &#160; 23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day
for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p9.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 24 And the priest shall take the
lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest
shall wave them <i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p9.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 25 And he shall kill the lamb of
the trespass offering, and the priest shall take <i>some</i> of the
blood of the trespass offering, and put <i>it</i> upon the tip of
the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of
his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: &#160; 26
And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left
hand: &#160; 27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger
<i>some</i> of the oil that <i>is</i> in his left hand seven times
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p9.3">Lord</span>: &#160; 28 And the
priest shall put of the oil that <i>is</i> in his hand upon the tip
of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb
of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon
the place of the blood of the trespass offering: &#160; 29 And the
rest of the oil that <i>is</i> in the priest's hand he shall put
upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement
for him before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p9.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 30
And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young
pigeons, such as he can get; &#160; 31 <i>Even</i> such as he is
able to get, the one <i>for</i> a sin offering, and the other
<i>for</i> a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest
shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p9.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 32 This <i>is</i> the
law <i>of him</i> in whom <i>is</i> the plague of leprosy, whose
hand is not able to get <i>that which pertaineth</i> to his
cleansing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p10">We have here the gracious provision which
the law made for the cleansing of <i>poor lepers.</i> If they were
not able to bring three lambs, and three tenth-deals of flour, they
must bring one lamb, and one tenth-deal of flour, and, instead of
the other two lambs, two turtle-doves or two young pigeons,
<scripRef passage="Le 14:21,22" id="Lev.xv-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|14|21|14|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.21-Lev.14.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. Here
see, 1. That the poverty of the person concerned would not excuse
him if he brought no offering at all. Let none think that because
they are poor God requires no service from them, since he has
considered them, and demands that which it is in the power of the
poorest to give. "<i>My son, give me thy heart,</i> and with that
the <i>calves of thy lips</i> shall be accepted instead of the
<i>calves of the stall.</i>" 2. That God expected from those who
were poor only according to their ability; <i>his commandments are
not grievous,</i> nor does he make us to <i>serve with an
offering.</i> The poor are as welcome to God's altar as the rich;
and, if there be first a willing mind and an honest heart, two
pigeons, when they are the utmost a man is able to get, are as
acceptable to God as two lambs; for he requires <i>according to
what a man has and not according to what he has not.</i> But it is
observable that though a meaner sacrifice was accepted from the
poor, yet the very same ceremony was used for them as was for the
rich; for their souls are as precious and Christ and his gospel are
the same to both. Let not us therefore have <i>the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons,</i> <scripRef passage="Jam 2:1" id="Lev.xv-p10.2" parsed="|Jas|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.1">Jam. ii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14:33-53" id="Lev.xv-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|14|33|14|53" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.33-Lev.14.53"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.14.33-Lev.14.53">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xv-p11">33 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xv-p11.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 34 When ye be come
into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and
I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your
possession; &#160; 35 And he that owneth the house shall come and
tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me <i>there is</i> as it
were a plague in the house: &#160; 36 Then the priest shall command
that they empty the house, before the priest go <i>into it</i> to
see the plague, that all that <i>is</i> in the house be not made
unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house:
&#160; 37 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, <i>if</i>
the plague <i>be</i> in the walls of the house with hollow strakes,
greenish or reddish, which in sight <i>are</i> lower than the wall;
&#160; 38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of
the house, and shut up the house seven days: &#160; 39 And the
priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and,
behold, <i>if</i> the plague be spread in the walls of the house;
&#160; 40 Then the priest shall command that they take away the
stones in which the plague <i>is,</i> and they shall cast them into
an unclean place without the city: &#160; 41 And he shall cause the
house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the
dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place:
&#160; 42 And they shall take other stones, and put <i>them</i> in
the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and
shall plaster the house. &#160; 43 And if the plague come again,
and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the
stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is
plastered; &#160; 44 Then the priest shall come and look, and,
behold, <i>if</i> the plague be spread in the house, it <i>is</i> a
fretting leprosy in the house: it <i>is</i> unclean. &#160; 45 And
he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber
thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry
<i>them</i> forth out of the city into an unclean place. &#160; 46
Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut
up shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 47 And he that lieth in
the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house
shall wash his clothes. &#160; 48 And if the priest shall come in,
and look <i>upon it,</i> and, behold, the plague hath not spread in
the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall
pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. &#160; 49
And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood,
and scarlet, and hyssop: &#160; 50 And he shall kill the one of the
birds in an earthen vessel over running water: &#160; 51 And he
shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the
living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in
the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: &#160; 52
And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with
the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar
wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: &#160; 53 But he
shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields,
and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p12">This is the law concerning the leprosy in a
house. Now that they were in the wilderness they dwelt in tents,
and had no houses, and therefore the law is made only an appendix
to the former laws concerning the leprosy, because it related, not
to their present state, but to their future settlement. The leprosy
in a house is as unaccountable as the leprosy in a garment; but, if
we see not what natural causes of it can be assigned, we may
resolve it into the power of the God of nature, who here says, <i>I
put the leprosy in a house</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 14:34" id="Lev.xv-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|14|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>), as his curse is said to
<i>enter into a house,</i> and <i>consume it with the timber and
stones thereof,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 5:4" id="Lev.xv-p12.2" parsed="|Zech|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.5.4">Zech. v.
4</scripRef>. Now, 1. It is supposed that even in Canaan itself,
the land of promise, their houses might be infected with a leprosy.
Though it was a holy land, this would not secure them from this
plague, while the inhabitants were many of them so unholy. Thus a
place and a name in the visible church will not secure wicked
people from God's judgments. 2. It is likewise taken for granted
that the owner of the house will make the priest acquainted with
it, as soon as he sees the least cause to suspect the leprosy in
his house: <i>It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the
house,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 14:35" id="Lev.xv-p12.3" parsed="|Lev|14|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>.
Sin, where that reigns in a house, is a plague there, as it is in a
heart. And masters of families should be aware and afraid of the
first appearance of gross sin in their families, and put away the
iniquity, whatever it is, far from their tabernacles, <scripRef passage="Job 22:23" id="Lev.xv-p12.4" parsed="|Job|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.22.23">Job xxii. 23</scripRef>. They should be jealous
with a godly jealousy concerning those under their charge, lest
they be drawn into sin, and take early advice, if it but seem that
there is a plague in the house, lest the contagion spread, and many
be by it defiled and destroyed. 3. If the priest, upon search,
found that the leprosy had got into the house, he must try to cure
it, by taking gout that part of the building that was infected,
<scripRef passage="Le 14:40,41" id="Lev.xv-p12.5" parsed="|Lev|14|40|14|41" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.40-Lev.14.41"><i>v.</i> 40, 41</scripRef>. This
was like cutting off a gangrened limb, for the preservation of the
rest of the body. Corruption should be purged out in time, before
it spread; for <i>a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. If thy
right hand offend thee, cut it off.</i> 4. If yet it remained in
the house, the whole house must be pulled down, and all the
materials carried to the dunghill, <scripRef passage="Le 14:44,45" id="Lev.xv-p12.6" parsed="|Lev|14|44|14|45" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.44-Lev.14.45"><i>v.</i> 44, 45</scripRef>. The owner had better be
without a dwelling than live in one that was infected. Note, The
leprosy of sin, if it be obstinate under the methods of cure, will
at last be the ruin of families and churches. If Babylon will not
be healed, she shall be forsaken and abandoned, and (according to
the law respecting the leprous house), they shall not <i>take of
her a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations,</i>
<scripRef passage="Jer 51:9,26" id="Lev.xv-p12.7" parsed="|Jer|51|9|0|0;|Jer|51|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.51.9 Bible:Jer.51.26">Jer. li. 9, 26</scripRef>. The
remainders of sin and corruption in our mortal bodies are like this
leprosy in the house; after all our pains in scraping and
plastering, we shall never be quite clear of it, till the earthly
house of this tabernacle be dissolved and taken down; when we are
dead we shall be free from sin, and not till then, <scripRef passage="Ro 6:7" id="Lev.xv-p12.8" parsed="|Rom|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.7">Rom. vi. 7</scripRef>. 5. If the taking out the
infected stones cured the house, and the leprosy did not spread any
further, then the house must be cleansed; not only aired, that it
might be healthful, but purified from the ceremonial pollution,
that it might be fit to be the habitation of an Israelite. The
ceremony of its cleansing was much the same with that of cleansing
a leprous person, <scripRef passage="Le 14:49" id="Lev.xv-p12.9" parsed="|Lev|14|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.49"><i>v.</i>
49</scripRef>, &amp;c. This intimated that the house was smitten
for the man's sake (as bishop Patrick expresses it), and he was to
look upon himself as preserved by divine mercy. The houses of
Israelites are said to be <i>dedicated</i> (<scripRef passage="De 20:5" id="Lev.xv-p12.10" parsed="|Deut|20|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.5">Deut. xx. 5</scripRef>), for they were a holy nation, and
therefore they ought to keep their houses pure from all ceremonial
pollutions, that they might be fit for the service of that God to
whom they were devoted. And the same care should we take to reform
whatever is amiss in our families, that we and our houses may serve
the Lord; see <scripRef passage="Ge 35:2" id="Lev.xv-p12.11" parsed="|Gen|35|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.2">Gen. xxxv. 2</scripRef>.
Some have thought the leprosy in the house was typical of the
idolatry of the Jewish church, which did strangely cleave to it;
for, though some of the reforming kings took away the infected
stones, yet still it broke out again, till by the captivity of
Babylon God took down the house, and carried it to an unclean land;
and this proved an effectual cure of their inclination to idols and
idolatrous worships.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 14:54-57" id="Lev.xv-p12.12" parsed="|Lev|14|54|14|57" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.54-Lev.14.57"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.14.54-Lev.14.57">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xv-p13">54 This <i>is</i> the law for all manner of
plague of leprosy, and scall, &#160; 55 And for the leprosy of a
garment, and of a house, &#160; 56 And for a rising, and for a
scab, and for a bright spot: &#160; 57 To teach when <i>it is</i>
unclean, and when <i>it is</i> clean: this <i>is</i> the law of
leprosy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xv-p14">This is the conclusion of this law
concerning the leprosy. There is no repetition of it in
Deuteronomy, only a general memorandum given (<scripRef passage="De 24:8" id="Lev.xv-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.8">Deut. xxiv. 8</scripRef>), <i>Take heed in the plague of
leprosy.</i> We may see in this law, 1. The gracious care God took
of his people Israel, for to them only this law pertained, and not
to the Gentiles. When Naaman the Syrian was cured of his leprosy he
was not bidden to show himself to the priest, though he was cured
in Jordan, as the Jews that were cured by our Saviour were. Thus
those who are entrusted with the key of discipline in the church
judge those only <i>that are within;</i> but <i>those that are
without God judgeth,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 5:12,13" id="Lev.xv-p14.2" parsed="|1Cor|5|12|5|13" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.12-1Cor.5.13">1 Cor. v.
12, 13</scripRef>. 2. The religious care we ought to take of
ourselves, to keep our minds from the dominion of all sinful
affections and dispositions, which are both their disease and their
defilement, that we may be fit for the service of God. We ought
also to avoid all bad company, and, as much as may be, to avoid
coming within the danger of being infected by it. <i>Touch not the
unclean thing, saith the Lord, and I will receive you,</i>
<scripRef passage="2Co 6:17" id="Lev.xv-p14.3" parsed="|2Cor|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.17">2 Cor. vi. 17</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XV" n="xvi" progress="56.83%" prev="Lev.xv" next="Lev.xvii" id="Lev.xvi">
<h2 id="Lev.xvi-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xvi-p0.2">CHAP. XV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xvi-p1">In this chapter we have laws concerning other
ceremonial uncleannesses contracted either by bodily disease like
that of the leper, or some natural incidents, and this either, I.
In men, <scripRef passage="Le 15:1-18" id="Lev.xvi-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|15|1|15|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.1-Lev.15.18">ver. 1-18</scripRef>. Or,
II. In women, <scripRef passage="Le 15:19-33" id="Lev.xvi-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|15|19|15|33" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.19-Lev.15.33">ver.
19-33</scripRef>. We need not be at all curious in explaining these
antiquated laws, it is enough if we observe the general intention;
but we have need to be very cautious lest sin take occasion by the
commandment to become more exceedingly sinful; and exceedingly
sinful it is when lust is kindled by sparks of fire from God's
altar. The case is bad with the soul when it is putrefied by that
which should purify it.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 15" id="Lev.xvi-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 15:1-18" id="Lev.xvi-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|15|1|15|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.1-Lev.15.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.15.1-Lev.15.18">
<h4 id="Lev.xvi-p1.5">Ceremonial Purification. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvi-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running
issue out of his flesh, <i>because of</i> his issue he <i>is</i>
unclean. &#160; 3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue:
whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from
his issue, it <i>is</i> his uncleanness. &#160; 4 Every bed,
whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing,
whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. &#160; 5 And whosoever
toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe <i>himself</i>
in water, and be unclean until the even. &#160; 6 And he that
sitteth on <i>any</i> thing whereon he sat that hath the issue
shall wash his clothes, and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be
unclean until the even. &#160; 7 And he that toucheth the flesh of
him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe
<i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean until the even. &#160; 8
And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he
shall wash his clothes, and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be
unclean until the even. &#160; 9 And what saddle soever he rideth
upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. &#160; 10 And whosoever
toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the
even: and he that beareth <i>any of</i> those things shall wash his
clothes, and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean until
the even. &#160; 11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue,
and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes,
and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean until the even.
&#160; 12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the
issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in
water. &#160; 13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his
issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his
cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running
water, and shall be clean. &#160; 14 And on the eighth day he shall
take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvi-p2.2">Lord</span> unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest:
&#160; 15 And the priest shall offer them, the one <i>for</i> a sin
offering, and the other <i>for</i> a burnt offering; and the priest
shall make an atonement for him before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvi-p2.3">Lord</span> for his issue. &#160; 16 And if any man's
seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his
flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. &#160; 17 And every
garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall
be washed with water, and be unclean until the even. &#160; 18 The
woman also with whom man shall lie <i>with</i> seed of copulation,
they shall <i>both</i> bathe <i>themselves</i> in water, and be
unclean until the even.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvi-p3">We have here the law concerning the
ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted by running issues in
men. It is called in the margin (<scripRef passage="Le 15:2" id="Lev.xvi-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>) the <i>running of the reins:</i>
a very grievous and loathsome disease, which was, usually the
effect and consequent of wantonness and uncleanness, and a
dissolute course of life, filling men's bones with the sins of
their youth, and leaving them to mourn at the last, when all the
pleasures of their wickedness have vanished, and nothing remains
but the pain and anguish of a rotten carcase and a wounded
conscience. And what fruit has the sinner then of those things
whereof he has so much reason to be ashamed? <scripRef passage="Ro 6:21" id="Lev.xvi-p3.2" parsed="|Rom|6|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.21">Rom. vi. 21</scripRef>. As modesty is <i>an ornament of
grace to the head and chains about the neck,</i> so chastity is
<i>health to the navel and marrow to the bones;</i> but uncleanness
is a <i>wound and dishonour,</i> the consumption of the flesh and
the body, and a sin which is often its own punishment more than any
other. It was also sometimes inflicted by the righteous hand of God
for other sins, as appears by David's imprecation of a curse upon
the family of Joab, for the murder of Abner. <scripRef passage="2Sa 3:29" id="Lev.xvi-p3.3" parsed="|2Sam|3|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.3.29">2 Sam. iii. 29</scripRef>, <i>Let there not fail from
the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or is a leper.</i> A vile
disease for vile deserts. Now whoever had this disease upon him, 1.
He was himself unclean, <scripRef passage="Le 15:2" id="Lev.xvi-p3.4" parsed="|Lev|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. He must not dare to come near the sanctuary, it was
at his peril if he did, nor might he eat of the holy things. This
signified the filthiness of sin, and of all the productions of our
corrupt nature, which render us odious to God's holiness, and
utterly unfit for communion with him. Out of a pure heart well kept
are the issues of life (<scripRef passage="Pr 4:23" id="Lev.xvi-p3.5" parsed="|Prov|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.4.23">Prov. iv.
23</scripRef>), but out of an unclean heart comes that which is
defiling, <scripRef passage="Mt 12:34,35" id="Lev.xvi-p3.6" parsed="|Matt|12|34|12|35" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.34-Matt.12.35">Matt. xii. 34,
35</scripRef>. 2. He made every person and thing unclean that he
touched, or that touched him, <scripRef passage="Le 15:4-12" id="Lev.xvi-p3.7" parsed="|Lev|15|4|15|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.4-Lev.15.12"><i>v.</i> 4-12</scripRef>. His bed, and his chair, and
his saddle, and every thing that belonged to him, could not be
touched without a ceremonial uncleanness contracted, which a man
must remain conscious to himself of till sunset, and from which he
could not be cleansed without washing his clothes, and bathing his
flesh in water. This signified the contagion of sin, the danger we
are in of being polluted by conversing with those that are
polluted, and the need we have with the utmost circumspection to
<i>save ourselves from this untoward generation.</i> 3. When he was
cured of the disease, yet he could not be cleansed from the
pollution without a sacrifice, for which he was to prepare himself
by seven days' expectation after he was perfectly clear from his
distemper, and by bathing in spring water, <scripRef passage="Le 15:13-15" id="Lev.xvi-p3.8" parsed="|Lev|15|13|15|15" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.13-Lev.15.15"><i>v.</i> 13-15</scripRef>. This signified the great
gospel duties of faith and repentance, and the great gospel
privileges of the application of Christ's blood to our souls for
our justification and his grace for our sanctification. God has
promised to sprinkle clean water upon us, and to cleanse us from
all our filthiness, and has appointed us by repentance to wash and
make ourselves clean: he has also provided a sacrifice of
atonement, and requires us by faith to interest ourselves in that
sacrifice; for it is <i>the blood of Christ his Son that cleanses
us from all sin,</i> and by which atonement is made for us, that we
may have admission into God's presence and may partake of his
favour.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 15" id="Lev.xvi-p3.9" parsed="|Lev|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 15:19-33" id="Lev.xvi-p3.10" parsed="|Lev|15|19|15|33" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.19-Lev.15.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.15.19-Lev.15.33">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvi-p4">19 And if a woman have an issue, <i>and</i> her
issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and
whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 20
And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be
unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
&#160; 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes,
and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean until the even.
&#160; 22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall
wash his clothes, and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean
until the even. &#160; 23 And if it <i>be</i> on <i>her</i> bed, or
on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be
unclean until the even. &#160; 24 And if any man lie with her at
all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days;
and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. &#160; 25 And if
a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her
separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the
days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her
separation: she <i>shall be</i> unclean. &#160; 26 Every bed
whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as
the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be
unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. &#160; 27 And
whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash
his clothes, and bathe <i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean
until the even. &#160; 28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then
she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be
clean. &#160; 29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two
turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 30 And the
priest shall offer the one <i>for</i> a sin offering, and the other
<i>for</i> a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement
for her before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvi-p4.1">Lord</span> for the
issue of her uncleanness. &#160; 31 Thus shall ye separate the
children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in
their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that <i>is</i>
among them. &#160; 32 This <i>is</i> the law of him that hath an
issue, and <i>of him</i> whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled
therewith; &#160; 33 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of
him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him
that lieth with her that is unclean.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvi-p5">This is concerning the ceremonial
uncleanness which women lay under from their issues, both those
that were regular and healthful, and according to the course of
nature (<scripRef passage="Le 15:19-24" id="Lev.xvi-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|15|19|15|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.19-Lev.15.24"><i>v.</i>
19-24</scripRef>), and those that were unseasonable, excessive, and
the disease of the body; such was the bloody issue of that poor
woman who was suddenly cured by touching the hem of Christ's
garment, after she had lain twelve years under her distemper, and
had spent her estate upon physicians and physic in vain. This made
the woman that was afflicted with it unclean (<scripRef passage="Le 15:25" id="Lev.xvi-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|15|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>) and every thing she touched
unclean, <scripRef passage="Le 15:26,27" id="Lev.xvi-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|15|26|15|27" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.26-Lev.15.27"><i>v.</i> 26,
27</scripRef>. And if she was cured, and found by seven days' trial
that she was perfectly free from her issue of blood, she was to be
cleansed by the offering of two turtle-doves or two young pigeons,
to make an atonement for her, <scripRef passage="Le 15:28,29" id="Lev.xvi-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|15|28|15|29" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.28-Lev.15.29"><i>v.</i> 28, 29</scripRef>. All wicked courses,
particularly idolatries, are compared to the uncleanness of a
<i>removed woman</i> (<scripRef passage="Eze 36:17" id="Lev.xvi-p5.5" parsed="|Ezek|36|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.36.17">Ezek. xxxvi.
17</scripRef>), and, in allusion to this, it is said of Jerusalem
(<scripRef passage="La 1:9" id="Lev.xvi-p5.6" parsed="|Lam|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.1.9">Lam. i. 9</scripRef>), <i>Her
filthiness is in her skirts,</i> so that (as it follows, <scripRef passage="Le 15:17" id="Lev.xvi-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|15|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>) she was shunned as a
menstruous woman.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvi-p6">I. The reasons given for all these laws
(which we are ready to think might very well have been spared) we
have, <scripRef passage="Le 15:31" id="Lev.xvi-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|15|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. 1.
<i>Thus shall you separate the children of Israel</i> (for to them
only and their servants and proselytes these laws pertained)
<i>from their uncleanness;</i> that is, (1.) By these laws they
were taught their privilege and honour, that they were <i>purified
unto God a peculiar people,</i> and were intended by the holy God
for a kingdom of priests, a holy nation; for that was a defilement
to them which was not so to others. (2.) They were also taught
their duty, which was to preserve the honour of their purity, and
to keep themselves from all sinful pollutions. It was easy for them
to argue that if those pollutions which were natural, unavoidable,
involuntary, their affliction and not their sin, rendered them for
the time so odious that they were not fit for communion either with
God or man, much more abominable and filthy were they if they
sinned against the light and law of nature, by drunkenness,
adultery, fraud, and the like sins, which defile the very mind and
conscience. And, if these ceremonial pollutions could not be done
away but by sacrifice and offering, something greater and much more
valuable must be expected and depended upon for the purifying of
the soul from the uncleanness of sin. 2. Thus their dying in their
uncleanness by the hand of God's justice, if while they were under
any of these defilements they should come near the sanctuary, would
be prevented. Note, It is a dangerous thing to die in our
uncleanness; and it is our own fault if we do, since we have not
only fair warning given us, by God's law, against those things that
will defile us, but also such gracious provision made by his gospel
for our cleansing if at any time we be defiled. 3. In all these
laws there seems to be a special regard had to the honour of the
tabernacle, to which none must approach in their uncleanness, that
they <i>defile not my tabernacle.</i> Infinite Wisdom took this
course to preserve in the minds of that careless people a continual
dread of, and veneration for, the manifestations of God's glory and
presence among them in his sanctuary. Now that the tabernacle of
God was with men familiarity would be apt to breed contempt, and
therefore the law made so many things of frequent incidence to be
ceremonial pollutions, and to involve an incapacity of drawing near
to the sanctuary (making death the penalty), that so they might not
approach without great caution, and reverence, and serious
preparation, and fear of being found unfit. Thus they were taught
never to draw near to God but with an awful humble sense of their
distance and danger, and an exact observance of every thing that
was required in order to their safety and acceptance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvi-p7">II. And what duty must we learn from all
this? 1. Let us bless God that we are not under the yoke of these
carnal ordinances, that, as nothing can destroy us, so nothing can
defile us, but sin. Those may now partake of the Lord's supper who
durst not then eat of the peace-offerings. And the defilement we
contract by our sins of daily infirmity we may be cleansed from in
secret by the renewed acts of repentance and faith, without bathing
in water or bringing an offering to the door of the tabernacle. 2.
Let us carefully abstain from all sin, as defiling to the
conscience, and particularly from all fleshly lusts, <i>possessing
our vessel in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of
uncleanness,</i> which not only pollute the soul, but <i>war
against it,</i> and threaten its ruin. 3. Let us all see how
indispensably necessary real holiness is to our future happiness,
and get our hearts purified by faith, that we may see God. Perhaps
it is in allusion to these laws which forbade the unclean to
approach the sanctuary that when it is asked, <i>Who shall stand in
God's holy place?</i> it is answered, <i>He that hath clean hands
and a pure heart</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 24:3,4" id="Lev.xvi-p7.1" parsed="|Ps|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.24.3-Ps.24.4">Ps. xxxiv. 3,
4</scripRef>); for <i>without holiness no man shall see the
Lord.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVI" n="xvii" progress="57.12%" prev="Lev.xvi" next="Lev.xviii" id="Lev.xvii">
<h2 id="Lev.xvii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xvii-p0.2">CHAP. XVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xvii-p1">In this chapter we have the institution of the
annual solemnity of the day of atonement, or expiation, which had
as much gospel in it as perhaps any of the appointments of the
ceremonial law, as appears by the reference the apostle makes to
it, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:7" id="Lev.xvii-p1.1" parsed="|Heb|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.7">Heb. ix. 7</scripRef>, &amp;c. We
had before divers laws concerning sin-offerings for particular
persons, and to be offered upon particular occasions; but this is
concerning the stated sacrifice, in which the whole nation was
interested. The whole service of the day is committed to the high
priest. I. He must never come into the most holy place but upon
this day, <scripRef passage="Le 16:1,2" id="Lev.xvii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|16|1|16|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.1-Lev.16.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II.
He must come dressed in linen garments, <scripRef passage="Le 16:4" id="Lev.xvii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. III. He must bring a sin-offering and
a burnt-offering for himself (<scripRef passage="Le 16:3" id="Lev.xvii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.3">ver.
3</scripRef>), offer his sin-offering (<scripRef passage="Le 16:6-11" id="Lev.xvii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|16|6|16|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.6-Lev.16.11">ver. 6-11</scripRef>), then go within the veil with
some of the blood of his sin-offering, burn incense, and sprinkle
the blood before the mercy-seat, <scripRef passage="Le 16:12-14" id="Lev.xvii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|16|12|16|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.12-Lev.16.14">ver. 12-14</scripRef>. IV. Two goats must be provided
for the people, lots cast upon them, and, 1. One of them must be a
sin-offering for the people (<scripRef passage="Le 16:5,7-9" id="Lev.xvii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|16|5|0|0;|Lev|16|7|16|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.5 Bible:Lev.16.7-Lev.16.9">ver.
5, 7-9</scripRef>), and the blood of it must be sprinkled before
the mercy-seat (<scripRef passage="Le 16:15-17" id="Lev.xvii-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|16|15|16|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.15-Lev.16.17">ver.
15-17</scripRef>), and then some of the blood of both the
sin-offerings must be sprinkled upon the altar, <scripRef passage="Le 16:18,19" id="Lev.xvii-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|16|18|16|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.18-Lev.16.19">ver. 18, 19</scripRef>. 2. The other must be a
scape-goat (<scripRef passage="Le 16:10" id="Lev.xvii-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.10">ver. 10</scripRef>), the
sins of Israel must be confessed over him, and then he must be sent
away into the wilderness (<scripRef passage="Le 16:20-22" id="Lev.xvii-p1.11" parsed="|Lev|16|20|16|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.20-Lev.16.22">ver.
20-22</scripRef>), and he that brought him away must be
ceremonially unclean, <scripRef passage="Le 16:26" id="Lev.xvii-p1.12" parsed="|Lev|16|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.26">ver.
26</scripRef>. V. The burnt-offerings were then to be offered, the
fat of the sin-offerings burnt on the altar, and their flesh burnt
without the camp, <scripRef passage="Le 16:23-25,27,28" id="Lev.xvii-p1.13" parsed="|Lev|16|23|16|25;|Lev|16|27|0|0;|Lev|16|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.23-Lev.16.25 Bible:Lev.16.27 Bible:Lev.16.28">ver. 23-25,
27, 28</scripRef>. VI. The people were to observe the day
religiously by a holy rest and holy mourning for sin; and this was
to be a statute for ever, <scripRef passage="Le 16:29-34" id="Lev.xvii-p1.14" parsed="|Lev|16|29|16|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.29-Lev.16.34">ver.
29</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16" id="Lev.xvii-p1.15" parsed="|Lev|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16:1-4" id="Lev.xvii-p1.16" parsed="|Lev|16|1|16|4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.1-Lev.16.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.16.1-Lev.16.4">
<h4 id="Lev.xvii-p1.17">The Great Day of Atonement. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p1.18">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when
they offered before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p2.2">Lord</span>, and
died; &#160; 2 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p2.3">Lord</span> said
unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all
times into the holy <i>place</i> within the vail before the mercy
seat, which <i>is</i> upon the ark; that he die not: for I will
appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. &#160; 3 Thus shall Aaron
come into the holy <i>place</i>: with a young bullock for a sin
offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. &#160; 4 He shall put on
the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his
flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen
mitre shall he be attired: these <i>are</i> holy garments;
therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and <i>so</i> put them
on.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p3">Here is, I. The date of this law concerning
the day of atonement: it was <i>after the death of the two sons of
Aaron</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 16:1" id="Lev.xvii-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|16|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>),
which we read, <scripRef passage="Le 10:1" id="Lev.xvii-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.1"><i>ch.</i> x.
1</scripRef>. 1. Lest Aaron should fear that any remaining guilt of
that sin should cleave to his family, or (seeing the priests were
so apt to offend) that some after-sin of his other sons should be
the ruin of his family, he is directed how to make atonement for
his house, that it might keep in with God; for the atonement for it
would be the establishment of it, and preserve the entail of the
blessing upon it. 2. The priests being warned by the death of Nadab
and Abihu to approach to God with reverence and godly fear (without
which they came at their peril), directions are here given how the
nearest approach might be made, not only without peril, but to
unspeakable advantage and comfort, if the directions were observed.
When they were cut off for an undue approach, the rest must not
say, "Then we will not draw near at all," but, "Then we will do it
by rule." They died for their sin, therefore God graciously
provides for the rest, that they die not. Thus God's judgments on
some should be instructions to others.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p4">II. The design of this law. One intention
of it was to preserve a veneration for the most holy place, within
the veil, where the <i>Shechinah,</i> or divine glory, was pleased
to dwell between the cherubim: <i>Speak unto Aaron, that he come
not at all times into the holy place,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:2" id="Lev.xvii-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Before the veil some of the
priests came every day to burn incense upon the golden altar, but
within the veil none must ever come but the high priest only, and
he but on one day in the year, and with great ceremony and caution.
That place where God manifested his special presence must not be
made common. If none must come into the presence-chamber of an
earthly king uncalled, no, not the queen herself, upon pain of
death (<scripRef passage="Es 4:11" id="Lev.xvii-p4.2" parsed="|Esth|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Esth.4.11">Esth. iv. 11</scripRef>), was it
not requisite that the same sacred respect should be paid to the
Kings of kings? But see what a blessed change is made by the gospel
of Christ; all good Christians have now <i>boldness to enter into
the holiest,</i> through the veil, every day (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:19,20" id="Lev.xvii-p4.3" parsed="|Heb|10|19|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.19-Heb.10.20">Heb. x. 19, 20</scripRef>); and we <i>come
boldly</i> (not as Aaron must, with fear and trembling) to the
<i>throne of grace,</i> or mercy-seat, <scripRef passage="Heb 4:16" id="Lev.xvii-p4.4" parsed="|Heb|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.16">Heb. iv. 16</scripRef>. While the manifestations of
God's presence and grace were sensible, it was requisite that they
should thus be confined and upon reserve, because the objects of
sense the more familiar they are made the less awful or delightful
they become; but now that they are purely spiritual it is
otherwise, for the objects of faith the more they are conversed
with the more do they manifest of their greatness and goodness: now
therefore we are welcome to come at all times into the <i>holy
place not made with hands,</i> for we are made to <i>sit together
with Christ in heavenly places</i> by faith, <scripRef passage="Eph 2:6" id="Lev.xvii-p4.5" parsed="|Eph|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.2.6">Eph. ii. 6</scripRef>. Then Aaron must not come near at
all times, <i>lest he die;</i> we now must come near at all times
that we may live: it is distance only that is our death. Then God
appeared in the cloud upon the mercy-seat, but now with open face
we behold, not in a dark cloud, but in a clear glass, the glory of
the Lord, <scripRef passage="2Co 3:18" id="Lev.xvii-p4.6" parsed="|2Cor|3|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.3.18">2 Cor. iii.
18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p5">III. The person to whom the work of this
day was committed, and that was the high priest only: <i>Thus shall
Aaron come into the holy place,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:3" id="Lev.xvii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. He was to do all himself upon the
day of atonement: only there was a second provided to be his
substitute or supporter, in case any thing should befal him, either
of sickness or ceremonial uncleanness, that he could not perform
the service of the day. All Christians are spiritual priests, but
Christ only is the high priest, and he alone it is that makes
atonement, nor needed he either assistant or substitute.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p6">IV. The attire of the high priest in this
service. He was not to be dressed up in his rich garments that were
peculiar to himself: he was not to put on the ephod, with the
precious stones in it, but only the linen clothes which he wore in
common with the inferior priests, <scripRef passage="Le 16:4" id="Lev.xvii-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. That meaner dress did best become
him on this day of humiliation; and, being thinner and lighter, he
would in it be more expedite for the work or service of the day,
which was all to go through his hands. Christ, our high priest,
made atonement for sin in our nature; not in the robes of his own
peculiar glory, but the linen garments of our mortality, clean
indeed, but mean.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16:5-14" id="Lev.xvii-p6.2" parsed="|Lev|16|5|16|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.5-Lev.16.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.16.5-Lev.16.14">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvii-p7">5 And he shall take of the congregation of the
children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and
one ram for a burnt offering. &#160; 6 And Aaron shall offer his
bullock of the sin offering, which <i>is</i> for himself, and make
an atonement for himself, and for his house. &#160; 7 And he shall
take the two goats, and present them before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p7.1">Lord</span> <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. &#160; 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two
goats; one lot for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p7.2">Lord</span>, and the
other lot for the scapegoat. &#160; 9 And Aaron shall bring the
goat upon which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p7.3">Lord</span>'s lot fell,
and offer him <i>for</i> a sin offering. &#160; 10 But the goat, on
which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p7.4">Lord</span>, to make an
atonement with him, <i>and</i> to let him go for a scapegoat into
the wilderness. &#160; 11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the
sin offering, which <i>is</i> for himself, and shall make an
atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the
bullock of the sin offering which <i>is</i> for himself: &#160; 12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off
the altar before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p7.5">Lord</span>, and his
hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring <i>it</i>
within the vail: &#160; 13 And he shall put the incense upon the
fire before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p7.6">Lord</span>, that the cloud
of the incense may cover the mercy seat that <i>is</i> upon the
testimony, that he die not: &#160; 14 And he shall take of the
blood of the bullock, and sprinkle <i>it</i> with his finger upon
the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he
sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p8">The Jewish writers say that for seven days
before the day of expiation the high priest was to retire from his
own house, and to dwell in a chamber of the temple, that he might
prepare himself for the service of this great day. During those
seven days he himself did the work of the inferior priests about
the sacrifices, incense, &amp;c., that he might have his hand in
for this day: he must have the institution read to him again and
again, that he might be fully apprised of the whole method. 1. He
was to begin the service of the day very early with the usual
morning sacrifice, after he had first washed his whole body before
he dressed himself, and his hands and feet again afterwards. He
then burned the daily incense, dressed the lamps, and offered the
extraordinary sacrifice appointed for this day (not here, but
<scripRef passage="Nu 29:8" id="Lev.xvii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|29|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.8">Num. xxix. 8</scripRef>), a bullock, a
ram, and seven lambs, all for burnt-offerings. This he is supposed
to have done in his high priest's garments. 2. He must now put off
his rich robes, bathe himself, put on the linen garments, and
present unto the Lord his own bullock, which was to be a
sin-offering for himself and his own house, <scripRef passage="Le 16:6" id="Lev.xvii-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|16|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. The bullock was set between the
temple and the altar, and the offering of him mentioned in this
verse was the making of a solemn confession of his sins and the
sins of his house, earnestly praying for the forgiveness of them,
and this with his hands on the head of the bullock. 3. He must then
cast lots upon the two goats, which were to make (both together)
one sin-offering for the congregation. One of these goats must be
slain, in token of a satisfaction to be made to God's justice for
sin, the other must be sent away, in token of the remission or
dismission of sin by the mercy of God. Both must be presented
together to God (<scripRef passage="Le 16:7" id="Lev.xvii-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>) before the lot was cast upon them, and afterwards the
scape-goat by itself, <scripRef passage="Le 16:10" id="Lev.xvii-p8.4" parsed="|Lev|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. Some think that goats were chosen for the
sin-offering because, by the disagreeableness of their smell, the
offensiveness of sin is represented: others think, because it was
said that the demons which the heathens then worshipped often
appeared to their worshippers in the form of goats, God therefore
obliged his people to sacrifice goats, that they might never be
tempted to sacrifice to goats. 4. The next thing to be done was to
kill the bullock for the sin-offering for himself and his house,
<scripRef passage="Le 16:11" id="Lev.xvii-p8.5" parsed="|Lev|16|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. "Now," say
the Jews, "he must again put his hands on the head of the bullock,
and repeat the confession and supplication he had before made, and
kill the bullock with his own hands, to make atonement for himself
first (for how could he make reconciliation for the sins of the
people till he was himself first reconciled?) and for his house,
not only his own family, but all the priests, who are called the
<i>house of Aaron,</i>" <scripRef passage="Ps 135:19" id="Lev.xvii-p8.6" parsed="|Ps|135|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.135.19">Ps. cxxxv.
19</scripRef>. This charity must begin at home, though it must not
end there. The bullock being killed, he left one of the priests to
stir the blood, that it might not thicken, and then, 5. He took a
censer of burning coals (that would not smoke) in one hand, and a
dish full of the sweet incense in the other, and then went into the
holy of holies through the veil, and went up towards the ark, set
the coals down upon the floor, and scattered the incense upon them,
so that the room was immediately filled with smoke. The Jews say
that he was to go in <i>side-ways,</i> that he might not look
directly upon the ark where the divine glory was, till it was
covered with smoke; then he must come out <i>backwards,</i> out of
reverence to the divine majesty; and, after a short prayer, he was
to hasten out of the sanctuary, to show himself to the people, that
they might not suspect that he had misbehaved himself and died
before the Lord. 6. He then fetched the blood of the bullock from
the priest whom he had left stirring it, and took that in with him
the second time into the holy of holies, which was now filled with
the smoke of the incense, and sprinkled with his finger of that
blood upon, or rather towards, the mercy-seat, once over against
the top of it and then seven times towards the lower part of it,
<scripRef passage="Le 16:14" id="Lev.xvii-p8.7" parsed="|Lev|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. But the drops
of blood (as the Jews expound it) all fell upon the ground, and
none touched the mercy-seat. Having done this, he came out of the
most holy place, set the basin of blood down in the sanctuary, and
went out.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16" id="Lev.xvii-p8.8" parsed="|Lev|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16:15-19" id="Lev.xvii-p8.9" parsed="|Lev|16|15|16|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.15-Lev.16.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.16.15-Lev.16.19">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvii-p9">15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin
offering, that <i>is</i> for the people, and bring his blood within
the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the
bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy
seat: &#160; 16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy
<i>place,</i> because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel,
and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall
he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among
them in the midst of their uncleanness. &#160; 17 And there shall
be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to
make an atonement in the holy <i>place,</i> until he come out, and
have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for
all the congregation of Israel. &#160; 18 And he shall go out unto
the altar that <i>is</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p9.1">Lord</span>, and make an atonement for it; and shall
take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and
put <i>it</i> upon the horns of the altar round about. &#160; 19
And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven
times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the
children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p10">When the priest had come out from the
sprinkling the blood of the bullock before the mercy-seat, 1. He
must next kill the goat which was the sin-offering for the people
(<scripRef passage="Le 16:15" id="Lev.xvii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|16|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) and go the
third time into the holy of holies, to sprinkle the blood of the
goat, as he had done that of the bullock; and thus he was to
<i>make atonement for the holy place</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 16:16" id="Lev.xvii-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|16|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>); that is, whereas the people by
their sins had provoked God to take away those tokens of his
favourable presence with them, and rendered even that holy place
unfit to be the habitation of the holy God, atonement was hereby
made for sin, that God, being reconciled to them, might continue
with them. 2. He must then do the same for the outward part of the
tabernacle that he had done for the inner room, by sprinkling the
blood of the bullock first, and then that of the goat, without the
veil, where the table and incense-altar stood, eight times each as
before. The reason intimated is <i>because the tabernacle remained
among them in the midst of their uncleanness,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:16" id="Lev.xvii-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|16|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. God would hereby show
them how much their hearts needed to be purified, when even the
tabernacle, only by standing in the midst of such an impure and
sinful people, needed this expiation; and also that even their
devotions and religious performances had much amiss in them, for
which it was necessary that atonement should be made. During this
solemnity, none of the inferior priests must come into the
tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Le 16:17" id="Lev.xvii-p10.4" parsed="|Lev|16|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>),
but, by standing without, must own themselves unworthy and unfit to
minister there, because their follies, and defects, and manifold
impurities in their ministry, had made this expiation of the
tabernacle necessary. 3. He must then put some of the blood, both
of the bullock and of the goat mixed together, upon the horns of
the altar that is before the Lord, <scripRef passage="Le 16:18,19" id="Lev.xvii-p10.5" parsed="|Lev|16|18|16|19" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.18-Lev.16.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>. It is certain that the
altar of incense had this blood put upon it, for so it is expressly
ordered (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:10" id="Lev.xvii-p10.6" parsed="|Exod|30|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.10">Exod. xxx. 10</scripRef>);
but some think that this directs the high priest to the altar of
burnt-offerings, for that also is here called the <i>altar before
the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 16:12" id="Lev.xvii-p10.7" parsed="|Lev|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), because he is said to <i>go out</i> to it, and
because it may be presumed that that also had need of an expiation;
for too that the gifts and offerings of the children of Israel were
all brought, from whose uncleanness the altar is here said to be
hallowed.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16:20-28" id="Lev.xvii-p10.8" parsed="|Lev|16|20|16|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.20-Lev.16.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.16.20-Lev.16.28">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvii-p11">20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling
the holy <i>place,</i> and the tabernacle of the congregation, and
the altar, he shall bring the live goat: &#160; 21 And Aaron shall
lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over
him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their
transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the
goat, and shall send <i>him</i> away by the hand of a fit man into
the wilderness: &#160; 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all
their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the
goat in the wilderness. &#160; 23 And Aaron shall come into the
tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen
garments, which he put on when he went into the holy <i>place,</i>
and shall leave them there: &#160; 24 And he shall wash his flesh
with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come
forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the
people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
&#160; 25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the
altar. &#160; 26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat
shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward
come into the camp. &#160; 27 And the bullock <i>for</i> the sin
offering, and the goat <i>for</i> the sin offering, whose blood was
brought in to make atonement in the holy <i>place,</i> shall
<i>one</i> carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the
fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. &#160; 28 And he
that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in
water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p12">The high priest having presented unto the
Lord the expiatory sacrifices, by the sprinkling of their blood,
the remainder of which, it is probable, he poured out at the foot
of the brazen altar, 1. He is next to confess the sins of Israel,
with both his hands upon the head of the scape-goat (<scripRef passage="Le 16:20,21" id="Lev.xvii-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|16|20|16|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.20-Lev.16.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>); and whenever
hands were imposed upon the head of any sacrifice it was always
done with confession, according as the nature of the sacrifice was;
and, this being a sin-offering, it must be a confession of sin. In
the latter and more degenerate ages of the Jewish church they had a
set form of confession prepared for the high priest, but God here
prescribed none; for it might be supposed that the high priest was
so well acquainted with the state of the people, and had such a
tender concern for them, that he needed not any form. The
confession must be as particular as he could make it, not only of
<i>all the iniquities of the children of Israel,</i> but <i>all
their transgressions in all their sins.</i> In one sin there may be
many transgressions, from the several aggravating circumstances of
it; and in our confessions we should take notice of them, and not
only say, <i>I have sinned,</i> but, with Achan, "Thus and thus
have I done." By this confession he must <i>put the sins of Israel
upon the head of the goat;</i> that is, exercising faith upon the
divine appointment which constituted such a translation, he must
transfer the punishment incurred from the sinners to the sacrifice,
which would have been but a jest, nay, an affront to God, if he
himself had not ordained it. 2. The goat was then to be sent away
immediately by the hand of a fit person pitched upon for the
purpose, into a wilderness, a land not inhabited; and God allowed
them to make this construction of it, that the sending away of the
goat was the sending away of their sins, by a free and full
remission: <i>He shall bear upon him all their iniquities,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 16:22" id="Lev.xvii-p12.2" parsed="|Lev|16|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. The losing of
the goat was a sign to them that <i>the sins of Israel should be
sought for, and not found,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 50:20" id="Lev.xvii-p12.3" parsed="|Jer|50|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.50.20">Jer.
l. 20</scripRef>. The later Jews had a custom to tie one shred of
scarlet cloth to the horns of the goat and another to the gate of
the temple, or to the top of the rock where the goat was lost, and
they concluded that if it turned white, as they say it usually did,
the sins of Israel were forgiven, as it is written, <i>Though your
sins have been as scarlet, they shall be as wool:</i> and they add
that for forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem by the
Romans the scarlet cloth never changed colour at all, which is a
fair confession that, having rejected the substance, the shadow
stood them in no stead. 3. The high priest must then put off his
linen garments in the tabernacle, and leave them there, the Jews
say never to be worn again by himself or any other, for they made
new ones every year; and he must bathe himself in water, put on his
rich clothes, and then offer both his own and the people's
burnt-offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 16:23,24" id="Lev.xvii-p12.4" parsed="|Lev|16|23|16|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.23-Lev.16.24"><i>v.</i> 23,
24</scripRef>. When we have the comfort of our pardon God must have
the glory of it. If we have the benefit of the sacrifice of
atonement, we must not grudge the sacrifices of acknowledgment.
And, it should seem, the burning of the fat of the sin-offering was
deferred till now (<scripRef passage="Le 16:25" id="Lev.xvii-p12.5" parsed="|Lev|16|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>), that it might be consumed with the burnt-offerings.
4. The flesh of both those sin-offerings whose blood was taken
within the veil was to be all burnt, not upon the altar, but at a
distance without the camp, to signify both our putting away sin by
true repentance, and the spirit of burning, and God's putting it
away by a full remission, so that it shall never rise up in
judgment against us. 5. He that took the scape-goat into the
wilderness, and those that burned the sin-offering, were to be
looked upon as ceremonially unclean, and must not come into the
camp till they had washed their clothes and bathed their flesh in
water, which signified the defiling nature of sin; even the
sacrifice which was but made sin was defiling: also the
imperfection of the legal sacrifices; they were so far from taking
away sin that even <i>they</i> left some stain upon those that
touched them. 6. When all this was done, the high priest went again
into the most holy place to fetch his censer, and so returned to
his own house with joy, because he had done his duty, and died
not.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 16:29-34" id="Lev.xvii-p12.6" parsed="|Lev|16|29|16|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.29-Lev.16.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.16.29-Lev.16.34">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xvii-p13">29 And <i>this</i> shall be a statute for ever
unto you: <i>that</i> in the seventh month, on the tenth <i>day</i>
of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all,
<i>whether it be</i> one of your own country, or a stranger that
sojourneth among you: &#160; 30 For on that day shall <i>the
priest</i> make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, <i>that</i>
ye may be clean from all your sins before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p13.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 31 It <i>shall be</i> a sabbath of
rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for
ever. &#160; 32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he
shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's
stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen
clothes, <i>even</i> the holy garments: &#160; 33 And he shall make
an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement
for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he
shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of
the congregation. &#160; 34 And this shall be an everlasting
statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel
for all their sins once a year. And he did as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xvii-p13.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p14">I. We have here some additional directions
in reference to this great solemnity, particularly,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p15">1. The day appointed for this solemnity. It
must be observed yearly on <i>the tenth day of the seventh
month,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:29" id="Lev.xvii-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|16|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>.
The seventh had been reckoned the first month, till God appointed
that the month in which the children of Israel came out of Egypt
should thenceforward be accounted and called the first month. Some
have fancied that this tenth day of the seventh month was the day
of the year on which our first parents fell, and that it was kept
as a fast in remembrance of their fall. Dr. Lightfoot computes that
this was the day on which Moses came the last time down from the
mount, when he brought with him the renewed tables, and the
assurances of God's being reconciled to Israel, and his face shone:
that day must be a day of atonement throughout their generations;
for the remembrance of God's forgiving them their sin about the
golden calf might encourage them to hope that, upon their
repentance, he would forgive them all trespasses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p16">2. The duty of the people on this day. (1.)
They must rest from all their labours: <i>It shall be a sabbath of
rest,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:31" id="Lev.xvii-p16.1" parsed="|Lev|16|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. The
work of the day was itself enough, and a good day's work if it was
done well; therefore they must do no other work at all. The work of
humiliation for sin requires such a close application of mind, and
such a fixed engagement of the whole man, as will not allow us to
turn aside to any other work. The day of atonement seems to be that
sabbath spoken of by the prophet (<scripRef passage="Isa 58:13" id="Lev.xvii-p16.2" parsed="|Isa|58|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.13">Isa. lviii. 13</scripRef>), for it is the same with the
fast spoken of in the verses before. (2.) They must afflict their
souls. They must refrain from all bodily refreshments and delights,
in token of inward humiliation and contrition of soul for their
sins. They all fasted on this day from food (except the sick and
children), and laid aside their ornaments, and did not anoint
themselves, as Daniel, <scripRef passage="Le 10:3,12" id="Lev.xvii-p16.3" parsed="|Lev|10|3|0|0;|Lev|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.3 Bible:Lev.10.12"><i>ch.</i> x.
3, 12</scripRef>. <i>David chastened his soul with fasting,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 35:13" id="Lev.xvii-p16.4" parsed="|Ps|35|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.35.13">Ps. xxxv. 13</scripRef>. And it
signified the mortifying of sin and turning from it, <i>loosing the
bands of wickedness,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 58:6,7" id="Lev.xvii-p16.5" parsed="|Isa|58|6|58|7" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.6-Isa.58.7">Isa. lviii.
6, 7</scripRef>. The Jewish doctors advised that they should not on
that day read those portions of scripture which were proper to
affect them with delight and joy, because it was a day to afflict
their souls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p17">3. The perpetuity of this institution:
<i>It shall be a statute for ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:29,34" id="Lev.xvii-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|16|29|0|0;|Lev|16|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.29 Bible:Lev.16.34"><i>v.</i> 29, 34</scripRef>. It must not be
intermitted any year, nor ever let fall till that constitution
should be dissolved, and the type should be superseded by the
antitype. As long as we are continually sinning, we must be
continually repenting, and receiving the atonement. The law of
afflicting our souls for sin is a statute for ever, which will
continue in force till we arrive where all tears, even those of
repentance, will be wiped from our eyes. The apostle observes it as
an evidence of the insufficiency of the legal sacrifices to take
away sin, and purge the conscience from it, that in them there was
a <i>remembrance made of sin every year,</i> upon the day of
atonement, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:1-3" id="Lev.xvii-p17.2" parsed="|Heb|10|1|10|3" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.1-Heb.10.3">Heb. x. 1-3</scripRef>.
The annual repetition of the sacrifices showed that there was in
them only a faint and feeble effort towards making atonement; it
could be done effectually only by the <i>offering up of the body of
Christ once for all,</i> and that once was sufficient; that
sacrifice needed not to be repeated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p18">II. Let us see what there was of gospel in
all this.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p19">1. Here are typified the two great gospel
privileges of the remission of sin and access to God, both which we
owe to the mediation of our Lord Jesus. Here then let us see,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p20">(1.) The expiation of guilt which Christ
made for us. He is himself both the maker and the matter of the
atonement; for he is, [1.] The priest, the high priest, that
<i>makes reconciliation for the sins of the people,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 2:17" id="Lev.xvii-p20.1" parsed="|Heb|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.17">Heb. ii. 17</scripRef>. He, and he only, is
<i>par negotio&#8212;fit for the work</i> and worthy of the honour: he
is appointed by the Father to do it, who sanctified him, and sent
him into the world for this purpose, that <i>God might in him
reconcile the world to himself.</i> He undertook it, and for our
sakes sanctified himself, and set himself apart for it, <scripRef passage="Joh 17:19" id="Lev.xvii-p20.2" parsed="|John|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.19">John xvii. 19</scripRef>. The high priest's
frequently bathing himself on this day, and performing the service
of it in fine linen clean and white, signified the holiness of the
Lord Jesus, his perfect freedom from all sin, and his being
beautified and adorned with all grace. No man was to be with the
high priest when he made atonement (<scripRef passage="Le 16:17" id="Lev.xvii-p20.3" parsed="|Lev|16|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>); for our Lord Jesus was to
<i>tread the wine-press alone,</i> and of the people there must be
<i>none with him</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 63:3" id="Lev.xvii-p20.4" parsed="|Isa|63|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.3">Isa. lxiii.
3</scripRef>); therefore, when he entered upon his sufferings,
<i>all his disciples forsook him and fled,</i> for it any of them
had been taken and put to death with him it would have looked as if
they had assisted in making the atonement; none but thieves,
concerning whom there could be no such suspicion, must suffer with
him. And observe what the extent of the atonement was which the
high priest made: it was <i>for the holy sanctuary, for the
tabernacle, for the altar, for the priests,</i> and <i>for all the
people,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 16:33" id="Lev.xvii-p20.5" parsed="|Lev|16|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>.
Christ's satisfaction is that which atones for the sins both of
ministers and people, the <i>iniquities of our holy</i> (and our
unholy) <i>things;</i> the title we have to the privileges of
ordinances, our comfort in them, and benefit by them, are all owing
to the atonement Christ made. But, whereas the atonement which the
high priest made pertained only to the congregation of Israel,
Christ is the propitiation, not for their sins only, that are Jews,
but for the sins of the whole Gentile world. And in this also
Christ infinitely excelled Aaron, that Aaron needed to offer
sacrifice for his own sin first, of which he was to make confession
upon the head of his sin-offering; but our Lord Jesus had no sin of
his own to answer for. <i>Such a high priest became us,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 7:26" id="Lev.xvii-p20.6" parsed="|Heb|7|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.26">Heb. vii. 26</scripRef>. And
therefore, when he was baptized in Jordan, whereas others stood in
the water <i>confessing their sins</i> (<scripRef passage="Mt 3:6" id="Lev.xvii-p20.7" parsed="|Matt|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.3.6">Matt. iii. 6</scripRef>), he <i>went up straightway out of
the water</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 16:16" id="Lev.xvii-p20.8" parsed="|Lev|16|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), having no sins to confess. [2.] As he is the high
priest, so he is the sacrifice with which atonement is made; for he
is all in all in our reconciliation to God. Thus he was prefigured
by the two goats, which both made one offering: the slain goat was
a type of Christ dying for our sins, the scape-goat a type of
Christ rising again for our justification. It was directed by lot,
the disposal whereof was of the Lord, which goat should be slain;
for Christ was delivered <i>by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God. First,</i> The atonement is said to be
completed by putting the sins of Israel upon the head of the goat.
They deserved to have been abandoned and sent into a land of
forgetfulness, but that punishment was here transferred to the goat
that bore their sins, with reference to which God is said to have
laid upon our Lord Jesus (the substance of all these shadows)
<i>the iniquity of us all</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 53:6" id="Lev.xvii-p20.9" parsed="|Isa|53|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.6">Isa.
liii. 6</scripRef>), and he is said to have <i>borne our sins,</i>
even the punishment of them, <i>in his own body upon the tree,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Pe 2:24" id="Lev.xvii-p20.10" parsed="|1Pet|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.24">1 Pet. ii. 24</scripRef>. Thus was he
made sin for us, that is, a sacrifice for sin, <scripRef passage="2Co 5:21" id="Lev.xvii-p20.11" parsed="|2Cor|5|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.21">2 Cor. v. 21</scripRef>. He suffered and died, not only
for our good, but in our stead, and was forsaken, and seemed to be
forgotten for a time, that we might not be forsaken and forgotten
for ever. Some learned men have computed that our Lord Jesus was
baptized of John in Jordan upon the tenth day of the seventh month,
which was the very day of atonement. Then he entered upon his
office as Mediator, and was immediately <i>driven of the Spirit
into the wilderness,</i> a land not inhabited. <i>Secondly,</i> The
consequence of this was that all the iniquities of Israel were
<i>carried into a land of forgetfulness.</i> Thus Christ, the Lamb
of God, <i>takes away the sin the of world,</i> by taking it upon
himself, <scripRef passage="Joh 1:29" id="Lev.xvii-p20.12" parsed="|John|1|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.29">John i. 29</scripRef>. And,
when God forgives sin, he is said to remember it no more (<scripRef passage="Heb 8:12" id="Lev.xvii-p20.13" parsed="|Heb|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.12">Heb. viii. 12</scripRef>), <i>to cast it behind
his back</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 38:17" id="Lev.xvii-p20.14" parsed="|Isa|38|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.38.17">Isa. xxxviii.
17</scripRef>), <i>into the depths of the sea</i> (<scripRef passage="Mic 7:19" id="Lev.xvii-p20.15" parsed="|Mic|7|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.19">Mic. vii. 19</scripRef>), and to separate it
<i>as far as the east is from the west,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 103:12" id="Lev.xvii-p20.16" parsed="|Ps|103|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.12">Ps. ciii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p21">(2.) The entrance into heaven which Christ
made for us is here typified by the high priest's entrance into the
most holy place. This the apostle has expounded (<scripRef passage="Heb 9:7" id="Lev.xvii-p21.1" parsed="|Heb|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.7">Heb. ix. 7</scripRef>, &amp;c.), and he shows, [1.] That
heaven is the holiest of all, but not of that building, and that
the way into it by faith, hope, and prayer, through a Mediator, was
not then so clearly manifested as it is to us now by the gospel.
[2.] That Christ our high priest entered into heaven at his
ascension once for all, and as a public person, in the name of all
his spiritual Israel, and through the veil of his flesh, which was
rent for that purpose, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:20" id="Lev.xvii-p21.2" parsed="|Heb|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.20">Heb. x.
20</scripRef>. [3.] That he entered <i>by his own blood</i>
(<scripRef passage="Heb 9:12" id="Lev.xvii-p21.3" parsed="|Heb|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.12">Heb. ix. 12</scripRef>), taking with
him to heaven the virtues of the sacrifice he offered on earth, and
so sprinkling his blood, as it were, before the mercy-seat, where
it speaks better things than the blood of bulls and goats could do.
Hence he is said to appear in the midst of the throne as <i>a lamb
that had been slain,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 5:6" id="Lev.xvii-p21.4" parsed="|Rev|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.5.6">Rev. v.
6</scripRef>. And, though he had no sin of his own to expiate, yet
it was by his own merit that he obtained for himself a restoration
to his own ancient glory (<scripRef passage="Joh 17:4,5" id="Lev.xvii-p21.5" parsed="|John|17|4|17|5" osisRef="Bible:John.17.4-John.17.5">John xvii.
4, 5</scripRef>), as well as an eternal redemption for us,
<scripRef passage="Heb 9:12" id="Lev.xvii-p21.6" parsed="|Heb|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.12">Heb. ix. 12</scripRef>. [4.] The high
priest in the holy place burned incense, which typified the
intercession that Christ ever lives to make for us within the veil,
in virtue of his satisfaction. And we could not expect to live, no,
not before the mercy-seat, if it were not covered with the cloud of
this incense. Mere mercy itself will not save us, without the
interposition of a Mediator. The intercession of Christ is there
set forth before God as incense, as <i>this incense.</i> And as the
high priest interceded for himself first, then for his household,
and then for all Israel, so our Lord Jesus, in the <scripRef passage="Joh 17:1-26" id="Lev.xvii-p21.7" parsed="|John|17|1|17|26" osisRef="Bible:John.17.1-John.17.26">17th of St. John</scripRef> (which was a
specimen of the intercession he makes in heaven), recommended
himself first to his Father, then his disciples who were his
household, and then all that should believe on him through their
word, as all Israel; and, having thus adverted to the uses and
intentions of his offering, he was immediately seized and
crucified, pursuant to these intentions. [5.] Herein the entry
Christ made far exceeded Aaron's, that Aaron could not gain
admission, no, not for his own sons, into the most holy place; but
our Lord Jesus has consecrated for us also a <i>new and living way
into the holiest,</i> so that we also have <i>boldness to
enter,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:19,20" id="Lev.xvii-p21.8" parsed="|Heb|10|19|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.19-Heb.10.20">Heb. x. 19,
20</scripRef>. [6.] The high priest was to come out again, but our
Lord Jesus ever lives, making intercession, and always appears in
the presence of God for us, whither as the forerunner he has for us
entered, and where as agent he continues for us to reside.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p22">2. Here are likewise typified the two great
gospel duties of faith and repentance, by which we are qualified
for the atonement, and come to be entitled to the benefit of it.
(1.) By faith we must put our hands upon the head of the offering,
relying on Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, pleading his
satisfaction as that which was alone able to atone for our sins and
procure us a pardon. "<i>Thou shalt answer, Lord, for me.</i> This
is all I have to say for myself, <i>Christ has died, yea, rather
has risen again;</i> to his grace and government I entirely submit
myself, and in him I <i>receive the atonement,</i>" <scripRef passage="Ro 5:11" id="Lev.xvii-p22.1" parsed="|Rom|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.11">Rom. v. 11</scripRef>. (2.) By repentance we must
afflict our souls; not only fasting for a time from the delights of
the body, but inwardly sorrowing for our sins, and living a life of
self-denial and mortification. We must also make a penitent
confession of sin, and this with an eye to Christ, whom we have
pierced, and mourning because of him; and with a hand of faith upon
the atonement, assuring ourselves that, <i>if we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xvii-p23">Lastly, In the year of jubilee, the trumpet
which proclaimed the liberty was ordered to be sounded in the close
of the <i>day of atonement,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:9" id="Lev.xvii-p23.1" parsed="|Lev|25|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.9"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 9</scripRef>. For the remission of our
debt, release from our bondage, and our return to our inheritance,
are all owing to the mediation and intercession of Jesus Christ. By
the atonement we obtain rest for our souls, and all the glorious
liberties of the children of God.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVII" n="xviii" progress="57.86%" prev="Lev.xvii" next="Lev.xix" id="Lev.xviii">
<h2 id="Lev.xviii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xviii-p1">After the law concerning the atonement to be made
for all Israel by the high priest, at the tabernacle, with the
blood of bulls and goats, in this chapter we have two prohibitions
necessary for the preservation of the honour of that atonement. I.
That no sacrifice should be offered by any other than the priests,
nor anywhere but at the door of the tabernacle, and this upon pain
of death, <scripRef passage="Le 17:1-9" id="Lev.xviii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|17|1|17|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.1-Lev.17.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II.
That no blood should be eaten, and this under the same penalty,
<scripRef passage="Le 17:10-16" id="Lev.xviii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|17|10|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10-Lev.17.16">ver. 10</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 17" id="Lev.xviii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 17:1-9" id="Lev.xviii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|17|1|17|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.1-Lev.17.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.17.1-Lev.17.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xviii-p1.5">Directions Concerning
Sacrifices. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xviii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his
sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This
<i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span>
hath commanded, saying, &#160; 3 What man soever <i>there be</i> of
the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the
camp, or that killeth <i>it</i> out of the camp, &#160; 4 And
bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, to offer an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span> before the tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.4">Lord</span>; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he
hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his
people: &#160; 5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring
their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that
they may bring them unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.5">Lord</span>,
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the
priest, and offer them <i>for</i> peace offerings unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 6 And the priest shall
sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.7">Lord</span> <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.8">Lord</span>. &#160; 7 And they shall no more
offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a
whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout
their generations. &#160; 8 And thou shalt say unto them,
Whatsoever man <i>there be</i> of the house of Israel, or of the
strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering
or sacrifice, &#160; 9 And bringeth it not unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p2.9">Lord</span>; even that man shall be cut off from among
his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p3">This statute obliged all the people of
Israel to bring all their sacrifices to God's altar, to be offered
there. And as to this matter we must consider,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p4">I. How it stood before. 1. It was allowed
to all people to build altars, and offer sacrifices to God, where
they pleased. Wherever Abraham had a tent he built an altar, and
every master of a family was a priest to his own family, as
<scripRef passage="Job 1:5" id="Lev.xviii-p4.1" parsed="|Job|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.1.5">Job i. 5</scripRef>. 2. This liberty
had been an occasion of idolatry. When every man was his own
priest, and had an altar of his own, by degrees, as they became
vain in their imaginations, they invented gods of their own, <i>and
offered their sacrifices unto demons,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 17:7" id="Lev.xviii-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. The word signifies <i>rough</i>
or <i>hairy goats,</i> because it is probable that in the shape the
evil spirits often appeared to them, to invite their sacrifices and
to signify their acceptance of them. For the devil, ever since he
became a revolter from God and a rebel against him, has set up for
a rival with him, and coveted to have divine honours paid him: he
had the impudence to solicit our blessed Saviour to <i>fall down
and worship him.</i> The Israelites themselves had learned in Egypt
to sacrifice to demons. And some of them, it should seem, practised
it even since the God of Israel had so gloriously appeared for
them, and with them. They are said to <i>go a whoring after</i>
these demons; for it was such a breach of their covenant with God
as adultery is of the marriage covenant: and they were as strongly
addicted to their idolatrous worships, and as hard to be reclaimed
from them, as those that have given themselves over to fornication,
to <i>work all uncleanness with greediness;</i> and therefore it is
with reference to this that God calls himself <i>a jealous
God.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p5">II. How this law settled it. 1. Some think
that the children of Israel were by this law forbidden, while they
were in the wilderness, to kill any beef, or mutton, or veal, or
lamb, or goat, even for their common eating, but at the <i>door of
the tabernacle,</i> where the blood and the fat were to be offered
to God upon the altar, and the flesh to be returned back to the
offerer to be eaten as a peace-offering, according to the law. And
the statute is so worded (<scripRef passage="Le 17:3,4" id="Lev.xviii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|17|3|17|4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.3-Lev.17.4"><i>v.</i>
3, 4</scripRef>) as to favour this opinion, for it speaks generally
of killing any ox, or lamb, or goat. The learned Dr. Cudworth puts
this sense upon it, and thinks that while they had their tabernacle
so near them in the midst of their camp they ate no flesh but what
had first been offered to God, but that when they were entering
Canaan this constitution was altered (<scripRef passage="De 12:21" id="Lev.xviii-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|12|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.21">Deut. xii. 21</scripRef>), and they were allowed to kill
their beasts of the flock and herd at home, as well as the roebuck
and the hart; only thrice a year they were to see God at his
tabernacle, and to eat and drink before him there. And it is
probable that in the wilderness they did not eat much flesh but
that of their peace-offerings, preserving what cattle they had, for
breed, against they came to Canaan; therefore they murmured for
flesh, being weary of manna; and Moses on that occasion speaks as
if they were very sparing of the <i>flocks and the herds,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 11:4,22" id="Lev.xviii-p5.3" parsed="|Num|11|4|0|0;|Num|11|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4 Bible:Num.11.22">Num. xi. 4, 22</scripRef>. Yet it is
hard to construe this as a temporary law, when it is expressly said
to be a <i>statute for ever</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 17:7" id="Lev.xviii-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); and therefore, 2. It should seem
rather to forbid only the killing of beasts for sacrifice any where
but at God's altar. They must not offer sacrifice, as they had
done, <i>in the open field</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 17:5" id="Lev.xviii-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), no, not to the true God, but it
must be brought to the priest, to be offered on the altar of the
Lord: and the solemnity they had lately witnessed, of consecrating
both the priests and the altar, would serve for a good reason why
they should confine themselves to both these that God had so
signally appointed and owned. This law obliged not only the
Israelites themselves, but the proselytes or strangers that were
circumcised and sojourned among them, who were in danger of
retaining an affection to their old ways of worship. If any should
transgress this law, and offer sacrifice any where but at the
tabernacle, (1.) The guilt was great: <i>Blood shall be imputed to
that man; he hath shed blood,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 17:4" id="Lev.xviii-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Though it was but a beast he had
killed, yet, killing it otherwise than God had appointed, he was
looked upon as a murderer. It is by the divine grant that we have
the liberty to kill the inferior creatures, to the benefit of which
we are not entitled, unless we submit to the limitations of it,
which are that it be not done either with cruelty or with
superstition, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:3,4" id="Lev.xviii-p5.7" parsed="|Gen|9|3|9|4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.3-Gen.9.4">Gen. ix. 3,
4</scripRef>. Nor was there ever any greater abuse done to the
inferior creatures than when they were made either false gods or
sacrifices to false gods, to which the apostle perhaps has special
reference when he speaks of the vanity and bondage of corruption to
which the creature was made subject, <scripRef passage="Ro 8:20,21" id="Lev.xviii-p5.8" parsed="|Rom|8|20|8|21" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.20-Rom.8.21">Rom. viii. 20, 21</scripRef>, and compare <scripRef passage="Le 1:23,25" id="Lev.xviii-p5.9" parsed="|Lev|1|23|0|0;|Lev|1|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.23 Bible:Lev.1.25"><i>ch.</i> i. 23, 25</scripRef>. Idolatrous
sacrifices were looked upon, not only as adultery, but as murder:
he that <i>offereth them is as if he slew a man,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 66:3" id="Lev.xviii-p5.10" parsed="|Isa|66|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.3">Isa. lxvi. 3</scripRef>. (2.) The punishment
should be severe: <i>That man shall be cut off from among his
people.</i> Either the magistrate must do it if it were manifest
and notorious, or, if not, God would take the work into his own
hands, and the offender should be cut off by some immediate stroke
of divine justice. The reasons why God thus strictly ordered all
their sacrifices to be offered at one place were, [1.] For the
preventing of idolatry and superstition. That sacrifices might be
offered to God, and according to the rule, and without innovations,
they must always be offered by the hands of the priests, who were
servants in God's house, and under the eye of the high priest, who
was ruler of the house, and took care to see every thing done
according to God's ordinance. [2.] For the securing of the honour
of God's temple and altar, the peculiar dignity of which would be
endangered if they might offer their sacrifices any where else as
well as there. [3.] For the preserving of unity and brotherly love
among the Israelites, that meeting all at one altar, as all the
children of the family meet daily at one table, they might live and
love as brethren, and be as one man, of one mind in the Lord.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p6">III. How this law was observed. 1. While
the Israelites kept their integrity they had a tender and very
jealous regard to this law, as appears by their zeal against the
altar which was erected by the two tribes and a half, which they
would by no means have left standing if they had not been satisfied
that it was never designed, nor should ever be used, for sacrifice
or offering, <scripRef passage="Jos 22:12" id="Lev.xviii-p6.1" parsed="|Josh|22|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.22.12">Josh. xxii.
12</scripRef>, &amp;c. 2. The breach of this law was for many ages
the scandalous and incurable corruption of the Jewish church,
witness that complaint which so often occurs in the history even of
the good kings, <i>Howbeit the high places were not taken away;</i>
and it was an inlet to the grossest idolatries. 3. Yet this law
was, in extraordinary cases, dispensed with. Gideon's sacrifice
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 6:26" id="Lev.xviii-p6.2" parsed="|Judg|6|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.26">Judg. vi. 26</scripRef>), Manoah's
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 13:19" id="Lev.xviii-p6.3" parsed="|Judg|13|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.19">Judg. xiii. 19</scripRef>), Samuel's
(<scripRef passage="1Sa 7:9,9:13,11:15" id="Lev.xviii-p6.4" parsed="|1Sam|7|9|0|0;|1Sam|9|13|0|0;|1Sam|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.7.9 Bible:1Sam.9.13 Bible:1Sam.11.15">1 Sam. vii. 9; ix. 13; xi.
15</scripRef>), David's (<scripRef passage="2Sa 24:18" id="Lev.xviii-p6.5" parsed="|2Sam|24|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.18">2 Sam. xxiv.
18</scripRef>), and Elijah's (<scripRef passage="1Ki 18:23" id="Lev.xviii-p6.6" parsed="|1Kgs|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.23">1 Kings
xviii. 23</scripRef>), were accepted, though not offered at the
usual place: but these were all either ordered by angels or offered
by prophets; and some think that after the desolation of Shiloh,
and before the building of the temple, while the ark and altar were
unsettled, it was more allowable to offer sacrifice elsewhere.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p7">IV. How the matter stands now, and what use
we are to make of this law. 1. It is certain that the spiritual
sacrifices we are now to offer are not confined to any one place.
Our Saviour has made this clear (<scripRef passage="Joh 4:21" id="Lev.xviii-p7.1" parsed="|John|4|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.4.21">John
iv. 21</scripRef>), and the apostle (<scripRef passage="1Ti 2:8" id="Lev.xviii-p7.2" parsed="|1Tim|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.8">1
Tim. ii. 8</scripRef>), according to the prophecy, that <i>in every
place incense should be offered,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 1:11" id="Lev.xviii-p7.3" parsed="|Mal|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.11">Mal. i. 11</scripRef>. We have now no temple nor altar
that sanctifies the gift, nor does the gospel unity lie in one
place, but in one heart, and the <i>unity of the spirit.</i> 2.
Christ is our altar, and the <i>true tabernacle</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 8:2,13:10" id="Lev.xviii-p7.4" parsed="|Heb|8|2|0|0;|Heb|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.2 Bible:Heb.13.10">Heb. viii. 2; xiii. 10</scripRef>); in him
God dwells among us, and it is in him that our sacrifices are
acceptable to God, and in him only, <scripRef passage="1Pe 2:5" id="Lev.xviii-p7.5" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5">1
Pet. ii. 5</scripRef>. To set up other mediators, or other altars,
or other expiatory sacrifices, is, in effect, to set up other gods.
He is the centre of unity, in whom all God's Israel meet. 3. Yet we
are to have respect to the public worship of God, not <i>forsaking
the assemblies of</i> his people, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:25" id="Lev.xviii-p7.6" parsed="|Heb|10|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.25">Heb. x. 25</scripRef>. The Lord loves <i>the gates of
Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob,</i> and so should we;
see <scripRef passage="Eze 20:40" id="Lev.xviii-p7.7" parsed="|Ezek|20|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.20.40">Ezek. xx. 40</scripRef>. Though
God will graciously accept our family offerings, we must not
therefore neglect the door of the tabernacle.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 17" id="Lev.xviii-p7.8" parsed="|Lev|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 17:10-16" id="Lev.xviii-p7.9" parsed="|Lev|17|10|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10-Lev.17.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.17.10-Lev.17.16">
<h4 id="Lev.xviii-p7.10">The Eating of Blood
Forbidden. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xviii-p7.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xviii-p8">10 And whatsoever man <i>there be</i> of the
house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that
eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that
soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
&#160; 11 For the life of the flesh <i>is</i> in the blood: and I
have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your
souls: for it <i>is</i> the blood <i>that</i> maketh an atonement
for the soul. &#160; 12 Therefore I said unto the children of
Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger
that sojourneth among you eat blood. &#160; 13 And whatsoever man
<i>there be</i> of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that
sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl
that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and
cover it with dust. &#160; 14 For <i>it is</i> the life of all
flesh; the blood of it <i>is</i> for the life thereof: therefore I
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no
manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh <i>is</i> the blood
thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. &#160; 15 And every
soul that eateth that which died <i>of itself,</i> or that which
was torn <i>with beasts, whether it be</i> one of your own country,
or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe
<i>himself</i> in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall
he be clean. &#160; 16 But if he wash <i>them</i> not, nor bathe
his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p9">We have here, I. A repetition and
confirmation of the law against eating blood. We have met with this
prohibition twice before in the levitical law (<scripRef passage="Le 3:17,7:26" id="Lev.xviii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|3|17|0|0;|Lev|7|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.3.17 Bible:Lev.7.26"><i>ch.</i> iii. 17; vii. 26</scripRef>), besides the
place it had in the precepts of Noah, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:4" id="Lev.xviii-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.4">Gen. ix. 4</scripRef>. But here, 1. The prohibition is
repeated again and again, and reference had to the former laws to
this purport (<scripRef passage="Le 17:12" id="Lev.xviii-p9.3" parsed="|Lev|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>I said to the children of Israel, No soul of you
shall eat blood;</i> and again (<scripRef passage="Le 17:14" id="Lev.xviii-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>You shall eat the blood of
no manner of flesh.</i> A great stress is laid upon it, as a law
which has more in it than at first view one would think. 2. It is
made binding, not only on the <i>house of Israel,</i> but on <i>the
strangers that sojourned among them</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 17:10" id="Lev.xviii-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|17|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), which perhaps was one reason
why it was thought advisable, for a time, to forbid blood to the
Gentile converts, <scripRef passage="Ac 15:29" id="Lev.xviii-p9.6" parsed="|Acts|15|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.29">Acts xv.
29</scripRef>. 3. The penalty annexed to this law is very severe
(<scripRef passage="Le 17:10" id="Lev.xviii-p9.7" parsed="|Lev|17|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>I will
even set my face against that soul that eateth blood,</i> if he do
it presumptuously, and <i>will cut him off;</i> and again
(<scripRef passage="Le 17:14" id="Lev.xviii-p9.8" parsed="|Lev|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>He shall
be cut off.</i> Note, God's wrath will be the sinner's ruin. Write
that man undone, for ever undone, against whom God sets his face;
for what creature is able to confront the Creator? 4. A reason is
given for this law (<scripRef passage="Le 17:11" id="Lev.xviii-p9.9" parsed="|Lev|17|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): because <i>it is the blood that makes atonement for
the soul;</i> and <i>therefore</i> it was appointed to make
atonement with, because <i>the life of the flesh is the blood.</i>
The sinner deserved to die; therefore the sacrifice must die. Now,
the blood being so the life that ordinarily beasts were killed for
man's use by the drawing out of all their blood, God appointed the
sprinkling or pouring out of the blood of the sacrifice upon the
altar to signify that the life of the sacrifice was given to God
instead of the sinner's life, and as a ransom or counter-price for
it; therefore <i>without shedding of blood there was no
remission,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 9:22" id="Lev.xviii-p9.10" parsed="|Heb|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.22">Heb. ix. 22</scripRef>.
For this reason they must eat no blood, and, (1.) It was then a
very good reason; for God would by this means preserve the honour
of that way of atonement which he had instituted, and keep up in
the minds of the people a reverent regard to it. The blood of the
covenant being then a sensible object, no blood must be either
eaten or trodden under foot as a common thing, as they must have no
ointment nor perfume like that which God ordered them to make for
himself. But, (2.) This reason is now superseded, which intimates
that the law itself was ceremonial, and is now no longer in force:
the blood of Christ who has come (and we are to look for no other)
is that alone which makes atonement for the soul, and of which the
blood of the sacrifices was an imperfect type: the coming of the
substance supersedes the shadow. The blood of beasts is no longer
the ransom, but Christ's blood only; and therefore there is not now
that reason for abstaining from blood which there was then, and we
cannot suppose it was the will of God that the law should survive
the reason of it. The blood, provided it be so prepared as not to
be unwholesome, is now allowed for the nourishment of our bodies,
because it is no longer appointed to make an atonement for the
soul. (3.) Yet it has still useful significancy. The life is in the
blood; it is the vehicle of the animal spirits, and God would have
his people to regard the life even of their beasts, and not to be
cruel and hard-hearted, not to take delight in any thing that is
barbarous. They must not be a blood-thirsty people. The blood then
made atonement figuratively, now the blood of Christ makes
atonement really and effectually; to this therefore we must have a
reverent regard, and not use it as <i>a common thing,</i> for he
will set his face against those that do so, and they shall be cut
off, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:29" id="Lev.xviii-p9.11" parsed="|Heb|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.29">Heb. x. 29</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xviii-p10">II. Some other precepts are here given as
appendages to this law, and hedges about it, 1. They must cover the
blood of that which they <i>took in hunting,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 17:13" id="Lev.xviii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|17|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. They must not only not eat it,
but must give it a decent burial, in token of some mystery which
they must believe lay hidden in this constitution. The Jews look
upon this as a very weighty precept and appoint that the blood
should be covered with these words, <i>Blessed be he that hath
sanctified us by his precepts, and commanded us to cover blood.</i>
2. They must not eat that which <i>died of itself</i> or was
<i>torn of beasts</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 17:15" id="Lev.xviii-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|17|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>), for the blood was either not at all, or not
regularly, drawn out of them. God would have them to be curious in
their diet, not with the curiosity that gratifies the sensual
appetite, but with that which checks and restrains it. God would
not have his children to eat every thing that came in their way
with greediness, but to consider diligently what was before them,
that they might learn in other things to ask questions for
conscience' sake. Those that <i>flew upon the spoiled</i> sinned,
<scripRef passage="1Sa 14:32,33" id="Lev.xviii-p10.3" parsed="|1Sam|14|32|14|33" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.32-1Sam.14.33">1 Sam. xiv. 32, 33</scripRef>. If
a man did, through ignorance or inconsideration, eat the flesh of
any beast not duly slain, he must <i>wash himself and his
clothes,</i> else he <i>bore his iniquity,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 17:15,16" id="Lev.xviii-p10.4" parsed="|Lev|17|15|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.15-Lev.17.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. The pollution was
ceremonial, so was the purification from it; but if a man slighted
the prescribed method of cleansing, or would not submit, he thereby
contracted moral guilt. See the nature of a remedial law: he that
obeys it has the benefit of it; he that does not, not only remains
under his former guilt, but adds to that guilt of contemning the
provisions made by divine grace for his relief, and sins against
the remedy.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVIII" n="xix" progress="58.22%" prev="Lev.xviii" next="Lev.xx" id="Lev.xix">
<h2 id="Lev.xix-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xix-p1">Here is, I. A general law against all conformity
to the corrupt usages of the heathen, <scripRef passage="Le 18:1-5" id="Lev.xix-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|18|1|18|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.1-Lev.18.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. Particular laws, 1. Against
incest, <scripRef passage="Le 18:6-18" id="Lev.xix-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|18|6|18|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.6-Lev.18.18">ver. 6-18</scripRef>. 2.
Against beastly lusts, and barbarous idolatries, <scripRef passage="Le 18:19-23" id="Lev.xix-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|18|19|18|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.19-Lev.18.23">ver. 19-23</scripRef>. III. The enforcement of these
laws from the ruin of the Canaanites, <scripRef passage="Le 18:24-30" id="Lev.xix-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|18|24|18|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.24-Lev.18.30">ver. 24-30</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 18" id="Lev.xix-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 18:1-5" id="Lev.xix-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|18|1|18|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.1-Lev.18.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.18.1-Lev.18.5">
<h4 id="Lev.xix-p1.7">Cautions against Idolatrous
Practices. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, I am the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p2.2">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 3 After the doings of the
land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the
doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do:
neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. &#160; 4 Ye shall do my
judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p2.3">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 5 Ye shall
therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he
shall live in them: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p2.4">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p3">After divers ceremonial institutions, God
here returns to the enforcement of moral precepts. The former are
still of use to us as types, the latter still binding as laws. We
have here, 1. The sacred authority by which these laws are enacted:
<i>I am the Lord your God</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 18:1,4,30" id="Lev.xix-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|18|1|0|0;|Lev|18|4|0|0;|Lev|18|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.1 Bible:Lev.18.4 Bible:Lev.18.30"><i>v.</i> 1, 4, 30</scripRef>), and <i>I am the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:5,6,21" id="Lev.xix-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|18|5|18|6;|Lev|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.5-Lev.18.6 Bible:Lev.18.21"><i>v.</i> 5, 6,
21</scripRef>. "The Lord, who has a right to rule all; your God,
who has a peculiar right to rule you." Jehovah is the fountain of
being, and therefore the fountain of power, whose we are, whom we
are bound to serve, and who is able to punish all disobedience.
"Your God to whom you have consented, in whom you are happy, to
whom you lie under the highest obligations imaginable, and to whom
you are accountable." 2. A strict caution to take heed of retaining
the relics of the idolatries of Egypt, where they had dwelt, and of
receiving the infection of the idolatries of Canaan, whither they
were now going, <scripRef passage="Le 18:3" id="Lev.xix-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|18|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
Now that God was by Moses teaching them his ordinances there was
<i>aliquid dediscendum&#8212;something to be unlearned,</i> which they
had sucked in with their milk in Egypt, a country noted for
idolatry: <i>You shall not do after the doings of the land of
Egypt.</i> It would be the greatest absurdity in itself to retain
such an affection for their house of bondage as to be governed in
their devotions by the usages of it, and the greatest ingratitude
to God, who had so wonderfully and graciously delivered them. Nay,
as if governed by a spirit of contradiction, they would be in
danger, even after they had received these ordinances of God, of
admitting the wicked usages of the Canaanites and of inheriting
their vices with their land. Of this danger they are here warned,
<i>You shall not walk in their ordinances.</i> Such a tyrant is
custom that their practices are called <i>ordinances,</i> and they
became rivals even with God's ordinances, and God's professing
people were in danger of receiving law from them. 3. A solemn
charge to them to <i>keep God's judgments, statutes, and
ordinances,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:4,5" id="Lev.xix-p3.4" parsed="|Lev|18|4|18|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.4-Lev.18.5"><i>v.</i> 4,
5</scripRef>. To this charge, and many similar ones, David seems to
refer in the many prayers and professions he makes relating to
God's laws in the <scripRef passage="Ps 119" id="Lev.xix-p3.5" parsed="|Ps|119|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119">119th
Psalm</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) The great rule of our
obedience&#8212;God's statutes and judgments. These we must <i>keep to
walk therein.</i> We must keep them in our books, and keep them in
our hands, that we may practise them in our hearts and lives.
<i>Remember God's commandments to do them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 103:18" id="Lev.xix-p3.6" parsed="|Ps|103|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.18">Ps. ciii. 18</scripRef>. We must keep in them as our
way to travel in, keep to them as our rule to work by, keep them as
our treasure, as the apple of our eye, with the utmost care and
value. (2.) The great advantage of our obedience: <i>Which if a man
do, he shall live in them,</i> that is, "he shall be happy here and
hereafter." We have reason to thank God, [1.] That this is still in
force as a promise, with a very favourable construction of the
condition. If we keep God's commandments in sincerity, though we
come short of sinless perfection, we shall find that the way of
duty is the way of comfort, and will be the way to happiness.
Godliness has the <i>promise of life,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:8" id="Lev.xix-p3.7" parsed="|1Tim|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.8">1 Tim. iv. 8</scripRef>. Wisdom has said, <i>Keep my
commandments and live:</i> and <i>if through the Spirit we mortify
the deeds of the body</i> (which are to us as the usages of Egypt
were to Israel) <i>we shall live.</i> [2.] That it is not so in
force in the nature of a covenant as that the least transgression
shall for ever exclude us from this life. The apostle quotes this
twice as opposite to the faith which the gospel reveals. It is the
description of the <i>righteousness which is by the law, the man
that doeth them shall live</i> <b><i>en autois</i></b>&#8212;<i>in
them</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 10:5" id="Lev.xix-p3.8" parsed="|Rom|10|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.5">Rom. x. 5</scripRef>), and is
urged to prove that <i>the law is not of faith,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 3:12" id="Lev.xix-p3.9" parsed="|Gal|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.12">Gal. iii. 12</scripRef>. The alteration which the
gospel has made is in the last word: still <i>the man that does
them shall live,</i> but not live <i>in them;</i> for the law could
not give life, because we could not perfectly keep it; it was
<i>weak through the flesh,</i> not in itself; but now <i>the man
that does them</i> shall <i>live by the faith of the Son of
God.</i> He shall owe his life to the grace of Christ, and not to
the merit of his own works; see <scripRef passage="Ga 3:21,22" id="Lev.xix-p3.10" parsed="|Gal|3|21|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.21-Gal.3.22">Gal.
iii. 21, 22</scripRef>. <i>The just shall live,</i> but they shall
live <i>by faith,</i> by virtue of their union with Christ, who is
their life.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 18:6-18" id="Lev.xix-p3.11" parsed="|Lev|18|6|18|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.6-Lev.18.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.18.6-Lev.18.18">
<h4 id="Lev.xix-p3.12">Incest Defined and Forbidden; Against
Marrying Near Relations. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p3.13">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xix-p4">6 None of you shall approach to any that is near
of kin to him, to uncover <i>their</i> nakedness: I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p4.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 7 The nakedness of thy
father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she
<i>is</i> thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. &#160;
8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it
<i>is</i> thy father's nakedness. &#160; 9 The nakedness of thy
sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother,
<i>whether she be</i> born at home, or born abroad, <i>even</i>
their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. &#160; 10 The nakedness of
thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, <i>even</i>
their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs <i>is</i> thine
own nakedness. &#160; 11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's
daughter, begotten of thy father, she <i>is</i> thy sister, thou
shalt not uncover her nakedness. &#160; 12 Thou shalt not uncover
the nakedness of thy father's sister: she <i>is</i> thy father's
near kinswoman. &#160; 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of
thy mother's sister: for she <i>is</i> thy mother's near kinswoman.
&#160; 14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's
brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she <i>is</i> thine
aunt. &#160; 15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy
daughter in law: she <i>is</i> thy son's wife; thou shalt not
uncover her nakedness. &#160; 16 Thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy brother's wife: it <i>is</i> thy brother's
nakedness. &#160; 17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a
woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter,
or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; <i>for</i>
they <i>are</i> her near kinswomen: it <i>is</i> wickedness. &#160;
18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex <i>her,</i>
to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life
<i>time.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p5">These laws relate to the seventh
commandment, and, no doubt, are obligatory on us under the gospel,
for they are consonant to the very light and law of nature: one of
the articles, that of a man's having his father's wife, the apostle
speaks of as a sin <i>not so much as named among the Gentiles,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 5:1" id="Lev.xix-p5.1" parsed="|1Cor|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.1">1 Cor. v. 1</scripRef>. Though some of
the incests here forbidden were practised by some particular
persons among the heathen, yet they were disallowed and detested,
unless among those nations who had become barbarous, and were quite
given up to vile affections. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p6">I. That which is forbidden as to the
relations here specified is <i>approaching to them to uncover their
nakedness,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:6" id="Lev.xix-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|18|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p7">1. It is chiefly intended to forbid the
marrying of any of these relations. Marriage is a divine
institution; this and the sabbath, the eldest of all, of equal
standing with man upon the earth: it is intended for the comfort of
human life, and the decent and honourable propagation of the human
race, such as became the dignity of man's nature above that of the
beasts. It is <i>honourable in all,</i> and these laws are for the
support of the honour of it. It was requisite that a divine
ordinance should be subject to divine rules and restraints,
especially because it concerns a thing wherein the corrupt nature
of man is as apt as in any thing to be wilful and impetuous in its
desires, and impatient of check. Yet these prohibitions, besides
their being enacted by an incontestable authority, are in
themselves highly reasonable and equitable. (1.) By marriage two
were to become one flesh, therefore those that before were in a
sense one flesh by nature could not, without the greatest
absurdity, become one flesh by institution; for the institution was
designed to unite those who before were not united. (2.) Marriage
puts an equality between husband and wife. "Is she not thy
companion taken out of thy side?" Therefore, if those who before
were superior and inferior should intermarry (which is the case in
most of the instances here laid down), the order of nature would be
taken away by a positive institution, which must by no means be
allowed. The inequality between master and servant, noble and
ignoble, is founded in consent and custom, and there is no harm
done if that be taken away by the equality of marriage; but the
inequality between parents and children, uncles and nieces, aunts
and nephews, either by blood or marriage, is founded in nature, and
is therefore perpetual, and cannot without confusion be taken away
by the equality of marriage, the institution of which, though
ancient, is subsequent to the order of nature. (3.) No relations
that are equals are forbidden, except brothers and sisters, by the
whole blood or half blood, or by marriage; and in this there is not
the same natural absurdity as in the former, for Adam's sons must
of necessity have married their own sisters; but it was requisite
that it should be made by a positive law unlawful and detestable,
for the preventing of sinful familiarities between those that in
the days of their youth are supposed to live in a house together,
and yet cannot intermarry without defeating one of the intentions
of marriage, which is the enlargement of friendship and interest.
If every man married his own sister (as they would be apt to do
from generation to generation if it were lawful), each family would
be a world to itself, and it would be forgotten that <i>we are
members one of another.</i> It is certain that this has always been
looked upon by the more sober heathen as a most infamous and
abominable thing; and those who had not this law yet were herein a
law to themselves. The making use of the ordinance of marriage for
the patronizing of incestuous mixtures is so far from justifying
them, or extenuating their guilt, that it adds the guilt of
profaning an ordinance of God, and prostituting that to the vilest
of purposes which was instituted for the noblest ends. But,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p8">2. Uncleanness, committed with any of these
relations out of marriage, is likewise, without doubt, forbidden
here, and no less intended than the former: as also all lascivious
carriage, wanton dalliance, and every thing that has the appearance
of this evil. Relations must love one another, and are to have free
and familiar converse with each other, but it must be with all
purity; and the less it is suspected of evil by others the more
care ought the persons themselves to take that <i>Satan do not get
advantage against them,</i> for he is a very subtle enemy, and
seeks all occasions against us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p9">II. The relations forbidden are most of
them plainly described; and it is generally laid down as a rule
that what relations of a man's own he is bound up from marrying the
same relations of his wife he is likewise forbidden to marry, for
they two are one. That law which forbids marrying a brother's wife
(<scripRef passage="Le 18:16" id="Lev.xix-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) had an
exception peculiar to the Jewish state, that, if a man died without
issue, his brother or next of kin should marry the widow, and raise
up seed to the deceased (<scripRef passage="De 25:5" id="Lev.xix-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|25|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.5">Deut. xxv.
5</scripRef>), for reasons which held good only in that
commonwealth; and therefore now that those reasons have ceased the
exception ceases, and the law is in force, that a man must in no
case marry his brother's widow. That article (<scripRef passage="Le 18:18" id="Lev.xix-p9.3" parsed="|Lev|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>) which forbids a man to <i>take
a wife to her sister</i> supposes a connivance at polygamy, as some
other laws then did (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:10,De 21:15" id="Lev.xix-p9.4" parsed="|Exod|21|10|0|0;|Deut|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.10 Bible:Deut.21.15">Exod.
xxi. 10; Deut. xxi. 15</scripRef>), but forbids a man's marrying
two sisters, as Jacob did, because between those who had before
been equal there would be apt to arise greater jealousies and
animosities than between wives that were not so nearly related. If
the sister of the wife be taken for the concubine, or secondary
wife, nothing can be more vexing in her life, or as long as she
lives.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 18" id="Lev.xix-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 18:19-30" id="Lev.xix-p9.6" parsed="|Lev|18|19|18|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.19-Lev.18.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.18.19-Lev.18.30">
<h4 id="Lev.xix-p9.7">Laws against Iniquity. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p9.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xix-p10">19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to
uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her
uncleanness. &#160; 20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with
thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her. &#160; 21 And
thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through <i>the fire</i> to
Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p10.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 22 Thou shalt not
lie with mankind, as with womankind: it <i>is</i> abomination.
&#160; 23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself
therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down
thereto: it <i>is</i> confusion. &#160; 24 Defile not ye yourselves
in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled
which I cast out before you: &#160; 25 And the land is defiled:
therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land
itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. &#160; 26 Ye shall therefore
keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit <i>any</i>
of these abominations; <i>neither</i> any of your own nation, nor
any stranger that sojourneth among you: &#160; 27 (For all these
abominations have the men of the land done, which <i>were</i>
before you, and the land is defiled;) &#160; 28 That the land spue
not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations
that <i>were</i> before you. &#160; 29 For whosoever shall commit
any of these abominations, even the souls that commit <i>them</i>
shall be cut off from among their people. &#160; 30 Therefore shall
ye keep mine ordinance, that <i>ye</i> commit not <i>any one</i> of
these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that
ye defile not yourselves therein: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xix-p10.2">Lord</span> your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p11">Here is, I. A law to preserve the honour of
the marriage-bed, that it should not be unseasonably used
(<scripRef passage="Le 18:19" id="Lev.xix-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), nor invaded
by an adulterer, <scripRef passage="Le 18:20" id="Lev.xix-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p12">II. A law against that which was the most
unnatural idolatry, causing their children to <i>pass through the
fire to Moloch,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:21" id="Lev.xix-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. Moloch (as some think) was the idol in and by which
they worshipped the sun, that great fire of the world; and
therefore in the worship of it they made their own children either
sacrifices to this idol, burning them to death before it, or
devotees to it, causing them to pass between two fires, as some
think, or to be thrown through one, to the honour of this pretended
deity, imagining that the consecrating of but one of their children
in this manner to Moloch would procure good fortune for all the
rest of their children. Did idolaters thus give their own children
to false gods, and shall we think any thing too dear to be
dedicated to, or to be parted with for, the true God? See how this
sin of Israel (which they were afterwards guilty of,
notwithstanding this law) is aggravated by the relation which they
and their children stood in to God. <scripRef passage="Eze 16:20" id="Lev.xix-p12.2" parsed="|Ezek|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.20">Ezek. xvi. 20</scripRef>, <i>Thou hast taken thy sons
and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these thou
hast sacrificed.</i> Therefore it is here called <i>profaning the
name of their</i> God; for it looked as if they thought they were
under greater obligations to Moloch than to Jehovah; for to him
they offered their cattle only, but to Moloch their children.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p13">III. A law against unnatural lusts, sodomy
and bestiality, sins not to be named nor thought of without the
utmost abhorrence imaginable, <scripRef passage="Le 18:22,23" id="Lev.xix-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|18|22|18|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.22-Lev.18.23"><i>v.</i> 22, 23</scripRef>. Other sins level men
with the beasts, but these sink them much lower. That ever there
should have been occasion for the making of these laws, and that
since they are published they should ever have been broken, is the
perpetual reproach and scandal of human nature; and the giving of
men up to these vile affections was frequently the punishment of
their idolatries; so the apostle shows, <scripRef passage="Ro 1:24" id="Lev.xix-p13.2" parsed="|Rom|1|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.1.24">Rom. i. 24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p14">IV. Arguments against these and the like
abominable wickednesses. He that has an indisputable right to
command us, yet because he will deal with us as men, and <i>draw
with the cords of a man,</i> condescends to reason with us. 1.
Sinners defile themselves with these abominations: <i>Defile not
yourselves in any of these things,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:24" id="Lev.xix-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. All sin is defiling to the
conscience, but these are sins that have a peculiar turpitude in
them. Our heavenly Father, in kindness to us, requires of us that
we keep ourselves clean, and do not wallow in the dirt. 2. <i>The
souls that commit them shall be cut off,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:29" id="Lev.xix-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|18|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. And justly; for, <i>if any man
defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 3:17" id="Lev.xix-p14.3" parsed="|1Cor|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.17">1 Cor. iii. 17</scripRef>. Fleshly lusts war
against the soul, and will certainly be the ruin of it if God's
mercy and grace prevent not. 3. <i>The land is defiled,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 18:25" id="Lev.xix-p14.4" parsed="|Lev|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. If such
wickednesses as these be practised and connived at, the land is
thereby made unfit to have God's tabernacle in it, and the pure and
holy God will withdraw the tokens of his gracious presence from it.
It is also rendered unwholesome to the inhabitants, who are hereby
infected with sin and exposed to plagues and it is really nauseous
and loathsome to all good men in it, as the wickedness of Sodom was
to the soul of righteous Lot. 4. These have been the abominations
of the former inhabitants, <scripRef passage="Le 18:24,27" id="Lev.xix-p14.5" parsed="|Lev|18|24|0|0;|Lev|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.24 Bible:Lev.18.27"><i>v.</i> 24, 27</scripRef>. Therefore it was
necessary that these laws should be made, as antidotes and
preservatives from the plague are necessary when we go into an
infected place. And therefore they should not practise any such
things, because the nations that had practised them now lay under
the curse of God, and were shortly to fall by the sword of Israel.
They could not but be sensible how odious those people had made
themselves who wallowed in this mire, and how they stank in the
nostrils of all good men; and shall a people sanctified and
dignified as Israel was make themselves thus vile? When we observe
how ill sin looks in others we should use this as an argument with
ourselves with the utmost care and caution to preserve our purity.
5. For these and the like sins the Canaanites were to be destroyed;
these filled the measure of the Amorites' iniquity (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:16" id="Lev.xix-p14.6" parsed="|Gen|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.16">Gen. xv. 16</scripRef>), and brought down that
destruction of so many populous kingdoms which the Israelites were
now shortly to be not only the spectators, but the instruments of:
<i>Therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:25" id="Lev.xix-p14.7" parsed="|Lev|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Note, The tremendous
judgments of God, executed on those that are daringly profane and
atheistical, are intended as warnings to those who profess religion
to take heed of every thing that has the least appearance of, or
tendency towards, profaneness or atheism. Even the ruin of the
Canaanites is an admonition to the Israelites not to do like them.
Nay, to show that not only the Creator is provoked, but the
creation burdened, by such abominations as these, it is added
(<scripRef passage="Le 18:25" id="Lev.xix-p14.8" parsed="|Lev|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), <i>The land
itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.</i> The very ground they went
upon did, as it were, groan under them, and was sick of them, and
not easy till it had discharged itself of these <i>enemies of the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 1:24" id="Lev.xix-p14.9" parsed="|Isa|1|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.24">Isa. i. 24</scripRef>. This
bespeaks the extreme loathsomeness of sin; sinful man indeed
<i>drinks in iniquity like water,</i> but the harmless part of the
creation even heaves at it, and rises against it. Many a house and
many a town have spued out the wicked inhabitants, as it were, with
abhorrence, <scripRef passage="Re 3:16" id="Lev.xix-p14.10" parsed="|Rev|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.16">Rev. iii. 16</scripRef>.
Therefore take heed, saith God, <i>that the land spue not you out
also,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:28" id="Lev.xix-p14.11" parsed="|Lev|18|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. It
was secured to them, and entailed upon them, and yet they must
expect that, if they made the vices of the Canaanites their own,
with their land their fate would be the same. Note, Wicked
Israelites are as abominable to God as wicked Canaanites, and more
so, and will be as soon spued out, or sooner. Such a warning as was
here given to the Israelites is given by the apostle to the Gentile
converts, with reference to the rejected Jews, in whose room they
were substituted (<scripRef passage="Ro 11:19" id="Lev.xix-p14.12" parsed="|Rom|11|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.19">Rom. xi.
19</scripRef>, &amp;c.); they must take heed of falling <i>after
the same example of unbelief,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 4:11" id="Lev.xix-p14.13" parsed="|Heb|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.11">Heb.
iv. 11</scripRef>. Apply it more generally; and let it deter us
effectually from all sinful courses to consider how many they have
been the ruin of. Lay the ear of faith to the gates of the
bottomless pit, and hear the doleful shrieks and outcries of damned
sinners, whom earth has spued out and hell has swallowed, that find
themselves undone, for ever undone, by sin; and tremble lest this
be your portion at last. God's threatenings and judgments should
frighten us from sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xix-p15">V. The chapter concludes with a sovereign
antidote against this infection: <i>Therefore you shall keep my
ordinance that you commit not any one of these abominable
customs,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 18:30" id="Lev.xix-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|18|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>.
This is the remedy prescribed. Note, 1. Sinful customs are
abominable customs, and their being common and fashionable does not
make them at all the less abominable nor should we the less
abominate them, but the more; because the more customary they are
the more dangerous they are. 2. It is of pernicious consequence to
admit and allow of any one sinful custom, because one will make way
for many, <i>Uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur&#8212;Admit but a single
absurdity, you invite a thousand.</i> The way of sin is downhill.
3. A close and constant adherence to God's ordinances is the most
effectual preservative from the infection of gross sin. The more we
taste of the sweetness and feel of the power of holy ordinances the
less inclination we shall have to the forbidden pleasures of
sinners' abominable customs. It is the grace of God only that will
secure us, and that grace is to be expected only in the use of the
means of grace. Nor does God ever leave any to their own hearts'
lusts till they have first left him and his institutions.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIX" n="xx" progress="58.68%" prev="Lev.xix" next="Lev.xxi" id="Lev.xx">
<h2 id="Lev.xx-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xx-p0.2">CHAP. XIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xx-p1">Some ceremonial precepts there are in this
chapter, but most of them are moral. One would wonder that when
some of the lighter matters of the law are greatly enlarged upon
(witness two long chapters concerning the leprosy) many of the
weightier matters are put into a little compass: divers of the
single verses of this chapter contain whole laws concerning
judgment and mercy; for these are things which are manifest in
every man's conscience; men's own thoughts are able to explain
these, and to comment upon them. I. The laws of this chapter, which
were peculiar to the Jews, are, 1. Concerning their
peace-offerings, <scripRef passage="Le 19:5-8" id="Lev.xx-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|19|5|19|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.5-Lev.19.8">ver. 5-8</scripRef>.
2. Concerning the gleanings of their fields, <scripRef passage="Le 19:9,10" id="Lev.xx-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|19|9|19|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.9-Lev.19.10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. 3. Against mixtures of their
cattle, seed, and cloth, <scripRef passage="Le 19:19" id="Lev.xx-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.19">ver.
19</scripRef>. 4. Concerning their trees, <scripRef passage="Le 19:23-25" id="Lev.xx-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|19|23|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.23-Lev.19.25">ver. 23-25</scripRef>. 5. Against some superstitious
usages, <scripRef passage="Le 19:26-28" id="Lev.xx-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|19|26|19|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.26-Lev.19.28">ver. 26-28</scripRef>. But,
II. Most of these precepts are binding on us, for they are
expositions of most of the ten commandments. 1. Here is the preface
to the ten commandments, "I am the Lord," repeated fifteen times.
2. A sum of the ten commandments. All the first table in this, "Be
you holy," <scripRef passage="Le 19:2" id="Lev.xx-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|19|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.2">ver. 2</scripRef>. All the
second table in this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour" (<scripRef passage="Le 19:18" id="Lev.xx-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|19|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.18">ver. 18</scripRef>), and an answer to the
question, "Who is my neighbour?" <scripRef passage="Le 19:33,34" id="Lev.xx-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|19|33|19|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.33-Lev.19.34">ver. 33, 34</scripRef>. 3. Something of each
commandment. (1.) The first commandment implied in that which is
often repeated here, "I am your God." And here is a prohibition of
enchantment (<scripRef passage="Le 19:26" id="Lev.xx-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|19|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.26">ver. 26</scripRef>) and
witchcraft (<scripRef passage="Le 19:31" id="Lev.xx-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|19|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.31">ver. 31</scripRef>), which
make a god of the devil. (2.) Idolatry, against the second
commandment, is forbidden, <scripRef passage="Le 19:4" id="Lev.xx-p1.11" parsed="|Lev|19|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.4">ver.
4</scripRef>. (3.) Profanation of God's name, against the third,
<scripRef passage="Le 19:12" id="Lev.xx-p1.12" parsed="|Lev|19|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.12">ver. 12</scripRef>. (4.)
Sabbath-sanctification is pressed, <scripRef passage="Le 19:3,30" id="Lev.xx-p1.13" parsed="|Lev|19|3|0|0;|Lev|19|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.3 Bible:Lev.19.30">ver. 3, 30</scripRef>. (5.) Children are required to
honour their parents (<scripRef passage="Le 19:3" id="Lev.xx-p1.14" parsed="|Lev|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.3">ver.
3</scripRef>), and the aged, <scripRef passage="Le 19:32" id="Lev.xx-p1.15" parsed="|Lev|19|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.32">ver.
32</scripRef>. (6.) Hatred and revenge are here forbidden, against
the sixth commandment, <scripRef passage="Le 19:17,18" id="Lev.xx-p1.16" parsed="|Lev|19|17|19|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.17-Lev.19.18">ver. 17,
18</scripRef>. (7.) Adultery (<scripRef passage="Le 19:20-22" id="Lev.xx-p1.17" parsed="|Lev|19|20|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.20-Lev.19.22">ver.
20-22</scripRef>), and whoredom, <scripRef passage="Le 19:29" id="Lev.xx-p1.18" parsed="|Lev|19|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.29">ver.
29</scripRef>. (8.) Justice is here required in judgment (<scripRef passage="Le 19:15" id="Lev.xx-p1.19" parsed="|Lev|19|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.15">ver. 15</scripRef>), theft forbidden (<scripRef passage="Le 19:11" id="Lev.xx-p1.20" parsed="|Lev|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.11">ver. 11</scripRef>), fraud and withholding dues
(<scripRef passage="Le 19:13" id="Lev.xx-p1.21" parsed="|Lev|19|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.13">ver. 13</scripRef>), and false
weights, <scripRef passage="Le 19:35,36" id="Lev.xx-p1.22" parsed="|Lev|19|35|19|36" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.35-Lev.19.36">ver. 35, 36</scripRef>.
(9.) Lying, <scripRef passage="Le 19:11" id="Lev.xx-p1.23" parsed="|Lev|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.11">ver. 11</scripRef>.
Slandering, <scripRef passage="Le 19:14" id="Lev.xx-p1.24" parsed="|Lev|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.14">ver. 14</scripRef>.
Tale-bearing, and false-witness bearing, <scripRef passage="Le 19:16" id="Lev.xx-p1.25" parsed="|Lev|19|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.16">ver. 16</scripRef>. (10.) The tenth commandment laying a
restraint upon the heart, so does that (<scripRef passage="Le 19:17" id="Lev.xx-p1.26" parsed="|Lev|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.17">ver. 17</scripRef>), "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in
thy heart." And here is a solemn charge to observe all these
statutes, <scripRef passage="Le 19:37" id="Lev.xx-p1.27" parsed="|Lev|19|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.37">ver. 37</scripRef>. Now
these are things which need not much help for the understanding of
them, but require constant care and watchfulness for the observing
of them. "A good understanding have all those that do these
commandments."</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19" id="Lev.xx-p1.28" parsed="|Lev|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19:1-10" id="Lev.xx-p1.29" parsed="|Lev|19|1|19|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.1-Lev.19.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.19.1-Lev.19.10">
<h4 id="Lev.xx-p1.30">Ceremonial and Moral Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p1.31">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xx-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto all the congregation
of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for
I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.2">Lord</span> your God <i>am</i> holy.
&#160; 3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and
keep my sabbaths: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.3">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 4 Turn ye not unto idols,
nor make to yourselves molten gods: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.4">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 5 And if ye offer a
sacrifice of peace offerings unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.5">Lord</span>, ye shall offer it at your own will. &#160;
6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow:
and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the
fire. &#160; 7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it
<i>is</i> abominable; it shall not be accepted. &#160; 8 Therefore
<i>every one</i> that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he
hath profaned the hallowed thing of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.6">Lord</span>: and that soul shall be cut off from among
his people. &#160; 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land,
thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt
thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. &#160; 10 And thou shalt
not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather <i>every</i>
grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and
stranger: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p2.7">Lord</span> your
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p3">Moses is ordered to deliver the summary of
the laws <i>to all the congregation of the children of Israel</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 19:2" id="Lev.xx-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|19|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>); not to Aaron
and his sons only, but to all the people, for they were all
concerned to know their duty. Even in the darker ages of the law,
that religion could not be of God which boasted of ignorance as its
mother. Moses must make known God's statutes to all the
congregation, and proclaim them through the camp. These laws, it is
probable, he delivered himself to as many of the people as could be
within hearing at once, and so by degrees at several times to them
all. Many of the precepts here given they had received before, but
it was requisite that they should be repeated, that they might be
remembered. Precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, and
all little enough. In these verses,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p4">I. It is required that Israel be a holy
people, because the God of Israel is a holy God, <scripRef passage="Le 19:2" id="Lev.xx-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|19|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Their being distinguished from
all other people by peculiar laws and customs was intended to teach
them a real separation from the world and the flesh, and an entire
devotedness to God. And this is now the law of Christ (the Lord
bring every thought within us into obedience to it!) <i>You shall
be holy, for I am holy,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:15,16" id="Lev.xx-p4.2" parsed="|1Pet|1|15|1|16" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.15-1Pet.1.16">1 Pet.
i. 15, 16</scripRef>. We are the followers of the holy Jesus, and
therefore must be, according to our capacity, consecrated to God's
honour, and conformed to his nature and will. Israel was sanctified
by the types and shadows (<scripRef passage="Le 20:8" id="Lev.xx-p4.3" parsed="|Lev|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.8"><i>ch.</i>
xx. 8</scripRef>), but we are <i>sanctified by the truth,</i> or
substance of all those shadows, <scripRef passage="Joh 17:17,Tit 2:14" id="Lev.xx-p4.4" parsed="|John|17|17|0|0;|Titus|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.17 Bible:Titus.2.14">John xvii. 17; Tit. ii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p5">II. That children be obedient to their
parents: "<i>You shall fear every man his mother and his
father,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 19:3" id="Lev.xx-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. 1.
The fear here required is the same with the honour commanded by the
fifth commandment; see <scripRef passage="Mal 1:6" id="Lev.xx-p5.2" parsed="|Mal|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.6">Mal. i.
6</scripRef>. It includes inward reverence and esteem, outward
expressions of respect, obedience to the lawful commands of
parents, care and endeavour to please them and make them easy, and
to avoid every thing that may offend and grieve them, and incur
their displeasure. The Jewish doctors ask, "What is this fear that
is owing to a father?" And they answer, "It is not to stand in his
way nor to sit in his place, not to contradict what he says nor to
carp at it, not to call him by his name, either living or dead, but
'My Father,' or 'Sir;' it is to provide for him if he be poor, and
the like." 2. Children, when they grow up to be men, must not think
themselves discharged from this duty: every man, though he be a
wise man, and a great man, yet must reverence his parents, because
they are his parents. 3. The mother is put first, which is not
usual, to show that the duty is equally owing to both; if the
mother survive the father, still she must be reverenced and obeyed.
4. It is added, <i>and keep my sabbaths.</i> If God provides by his
law for the preserving of the honour of parents, parents must use
their authority over their children for the preserving of the
honour of God, particularly the honour of his sabbaths, the custody
of which is very much committed to parents by the fourth
commandment, <i>Thou, and thy son, and thy daughter.</i> The ruin
of young people has often been observed to begin in the contempt of
their parents and the profanation of the sabbath day. Fitly
therefore are these two precepts here put together in the beginning
of this abridgment of the statutes: "<i>You shall fear, every man,
his mother and his father, and keep my sabbaths.</i> Those are
hopeful children, and likely to do well, that make conscience of
honouring their parents and keeping holy the sabbath day. 5. The
reason added to both these precepts is, "<i>I am the Lord your
God;</i> the Lord of the sabbath and the God of your parents."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p6">III. That God only be worshipped, and not
by images (<scripRef passage="Le 19:4" id="Lev.xx-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|19|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>):
"<i>Turn you not to idols,</i> to <i>Elilim,</i> to vanities,
things of no power, no value, gods that are no gods. Turn not from
the true God to false ones, from the mighty God to impotent ones,
from the God that will make you holy and happy to those that will
deceive you, debauch you, ruin you, and make you for ever
miserable. Turn not your eye to them, much less your heart. <i>Make
not to yourselves gods,</i> the creatures of your own fancy, nor
think to worship the Creator by molten gods. You are the work of
God's hands, be not so absurd as to worship gods <i>the work of
your own hands.</i>" Molten gods are specified for the sake of the
molten calf.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p7">IV. That the sacrifices of their
peace-offerings should always be offered, and eaten, according to
the law, <scripRef passage="Le 19:5-8" id="Lev.xx-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|19|5|19|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.5-Lev.19.8"><i>v.</i> 5-8</scripRef>.
There was some particular reason, it is likely, for the repetition
of this law rather than any other relating to the sacrifices. The
eating of the peace-offerings was the people's part, and was done
from under the eye of the priests, and perhaps some of them had
kept the cold meat of their peace-offerings, as they had done the
manna (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:20" id="Lev.xx-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.20">Exod. xvi. 20</scripRef>),
longer than was appointed, which occasioned this caution; see the
law itself before, <scripRef passage="Le 7:16-18" id="Lev.xx-p7.3" parsed="|Lev|7|16|7|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.16-Lev.7.18"><i>ch.</i> vii.
16-18</scripRef>. God will have his own work done in his own time.
Though the sacrifice was offered according to the law, if it was
not eaten according to the law, it was not accepted. Though
ministers do their part, what the better if people do not theirs?
There is work to be done after our spiritual sacrifices, in a due
improvement of them; and, if this be neglected, all is in vain.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p8">V. That they should leave the gleanings of
their harvest and vintage for the poor, <scripRef passage="Le 19:9,10" id="Lev.xx-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|19|9|19|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.9-Lev.19.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. Note, Works of piety must
be always attended with works of charity, according as our ability
is. When they gathered in their corn, they must leave some standing
in the corner of the field; the Jewish doctors say, "It should be a
sixtieth part of the field;" and they must also leave the gleanings
and the small clusters of their grapes, which at first were
overlooked. This law, though not binding now in the letter of it,
yet teaches us, 1. That we must not be covetous and griping, and
greedy of every thing we can lay any claim to; nor insist upon our
right in things small and trivial. 2. That we must be well pleased
to see the poor supplied and refreshed with the fruit of our
labours. We must not think every thing lost that goes beside
ourselves, nor any thing wasted that goes to the poor. 3. That
times of joy, such as harvest-time is, are proper times for
charity; that, when we rejoice, the poor may rejoice with us, and
when our hearts are blessing God their loins may bless us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19" id="Lev.xx-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19:11-18" id="Lev.xx-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|19|11|19|18" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.11-Lev.19.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.19.11-Lev.19.18">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xx-p9">11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely,
neither lie one to another. &#160; 12 And ye shall not swear by my
name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p9.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 13 Thou
shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob <i>him</i>: the wages
of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the
morning. &#160; 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a
stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p9.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 15 Ye
shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the
person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: <i>but</i>
in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. &#160; 16 Thou
shalt not go up and down <i>as</i> a talebearer among thy people:
neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p9.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 17 Thou
shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise
rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. &#160; 18 Thou
shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy
people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p9.4">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p10">We are taught here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p11">I. To be honest and true in all our
dealings, <scripRef passage="Le 19:11" id="Lev.xx-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>.
God, who has appointed every man's property by his providence,
forbids by his law the invading of that appointment, either by
downright theft, <i>You shall not steal,</i> or by fraudulent
dealing, "You shall not cheat, or deal falsely." Whatever we have
in the world, we must see to it that it be honestly come by, for we
cannot be truly rich, nor long rich, with that which is not. The
God of truth, who requires truth in the heart (<scripRef passage="Ps 51:6" id="Lev.xx-p11.2" parsed="|Ps|51|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.6">Ps. li. 6</scripRef>), requires it also in the tongue:
<i>Neither lie one to another,</i> either in bargaining or common
converse. This is one of the laws of Christianity (<scripRef passage="Col 3:9" id="Lev.xx-p11.3" parsed="|Col|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.9">Col. iii. 9</scripRef>): <i>Lie not one to
another.</i> Those that do not speak truth do not deserve to be
told truth; those that sin by lying justly suffer by it; therefore
we are forbidden to <i>lie one to another;</i> for, if we lie to
others, we teach them to lie to us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p12">II. To maintain a very reverent regard to
the sacred name of God (<scripRef passage="Le 19:12" id="Lev.xx-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|19|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), and not to call him to be witness either, 1. To a
lie: <i>You shall not swear falsely.</i> It is bad to tell a lie,
but it is much worse to swear it. Or, 2. To a trifle, and every
impertinence: <i>Neither shalt thou profane the name of thy
God,</i> by alienating it to any other purpose than that for which
it is to be religiously used.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p13">III. Neither to take nor keep any one's
right from him, <scripRef passage="Le 19:13" id="Lev.xx-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|19|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. We must not take that which is none of our own,
either by fraud or robbery; nor detain that which belongs to
another, particularly the <i>wages of the hireling,</i> let it not
<i>abide with thee all night.</i> Let the day-labourer have his
wages as soon as he has done his day's work, if he desire it. It is
a great sin to deny the payment of it, nay, to defer it, to his
damage, a sin that cries to heaven for vengeance, <scripRef passage="Jam 5:4" id="Lev.xx-p13.2" parsed="|Jas|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.4">Jam. v. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p14">IV. To be particularly tender of the credit
and safety of those that cannot help themselves, <scripRef passage="Le 19:14" id="Lev.xx-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. 1. The credit of the deaf:
<i>Thou shalt not curse the deaf;</i> that is, not only those that
are naturally deaf, that cannot hear at all, but also those that
are absent, and at present out of hearing of the curse, and so
cannot show their resentment, return the affront, nor right
themselves, and those that are patient, that seem as if they heard
not, and are not willing to take notice of it, as David, <scripRef passage="Ps 38:13" id="Lev.xx-p14.2" parsed="|Ps|38|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.38.13">Ps. xxxviii. 13</scripRef>. Do not injure any
because they are unwilling, or unable, to avenge themselves, for
God sees and hears, though they do not. 2. The safety of the blind
we must likewise be tender of, and not put a stumbling-block before
them; for this is to add affliction to the afflicted, and to make
God's providence a servant to our malice. This prohibition implies
a precept to help the blind, and remove stumbling-blocks out of
their way. The Jewish writers, thinking it impossible that any
should be so barbarous as to put a <i>stumbling-block in the way of
the blind,</i> understood it figuratively, that it forbids giving
bad counsel to those that are simple and easily imposed upon, by
which they may be led to do something to their own prejudice. We
ought to take heed of doing any thing which may occasion our weak
brother to fall, <scripRef passage="Ro 14:13,1Co 8:9" id="Lev.xx-p14.3" parsed="|Rom|14|13|0|0;|1Cor|8|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.14.13 Bible:1Cor.8.9">Rom. xiv. 13;
1 Cor. viii. 9</scripRef>. It is added, as a preservative from
these sins, <i>but fear thou God.</i> "Thou dost not fear the deaf
and blind, they cannot right themselves; but remember it is the
glory of God to help the helpless, and he will plead their cause."
Note, The fear of God will restrain us from doing that which will
not expose us to men's resentments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p15">V. Judges and all in authority are here
commanded to give verdict and judgment without partiality
(<scripRef passage="Le 19:15" id="Lev.xx-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|19|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>); whether
they were constituted judges by commission or made so in a
particular case by the consent of both parties, as referees or
arbitrators, they must do no wrong to either side, but, to the
utmost of their skill, must go according to the rules of equity,
having respect purely to the merits of the cause, and not to the
characters of the person. Justice must never be perverted, either,
1. In pity to the poor: <i>Thou shalt not respect the person of the
poor,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 23:3" id="Lev.xx-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.3">Exod. xxiii. 3</scripRef>.
Whatever may be given to a poor man as an alms, yet let nothing be
awarded him as his right but what he is legally entitled to, nor
let his poverty excuse him from any just punishment for a fault.
Or, 2. In veneration or fear of the mighty, in whose favour judges
would be most frequently biased. The Jews say, "Judges were obliged
by this law to be so impartial as not to let one of the contending
parties sit while the other stood, nor permit one to say what he
pleased and bid the other be short; see <scripRef passage="Jam 2:1-4" id="Lev.xx-p15.3" parsed="|Jas|2|1|2|4" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.1-Jas.2.4">James ii. 1-4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p16">VI. We are all forbidden to do any thing
injurious to our neighbour's good name (<scripRef passage="Le 19:16" id="Lev.xx-p16.1" parsed="|Lev|19|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), either, 1. In common
conversation: <i>Thou shalt not go up and down as a
tale-bearer.</i> It is as bad an office as a man can put himself
into to be the publisher of every man's faults, divulging what was
secret, aggravating crimes, and making the worst of every thing
that was amiss, with design to blast and ruin men's reputation, and
to sow discord among neighbours. The word used for a tale-bearer
signifies a <i>pedlar,</i> or <i>petty chapman,</i> the interlopers
of trade; for tale-bearers pick up ill-natured stories at one house
and utter them at another, and commonly barter slanders by way of
exchange. See this sin condemned, <scripRef passage="Pr 11:13,20:19,Jer 9:4,Eze 22:9" id="Lev.xx-p16.2" parsed="|Prov|11|13|0|0;|Prov|20|19|0|0;|Jer|9|4|0|0;|Ezek|22|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.11.13 Bible:Prov.20.19 Bible:Jer.9.4 Bible:Ezek.22.9">Prov. xi. 13; xx. 19; Jer. ix. 4,
5; Ezek. xxii. 9</scripRef>. Or, 2, In witness-bearing: Neither
<i>shalt thou stand</i> as a witness <i>against the blood of thy
neighbour,</i> if his blood be innocent, nor join in confederacy
with such bloody men as those described," <scripRef passage="Pr 1:11,12" id="Lev.xx-p16.3" parsed="|Prov|1|11|1|12" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.11-Prov.1.12">Prov. i. 11, 12</scripRef>. The Jewish doctors put
this further sense upon it: "Thou shalt not stand by and see thy
brother in danger, but thou shalt come in to his relief and
succour, though it be with the peril of thy own life or limb;" they
add, "He that can by his testimony clear one that is accused is
obliged by this law to do it;" see <scripRef passage="Pr 24:11,12" id="Lev.xx-p16.4" parsed="|Prov|24|11|24|12" osisRef="Bible:Prov.24.11-Prov.24.12">Prov. xxiv. 11, 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p17">VII. We are commanded to rebuke our
neighbour in love (<scripRef passage="Le 19:17" id="Lev.xx-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour.</i>
1. Rather rebuke him than hate him for an injury done to thyself.
If we apprehend that our neighbour has any way wronged us, we must
not conceive a secret grudge against him, and estrange ourselves
from him, speaking to him neither bad nor good, as the manner of
some is, who have the art of concealing their displeasure till they
have an opportunity of a full revenge (<scripRef passage="2Sa 13:22" id="Lev.xx-p17.2" parsed="|2Sam|13|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.13.22">2 Sam. xiii. 22</scripRef>); but we must rather give
vent to our resentments with the meekness of wisdom, endeavour to
convince our brother of the injury, reason the case fairly with
him, and so put an end to the disgust conceived: this is the rule
our Saviour gives in this case, <scripRef passage="Lu 17:3" id="Lev.xx-p17.3" parsed="|Luke|17|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.17.3">Luke
xvii. 3</scripRef>. 2. Therefore rebuke him for his sin against
God, because thou lovest him; endeavour to bring him to repentance,
that his sin may be pardoned, and he may turn from it, and it may
not be suffered to lie upon him. Note, Friendly reproof is a duty
we owe to one another, and we ought both to give it and take it in
love. <i>Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a
kindness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 141:5" id="Lev.xx-p17.4" parsed="|Ps|141|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.141.5">Ps. cxli. 5</scripRef>.
Faithful and useful are those <i>wounds of a friend,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 27:5,6" id="Lev.xx-p17.5" parsed="|Prov|27|5|27|6" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.5-Prov.27.6">Prov. xxvii. 5, 6</scripRef>. It is here
strictly commanded, "<i>Thou shalt in any wise</i> do it, and not
omit it under any pretence." Consider, (1.) The guilt we incur by
not reproving: it is construed here into a hating of our brother.
We are ready to argue thus, "Such a one is a friend I love,
therefore I will not make him uneasy by telling him of his faults;"
but we should rather say, "therefore I will do him the kindness to
tell him of them." Love covers sin from others, but not from the
sinner himself. (2.) The mischief we do by not reproving: we
<i>suffer sin upon him.</i> Must we help the ass of an enemy that
has fallen under his burden, and shall we not help the soul of a
friend? <scripRef passage="Ex 23:5" id="Lev.xx-p17.6" parsed="|Exod|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.5">Exod. xxiii. 5</scripRef>. And
by <i>suffering sin upon him</i> we are in danger of <i>bearing sin
for him,</i> as the margin reads it. If we reprove not the
<i>unfruitful works of darkness,</i> we have fellowship with them,
and become accessaries <i>ex post facto&#8212;after the fact,</i>
<scripRef passage="Eph 5:11" id="Lev.xx-p17.7" parsed="|Eph|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.5.11">Eph. v. 11</scripRef>. It is thy
brother, thy neighbour, that is concerned; and he was a Cain that
said, <i>Am I my brother's keeper?</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p18">VIII. We are here required to put off all
malice, and to put on brotherly love, <scripRef passage="Le 19:18" id="Lev.xx-p18.1" parsed="|Lev|19|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. 1. We must be ill-affected to
none: <i>Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge;</i> to the
same purport with that <scripRef passage="Le 19:17" id="Lev.xx-p18.2" parsed="|Lev|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>, <i>Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart;</i>
for malice is murder begun. If our brother has done us an injury,
we must not return it upon him, that is avenging; we must not upon
every occasion upbraid him with it, that is bearing a grudge; but
we must both forgive it and forget it, for thus we are forgiven of
God. It is a most ill-natured thing, and the bane of friendship, to
retain the resentment of affronts and injuries, and to let that
<i>word devour for ever.</i> 2. We must be well-affected to all:
<i>Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.</i> We often wrong
ourselves, but we soon forgive ourselves those wrongs, and they do
not at all lessen our love to ourselves; and in like manner we
should love our neighbour. Our Saviour has made this the second
great commandment of the law (<scripRef passage="Mt 22:39" id="Lev.xx-p18.3" parsed="|Matt|22|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.39">Matt.
xxii. 39</scripRef>), and the apostle shows how it is the summary
of all the laws of the second table, <scripRef passage="Ro 13:9,10,Ga 5:14" id="Lev.xx-p18.4" parsed="|Rom|13|9|13|10;|Gal|5|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.13.9-Rom.13.10 Bible:Gal.5.14">Rom. xiii. 9, 10; Gal. v. 14</scripRef>. We
must love our neighbour as truly as we love ourselves, and without
dissimulation; we must evidence our love to our neighbour in the
same way as that by which we evidence our love to ourselves,
preventing his hurt, and procuring his good, to the utmost of our
power. We must do to our neighbour as we would be done to ourselves
(<scripRef passage="Mt 7:12" id="Lev.xx-p18.5" parsed="|Matt|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.12">Matt. vii. 12</scripRef>), putting
<i>our souls into his soul's stead,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 16:4,5" id="Lev.xx-p18.6" parsed="|Job|16|4|16|5" osisRef="Bible:Job.16.4-Job.16.5">Job xvi. 4, 5</scripRef>. Nay, we must in many cases
deny ourselves for the good of our neighbour, as Paul, <scripRef passage="1Co 9:19" id="Lev.xx-p18.7" parsed="|1Cor|9|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.19">1 Cor. ix. 19</scripRef>, &amp;c. Herein the
gospel goes beyond even that excellent precept of the law; for
Christ, by laying down his life for us, has taught us even to
<i>lay down our lives for the brethren,</i> in some cases
(<scripRef passage="1Jo 3:16" id="Lev.xx-p18.8" parsed="|1John|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.16">1 John iii. 16</scripRef>), and so to
love our neighbour better than ourselves.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19" id="Lev.xx-p18.9" parsed="|Lev|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19:19-29" id="Lev.xx-p18.10" parsed="|Lev|19|19|19|29" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.19-Lev.19.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.19.19-Lev.19.29">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xx-p19">19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let
thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field
with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and
woollen come upon thee. &#160; 20 And whosoever lieth carnally with
a woman, that <i>is</i> a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and
not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged;
they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. &#160; 21
And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p19.1">Lord</span>, unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, <i>even</i> a ram for a trespass offering. &#160; 22
And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the
trespass offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p19.2">Lord</span>
for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done
shall be forgiven him. &#160; 23 And when ye shall come into the
land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye
shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall
it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. &#160;
24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to
praise the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p19.3">Lord</span> <i>withal.</i>
&#160; 25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof,
that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p19.4">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 26 Ye shall
not eat <i>any thing</i> with the blood: neither shall ye use
enchantment, nor observe times. &#160; 27 Ye shall not round the
corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy
beard. &#160; 28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for
the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p19.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 29 Do not prostitute thy
daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to
whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p20">Here is, I. A law against mixtures,
<scripRef passage="Le 19:19" id="Lev.xx-p20.1" parsed="|Lev|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. God in the
beginning made the cattle <i>after their kind</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 1:25" id="Lev.xx-p20.2" parsed="|Gen|1|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.25">Gen. i. 25</scripRef>), and we must acquiesce in
the order of nature God hath established, believing that is best
and sufficient, and not covet monsters. <i>Add thou not unto his
works, lest he reprove thee;</i> for it is the excellency of the
work of God that nothing can, without making it worse, be either
put to it or taken from it, <scripRef passage="Ec 3:14" id="Lev.xx-p20.3" parsed="|Eccl|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.14">Eccl. iii.
14</scripRef>. As what God has joined we must not separate, so what
he has separated we must not join. The sowing of mingled corn and
the wearing of linsey-woolsey garments are forbidden, either as
superstitious customs of the heathen or to intimate how careful
they should be not to mingle themselves with the heathen nor to
weave any of the usages of the Gentiles into God's ordinances.
Ainsworth suggests that it was to lead Israel to the simplicity and
sincerity of religion, and to all the parts and doctrines of the
law and gospel in their distinct kinds. As faith is necessary, good
works are necessary, but to mingle these together in the cause of
our justification before God is forbidden, <scripRef passage="Ga 2:16" id="Lev.xx-p20.4" parsed="|Gal|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.2.16">Gal. ii. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p21">II. A law for punishing adultery committed
with one that was a bondmaid that was espoused, <scripRef passage="Le 19:20-22" id="Lev.xx-p21.1" parsed="|Lev|19|20|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.20-Lev.19.22"><i>v.</i> 20-22</scripRef>. If she had not been
espoused, the law appointed no punishment at all; being espoused,
if she had not been a bondmaid, the punishment had been no less
than death: but, being as yet a bondmaid (though before the
completing of her espousals she must have been made free), the
capital punishment is remitted, and they shall both be scourged;
or, as some think, the woman only, and the man was to bring a
sacrifice. It was for the honour of marriage, though but begun by
betrothing, that the crime should be punished; but it was for the
honour of freedom that it should not be punished as the debauching
of a free woman was, so great was the difference then made between
bond and free (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:30" id="Lev.xx-p21.2" parsed="|Gal|4|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.30">Gal. iv. 30</scripRef>);
but the gospel of Christ knows no such distinction, <scripRef passage="Col 3:11" id="Lev.xx-p21.3" parsed="|Col|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.11">Col. iii. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p22">III. A law concerning fruit-trees, that for
the first three years after they were planted, if they should
happen to be so forward as to bear in that time, yet no use should
be made of the fruit, <scripRef passage="Le 19:23-25" id="Lev.xx-p22.1" parsed="|Lev|19|23|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.23-Lev.19.25"><i>v.</i>
23-25</scripRef>. It was therefore the practice of the Jews to
pluck off the fruit, as soon as they perceived it knit, from their
young trees, as gardeners do sometimes, because their early bearing
hinders their growing. If any did come to perfection, it was not to
be used in the service either of God or man; but what they bore the
fourth year was to be holy to the Lord, either given to the
priests, or eaten before the Lord with joy, as their second tithe
was, and thenceforward it was all their own. Now, 1. Some think
this taught them not to follow the custom of the heathen, who, they
say, consecrated the very first products of their fruit-trees to
their idols, saying that otherwise all the fruits would be blasted.
2. This law in the case of fruit-trees seems to be parallel with
that in the case of animals, that no creature should be accepted as
an offering till it was past eight days old, nor till that day were
children to be circumcised; see <scripRef passage="Le 22:27" id="Lev.xx-p22.2" parsed="|Lev|22|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.27"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 27</scripRef>. God would have the
first-fruits of their trees, but, because for the first three years
they were as inconsiderable as a lamb or a calf under eight days
old, therefore God would not have them, for it is fit he should
have every thing at its best; and yet he would not allow them to be
used, because his first-fruits were not as yet offered: they must
therefore be accounted as uncircumcised, that is, as an animal
under eight days' old, not fit for any use. 3. We are hereby taught
not to be over-hasty in catching at any comfort, but to be willing
with patience to wait the time for the enjoyment of it, and
particularly to acknowledge ourselves unworthy of the increase of
the earth, our right to the fruits of which was forfeited by our
first parents eating forbidden fruit, and we are restored to it
only <i>by the word of God and prayer,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:5" id="Lev.xx-p22.3" parsed="|1Tim|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.5">1 Tim. iv. 5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p23">IV. A law against the superstitious usages
of the heathen, <scripRef passage="Le 19:26-28" id="Lev.xx-p23.1" parsed="|Lev|19|26|19|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.26-Lev.19.28"><i>v.</i>
26-28</scripRef>. 1. Eating upon the blood, as the Gentiles did,
who gathered the blood of their sacrifices into a vessel for their
demons (as they fancied) to drink, and then sat about it, eating
the flesh themselves, signifying their communion with devils by
their feasting with them. Let not this custom be used, for the
blood of God's sacrifices was to be sprinkled on the altar, and
then poured at the foot of it, and conveyed away. 2. Enchantment
and divination, and a superstitious observation of the times, some
days and hours lucky and others unlucky. Curious arts of this kind,
it is likely, had been of late invented by the Egyptian priests, to
amuse the people, and support their own credit. The Israelites had
seen them practised, but must by no means imitate them. It would be
unpardonable in those <i>to whom were committed the oracles of
God</i> to ask counsel of the devil, and yet worse in Christians,
to whom <i>the Son of God is manifested,</i> who has <i>destroyed
the works of the devil.</i> For Christians to have their nativities
cast, and their fortunes told them, to use spells and charms for
the cure of diseases and the driving away of evil spirits, to be
affected with the falling of the salt, a hare crossing the way,
cross days, or the like, is an intolerable affront to the Lord
Jesus, a support of paganism and idolatry, and a reproach both to
themselves and to that worthy name by which they are called: and
those must be grossly ignorant, both of the law and the gospel,
that ask, "What harm is there in these things?" Is it no harm for
those that have fellowship with Christ to have fellowship with
devils, or to learn the ways of those that have? Surely <i>we have
not so learned Christ.</i> 3. There was a superstition even in
trimming themselves used by the heathen, which must not be imitated
by the people of God: <i>You shall not round the corners of your
heads.</i> Those that worshipped the hosts of heaven, in honour of
them, cut their hair so as that their heads might resemble the
celestial globe; but, as the custom was foolish itself, so, being
done with respect to their false gods, it was idolatrous. 4. The
rites and ceremonies by which they expressed their sorrow at their
funerals must not be imitated, <scripRef passage="Le 19:28" id="Lev.xx-p23.2" parsed="|Lev|19|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. They must not make cuts or
prints in their flesh for the dead; for the heathen did so to
pacify the infernal deities they dreamt of, and to render them
propitious to their deceased friends. Christ by his sufferings has
altered the property of death, and made it a true friend to every
true Israelite; and now, as there needs nothing to make death
propitious to us (for, if God be so, death is so of course), so we
sorrow not as those that have no hope. Those whom the God of Israel
had set apart for himself must not receive the image and
superscription of these dunghill deities. <i>Lastly,</i> The
prostituting of their daughters to uncleanness, which is here
forbidden (<scripRef passage="Le 19:29" id="Lev.xx-p23.3" parsed="|Lev|19|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>),
seems to have been practised by the heathen in their idolatrous
worships, for with such abominations those unclean spirits which
they worshipped were well pleased. And when lewdness obtained as a
religious rite, and was committed in their temples, no marvel that
the land became full of that wickedness, which, when it entered at
the temple-doors, overspread the land like a mighty torrent, and
bore down all the fences of virtue and modesty. The devil himself
could not have brought such abominations into their lives if he had
not first brought them into their worships. And justly were those
given up to vile affections who forsook the holy God, and gave
divine honours to impure spirits. Those that dishonour God are thus
suffered to dishonour themselves and their families.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 19:30-37" id="Lev.xx-p23.4" parsed="|Lev|19|30|19|37" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.30-Lev.19.37"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.19.30-Lev.19.37">
<h4 id="Lev.xx-p23.5">Moral Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p23.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xx-p24">30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my
sanctuary: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p24.1">Lord</span>.
&#160; 31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek
after wizards, to be defiled by them: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p24.2">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 32 Thou shalt rise up
before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear
thy God: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p24.3">Lord</span>.
&#160; 33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye
shall not vex him. &#160; 34 <i>But</i> the stranger that dwelleth
with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt
love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p24.4">Lord</span> your God. &#160;
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in
weight, or in measure. &#160; 36 Just balances, just weights, a
just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p24.5">Lord</span> your God, which brought you out of
the land of Egypt. &#160; 37 Therefore shall ye observe all my
statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xx-p24.6">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p25">Here is, I. A law for the preserving of the
honour of the time and place appropriated to the service of God,
<scripRef passage="Le 19:30" id="Lev.xx-p25.1" parsed="|Lev|19|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. This would be
a means to secure them both from the idolatries and superstitions
of the heathen and from all immoralities in conversation. 1.
Sabbaths must be religiously observed, and not those times
mentioned (<scripRef passage="Le 19:26" id="Lev.xx-p25.2" parsed="|Lev|19|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>) to
which the heathen had a superstitious regard. 2. The sanctuary must
be reverenced: great care must be taken to approach the tabernacle
with that purity and preparation which the law required, and to
attend there with that humility, decency, and closeness of
application which became them in the immediate presence of such an
awful majesty. Though now there is no place holy by divine
institution, as the tabernacle and temple then were, yet this law
obliges us to respect the solemn assemblies of Christians for
religious worship, as being held under a promise of Christ's
special presence in them, and to carry ourselves with a due decorum
while in those assemblies we attend the administration of holy
ordinances, <scripRef passage="Ec 5:1" id="Lev.xx-p25.3" parsed="|Eccl|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.1">Eccl. v. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p26">II. A caution against all communion with
witches, and those that were in league with familiar spirits:
"<i>Regard them not, seek not after them,</i> be not in fear of any
evil from them nor in hopes of any good from them. Regard not their
threatenings, or promises, or predictions; seek not to them for
discovery or advice, for, if you do, you are defiled by it, and
rendered abominable both to God and your own consciences." This was
the sin that completed Saul's wickedness, for which he was rejected
of God, <scripRef passage="1Ch 10:13" id="Lev.xx-p26.1" parsed="|1Chr|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.10.13">1 Chron. x.
13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p27">III. A charge to young people to show
respect to the aged: <i>Thou shall rise up before the hoary
head,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 19:32" id="Lev.xx-p27.1" parsed="|Lev|19|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. Age
is honourable, and he that is the Ancient of days requires that
honour be paid to it. <i>The hoary head is a crown of glory.</i>
Those whom God has honoured with the common blessing of long life
we ought to honour with the distinguishing expressions of civility;
and those who in age are wise and good are worthy of double honour:
more respect is owing to such old men than merely to rise up before
them; their credit and comfort must be carefully consulted, their
experience and observations improved, and their counsels asked and
hearkened to, <scripRef passage="Job 32:6,7" id="Lev.xx-p27.2" parsed="|Job|32|6|32|7" osisRef="Bible:Job.32.6-Job.32.7">Job xxxii. 6,
7</scripRef>. Some, by the old man whose face or presence is to be
honoured, understand the elder in office, as by the hoary head the
elder in age; both ought to be respected as fathers, and in the
fear of God, who has put some of his honour upon both. Note,
Religion teaches good manners, and obliges us to give honour to
those to whom honour is due. It is an instance of great degeneracy
and disorder in a land when <i>the child behaves himself proudly
against the ancient, and the base against the honourable,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 3:5,Job 30:1,12" id="Lev.xx-p27.3" parsed="|Isa|3|5|0|0;|Job|30|1|0|0;|Job|30|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.3.5 Bible:Job.30.1 Bible:Job.30.12">Isa. iii. 5; Job xxx. 1,
12</scripRef>. It becomes the aged to receive this honour, and the
younger to give it; for it is the ornament as well as duty of their
youth to <i>order themselves lowly and reverently to all their
betters.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p28">IV. A charge to the Israelites to be very
tender of strangers, <scripRef passage="Le 19:33,34" id="Lev.xx-p28.1" parsed="|Lev|19|33|19|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.33-Lev.19.34"><i>v.</i> 33,
34</scripRef>. Both the law of God and his providence had vastly
dignified Israel above any other people, yet they must not
therefore think themselves authorized to trample upon all mankind
but those of their own nation, and to insult them at their
pleasure; no, "<i>Thou shall not vex a stranger, but love him as
thyself,</i> and as one of thy own people." It is supposed that
this stranger was not an idolater, but a worshipper of the God of
Israel, though not circumcised, a proselyte of the gate at least,
though not a proselyte of righteousness: if such a one sojourned
among them, they must not vex him, nor oppress, nor over-reach him
in a bargain, taking advantage of his ignorance of their laws and
customs; they must reckon it as great a sin to cheat a stranger as
to cheat an Israelite; "nay" (say the Jewish doctors) "they must
not so much as upbraid him with his being a stranger, and his
having been formerly an idolater." Strangers are God's particular
care, as the widow and the fatherless are, because it is his honour
to help the helpless, <scripRef passage="Ps 146:9" id="Lev.xx-p28.2" parsed="|Ps|146|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.146.9">Ps. cxlvi.
9</scripRef>. It is therefore at our peril if we do them any wrong,
or put any hardships upon them. Strangers shall be welcome to God's
grace, and therefore we should do what we can to invite them to it,
and to recommend religion to their good opinion. It argues a
generous disposition, and a pious regard to God, as a common
Father, to be kind to strangers; for those of different countries,
customs, and languages, are all made of one blood. But here is a
reason added peculiar to the Jews: "<i>For you were strangers in
the land of Egypt.</i> God then favoured you, therefore do you now
favour the strangers, and do to them as you then wished to be done
to. You were strangers, and yet are now thus highly advanced;
therefore you know not what these strangers may come to, whom you
are apt to despise."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p29">V. Justice in weights and measures is here
commanded. That there should be no cheat in them, <scripRef passage="Le 19:35" id="Lev.xx-p29.1" parsed="|Lev|19|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. That they should be
very exact, <scripRef passage="Le 19:36" id="Lev.xx-p29.2" parsed="|Lev|19|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>.
In weighing and measuring, we pretend a design to give all those
their own whom we deal with; but, if the weights and measures be
false, it is like a corruption in judgment, it cheats under colour
of justice; and thus to deceive a man to his damage is worse than
picking his pocket or robbing him on the highway. He that sells is
bound to give the full of the commodity, and he that buys the full
of the price agreed upon, which cannot be done without just
balances, weights, and measures. <i>Let no man go beyond or defraud
his brother,</i> for, though it be hidden from man, it will be
found that <i>God is the avenger of all such.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xx-p30">VI. The chapter concludes with a general
command (<scripRef passage="Le 19:37" id="Lev.xx-p30.1" parsed="|Lev|19|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>):
<i>You shall observe all my statutes, and do them.</i> Note, 1. We
are not likely to do God's statutes, unless we observe them with
great care and consideration. 2. Yet it is not enough barely to
observe God's precepts, but we must make conscience of obeying
them. What will it avail us to be critical in our notions, if we be
not conscientious in our conversations? 3. An upright heart has
respect to all God's commandments, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:6" id="Lev.xx-p30.2" parsed="|Ps|119|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.6">Ps.
cxix. 6</scripRef>. Though in many instances the hand fails in
doing what should be done, yet the eye observes all God's statutes.
We are not allowed to pick and choose our duty, but must aim at
standing complete in all the will of God.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XX" n="xxi" progress="59.46%" prev="Lev.xx" next="Lev.xxii" id="Lev.xxi">
<h2 id="Lev.xxi-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxi-p1">The laws which before were made are in this
chapter repeated and penalties annexed to them, that those who
would not be deterred from sin by the fear of God might be deterred
from it by the fear of punishment. If we will not avoid such and
such practices because the law has made them sin (and it is most
acceptable when we go on that principle of religion), surely we
shall avoid them when the law has made them death, from a principle
of self-preservation. In this chapter we have, I. Many particular
crimes that are made capital. I. Giving their children to Moloch,
<scripRef passage="Le 20:1-5" id="Lev.xxi-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|20|1|20|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.1-Lev.20.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. 2. Consulting
witches, <scripRef passage="Le 20:6,27" id="Lev.xxi-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|20|6|0|0;|Lev|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.6 Bible:Lev.20.27">ver. 6, 27</scripRef>. 3.
Cursing parents, <scripRef passage="Le 20:9" id="Lev.xxi-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|20|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. 4.
Adultery, <scripRef passage="Le 20:10" id="Lev.xxi-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.10">ver. 10</scripRef>. 5.
Incest, <scripRef passage="Le 20:11,12,14,17,19-21" id="Lev.xxi-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|20|11|20|12;|Lev|20|14|0|0;|Lev|20|17|0|0;|Lev|20|19|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.11-Lev.20.12 Bible:Lev.20.14 Bible:Lev.20.17 Bible:Lev.20.19-Lev.20.21">ver. 11, 12,
14, 17, 19-21</scripRef>. 6. Unnatural lusts, <scripRef passage="Le 20:13,15,16,18" id="Lev.xxi-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|20|13|0|0;|Lev|20|15|0|0;|Lev|20|16|0|0;|Lev|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.13 Bible:Lev.20.15 Bible:Lev.20.16 Bible:Lev.20.18">ver. 13, 15, 16, 18</scripRef>. II. General
commands given to be holy, <scripRef passage="Le 20:7,8,22-26" id="Lev.xxi-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|20|7|20|8;|Lev|20|22|20|26" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.7-Lev.20.8 Bible:Lev.20.22-Lev.20.26">ver.
7, 8, 22-26</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 20" id="Lev.xxi-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 20:1-9" id="Lev.xxi-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|20|1|20|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.1-Lev.20.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.20.1-Lev.20.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xxi-p1.10">Moral Laws. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxi-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Again, thou shalt say to the
children of Israel, Whosoever <i>he be</i> of the children of
Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth
<i>any</i> of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to
death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. &#160; 3
And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from
among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to
defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. &#160; 4 And if
the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man,
when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: &#160; 5
Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family,
and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to
commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people. &#160; 6 And
the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and
after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face
against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
&#160; 7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxi-p2.2">Lord</span> your God. &#160;
8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxi-p2.3">Lord</span> which sanctify you. &#160; 9 For
every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put
to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood
<i>shall be</i> upon him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p3">Moses is here directed to say that again to
the children of Israel which he had in effect said before,
<scripRef passage="Le 20:2" id="Lev.xxi-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. We are sure it
was no vain repetition, but very necessary, that they might <i>give
the more earnest heed to the things that were spoken,</i> and might
believe them to be of great consequence, being so often inculcated.
<i>God speaketh once, yea, twice,</i> and what he orders to be said
again we must be willing to hear again, because <i>for us it is
safe,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 3:1" id="Lev.xxi-p3.2" parsed="|Phil|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.1">Phil. iii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p4">I. Three sins are in these verses
threatened with death:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p5">1. Parents abusing their children, by
sacrificing them to Moloch, <scripRef passage="Le 20:2,3" id="Lev.xxi-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|20|2|20|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.2-Lev.20.3"><i>v.</i>
2, 3</scripRef>. There is the grossest absurdity that can be in all
the rites of idolatry, and they are all a great reproach to men's
reason; but none trampled upon all the honours of human nature as
this did, the burning of children in the fire to the honour of a
dunghill-god. It was a plain evidence that their gods were devils,
who desired and delighted in the misery and ruin of mankind, and
that the worshippers were worse than the beasts that perish,
perfectly stripped, not only of reason, but of natural affection.
Abraham's offering Isaac could not give countenance, much less
could it give rise to this barbarous practice, since, though that
was commanded, it was immediately countermanded. Yet such was the
power of the god of this world over the children of disobedience
that this monstrous piece of inhumanity was generally practised;
and even the Israelites were in danger of being drawn into it,
which made it necessary that this severe law should be made against
it. It was not enough to tell them they might spare their children
(the fruit of their body should never be accepted for the sin of
their soul), but they must be told, (1.) That the criminal himself
should be put to death as a murderer: <i>The people of the land
shall stone him with stones</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 20:2" id="Lev.xxi-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), which was looked upon as the
worst of capital punishments among the Jews. If the children were
sacrificed to the malice of the devil, the parents must be
sacrificed to the justice of God. And, if either the fact could not
be proved or the magistrates did not do their duty, God would take
the work into his own hands: <i>I will cut him off,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:3" id="Lev.xxi-p5.3" parsed="|Lev|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Note, Those that escape
punishment from men, yet shall not escape the righteous judgments
of God; so wretchedly do those deceive themselves that promise
themselves impunity in sin. How can those escape against whom God
sets his face, that is, whom he frowns upon, meets as an enemy, and
fights against? The heinousness of the crime is here set forth to
justify the doom: it <i>defiles the sanctuary,</i> and <i>profanes
the holy name</i> of God, for the honour of both which he is
jealous. Observe, The malignity of the sin is laid upon that in it
which was peculiar to Israel. When the Gentiles sacrificed their
children they were guilty of murder and idolatry; but, if the
Israelites did it, they incurred the additional guilt of defiling
the sanctuary (which they attended upon even when they lay under
this guilt, as if there might be an agreement between the temple of
God and idols), and of <i>profaning the holy name of God,</i> by
which they were called, as if he allowed his worshippers to do such
things, <scripRef passage="Ro 2:23" id="Lev.xxi-p5.4" parsed="|Rom|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.23">Rom. ii. 23, 24</scripRef>.
(2.) That all his aiders and abetters should be cut off likewise by
the righteous hand of God. If his neighbours concealed him, and
would not come in as witnesses against him,&#8212;if the magistrates
connived at him, and would not pass sentence upon him, rather
pitying his folly than hating his impiety,&#8212;God himself would
reckon with them, <scripRef passage="Le 20:4,5" id="Lev.xxi-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|20|4|20|5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.4-Lev.20.5"><i>v.</i> 4,
5</scripRef>. Misprision of idolatry is a crime cognizable in the
court of heaven, and which shall not go unpunished: <i>I will set
my face against that man</i> (that magistrate, <scripRef passage="Jer 5:1" id="Lev.xxi-p5.6" parsed="|Jer|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.5.1">Jer. v. 1</scripRef>) <i>and against his family.</i>
Note, [1.] The wickedness of the master of a family often brings
ruin upon a family; and he that should be the house-keeper proves
the house-breaker. [2.] If magistrates will not do justice upon
offenders, God will do justice upon them, because there is danger
that many will <i>go a whoring after those</i> who do but
countenance sin by winking at it. And, if the sins of leaders be
leading sins, it is fit that their punishments should be exemplary
punishments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p6">2. Children's abusing their parents, by
cursing them, <scripRef passage="Le 20:9" id="Lev.xxi-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|20|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
If children should speak ill of their parents, or wish ill to them,
or carry it scornfully or spitefully towards them, it was an
iniquity to be punished by the judges, who were employed as
conservators both of God's honour and of the public peace, which
were both attacked by this unnatural insolence. See <scripRef passage="Pr 30:17" id="Lev.xxi-p6.2" parsed="|Prov|30|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.17">Prov. xxx. 17</scripRef>, <i>The eye that mocks
at his father the ravens of the valley shall pick out,</i> which
intimates that such wicked children were in a fair way to be not
only hanged, but hanged in chains. This law of Moses Christ quotes
and confirms (<scripRef passage="Mt 15:4" id="Lev.xxi-p6.3" parsed="|Matt|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.4">Matt. xv. 4</scripRef>),
for it is as direct a breach of the fifth commandment as wilful
murder is of the sixth. The same law which requires parents to be
tender of their children requires children to be respectful to
their parents. He that despitefully uses his parents, the
instruments of his being, flies in the face of God himself, the
author of his being, who will not see the paternal dignity and
authority insulted and trampled upon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p7">3. Persons abusing themselves by consulting
such as have <i>familiar spirits,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:6" id="Lev.xxi-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. By this, as much as any thing, a
man diminishes, disparages, and deceives himself, and so abuses
himself. What greater madness can there be than for a man to go to
a liar for information, and to an enemy for advice? Those do so who
turn after those that deal in the black art, and know the depths of
Satan. This is spiritual adultery as much as idolatry is, giving
that honour to the devil which is due to God only; and the jealous
God will give a bill of divorce to those that thus <i>go a whoring
from him,</i> and will <i>cut them off,</i> they having first cut
themselves off from him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p8">II. In the midst of these particular laws
comes in that general charge, <scripRef passage="Le 20:7,8" id="Lev.xxi-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|20|7|20|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.7-Lev.20.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>, where we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p9">1. The duties required; and they are two:&#8212;
(1.) That in our principles, affections, and aims, we be holy:
<i>Sanctify yourselves and be you holy.</i> We must cleanse
ourselves from all the pollutions of sin, consecrate ourselves to
the service and honour of God, and conform ourselves in every thing
to his holy will and image: this is to <i>sanctify ourselves.</i>
(2.) That in all our actions, and in the whole course of our
conversation, we be obedient to the laws of God: <i>You shall keep
my statutes.</i> By this only can we make it to appear that we have
sanctified ourselves and are holy, even by our keeping God's
commandments; <i>the tree is known by its fruit.</i> Nor can we
<i>keep God's statutes,</i> as we ought, unless we first sanctify
ourselves, and be holy. Make the tree good, and the fruit will be
good.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p10">2. The reasons to enforce these duties.
(1.) "<i>I am the Lord your God;</i> therefore be holy, that you
may resemble him whose people you are, and may be pleasing to him.
Holiness becomes his house and household." (2.) <i>I am the Lord
who sanctifieth you.</i> God sanctified them by peculiar
privileges, laws, and favours, which distinguished them from all
other nations, and dignified them as a people set apart for God. He
gave them his word and ordinances to be means of their
sanctification, and his good Spirit to instruct them; therefore
they must be holy, else they received the grace of God herein in
vain. Note, [1.] God's people are, and must be, persons of
distinction. God has distinguished them by his holy covenant, and
therefore they ought to distinguish themselves by their holy
conversation. [2.] God's sanctifying us is a good reason why we
should sanctify ourselves, that we may comply with the designs of
his grace, and not walk contrary to them. If it be the Lord that
sanctifies us, we may hope the work shall be done, though it be
difficult: the manner of expression is like that, <scripRef passage="2Co 5:5" id="Lev.xxi-p10.1" parsed="|2Cor|5|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.5">2 Cor. v. 5</scripRef>, <i>He that hath wrought
us for the self-same thing is God.</i> And his grace is so far from
superseding our care and endeavour that it most strongly engages
and encourages them. <i>Work out your salvation, for it is God that
worketh in you.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 20" id="Lev.xxi-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 20:10-21" id="Lev.xxi-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|20|10|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.10-Lev.20.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.20.10-Lev.20.21">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxi-p11">10 And the man that committeth adultery with
<i>another</i> man's wife, <i>even he</i> that committeth adultery
with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall
surely be put to death. &#160; 11 And the man that lieth with his
father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them
shall surely be put to death; their blood <i>shall be</i> upon
them. &#160; 12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of
them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion;
their blood <i>shall be</i> upon them. &#160; 13 If a man also lie
with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood
<i>shall be</i> upon them. &#160; 14 And if a man take a wife and
her mother, it <i>is</i> wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire,
both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you. &#160; 15
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and
ye shall slay the beast. &#160; 16 And if a woman approach unto any
beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the
beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood <i>shall
be</i> upon them. &#160; 17 And if a man shall take his sister, his
father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness,
and she see his nakedness; it <i>is</i> a wicked thing; and they
shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered
his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. &#160; 18 And
if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall
uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she
hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be
cut off from among their people. &#160; 19 And thou shalt not
uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's
sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their
iniquity. &#160; 20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife,
he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin;
they shall die childless. &#160; 21 And if a man shall take his
brother's wife, it <i>is</i> an unclean thing: he hath uncovered
his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p12">Sins against the seventh commandment are
here ordered to be severely punished. These are sins which, of all
others, fools are most apt to make a mock at; but God would teach
those the heinousness of the guilt by the extremity of the
punishment that would not otherwise be taught it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p13">I. Lying with another man's wife was made a
capital crime. The adulterer and the adulteress that had joined in
the sin must fall alike under the sentence: they shall both be
<i>put to death,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:10" id="Lev.xxi-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. Long before this, even in Job's time, this was
reputed a <i>heinous crime</i> and an <i>iniquity to be punished by
the judges,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:11" id="Lev.xxi-p13.2" parsed="|Job|31|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.11">Job xxxi.
11</scripRef>. It is a presumptuous contempt of an ordinance of
God, and a violation of his covenant, <scripRef passage="Pr 2:17" id="Lev.xxi-p13.3" parsed="|Prov|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.2.17">Prov. ii. 17</scripRef>. It is an irreparable wrong to
the injured husband, and debauches the mind and conscience of both
the offenders as much as any thing. It is a sin which headstrong
and unbridled lusts hurry men violently to, and therefore it needs
such a powerful restraint as this. It is a sin which defiles a land
and brings down God's judgments upon it, which disquiets families,
and tends to the ruin of all virtue and religion, and therefore is
fit to be animadverted upon by the conservators of the public
peace: but see <scripRef passage="Joh 8:3-11" id="Lev.xxi-p13.4" parsed="|John|8|3|8|11" osisRef="Bible:John.8.3-John.8.11">John viii.
3-11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p14">II. Incestuous connections, whether by
marriage or not. 1. Some of them were to be punished with death, as
a man's <i>lying with his father's wife,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:11" id="Lev.xxi-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|20|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Reuben would have been put to
death for his crime (<scripRef passage="Ge 35:22" id="Lev.xxi-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|35|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.35.22">Gen. xxxv.
22</scripRef>) if this law had been then made. It was the sin of
the incestuous Corinthian, for which he was to be <i>delivered unto
Satan,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 5:1,5" id="Lev.xxi-p14.3" parsed="|1Cor|5|1|0|0;|1Cor|5|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.1 Bible:1Cor.5.5">1 Cor. v. 1, 5</scripRef>.
A man's debauching his daughter-in-law, or his mother-in-law, or
his sister, was likewise to be punished with death, <scripRef passage="Le 20:12,14,17" id="Lev.xxi-p14.4" parsed="|Lev|20|12|0|0;|Lev|20|14|0|0;|Lev|20|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.12 Bible:Lev.20.14 Bible:Lev.20.17"><i>v.</i> 12, 14, 17</scripRef>. 2. Others
of them God would punish with the curse of barrenness, as a man's
defiling his aunt, or his brother's wife (<scripRef passage="Le 20:19-21" id="Lev.xxi-p14.5" parsed="|Lev|20|19|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.19-Lev.20.21"><i>v.</i> 19-21</scripRef>): <i>They shall die
childless.</i> Those that keep not within the divine rules of
marriage forfeit the blessings of marriage: <i>They shall commit
whoredom, and shall not increase,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 4:10" id="Lev.xxi-p14.6" parsed="|Hos|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.4.10">Hos. iv. 10</scripRef>. Nay it is said, <i>They shall
bear their iniquity,</i> that is, though they be not immediately
cut off by the hand either of God or man for this sin, yet the
guilt of it shall lie upon them, to be reckoned for another day,
and not be purged with sacrifice or offering.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p15">III. The unnatural lusts of sodomy and
bestiality (sins not to be mentioned without horror) were to be
punished with death, as they are at this day by our law, <scripRef passage="Le 20:13,15,16" id="Lev.xxi-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|20|13|0|0;|Lev|20|15|0|0;|Lev|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.13 Bible:Lev.20.15 Bible:Lev.20.16"><i>v.</i> 13, 15, 16</scripRef>. Even the
beast that was thus abused was to be killed with the sinner, who
was thereby openly put to the greater shame: and the villany was
thus represented as in the highest degree execrable and abominable,
all occasions of the remembrance or mention of it being to be taken
away. Even the unseasonable use of the marriage, if presumptuous,
and in contempt of the law, would expose the offenders to the just
judgment of God: they <i>shall be cut off,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:18" id="Lev.xxi-p15.2" parsed="|Lev|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. For this is the will of God,
that <i>every man should possess his vessel</i> (and the wife is
called the weaker vessel) <i>in sanctification and honour,</i> as
becomes saints.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 20:22-27" id="Lev.xxi-p15.3" parsed="|Lev|20|22|20|27" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.22-Lev.20.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.20.22-Lev.20.27">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxi-p16">22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and
all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you
to dwell therein, spue you not out. &#160; 23 And ye shall not walk
in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they
committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. &#160;
24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I
will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk
and honey: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxi-p16.1">Lord</span> your
God, which have separated you from <i>other</i> people. &#160; 25
Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean,
and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your
souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living
thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you
as unclean. &#160; 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxi-p16.2">Lord</span> <i>am</i> holy, and have severed you
from <i>other</i> people, that ye should be mine. &#160; 27 A man
also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard,
shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones:
their blood <i>shall be</i> upon them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p17">The last verse is a particular law, which
comes in after the general conclusion, as if omitted in its proper
place: it is for the putting of those to death that dealt with
familiar spirits, <scripRef passage="Le 20:27" id="Lev.xxi-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>. It would be an affront to God and to his lively
oracles, a scandal to the country, and a temptation to ignorant bad
people, to consult them, if such were known and suffered to live
among them. Those that are in league with the devil have in effect
made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell, and so shall
their doom be.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p18">The rest of these verses repeat and
inculcate what had been said before; for to that unthinking
forgetful people it was requisite that there should be line upon
line, and that general rules, with their reasons, should be
frequently insisted on, for the enforcement of particular laws, and
making them more effectual. Three things we are here reminded
of:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p19">I. Their dignity. 1. They had the <i>Lord
for their God,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:24" id="Lev.xxi-p19.1" parsed="|Lev|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. They were his, his care, his choice, his treasure,
his jewels, his kingdom of priests (<scripRef passage="Le 20:26" id="Lev.xxi-p19.2" parsed="|Lev|20|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>): <i>That you should be
mine.</i> Happy the people, and truly great, that are in such a
case. 2. Their God was a holy God (<scripRef passage="Le 20:26" id="Lev.xxi-p19.3" parsed="|Lev|20|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), infinitely advanced above all
others. His holiness is his glory, and it was their honour to be
related to him, while their neighbours were the infamous
worshippers of impure and filthy spirits. 3. The great God had
separated them from other people (<scripRef passage="Le 20:24" id="Lev.xxi-p19.4" parsed="|Lev|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), and again, <scripRef passage="Le 20:26" id="Lev.xxi-p19.5" parsed="|Lev|20|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Other nations were the common;
they were the enclosure, beautified and enriched with peculiar
privileges, and designed for peculiar honours; let them therefore
value themselves accordingly, preserve their honour, and not lay it
in the dust, by walking in the way of the heathen.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p20">II. Their duty; this is inferred from their
dignity. God had done more for them than for others, and therefore
expected more from them than from others. And what is it that the
Lord their God requires, in consideration of the great things done
and designed? 1. <i>You shall keep all my statutes</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 20:22" id="Lev.xxi-p20.1" parsed="|Lev|20|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>); and there was all the
reason in the world that they should, for the statutes were their
honour, and obedience to them would be their lasting comfort. 2.
<i>You shall not walk in the manners of nations,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:23" id="Lev.xxi-p20.2" parsed="|Lev|20|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Being separated from
them, they must not associate with them, nor learn their ways. The
manners of the nations were bad enough in them, but would be much
worse in God's people. 3. You shall <i>put a difference between
clean and unclean,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:25" id="Lev.xxi-p20.3" parsed="|Lev|20|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. This is holiness, to discern between things that
differ, not to live at large, as if we might say and do any thing,
but to speak and act with caution. 4. <i>You shall not make your
souls abominable,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 20:25" id="Lev.xxi-p20.4" parsed="|Lev|20|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Our constant care must be to preserve the honour, by
preserving the purity, of our own souls, and never to do any thing
to make them abominable to God and to our own consciences.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxi-p21">III. Their danger. 1. They were going into
an infected place (<scripRef passage="Le 20:24" id="Lev.xxi-p21.1" parsed="|Lev|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>): <i>You shall inherit their land,</i> a land
<i>flowing with milk and honey,</i> which they would have the
comfort of if they kept their integrity; but, withal, it was a land
full of idols, idolatries, and superstitious usages, which they
would be apt to fall in love with, having brought from Egypt with
them a strange disposition to take that infection. 2. If they took
the infection, it would be of pernicious consequence to them. The
Canaanites were to be expelled for these very sins: <i>They
committed all these things, therefore I abhorred them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 20:23" id="Lev.xxi-p21.2" parsed="|Lev|20|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. See what an
evil thing sin is; it provokes God to abhor his own creatures,
whereas otherwise he delights in the work of his hands. And, if the
Israelites trod in the steps of their impiety, they must expect
that the land would spue them out (<scripRef passage="Le 20:22" id="Lev.xxi-p21.3" parsed="|Lev|20|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), as he had told them before,
<scripRef passage="Le 18:28" id="Lev.xxi-p21.4" parsed="|Lev|18|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.28"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 28</scripRef>. If
God spared not the natural branches, but broke them off, neither
would he spare those who were grafted in, if they degenerated. Thus
the rejection of the Jews stands for a warning to all Christian
churches to take heed lest the kingdom of God be taken from them.
Those that sin like others must expect to smart like them; and
their profession of relation to God will be no security to
them.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXI" n="xxii" progress="59.89%" prev="Lev.xxi" next="Lev.xxiii" id="Lev.xxii">
<h2 id="Lev.xxii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxii-p1">This chapter might borrow its title from <scripRef passage="Mal 2:1" id="Lev.xxii-p1.1" parsed="|Mal|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.1">Mal. ii. 1</scripRef>, "And now, O you priests,
this commandment is for you." It is a law obliging priests with the
utmost care and jealousy to preserve the dignity of their
priesthood. I. The inferior priests are here charged both
concerning their mourning and concerning their marriages and their
children, <scripRef passage="Le 21:1-9" id="Lev.xxii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|21|1|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II.
The high priest is restrained more than any of them, <scripRef passage="Le 21:10-15" id="Lev.xxii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|21|10|21|15" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.15">ver. 10-15</scripRef>. III. Neither the one
nor the other must have any blemish, <scripRef passage="Le 21:16-24" id="Lev.xxii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|21|16|21|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.16-Lev.21.24">ver. 16</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 21" id="Lev.xxii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 21:1-9" id="Lev.xxii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|21|1|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xxii-p1.7">Laws Concerning the Priests. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say
unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his
people: &#160; 2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, <i>that
is,</i> for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and
for his daughter, and for his brother, &#160; 3 And for his sister
a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her
may he be defiled. &#160; 4 <i>But</i> he shall not defile himself,
<i>being</i> a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
&#160; 5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither
shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any
cuttings in their flesh. &#160; 6 They shall be holy unto their
God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p2.2">Lord</span> made by fire, <i>and</i>
the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be
holy. &#160; 7 They shall not take a wife <i>that is</i> a whore,
or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her
husband: for he <i>is</i> holy unto his God. &#160; 8 Thou shalt
sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he
shall be holy unto thee: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p2.3">Lord</span>, which sanctify you, <i>am</i> holy. &#160;
9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing
the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with
fire.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p3">It was before appointed that the priests
should teach the people the statutes God had given concerning the
<i>difference between clean and unclean,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 10:10,11" id="Lev.xxii-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|10|10|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.10-Lev.10.11"><i>ch.</i> x. 10, 11</scripRef>. Now here it is
provided that they should themselves observe what they were to
teach the people. Note, Those whose office it is to instruct must
do it by example as well as precept, <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:12" id="Lev.xxii-p3.2" parsed="|1Tim|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.12">1
Tim. iv. 12</scripRef>. The priests were to draw nearer to God than
any of the people, and to be more intimately conversant with sacred
things, and therefore it was required of them that they should keep
at a greater distance than others from every thing that was
defiling and might diminish the honour of their priesthood.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p4">I. They must take care not to disparage
themselves in their mourning for the dead. All that mourned for the
dead were supposed to come near the body, if not to touch it: and
the Jews say, "It made a man ceremonially unclean to come within
six feet of a dead corpse;" nay, it is declared (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:14" id="Lev.xxii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.14">Num. xix. 14</scripRef>) that all who come into the tent
where the dead body lies shall be unclean seven days. Therefore all
the mourners that attended the funeral could not but defile
themselves, so as not to be fit to come into the sanctuary for
seven days: for this reason it is ordered, 1. That the priests
should never put themselves under this incapacity of coming into
the sanctuary, unless it were for one of their nearest relations,
<scripRef passage="Le 21:1-3" id="Lev.xxii-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|21|1|21|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.1-Lev.21.3"><i>v.</i> 1-3</scripRef>. A priest
was permitted to do it for a parent or a child, for a brother or an
unmarried sister, and therefore, no doubt (though this is not
mentioned) for the wife of his bosom; for Ezekiel, a priest, would
have mourned for his wife if he had not been particularly
prohibited, <scripRef passage="Eze 24:17" id="Lev.xxii-p4.3" parsed="|Ezek|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.24.17">Ezek. xxiv.
17</scripRef>. By this allowance God put an honour upon natural
affection, and favoured it so far as to dispense with the
attendance of his servants for seven days, while they indulged
themselves in their sorrow for the death of their dear relations;
but, beyond this period, weeping must not hinder sowing, nor their
affection to their relations take them off from the service of the
sanctuary. Nor was it at all allowed for the death of any other,
no, not of a <i>chief man among the people,</i> as some read it,
<scripRef passage="Le 21:4" id="Lev.xxii-p4.4" parsed="|Lev|21|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. They must not
defile themselves, no, nor for the high priest himself, unless thus
akin to them. Though <i>there is a friend that is nearer than a
brother,</i> yet the priests must not pay this respect to the best
friend they had, except he were a relation, lest, if it were
allowed for one, others should expect it, and so they should be
frequently taken off from their work: and it is hereby intimated
that there is a particular affection to be reserved for those that
are thus near akin to us; and, when any such are removed by death,
we ought to be affected with it, and lay it to heart, as the near
approach of death to ourselves, and an alarm to us to prepare to
follow. 2. That they must not be extravagant in the expressions of
their mourning, no, not for their dearest relations, <scripRef passage="Le 21:5" id="Lev.xxii-p4.5" parsed="|Lev|21|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Their mourning must not
be either, (1.) Superstitious, according to the manner of the
heathen, who cut off their hair, and let out their blood, in honour
of the imaginary deities which presided (as they thought) in the
congregation of the dead, that they might engage them to be
propitious to their departed friends. Even the superstitious rites
used of old at funerals are an indication of the ancient belief of
the immortality of the soul, and its existence in a separate state:
and though the rites themselves were forbidden by the divine law,
because they were performed to false gods, yet the decent respect
which nature teaches and which the law allows to be paid to the
remains of our deceased friends, shows that we are not to look upon
them as lost. Nor, (2.) Must it be passionate or immoderate. Note,
God's ministers must be examples to others of patience under
affliction, particularly that which touches in a very tender part,
the death of their near relations. They are supposed to know more
than others of the reasons why we must <i>not sorrow as those that
have no hope</i> (<scripRef passage="1Th 4:13" id="Lev.xxii-p4.6" parsed="|1Thess|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.4.13">1 Thess. iv.
13</scripRef>), and therefore they ought to be eminently calm and
composed, that they may be able to comfort others with the same
comforts wherewith they are themselves comforted of God. The people
were forbidden to mourn for the dead with superstitious rites
(<scripRef passage="Le 19:27,28" id="Lev.xxii-p4.7" parsed="|Lev|19|27|19|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.27-Lev.19.28"><i>ch.</i> xix. 27,
28</scripRef>), and what was unlawful to them was much more
unlawful to the priest. The reason given for their peculiar care
not to defile themselves we have (<scripRef passage="Le 21:6" id="Lev.xxii-p4.8" parsed="|Lev|21|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): <i>Because</i> they offered
<i>the bread of their God,</i> even <i>the offerings of the Lord
made by fire,</i> which were the provisions of God's house and
table. They are highly honoured, and therefore must not stain their
honour by making themselves slaves to their passions; they are
continually employed in sacred service, and therefore must not be
either diverted from or disfitted for the services they were called
to. If they pollute themselves, they profane the name of their God
on whom they attend: if the servants are rude and of ill behaviour,
it is a reflection upon the master, as if he kept a loose and
disorderly house. Note, All that either offer or eat the bread of
our God must be holy in all manner of conversation, or else they
profane that name which they pretend to sanctify.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p5">II. They must take care not to degrade
themselves in their marriage, <scripRef passage="Le 21:7" id="Lev.xxii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|21|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. A priest must not marry a woman of ill fame, that
either had been guilty or was suspected to have been guilty of
uncleanness. He must not only not marry a harlot, though ever so
great a penitent for her former whoredoms, but he must not marry
one that was profane, that is, of a light carriage or indecent
behaviour. Nay, he must not marry one that was divorced, because
there was reason to think it was for some fault she was divorced.
The priests were forbidden to undervalue themselves by such
marriages as these, which were allowed to others, 1. Lest it should
bring a present reproach upon their ministry, harden the profane in
their profaneness, and grieve the hearts of serious people: the New
Testament gives laws to ministers' wives (<scripRef passage="1Ti 3:11" id="Lev.xxii-p5.2" parsed="|1Tim|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.11">1 Tim. iii. 11</scripRef>), that they be <i>grave and
sober,</i> that <i>the ministry be not blamed.</i> 2. Lest it
should entail a reproach upon their families; for the work and
honour of the priesthood were to descend as an inheritance to their
children after them. Those do not consult the good of their
posterity as they ought who do not take care to marry such as are
of good report and character. He that would seek <i>a godly
seed</i> (as the expression is, <scripRef passage="Mal 2:15" id="Lev.xxii-p5.3" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15">Mal.
ii. 15</scripRef>) must first seek a godly wife, and take heed of a
corruption of blood. It is added here (<scripRef passage="Le 21:8" id="Lev.xxii-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|21|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), <i>Thou shalt sanctify him,</i>
and <i>he shall be holy unto thee.</i> "Not only thou, O Moses, by
taking care that these laws be observed, but thou, O Israel, by all
endeavours possible to keep up the reputation of the priesthood,
which the priests themselves must do nothing to expose or forfeit.
<i>He is holy to his God</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 21:7" id="Lev.xxii-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|21|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), therefore <i>he shall be holy unto thee.</i>" Note,
We must honour those whom our God puts honour upon. Gospel
ministers by this rule are to be <i>esteemed very highly in love
for their works' sake</i> (<scripRef passage="1Th 5:13" id="Lev.xxii-p5.6" parsed="|1Thess|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.5.13">1 Thess. v.
13</scripRef>), and every Christian must look upon himself as
concerned to be the guardian of their honour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p6">III. Their children must be afraid of doing
any thing to disparage them (<scripRef passage="Le 21:9" id="Lev.xxii-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|21|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>If the daughter of any priest play the whore,</i>
her crime is great; she not only polluteth but <i>profaneth
herself:</i> other women have not that honour to lose that she has,
who, as one of a priest's family, has eaten of the holy things, and
is supposed to have been better educated than others. Nay, <i>she
profaneth her father;</i> he is reflected upon, and everybody will
be ready to ask, "Why did not he teach her better?" And the sinners
in Zion will insult and say, "Here is your priest's daughter." Her
punishment there must be peculiar: <i>She shall be burnt with
fire,</i> for a terror to all priests' daughters. Note, The
children of ministers ought, of all others, to take heed of doing
any thing that is scandalous, because in them it is doubly
scandalous, and will be punished accordingly by him whose name is
<i>Jealous.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 21" id="Lev.xxii-p6.2" parsed="|Lev|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 21:10-15" id="Lev.xxii-p6.3" parsed="|Lev|21|10|21|15" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.15">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxii-p7">10 And <i>he that is</i> the high priest among
his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and
that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his
head, nor rend his clothes; &#160; 11 Neither shall he go in to any
dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
&#160; 12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the
sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God
<i>is</i> upon him: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p7.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 13 And he shall take a wife in her
virginity. &#160; 14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane,
<i>or</i> an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a
virgin of his own people to wife. &#160; 15 Neither shall he
profane his seed among his people: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p7.2">Lord</span> do sanctify him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p8">More was expected from a priest than from
other people, but more from the high priest than from other
priests, because upon his head the <i>anointing oil was poured,</i>
and he was <i>consecrated to put on the garments</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 21:10" id="Lev.xxii-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), both which were
typical of the anointing and adorning of the Lord Jesus, with all
the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which he received without
measure. It is called <i>the crown of the anointing oil of his
God</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 21:12" id="Lev.xxii-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); for
the anointing of the Spirit is, to all that have it, a <i>crown of
glory,</i> and a <i>diadem of beauty.</i> The high priest being
thus dignified,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p9">I. He must not defile himself at all for
the dead, no, nor for his nearest relations, <i>his father or his
mother,</i> much less his child or brother, <scripRef passage="Le 21:11" id="Lev.xxii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|21|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. 1. He must not use the common
expressions of sorrow on those occasions, such as <i>uncovering his
head, and rending his clothes</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 21:10" id="Lev.xxii-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), so perfectly unconcerned must
he show himself in all the crosses and comforts of this life: even
his natural affection must be swallowed up in compassion to the
ignorant, and a feeling of their infirmities, and a tender concern
for the household of God, which he was made the ruler of. Thus
being the holy one that was entrusted with the <i>thummim and the
urim</i> he must not know <i>father or mother,</i> <scripRef passage="De 33:8,9" id="Lev.xxii-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|33|8|33|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.8-Deut.33.9">Deut. xxxiii. 8, 9</scripRef>. 2. He must not
<i>go in to any dead body,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 21:11" id="Lev.xxii-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|21|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. If any of the inferior priests
were under a ceremonial pollution, there were other priests that
might supply their places; but, if the high priest were defiled,
there would be a greater want of him. And the forbidding of him to
go to any house of mourning, or attend any funeral, would be an
indication to the people of the greatness of that dignity to which
he was advanced. Our Lord Jesus, the great high priest of our
profession, touched the dead body of Jairus's daughter, the bier of
the widow's son, and the grave of Lazarus, to show that he came to
altar the property of death, and to take off the terror of it, by
breaking the power of it. Now that it cannot destroy it does not
defile. 3. He must <i>not go out of the sanctuary</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 21:12" id="Lev.xxii-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); that is, whenever he
was attending or officiating in the sanctuary, where usually he
tarried in his own apartment all day, he must not go out upon any
occasion whatsoever, nor cut short his attendance on the living
God, no, not to pay his last respects to a dying relation. It was a
profanation of the sanctuary to leave it, while his presence was
requisite there, upon any such occasion; for thereby he preferred
some other business before the service of God and the business of
his profession, to which he ought to make every thing else give
place. Thus our Lord Jesus would not leave off preaching to
<i>speak with his mother and brethren,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 12:48" id="Lev.xxii-p9.6" parsed="|Matt|12|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.48">Matt. xii. 48</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p10">II. He might not marry a widow (as other
priests might), much less one divorced, or a harlot, <scripRef passage="Le 21:13,14" id="Lev.xxii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|21|13|21|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.13-Lev.21.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. The reason of
this was to put a difference between him and other priests in this
matter; and (as some suggest) that he might be a type of Christ, to
whom the church was to be presented a <i>chaste virgin,</i>
<scripRef passage="2Co 11:2" id="Lev.xxii-p10.2" parsed="|2Cor|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.11.2">2 Cor. xi. 2</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Eze 44:22" id="Lev.xxii-p10.3" parsed="|Ezek|44|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.22">Ezek. xliv. 22</scripRef>. Christ must have our
first love, our pure love, our entire love; thus the <i>virgins
love thee</i> (<scripRef passage="So 1:3" id="Lev.xxii-p10.4" parsed="|Song|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.1.3">Cant. i. 3</scripRef>),
and such only are fit to <i>follow the Lamb,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 14:4" id="Lev.xxii-p10.5" parsed="|Rev|14|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.4">Rev. xiv. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p11">III. He might not profane his seed among
his people, <scripRef passage="Le 21:15" id="Lev.xxii-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
Some understand it as forbidding him to marry any of an inferior
rank, which would be a disparagement to his family. Jehoiada indeed
married of his own tribe, but then it was into the royal family,
<scripRef passage="2Ch 22:11" id="Lev.xxii-p11.2" parsed="|2Chr|22|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.22.11">2 Chron. xxii. 11</scripRef>. This
was not to teach him to be proud, but to teach him to be pure, and
to do nothing unbecoming his office and the worthy name by which he
was called. Or it may be a caution to him in disposing of his
children; he must not profane his seed by marrying them unsuitably.
Ministers' children are profaned if they be unequally yoked with
unbelievers.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 21" id="Lev.xxii-p11.3" parsed="|Lev|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 21:16-24" id="Lev.xxii-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|21|16|21|24" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.16-Lev.21.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.21.16-Lev.21.24">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxii-p12">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p12.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 17 Speak unto Aaron, saying,
Whosoever <i>he be</i> of thy seed in their generations that hath
<i>any</i> blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his
God. &#160; 18 For whatsoever man <i>he be</i> that hath a blemish,
he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a
flat nose, or any thing superfluous, &#160; 19 Or a man that is
brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, &#160; 20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf,
or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or
hath his stones broken; &#160; 21 No man that hath a blemish of the
seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p12.2">Lord</span> made by fire: he hath a
blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
&#160; 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, <i>both</i> of the
most holy, and of the holy. &#160; 23 Only he shall not go in unto
the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish;
that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxii-p12.3">Lord</span> do sanctify them. &#160; 24 And Moses told
<i>it</i> unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of
Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p13">The priesthood being confined to one
particular family, and entailed upon all the male issue of that
family throughout their generations, it was very likely that some
or other in after-ages that were born to the priesthood would have
natural blemishes and deformities: the honour of the priesthood
would not secure them from any of those calamities which are common
to men. Divers blemishes are here specified; some that were
ordinarily for life, as blindness; others that might be for a time,
as a scurf or scab, and, when they were gone, the disability
ceased. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p14">I. The law concerning priests that had
blemishes was, 1. That they might <i>live upon the altar</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 21:22" id="Lev.xxii-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|21|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>): <i>He shall
eat</i> of the sacrifices with the other priests, even the <i>most
holy things,</i> such as the show-bread and the sin-offerings, as
well as the <i>holy things,</i> such as the tithes and
first-fruits, and the priests' share of the peace-offerings. The
blemishes were such as they could not help, and therefore, though
they might not work, they must not starve. Note, None must be
abused for their natural infirmities. Even the deformed child in
the family must have its child's part. 2. Yet they must not
<i>serve at the altar,</i> at either of the altars, nor be admitted
to attend or assist the other priests in offering sacrifice or
burning incense, <scripRef passage="Le 21:17,21,23" id="Lev.xxii-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|21|17|0|0;|Lev|21|21|0|0;|Lev|21|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.17 Bible:Lev.21.21 Bible:Lev.21.23"><i>v.</i> 17,
21, 23</scripRef>. Great men choose to have such servants about
them as are sightly, and it was fit that the great God should have
such in his house then, when he was pleased to manifest his glory
in external indications of it. But it was especially requisite that
comely men should be chosen to minister about holy things, for the
sake of the people, who were apt to judge according to outward
appearance, and to think meanly of the service, how honourable
soever it was made by the divine institution, of those that
performed it looked despicably or went about it awkwardly. This
provision God made for the preserving of the reputation of his
altar, that it might not at any time fall under contempt. It was
for the credit of the sanctuary that none should appear there who
were any way disfigured, either by nature or accident.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxii-p15">II. Under the gospel, 1. Those that labour
under any such blemishes as these have reason to thank God that
they are not thereby excluded from offering spiritual sacrifices to
God; nor, if otherwise qualified for it, from the office of the
ministry. There is many a healthful beautiful soul lodged in a
crazy deformed body. Yet, 2. We ought to infer hence how incapable
those are to serve God acceptably whose minds are blemished and
deformed by any reigning vice. Those are unworthy to be called
Christians, and unfit to be employed as ministers, that are
spiritually blind, and lame, and crooked, whose sins render them
scandalous and deformed, so as that the offerings of the Lord are
abhorred for their sakes. The deformities of Hophni and Phinehas
were worse than any of the blemishes here mentioned. Let such
therefore as are openly vicious be put out of the priesthood as
polluted persons; and let all that are made to our God spiritual
priests be before him <i>holy and without blemish,</i> and comfort
themselves with this, that, though in this imperfect state they
have spots that are the spots of God's children, yet they shall
shortly appear before the throne of God <i>without spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXII" n="xxiii" progress="60.29%" prev="Lev.xxii" next="Lev.xxiv" id="Lev.xxiii">
<h2 id="Lev.xxiii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxiii-p1">In this chapter we have divers laws concerning the
priests and sacrifices all for the preserving of the honour of the
sanctuary. I. That the priests should not eat the holy things in
their uncleanness, <scripRef passage="Le 22:1-9" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|22|1|22|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.1-Lev.22.9">ver.
1-9</scripRef>. II. That no stranger who did not belong to some
family of the priests should eat of the holy things (<scripRef passage="Le 22:10-13" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|22|10|22|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.10-Lev.22.13">ver. 10-13</scripRef>), and, if he did it
unwittingly, he must make restitution,, <scripRef passage="Le 22:14-16" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|22|14|22|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.14-Lev.22.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>. III. That the sacrifices which
were offered must be without blemish, <scripRef passage="Le 22:17-25" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|22|17|22|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.17-Lev.22.25">ver. 17-25</scripRef>. IV. That they must be more
than eight days old (<scripRef passage="Le 22:26-28" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|22|26|22|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.26-Lev.22.28">ver.
26-28</scripRef>), and that the sacrifices of thanksgiving must be
eaten the same day they were offered, <scripRef passage="Le 22:29-33" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|22|29|22|33" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.29-Lev.22.33">ver. 29</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 22" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 22:1-9" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|22|1|22|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.1-Lev.22.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.22.1-Lev.22.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xxiii-p1.9">Laws Concerning the Priests. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto Aaron and to his
sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the
children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name <i>in
those things</i> which they hallow unto me: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p2.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 3 Say unto them, Whosoever
<i>he be</i> of all your seed among your generations, that goeth
unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p2.3">Lord</span>, having his uncleanness upon
him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I <i>am</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p2.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 4 What man soever of
the seed of Aaron <i>is</i> a leper, or hath a running issue; he
shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso
toucheth any thing <i>that is</i> unclean <i>by</i> the dead, or a
man whose seed goeth from him; &#160; 5 Or whosoever toucheth any
creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he
may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; &#160; 6 The
soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and
shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with
water. &#160; 7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and
shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it <i>is</i> his
food. &#160; 8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn <i>with
beasts,</i> he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 9 They
shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and
die therefore, if they profane it: I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p2.6">Lord</span> do sanctify them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p3">Those that had a natural blemish, though
they were forbidden to do the priests' work, were yet allowed to
eat of the holy things: and the Jewish writers say that "to keep
them from idleness they were employed in the wood-room, to pick out
that which was worm-eaten, that it might not be used in the fire
upon the altar; they might also be employed in the judgment of
leprosy:" but,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p4">I. Those that were under any ceremonial
uncleanness, which possibly they contracted by their own fault,
might no so much as eat of the holy things while they continued in
their pollution. 1. Some pollutions were permanent, as a leprosy or
a running issue, <scripRef passage="Le 22:4" id="Lev.xxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|22|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. These separated the people from the sanctuary, and
God would show that they were so far from being more excusable that
really they were more abominable in a priest. 2. Others were more
transient, as the touching of a dead body, or any thing else that
was unclean, from which, after a certain time, a man was cleansed
by bathing his flesh in water, <scripRef passage="Le 22:6" id="Lev.xxiii-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. But whoever was thus defiled
might not <i>eat of the holy things,</i> under pain of God's
highest displeasure, who said, and ratified the saying, <i>That
soul shall be cut off from my presence,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 22:3" id="Lev.xxiii-p4.3" parsed="|Lev|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Our being in the presence of God,
and attending upon him, will be so far from securing us that it
will but the more expose us to God's wrath, if we dare to draw nigh
to him in our uncleanness. The destruction shall come <i>from the
presence of the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="2Th 1:9" id="Lev.xxiii-p4.4" parsed="|2Thess|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.1.9">2 Thess. i.
9</scripRef>), as the fire by which Nadab and Abihu died came
<i>from before the Lord.</i> Thus those who profane the holy word
of God will be cut off by that word which they make so light of; it
shall condemn them. They are again warned of their danger if they
eat the holy thing in their uncleanness (<scripRef passage="Le 22:9" id="Lev.xxiii-p4.5" parsed="|Lev|22|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), <i>lest they bear sin, and die
therefore.</i> Note, (1.) Those contract great guilt who profane
sacred things, by touching them with unhallowed hands. Eating the
holy things signified an interest in the atonement; but, if they
ate of them in their uncleanness, they were so far from lessening
their guilt that they increased it: They shall <i>bear sin.</i>
(2.) Sin is a burden which, if infinite mercy prevent not, will
certainly sink those that bear it: They shall <i>die therefore.</i>
Even priests may be ruined by their pollutions and
presumptions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p5">II. As to the design of this law we may
observe, 1. This obliged the priests carefully to preserve their
purity, and to dread every thing that would defile them. The holy
things were their livelihood; if they might not eat of them, how
must they subsist? The more we have to lose of comfort and honour
by our defilement, the more careful we should be to preserve our
purity. 2. This impressed the people with a reverence for the holy
things, when they saw the priests themselves <i>separated from
them</i> (as the expression is, <scripRef passage="Le 22:2" id="Lev.xxiii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>) so long as they were in their
uncleanness. He is doubtless a God of infinite purity who kept his
immediate attendants under so strict a discipline. 3. This teaches
us carefully to watch against all moral pollutions, because by them
we are unfitted to receive the comfort of God's sanctuary. Though
we labour not under habitual deformities, yet actual defilements
deprive us of the pleasure of communion with God; and therefore
<i>he that is washed needeth to wash his feet</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 13:10" id="Lev.xxiii-p5.2" parsed="|John|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.13.10">John xiii. 10</scripRef>), <i>to wash his
hands,</i> and so to <i>compass the altar,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 26:6" id="Lev.xxiii-p5.3" parsed="|Ps|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.26.6">Ps. xxvi. 6</scripRef>. Herein we have need to be jealous
over ourselves, lest (as it is observably expressed here) we
<i>profane God's holy name in those things which we hallow unto
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 22:2" id="Lev.xxiii-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. If we
affront God in those very performances wherein we pretend to honour
him, and provoke him instead of pleasing him, we shall make up but
a bad account shortly; yet thus we do if we profane God's name, by
doing that in our uncleanness which pretends to be hallowed to
him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 22" id="Lev.xxiii-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 22:10-16" id="Lev.xxiii-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|22|10|22|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.10-Lev.22.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.22.10-Lev.22.16">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiii-p6">10 There shall no stranger eat <i>of</i> the
holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall
not eat <i>of</i> the holy thing. &#160; 11 But if the priest buy
<i>any</i> soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is
born in his house: they shall eat of his meat. &#160; 12 If the
priest's daughter also be <i>married</i> unto a stranger, she may
not eat of an offering of the holy things. &#160; 13 But if the
priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and
is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat
of her father's meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.
&#160; 14 And if a man eat <i>of</i> the holy thing unwittingly,
then he shall put the fifth <i>part</i> thereof unto it, and shall
give <i>it</i> unto the priest with the holy thing. &#160; 15 And
they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel,
which they offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p6.1">Lord</span>;
&#160; 16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when
they eat their holy things: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p6.2">Lord</span> do sanctify them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p7">The holy things were to be eaten by the
priests and their families. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p8">I. Here is a law that no stranger should
eat of them, that is, no person whatsoever but the priests only,
and those that pertained to them, <scripRef passage="Le 22:10" id="Lev.xxiii-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|22|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. The priests are charged with
this care, not to <i>profane the holy things</i> by permitting the
strangers to eat of them (<scripRef passage="Le 22:15" id="Lev.xxiii-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|22|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>) or <i>suffer them to bear the iniquity of
trespass</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 22:16" id="Lev.xxiii-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|22|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>); that is, suffer them to bring guilt upon
themselves, by meddling with that which they have no right to. Thus
it is commonly understood. Note, We must not only be careful that
we do not bear iniquity ourselves, but we must do what we can to
prevent others bearing it. We must not only not suffer sin to
<i>lie</i> upon our brother, but, if we can help it, we must not
suffer it to <i>come</i> upon him. But perhaps there is another
meaning of those words: the priests' eating the sin-offerings is
said to signify their <i>bearing the iniquity of the congregation,
to make an atonement for them,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 10:17" id="Lev.xxiii-p8.4" parsed="|Lev|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.17"><i>ch.</i> x. 17</scripRef>. Let not a stranger
therefore eat of that holy thing particularly, and so pretend to
<i>bear the iniquity of trespass;</i> for it is daring presumption
for any to do that, but such as are appointed to do it. Those that
set up other mediators besides Christ our priest, to <i>bear the
iniquity of trespass,</i> sacrilegiously rob Christ of his honour,
and invade his rights. When we warn people not to trust to their
own righteousness, nor dare to appear before God in it, but to rely
on Christ's righteousness only for peace and pardon, it is because
we dare not <i>suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass,</i>
for we know it is too heavy for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p9">II. Here is an explanation of the law,
showing who were to be looked upon as belonging to the priest's
family, and who not. 1. Sojourners and hired servants abode not in
the house for ever; they were in the family, but not of it; and
therefore they might not eat of the holy things (<scripRef passage="Le 22:10" id="Lev.xxiii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|22|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.10">v. 10</scripRef>): but the servant that was born in the
house or bought with money, being a heirloom to the family, though
a servant, yet might eat of the holy things, <scripRef passage="Le 22:11" id="Lev.xxiii-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|22|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Note, Those only are entitled
to the comforts of God's house who make it their <i>rest for
ever,</i> and resolve to <i>dwell in it all the days of their
life.</i> As for those who for a time only believe, to serve a
present turn. They are looked upon but as sojourners and
mercenaries, and have <i>no part nor lot in the matter.</i> 2. As
to the children of the family, concerning the sons there could be
no dispute, they were themselves priests, but concerning the
daughters there was a distinction. While they continued in their
father's house they might eat of the holy things; but, if they
married such as were not priests, they lost their right (<scripRef passage="Le 22:12" id="Lev.xxiii-p9.3" parsed="|Lev|22|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), for now they were cut
off from the family of the priests. Yet if a priest's daughter
became a widow, and had no children in whom she might preserve a
distinct family, and returned to her father's house again, being
neither wife nor mother, she should again be looked upon as a
daughter, and might eat of the holy things. If those whom
Providence has made sorrowful widows, and who are dislodged from
the rest they had in the house of a husband, yet find it again in a
father's house, they have reason to be thankful to the widows' God,
who does not leave them comfortless. 3. Here is a demand of
restitution to be made by him that had no right to the holy things,
and yet should eat of them unwittingly, <scripRef passage="Le 22:14" id="Lev.xxiii-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|22|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. If he did it presumptuously,
and in contempt of the divine institution, he was liable to be cut
off by the hand of God, and to be beaten by the magistrate; but, if
he did it through weakness in inconsideration, he was to restore
the value, adding a fifth part to it, besides which he was to bring
an offering to atone for the trespass; see <scripRef passage="Le 5:15,16" id="Lev.xxiii-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|5|15|5|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.15-Lev.5.16"><i>ch.</i> v. 15, 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p10">III. This law might be dispensed with in a
case of necessity, as it was when David and his men ate of the
show-bread, <scripRef passage="1Sa 21:6" id="Lev.xxiii-p10.1" parsed="|1Sam|21|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.21.6">1 Sam. xxi. 6</scripRef>.
And our Saviour justifies them, and gives a reason for it, which
furnishes us with a lasting rule in all such cases, that <i>God
will have mercy and not sacrifice,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 12:3,4,7" id="Lev.xxiii-p10.2" parsed="|Matt|12|3|12|4;|Matt|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.3-Matt.12.4 Bible:Matt.12.7">Matt. xii. 3, 4, 7</scripRef>. Rituals must give way
to morals.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p11">IV. It is an instruction to gospel
ministers, who are <i>stewards of the mysteries of God,</i> not to
admit all, without distinction, to <i>eat of the holy things,</i>
but to take out the precious from the vile. Those that are
scandalously ignorant or profane are strangers and aliens to the
family of the Lord's priests; and it is not meet to take the
children's bread and to cast it to such. Holy things are for holy
persons, for those who are holy, at least, in profession, <scripRef passage="Mt 7:6" id="Lev.xxiii-p11.1" parsed="|Matt|7|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.7.6">Matt. vii. 6</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 22" id="Lev.xxiii-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 22:17-33" id="Lev.xxiii-p11.3" parsed="|Lev|22|17|22|33" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.17-Lev.22.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.22.17-Lev.22.33">
<h4 id="Lev.xxiii-p11.4">Laws Concerning Sacrifices. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p11.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiii-p12">17 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his
sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them,
Whatsoever <i>he be</i> of the house of Israel, or of the strangers
in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for
all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.2">Lord</span> for a burnt offering; &#160; 19 <i>Ye
shall offer</i> at your own will a male without blemish, of the
beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. &#160; 20 <i>But</i>
whatsoever hath a blemish, <i>that</i> shall ye not offer: for it
shall not be acceptable for you. &#160; 21 And whosoever offereth a
sacrifice of peace offerings unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.3">Lord</span> to accomplish <i>his</i> vow, or a freewill
offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted;
there shall be no blemish therein. &#160; 22 Blind, or broken, or
maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer
these unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.4">Lord</span>, nor make an
offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 23 Either a bullock or a lamb that
hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest
thou offer <i>for</i> a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall
not be accepted. &#160; 24 Ye shall not offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.6">Lord</span> that which is bruised, or crushed, or
broken, or cut; neither shall ye make <i>any offering thereof</i>
in your land. &#160; 25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye
offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their
corruption <i>is</i> in them, <i>and</i> blemishes <i>be</i> in
them: they shall not be accepted for you. &#160; 26 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.7">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 27
When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it
shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and
thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.8">Lord</span>. &#160; 28 And <i>whether
it be</i> cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in
one day. &#160; 29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of
thanksgiving unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.9">Lord</span>, offer
<i>it</i> at your own will. &#160; 30 On the same day it shall be
eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.10">Lord</span>. &#160; 31 Therefore shall
ye keep my commandments, and do them: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.11">Lord</span>. &#160; 32 Neither shall ye profane my holy
name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.12">Lord</span> which hallow you,
&#160; 33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your
God: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiii-p12.13">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p13">Here are four laws concerning
sacrifices:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p14">I. Whatever was offered in sacrifice to God
should be without blemish, otherwise it should not be accepted.
This had often been mentioned in the particular institutions of the
several sorts of offerings. Now here they are told what was to be
accounted a blemish which rendered a beast unfit for sacrifice: if
it was blind, or lame, had a wen, or the mange (<scripRef passage="Le 22:22" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|22|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>),&#8212;if it was bruised, or
crushed, or broken, or cut (<scripRef passage="Le 22:24" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|22|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>), that is, as the Jewish writers understand it, if it
was, in any of these ways, castrated, if bulls and rams were made
into oxen and weathers, they might not be offered. Moreover a
difference is made between what was brought as a free-will offering
and what was brought as a vow, <scripRef passage="Le 22:23" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.3" parsed="|Lev|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. And, though none that had any
of the forementioned blemishes might be brought for either, yet if
a beast had any thing superfluous or lacking (that is, as the Jews
understand it, if there was a disproportion or inequality between
those parts that are pairs, when one eye, or ear, or leg, was
bigger than it should be, or less than it should be)&#8212;if there was
no other blemish than this, it might be accepted for a free-will
offering, to which a man had not before laid himself, nor had the
divine law laid him, under any particular obligation; but for a vow
it might not be accepted. Thus God would teach us to make
conscience of performing our promises to him very exactly, and not
afterwards to abate in quantity or value of what we had solemnly
engaged to devote to him. What was, before the vow, in our own
power, as in the case of a free-will offering, afterwards is not,
<scripRef passage="Ac 5:4" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.4" parsed="|Acts|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.5.4">Acts v. 4</scripRef>. It is again and
again declared that no sacrifice should be accepted if it was thus
blemished, <scripRef passage="Le 22:20,21" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.5" parsed="|Lev|22|20|22|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.20-Lev.22.21"><i>v.</i> 20,
21</scripRef>. According to this law great care was taken to search
all the beasts that were brought to be sacrificed, that there
might, to a certainty, be no blemish in them. A blemished sacrifice
might not be accepted even <i>from the hand of a stranger,</i>
though to such all possible encouragement should be given to do
honour to the God of Israel, <scripRef passage="Le 22:25" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.6" parsed="|Lev|22|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. By this it appears that strangers were expected to
come to the house of God from a <i>far country</i> (<scripRef passage="1Ki 8:41,42" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.7" parsed="|1Kgs|8|41|8|42" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.8.41-1Kgs.8.42">1 Kings viii. 41, 42</scripRef>), and that
they should be welcome, and their offerings accepted, as those of
Darius, <scripRef passage="Ezr 6:9,10,Isa 56:6,7" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.8" parsed="|Ezra|6|9|6|10;|Isa|56|6|56|7" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.6.9-Ezra.6.10 Bible:Isa.56.6-Isa.56.7">Ezra vi. 9, 10;
Isa. lvi. 6, 7</scripRef>. The heathen priests were many of them
not so strict in this matter, but would receive sacrifices for
their gods that were ever so scandalous; but let strangers know
that the God of Israel would not be so served. Now, 1. This law was
then necessary for the preserving of the honour of the sanctuary,
and of the God that was there worshipped. It was fit that every
thing that was employed for his honour should be the best of the
kind; for, as he is the greatest and brightest, so he is the best
of beings; and he that is the best must have the best. See how
greatly and justly displeasing the breach of this law was to the
holy God, <scripRef passage="Mal 1:8,13,14" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.9" parsed="|Mal|1|8|0|0;|Mal|1|13|0|0;|Mal|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.8 Bible:Mal.1.13 Bible:Mal.1.14">Mal. i. 8, 13,
14</scripRef>. 2. This law made all the legal sacrifices the fitter
to be types of Christ, the great sacrifice from which all these
derived their virtue. In allusion to this law, he is said to be
<i>a Lamb without blemish</i> and <i>without spot,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:19" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.10" parsed="|1Pet|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.19">1 Pet. i. 19</scripRef>. As such a priest, so
such a sacrifice, became us, who was harmless and undefiled. When
Pilate declared, <i>I find no fault in this man,</i> he did thereby
in effect pronounce the sacrifice without blemish. The Jews say it
was the work of the sagan, or suffragan, high priest, to view the
sacrifices, and see whether they were without blemish or no; when
Christ suffered, Annas was in that office; but little did those who
brought Christ to Annas first, by whom he was sent bound to
Caiaphas, as a sacrifice fit to be offered (<scripRef passage="Joh 18:13,24" id="Lev.xxiii-p14.11" parsed="|John|18|13|0|0;|John|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.18.13 Bible:John.18.24">John xviii. 13, 24</scripRef>), think that they were
answering the type of this law. 3. It is an instruction to us to
offer to God the best we have in our spiritual sacrifices. If our
devotions are ignorant, and cold, and trifling, and full of
distractions, we offer <i>the blind, and the lame, and the sick,
for sacrifice;</i> but cursed be the deceiver that does so, for,
while he thinks to put a cheat upon God, he puts a damning cheat
upon his own soul.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p15">II. That no beast should be offered in
sacrifice before it was eight days old, <scripRef passage="Le 22:26,27" id="Lev.xxiii-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|22|26|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.26-Lev.22.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. It was provided before
that the firstlings of their cattle, which were to be dedicated to
God, should not be brought to him till after the eighth day,
<scripRef passage="Ex 22:30" id="Lev.xxiii-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.30">Exod. xxii. 30</scripRef>. Here it is
provided that no creature should be offered in sacrifice till it
was eight days old complete. Sooner than that it was not fit to be
used at men's tables, and therefore not a God's altar. The Jews
say, "It was because the sabbath sanctifies all things, and nothing
should be offered to God till at least one sabbath had passed over
it." It was in conformity to the law of circumcision, which
children were to receive on the eighth day. Christ was sacrificed
for us, not in his infancy, though then Herod sought to slay him,
but in the prime of his time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p16">III. That the dam and her young should not
both be killed in one day, whether in sacrifice or for common use,
<scripRef passage="Le 22:28" id="Lev.xxiii-p16.1" parsed="|Lev|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. There is such
a law as this concerning birds, <scripRef passage="De 22:6" id="Lev.xxiii-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.6">Deut.
xxii. 6</scripRef>. This was forbidden, not as evil in itself, but
because it looked barbarous and cruel to the brute creatures; like
the tyranny of the king of Babylon, that slew Zedekiah's sons
before his eyes, and then put out his eyes. It looked ill-natured
towards the species to kill two generations at once, as if one
designed the ruin of the kind.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiii-p17">IV. That the flesh of their thank-offerings
should be eaten on the same day that they were sacrificed,
<scripRef passage="Le 22:29,30" id="Lev.xxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|22|29|22|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.29-Lev.22.30"><i>v.</i> 29, 30</scripRef>. This
is a repetition of what we had before, <scripRef passage="Le 7:15,19:6,7" id="Lev.xxiii-p17.2" parsed="|Lev|7|15|0|0;|Lev|19|6|19|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.15 Bible:Lev.19.6-Lev.19.7"><i>ch.</i> vii. 15; xix. 6, 7</scripRef>. The
chapter concludes with such a general charge as we have often met
with, to <i>keep God's commandments,</i> and not to <i>profane his
holy name,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 22:31,32" id="Lev.xxiii-p17.3" parsed="|Lev|22|31|22|32" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.31-Lev.22.32"><i>v.</i> 31,
32</scripRef>. Those that profess God's name, if they do not make
conscience of keeping his commandments, do but profane his name.
The general reasons are added: God's authority over them&#8212;<i>I am
the Lord;</i> his interest in them&#8212;I am <i>your God;</i> the title
he had to them by redemption&#8212;"I <i>brought you out of the land of
Egypt,</i> on purpose that I might be your God;" the designs of his
grace concerning them&#8212;<i>I am the Lord that hallow you;</i> and
the resolutions of his justice, if he had not honour from them, to
<i>get himself honour</i> upon them&#8212;I will be <i>hallowed among
the children of Israel.</i> God will be a loser in his glory by no
man at last; but sooner or later will recover his right, either in
the repentance of sinners or in their ruin.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIII" n="xxiv" progress="60.71%" prev="Lev.xxiii" next="Lev.xxv" id="Lev.xxiv">
<h2 id="Lev.xxiv-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxiv-p1">Hitherto the levitical law had been chiefly
conversant about holy persons, holy things, and holy places; in
this chapter we have the institution of holy times, many of which
had been mentioned occasionally before, but here they are all put
together, only the new moons are not mentioned. All the rest of the
feasts of the Lord are, I. The weekly feast of the sabbath,
<scripRef passage="Le 23:3" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.3">ver. 3</scripRef>. II. The yearly
feasts, 1. The passover, and the feast of unleavened bread
(<scripRef passage="Le 23:4-8" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|23|4|23|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.4-Lev.23.8">ver. 4-8</scripRef>), to which was
annexed the offering of the sheaf of firstfruits, <scripRef passage="Le 23:9-14" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|23|9|23|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.9-Lev.23.14">ver. 9-14</scripRef>. 2. Pentecost, <scripRef passage="Le 23:15-22" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|23|15|23|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.15-Lev.23.22">ver. 15-22</scripRef>. 3. The solemnities of
the seventh month. The feast of trumpets on the first day
(<scripRef passage="Le 23:23-25" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|23|23|23|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.23-Lev.23.25">ver. 23-25</scripRef>), the day of
atonement on the tenth day (<scripRef passage="Le 23:26-32" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|23|26|23|32" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.26-Lev.23.32">ver.
26-32</scripRef>), and the feast of tabernacles on the fifteenth,
<scripRef passage="Le 23:33-44" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|23|33|23|44" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.33-Lev.23.44">ver. 33</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23:1-3" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|23|1|23|3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.1-Lev.23.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.23.1-Lev.23.3">
<h4 id="Lev.xxiv-p1.10">Sundry Feasts. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, <i>Concerning</i> the feasts of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p2.2">Lord</span>, which ye shall proclaim <i>to
be</i> holy convocations, <i>even</i> these <i>are</i> my feasts.
&#160; 3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day <i>is</i>
the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work
<i>therein</i>: it <i>is</i> the sabbath of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p2.3">Lord</span> in all your dwellings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p3">Here is, I. A general account of the holy
times which God appointed (<scripRef passage="Le 23:2" id="Lev.xxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|23|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), and it is only his appointment that can make time
holy; for he is the Lord of time, and as soon as ever he had set
its wheels a-going it was he that sanctified and blessed one day
above the rest, <scripRef passage="Ge 2:3" id="Lev.xxiv-p3.2" parsed="|Gen|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.2.3">Gen. ii. 3</scripRef>.
Man may by his appointment make a good day (<scripRef passage="Es 9:19" id="Lev.xxiv-p3.3" parsed="|Esth|9|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Esth.9.19">Esth. ix. 19</scripRef>), but it is God's prerogative to
make a holy day; nor is any thing sanctified but by the stamp of
his institution. As all inherent holiness comes from his special
grace, so all adherent holiness from his special appointment. Now,
concerning the holy times here ordained, observe, 1. They are
called <i>feasts.</i> The day of atonement, which was one of them,
was a fast; yet, because most of them were appointed for joy and
rejoicing, they are in the general called feasts. Some read it,
<i>These are my assemblies,</i> but that is co-incident with
<i>convocations.</i> I would rather read it, These are <i>my
solemnities;</i> so the word here used is translated (<scripRef passage="Isa 33:20" id="Lev.xxiv-p3.4" parsed="|Isa|33|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.33.20">Isa. xxxiii. 20</scripRef>), where Zion is
called the <i>city of our solemnities:</i> and, reading it so here,
the day of atonement was as great a solemnity as any of them. 2.
They are the feasts of the Lord (<i>my feasts</i>), observed to the
honour of his name, and in obedience to his command. 3. They were
proclaimed; for they were not to be observed by the priests only
that attended the sanctuary, but by all the people. And this
proclamation was the joyful sound concerning which we read,
<i>Blessed are the people that know it,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 89:15" id="Lev.xxiv-p3.5" parsed="|Ps|89|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.15">Ps. lxxxix. 15</scripRef>. 4. They were to be sanctified
and solemnized with holy convocations, that the services of these
feasts might appear the more honourable and august, and the people
the more unanimous in the performance of them; it was for the
honour of God and his institutions, which sought not corners and
the purity of which would be best preserved by the public
administration of them; it was also for the edification of the
people in love that the feasts were to be observed as holy
convocations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p4">II. A repetition of the law of the sabbath
in the first place. Though the annual feasts were made more
remarkable by the general attendance at the sanctuary, yet these
must not eclipse the brightness of the sabbath, <scripRef passage="Le 23:3" id="Lev.xxiv-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They are here told, 1. That on
that day they must withdraw themselves from all the affairs and
business of the world. It is a <i>sabbath of rest,</i> typifying
our spiritual rest from sin, and in God: <i>You shall do no work
therein.</i> On other holy days they were forbidden to do any
servile work (<scripRef passage="Le 23:7" id="Lev.xxiv-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>),
but on the sabbath, and the day of atonement (which is also called
a sabbath), they were to do no work at all, no, not the dressing of
meat. 2. On that day they must employ themselves in the service of
God. (1.) It is a <i>holy convocation;</i> that is, "If it lie
within your reach, you shall sanctify it in a religious assembly:
let as many as can come to the door of the tabernacle, and let
others meet elsewhere for prayer, and praise, and the reading of
the law," as in the schools of the prophets, while prophecy
continued, and afterwards in the synagogues. Christ appointed the
New-Testament sabbath to be a holy convocation, by meeting his
disciples once and again (and perhaps oftener) on the first day of
the week. (2.) "Whether you have opportunity of sanctifying it in a
holy convocation or not, yet let it be <i>the sabbath of the Lord
in all your dwellings.</i> Put a difference between that day and
other days in your families. It is the <i>sabbath of the Lord,</i>
the day on which he rested from the work of creation, and on which
he has appointed us to rest; let it be observed in all your
dwellings, even now that you dwell in tents." Note, God's sabbaths
are to be religiously observed in every private house, by every
family apart, as well as by many families together in holy
convocations. The sabbath of the Lord in our dwellings will be
their beauty, strength, and safety; it will sanctify, edify, and
glorify them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23:4-14" id="Lev.xxiv-p4.3" parsed="|Lev|23|4|23|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.4-Lev.23.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.23.4-Lev.23.14">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiv-p5">4 These <i>are</i> the feasts of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.1">Lord</span>, <i>even</i> holy convocations, which
ye shall proclaim in their seasons. &#160; 5 In the fourteenth
<i>day</i> of the first month at even <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.2">Lord</span>'s passover. &#160; 6 And on the fifteenth
day of the same month <i>is</i> the feast of unleavened bread unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.3">Lord</span>: seven days ye must eat
unleavened bread. &#160; 7 In the first day ye shall have an holy
convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. &#160; 8 But ye
shall offer an offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.4">Lord</span> seven days: in the seventh day <i>is</i> an
holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work <i>therein.</i>
&#160; 9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.5">Lord</span> spake unto
Moses, saying, &#160; 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say
unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and
shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the
firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: &#160; 11 And he shall
wave the sheaf before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.6">Lord</span>, to
be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest
shall wave it. &#160; 12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave
the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt
offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.7">Lord</span>. &#160; 13
And the meat offering thereof <i>shall be</i> two tenth deals of
fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p5.8">Lord</span> <i>for</i> a sweet savour: and
the drink offering thereof <i>shall be</i> of wine, the fourth
<i>part</i> of an hin. &#160; 14 And ye shall eat neither bread,
nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye
have brought an offering unto your God: <i>it shall be</i> a
statute for ever throughout your generations in all your
dwellings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p6">Here again the feasts are called the
<i>feasts of the Lord,</i> because he appointed them. Jeroboam's
feast, which he <i>devised of his own heart</i> (<scripRef passage="1Ki 12:33" id="Lev.xxiv-p6.1" parsed="|1Kgs|12|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.12.33">1 Kings xii. 33</scripRef>), was an affront to God, and
a reproach upon the people. These feasts were to be proclaimed in
their seasons (<scripRef passage="Le 23:4" id="Lev.xxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Lev|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>),
and the seasons God chose for them were in March, May and September
(according to our present computation), not in winter, because
travelling would then be uncomfortable, when the days were short,
and the ways foul; not in the middle of summer, because then in
those countries they were gathering in their harvest and vintage,
and could be ill spared from their country business. Thus
graciously does God consult our comfort in his appointments,
obliging us thereby religiously to regard his glory in our
observance of them, and not to complain of them as a burden. The
solemnities appointed them were, 1. Many and returned frequently,
which was intended to preserve in them a deep sense of God and
religion, and to prevent their inclining to the superstitions of
the heathen. God kept them fully employed in his service, that they
might not have time to hearken to the temptations of the idolatrous
neighbourhood they lived in. 2. They were most of them times of joy
and rejoicing. The weekly sabbath is so, and all their yearly
solemnities, except the day of atonement. God would thus teach them
that wisdom's ways are pleasantness, and engage them to his service
by encouraging them to be cheerful in it and to sing at their work.
Seven days were days of strict rest and holy convocations; the
first day and the seventh of the feast of unleavened bread, the day
of pentecost, the day of the feast of trumpets, the first day and
the eighth of the feast of tabernacles, and the day of atonement:
here were six for holy joy and one only for holy mourning. We are
commanded to <i>rejoice evermore,</i> but not to be evermore
weeping. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p7">I. A repetition of the law of the passover,
which was to be observed on the fourteenth day of the first month,
in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt and the
distinguishing preservation of their first-born, mercies never to
be forgotten. This feast was to begin with the killing of the
paschal lamb, <scripRef passage="Le 23:5" id="Lev.xxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>.
It was to continue seven days, during all which time they were to
eat sad bread, that was unleavened (<scripRef passage="Le 23:6" id="Lev.xxiv-p7.2" parsed="|Lev|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and the first and last day of
the seven were to be days of <i>holy rest</i> and <i>holy
convocations,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 23:7,8" id="Lev.xxiv-p7.3" parsed="|Lev|23|7|23|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.7-Lev.23.8"><i>v.</i> 7,
8</scripRef>. They were not idle days spent in sport and recreation
(as many that are called Christians spend their holy days), but
offerings were <i>made by fire unto the Lord</i> at his altar; and
we have reason to think that the people were taught to employ their
time in prayer, and praise, and godly meditation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p8">II. An order for the offering of a sheaf of
the first-fruits, upon the second day of the feast of unleavened
bread; the first is called the <i>sabbath,</i> because it was
observed as a sabbath (<scripRef passage="Le 23:11" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|23|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), and, on the morrow after, they had this solemnity.
A sheaf or handful of new corn was brought to the priest, who was
to heave it up, in token of his presenting it to the God of Heaven,
and to wave it to and fro before the Lord, as the Lord of the whole
earth, and this should be accepted for them as a thankful
acknowledgment of God's mercy to them in clothing their fields with
corn, and of their dependence upon God, and desire towards him, for
the preserving of it to their use. For it was the expression both
of prayer and praise, <scripRef passage="Le 23:11" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|23|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. A lamb for a burnt-offering was to be offered with
it, <scripRef passage="Le 23:12" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|23|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. As the
sacrifice of animals was generally attended with meat-offerings, so
this sacrifice of corn was attended with a burnt-offering, that
bread and flesh might be set together on God's table. They are
forbidden to eat of their new corn till this handful was offered to
God; for it was fit, if God and Israel feast together, that he
should be served first. And the offering of this sheaf of
first-fruits in the name of the whole congregation did, as it were,
sanctify to them their whole harvest, and give them a comfortable
use of all the rest; for then we may <i>eat our bread with joy</i>
when we have, in some measure, performed our duty to God, and God
has accepted our works, for thus all our enjoyments become clean to
us. Now, 1. This law was given now, though there was no occasion
for putting it in execution till they came to Canaan: in the
wilderness they sowed no corn; but God's feeding them there with
<i>bread from heaven</i> obliged them hereafter not to grudge him
his share of their bread out of the earth. We find that when they
came into Canaan the manna ceased upon the very day that the sheaf
of first-fruits was offered; they had eaten of the old corn the day
before (<scripRef passage="Jos 5:11" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.4" parsed="|Josh|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.5.11">Josh. v. 11</scripRef>), and
then on this day they offered the first-fruits, by which they
became entitled to the new corn, too (<scripRef passage="Le 23:12" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.5" parsed="|Lev|23|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), so that there was no more
occasion for manna. 1. This sheaf of first-fruits was typical of
our Lord Jesus, who has risen from the dead as the <i>first-fruits
of those that slept,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 15:20" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.6" parsed="|1Cor|15|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.20">1 Cor. xv.
20</scripRef>. That <i>branch of the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 4:2" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.7" parsed="|Isa|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.2">Isa. iv. 2</scripRef>) was then presented to him, in
virtue of the sacrifice of himself, the Lamb of God, and it was
accepted for us. It is very observable that our Lord Jesus rose
from the dead on the very day that the first-fruits were offered,
to show that he was the substance of this shadow. 3. We are taught
by this law to <i>honour the Lord with our substance, and with the
first-fruits of all our increase,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 3:9" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.8" parsed="|Prov|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.9">Prov. iii. 9</scripRef>. They were not to eat of their new
corn till God's part was offered to him out of it (<scripRef passage="Le 23:14" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.9" parsed="|Lev|23|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), for we must always
begin with God, begin our lives with him, begin every day with him,
begin every meal with him, begin every affair and business with
him; <i>seek first the kingdom of God.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.10" parsed="|Lev|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23:15-22" id="Lev.xxiv-p8.11" parsed="|Lev|23|15|23|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.15-Lev.23.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.23.15-Lev.23.22">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiv-p9">15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow
after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the
wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: &#160; 16 Even
unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty
days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 17 Ye shall bring out of your
habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of
fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; <i>they are</i> the
firstfruits unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 18
And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of
the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be
<i>for</i> a burnt offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.3">Lord</span>, with their meat offering, and their drink
offerings, <i>even</i> an offering made by fire, of sweet savour
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 19 Then ye
shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two
lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. &#160;
20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits
<i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.5">Lord</span>, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.6">Lord</span> for the priest. &#160; 21
And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, <i>that</i> it may be an
holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work <i>therein:
it shall be</i> a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout
your generations. &#160; 22 And when ye reap the harvest of your
land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy
field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of
thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the
stranger: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p9.7">Lord</span> your
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p10">Here is the institution of the feast of
<i>pentecost,</i> or <i>weeks,</i> as it is called (<scripRef passage="De 16:9" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.9">Deut. xvi. 9</scripRef>), because it was observed
fifty days, or seven weeks, after the passover. It is also called
the <i>feast of harvest,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 23:16" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.16">Exod.
xxiii. 16</scripRef>. For as the presenting of the sheaf of
first-fruits was an introduction to the harvest, and gave them
liberty to put in the sickle, so they solemnized the finishing of
their corn-harvest at this feast. 1. Then they offered a handful of
ears of barley, now they offered <i>two loaves of wheaten
bread,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 23:17" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.3" parsed="|Lev|23|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
This was leavened. At the passover they ate unleavened bread,
because it was in remembrance of the bread they ate when they came
out of Egypt, which was unleavened; but now at pentecost it was
leavened, because it was an acknowledgment of God's goodness to
them in their ordinary food, which was leavened. 2. With that sheaf
of first-fruits they offered only one lamb for a burnt-offering,
but with these loaves of first-fruits they offered seven lambs, two
rams, and one bullock, all for a burnt-offering, so giving glory to
God, as the Lord of their land and the Lord of their harvest, by
whose favour they lived and to whose praise they ought to live.
They offered likewise a kid for a sin-offering, so taking shame to
themselves as unworthy of the bread they ate, and imploring pardon
for their sins, by which they had forfeited their harvest-mercies,
and which they had been guilty of in the receiving of them. And
lastly, two lambs for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, to beg a
blessing upon the corn they had gathered in, which would be neither
sure nor sweet to them without that blessing, <scripRef passage="Hag 1:9" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.4" parsed="|Hag|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hag.1.9">Hag. i. 9</scripRef>. These were the only peace-offerings
that were offered on the behalf of the whole congregation, and they
were reckoned <i>most holy</i> offerings, whereas other
peace-offerings were but <i>holy.</i> All these offerings are here
appointed, <scripRef passage="Le 23:18-20" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.5" parsed="|Lev|23|18|23|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.18-Lev.23.20"><i>v.</i>
18-20</scripRef>. 3. That one day was to be kept with a holy
convocation, <scripRef passage="Le 23:21" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.6" parsed="|Lev|23|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>.
It was one of the days on which all Israel was to meet God and one
another, at the place which the Lord should choose. Some suggest
that whereas seven days were to make up the feast of unleavened
bread there was only one day appointed for the feast of pentecost,
because this was a busy time of the year with them, and God allowed
them speedily to return to their work in the country. This annual
feast was instituted in remembrance of the giving of the law upon
Mount Sinai, the fiftieth day after they came out of Egypt. That
was the feast which they were told in Egypt must be observed to God
in the wilderness, as a memorial of which ever after they kept this
feast. But the period and perfection of this feast was the pouring
out of the Spirit upon the apostles on the day of this feast
(<scripRef passage="Ac 2:1" id="Lev.xxiv-p10.7" parsed="|Acts|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.1">Acts ii. 1</scripRef>), in which the
law of faith was given, fifty days after Christ our passover was
sacrificed for us. And on that day (as bishop Patrick well
expresses it) the apostles, having themselves received the
<i>first-fruits of the Spirit,</i> begat three thousand souls,
through the word of truth, and presented them, as the first-fruits
of the Christian church, to God and the Lamb.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p11">To the institution of the feast of
pentecost is annexed a repetition of that law which we had before
(<scripRef passage="Le 19:9" id="Lev.xxiv-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.9"><i>ch.</i> xix. 9</scripRef>), by
which they were required to leave the gleanings of their fields,
and the corn that grew on the ends of the butts, for the poor,
<scripRef passage="Le 23:22" id="Lev.xxiv-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|23|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Probably it
comes in here as a thing which the priests must take occasion to
remind the people of, when they brought their first-fruits,
intimating to them that to obey even in this small matter was
better than sacrifice, and that, unless they were obedient, their
offerings should not be accepted. It also taught them that the joy
of harvest should express itself in charity to the poor, who must
have their due out of what we have, as well as God his. Those that
are truly sensible of the mercy they receive from God will without
grudging show mercy to the poor.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23:23-32" id="Lev.xxiv-p11.3" parsed="|Lev|23|23|23|32" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.23-Lev.23.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.23.23-Lev.23.32">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiv-p12">23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p12.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 24 Speak unto the children of
Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first <i>day</i> of
the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of
trumpets, an holy convocation. &#160; 25 Ye shall do no servile
work <i>therein</i>: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p12.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 26 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p12.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying,
&#160; 27 Also on the tenth <i>day</i> of this seventh month
<i>there shall be</i> a day of atonement: it shall be an holy
convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p12.4">Lord</span>.
&#160; 28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it
<i>is</i> a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p12.5">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 29 For
whatsoever soul <i>it be</i> that shall not be afflicted in that
same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. &#160; 30 And
whatsoever soul <i>it be</i> that doeth any work in that same day,
the same soul will I destroy from among his people. &#160; 31 Ye
shall do no manner of work: <i>it shall be</i> a statute for ever
throughout your generations in all your dwellings. &#160; 32 It
<i>shall be</i> unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict
your souls: in the ninth <i>day</i> of the month at even, from even
unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p13">Here is, I. The institution of the feast of
trumpets, on the first day of the seventh month, <scripRef passage="Le 23:24,25" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|23|24|23|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.24-Lev.23.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. That which was now the
seventh month had been reckoned the first month, and the year of
jubilee was still to begin with this month (<scripRef passage="Le 25:8" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.2" parsed="|Lev|25|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.8"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 8</scripRef>), so that this was their new
year's day. It was to be as their other yearly sabbaths, a day of
holy rest&#8212;<i>You shall do no servile work therein;</i> and a day
of holy work&#8212;<i>You shall offer an offering to the Lord;</i>
concerning these particular directions were afterwards given,
<scripRef passage="Nu 29:1" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.3" parsed="|Num|29|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.1">Num. xxix. 1</scripRef>. That which is
here made peculiar to this festival is that it was <i>a memorial of
blowing of trumpets.</i> They blew the trumpet every new moon
(<scripRef passage="Ps 81:3" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.4" parsed="|Ps|81|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.81.3">Ps. lxxxi. 3</scripRef>), but in the
new moon of the seventh month it was to be done with more than
ordinary solemnity; for they began to blow at sun-rise and
continued till sun-set. Now, 1. This is here said to be a
<i>memorial,</i> perhaps of the sound of the trumpet upon mount
Sinai when the law was given, which must never be forgotten. Some
think that it was a memorial of the creation of the world, which is
supposed to have been in autumn; for which reason this was, till
now, the first month. The mighty word by which God made the world
is called <i>the voice of his thunder</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 104:7" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.5" parsed="|Ps|104|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.7">Ps. civ. 7</scripRef>); fitly therefore was it
commemorated by blowing of trumpets, or a memorial of
<i>shouting,</i> as the Chaldee renders it; for, when the
<i>foundations of the earth were fastened, all the sons of God
shouted for joy,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 38:6,7" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.6" parsed="|Job|38|6|38|7" osisRef="Bible:Job.38.6-Job.38.7">Job xxxviii. 6,
7</scripRef>. 2. The Jewish writers suppose it to have a spiritual
signification. Now at the beginning of the year they were called by
this sound of trumpet to shake off their spiritual drowsiness, to
search and try their ways, and to amend them: the day of atonement
was the ninth day after this; and thus they were awakened to
prepare for that day, by sincere and serious repentance, that it
might be indeed to them a day of atonement. And they say, "The
devout Jews exercised themselves more in good works between the
feast of trumpets and the day of expiation than at any other time
of the year." 3. It was typical of the preaching of the gospel, by
which joyful sound souls were to be called in to serve God and keep
a spiritual feast to him. The conversion of the nations to the
faith of Christ is said to be by the <i>blowing of a great
trumpet,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 27:13" id="Lev.xxiv-p13.7" parsed="|Isa|27|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.13">Isa. xxvii.
13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p14">II. A repetition of the law of the day of
atonement, that is, so much of it as concerned the people. 1. They
must on this day rest from all manner of work, and not only from
servile works as on other annual festivals; it must be as strict a
rest as that of the weekly sabbath, <scripRef passage="Le 23:28,30,31" id="Lev.xxiv-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|23|28|0|0;|Lev|23|30|0|0;|Lev|23|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.28 Bible:Lev.23.30 Bible:Lev.23.31"><i>v.</i> 28, 30, 31</scripRef>. The reason is:
<i>For it is a day of atonement.</i> Note, The humbling of our
souls for sin, and the making of our peace with God, is work that
requires the whole man, and the closest application of mind
imaginable, and all little enough. He that would do the work of a
day of atonement in its day, as it should be done, had need lay
aside the thoughts of every thing else. On that day God <i>spoke
peace unto his people, and unto his saints;</i> and therefore they
must lay aside all their worldly business, that they might the more
clearly and the more reverently hear that voice of joy and
gladness. Fasting days should be days of rest. 2. They must afflict
their souls, and this upon pain of being cut off by the hand of
God, <scripRef passage="Le 23:27,29,32" id="Lev.xxiv-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|23|27|0|0;|Lev|23|29|0|0;|Lev|23|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.27 Bible:Lev.23.29 Bible:Lev.23.32"><i>v.</i> 27, 29,
32</scripRef>. They must mortify the body, and deny the appetites
of it, in token of their sorrow for the sins they had committed,
and the mortifying of their indwelling corruptions. Every soul must
be afflicted, because every soul was polluted, and guilty before
God; while none have fulfilled the law of innocency none are exempt
from the law of repentance, besides that every man must sigh and
cry for the <i>abominations of the land.</i> 3. The entire day must
be observed: <i>From even to even you shall afflict your souls</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 23:32" id="Lev.xxiv-p14.3" parsed="|Lev|23|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), that is,
"You shall begin your fast, and the expressions of your
humiliation, in the <i>ninth day of the month at even.</i>" They
were to leave off all their worldly labour, and compose themselves
to the work of the day approaching, some time before sun-set on the
ninth day, and not to take any food (except children and sick
people) till after sun-set on the tenth day. Note, The eves of
solemn days ought to be employed in solemn preparation. When work
for God and our souls is to be done, we should not straiten
ourselves in time for the doing of it; for how can we spend our
time better? Of this sabbath the rule here given is to be
understood: <i>From even unto even shall you celebrate your
sabbath.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 23:33-44" id="Lev.xxiv-p14.4" parsed="|Lev|23|33|23|44" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.33-Lev.23.44"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.23.33-Lev.23.44">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxiv-p15">33 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 34 Speak unto the children of
Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month <i>shall
be</i> the feast of tabernacles <i>for</i> seven days unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 35 On the first day
<i>shall be</i> an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work
<i>therein.</i> &#160; 36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering
made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.3">Lord</span>: on the
eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall
offer an offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.4">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> a solemn assembly; <i>and</i>
ye shall do no servile work <i>therein.</i> &#160; 37 These
<i>are</i> the feasts of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.5">Lord</span>,
which ye shall proclaim <i>to be</i> holy convocations, to offer an
offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.6">Lord</span>,
a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink
offerings, every thing upon his day: &#160; 38 Beside the sabbaths
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.7">Lord</span>, and beside your gifts,
and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings,
which ye give unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.8">Lord</span>. &#160;
39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have
gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.9">Lord</span> seven days: on the first day
<i>shall be</i> a sabbath, and on the eighth day <i>shall be</i> a
sabbath. &#160; 40 And ye shall take you on the first day the
boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of
thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.10">Lord</span> your God seven days. &#160;
41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.11">Lord</span> seven days in the year. <i>It shall be</i>
a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in
the seventh month. &#160; 42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days;
all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: &#160; 43 That
your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to
dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.12">Lord</span> your God. &#160;
44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxiv-p15.13">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p16">We have here, I. The institution of the
feast of tabernacles, which was one of the three great feasts at
which all the males were bound to attend, and celebrated with more
expressions of joy than any of them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p17">1. As to the directions for regulating this
feast, observe, (1.) It was to be observed <i>on the fifteenth day
of the seventh month</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 23:34" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|23|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.34"><i>v.</i>
34</scripRef>), but five days after the day of atonement. We may
suppose, though they were not all bound to attend on the day of
atonement, as on the three great festivals, yet that many of the
devout Jews came up so many days before the feast of tabernacles as
to enjoy the opportunity of attending on the day of atonement. Now,
[1.] The afflicting of their souls on the day of atonement prepared
them for the joy of the feast of tabernacles. The more we are
grieved and humbled for sin, the better qualified we are for the
comforts of the Holy Ghost. [2.] The joy of this feast recompensed
them for the sorrow of that fast; for those that <i>sow in
tears</i> shall <i>reap in joy.</i> (2.) It was to continue eight
days, the first and last of which were to be observed as sabbaths,
days of holy rest and holy convocations, <scripRef passage="Le 23:35,36,39" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.2" parsed="|Lev|23|35|23|36;|Lev|23|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.35-Lev.23.36 Bible:Lev.23.39"><i>v.</i> 35, 36, 39</scripRef>. The sacrifices to
be offered on these eight days we have a very large appointment of,
<scripRef passage="Nu 29:12-39" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.3" parsed="|Num|29|12|29|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.12-Num.29.39">Num. xxix. 12</scripRef>, &amp;c.
(3.) During the first seven days of this feast all the people were
to leave their houses, and the women and children in them, and to
dwell in booths made of the boughs of thick trees, particularly
palm trees, <scripRef passage="Le 23:40,42" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.4" parsed="|Lev|23|40|0|0;|Lev|23|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.40 Bible:Lev.23.42"><i>v.</i> 40,
42</scripRef>. The Jews make the taking of the branches to be a
distinct ceremony from the making of the booths. It is said, indeed
(<scripRef passage="Ne 8:15" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.5" parsed="|Neh|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.15">Neh. viii. 15</scripRef>), that they
<i>made their booths of the branches of trees,</i> which they might
do, and yet use that further expression of joy, the carrying of
palm-branches in their hands, which appears to have been a token of
triumph upon other occasions (<scripRef passage="Joh 12:13" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.6" parsed="|John|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.13">John
xii. 13</scripRef>), and is alluded to, <scripRef passage="Re 7:9" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.7" parsed="|Rev|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.9">Rev. vii. 9</scripRef>. The eighth day some make a
distinct feast of itself, but it is called (<scripRef passage="Joh 7:37" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.8" parsed="|John|7|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.37">John vii. 37</scripRef>) <i>that great day of the
feast;</i> it was the day on which they returned from their booths,
to settle again in their own houses. (4.) They were to <i>rejoice
before the Lord God</i> during all the time of this feast,
<scripRef passage="Le 23:40" id="Lev.xxiv-p17.9" parsed="|Lev|23|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>. The tradition
of the Jews is that they were to express their joy by dancing, and
singing hymns of praise to God, with musical instruments: and not
the common people only, but the wise men of Israel, and their
elders, were to do it in the court of the sanctuary: for (say they)
the joy with which a man rejoices in doing a commandment is really
a great service.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p18">2. As to the design of this feast,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p19">(1.) It was to be kept in remembrance of
their dwelling in tents in the wilderness. Thus it is expounded
here (<scripRef passage="Le 23:43" id="Lev.xxiv-p19.1" parsed="|Lev|23|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>):
<i>That your generations may know,</i> not only by the written
history, but by this ocular tradition, <i>that I made the children
of Israel to dwell in booths.</i> Thus it kept in perpetual
remembrance, [1.] The meanness of their beginning, and the low and
desolate state out of which God advanced that people. Note, Those
that are comfortably fixed ought often to call to mind their former
unsettled state, when they were but little in their own eyes. [2.]
The mercy of God to them, that, when they dwelt in tabernacles, God
not only set up a tabernacle for himself among them, but, with the
utmost care and tenderness imaginable, hung a canopy over them,
even the cloud that sheltered them from the heat of the sun. God's
former mercies to us and our fathers ought to be kept in
everlasting remembrance. The eighth day was the great day of this
feast, because then they returned to their own houses again, and
remembered how, after they had long dwelt in tents in the
wilderness, at length they came to a happy settlement in the land
of promise, where they dwelt in goodly houses. And they would the
more sensibly value and be thankful for the comforts and
conveniences of their houses when they had been seven days dwelling
in booths. It is good for those that have ease and plenty sometimes
to learn what it is to endure hardness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p20">(2.) It was a feast of in-gathering, so it
is called, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:16" id="Lev.xxiv-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.16">Exod. xxiii. 16</scripRef>.
When they had gathered in the <i>fruit of their land</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 23:39" id="Lev.xxiv-p20.2" parsed="|Lev|23|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>), the vintage as well as
the harvest, then they were to keep this feast in thankfulness to
God for all the increase of the year; and some think that the
eighth day of the feast had special reference to this ground of the
institution. Note, The joy of harvest ought to be improved for the
furtherance of our joy in God. <i>The earth is the Lord's and the
fulness thereof,</i> and therefore whatever we have the comfort of,
he must have the glory of, especially when any mercy is
perfected.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p21">(3.) It was a typical feast. It is supposed
by many that our blessed Saviour was born much about the time of
this feast; then he left his mansions of light above to
<i>tabernacle among us</i> (<scripRef passage="Joh 1:14" id="Lev.xxiv-p21.1" parsed="|John|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.14">John i.
14</scripRef>), and he dwelt in booths. And the worship of God
under the New Testament is prophesied of under the notion of
keeping the <i>feast of tabernacles,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 14:16" id="Lev.xxiv-p21.2" parsed="|Zech|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.14.16">Zech. xiv. 16</scripRef>. For, [1.] The gospel of
Christ teaches us to dwell in tabernacles, to sit loose to this
world, as those that have here no continuing city, but by faith,
and hope and holy contempt of present things, to <i>go out to
Christ without the camp,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 13:13,14" id="Lev.xxiv-p21.3" parsed="|Heb|13|13|13|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.13-Heb.13.14">Heb.
xiii. 13, 14</scripRef>. [2.] It teaches us to rejoice before the
Lord our God. Those are the circumcision, Israelites indeed, that
always <i>rejoice in Christ Jesus,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 3:3" id="Lev.xxiv-p21.4" parsed="|Phil|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.3">Phil. iii. 3</scripRef>. And the more we are taken off
from this world the less liable we are to the interruption of our
joys.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p22">II. The summary and conclusion of these
institutions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p23">1. God appointed these feasts (<scripRef passage="Le 23:37,38" id="Lev.xxiv-p23.1" parsed="|Lev|23|37|23|38" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.37-Lev.23.38"><i>v.</i> 37, 38</scripRef>), <i>besides the
sabbaths and your free-will offerings.</i> This teaches us, (1.)
That calls to extraordinary services will not excuse us from our
constant stated performances. Within the days of the feast of
tabernacles there must fall at least one sabbath, which must be as
strictly observed as any other. (2.) That God's institutions leave
room for free-will offerings. Not that we may invent what he never
instituted, but we may repeat what he has instituted, ordinarily,
the oftener the better. God is well pleased with a willing
people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxiv-p24">2. Moses declared them to the children of
Israel, <scripRef passage="Le 23:44" id="Lev.xxiv-p24.1" parsed="|Lev|23|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>. He
let them know what God appointed, and neither more nor less. Thus
Paul delivered to the churches what he had <i>received from the
Lord.</i> We have reason to be thankful that the feasts of the
Lord, declared unto us, are not so numerous, nor the observance of
them so burdensome and costly, as theirs then were, but more
spiritual and significant, and surer sweeter earnests of the
everlasting feast, at the last in-gathering, which we hope to be
celebrating to eternity.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIV" n="xxv" progress="61.38%" prev="Lev.xxiv" next="Lev.xxvi" id="Lev.xxv">
<h2 id="Lev.xxv-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxv-p1">In this chapter we have, I. A repetition of the
laws concerning the lamps and the show-bread, <scripRef passage="Le 24:1-9" id="Lev.xxv-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|24|1|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.1-Lev.24.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II. A violation of the law against
blasphemy, with the imprisonment, trial, condemnation, and
execution, of the blasphemer, <scripRef passage="Le 24:10-14" id="Lev.xxv-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|24|10|24|14" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.10-Lev.24.14">ver.
10-14</scripRef>, with <scripRef passage="Le 24:23" id="Lev.xxv-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|24|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.23">ver.
23</scripRef>. III. The law against blasphemy reinforced (<scripRef passage="Le 24:15,16" id="Lev.xxv-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|24|15|24|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.15-Lev.24.16">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>), with sundry other
laws, <scripRef passage="Le 24:17-23" id="Lev.xxv-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|24|17|24|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.17-Lev.24.23">ver. 17</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 24" id="Lev.xxv-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 24:1-9" id="Lev.xxv-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|24|1|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.1-Lev.24.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.24.1-Lev.24.9">
<h4 id="Lev.xxv-p1.8">Laws Concerning the Lamps. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Command the children of Israel,
that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to
cause the lamps to burn continually. &#160; 3 Without the vail of
the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron
order it from the evening unto the morning before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span> continually: <i>it shall be</i> a statute
for ever in your generations. &#160; 4 He shall order the lamps
upon the pure candlestick before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.3">Lord</span> continually. &#160; 5 And thou shalt take
fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be
in one cake. &#160; 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a
row, upon the pure table before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 7 And thou shalt put pure
frankincense upon <i>each</i> row, that it may be on the bread for
a memorial, <i>even</i> an offering made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 8 Every sabbath he shall set
it in order before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.6">Lord</span>
continually, <i>being taken</i> from the children of Israel by an
everlasting covenant. &#160; 9 And it shall be Aaron's and his
sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it <i>is</i>
most holy unto him of the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p2.7">Lord</span> made by fire by a perpetual statute.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p3">Care is here taken, and orders are given,
for the decent furnishing of the candlestick and table in God's
house.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p4">I. The lamps must always be kept burning.
The law for this we had before, <scripRef passage="Ex 27:20,21" id="Lev.xxv-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|27|20|27|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.27.20-Exod.27.21">Exod. xxvii. 20, 21</scripRef>. It is here repeated,
probably because it now began to be put in execution, when other
things were settled. 1. The people were to provide oil (<scripRef passage="Le 24:2" id="Lev.xxv-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and this, as every thing
else that was to be used in God's service, must be of the best,
<i>pure olive-oil, beaten,</i> probably it was double-strained.
This was to <i>cause the lamps to burn;</i> all our English copies
read it <i>lamps,</i> but in the original it is singular in
<scripRef passage="Le 24:2" id="Lev.xxv-p4.3" parsed="|Lev|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>&#8212;to <i>cause the
lamp to burn;</i> but plural in <scripRef passage="Le 24:4" id="Lev.xxv-p4.4" parsed="|Lev|24|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>&#8212;<i>he shall order the lamps.</i>
The seven lamps made all one lamp, in allusion to which the blessed
Spirit of grace is represented by <i>seven lamps of fire before the
throne</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 4:5" id="Lev.xxv-p4.5" parsed="|Rev|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.5">Rev. iv. 5</scripRef>), for
there are <i>diversities of gifts, but one Spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:4" id="Lev.xxv-p4.6" parsed="|1Cor|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.4">1 Cor. xii. 4</scripRef>. Ministers are as
burning and shining lights in Christ's church, but it is the duty
of people to provide comfortably for them, as Israel for the lamps.
Scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry. 2. The priests
were to tend the lamps; they must snuff them, clean the
candlestick, and supply them with oil, morning and evening,
<scripRef passage="Le 24:3,4" id="Lev.xxv-p4.7" parsed="|Lev|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.3-Lev.24.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. Thus it is
the work of the ministers of the gospel to <i>hold forth that word
of life,</i> not to set up new lights, but, by expounding and
preaching the word, to make the light of it more clear and
extensive. This was the ordinary way of keeping the lamps burning;
but, when the church was poor and in distress, we find its lamps
fed constantly with <i>oil from the good olives</i> immediately,
without the ministry of priest or people (<scripRef passage="Zec 4:2,3" id="Lev.xxv-p4.8" parsed="|Zech|4|2|4|3" osisRef="Bible:Zech.4.2-Zech.4.3">Zech. iv. 2, 3</scripRef>); for, though God has tied us
to means, he has not tied himself to them, but will take effectual
care that his lamp never go out in the world for want of oil.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p5">II. The table must always be kept spread.
This was appointed before, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:30" id="Lev.xxv-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|25|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.30">Exod. xxv.
30</scripRef>. And here also, 1. The table was furnished with
bread; not dainties nor varieties to gratify a luxurious palate,
but twelve loaves or cakes of bread, <scripRef passage="Le 24:5,6" id="Lev.xxv-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|24|5|24|6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.5-Lev.24.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. Where there is plenty of
bread there is no famine; and where bread is not there is no feast.
There was a loaf for every tribe, for <i>in our Father's house
there is bread enough.</i> They were all provided for by the divine
bounty, and were all welcome to the divine grace. Even after the
revolt of the ten tribes this number of loaves was continued
(<scripRef passage="2Ch 13:11" id="Lev.xxv-p5.3" parsed="|2Chr|13|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.11">2 Chron. xiii. 11</scripRef>), for
the sake of those few of each tribe that retained their affection
to the temple and continued their attendance on it. 2. A handful of
frankincense was put in a golden saucer, upon or by each row,
<scripRef passage="Le 24:7" id="Lev.xxv-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. When the bread
was removed, and given to the priests, this frankincense was burnt
upon the golden altar (I suppose) over and above the daily incense:
and this was for a memorial instead of the bread, an offering made
by fire, as the handful of the meat-offering which was burnt upon
the altar is called the <i>memorial thereof,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 2:2" id="Lev.xxv-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.2"><i>ch.</i> ii. 2</scripRef>. Thus a little was accepted as
a humble acknowledgment, and all the loaves were consigned to the
priests. All God's spiritual Israel, typified by the twelve loaves,
are made through Christ a sweet savour to him, and their prayers
are said to come up before God <i>for a memorial,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 10:4" id="Lev.xxv-p5.6" parsed="|Acts|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.10.4">Acts x. 4</scripRef>. The word is borrowed from
the ceremonial law. 3. Every sabbath it was renewed. When the
loaves had stood there a week, the priests had them to eat with
other holy things that were to be eaten in the holy place
(<scripRef passage="Le 24:9" id="Lev.xxv-p5.7" parsed="|Lev|24|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), and new ones
were provided at the public charge, and put in the room of them,
<scripRef passage="Le 24:8" id="Lev.xxv-p5.8" parsed="|Lev|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. The Jews say,
"The hands of those priests that put on were mixed with theirs that
took off, that the table might be never empty, but the bread might
be <i>before the Lord continually.</i>" God is never unprovided for
the entertainment of those that visit him, as men often are,
<scripRef passage="Lu 11:5" id="Lev.xxv-p5.9" parsed="|Luke|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.5">Luke xi. 5</scripRef>. Every one of
those cakes contained two tenth-deals, that is, two omers of fine
flour; just so much manna every Israelite gathered on the sixth day
for the sabbath, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:22" id="Lev.xxv-p5.10" parsed="|Exod|16|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.22">Exod. xvi.
22</scripRef>. Hence some infer that this show-bread, which was set
on the table on the sabbath, was intended as a memorial of the
manna wherewith they were fed in the wilderness. Christ's ministers
should provide new bread for his house every sabbath day, the
production of their fresh studies in the scripture, that <i>their
proficiency may appear to all,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:1,5" id="Lev.xxv-p5.11" parsed="|1Tim|4|1|0|0;|1Tim|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.1 Bible:1Tim.4.5">1
Tim. iv. 1, 5</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 24" id="Lev.xxv-p5.12" parsed="|Lev|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 24:10-23" id="Lev.xxv-p5.13" parsed="|Lev|24|10|24|23" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.10-Lev.24.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.24.10-Lev.24.23">
<h4 id="Lev.xxv-p5.14">The Blasphemy of Shelomith's Son; The
Punishment of Shelomith's Son. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p5.15">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxv-p6">10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose
father <i>was</i> an Egyptian, went out among the children of
Israel: and this son of the Israelitish <i>woman</i> and a man of
Israel strove together in the camp; &#160; 11 And the Israelitish
woman's son blasphemed the name <i>of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.1">Lord</span>,</i> and cursed. And they brought him unto
Moses: (and his mother's name <i>was</i> Shelomith, the daughter of
Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) &#160; 12 And they put him in ward,
that the mind of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.2">Lord</span> might be
showed them. &#160; 13 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.3">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 14 Bring forth him that hath
cursed without the camp; and let all that heard <i>him</i> lay
their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
&#160; 15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. &#160; 16 And he that
blasphemeth the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.4">Lord</span>, he
shall surely be put to death, <i>and</i> all the congregation shall
certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in
the land, when he blasphemeth the name <i>of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.5">Lord</span>,</i> shall be put to death. &#160; 17 And
he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. &#160; 18 And
he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. &#160;
19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done,
so shall it be done to him; &#160; 20 Breach for breach, eye for
eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so
shall it be done to him <i>again.</i> &#160; 21 And he that killeth
a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall
be put to death. &#160; 22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well
for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.6">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 23 And
Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth
him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And
the children of Israel did as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxv-p6.7">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p7">Evil manners, we say, beget good laws. We
have here an account of the evil manners of a certain nameless
mongrel Israelite, and the good laws occasioned thereby.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p8">I. The offender was the son of an Egyptian
father and an Israelitish mother (<scripRef passage="Le 24:10" id="Lev.xxv-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|24|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>); his mother was of the tribe of
Dan, <scripRef passage="Le 24:11" id="Lev.xxv-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|24|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Neither
he nor his father is named, but his mother only, who was an
Israelite. This notice is taken of his parentage either, 1. To
intimate what occasioned the quarrel he was engaged in. The Jews
say, "He offered to set up his tent among the Danites in the right
of his mother, but was justly opposed by some or other of that
tribe, and informed that his father being an Egyptian he had no
part nor lot in the matter, but must look upon himself as a
stranger." Or, 2. To show the common ill effect of such mixed
marriages. When a daughter of Israel would marry an idolatrous
malignant Egyptian, what could be the fruit of such a marriage but
a blasphemer? For the children will be apt to take after the worse
side, whichsoever it is, and will sooner learn of an Egyptian
father to blaspheme than of an Israelitish mother to pray and
praise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p9">II. The occasion of the offence was
contention: He <i>strove with a man of Israel.</i> The mixed
multitude of Egyptians that came up with Israel (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:38" id="Lev.xxv-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|12|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.38">Exod. xii. 38</scripRef>) were in many ways hurtful to
them, and this was one, they were often the authors of strife. The
way to preserve the peace of the church is to preserve the purity
of it. In this strife he broke out into ill language. Note, When
quarrels begin we know not what mischief they will make before they
end, nor how treat a matter a little fire may kindle. When men's
passion is up they are apt to forget both their reason and their
religion, which is a good reason why we should not be apt either to
give or to resent provocation, but leave off strife before it be
meddled with, because the beginning of it is <i>as the letting
forth of water.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p10">III. The offence itself was blasphemy and
cursing, <scripRef passage="Le 24:11" id="Lev.xxv-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|24|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. It
is supposed that his cause came to be heard before the judges, who
determined that he had no right to the privileges of an Israelite,
his father being an Egyptian, and that, being enraged at the
sentence, 1. He <i>blasphemed the name of the Lord.</i> He
blasphemed <i>the name,</i> that is, he blasphemed God, who is
known by his name only, not by his nature, or any similitude. Not
as if God were a mere name, but his is a name above every name. The
translators add <i>of the Lord,</i> which is implied, but not
expressed, in the original, for the greater reverence of the divine
Majesty: it is a shame that it should be found on record that the
very name of Jehovah should be blasphemed; <i>tell it not in
Gath.</i> It is a fond conceit of the superstitious Jews that his
blasphemy was in pronouncing the name of <i>Jehovah,</i> which they
call ineffable: he that made himself known by that name never
forbade the calling of him by that name. It is probable that
finding himself aggrieved by the divine appointment, which
separated between the Israelites and strangers, he impudently
reproached both the law and the Law-maker, and set him at defiance.
2. He cursed either God himself (and then his cursing was the same
with blaspheming) or the person with whom he strove. Imprecations
of mischief are the hellish language of hasty passion, as well as
of rooted malice. Or perhaps he cursed the judges that gave
sentence against him; he flew in the face of the court, and
ridiculed the processes of it; thus he added sin to sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p11">IV. The caution with which he was proceeded
against for this sin. The witnesses or inferior judges brought him
and his case (which was somewhat extraordinary) unto Moses
(<scripRef passage="Le 24:11" id="Lev.xxv-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|24|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), according
to the order settled (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:22" id="Lev.xxv-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|18|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.22">Exod. xviii.
22</scripRef>), and Moses himself would not give judgment hastily,
but committed the offender into custody, till he had consulted the
oracle in this case. Note, Judges must deliberate; both those that
give the verdict and those that give the sentence must consider
diligently what they do, and do nothing rashly, for <i>the judgment
is God's</i> (<scripRef passage="De 1:17" id="Lev.xxv-p11.3" parsed="|Deut|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.17">Deut. i. 17</scripRef>),
and before him there will be a rehearing of the cause. They waited
to know what was <i>the mind of the Lord,</i> whether he was to be
put to death by the hand of the magistrate or to be left to the
judgment of God: or, rather, they wanted to know whether he should
be stoned, as those were to be that only cursed their
<i>parents</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 20:9" id="Lev.xxv-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|20|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.9"><i>ch.</i> xx.
9</scripRef>), or whether, the crime being so much greater, some
sorer punishment should be inflicted on him. Note, Those that sit
in judgment should sincerely desire, and by prayer and the use of
all good means should endeavour to <i>know the mind of the
Lord,</i> because they <i>judge for him</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ch 19:6" id="Lev.xxv-p11.5" parsed="|2Chr|19|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.19.6">2 Chron. xix. 6</scripRef>) and to him they are
accountable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p12">V. Sentence passed upon this offender by
the righteous Judge of heaven and earth himself: <i>Let all the
congregation stone him,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 24:14" id="Lev.xxv-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. God could have cut him off by an immediate stroke
from heaven, but he would put this honour upon the institution of
magistracy to make use of it for the supporting and vindicating of
his own glory in the world. Observe, 1. The place of execution
appointed: <i>Bring him forth without the camp.</i> To signify
their detestation of the crime, they must thus cast out the
criminal as an abominable branch, and separate him from them as an
unclean thing and unworthy a place in the camp of Israel. 2. The
executioners: <i>Let all the congregation</i> do it, to show their
zeal for the honour of God's name. Every man should have a stone to
throw at him that blasphemes God, reckoning himself nearly
concerned in the reproaches cast on God, <scripRef passage="Ps 69:9" id="Lev.xxv-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|69|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.69.9">Ps. lxix. 9</scripRef>. Thus also the greater terror
would be cast upon the congregation; those that once helped to
stone a blasphemer would ever after dread every thing that bordered
upon blasphemy, that looked like it or looked towards it. 3. The
solemnity of the execution; before the congregation stoned him, the
witnesses were to <i>lay their hands upon his head.</i> The Jews
say that this was used in the execution of no criminals but
blasphemers; and that it was done with words to this purport,
"<i>Thy blood be upon thy own head, for thou thyself hast
occasioned it.</i> Let no blame be laid on the law, judges, juries,
or witnesses; <i>if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear
it.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p13">VI. A standing law made upon this occasion
for the stoning of blasphemers, <scripRef passage="Le 24:15,16" id="Lev.xxv-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|24|15|24|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.15-Lev.24.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. Magistrates are the
guardians of both tables, and ought to be as jealous for the honour
of God against those that speak contemptuously of his being and
government as for the public peace and safety against the
disturbers of them. 1. A great stress is laid upon this law, as in
no case to be dispensed with: <i>He shall surely be put to death;
they shall certainly stone him.</i> Those that lightly esteemed
God's honour might think it hard to make a man an offender for a
word (words are but wind); but God would let them know that they
must not make light of such words as these, which come from malice
against God in the heart of him that speaks, and must occasion
either great guilt or great grief to those that hear. 2. It is made
to extend to the strangers that sojourned among them, as well as
those that were born in the land. God never made any law to compel
strangers to be circumcised and embrace the Jewish religion
(proselytes made by force would be no honour to the God of Israel),
but he made a law to restrain strangers from speaking evil of the
God of Israel. 3. He that was put to death for blasphemy is said to
<i>bear his sin,</i> in the punishment of it; no sacrifice being
appointed, on the head of which the sin might be transferred, he
himself was to bear it upon his own head, as a sacrifice to divine
justice. So <i>his own tongue fell upon him</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 64:8" id="Lev.xxv-p13.2" parsed="|Ps|64|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.64.8">Ps. lxiv. 8</scripRef>), and the tongue of a blasphemer
will fall heavily.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p14">VII. A repetition of some other laws
annexed to this new law. 1. That murder should be punished with
death (<scripRef passage="Le 24:17" id="Lev.xxv-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>, and
again <scripRef passage="Le 24:21" id="Lev.xxv-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|24|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>),
according to an ancient law in Noah's time (<scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Lev.xxv-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6">Gen. ix. 6</scripRef>), and the very law of nature,
<scripRef passage="Ge 4:10" id="Lev.xxv-p14.4" parsed="|Gen|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.10">Gen. iv. 10</scripRef>. 2. That maimers
should in like manner be punished by the law of retaliation,
<scripRef passage="Le 24:19,20" id="Lev.xxv-p14.5" parsed="|Lev|24|19|24|20" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.19-Lev.24.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. Not
that men might in these cases be their own avengers, but they might
appeal to the civil magistrate, who should award suffering to the
injurious and satisfaction to the injured as should be thought fit
in proportion to the hurt done. This law we had before, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:4,5" id="Lev.xxv-p14.6" parsed="|Exod|22|4|22|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.4-Exod.22.5">Exod. xxii. 4, 5</scripRef>. And it was more
agreeable to that dispensation, in which were revealed the rigour
of the law and what sin deserved, than to the dispensation we are
under, in which are revealed the grace of the gospel and the
remission of sins: and therefore our Saviour has set aside this law
(<scripRef passage="Mt 5:38,39" id="Lev.xxv-p14.7" parsed="|Matt|5|38|5|39" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.38-Matt.5.39">Matt. v. 38, 39</scripRef>), not to
restrain magistrates from executing public justice, but to restrain
us all from returning personal injuries and to oblige us to forgive
as we are and hope to be forgiven. 3. That hurt done wilfully to a
neighbour's cattle should be punished by making good the damage,
<scripRef passage="Le 24:18,21" id="Lev.xxv-p14.8" parsed="|Lev|24|18|0|0;|Lev|24|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.18 Bible:Lev.24.21"><i>v.</i> 18, 21</scripRef>. Thus
the divine law took not only their lives, but their goods also
under its protection. Those beasts which belonged to no particular
person, but were, as our law speaks, <i>ferae naturae&#8212;of a wild
nature,</i> it was lawful for them to kill; but not those which any
man had a property in. Does God take care for oxen? Yes; for our
sakes he does. 4. That strangers, as well as native Israelites,
should be both entitled to the benefit of this law, so as not to
suffer wrong, and liable to the penalty of this law in case they
did wrong. And, it should seem, this is it that brings in these
laws here, to show how equitable it was that strangers as well as
Israelites should be punished for blasphemy, because strangers as
well as Israelites were punishable for other crimes. And there may
be this further reason for the recognition of these laws here, God
would hereby show what provision he had made for man's safety, in
punishing those that were injurious to him, which should be an
argument with magistrates to be jealous for his honour, and to
punish those that blasphemed his name. If God took care for their
comfort, they ought to take care for his glory.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxv-p15">VIII. The execution of the blasphemer.
Moses did, as it were, sign the warrant or it: He <i>spoke unto the
children of Israel</i> to do it, and they <i>did as the Lord
commanded Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 24:23" id="Lev.xxv-p15.1" parsed="|Lev|24|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.24.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. This teaches that death is the wages of sin, and
that blasphemy in particular is an <i>iniquity to be punished by
the judges.</i> But, if those who thus profane the name of God
escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer
them to escape his righteous judgments. This blasphemer was the
first that died by the law of Moses. Stephen, the first that died
for the gospel, died by the abuse of this law; the martyr and the
malefactor suffered the same death: but how vast the difference
between them!</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXV" n="xxvi" progress="61.76%" prev="Lev.xxv" next="Lev.xxvii" id="Lev.xxvi">
<h2 id="Lev.xxvi-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxvi-p1">The law of this chapter concerns the lands and
estates of the Israelites in Canaan, the occupying and transferring
of which were to be under the divine direction, as well as the
management of religious worship; for, as the tabernacle was a holy
house, so Canaan was a holy land; and upon that account, as much as
any thing, it was the glory of all lands. In token of a peculiar
title which God had to this land, and a right to dispose of it, he
appointed, I. That every seventh year should be a year of rest from
occupying the land, a sabbatical year, <scripRef passage="Le 25:1-7" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|25|1|25|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.1-Lev.25.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. In this God expected from them
extraordinary instances of faith and obedience, and they might
expect from God extraordinary instances of power and goodness in
providing for them, <scripRef passage="Le 25:18-22" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|25|18|25|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.18-Lev.25.22">ver.
18-22</scripRef>. II. That every fiftieth year should be a year of
jubilee, that is, 1. A year of release of debts and mortgages, and
return to the possession of their alienated lands, <scripRef passage="Le 25:8-17" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|25|8|25|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.8-Lev.25.17">ver. 8-17</scripRef>. Particular directions
are given, (1.) Concerning the sale and redemption of lands,
<scripRef passage="Le 25:23-28" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|25|23|25|28" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.23-Lev.25.28">ver. 23-28</scripRef>. (2.) Of
houses in cities and villages, with a proviso for Levite-cities,
<scripRef passage="Le 25:29-34" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|25|29|25|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.29-Lev.25.34">ver. 29-34</scripRef>. 2. A year of
release of servants and bond-slaves. (1.) Here is inserted a law
for the kind usage of poor debtors, <scripRef passage="Le 25:35-38" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|25|35|25|38" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.35-Lev.25.38">ver. 35-38</scripRef>. (2.) Then comes the law for
the discharge of all Israelites that were sold for servants, in the
year of jubilee, if they were not redeemed before. [1.] If they
were sold to Israelites, <scripRef passage="Le 25:39-46" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|25|39|25|46" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.39-Lev.25.46">ver.
39-46</scripRef>. And, [2.] If sold to proselytes, <scripRef passage="Le 25:47-55" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|25|47|25|55" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.47-Lev.25.55">ver. 47-55</scripRef>. All these appointments
have something moral and of perpetual obligation in them, though in
the letter of them they were not only peculiar to the Jews, but to
them only while they were in Canaan.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 25" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 25:1-7" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.10" parsed="|Lev|25|1|25|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.1-Lev.25.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.25.1-Lev.25.7">
<h4 id="Lev.xxvi-p1.11">The Sabbatical Year. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses in Mount Sinai, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land
which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p2.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 3 Six years thou shalt sow
thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather
in the fruit thereof; &#160; 4 But in the seventh year shall be a
sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p2.3">Lord</span>: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor
prune thy vineyard. &#160; 5 That which groweth of its own accord
of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of
thy vine undressed: <i>for</i> it is a year of rest unto the land.
&#160; 6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for
thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired
servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee, &#160; 7
And for thy cattle, and for the beast that <i>are</i> in thy land,
shall all the increase thereof be meat.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p3">The law of Moses laid a great deal of
stress upon the sabbath, the sanctification of which was the
earliest and most ancient of all divine institutions, designed for
the keeping up of the knowledge and worship of the Creator among
men; that law not only revived the observance of the weekly
sabbath, but, for the further advancement of the honour of them,
added the institution of a sabbatical year: <i>In the seventh year
shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:4" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|25|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. And hence the Jews collect that
vulgar tradition that after the world has stood six thousand years
(a thousand years being to God as one day) it shall cease, and the
eternal sabbath shall succeed&#8212;a weak foundation on which to build
the fixing of that day and hour which it is God's prerogative to
know. This sabbatical year began in September, at the end of
harvest, the seventh month of their ecclesiastical year: and the
law was, 1. That at the seed-time, which immediately followed the
end of their in-gathering, they should sow no corn in their land,
and that they should not in the spring dress their vineyards, and
consequently that they should not expect either harvest or vintage
the next year. 2. That what their ground did produce of itself they
should not claim any property or use in, otherwise than from hand
to mouth, but leave it for the poor, servants, strangers, and
cattle, <scripRef passage="Le 25:5-7" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|25|5|25|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.5-Lev.25.7"><i>v.</i> 5-7</scripRef>. It
must be a sabbath of rest to the land; they must neither do any
work about it, nor expect any fruit from it; all annual labours
must be intermitted in the seventh year, as much as daily labours
on the seventh day. The Jews say they "began not to reckon for the
sabbatical year till they had completed the conquest of Canaan,
which was in the eighth year of Joshua; the seventh year after that
was the first sabbatical year, and so the fiftieth year was the
jubilee." This year there was to be a general release of debts
(<scripRef passage="De 15:1,2" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|15|1|15|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.1-Deut.15.2">Deut. xv. 1, 2</scripRef>), and a
public reading of the law in the feast (<scripRef passage="De 31:10,11" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|31|10|31|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.10-Deut.31.11">Deut. xxxi. 10, 11</scripRef>), to make it the more
solemn. Now, (1.) God would hereby show them that he was their
landlord, and that they were tenants at will under him. Landlords
are wont to stipulate with their tenants when they shall break up
their ground, how long they shall till it, and when they shall let
it rest: God would thus give, grant, and convey, that good land to
them, under such provisos and limitations as should let them know
that they were not proprietors, but dependents on their Lord. (2.)
It was a kindness to their land to let it rest sometimes, and would
keep it <i>in heart</i> (as our husbandmen express it) for
posterity, whose satisfaction God would have them to consult, and
not to use the ground as if it were designed only for one age. (3.)
When they were thus for a whole year taken off from all country
business, they would have the more leisure to attend the exercises
of religion, and to get the knowledge of God and his law. (4.) They
were hereby taught to be charitable and generous, and not to
engross all to themselves, but to be willing that others should
share with them in the gifts of God's bounty, which the earth
brought forth of itself. (5.) They were brought to live in a
constant dependence upon the divine providence, finding that, as
man lives not by bread alone, so he has bread, not by his own
industry alone, but, if God pleases, by the word of blessing from
the mouth of God, without any care or pains of man, <scripRef passage="Mt 4:4" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.5" parsed="|Matt|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.4">Matt. iv. 4</scripRef>. (6.) They were reminded of
the easy life man lived in paradise, when he ate of every good
thing, not, as since, in the sweat of his face. Labour and toil
came in with sin. (7.) They were taught to consider how the poor
lived, that did neither sow nor reap, even by the blessing of God
upon a little. (8.) This year of rest typified the spiritual rest
which all believers enter into through Christ, our true Noah, who
giveth us comfort and rest <i>concerning our work, and the toil of
our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 5:29" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.6" parsed="|Gen|5|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.5.29">Gen. v. 29</scripRef>. Through him we
are eased of the burden of worldly care and labour, both being
sanctified and sweetened to us, and we are enabled and encouraged
to live by faith. And, as the fruits of this sabbath of the land
were enjoyed in common, so the salvation wrought out by Christ is a
common salvation; and this sabbatical year seems to have been
revived in the Christian church, when the believers had <i>all
things common,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 2:44" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.7" parsed="|Acts|2|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.44">Acts ii.
44</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 25:8-22" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.8" parsed="|Lev|25|8|25|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.8-Lev.25.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.25.8-Lev.25.22">
<h4 id="Lev.xxvi-p3.9">Institution of the Jubilee; the Year of the
Jubilee. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p3.10">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvi-p4">8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years
unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven
sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. &#160; 9
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the
tenth <i>day</i> of the seventh month, in the day of atonement
shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. &#160; 10
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty
throughout <i>all</i> the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it
shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his
possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. &#160;
11 A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not
sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather
<i>the grapes</i> in it of thy vine undressed. &#160; 12 For it
<i>is</i> the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the
increase thereof out of the field. &#160; 13 In the year of this
jubilee ye shall return every man unto his possession. &#160; 14
And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest <i>ought</i>
of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another: &#160;
15 According to the number of years after the jubilee thou shalt
buy of thy neighbour, <i>and</i> according unto the number of years
of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: &#160; 16 According to the
multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and
according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of
it: for <i>according</i> to the number <i>of the years</i> of the
fruits doth he sell unto thee. &#160; 17 Ye shall not therefore
oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p4.1">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 18
Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do
them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. &#160; 19 And the
land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell
therein in safety. &#160; 20 And if ye shall say, What shall we eat
the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our
increase: &#160; 21 Then I will command my blessing upon you in the
sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years. &#160;
22 And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat <i>yet</i> of old
fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat
<i>of</i> the old <i>store.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p5">Here is, I. The general institution of the
jubilee, <scripRef passage="Le 25:8-22" id="Lev.xxvi-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|25|8|25|22" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.8-Lev.25.22"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p6">1. When it was to be observed: after
<i>seven sabbaths of years</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 25:8" id="Lev.xxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|25|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), whether the forty-ninth or
fiftieth is a great question among learned men: that it should be
the seventh sabbatical year, that is, the forty-ninth (which by a
very common form of speech is called the fiftieth), seems to me
most probable, and is, I think, made pretty clear and the
objections removed by that learned chronologer Calvisius; but this
is not a place for arguing the question. Seven sabbaths of weeks
were reckoned from the passover to the feast of pentecost (or
fiftieth day, for so pentecost signifies), and so seven sabbaths of
years from one jubilee to another, and the seventh is called the
fiftieth; and all this honour is put upon the sevenths for the sake
of God's resting the seventh day from the work of creation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p7">2. How it was to be proclaimed, with sound
of trumpet in all parts of the country (<scripRef passage="Le 25:5" id="Lev.xxvi-p7.1" parsed="|Lev|25|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), both to give notice to all
persons of it, and to express their joy and triumph in it; and the
word <i>jobel,</i> or <i>jubilee,</i> is supposed to signify some
particular sound of the trumpet distinguishable from any other; for
the trumpet that gives an uncertain sound is of little service,
<scripRef passage="1Co 14:8" id="Lev.xxvi-p7.2" parsed="|1Cor|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.14.8">1 Cor. xiv. 8</scripRef>. The trumpet
was sounded in the close of the day of atonement; thence the
jubilee commenced, and very fitly; when they had been humbling and
afflicting their souls for sin, then they were made to hear this
voice of <i>joy and gladness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 11:8" id="Lev.xxvi-p7.3" parsed="|Ps|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.11.8">Ps.
xi. 8</scripRef>. When their peace was made with God, then liberty
was proclaimed; for the removal of guilt is necessary to make way
for the entrance of all true comfort, <scripRef passage="Ro 5:1,2" id="Lev.xxvi-p7.4" parsed="|Rom|5|1|5|2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.5.1-Rom.5.2">Rom. v. 1, 2</scripRef>. In allusion to this solemn
proclamation of the jubilee, it was foretold concerning our Lord
Jesus that he should <i>preach the acceptable year of the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 61:2" id="Lev.xxvi-p7.5" parsed="|Isa|61|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.2">Isa. lxi. 2</scripRef>. He sent his
apostles to proclaim it with the trumpet of the everlasting gospel,
which they were to preach to every creature. And it stands still
foretold that at the last day the trumpet shall sound, which shall
release the dead out of the bondage of the grave, and restore us to
our possessions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p8">3. What was to be done in that year
extraordinary; besides the common rest of the land, which was
observed every sabbatical year (<scripRef passage="Le 25:11,12" id="Lev.xxvi-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|25|11|25|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.11-Lev.25.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>), and the release of
personal debts (<scripRef passage="De 15:2,3" id="Lev.xxvi-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|15|2|15|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.2-Deut.15.3">Deut. xv. 2,
3</scripRef>), there was to be the legal restoration of every
Israelite to all the property, and all the liberty, which had been
alienated from him since the last jubilee; so that never was any
people so secured in their liberty and property (those glories of a
people) as Israel was. Effectual care was taken that while they
kept close to God these should not only not be taken from them by
the violence of others, but not thrown away by their own folly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p9">(1.) The property which every man had in
his dividend of the land of Canaan could not be alienated any
longer than till the year of jubilee, and then he or his should
return to it, and have a title to it as undisputed, and the
possession of it as undisturbed, as ever (<scripRef passage="Le 25:10,13" id="Lev.xxvi-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|25|10|0|0;|Lev|25|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.10 Bible:Lev.25.13"><i>v.</i> 10, 13</scripRef>): "<i>You shall return
every man to his possession;</i> so that if a man had sold or
mortgaged his estate, or any part of it, it should then return to
him or his heirs, free of all charge and encumbrance. Now this was
no wrong to the purchaser, because the year of jubilee was fixed,
and every man knew when it would come, and made his bargain
accordingly. By our law indeed, if lands be granted to a man and
his heirs, upon condition that he should never sell or alienate
them, the grant is good, but the condition is void and repugnant:
<i>Iniquum est ingenuis hominibus</i> (say the lawyers) <i>non esse
liberam rerum suarum alienationem&#8212;It is unjust to prevent free men
from alienating their own possessions.</i> Yet it is agreed in the
books that if the king grant lands to a man in fee upon condition
he shall not alienate, the condition is good. Now God would show
his people Israel that their land was his, and they were his
tenants; and therefore he ties them up that they shall not have
power to sell, but only to make leases for any term of years, not
going beyond the next jubilee. By this means it was provided, [1.]
That their genealogies should be carefully preserved, which would
be of use for clearing our Saviour's pedigree. [2.] That the
distinction of tribes should be kept up; for, though a man might
purchase lands in another tribe, yet he could not retain them
longer than till the year of jubilee, and then they would revert of
course. [3.] That none should grow exorbitantly rich, by laying
<i>house to house, and field to field</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 5:8" id="Lev.xxvi-p9.2" parsed="|Isa|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.5.8">Isa. v. 8</scripRef>), but should rather apply themselves
to the cultivating of what they had than the enlarging of their
possessions. The wisdom of the Roman commonwealth sometimes
provided that no man should be master of above 500 acres. [4.] That
no family should be sunk and ruined, and condemned to perpetual
poverty. This particular care God took for the support of the
honour of that people, and the preserving, not only of that good
land to the nation in general, but of every man's share to his
family in particular, for a perpetual inheritance, that it might
the better typify that good part which shall <i>never be taken
away</i> from those that have it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p10">(2.) The liberty which every man was born
to, if it were sold or forfeited, should likewise return at the
year of jubilee: <i>You shall return every man to his family,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 25:10" id="Lev.xxvi-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|25|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Those that
were sold into other families thereby became strangers to their
own; but in this year of redemption they were to return. This was
typical of our redemption by Christ from the slavery of sin and
Satan, and our restoration to the glorious liberty of the children
of God. Some compute that the very year in which Christ died was a
year of jubilee, and the last that ever was kept. But, however that
be, we are sure it is the Son that <i>makes us free,</i> and then
we are <i>free indeed.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p11">II. A law upon this occasion against
oppression in buying and selling of land; neither the buyer nor the
seller must overreach, <scripRef passage="Le 25:14-17" id="Lev.xxvi-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|25|14|25|17" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.14-Lev.25.17"><i>v.</i>
14-17</scripRef>. In short, the buyer must not give less, nor the
seller take more, than the just value of the thing, considered as
necessarily returning at the year of jubilee. It must be settled
what the clear yearly value of the land was, and then how many
years' purchase it was worth till the year of jubilee. But they
must reckon only <i>the years of the fruits</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 25:15" id="Lev.xxvi-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|25|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), and therefore must discount
for the sabbatical years. It is easy to observe that the nearer the
jubilee was the less must the value of the land be. <i>According to
the fewness of the years thou shalt diminish the price.</i> But we
do not find it so easy practically to infer thence that the nearer
the world comes to its period the less value we should put upon the
things of it: because <i>the time is short,</i> and the <i>fashion
of the world passeth away,</i> let those that <i>buy be as though
they possessed not.</i> One would put little value on an old house,
that is ready to drop down. All bargains ought to be made by this
rule, <i>You shall not oppress one another,</i> nor take advantage
of one another's ignorance or necessity, <i>but thou shalt fear thy
God.</i> Note, The fear of God reigning in the heart would
effectually restrain us from doing any wrong to our neighbour in
word or deed; for, though man be not, God is <i>the avenger</i> of
those that <i>go beyond or defraud</i> their brethren, <scripRef passage="1Th 4:6" id="Lev.xxvi-p11.3" parsed="|1Thess|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.4.6">1 Thess. iv. 6</scripRef>. Perhaps Nehemiah
refers to this very law (<scripRef passage="Ne 5:15" id="Lev.xxvi-p11.4" parsed="|Neh|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.15"><i>ch.</i> v.
15</scripRef>), where he tells us that he did not oppress those he
had under his power, <i>because of the fear of God.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p12">III. Assurance given them that they should
be no losers, but great gainers, by observing these years of rest.
It is promised, 1. That they should be safe: <i>You shall dwell in
the land in safety,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:18" id="Lev.xxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Lev|25|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="Le 25:19" id="Lev.xxvi-p12.2" parsed="|Lev|25|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. The word signifies both outward safety and inward
security and confidence of spirit, that they should be quiet both
from evil and from the fear of evil. 2. That they should be rich:
<i>You shall eat your fill.</i> Note, If we be careful to do our
duty, we may cheerfully trust God with our comfort. 3. That they
should not want food convenient that year in which they did neither
sow nor reap: <i>I will command my blessing in the sixth year, and
it shall bring forth fruit for three years,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:21" id="Lev.xxvi-p12.3" parsed="|Lev|25|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. This was, (1.) A standing
miracle, that, whereas at other times one year did but serve to
bring in another, the productions of the sixth year should serve to
bring in the ninth. Note, The blessing of God upon our provision
will make a little go a great way, and <i>satisfy</i> even <i>the
poor with bread,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 131:15" id="Lev.xxvi-p12.4" parsed="|Ps|131|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.131.15">Ps. cxxxi.
15</scripRef>. (2.) A lasting memorial of the manna which was given
double on the sixth day for two days. (3.) It was intended for an
encouragement to all God's people, in all ages, to trust him in the
way of duty, and to cast their care upon him. There is nothing lost
by faith and self-denial in our obedience.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 25:23-38" id="Lev.xxvi-p12.5" parsed="|Lev|25|23|25|38" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.23-Lev.25.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.25.23-Lev.25.38">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvi-p13">23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the
land <i>is</i> mine; for ye <i>are</i> strangers and sojourners
with me. &#160; 24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall
grant a redemption for the land. &#160; 25 If thy brother be waxen
poor, and hath sold away <i>some</i> of his possession, and if any
of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his
brother sold. &#160; 26 And if the man have none to redeem it, and
himself be able to redeem it; &#160; 27 Then let him count the
years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to
whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession. &#160; 28
But if he be not able to restore <i>it</i> to him, then that which
is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until
the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he
shall return unto his possession. &#160; 29 And if a man sell a
dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a
whole year after it is sold; <i>within</i> a full year may he
redeem it. &#160; 30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of
a full year, then the house that <i>is</i> in the walled city shall
be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his
generations: it shall not go out in the jubilee. &#160; 31 But the
houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be
counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and
they shall go out in the jubilee. &#160; 32 Notwithstanding the
cities of the Levites, <i>and</i> the houses of the cities of their
possession, may the Levites redeem at any time. &#160; 33 And if a
man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the
city of his possession, shall go out in <i>the year of</i> jubilee:
for the houses of the cities of the Levites <i>are</i> their
possession among the children of Israel. &#160; 34 But the field of
the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it <i>is</i> their
perpetual possession. &#160; 35 And if thy brother be waxen poor,
and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: <i>yea,
though he be</i> a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with
thee. &#160; 36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear
thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. &#160; 37 Thou shalt
not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for
increase. &#160; 38 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p13.1">Lord</span> your God, which brought you forth out of
the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, <i>and</i> to be
your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p14">Here is, I. A law concerning the real
estates of the Israelites in the land of Canaan, and the
transferring of them. 1. No land should be sold for ever from the
family to whose lot it fell in the division of the land. And the
reason given is, <i>The land is mine, and you are strangers and
sojourners with me,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:23" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|25|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. (1.) God having a particular propriety in this land,
he would by this restraint keep them sensible of it. The
possessions of good people, who, having given up themselves to God,
have therewith given up all they have to him, are in a particular
manner at his disposal, and his disposal of them must be submitted
to. (2.) They being <i>strangers and sojourners with him</i> in
that land, and having his tabernacle among them, to alienate their
part of that land would be in effect to cut themselves off from
their fellowship and communion with God, of which that was a token
and symbol, for which reason Naboth would rather incur the wrath of
a king than part with the inheritance of his fathers, <scripRef passage="1Ki 21:3" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.2" parsed="|1Kgs|21|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.21.3">1 Kings xxi. 3</scripRef>. 2. If a man was
constrained through poverty to sell his land for the subsistence of
his family, yet, if afterwards he was able, he might redeem it
before the year of jubilee (<scripRef passage="Le 25:24,26,27" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.3" parsed="|Lev|25|24|0|0;|Lev|25|26|0|0;|Lev|25|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.24 Bible:Lev.25.26 Bible:Lev.25.27"><i>v.</i> 24, 26, 27</scripRef>), and the price
must be settled according to the number of years since the sale and
before the jubilee. 3. If the person himself was not able to redeem
it, his next kinsman might (<scripRef passage="Le 25:25" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.4" parsed="|Lev|25|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>): <i>The redeemer thereof, he that is near unto him,
shall come and shall redeem,</i> so it might be read. The kinsman
is called <i>Goel,</i> the redeemer (<scripRef passage="Nu 5:8,Ru 3:9" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.5" parsed="|Num|5|8|0|0;|Ruth|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.8 Bible:Ruth.3.9">Num. v. 8; Ruth iii. 9</scripRef>), to whom
belonged the right of redeeming the land. And this typified Christ,
who assumed our nature, that he might be our <i>kinsman,</i> bone
of our bone and flesh of our flesh, and, being the only kinsman we
have that is able to do it, to him belonged the right of
redemption. As for all our other kinsmen, their shoe must be
plucked off (<scripRef passage="Ru 4:6,7" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.6" parsed="|Ruth|4|6|4|7" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.4.6-Ruth.4.7">Ruth iv. 6,
7</scripRef>); they cannot redeem. But Christ can and hath redeemed
the inheritance which we by sin had forfeited and alienated, and
made a new settlement of it upon all that by faith become allied to
him. We know that this <i>Redeemer liveth,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 19:25" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.7" parsed="|Job|19|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.19.25">Job xix. 25</scripRef>. And some make this duty of the
kinsman to signify the brotherly love that should be among
Christians, inclining them to recover those that are fallen, and to
restore them with the spirit of meekness. 4. If the land was not
redeemed before the year of jubilee, then it should return of
course to him that had sold or mortgaged it: <i>In the jubilee it
shall go out,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:28" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.8" parsed="|Lev|25|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. This was a figure of the free grace of God towards
us in Christ, by which, and not by any price or merit of our own,
we are restored to the favour of God, and become entitled to
paradise, from which our first parents, and we in them, were
expelled for disobedience. 5. A difference was made between houses
in walled cities, and lands in the country, or houses in country
villages. Houses in walled cities were more the fruits of their own
industry than land in the country, which was the immediate gift of
God's bounty; and therefore, if a man sold a house in a city, he
might redeem it any time within a year after the sale, but
otherwise it was confirmed to the purchaser for ever, and should
not return, no, not at the year of the jubilee, <scripRef passage="Le 25:29,30" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.9" parsed="|Lev|25|29|25|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.29-Lev.25.30"><i>v.</i> 29, 30</scripRef>. This provision was made
to encourage strangers and proselytes to come and settle among
them. Though they could not purchase land in Canaan to them and
their heirs, yet they might purchase houses in walled cities, which
would be most convenient for those who were supposed to live by
trade. But country houses could be disposed of no otherwise than as
lands might. 6. A clause is added in favour of the Levites, by way
of exception from these rules. (1.) Dwelling houses in the cities
of the Levites might be redeemed at any time, and, if not redeemed,
should revert in the year of jubilee (<scripRef passage="Le 25:32,33" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.10" parsed="|Lev|25|32|25|33" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.32-Lev.25.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>), because the Levites had
no other possessions than cities and their suburbs, and God would
show that the Levites were his peculiar care; and it was for the
interest of the public that they should not be impoverished, or
wormed out of their inheritances. (2.) The fields adjoining to
their cities (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:4,5" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.11" parsed="|Num|35|4|35|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.4-Num.35.5">Num. xxxv. 4,
5</scripRef>) might not be sold at any time, for they belonged, not
to particular Levites, but to the city of the Levites, as a
corporation, who could not alienate without a wrong to their tribe;
therefore, if any of those fields were sold, the bargain was void,
<scripRef passage="Le 25:34" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.12" parsed="|Lev|25|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. Even the
Egyptians took care to preserve the <i>land of the priests,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 47:22" id="Lev.xxvi-p14.13" parsed="|Gen|47|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.47.22">Gen. xlvii. 22</scripRef>. And there
is no less reason for the taking of the maintenance of the gospel
ministry under the special protection of Christian governments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p15">II. A law for the relief of the poor, and
the tender usage of poor debtors, and these are of more general and
perpetual obligation than the former.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p16">1. The poor must be relieved, <scripRef passage="Le 25:35" id="Lev.xxvi-p16.1" parsed="|Lev|25|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. Here is, (1.) Our
brother's poverty and distress supposed: <i>If thy brother be waxen
poor;</i> not only thy brother by nation as a Jew, but thy brother
by nature as a man, for it follows, <i>though he be a stranger or a
sojourner.</i> All men are to be looked upon and treated as
brethren, for <i>we have all one Father,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 2:10" id="Lev.xxvi-p16.2" parsed="|Mal|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.10">Mal. ii. 10</scripRef>. Though he is poor, yet still he
is thy brother, and is to be loved and owned as a brother. Poverty
does not destroy the relation. Though a son of Abraham, yet he may
wax poor and fall into decay. Note, Poverty and decay are great
grievances, and very common: <i>The poor you have always with
you.</i> (2.) Our duty enjoined: <i>Thou shalt relieve him.</i> By
sympathy, pitying the poor; by service, doing for them; and by
supply, giving to them according to their necessity and thy
ability.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p17">2. Poor debtors must not be oppressed:
<i>If thy brother be waxen poor,</i> and have occasion to borrow
money of thee for the necessary support of his family, <i>take thou
no usury of him,</i> either for money or victuals, <scripRef passage="Le 25:36,37" id="Lev.xxvi-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|25|36|25|37" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.36-Lev.25.37"><i>v.</i> 36, 37</scripRef>. And thus far
this law binds still, but could never be thought binding where
money is borrowed for purchase of lands, trade, or other
improvements; for there it is reasonable that the lender share with
the borrower in the profit. The law here is plainly intended for
the relief of the poor, to whom it is sometimes as great a charity
to lend freely as to give. Observe the arguments here used against
extortion. (1.) God patronizes the poor: "<i>Fear thy God,</i> who
will reckon with thee for all injuries done to the poor: thou
fearest not them, but fear him." (2.) Relieve the poor, <i>that
they may live with thee,</i> and some way or other they may be
serviceable to thee. The rich can as ill spare the hands of the
poor as the poor can the purses of the rich. (3.) The same argument
is used to enforce this precept that prefaces all the ten
commandments: <i>I am the Lord your God which brought you out of
Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:38" id="Lev.xxvi-p17.2" parsed="|Lev|25|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>.
Note, It becomes those that have received mercy to show mercy. If
God has been gracious to us, we ought not to be rigorous with our
brethren.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 25:39-55" id="Lev.xxvi-p17.3" parsed="|Lev|25|39|25|55" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.39-Lev.25.55"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.25.39-Lev.25.55">
<h4 id="Lev.xxvi-p17.4">Oppression of Brethren
Forbidden. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p17.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvi-p18">39 And if thy brother <i>that dwelleth</i> by
thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel
him to serve as a bondservant: &#160; 40 <i>But</i> as an hired
servant, <i>and</i> as a sojourner, he shall be with thee,
<i>and</i> shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee: &#160; 41 And
<i>then</i> shall he depart from thee, <i>both</i> he and his
children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto
the possession of his fathers shall he return. &#160; 42 For they
<i>are</i> my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of
Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. &#160; 43 Thou shalt not
rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God. &#160; 44 Both
thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, <i>shall
be</i> of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye
buy bondmen and bondmaids. &#160; 45 Moreover of the children of
the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and
of their families that <i>are</i> with you, which they begat in
your land: and they shall be your possession. &#160; 46 And ye
shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to
inherit <i>them for</i> a possession; they shall be your bondmen
for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall
not rule one over another with rigour. &#160; 47 And if a sojourner
or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother <i>that dwelleth</i>
by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger <i>or</i>
sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: &#160;
48 After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his
brethren may redeem him: &#160; 49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's
son, may redeem him, or <i>any</i> that is nigh of kin unto him of
his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.
&#160; 50 And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the
year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: and the
price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years,
according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him.
&#160; 51 If <i>there be</i> yet many years <i>behind,</i>
according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption
out of the money that he was bought for. &#160; 52 And if there
remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count
with him, <i>and</i> according unto his years shall he give him
again the price of his redemption. &#160; 53 <i>And</i> as a yearly
hired servant shall he be with him: <i>and the other</i> shall not
rule with rigour over him in thy sight. &#160; 54 And if he be not
redeemed in these <i>years,</i> then he shall go out in the year of
jubilee, <i>both</i> he, and his children with him. &#160; 55 For
unto me the children of Israel <i>are</i> servants; they <i>are</i>
my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvi-p18.1">Lord</span> your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p19">We have here the laws concerning servitude,
designed to preserve the honour of the Jewish nation as a free
people, and rescued by a divine power out of the house of bondage,
into the glorious liberty of God's sons, his first-born. Now the
law is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p20">I. That a native Israelite should never be
made a bondman for perpetuity. If he was sold for debt, or for a
crime, by the house of judgment, he was to serve but six years, and
to go out the seventh; this was appointed, <scripRef passage="Ex 21:2" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.1" parsed="|Exod|21|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.2">Exod. xxi. 2</scripRef>. But if he sold himself through
extreme poverty, having nothing at all left him to preserve his
life, and if it was to one of his own nation that he sold himself,
in such a case it is here provided, 1. That he should not <i>serve
as a bond-servant</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 25:39" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.2" parsed="|Lev|25|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.39"><i>v.</i>
39</scripRef>), nor be <i>sold with the sale of a bondman</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 25:42" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.3" parsed="|Lev|25|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>); that is,
"it must not be looked upon that his master that bought him had as
absolute a property in him as in a captive taken in war, that might
be used, sold, and bequeathed, at pleasure, as much as a man's
cattle; no, he shall serve thee as a <i>hired servant,</i> whom the
master has the use of only, but not a despotic power over." And the
reason is, <i>They are my servants,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:42" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.4" parsed="|Lev|25|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>. God does not make his servants
slaves, and therefore their brethren must not. God had redeemed
them out of Egypt, and therefore they must never be exposed to sale
as bondmen. The apostle applies this spiritually (<scripRef passage="1Co 7:23" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.5" parsed="|1Cor|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.23">1 Cor. vii. 23</scripRef>), <i>You are bought
with a price, be not the servants of men,</i> that is, "of the
lusts of men, no, nor of your own lusts;" for, having <i>become the
servants of God,</i> we must not <i>let sin reign in our mortal
bodies,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 6:12,22" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.6" parsed="|Rom|6|12|0|0;|Rom|6|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.12 Bible:Rom.6.22">Rom. vi. 12,
22</scripRef>. 2. That while he did serve he should not be ruled
with rigour, as the Israelites were in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Le 25:43" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.7" parsed="|Lev|25|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>. Both his work and his usage
must be such as were fitting for a son of Abraham. Masters are
still required to <i>give to their servants that which is just and
equal,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 4:1" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.8" parsed="|Col|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.4.1">Col. iv. 1</scripRef>. They
may be used, but must not be abused. Those masters that are always
hectoring and domineering over their servants, taunting them and
trampling upon them, that are unreasonable in exacting work and
giving rebukes, and that rule them with a high hand, forget that
their Master is in heaven; and what will they do when he rises up?
as holy Job reasons with himself, <scripRef passage="Job 31:13,14" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.9" parsed="|Job|31|13|31|14" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.13-Job.31.14">Job xxxi. 13, 14</scripRef>. 3. That at the year of
jubilee he should <i>go out free,</i> he <i>and his children,</i>
and should <i>return to his own family,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 25:41" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.10" parsed="|Lev|25|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>. This typified our redemption
from the service of sin and Satan by the grace of God in Christ,
whose <i>truth makes us free,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 7:32" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.11" parsed="|John|7|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.32">John
vii. 32</scripRef>. The Jewish writers say that, for ten days
before the jubilee-trumpet sounded, the servants that were to be
discharged by it did express their great joy by feasting, and
wearing garlands on their heads: it is therefore called the
<i>joyful sound,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 89:15" id="Lev.xxvi-p20.12" parsed="|Ps|89|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.15">Ps. lxxxix.
15</scripRef>. And we are thus to rejoice in the liberty we have by
Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p21">II. That they might purchase bondmen of the
heathen nations that were round about them, or of those strangers
that sojourned among them (except of those seven nations that were
to be destroyed); and might claim a dominion over them, and entail
them upon their families as an inheritance, for the year of jubilee
should give no discharge to them, <scripRef passage="Le 25:44,46" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.1" parsed="|Lev|25|44|0|0;|Lev|25|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.44 Bible:Lev.25.46"><i>v.</i> 44, 46</scripRef>. Thus in our English
plantations the <i>negroes</i> only are used as slaves; how much to
the credit of Christianity I shall not say. Now, 1. This authority
which they had over the bondmen whom they purchased from the
neighbouring nations was in pursuance of the blessing of Jacob,
<scripRef passage="Ge 27:29" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.2" parsed="|Gen|27|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.29">Gen. xxvii. 29</scripRef>, <i>Let
people serve thee.</i> 2. It prefigured the bringing in of the
Gentiles to the service of Christ and his church. <i>Ask of me, and
I will give thee the heathen for thy inheritance,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 2:8" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.3" parsed="|Ps|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.2.8">Ps. ii. 8</scripRef>. And it is promised
(<scripRef passage="Isa 61:5" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.4" parsed="|Isa|61|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.5">Isa. lxi. 5</scripRef>), <i>Strangers
shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall
be your vine-dressers;</i> see <scripRef passage="Re 2:26,27" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.5" parsed="|Rev|2|26|2|27" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.26-Rev.2.27">Rev.
ii. 26, 27</scripRef>. <i>The upright shall have the dominion in
the morning,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 49:14" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.6" parsed="|Ps|49|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.14">Ps. xlix.
14</scripRef>. 3. It intimates that none shall have the benefit of
the gospel jubilee but those only that are Israelites indeed, and
the children of Abraham by faith: as for those that continue
heathenish, they continue bondmen. See this turned upon the
unbelieving Jews themselves, <scripRef passage="Ga 4:25" id="Lev.xxvi-p21.7" parsed="|Gal|4|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.25">Gal. iv.
25</scripRef>, where Jerusalem, when she had rejected Christ, is
said to be <i>in bondage with her children.</i> Let me only add
here that, though they are not forbidden to rule their bondmen with
rigour, yet the Jewish doctors say, "It is the property of mercy,
and way of wisdom, that a man should be compassionate, and not make
his yoke heavy upon any servant that he has."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvi-p22">III. That if an Israelite sold himself for
a servant to a wealthy proselyte that sojourned among them care
should be taken that he should have the same advantages as if he
had sold himself to an Israelite, and in some respects greater. 1.
That he should not serve as a bondman, but as a hired servant, and
not to be <i>ruled with rigour</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 25:53" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.1" parsed="|Lev|25|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.53"><i>v.</i> 53</scripRef>), <i>in thy sight,</i> which
intimated that the Jewish magistrates should particularly have an
eye to him, and, if he were abused, should take cognizance of it,
and redress his grievances, though the injured servant did not
himself complain. Also he was to go free at the year of jubilee,
<scripRef passage="Le 25:54" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.2" parsed="|Lev|25|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.54"><i>v.</i> 54</scripRef>. Though the
sons of strangers might serve them for ever, yet the sons of Israel
might not serve strangers for ever; yet the servant here, having
made himself a slave by his own act and deed, should not go out in
the seventh year of release, but in the jubilee only. 2. That he
should have this further advantage that he might be redeemed again
before the year of jubilee, <scripRef passage="Le 25:48,49" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.3" parsed="|Lev|25|48|25|49" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.48-Lev.25.49"><i>v.</i> 48, 49</scripRef>. He that had sold himself
to an Israelite might, if ever he was able, redeem himself, but his
relations had no right to redeem him. "But if a man sold himself to
a stranger," the Jews say, "his relations were urged to redeem him;
if they did not, it was fit that he should be redeemed at the
public charge," which we find done, <scripRef passage="Ne 5:8" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.4" parsed="|Neh|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.8">Neh.
v. 8</scripRef>. The price of his ransom was to be computed
according to the prospect of the year of jubilee (<scripRef passage="Le 25:50-52" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.5" parsed="|Lev|25|50|25|52" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.50-Lev.25.52"><i>v.</i> 50-52</scripRef>), as in the
redemption of land, <scripRef passage="Le 25:15,16" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.6" parsed="|Lev|25|15|25|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.15-Lev.25.16"><i>v.</i> 15,
16</scripRef>. The learned bishop Patrick quotes one of the Jewish
rabbin for an evangelical exposition of that appointment (<scripRef passage="Le 25:48" id="Lev.xxvi-p22.7" parsed="|Lev|25|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.25.48"><i>v.</i> 48</scripRef>), <i>One of his brethren
shall redeem him.</i> "This Redeemer," says the rabbi, "<i>is the
Messiah, the Son of David.</i>" They expected this Messiah to be
their Redeemer out of their captivity, and to restore them to their
own land again; but we welcome him as the Redeemer who shall come
to Zion, and shall <i>turn away ungodliness from Jacob,</i> for he
shall <i>save his people from their sins;</i> and under this notion
there were those that <i>looked for redemption in
Jerusalem.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVI" n="xxvii" progress="62.52%" prev="Lev.xxvi" next="Lev.xxviii" id="Lev.xxvii">
<h2 id="Lev.xxvii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxvii-p1">This chapter is a solemn conclusion of the main
body of the levitical law. The precepts that follow in this and the
following book either relate to some particular matters or are
repetitions and explications of the foregoing institutions. Now
this chapter contains a general enforcement of all those laws by
promises of reward in case of obedience on the one hand, and
threatenings of punishment for disobedience on the other hand, the
former to work upon hope, the latter on fear, those two handles of
the soul, by which it is taken hold of and managed. Here is, I. A
repetition of two or three of the principal of the commandments,
<scripRef passage="Le 26:1,2" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|26|1|26|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.1-Lev.26.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. An inviting
promise of all good things, if they would but keep God's
commandments, <scripRef passage="Le 26:3-13" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|26|3|26|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.3-Lev.26.13">ver. 3-13</scripRef>.
III. A terrible threatening of ruining judgments which would be
brought upon them if they were refractory and disobedient,
<scripRef passage="Le 26:14-39" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|26|14|26|39" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.14-Lev.26.39">ver. 14-39</scripRef>. IV. A
gracious promise of the return of mercy to those of them that would
repent and reform, <scripRef passage="Le 26:40-46" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|26|40|26|46" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.40-Lev.26.46">ver.
40</scripRef>, &amp;c. <scripRef passage="De 28:1-20" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|28|1|28|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.1-Deut.28.20">Deut.
xxviii</scripRef> is parallel to this.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 26" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 26:1-13" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|26|1|26|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.1-Lev.26.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.26.1-Lev.26.13">
<h4 id="Lev.xxvii-p1.8">Promises. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvii-p2">1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image,
neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up
<i>any</i> image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> your God. &#160;
2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p2.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 3 If ye
walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; &#160;
4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield
her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
&#160; 5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the
vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your
bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. &#160; 6 And I
will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall
make <i>you</i> afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land,
neither shall the sword go through your land. &#160; 7 And ye shall
chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
&#160; 8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of
you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall
before you by the sword. &#160; 9 For I will have respect unto you,
and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant
with you. &#160; 10 And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the
old because of the new. &#160; 11 And I will set my tabernacle
among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. &#160; 12 And I will
walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
&#160; 13 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p2.3">Lord</span> your
God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye
should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your
yoke, and made you go upright.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p3">Here is, I. The inculcating of those
precepts of the law which were of the greatest consequence, and by
which were of the greatest consequence, and by which especially
their obedience would be tried, <scripRef passage="Le 26:1,2" id="Lev.xxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|26|1|26|2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.1-Lev.26.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. They are the abstract of the
second and fourth commandments, which, as they are by much the
largest in the decalogue, so they are most frequently insisted on
in other parts of the law. As, when a master has given many things
in charge to his servant, he concludes with the repetition of those
things which were of the greatest importance, and which the servant
was most in danger of neglecting, bidding him, whatever he did, be
sure to remember those, so here God by Moses, after many precepts,
closes all with a special charge to observe these two great
commandments. 1. "Be sure you never worship images, nor ever make
any sort of images or pictures for a religious use," <scripRef passage="Le 26:1" id="Lev.xxvii-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|26|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. No sin was more provoking
to God than this, and yet there was none that they were more
addicted to, and which afterwards proved of more pernicious
consequence to them. Next to God's being, unity, and universal
influence, it is necessary that we know and believe that he is an
infinite Spirit; and therefore to represent him by an image in the
making of it, to confine him to an image in the consecrating of it,
and to worship him by an image in bowing down to it, <i>changes his
truth into a lie</i> and <i>his glory into shame,</i> as much as
any thing. 2. "Be sure you keep up a great veneration for sabbaths
and religious assemblies," <scripRef passage="Le 26:2" id="Lev.xxvii-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|26|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. As nothing tends more to corrupt religion than the
use of images in devotion, so nothing contributes more to the
support of it than <i>keeping the sabbaths</i> and <i>reverencing
the sanctuary.</i> These make up very much of the instrumental part
of religion, by which the essentials of it are kept up. Therefore
we find in the prophets that, next to the sin of idolatry, there is
no sin for which the Jews are more frequently reproved and
threatened than the profanation of the sabbath day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p4">II. Great encouragements given them to live
in constant obedience to all God's commandments, largely and
strongly assuring them that if they did so they should be a happy
people, and should be blessed with all the good things they could
desire. Human governments enforce their laws with penalties to be
inflicted for the breach of them; but God will be known as <i>the
rewarder of those that seek and serve him.</i> Let us take a view
of these great and precious promises, which, though they relate
chiefly to the life which now is, and to the public national
concerns of that people, were typical of the spiritual blessings
entailed by the covenant of grace upon all believers through
Christ. 1. Plenty and abundance of the fruits of the earth. They
should have seasonable rain, neither too little nor too much, but
what was requisite for their land, which was watered with the dew
of heaven (<scripRef passage="De 11:10,11" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|11|10|11|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.10-Deut.11.11">Deut. xi. 10,
11</scripRef>), that it might <i>yield its increase,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:4" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|26|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. The dependence which the
fruitfulness of the earth beneath has upon the influences of heaven
above is a sensible intimation to us that every good and perfect
gift must be expected <i>from above,</i> from the <i>Father of
lights.</i> It is promised that the earth should produce its fruits
in such great abundance that they would be kept in full employment,
during both the harvest and the vintage, to gather it in, <scripRef passage="Le 26:5" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.3" parsed="|Lev|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Before they had reaped
their corn and threshed it, the vintage would be ready; and, before
they had finished their vintage, it would be high time to begin
their sowing. Long harvests are often with us the consequences of
bad weather, but with them they should be the effects of a great
increase. This signified the abundance of grace which should be
poured out in gospel times, when the <i>ploughman should overtake
the reaper</i> (<scripRef passage="Am 9:13" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.4" parsed="|Amos|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.9.13">Amos ix.
13</scripRef>), and a great harvest of souls should be gathered in
to Christ. The plenty should be so great that they should <i>bring
forth the old</i> to be given away to the poor <i>because of the
new,</i> to make room for it in their barns, which yet they would
not <i>pull down to build greater,</i> as that rich fool (<scripRef passage="Lu 12:18" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.5" parsed="|Luke|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.18">Luke xii. 18</scripRef>), for God gave them this
abundance to be laid out, not be hoarded up from one year to
another. <i>He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 11:26" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.6" parsed="|Prov|11|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.11.26">Prov. xi. 26</scripRef>. That
promise (<scripRef passage="Mal 3:10" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.7" parsed="|Mal|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.10">Mal. iii. 10</scripRef>),
<i>I will pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room
enough to receive it,</i> explains this, <scripRef passage="Le 26:10" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.8" parsed="|Lev|26|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. And that which crowns this
blessing of plenty is (<scripRef passage="Le 26:5" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.9" parsed="|Lev|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), You shall <i>eat your bread to the full,</i> which
intimates that they should have, not only abundance, but content
and satisfaction in it. They should have enough, and should know
when they had enough. Thus <i>the meek shall eat and be
satisfied,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 22:26" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.10" parsed="|Ps|22|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.26">Ps. xxii.
26</scripRef>. 2. Peace under the divine protection; "<i>You shall
dwell in your land safely</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:5" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.11" parsed="|Lev|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>); both really save, and safe in
your own apprehensions; you shall lie down to rest in the power and
promise of God, and not only none shall hurt you, but none shall so
much as <i>make you afraid,</i>" <scripRef passage="Le 26:6" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.12" parsed="|Lev|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Ps 4:8" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.13" parsed="|Ps|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.4.8">Ps. iv. 8</scripRef>. They should not be infested with
wild beasts, these should be <i>rid out of the land,</i> or, as it
is promised (<scripRef passage="Job 5:23" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.14" parsed="|Job|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.5.23">Job v. 23</scripRef>),
should <i>be at peace with them.</i> Nor should they be terrified
with the alarms of war: <i>Neither shall the sword go through your
land.</i> This holy security is promised to all the faithful,
<scripRef passage="Ps 91:1-16" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.15" parsed="|Ps|91|1|91|16" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.1-Ps.91.16">Ps. xci. 1</scripRef>, &amp;c. Those
must needs dwell in safety that <i>dwell in God,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 9:18,19" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.16" parsed="|Job|9|18|9|19" osisRef="Bible:Job.9.18-Job.9.19">Job ix. 18, 19</scripRef>. 3. Victory and
success in their wars abroad, while they had peace and tranquility
at home, <scripRef passage="Le 26:7,8" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.17" parsed="|Lev|26|7|26|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.7-Lev.26.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>.
They are assured that the hand of God should so signally appear
with them in their conquests that no disproportion of numbers
should make against them: <i>Five of you</i> shall have courage to
attack, and strength to <i>chase</i> and defeat, <i>a hundred,</i>
as Jonathan did (<scripRef passage="1Sa 14:12" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.18" parsed="|1Sam|14|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.12">1 Sam. xiv.
12</scripRef>), experiencing the truth of his own maxim (<scripRef passage="Le 26:6" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.19" parsed="|Lev|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), that it is all one with
the Lord to <i>save by many or by few.</i> 4. The increase of their
people: <i>I will make you fruitful and multiply you,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:9" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.20" parsed="|Lev|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Thus the promise made to
Abraham must be fulfilled, that his seed should be <i>as the dust
of the earth;</i> and much more numerous they would have been if
they had by their sin cut themselves short. It is promised to the
gospel church that it shall be fruitful, <scripRef passage="Joh 15:16" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.21" parsed="|John|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.15.16">John xv. 16</scripRef>. 5. The favour of God, which is
the fountain of all good: <i>I will have respect unto you,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 26:9" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.22" parsed="|Lev|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. If the eye of
our faith be unto God, the eye of his favour will be unto us. More
is implied than is expressed in that promise, <i>My soul shall not
abhor you</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:11" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.23" parsed="|Lev|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), as there is in that threatening, <i>My soul shall
have no pleasure in him,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:38" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.24" parsed="|Heb|10|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.38">Heb. x.
38</scripRef>. Though there was that among them which might justly
have alienated him from them, yet, if they would closely adhere to
his institutions, he would not abhor them. 6. Tokens of his
presence in and by his ordinances: <i>I will set my tabernacle
among you,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:11" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.25" parsed="|Lev|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. It was their honour and advantage that God's
tabernacle was lately erected among them; but here he lets them
know that the continuance and establishment of it depended upon
their good behaviour. The tabernacle that was now set should be
settled if they would be obedient, else not. Note, The way to have
God's ordinances fixed among us, as a nail in a sure place, is to
cleave closely to the institution of them. It is added (<scripRef passage="Le 26:12" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.26" parsed="|Lev|26|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), "<i>I will walk among
you,</i> with delight and satisfaction, as a man in his garden; I
will keep up communion with you as a man walking with his friend."
This seems to be alluded to, <scripRef passage="Re 2:1" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.27" parsed="|Rev|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.1">Rev. ii.
1</scripRef>, where Christ is said to <i>walk in the midst of the
golden candlesticks.</i> 7. The grace of the covenant, as the
fountain and foundation, the sweetness and security, of all these
blessings: <i>I will establish my covenant with you,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:9" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.28" parsed="|Lev|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Let them perform their
part of the covenant, and God would not fail to perform his. All
covenant-blessings are summed up in the covenant-relation
(<scripRef passage="Le 26:12" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.29" parsed="|Lev|26|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): <i>I will
be your God, and you shall be my people;</i> and they are all
grounded upon their redemption: <i>I am your God,</i> because <i>I
brought you forth out of the land of Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:13" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.30" parsed="|Lev|26|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Having purchased them, he would
own them, and never cast them off till they cast him off. He
<i>broke their yoke,</i> and <i>made them go upright,</i> that is,
their deliverance out of Egypt put them in a state both of ease and
honour, that, being delivered out of the hands of their enemies,
they might <i>serve God without fear,</i> each walking <i>in his
uprightness.</i> When Israel rejected Christ, and was therefore
rejected by him, their back is said to be <i>bowed down</i> always
under the burden of their guilt, which was heavier than that of
their bondage in Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ro 11:10" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.31" parsed="|Rom|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.10">Rom. xi.
10</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 26" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.32" parsed="|Lev|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 26:14-39" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.33" parsed="|Lev|26|14|26|39" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.14-Lev.26.39"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.26.14-Lev.26.39">
<h4 id="Lev.xxvii-p4.34">Threatenings. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p4.35">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvii-p5">14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will
not do all these commandments; &#160; 15 And if ye shall despise my
statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not
do all my commandments, <i>but</i> that ye break my covenant:
&#160; 16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over
you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume
the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in
vain, for your enemies shall eat it. &#160; 17 And I will set my
face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they
that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none
pursueth you. &#160; 18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken
unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
&#160; 19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make
your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: &#160; 20 And your
strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her
increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
&#160; 21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken
unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according
to your sins. &#160; 22 I will also send wild beasts among you,
which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and
make you few in number; and your <i>high</i> ways shall be
desolate. &#160; 23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these
things, but will walk contrary unto me; &#160; 24 Then will I also
walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for
your sins. &#160; 25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall
avenge the quarrel of <i>my</i> covenant: and when ye are gathered
together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you;
and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. &#160; 26
<i>And</i> when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women
shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver
<i>you</i> your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be
satisfied. &#160; 27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto
me, but walk contrary unto me; &#160; 28 Then I will walk contrary
unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times
for your sins. &#160; 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons,
and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. &#160; 30 And I will
destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your
carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor
you. &#160; 31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your
sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of
your sweet odours. &#160; 32 And I will bring the land into
desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be
astonished at it. &#160; 33 And I will scatter you among the
heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall
be desolate, and your cities waste. &#160; 34 Then shall the land
enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye <i>be</i>
in your enemies' land; <i>even</i> then shall the land rest, and
enjoy her sabbaths. &#160; 35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall
rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon
it. &#160; 36 And upon them that are left <i>alive</i> of you I
will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their
enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they
shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none
pursueth. &#160; 37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it
were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power
to stand before your enemies. &#160; 38 And ye shall perish among
the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. &#160;
39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity
in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers
shall they pine away with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p6">After God had set the blessing before them
(the life and good which would make them a happy people if they
would be obedient), he here sets the curse before them, the death
and evil which would make them as miserable if they were
disobedient. Let them not think themselves so deeply rooted as that
God's power could not ruin them, nor so highly favoured as that his
justice would not ruin them if they revolted from him and rebelled
against him; no <i>You only have I known, therefore I will punish
you</i> soonest and sorest. <scripRef passage="Am 3:2" id="Lev.xxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Amos|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.3.2">Amos iii.
2</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p7">I. How their sin is described, which would
bring all this misery upon them. Not sins of ignorance and
infirmity; God had provided sacrifices for those. Not the sins they
repented of and forsook; but the sins that were presumptuously
committed, and obstinately persisted in. Two things would certainly
bring this ruin upon them:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p8">1. A contempt of God's commandments
(<scripRef passage="Le 26:14" id="Lev.xxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|26|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): "<i>If you
will not hearken to me</i> speaking to you by the law, nor <i>do
all these commandments,</i> that is, desire and endeavour to do
them, and, wherein you miss it, make use of the prescribed
remedies." Thus their sin is supposed to begin in mere
carelessness, and neglect, and omission. These are bad enough, but
they make way for worse; for the people are brought in (<scripRef passage="Le 26:15" id="Lev.xxvii-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|26|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) as, (1.) <i>Despising
God's statutes,</i> both the duties enjoined and the authority
enjoining them, thinking meanly of the law and the Law-maker. Note,
Those are hastening apace to their own ruin who begin to think it
below them to be religious. (2.) <i>Abhorring his judgments,</i>
their very souls abhorring them. Note, Those that begin to despise
religion will come by degrees to loathe it; and mean thoughts of it
will ripen into ill thoughts of it; those that turn from it will
turn against it, and their hearts will rise at it. (3.) <i>Breaking
his covenant.</i> Though every breach of the commandment does not
amount to a breach of the covenant (we were undone if it did), yet,
when men have come to such a pitch of impiety as to despise and
abhor the commandment, the next step will be to disown God, and all
relation to him. Those that reject the precept will come at last to
renounce the covenant. Observe, It is God's covenant which they
break: he made it, but they break it. Note, If a covenant be made
and kept between God and man, God must have all the honour; but, if
ever it be broken, man must bear all the blame: on him shall this
breach be.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p9">2. A contempt of his corrections. Even
their disobedience would not have been their destruction if they
had not been obstinate and impenitent in it, notwithstanding the
methods God took to reclaim them. Their contempt of God's word
would not have brought them to ruin, if they had not added to that
a contempt of his rod, which should have brought them to
repentance. Three ways this is expressed:&#8212;(1.) "<i>If you will
not for all this hearken to me,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:18,21,27" id="Lev.xxvii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|26|18|0|0;|Lev|26|21|0|0;|Lev|26|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.18 Bible:Lev.26.21 Bible:Lev.26.27"><i>v.</i> 18, 21, 27</scripRef>. If you will not
learn obedience by the things which you suffer, but be as deaf to
the loud alarms of God's judgments as you have been to the close
reasonings of his word and the secret whispers of your own
consciences, you are obstinate indeed." (2.) "<i>If you walk
contrary to me,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:21,23,27" id="Lev.xxvii-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|26|21|0|0;|Lev|26|23|0|0;|Lev|26|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.21 Bible:Lev.26.23 Bible:Lev.26.27"><i>v.</i>
21, 23, 27</scripRef>. All sinners walk contrary to God, to his
truths, laws, and counsels; but those especially that are
incorrigible under his judgments. The design of the rod is to
humble them, and soften them, and bring them to repentance; but,
instead of this, their hearts are more hardened and exasperated
against God, and <i>in their distress</i> they <i>trespass yet more
against him,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 28:22" id="Lev.xxvii-p9.3" parsed="|2Chr|28|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.28.22">2 Chron. xxviii.
22</scripRef>. This is walking contrary to God. Some read it, "If
you walk at all adventures with me, carelessly and presumptuously,
as if you heeded not either what you do, whether it be right or
wrong, or what God does with you, whether it be for you or against
you, blundering on in wilful ignorance." (3.) <i>If you will not be
reformed by these things.</i> God's design in punishing is to
reform, by giving men sensible convictions of the evil of sin, and
obliging them to seek unto him for relief: this is the primary
intention; but those that will not be reformed by the judgments of
God must expect to be ruined by them. Those have a great deal to
answer for that have been long and often under God's correcting
hand, and yet go on frowardly in a sinful way; sick and in pain,
and yet not reformed; crossed and impoverished, and yet not
reformed; broken with breach upon breach, yet <i>not returning to
the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 4:6" id="Lev.xxvii-p9.4" parsed="|Amos|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.4.6">Amos iv. 6</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p10">II. How the misery is described which their
sin would bring upon them, under two heads:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p11">1. God himself would be against them; and
this is the root and cause of all their misery. (1.) <i>I will set
my face against you</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:17" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|26|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>), that is, "I will set myself against you, set myself
to ruin you." These proud sinners God will resist, and face those
down that confront his authority. Or the face is put for the anger:
"I will show myself highly displeased at you." (2.) <i>I will walk
contrary to you</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:24,28" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|26|24|0|0;|Lev|26|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.24 Bible:Lev.26.28"><i>v.</i> 24,
28</scripRef>); <i>with the forward he will wrestle,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 28:26" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.3" parsed="|Ps|28|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.28.26">Ps. xxviii. 26</scripRef> [margin]. When God in
his providence thwarts the designs of a people, which they thought
well laid, crosses their purposes, breaks their measures, blasts
their endeavours, and disappoints their expectations, then he walks
contrary to them. Note, There is nothing got by striving with God
Almighty, for he will break either the heart or the neck of those
that contend with him, will bring them either to repentance or
ruin. "I will walk at all adventures with you," so some read; "all
covenant loving-kindness shall be forgotten, and I will leave you
to common providence." Note, Those that cast off God deserve that
he should cast them off. (3.) As they continued obstinate, the
judgments should increase yet more upon them. If the first sensible
tokens of God's displeasures do not attain their end, to humble and
reform them, then (<scripRef passage="Le 26:18" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|26|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>), <i>I will punish you seven times more,</i> and
again (<scripRef passage="Le 26:21" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.5" parsed="|Lev|26|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), <i>I
will bring seven times more plagues,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Le 26:24" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.6" parsed="|Lev|26|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), <i>I will punish you yet seven
times,</i> and (<scripRef passage="Le 26:28" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.7" parsed="|Lev|26|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>), <i>I, even I, will chastise you seven times for
your sins.</i> Note, If less judgments do not do their work, God
will send greater; for, when he <i>judges, he will overcome.</i> If
true repentance do not stay process, it will go on till execution
be taken out. Those that are obstinate and incorrigible, when they
have weathered one storm must expect another more violent; and, how
severely soever they are punished, till they are in hell they must
still say, "There is worse behind," unless they repent. If the
<i>founder have</i> hitherto <i>melted in vain</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 6:29" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.8" parsed="|Jer|6|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.6.29">Jer. vi. 29</scripRef>), the furnace will be
heated <i>seven times hotter</i> (a proverbial expression, used
<scripRef passage="Da 3:19" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.9" parsed="|Dan|3|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.3.19">Dan. iii. 19</scripRef>), and again and
again <i>seven times hotter;</i> and who among us can dwell with
such devouring fire? God does not begin with the sorest judgments,
to show that he is patient, and delights not in the death of
sinners; but, if they repent not, he will proceed to the sorest, to
show that he is righteous, and that he will not be mocked or set at
defiance. (4.) Their misery is completed in that threatening: <i>My
soul shall abhor you,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:30" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.10" parsed="|Lev|26|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>. That man is as miserable as he can be whom God
abhors; for his resentments are just and effective. Thus <i>if any
man draw back,</i> as these are supposed to do, <i>God's soul shall
have no pleasure in him</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:38" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.11" parsed="|Heb|10|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.38">Heb. x.
38</scripRef>), and he will <i>spue them out of his mouth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Re 3:16" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.12" parsed="|Rev|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.16">Rev. iii. 16</scripRef>. It is spoken
of as strange, and yet too true, <i>Hath thy soul loathed Zion?</i>
<scripRef passage="Jer 14:19" id="Lev.xxvii-p11.13" parsed="|Jer|14|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.14.19">Jer. xiv. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p12">2. The whole creation would be at war with
them. All God's sore judgments would be sent against them; for he
hath many arrows in his quiver. The threatenings here are very
particular, because really they were prophecies, and he that
foresaw all their rebellions knew they would prove so; see
<scripRef passage="De 31:16,29" id="Lev.xxvii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|31|16|0|0;|Deut|31|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.16 Bible:Deut.31.29">Deut. xxxi. 16, 29</scripRef>. This
long roll of threatening shows that evil pursues sinners. We have
here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p13">(1.) Temporal judgments threatened. [1.]
Diseases of body, which should be epidemical: <i>I will appoint
over you,</i> as task-masters, to rule you with rigour, <i>terror,
consumption, and the burning ague,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:16" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|26|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. What we translate
<i>terror,</i> some think, signifies a particular disease, probably
(says the learned bishop Patrick) the <i>falling sickness,</i>
which is terror indeed: all chronical diseases are included in the
consumption, and all acute diseases in the burning ague or fever.
These consume the eyes, and cause sorrow both to those that are
visited with them and to their friends and relations. Note, All
diseases are God's servants; they do what he appoints them, and are
often used as scourges wherewith he chastises a provoking people.
The pestilence is threatened (<scripRef passage="Le 26:25" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.2" parsed="|Lev|26|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>) to meet them, when they are
gathered together in their cities for fear of the sword. The
greater the concourse of people is, the greater desolation does the
pestilence make; and, when it gets among the soldiers that should
defend a place, it is of most fatal consequence. [2.] Famine and
scarcity of bread, which should be brought upon them several ways;
as, <i>First,</i> By plunder (<scripRef passage="Le 26:16" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.3" parsed="|Lev|26|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>Your enemies shall eat
it</i> up, and carry it off as the Midianites did, <scripRef passage="Jdg 6:5,6" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.4" parsed="|Judg|6|5|6|6" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.5-Judg.6.6">Judg. vi. 5, 6</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> By
unseasonable weather, especially the want of rain (<scripRef passage="Le 26:19" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.5" parsed="|Lev|26|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>I will make your
heaven as iron,</i> letting fall no rain, but reflecting heat, and
then the earth would of course be as dry and hard <i>as brass,</i>
and their labour in ploughing and sowing would <i>be in vain</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 26:20" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.6" parsed="|Lev|26|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>); for the
increase of the earth depends upon God's good providence more than
upon man's good husbandry. This should be the breaking of the
<i>staff of bread</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:26" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.7" parsed="|Lev|26|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>), which life leans upon, and is supported by, on
which perhaps they had leaned more than upon God's blessing. There
should be so great a dearth of corn that, whereas every family used
to fill an oven of their own with household bread, now ten families
should have to fill but one over, which would bring themselves and
their children and servants to short allowance, so that they should
<i>eat and not be satisfied.</i> The less they had the more craving
should their appetites be. <i>Thirdly,</i> By the besieging of
their cities, which would reduce them to such an extremity that
they should <i>eat the flesh of their sons and daughters,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 26:29" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.8" parsed="|Lev|26|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. [3.] War, and
the prevailing of their enemies over them: "<i>You shall be slain
before your enemies,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:17" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.9" parsed="|Lev|26|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. Your choice men shall die in battle, and <i>those
that hate you shall reign over you,</i> and justly, since you are
not willing that the God that loved you should reign over you;"
<scripRef passage="2Ch 12:8" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.10" parsed="|2Chr|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.12.8">2 Chron. xii. 8</scripRef>. Miserable
is that people whose enemies are their rulers and have got dominion
over them, or whose rulers have become their enemies and under-hand
seek the ruin of their interests. Thus God would <i>break the pride
of their power,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:19" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.11" parsed="|Lev|26|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. God had given them power over the nations; but when
they, instead of being thankful for that power, and improving it
for the service of God's kingdom, grew proud of it, and perverted
the intentions of it, it was just with God to break it. Thus God
would <i>bring a sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his
covenant,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:25" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.12" parsed="|Lev|26|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>.
Note, God has a just quarrel with those that break covenant with
him, for he will not be mocked by the treachery of perfidious men;
and one way or other he will avenge this quarrel upon those that
play at fast and loose with him. [4.] Wild beasts, lions, bears,
and wolves, which should increase upon them, and tear in pieces all
that come in their way (<scripRef passage="Le 26:22" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.13" parsed="|Lev|26|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), as we read of two bears that in an instant killed
forty-two children, <scripRef passage="2Ki 2:24" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.14" parsed="|2Kgs|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.2.24">2 Kings ii.
24</scripRef>. This is one of the four sore judgments threatened
<scripRef passage="Eze 14:21" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.15" parsed="|Ezek|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.21">Ezek. xiv. 21</scripRef>, which
plainly refers to this chapter. Man was made to have dominion over
the creatures, and, though many of them are stronger than he, yet
none of them could have hurt him, nay, all of them would have
served him, if he had not first shaken off God's dominion, and so
lost his own; and now the creatures are in rebellion against him
that is in rebellion against his Maker, and, when the Lord of those
hosts pleases, they are the executioners of his wrath and the
ministers of his justice. [5.] Captivity, or dispersion: <i>I will
scatter you among the heathen</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:33" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.16" parsed="|Lev|26|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>), <i>in your enemies' land,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 26:34" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.17" parsed="|Lev|26|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. Never were
any people so incorporated and united among themselves as they
were; but for their sin God would scatter them, so that they should
be lost among the heathen, from whom God had graciously
distinguished them, but with whom they had wickedly mingled
themselves. Yet, when they were scattered, divine justice had not
done with them, but would draw out a sword after them, which would
find them out, and follow them wherever they were. God's judgments,
as they cannot be outfaced, so they cannot be outrun. [6.] The
utter ruin and desolation of their land, which should be so
remarkable that their very enemies themselves, who had helped it
forward, should in the review be astonished at it, <scripRef passage="Le 26:32" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.18" parsed="|Lev|26|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. <i>First,</i> Their
cities should be waste, forsaken, uninhabited, and all the
buildings destroyed; those that escaped the desolations of war
should fall to decay of themselves. <i>Secondly,</i> Their
sanctuaries should be a desolation, that is, their synagogues where
they met for religious worship every sabbath, as well as their
tabernacle where they met thrice a year. <i>Thirdly,</i> The
country itself should be desolate, not tilled or husbanded
(<scripRef passage="Le 26:34,35" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.19" parsed="|Lev|26|34|26|35" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.34-Lev.26.35"><i>v.</i> 34, 35</scripRef>); then
the land should enjoy its sabbaths, because they had not
religiously observed the sabbatical years which God appointed them.
They tilled their ground when God would have them let it rest;
justly therefore were they driven out of it; and the expression
intimates that the ground itself was pleased and easy when it was
rid of the burden of such sinners, under which it had groaned,
<scripRef passage="Ro 8:20" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.20" parsed="|Rom|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.20">Rom. viii. 20</scripRef>, &amp;c. The
captivity in Babylon lasted seventy years, and so long the land
<i>enjoyed her sabbaths,</i> as is said (<scripRef passage="2Ch 36:21" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.21" parsed="|2Chr|36|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.21">2 Chron. xxxvi. 21</scripRef>) with reference to this.
[7.] The destruction of their idols, though rather a mercy than a
judgment, yet, being a necessary piece of justice, is here
mentioned, to show what would be the sin that would bring all these
miseries upon them: <i>I will destroy your high places,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 26:30" id="Lev.xxvii-p13.22" parsed="|Lev|26|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. Those that
will not be parted from their sins by the commands of God shall be
parted from them by his judgments; since they would not destroy
their high places, God would. And, to upbraid them with the
unreasonable fondness they had shown for their idols, it is
foretold that their <i>carcases should be cast upon the carcases of
their idols.</i> Those that are wedded to their lusts will sooner
or later have enough of them. Their idols would not be able to help
either themselves or their worshippers; but, those that made them
being like them, they should both perish alike, and fall together
as blind into the ditch.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p14">(2.) Spiritual judgments are here
threatened. These should seize the mind; for he that made the mind
can, when he pleases, make his sword approach to it. It is here
threatened, [1.] That they should find no acceptance with God: <i>I
will not smell the savour of your sweet odours,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:31" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|26|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. Though the judgments of
God upon them did not separate them and their sins, yet they
extorted incense from them; but in vain&#8212;even their incense was an
abomination, <scripRef passage="Isa 1:13" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.13">Isa. i. 13</scripRef>.
[2.] That they should have no courage in their wars, but should be
quite dispirited and disheartened. They should not only fear and
flee (<scripRef passage="Le 26:17" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.3" parsed="|Lev|26|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), but
fear and <i>fall, when none pursued,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:36" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.4" parsed="|Lev|26|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>. A guilty conscience would be
their continual terror, so that not only the sound of a trumpet,
but the very <i>sound of a leaf, should chase them.</i> Note, Those
that cast off the fear of God expose themselves to the fear of
every thing else, <scripRef passage="Pr 28:1" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.5" parsed="|Prov|28|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.1">Prov. xxviii.
1</scripRef>. Their very fears should dash them <i>one against
another,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:37,38" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.6" parsed="|Lev|26|37|26|38" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.37-Lev.26.38"><i>v.</i> 37,
38</scripRef>. And those that had increased one another's guilt
would now increase one another's fears. [3.] That they should have
no hope of the forgiveness of their sins (<scripRef passage="Le 26:39" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.7" parsed="|Lev|26|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>): <i>They shall pine away in
their iniquity,</i> and <i>how should they then live?</i> <scripRef passage="Eze 33:10" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.8" parsed="|Ezek|33|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.33.10">Ezek. xxxiii. 10</scripRef>. Note, It is a
righteous thing with God to leave those to despair of pardon that
have presumed to sin; and it is owing to free grace if we are not
abandoned to pine away in the iniquity we were born in and have
lived in.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 26:40-46" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.9" parsed="|Lev|26|40|26|46" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.40-Lev.26.46"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.26.40-Lev.26.46">
<h4 id="Lev.xxvii-p14.10">Threatenings and Promises. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p14.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxvii-p15">40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the
iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they
trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto
me; &#160; 41 And <i>that</i> I also have walked contrary unto
them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then
their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the
punishment of their iniquity: &#160; 42 Then will I remember my
covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my
covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the
land. &#160; 43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall
enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they
shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even
because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred
my statutes. &#160; 44 And yet for all that, when they be in the
land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I
abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with
them: for I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p15.1">Lord</span> their
God. &#160; 45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of
their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in
the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p15.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 46 These <i>are</i>
the statutes and judgments and laws, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxvii-p15.3">Lord</span> made between him and the children of Israel
in Mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p16">Here the chapter concludes with gracious
promises of the return of God's favour to them upon their
repentance, that they might not (unless it were their own fault)
<i>pine away in their iniquity.</i> Behold, with wonder, the riches
of God's mercy to a people that had obstinately stood it out
against the judgments of God, and would never think of surrendering
till they were reduced to the last extremity. Yet <i>turn to
strong-hold, you prisoners of hope,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 9:12" id="Lev.xxvii-p16.1" parsed="|Zech|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.9.12">Zech. ix. 12</scripRef>. As bad as things are, they may
be mended. <i>Yet there is hope in Israel.</i> Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p17">I. How the repentance which would qualify
them for this mercy is described, <scripRef passage="Le 26:40,41" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.1" parsed="|Lev|26|40|26|41" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.40-Lev.26.41"><i>v.</i> 40, 41</scripRef>. The instances of it are
three:&#8212;1. Confession, by which they must give glory to God, and
take shame to themselves. There must be a confession of sin, their
own and their fathers', which they must lament the guilt of because
they feel the smart of it; that thus they may cut off the entail of
wrath. They must in their confession put sin under its worst
character, as <i>walking contrary to God;</i> this is the
sinfulness of sin, the worst thing in it, and which in our
repentance we should especially bewail. There must also be a
confession of wrath; they must overlook the instruments of their
trouble and the second causes, and confess that God has <i>walked
contrary to them,</i> and so <i>dealt with them according to their
sins.</i> Such a confession as this we find made by Daniel just
before the dawning of the day of their deliverance (<scripRef passage="Da 9:1-27" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.2" parsed="|Dan|9|1|9|27" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.1-Dan.9.27"><i>ch.</i> ix.</scripRef>), and the like,
<scripRef passage="Ezr 9:1-15,Ne 9:2" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.3" parsed="|Ezra|9|1|9|15;|Neh|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.1-Ezra.9.15 Bible:Neh.9.2">Ezra ix. and Neh. ix.
2</scripRef>. Remorse and godly sorrow for sin: <i>If their
uncircumcised heart be humbled.</i> An impenitent, unbelieving,
unhumbled heart, is called an <i>uncircumcised</i> heart, the heart
of a Gentile that is a stranger to God, rather than the heart of an
Israelite in covenant with him. True circumcision is <i>of the
heart</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 2:29" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.4" parsed="|Rom|2|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.29">Rom. ii. 29</scripRef>),
without which the circumcision of the flesh avails nothing,
<scripRef passage="Jer 9:26" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.5" parsed="|Jer|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.9.26">Jer. ix. 26</scripRef>. Now in
repentance this uncircumcised heart was humbled, that is, it was
truly broken and contrite for sin. Note, A humble heart under
humbling providences prepares for deliverance and true comfort. 3.
Submission to the justice of God in all his dealings; if they then
<i>accept of the punishment of their iniquity</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:41" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.6" parsed="|Lev|26|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef> and again <scripRef passage="Le 26:43" id="Lev.xxvii-p17.7" parsed="|Lev|26|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>), that is, if they
justify God and condemn themselves, patiently bear the punishment
as that which they have well deserved, and carefully answer the
ends of it as that which God has well designed, accept it as a
kindness, take it as physic, and improve it, then they are
penitents indeed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p18">II. How the mercy which they should obtain
upon their repentance is described. 1. They should not be
abandoned: <i>Though they have despised my judgments, yet, for all
that, I will not cast them away,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:43,44" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.1" parsed="|Lev|26|43|26|44" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.43-Lev.26.44"><i>v.</i> 43, 44</scripRef>. He speaks as a tender
Father that cannot find in his heart to disinherit a son that has
been very provoking. <i>How shall I do it?</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 11:8,9" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.2" parsed="|Hos|11|8|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Hos.11.8-Hos.11.9">Hos. xi. 8, 9</scripRef>. Till he had laid the
foundations of a church for himself in the Gentile world, the
Jewish church was not quite forsaken, nor cast away. 2. They should
be remembered: <i>I will remember the land</i> with favour, which
is grounded upon the promise before, <i>I will remember my
covenant</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 26:42" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.3" parsed="|Lev|26|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.42"><i>v.</i>
42</scripRef>), which is repeated, <scripRef passage="Le 26:45" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.4" parsed="|Lev|26|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>. God is said <i>to remember the
covenant</i> when he performs the promises of it, purely for his
faithfulness' sake; not because there is any thing in us to
recommend us to his favour, but because he will be as good as his
word. This is the church's plea. <scripRef passage="Ps 74:20" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.5" parsed="|Ps|74|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.74.20">Ps.
lxxiv. 20</scripRef>, <i>Have respect unto the covenant.</i> He
will remember the constitution of the covenant, which is such as
leaves room for repentance, and promises pardon upon repentance;
and the Mediator of the covenant, who was promised to Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and was sent, when the fulness of time came, in
remembrance of that holy covenant. The word covenant is thrice
repeated, to intimate that God is ever mindful of it and would have
us to be so. The persons also with whom the covenant was made are
mentioned in an unusual manner, <i>per modum ascensus&#8212;in the
ascending line,</i> beginning with Jacob, to lead them gradually to
the most ancient promise, which was made to the father of the
faithful: thus (<scripRef passage="Mic 7:20" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.6" parsed="|Mic|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.20">Mic. vii.
20</scripRef>) he is said to perform the <i>truth to Jacob,</i> and
the <i>mercy to Abraham.</i> He will for their sakes (<scripRef passage="Le 26:45" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.7" parsed="|Lev|26|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>), not their merit's
sake, but their benefit's sake, remember the covenant of their
ancestors, and upon that score show kindness to them, though most
unworthy; they are therefore said to be, <i>as touching the
election, beloved for the fathers' sake,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 11:28" id="Lev.xxvii-p18.8" parsed="|Rom|11|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.28">Rom. xi. 28</scripRef>. Note, When those that have
walked contrary to God in a way of sin return to him by sincere
repentance, though he has walked contrary to them in a way of
judgment he will return to them in a way of special mercy, pursuant
to the covenant of redemption and grace. None are so ready to
repent as God is to forgive upon repentance, through Christ, who is
given for a covenant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxvii-p19"><i>Lastly,</i> These are said to be <i>the
laws which the Lord made between him and the children of
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 26:46" id="Lev.xxvii-p19.1" parsed="|Lev|26|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>.
His communion with his church is kept up by his law. He manifests
not only his dominion over them, but his favour to them, by giving
them his law; and they manifest not only their holy fear, but their
holy love, by the observance of it; and thus it is made between
them, rather as a covenant than a law; for he draws with the cords
of a man.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVII" n="xxviii" progress="63.31%" prev="Lev.xxvii" next="Num" id="Lev.xxviii">
<h2 id="Lev.xxviii-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.xxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.xxviii-p1">The <scripRef passage="Le 26:46" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Lev|26|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.46">last verse of the
foregoing chapter</scripRef> seemed to close up the statute-book;
yet this chapter is added as an appendix. Having given laws
concerning instituted services, here he directs concerning vows and
voluntary services, the free-will offerings of their mouth. Perhaps
some devout serious people among them might be so affected with
what Moses had delivered to them in the foregoing chapter as in a
pang of zeal to consecrate themselves, or their children, or
estates to him: this, because honestly meant, God would accept;
but, because men are apt to repent of such vows, he leaves room for
the redemption of what had been so consecrated, at a certain rate.
Here is, I. The law concerning what was sanctified to God, persons
(<scripRef passage="Le 27:2-8" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|27|2|27|8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.2-Lev.27.8">ver. 2-8</scripRef>), cattle, clean
or unclean (<scripRef passage="Le 27:9-13" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Lev|27|9|27|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.9-Lev.27.13">ver. 9-13</scripRef>),
houses and lands (<scripRef passage="Le 27:15-25" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|27|15|27|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.15-Lev.27.25">ver.
15-25</scripRef>), with an exception of firstlings, <scripRef passage="Le 27:26,27" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.5" parsed="|Lev|27|26|27|27" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.26-Lev.27.27">ver. 26, 27</scripRef>. II. Concerning what
was devoted, <scripRef passage="Le 27:28,29" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.6" parsed="|Lev|27|28|27|29" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.28-Lev.27.29">ver. 28,
29</scripRef>. III. Concerning tithes, <scripRef passage="Le 27:30-34" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.7" parsed="|Lev|27|30|27|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.30-Lev.27.34">ver. 30</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 27" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.8" parsed="|Lev|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 27:1-13" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.9" parsed="|Lev|27|1|27|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.1-Lev.27.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.27.1-Lev.27.13">
<h4 id="Lev.xxviii-p1.10">The Law Concerning Vows. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxviii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow,
the persons <i>shall be</i> for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p2.2">Lord</span> by thy estimation. &#160; 3 And thy
estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto
sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of
silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. &#160; 4 And if it
<i>be</i> a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
&#160; 5 And if <i>it be</i> from five years old even unto twenty
years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels,
and for the female ten shekels. &#160; 6 And if <i>it be</i> from a
month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of
the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation
<i>shall be</i> three shekels of silver. &#160; 7 And if <i>it
be</i> from sixty years old and above; if <i>it be</i> a male, then
thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten
shekels. &#160; 8 But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he
shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value
him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value
him. &#160; 9 And if <i>it be</i> a beast, whereof men bring an
offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p2.3">Lord</span>, all that
<i>any man</i> giveth of such unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p2.4">Lord</span> shall be holy. &#160; 10 He shall not alter
it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he
shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange
thereof shall be holy. &#160; 11 And if <i>it be</i> any unclean
beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p2.5">Lord</span>, then he shall present the beast before the
priest: &#160; 12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good
or bad: as thou valuest it, <i>who art</i> the priest, so shall it
be. &#160; 13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a
fifth <i>part</i> thereof unto thy estimation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p3">This is part of the law concerning singular
vows, extraordinary ones, which though God did not expressly insist
on, yet, if they were consistent with and conformable to the
general precepts, he would be well pleased with. Note, We should
not only ask, What must we do, but, What may we do, for the glory
and honour of God? As the <i>liberal devises liberal things</i>
(<scripRef passage="Isa 32:8" id="Lev.xxviii-p3.1" parsed="|Isa|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.32.8">Isa. xxxii. 8</scripRef>), so the
pious devises pious things, and the enlarged heart would willingly
do something extraordinary in the service of so good a Master as
God is. When we receive or expect some singular mercy it is good to
honour God with some singular vow.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p4">I. The case is here put of persons vowed to
God by a singular vow, <scripRef passage="Le 27:2" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.1" parsed="|Lev|27|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. If a man consecrated himself, or a child, to the
service of the tabernacle, to be employed there in some inferior
office, as sweeping the floor, carrying out ashes, running of
errands, or the like, <i>the person</i> so consecrated <i>shall be
for the Lord,</i> that is, "God will graciously accept the
good-will." <i>Thou didst well that it was in thy heart,</i>
<scripRef passage="2Ch 6:8" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.2" parsed="|2Chr|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.6.8">2 Chron. vi. 8</scripRef>. But
forasmuch as he had no occasion to use their service about the
tabernacle, a whole tribe being appropriated to the use of it,
those that were thus vowed were to be redeemed, and the money paid
for their redemption was employed for the repair of the sanctuary,
or other uses of it, as appears by <scripRef passage="2Ki 12:14" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.3" parsed="|2Kgs|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.14">2
Kings xii. 14</scripRef>, where it is called, in the margin, the
<i>money of the souls of his estimation.</i> A book of rates is
accordingly provided, by which the priests were to go in their
estimation. Here is, 1. The rate of the middle-aged, between twenty
and threescore, these were valued highest, because most
serviceable; a male fifty shekels, and a female thirty, <scripRef passage="Le 27:3,4" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.4" parsed="|Lev|27|3|27|4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.3-Lev.27.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. The females were
then less esteemed, but not so in Christ; for in <i>Christ Jesus
there is neither male nor female,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 3:28" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.5" parsed="|Gal|3|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.28">Gal. iii. 28</scripRef>. Note, Those that are in the
prime of their time must look upon themselves as obliged to do more
in the service of God and their generation than can be expected
either from minors, that have not yet arrived to their usefulness,
or from the aged, that have survived it. 2. The rate of the youth
between five years old and twenty was less, because they were then
less capable of doing service, <scripRef passage="Le 27:5" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.6" parsed="|Lev|27|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. 3. Infants under five years old
were capable of being vowed to God by their parents, even before
they were born, as Samuel was, but not to be presented and redeemed
till a month old, that, as one sabbath passed over them before they
were circumcised, so one new moon might pass over them before they
were estimated; and their valuation was but small, <scripRef passage="Le 27:6" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.7" parsed="|Lev|27|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Samuel, who was thus
vowed to God, was not redeemed, because he was a Levite, and a
particular favourite, and therefore was employed in his childhood
in the service of the tabernacle. 4. The aged are valued less than
youth, but more than children, <scripRef passage="Le 27:7" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.8" parsed="|Lev|27|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. And the Hebrews observe that the
rate of an aged woman is two parts of three to that of an aged man,
so that in that age the female came nearest to the value of the
male, which occasioned (as bishop Patrick quotes it here) this
saying among them, <i>That an old woman in a house is a treasure in
a house.</i> Paul sets a great value upon the aged women, when he
makes them <i>teachers of good things,</i> <scripRef passage="Tit 2:3" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.9" parsed="|Titus|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.2.3">Tit. ii. 3</scripRef>. 5. The poor shall be valued
according to their ability, <scripRef passage="Le 27:8" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.10" parsed="|Lev|27|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. Something they must pay, that they might learn not to
be rash in vowing to God, for <i>he hath no pleasure in fools,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ec 5:4" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.11" parsed="|Eccl|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.4">Eccl. v. 4</scripRef>. Yet not more than
their ability, but <i>secundum tenementum&#8212;according to their
possessions,</i> that they might not ruin themselves and their
families by their zeal. Note, God expects and requires from men
according to what they have, and not according to what they have
not, <scripRef passage="Lu 21:4" id="Lev.xxviii-p4.12" parsed="|Luke|21|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.4">Luke xxi. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p5">II. The case is put of beasts vowed to God,
1. If it was a clean beast, such as was offered in sacrifice, it
must not be redeemed, nor any equivalent given for it: <i>It shall
be holy,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 27:9,10" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|27|9|27|10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.9-Lev.27.10"><i>v.</i> 9,
10</scripRef>. After it was vowed, it was not to be put to any
common use, nor changed upon second thoughts; but it must be either
offered upon the altar, or, if through any blemish it was not meet
to be offered, he that vowed it should not take advantage of that,
but the priests should have it for their own use (for they were
God's receivers), or it should be sold for the service of the
sanctuary. This teaches caution in making vows and constancy in
keeping them when they are made; for <i>it is a snare to a man to
devour that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 20:25" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.2" parsed="|Prov|20|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.20.25">Prov. xx. 25</scripRef>. And to this
that rule of charity seems to allude (<scripRef passage="2Co 9:7" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.3" parsed="|2Cor|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.9.7">2
Cor. ix. 7</scripRef>), <i>Every man, according as he purposeth in
his heart, so let him give.</i> 2. If it was an unclean beast, it
should go to the use of the priest at such a value; but he that
vowed it, upon paying that value in money, and adding a fifth part
more to it, might redeem it if he pleased, <scripRef passage="Le 27:11-13" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.4" parsed="|Lev|27|11|27|13" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.11-Lev.27.13"><i>v.</i> 11-13</scripRef>. It was fit that men
should smart for their inconstancy. God has let us know his mind
concerning his service, and he is not pleased if we do not know our
own. God expects that those that deal with him should be at a
point, and way what they will stand to.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 27" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.5" parsed="|Lev|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 27:14-25" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.6" parsed="|Lev|27|14|27|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.14-Lev.27.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.27.14-Lev.27.25">
<h4 id="Lev.xxviii-p5.7">Concerning Things
Sanctified. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p5.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxviii-p6">14 And when a man shall sanctify his house <i>to
be</i> holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p6.1">Lord</span>, then the
priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest
shall estimate it, so shall it stand. &#160; 15 And if he that
sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth
<i>part</i> of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be
his. &#160; 16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p6.2">Lord</span> <i>some part</i> of a field of his
possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed
thereof: an homer of barley seed <i>shall be valued</i> at fifty
shekels of silver. &#160; 17 If he sanctify his field from the year
of jubilee, according to thy estimation it shall stand. &#160; 18
But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, then the priest
shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain,
even unto the year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy
estimation. &#160; 19 And if he that sanctified the field will in
any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth <i>part</i> of the
money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.
&#160; 20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold
the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more. &#160;
21 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubilee, shall be holy
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p6.3">Lord</span>, as a field devoted;
the possession thereof shall be the priest's. &#160; 22 And if <i>a
man</i> sanctify unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p6.4">Lord</span> a
field which he hath bought, which <i>is</i> not of the fields of
his possession; &#160; 23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the
worth of thy estimation, <i>even</i> unto the year of the jubilee:
and he shall give thine estimation in that day, <i>as</i> a holy
thing unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p6.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 24 In
the year of the jubilee the field shall return unto him of whom it
was bought, <i>even</i> to him to whom the possession of the land
<i>did belong.</i> &#160; 25 And all thy estimations shall be
according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be
the shekel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p7">Here is the law concerning real estates
dedicated to the service of God by a singular vow.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p8">I. Suppose a man, in his zeal for the
honour of God, should <i>sanctify his house to God</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 27:14" id="Lev.xxviii-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|27|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), the house must be
valued by the priest, and the money got by the sale of it was to be
converted to the use of the sanctuary, which by degrees came to be
greatly enriched with <i>dedicated things,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ki 15:15" id="Lev.xxviii-p8.2" parsed="|1Kgs|15|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.15.15">1 Kings xv. 15</scripRef>. But, if the owner be
inclined to redeem it himself, he must not have it so cheap as
another, but must add a fifth part to the price, for he should have
considered before he had vowed it, <scripRef passage="Le 27:15" id="Lev.xxviii-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|27|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. To him that was necessitous God
would abate the estimation (<scripRef passage="Le 27:8" id="Lev.xxviii-p8.4" parsed="|Lev|27|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>); but to him that was fickle and humoursome, and whose
second thoughts inclined more to the world and his secular interest
than his first, God would rise in the price. Blessed be God, there
is a way of sanctifying our houses to be holy unto the Lord,
without either selling them or buying them. If we and our houses
serve the Lord, if religion rule in them, and we put away iniquity
far from them, and have a church in our house, holiness to the Lord
is written upon it, it is his, and he will dwell with us in it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p9">II. Suppose a man should sanctify some part
of his land to the Lord, giving it to pious uses, then a difference
must be made between land that came to the donor by descent and
that which came by purchase, and accordingly the case altered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p10">1. If it was the inheritance of his
fathers, here called the <i>field of his possession,</i> which
pertained to his family from the first division of Canaan, he might
not give it all, no, not to the sanctuary; God would not admit such
a degree of zeal as ruined a man's family. But he might sanctify or
dedicate only some part of it, <scripRef passage="Le 27:16" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.1" parsed="|Lev|27|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. And in that case, (1.) The land
was to be valued (as our countrymen commonly compute land) by so
many measures' sowing of barley. So much land as would take a
<i>homer,</i> or <i>chomer,</i> of barley, which contained ten
ephahs, <scripRef passage="Eze 45:11" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.2" parsed="|Ezek|45|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.45.11">Ezek. xlv. 11</scripRef>
(not, as some have here mistaken it, an <i>omer,</i> which was but
a tenth part of an ephah, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:36" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|16|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.36">Exod. xvi.
36</scripRef>), was valued at fifty shekels, a moderate price
(<scripRef passage="Le 27:16" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.4" parsed="|Lev|27|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), and that if
it were sanctified immediately from the year of jubilee, <scripRef passage="Le 27:17" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.5" parsed="|Lev|27|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. But, if some years
after, there was to be a discount accordingly, even of that price,
<scripRef passage="Le 27:18" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.6" parsed="|Lev|27|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. And, (2.)
When the value was fixed, the donor might, if he pleased, redeem it
for sixty shekels the homer's sowing, which was with the addition
of a fifth part: the money then went to the sanctuary, and the land
reverted to him that had sanctified it, <scripRef passage="Le 27:19" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.7" parsed="|Lev|27|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. But if he would not redeem it,
and the priest sold it to another, then at the year of jubilee,
beyond which the sale could not go, the land came to the priests,
and was theirs for ever, <scripRef passage="Le 27:20,21" id="Lev.xxviii-p10.8" parsed="|Lev|27|20|27|21" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.20-Lev.27.21"><i>v.</i>
20, 21</scripRef>. Note, What is given to the Lord ought not to be
given with a power of revocation; what is devoted to the Lord must
be his for ever, by a perpetual covenant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p11">2. If the land was his own purchase, and
came not to him from his ancestors, then not the land itself, but
the value of it was to be given to the priests for pious uses,
<scripRef passage="Le 27:22,24" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|27|22|0|0;|Lev|27|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.22 Bible:Lev.27.24"><i>v.</i> 22, 24</scripRef>. It was
supposed that those who, by the blessing of God, had grown so rich
as to become purchasers would think themselves obliged in gratitude
to sanctify some part of their purchase, at least (and here they
are not limited, but they might, if they pleased, sanctify the
whole), to the service of God. For we ought to give <i>as God
prospers us,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 16:2" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.2" parsed="|1Cor|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.2">1 Cor. xvi.
2</scripRef>. Purchasers are in a special manner bound to be
charitable. Now, forasmuch as purchased lands were by a former law
to return at the year of jubilee to the family from which they were
purchased, God would not have that law and the intentions of it
defeated by making the lands <i>corban, a gift,</i> <scripRef passage="Mk 7:11" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.3" parsed="|Mark|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.7.11">Mark vii. 11</scripRef>. But it was to be
computed how much the land was worth for so many years as were from
the vow to the jubilee; for only so long it was his own, and God
<i>hates robbery for burnt-offerings.</i> We can never acceptably
serve God with that of which we have wronged our neighbour. And so
much money he was to give for the present, and keep the land in his
own hands till the year of jubilee, when it was to return free of
all encumbrances, even that of its being dedicated to him of whom
it was bought. The value of the shekel by which all these
estimations were to be made is here ascertained (<scripRef passage="Le 27:25" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.4" parsed="|Lev|27|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>); it shall be twenty gerahs, and
every gerah was sixteen barley-corns. This was fixed before
(<scripRef passage="Ex 30:13" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.5" parsed="|Exod|30|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.13">Exod. xxx. 13</scripRef>); and,
whereas there had been some alterations, it is again fixed in the
laws of Ezekiel's visionary temple (<scripRef passage="Eze 45:12" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.6" parsed="|Ezek|45|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.45.12">Ezek. xlv. 12</scripRef>), to denote that the gospel
should reduce things to their ancient standard.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Le 27:26-34" id="Lev.xxviii-p11.7" parsed="|Lev|27|26|27|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.26-Lev.27.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.27.26-Lev.27.34">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.xxviii-p12">26 Only the firstling of the beasts, which
should be the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.1">Lord</span>'s firstling, no
man shall sanctify it; whether <i>it be</i> ox, or sheep: it
<i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.2">Lord</span>'s. &#160; 27 And
if <i>it be</i> of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem <i>it</i>
according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth <i>part</i> of
it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold
according to thy estimation. &#160; 28 Notwithstanding no devoted
thing, that a man shall devote unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.3">Lord</span> of all that he hath, <i>both</i> of man and
beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or
redeemed: every devoted thing <i>is</i> most holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 29 None devoted, which shall
be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; <i>but</i> shall surely be
put to death. &#160; 30 And all the tithe of the land,
<i>whether</i> of the seed of the land, <i>or</i> of the fruit of
the tree, <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.5">Lord</span>'s:
<i>it is</i> holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.6">Lord</span>.
&#160; 31 And if a man will at all redeem <i>ought</i> of his
tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth <i>part</i> thereof. &#160;
32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock,
<i>even</i> of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be
holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.7">Lord</span>. &#160; 33 He
shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change
it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof
shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. &#160; 34 These <i>are</i>
the commandments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.xxviii-p12.8">Lord</span>
commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p13">Here is, I. A caution given that no man
should make such a jest of sanctifying things to the Lord as to
sanctify any firstling to him, for that was his already by the law,
<scripRef passage="Le 27:26" id="Lev.xxviii-p13.1" parsed="|Lev|27|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Though the
matter of a general vow be that which we were before obliged to, as
of our sacramental covenant, yet a singular vow should be of that
which we were not, in such circumstances and proportions,
antecedently bound to. The law concerning the firstlings of unclean
beasts (<scripRef passage="Le 27:27" id="Lev.xxviii-p13.2" parsed="|Lev|27|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>) is
the same with that before, <scripRef passage="Le 27:11,12" id="Lev.xxviii-p13.3" parsed="|Lev|27|11|27|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.11-Lev.27.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p14">II. Things or persons devoted are here
distinguished from things or persons that were only sanctified. 1.
Devoted things were most holy to the Lord, and could neither revert
nor be alienated, <scripRef passage="Le 27:28" id="Lev.xxviii-p14.1" parsed="|Lev|27|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. They were of the same nature with those sacrifices
which were called most holy, which none might touch but only the
priests themselves. The difference between these and other
sanctified things arose from the different expression of the vow.
If a man dedicated any thing to God, binding himself with a solemn
curse never to alienate it to any other purpose, then it was a
thing devoted. 2. Devoted persons were to be put to death,
<scripRef passage="Le 27:29" id="Lev.xxviii-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|27|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Not that it
was in the power of any parent or master thus to devote a child or
a servant to death; but it must be meant of the public enemies of
Israel, who, either by the appointment of God or by the sentence of
the congregation, were devoted, as the seven nations with which
they must make no league. The city of Jericho in particular was
thus devoted, <scripRef passage="Jos 6:17" id="Lev.xxviii-p14.3" parsed="|Josh|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.6.17">Josh. vi. 17</scripRef>.
The inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were put to death for violating
the curse pronounced upon those who came not up to Mizpeh,
<scripRef passage="Jdg 21:9,10" id="Lev.xxviii-p14.4" parsed="|Judg|21|9|21|10" osisRef="Bible:Judg.21.9-Judg.21.10">Judg. xxi. 9, 10</scripRef>. Some
think it was for want of being rightly informed of the true intent
and meaning of this law that Jephtha sacrificed his daughter as one
devoted, who might not be redeemed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p15">III. A law concerning tithes, which were
paid for the service of God before the law, as appears by Abraham's
payment of them, (<scripRef passage="Ge 14:20" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.1" parsed="|Gen|14|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.20">Gen. xiv.
20</scripRef>), and Jacob's promise of them, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:22" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|28|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.22">Gen. xxviii. 22</scripRef>. It is here appointed, 1.
That they should pay tithe of all their increase, their corn,
trees, and cattle, <scripRef passage="Le 27:30,32" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.3" parsed="|Lev|27|30|0|0;|Lev|27|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.30 Bible:Lev.27.32"><i>v.</i> 30,
32</scripRef>. Whatsoever productions they had the benefit of God
must be honoured with the tithe of, if it were titheable. Thus they
acknowledged God to be the owner of their land, the giver of its
fruits, and themselves to be his tenants, and dependents upon him.
Thus they gave him thanks for the plenty they enjoyed, and
supplicated his favour in the continuance of it. And we are taught
in general to <i>honour the Lord with our substance</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 3:9" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.4" parsed="|Prov|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.9">Prov. iii. 9</scripRef>), and in particular to
support and maintain his ministers, and to be <i>ready to
communicate</i> to them, <scripRef passage="Ga 6:6,1Co 9:11" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.5" parsed="|Gal|6|6|0|0;|1Cor|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.6 Bible:1Cor.9.11">Gal.
vi. 6; 1 Cor. ix. 11</scripRef>. And how this may be done in a
fitter and more equal proportion than that of the tenth, which God
himself appointed of old, I cannot see. 2. That which was once
marked for tithe should not be altered, no, not for a better
(<scripRef passage="Le 27:33" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.6" parsed="|Lev|27|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>), for
Providence directed the rod that marked it. God would accept it
though it were not the best, and they must not grudge it though it
were, for it was what passed under the rod. 3. That it should not
be redeemed, unless the owner would give a fifth part more for its
ransom, <scripRef passage="Le 27:31" id="Lev.xxviii-p15.7" parsed="|Lev|27|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. If
men had the curiosity to prefer what was marked for tithe before
any other part of their increase, it was fit that they should pay
for their curiosity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.xxviii-p16">IV. The <scripRef passage="Le 27:34" id="Lev.xxviii-p16.1" parsed="|Lev|27|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.27.34">last
verse</scripRef> seems to have reference to this whole book of
which it is the conclusion: <i>These are the commandments which the
Lord commanded Moses, for the children of Israel.</i> Many of these
commandments are moral, and of perpetual obligation; others of
them, which were ceremonial and peculiar to the Jewish economy,
have notwithstanding a spiritual significancy, and are instructive
to us who are furnished with a key to let us into the mysteries
contained in them; for <i>unto us,</i> by those institutions, <i>is
the gospel preached as well as unto them,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 4:2" id="Lev.xxviii-p16.2" parsed="|Heb|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.2">Heb. iv. 2</scripRef>. Upon the whole matter, we may see
cause to bless God that <i>we have not come to Mount Sinai,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 12:18" id="Lev.xxviii-p16.3" parsed="|Heb|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.18">Heb. xii. 18</scripRef>. 1. That we
are not under the <i>dark shadows</i> of the law, but enjoy the
clear light of the gospel, which shows us <i>Christ the end of the
law for righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 10:4" id="Lev.xxviii-p16.4" parsed="|Rom|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.4">Rom. x.
4</scripRef>. The doctrine of our reconciliation to God by a
Mediator is not clouded with the smoke of burning sacrifices, but
cleared by the knowledge of <i>Christ and him crucified.</i> 2.
That we are not under the <i>heavy yoke</i> of the law, and the
carnal ordinances of it (as the apostle calls them, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:10" id="Lev.xxviii-p16.5" parsed="|Heb|9|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.10">Heb. ix. 10</scripRef>), imposed till the time
of reformation, a yoke which <i>neither they nor their fathers were
able to bear</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 15:10" id="Lev.xxviii-p16.6" parsed="|Acts|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.10">Acts xv.
10</scripRef>), but under the sweet and easy institutions of the
gospel, which pronounces those the <i>true worshippers that worship
the Father in spirit and truth,</i> by Christ only, and in his
name, who is our priest, temple, altar, sacrifice, purification,
and all. Let us not therefore think that because we are not tied to
the ceremonial cleansings, feasts, and oblations, a little care,
time, and expense, will serve to honour God with. No, but rather
have our hearts more enlarge with free-will offerings to his
praise, more inflamed with holy love and joy, and more engaged in
seriousness of thought and sincerity of intention. <i>Having
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, let us
draw near with a true heart, and full assurance of faith,</i>
worshipping God with so much the more cheerfulness and humble
confidence, still saying, <i>Blessed be God for Jesus
Christ!</i></p>
</div></div2>
</div1>
<div1 title="Numbers" n="iv" progress="63.75%" prev="Lev.xxviii" next="Num.i" id="Num">
<div2 title="Introduction" n="i" progress="63.75%" prev="Num" next="Num.ii" id="Num.i">
<h2 id="Num.i-p0.1">Numbers</h2>
<hr/>
<pb n="562" id="Num.i-Page_562"/>
<div class="Center" id="Num.i-p0.3">
<p id="Num.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Num.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Num.i-p1.2">W I T H &#160; P R A C T I C A L &#160; O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Num.i-p1.3">OF THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED</h5>
<h2 id="Num.i-p1.4">N U M B E R S.</h2>
<hr style="width:2in"/>
</div>
<p class="indent" id="Num.i-p2"><span class="smallcaps" id="Num.i-p2.1">The</span> titles
of the five books of Moses, which we use in our Bibles, are all
borrowed from the Greek translation of the Seventy, the most
ancient version of the Old Testament that we know of. But the title
of this book only we turn into English; in all the rest we retain
the Greek word itself, for which difference I know no reason but
that the Latin translators have generally done the same. Otherwise
this book might as well have been called <i>Arithmoi,</i> the Greek
title, as the first <i>Genesis,</i> and the second <i>Exodus;</i>
or these might as well have been translated, and called, the first
the <i>Generation,</i> or <i>Original,</i> the second the
<i>Out-let,</i> or <i>Escape,</i> as this <i>Numbers.</i>&#8212;This
book was thus entitled because of the numbers of the children of
Israel, so often mentioned in this book, and so well worthy to give
a title to it, because it was the remarkable accomplishment of
God's promise to Abraham that his seed should be as the stars of
heaven for multitude. It also relates to two numberings of them,
None at Mount Sinai (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:1-54" id="Num.i-p2.2" parsed="|Num|1|1|1|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.1.54"><i>ch.</i>
i.</scripRef>), the other in the plains of Moab, thirty-nine years
after, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:1-65" id="Num.i-p2.3" parsed="|Num|26|1|26|65" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.1-Num.26.65"><i>ch.</i> xxvi</scripRef>.
And not three men the same in the last account that were in the
first. The book is almost equally divided between histories and
laws, intermixed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.i-p3">We have here, I. The histories of the
numbering and marshalling of the tribes (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:1-4:49" id="Num.i-p3.1" parsed="|Num|1|1|4|49" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.4.49"><i>ch.</i> i.-iv.</scripRef>), the dedication of the
altar and Levites (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:1-8:26" id="Num.i-p3.2" parsed="|Num|7|1|8|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.1-Num.8.26"><i>ch.</i> vii.
viii.</scripRef>), their march (<scripRef passage="Nu 9:1-10:36" id="Num.i-p3.3" parsed="|Num|9|1|10|36" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.1-Num.10.36"><i>ch.</i> ix. x.</scripRef>), their murmuring and
unbelief, for which they were sentenced to wander forty years in
the wilderness (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:1-14:45" id="Num.i-p3.4" parsed="|Num|11|1|14|45" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.1-Num.14.45"><i>ch.</i>
xi.-xiv.</scripRef>), the rebellion of Korah (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:1-17:13" id="Num.i-p3.5" parsed="|Num|16|1|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.1-Num.17.13"><i>ch.</i> xvi. xvii.</scripRef>), the history of
the last year of the forty (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:1-26:65" id="Num.i-p3.6" parsed="|Num|20|1|26|65" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.1-Num.26.65"><i>ch.</i> xx.-xxvi.</scripRef>), the conquest of
Midian, and the settlement of the two tribes (<scripRef passage="Nu 31:1-32:42" id="Num.i-p3.7" parsed="|Num|31|1|32|42" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.1-Num.32.42"><i>ch.</i> xxxi. xxxii.</scripRef>), with an
account of their journeys, <scripRef passage="Nu 33:1-56" id="Num.i-p3.8" parsed="|Num|33|1|33|56" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.1-Num.33.56"><i>ch.</i> xxxiii</scripRef>. II. Divers laws about
the Nazarites, &amp;c. (<scripRef passage="Nu 5:1-6:27" id="Num.i-p3.9" parsed="|Num|5|1|6|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.1-Num.6.27"><i>ch.</i>
v. vi.</scripRef>); and again about the priests' charge, &amp;c.
(<scripRef passage="Nu 18:1-19:22" id="Num.i-p3.10" parsed="|Num|18|1|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.1-Num.19.22"><i>ch.</i> xviii.
xix.</scripRef>), feasts (<scripRef passage="Nu 28:1-29:40" id="Num.i-p3.11" parsed="|Num|28|1|29|40" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.1-Num.29.40"><i>ch.</i> xxviii. xxix.</scripRef>), and vows
(<scripRef passage="Nu 30:1-16" id="Num.i-p3.12" parsed="|Num|30|1|30|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.1-Num.30.16"><i>ch.</i> xxx.</scripRef>), and
relating to their settlement in Canaan, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:1-23,34:1-36:13" id="Num.i-p3.13" parsed="|Num|27|1|27|23;|Num|34|1|36|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.1-Num.27.23 Bible:Num.34.1-Num.36.13"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. xxxiv. xxxv.
xxxvi.</scripRef>. An abstract of much of this book we have in a
few words in <scripRef passage="Ps 95:10" id="Num.i-p3.14" parsed="|Ps|95|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.95.10">Ps. xcv. 10</scripRef>,
<i>Forty years long was I grieved with this generation;</i> and an
application of it to ourselves in <scripRef passage="Heb 4:1" id="Num.i-p3.15" parsed="|Heb|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.1">Heb.
iv. 1</scripRef>, <i>Let us fear lest we seem to come short.</i>
Many considerable nations there were now in being, that dwelt in
cities and fortified towns, of which no notice is taken, no account
kept, by the sacred history: but very exact records are kept of the
affairs of a handful of people, that dwelt in tents, and wandered
strangely in a wilderness, because they were the children of the
covenant. <i>For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob is the lot
of his inheritance.</i></p>
</div2>
<div2 title="Chapter I" n="ii" progress="63.81%" prev="Num.i" next="Num.iii" id="Num.ii">
<h2 id="Num.ii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.ii-p0.2">CHAP. I.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.ii-p1">Israel was now to be formed into a commonwealth,
or rather a kingdom; for "the Lord was their King" (<scripRef passage="1Sa 12:12" id="Num.ii-p1.1" parsed="|1Sam|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.12">1 Sam. xii. 12</scripRef>), their government a
theocracy, and Moses under him was king in Jeshurun, <scripRef passage="De 33:5" id="Num.ii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|33|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.5">Deut. xxxiii. 5</scripRef>. Now, for the right
settlement of this holy state, next to the institution of good laws
was necessary the institution of good order; and account therefore
must be taken of the subjects of this kingdom, which is done in
this chapter, where we have, I. Orders given to Moses to number the
people, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:1-4" id="Num.ii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|1|1|1|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.1.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II.
Persons nominated to assist him herein, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:5-16" id="Num.ii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|1|5|1|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.5-Num.1.16">ver. 5-16</scripRef>. III. The particular number of
each tribe, as it was given in to Moses, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:17-43" id="Num.ii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|1|17|1|43" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.17-Num.1.43">ver. 17-43</scripRef>. IV. The sum total of all
together, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:44-46" id="Num.ii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|1|44|1|46" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.44-Num.1.46">ver. 44-46</scripRef>. V.
An exception of the Levites, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:47-54" id="Num.ii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|1|47|1|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.47-Num.1.54">ver.
47</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 1" id="Num.ii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 1:1-16" id="Num.ii-p1.9" parsed="|Num|1|1|1|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.1.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.1.16">
<h4 id="Num.ii-p1.10">The Numbering of the
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.ii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of
the congregation, on the first <i>day</i> of the second month, in
the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt,
saying, &#160; 2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the
children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, with the number of <i>their</i> names, every male by their
polls; &#160; 3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able
to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by
their armies. &#160; 4 And with you there shall be a man of every
tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. &#160; 5 And
these <i>are</i> the names of the men that shall stand with you: of
<i>the tribe of</i> Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. &#160; 6 Of
Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. &#160; 7 Of Judah;
Nahshon the son of Amminadab. &#160; 8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the
son of Zuar. &#160; 9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. &#160; 10
Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud:
of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. &#160; 11 Of Benjamin;
Abidan the son of Gideoni. &#160; 12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of
Ammishaddai. &#160; 13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. &#160; 14
Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel. &#160; 15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the
son of Enan. &#160; 16 These <i>were</i> the renowned of the
congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of
thousands in Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p3">I. We have here a commission issued out for
the numbering of the people of Israel; and David, long after, paid
dearly for doing it without a commission. Here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p4">1. The date of this commission, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:1" id="Num.ii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. (1.) The place: it is
given at God's court <i>in the wilderness of Sinai,</i> from his
royal palace, <i>the tabernacle of the congregation.</i> (2.) The
time: <i>In the second year</i> after they came up out of Egypt; we
may call it the second year of that reign. The laws in Leviticus
were given in the first month of that year; these orders were given
in the beginning of the second month.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p5">2. The directions given for the execution
of it, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:2,3" id="Num.ii-p5.1" parsed="|Num|1|2|1|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.2-Num.1.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. (1.)
None were to be numbered but the males, and those only such as were
fit for war. None <i>under twenty years old;</i> for, though some
such might have bulk and strength enough for military service, yet,
in compassion to their tender years, God would not have them put
upon it to bear arms. (2.) Nor were any to be numbered who through
age, or bodily infirmity, blindness, lameness, or chronical
diseases, were unfit for war. The church being militant, those only
are reputed the true members of it that have enlisted themselves
soldiers of Jesus Christ; for our life, our Christian life, is a
warfare. (3.) The account was to be taken <i>according to their
families,</i> that it might not only be known how many they were,
and what were their names, but of what tribe and family, or clan,
nay, of what particular house every person was; or, reckoning it
the muster of an army, to what regiment every man belonged, that he
might know his place himself and the government might know where to
find him. They were numbered a little before this, when their
poll-money was paid for the service of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:25,26" id="Num.ii-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|38|25|38|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.25-Exod.38.26">Exod. xxxviii. 25, 26</scripRef>. But it
should seem they were not then registered <i>by the house of their
fathers,</i> as now they were. Their number was the same then that
it was now: 603,550 men; for as many as had died since then, and
were lost in the account, so many had arrived to be twenty years
old, and were added to the account. Note, As <i>one generation
passeth a way another generation cometh.</i> As vacancies are daily
made, so recruits are daily raised to fill up the vacancies, and
Providence takes care that, one time or other, in one place or
other, the births shall balance the burials, that the race of
mankind and the holy seed may not be cut off and become
extinct.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p6">3. Commissioners are named for the doing of
this work. Moses and Aaron were to preside (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:3" id="Num.ii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), and one man of every tribe, that
was renowned in his tribe, and was presumed to know it well, was to
assist in it&#8212;<i>the princes of the tribes,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 1:16" id="Num.ii-p6.2" parsed="|Num|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Note, Those that are honourable
should study to be serviceable; he that is great, let him be your
minister, and show, by his knowing the public, that he deserves to
be publicly known. The charge of this muster was committed to him
who was the lord-lieutenant of that tribe. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p7">II. Why was this account ordered to be
taken and kept? For several reasons. 1. To prove the accomplishment
of the promise made to Abraham, that God would <i>multiply his seed
exceedingly,</i> which promise was renewed to Jacob (<scripRef passage="Ge 28:14" id="Num.ii-p7.1" parsed="|Gen|28|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.14">Gen. xxviii. 14</scripRef>), that <i>his seed
should be as the dust of the earth.</i> Now it appears that there
did not fail one tittle of that good promise, which was an
encouragement to them to hope that the other promise of the land of
Canaan for an inheritance should also be fulfilled in its season.
When the number of a body of men is only guessed at, upon the view,
it is easy for one that is disposed to cavil to surmise that the
conjecture is mistaken, and that, if they were to be counted, they
would not be found half so many; therefore God would have Israel
numbered, that it might be upon record how vastly they were
increased in a little time, that the power of God's providence and
the truth of his promise may be seen and acknowledged by all. It
could not have been expected, in any ordinary course of nature,
that seventy-five souls (which was the number of Jacob's family
when he went down into Egypt) should in 215 years (and it was no
longer) multiply into so many hundred thousands. It is therefore to
be attributed to an extraordinary virtue in the divine promise and
blessing. 2. It was to intimate the particular care which God
himself would take of his Israel, and which Moses and the inferior
rulers were expected to take of them. God is called the <i>Shepherd
of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 80:1" id="Num.ii-p7.2" parsed="|Ps|80|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.1">Ps. lxxx. 1</scripRef>.
Now the shepherds always kept count of their flocks, and delivered
them by number to their under-shepherds, that they might know if
any were missing; in like manner God numbers his flock, that of all
which he took into his fold he might lose none but upon a valuable
consideration, even those that were sacrificed to his justice. 3.
It was to put a difference between the true born Israelites and the
mixed multitude that were among them; none were numbered but
Israelites: all the world is but lumber in comparison with those
jewels. Little account is made of others, but the saints God has a
particular property in and concern for. <i>The Lord knows those
that are his</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ti 2:19" id="Num.ii-p7.3" parsed="|2Tim|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.19">2 Tim. ii.
19</scripRef>), <i>knows them by name,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 4:3" id="Num.ii-p7.4" parsed="|Phil|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.3">Phil. iv. 3</scripRef>. The hairs of their head are
numbered; but he will say to others, "<i>I never knew you,</i>
never made any account of you." 4. It was in order to their being
marshalled into several districts, for the more easy administration
of justice, and their more regular march through the wilderness. It
is a rout and a rabble, not an army, that is not mustered and put
in order.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 1" id="Num.ii-p7.5" parsed="|Num|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 1:17-43" id="Num.ii-p7.6" parsed="|Num|1|17|1|43" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.17-Num.1.43"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.1.17-Num.1.43">
<p class="passage" id="Num.ii-p8">17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are
expressed by <i>their</i> names: &#160; 18 And they assembled all
the congregation together on the first <i>day</i> of the second
month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by
the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names,
from twenty years old and upward, by their polls. &#160; 19 As the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ii-p8.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses, so he numbered
them in the wilderness of Sinai. &#160; 20 And the children of
Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; &#160; 21 Those that
were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of Reuben,
<i>were</i> forty and six thousand and five hundred. &#160; 22 Of
the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families,
by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them,
according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male
from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war; &#160; 23 Those that were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the
tribe of Simeon, <i>were</i> fifty and nine thousand and three
hundred. &#160; 24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to
the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that
were able to go forth to war; &#160; 25 Those that were numbered of
them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of Gad, <i>were</i> forty and five
thousand six hundred and fifty. &#160; 26 Of the children of Judah,
by their generations, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; &#160; 27
Those that were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of
Judah, <i>were</i> threescore and fourteen thousand and six
hundred. &#160; 28 Of the children of Issachar, by their
generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; &#160; 29 Those that
were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of Issachar,
<i>were</i> fifty and four thousand and four hundred. &#160; 30 Of
the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to
go forth to war; &#160; 31 Those that were numbered of them,
<i>even</i> of the tribe of Zebulun, <i>were</i> fifty and seven
thousand and four hundred. &#160; 32 Of the children of Joseph,
<i>namely,</i> of the children of Ephraim, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to
the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that
were able to go forth to war; &#160; 33 Those that were numbered of
them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of Ephraim, <i>were</i> forty
thousand and five hundred. &#160; 34 Of the children of Manasseh,
by their generations, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; &#160; 35
Those that were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of
Manasseh, <i>were</i> thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
&#160; 36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after
their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the
number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that
were able to go forth to war; &#160; 37 Those that were numbered of
them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of Benjamin, <i>were</i> thirty and
five thousand and four hundred. &#160; 38 Of the children of Dan,
by their generations, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; &#160; 39
Those that were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of Dan,
<i>were</i> threescore and two thousand and seven hundred. &#160;
40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to
go forth to war; &#160; 41 Those that were numbered of them,
<i>even</i> of the tribe of Asher, <i>were</i> forty and one
thousand and five hundred. &#160; 42 Of the children of Naphtali,
throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of
their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty
years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; &#160;
43 Those that were numbered of them, <i>even</i> of the tribe of
Naphtali, <i>were</i> fifty and three thousand and four
hundred.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p9">We have here the speedy execution of the
orders given for the numbering of the people. It was begun the same
day that the orders were given, <i>The first day of the second
month;</i> compare <scripRef passage="Nu 1:1,18" id="Num.ii-p9.1" parsed="|Num|1|1|0|0;|Num|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1 Bible:Num.1.18"><i>v.</i> 18 with
<i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Note, When any work is to be done for God
it is good to set about it quickly, while the sense of duty is
strong and pressing. And, for aught that appears, it was but one
day's work, for many other things were done between this and the
twentieth day of this month, when they removed their camp,
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:11" id="Num.ii-p9.2" parsed="|Num|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.11"><i>ch.</i> x. 11</scripRef>. Joab was
almost ten months numbering the people in David's time (<scripRef passage="2Sa 24:8" id="Num.ii-p9.3" parsed="|2Sam|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.24.8">2 Sam. xxiv. 8</scripRef>); but then they were
dispersed, now they lived closely together; then Satan proposed the
doing of it, now God commanded it. It was the sooner and more
easily done now because it had been done but a little while ago,
and they needed but review the old books, with the alterations
since made, which probably they had kept an account of as they
occurred.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p10">In the particulars here left upon record,
we may observe, 1. That the numbers are registered in words at
length (as I may say), and not in figures; to every one of the
twelve tribes it is repeated, for the greater ceremony and
solemnity of the account, that they were numbered <i>by their
generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
according to the number of the names,</i> to show that every tribe
took and gave in the account by the same rule and in the same
method, though so many hands were employed in it, setting down the
genealogy first, to show that their family descended from Israel,
then the families themselves in their order, then dividing each
family into the houses, or subordinate families, that branched from
it, and under these the names of the particular persons, according
to the rules of heraldry. Thus every man might know who were his
relations or next of kin, on which some laws we have already met
with did depend: besides that the nearer any are to us in relation
the more ready we should be to do them good. 2. That they all end
with hundreds, only Gad with fifty (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:25" id="Num.ii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|1|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), but none of the numbers descend
to units or tens. Some think it was a special providence that
ordered all the tribes just at this time to be even numbers, and no
odd or broken numbers among them, to show them that there was
something more than ordinary designed in their increase, there
being this uncommon in the circumstance of it. It is rather
probable that Moses having some time before appointed rulers of
hundreds, and rulers of fifties (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:25" id="Num.ii-p10.2" parsed="|Exod|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.25">Exod.
xviii. 25</scripRef>), they numbered the people by their respective
rulers, which would bring the numbers to even hundreds or fifties.
3. That Judah is the must numerous of them all, more than double to
Benjamin and Manasseh, and almost 12,000 more than any other tribe,
<scripRef passage="Nu 1:27" id="Num.ii-p10.3" parsed="|Num|1|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. It was Judah
whom <i>his brethren must praise</i> because from him Messiah the
Prince was to descend; but, because that was a thing at a distance,
God did in many ways honour that tribe in the meantime,
particularly by the great increase of it, for his sake who was to
spring out of Judah (<scripRef passage="Heb 7:14" id="Num.ii-p10.4" parsed="|Heb|7|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.14">Heb. vii.
14</scripRef>) in the fulness of time. Judah was to lead the van
through the wilderness, and therefore was furnished accordingly
with greater strength than any other tribe. 4. Ephraim and
Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, are numbered as distinct tribes, and
both together made up almost as many as Judah; this was in
pursuance of Jacob's adoption of them, by which they were equalled
with their uncles Reuben and Simeon, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:5" id="Num.ii-p10.5" parsed="|Gen|48|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.5">Gen. xlviii. 5</scripRef>. It was also the effect of the
blessing of Joseph, who was to be a <i>fruitful bough,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:22" id="Num.ii-p10.6" parsed="|Gen|49|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.22">Gen. xlix. 22</scripRef>. And Ephraim
the younger is put first, and is more numerous than Manasseh, for
Jacob had crossed hands, and foreseen ten thousands of Ephraim and
thousands of Manasseh. The fulfilling of this confirms our faith in
the spirit of prophecy with which the patriarchs were endued. 5.
When they came down into Egypt Dan had but one son (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:23" id="Num.ii-p10.7" parsed="|Gen|46|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.23">Gen. xlvi. 23</scripRef>), and so his tribe was
but one family, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:42" id="Num.ii-p10.8" parsed="|Num|26|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.42"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.
42</scripRef>. Benjamin had then ten sons (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:21" id="Num.ii-p10.9" parsed="|Gen|46|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.21">Gen. xlvi. 21</scripRef>), yet now the tribe of Dan is
almost double in number to that of Benjamin. Note, The increasing
and diminishing of families do not always go by probabilities. Some
are multiplied greatly, and again are diminished, while others that
were poor have families made them like a flock, <scripRef passage="Ps 107:38,39,41" id="Num.ii-p10.10" parsed="|Ps|107|38|107|39;|Ps|107|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.38-Ps.107.39 Bible:Ps.107.41">Ps. cvii. 38, 39, 41</scripRef>; and see
<scripRef passage="Job 12:23" id="Num.ii-p10.11" parsed="|Job|12|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.12.23">Job xii. 23</scripRef>. 6. It is said
of each of the tribes that those were numbered who were able to go
forth to war, to remind them that they had wars before them, though
now they were in peace and met with no opposition. <i>Let not him
that girdeth on the harness boast as though he had put it
off.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 1:44-46" id="Num.ii-p10.12" parsed="|Num|1|44|1|46" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.44-Num.1.46"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.1.44-Num.1.46">
<p class="passage" id="Num.ii-p11">44 These <i>are</i> those that were numbered,
which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel,
<i>being</i> twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.
&#160; 45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of
Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; &#160; 46
Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and
three thousand and five hundred and fifty.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p12">We have here the sum total at the foot of
the account; they were in all 600,000 fighting men, and 3550 over.
Some think that when this was their number some months before
(<scripRef passage="Ex 38:26" id="Num.ii-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|38|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.26">Exod. xxxviii. 26</scripRef>) the
Levites were reckoned with them, but now that tribe was separated
for the service of God, yet so many more had by this time attained
to the age of twenty years as that still they were the same number,
to show that whatever we part with for the honour and service of
God it shall certainly be made up to us one way of other. Now we
see what a vast body of men they were. Let us consider, 1. How much
went to maintain all these (besides twice as many more, no
question, of women and children, sick and aged, and the mixed
multitude) for forty years together in the wilderness; and they
were all at God's finding every day, having their food from the dew
of heaven, and not from the fatness of the earth. O what a great
and good housekeeper is our God, that has such numbers depending on
him and receiving from him every day! 2. What work sin makes with a
people; within forty years most of them would indeed have died of
course for the common sin of mankind; for, when sin entered into
the world, death came with it, and how great are the desolations
which it makes in the earth! But, for the particular sin of
unbelief and murmuring, all those that were now numbered, except
two, laid their bones under their iniquity, and perished in the
wilderness. 3. What a great multitude God's spiritual Israel will
amount to at last; though at one time, and in one place, they seem
to be but a little flock, yet when they come all together they
shall be a great multitude, innumerable, <scripRef passage="Re 7:9" id="Num.ii-p12.2" parsed="|Rev|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.9">Rev. vii. 9</scripRef>. And, though the church's beginning
be small, its latter end shall greatly increase. A little one shall
become a thousand.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 1:47-54" id="Num.ii-p12.3" parsed="|Num|1|47|1|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.47-Num.1.54"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.1.47-Num.1.54">
<p class="passage" id="Num.ii-p13">47 But the Levites after the tribe of their
fathers were not numbered among them. &#160; 48 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ii-p13.1">Lord</span> had spoken unto Moses, saying, &#160;
49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the
sum of them among the children of Israel: &#160; 50 But thou shalt
appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all
the vessels thereof, and over all things that <i>belong</i> to it:
they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and
they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the
tabernacle. &#160; 51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the
Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be
pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh
nigh shall be put to death. &#160; 52 And the children of Israel
shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man
by his own standard, throughout their hosts. &#160; 53 But the
Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that
there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel:
and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of
testimony. &#160; 54 And the children of Israel did according to
all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ii-p13.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses,
so did they.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p14">Care is here taken to distinguish from the
rest of the tribes the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the
golden calf, had distinguished itself, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:26" id="Num.ii-p14.1" parsed="|Exod|32|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.26">Exod. xxxii. 26</scripRef>. Note, Singular services
shall be recompensed with singular honours. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p15">I. It was the honour of the Levites that
they were made guardians of the spiritualities; to them was
committed the care of the tabernacle and the treasures thereof,
both in their camps and in their marches. 1. When they moved the
Levites were to take down the tabernacle, to carry it and all that
belonged to it, and then to set it up again in the place appointed,
<scripRef passage="Nu 1:50,51" id="Num.ii-p15.1" parsed="|Num|1|50|1|51" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.50-Num.1.51"><i>v.</i> 50, 51</scripRef>. It was
for the honour of the holy things that none should be permitted to
see them, or touch them, but those only who were called of God to
the service. Thus we all are unfit and unworthy to have fellowship
with God until we are first called by his grace <i>into the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,</i> and so, being the
spiritual seed of that great high priest, are made <i>priests to
our God;</i> and it is promised that God would take Levites to
himself, even from the Gentiles, <scripRef passage="Isa 66:21" id="Num.ii-p15.2" parsed="|Isa|66|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.21">Isa.
lxvi. 21</scripRef>. 2. When they rested the Levites were to
<i>encamp round about the tabernacle</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:50,53" id="Num.ii-p15.3" parsed="|Num|1|50|0|0;|Num|1|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.50 Bible:Num.1.53"><i>v.</i> 50, 53</scripRef>), that they might be near
their work, and resident upon their charge, always ready to attend,
and that they might be a guard upon the tabernacle, to preserve it
from being either plundered or profaned. They must pitch round
about the tabernacle, <i>that there be no wrath upon the
congregation,</i> as there would be if the tabernacle and the
charge of it were neglected, or those crowded upon it that were not
allowed to come near. Note, Great care must be taken to prevent
sin, because the preventing of sin is the preventing of wrath.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ii-p16">II. It was their further honour that as
Israel, being a holy people, was not <i>reckoned among the
nations,</i> so they, being a holy tribe, were not reckoned among
other Israelites, but numbered afterwards by themselves, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:49" id="Num.ii-p16.1" parsed="|Num|1|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>. The service which the
Levites were to do about the sanctuary is called (as we render it
in the margin) a <i>warfare,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 4:23" id="Num.ii-p16.2" parsed="|Num|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.23"><i>ch.</i> iv. 23</scripRef>. And, being engaged in that
warfare, they were discharged from military services, and therefore
not numbered with those that were to <i>go out to war.</i> Note,
Those that minister about holy things should neither entangle
themselves, nor be entangled, in secular affairs. The ministry is
itself work enough for a whole man, and all little enough to be
employed in it. It is an admonition to ministers to distinguish
themselves by their exemplary conversation from common Israelites,
not affecting to seem greater, but aiming to be really better,
every way better than others.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter II" n="iii" progress="64.29%" prev="Num.ii" next="Num.iv" id="Num.iii">
<h2 id="Num.iii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.iii-p1">The thousands of Israel, having been mustered in
the former chapter, in this are marshalled, and a regular
disposition is made of their camp, by a divine appointment. Here
is, I. A general order concerning it, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:1,2" id="Num.iii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.1-Num.2.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II. Particular directions for the
posting of each of the tribes, in four distinct squadrons, three
tribes in each squadron. 1. In the van-guard on the east were
posted Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:3-9" id="Num.iii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|2|3|2|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.3-Num.2.9">ver. 3-9</scripRef>. 2. In the right wing, southward,
Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:10-16" id="Num.iii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|2|10|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.10-Num.2.16">ver.
10-16</scripRef>. 3. In the rear, westward, Ephraim, Manasseh, and
Benjamin, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:18-24" id="Num.iii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|2|18|2|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.18-Num.2.24">ver. 18-24</scripRef>. 4.
In the left wing, northward, Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:25-31" id="Num.iii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|2|25|2|31" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.25-Num.2.31">ver. 25-31</scripRef>. 5. The tabernacle in
the centre, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:17" id="Num.iii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.17">ver. 17</scripRef>. III.
The conclusion of this appointment, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:32" id="Num.iii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|2|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.32">ver. 32</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 2" id="Num.iii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 2:1-2" id="Num.iii-p1.9" parsed="|Num|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.1-Num.2.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.2.1-Num.2.2">
<h4 id="Num.iii-p1.10">The Stations of the Several
Tribes. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.iii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 2 Every man of the
children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign
of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the
congregation shall they pitch.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iii-p3">Here is the general appointment given both
for their orderly encampment where they rested and their orderly
march when they moved. Some order, it is possible, they had
observed hitherto; they came out of Egypt in rank and file
(<scripRef passage="Ex 13:18" id="Num.iii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.18">Exod. xiii. 18</scripRef>), but now
they were put into a better model. 1. They all dwelt in tents, and
when they marched carried all their tents along with them, for
<i>they found no city to dwell in,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 107:4" id="Num.iii-p3.2" parsed="|Ps|107|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.4">Ps. cvii. 4</scripRef>. This represents to us our state
in this world. It is a movable state (we are here to-day and gone
to-morrow); and it is a military state: is not our life a warfare?
We do but pitch our tents in this world, and have in it no
continuing city. Let us, therefore, while we are pitching in this
world, be pressing through it. 2. Those of a tribe were to pitch
together, <i>every man by his own standard.</i> Note, It is the
will of God that mutual love and affection, converse and communion,
should be kept up among relations. Those that are of kin to each
other should, as much as they can, be acquainted with each other;
and the bonds of nature should be improved for the strengthening of
the bonds of Christian communion. 3. Every one must know his place
and keep in it; they were not allowed to fix where they pleased,
nor to remove when they pleased, but God quarters them, with a
charge to abide in their quarters. Note, It is God that <i>appoints
us the bounds of our habitation,</i> and to him we must refer
ourselves. <i>He shall choose our inheritance for us</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 47:4" id="Num.iii-p3.3" parsed="|Ps|47|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.47.4">Ps. xlvii. 4</scripRef>), and in his choice we
must acquiesce, and not love to flit, nor be <i>as the bird that
wanders from her nest.</i> 4. Every tribe had its standard, flag,
or ensign, and it should seem every family had some particular
ensign of their father's house, which was carried as with us the
colours of each troop or company in a regiment are. These were of
use for the distinction of tribes and families, and the gathering
and keeping of them together, in allusion to which the preaching of
the gospel is said to <i>lift up an ensign, to which the Gentiles
shall seek,</i> and by which they shall pitch, <scripRef passage="Isa 11:10,12" id="Num.iii-p3.4" parsed="|Isa|11|10|0|0;|Isa|11|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.10 Bible:Isa.11.12">Isa. xi. 10, 12</scripRef>. Note, God is the God of
order, and not of confusion. These standards made this mighty army
seem more beautiful to its friends and more formidable to its
enemies. The church of Christ is said to be as <i>terrible as an
army with banners,</i> <scripRef passage="So 6:10" id="Num.iii-p3.5" parsed="|Song|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.6.10">Cant. vi.
10</scripRef>. It is uncertain how these standards were
distinguished: some conjecture that the standard of each tribe was
of the same colour with the precious stone in which the name of
that tribe was written in the high priest's ephod, and that this
was all the difference. Many of the modern Jews think there was
some coat of arms painted in each standard, which had reference to
the blessing of that tribe by Jacob. Judah bore a lion, Dan a
serpent, Naphtali a hind, Benjamin a wolf, &amp;c. Some of them say
the four principal standards were, Judah a lion, Reuben a man,
Joseph an ox, and Dan an eagle, making the appearances in Ezekiel's
vision to allude it. Others say the name of each tribe was written
in its standard. Whatever it was, no doubt it gave a certain
direction. 5. They were to pitch about the tabernacle, which was to
be in the midst of them, as the tent of pavilion of a general in
the centre of an army. They must encamp round the tabernacle, (1.)
That it might be equally a comfort and joy to them all, as it was a
token of God's gracious presence with them. <scripRef passage="Ps 46:5" id="Num.iii-p3.6" parsed="|Ps|46|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.5">Ps. xlvi. 5</scripRef>, <i>God is in the midst of her,
she shall not be moved.</i> Their camp had reason to be hearty,
when thus they had God in the heart of them. To have bread from
heaven every day round about their camp, and fire from heaven, with
other tokens of God's favour, in the midst of their camp, was
abundantly sufficient to answer that question, <i>Is the Lord among
us, or is he not? Happy art thou, O Israel!</i> It is probable that
the doors of all their tents were made to look towards the
tabernacle from all sides, for every Israelite should have his eyes
always towards the Lord; therefore they worshipped at the
tent-door. The tabernacle was in the midst of the camp, that it
might be near to them; for it is a very desirable thing to have the
solemn administrations of holy ordinances near us and within our
reach. <i>The kingdom of God is among you.</i> (2.) That they might
be a guard and defence upon the tabernacle and the Levites on every
side. No invader could come near God's tabernacle without first
penetrating the thickest of their squadrons. Note, If God undertake
the protection of our comforts, we ought in our places to undertake
the protection of his institutions, and stand up in defence of his
honour, and interest, and ministers. 6. Yet they were to pitch afar
off, in reverence to the sanctuary, that it might not seem crowded
and thrust up among them, and that the common business of the camp
might be no annoyance to it. They were also taught to keep their
distance, lest too much familiarity should breed contempt. It is
supposed (from <scripRef passage="Jos 3:4" id="Num.iii-p3.7" parsed="|Josh|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.3.4">Joshua iii.
4</scripRef>) that the distance between the nearest part of the
camp and the tabernacle (or perhaps between them and the camp of
the Levites, who pitched near the tabernacle) was 2000 cubits, that
is, 1000 yards, little more than half a measured mile with us; but
the outer parts of the camp must needs be much further off. Some
compute that the extent of their camp could be no less than twelve
miles square; for it was like a movable city, with streets and
lanes, in which perhaps the manna fell, as well as on the outside
of the camp, that they might have it at their doors. In the
Christian church we read of a throne (as in the tabernacle there
was a mercy-seat) which is called a <i>glorious high throne from
the beginning</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 17:12" id="Num.iii-p3.8" parsed="|Jer|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.17.12">Jer. xvii.
12</scripRef>), and that throne surrounded by spiritual Israelites,
twenty-four elders, double to the number of the tribes, <i>clothed
in white raiment</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 4:4" id="Num.iii-p3.9" parsed="|Rev|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.4">Rev. iv.
4</scripRef>), and the banner over them is <i>Love;</i> but we are
not ordered, as they were, to pitch afar off; no, we are invited to
draw near, and come boldly. The saints of the Most High are said to
be <i>round about him,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 76:11" id="Num.iii-p3.10" parsed="|Ps|76|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.11">Ps. lxxvi.
11</scripRef>. God by his grace keep us close to him!</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 2:3-34" id="Num.iii-p3.11" parsed="|Num|2|3|2|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.3-Num.2.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.2.3-Num.2.34">
<p class="passage" id="Num.iii-p4">3 And on the east side toward the rising of the
sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch
throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab <i>shall
be</i> captain of the children of Judah. &#160; 4 And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, <i>were</i> threescore and
fourteen thousand and six hundred. &#160; 5 And those that do pitch
next unto him <i>shall be</i> the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel
the son of Zuar <i>shall be</i> captain of the children of
Issachar. &#160; 6 And his host, and those that were numbered
thereof, <i>were</i> fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
&#160; 7 <i>Then</i> the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of
Helon <i>shall be</i> captain of the children of Zebulun. &#160; 8
And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, <i>were</i>
fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. &#160; 9 All that were
numbered in the camp of Judah <i>were</i> an hundred thousand and
fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout
their armies. These shall first set forth. &#160; 10 On the south
side <i>shall be</i> the standard of the camp of Reuben according
to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben <i>shall
be</i> Elizur the son of Shedeur. &#160; 11 And his host, and those
that were numbered thereof, <i>were</i> forty and six thousand and
five hundred. &#160; 12 And those which pitch by him <i>shall
be</i> the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of
Simeon <i>shall be</i> Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. &#160; 13
And his host, and those that were numbered of them, <i>were</i>
fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. &#160; 14 Then the tribe
of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad <i>shall be</i> Eliasaph
the son of Reuel. &#160; 15 And his host, and those that were
numbered of them, <i>were</i> forty and five thousand and six
hundred and fifty. &#160; 16 All that were numbered in the camp of
Reuben <i>were</i> an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand
and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall
set forth in the second rank. &#160; 17 Then the tabernacle of the
congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the
midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every
man in his place by their standards. &#160; 18 On the west side
<i>shall be</i> the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to
their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim <i>shall
be</i> Elishama the son of Ammihud. &#160; 19 And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, <i>were</i> forty thousand and
five hundred. &#160; 20 And by him <i>shall be</i> the tribe of
Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh <i>shall
be</i> Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. &#160; 21 And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, <i>were</i> thirty and two
thousand and two hundred. &#160; 22 Then the tribe of Benjamin: and
the captain of the sons of Benjamin <i>shall be</i> Abidan the son
of Gideoni. &#160; 23 And his host, and those that were numbered of
them, <i>were</i> thirty and five thousand and four hundred. &#160;
24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim <i>were</i> an
hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout
their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank. &#160;
25 The standard of the camp of Dan <i>shall be</i> on the north
side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan
<i>shall be</i> Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. &#160; 26 And his
host, and those that were numbered of them, <i>were</i> threescore
and two thousand and seven hundred. &#160; 27 And those that encamp
by him <i>shall be</i> the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the
children of Asher <i>shall be</i> Pagiel the son of Ocran. &#160;
28 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, <i>were</i>
forty and one thousand and five hundred. &#160; 29 Then the tribe
of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali <i>shall
be</i> Ahira the son of Enan. &#160; 30 And his host, and those
that were numbered of them, <i>were</i> fifty and three thousand
and four hundred. &#160; 31 All they that were numbered in the camp
of Dan <i>were</i> an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand
and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.
&#160; 32 These <i>are</i> those which were numbered of the
children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that
were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts <i>were</i> six
hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
&#160; 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of
Israel; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iii-p4.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses.
&#160; 34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iii-p4.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses: so they
pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one
after their families, according to the house of their fathers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iii-p5">We have here the particular distribution of
the twelve tribes into four squadrons, three tribes in a squadron,
one of which was to lead the other two. Observe, 1. God himself
appointed them their place, to prevent strife and envy among them.
Had they been left to determine precedency among themselves, they
would have been in danger of quarrelling with one another (as the
disciples who strove <i>which should be greatest</i>); each would
have had a pretence to be first, or at least not to be last. Had it
been left to Moses to determine, they would have quarrelled with
him, and charged him with partiality; therefore God does it, who is
himself the fountain and judge of honour, and in his appointment
all must acquiesce. If God in his providence advance others above
us, and abase us, we ought to be as well satisfied in his doing it
in that way as if he did it, as this was done here, by a voice out
of the tabernacle; and this consideration, that it appears to be
the will of God it should be so, should effectually silence all
envies and discontents. And as far as our place comes to be our
choice our Saviour has given us a rule in <scripRef passage="Lu 14:8" id="Num.iii-p5.1" parsed="|Luke|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.14.8">Luke xiv. 8</scripRef>, <i>Sit not down in the highest
room;</i> and another in <scripRef passage="Mt 20:27" id="Num.iii-p5.2" parsed="|Matt|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.27">Matt. xx.
27</scripRef>, <i>He that will be chief, let him be your
servant.</i> Those that are most humble and most serviceable are
really most honourable. 2. Every tribe had a captain, a prince, or
commander-in-chief, whom God himself nominated, the same that had
been appointed to number them, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:5" id="Num.iii-p5.3" parsed="|Num|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.5"><i>ch.</i> i. 5</scripRef>. Our being all the children of
one Adam is so far from justifying the levellers, and taking away
the distinction of place and honour, that even among the children
of the same Abraham, the same Jacob, the same Judah, God himself
appointed that one should be captain of all the rest. There are
<i>powers ordained of God,</i> and those to whom honour and fear
are due and must be paid. Some observe the significancy of the
names of these princes, at least, in general, how much God was in
the thoughts of those that gave them their names, for most of them
have <i>El, God,</i> at one end or other of their names.
<i>Nethaneel, the gift of God; Eliab, my God a Father; Elizur, my
God a rock; Shelumiel, God my peace; Eliasaph, God has added;
Elishama, my God has heard: Gamaliel, God my reward; Pagiel, God
has met me.</i> By this it appears that the Israelites in Egypt did
not quite forget the name of their God, but, when they wanted other
memorials, preserved the remembrance of it in the names of their
children, and therewith comforted themselves in their affliction.
3. Those tribes were placed together under the same standard that
were nearest of kin to each other; Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun,
were the three younger sons of Leah, and they were put together;
and Issachar and Zebulun would not grudge to be under Judah, since
they were his younger brethren. Reuben and Simeon would not have
been content in their place. Therefore Reuben, Jacob's eldest son,
is made chief of the next squadron; Simeon, no doubt, is willing to
be under him, and Gad, the son of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, is fitly
added to them in Levi's room: Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, are
all the posterity of Rachel. Dan, the eldest son of Bilhah, is made
a leading tribe, though the son of a concubine, that more abundant
honour might be bestowed on that which lacked; and it was said,
<i>Dan should judge his people,</i> and to him were added two
younger sons of the handmaids. Thus unexceptionable was the order
in which they were placed. 4. The tribe of Judah was in the first
post of honour, encamped towards the rising sun, and in their
marches led the van, not only because it was the most numerous
tribe, but chiefly because from that tribe Christ was to come, who
is the <i>Lion of the tribe of Judah,</i> and was to descend from
the loins of him who was now nominated chief captain of that tribe.
Nahshon is reckoned among the ancestors of Christ, <scripRef passage="Mt 1:4" id="Num.iii-p5.4" parsed="|Matt|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.1.4">Matt. i. 4</scripRef>. So that, when he went
before them, Christ himself went before them in effect, as their
leader. Judah was the first of the twelve sons of Jacob that was
blessed. Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, were censured by their dying
father; he therefore being first in blessing, though not in birth,
is put first, to teach children how to value the smiles of their
godly parents and dread their frowns. 5. The tribes of Levi pitched
closely about the tabernacle, within the rest of their tribes,
<scripRef passage="Nu 2:17" id="Num.iii-p5.5" parsed="|Num|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. They must
defend the sanctuary, and then the rest of the tribes must defend
them. Thus, in the vision which John saw of the glory of heaven,
between the elders and the throne were four <i>living creatures
full of eyes,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 4:6,8" id="Num.iii-p5.6" parsed="|Rev|4|6|0|0;|Rev|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.6 Bible:Rev.4.8">Rev. iv. 6,
8</scripRef>. Civil powers should protect the religious interests
of a nation, and be a defence upon that glory. 6. The camp of Dan
(and so that tribe is called long after their settlement in Canaan
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 13:25" id="Num.iii-p5.7" parsed="|Judg|13|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.25">Judg. xiii. 25</scripRef>), because
celebrated for their military prowess), though posted in the left
wing when they encamped, was ordered in their march to bring up the
rear, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:31" id="Num.iii-p5.8" parsed="|Num|2|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. They
were the most numerous, next to Judah, and therefore were ordered
into a post which, next to the front, required the most strength,
for as the strength is so shall the day be. <i>Lastly,</i> The
children of Israel observed the orders given them, and did <i>as
the Lord commanded Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 2:34" id="Num.iii-p5.9" parsed="|Num|2|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.34"><i>v.</i>
34</scripRef>. They put themselves in the posts assigned them,
without murmuring or disputing, and, as it was their safety, so it
was their beauty; Balaam was charmed with the sight of it: <i>How
goodly are thy tents, O Jacob!</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 24:5" id="Num.iii-p5.10" parsed="|Num|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.5"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 5</scripRef>. Thus the gospel church,
called the <i>camp of saints,</i> ought to be compact according to
the scripture model, every one knowing and keeping his place, and
then all that wish well to the church rejoice, <i>beholding their
order,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 2:5" id="Num.iii-p5.11" parsed="|Col|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.5">Col. ii. 5</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter III" n="iv" progress="64.64%" prev="Num.iii" next="Num.v" id="Num.iv">
<h2 id="Num.iv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.iv-p1">This chapter and the next are concerning the tribe
of Levi, which was to be mustered and marshalled by itself, and not
in common with the other tribes, intimating the particular honour
put upon them and the particular duty and service required from
them. The Levites are in this chapter considered, I. As attendants
on, and assistants to, the priests in the temple-service. And so we
have an account, 1. Of the priests themselves (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:1-4" id="Num.iv-p1.1" parsed="|Num|3|1|3|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.1-Num.3.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>) and their work, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:10" id="Num.iv-p1.2" parsed="|Num|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.10">ver. 10</scripRef>. 2. Of the gift of the Levites to them
(<scripRef passage="Nu 3:5-9" id="Num.iv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|3|5|3|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.5-Num.3.9">ver. 5-9</scripRef>), in order to
which they are mustered (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:14-16" id="Num.iv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|3|14|3|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.14-Num.3.16">ver.
14-16</scripRef>), and the sum of them taken, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:39" id="Num.iv-p1.5" parsed="|Num|3|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.39">ver. 39</scripRef>. Each particular family of them is
mustered, has its place assigned and its charge, the Gershonites
(<scripRef passage="Nu 3:17-26" id="Num.iv-p1.6" parsed="|Num|3|17|3|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.17-Num.3.26">ver. 17-26</scripRef>), the
Kohathites (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:27-32" id="Num.iv-p1.7" parsed="|Num|3|27|3|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.27-Num.3.32">ver. 27-32</scripRef>),
the Merarites, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:33-39" id="Num.iv-p1.8" parsed="|Num|3|33|3|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.33-Num.3.39">ver.
33-39</scripRef>. II. As equivalents for the first-born, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:11-13" id="Num.iv-p1.9" parsed="|Num|3|11|3|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.11-Num.3.13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>. 1. The first-born are
numbered, and the Levites taken instead of them, as far as the
number of the Levites went, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:40-45" id="Num.iv-p1.10" parsed="|Num|3|40|3|45" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.40-Num.3.45">ver.
40-45</scripRef>. 2. What first-born there were more than the
Levites were redeemed, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:46-51" id="Num.iv-p1.11" parsed="|Num|3|46|3|51" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.46-Num.3.51">ver.
46</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 3" id="Num.iv-p1.12" parsed="|Num|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 3:1-13" id="Num.iv-p1.13" parsed="|Num|3|1|3|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.1-Num.3.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.3.1-Num.3.13">
<h4 id="Num.iv-p1.14">The Separation of the
Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p1.15">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.iv-p2">1 These also <i>are</i> the generations of Aaron
and Moses in the day <i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p2.1">Lord</span> spake with Moses in Mount Sinai. &#160; 2
And these <i>are</i> the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the
firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. &#160; 3 These
<i>are</i> the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were
anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
&#160; 4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p2.2">Lord</span>, when they offered strange fire before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p2.3">Lord</span>, in the wilderness of Sinai,
and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the
priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father. &#160; 5 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p2.4">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying,
&#160; 6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before
Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. &#160; 7 And
they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole
congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the
service of the tabernacle. &#160; 8 And they shall keep all the
instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge
of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
&#160; 9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his
sons: they <i>are</i> wholly given unto him out of the children of
Israel. &#160; 10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and
they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that
cometh nigh shall be put to death. &#160; 11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p2.5">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 12 And I,
behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel
instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the
children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; &#160; 13
Because all the firstborn <i>are</i> mine; <i>for</i> on the day
that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto
me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they
be: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p2.6">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p3">Here, I. The family of Aaron is confirmed
in the priests' office, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:10" id="Num.iv-p3.1" parsed="|Num|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. They had been called to it before, and consecrated;
here they are appointed to <i>wait on their priests' office:</i>
the apostle uses this phrase (<scripRef passage="Ro 12:7" id="Num.iv-p3.2" parsed="|Rom|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.7">Rom. xii.
7</scripRef>), <i>Let us wait on our ministry.</i> The office of
the ministry requires a constant attendance and great diligence; so
frequent are the returns of its work, and yet so transient its
favourable opportunities, that it must be waited on. Here is
repeated what was said before (<scripRef passage="Nu 1:51" id="Num.iv-p3.3" parsed="|Num|1|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.51"><i>ch.</i> i. 51</scripRef>): <i>The stranger that cometh
nigh shall be put to death,</i> which forbids the invading of the
priest's office by any other person whatsoever; none must come nigh
to minister but Aaron and his sons only, all others are strangers.
It also lays a charge on the priests, as door-keepers in God's
house, to take care that none should come near who were forbidden
by the law; they must keep off all intruders, whose approach would
be to the profanation of the holy things, telling them that if they
came near it was at their peril, they would <i>die by the hand of
God,</i> as Uzza did. The Jews say that afterwards there was hung
over the door of the temple a golden sword (perhaps alluding to
that flaming sword at the entrance of the garden of Eden), on which
was engraven, <i>The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to
death.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p4">II. A particular account is given of this
family of Aaron; what we have met with before concerning them is
here repeated. 1. The consecration of the sons of Aaron, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:3" id="Num.iv-p4.1" parsed="|Num|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They were all anointed to
minister before the Lord, though it appeared afterwards, and God
knew it, that two of them were wise and two were foolish. 2. The
fall of the two elder (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:4" id="Num.iv-p4.2" parsed="|Num|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>): they <i>offered strange fire,</i> and died for so
doing, <i>before the Lord.</i> This is mentioned here in the
preamble to the law concerning the priesthood, for a warning to all
succeeding priests; let them know, by this example, that God is a
jealous God, and will not be mocked; the holy anointing oil was an
honour to the obedient, but not a shelter to the disobedient. It is
here said, <i>They had no children,</i> Providence so ordering it,
for their greater punishment, that none of their descendants should
remain to be priests, and so bear up their name who had profaned
God's name. 3. The continuance of the two younger: Eleazar and
Ithamar ministered <i>in the sight of Aaron.</i> It intimates, (1.)
The care they took about their ministration not to make any
blunders; they kept under their father's eye, and took instruction
from him in all they did, because, probably, Nadab and Abihu got
out of their father's sight when they offered strange fire. Note,
It is good for young people to act under the direction and
inspection of those that are aged and experienced. (2.) The comfort
Aaron took in it; it pleased him to see his younger sons behave
themselves prudently and gravely, when his two elder had
miscarried. Note, It is a great satisfaction to parents to <i>see
their children walk in the truth,</i> <scripRef passage="3Jo 1:4" id="Num.iv-p4.3" parsed="|3John|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:3John.1.4">3
John 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p5">III. A grant is made of the Levites to be
assistants to the priests in their work: <i>Give the Levites to
Aaron,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 3:9" id="Num.iv-p5.1" parsed="|Num|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Aaron
was to have a greater propriety in, and power over, the tribe of
Levi than any other of the prices had in and over their respective
tribes. There was a great deal of work belonging to the priests'
office, and there were now only three pairs of hands to do it all,
Aaron's and his two sons'; for it does not appear that they had
either of them any children at this time, at least not any that
were of age to minister, therefore God appoints the Levites to
attend upon them. Note, Those whom God finds work for his will find
help for. Here is, 1. The service for which the Levites were
designed: they were to <i>minister to the priests</i> in their
ministration to the Lord (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:6" id="Num.iv-p5.2" parsed="|Num|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>), and to <i>keep Aaron's charge</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:7" id="Num.iv-p5.3" parsed="|Num|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), as the deacons to the
bishops in the evangelical constitution, serving at tables, while
the bishops waited on their ministry. The Levites killed the
sacrifices, and then the priests needed only to sprinkle the blood
and burn the fat: the Levites prepared the incense, the priests
burnt it. They were to keep, not only Aaron's charge, but the
<i>charge of the whole congregation.</i> Note, It is a great trust
that is reposed in ministers, not only for the glory of Christ, but
for the good of his church; so that they must not only keep the
charge of the great high priest, but must also be faithful to the
souls of men, in trust for whom a dispensation is committed to
them. 2. The consideration upon which the Levites were demanded;
they were taken instead of the first-born. The preservation of the
first-born of Israel, when all the first-born of the Egyptians
(with whom they were many of them mingled) were destroyed, was
looked upon by him who never makes any unreasonable demands as
cause sufficient of the appropriating of all the first-born
thenceforward to himself (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:13" id="Num.iv-p5.4" parsed="|Num|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>): <i>All the first-born are mine.</i> That was
sufficient to make them his, though he had given no reason for it,
for he is the sole fountain and Lord of all beings and powers; but
because all obedience must flow from love, and acts of duty must be
acts of gratitude, before they were challenged into peculiar
services they were crowned with peculiar favours. Note, When he
that made us saves us we are thereby laid under further obligations
to serve him and live to him. God's right to us by redemption
corroborates the right he has to us by creation. Now because the
first-born of a family are generally the favourites, and some would
think it a disparagement to have their eldest sons servants to the
priests, and attending before the door of the tabernacle, God took
the tribe of Levi entire for his own, in lieu of the first-born,
<scripRef passage="Nu 3:12" id="Num.iv-p5.5" parsed="|Num|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Note, God's
institutions put no hardships upon men in any of their just
interests or reasonable affections. It was presumed that the
Israelites would rather part with the Levites than with the
first-born, and therefore God graciously ordered the exchange; yet
for us he <i>spared not his own Son.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 3" id="Num.iv-p5.6" parsed="|Num|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 3:14-39" id="Num.iv-p5.7" parsed="|Num|3|14|3|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.14-Num.3.39"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.3.14-Num.3.39">
<p class="passage" id="Num.iv-p6">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p6.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, &#160; 15
Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by
their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou
number them. &#160; 16 And Moses numbered them according to the
word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p6.2">Lord</span>, as he was
commanded. &#160; 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their
names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. &#160; 18 And these
<i>are</i> the names of the sons of Gershon by their families;
Libni, and Shimei. &#160; 19 And the sons of Kohath by their
families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. &#160; 20 And the
sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These
<i>are</i> the families of the Levites according to the house of
their fathers. &#160; 21 Of Gershon <i>was</i> the family of the
Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these <i>are</i> the
families of the Gershonites. &#160; 22 Those that were numbered of
them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old
and upward, <i>even</i> those that were numbered of them
<i>were</i> seven thousand and five hundred. &#160; 23 The families
of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
&#160; 24 And the chief of the house of the father of the
Gershonites <i>shall be</i> Eliasaph the son of Lael. &#160; 25 And
the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the
congregation <i>shall be</i> the tabernacle, and the tent, the
covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation, &#160; 26 And the hangings of the court, and the
curtain for the door of the court, which <i>is</i> by the
tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for
all the service thereof. &#160; 27 And of Kohath <i>was</i> the
family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the
family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these
<i>are</i> the families of the Kohathites. &#160; 28 In the number
of all the males, from a month old and upward, <i>were</i> eight
thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
&#160; 29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the
side of the tabernacle southward. &#160; 30 And the chief of the
house of the father of the families of the Kohathites <i>shall
be</i> Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. &#160; 31 And their charge
<i>shall be</i> the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and
the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they
minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. &#160; 32
And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest <i>shall be</i> chief over
the chief of the Levites, <i>and have</i> the oversight of them
that keep the charge of the sanctuary. &#160; 33 Of Merari
<i>was</i> the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the
Mushites: these <i>are</i> the families of Merari. &#160; 34 And
those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all
the males, from a month old and upward, <i>were</i> six thousand
and two hundred. &#160; 35 And the chief of the house of the father
of the families of Merari <i>was</i> Zuriel the son of Abihail:
<i>these</i> shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
&#160; 36 And <i>under</i> the custody and charge of the sons of
Merari <i>shall be</i> the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars
thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all
the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, &#160; 37 And
the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their
pins, and their cords. &#160; 38 But those that encamp before the
tabernacle toward the east, <i>even</i> before the tabernacle of
the congregation eastward, <i>shall be</i> Moses, and Aaron and his
sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the
children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put
to death. &#160; 39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which
Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p6.3">Lord</span>, throughout their families, all the males
from a month old and upward, <i>were</i> twenty and two
thousand.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p7">The Levites being granted to Aaron to
minister to him, they are here delivered to him by tale, that he
might know what he had, and employ them accordingly. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p8">I. By what rule they were numbered:
<i>Every male from a month old and upward,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 3:15" id="Num.iv-p8.1" parsed="|Num|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. The rest of the tribes were
numbered only from twenty years old and upwards, and of them those
only that were <i>able to go forth to war;</i> but into the number
of the Levites they must take in both infants, and infirm; being
exempted from the war, it was not insisted upon that they should be
of age and strength for the wars. Though it appears afterwards that
little more than a third part of the Levites were fit to be
employed in the service of the tabernacle (about 8000 out of
22,000, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:47,48" id="Num.iv-p8.2" parsed="|Num|4|47|4|48" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.47-Num.4.48"><i>ch.</i> iv. 47,
48</scripRef>), yet God would have them all numbered as retainers
to his family; that none may think themselves disowned and rejected
of God because they are not in a capacity of doing him that service
which they see others do him. The Levites of a month old could not
honour God and serve the tabernacle, as those that had grown up;
yet out of the mouths of babes and sucklings the Levites' praise
was perfected. Let not little children be hindered from being
enrolled among the disciples of Christ, for such was the tribe of
Levi, of such is the kingdom of heaven, that kingdom of priests.
The redemption of the first-born was reckoned from a month old
(<scripRef passage="Nu 18:15,16" id="Num.iv-p8.3" parsed="|Num|18|15|18|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.15-Num.18.16"><i>ch.</i> xviii. 15,
16</scripRef>), therefore from that age the Levites were numbered.
They were numbered <i>after the house of their fathers,</i> not
their <i>mothers,</i> for, if the daughter of a Levite married one
of another tribe, her son was not a Levite; but we read of a
spiritual priest to out God who inherited the unfeigned faith which
dwelt in his mother and grandmother, <scripRef passage="2Ti 1:5" id="Num.iv-p8.4" parsed="|2Tim|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.1.5">2
Tim. i. 5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p9">II. How they were distributed into three
classes, according to the number of the sons of Levi, Gershon,
Kohath, and Merari, and these subdivided into several families,
<scripRef passage="Nu 3:17-20" id="Num.iv-p9.1" parsed="|Num|3|17|3|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.17-Num.3.20"><i>v.</i> 17-20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p10">1. Concerning each of these three classes
we have an account, (1.) Of their number. The Gershonites were
7500. The Kohathites were 8600. The Merarites were 6200. The rest
of the tribes had not their subordinate families numbered by
themselves as those of Levi; this honour God put upon his own
tribe. (2.) Of their post about the tabernacle on which they were
to attend. The Gershonites pitched behind the tabernacle, westward,
<scripRef passage="Nu 3:23" id="Num.iv-p10.1" parsed="|Num|3|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. The Kohathites
on the right hand, southward, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:29" id="Num.iv-p10.2" parsed="|Num|3|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>. The Merarites on the left hand, northward, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:35" id="Num.iv-p10.3" parsed="|Num|3|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. And, to complete the
square, Moses and Aaron, with the priests, encamped in the front,
eastward, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:38" id="Num.iv-p10.4" parsed="|Num|3|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. Thus
was the tabernacle surrounded with its guards; and thus does the
<i>angel of the Lord encamp round about those that fear him,</i>
those living temples, <scripRef passage="Ps 34:7" id="Num.iv-p10.5" parsed="|Ps|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.34.7">Ps. xxxiv.
7</scripRef>. Every one knew his place, and must therein abide with
God. (3.) Of their chief or head. As each class had its own place,
so each had its own prince. The commander of the Gershonites was
Eliasaph (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:24" id="Num.iv-p10.6" parsed="|Num|3|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>); of
the Kohathites Elizaphan (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:30" id="Num.iv-p10.7" parsed="|Num|3|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), of whom we read (<scripRef passage="Le 10:4" id="Num.iv-p10.8" parsed="|Lev|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.10.4">Lev.
x. 4</scripRef>) that he was one of the bearers at the funeral of
Nadab and Abihu; of the Merarites Zuriel, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:35" id="Num.iv-p10.9" parsed="|Num|3|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. (4.) Of their charge, when the
camp moved. Each class knew their own business; it was requisite
they should, for that which is everybody's work often proves
nobody's work. The Gershonites were charged with the custody and
carriage of all the curtains and hangings and coverings of the
tabernacle and court (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:25,26" id="Num.iv-p10.10" parsed="|Num|3|25|3|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.25-Num.3.26"><i>v.</i> 25,
26</scripRef>), the Kohathites of all the furniture of the
tabernacle&#8212;the ark, altar, table, &amp;c. (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:31,32" id="Num.iv-p10.11" parsed="|Num|3|31|3|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.31-Num.3.32"><i>v.</i> 31, 32</scripRef>), the Merarites of the
heavy carriage, boards, bars, pillars, &amp;c., <scripRef passage="Nu 3:36,37" id="Num.iv-p10.12" parsed="|Num|3|36|3|37" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.36-Num.3.37"><i>v.</i> 36, 37</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p11">2. Here we may observe, (1.) That the
Kohathites, though they were the second house, yet were preferred
before the elder family of the Gershonites. Besides that Aaron and
the priests were of that family, they were more numerous, and their
post and charge more honourable, which probably was ordered to put
an honour upon Moses, who was of that family. Yet, (2.) The
posterity of Moses were not at all dignified or privileged, but
stood upon the level with other Levites, that it might appear he
did not seek the advancement of his own family, nor to entail any
honours upon it either in church or state; he that had honour
enough himself coveted not to have his name shine by that borrowed
light, but rather to have the Levites borrow honour from his name.
Let none think contemptibly of the Levites, though inferior to the
priests, for Moses himself though it preferment enough for his sons
to be Levites. Probably it was because the family of Moses were
Levites only that in the title of this chapter, which is concerning
that tribe (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:1" id="Num.iv-p11.1" parsed="|Num|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>),
Aaron is put before Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p12">III. The sum total of the numbers of this
tribe. They are computed in all 22,000, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:39" id="Num.iv-p12.1" parsed="|Num|3|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. The sum of the particular
families amounts to 300 more; if this had been added to the sum
total, the Levites, instead of being 273 fewer than the first-born,
as they were (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:43" id="Num.iv-p12.2" parsed="|Num|3|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>),
would have been twenty-seven more, and so the balance would have
fallen the other way; but it is supposed that the 300 which were
struck off from the account when the exchange was to be made were
the first-born of the Levites themselves, born since their coming
out of Egypt, which could not be put into the exchange, because
they were already sanctified to God. But that which is especially
observable here is that the tribe of Levi was by much the least of
all the tribes. Note, God's part in the world is too often the
smallest part. His chosen are comparatively a little flock.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 3:40-51" id="Num.iv-p12.3" parsed="|Num|3|40|3|51" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.40-Num.3.51"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.3.40-Num.3.51">
<p class="passage" id="Num.iv-p13">40 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the
children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number
of their names. &#160; 41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.2">Lord</span>) instead of all
the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the
Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the
children of Israel. &#160; 42 And Moses numbered, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.3">Lord</span> commanded him, all the firstborn
among the children of Israel. &#160; 43 And all the firstborn males
by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that
were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and
threescore and thirteen. &#160; 44 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.4">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 45 Take
the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of
Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and
the Levites shall be mine: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 46 And for those that are to be
redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the
firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the
Levites; &#160; 47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the
poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take
<i>them:</i> (the shekel <i>is</i> twenty gerahs:) &#160; 48 And
thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to
be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons. &#160; 49 And Moses took
the redemption money of them that were over and above them that
were redeemed by the Levites: &#160; 50 Of the firstborn of the
children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and
threescore and five <i>shekels,</i> after the shekel of the
sanctuary: &#160; 51 And Moses gave the money of them that were
redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.6">Lord</span>, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.iv-p13.7">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.iv-p14">Here is the exchange made of the Levites
for the first-born. 1. The first-born were numbered from a month
old, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:42,43" id="Num.iv-p14.1" parsed="|Num|3|42|3|43" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.42-Num.3.43"><i>v.</i> 42, 43</scripRef>.
Those certainly were not reckoned who, though first-born, had
become heads of families themselves, but those only that were under
age; and the learned bishop Patrick is decidedly of opinion that
none were numbered but those only that were born since their coming
out of Egypt, when the first-born were sanctified, <scripRef passage="Ex 13:2" id="Num.iv-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.2">Exod. xiii. 2</scripRef>. If there were 22,000
first-born males, we may suppose as many females, and all these
brought forth in the first year after they came out of Egypt, we
must hence infer that in the last year of their servitude, even
when it was in the greatest extremity, there were abundance of
marriages made among the Israelites; they were not discouraged by
the present distress, but married in faith, expecting that God
would shortly visit them with mercy, and that their children,
though born in bondage, should live in liberty and honour. And it
was a token of good to them, an evidence that they were blessed of
the Lord, that they were not only kept alive, but greatly
increased, in a barren wilderness. 2. The number of the first-born,
and that of the Levites, by a special providence, came pretty near
to each other; thus, when he <i>divided the nations, he set the
bounds of the people according to the number of the children of
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:8" id="Num.iv-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.8">Deut. xxxii. 8</scripRef>.
Known unto God are all his works beforehand, and there is an exact
proportion between them, and so it will appear when they come to be
compared. The Levites' cattle are said to be taken instead of the
firstlings <i>of the cattle of the children of Israel,</i> that is,
the Levites, with all their possessions, were devoted to God
instead of the first-born and all theirs; for, when we give
ourselves to God, all we have passes as appurtenances with the
premises. 3. The small number of first-born which exceeded the
number of the Levites (273 in all) were to be redeemed, at five
shekels apiece, and the redemption-money given to Aaron; for it
would not do well to have them added to the Levites. It is probable
that in the exchange they began with the eldest of the first-born,
and so downward, so that those were to be redeemed with money who
were the 273 youngest of the first-born; more likely so than either
that it was determined by lot or that the money was paid out of the
public stock. The church is called the church of the
<i>first-born,</i> which is redeemed, not as these were, with
silver and gold, but, being devoted by sin to the justice of God,
is ransomed with <i>the precious blood of the Son of God.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IV" n="v" progress="65.11%" prev="Num.iv" next="Num.vi" id="Num.v">
<h2 id="Num.v-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.v-p0.2">CHAP. IV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.v-p1">In the former chapter an account was taken of the
whole tribe of Levi, in this we have an account of those of that
tribe who were in the prime of their time for service, betwixt
thirty and fifty years old. I. The serviceable men of the
Kohathites are ordered to be numbered, and their charges are given
them, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:2-20" id="Num.v-p1.1" parsed="|Num|4|2|4|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.2-Num.4.20">ver. 2-20</scripRef>. II. Of
the Gershonites, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:24-28" id="Num.v-p1.2" parsed="|Num|4|24|4|28" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.24-Num.4.28">ver.
24-28</scripRef>. III. Of the Merarites, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:29-33" id="Num.v-p1.3" parsed="|Num|4|29|4|33" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.29-Num.4.33">ver. 29-33</scripRef>. IV. The numbers of each, and
the sum total at last, are recorded, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:34-49" id="Num.v-p1.4" parsed="|Num|4|34|4|49" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.34-Num.4.49">ver. 34</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 4" id="Num.v-p1.5" parsed="|Num|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 4:1-20" id="Num.v-p1.6" parsed="|Num|4|1|4|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.1-Num.4.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.4.1-Num.4.20">
<h4 id="Num.v-p1.7">The Office of the Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.v-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 2 Take the sum of
the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, &#160; 3 From thirty years
old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the
host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160;
4 This <i>shall be</i> the service of the sons of Kohath in the
tabernacle of the congregation, <i>about</i> the most holy things:
&#160; 5 And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and
his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the
ark of testimony with it: &#160; 6 And shall put thereon the
covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over <i>it</i> a cloth
wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. &#160; 7 And
upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and
put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers
to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: &#160; 8
And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the
same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves
thereof. &#160; 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover
the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his
snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they
minister unto it: &#160; 10 And they shall put it and all the
vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put
<i>it</i> upon a bar. &#160; 11 And upon the golden altar they
shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of
badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: &#160; 12 And
they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they
minister in the sanctuary, and put <i>them</i> in a cloth of blue,
and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put
<i>them</i> on a bar: &#160; 13 And they shall take away the ashes
from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: &#160; 14 And
they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they
minister about it, <i>even</i> the censers, the fleshhooks, and the
shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they
shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the
staves of it. &#160; 15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an
end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the
sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of
Kohath shall come to bear <i>it:</i> but they shall not touch
<i>any</i> holy thing, lest they die. These <i>things are</i> the
burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
&#160; 16 And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest
<i>pertaineth</i> the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and
the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, <i>and</i> the
oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein <i>is,</i>
in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. &#160; 17 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p2.2">Lord</span> spake unto Moses and unto
Aaron, saying, &#160; 18 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families
of the Kohathites from among the Levites: &#160; 19 But thus do
unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto
the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint
them every one to his service and to his burden: &#160; 20 But they
shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they
die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p3">We have here a second muster of the tribe
of Levi. As that tribe was taken out of all Israel to be God's
peculiar, so the middle-aged men of that tribe were taken from
among the rest to be actually employed in the service of the
tabernacle. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p4">I. Who were to be taken into this number.
All the males from thirty years old to fifty. Of the other tribes,
those that were numbered to go forth to war were from twenty years
old and upward, but of the Levites only from thirty to fifty; for
the service of God requires the best of our strength, and the prime
of our time, which cannot be better spent than to the honour of him
who is the first and best. And a man may make a good soldier much
sooner than a good minister. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p5">1. They were not to be employed till they
were thirty years old, because till then they were in danger of
retaining something childish and youthful and had not gravity
enough to do the service, and wear the honour, of a Levite. They
were entered as probationers at twenty-five years old, (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:24" id="Num.v-p5.1" parsed="|Num|8|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.24"><i>ch.</i> viii. 24</scripRef>), and in David's
time, when there was more work to be done, at twenty (<scripRef passage="1Ch 23:24" id="Num.v-p5.2" parsed="|1Chr|23|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.23.24">1 Chron. xxiii. 24</scripRef>, and so <scripRef passage="Ezr 3:8" id="Num.v-p5.3" parsed="|Ezra|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.3.8">Ezra iii. 8</scripRef>); but they must be five
years learning and waiting, and so fitting themselves for service;
nay, in David's time they were ten years in preparation, from
twenty to thirty. John Baptist began his public ministry, and
Christ his, at thirty years old. This is not in the letter of it
obligatory on gospel ministers now, as if they must either not
begin their work till thirty years old or must leave off at fifty;
but it gives us two good rules:&#8212;(1.) That ministers must not be
novices, <scripRef passage="1Ti 3:6" id="Num.v-p5.4" parsed="|1Tim|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.6">1 Tim. iii. 6</scripRef>. It
is a work that requires ripeness of judgment and great steadiness,
and therefore those are very unfit for it who are but babes in
knowledge and have not put away childish things. (2.) That they
must learn before they teach, serve before they rule, and must
<i>first be proved,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 3:10" id="Num.v-p5.5" parsed="|1Tim|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.10">1 Tim. iii.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p6">2. They were discharged at fifty years old
from the toilsome part of the service, particularly that of
carrying the tabernacle; for that is the special service to which
they are here ordained, and which there was most occasion for while
they were in the wilderness. When they began to enter upon old age,
they were dismissed, (1.) In favour to them, that they might not be
over-toiled when their strength began to decay. Twenty years' good
service was thought pretty well for one man. (2.) In honour to the
work, that it might not be done by those who, through the
infirmities of age, were slow and heavy. The service of God should
be done when we are in the most lively active frame. Those do not
consider this who put off their repentance to old age, and so leave
the best work to be done in the worst time.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p7">II. How their work is described. They are
said to <i>enter into the host,</i> or warfare, <i>to do the work
in the tabernacle.</i> The ministry is <i>a good work</i>
(<scripRef passage="1Ti 3:1" id="Num.v-p7.1" parsed="|1Tim|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.1">1 Tim. iii. 1</scripRef>): ministers
are not ordained to the honour only, but to the labour, not only to
have the wages, but to do the work. It is also a <i>good
warfare,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 1:18" id="Num.v-p7.2" parsed="|1Tim|1|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.18">1 Tim. i. 18</scripRef>.
Those that enter into the ministry must look upon themselves as
entered into the <i>host,</i> and approve themselves <i>good
soldiers,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ti 2:3" id="Num.v-p7.3" parsed="|2Tim|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.3">2 Tim. ii. 3</scripRef>.
Now, as to the sons of Kohath in particular, here is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p8">1. Their service appointed them, in the
removes of the tabernacle. Afterwards, when the tabernacle was
fixed, they had other work assigned them; but this was the work of
the day, which was to be done in its day. Observe, Wherever the
camp of Israel went, the tabernacle of the Lord went with them, and
care must be taken for the carriage of it. Note, Wherever we go, we
must see to it that we take our religion along with us, and not
forget that or any part of it. Now the Kohathites were to carry all
the holy things of the tabernacle. They were charged with those
things before (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:31" id="Num.v-p8.1" parsed="|Num|3|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.31"><i>ch.</i> iii.
31</scripRef>), but here they have more particular instructions
given them. (1.) Aaron, and his sons the priests, must pack up the
things which the Kohathites were to carry, as here directed,
<scripRef passage="Nu 4:5" id="Num.v-p8.2" parsed="|Num|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>, &amp;c. God had
before appointed that none should come into the most holy place,
but only Aaron once a year with a cloud of incense (<scripRef passage="Le 16:2" id="Num.v-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.2">Lev. xvi. 2</scripRef>); and yet, the necessity
of their unsettled state requiring it, that law is here dispensed
with; for every time they removed Aaron and his sons went in to
take down the ark, and make it up for carriage; for (as the learned
bishop Patrick suggests) the <i>shechinah,</i> or display of the
divine majesty, which was over the mercy-seat, removed for the
present in the pillar of cloud, which was taken up, and then the
ark was not dangerous to be approached. (2.) All the holy things
must be covered, the ark and table with three coverings, all the
rest with two. Even the ashes of the altar, in which the holy fire
was carefully preserved and raked up, must have a purple cloth
spread over them, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:13" id="Num.v-p8.4" parsed="|Num|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Even the brazen altar, though in the court of the
sanctuary it stood open to the view of all, yet was covered in the
carriage of it. All these coverings were designed, [1.] For safety,
that these holy things might not be ruffled with the wind, sullied
with the rain, nor tarnished with the sun, but that they might be
preserved in their beauty; for <i>on all the glory shall be a
defence.</i> The coverings of badgers' skins, being thick and
strong, would keep out wet; and, while we are in our passage
through the wilderness of this world, it concerns us to be fenced
<i>for all weathers,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 4:5,6" id="Num.v-p8.5" parsed="|Isa|4|5|4|6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.4.5-Isa.4.6">Isa. iv. 5,
6</scripRef>. [2.] For decency and ornament. Most of these things
had a cloth of blue, or purple, or scarlet, spread outmost; and the
ark was covered with a cloth <i>wholly of blue</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 4:6" id="Num.v-p8.6" parsed="|Num|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), an emblem (say some) of
the azure skies, which are spread like a curtain between us and the
Majesty on high, <scripRef passage="Job 26:9" id="Num.v-p8.7" parsed="|Job|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.26.9">Job xxvi.
9</scripRef>. Those that are faithful to God should endeavour
likewise to appear beautiful before men, that they may <i>adorn the
doctrine of God our Saviour.</i> [3.] For concealment. It signified
the darkness of that dispensation. That which is now brought to
light by the gospel, and revealed to babes, was then hidden from
the wise and prudent. They saw only the coverings, not the holy
things themselves (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:1" id="Num.v-p8.8" parsed="|Heb|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.1">Heb. x.
1</scripRef>); but now Christ has <i>destroyed the face of the
covering,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 25:7" id="Num.v-p8.9" parsed="|Isa|25|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.25.7">Isa. xxv. 7</scripRef>.
(3.) When all the holy things were covered, then the Kohathites
were to carry them on their shoulders. These things that had staves
were carried by their staves (<scripRef passage="Nu 4:6,8,11,14" id="Num.v-p8.10" parsed="|Num|4|6|0|0;|Num|4|8|0|0;|Num|4|11|0|0;|Num|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.6 Bible:Num.4.8 Bible:Num.4.11 Bible:Num.4.14"><i>v.</i> 6, 8, 11, 14</scripRef>); those that had
not were carried upon a bar, or bier, or bearing barrow, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:10,12" id="Num.v-p8.11" parsed="|Num|4|10|0|0;|Num|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.10 Bible:Num.4.12"><i>v.</i> 10, 12</scripRef>. See how the
tokens of God's presence in this world are movable things; but we
look for a kingdom that cannot be moved.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p9">2. Eleazar, now the eldest son of Aaron, is
appointed overseer of the Kohathites in this service (<scripRef passage="Nu 4:16" id="Num.v-p9.1" parsed="|Num|4|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>); he must take care that
nothing was forgotten, left behind, or displaced. As a priest he
had more honour than the Levites, but then he had more care; and
that care was a heavier burden, no doubt, upon his heart, than all
the burdens that were laid upon their shoulders. It is much easier
to do the work of the tabernacle than to discharge the trusts of
it, to obey than to rule.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p10">3. Great care must be taken to preserve the
lives of these Levites, by preventing their unseasonable irreverent
approach to the most holy things: <i>Cut you not off the
Kohathites,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 4:18" id="Num.v-p10.1" parsed="|Num|4|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. Note, Those who do not what they can to keep others
from sin do what they can to cut them off. [1.] The Kohathites must
not see the holy things till the priests had covered them,
<scripRef passage="Nu 4:20" id="Num.v-p10.2" parsed="|Num|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Even those
that bore the vessels of the Lord saw not what they bore, so much
were even those in the dark concerning the gospel whose office it
was to expound the law. And, [2.] When the holy things were
covered, they might not touch them, at least not the ark, called
here <i>the holy thing,</i> upon pain of death, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:15" id="Num.v-p10.3" parsed="|Num|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Uzza was struck dead for the
breach of this law. Thus were the Lord's ministers themselves then
kept in fear, and that was a dispensation of terror, as well as
darkness; but now, through Christ, the case is altered; we have
<i>seen with our eyes,</i> and our <i>hands have handles, the word
of life</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 1:1" id="Num.v-p10.4" parsed="|1John|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.1">1 John i. 1</scripRef>),
and we are encouraged to <i>come boldly to the throne of
grace.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 4:21-33" id="Num.v-p10.5" parsed="|Num|4|21|4|33" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.21-Num.4.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.4.21-Num.4.33">
<p class="passage" id="Num.v-p11">21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p11.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 22 Take also the sum of the sons
of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their
families; &#160; 23 From thirty years old and upward until fifty
years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the
service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
&#160; 24 This <i>is</i> the service of the families of the
Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: &#160; 25 And they shall
bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins
that <i>is</i> above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, &#160; 26 And the hangings of the
court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which
<i>is</i> by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their
cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is
made for them: so shall they serve. &#160; 27 At the appointment of
Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the
Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye
shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. &#160; 28 This
<i>is</i> the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the
tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge <i>shall be</i>
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. &#160; 29 As
for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their
families, by the house of their fathers; &#160; 30 From thirty
years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number
them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of
the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 31 And this <i>is</i>
the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the
tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and
the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
&#160; 32 And the pillars of the court round about, and their
sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their
instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall
reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. &#160; 33
This <i>is</i> the service of the families of the sons of Merari,
according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the
congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the
priest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p12">We have here the charge of the other two
families of the Levites, which, though not so honourable as the
first, yet was necessary, and was to be done regularly. 1. The
Gershonites were charged with all the drapery of the tabernacle,
the curtains, and hangings, and the coverings of badgers' skins,
<scripRef passage="Nu 4:22-26" id="Num.v-p12.1" parsed="|Num|4|22|4|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.22-Num.4.26"><i>v.</i> 22-26</scripRef>. These
they were to take down when the cloud removed, and the ark and the
rest of the holy things were carried away, to pack up and bring
with them, and then to set up again, where the cloud rested. Aaron
and his sons allotted to them their respective charge: "You shall
take care of such a curtain, and you of such a hanging, that every
one may know his work, and there may be no confusion," <scripRef passage="Nu 4:27" id="Num.v-p12.2" parsed="|Num|4|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Ithamar particularly was
to take the oversight of them, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:28" id="Num.v-p12.3" parsed="|Num|4|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. 2. The Merarites were charged
with the heavy carriage, the boards and bars, the pillars and
sockets, the pins and cords, and these were delivered to them by
name, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:31,32" id="Num.v-p12.4" parsed="|Num|4|31|4|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.31-Num.4.32"><i>v.</i> 31, 32</scripRef>.
An inventory was given them of every particular, that it might be
forthcoming, and nothing to seek, when the tabernacle was to be set
up again. Though these seemed of less importance than the other
things pertaining to the sanctuary, yet there was this care taken
of them, to teach us with the greatest exactness to preserve pure
and entire all divine institutions, and to take care that nothing
be lost. It also intimates the care God takes of his church, and
every member of it; the good Shepherd <i>calls his own sheep by
name,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 10:3" id="Num.v-p12.5" parsed="|John|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.10.3">John x. 3</scripRef>. Here
were thousands of men employed about these services, though a much
less number would have served for the bearing of those burdens; but
it was requisite that the tabernacle should be taken down, and set
up, with great expedition, and many hands would make quick work,
especially when every one knew his work. They had tents of their
own to take care of, and to take along with them, but the young men
under thirty, and the old men above fifty, might serve for them;
nor is there any mention of them, for God's house must always be
preferred before our own. Their care was preposterous who built and
ceiled their own houses while God's house lay waste, <scripRef passage="Hag 1:4,9" id="Num.v-p12.6" parsed="|Hag|1|4|0|0;|Hag|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hag.1.4 Bible:Hag.1.9">Hag. i. 4, 9</scripRef>. The death of the
saints is represented as the taking down of the tabernacle
(<scripRef passage="2Co 5:1" id="Num.v-p12.7" parsed="|2Cor|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.1">2 Cor. v. 1</scripRef>), and the
putting of it off, <scripRef passage="2Pe 1:14" id="Num.v-p12.8" parsed="|2Pet|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.14">2 Pet. i.
14</scripRef>. The immortal soul, like the most holy things, is
first covered and taken away, carried by angels, unseen, under the
inspection of the Lord Jesus, our Eleazar. Care is also taken of
the body&#8212;the skin and flesh, which are as the curtains, the bones
and sinews which are as the bars and pillars; none of these shall
be lost; commandment is given concerning the bones, a covenant made
with the dust; these are in safe custody, and shall all be produced
in the great day, when this tabernacle shall be set up again, and
these vile bodies made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 4:34-49" id="Num.v-p12.9" parsed="|Num|4|34|4|49" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.34-Num.4.49"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.4.34-Num.4.49">
<p class="passage" id="Num.v-p13">34 And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the
congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their
families, and after the house of their fathers, &#160; 35 From
thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one
that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of
the congregation: &#160; 36 And those that were numbered of them by
their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. &#160; 37
These <i>were</i> they that were numbered of the families of the
Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the
congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the
commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p13.1">Lord</span> by the hand
of Moses. &#160; 38 And those that were numbered of the sons of
Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their
fathers, &#160; 39 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty
years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work
in the tabernacle of the congregation, &#160; 40 Even those that
were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of
their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. &#160;
41 These <i>are</i> they that were numbered of the families of the
sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of
the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the
commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p13.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 42
And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari,
throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, &#160; 43
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every
one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle
of the congregation, &#160; 44 Even those that were numbered of
them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
&#160; 45 These <i>be</i> those that were numbered of the families
of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to
the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p13.3">Lord</span> by the hand of
Moses. &#160; 46 All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom
Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their
families, and after the house of their fathers, &#160; 47 From
thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one
that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the
burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, &#160; 48 Even those
that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred
and fourscore. &#160; 49 According to the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p13.4">Lord</span> they were numbered by the hand of
Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his
burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.v-p13.5">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.v-p14">We have here a particular account of the
numbers of the three families of the Levites respectively, that is,
of the effective men, between thirty years old and fifty. Observe,
1. The Kohathites were, in all, 8600 from a month old and upwards;
but of these there were but 2750 serviceable men, not a third part.
The Gershonites, in all, 7500, and of them but 2630 serviceable
men, little more than a third part. Note, Of the many that add to
the numbers of the church, there are comparatively but few that
contribute to the service of it. So it has been, and so it is; many
have a place in the tabernacle that do but little of the work of
the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Php 2:20,21" id="Num.v-p14.1" parsed="|Phil|2|20|2|21" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.20-Phil.2.21">Phil. ii. 20,
21</scripRef>. 2. That the Merarites were but 6200 in all, and yet
of these there were 3200 serviceable men, that is, more than half.
The greatest burden lay upon that family, the boards, and pillars,
and sockets; and God so ordered it that, though they were the
fewest in number, yet they should have the most able men among
them; for whatever service God calls men to he will furnish them
for it, and give strength in proportion to the work, grace
sufficient. 3. The whole number of the able men of the tribe of
Levi who entered into God's host to war his warfare was but 8580,
whereas the able men of the other tribes that entered into the host
of Israel to war their warfare were many more. The least of the
tribes had almost four times as many able men as the Levites, and
some of them more than eight times as many; for those that are
engaged in the service of this world, and war after the flesh, are
many more than those that are devoted to the service of God, and
<i>fight the good fight of faith.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter V" n="vi" progress="65.55%" prev="Num.v" next="Num.vii" id="Num.vi">
<h2 id="Num.vi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.vi-p1">In this chapter we have, I. An order, pursuant to
the laws already made, for the removing of the unclean out of the
camp, <scripRef passage="Nu 5:1-4" id="Num.vi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|5|1|5|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.1-Num.5.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. A
repetition of the laws concerning restitution, in case of wrong
done to a neighbour (<scripRef passage="Nu 5:5-8" id="Num.vi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|5|5|5|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.5-Num.5.8">ver.
5-8</scripRef>), and concerning the appropriating of the hallowed
things to the priests, <scripRef passage="Nu 5:9,10" id="Num.vi-p1.3" parsed="|Num|5|9|5|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.9-Num.5.10">ver. 9,
10</scripRef>. III. A new law made concerning the trial of a wife
suspected of adultery, by the waters of jealousy, <scripRef passage="Nu 5:11-31" id="Num.vi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|5|11|5|31" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.11-Num.5.31">ver. 11</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 5" id="Num.vi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 5:1-10" id="Num.vi-p1.6" parsed="|Num|5|1|5|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.1-Num.5.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.5.1-Num.5.10">
<h4 id="Num.vi-p1.7">The Unclean to Be Removed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.vi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Command the children of Israel,
that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath
an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: &#160; 3 Both male
and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them;
that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
&#160; 4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out
without the camp: as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p2.2">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses, so did the children of Israel. &#160; 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p2.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 6
Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit
any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p2.4">Lord</span>, and that person be guilty; &#160; 7 Then
they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall
recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it
the fifth <i>part</i> thereof, and give <i>it</i> unto <i>him</i>
against whom he hath trespassed. &#160; 8 But if the man have no
kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be
recompensed unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p2.5">Lord</span>,
<i>even</i> to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby
an atonement shall be made for him. &#160; 9 And every offering of
all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring
unto the priest, shall be his. &#160; 10 And every man's hallowed
things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall
be his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p3">Here is, I. A command for the purifying of
the camp, by turning out from within its lines all those that were
ceremonially unclean, by issues, leprosies, or the touch of dead
bodies, until they were cleansed according to the law, <scripRef passage="Nu 5:2-3" id="Num.vi-p3.1" parsed="|Num|5|2|5|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.2-Num.5.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p4">1. These orders are executed immediately,
<scripRef passage="Num 5:4" id="Num.vi-p4.1" parsed="|Num|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. (1.) The camp
was now newly-modelled and put in order, and therefore, to complete
the reformation of it, it is next to be cleansed. Note, The purity
of the church must be as carefully consulted and preserved as the
peace and order of it. It is requisite, not only that every
Israelite be confined to his own standard, but that every polluted
Israelite be separated from it. <i>The wisdom from above is first
pure, then peaceable.</i> (2.) God's tabernacle was now fixed in
the midst of their camp, and therefore they must be careful to keep
it clean. Note, The greater profession of religion any house or
family make the more they are obliged to <i>put away iniquity far
from their tabernacle,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 22:23" id="Num.vi-p4.2" parsed="|Job|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.22.23">Job xxii.
23</scripRef>. The person, the place, <i>in the midst of which God
dwells,</i> must not be defiled; for, if it be, he will be
affronted, offended, and provoked to withdraw, <scripRef passage="1Co 3:16,17" id="Num.vi-p4.3" parsed="|1Cor|3|16|3|17" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.16-1Cor.3.17">1 Cor. iii. 16, 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p5">2. This expulsion of the unclean out of the
camp was to signify, (1.) What the governors of the church ought to
do: they must <i>separate between the precious and the vile,</i>
and purge out scandalous persons, as old leaven (<scripRef passage="1Co 5:8,13" id="Num.vi-p5.1" parsed="|1Cor|5|8|0|0;|1Cor|5|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.8 Bible:1Cor.5.13">1 Cor. v. 8, 13</scripRef>), lest others should be
infected and defiled, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:15" id="Num.vi-p5.2" parsed="|Heb|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.15">Heb. xii.
15</scripRef>. It is for the glory of Christ and the edification of
his church that those who are openly and incorrigibly profane and
vicious should be put out and kept from Christian communion till
they repent. (2.) What God himself will do in the great day: he
will <i>thoroughly purge his floor,</i> and <i>gather out of his
kingdom all things that offend.</i> As here the unclean were shut
out of the camp, so into the new Jerusalem <i>no unclean thing
shall enter,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 21:27" id="Num.vi-p5.3" parsed="|Rev|21|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.21.27">Rev. xxi.
27</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p6">II. A law concerning restitution, in case
of wrong done to a neighbour. It is called <i>a sin that men
commit</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 5:6" id="Num.vi-p6.1" parsed="|Num|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>),
because it is common among men; <i>a sin of man,</i> that is, <i>a
sin against man,</i> so it is thought it should be translated and
understood. If a man overreach or defraud his brother in any
matter, it is to be looked upon as a trespass against the Lord, who
is the protector of right, the punisher of wrong, and who strictly
charges and commands us to do justly. Now what is to be done when a
man's awakened conscience charges him with guilt of this kind, and
brings it to his remembrance though done long ago? 1. He must
<i>confess his sin,</i> confess it to God, confess it to his
neighbour, and so take shame to himself. If he have denied it
before, though it go against the grain to own himself in a lie, yet
he must do it; because his heart was hardened he denied it,
therefore he has no other way of making it appear that his heart is
now softened but by confessing it. 2. He must bring a sacrifice, a
<i>ram of atonement,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 5:8" id="Num.vi-p6.2" parsed="|Num|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. Satisfaction must be made for the offence done to
God, whose law is broken, as well as for the loss sustained by our
neighbour; restitution in this case is not sufficient without faith
and repentance. 3. Yet the sacrifices would not be accepted till
full amends were made to the party wronged, not only the principal,
but a fifth part added to it, <scripRef passage="Num 5:7" id="Num.vi-p6.3" parsed="|Num|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. It is certain that while that which is got by
injustice is knowingly retained in the hands the guilt of the
injustice remains upon the conscience, and is not purged by
sacrifice nor offering, prayers not tears, for it is one and the
same continued act of sin persisted in. This law we had before
(<scripRef passage="Le 6:4" id="Num.vi-p6.4" parsed="|Lev|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.4">Lev. vi. 4</scripRef>), and it is here
added that if the party wronged was dead, and he had no near
kinsman who was entitled to the debt, or if it was any way
uncertain to whom the restitution should be made, this should not
serve for an excuse to detain what was unjustly gotten; to
whomsoever it pertained, it was certainly none of his that got it
by sin, and therefore it must be given to the priest, <scripRef passage="Num 5:8" id="Num.vi-p6.5" parsed="|Num|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. If there were any that
could make out a title to it, it must not be given to the priest
(God hates robbery for burnt-offerings); but, if there were not,
then it lapsed to the great Lord (<i>ob defectum sanguinis&#8212;for
want of issue</i>), and the priests were his receivers. Note, Some
work of piety or charity is a piece of necessary justice to be done
by those who are conscience to themselves that they have done
wrong, but know not how otherwise to make restitution; what is not
our property will never be our profit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p7">III. A general rule concerning hallowed
things given upon this occasion, that, whatever was given to the
priest, <i>his it shall be,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 5:9,10" id="Num.vi-p7.1" parsed="|Num|5|9|5|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.9-Num.5.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. 1. He that gave it was not
to receive his gift again upon any pretence whatsoever. This law
ratifies and confirms all grants for pious uses, that people might
not give things to the priests in a fit of zeal, and then recall
them in a fit of vexation. 2. The other priests should not come in
sharers with that priest who then officiated, and to whom the
hallowed thing, whatever it was, was given. Let him that was most
ready and diligent in attending fare the better for it: if he do
the work, let him have the pay, and much good may it do him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 5" id="Num.vi-p7.2" parsed="|Num|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 5:11-31" id="Num.vi-p7.3" parsed="|Num|5|11|5|31" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.11-Num.5.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.5.11-Num.5.31">
<h4 id="Num.vi-p7.4">The Bitter Water of
Jealousy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p7.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.vi-p8">11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 12 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a
trespass against him, &#160; 13 And a man lie with her carnally,
and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and
she be defiled, and <i>there be</i> no witness against her, neither
she be taken <i>with the manner;</i> &#160; 14 And the spirit of
jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be
defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be
jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled: &#160; 15 Then shall
the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her
offering for her, the tenth <i>part</i> of an ephah of barley meal;
he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it
<i>is</i> an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial,
bringing iniquity to remembrance. &#160; 16 And the priest shall
bring her near, and set her before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 17 And the priest shall take holy
water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of
the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put <i>it</i> into the
water: &#160; 18 And the priest shall set the woman before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.3">Lord</span>, and uncover the woman's head,
and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which <i>is</i> the
jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter
water that causeth the curse: &#160; 19 And the priest shall charge
her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with
thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness <i>with
another</i> instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter
water that causeth the curse: &#160; 20 But if thou hast gone aside
<i>to another</i> instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled,
and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband: &#160; 21
Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and
the priest shall say unto the woman, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.4">Lord</span> make thee a curse and an oath among thy
people, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.5">Lord</span> doth make thy
thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; &#160; 22 And this water that
causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make <i>thy</i>
belly to swell, and <i>thy</i> thigh to rot: And the woman shall
say, Amen, amen. &#160; 23 And the priest shall write these curses
in a book, and he shall blot <i>them</i> out with the bitter water:
&#160; 24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water
that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall
enter into her, <i>and become</i> bitter. &#160; 25 Then the priest
shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall
wave the offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.6">Lord</span>,
and offer it upon the altar: &#160; 26 And the priest shall take an
handful of the offering, <i>even</i> the memorial thereof, and burn
<i>it</i> upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to
drink the water. &#160; 27 And when he hath made her to drink the
water, then it shall come to pass, <i>that,</i> if she be defiled,
and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that
causeth the curse shall enter into her, <i>and become</i> bitter,
and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman
shall be a curse among her people. &#160; 28 And if the woman be
not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall
conceive seed. &#160; 29 This <i>is</i> the law of jealousies, when
a wife goeth aside <i>to another</i> instead of her husband, and is
defiled; &#160; 30 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him,
and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vi-p8.7">Lord</span>, and the priest shall execute
upon her all this law. &#160; 31 Then shall the man be guiltless
from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p9">We have here the law concerning the solemn
trial of a wife whose husband was jealous of her. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p10">I. What was the case supposed: That a man
had some reason to suspect his wife to have committed adultery,
<scripRef passage="Num 5:12-14" id="Num.vi-p10.1" parsed="|Num|5|12|5|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.12-Num.5.14"><i>v.</i> 12-14</scripRef>. Here, 1.
The sin of adultery is justly represented as an exceedingly sinful
sin; it is going aside from God and virtue, and the good way,
<scripRef passage="Pr 2:17" id="Num.vi-p10.2" parsed="|Prov|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.2.17">Prov. ii. 17</scripRef>. It is
committing a trespass against the husband, robbing him of his
honour, alienating his right, introducing a spurious breed into his
family to share with his children in his estate, and violating her
covenant with him. It is being defiled; for nothing pollutes the
mind and conscience more than this sin does. 2. It is supposed to
be a sin which great care is taken by the sinners to conceal, which
there is no witness of. <i>The eye of the adulterer waits for the
twilight,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 24:15" id="Num.vi-p10.3" parsed="|Job|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.24.15">Job xxiv.
15</scripRef>. And the adulteress takes her opportunity when <i>the
good man is not at home,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 7:19" id="Num.vi-p10.4" parsed="|Prov|7|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.19">Prov. vii.
19</scripRef>. It would not covet to be secret if it were not
shameful; and the devil who draws sinners to this sin teaches them
how to cover it. 3. The <i>spirit of jealousy</i> is supposed to
come upon the husband, of which Solomon says, It is the <i>rage of
a man</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 6:34" id="Num.vi-p10.5" parsed="|Prov|6|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.34">Prov. vi. 34</scripRef>),
and that it is <i>cruel as the grave,</i> <scripRef passage="So 8:6" id="Num.vi-p10.6" parsed="|Song|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.8.6">Cant. viii. 6</scripRef>. 4. "Yet" (say the Jewish
writers) "he must make it appear that he has some just cause for
the suspicion." The rule they give is, "If the husband have said
unto his wife before witnesses, 'Be not thou in secret with such a
man;' and, notwithstanding that admonition, it is afterwards proved
that she was in secret with that man, though her father or her
brother, then he may compel her to drink the bitter water." But the
law here does not tie him to that particular method of proving the
just cause of his suspicion; it might be otherwise proved. In case
it could be proved that she had committed adultery, she was to be
put to death (<scripRef passage="Le 20:10" id="Num.vi-p10.7" parsed="|Lev|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.10">Lev. xx. 10</scripRef>);
but, if it was uncertain, then this law took place. Hence, (1.) Let
all wives be admonished not to give any the least occasion for the
suspicion of their chastity; it is not enough that they abstain
from the evil of uncleanness, but they must abstain from all
appearance of it, from every thing that looks like it, or leads to
it, or may give the least umbrage to jealousy; for <i>how great a
matter</i> may a <i>little fire kindle!</i> (2.) Let all husbands
be admonished not to entertain any causeless or unjust suspicions
of their wives. If charity in general, much more conjugal
affection, teaches to <i>think no evil,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 13:5" id="Num.vi-p10.8" parsed="|1Cor|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.13.5">1 Cor. xiii. 5</scripRef>. It is the happiness of the
virtuous woman that <i>the heart of her husband does safely trust
in her,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 31:11" id="Num.vi-p10.9" parsed="|Prov|31|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.11">Prov. xxxi.
11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p11">II. What was the course prescribed in this
case, that, if the suspected wife was innocent, she might not
continue under the reproach and uneasiness of her husband's
jealousy, and, if guilty, her sin might find her out, and others
might hear, and fear, and take warning.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p12">1. The process of the trial must be thus:&#8212;
(1.) Her husband must <i>bring her to the priest,</i> with the
witnesses that could prove the ground of his suspicion, and desire
that she might be put upon her trial. The Jews say that the priest
was first to endeavour to persuade her to confess the truth, saying
to this purport, "Dear daughter, perhaps thou wast overtaken by
drinking wine, or wast carried away by the heat of youth or the
examples of bad neighbours; come, confess the truth, for the sake
of his great name which is described in the most sacred ceremony,
and do not let it be blotted out with the bitter water." If she
confessed, saying, "I am defiled," she was not put to death, but
was divorced and lost her dowry; if she said, "I am pure," then
they proceeded. (2.) He must bring a coarse offering of
barley-meal, without oil or frankincense, agreeably to the present
afflicted state of his family; for a great affliction it was either
to have cause to be jealous or to be jealous without cause. It is
an <i>offering of memorial,</i> to signify that what was to be done
was intended as a religious appeal to the omniscience and justice
of God. (3.) The priest was to prepare the water of jealousy, the
holy water out of the laver at which the priests were to wash when
they ministered; this must be brought in an <i>earthen vessel,</i>
containing (they say) about a pint; and it must be an
<i>earthen</i> vessel, because the coarser and plainer every thing
was the more agreeable it was to the occasion. <i>Dust</i> must be
put into the water, to signify the reproach she lay under, and the
shame she ought to take to herself, putting her mouth in the dust;
but dust from <i>the floor of the tabernacle,</i> to put an honour
upon every thing that pertained to the place God had chosen to put
his name there, and to keep up in the people a reverence for it;
see <scripRef passage="Joh 8:6" id="Num.vi-p12.1" parsed="|John|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.6">John viii. 6</scripRef>. (4.) The
woman was to be <i>set before the Lord,</i> at the east gate of the
temple-court (say the Jews), and her head was to be uncovered, in
token of her sorrowful condition; and there she stood for a
spectacle to the world, that other women might learn not to do
<i>after her lewdness,</i> <scripRef passage="Eze 23:48" id="Num.vi-p12.2" parsed="|Ezek|23|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.23.48">Ezek.
xxiii. 48</scripRef>. Only the Jews say, "Her own servants were not
to be present, that she might not seem vile in their sight, who
were to give honour to her; her husband also must be dismissed."
(5.) The priest was to adjure her to tell the truth, and to
denounce the curse of God against her if she were guilty, and to
declare what would be the effect of her drinking the water of
jealousy, <scripRef passage="Num 5:19-22" id="Num.vi-p12.3" parsed="|Num|5|19|5|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.19-Num.5.22"><i>v.</i>
19-22</scripRef>. He must assure her that, if she were innocent,
the water would do her no harm, <scripRef passage="Num 5:19" id="Num.vi-p12.4" parsed="|Num|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. None need fear the curse of the
law if they have not broken the commands of the law. But, if she
were guilty, this water would be poison to her, it would make her
<i>belly to swell and her thigh to rot,</i> and she should be a
curse or abomination among her people, <scripRef passage="Num 5:21,22" id="Num.vi-p12.5" parsed="|Num|5|21|5|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.21-Num.5.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. To this she must say,
<i>Amen,</i> as Israel must do to the curses pronounced on mount
Ebal, <scripRef passage="De 27:15-26" id="Num.vi-p12.6" parsed="|Deut|27|15|27|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.15-Deut.27.26">Deut. xxvii.
15-26</scripRef>. Some think the <i>Amen,</i> being doubled,
respects both parts of the adjuration, both that which freed her if
innocent and that which condemned her if guilty. No woman, if she
were guilty, could say <i>Amen</i> to this adjuration, and drink
the water upon it, unless she disbelieved the truth of God or
defied his justice, and had come to such a pitch of impudence and
hard-heartedness in sin as to challenge God Almighty to do his
worst, and choose rather to venture upon his curse than to give him
glory by making confession; thus has whoredom <i>taken away the
heart.</i> (6.) The priest was to write this curse in a scrip or
scroll of parchment, <i>verbatim&#8212;word for word,</i> as he had
expressed it, and then to wipe or scrape out what he had written
into the water (<scripRef passage="Num 5:23" id="Num.vi-p12.7" parsed="|Num|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), to signify that it was that curse which impregnated
the water, and gave it its strength to effect what was intended. It
signified that, if she were innocent, the curse should be blotted
out and never appear against her, as it is written, <scripRef passage="Isa 43:25" id="Num.vi-p12.8" parsed="|Isa|43|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.25">Isa. xliii. 25</scripRef>, <i>I am he that
blotteth out thy transgression,</i> and <scripRef passage="Ps 51:9" id="Num.vi-p12.9" parsed="|Ps|51|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.9">Ps. li. 9</scripRef>, <i>Blot out my iniquities;</i> but
that, if she were guilty, the curse, as it was written, being
infused into the water, would enter into her bowels with the water,
even <i>like oil into her bones</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 109:18" id="Num.vi-p12.10" parsed="|Ps|109|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.109.18">Ps. cix. 18</scripRef>), as we read of a curse entering
into a house, <scripRef passage="Zec 5:4" id="Num.vi-p12.11" parsed="|Zech|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.5.4">Zech. v. 4</scripRef>.
(7.) The woman must then drink the water (<scripRef passage="Num 5:24" id="Num.vi-p12.12" parsed="|Num|5|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>); it is called <i>the bitter
water,</i> some think because they put wormwood in it to make it
bitter, or rather because it caused the curse. Thus sin is called
<i>an evil thing and a bitter</i> for the same reason, because it
<i>causeth the curse,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 2:19" id="Num.vi-p12.13" parsed="|Jer|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.19">Jer. ii.
19</scripRef>. If she had been guilty (and otherwise it did not
cause the curse), she was made to know that though her stolen
waters had been sweet, and her <i>bread eaten in secret
pleasant,</i> yet the end was <i>bitter as wormwood,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 9:17" id="Num.vi-p12.14" parsed="|Prov|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.9.17">Prov. ix. 17</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="Nu 5:4" id="Num.vi-p12.15" parsed="|Num|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.4"><i>ch.</i> v. 4</scripRef>. Let all that meddle with
forbidden pleasures know that they will be bitterness in the latter
end. The Jews say that if, upon denouncing the curse, the woman was
so terrified that she durst not drink the water, but confessed she
was defiled, the priest flung down the water, and cast her offering
among the ashes, and she was divorced without dowry: if she
confessed not, and yet would not drink, they forced her to it; and,
if she was ready to throw it up again, they hastened her away, that
she might not pollute the holy place. (8.) Before she drank the
water, the jealousy-offering was waved and offered upon the altar
(<scripRef passage="Num 5:25,26" id="Num.vi-p12.16" parsed="|Num|5|25|5|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.25-Num.5.26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>); a
handful of it was burnt for a memorial, and the remainder of it
eaten by the priest, unless the husband was a priest, and then it
was scattered among the ashes. This offering in the midst of the
transaction signified that the whole was an appeal to God, as a God
that knows all things, and <i>from whom no secret is hid.</i> (9.)
All things being thus performed according to the law, they were to
wait the issue. The water, with a little dust put into it, and the
scrapings of a written parchment, had no natural tendency at all to
do either good or hurt; but if God was thus appealed to in the way
of an instituted ordinance, though otherwise the innocent might
have continued under suspicion and the guilty undiscovered, yet God
would so far own his own institution as that in a little time, by
the miraculous operation of Providence, the innocency of the
innocent should be cleared, and the sin of the guilty should find
them out. [1.] If the suspected woman was really guilty, the water
she drank would be poison to her (<scripRef passage="Num 5:27" id="Num.vi-p12.17" parsed="|Num|5|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), her belly would swell and her
thigh rot by a vile disease for vile deserts, and she would
<i>mourn at the last when her flesh and body were consumed,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 5:11" id="Num.vi-p12.18" parsed="|Prov|5|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.5.11">Prov. v. 11</scripRef>. Bishop Patrick
says, from some of the Jewish writers, that the effect of these
waters appeared immediately, she grew pale, and her eyes ready to
start out of her head. Dr. Lightfoot says that sometimes it
appeared not for two or three years, but she bore no children, was
sickly, languished, and rotted at last; it is probable that some
indications appeared immediately. The rabbin say that the adulterer
also died in the same day and hour that the adulteress did, and in
the same manner too, that he belly swelled, and his secret parts
rotted: a disease perhaps not much unlike that which in these
latter ages the avenging hand of a righteous God has made the
scourge of uncleanness, and with which whores and whoremongers
infect, and plague, and ruin one another, since they escape
punishment from men. The Jewish doctors add that the waters had
this effect upon the adulteress only in case the husband had never
offended in the same kind; but that, if he had at any time defiled
the marriage-bed, God did not thus right him against his injurious
wife; and that therefore in the latter and degenerate ages of the
Jewish church, when uncleanness did abound, this way of trial was
generally disused and laid aside; men, knowing their own crimes,
were content not to know their wives' crimes. And to this perhaps
may refer the threatening (<scripRef passage="Ho 4:14" id="Num.vi-p12.19" parsed="|Hos|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.4.14">Hos. iv.
14</scripRef>), <i>I will not punish your spouses when they commit
adultery, for you yourselves are separated with whores.</i> [2.] If
she were innocent, the water she drank would be physic to her:
<i>She shall be free, and shall conceive seed,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 5:28" id="Num.vi-p12.20" parsed="|Num|5|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.5.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. The Jewish writers
magnify the good effects of this water to the innocent woman, that,
to recompense her for the wrong done to her by the suspicion, she
should, after the drinking of these waters, be stronger and look
better than ever; if she was sickly, she should become healthful,
should bear a man-child, and have easy labour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vi-p13">2. From the whole we may learn, (1.) That
secret sins are known to God, and sometimes are strangely brought
to light in this life; however, there is a day coming when God
will, by Jesus Christ, as here by the priest, judge the <i>secrets
of men according to the gospel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 2:16" id="Num.vi-p13.1" parsed="|Rom|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.16">Rom. ii. 16</scripRef>. (2.) That, in particular,
<i>Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.</i> The violation of
conjugal faith and chastity is highly provoking to the God of
heaven, and sooner or later it will be reckoned for. Though we have
not now the waters of jealousy to be a sensible terror to the
unclean, yet we have a word from God which ought to be as great a
terror, that if <i>any man defile the temple of God, him shall God
destroy,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 3:17" id="Num.vi-p13.2" parsed="|1Cor|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.17">1 Cor. iii.
17</scripRef>. (3.) That God will find out some way or other to
clear the innocency of the innocent, and to bring forth their
righteousness as the light. (4.) That to <i>the pure all things are
pure,</i> but <i>to the defiled nothing</i> is so, <scripRef passage="Tit 1:15" id="Num.vi-p13.3" parsed="|Titus|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.1.15">Tit. i. 15</scripRef>. The same word is to some
a <i>savour of life unto life, to others a savour of death unto
death,</i> like those waters of jealousy, according as they receive
it; the same providence is for good to some and for hurt to others,
<scripRef passage="Jer 24:5,8,9" id="Num.vi-p13.4" parsed="|Jer|24|5|0|0;|Jer|24|8|0|0;|Jer|24|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.24.5 Bible:Jer.24.8 Bible:Jer.24.9">Jer. xxiv. 5, 8, 9</scripRef>.
And, whatsoever it is intended for, it <i>shall not return
void.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VI" n="vii" progress="66.03%" prev="Num.vi" next="Num.viii" id="Num.vii">
<h2 id="Num.vii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.vii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The law concerning
Nazarites, 1. What it was to which the vow of a Nazarite obliged
him, <scripRef passage="Nu 6:1-8" id="Num.vii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|6|1|6|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.1-Num.6.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. 2. A
remedial law in case a Nazarite happened to be polluted by the
touch of a dead body, <scripRef passage="Nu 6:9-12" id="Num.vii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|6|9|6|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.9-Num.6.12">ver.
9-12</scripRef>. 3. The solemnity of his discharge when his time
was up, <scripRef passage="Nu 6:13-21" id="Num.vii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|6|13|6|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.13-Num.6.21">ver. 13-21</scripRef>. II.
Instructions given to the priests how they should bless the people,
<scripRef passage="Nu 6:22-27" id="Num.vii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|6|22|6|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.22-Num.6.27">ver. 22</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 6" id="Num.vii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 6:1-21" id="Num.vii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|6|1|6|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.1-Num.6.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.6.1-Num.6.21">
<h4 id="Num.vii-p1.7">The Law Concerning
Nazarites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.vii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate
<i>themselves</i> to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate
<i>themselves</i> unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.2">Lord</span>:
&#160; 3 He shall separate <i>himself</i> from wine and strong
drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong
drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist
grapes, or dried. &#160; 4 All the days of his separation shall he
eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to
the husk. &#160; 5 All the days of the vow of his separation there
shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in
the which he separateth <i>himself</i> unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.3">Lord</span>, he shall be holy, <i>and</i> shall let the
locks of the hair of his head grow. &#160; 6 All the days that he
separateth <i>himself</i> unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.4">Lord</span> he shall come at no dead body. &#160; 7 He
shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother,
for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the
consecration of his God <i>is</i> upon his head. &#160; 8 All the
days of his separation he <i>is</i> holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 9 And if any man die very suddenly
by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he
shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh
day shall he shave it. &#160; 10 And on the eighth day he shall
bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation: &#160; 11 And the priest
shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt
offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the
dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. &#160; 12 And he
shall consecrate unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.6">Lord</span> the
days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year
for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be
lost, because his separation was defiled. &#160; 13 And this
<i>is</i> the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation
are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation: &#160; 14 And he shall offer his offering unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.7">Lord</span>, one he lamb of the first
year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the
first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without
blemish for peace offerings, &#160; 15 And a basket of unleavened
bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of
unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and
their drink offerings. &#160; 16 And the priest shall bring
<i>them</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.8">Lord</span>, and
shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: &#160; 17 And
he shall offer the ram <i>for</i> a sacrifice of peace offerings
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.9">Lord</span>, with the basket of
unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering,
and his drink offering. &#160; 18 And the Nazarite shall shave the
head of his separation <i>at</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his
separation, and put <i>it</i> in the fire which <i>is</i> under the
sacrifice of the peace offerings. &#160; 19 And the priest shall
take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of
the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put <i>them</i>
upon the hands of the Nazarite, after <i>the hair of</i> his
separation is shaven: &#160; 20 And the priest shall wave them
<i>for</i> a wave offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.10">Lord</span>: this <i>is</i> holy for the priest, with
the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may
drink wine. &#160; 21 This <i>is</i> the law of the Nazarite who
hath vowed, <i>and of</i> his offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p2.11">Lord</span> for his separation, beside <i>that</i> that
his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must
do after the law of his separation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p3">After the law for the discovery and shame
of those that by sin had made themselves vile, fitly follows this
for the direction and encouragement of those who by their eminent
piety and devotion had made themselves honourable, and
distinguished themselves from their neighbours. It is very probable
that there were those before the making of this law who went under
the character of <i>Nazarites,</i> and were celebrated by that
title as persons professing greater strictness and zeal in religion
than other people; for the vow of a Nazarite is spoken of here as a
thing already well known, but the obligation of it is reduced to a
greater certainty than hitherto it had been. Joseph is called a
Nazarite among his brethren (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:26" id="Num.vii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|49|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.26">Gen.
xlix. 26</scripRef>), not only because separate from them, but
because eminent among them. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p4">I. The general character of a Nazarite: it
is a person <i>separated unto the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:2" id="Num.vii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Some were Nazarites for life,
either by divine designation, as Samson (<scripRef passage="Jdg 13:5" id="Num.vii-p4.2" parsed="|Judg|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.13.5">Judg. xiii. 5</scripRef>), and John Baptist (<scripRef passage="Lu 1:15" id="Num.vii-p4.3" parsed="|Luke|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.15">Luke i. 15</scripRef>), or by their parents' vow
concerning them, as Samuel, <scripRef passage="1Sa 1:11" id="Num.vii-p4.4" parsed="|1Sam|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.1.11">1 Sam. i.
11</scripRef>. Of these this law speaks not. Others were so for a
certain time, and by their own voluntary engagement, and concerning
them rules are given by this law. A woman might bind herself with
the vow of a Nazarite, under the limitations we find, <scripRef passage="Nu 30:3" id="Num.vii-p4.5" parsed="|Num|30|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.3"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 3</scripRef>, where the vow which
the woman is supposed to vow unto the Lord seems to be meant
especially of this vow. The Nazarites were, 1. Devoted to the Lord
during the time of their Nazariteship, and, it is probable, spent
much of their time in the study of the law, in acts of devotion,
and instructing others. An air of piety was thereby put upon them,
and upon their whole conversation. 2. They were separated from
common persons and common things. Those that are consecrated to God
must not be conformed to this world. They distinguished themselves,
not only from others, but from what they themselves were before and
after. 3. They separated themselves by vowing a vow. Every
Israelite was bound by the divine law to love God with all his
heart, but the Nazarites by their own act and deed bound themselves
to some religious observances, as fruits and expressions of that
love, which other Israelites were not bound to. Some such there
were, whose spirits God stirred up to be in their day the ornaments
of the church, the standard-bearers of religion, and patterns of
piety. It is spoken of as a great favour to their nation that God
<i>raised up of their young men for Nazarites,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 2:11" id="Num.vii-p4.6" parsed="|Amos|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.2.11">Amos ii. 11</scripRef>. The Nazarites were known
in the streets and respected as <i>purer than snow, whiter than
milk,</i> <scripRef passage="La 4:7" id="Num.vii-p4.7" parsed="|Lam|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.4.7">Lam. iv. 7</scripRef>. Christ
was called in reproach a Nazarene, so were his followers: but he
was no Nazarite according to this law; he drank wine, and touched
dead bodies, yet in his this type had its accomplishment, for in
him all purity and perfection met; and every true Christian is a
spiritual Nazarite, separated by vow unto the Lord. We find St.
Paul, by the persuasion of his friends, in complaisance to the
Jews, submitting to this law of the Nazarites; but at the same time
it is declared that the Gentiles should <i>observe no such
thing,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 21:24,25" id="Num.vii-p4.8" parsed="|Acts|21|24|21|25" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.24-Acts.21.25">Acts xxi. 24,
25</scripRef>. It was looked upon as a great honour to a man to be
a Nazarite, and therefore if a man speak of it as a punishment,
saying for instance, "I will be a Nazarite rather than do so or
so," he is (say the Jews) a wicked man; but he that vows unto the
Lord in the way of holiness to be a Nazarite, lo, <i>the crown of
his God is upon his head.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p5">II. The particular obligations that the
Nazarites lay under. That the fancies of superstitious men might
not multiply their restraints endlessly, God himself lays down the
law for them, and gives them the rule of their profession.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p6">1. They must have nothing to do with <i>the
fruit of the vine,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:3,4" id="Num.vii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|6|3|6|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.3-Num.6.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>. They must drink no wine nor string drink, nor eat
grapes, no, not the kernel nor the husk; they might not so much as
eat a raisin. The learned Dr. Lightfoot has a conjecture (Hor. Heb.
in Luc. 1. 15), that, as the ceremonial pollutions by leprosy and
otherwise represented the sinful state of fallen man, so the
institution of the order of Nazarites was designed to represent the
pure and perfect state of man in innocency, and that the tree of
knowledge, forbidden to Adam, was the vine, and for that reason it
was forbidden to the Nazarites, and all the produce of it. Those
who gave the Nazarites wine to drink did the tempter's work
(<scripRef passage="Am 2:12" id="Num.vii-p6.2" parsed="|Amos|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.2.12">Amos ii. 12</scripRef>), persuading
them to that forbidden fruit. That it was reckoned a perfection and
praise not to drink wine appears from the instance of the
Rechabites, <scripRef passage="Jer 35:6" id="Num.vii-p6.3" parsed="|Jer|35|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.35.6">Jer. xxxv. 6</scripRef>.
They were to <i>drink no wine,</i> (1.) That they might be examples
of temperance and mortification. Those that separate themselves to
God and to his honour must not gratify the desires of the body, but
keep it under and bring it into subjection. Drinking <i>a little
wine for the stomach's sake</i> is allowed, to help that, <scripRef passage="1Ti 5:23" id="Num.vii-p6.4" parsed="|1Tim|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.5.23">1 Tim. v. 23</scripRef>. But drinking much wine
for the <i>palate's sake,</i> to please that, does by no means
become those who profess to walk not <i>after the flesh, but after
the Spirit.</i> (2.) That they might be qualified to employ
themselves in the service of God. They must not drink, lest they
should <i>forget the law</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 31:5" id="Num.vii-p6.5" parsed="|Prov|31|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.5">Prov.
xxxi. 5</scripRef>), lest they should <i>err through wine,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 28:7" id="Num.vii-p6.6" parsed="|Isa|28|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.7">Isa. xxviii. 7</scripRef>. Let all
Christians oblige themselves to be very moderate in the use of wine
and strong drink; for, if the love of these once gets the mastery
of a man, he becomes a very easy prey to Satan. It is observable
that because they were to drink no wine (which was the thing mainly
intended) they were to eat nothing that came of the vine, to teach
us with the utmost care and caution to avoid sin and every thing
that borders upon it and leads to it, or may be a temptation to us.
<i>Abstain from all appearance of evil,</i> <scripRef passage="1Th 5:22" id="Num.vii-p6.7" parsed="|1Thess|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.5.22">1 Thess. v. 22</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p7">2. They must not <i>cut their hair,</i>
<scripRef passage="Num 6:5" id="Num.vii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. They must
neither poll their heads nor shave their beards; this was that mark
of Samson's Nazariteship which we often read of in his story. Now,
(1.) This signified a noble neglect of the body and the ease and
ornament of it, which became those who, being separated to God,
ought to be wholly taken up with their souls, to secure their peace
and beauty. It signified that they had, for the present, renounced
all sorts of sensual pleasures and delights, and resolved to live a
life of self-denial and mortification. Mephibosheth in sorrow
<i>trimmed not his beard,</i> <scripRef passage="2Sa 19:24" id="Num.vii-p7.2" parsed="|2Sam|19|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.19.24">2 Sam.
xix. 24</scripRef>. (2.) Some observe that long hair is spoken of
as a badge of subjection (<scripRef passage="1Co 11:5" id="Num.vii-p7.3" parsed="|1Cor|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.5">1 Cor. xi.
5</scripRef>, &amp;c.); so that the long hair of the Nazarites
denoted their subjection to God, and their putting themselves under
his dominion. (3.) By this they were known to all that met them to
be Nazarites, and so it commanded respect. It made them look great
without art; it was nature's crown to the head, and a testimony for
them that they had preserved their purity. For, if they had been
defiled, their hair must have been cut, <scripRef passage="Num 6:9" id="Num.vii-p7.4" parsed="|Num|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Jer 7:29" id="Num.vii-p7.5" parsed="|Jer|7|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.7.29">Jer. vii. 29</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p8">3. They must not come near any dead body,
<scripRef passage="Num 6:6,7" id="Num.vii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|6|6|6|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.6-Num.6.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>. Others
might touch dead bodies, and contracted only a ceremonial pollution
by it for some time; some must do it, else the dead must be
unburied; but the Nazarites must not do it, upon pain of forfeiting
all the honour of their Nazariteship. They must not attend the
funeral of any relation, no, not father nor mother, any more than
the high priest himself, because <i>the consecration of his God is
upon his head.</i> Those that separate themselves to God must
learn, (1.) To distinguish themselves, and do more than others.
(2.) To keep their consciences pure from dead works, and not to
touch the unclean thing. The greater profession of religion we
make, and the more eminent we appear, the greater care we must take
to avoid all sin, for we have so much the more honour to lose by
it. (3.) To moderate their affections even to their near relations,
so as not to let their sorrow for the loss of them break in upon
their joy in God and submission to his will. See <scripRef passage="Mt 8:21,22" id="Num.vii-p8.2" parsed="|Matt|8|21|8|22" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.21-Matt.8.22">Matt. viii. 21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p9">4. All <i>the days of their separation</i>
they must be <i>holy to the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:8" id="Num.vii-p9.1" parsed="|Num|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. This was the meaning of those
external observances, and without this they were of no account. The
Nazarites must be devoted to God, employed for him, and their minds
intent upon him; they must keep themselves pure in heart and life,
and be in every thing conformable to the divine image and will;
this is to be holy, this is to be a Nazarite indeed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p10">III. The provision that was made for the
cleansing of a Nazarite, if he happened unavoidably to contract a
ceremonial pollution by the touch of a dead body. No penalty is
ordered by this law for the wilful breach of the foregoing laws;
for it was not supposed that a man who had so much religion as to
make that vow could have so little as to break it presumptuously:
nor could it be supposed that he should drink wine, or have his
hair cut, but by his own fault; but purely by the providence of
God, without any fault of his own, he might be near a dead body,
and that is the case put (<scripRef passage="Num 6:9" id="Num.vii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>If a man die very suddenly by him, he has defiled
the head of his consecration.</i> Note, Death sometimes takes men
away very suddenly, and without any previous warning. A man might
be well and dead in so little a time that the most careful Nazarite
could not avoid being polluted by the dead body; so short a step is
it sometimes, and so soon taken, from time to eternity. God prepare
us for sudden death! In this case, 1. He must be purified from the
ceremonial pollution he had contracted, as others must, upon the
seventh day, <scripRef passage="Num 6:9" id="Num.vii-p10.2" parsed="|Num|6|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
Nay, more was required for the purifying of the Nazarite than of
any other person that had touched a dead body; he must bring a
sin-offering and a burnt-offering, and an atonement must be <i>made
for him,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:10,11" id="Num.vii-p10.3" parsed="|Num|6|10|6|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.10-Num.6.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>. This teaches us that sins of infirmity, and the
faults we are overtaken in by surprise, must be seriously repented
of, and that an application must be made of the virtue of Christ's
sacrifice to our souls for the forgiveness of them every day,
<scripRef passage="1Jo 2:1,2" id="Num.vii-p10.4" parsed="|1John|2|1|2|2" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.1-1John.2.2">1 John ii. 1, 2</scripRef>. It
teaches us also that, if those who make an eminent profession of
religion do any thing to sully the reputation of their profession,
more is expected from them than others, for the retrieving both of
their peace and of their credit. 2. He must begin the days of his
separation again; for all that were past before his pollution,
though coming ever so near the period of his time set, were lost,
and not reckoned to him, <scripRef passage="Num 6:12" id="Num.vii-p10.5" parsed="|Num|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. This obliged them to be very careful not to defile
themselves by the dead, for that was the only thing that made them
lose their time, and it teaches us that <i>if a righteous man turn
away from his righteousness,</i> and defile himself with dead
works, all his righteousness that he has done shall be lost to him,
<scripRef passage="Eze 33:13" id="Num.vii-p10.6" parsed="|Ezek|33|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.33.13">Ezek. xxxiii. 13</scripRef>. It is
all lost, all in vain, if he do not persevere, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:4" id="Num.vii-p10.7" parsed="|Gal|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.4">Gal. iii. 4</scripRef>. He must begin again, and do his
first works.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p11">IV. The law for the solemn discharge of a
Nazarite from his vow, when he had completed the time he fixed to
himself. Before the expiration of that term he could not be
discharged; before he vowed, it was in his own power, but it was
too late after the vow to make enquiry. The Jews say that the time
of a Nazarite's vow could not be less than thirty days; and if a
man said, "I will be a Nazarite but for two days," yet he was bound
for thirty; but it should seem Paul's vow was for only seven days
(<scripRef passage="Ac 21:27" id="Num.vii-p11.1" parsed="|Acts|21|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.27">Acts xxi. 27</scripRef>), or, rather,
then he observed the ceremony of finishing that vow of Nazariteship
from which, being at a distance from the temple, he had discharged
himself some years before at Cenchrea only by the ceremony of
cutting his hair, <scripRef passage="Ac 18:18" id="Num.vii-p11.2" parsed="|Acts|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.18.18">Acts xviii.
18</scripRef>. When the time of the vowed separation was out, he
was to be made free, 1. Publicly, <i>at the door of the
tabernacle</i> (<scripRef passage="Num 6:13" id="Num.vii-p11.3" parsed="|Num|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), that all might take notice of the finishing of his
vow, and none might be offended if they saw him now drink wine, who
had so lately refused. 2. It was to be done with sacrifices,
<scripRef passage="Num 6:14" id="Num.vii-p11.4" parsed="|Num|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Lest he should
think that by this eminent piece of devotion he had made God a
debtor to him, he is appointed, even when he had finished his vow,
to bring an offering to God; for, when we have done our utmost in
duty to God, still we must own ourselves behind-hand with him. He
must bring one of each sort of the instituted offerings. (1.) A
burnt-offering, as an acknowledgment of God's sovereign dominion
over him and all he had still, notwithstanding his discharge from
this particular vow. (2.) A sin-offering. This, though mentioned
second (<scripRef passage="Num 6:14" id="Num.vii-p11.5" parsed="|Num|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), yet
seems to have been offered first (<scripRef passage="Num 6:16" id="Num.vii-p11.6" parsed="|Num|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), for atonement must be made for
our sins before any of our sacrifices can be accepted. And it is
very observable that even the Nazarite, who in the eye of men was
<i>purer than snow</i> and <i>whiter than milk,</i> yet durst not
appear before the holy God without a sin-offering. Though he had
fulfilled the vow of his separation without any pollution, yet he
must bring a sacrifice for sin; for there is guilt insensibly
contracted by the best of men, even in their best works&#8212;some good
omitted, some ill admitted, which, if we were dealt with in strict
justice, would be our ruin, and in consequence of which it is
necessary for us to receive the atonement, and plead it as our
righteousness before God. (3.) A peace-offering, in thankfulness to
God who had enabled him to fulfil his vow, and in supplication to
God for grace to preserve him from ever doing any thing unbecoming
one that had been once a Nazarite, remembering that, though he was
now freed from the bonds of his own vow, he still remained under
the bonds of the divine law. (4.) To these were added the
meat-offerings and drink-offerings, according to the manner
(<scripRef passage="Num 6:15,17" id="Num.vii-p11.7" parsed="|Num|6|15|0|0;|Num|6|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.15 Bible:Num.6.17"><i>v.</i> 15, 17</scripRef>), for
these always accompanied the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings:
and, besides these, a basket of unleavened cakes, and wafers. (5.)
Part of the peace-offering, with a cake and wafer, was to be waved
for a wave-offering (<scripRef passage="Num 6:19,20" id="Num.vii-p11.8" parsed="|Num|6|19|6|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.19-Num.6.20"><i>v.</i> 19,
20</scripRef>); and this was a gratuity to the priest, who had it
for his pains, after it had been first presented to God. (6.)
Besides all this, he might bring his free-will offerings, <i>such
as his hand shall get,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:21" id="Num.vii-p11.9" parsed="|Num|6|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. More than this he might bring, but not less. And, to
grace the solemnity, it was common upon this occasion to have their
friends to be at <i>charges with them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 21:24" id="Num.vii-p11.10" parsed="|Acts|21|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.24">Acts xxi. 24</scripRef>. <i>Lastly,</i> One ceremony
more was appointed, which was like the cancelling of the bond when
the condition is performed, and that was the <i>cutting off of his
hair,</i> which had been suffered to grow all the time of his being
a Nazarite, and burning it in the fire over which the
peace-offerings were boiling, <scripRef passage="Num 6:18" id="Num.vii-p11.11" parsed="|Num|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. This intimated that his full performance of his vow
was acceptable to God in Christ the great sacrifice, and not
otherwise. Learn hence to <i>vow and pay to the Lord our God,</i>
for <i>he has no pleasure in fools.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 6:22-27" id="Num.vii-p11.12" parsed="|Num|6|22|6|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.22-Num.6.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.6.22-Num.6.27">
<h4 id="Num.vii-p11.13">A Form of Benediction
Appointed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p11.14">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.vii-p12">22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p12.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his
sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel,
saying unto them, &#160; 24 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p12.2">Lord</span>
bless thee, and keep thee: &#160; 25 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p12.3">Lord</span> make his face shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee: &#160; 26 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.vii-p12.4">Lord</span> lift up his countenance upon thee, and give
thee peace. &#160; 27 And they shall put my name upon the children
of Israel; and I will bless them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p13">Here, I. The priests, among other good
offices which they were to do, are appointed solemnly to bless the
people in the <i>name of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:23" id="Num.vii-p13.1" parsed="|Num|6|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. It was part of their work,
<scripRef passage="De 21:5" id="Num.vii-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|21|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.5">Deut. xxi. 5</scripRef>. Hereby God put
an honour upon the priests, for <i>the less is blessed of the
better;</i> and hereby he gave great comfort and satisfaction to
the people, who looked upon the priest as God's mouth to them.
Though the priests of himself could do no more than beg a blessing,
yet being an intercessor by office, and doing that in his name who
commands the blessing, the prayer carried with it a promise, and he
pronounced it as one having authority with his hands lifted up and
his face towards the people. Now, 1. This was a type of Christ's
errand into the world, which was to <i>bless us</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 3:26" id="Num.vii-p13.3" parsed="|Acts|3|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.3.26">Acts iii. 26</scripRef>), as the high priest of
our profession. The last thing he did on earth was with uplifted
hands to bless his disciples, <scripRef passage="Num 24:50,51" id="Num.vii-p13.4" parsed="|Num|24|50|24|51" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.50-Num.24.51">Num
xxiv. 50, 51</scripRef>. The learned bishop Pearson observes it as
a tradition of the Jews that the priests blessed the people only at
the close of the morning sacrifice, not of the evening sacrifice,
to show (says he) that in the last days, the days of the Messiah,
which are (as it were) the evening of the world, the benediction of
the law should cease, and the blessing of Christ should take place.
2. It was a pattern to gospel ministers, the masters of assemblies,
who are in like manner to dismiss their solemn assemblies with a
blessing. The same that are God's mouth to his people, to teach and
command them, are his mouth likewise to bless them; and those that
receive the law shall receive the blessing. The Hebrew doctors warn
the people that they say not, "What availeth the blessing of this
poor simple priest? "For," say they, "the receiving of the blessing
depends, not on the priest, but on the holy blessed God."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p14">II. A form of blessing is here prescribed
them. In their other devotions no form was prescribed, but this
being God's command concerning benediction, that it might not look
like any thing of their own, he puts the very words in their
mouths, <scripRef passage="Num 6:24-26" id="Num.vii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|6|24|6|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.24-Num.6.26"><i>v.</i> 24-26</scripRef>.
Here observe, 1. That the blessing is commanded upon each
particular person: <i>The Lord bless thee.</i> They must each of
them prepare themselves to receive the blessing, and then they
should find enough in it to make them every man happy. <i>Blessed
shalt thou be,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:3" id="Num.vii-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.3">Deut. xxviii.
3</scripRef>. If we take the law to ourselves, we may take the
blessing to ourselves, as if our names were inserted. 2. That the
name <i>Jehovah</i> is three times repeated in it, and (as the
critics observe) each with a different accent in the original; the
Jews themselves think there is some mystery in this, and we know
what it is, the New Testament having explained it, which directs us
to expect the blessing from <i>the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost,</i>
each of which persons is Jehovah, and yet they are "not three
Lords, but one Lord," <scripRef passage="2Co 13:14" id="Num.vii-p14.3" parsed="|2Cor|13|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.13.14">2 Cor. xiii.
14</scripRef>. 3. That the favour of God is all in all in this
blessing, for that is the fountain of all good. (1.) <i>The Lord
bless thee!</i> Our blessing God is only our speaking well of him;
his blessing us is doing well for us; those whom he blesses are
blessed indeed. (2.) <i>The Lord make his face shine upon thee,</i>
alluding to the shining of the sun upon the earth, to enlighten and
comfort it, and to renew the face of it. "The Lord love thee and
cause thee to know that he loves thee." We cannot but be happy if
we have God's love; and we cannot but be easy if we know that we
have it. (3.) <i>The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee.</i>
This is to the same purport with the former, and it seems to allude
to the smiles of a father upon his child, or of a man upon his
friend whom he takes pleasure in. If God give us the assurances of
his special favour and his acceptance of us, this will <i>put
gladness into the heart,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 4:7,8" id="Num.vii-p14.4" parsed="|Ps|4|7|4|8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.4.7-Ps.4.8">Ps. iv.
7, 8</scripRef>. 4. That the fruits of this favour conveyed by this
blessing are protection, pardon, and peace. (1.) Protection from
evil, <scripRef passage="Num 6:24" id="Num.vii-p14.5" parsed="|Num|6|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. The Lord
<i>keep thee,</i> for it is he that keeps Israel, and neither
<i>slumbers nor sleeps</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 121:4" id="Num.vii-p14.6" parsed="|Ps|121|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.121.4">Ps. cxxi.
4</scripRef>), and all believers are <i>kept by the power of
God.</i> (2.) Pardon of sin, <scripRef passage="Num 6:25" id="Num.vii-p14.7" parsed="|Num|6|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. The Lord be <i>gracious,</i> or <i>merciful,</i>
unto thee. (3.) Peace (<scripRef passage="Num 6:26" id="Num.vii-p14.8" parsed="|Num|6|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>), including all that good which goes to make up a
complete happiness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.vii-p15">III. God here promises to ratify and
confirm the blessing: <i>They shall put my name upon the children
of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Num 6:27" id="Num.vii-p15.1" parsed="|Num|6|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>.
God gives them leave to make use of his name in blessing the
people, and to bless them as his people, called by his name. This
included all the blessings they could pronounce upon them, to mark
them for God's peculiar, the people of his choice and love. God's
name upon them was their honour, their comfort, their safety, their
plea. <i>We are called by thy name, leave us not.</i> It is added,
<i>and I will bless them.</i> Note, A divine blessing goes along
with divine institutions, and puts virtue and efficacy into them.
What Christ says of the peace is true of the blessing, "Peace to
this congregation," if the sons of peace and heirs of blessing be
there, the peace, the blessing, shall rest upon them, <scripRef passage="Lu 10:5,6" id="Num.vii-p15.2" parsed="|Luke|10|5|10|6" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.5-Luke.10.6">Luke x. 5, 6</scripRef>. For in <i>every place
where God records his name</i> he will <i>meet his people and bless
them.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VII" n="viii" progress="66.54%" prev="Num.vii" next="Num.ix" id="Num.viii">
<h2 id="Num.viii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.viii-p0.2">CHAP. VII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.viii-p1">God having set up house (as it were) in the midst
of the camp of Israel, the princes of Israel here come a visiting
with their presents, as tenants to their landlord, in the name of
their respective tribes. I. They brought presents, 1. Upon the
dedication of the tabernacle, for the service of that, <scripRef passage="Nu 7:1-9" id="Num.viii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|7|1|7|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.1-Num.7.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. 2. Upon the dedication of
the altar, for the use of that, <scripRef passage="Nu 7:10-88" id="Num.viii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|7|10|7|88" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.10-Num.7.88">ver.
10-88</scripRef>. And, II. God graciously signified his acceptance
of them, <scripRef passage="Nu 7:89" id="Num.viii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|7|89|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.89">ver. 89</scripRef>. The two
foregoing chapters were the records of additional laws which God
gave to Israel, this is the history of the additional services
which Israel performed to God.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 7" id="Num.viii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 7:1-9" id="Num.viii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|7|1|7|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.1-Num.7.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.7.1-Num.7.9">
<h4 id="Num.viii-p1.6">The Offerings of the
Princes. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.viii-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.viii-p2">1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had
fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified
it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the
vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; &#160;
2 That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers,
who <i>were</i> the princes of the tribes, and were over them that
were numbered, offered: &#160; 3 And they brought their offering
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.viii-p2.1">Lord</span>, six covered
waggons, and twelve oxen; a waggon for two of the princes, and for
each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle. &#160;
4 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.viii-p2.2">Lord</span> spake unto Moses,
saying, &#160; 5 Take <i>it</i> of them, that they may be to do the
service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give
them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
&#160; 6 And Moses took the waggons and the oxen, and gave them
unto the Levites. &#160; 7 Two waggons and four oxen he gave unto
the sons of Gershon, according to their service: &#160; 8 And four
waggons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according
unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the
priest. &#160; 9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because
the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them <i>was that</i>
they should bear upon their shoulders.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p3">Here is the offering of the princes to the
service of the tabernacle. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p4">I. When it was; not till it was <i>fully
set up,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 7:1" id="Num.viii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. When
all things were done both about the tabernacle itself, and the camp
of Israel which surrounded it, according to the directions given,
then they began their presents, probably about the eighth day of
the second month. Note, Necessary observances must always take
place of free-will offerings: first those, and then these.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p5">II. Who it was that offered: <i>The princes
of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 7:2" id="Num.viii-p5.1" parsed="|Num|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, Those that are above
others in power and dignity ought to go before others, and
endeavour to go beyond them, in every thing that is good. The more
any are advanced the more is expected from them, on account of the
greater opportunity they have of serving God and their generation.
What are wealth and authority good for, but as they enable a man to
do so much the more good in the world?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p6">III. What was offered: six wagons, with
each of them a yoke of oxen to draw them, <scripRef passage="Nu 7:3" id="Num.viii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Doubtless these wagons were
agreeable to the rest of the furniture of the tabernacle and its
appurtenances, the best of the kind, like the carriages which great
princes use when they go in procession. Some think that God, by
Moses, intimated to them what they should bring, or their own
consideration perhaps suggested to them to make this present.
Though God's wisdom had ordained all the essentials of the
tabernacle, yet it seems these accidental conveniences were left to
be provided by their own discretion, which was to set in order that
which was wanting (<scripRef passage="Tit 1:5" id="Num.viii-p6.2" parsed="|Titus|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.1.5">Tit. i.
5</scripRef>), and these wagons were not refused, though no pattern
of them was shown to Moses in the mount. Note, It must not be
expected that the divine institution of ordinances should descend
to all those circumstances which are determinable, and are fit to
be left alterable, by human prudence, that wisdom which is
profitable to direct. Observe, No sooner is the tabernacle fully
set up than this provision is made for the removal of it. Note,
Even when we are but just settled in the world, and think we are
beginning to take root, we must be preparing for changes and
removes, especially for the great change. While we are here in this
world, every thing must be accommodated to a militant and movable
state. When the tabernacle was framing, the princes were very
generous in their offerings, for then they brought <i>precious
stones, and stones to be set</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 35:27" id="Num.viii-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|35|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.35.27">Exod. xxxv. 27</scripRef>), yet now they bring more
presents. Note, Those that have done good should study to abound
therein yet more and more, and not be <i>weary of
well-doing.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p7">IV. How the offering was disposed of, and
what use was made of it: the wagons and oxen were given to the
Levites, to be used in carrying the tabernacle, both for their ease
(for God would not have any of his servants overburdened with
work), and for the more safe and right conveyance of the several
parts of the tabernacle, which would be best kept together, and
sheltered from the weather, in wagons. 1. The Gershonites, that had
the light carriage, the curtains and hangings, had but two wagons,
and two yoke of oxen (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:7" id="Num.viii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>); when they had loaded these, they must carry the
rest, if any remained, upon their shoulders. 2. The Merarites, that
had the heavy carriage, and that which was most unwieldy, the
boards, pillars, sockets, &amp;c., had four wagons, and four yoke
of oxen allotted them (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:8" id="Num.viii-p7.2" parsed="|Num|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>); and yet, if they had not more wagons of their own,
they would be obliged to carry a great deal upon their backs too,
for the silver sockets alone weighed 100 talents, which was above
four tons, and that was enough to load four wagons that were drawn
but by one yoke of oxen a-piece. But each socket being a talent
weight, which is about a man's burden (as appears, <scripRef passage="2Ki 5:23" id="Num.viii-p7.3" parsed="|2Kgs|5|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.5.23">2 Kings v. 23</scripRef>) probably they carried
those on their backs, and put the boards and pillars into the
wagons. Observe here, How God wisely and graciously ordered the
most strength to those that had the most work. Each had wagons
<i>according to their service.</i> Whatever burden God in his
providence lays upon us, he will by his sufficient grace proportion
the strength to it, <scripRef passage="1Co 10:13" id="Num.viii-p7.4" parsed="|1Cor|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.13">1 Cor. x.
13</scripRef>. 3. The Kohathites, that had the most sacred
carriage, had no wagons at all, because they were to carry their
charge upon their shoulders (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:9" id="Num.viii-p7.5" parsed="|Num|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>), with a particular care and veneration. When in
David's time they carried the ark in a cart, God made them to know
to their terror, by the death of Uzza, that they did not <i>seek
him in the due order.</i> See <scripRef passage="1Ch 15:13" id="Num.viii-p7.6" parsed="|1Chr|15|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.15.13">1
Chron. xv. 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 7" id="Num.viii-p7.7" parsed="|Num|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 7:10-89" id="Num.viii-p7.8" parsed="|Num|7|10|7|89" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.10-Num.7.89"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.7.10-Num.7.89">
<p class="passage" id="Num.viii-p8">10 And the princes offered for dedicating of the
altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered
their offering before the altar. &#160; 11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.viii-p8.1">Lord</span> said unto Moses, They shall offer their
offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
&#160; 12 And he that offered his offering the first day was
Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: &#160; 13 And
his offering <i>was</i> one silver charger, the weight thereof
<i>was</i> an hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them
<i>were</i> full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: &#160; 14 One spoon of ten <i>shekels</i> of gold, full
of incense: &#160; 15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: &#160; 16 One kid of the goats
for a sin offering: &#160; 17 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the
first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of Nahshon the son of
Amminadab. &#160; 18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar,
prince of Issachar, did offer: &#160; 19 He offered <i>for</i> his
offering one silver charger, the weight whereof <i>was</i> an
hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of
fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 20 One
spoon of gold of ten <i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 21 One
young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt
offering: &#160; 22 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160;
23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams,
five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the
offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar. &#160; 24 On the third day
Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, <i>did
offer:</i> &#160; 25 His offering <i>was</i> one silver charger,
the weight whereof <i>was</i> an hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i>
one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the
sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: &#160; 26 One golden spoon of ten <i>shekels,</i>
full of incense: &#160; 27 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of
the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160; 28 One kid of the
goats for a sin offering: &#160; 29 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the
first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
&#160; 30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of
the children of Reuben, <i>did offer:</i> &#160; 31 His offering
<i>was</i> one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and
thirty <i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after
the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour
mingled with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 32 One golden spoon of
ten <i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 33 One young bullock,
one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160;
34 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160; 35 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats,
five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of
Elizur the son of Shedeur. &#160; 36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the
son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, <i>did
offer:</i> &#160; 37 His offering <i>was</i> one silver charger,
the weight whereof <i>was</i> an hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i>
one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the
sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: &#160; 38 One golden spoon of ten <i>shekels,</i>
full of incense: &#160; 39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of
the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160; 40 One kid of the
goats for a sin offering: &#160; 41 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the
first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of Shelumiel the son of
Zurishaddai. &#160; 42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel,
prince of the children of Gad, <i>offered:</i> &#160; 43 His
offering <i>was</i> one silver charger of the weight of an hundred
and thirty <i>shekels,</i> a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after
the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour
mingled with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 44 One golden spoon of
ten <i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 45 One young bullock,
one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160;
46 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160; 47 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats,
five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of
Eliasaph the son of Deuel. &#160; 48 On the seventh day Elishama
the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim,
<i>offered:</i> &#160; 49 His offering <i>was</i> one silver
charger, the weight whereof <i>was</i> an hundred and thirty
<i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the
shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled
with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 50 One golden spoon of ten
<i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 51 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160; 52
One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160; 53 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats,
five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of
Elishama the son of Ammihud. &#160; 54 On the eighth day
<i>offered</i> Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children
of Manasseh: &#160; 55 His offering <i>was</i> one silver charger
of the weight of an hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i> one silver
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
&#160; 56 One golden spoon of ten <i>shekels,</i> full of incense:
&#160; 57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year,
for a burnt offering: &#160; 58 One kid of the goats for a sin
offering: &#160; 59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two
oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this
<i>was</i> the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. &#160; 60
On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children
of Benjamin, <i>offered:</i> &#160; 61 His offering <i>was</i> one
silver charger, the weight whereof <i>was</i> an hundred and thirty
<i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the
shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled
with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 62 One golden spoon of ten
<i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 63 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160; 64
One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160; 65 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats,
five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of
Abidan the son of Gideoni. &#160; 66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the
son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, <i>offered:</i>
&#160; 67 His offering <i>was</i> one silver charger, the weight
whereof <i>was</i> an hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i> one silver
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
&#160; 68 One golden spoon of ten <i>shekels,</i> full of incense:
&#160; 69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year,
for a burnt offering: &#160; 70 One kid of the goats for a sin
offering: &#160; 71 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two
oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this
<i>was</i> the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. &#160;
72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the
children of Asher, <i>offered:</i> &#160; 73 His offering
<i>was</i> one silver charger, the weight whereof <i>was</i> an
hundred and thirty <i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of
fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 74 One
golden spoon of ten <i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 75 One
young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt
offering: &#160; 76 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160;
77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams,
five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the
offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran. &#160; 78 On the twelfth day
Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali,
<i>offered:</i> &#160; 79 His offering <i>was</i> one silver
charger, the weight whereof <i>was</i> an hundred and thirty
<i>shekels,</i> one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the
shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled
with oil for a meat offering: &#160; 80 One golden spoon of ten
<i>shekels,</i> full of incense: &#160; 81 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: &#160; 82
One kid of the goats for a sin offering: &#160; 83 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats,
five lambs of the first year: this <i>was</i> the offering of Ahira
the son of Enan. &#160; 84 This <i>was</i> the dedication of the
altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel:
twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of
gold: &#160; 85 Each charger of silver <i>weighing</i> an hundred
and thirty <i>shekels,</i> each bowl seventy: all the silver
vessels <i>weighed</i> two thousand and four hundred
<i>shekels,</i> after the shekel of the sanctuary: &#160; 86 The
golden spoons <i>were</i> twelve, full of incense, <i>weighing</i>
ten <i>shekels</i> apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all
the gold of the spoons <i>was</i> an hundred and twenty
<i>shekels.</i> &#160; 87 All the oxen for the burnt offering
<i>were</i> twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the
first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the
goats for sin offering twelve. &#160; 88 And all the oxen for the
sacrifice of the peace offerings <i>were</i> twenty and four
bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the
first year sixty. This <i>was</i> the dedication of the altar,
after that it was anointed. &#160; 89 And when Moses was gone into
the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard
the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that
<i>was</i> upon the ark of testimony, from between the two
cherubims: and he spake unto him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p9">We have here an account of the great
solemnity of dedicating the altars, both that of burnt-offerings
and that of incense; they had been sanctified before, when they
were anointed (<scripRef passage="Le 8:10,11" id="Num.viii-p9.1" parsed="|Lev|8|10|8|11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.10-Lev.8.11">Lev. viii. 10,
11</scripRef>), but now they were handselled, as it were, by the
princes, with their free-will offerings. They began the use of them
with rich presents, great expressions of joy and gladness, and
extraordinary respect to those tokens of God's presence with them.
Now observe here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p10">I. That the princes and great men were
first and forwardest in the service of God. Those that are entitled
to precedency should go before in good works, and that is true
honour. Here is an example to the nobility and gentry, those that
are in authority and of the first rank in their country; they ought
to improve their honour and power, their estate and interest, for
the promoting of religion, and the service of God, in the places
where they live. It is justly expected that those who have more
than others should do more good than others with what they have,
else they are unfaithful stewards, and will not make up their
<i>account with joy.</i> Nay, great men must not only with their
wealth and power assist and protect those that serve God, but they
must make conscience of being devout and religious themselves, and
employing themselves in the exercises of piety, which will greatly
redound to the honour of God (<scripRef passage="Ps 138:4,5" id="Num.viii-p10.1" parsed="|Ps|138|4|138|5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.138.4-Ps.138.5">Ps.
cxxxviii. 4, 5</scripRef>), and have a good influence upon others,
who will be the more easily persuaded to acts of devotion when they
see them thus brought into reputation. It is certain that the
greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God;
nor are the meanest services of religion any disparagement to those
that make the greatest figure in the world.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p11">II. The offerings they brought were very
rich and valuable, so rich that some think there was not so great a
difference in estate between them and others as that they were able
to bear the expense of them themselves, but that the heads of each
tribe contributed to the offering which their prince brought.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p12">1. They brought some things to remain for
standing service, twelve large silver dishes, each about sixty
ounces weight, as many large silver cups, or bowls, of about
thirty-five ounces&#8212;the former to be used for the meat-offerings,
the latter for the drink-offerings&#8212;the former for the flesh of the
sacrifices, the latter for the blood. The latter was God's table
(as it were), and it was fit that so great a King should be served
in plate. The golden spoons being filled with incense were
intended, it is probable, for the service of the golden altar, for
both the altars were anointed at the same time. Note, In works of
piety and charity we ought to be generous according as our ability
is. He that is the best should be served with the best we have. The
Israelites indeed might well afford to part with their gold and
silver in abundance to the service of the sanctuary, for they
needed it not to buy meat and victual their camp, being daily fed
with bread from heaven; nor did they need it to buy land, or pay
their army, for they were shortly to be put in possession of
Canaan.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p13">2. They brought some things to be used
immediately, offerings of each sort, burnt-offerings,
sin-offerings, and a great many peace-offerings (on part of which
they were to feast with their friends), and the meat-offerings that
were to be annexed to them. Hereby they signified their thankful
acceptance of, and cheerful submission to, all those laws
concerning the sacrifices which God had lately by Moses delivered
to them. And, though it was a time of joy and rejoicing, yet it is
observable that still in the midst of their sacrifices we find a
<i>sin-offering.</i> Since in our best services we are conscious to
ourselves that there is a mixture of sin, it is fit that there
should be even in our most joyful services a mixture of repentance.
In all our approaches to God, we must by faith have an eye to
Christ as the great sin-offering, and make mention of him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p14">3. They brought their offerings each on a
separate day, in the order that they had been lately put into, so
that the solemnity lasted twelve days. So God appointed (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:11" id="Num.viii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>They shall bring
their offering, each prince on his day,</i> and so they did. One
sabbath must needs fall within the twelve days, if not two, but it
should seem they did not intermit on the sabbath, for it was holy
work, proper enough for a holy day. God appointed that it should
thus be done on several days, (1.) That solemnity might be
prolonged, and so might be universally taken notice of by all
Israel, and the remembrance of it more effectually preserved. (2.)
That an equal honour might thereby be put upon each tribe
respectively; in Aaron's breast-plate each had his precious stone,
so in this offering each had his day. (3.) Thus it would be done
more decently and in order; God's work should not be done
confusedly, and in a hurry; take time, and we shall have done the
sooner, or at least we shall have done the better. (4.) God hereby
signified how much pleased he is, and how much pleased we should
be, with the exercises of piety and devotion. The repetition of
them should be a continual pleasure to us, and we must not be weary
of well doing. If extraordinary service be required to be done for
twelve days together, we must not shrink from it, nor call it a
task and a burden. (5.) The priests and Levites, having this
occasion to offer the same sacrifices, and those some of every
sort, every day, for so many days together, would have their hands
well set in, and would be well versed in the laws concerning them.
(6.) The peace-offerings were all to be eaten the same day they
were offered, and two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five
lambs, were enough for one day's festival; had there been more,
especially if all had been brought on one day, there might have
been danger of excess. The virtue of temperance must not be left,
under pretence of the religion of feasting.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p15">4. All their offerings were exactly the
same, without any variation, though it is probable that neither the
princes nor the tribes were all alike rich; but thus it was
intimated that all the tribes of Israel had an equal share in the
altar, and an equal interest in the sacrifices that were offered
upon it. Though one tribe was posted more honourably in the camp
than another, yet they and their services were all alike acceptable
to God. Nor must we have faith of our Lord Jesus Christ <i>with
respect to persons,</i> <scripRef passage="Jam 2:1" id="Num.viii-p15.1" parsed="|Jas|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.1">Jam. ii.
1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p16">5. Nahshon, the prince of the tribe of
Judah, offered first, because God had given that tribe the first
post of honour in the camp; and the rest of the tribes acquiesced,
and offered in the same order in which God had appointed them to
encamp. Judah, of which tribe Christ came, first, and then the
rest; thus, in the dedication of souls to God, every man is
presented in his own order, <i>Christ the first-fruits,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 15:23" id="Num.viii-p16.1" parsed="|1Cor|15|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.23">1 Cor. xv. 23</scripRef>. Some
observe that Nahshon is the only one that is not expressly called a
prince (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:12" id="Num.viii-p16.2" parsed="|Num|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), which
the Jews give this account of: he is not called a prince, that he
might not be puffed up because he offered first; and all the others
are called princes because they (though some of them of the elder
house) submitted, and offered after him. Or, because the title of
prince of Judah did more properly belong to Christ, for <i>unto him
shall the gathering of the people be.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p17">6. Though the offerings were all the same,
yet the account of them is repeated at large for each tribe, in the
same words. We are sure there are no vain repetitions in scripture;
what then shall we make of these repetitions? Might it not have
served to say of this noble jury that the same offering which their
foreman brought each on his day brought likewise? No, God would
have it specified for each tribe: and why so? (1.) It was for the
encouragement of these princes, and of their respective tribes,
that each of their offerings being recorded at large no slight
might seem to be put upon them; for rich and poor meet together
before God. (2.) It was for the encouragement of all generous acts
of piety and charity, by letting us know that what is so given is
lent to the Lord, and he carefully records it, with every one's
name prefixed to his gift, because what is so given he will pay
again, and even a <i>cup of cold water</i> shall have its
<i>reward.</i> He is not unrighteous, to forget either the cost or
the <i>labour of love,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 6:10" id="Num.viii-p17.1" parsed="|Heb|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.10">Heb. vi.
10</scripRef>. We find Christ taking particular notice of what was
cast into the treasury, <scripRef passage="Mk 12:41" id="Num.viii-p17.2" parsed="|Mark|12|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.41">Mark xii.
41</scripRef>. Though what is offered be but little, though it be a
contribution to the charity of others, yet if it be according to
our ability it shall be recorded, that it may be recompensed in the
resurrection of the just.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p18">7. The sum total is added at the foot of
the account (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:84-88" id="Num.viii-p18.1" parsed="|Num|7|84|7|88" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.84-Num.7.88"><i>v.</i>
84-88</scripRef>), to show how much God was pleased with the
mention of his freewill-offerings, and what a great deal they
amounted to in the whole, when every prince brought in his quota!
How greatly would the sanctuary of God be enriched and beautified
if all would in their places do their part towards it, by exemplary
purity and devotion, extensive charity, and universal
usefulness!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.viii-p19">8. God signified his gracious acceptance of
these presents that were brought him, by speaking familiarly to
Moses, as a man speaks to his friend, from off the mercy-seat
(<scripRef passage="Nu 7:89,12:8" id="Num.viii-p19.1" parsed="|Num|7|89|0|0;|Num|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.89 Bible:Num.12.8"><i>v.</i> 89, <i>ch.</i> xii.
8</scripRef>); and in speaking to him he did in effect speak to all
Israel, showing them this token for good, <scripRef passage="Ps 103:7" id="Num.viii-p19.2" parsed="|Ps|103|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.7">Ps. ciii. 7</scripRef>. Note, By this we may know that
God hears and accepts our prayers if he gives us grace to hear and
receive his word, for thus our communion with him is maintained and
kept up. I know not why we may not suppose that upon each of the
days on which these offerings were brought (probably while the
priests and offerers were feasting upon the peace-offerings) Moses
was in the tabernacle, receiving some of those laws and orders
which we have already met with in this and the foregoing book. And
here the excellent bishop Patrick observes that God's speaking to
Moses thus by an audible articulate voice, as if he had been
clothed with a holy body, might be looked upon as an earnest of the
incarnation of the Son of God in the fulness of time, when the Word
should be made flesh, and speak in the language of the sons of men.
For, however God <i>at sundry times and in divers manners spoke
unto the fathers, he has in these last days spoken unto us by his
Son.</i> And that he who now spoke to Moses, as the
<i>shechinah</i> or divine Majesty, from between the cherubim, was
the eternal Word, the second person in the Trinity, was the pious
conjecture of many of the ancients; for all God's communion with
man is by his Son, by whom he made the world, and rules the church,
and who <i>is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VIII" n="ix" progress="67.10%" prev="Num.viii" next="Num.x" id="Num.ix">
<h2 id="Num.ix-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.ix-p1">This chapter is concerning the lamps or lights of
the sanctuary. I. The burning lamps in the candlestick, which the
priests were charged to tend, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:1-4" id="Num.ix-p1.1" parsed="|Num|8|1|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.1-Num.8.4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>. II. The living lamps (if I may so call them), The
Levites, who as ministers were burning and shining lights. The
ordination of the priests we had an account of, <scripRef passage="Le 8:1-36" id="Num.ix-p1.2" parsed="|Lev|8|1|8|36" osisRef="Bible:Lev.8.1-Lev.8.36">Lev. viii</scripRef>. Here we have an account of the
ordination of the Levites, the inferior clergy. 1. How they were
purified, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:5-8" id="Num.ix-p1.3" parsed="|Num|8|5|8|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.5-Num.8.8">ver. 5-8</scripRef>. 2. How
they were parted with by the people, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:9-10" id="Num.ix-p1.4" parsed="|Num|8|9|8|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.9-Num.8.10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. 3. How they were presented to
God in lieu of the firstborn, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:11-18" id="Num.ix-p1.5" parsed="|Num|8|11|8|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.11-Num.8.18">ver.
11-18</scripRef>. 4. How they were consigned to Aaron and his sons,
to be ministers to them, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:19" id="Num.ix-p1.6" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19">ver.
19</scripRef>. 5. How all these orders were duly executed,
<scripRef passage="Nu 8:20-22" id="Num.ix-p1.7" parsed="|Num|8|20|8|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.20-Num.8.22">ver. 20-22</scripRef>. And, lastly,
the age appointed for their ministration, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:23-26" id="Num.ix-p1.8" parsed="|Num|8|23|8|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.23-Num.8.26">ver. 23</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 8" id="Num.ix-p1.9" parsed="|Num|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 8:1-4" id="Num.ix-p1.10" parsed="|Num|8|1|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.1-Num.8.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.8.1-Num.8.4">
<h4 id="Num.ix-p1.11">The Lights of the Sanctuary. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.ix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto
him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light
over against the candlestick. &#160; 3 And Aaron did so; he lighted
the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 4 And this work of
the candlestick <i>was of</i> beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof,
unto the flowers thereof, <i>was</i> beaten work: according unto
the pattern which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p2.3">Lord</span> had
showed Moses, so he made the candlestick.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p3">Directions were given long before this for
the making of the golden candlestick (<scripRef passage="Ex 25:31" id="Num.ix-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|25|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.31">Exod. xxv. 31</scripRef>), and it was made according to
the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, <scripRef passage="Ex 38:17" id="Num.ix-p3.2" parsed="|Exod|38|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.38.17">Exod. xxxviii. 17</scripRef>. But now it was that the
lamps were first ordered to be lighted, when other things began to
be used. Observe, 1. Who must light the lamps; Aaron himself, he
<i>lighted the lamps,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 8:3" id="Num.ix-p3.3" parsed="|Num|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. As the people's representative to God, he thus did
the office of a servant in God's house, lighting his Master's
candle; as the representative of God to the people, he thus gave
them the intimations of God's will and favour, thus expressed
(<scripRef passage="Ps 18:28" id="Num.ix-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|18|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.28">Ps. xviii. 28</scripRef>), <i>Thou
wilt light my candle;</i> and thus Aaron himself was now lately
directed to bless the people, <i>The Lord make his face to shine
upon thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 6:25" id="Num.ix-p3.5" parsed="|Num|6|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.25"><i>ch.</i> vi.
25</scripRef>. The commandment is a <i>lamp,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 6:23" id="Num.ix-p3.6" parsed="|Prov|6|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.6.23">Prov. vi. 23</scripRef>. The scripture is <i>a light
shining in a dark place,</i> <scripRef passage="2Pe 1:19" id="Num.ix-p3.7" parsed="|2Pet|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.1.19">2 Pet. i.
19</scripRef>. And a dark place indeed even the church would be
without it, as the tabernacle (which had no window in it) without
the lamps. Now the work of ministers is to light these lamps, by
expounding and applying the word of God. The priest lighted the
middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest of the lamps
he lighted one from another, which (says Mr. Ainsworth) signifies
that the fountain of all light and knowledge is in Christ, who has
the <i>seven spirits of God</i> figured by the <i>seven lamps of
fire</i> (<scripRef passage="Re 4:5" id="Num.ix-p3.8" parsed="|Rev|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.4.5">Rev. iv. 5</scripRef>), but
that in the expounding of scripture one passage must borrow light
from another. He also supposes that, <i>seven</i> being a number of
perfection, by the seven branches of the candlestick is shown the
full perfection of the scriptures, which are able to make us wise
to salvation. 2. To what end the lamps were lighted, that they
might give light <i>over against the candlestick,</i> that is, to
that part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the
show-bread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not
lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give
light to the other side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles
are lighted, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:15" id="Num.ix-p3.9" parsed="|Matt|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.15">Matt. v. 15</scripRef>.
Note, The lights of the world, the lights of the church, must shine
as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 8:5-26" id="Num.ix-p3.10" parsed="|Num|8|5|8|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.5-Num.8.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.8.5-Num.8.26">
<h4 id="Num.ix-p3.11">The Consecration of the
Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p3.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.ix-p4">5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 6 Take the Levites from among the
children of Israel, and cleanse them. &#160; 7 And thus shalt thou
do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon
them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their
clothes, and <i>so</i> make themselves clean. &#160; 8 Then let
them take a young bullock with his meat offering, <i>even</i> fine
flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take
for a sin offering. &#160; 9 And thou shalt bring the Levites
before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather
the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: &#160; 10
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.2">Lord</span>: and the children of Israel shall put their
hands upon the Levites: &#160; 11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.3">Lord</span> <i>for</i> an
offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the
service of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 12 And
the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks:
and thou shalt offer the one <i>for</i> a sin offering, and the
other <i>for</i> a burnt offering, unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.5">Lord</span>, to make an atonement for the Levites.
&#160; 13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before
his sons, and offer them <i>for</i> an offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 14 Thus shalt thou separate
the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites
shall be mine. &#160; 15 And after that shall the Levites go in to
do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou
shalt cleanse them, and offer them <i>for</i> an offering. &#160;
16 For they <i>are</i> wholly given unto me from among the children
of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, <i>even instead
of</i> the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken
them unto me. &#160; 17 For all the firstborn of the children of
Israel <i>are</i> mine, <i>both</i> man and beast: on the day that
I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for
myself. &#160; 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the
firstborn of the children of Israel. &#160; 19 And I have given the
Levites <i>as</i> a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the
children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in
the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for
the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children
of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the
sanctuary. &#160; 20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation
of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.7">Lord</span> commanded Moses
concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
&#160; 21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their
clothes; and Aaron offered them <i>as</i> an offering before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.8">Lord</span>; and Aaron made an atonement
for them to cleanse them. &#160; 22 And after that went the Levites
in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before
Aaron, and before his sons: as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.9">Lord</span> had commanded Moses concerning the Levites,
so did they unto them. &#160; 23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.ix-p4.10">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 24 This
<i>is it</i> that <i>belongeth</i> unto the Levites: from twenty
and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the
service of the tabernacle of the congregation: &#160; 25 And from
the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service
<i>thereof,</i> and shall serve no more: &#160; 26 But shall
minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation,
to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do
unto the Levites touching their charge.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p5">We read before of the separating of the
Levites from among the children of Israel when they were numbered,
and the numbering of them by themselves (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:6,15" id="Num.ix-p5.1" parsed="|Num|3|6|0|0;|Num|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.6 Bible:Num.3.15"><i>ch.</i> iii. 6, 15</scripRef>), that they might be
employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now here we have
directions given for their solemn ordination (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:6" id="Num.ix-p5.2" parsed="|Num|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and the performance of it,
<scripRef passage="Nu 8:20" id="Num.ix-p5.3" parsed="|Num|8|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. All Israel
must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were
called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished
from their neighbours, but they must be solemnly devoted to God.
Note, All that are employed for God must be dedicated to him,
according as the degree of employment is. Christian musts be
baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves
unto the Lord, and then our services. Observe in what method this
was done:</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p6">I. The Levites must be cleansed, and were
so. The rites and ceremonies of their cleansing were to be
performed, 1. By themselves. They must <i>wash their clothes,</i>
and not only bathe, but <i>shave all their flesh,</i> as the leper
was to do when he was cleansed, <scripRef passage="Le 14:8" id="Num.ix-p6.1" parsed="|Lev|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.8">Lev.
xiv. 8</scripRef>. They must <i>cause a razor to pass over all
their flesh,</i> to clear themselves from that defilement which
would not wash off. Jacob, whom God loved, was a smooth man; it was
Esau that was hairy. The great pains they were to take with
themselves to make themselves clean teaches all Christians, and
ministers particularly, by repentance and mortification, to
<i>cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit,</i>
that they may <i>perfect holiness.</i> Those must be clean that
bear the vessels of the Lord. 2. By Moses. He must <i>sprinkle the
water of purifying upon them,</i> which was prepared by divine
direction. This signified the application of the blood of Christ to
our souls by faith, to purify us from an evil conscience, that we
may be fit to serve the living God. It is our duty to cleanse
ourselves, and God's promise that he will cleanse us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p7">II. The Levites, being thus prepared, must
be brought before the Lord in a solemn assembly of all Israel, and
the <i>children of Israel</i> must <i>put their hands upon them</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 8:10" id="Num.ix-p7.1" parsed="|Num|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), so
transferring their interest in them and in their service (to which,
as a part, the whole body of the people was entitled) to God and to
his sanctuary. They presented them to God <i>as living sacrifices,
holy and acceptable,</i> to perform a <i>reasonable service;</i>
and therefore, as the offerers in all other cases did, <i>they laid
their hands upon them,</i> desiring that their service might be
accepted in lieu of the attendance of the whole congregation,
particularly the first-born, which they acknowledge God might have
insisted on. This will not serve to prove a power in the people to
ordain ministers; for this imposition of hands by the children of
Israel upon the Levites did not make them ministers of the
sanctuary, but only signified the people's parting with that tribe
out of their militia, and civil incorporations, in order to their
being made ministers by Aaron, who was to offer them before the
Lord. All the congregation of the children of Israel could not lay
hands on them, but it is probable that the rulers and elders did it
as the representative body of the people. Some think that the
first-born did it because in their stead the Levites were
consecrated to God. Whatever God calls for from us to serve his own
glory by, we must cheerfully resign it, lay our hands upon it, not
to detain it but to surrender it, and let it go to him that is
entitled to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p8">III. Sacrifices were to be offered for
them, a sin-offering first (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:12" id="Num.ix-p8.1" parsed="|Num|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), and then a burnt-offering, to make an <i>atonement
for the Levites,</i> who, as the parties concerned, were to lay
their hands upon the head of the sacrifices. See here, 1. That we
are all utterly unworthy and unfit to be admitted into and employed
in the service of God, till atonement be made for sin, and thereby
our peace made with God. That interposing cloud must be scattered
before there can be any comfortable communion settled between God
and our souls. 2. That it is by sacrifice, by Christ the great
sacrifice, that we are reconciled to God, and made fit to be
offered to him. It is by him that Christians are sanctified to the
work of their Christianity, and ministers to the work of their
ministry. The learned bishop Patrick's notion of the sacrifice
offered by the Levites is that the Levites were themselves
considered as an expiatory sacrifice, for they were given to
<i>make atonement for the children of Israel,</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:19" id="Num.ix-p8.2" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), and yet not being
devoted to death, any more than the first-born were, these two
sacrifices were substituted in their stead, upon which therefore
they were to lay their hands, that the sin which the children of
Israel laid upon them (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:10" id="Num.ix-p8.3" parsed="|Num|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>) might be transferred to these beasts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p9">IV. The Levites themselves were <i>offered
before the Lord</i> for an <i>offering of the children of
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 8:11" id="Num.ix-p9.1" parsed="|Num|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>.
Aaron gave them up to God, as being first given up by themselves,
and by the children of Israel. The original word signifies a
<i>wave-offering,</i> not that they were actually waved, but they
were presented to God as the God of heaven, and the Lord of the
whole earth, as the wave-offerings were. And in calling them
wave-offerings it was intimated to them that they must continually
lift up themselves towards God in his service, lift up their eyes,
lift up their hearts, and must move to and fro with readiness in
the business of their profession. They were not ordained to be
idle, but to be active and stirring.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p10">V. God here declares his acceptance of
them: <i>The Levites shall be mine,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 8:14" id="Num.ix-p10.1" parsed="|Num|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. God took them instead of the
first-born (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:16-18" id="Num.ix-p10.2" parsed="|Num|8|16|8|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.16-Num.8.18"><i>v.</i>
16-18</scripRef>), of which before, <scripRef passage="Nu 3:4" id="Num.ix-p10.3" parsed="|Num|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.4"><i>ch.</i> iii. 41</scripRef>. Note, What is in sincerity
offered to God shall be graciously owned and accepted by him. And
his ministers who have obtained mercy of him to be faithful have
particular marks of favour and honour put upon them: <i>they shall
be mine,</i> and then (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:15" id="Num.ix-p10.4" parsed="|Num|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>) they shall <i>go in to do the service of the
tabernacle.</i> God takes them for his own, that they may serve
him. All that expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle
must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one
hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants (he needs
not the service of any of them), so, on the other hand, none are
taken merely as honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns
he employs; angels themselves have their services.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p11">VI. They are then given as a gift to Aaron
and his sons (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:19" id="Num.ix-p11.1" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>),
yet so as that the benefit accrued to the children of Israel. 1.
The Levites must act under the priests as attendants on them, and
assistants to them, in the service of the sanctuary. Aaron offers
them to God (<scripRef passage="Nu 8:11" id="Num.ix-p11.2" parsed="|Num|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>),
and then God gives them back to Aaron, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:19" id="Num.ix-p11.3" parsed="|Num|8|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Note, Whatever we give up to
God, he will give back to us unspeakably to our advantage. Our
hearts, our children, our estates, are never more ours, more truly,
more comfortably ours, than when we have offered them up to God. 2.
They must act for the people. They were taken to <i>do the service
of the children of Israel,</i> that is, not only to do the service
which they should do, but to serve their interests, and do that
which would really redound to the honour, safety, and prosperity of
the whole nation. Note, Those that faithfully perform the service
of God do one of the best services that can be done to the public;
God's ministers, while they keep within the sphere of their office
and conscientiously discharge the duty of it, must be looked upon
as some of the most useful servants of their country. The children
of Israel can as ill spare the tribe of Levi as any of their
tribes. But what is the service they do the children of Israel? It
follows, it is to <i>make an atonement for them, that there be no
plague among them.</i> It was the priests' work to make atonement
by sacrifice, but the Levites made atonement by attendance, and
preserved the peace with heaven which was made by sacrifice. If the
service of the priests in the tabernacle had been left to all the
first-born of Israel promiscuously, it would have been either
neglected or done unskillfully and irreverently, being done by
those that were not so closely tied to it, nor so diligently
trained to it, nor so constantly used to it, as the Levites were;
and this would bring <i>a plague among the children of
Israel</i>&#8212;meaning, perhaps, the death of the first-born
themselves, which was the last and greatest of the plagues of
Egypt. To prevent this, and to preserve the atonement, the Levites
were appointed to do this service, who should be bred up to it
under their parents from their infancy, and therefore would be well
versed in it; and so the children of Israel, that is, the
first-born, should not need to come nigh to the sanctuary; or, when
any Israelites had occasion, the Levites would be ready to instruct
them, and introduce them, and so prevent any fatal miscarriage or
mistake. Note, It is a very great kindness to the church that
ministers are appointed to go before the people in the things of
God, as guides, overseers, and rulers, in religious worship, and to
make that their business. When Christ ascended on high, he <i>gave
these gifts,</i> <scripRef passage="Eph 4:8,11,12" id="Num.ix-p11.4" parsed="|Eph|4|8|0|0;|Eph|4|11|0|0;|Eph|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.4.8 Bible:Eph.4.11 Bible:Eph.4.12">Eph. iv. 8, 11,
12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.ix-p12">VII. The time of their ministration is
fixed. 1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years
old, <scripRef passage="Nu 8:24" id="Num.ix-p12.1" parsed="|Num|8|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. They were
not charged with the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of
it till they were thirty years old, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:3" id="Num.ix-p12.2" parsed="|Num|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.3"><i>ch.</i> iv. 3</scripRef>. But they were entered to be
otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old, a very good age for
ministers to begin their public work at. The work then required
that strength of body and the work now requires that maturity of
judgment and steadiness of behaviour which men rarely arrive at
till about that age; and novices are in danger of being lifted up
with pride. 2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old;
then they were to return from the warfare, as the phrase is
(<scripRef passage="Nu 8:25" id="Num.ix-p12.3" parsed="|Num|8|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.8.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), not
cashiered with disgrace, but preferred rather to the rest which
their age required, to be loaded with the honours of their office,
as hitherto they had been with the burdens of it. They shall
<i>minister with their brethren in the tabernacle,</i> to direct
the junior Levites, and set them in; and they shall <i>keep the
charge,</i> as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle, to see
that no stranger intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness, but
they shall not be put upon any service which may be a fatigue to
them. If God's grace provide that men shall have ability according
to their work, man's prudence should take care that men have work
only according to their ability. The aged are most fit for trusts,
and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work, and to
do the service. Those that have <i>used the office of a servant
well purchase to themselves a good degree,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 3:13" id="Num.ix-p12.4" parsed="|1Tim|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.3.13">1 Tim. iii. 13</scripRef>. Yet indeed gifts are not tied
to ages (<scripRef passage="Job 32:9" id="Num.ix-p12.5" parsed="|Job|32|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.32.9">Job xxxii. 9</scripRef>), but
<i>all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit.</i> Thus
was the affair of the Levites settled.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IX" n="x" progress="67.47%" prev="Num.ix" next="Num.xi" id="Num.x">
<h2 id="Num.x-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.x-p1">This chapter is, I. Concerning the great ordinance
of the passover; 1. Orders given for the observance of it, at the
return of the year, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:1-5" id="Num.x-p1.1" parsed="|Num|9|1|9|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.1-Num.9.5">ver.
1-5</scripRef>. 2. Provisos added in regard to such as should be
ceremonially unclean, or otherwise disabled, at the time when the
passover was to be kept, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:6-14" id="Num.x-p1.2" parsed="|Num|9|6|9|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.6-Num.9.14">ver.
6-14</scripRef>. II. Concerning the great favour of the pillar of
cloud, which was a guide to Israel through the wilderness,
<scripRef passage="Nu 9:15" id="Num.x-p1.3" parsed="|Num|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.15">ver. 15</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 9" id="Num.x-p1.4" parsed="|Num|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 9:1-14" id="Num.x-p1.5" parsed="|Num|9|1|9|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.1-Num.9.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.9.1-Num.9.14">
<h4 id="Num.x-p1.6">The Law of the Passover. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.x-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of
the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt,
saying, &#160; 2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover
at his appointed season. &#160; 3 In the fourteenth day of this
month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according
to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies
thereof, shall ye keep it. &#160; 4 And Moses spake unto the
children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. &#160; 5
And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month
at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses, so did the children
of Israel. &#160; 6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by
the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on
that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
&#160; 7 And those men said unto him, We <i>are</i> defiled by the
dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not
offer an offering of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.3">Lord</span> in his
appointed season among the children of Israel? &#160; 8 And Moses
said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.4">Lord</span> will command concerning you. &#160; 9 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.5">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying,
&#160; 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of
you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body,
or <i>be</i> in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.6">Lord</span>. &#160; 11 The
fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it,
<i>and</i> eat it with unleavened bread and bitter <i>herbs.</i>
&#160; 12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break
any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover
they shall keep it. &#160; 13 But the man that <i>is</i> clean, and
is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the
same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he
brought not the offering of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.7">Lord</span>
in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. &#160; 14 And
if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p2.8">Lord</span>; according to the
ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so
shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger,
and for him that was born in the land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p3">Here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p4">I. An order given for the solemnization of
the passover, the day twelvemonth after they came out of Egypt, on
the fourteenth day of the first month of the second year, some days
before they were numbered, for that was done in the beginning of
the second month. Observe, 1. God gave particular orders for the
keeping of this passover, otherwise (it should seem) they would not
have kept it, for, in the first institution of this ordinance, it
was appointed to be kept when they should <i>come into the land of
promise,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 12:25" id="Num.x-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|12|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.25">Exod. xii. 25</scripRef>.
And, no passover till they came to Canaan, <scripRef passage="Jos 5:10" id="Num.x-p4.2" parsed="|Josh|5|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.5.10">Josh. v. 10</scripRef>. This was an early indication of
the abolishing of the ceremonial institutions at last, that, so
soon after they were first appointed, some of them were suffered to
lie asleep for so many years. The ordinance of the Lord's supper
(which came in the room of the passover) was not thus intermitted
or set aside in the first days of the Christian church, though
those were days of greater difficulty and distress than Israel knew
in the wilderness; nay, in the times of persecution, the Lord's
supper was celebrated more frequently than afterwards. The
Israelites in the wilderness could not forget their deliverance out
of Egypt, their present state was a constant memorandum of it to
them. All the danger was when they came to Canaan; there therefore
they had need to be reminded of the <i>rock out of which they were
hewn.</i> However, because the first passover was celebrated in a
hurry, and was rather the substance itself than the sign, it was
the will of God that at the return of the year, when they were more
composed, and better acquainted with the divine law, they should
observe it again, that their children might more distinctly
understand the solemnity and the better remember it hereafter.
Calvin supposes that they were obliged to keep it now, and notes it
as an instance of their carelessness that they had need to be
reminded of an institution which they so lately received. 2. Moses
faithfully transmitted to the people the orders given him,
<scripRef passage="Nu 9:4" id="Num.x-p4.3" parsed="|Num|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Thus Paul
delivered to the churches what he <i>received of the Lord</i>
concerning the gospel passover, <scripRef passage="1Co 11:23" id="Num.x-p4.4" parsed="|1Cor|11|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.23">1
Cor. xi. 23</scripRef>. Note, Magistrates must be monitors, and
ministers must <i>stir up men's minds by way of remembrance</i> to
that which is good. 3. The people observed the orders given them,
<scripRef passage="Nu 9:5" id="Num.x-p4.5" parsed="|Num|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Though they had
lately kept the feast of dedication (<scripRef passage="Nu 7:1-89" id="Num.x-p4.6" parsed="|Num|7|1|7|89" osisRef="Bible:Num.7.1-Num.7.89"><i>ch.</i> vii.</scripRef>), yet they did not desire to
excuse themselves with that from keeping this feast. Note,
Extraordinary performances must not supersede or jostle out or
stated services. They kept the passover even in the wilderness:
though our condition be solitary and unsettled, yet we must keep up
our attendance on God by holy ordinances as we have opportunity,
for in them we may find the best conversation and the best repose.
Thus is God' Israel provided for in a desert.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p5">II. Instructions given concerning those
that were ceremonially unclean when they were to eat the passover.
The law of the passover required every Israelite to eat of it. Some
subsequent laws had forbidden those that had contracted any
ceremonial pollution to eat of the holy things; those whose minds
and consciences are defiled by sin are utterly unfit for communion
with God, and cannot partake, with any true comfort, of the gospel
passover, till they are cleansed by true repentance and faith: and
a sad dilemma they are in; if they come not to holy ordinances,
they are guilty of a contempt of them; if they do come in their
pollution, they are guilty of a profanation of them. They must
therefore wash, and then <i>compass God's altar.</i> Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p6">1. Here is the case that happened in Israel
when this passover was to be kept: <i>Certain men were defiled by
the dead body of a man</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 9:6" id="Num.x-p6.1" parsed="|Num|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>), and they lay under that defilement seven days
(<scripRef passage="Nu 19:11" id="Num.x-p6.2" parsed="|Num|19|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.11"><i>ch.</i> xix. 11</scripRef>), and
in that time might not eat of the holy things, <scripRef passage="Le 7:20" id="Num.x-p6.3" parsed="|Lev|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.20">Lev. vii. 20</scripRef>. This was not their iniquity, but
their infelicity: some persons must touch dead bodies, to bury them
out of sight, and therefore they could, with the better grace,
bring their complaint to Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p7">2. The application made to Moses by the
person concerned, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:7" id="Num.x-p7.1" parsed="|Num|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. Note, It is people's wisdom, in difficult cases
concerning sin and duty, to consult with their ministers whom God
has set over them, and to <i>ask the law at their mouth,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mal 2:7" id="Num.x-p7.2" parsed="|Mal|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.7">Mal. ii. 7</scripRef>. These means we
must use in pursuance of our prayers to God to lead us in a plain
path. Observe with what trouble and concern these men complained
that they were kept back from offering to the Lord. They did not
complain of the law as unjust, but lamented their unhappiness that
they fell under the restraint of it at this time, and desired some
expedient might be found out for their relief. Note, It is a
blessed thing to see people hungering and thirsting after God's
ordinances, and to hear them complaining of that which prevents
their enjoyment of them. It should be a trouble to us when by any
occasion we are kept back from bringing our offering in the
solemnities of a sabbath or a sacrament, as it was to David when he
was banished from the altar, <scripRef passage="Ps 42:1,2" id="Num.x-p7.3" parsed="|Ps|42|1|42|2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.42.1-Ps.42.2">Ps.
xlii. 1, 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p8">3. The deliberation of Moses in resolving
this case. Here seemed to be law against law; and, though it is a
rule that the latter law must explain the former, yet he pitied
these Israelites that were thus deprived of the privilege of the
passover, and therefore took time to consult the oracles, and to
know what was the mind of God in this case: <i>I will hear what the
Lord will command concerning you,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 9:8" id="Num.x-p8.1" parsed="|Num|9|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Ministers must take example hence
in resolving cases of conscience. (1.) They must not determine
rashly, but take time to consider, that every circumstance may be
duly weighted, the case viewed in a true light, and spiritual
things compared with spiritual. (2.) They must ask counsel at God's
mouth, and not determine according to the bias of their own fancy
or affection, but impartially, according to the mind of God, to the
best of their knowledge. We have no such oracle to consult as Moses
had, but we must have recourse to <i>the law and the testimony,</i>
and speak according to that rule; and if, in difficult cases, we
take time to spread the matter in particular before God by humble
believing prayer, we have reason to hope that the Spirit who is
promised to <i>lead us into all truth</i> will enable us to direct
others <i>in the good and right way.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p9">4. The directions which God gave in this
case, and in other similar cases, explanatory of the law of the
passover. The disagreeable accident produced good laws. (1.) Those
that happened to be ceremonially unclean at the time when the
passover should be eaten were allowed to eat it that day month,
when they were clean; so were those that happened to be <i>in a
journey afar off,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 9:10,11" id="Num.x-p9.1" parsed="|Num|9|10|9|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.10-Num.9.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>. See here, [1.] That when we are to attend upon God
in solemn ordinances it is very necessary both that we be clean and
that we be composed. [2.] That that may excuse the deferring of a
duty for a time which yet will not justify us in the total neglect
and omission of it. He that is at variance with his brother may
<i>leave his gift before the altar,</i> while he goes to be
<i>reconciled to his brother;</i> but when he has done his part
towards it, whether it be effected or no, he must <i>come again and
offer his gift,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 5:23,24" id="Num.x-p9.2" parsed="|Matt|5|23|5|24" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.23-Matt.5.24">Matt. v. 23,
24</scripRef>. This secondary passover was to be kept on the same
day of the month with the first, because the ordinance was a
memorial of their deliverance on that day of the month. Once we
find the whole congregation keeping the passover on this fourteenth
day of the second month, in Hezekiah's time (<scripRef passage="2Ch 30:15" id="Num.x-p9.3" parsed="|2Chr|30|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.30.15">2 Chron. xxx. 15</scripRef>), which perhaps may help to
account for the admission of some that were not clean to the eating
of it. Had the general passover been kept in the first month, the
unclean might have been put off till the second; but, that being
kept in the second month, they had no warrant to eat it in the
third month, and therefore, rather than not eat of it at all, they
were admitted, though not cleansed <i>according to the purification
of the sanctuary,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 9:19,20" id="Num.x-p9.4" parsed="|Num|9|19|9|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.19-Num.9.20"><i>v.</i> 19,
20</scripRef>. (2.) Whenever the passover was kept in the second
month, all the rites and ceremonies of it must be strictly
observed, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:12" id="Num.x-p9.5" parsed="|Num|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. They
must not think that, because the time was dispensed with, any part
of the solemnity of it might be abated; when we cannot do as we
would we must do the utmost we can in the service of God. (3.) This
allowance in a case of necessity would be no means countenance or
indulge any in their neglect to keep the passover at the time
appointed, when they were not under the necessity, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:13" id="Num.x-p9.6" parsed="|Num|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. When a person is under
no incapacity to eat the passover in the appointed time, if he
neglects it then, upon the presumption of the liberty granted by
this law, he puts an affront upon God, impiously abuses his
kindness, and he shall certainly <i>bear his sin,</i> and <i>be cut
off from his people.</i> Note, As those who against their minds are
forced to absent themselves from God's ordinances may comfortably
expect the favours of God's grace under their affliction, so those
who of choice absent themselves may justly expect the tokens of
God's wrath for their sin. <i>Be not deceived, God is not
mocked.</i> (4.) Here is a clause added in favour of strangers,
<scripRef passage="Nu 9:14" id="Num.x-p9.7" parsed="|Num|9|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Though it was
requisite that the stranger who would join with them in eating the
passover should be circumcised as a proselyte to their religion
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:48,49" id="Num.x-p9.8" parsed="|Exod|12|48|12|49" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.48-Exod.12.49">Exod. xii. 48, 49</scripRef>), yet
this kind admission of those that were not native Israelites to eat
the passover was an intimation of the favour designed for the poor
Gentiles by Christ. As then there was one law, so in the days of
the Messiah there should be one gospel, for the stranger and for
him that was born in the land; for <i>in every nation he that fears
God and works righteousness is accepted of him,</i> and this was a
truth before Peter perceived it, <scripRef passage="Ac 10:34,35" id="Num.x-p9.9" parsed="|Acts|10|34|10|35" osisRef="Bible:Acts.10.34-Acts.10.35">Acts x. 34, 35</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 9" id="Num.x-p9.10" parsed="|Num|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 9:15-23" id="Num.x-p9.11" parsed="|Num|9|15|9|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.15-Num.9.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.9.15-Num.9.23">
<h4 id="Num.x-p9.12">The Pillar of Cloud and
Fire. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p9.13">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.x-p10">15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared
up the cloud covered the tabernacle, <i>namely,</i> the tent of the
testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the
appearance of fire, until the morning. &#160; 16 So it was alway:
the cloud covered it <i>by day,</i> and the appearance of fire by
night. &#160; 17 And when the cloud was taken up from the
tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and
in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel
pitched their tents. &#160; 18 At the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.1">Lord</span> the children of Israel journeyed, and
at the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.2">Lord</span> they
pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested
in their tents. &#160; 19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the
tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.3">Lord</span>, and journeyed not.
&#160; 20 And <i>so</i> it was, when the cloud was a few days upon
the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.4">Lord</span> they abode in their tents, and according to
the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.5">Lord</span> they
journeyed. &#160; 21 And <i>so</i> it was, when the cloud abode
from even unto the morning, and <i>that</i> the cloud was taken up
in the morning, then they journeyed: whether <i>it was</i> by day
or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. &#160; 22
Or <i>whether it were</i> two days, or a month, or a year, that the
cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children
of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was
taken up, they journeyed. &#160; 23 At the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.6">Lord</span> they rested in the tents, and at the
commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.7">Lord</span> they
journeyed: they kept the charge of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.8">Lord</span>, at the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.x-p10.9">Lord</span> by the hand of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p11">We have here the history of the cloud; not
a natural history: <i>who knows the balancings of the clouds?</i>
but a divine history of a cloud that was appointed to be the
visible sign and symbol of God's presence with Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p12">I. When the tabernacle was finished this
cloud, which before had hung on high over their camp, settled upon
the tabernacle, and covered it, to show that God manifests his
presence with his people in and by his ordinances; there he makes
himself known, and to them we must look if we would <i>see the
beauty of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 27:4,Eze 37:26,27" id="Num.x-p12.1" parsed="|Ps|27|4|0|0;|Ezek|37|26|37|27" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.4 Bible:Ezek.37.26-Ezek.37.27">Ps. xxvii. 4; Ezek. xxxvii. 26,
27</scripRef>. Thus God glorified his own appointments, and
signified his acceptance of his people's love and obedience.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p13">II. That which appeared as a cloud by day
appeared as a fire all night. Had it been a cloud only, it would
not have been visible by night; and, had it been a fire only, it
would have been scarcely discernible by day; but God would give
them sensible demonstrations of the constancy of his presence with
them, and his care of them, and that he <i>kept them night and
day,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 27:3,Ps 121:6" id="Num.x-p13.1" parsed="|Isa|27|3|0|0;|Ps|121|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.3 Bible:Ps.121.6">Isa. xxvii. 3; Ps.
cxxi. 6</scripRef>. And thus we are taught to <i>set God always
before us,</i> and to see him near us both night and day. Something
of the nature of that divine revelation which the Old-Testament
church was governed by might also be signified by these visible
signs of God's presence, the cloud denoting the darkness and the
fire the terror of that dispensation, in comparison with the more
clear and comfortable discoveries God has made of his glory in the
face of Jesus Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.x-p14">III. This pillar of cloud and fire directed
and determined all the motions, marches, and encampments, of Israel
in the wilderness. 1. As long as the cloud rested upon the
tabernacle, so long they continued in the same place, and never
stirred; though no doubt they were very desirous to be pressing
forward in their journey towards Canaan, where they longed to be
and hoped to be quickly, yet as long as the cloud rested, if it was
a month or a year, so long they rested, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:22" id="Num.x-p14.1" parsed="|Num|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Note, He that believeth doth not
make haste. There is no time lost while we are waiting God's time.
It is as acceptable a piece of submission to the will of God to sit
still contentedly when our lot requires it as to work for him when
we are called to it. 2. When the cloud was taken up, they removed,
how comfortably soever they were encamped, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:17" id="Num.x-p14.2" parsed="|Num|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Whether it moved by day or
night, they delayed not to attend its motions (<scripRef passage="Nu 9:21" id="Num.x-p14.3" parsed="|Num|9|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), and probably there were some
appointed to stand sentinel day and night within sight of it, to
give timely notice to the camp of its beginning to stir, and this
called <i>keeping the charge of the Lord.</i> The people, being
thus kept at a constant uncertainty, and having no time fixed for
stopping or removing, were obliged to hold themselves in constant
readiness to march upon very short warning. And for the same reason
we are kept at uncertainty concerning the time of our putting off
the earthly house of this tabernacle, that we may be always ready
to <i>remove at the commandment of the Lord.</i> 3. As long and as
far as the cloud moved, so long and so far they marched, and just
where it abode they pitched their tents about it, and God's tent
under it, <scripRef passage="Nu 9:17" id="Num.x-p14.4" parsed="|Num|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.9.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
Note, It is uncomfortable staying when God has departed, but very
safe and pleasant going when we see God go before us and resting
where he appoints us to rest. This is repeated again and again in
these verses, because it was a constant miracle, and often
repeated, and what never failed in all their travels, and because
it is a matter which we should take particular notice of as very
significant and instructive. It is mentioned long after by David
(<scripRef passage="Ps 105:39" id="Num.x-p14.5" parsed="|Ps|105|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.39">Ps. cv. 39</scripRef>), and by the
people of God after their captivity, <scripRef passage="Neh 9:19" id="Num.x-p14.6" parsed="|Neh|9|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.19">Neh. ix. 19</scripRef>. And the guidance of this cloud
is spoken of as signifying the guidance of the blessed Spirit.
<scripRef passage="Isa 63:14" id="Num.x-p14.7" parsed="|Isa|63|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.14">Isa. lxiii. 14</scripRef>, <i>The
Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest, and so didst thou lead thy
people.</i> This teaches us, (1.) The particular care God takes of
his people. Nothing could be more expressive and significant of
God's tenderness of Israel than the guidance of this cloud was; it
led them by the <i>right way</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 107:7" id="Num.x-p14.8" parsed="|Ps|107|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.7">Ps.
cvii. 7</scripRef>), went on their pace: God did by it, as it were,
cover them with his feathers. We are not now to expect such
sensible tokens of the divine presence and guidance as this was,
but the promise is sure to all God's spiritual Israel that he will
<i>guide them by his counsel</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 73:24" id="Num.x-p14.9" parsed="|Ps|73|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.73.24">Ps.
lxxiii. 24</scripRef>), <i>even unto death</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 48:14" id="Num.x-p14.10" parsed="|Ps|48|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.48.14">Ps. xlviii. 14</scripRef>), that all the children of God
shall be <i>led by the Spirit of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 8:14" id="Num.x-p14.11" parsed="|Rom|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.14">Rom. viii. 14</scripRef>), that he will <i>direct the
paths</i> of those who in <i>all their ways acknowledge him,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 3:6" id="Num.x-p14.12" parsed="|Prov|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.6">Prov. iii. 6</scripRef>. There is a
particular providence conversant about all their affairs, to direct
and overrule them for the best. <i>The steps of a good man are
ordered by the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 37:23" id="Num.x-p14.13" parsed="|Ps|37|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.23">Ps. xxxvii.
23</scripRef>. (2.) The particular regard we ought to have to God
in all our ways. In our affections and actions we must follow the
direction of his word and Spirit; all the motions of our souls must
be guided by the divine will; at the commandment of the Lord our
hearts should always move and rest; in all our affairs we must
follow Providence, reconciling ourselves to all its disposals, and
bringing our mind to our condition, whatever it is. The people of
Israel, having the cloud for their guide, were eased of the trouble
of holding councils of war, to consider when and whither they
should march, which might have occasioned strifes and debates among
them: nor needed they to send spies before to inform them of the
posture of the country, or pioneers to clear the way, or officers
to mark out their camp; the pillar of cloud did all this for them:
and those that by faith commit their works to the Lord, though they
are bound to the prudent use of means, yet may in like manner be
easy in the expectation of the event. <i>"Father, thy will be
done;</i> dispose of me and mine as thou pleasest; here I am,
desirous to be found <i>waiting on my God continually,</i> to
journey and rest at <i>the commandment of the Lord.</i> What thou
wilt, and where thou wilt, only let me be thine, and always in the
way of my duty."</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter X" n="xi" progress="67.89%" prev="Num.x" next="Num.xii" id="Num.xi">
<h2 id="Num.xi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xi-p1">In this chapter we have, I. Orders given about the
making and using of silver trumpets, which seems to have been the
last of all the commandments God gave upon Mount Sinai, and one of
the least, yet not without its significancy, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:1-10" id="Num.xi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|10|1|10|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.1-Num.10.10">ver. 1-10</scripRef>. II. The history of the removal
of Israel's camp from Mount Sinai, and their orderly march into the
wilderness of Paran, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:11-28" id="Num.xi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|10|11|10|28" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.11-Num.10.28">ver.
11-28</scripRef>. III. Moses's treaty with Hobab, his
brother-in-law, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:29-32" id="Num.xi-p1.3" parsed="|Num|10|29|10|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.29-Num.10.32">ver.
29-32</scripRef>. IV. Moses's prayer at the removing and resting of
the ark, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:33" id="Num.xi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|10|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.33">ver. 33</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 10" id="Num.xi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 10:1-10" id="Num.xi-p1.6" parsed="|Num|10|1|10|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.1-Num.10.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.10.1-Num.10.10">
<h4 id="Num.xi-p1.7">The Moving of the Camp. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Make thee two trumpets of
silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use
them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the
camps. &#160; 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the
assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 4 And if they blow
<i>but</i> with one <i>trumpet,</i> then the princes, <i>which
are</i> heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves
unto thee. &#160; 5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie
on the east parts shall go forward. &#160; 6 When ye blow an alarm
the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall
take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
&#160; 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye
shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. &#160; 8 And the sons
of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall
be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
&#160; 9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that
oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and
ye shall be remembered before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p2.2">Lord</span> your God, and ye shall be saved from your
enemies. &#160; 10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your
solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow
with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the
sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a
memorial before your God: I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p2.3">Lord</span> your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p3">We have here directions concerning the
public notices that were to be given to the people upon several
occasions by sound of trumpet. In a thing of this nature, one would
think, Moses needed not to have been taught of God: his own reason
might teach him the conveniency of trumpets; but the constitution
of Israel was to be in every thing divine, and therefore even in
this matter, small as it seems. Moses is here directed, 1. About
the making of them. They must be made of silver; not cast but of
beaten work (as some read it), the matter and shape, no doubt, very
fit for the purpose. He was now ordered to make but two, because
there were but two priests to use them. But in Solomon's time we
read of 120 <i>priests sounding with trumpets,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 5:12" id="Num.xi-p3.1" parsed="|2Chr|5|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.5.12">2 Chron. v. 12</scripRef>. The form of these
trumpets is supposed to have been much like ours at this day. 2.
Who were to make use of them; not any inferior person, but the
priests themselves, the <i>sons of Aaron,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 10:8" id="Num.xi-p3.2" parsed="|Num|10|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. As great as they were, they must
not think it a disparagement to them to be trumpeters in the house
of God; the meanest office there was honourable. This signified
that the Lord's ministers should <i>lift up their voice like a
trumpet,</i> to show people their sins (<scripRef passage="Isa 58:1" id="Num.xi-p3.3" parsed="|Isa|58|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.1">Isa. lviii. 1</scripRef>), to call them to Christ,
<scripRef passage="Isa 27:13" id="Num.xi-p3.4" parsed="|Isa|27|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.27.13">Isa. xxvii. 13</scripRef>. 3. Upon
what occasions the trumpets were to be sounded. (1.) For the
<i>calling of assemblies,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 10:2" id="Num.xi-p3.5" parsed="|Num|10|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. Thus they are told to blow the trumpet in Zion for
the calling of a solemn assembly together, to sanctify a fast,
<scripRef passage="Joe 2:15" id="Num.xi-p3.6" parsed="|Joel|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.15">Joel ii. 15</scripRef>. Public notice
ought to be given of the time and place of religious assemblies;
for the invitation to the benefit or ordinances is general:
<i>whoever will, let him come.</i> wisdom cries in the chief places
of concourse. But, that the trumpet might not <i>give an uncertain
sound,</i> they are directed, if only the princes and elders were
to meet, to blow but one of the trumpets; less should serve to call
<i>them</i> together, who ought to be examples of forwardness in
any thing that is good: but, if the body of the people were to be
called together, both the trumpets must be sounded, that they might
be heard at the greater distance. In allusion to this, they are
said to be blessed that <i>hear the joyful sound</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 89:15" id="Num.xi-p3.7" parsed="|Ps|89|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.15">Ps. lxxxix. 15</scripRef>), that is, that are
invited and called upon to wait upon God in public ordinances,
<scripRef passage="Ps 122:1" id="Num.xi-p3.8" parsed="|Ps|122|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.122.1">Ps. cxxii. 1</scripRef>. And the
general assembly at the great day will be summoned by <i>the sound
of the archangel's trumpet,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 24:31" id="Num.xi-p3.9" parsed="|Matt|24|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.31">Matt.
xxiv. 31</scripRef>. (2.) For the <i>journeying of the camps,</i>
to give notice when each squadron must move; for no man's voice
could reach to give the word of command: soldiers with us that are
well disciplined may be exercised by beat of drums. When the
trumpets were blown for this purpose, they must <i>sound an
alarm</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 10:5" id="Num.xi-p3.10" parsed="|Num|10|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), a
broken, quavering, interrupted sound, which was proper to excite
and encourage the minds of people in their marches against their
enemies; whereas a continued equal sound was more proper for the
calling of the assembly together (<scripRef passage="Nu 10:7" id="Num.xi-p3.11" parsed="|Num|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): yet when the people were called
together to deprecate God's judgments we find an alarm sounded,
<scripRef passage="Joe 2:1" id="Num.xi-p3.12" parsed="|Joel|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.1">Joel ii. 1</scripRef>. At the first
sounding, Judah's squadron marched, at the second Reuben's, at the
third Ephraim's, at the fourth Dan's, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:5,6" id="Num.xi-p3.13" parsed="|Num|10|5|10|6" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.5-Num.10.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. And some think that this was
intended to sanctify their marches, for thus were proclaimed by the
priests, who were God's mouth to the people, not only the divine
orders given them to move, but the divine blessing upon them in all
their motions. He that hath ears, let him hear that <i>God is with
them of a truth.</i> King Abijah valued himself and his army very
much upon this (<scripRef passage="2Ch 13:12" id="Num.xi-p3.14" parsed="|2Chr|13|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.12">2 Chron. xiii.
12</scripRef>), <i>God himself is with us for our captain and his
priests with sounding trumpets.</i> (3.) For the animating and
encouraging of their armies, when they went out in battle
(<scripRef passage="Nu 10:9" id="Num.xi-p3.15" parsed="|Num|10|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): "<i>If you go
to war, blow with the trumpets,</i> signifying thereby your appeal
to heaven for the decision of the controversy, and your prayer to
God to give you victory; and God will own this his own institution,
and <i>you shall be remembered before the Lord your God.</i>" God
will take notice of this sound of the trumpet, and be engaged to
fight their battles, and let all the people take notice of it, and
be encouraged to fight his, as David, when he heard <i>a sound of a
going upon the tops of the mulberry trees.</i> Not that God needed
to be awaked by sound of trumpet any more than Christ needed to be
awaked by his disciples in the storm, <scripRef passage="Mt 8:25" id="Num.xi-p3.16" parsed="|Matt|8|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.8.25">Matt. viii. 25</scripRef>. But where he intends mercy it
is his will that we should solicit it; ministers must stir up the
good soldiers of Jesus Christ to fight manfully against sin, the
world, and the devil, by assuring them that Christ is the
<i>captain of their salvation,</i> and will <i>tread Satan under
their feet.</i> (4.) For the solemnizing of their sacred feasts,
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:10" id="Num.xi-p3.17" parsed="|Num|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. One of their
feasts was called <i>a memorial of the blowing of trumpets,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 23:23-25" id="Num.xi-p3.18" parsed="|Lev|23|23|23|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.23-Lev.23.25">Lev. xxiii. 23</scripRef>, &amp;c.
And it should seem they were thus to grace the solemnity of all
their feasts (<scripRef passage="Ps 81:3" id="Num.xi-p3.19" parsed="|Ps|81|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.81.3">Ps. lxxxi. 3</scripRef>),
and their sacrifices (<scripRef passage="2Ch 29:27" id="Num.xi-p3.20" parsed="|2Chr|29|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.29.27">2 Chron. xxix.
27</scripRef>), to intimate with what joy and delight they
performed their duty to God, and to raise the minds of those that
attended the services to a holy triumph in the God they worshipped.
And then their performances were for a <i>memorial before God;</i>
for he takes pleasure in our religious exercises when we take
pleasure in them. Holy work should be done with holy joy.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 10" id="Num.xi-p3.21" parsed="|Num|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 10:11-28" id="Num.xi-p3.22" parsed="|Num|10|11|10|28" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.11-Num.10.28"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.10.11-Num.10.28">
<h4 id="Num.xi-p3.23">The Removal of the Camp. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p3.24">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xi-p4">11 And it came to pass on the twentieth
<i>day</i> of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud
was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. &#160; 12
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the
wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of
Paran. &#160; 13 And they first took their journey according to the
commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p4.1">Lord</span> by the hand
of Moses. &#160; 14 In the first <i>place</i> went the standard of
the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and
over his host <i>was</i> Nahshon the son of Amminadab. &#160; 15
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar
<i>was</i> Nethaneel the son of Zuar. &#160; 16 And over the host
of the tribe of the children of Zebulun <i>was</i> Eliab the son of
Helon. &#160; 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of
Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
&#160; 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward
according to their armies: and over his host <i>was</i> Elizur the
son of Shedeur. &#160; 19 And over the host of the tribe of the
children of Simeon <i>was</i> Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
&#160; 20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad
<i>was</i> Eliasaph the son of Deuel. &#160; 21 And the Kohathites
set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and <i>the other</i> did set up
the tabernacle against they came. &#160; 22 And the standard of the
camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their
armies: and over his host <i>was</i> Elishama the son of Ammihud.
&#160; 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of
Manasseh <i>was</i> Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. &#160; 24 And
over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin <i>was</i>
Abidan the son of Gideoni. &#160; 25 And the standard of the camp
of the children of Dan set forward, <i>which was</i> the rereward
of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host
<i>was</i> Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. &#160; 26 And over the
host of the tribe of the children of Asher <i>was</i> Pagiel the
son of Ocran. &#160; 27 And over the host of the tribe of the
children of Naphtali <i>was</i> Ahira the son of Enan. &#160; 28
Thus <i>were</i> the journeyings of the children of Israel
according to their armies, when they set forward.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p5">Here is, I. A general account of the
removal of the camp of Israel from Mount Sinai, before which
mountain it had lain now about a year, in which time and place a
great deal of memorable business was done. Of this removal, it
should seem, God gave them notice some time before (<scripRef passage="De 1:6,7" id="Num.xi-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|1|6|1|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.6-Deut.1.7">Deut. i. 6, 7</scripRef>): <i>You have dwelt
long enough in this mountain, turn you and take your journey
towards the land of promise.</i> The apostle tells us that <i>mount
Sinai genders to bondage</i> (<scripRef passage="Ga 4:24" id="Num.xi-p5.2" parsed="|Gal|4|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.24">Gal. iv.
24</scripRef>), and signifies the law there given, which is of use
indeed as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, yet we must not
rest in it, but advance towards the joys and liberties of the
children of God, for our happiness is conferred not by the law, but
by promise. Observe, 1. The signal given (<scripRef passage="Nu 10:11" id="Num.xi-p5.3" parsed="|Num|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>The cloud was taken up,</i>
and we may suppose it stood for some time, till they were ready to
march; and a great deal of work it was to take down all those
tents, and pack up all those goods that they had there; but every
family being employed about its own, and all at the same time, many
hands made quick work of it. 2. The march began: <i>They took their
journey according to the commandment of the Lord,</i> and just as
the cloud led them, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:13" id="Num.xi-p5.4" parsed="|Num|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Some think that mention is thus frequently made in
this and the foregoing chapter of the <i>commandment of the
Lord,</i> guiding and governing them in all their travels, to
obviate the calumny and reproach which were afterwards thrown upon
Israel, that they tarried so long in the wilderness, because they
had lost themselves there, and could not find the way out. No, the
matter was not so; in every stage, in every step, they were under
divine direction; and, if they knew not where they were, yet he
that led them knew. Note, Those that have given up themselves to
the direction of God's word and Spirit steer a steady course, even
when they seem to be bewildered. While they are sure they cannot
lose their God and guide, they need not fear losing their way. 3.
The place they rested in, after three days' march: They went <i>out
of the wilderness of Sinai,</i> and rested <i>in the wilderness of
Paran.</i> Note, All our removals in this world are but from one
wilderness to another. The changes which we think will be for the
better do not always prove so; while we carry about with us,
wherever we go, the common infirmities of human nature, we must
expect, wherever we go, to meet with its common calamities; we
shall never be at rest, never at home, till we come to heaven, and
all will be well there.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p6">II. A particular draught of the order of
their march, according to the late model. 1. Judah's squadron
marched first, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:14-16" id="Num.xi-p6.1" parsed="|Num|10|14|10|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.14-Num.10.16"><i>v.</i>
14-16</scripRef>. The leading standard, now lodged with that tribe,
was an earnest of the sceptre which in David's time should be
committed to it, and looked further to the captain of our
salvation, of whom it was likewise foretold that <i>unto him should
the gathering of the people be.</i> 2. Then came those two families
of the Levites which were entrusted to carry the tabernacle. As
soon as ever the cloud was taken up, the tabernacle was taken down,
and packed up for removing, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:17" id="Num.xi-p6.2" parsed="|Num|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. And here the six wagons came laden with the more
bulky part of the tabernacle. This frequent removing of the
tabernacle in all their journeys signified the movableness of that
ceremonial dispensation. That which was so often shifted would at
length vanish away, <scripRef passage="Heb 8:13" id="Num.xi-p6.3" parsed="|Heb|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.13">Heb. viii.
13</scripRef>. 3. Reuben's squadron marched forward next, taking
place after Judah, <i>according to the commandment of the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:18-20" id="Num.xi-p6.4" parsed="|Num|10|18|10|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.18-Num.10.20"><i>v.</i> 18-20</scripRef>. 4. Then
the Kohathites followed with their charge, the sacred furniture of
the tabernacle, <i>in the midst of the camp,</i> the safest and
most honourable place, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:21" id="Num.xi-p6.5" parsed="|Num|10|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. And they (that is, says the margin, the Gershonites
and Merarites) did <i>set up the tabernacle against they came;</i>
and perhaps it is expressed thus generally because, if there was
occasion, not those Levites only, but the other Israelites that
were in the first squadron, lent a hand to the tabernacle to hasten
the rearing of it up, even before they set up their own tents. 5.
Ephraim's squadron followed next after the ark (<scripRef passage="Nu 10:22-24" id="Num.xi-p6.6" parsed="|Num|10|22|10|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.22-Num.10.24"><i>v.</i> 22-24</scripRef>), to which some think the
psalmist alludes when he prays (<scripRef passage="Ps 80:2" id="Num.xi-p6.7" parsed="|Ps|80|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.2">Ps.
lxxx. 2</scripRef>), <i>Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,</i>
the three tribes that composed this squadron, <i>stir up thy
strength</i> (and the ark is called his strength, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:61" id="Num.xi-p6.8" parsed="|Ps|78|61|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.61">Ps. lxxviii. 61</scripRef>), <i>and come and
save us.</i> 6. Dan's squadron followed last, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:25-27" id="Num.xi-p6.9" parsed="|Num|10|25|10|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.25-Num.10.27"><i>v.</i> 25-27</scripRef>. It is called the
<i>rearward,</i> or <i>gathering host,</i> of all the camps,
because it gathered up all that were left behind; not the women and
children (these we may suppose were taken care of by the heads of
their families in their respective tribes), but all the unclean,
the mixed multitude, and all that were weak and feeble, and cast
behind in their march. Note, He that leadeth Joseph like a flock
has a tender regard to the hindmost (<scripRef passage="Eze 34:16" id="Num.xi-p6.10" parsed="|Ezek|34|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.34.16">Ezek. xxxiv. 16</scripRef>), that cannot keep pace with
the rest, and <i>of all that are given him he will lose none,</i>
<scripRef passage="Joh 17:11" id="Num.xi-p6.11" parsed="|John|17|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.11">John xvii. 11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 10:29-36" id="Num.xi-p6.12" parsed="|Num|10|29|10|36" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.29-Num.10.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.10.29-Num.10.36">
<h4 id="Num.xi-p6.13">Moses's Request to Hobab. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p6.14">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xi-p7">29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel
the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the
place of which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.1">Lord</span> said, I will
give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.2">Lord</span> hath spoken good concerning
Israel. &#160; 30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will
depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. &#160; 31 And he said,
Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to
encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
&#160; 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be,
that what goodness the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.3">Lord</span> shall do
unto us, the same will we do unto thee. &#160; 33 And they departed
from the mount of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.4">Lord</span> three
days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.5">Lord</span> went before them in the three days'
journey, to search out a resting place for them. &#160; 34 And the
cloud of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.6">Lord</span> <i>was</i> upon
them by day, when they went out of the camp. &#160; 35 And it came
to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.7">Lord</span>, and let thine enemies be scattered;
and let them that hate thee flee before thee. &#160; 36 And when it
rested, he said, Return, <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xi-p7.8">O Lord</span>,
unto the many thousands of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p8">Here is, I. An account of what passed
between Moses and Hobab, now upon this advance which the camp of
Israel made towards Canaan. Some think that Hobab was the same with
Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, and that the story, <scripRef passage="Ex 18:1-27" id="Num.xi-p8.1" parsed="|Exod|18|1|18|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.1-Exod.18.27">Exod. xviii.</scripRef>, should come in here;
it seems more probable that Hobab was the son of Jethro,
<i>alias</i> Reuel, or Raguel (<scripRef passage="Ex 2:18" id="Num.xi-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.18">Exod.
ii. 18</scripRef>), and that when the father, being aged, went to
his own land (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:27" id="Num.xi-p8.3" parsed="|Exod|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.27">Exod. xviii.
27</scripRef>), he left his son Hobab with Moses, as Barzillai left
Chimham with David; and the same word signifies both a
<i>father-in-law</i> and a <i>brother-in-law.</i> Now this Hobab
staid contentedly with Israel while they encamped at Mount Sinai,
near his own country; but, now that they were removing, he was for
going back to his own country and kindred, and his father's house.
Here is, 1. The kind invitation Moses gives him to go forward with
them to Canaan, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:29" id="Num.xi-p8.4" parsed="|Num|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>. He tempts him with a promise that they would
certainly be kind to him, and puts God's word in for security:
<i>The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.</i> As if he had
said, "Come, cast in thy lot among us, and thou shalt fare as we
fare; and we have the promise of God that we shall fare well."
Note, Those that are bound for the heavenly Canaan should invite
and encourage all their friends to go along with them, for we shall
have never the less of the treasures of the covenant, and the joys
of heaven, for others coming in to share with us. And what argument
can be more powerful with us to take God's people for our people
than this, that God <i>hath spoken good concerning them?</i> It is
good having fellowship with those that have fellowship with God
(<scripRef passage="1Jo 1:3" id="Num.xi-p8.5" parsed="|1John|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.3">1 John i. 3</scripRef>), and going
with those with whom God is, <scripRef passage="Zec 8:23" id="Num.xi-p8.6" parsed="|Zech|8|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.23">Zech.
viii. 23</scripRef>. 2. Hobab's inclination, and present
resolution, to go back to his own country, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:30" id="Num.xi-p8.7" parsed="|Num|10|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. One would have thought that he
who had seen so much of the special presence of God with Israel,
and such surprising tokens of his favour to them, would not have
needed much invitation to embark with them. But his refusal must be
imputed to the affection he had for his native air and soil, which
was not overpowered, as it ought to have been, by a believing
regard to the promise of God and a value for covenant blessings. He
was indeed a son of Abraham's loins (for the Midianites descended
from Abraham by Keturah), but not an heir of Abraham's faith
(<scripRef passage="Heb 11:8" id="Num.xi-p8.8" parsed="|Heb|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.8">Heb. xi. 8</scripRef>), else he would
not have given Moses this answer. Note, The things of this world,
which are seen, draw strongly from the pursuit of the things of the
other world, which are not seen. The magnetic virtue of this earth
prevails with most people above the attractives of heaven itself.
3. The great importunity Moses used with him to alter his
resolution, <scripRef passage="Nu 10:31,32" id="Num.xi-p8.9" parsed="|Num|10|31|10|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.31-Num.10.32"><i>v.</i> 31,
32</scripRef>. He urges, (1.) That he might be serviceable to them:
"<i>We are to encamp in the wilderness</i>" (a country well known
to Hobab), "<i>and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes,</i> not to
show us where we must encamp, nor what way we must march" (which
the cloud was to direct), "but to show us the conveniences and
inconveniences of the place we march through and encamp in, that we
may make the best use we can of the conveniences, and the best
fence we can against the inconveniences." Note, It will very well
consist with our trust in God's providence to make use of the help
of our friends in those things wherein they are capable of being
serviceable to us. Even those that were led by miracle must not
slight the ordinary means of direction. Some think that Moses
suggests this to Hobab, not because he expected much benefit from
his information, but to please him with the thought of being some
way useful to so great a body, and so to draw him on with them, by
inspiring him with an ambition to obtain that honour. Calvin gives
quite another sense of this place, very agreeably with the
original, which yet I do not find taken notice of by any since.
"<i>Leave us not, I pray thee,</i> but come along, to share with us
in the promised land, <i>for therefore hast thou known our
encampment in the wilderness, and hast been to us instead of
eyes;</i> and we cannot make thee amends for sharing with us in our
hardships, and doing us so many good offices, unless thou go with
us to Canaan. Surely for this reason thou didst set out with us
that thou mightest go on with us." Note, Those that have begun well
should use that as a reason for their persevering, because
otherwise they lose the benefit and recompence of all they have
done and suffered. (2.) That they would be kind to him: <i>What
goodness the Lord shall do to us, the same we will do to thee,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:32" id="Num.xi-p8.10" parsed="|Num|10|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. Note, [1.] We
can give only what we receive. We can do no more service and
kindness to our friends than God is pleased to put it into the
power of our hand to do. This is all we dare promise, to do good as
God shall enable us. [2.] Those that share with God's Israel in
their labours and hardships shall share with them in their comforts
and honours. Those that are willing to take their lot with them in
the wilderness shall have their lot with them in Canaan; <i>if we
suffer with them we shall reign with them,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ti 2:12,Lu 22:28,29" id="Num.xi-p8.11" parsed="|2Tim|2|12|0|0;|Luke|22|28|22|29" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.12 Bible:Luke.22.28-Luke.22.29">2 Tim. ii. 12; Luke xxii. 28,
29</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p9">We do not find any reply that Hobab here
made to Moses, and therefore we hope that his silence gave consent,
and he did not leave them, but that, when he perceived he might be
useful, he preferred that before the gratifying of his own
inclination; in this case he left us a good example. And we find
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 1:16,1Sa 15:6" id="Num.xi-p9.1" parsed="|Judg|1|16|0|0;|1Sam|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.1.16 Bible:1Sam.15.6">Judg. i. 16; 1 Sam. xv.
6</scripRef>) that his family was no loser by it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p10">II. An account of the communion between God
and Israel in this removal. They left <i>the mount of the Lord</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 10:33" id="Num.xi-p10.1" parsed="|Num|10|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>), that Mount
Sinai where they had seen his glory and heard his voice, and had
been taken into covenant with him (they must not expect that such
appearances of God to them as they had there been blessed with
should be constant); they departed from that celebrated mountain,
which we never read of in scripture any more, unless with reference
to these past stories; now farewell, Sinai; <i>Zion</i> is the
mountain of which God has said. <i>This is my rest for ever</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ps 132:14" id="Num.xi-p10.2" parsed="|Ps|132|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.132.14">Ps. cxxxii. 14</scripRef>), and of
which we must say so. But when they left the <i>mount of the
Lord</i> they took with them the <i>ark of the covenant of the
Lord,</i> by which their stated communion with God was to be kept
up. For,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p11">1. By it God did <i>direct their paths.</i>
The ark of the covenant went before them, some think in
<i>place,</i> at least in this removal; others think only in
<i>influence;</i> though it was carried in the midst of the camp,
yet the cloud that hovered over it directed all their motions. The
ark (that is, the God of the ark) is said to <i>search out a
resting place</i> for them; not that God's infinite wisdom and
knowledge need to make searches, but every place they were directed
to was as convenient for them as if the wisest man they had among
them had been employed to go before them, and mark out their camp
to the best advantage. thus Canaan is said to be a land which God
<i>spied out,</i> <scripRef passage="Eze 20:6" id="Num.xi-p11.1" parsed="|Ezek|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.20.6">Ezek. xx.
6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p12">2. By it they did <i>in all their ways
acknowledge God,</i> looking upon it as a token of God's presence;
when that moved, or rested, they had their eye up unto God. Moses,
as the mouth of the congregation, lifted up a prayer, both at the
removing and at the resting of the ark; thus their going out and
coming in were sanctified by prayer, and it is an example to us to
begin and end every day's journey, and every day's work, with
prayer.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p13">(1.) Here is his prayer when the ark set
forward: <i>Rise up, Lord, and let thy enemies be scattered,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:35" id="Num.xi-p13.1" parsed="|Num|10|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. They were now
in a desolate country, but they were marching towards an enemy's
country, and their dependence was upon God for success and victory
in their wars, as well as for direction and supply in the
wilderness. David used this prayer long after (<scripRef passage="Ps 68:1" id="Num.xi-p13.2" parsed="|Ps|68|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.1">Ps. lxviii. 1</scripRef>), for he also fought the Lord's
battles. Note, [1.] There are those in the world that are enemies
to God, and haters of him: secret and open enemies; enemies to his
truths, his laws, his ordinances, his people. [2.] The scattering
and defeating of God's enemies is a thing to be earnestly desired,
and believingly expected, by all the Lord's people. This prayer is
a prophecy. Those that persist in rebellion against God are hasting
towards their own ruin. [3.] For the scattering and defeating of
God's enemies, there needs no more but God's arising. <i>When God
arose to judgment,</i> the work was soon done, <scripRef passage="Ps 76:8,9" id="Num.xi-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|76|8|76|9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.76.8-Ps.76.9">Ps. lxxvi. 8, 9</scripRef>. "Rise, Lord, as the sun
riseth to scatter the shadows of the night." Christ's rising from
the dead scattered his enemies, <scripRef passage="Ps 68:18" id="Num.xi-p13.4" parsed="|Ps|68|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.18">Ps.
lxviii. 18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xi-p14">(2.) His prayer when the ark rested,
<scripRef passage="Nu 10:36" id="Num.xi-p14.1" parsed="|Num|10|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>. [1.] That God
would cause his people to rest. So some read it, "<i>Return, O
Lord, the many thousands of Israel,</i> return them to their rest
again after this fatigue." Thus it is said (<scripRef passage="Isa 63:14" id="Num.xi-p14.2" parsed="|Isa|63|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.14">Isa. lxiii. 14</scripRef>), <i>The Spirit of the Lord
caused him to rest.</i> Thus he prays that God would give Israel
success and victory abroad, and peace and tranquillity at home.
[2.] That God himself would take up his rest among them. So we read
it: <i>Return to the thousands of Israel,</i> the <i>ten thousand
thousand,</i> so the word is. Note, <i>First,</i> The church of God
is a great body; there are many thousands belonging to God's
Israel. <i>Secondly,</i> We ought in our prayers to concern
ourselves for this body. <i>Thirdly,</i> The welfare and happiness
of the Israel of God consist in the continual presence of God among
them. Their safety consists not in their numbers, though they are
thousands, many thousands, but in the favour of God, and his
gracious return to them and residence with them. These thousands
are cyphers; he is the figure: and upon this account, <i>Happy art
thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people!</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XI" n="xii" progress="68.42%" prev="Num.xi" next="Num.xiii" id="Num.xii">
<h2 id="Num.xii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xii-p1">Hitherto things had gone pretty well in Israel;
little interruption had been given to the methods of God's favour
to them since the matter of the golden calf; the people seemed
teachable in marshalling and purifying the camp, the princes devout
and generous in dedicating the altar, and there was good hope that
they would be in Canaan presently. But at this chapter begins a
melancholy scene; the measures are all broken, God has turned to be
their enemy, and fights against them&#8212;and it is sin that makes all
this mischief. I. Their murmurings kindled a fire among them, which
yet was soon quenched by the prayer of Moses, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:1-3" id="Num.xii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|11|1|11|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.1-Num.11.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. No sooner was the fire of
judgment quenched than the fire of sin breaks out again, and God
takes occasion from it to magnify both his mercy and his justice.
1. The people fret for want of flesh, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:4-9" id="Num.xii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|11|4|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4-Num.11.9">ver. 4-9</scripRef>. 2. Moses frets for want of help,
<scripRef passage="Nu 11:10-15" id="Num.xii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|11|10|11|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.10-Num.11.15">ver. 10-15</scripRef>. Now, (1.)
God promises to gratify them both, to appoint help for Moses
(<scripRef passage="Nu 11:16,17" id="Num.xii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|11|16|11|17" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.16-Num.11.17">ver. 16, 17</scripRef>), and to
give the people flesh, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:18-23" id="Num.xii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|11|18|11|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.18-Num.11.23">ver.
18-23</scripRef>. And, (2.) He presently makes good both these
promises. For, [1.] The Spirit of God qualifies the seventy elders
for the government, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:24-30" id="Num.xii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|11|24|11|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.24-Num.11.30">ver.
24-30</scripRef>. [2.] The power of God brings quails to feast the
people, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:31,32" id="Num.xii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|11|31|11|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.31-Num.11.32">ver. 31, 32</scripRef>. Yet
[3.] The justice of God plagued them for their murmurings,
<scripRef passage="Nu 11:33-35" id="Num.xii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|11|33|11|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.33-Num.11.35">ver. 33</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11" id="Num.xii-p1.9" parsed="|Num|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11:1-3" id="Num.xii-p1.10" parsed="|Num|11|1|11|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.1-Num.11.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.11.1-Num.11.3">
<h4 id="Num.xii-p1.11">The Murmurings of the
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xii-p2">1 And <i>when</i> the people complained, it
displeased the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p2.1">Lord</span>: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p2.2">Lord</span> heard <i>it;</i> and his anger was
kindled; and the fire of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p2.3">Lord</span>
burnt among them, and consumed <i>them that were</i> in the
uttermost parts of the camp. &#160; 2 And the people cried unto
Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p2.4">Lord</span>, the fire was quenched. &#160; 3 And he
called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p2.5">Lord</span> burnt among them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p3">Here is, I. The people's sin. They
<i>complained,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 11:1" id="Num.xii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|11|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. <i>They were, as it were, complainers.</i> So it is
in the margin. There were some secret grudgings and discontents
among them, which as yet did not break out in an open mutiny. But
how great a matter did this little fire kindle! They had received
from God excellent laws and ordinances, and yet no sooner had they
departed from the mount of the Lord than they began to quarrel with
God himself. See in this, 1. The sinfulness of sin, which takes
occasion from the commandment to be the more provoking. 2. The
weakness of the law through the flesh, <scripRef passage="Ro 8:3" id="Num.xii-p3.2" parsed="|Rom|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.3">Rom. viii. 3</scripRef>. The law discovered sin, but could
not destroy it; checked it, but could not conquer it. They
<i>complained.</i> Interpreters enquire what they complained of;
and truly, when they were furnished with so much matter for
thanksgiving, one may justly wonder where they found any matter for
complaint; it is probable that those who complained did not all
agree in the cause. Some perhaps complained that they were removed
from Mount Sinai, where they had been at rest so long, others that
they did not remove sooner: some complained of the weather, others
of the ways: some perhaps thought three days' journey was too long
a march, others thought it not long enough, because it did not
bring them into Canaan. When we consider how their camp was guided,
guarded, graced, what good victuals they had and good company, and
what care was taken of them in their marches that their feet should
not swell nor their clothes wear (<scripRef passage="De 8:4" id="Num.xii-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.4">Deut.
viii. 4</scripRef>), we may ask, "What could have been done more
for a people to make them easy?" And yet they complained. Note,
Those that are of a fretful discontented spirit will always find
something or other to quarrel with, though the circumstances of
their outward condition be ever so favourable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p4">II. God's just resentment of the affront
given to him by this sin: <i>The Lord heard it,</i> though it does
not appear that Moses did. Note, God is acquainted with the secret
frettings and murmurings of the heart, though they are
industriously concealed from men. What he took notice of his was
much displeased with, and his <i>anger was kindled.</i> Note,
Though God graciously gives us leave to complain to him when there
is cause (<scripRef passage="Ps 142:2" id="Num.xii-p4.1" parsed="|Ps|142|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.142.2">Ps. cxlii. 2</scripRef>),
yet he is justly provoked, and takes it very ill, if we complain of
him when there is no cause: such conduct in our inferiors provokes
us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p5">III. The judgment wherewith God chastised
them for this sin: <i>The fire of the Lord burnt among them,</i>
such flashes of fire from the cloud as had consumed Nadab and
Abihu. The fire of their wrath against God burned in their minds
(<scripRef passage="Ps 39:3" id="Num.xii-p5.1" parsed="|Ps|39|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.39.3">Ps. xxxix. 3</scripRef>), and justly
does the fire of God's wrath fasten upon their bodies. We read of
their murmurings several times, when they came first out of Egypt,
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:1-17:16" id="Num.xii-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|15|1|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.1-Exod.17.16">Exod. xv., and xvi., and
xvii.</scripRef>. But we do not read of any plagues inflicted on
them for their murmurings, as there were now; for now they had had
great experience of God's care of them, and therefore now to
distrust him was so much the more inexcusable. Now a <i>fire was
kindled against Jacob</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 78:21" id="Num.xii-p5.3" parsed="|Ps|78|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.21">Ps.
lxxviii. 21</scripRef>), but, to show how unwilling God was to
contend with them, it fastened on those only that were <i>in the
uttermost parts of the camp.</i> Thus God's judgments came upon
them gradually, that they might take warning.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p6">IV. Their cry to Moses, who was their tried
intercessor, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:2" id="Num.xii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
<i>When he slew them, then they sought him,</i> and made their
application to Moses to stand their friend. Note, 1. When we
complain without cause, it is just with God to give us cause to
complain. 2. Those that slight God's friends when they are in
prosperity would be glad to make them their friends when they are
in distress. <i>Father Abraham, send Lazarus.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p7">V. The prevalency of Moses's intercession
for them: <i>When Moses prayed unto the Lord</i> (he was always
ready to stand in the gap to turn away the wrath of God) God had
respect to him and his offering, and <i>the fire was quenched.</i>
By this it appears that God delights not in punishing, for, when he
has begun his controversy, he is soon prevailed with to let it
fall. Moses was one of those worthies who <i>by faith quenched the
violence of fire.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p8">VI. A new name given hereupon to the place,
to perpetuate the shame of a murmuring people and the honour of a
righteous God; the place was called <i>Taberah,</i> a
<i>burning</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:3" id="Num.xii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), that others might hear, and fear, and take warning
not to sin as they did, lest they should smart as they did,
<scripRef passage="1Co 10:10" id="Num.xii-p8.2" parsed="|1Cor|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.10">1 Cor. x. 10</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11:4-15" id="Num.xii-p8.3" parsed="|Num|11|4|11|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4-Num.11.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.11.4-Num.11.15">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xii-p9">4 And the mixt multitude that <i>was</i> among
them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again,
and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? &#160; 5 We remember the
fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the
melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: &#160; 6
But now our soul <i>is</i> dried away: <i>there is</i> nothing at
all, beside this manna, <i>before</i> our eyes. &#160; 7 And the
manna <i>was</i> as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the
colour of bdellium. &#160; 8 <i>And</i> the people went about, and
gathered <i>it,</i> and ground <i>it</i> in mills, or beat
<i>it</i> in a mortar, and baked <i>it</i> in pans, and made cakes
of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. &#160; 9
And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell
upon it. &#160; 10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout
their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p9.1">Lord</span> was kindled greatly; Moses
also was displeased. &#160; 11 And Moses said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p9.2">Lord</span>, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant?
and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou
layest the burden of all this people upon me? &#160; 12 Have I
conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou
shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father
beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto
their fathers? &#160; 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto
all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that
we may eat. &#160; 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone,
because <i>it is</i> too heavy for me. &#160; 15 And if thou deal
thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found
favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p10">These verses represent things sadly
unhinged and out of order in Israel, both the people and the prince
uneasy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p11">I. Here is the people fretting, and
speaking against God himself (as it is interpreted, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:19" id="Num.xii-p11.1" parsed="|Ps|78|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.19">Ps. lxxviii. 19</scripRef>), notwithstanding his
glorious appearances both to them and for them. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p12">1. Who were the criminals. (1.) The
<i>mixed multitude</i> began, they <i>fell a lusting,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 11:4" id="Num.xii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. The rabble that came with
them out of Egypt, expecting only the land of promise, but not a
state of probation in the way to it. They were hangers on, who took
hold of the skirts of the Jews, and would go with them only because
they knew not how to live at home, and were disposed to seek their
fortunes (as we say) abroad. These were the scabbed sheep that
infected the flock, the leaven that leavened the whole lump. Note,
A few factious, discontented, ill-natured people, may do a great
deal of mischief in the best societies, if great care be not taken
to discountenance them. Such as these are an <i>untoward
generation,</i> from which it is our wisdom to <i>save
ourselves,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 2:40" id="Num.xii-p12.2" parsed="|Acts|2|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.40">Acts ii. 40</scripRef>.
(2.) Even <i>the children of Israel</i> took the infection, as we
are informed, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:4" id="Num.xii-p12.3" parsed="|Num|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
The holy seed joined themselves to the people of these
abominations. The mixed multitude here spoken of were not numbered
with the children of Israel, but were set aside as a people God
made no account of; and yet the children of Israel, forgetting
their own character and distinction, herded themselves with them
and learned their way, as if the scum and outcasts of the camp were
to be the privy-counsellors of it. The children of Israel, a people
near to God and highly privileged, yet drawn into rebellion against
him! O how little honour has God in the world, when even the people
which he formed for himself, to show forth his praise, were so much
a dishonour to him! Therefore let none think that their external
professions and privileges will be their security either against
Satan's temptations to sin or God's judgments for sin. See
<scripRef passage="1Co 10:1,2,12" id="Num.xii-p12.4" parsed="|1Cor|10|1|10|2;|1Cor|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.1-1Cor.10.2 Bible:1Cor.10.12">1 Cor. x. 1, 2,
12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p13">2. What was the crime: they lusted and
murmured. Though they had been lately corrected for this sin, and
many of them overthrown for it, as God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah, and the smell of the fire was still in their nostrils,
yet they returned to it. See <scripRef passage="Pr 27:22" id="Num.xii-p13.1" parsed="|Prov|27|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.27.22">Prov.
xxvii. 22</scripRef>. (1.) They magnified the plenty and dainties
they had had in Egypt (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:5" id="Num.xii-p13.2" parsed="|Num|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), as if God had done them a great deal of wrong in
taking them thence. While they were in Egypt they sighed by reason
of their burdens, for their lives were made bitter to them with
hard bondage; and yet now they talk of Egypt as if they had all
lived like princes there, when this serves as a colour for their
present discontent. But with what face can they talk of eating fish
in Egypt freely, or for nought, as if it cost them nothing, when
they paid so dearly for it with their hard service? They
<i>remember the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the
onions, and the garlick</i> (precious stuff indeed to be fond of!),
but they do not remember the brick-kilns and the task-masters, the
voice of the oppressor and the smart of the whip. No, these are
forgotten by these ungrateful people. (2.) They were sick of the
good provision God had made for them, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:6" id="Num.xii-p13.3" parsed="|Num|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It was bread from heaven, angels'
food. To show how unreasonable their complaint was, it is here
described, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:7-9" id="Num.xii-p13.4" parsed="|Num|11|7|11|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.7-Num.11.9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>.
It was good for food, and pleasant to the eye, every grain like an
orient pearl; it was wholesome food and nourishing; it was not to
be called <i>dry bread,</i> for it tasted like fresh oil; it was
agreeable (the Jews say, <scripRef passage="Wisd. xvi. 20" id="Num.xii-p13.5" parsed="|Wis|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Wis.16.20">Wisd. xvi. 20</scripRef>) to every man's
palate, and tasted as he would have it; and, though it was still
the same, yet, by the different ways of dressing it, it yielded
them a grateful variety; it cost them no money, nor care, for it
fell in the night, while they slept; and the labour of gathering it
was not worth speaking of; they lived upon free quarter, and yet
could talk of Egypt's cheapness and the fish they ate there freely.
Nay, which was much more valuable than all this, the manna came
from the immediate power and bounty of God, not from common
providence, but from special favour. It was, as God's compassion,
new every morning, always fresh, not as their food who live on
shipboard. While they lived on manna, they seemed to be exempted
from the curse which sin has brought on man, that in the <i>sweat
of his face should he eat bread.</i> And yet they speak of manna
with such scorn, as if it were not good enough to be meat for
swine: <i>Our soul is dried away.</i> They speak as if God dealt
hardly with them in allowing them no better food. At first they
admired it (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:15" id="Num.xii-p13.6" parsed="|Exod|16|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.15">Exod. xvi. 15</scripRef>):
<i>What is this?</i> "What a curious precious thing is this!" But
now they despised it. Note, Peevish discontented minds will find
fault with that which has no fault in it but that it is too good
for them. It is very provoking to God to undervalue his favours,
and to put a <i>but</i> upon our common mercies. Nothing but manna!
Those that might be very happy often make themselves very miserable
by their discontents. (3.) They could not be satisfied unless they
had flesh to eat. They brought flocks and herds with them in great
abundance out of Egypt; but either they were covetous, and could
not find in their hearts to kill them, lest they should lessen
their flocks (they must have flesh as cheap as they had bread, or
they would not be pleased), or else they were curious, beef and
mutton would not please them; they must have something more nice
and delicate, like the fish they did eat in Egypt. Food would not
serve; they must be feasted. They had feasted with God upon the
peace-offerings which they had their share of; but it seems God did
not keep a table good enough for them, they must have daintier bits
than any that came to his altar. Note, It is an evidence of the
dominion of the carnal mind when we are solicitous to have all the
delights and satisfactions of sense wound up to the height of
pleasurableness. <i>Be not desirous of dainties,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 23:1-3" id="Num.xii-p13.7" parsed="|Prov|23|1|23|3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.1-Prov.23.3">Prov. xxiii. 1-3</scripRef>. If God gives us
food convenient, we ought to be thankful, though we do not eat the
fat and drink the sweet. (4.) They distrusted the power and
goodness of God as insufficient for their supply: <i>Who will give
us flesh to eat?</i> taking it for granted that God could not. Thus
this question is commented up on, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:19,20" id="Num.xii-p13.8" parsed="|Ps|78|19|78|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.19-Ps.78.20">Ps. lxxviii. 19, 20</scripRef>, <i>Can he provide
flesh also?</i> though he had given them flesh with their bread
once, when he saw fit (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:13" id="Num.xii-p13.9" parsed="|Exod|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.13">Exod. xvi.
13</scripRef>), and they might have expected that he would do it
again, and in mercy, if, instead of murmuring, they had prayed.
Note, It is an offence to God to let our desires go beyond our
faith. (5.) They were eager and importunate in their desires; they
<i>lusted a lust,</i> so the word is, lusted greatly and greedily,
till they wept again for vexation. So childish were the children of
Israel, and so humoursome, that they cried because they had not
what they would have and when they would have it. They did not
offer up this desire to God, but would rather be beholden to any
one else than to him. We should not indulge ourselves in any desire
which we cannot in faith turn into prayer, as we cannot when we
<i>ask meat for our lust,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 78:18" id="Num.xii-p13.10" parsed="|Ps|78|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.18">Ps.
lxxviii. 18</scripRef>. For this sin the <i>anger of the Lord was
kindled greatly against them,</i> which is written for our
admonition, that we should not <i>lust after evil things as they
lusted,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 10:6" id="Num.xii-p13.11" parsed="|1Cor|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.6">1 Cor. x. 6</scripRef>.
(6.) Flesh is good food, and may lawfully be eaten; yet they are
said to lust after evil things. What is lawful of itself becomes
evil to us when it is what God does not allot to us and yet we
eagerly desire it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p14">II. Moses himself, though so meek and good
a man, is uneasy upon this occasion: <i>Moses also was
displeased.</i> Now, 1. It must be confessed that the provocation
was very great. These murmurings of theirs reflected great
dishonour upon God, and Moses laid to heart the reproaches cast on
himself; they knew that he did his utmost for their good, and that
he neither did nor could do any thing without a divine appointment;
and yet to be thus continually teased and clamoured against by an
unreasonable ungrateful people would break in upon the temper even
of Moses himself. God considered this, and therefore we do not find
that he chided him for his uneasiness. 2. Yet Moses expressed
himself otherwise than became him upon this provocation, and came
short of his duty both to God and Israel in these expostulations.
(1.) He undervalues the honour God had put upon him, in making him
the illustrious minister of his power and grace, in the deliverance
and guidance of that peculiar people, which might have been
sufficient to balance the burden. (2.) He complains too much of a
sensible grievance, and lays too near his heart a little noise and
fatigue. If he could not bear the toil of government, which was but
running with the footman, how would he bear the terrors of war,
which was contending with horses? He might easily have furnished
himself with considerations enough to enable him to slight their
clamours, and make nothing of them. (3.) He magnifies his own
performances, that <i>all the burden of the people lay upon
him;</i> whereas God himself did in effect ease him of all the
burden. Moses needed not to be in care to provide quarters for
them, or victuals; God did all. And, if any difficult case
happened, he needed not to be in any perplexity, while he had the
oracle to consult, and in it the divine wisdom to direct him, the
divine authority to back him and bear him out, and almighty power
itself to dispense rewards and punishments. (4.) He is not so
sensible as he ought to be of the obligation he lay under, by
virtue of the divine commission and command, to do the utmost he
could for his people, when he suggests that because they were not
the children of his body therefore he was not concerned to take a
fatherly care of them, though God himself, who might employ him as
he pleased, had appointed him to be a father to them. (5.) He takes
too much to himself when he asks, <i>Whence should I have flesh to
give them</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:13" id="Num.xii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|11|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), as if he were the housekeeper, and not God.
<i>Moses gave them not the bread,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 6:32" id="Num.xii-p14.2" parsed="|John|6|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.32">John vi. 32</scripRef>. Nor was it expected that he
should give them the flesh, but as an instrument in God's hand; and
if he meant, "Whence should God have it for them?" he too much
limited the power of the Holy One of Israel. (6.) He speaks
distrustfully of the divine grace when he despairs of being <i>able
to bear all this people,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 11:14" id="Num.xii-p14.3" parsed="|Num|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. Had the work been much less, he could not have gone
through it in his own strength; but had it been much greater,
through God strengthening him, he might have done it. (7.) It was
worst of all passionately to wish for death, and desire to be
killed out of hand, because just at this time his life was made a
little uneasy to him, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:15" id="Num.xii-p14.4" parsed="|Num|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. Is this Moses? Is this the meekest of all the men on
the earth? The best have their infirmities, and fail sometimes in
the exercise of that grace for which they are most eminent. But God
graciously overlooked Moses's passion at this time, and therefore
we must not be severe in our animadversions upon it, but pray,
<i>Lord, lead us not into temptation.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11" id="Num.xii-p14.5" parsed="|Num|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11:16-23" id="Num.xii-p14.6" parsed="|Num|11|16|11|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.16-Num.11.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.11.16-Num.11.23">
<h4 id="Num.xii-p14.7">Assistance Provided for
Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p14.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xii-p15">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p15.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of
Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and
officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the
congregation, that they may stand there with thee. &#160; 17 And I
will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the
spirit which <i>is</i> upon thee, and will put <i>it</i> upon them;
and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou
bear <i>it</i> not thyself alone. &#160; 18 And say thou unto the
people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat
flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p15.2">Lord</span>, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
for <i>it was</i> well with us in Egypt: therefore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p15.3">Lord</span> will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
&#160; 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days,
neither ten days, nor twenty days; &#160; 20 <i>But</i> even a
whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be
loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p15.4">Lord</span> which <i>is</i> among you, and have wept
before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? &#160; 21 And
Moses said, The people, among whom I <i>am,</i> <i>are</i> six
hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them
flesh, that they may eat a whole month. &#160; 22 Shall the flocks
and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the
fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
&#160; 23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p15.5">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Is the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p15.6">Lord</span>'s hand waxed
short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto
thee or not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p16">We have here God's gracious answer to both
the foregoing complaints, wherein his goodness takes occasion from
man's badness to appear so much the more illustrious.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p17">I. Provision is made for the redress of the
grievances Moses complains of. If he find the weight of government
lie too heavy upon him, though he was a little too passionate in
his remonstrance, yet he shall be eased, not by being discarded
from the government himself, as he justly might have been if God
had been extreme to mark what he said amiss, but by having
assistants appointed him, who should be, as the apostle speaks
(<scripRef passage="1Co 12:28" id="Num.xii-p17.1" parsed="|1Cor|12|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.28">1 Cor. xii. 28</scripRef>),
<i>helps, governments</i> (that is, helps in government), not at
all to lesson or eclipse his honour, but to make the work more easy
to him, and to <i>bear the burden of the people with him.</i> And
that this provision might be both agreeable and really
serviceable,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p18">1. Moses is directed to nominate the
persons, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:16" id="Num.xii-p18.1" parsed="|Num|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. The
people were too hot and heady and tumultuous to be entrusted with
the election; Moses must please himself in the choice, that he may
not afterwards complain. The number he is to choose is seventy men,
according to the number of the souls that went down into Egypt. He
must choose such as he knew to be elders, that is, wise and
experienced men. Those that had acquitted themselves best, as
<i>rulers of thousands and hundreds</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 18:25" id="Num.xii-p18.2" parsed="|Exod|18|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.18.25">Exod. xviii. 25</scripRef>), purchase to themselves now
this good degree. "Choose such as thou knowest to be elders indeed,
and not in name only, officers that execute their office." We read
of the same number of elders (<scripRef passage="Ex 24:1" id="Num.xii-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1">Exod.
xxiv. 1</scripRef>) that went up with Moses to Mount Sinai, but
they were distinguished only for that occasion, these for a
perpetuity; and, according to this constitution, the Sanhedrim, or
great council of the Jews, which in after ages sat at Jerusalem,
and was the highest court of judgment among them, consisted of
seventy men. Our Saviour seems to have had an eye to it in the
choice of seventy disciples, who were to be assistants to the
apostles, <scripRef passage="Lu 10:1-24" id="Num.xii-p18.4" parsed="|Luke|10|1|10|24" osisRef="Bible:Luke.10.1-Luke.10.24">Luke x.</scripRef></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p19">2. God promises to qualify them. If they
were not found fit for the employ, they should be made fit, else
they might prove more a hindrance than a help to Moses, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:17" id="Num.xii-p19.1" parsed="|Num|11|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Though Moses had talked
too boldly with God, yet God does not therefore break off communion
with him; he bears a great deal with us, and we must with one
another: <i>I will come down</i> (said God) <i>and talk with
thee,</i> when thou art more calm and composed; <i>and I will take
of the same spirit</i> of wisdom, and piety, and courage, <i>that
is upon thee,</i> and <i>put it upon them.</i> Not that Moses had
the less of the Spirit for their sharing, nor that they were hereby
made equal with him; Moses was still unequalled (<scripRef passage="De 34:10" id="Num.xii-p19.2" parsed="|Deut|34|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.10">Deut. xxxiv. 10</scripRef>), but they were clothed with
a spirit of government proportionable to their place, and with a
spirit of prophecy to prove their divine call to it, the government
being a Theocracy. Note, (1.) Those whom God employs in any service
he qualifies for it, and those that are not in some measure
qualified cannot think themselves duly called. (2.) All good
qualifications are from God; every <i>perfect gift is from the
Father of lights.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p20">II. Even the humour of the discontented
people shall be gratified too, that every mouth may be stopped.
They are ordered to <i>sanctify themselves</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:18" id="Num.xii-p20.1" parsed="|Num|11|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), that is, to put themselves
into a posture to receive such a proof of God's power as should be
a token both of mercy and judgment. <i>Prepare to meet thy God, O
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 4:12" id="Num.xii-p20.2" parsed="|Amos|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.4.12">Amos iv. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p21">1. God promises (shall I say?)&#8212;he
threatens rather, that they shall have their fill of flesh, that
for a month together they shall not only be fed, but feasted, with
flesh, besides their daily manna; and, if they have not a better
government of their appetites than now it appears they have they
shall be surfeited with it (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:19,20" id="Num.xii-p21.1" parsed="|Num|11|19|11|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.19-Num.11.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>): You shall eat <i>till
it come out at your nostrils, and become loathsome to you.</i> See
here, (1.) The vanity of all the delights of sense; they will cloy,
but not satisfy: spiritual pleasures are the contrary. As the world
passes away, so do the lusts of it, <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:17" id="Num.xii-p21.2" parsed="|1John|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.17">1
John ii. 17</scripRef>. What was greedily coveted in a little time
comes to be nauseated. (2.) What brutish sins (and worse than
brutish) gluttony and drunkenness are; they put a force upon
nature, and make that the sickness of the body which should be its
health; they are sins that are their own punishments, and yet not
the worst that attend them. (3.) What a righteous thing it is with
God to make that loathsome to men which they have inordinately
lusted after. God could make them despise flesh as much as they had
despised manna.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p22">2. Moses objects the improbability of
making good this word, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:21,22" id="Num.xii-p22.1" parsed="|Num|11|21|11|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.21-Num.11.22"><i>v.</i>
21, 22</scripRef>. It is an objection like that which the disciples
made, <scripRef passage="Mk 8:4" id="Num.xii-p22.2" parsed="|Mark|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.8.4">Mark viii. 4</scripRef>, <i>Whence
can a man satisfy these men?</i> Some excuse Moses here, and
construe what he says as only a modest enquiry which way the supply
must be expected; but it savours too much of diffidence and
distrust of God to be justified. He objects the number of the
people, as if he that provided bread for them all could not, by the
same unlimited power, provide flesh, too. He reckons it must be the
flesh either of beasts or fishes, because they are the most bulky
animals, little thinking that the flesh of birds, little birds,
should serve the purpose. God sees not as man sees, but his
thoughts are above ours. He objects the greediness of the people's
desires in that word, <i>to suffice them.</i> Note, Even true and
great believers sometimes find it hard to trust God under the
discouragements of second causes, and <i>against hope to believe in
hope.</i> Moses himself could scarcely forbear saying, <i>Can God
furnish a table in the wilderness?</i> when this had become the
common cry. No doubt this was his infirmity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p23">3. God gives a short but sufficient answer
to the objection in that question, <i>Has the Lord's hand waxed
short?</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 11:23" id="Num.xii-p23.1" parsed="|Num|11|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. If
Moses had remembered <i>the years of the right hand of the Most
High,</i> he would not have started all these difficulties;
therefore God reminds him of them, intimating that this objection
reflected upon the divine power, of which he himself had been so
often, not only the witness, but the instrument. Had he forgotten
what wonders the divine power had wrought for that people, when it
inflicted the plagues of Egypt, divided the sea, broached the rock,
and rained bread from heaven? Had that power abated? Was God weaker
than he used to be? Or was he tired with what he had done? Whatever
our unbelieving hearts may suggest to the contrary, it is certain,
(1.) That God's hand is not short; his power cannot be restrained
in the exerting of itself by any thing but his own will; with him
nothing is impossible. That hand is not short which measures the
waters, metes out the heavens (<scripRef passage="Isa 40:12" id="Num.xii-p23.2" parsed="|Isa|40|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.40.12">Isa.
xl. 12</scripRef>), and grasps the winds, <scripRef passage="Pr 30:4" id="Num.xii-p23.3" parsed="|Prov|30|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.4">Prov. xxx. 4</scripRef>. (2.) That it has not waxed
short. He is as strong as ever he was, <i>fainteth not, neither is
weary.</i> And this is sufficient to silence all our distrusts when
means fail us, <i>Is any thing too hard for the Lord?</i> God here
brings Moses to this first principle, sets him back in his lesson,
to learn the ancient name of God, <i>The Lord God Almighty,</i> and
puts the proof upon the issue: <i>Thou shalt see whether my word
shall come to pass or not.</i> This magnifies God's word above all
his name, that his works never come short of it. If he speaks, it
is done.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11:24-30" id="Num.xii-p23.4" parsed="|Num|11|24|11|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.24-Num.11.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.11.24-Num.11.30">
<h4 id="Num.xii-p23.5">God Promises the People Flesh; The Case of
Eldad and Medad. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p23.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xii-p24">24 And Moses went out, and told the people the
words of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p24.1">Lord</span>, and gathered the
seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about
the tabernacle. &#160; 25 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p24.2">Lord</span> came down in a cloud, and spake unto him,
and took of the spirit that <i>was</i> upon him, and gave <i>it</i>
unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, <i>that,</i> when the
spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. &#160;
26 But there remained two <i>of the</i> men in the camp, the name
of the one <i>was</i> Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and
the spirit rested upon them; and they <i>were</i> of them that were
written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied
in the camp. &#160; 27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses,
and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. &#160; 28 And
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, <i>one</i> of his
young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. &#160; 29
And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that
all the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p24.3">Lord</span>'s people were prophets,
<i>and</i> that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p24.4">Lord</span> would put
his spirit upon them! &#160; 30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he
and the elders of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p25">We have here the performance of God's word
to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p26">I. Here is the case of the seventy
privy-counsellors in general. Moses, though a little disturbed by
the tumult of the people, yet was thoroughly composed by the
communion he had with God, and soon came to himself again. And
according as the matter was concerted, 1. He did his part; he
presented the seventy elders before the Lord, round the tabernacle
(<scripRef passage="Nu 11:24" id="Num.xii-p26.1" parsed="|Num|11|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), that they
might there stand ready to receive the grace of God, in the place
where he manifested himself, and that the people also might be
witnesses of their solemn call. Note, Those that expect favour from
God must humbly offer themselves and their service to him. 2. God
was not wanting to do his part. <i>He gave of his Spirit to the
seventy elders</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:25" id="Num.xii-p26.2" parsed="|Num|11|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>), which enabled those whose capacities and education
set them but on a level with their neighbours of a sudden to say
and do that which was extraordinary, and which proved them to be
actuated by divine inspiration: they prophesied, and did not cease
all that day, and (some think) only that day. They discoursed to
the people of the things of God, and perhaps commented upon the law
they had lately received with admirable clearness, and fulness, and
readiness, and aptness of expression, so that all who heard them
might see and say that <i>God was with them of a truth;</i> see
<scripRef passage="1Co 14:24,25" id="Num.xii-p26.3" parsed="|1Cor|14|24|14|25" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.14.24-1Cor.14.25">1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25</scripRef>.
Thus, long afterwards, Saul was marked for the government by the
gift of prophecy, which came upon him for a day and a night,
<scripRef passage="1Sa 10:6,11" id="Num.xii-p26.4" parsed="|1Sam|10|6|0|0;|1Sam|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.10.6 Bible:1Sam.10.11">1 Sam. x. 6, 11</scripRef>. When
Moses was to fetch Israel out of Egypt, Aaron was appointed to be
his prophet, <scripRef passage="Ex 7:1" id="Num.xii-p26.5" parsed="|Exod|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.7.1">Exod. vii. 1</scripRef>.
But, now that God had called Aaron to other work, in his room Moses
has seventy prophets to attend him. Note, Those are fittest to rule
in God's Israel that are well acquainted with divine things and are
apt to teach to edification.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p27">II. Here is the particular case of two of
them, <i>Eldad</i> and <i>Medad,</i> probably two brothers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p28">1. They were nominated by Moses to be
assistants in the government, but they <i>went not out unto the
tabernacle</i> as the rest did, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:26" id="Num.xii-p28.1" parsed="|Num|11|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Calvin conjectures that the
summons was sent them, but that it did not find them, they being
somewhere out of the way; so that, though they were written, yet
they were not called. Most think that they declined coming to the
tabernacle out of an excess of modesty and humility; being sensible
of their own weakness and unworthiness, they desired to be excused
from coming into the government. Their principle was their praise,
but their practice in not obeying orders was their fault.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p29">2. The Spirit of God found them out in the
camp, where they were hidden among the stuff, and there they
prophesied, that is, they exercised their gift of praying,
preaching, and praising God, in some private tent. Note, The Spirit
of God is not tied to the tabernacle, but, <i>like the wind, blows
where he listeth,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 3:8" id="Num.xii-p29.1" parsed="|John|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.8">John iii.
8</scripRef>. <i>Whither can we go from that Spirit?</i> There was
a special providence in it that these two should be absent, for
thus it appeared that it was indeed a divine Spirit which the
elders were actuated by, and that Moses gave them not that Spirit,
but God himself. They modestly declined preferment, but God forced
it upon them; nay, they have the honour of being <i>named,</i>
which the rest have not: for those that humble themselves shall be
exalted, and those are most fit for government who are least
ambitious of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p30">3. Information of this was given to Moses
(<scripRef passage="Nu 11:27" id="Num.xii-p30.1" parsed="|Num|11|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>): "<i>Eldad
and Medad do prophesy in the camp;</i> there is a conventicle in
such a tent, and Eldad and Medad are holding forth there, from
under the inspection and presidency of Moses, and out of the
communion of the rest of the elders." Whoever the person was that
brought the tidings, he seems to have looked upon it as an
irregularity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p31">4. Joshua moved to have them silenced:
<i>My lord Moses, forbid them,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 11:28" id="Num.xii-p31.1" parsed="|Num|11|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. It is probable that Joshua
himself was one of the seventy, which made him the more jealous for
the honour of their order. He takes it for granted that they were
not under any necessitating impulse, <i>for the spirit of the
prophets is subject to the prophets,</i> and therefore he would
have them either not to prophesy at all or to come to the
tabernacle and prophesy in concert with the rest. He does not
desire that they should be punished for what they had done, but
only restrained for the future. This motion he made from a good
principle, not out of any personal dislike to Eldad and Medad, but
out of an honest zeal for that which he apprehended to be the unity
of the church, and concern for the honour of God and Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p32">5. Moses rejected the motion, and reproved
him that made it (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:29" id="Num.xii-p32.1" parsed="|Num|11|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>): "<i>Enviest thou for my sake?</i> Thou knowest not
what manner of spirit thou art of." Though Joshua was Moses's
particular friend and confidant, though he said this out of a
respect to Moses, whose honour he was very loth to see lessened by
the call of those elders, yet Moses reproves him, and in him all
that show such a spirit. (1.) We must not secretly grieve at the
gifts, graces, and usefulness of others. It was the fault of John's
disciples that they envied Christ's honour because it shaded their
master's, <scripRef passage="Joh 3:26-36" id="Num.xii-p32.2" parsed="|John|3|26|3|36" osisRef="Bible:John.3.26-John.3.36">John iii. 26</scripRef>,
&amp;c. (2.) We must not be transported into heats against the
weaknesses and infirmities of others. Granting that Eldad and Medad
were guilty of an irregularity, yet Joshua was too quick and too
warm upon them. Our zeal must always be tempered with the meekness
of wisdom: the righteousness of God needs not the wrath of man,
<scripRef passage="Jam 1:20" id="Num.xii-p32.3" parsed="|Jas|1|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.20">Jam. i. 20</scripRef>. (3.) We must
not make even the best and most useful men heads of a party. Paul
would not have his name made use of to patronise a faction,
<scripRef passage="1Co 1:12,13" id="Num.xii-p32.4" parsed="|1Cor|1|12|1|13" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.1.12-1Cor.1.13">1 Cor. i. 12, 13</scripRef>. (4.)
We must not be forward to condemn and silence those that differ
from us, as if they did not follow Christ because they do not
follow <i>him with us,</i> <scripRef passage="Mk 9:38" id="Num.xii-p32.5" parsed="|Mark|9|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.9.38">Mark ix.
38</scripRef>. Shall we reject those whom Christ has owned, or
restrain any from doing good because they are not in every thing of
our mind? Moses was of another spirit; so far from silencing these
two, and quenching the Spirit in them, he wished <i>all the Lord's
people were prophets,</i> that is, that he would <i>put his Spirit
upon them.</i> Not that he would have any set up for prophets that
were not duly qualified, or that he expected that the Spirit of
prophecy should be made thus common; but thus he expresses the love
and esteem he had for <i>all the Lord's people,</i> the complacency
he took in the gifts of others, and how far he was from being
displeased at Eldad and Medad's prophesying from under his eye.
Such an excellent spirit as this blessed Paul was of, rejoicing
that Christ was preached, though it was by those who therein
intended to <i>add affliction to his bonds,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 1:16" id="Num.xii-p32.6" parsed="|Phil|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.1.16">Phil. i. 16</scripRef>. We ought to be pleased that God
is served and glorified, and good done, though to the lessening of
our credit and the credit of our way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p33">6. The elders, now newly ordained,
immediately entered upon their administration (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:30" id="Num.xii-p33.1" parsed="|Num|11|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>); when their call was
sufficiently attested by their prophesying, they went with Moses to
the camp, and applied themselves to business. Having received the
gift, they <i>ministered the same as good stewards.</i> And now
Moses was pleased that he had so many to share with him in his work
and honour. And, (1.) Let the testimony of Moses be credited by
those who desire to be in power, that government is a burden. It is
a burden of care and trouble to those who make conscience of the
duty of it; and to those who do not it will prove a heavier burden
in the day of account, when they fall under the doom of the
unprofitable servant that buried his talent. (2.) Let the example
of Moses be imitated by those that are in power; let them not
despise the advice and assistance of others, but desire it, and be
thankful for it, not coveting to monopolize wisdom and power. In
the multitude of counsellors there is safety.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 11:31-35" id="Num.xii-p33.2" parsed="|Num|11|31|11|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.31-Num.11.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.11.31-Num.11.35">
<h4 id="Num.xii-p33.3">The Quails. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p33.4">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xii-p34">31 And there went forth a wind from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p34.1">Lord</span>, and brought quails from the sea, and
let <i>them</i> fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on
this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round
about the camp, and as it were two cubits <i>high</i> upon the face
of the earth. &#160; 32 And the people stood up all that day, and
all <i>that</i> night, and all the next day, and they gathered the
quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread
<i>them</i> all abroad for themselves round about the camp. &#160;
33 And while the flesh <i>was</i> yet between their teeth, ere it
was chewed, the wrath of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p34.2">Lord</span>
was kindled against the people, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xii-p34.3">Lord</span> smote the people with a very great plague.
&#160; 34 And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah:
because there they buried the people that lusted. &#160; 35
<i>And</i> the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto
Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xii-p35">God, having performed his promise to Moses
by giving him assessors in the government, thereby proving the
power he has over the spirits of men by his Spirit, he here
performs his promise to the people by giving them flesh, proving
thereby his power over the inferior creatures and his dominion in
the kingdom of nature. Observe, 1. How the people were gratified
with flesh in abundance: <i>A wind</i> (a south-east wind, as
appears, <scripRef passage="Ps 78:26" id="Num.xii-p35.1" parsed="|Ps|78|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.26">Ps. lxxviii. 26</scripRef>)
<i>brought quails,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 11:31" id="Num.xii-p35.2" parsed="|Num|11|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>. It is uncertain what sort of animals they were; the
psalmist calls them <i>feathered fowl,</i> or <i>fowl of wing.</i>
The learned bishop Patrick inclines to agree with some modern
writers, who think they were <i>locusts,</i> a delicious sort of
food well known in those parts, the rather because they were
brought with a wind, lay in heaps, and were dried in the sun for
use. Whatever they were, they answered the intention, they served
for a month's feast for Israel, such an indulgent Father was God to
his froward family. Locusts, that had been a plague to fruitful
Egypt, feeding upon the fruits, were a blessing to a barren
wilderness, being themselves fed upon. 2. How greedy they were of
this flesh that God sent them. They <i>flew upon the spoil</i> with
an unsatiable appetite, not regarding what Moses had told them from
God, that they would surfeit upon it, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:32" id="Num.xii-p35.3" parsed="|Num|11|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. Two days and a night they were
at it, gathering flesh, till every master of a family had brought
home ten homers (that is, ten ass-loads) at least. David longed for
the water of the well of Bethlehem, but would not drink it when he
had it, because it was obtained by venturing; much more reason
these Israelites had to refuse this flesh, which was obtained by
murmuring, and which, they might easily perceive, by what Moses
said, was given them in anger; but those that are under the power
of a carnal mind will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to
the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls. 3. How dearly
they paid for their feasts, when it came into the reckoning: <i>The
Lord smote them with a very great plague</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:33" id="Num.xii-p35.4" parsed="|Num|11|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>), some bodily disease, which
probably was the effect of their surfeit, and was the death of many
of them, and those, it is likely, the ringleaders in the mutiny.
Note, God often grants the desires of his own people in love. He
<i>gave them their request,</i> but <i>sent leanness into their
soul,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 16:15" id="Num.xii-p35.5" parsed="|Ps|16|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.16.15">Ps. xvi. 15</scripRef>. By
all that was said to them they <i>were not estranged from their
lusts,</i> and therefore, <i>while the meat was in their mouths,
the wrath of God came upon them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 78:30,31" id="Num.xii-p35.6" parsed="|Ps|78|30|78|31" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.30-Ps.78.31">Ps. lxxviii. 30, 31</scripRef>. What we inordinately
desire, if we obtain it (we have reason to fear), will be some way
or other a grief and cross to us. God satiated them first, and then
plagued them, (1.) To save the reputation of his own power, that it
might not be said, "He would not have cut them off had he been able
to supply them." And, (2.) To show us the meaning of the prosperity
of sinners; it is their preparation for ruin, they are fed as an ox
for the slaughter. <i>Lastly,</i> The remembrance of this is
preserved in the name given to the place, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:34" id="Num.xii-p35.7" parsed="|Num|11|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. Moses called it
<i>Kibroth-hattaavah,</i> the <i>graves of lusters</i> or <i>of
lust.</i> And well it had been if these graves of Israel's lusters
had proved the graves of Israel's lust: the warning was designed to
be so, but it had not its due effect, for it follows (<scripRef passage="Ps 78:32" id="Num.xii-p35.8" parsed="|Ps|78|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.32">Ps. lxxviii. 32</scripRef>), <i>For all this,
they sinned still.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XII" n="xiii" progress="69.27%" prev="Num.xii" next="Num.xiv" id="Num.xiii">
<h2 id="Num.xiii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xiii-p1">In the foregoing chapter we had the vexation which
the people gave to Moses; in this we have his patience tried by his
own relations. I. Miriam and Aaron, his own brother and sister,
affronted him, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:1-3" id="Num.xiii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|12|1|12|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.1-Num.12.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>.
II. God called them to an account for it, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:4-9" id="Num.xiii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|12|4|12|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.4-Num.12.9">ver. 4-9</scripRef>. III. Miriam was smitten with a
leprosy for it, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:10" id="Num.xiii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|12|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.10">ver. 10</scripRef>.
IV. Aaron submits, and Moses meekly intercedes for Miriam,
<scripRef passage="Nu 12:11-13" id="Num.xiii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|12|11|12|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.11-Num.12.13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>. V. She is
healed, but put to shame for seven days, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:14-16" id="Num.xiii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|12|14|12|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.14-Num.12.16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>. And this is recorded to show
that the best persons and families have both their follies and
their crosses.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 12" id="Num.xiii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|12|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 12:1-3" id="Num.xiii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|12|1|12|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.1-Num.12.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.12.1-Num.12.3">
<h4 id="Num.xiii-p1.8">Murmuring of Miriam and
Aaron. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xiii-p2">1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses
because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had
married an Ethiopian woman. &#160; 2 And they said, Hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span> indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he
not spoken also by us? And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p2.2">Lord</span>
heard <i>it.</i> &#160; 3 (Now the man Moses <i>was</i> very meek,
above all the men which <i>were</i> upon the face of the
earth.)</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p3">Here is, I. The unbecoming passion of Aaron
and Miriam: they <i>spoke against Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 12:1" id="Num.xiii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. If Moses, that received so much
honour from God, yet received so many slights and affronts from
men, shall any of us think such trials either strange or hard, and
be either provoked or discouraged by them? But who would have
thought that disturbance should be created to Moses, 1. From those
that were themselves serious and good; nay, that were eminent in
religion, Miriam a prophetess, Aaron the high priest, both of them
joint-commissioners with Moses for the deliverance of Israel?
<scripRef passage="Mic 6:4" id="Num.xiii-p3.2" parsed="|Mic|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.4">Mic. vi. 4</scripRef>, <i>I sent before
thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.</i> 2. From those that were his
nearest relations, his own brother and sister, who shone so much by
rays borrowed from him? Thus the spouse complains (<scripRef passage="So 1:6" id="Num.xiii-p3.3" parsed="|Song|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.1.6">Cant. i. 6</scripRef>), <i>My mother's children
were angry with me;</i> and quarrels among relations are in a
special manner grievous. <i>A brother offended is harder to be won
than a strong city.</i> Yet this helps to confirm the call of
Moses, and shows that his advancement was purely by the divine
favour, and not by any compact or collusion with his kindred, who
themselves grudged his advancement. Neither did many of our
Saviour's kindred believe on him, <scripRef passage="Joh 7:5" id="Num.xiii-p3.4" parsed="|John|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.5">John
vii. 5</scripRef>. It should seem that Miriam began the quarrel,
and Aaron, not having been employed or consulted in the choice of
the seventy elders, was for the present somewhat disgusted, and so
was the sooner drawn in to take his sister's part. It would grieve
one to see the hand of Aaron in so many trespasses, but it shows
that <i>the law made men priests who had infirmity.</i> Satan
prevailed first with Eve, and by her with Adam; see what need we
have to take heed of being drawn into quarrels by our relations,
for we know not how great a matter a little fire may kindle. Aaron
ought to have remembered how Moses stood his friend when God was
angry with him for making the golden calf (<scripRef passage="De 9:20" id="Num.xiii-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|9|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.20">Deut. ix. 20</scripRef>), and not to have rendered him
evil for good. Two things they quarrelled with Moses about:&#8212;(1.)
About his marriage: some think a late marriage with a Cushite or
Arabian; others because of Zipporah, whom on this occasion they
called, in scorn, an Ethiopian woman, and who, they insinuated, had
too great an influence upon Moses in the choice of these seventy
elders. Perhaps there was some private falling out between Zipporah
and Miriam, which occasioned some hot words, and one peevish
reflection introduced another, till Moses and Aaron came to be
interested. (2.) About his government; not the mismanagement of it,
but the monopolizing of it (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:2" id="Num.xiii-p3.6" parsed="|Num|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): "<i>Hath the Lord spoken only by Moses?</i> Must
<i>he</i> alone have the choice of the persons on whom the spirit
of prophecy shall come? <i>Hath he not spoken also by us?</i> Might
not we have had a hand in that affair, and preferred our friends,
as well as Moses his?" They could not deny that God had spoken by
Moses, but it was plain he had sometimes spoken also by them; and
that which they intended was to make themselves equal with him,
though God had so many ways distinguished him. Note, Striving to be
greatest is a sin which easily besets disciples themselves, and it
is exceedingly sinful. Even those that are well preferred are
seldom pleased if others be better preferred. Those that excel are
commonly envied.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p4">II. The wonderful patience of Moses under
this provocation. <i>The Lord heard it</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:2" id="Num.xiii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), but Moses himself took no notice
of it, for (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:3" id="Num.xiii-p4.2" parsed="|Num|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) he
was very meek. He had a great deal of reason to resent the affront;
it was ill-natured and ill-timed, when the people were disposed to
mutiny, and had lately given him a great deal of vexation with
their murmurings, which would be in danger of breaking out again
when thus headed and countenanced by Aaron and Miriam; but he,
<i>as a deaf man, heard not.</i> When God's honour was concerned,
as in the case of the golden calf, no man more zealous than Moses;
but, when his own honour was touched, no man more meek: as bold as
a lion in the cause of God, but as mild as a lamb in his own cause.
God's people are the <i>meek of the earth</i> (<scripRef passage="Zep 2:3" id="Num.xiii-p4.3" parsed="|Zeph|2|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zeph.2.3">Zeph. ii. 3</scripRef>), but some are more remarkable
than others for this grace, as Moses, who was thus fitted for the
work he was called to, which required all the meekness he had and
sometimes more. And sometimes the unkindness of our friends is a
greater trial of our meekness than the malice of our enemies.
Christ himself records his own meekness (<scripRef passage="Mt 11:29" id="Num.xiii-p4.4" parsed="|Matt|11|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.11.29">Matt. xi. 29</scripRef>, <i>I am meek and lowly in
heart</i>), and the copy of meekness which Christ has set was
without a blot, but that of Moses was not.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 12:4-9" id="Num.xiii-p4.5" parsed="|Num|12|4|12|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.4-Num.12.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.12.4-Num.12.9">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xiii-p5">4 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p5.1">Lord</span>
spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come
out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they
three came out. &#160; 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p5.2">Lord</span> came down in the pillar of the cloud, and
stood <i>in</i> the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and
Miriam: and they both came forth. &#160; 6 And he said, Hear now my
words: If there be a prophet among you, <i>I</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p5.3">Lord</span> will make myself known unto him in a
vision, <i>and</i> will speak unto him in a dream. &#160; 7 My
servant Moses <i>is</i> not so, who <i>is</i> faithful in all mine
house. &#160; 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even
apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p5.4">Lord</span> shall he behold: wherefore then
were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? &#160; 9 And
the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p5.5">Lord</span> was kindled
against them; and he departed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p6">Moses did not resent the injury done him,
nor complain of it to God, nor make any appeal to him; but God
resented it. He hears all we say in our passion, and is a swift
witness of our hasty speeches, which is a reason why we should
resolutely bridle our tongues, that we speak not ill of others, and
why we should patiently stop our ears, and not take notice of it,
if others speak ill of us. <i>I heard not, for thou wilt hear,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 38:13-15" id="Num.xiii-p6.1" parsed="|Ps|38|13|38|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.38.13-Ps.38.15">Ps. xxxviii. 13-15</scripRef>. The
more silent we are in our own cause the more is God engaged to
plead it. The accused innocent needs to say little if he knows the
judge himself will be his advocate.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p7">I. The cause is called, and the parties are
summoned forthwith to attend at the door of the tabernacle,
<scripRef passage="Nu 12:4,5" id="Num.xiii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|12|4|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.4-Num.12.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. Moses had
often shown himself jealous for God's honour, and now God showed
himself jealous for his reputation; for <i>those that honour God he
will honour,</i> nor will he ever be behind-hand with any that
appear for him. Judges of old sat in the gate of the city to try
causes, and so on this occasion the <i>shechinah</i> in the cloud
of glory stood <i>at the door of the tabernacle,</i> and Aaron and
Miriam, as delinquents, were called to the bar.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p8">II. Aaron and Miriam were made to know that
great as they were they must not pretend to be equal to Moses, nor
set up as rivals with him, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:6-8" id="Num.xiii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|12|6|12|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.6-Num.12.8"><i>v.</i>
6-8</scripRef>. Were they prophets of the Lord? Of Moses it might
be truly said, <i>He more.</i> 1. It was true that God put a great
deal of honour upon the prophets. However men mocked them and
misused them, they were the favourites and intimates of heaven. God
<i>made himself known to them,</i> either by dreams when they were
asleep or by visions when they were awake, and by them made himself
known to others. And those are happy, those are great, truly great,
truly happy, to whom God <i>makes himself known,</i> Now he does it
not by dreams and visions, as of old, but by the <i>Spirit of
wisdom and revelation,</i> who makes known those things to babes
which <i>prophets and kings</i> desired to see and might not. Hence
in the last days, the days of the Messiah, the <i>sons and
daughters</i> are said to <i>prophesy</i> (<scripRef passage="Joe 2:28" id="Num.xiii-p8.2" parsed="|Joel|2|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.28">Joel ii. 28</scripRef>), because they shall be better
acquainted with the mysteries of the kingdom of grace than even the
prophets themselves were; see <scripRef passage="Heb 1:1,2" id="Num.xiii-p8.3" parsed="|Heb|1|1|1|2" osisRef="Bible:Heb.1.1-Heb.1.2">Heb. i.
1, 2</scripRef>. 2. Yet the honour put upon Moses was far greater
(<scripRef passage="Nu 12:7" id="Num.xiii-p8.4" parsed="|Num|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>My servant
Moses is not so,</i> he excels them all. To recompense Moses for
his meekly and patiently bearing the affronts which Miriam and
Aaron gave him, God not only cleared him, but praised him; and took
that occasion to give him an encomium which remains upon record to
his immortal honour; and thus shall those that are reviled and
persecuted for righteousness' sake have a <i>great reward in
heaven,</i> Christ will confess them before his Father and the holy
angels. (1.) Moses was a man of great integrity and tried fidelity.
He is <i>faithful in all my house.</i> This is put first in his
character, because grace excels gifts, love excels knowledge, and
sincerity in the service of God puts a greater honour upon a man
and recommends him to the divine favour more than learning,
abstruse speculations, and an ability to <i>speak with tongues.</i>
This is that part of Moses's character which the apostle quotes
when he would show that Christ was greater than Moses, making it
out that he was so in this chief instance of his greatness; for
Moses was faithful only <i>as a servant,</i> but Christ <i>as a
son,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 3:2,5,6" id="Num.xiii-p8.5" parsed="|Heb|3|2|0|0;|Heb|3|5|0|0;|Heb|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.2 Bible:Heb.3.5 Bible:Heb.3.6">Heb. iii. 2, 5,
6</scripRef>. God entrusted Moses to deliver his mind in all things
to Israel; Israel entrusted him to treat for them with God; and he
was faithful to both. He said and did every thing in the management
of that great affair as became an honest good man, that aimed at
nothing else but the honour of God and the welfare of Israel. (2.)
Moses was therefore honoured with clearer discoveries of God's
mind, and a more intimate communion with God, than any other
prophet whatsoever. He shall, [1.] Hear more from God than any
other prophet, more clearly and distinctly: <i>With him will I
speak mouth to mouth,</i> or <i>face to face</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 30:11" id="Num.xiii-p8.6" parsed="|Exod|30|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.30.11">Exod. xxx. 11</scripRef>), <i>as a man speaks to
his friend,</i> whom he discourses with freely and familiarly, and
without any confusion or consternation, such as sometimes other
prophets were under; as Ezekiel, and John himself, when God spoke
to them. By other prophets God sent to his people reproofs, and
predictions of good or evil, which were properly enough delivered
in dark speeches, figures, types, and parables; but by Moses he
gave laws to his people, and the institution of holy ordinances,
which could by no means be delivered by dark speeches, but must be
expressed in the plainest and most intelligible manner. [2.] He
shall see more of God than any other prophet: <i>The similitude of
the Lord shall behold,</i> as he hath seen it in Horeb, when God
proclaimed his name before him. Yet he saw only the similitude of
the Lord, angels and glorified saints always behold the face of our
Father. Moses had the spirit of prophecy in a way peculiar to
himself, and which set him far above all other prophets; yet <i>he
that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he,</i> much
more does our Lord Jesus infinitely excel him, <scripRef passage="Heb 3:1-6" id="Num.xiii-p8.7" parsed="|Heb|3|1|3|6" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.1-Heb.3.6">Heb. iii. 1</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p9">Now let Miriam and Aaron consider who it
was that they insulted: <i>Were you not afraid to speak against my
servant Moses? Against my servant, against Moses?</i> so it runs in
the original. "How dare you abuse any servant of mine, especially
such a servant as Moses, who is a friend, a confidant, and steward
of the house?" How durst they speak to the grief and reproach of
one whom God had so much to say in commendation of? Might they not
expect that God would resent it, and take it as an affront to
himself? Note, We have reason to be afraid of saying or doing any
thing against the servants of God; it is at our peril if we do, for
God will plead their cause, and reckon that what <i>touches them
touches the apple of his eye.</i> It is a dangerous thing to
<i>offend Christ's little ones,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 18:6" id="Num.xiii-p9.1" parsed="|Matt|18|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.18.6">Matt. xviii. 6</scripRef>. Those are presumptuous indeed
that <i>are not afraid to speak evil of dignities,</i> <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:10" id="Num.xiii-p9.2" parsed="|2Pet|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.10">2 Pet. ii. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p10">III. God, having thus shown them their
fault and folly, next shows them his displeasure (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:9" id="Num.xiii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>The anger of the Lord
was kindled against them,</i> of which perhaps some sensible
indications were given in the change of the colour of the cloud, or
some flashes of lightning from it. But indeed it was indication
enough of his displeasure that he departed, and would not so much
as hear their excuse, for he needed not, <i>understanding their
thoughts afar off;</i> and thus he would show that he was
displeased. Note, The removal of God's presence from us is the
surest and saddest token of God's displeasure against us. Woe unto
us if he depart; and he never departs till we by our sin and folly
drive him from us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 12" id="Num.xiii-p10.2" parsed="|Num|12|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 12:10-16" id="Num.xiii-p10.3" parsed="|Num|12|10|12|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.10-Num.12.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.12.10-Num.12.16">
<h4 id="Num.xiii-p10.4">Miriam Smitten with Leprosy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p10.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xiii-p11">10 And the cloud departed from off the
tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam <i>became</i> leprous, <i>white</i>
as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, <i>she was</i>
leprous. &#160; 11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I
beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done
foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. &#160; 12 Let her not be as
one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of
his mother's womb. &#160; 13 And Moses cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p11.1">Lord</span>, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech
thee. &#160; 14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiii-p11.2">Lord</span> said
unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not
be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven
days, and after that let her be received in <i>again.</i> &#160; 15
And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people
journeyed not till Miriam was brought in <i>again.</i> &#160; 16
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the
wilderness of Paran.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p12">Here is, I. God's judgment upon Miriam
(<scripRef passage="Nu 12:10" id="Num.xiii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|12|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>The
cloud departed from off</i> that part of <i>the tabernacle,</i> in
token of God's displeasure, and presently Miriam became leprous;
when God goes, evil comes; expect no good when God departs. The
leprosy was a disease often inflicted by the immediate hand of God
as the punishment of some particular sin, as on Gehazi for lying,
on Uzziah for invading the priest's office, and here on Miriam for
scolding and making mischief among relations. The plague of the
leprosy, it is likely, appeared in her face, so that it appeared to
all that saw her that she was struck with it, with the worst of it,
she was leprous as snow; not only so white, but so soft, the solid
flesh losing its consistency, as that which putrefies does. Her
foul tongue (says bishop Hall) is justly punished with a foul face,
and her folly in pretending to be a rival with Moses is made
manifest to all men, for every one sees his face to be glorious,
and hers to be leprous. While Moses needs a veil to hide his glory,
Miriam needs one to hide her shame. Note, Those distempers which
any way deform us ought to be construed as a rebuke to our pride,
and improved for the cure of it, and under such humbling
providences we ought to be very humble. It is a sign that the heart
is hard indeed if the flesh be mortified, and yet the lusts of the
flesh remain unmortified. It should seem that this plague upon
Miriam was designed for an exposition of the law concerning the
leprosy (<scripRef passage="Le 13:1-59" id="Num.xiii-p12.2" parsed="|Lev|13|1|13|59" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.1-Lev.13.59">Lev. xiii.</scripRef>), for
it is referred to upon the rehearsal of that law, <scripRef passage="De 24:8,9" id="Num.xiii-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|24|8|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.8-Deut.24.9">Deut. xxiv. 8, 9</scripRef>. Miriam was struck
with a leprosy, but not Aaron, because she was first in the
transgression, and God would put a difference between those that
mislead and those that are misled. Aaron's office, though it saved
him not from God's displeasure, yet helped to secure him from this
token of his displeasure, which would not only have suspended him
for the present from officiating, when (there being no priests but
himself and his two sons) he could ill be spared, but it would have
rendered him and his office mean, and would have been a lasting
blot upon his family. Aaron as priest was to be the judge of the
leprosy, and his performing that part of his office upon this
occasion, when he <i>looked upon Miriam, and behold she was
leprous,</i> was a sufficient mortification to him. He was struck
through her side, and could not pronounce her leprous without
blushing and trembling, knowing himself to be equally obnoxious.
This judgment upon Miriam is improvable by us as a warning to take
heed of putting any affront upon our Lord Jesus. If she was thus
chastised for speaking against Moses, what will become of those
that sin against Christ?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p13">II. Aaron's submission hereupon (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:11,12" id="Num.xiii-p13.1" parsed="|Num|12|11|12|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.11-Num.12.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>); he humbles
himself to Moses, confesses his fault, and begs pardon. He that but
just now joined with his sister in speaking against Moses is here
forced for himself and his sister to make a penitent address to
him, and in the highest degree to magnify him (as if he had the
power of God to forgive and heal) whom he had so lately vilified.
Note, Those that trample upon the saints and servants of God will
one day be glad to make court to them; at furthest, in the other
world, as the foolish virgins to the wise for a little oil, and the
rich man to Lazarus for a little water; and perhaps in this world,
as Job's friend to him for his prayers, and here Aaron to Moses.
<scripRef passage="Re 3:9" id="Num.xiii-p13.2" parsed="|Rev|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.9">Rev. iii. 9</scripRef>. In his
submission, 1. He confesses his own and his sister's sin, <scripRef passage="Nu 12:11" id="Num.xiii-p13.3" parsed="|Num|12|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. He speaks respectfully
to Moses, of whom he had spoken slightly, calls him his lord, and
now turns the reproach upon himself, speaks as one ashamed of what
he had said: <i>We have sinned, we have done foolishly.</i> Those
sin, and do foolishly, who revile and speak evil of any, especially
of good people or of those in authority. Repentance is the unsaying
of that which we have said amiss, and it had better be unsaid than
that we be undone by it. 2. He begs Moses's pardon: <i>Lay not this
sin upon us.</i> Aaron was to bring his gift to the altar, but,
knowing that his brother had something against him, he of all men
was concerned to reconcile himself to his brother, that he might be
qualified to offer his gift. Some think that this speedy submission
which God saw him ready to make was that which prevented his being
struck with a leprosy as his sister was. 3. He recommends the
deplorable condition of his sister to Moses's compassionate
consideration (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:12" id="Num.xiii-p13.4" parsed="|Num|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>): <i>Let her not be as one dead,</i> that is, "Let
her not continue so separated from conversation, defiling all she
touches, and even to putrefy above ground as one dead." He
eloquently describes the misery of her case, to move his pity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p14">III. The intercession made for Miriam
(<scripRef passage="Nu 12:13" id="Num.xiii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): He <i>cried
unto the Lord</i> with a loud voice, because the cloud, the symbol
of his presence, was removed and stood at some distance, and to
express his fervency in this request, <i>Heal her now, O Lord, I
beseech thee.</i> By this he made it to appear that he did heartily
forgive her the injury she had one him, that he had not accused her
to God, nor called for justice against her; so far from this that,
when God in tenderness to his honour had chastised her insolence,
he was the first that moved for reversing the judgment. By this
example we are taught to <i>pray for those that despitefully use
us;</i> and not to take pleasure in the most righteous punishment
inflicted either by God or man on those that have been injurious to
us. Jeroboam's withered hand was restored at the special instance
and request of the prophet against whom it had been stretched out,
<scripRef passage="1Ki 13:6" id="Num.xiii-p14.2" parsed="|1Kgs|13|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.13.6">1 Kings xiii. 6</scripRef>. So Miriam
here was healed by the prayer of Moses, whom she had abused, and
Abimelech by the prayer of Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 20:17" id="Num.xiii-p14.3" parsed="|Gen|20|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.17">Gen. xx. 17</scripRef>. Moses might have stood off, and
have said, "She is served well enough, let her govern her tongue
better next time;" but, not content with being able to say that he
had not prayed for the inflicting of the judgment, he prays
earnestly for the removal of it. This pattern of Moses, and that of
our Saviour, <i>Father, forgive them,</i> we must study to conform
to.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p15">IV. The accommodating of this matter so as
that mercy and justice might meet together. 1. Mercy takes place so
far as that Miriam shall be healed; Moses forgives her, and God
will. See <scripRef passage="2Co 2:10" id="Num.xiii-p15.1" parsed="|2Cor|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.10">2 Cor. ii. 10</scripRef>.
But, 2. Justice takes place so far as that Miriam shall be humbled
(<scripRef passage="Nu 12:14" id="Num.xiii-p15.2" parsed="|Num|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>Let her
be shut out from the camp seven days,</i> that she herself might be
made more sensible of her fault and penitent for it, and that her
punishment might be the more public, and all Israel might take
notice of it and take warning by it not to mutiny. If Miriam the
prophetess be put under such marks of humiliation for one hasty
word spoken against Moses, what may we expect for our murmurings?
<i>If this be done in a green tree, what shall be done in the
dry?</i> See how people debase and diminish themselves by sin,
stain their glory, and lay their honour in the dust. When Miriam
praised God, we find her at the head of the congregation and one of
the brightest ornaments of it, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:20" id="Num.xiii-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|15|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.20">Exod.
xv. 20</scripRef>. Now that she quarrelled with God we find her
expelled as the filth and off-scouring of it. A reason is given for
her being put out of the camp for seven days, because thus she
ought to <i>accept of the punishment of her iniquity.</i> If her
father, her earthly father, had but spit in her face, and so
signified his displeasure against her, would she not be so troubled
and concerned at it, and so sorry that she had deserved it, as to
shut herself up for some time in her room, and not come into his
presence, or show her face in the family, being ashamed of her own
folly and unhappiness? If such reverence as this be owing to the
fathers of our flesh, when they correct us, much more ought we to
humble ourselves under the mighty hand of the Father of spirits,
<scripRef passage="Heb 12:9" id="Num.xiii-p15.4" parsed="|Heb|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.9">Heb. xii. 9</scripRef>. Note, When we
are under the tokens of God's displeasure for sin, it becomes us to
take shame to ourselves, and to lie down in that shame, owning that
<i>to us belongs confusion of face.</i> If by our own fault and
folly we expose ourselves to the reproach and contempt of men, the
just censures of the church, or the rebukes of the divine
Providence, we must confess that our Father justly spits in our
face, and be ashamed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiii-p16">V. The hindrance that this gave to the
people's progress: <i>The people journeyed not till Miriam was
brought in again,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 12:15" id="Num.xiii-p16.1" parsed="|Num|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. God did not remove the cloud, and therefore they did
not remove their camp. This was intended, 1. As a rebuke to the
people, who were conscious to themselves of having sinned after the
similitude of Miriam's transgression, in speaking against Moses:
thus far therefore they shall share in her punishment, that it
shall retard their march forward towards Canaan. Many things oppose
us, but nothing hinders us in the way to heaven as sin does. 2. As
a mark of respect to Miriam. If the camp had removed during the
days of her suspension, her trouble and shame had been the greater;
therefore, in compassion to her, they shall stay till her
excommunication be taken off, and she taken in again, it is
probable with the usual ceremonies of the cleansing of lepers.
Note, Those that are under censure and rebuke for sin ought to be
treated with a great deal of tenderness, and not be over-loaded,
no, not with the shame they have deserved, not <i>counted as
enemies</i> (<scripRef passage="2Th 3:15" id="Num.xiii-p16.2" parsed="|2Thess|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.15">2 Thess. iii.
15</scripRef>), but <i>forgiven and comforted,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 2:7" id="Num.xiii-p16.3" parsed="|2Cor|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.2.7">2 Cor. ii. 7</scripRef>. Sinners must be cast out
with grief, and penitents taken in with joy. When Miriam was
absolved and re-admitted, the people went forward into the
wilderness of Paran, which joined up to the south border of Canaan,
and thither their next remove would have been if they had not put a
bar in their own way.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIII" n="xiv" progress="69.76%" prev="Num.xiii" next="Num.xv" id="Num.xiv">
<h2 id="Num.xiv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xiv-p1">It is a memorable and very melancholy story which
is related in this and the following chapter, of the turning back
of Israel from the borders of Canaan, when they were just ready to
set foot in it, and the sentencing of them to wander and perish in
the wilderness for their unbelief and murmuring. It is referred to
<scripRef passage="Ps 95:7-11" id="Num.xiv-p1.1" parsed="|Ps|95|7|95|11" osisRef="Bible:Ps.95.7-Ps.95.11">Ps. xcv. 7</scripRef>, &amp;c., and
improved for warning to Christians, <scripRef passage="Heb 3:7-19" id="Num.xiv-p1.2" parsed="|Heb|3|7|3|19" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.7-Heb.3.19">Heb. iii. 7</scripRef>, &amp;c. In this chapter we
have, I. The sending of twelve spies before them into Canaan,
<scripRef passage="Nu 13:1-16" id="Num.xiv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|13|1|13|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.1-Num.13.16">ver. 1-16</scripRef>. II. The
instructions given to these spies, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:17-20" id="Num.xiv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|13|17|13|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.17-Num.13.20">ver. 17-20</scripRef>. III. Their executing their
commission according to their instructions, and their return from
the search, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:21-25" id="Num.xiv-p1.5" parsed="|Num|13|21|13|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.21-Num.13.25">ver. 21-25</scripRef>.
IV. The report they brought back to the camp of Israel, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:26-33" id="Num.xiv-p1.6" parsed="|Num|13|26|13|33" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.26-Num.13.33">ver. 26</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 13" id="Num.xiv-p1.7" parsed="|Num|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 13:1-20" id="Num.xiv-p1.8" parsed="|Num|13|1|13|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.1-Num.13.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.13.1-Num.13.20">
<h4 id="Num.xiv-p1.9">Missions of the Twelve
Spies. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xiv-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Send thou men, that they may
search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of
Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every
one a ruler among them. &#160; 3 And Moses by the commandment of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xiv-p2.2">Lord</span> sent them from the
wilderness of Paran: all those men <i>were</i> heads of the
children of Israel. &#160; 4 And these <i>were</i> their names: of
the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. &#160; 5 Of the
tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. &#160; 6 Of the tribe of
Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. &#160; 7 Of the tribe of
Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. &#160; 8 Of the tribe of Ephraim,
Oshea the son of Nun. &#160; 9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the
son of Raphu. &#160; 10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of
Sodi. &#160; 11 Of the tribe of Joseph, <i>namely,</i> of the tribe
of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. &#160; 12 Of the tribe of Dan,
Ammiel the son of Gemalli. &#160; 13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur
the son of Michael. &#160; 14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the
son of Vophsi. &#160; 15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of
Machi. &#160; 16 These <i>are</i> the names of the men which Moses
sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun
Jehoshua. &#160; 17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of
Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this <i>way</i> southward,
and go up into the mountain: &#160; 18 And see the land, what it
<i>is;</i> and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they
<i>be</i> strong or weak, few or many; &#160; 19 And what the land
<i>is</i> that they dwell in, whether it <i>be</i> good or bad; and
what cities <i>they be</i> that they dwell in, whether in tents, or
in strong holds; &#160; 20 And what the land <i>is,</i> whether it
<i>be</i> fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And
be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the
time <i>was</i> the time of the firstripe grapes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p3">Here we have, I. Orders given to send spies
to search out the land of Canaan. It is here said, God directed
Moses to send them (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:1,2" id="Num.xiv-p3.1" parsed="|Num|13|1|13|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.1-Num.13.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>), but it appears by the repetition of the story
afterwards (<scripRef passage="De 1:22" id="Num.xiv-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|1|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.22">Deut. i. 22</scripRef>)
that the motion came originally from the people; they came to
Moses, and said, <i>We will send men before us;</i> and it was the
fruit of their unbelief. They would not take God's word that it was
a good land, and that he would, without fail, put them in
possession of it. They could not trust the pillar of cloud and fire
to show them the way to it, but had a better opinion of their own
politics than of God's wisdom. How absurd was it for them to send
to spy out a land which God himself had spied out for them, to
enquire the way into it when God himself had undertaken to show
them the way! But thus we ruin ourselves by giving more credit to
the reports and representations of sense than to divine revelation;
we walk by sight, not by faith; whereas, <i>if we</i> will
<i>receive the witness of men,</i> without doubt <i>the witness of
God is greater.</i> The people making this motion to Moses, he
(perhaps not aware of the unbelief at the bottom of it) consulted
God in the case, who bade him gratify the people in this matter,
and send spies before them: "Let them walk in their own counsels."
Yet God was no way accessory to the sin that followed, for the
sending of these spies was so far from being the cause of the sin
that if the spies had done their duty, and the people theirs, it
might have been the confirmation of their faith, and of good
service to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p4">II. The persons nominated that were to be
employed in this service (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:4-15" id="Num.xiv-p4.1" parsed="|Num|13|4|13|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.4-Num.13.15"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>, &amp;c.), one of each tribe, that it might appear to
be the act of the people in general; and rulers, person of figure
in their respective tribes, some of the rulers of thousands or
hundreds, to put the greater credit upon their embassy. This was
designed for the best, but it proved to have this ill effect that
the quality of the persons occasioned the evil report they brought
up to be the more credited and the people to be the more influenced
by it. Some think that they are all named for the sake of two good
ones that were among them, Caleb and Joshua. Notice is taken of the
change of Joshua's name upon this occasion, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:16" id="Num.xiv-p4.2" parsed="|Num|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. He was Moses's minister, but
had been employed, though of the tribe of Ephraim, as general of
the forces that were sent out against Amalek. The name by which he
was generally called and known in his own tribe was <i>Oshea,</i>
but Moses called him <i>Joshua,</i> in token of his affection to
him and power over him; and now, it should seem, he ordered others
to call him so, and fixed that to be his name henceforward.
<i>Oshea</i> signifies a prayer for salvation, <i>Save thou;
Joshua</i> signifies a promise of salvation, <i>He will save,</i>
in answer to that prayer: so near is the relation between prayers
and promises. Prayers prevail for promises, and promises direct and
encourage prayers. Some think that Moses designed, by taking the
first syllable of the name Jehovah and prefixing it to his name,
which turned <i>Hoshea</i> into <i>Jehoshua,</i> to put an honour
upon him, and to encourage him in this and all his future services
with the assurances of God's presence. Yet after this he is called
<i>Hoshea,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:44" id="Num.xiv-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|32|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.44">Deut. xxxii.
44</scripRef>. <i>Jesus</i> is the same name with <i>Joshua,</i>
and it is the name of our Lord Christ, of whom Joshua was a type as
successor to Moses, Israel's captain, and conqueror of Canaan.
There was another of the same name, who was also a type of Christ,
<scripRef passage="Zec 6:11" id="Num.xiv-p4.4" parsed="|Zech|6|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.6.11">Zech. vi. 11</scripRef>. Joshua was
the saviour of God's people from the powers of Canaan, but Christ
is their Saviour from the powers of hell.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p5">III. The instructions given to those spies.
They were sent into the land of Canaan the nearest way, to traverse
the country, and to take account of its present state, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:17" id="Num.xiv-p5.1" parsed="|Num|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Two heads of enquiry
were given them in charge, 1. Concerning the land itself: <i>See
what that is</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:18" id="Num.xiv-p5.2" parsed="|Num|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:19" id="Num.xiv-p5.3" parsed="|Num|13|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>), see whether it be <i>good or bad,</i> and
(<scripRef passage="Nu 13:20" id="Num.xiv-p5.4" parsed="|Num|13|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) <i>whether
it be fat or lean.</i> All parts of the earth do not share alike in
the blessing of fruitfulness; some countries are blessed with a
richer soil than others. Moses himself was well satisfied that
Canaan was a very good land, but he sent these spies to bring an
account of it for the satisfaction of the people; as John Baptist
sent to Jesus, to ask whether he was the Christ, not to inform
himself, but to inform those he sent. They must take notice whether
the air was healthful or no, what the soil was, and what the
productions; and, for the better satisfaction of the people, they
must bring with them some of the fruits. 2. Concerning the
inhabitants&#8212;their number, few or many&#8212;their size and stature,
whether strong able-bodied men or weak,&#8212;their habitations, whether
they lived in tents or houses, whether in open villages or in
walled towns,&#8212;whether the woods were standing as in those
countries that are uncultivated, through the unskillfulness and
slothfulness of the inhabitants, or whether the woods were cut
down, and the country made champaign, for the convenience of
tillage. These were the things they were to enquire about. Perhaps
there had not been of late years such commerce between Egypt and
Canaan as there was in Jacob's time, else they might have informed
themselves of these things without sending men on purpose to
search. See the advantage we may derive from books and learning,
which acquaint those that are curious and inquisitive with the
state of foreign countries, at a much greater distance than Canaan
was now from Israel, without this trouble and expense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p6">IV. Moses dismisses the spies with this
charge, <i>Be of good courage,</i> intimating, not only that they
should be themselves encouraged against the difficulties of this
expedition, but that they should bring an encouraging account to
the people and make the best of every thing. It was not only a
great undertaking they were put upon, which required good
management and resolution, but it was a great trust that was
reposed in them, which required that they should be faithful.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 13:21-25" id="Num.xiv-p6.1" parsed="|Num|13|21|13|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.21-Num.13.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.13.21-Num.13.25">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xiv-p7">21 So they went up, and searched the land from
the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. &#160; 22
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman,
Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, <i>were.</i> (Now Hebron
was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) &#160; 23 And they
came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch
with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a
staff; and <i>they brought</i> of the pomegranates, and of the
figs. &#160; 24 The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of
the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from
thence. &#160; 25 And they returned from searching of the land
after forty days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p8">We have here a short account of the survey
which the spies made of the promised land. 1. They went quite
through it, from Zin in the south, to Rehob, near Hamath, in the
north, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:21" id="Num.xiv-p8.1" parsed="|Num|13|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. See
<scripRef passage="Nu 34:3,8" id="Num.xiv-p8.2" parsed="|Num|34|3|0|0;|Num|34|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.3 Bible:Num.34.8"><i>ch.</i> xxxiv. 3, 8</scripRef>. It
is probable that they did not go altogether in a body, lest they
should be suspected and taken up, which there would be the more
danger of if the Canaanites knew (and one would think they could
not but know) how near the Israelites were to them; but they
divided themselves into several companies, and so passed
unsuspected, as way-faring men. 2. They took particular notice of
Hebron (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:22" id="Num.xiv-p8.3" parsed="|Num|13|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>),
probably because near there was the field of Machpelah, where the
patriarchs were buried (<scripRef passage="Ge 23:2" id="Num.xiv-p8.4" parsed="|Gen|23|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.23.2">Gen. xxiii.
2</scripRef>), whose dead bodies did, as it were, keep possession
of that land for their posterity. To this sepulchre they made a
particular visit, and found the adjoining city in the possession of
the sons of Anak, who are here named. In that place where they
expected the greatest encouragements they met with the greatest
discouragements. Where the bodies of their ancestors kept
possession for them the giants kept possession against them.
<i>They ascended by the south, and came to Hebron,</i> that is,
"Caleb," say the Jews, "in particular," for to his being there we
find express reference, <scripRef passage="Jos 14:9,12,13" id="Num.xiv-p8.5" parsed="|Josh|14|9|0|0;|Josh|14|12|0|0;|Josh|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.14.9 Bible:Josh.14.12 Bible:Josh.14.13">Josh.
xiv. 9, 12, 13</scripRef>. But that others of the spies were there
too appears by their description of the Anakim, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:33" id="Num.xiv-p8.6" parsed="|Num|13|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. 3. They brought a bunch of
grapes with them, and some other of the fruits of the land, as a
proof of the extraordinary goodness of the country. Probably they
furnished themselves with these fruits when they were leaving the
country and returning. The cluster of grapes was so large and so
heavy that they hung it upon a bar, and carried it between two of
them, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:23,24" id="Num.xiv-p8.7" parsed="|Num|13|23|13|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.23-Num.13.24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>.
The place whence they took it was, from this circumstance, called
the <i>valley of the cluster,</i> that famous cluster which was to
Israel both the earnest and the specimen of all the fruits of
Canaan. Such are the present comforts which we have in communion
with God, foretastes of the fulness of joy we expect in the
heavenly Canaan. We may see by them what heaven is.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 13:26-33" id="Num.xiv-p8.8" parsed="|Num|13|26|13|33" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.26-Num.13.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.13.26-Num.13.33">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xiv-p9">26 And they went and came to Moses, and to
Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto
the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto
them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of
the land. &#160; 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the
land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and
honey; and this <i>is</i> the fruit of it. &#160; 28 Nevertheless
the people <i>be</i> strong that dwell in the land, and the cities
<i>are</i> walled, <i>and</i> very great: and moreover we saw the
children of Anak there. &#160; 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land
of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the
Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the
sea, and by the coast of Jordan. &#160; 30 And Caleb stilled the
people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess
it; for we are well able to overcome it. &#160; 31 But the men that
went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people;
for they <i>are</i> stronger than we. &#160; 32 And they brought up
an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the
children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to
search it, <i>is</i> a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof;
and all the people that we saw in it <i>are</i> men of a great
stature. &#160; 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak,
<i>which come</i> of the giants: and we were in our own sight as
grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p10">It is a wonder how the people of Israel had
patience to stay forty days for the return of their spies, when
they were just ready to enter Canaan, under all the assurances of
success they could have from the divine power, and a constant
series of miracles that had hitherto attended them; but they
distrusted God's power and promise, and were willing to be held in
suspense by their own counsels, rather than be brought to a
certainty by God's covenant. How much do we stand in our own light
by our unbelief! Well, at length the messengers return, but they
agree not in their report.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p11">I. The major part discourage the people
from going forward to Canaan; and justly are the Israelites left to
this temptation, for putting so much confidence in the judgment of
men, when they had the word of God to trust to. It is a righteous
thing with God to give those up to strong delusions who will not
receive his truth in the love of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p12">1. Observe their report. (1.) They could
not deny but that the land of Canaan was a very fruitful land; the
bunch of grapes they brought with them was an ocular demonstration
of it, <scripRef passage="Nu 13:27" id="Num.xiv-p12.1" parsed="|Num|13|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. God
had promised them a land flowing with milk and honey, and the evil
spies themselves own that it is such a land. Thus even out of the
mouth of adversaries will God be glorified and the truth of his
promise attested. And yet afterwards they contradict themselves,
when they say (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:32" id="Num.xiv-p12.2" parsed="|Num|13|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>), <i>It is a land that eateth up the inhabitants
thereof;</i> as if, though it had milk, and honey, and grapes, yet
it wanted other necessary provision; some think that there was a
great plague in the country at the time they surveyed it, which
they ought to have imputed to the wisdom of the divine Providence,
which thus lessened the numbers of their enemies, to facilitate
their conquests; but they invidiously imputed it to the
unwholesomeness of the air, and thence took occasion to disparage
the country. For this unreasonable fear of a plague in Canaan, they
were justly cut off immediately by a <i>plague in the
wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:37" id="Num.xiv-p12.3" parsed="|Num|14|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.37"><i>ch.</i> xiv.
37</scripRef>. But, (2.) They represented the conquest of it as
altogether impracticable, and that it was to no purpose to attempt
it. The people are strong (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:28" id="Num.xiv-p12.4" parsed="|Num|13|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>), men of a <i>great stature</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:32" id="Num.xiv-p12.5" parsed="|Num|13|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), <i>stronger than we,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 13:31" id="Num.xiv-p12.6" parsed="|Num|13|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. The cities
are represented as impregnable fortresses: they <i>are walled</i>
and <i>very great,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 13:28" id="Num.xiv-p12.7" parsed="|Num|13|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. But nothing served their ill purpose more than a
description of the giants, on whom they lay a great stress: <i>We
saw the children of Anak there</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:28" id="Num.xiv-p12.8" parsed="|Num|13|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>), and again, we <i>saw the
giants,</i> those men of a prodigious size, the <i>sons of
Anak,</i> who <i>come of the giants,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 13:33" id="Num.xiv-p12.9" parsed="|Num|13|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. They spoke as if they were
ready to tremble at the mention of them, as they had done at the
sight of them. "O these tremendous giants! when we were near them,
<i>we were in our own sight as grasshoppers,</i> not only little
and weak, but trembling and daunted." Compare <scripRef passage="Job 39:20" id="Num.xiv-p12.10" parsed="|Job|39|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.39.20">Job xxxix. 20</scripRef>, <i>Canst thou make him afraid
as a grasshopper?</i> "Nay, and <i>so we were in their sight;</i>
they looked upon us with as much scorn and disdain as we did upon
them with fear and trembling." So that upon the whole matter they
gave it in as their judgment, <i>We are not able to go up against
them</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:31" id="Num.xiv-p12.11" parsed="|Num|13|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>),
and therefore must think of taking some other course.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p13">2. Now, even if they had been to judge only
by human probabilities, they could not have been excused from the
imputation of cowardice. Were not the hosts of Israel very
numerous? 600,000 effective men, well marshalled and modelled,
closely embodied, and entirely united in interest and affection,
constituted as formidable an army as perhaps was ever brought into
the field; many a less has done more than perhaps the conquering of
Canaan was, witness Alexander's army. Moses, their
commander-in-chief, was wise and brave; and if the people had put
on resolution, and behaved themselves valiantly, what could have
stood before them? It is true the Canaanites were strong, but they
were dispersed (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:29" id="Num.xiv-p13.1" parsed="|Num|13|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>): <i>Some dwell in the south and others in the
mountains;</i> so that by reason of their distance they could not
soon get together, and by reason of their divided interests they
could not long keep together, to oppose Israel. The country being
plentiful would subsist an army, and, though the cities were
walled, if they could beat them in the field the strong-holds would
fall of course into their hands. And, lastly, as for the giants,
their overgrown stature would but make them the better mark, and
the bulkiest men have not always the best mettle.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p14">3. But, though they deserved to be posted
for cowards, this was not the worst, the scripture brands them for
unbelievers. It was not any human probabilities they were required
to depend upon, but, (1.) They had the manifest and sensible tokens
of God's presence with them, and the engagement of his power for
them. The Canaanites were stronger than Israel; suppose they were,
but were they stronger than the God of Israel? We are not able to
deal with them, but is not God Almighty able? Have we not him in
the midst of us? Does not he go before us? And is any thing too
hard for him? Were we as grasshoppers before the giants, and are
not they less than grasshoppers before God? Their cities are walled
against us, but can they be walled against heaven? Besides this,
(2.) They had had very great experience of the length and strength
of God's arm, lifted up and made bare on their behalf. Were not the
Egyptians as much stronger than they as the Canaanites were? And
yet, without a sword drawn by Israel or a stroke struck, the
chariots and horsemen of Egypt were quite routed and ruined; the
Amalekites took them at great disadvantages, and yet they were
discomfited. Miracles were at this time their daily bread; were
there nothing else, an army so well victualled as theirs was, so
constantly, so plentifully, and all on free cost, would have a
might advantage against any other force. Nay, (3.) They had
particular promises made them of victory and success in their wars
against the Canaanites. God had given Abraham all possible
assurances that he would put his seed into possession of that land,
<scripRef passage="Ge 15:18,17:8" id="Num.xiv-p14.1" parsed="|Gen|15|18|0|0;|Gen|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.18 Bible:Gen.17.8">Gen. xv. 18; xvii. 8</scripRef>.
He had expressly promised them by Moses that he would <i>drive out
the Canaanites</i> from <i>before them</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 33:2" id="Num.xiv-p14.2" parsed="|Exod|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.33.2">Exod. xxxiii. 2</scripRef>), and that he would do it
<i>by little and little,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 23:30" id="Num.xiv-p14.3" parsed="|Exod|23|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.30">Exod.
xxiii. 30</scripRef>. And, after all this, for them to say, <i>We
are not able to go up against them,</i> was in effect to say, "God
himself is not able to make his words good." It was in effect to
give him the lie, and to tell him he had undertaken more than he
could perform. We have a short account of their sin, with which
they infected the whole congregation, <scripRef passage="Ps 106:24" id="Num.xiv-p14.4" parsed="|Ps|106|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.24">Ps. cvi. 24</scripRef>. They <i>despised the land, they
believed not his word.</i> Though, upon search, they had found it
as good as he had said, <i>a land flowing with milk and honey,</i>
yet they would not believe it as sure as he had said, but despaired
of having it, though eternal truth itself had engaged it to them.
And now this is the representation of the evil spies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xiv-p15">II. Caleb encouraged them to go forward,
though he was seconded by Joshua only (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:30" id="Num.xiv-p15.1" parsed="|Num|13|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>): <i>Caleb stilled the
people,</i> whom he saw already put into a ferment even <i>before
Moses</i> himself, whose shining face could not daunt them, when
they began to grow unruly. <i>Caleb</i> signifies <i>all heart,</i>
and he answered his name, was hearty himself, and would have made
the people so if they would have hearkened to him. If Joshua had
begun to stem the tide, he would have been suspected of partiality
to Moses, whose minister he was; and therefore he prudently left it
to Caleb's management at first, who was of the tribe of Judah, the
leading tribe, and therefore the fittest to be heard. Caleb had
seen and observed the strength of the inhabitants as much as his
fellows, and upon the whole matter, 1. He speaks very confidently
of success: <i>We are well able to overcome them,</i> as strong as
they are. 2. He animates the people to go on, and, his lot lying in
the van, he speaks as one resolved to lead them on with bravery:
"<i>Let us go up at once,</i> one bold step, one bold stroke more,
will do our business; it is all our own if we have but courage to
make it so: <i>Let us go up and possess it.</i>" He does not say,
"Let us go up and conquer it;" he looks upon that to be as good as
done already; but, "Let us go up and possess it; there is nothing
to be done but to enter, and take the possession which God our
great Lord is ready to give us." Note, <i>The righteous are bold as
a lion.</i> Difficulties that lie in the way of salvation dwindle
and vanish before a lively active faith in the power and promise of
God. <i>All things are possible,</i> if they be but promised, <i>to
him that believes.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIV" n="xv" progress="70.21%" prev="Num.xiv" next="Num.xvi" id="Num.xv">
<h2 id="Num.xv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xv-p0.2">CHAP. XIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xv-p1">This chapter gives us an account of that fatal
quarrel between God and Israel upon which, for their murmuring and
unbelief, he swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his
rest. Here is, I. The mutiny and rebellion of Israel against God,
upon the report of the evil spies, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:1-4" id="Num.xv-p1.1" parsed="|Num|14|1|14|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1-Num.14.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. The fruitless endeavour of
Moses and Aaron, Caleb and Joshua, to still the tumult, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:5-10" id="Num.xv-p1.2" parsed="|Num|14|5|14|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.5-Num.14.10">ver. 5-10</scripRef>. III. Their utter ruin
justly threatened by an offended God, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:11,12" id="Num.xv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|14|11|14|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.11-Num.14.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. IV. The humble intercession
of Moses for them, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:13-19" id="Num.xv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|14|13|14|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.13-Num.14.19">ver.
13-19</scripRef>. V. A mitigation of the sentence in answer to the
prayer of Moses; they shall not all be cut off, but the decree goes
forth ratified with an oath, published to the people, again and
again repeated, that this whole congregation should perish in the
wilderness, and none of them enter Canaan but Caleb and Joshua
only, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:20-35" id="Num.xv-p1.5" parsed="|Num|14|20|14|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.20-Num.14.35">ver. 20-35</scripRef>. VI.
The present death of the evil spies, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:36-39" id="Num.xv-p1.6" parsed="|Num|14|36|14|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.36-Num.14.39">ver. 36-39</scripRef>. VII. The rebuke given to those
who attempted to go forward notwithstanding, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:40-45" id="Num.xv-p1.7" parsed="|Num|14|40|14|45" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.40-Num.14.45">ver. 40-45</scripRef>. And this is written for our
admonition, that we "fall not after the same example of
unbelief."</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14" id="Num.xv-p1.8" parsed="|Num|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14:1-4" id="Num.xv-p1.9" parsed="|Num|14|1|14|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1-Num.14.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.14.1-Num.14.4">
<h4 id="Num.xv-p1.10">The Murmuring of the
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xv-p2">1 And all the congregation lifted up their
voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. &#160; 2 And all
the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron:
and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had
died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this
wilderness! &#160; 3 And wherefore hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p2.1">Lord</span> brought us unto this land, to fall by the
sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it
not better for us to return into Egypt? &#160; 4 And they said one
to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into
Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p3">Here we see what mischief the evil spies
made by their unfair representation. We may suppose that these
twelve that were impanelled to enquire concerning Canaan had talked
it over among themselves before they brought in their report in
public; and Caleb and Joshua, it is likely, had done their utmost
to bring the rest over to be of their mind, and if they would but
have agreed that Caleb, according to his pose, should have spoken
for them all, as their foreman, all had been well; but the evil
spies, it should seem, wilfully designed to raise this mutiny,
purely in opposition to Moses and Aaron, though they could not
propose any advantage to themselves by it, unless they hoped to be
captains and commanders of the retreat into Egypt they were now
meditating. But what came of it? Here in these verses we find those
whom they studied to humour put into a vexation, and, before the
end of the chapter, brought to ruin. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p4">I. How the people fretted themselves:
<i>They lifted up their voices and cried</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:1" id="Num.xv-p4.1" parsed="|Num|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>); giving credit to the report of
the spies rather than to the word of God, and imagining their
condition desperate, they laid the reins on the neck of their
passions, and could keep no manner of temper. Like foolish froward
children, they fall a crying, yet know not what they cry for. It
would have been time enough to cry out when the enemy had beaten up
their quarters, and they had seen the sons of Anak at the gate of
their camp; but those that cried when nothing hurt them deserved to
have something given them to cry for. And, as if all had been
already gone, they sat down and <i>wept that night.</i> Note,
Unbelief, or distrust of God, is a sin that is its own punishment.
Those that do not trust God are continually vexing themselves. The
world's mourners are more than God's, and the <i>sorrow of the
world worketh death.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p5">II. How they flew in the face of their
governors&#8212;<i>murmured against Moses and Aaron,</i> and in them
reproached the Lord, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:2,3" id="Num.xv-p5.1" parsed="|Num|14|2|14|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.2-Num.14.3"><i>v.</i> 2,
3</scripRef>. The congregation of elders began the discontent
(<scripRef passage="Nu 14:1" id="Num.xv-p5.2" parsed="|Num|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), but the
contagion soon spread through the whole camp, for <i>the children
of Israel murmured.</i> Jealousies and discontents spread like
wildfire among the unthinking multitude, who are easily taught to
<i>despise dominions, and to speak evil of dignities.</i> 1. They
look back with a causeless discontent. They wish that they had died
in Egypt with the first-born that were slain there, or in the
wilderness with those that lately died of the plague for lusting.
See the prodigious madness of unbridled passions, which make men
prodigal even of that which nature accounts most dear, life itself.
Never were so many months spent so pleasantly as these which they
had spent since they came out of Egypt, loaded with honours,
compassed with favours, and continually entertained with something
or other that was surprising; and yet, as if all these things had
not made it worth their while to live, they wished they had died in
Egypt. And such a light opinion they had of God's tremendous
judgments executed on their neighbours for their sin that they
wished they had shared with them in their plagues, rather than run
the hazard of making a descent upon Canaan. They wish rather to die
criminals under God's justice than live conquerors in his favour.
Some read it, <i>O that we had died in Egypt, or in the wilderness!
O that we might die!</i> They wish to die, for fear of dying; and
have not sense enough to reason as the poor lepers, when rather
than die upon the spot they ventured into an enemy's camp, <i>If
they kill us, we shall but die,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ki 7:4" id="Num.xv-p5.3" parsed="|2Kgs|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.7.4">2
Kings vii. 4</scripRef>. How base were the spirits of these
degenerate Israelites, who, rather than die (if it come to the
worst) like soldiers on the bed of honour, with their swords in
their hands, desire to die like rotten sheep in the wilderness. 2.
They look forward with a groundless despair, taking it for granted
(<scripRef passage="Nu 14:3" id="Num.xv-p5.4" parsed="|Num|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>) that if they
went on they must fall by the sword, and pretend to lay the cause
of their fear upon the great care they had for their wives and
children, who, they conclude, will be a prey to the Canaanites. And
here is a most wicked blasphemous reflection upon God himself, as
if he had brought them hither on purpose that they might fall by
the sword, and that their wives and children, those poor innocents,
should be a prey. Thus do they, in effect, charge that God who is
love itself with the worst of malice, and eternal Truth with the
basest hypocrisy, suggesting that all the kind things he had said
to them, and done for them, hitherto, were intended only to decoy
them into a snare, and to cover a secret design carried on all
along to ruin them. Daring impudence! But what will not that tongue
speak against heaven that is set on fire of hell? The devil keeps
up his interest in the hearts of men by insinuating to them ill
thoughts of God, as if he desired the death of sinners, and
delighted in the hardships and sufferings of his own servants,
whereas he knows his thoughts to us-ward (whether we know them so
or no) to be <i>thoughts of good, and not of evil,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 29:11" id="Num.xv-p5.5" parsed="|Jer|29|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.29.11">Jer. xxix. 11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p6">III. How they came at last to this
desperate resolve, that, instead of going forward to Canaan, they
would go back again to Egypt. The motion is first made by way of
query only (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:3" id="Num.xv-p6.1" parsed="|Num|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>):
<i>Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?</i> But the
ferment being high, and the spirits of the people being disposed to
entertain any thing that was perverse, it soon ripened to a
resolution, without a debate (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:4" id="Num.xv-p6.2" parsed="|Num|14|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>): <i>Let us make a captain and return to Egypt;</i>
and it is lamented long after (<scripRef passage="Ne 9:17" id="Num.xv-p6.3" parsed="|Neh|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.17">Neh. ix.
17</scripRef>) that <i>in their rebellion they appointed a captain
to return to their bondage;</i> for they knew Moses would not be
their captain in this retreat. Now, 1. It was the greatest folly in
the world to wish themselves in Egypt, or to think that if they
were there it would be better with them than it was. If they durst
not go forward to Canaan, yet better be as they were than go back
to Egypt. What did they want? What had they to complain of? They
had plenty, and peace, and rest, were under a good government, had
good company, had the tokens of God's presence with them, and
enough to make them easy even in the wilderness, if they had but
hearts to be content. But whither were they thus eager to go to
better themselves? To Egypt! Had they so soon forgotten the sore
bondage they were in there? Would they be again under the tyranny
of their taskmasters, and at the drudgery of making brick? And,
after all the plagues which Egypt had suffered for their sakes,
could they expect any better treatment there than they had
formerly, and not rather much worse? In how little time (not a year
and a half) have they forgotten all the sighs of their bondage, and
all the songs of their deliverance! Like brute-beasts, they mind
only what is present, and their memories, with the other powers of
reason, are sacrificed to their passions. See <scripRef passage="Ps 106:7" id="Num.xv-p6.4" parsed="|Ps|106|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.7">Ps. cvi. 7</scripRef>. We find it threatened (<scripRef passage="De 28:68" id="Num.xv-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|28|68|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.68">Deut. xxviii. 68</scripRef>), as the completing
of their misery, that they should be brought into Egypt again, and
yet this is what they here wish for. Sinners are enemies to
themselves; and those that walk not in God's counsels consult their
own mischief and ruin. 2. It was a most senseless ridiculous thing
to talk of returning thither through the wilderness. Could they
expect that God's cloud would lead them or his manna attend them?
And, if they did not, the thousands of Israel must unavoidably be
lost and perish in the wilderness. Suppose the difficulties of
conquering Canaan were as great as they imagined, those of
returning to Egypt were much greater. In this let us see, (1.) The
folly of discontent and impatience under the crosses of our outward
condition. We are uneasy at that which is, complain of our place
and lot, and we would shift; but is there any place or condition in
this world that has not something in it to make us uneasy if we are
disposed to be so? The way to better our condition is to get our
spirits into a better frame; and instead of asking, "Were it not
better to go to Egypt?" ask, "Were it not better to be content, and
make the best of that which is?" (2.) The folly of apostasy from
the ways of God. Heaven is the Canaan set before us, a land flowing
with milk and honey; those that bring up ever so ill a report of it
cannot but say that it is indeed a good land, only it is hard to
get to it. Strict and serious godliness is looked upon as an
impracticable thing, and this deters many who began well from going
on; rather than undergo the imaginary hardships of a religious
life, they run themselves upon the certain fatal consequences of a
sinful course; and so they transcribe the folly of Israel, who,
when they were within a step of Canaan, would make a captain, and
return to Egypt.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14:5-10" id="Num.xv-p6.6" parsed="|Num|14|5|14|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.5-Num.14.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.14.5-Num.14.10">
<h4 id="Num.xv-p6.7">The Expostulation of Joshua and
Caleb. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p6.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xv-p7">5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces
before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of
Israel. &#160; 6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh, <i>which were</i> of them that searched the land, rent
their clothes: &#160; 7 And they spake unto all the company of the
children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to
search it, <i>is</i> an exceeding good land. &#160; 8 If the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p7.1">Lord</span> delight in us, then he will bring us
into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and
honey. &#160; 9 Only rebel not ye against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p7.2">Lord</span>, neither fear ye the people of the land;
for they <i>are</i> bread for us: their defence is departed from
them, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p7.3">Lord</span> <i>is</i> with
us: fear them not. &#160; 10 But all the congregation bade stone
them with stones. And the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p7.4">Lord</span> appeared in the tabernacle of the
congregation before all the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p8">The friends of Israel here interpose to
save them if possible from ruining themselves, but in vain. The
physicians of their state would have healed them, but they would
not be healed; their watchmen gave them warning, but they would not
take warning, and so their blood is upon their own heads.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p9">I. The best endeavours were used to still
the tumult, and, if now at last they would have understood the
things that belonged to their peace, all the following mischief
would have been prevented.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p10">1. Moses and Aaron did their part,
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:5" id="Num.xv-p10.1" parsed="|Num|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Though it was
against them that they murmured (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:2" id="Num.xv-p10.2" parsed="|Num|14|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), yet they bravely overlooked the
affront and injury done them, and approved themselves faithful
friends to those who were outrageous enemies to them. The clamour
and noise of the people were so great that Moses and Aaron could
not be heard; should they order any of their servants to proclaim
silence, the angry multitude would perhaps be the more clamorous;
and therefore, to gain audience in the sight of all the assembly,
they fell on their faces, thus expressing, (1.) Their humble
prayers to God to still the noise of this sea, the noise of its
waves, even the tumult of the people. (2.) The great trouble and
concern of their own spirits. They fell down as men astonished and
even thunder-struck, amazed to see a people throw away their own
mercies: to see those so ill-humoured who were so well taught. And,
(3.) Their great earnestness with the people to cease their
murmurings; they hoped to work upon them by this humble posture,
and to prevail with them not to persist in their rebellion; Moses
and Aaron beseech them, as though by them God himself did beseech
them, to be reconciled unto God. What they said to the people Moses
relates in the repetition of this story. <scripRef passage="De 1:29,30" id="Num.xv-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|1|29|1|30" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.29-Deut.1.30">Deut. i. 29, 30</scripRef>, <i>Be not afraid; the Lord
your God shall fight for you.</i> Note, Those that are zealous
friends to precious souls will stoop to any thing for their
salvation. Moses and Aaron, notwithstanding the posts of honour
they are in, prostrate themselves to the people to beg of them not
to ruin themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p11">2. Caleb and Joshua did their part: they
rent their clothes in a holy indignation at the sin of the people,
and a holy dread of the wrath of God, which they saw ready to break
out against them. It was the greater trouble to these good men
because the tumult was occasioned by those spies with whom they had
been joined in commission; and therefore they thought themselves
obliged to do what they could to still the storm which their
fellows had raised. No reasoning could be more pertinent and
pathetic than theirs was (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:7-9" id="Num.xv-p11.1" parsed="|Num|14|7|14|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.7-Num.14.9"><i>v.</i>
7-9</scripRef>), and they spoke as with authority.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p12">(1.) They assured them of the goodness of
the land they had surveyed, and that it was really worth venturing
for, and not a land that <i>ate up the inhabitants,</i> as the evil
spies had represented it. It is an <i>exceedingly good land</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 14:7" id="Num.xv-p12.1" parsed="|Num|14|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); it is
<i>very, very good,</i> so the word is; so that they had no reason
to <i>despise this pleasant land.</i> Note, If men were but
thoroughly convinced of the desirableness of the gains of religion,
they would not stick at the services of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p13">(2.) They made nothing of the difficulties
that seemed to lie in the way of their gaining the possession of
it: "<i>Fear not the people of the land,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:9" id="Num.xv-p13.1" parsed="|Num|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Whatever formidable ideas have
been given you of them, the lion is not so fierce as he is painted.
<i>They are bread for us,</i>" that is, "they are set before us
rather to be fed upon than to be fought with, so easily, so
pleasantly, and with so much advantage to ourselves shall we master
them." Pharaoh is said to have been given them for meat (<scripRef passage="Ps 74:14" id="Num.xv-p13.2" parsed="|Ps|74|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.74.14">Ps. lxxiv. 14</scripRef>), and the Canaanites
will be so, too. They show that, whatever was suggested to the
contrary, the advantage was clear on Israel's side. For, [1.]
Though the Canaanites dwell in walled cities, they are naked:
<i>Their defence has departed from them;</i> that common providence
which preserves the rights of nations has abandoned them, and will
be no shelter nor protection to them. The other spies took notice
of their strength, but these of their wickedness, and thence
inferred that God had forsaken them, and therefore <i>their defence
had departed.</i> No people can be safe when they have provoked God
to leave them. [2.] Though Israel dwell in tents they are
fortified: <i>The Lord is with us,</i> and his name is a strong
tower; <i>fear them not.</i> Note, While we have the presence of
God with us, we need not fear the most powerful force against
us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p14">(3.) They showed them plainly that all the
danger they were in was from their own discontents, and that they
would succeed against all their enemies if they did not make God
their enemy. On this point alone the cause would turn (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:8" id="Num.xv-p14.1" parsed="|Num|14|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): "<i>If the Lord delight
in us,</i> as certainly he does, and will if we do not provoke him,
<i>he will bring us into this good land;</i> we shall without fail
get it in possession by his favour, and the light of his
countenance (<scripRef passage="Ps 44:3" id="Num.xv-p14.2" parsed="|Ps|44|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.3">Ps. xliv. 3</scripRef>),
if we do not forfeit his favour and by our own follies turn away
our own mercies." It has come to this issue (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:9" id="Num.xv-p14.3" parsed="|Num|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>Only rebel not you against
the Lord.</i> Note, Nothing can ruin sinners but their own
rebellion. If God leave them, it is because they drive him from
them; and they die because they will die. None are excluded the
heavenly Canaan but those that exclude themselves. And, now, could
the case have been made more plain? could it have been urged more
closely? But what was the effect?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p15">II. It was all to no purpose; they were
deaf to this fair reasoning; nay, they were exasperated by it, and
grew more outrageous: <i>All the congregation bade stone them with
stones,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:10" id="Num.xv-p15.1" parsed="|Num|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>.
The rulers of the congregation, and the great men (so bishop
Patrick), ordered the common people to fall upon them, and knock
their brains out. Their case was sad indeed when their leaders thus
<i>caused them to err.</i> Note, It is common for those whose
hearts are <i>fully set in them to do evil</i> to rage at those who
give them good counsel. Those who hate to be reformed hate those
that would reform them, and count them their enemies because they
tell them the truth. Thus early did Israel begin to misuse the
prophets, and <i>stone those that were sent to them,</i> and it was
this that filled the measure of their sin, <scripRef passage="Mt 23:37" id="Num.xv-p15.2" parsed="|Matt|23|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.37">Matt. xxiii. 37</scripRef>. <i>Stone them with
stones!</i> Why, what evil have they done? No crime can be laid to
their charge; but the truth is <i>these two witnesses tormented
those</i> that were obstinate in their infidelity, <scripRef passage="Re 11:10" id="Num.xv-p15.3" parsed="|Rev|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.10">Rev. xi. 10</scripRef>. Caleb and Joshua had but
just said, <i>The Lord is with us; fear them not</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:9" id="Num.xv-p15.4" parsed="|Num|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): and, if Israel will not
apply those encouraging words to their own fears, those that
uttered them know how to encourage themselves with them against
this enraged multitude that spoke of stoning them, as David in a
like cause, <scripRef passage="1Sa 30:6" id="Num.xv-p15.5" parsed="|1Sam|30|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.30.6">1 Sam. xxx. 6</scripRef>.
Those that cannot prevail to edify others with their counsels and
comforts should endeavour at least to edify themselves. Caleb and
Joshua knew they appeared for God and his glory, and therefore
doubted not but God would appear for them and their safety. And
they were not disappointed, for immediately <i>the glory of the
Lord appeared,</i> to the terror and confusion of those that were
for stoning the servants of God. When they reflected upon God
(<scripRef passage="Nu 14:3" id="Num.xv-p15.6" parsed="|Num|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), his glory
appeared not to silence their blasphemies; but, when they
threatened Caleb and Joshua, they touched the apple of his eye, and
his glory appeared immediately. Note, Those who faithfully expose
themselves for God are sure to be taken under his special
protection, and shall be hidden from the rage of men, either under
heaven or in heaven.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14" id="Num.xv-p15.7" parsed="|Num|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14:11-19" id="Num.xv-p15.8" parsed="|Num|14|11|14|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.11-Num.14.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.14.11-Num.14.19">
<h4 id="Num.xv-p15.9">The Intercession of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p15.10">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xv-p16">11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p16.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long
will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have
showed among them? &#160; 12 I will smite them with the pestilence,
and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and
mightier than they. &#160; 13 And Moses said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p16.2">Lord</span>, Then the Egyptians shall hear <i>it,</i>
(for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
&#160; 14 And they will tell <i>it</i> to the inhabitants of this
land: <i>for</i> they have heard that thou <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p16.3">Lord</span> <i>art</i> among this people, that thou
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p16.4">Lord</span> art seen face to face, and
<i>that</i> thy cloud standeth over them, and <i>that</i> thou
goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a
pillar of fire by night. &#160; 15 Now <i>if</i> thou shalt kill
<i>all</i> this people as one man, then the nations which have
heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, &#160; 16 Because the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p16.5">Lord</span> was not able to bring this
people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath
slain them in the wilderness. &#160; 17 And now, I beseech thee,
let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken,
saying, &#160; 18 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p16.6">Lord</span> <i>is</i>
longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and
transgression, and by no means clearing <i>the guilty,</i> visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth <i>generation.</i> &#160; 19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the
iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy,
and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until
now.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p17">Here is, I. The righteous sentence which
God gave against Israel for their murmuring and unbelief, which,
though afterwards mitigated, showed what was the desert of their
sin and the demand of injured justice, and what would have been
done if Moses had not interposed. When the glory of the Lord
<i>appeared in the tabernacle</i> we may suppose that Moses took it
for a call to him immediately to come and attend there, as before
the tabernacle was erected he went up to the mount in a similar
case, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:30" id="Num.xv-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|32|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.30">Exod. xxxii. 30</scripRef>.
Thus, while the people were studying to disgrace him, God publicly
put honour upon him, as the man of his counsel. Now here we are
told what God said to him there.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p18">1. He showed him the great evil of the
people's sin, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:11" id="Num.xv-p18.1" parsed="|Num|14|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>.
What passed between God and Israel went through the hands of Moses:
when they were displeased with God they told Moses of it (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:2" id="Num.xv-p18.2" parsed="|Num|14|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>); when God was displeased
with them he told Moses, too, <i>revealing his secret to his servant
the prophet,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 3:7" id="Num.xv-p18.3" parsed="|Amos|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.3.7">Amos iii. 7</scripRef>.
Two things God justly complains of to Moses:&#8212;(1.) Their sin. They
<i>provoke me,</i> or (as the word signifies) they <i>reject,
reproach, despise</i> me, for <i>they will not believe me.</i> This
was the bitter root which bore the gall and wormwood. It was their
unbelief that made this a day of provocation in the wilderness,
<scripRef passage="Heb 3:8" id="Num.xv-p18.4" parsed="|Heb|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.8">Heb. iii. 8</scripRef>. Note, Distrust
of God, of his power and promise, is itself a very great
provocation, and at the bottom of many other provocations. Unbelief
is a great sin (<scripRef passage="1Jo 5:10" id="Num.xv-p18.5" parsed="|1John|5|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.10">1 John v.
10</scripRef>), and a root sin, <scripRef passage="Heb 3:12" id="Num.xv-p18.6" parsed="|Heb|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.3.12">Heb.
iii. 12</scripRef>. (2.) Their continuance in it: <i>How long will
they do so?</i> Note, The God of heaven keeps an account how long
sinners persist in their provocations; and the longer they persist
the more he is displeased. The aggravations of their sin were, [1.]
Their relation to God: <i>This people,</i> a peculiar people, a
professing people. The nearer any are to God in name and
profession, the more he is provoked by their sins, especially their
unbelief. [2.] The experience they had had of God's power and
goodness, in <i>all the signs</i> which he <i>had shown among
them,</i> by which, one would think, he had effectually obliged
them to trust him and follow him. The more God has done for us the
greater is the provocation if we distrust him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p19">2. He showed him the sentence which justice
passed upon them for it, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:12" id="Num.xv-p19.1" parsed="|Num|14|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. "What remains now but that I should make a full end
of them? It will soon be done. <i>I will smite them with the
pestilence,</i> not leave a man of them alive, but wholly blot out
their name and race, and so disinherit them, and be no more
troubled with them. <i>Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries.</i>
They wish to die; and let them die, and neither root nor branch be
left of them. Such rebellious children deserve to be disinherited."
And if it be asked, "What will become of God's covenant with
Abraham then?" here is an answer, "I shall be preserved in the
family of Moses: <i>I will make of thee a greater nation.</i>"
Thus, (1.) God would try Moses, whether he still continued that
affection for Israel which he formerly expressed upon a like
occasion, in preferring their interests before the advancement of
his own family; and it is proved that Moses was still of the same
public spirit, and could not bear the thought of raising his own
name upon the ruin of the name of Israel. (2.) God would teach us
that he will not be a loser by the ruin of sinners. If Adam and Eve
had been cut off and disinherited, he could have made another Adam
and another Eve, and have glorified his mercy in them, as here he
could have glorified his mercy in Moses, though Israel had been
ruined.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p20">II. The humble intercession Moses made for
them. Their sin had made a fatal breach in the wall of their
defence, at which destruction would certainly have entered if Moses
had not seasonably stepped in and made it good. Here he was a type
of Christ, who interceded for his persecutors, and <i>prayed for
those</i> that <i>despitefully used</i> him, leaving us an example
to his own rule, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:44" id="Num.xv-p20.1" parsed="|Matt|5|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.44">Matt. v.
44</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p21">1. The prayer of his petition is, in one
word, <i>Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 14:19" id="Num.xv-p21.1" parsed="|Num|14|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), that is,
"Do not bring upon them the ruin they deserve." This was Christ's
prayer for those that crucified him, <i>Father forgive them.</i>
The pardon of a national sin, as such, consists in the turning away
of the national punishment; and that is it for which Moses is here
so earnest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p22">2. The pleas are many, and strongly
urged.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p23">(1.) He insists most upon the plea that is
taken from the glory of God, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:13-16" id="Num.xv-p23.1" parsed="|Num|14|13|14|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.13-Num.14.16"><i>v.</i> 13-16</scripRef>. With this he begins, and
somewhat abruptly, taking occasion from that dreadful word, <i>I
will disinherit them. Lord</i> (says he), <i>then the Egyptians
shall hear it.</i> God's honour lay nearer to his heart than any
interests of his own. Observe how he <i>orders this cause</i>
before God. He pleads, [1.] That the eyes both of Egypt and Canaan
were upon them, and great expectations were raised concerning them.
They could not but have heard <i>that thou, Lord, art among this
people,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:14" id="Num.xv-p23.2" parsed="|Num|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>.
The neighbouring countries rang of it, how much this people were
the particular care of heaven, so as never any people under the sun
were. [2.] That if they should be cut off great notice would be
taken of it. "The <i>Egyptians will hear it</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:13" id="Num.xv-p23.3" parsed="|Num|14|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), for they have their spies
among us, and they will <i>tell it to the inhabitants of the
land</i>" (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:14" id="Num.xv-p23.4" parsed="|Num|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>);
for there was great correspondence between Egypt and Canaan,
although not by the way of this wilderness. "If this people that
have made so great a noise be all consumed, if their mighty
pretensions come to nothing, and their light go out in a snuff, it
will be told with pleasure in Gath, and published in the streets of
Askelon; and what construction will the heathen put upon it? It
will be impossible to make them understand it as an act of God's
justice, and as such redounding to God's honour; <i>brutish men
know not this</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 92:6" id="Num.xv-p23.5" parsed="|Ps|92|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.92.6">Ps. xcii.
6</scripRef>): but they will impute it to the failing of God's
power, and so turn it to his reproach, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:16" id="Num.xv-p23.6" parsed="|Num|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. They will say, He slew them in
the wilderness because he was not able to bring them to Canaan, his
arm being shortened, and his stock of miracles being spent. Now,
Lord, let not one attribute be glorified at the expense of another;
rather let mercy <i>rejoice against judgment</i> than that almighty
power should be impeached." Note, The best pleas in prayer are
those that are taken from God's honour; for they agree with the
first petition of the Lord's Prayer, <i>Hallowed be thy name. Do
not disgrace the throne of thy glory.</i> God pleads it with
himself (<scripRef passage="De 32:27" id="Num.xv-p23.7" parsed="|Deut|32|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.27">Deut. xxxii. 27</scripRef>),
<i>I feareth the wrath of the enemy;</i> and we should use it as an
argument with ourselves to walk so in every thing as to give no
occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, <scripRef passage="1Ti 6:1" id="Num.xv-p23.8" parsed="|1Tim|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.6.1">1 Tim. vi. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p24">(2.) He pleads God's proclamation of his
name at Horeb (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:17,18" id="Num.xv-p24.1" parsed="|Num|14|17|14|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.17-Num.14.18"><i>v.</i> 17,
18</scripRef>): <i>Let the power of the Lord be great.</i> Power is
here put for pardoning mercy; it is his power over his own anger.
If he should destroy them, God's power would be questioned; if he
should continue and complete their salvation, notwithstanding the
difficulties that arose, not only from the strength of their
enemies, but from their own provocations, this would greatly
magnify the divine power: what cannot he do who could make so weak
a people conquerors and such an unworthy people favourites? The
more danger there is of others reproaching God's power the more
desirous we should be to see it glorified. To enforce this
petition, he refers to the word which God had spoken: <i>The Lord
is long-suffering and of great mercy.</i> God's goodness had there
been spoken of as his glory; God gloried in it, <scripRef passage="Ex 34:6,7" id="Num.xv-p24.2" parsed="|Exod|34|6|34|7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.6-Exod.34.7">Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7</scripRef>. Now here he prays that
upon this occasion he would glorify it. Note, We must take our
encouragement in prayer from the word of God, upon which he has
<i>caused us to hope,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 119:49" id="Num.xv-p24.3" parsed="|Ps|119|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.49">Ps. cxix.
49</scripRef>. "Lord, be and do <i>according as thou hast
spoken;</i> for hast thou spoken, and wilt thou not make it good?"
Three things God had solemnly made a declaration of, which Moses
here fastens upon, and improves for the enforcing of his
petition:&#8212;[1.] The goodness of God's nature in general, that he
is long-suffering, or slow to anger, and of great mercy; not soon
provoked, but tender and compassionate towards offenders. [2.] His
readiness in particular to pardon sin: <i>Forgiving iniquity and
transgression,</i> sins of all sorts. [3.] His unwillingness to
proceed to extremity, even when he does punish. For in this sense
the following words may be read: <i>That will by no means make
quite desolate, in visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children.</i> God had indeed said in the second commandment that he
would thus visit, but here he promises not to make a full end of
families, churches, and nations, at once; and so it is very
applicable to this occasion, for Moses cannot beg that God would
not at all punish this sin (it would be too great an encouragement
to rebellion if he should set no mark of his displeasure upon it),
but that he would not <i>kill all this people as one man,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:15" id="Num.xv-p24.4" parsed="|Num|14|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. He does not
ask that they may not be corrected, but that they may not be
disinherited. And this proclamation of God's name was the more
apposite to his purpose because it was made upon occasion of the
pardoning of their sin in making the golden calf. This sin which
they had now fallen into was bad enough, but it was not
idolatry.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p25">(3.) He pleads past experience: <i>As thou
hast forgiven this people from Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:19" id="Num.xv-p25.1" parsed="|Num|14|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. This seemed to make against
him. Why should those be forgiven any more who, after they had been
so often forgiven, revolted yet more and more, and seemed hardened
and encouraged in their rebellion by the lenity and patience of
their God, and the frequent pardons they had obtained? Among men it
would have been thought impolitic to take notice of such a
circumstance in a request of this nature, as it might operate to
the prejudice of the petitioner: but, as in other things so in
pardoning sin, God's thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours,
<scripRef passage="Isa 55:9" id="Num.xv-p25.2" parsed="|Isa|55|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.55.9">Isa. lv. 9</scripRef>. Moses looks
upon it as a good plea, <i>Lord, forgive, as thou hast
forgiven.</i> It will be no more a reproach to thy justice, nor any
less the praise of thy mercy, to forgive now, than it has been
formerly. Therefore the <i>sons of Jacob are not consumed,</i>
because they have to do with a <i>God that changes not,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mal 3:6" id="Num.xv-p25.3" parsed="|Mal|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.3.6">Mal. iii. 6</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14:20-35" id="Num.xv-p25.4" parsed="|Num|14|20|14|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.20-Num.14.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.14.20-Num.14.35">
<h4 id="Num.xv-p25.5">God's Answer to Moses; The Israelites
Threatened. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p25.6">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xv-p26">20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p26.1">Lord</span>
said, I have pardoned according to thy word: &#160; 21 But
<i>as</i> truly <i>as</i> I live, all the earth shall be filled
with the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p26.2">Lord</span>. &#160;
22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles,
which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now
these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; &#160; 23
Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their
fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: &#160;
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him,
and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land
whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it. &#160; 25 (Now
the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) To morrow
turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red
sea. &#160; 26 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p26.3">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 27 How long <i>shall I
bear with</i> this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I
have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they
murmur against me. &#160; 28 Say unto them, <i>As truly as</i> I
live, saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p26.4">Lord</span>, as ye have
spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: &#160; 29 Your carcases
shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you,
according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward,
which have murmured against me, &#160; 30 Doubtless ye shall not
come into the land, <i>concerning</i> which I sware to make you
dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son
of Nun. &#160; 31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a
prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye
have despised. &#160; 32 But <i>as for</i> you, your carcases, they
shall fall in this wilderness. &#160; 33 And your children shall
wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms,
until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. &#160; 34 After
the number of the days in which ye searched the land, <i>even</i>
forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities,
<i>even</i> forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
&#160; 35 I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p26.5">Lord</span> have said, I
will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are
gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be
consumed, and there they shall die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p27">We have here God's answer to the prayer of
Moses, which sings both of mercy and judgment. It is given
privately to Moses (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:20-25" id="Num.xv-p27.1" parsed="|Num|14|20|14|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.20-Num.14.25"><i>v.</i>
20-25</scripRef>), and then directed to be made public to the
people, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:26-35" id="Num.xv-p27.2" parsed="|Num|14|26|14|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.26-Num.14.35"><i>v.</i> 26-35</scripRef>.
The frequent repetitions of the same things in it speak these
resolves to be unalterable. Let us see the particulars.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p28">I. The extremity of the sentence is receded
from (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:20" id="Num.xv-p28.1" parsed="|Num|14|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): "<i>I
have pardoned,</i> so as not to cut them all off at once, and
disinherit them." See the power of prayer, and the delight God
takes in putting an honour upon it. He designed a pardon, but Moses
shall have the praise of obtaining it by prayer: it shall be done
<i>according to thy word;</i> thus, as a prince, he has power with
God, and prevails. See what countenance and encouragement God gives
to our intercessions for others, that we may be public-spirited in
prayer. Here is a whole nation rescued from ruin by the effectual
fervent prayer of one righteous man. See how ready God is to
forgive sin, and how easy to be entreated: <i>Pardon,</i> says
Moses (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:19" id="Num.xv-p28.2" parsed="|Num|14|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>); <i>I
have pardoned,</i> says God, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:20" id="Num.xv-p28.3" parsed="|Num|14|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. David found him thus swift to show mercy, <scripRef passage="Ps 32:5" id="Num.xv-p28.4" parsed="|Ps|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.5">Ps. xxxii. 5</scripRef>. <i>He deals not with us
after our sins,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 103:10" id="Num.xv-p28.5" parsed="|Ps|103|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.103.10">Ps. ciii.
10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p29">II. The glorifying of God's name is, in the
general, resolved upon, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:21" id="Num.xv-p29.1" parsed="|Num|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. It is said, it is sworn, <i>All the earth shall be
filled with the glory of the Lord.</i> Moses in his prayer had
shown a great concern for the glory of God. "Let me alone," says
God, "to secure that effectually, and to advance it, by this
dispensation." All the world shall see how God hates sin even in
his own people, and will reckon for it, and yet how gracious and
merciful he is, and how slow to anger. Thus when our Saviour
prayed, <i>Father, glorify thy name,</i> he was immediately
answered, <i>I have glorified it, and will glorify it yet
again,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 12:28" id="Num.xv-p29.2" parsed="|John|12|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.28">John xii. 28</scripRef>.
Note, Those that sincerely seek God's glory may be sure of what
they seek. God having turned this prayer for the glorifying of
himself into a promise, we may turn it into praise, in concert with
the angels, <scripRef passage="Isa 6:3" id="Num.xv-p29.3" parsed="|Isa|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.6.3">Isa. vi. 3</scripRef>,
<i>The earth is full of his glory.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p30">III. The sin of this people which provoked
God to proceed against them is here aggravated, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:22,27" id="Num.xv-p30.1" parsed="|Num|14|22|0|0;|Num|14|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.22 Bible:Num.14.27"><i>v.</i> 22, 27</scripRef>. It is not made worse
than really it was, but is shown to be exceedingly sinful. It was
an evil congregation, each bad, but altogether in congregation,
very bad. 1. They tempted God&#8212;tempted his power, whether he could
help them in their straits&#8212;his goodness, whether he would&#8212;and his
faithfulness, whether his promise would be performed. They tempted
his justice, whether he would resent their provocations and punish
them or no. They dared him, and in effect challenged him, as God
does the idols (<scripRef passage="Isa 41:23" id="Num.xv-p30.2" parsed="|Isa|41|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.23">Isa. xli.
23</scripRef>), to do <i>good,</i> or do <i>evil.</i> 2. They
murmured against him. This is much insisted on, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:27" id="Num.xv-p30.3" parsed="|Num|14|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. As they questioned what he
would do, so they quarrelled with him for every thing he did or had
done, continually fretting and finding fault. It does not appear
that they murmured at any of the laws or ordinances that God gave
them (though they proved a heavy yoke), but they murmured at the
conduct they were under, and the provision made for them. Note, It
is much easier to bring ourselves to the external services of
religion, and observe all the formalities of devotion, than to live
a life of dependence upon, and submission to, the divine Providence
in the course of our conversation. 3. They did this after they had
seen God's miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:2" id="Num.xv-p30.4" parsed="|Num|14|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. They would not believe
their own eyes, which were witnesses for God that he was in the
midst of them of a truth. 4. They had repeated the provocations ten
times, that is, very often: the Jewish writers reckon this exactly
the tenth time that the body of the congregation had provoked God.
First, at the Red Sea, <scripRef passage="Ex 14:11" id="Num.xv-p30.5" parsed="|Exod|14|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.14.11">Exod. xiv.
11</scripRef>. In Marah, <scripRef passage="Ex 15:23,24" id="Num.xv-p30.6" parsed="|Exod|15|23|15|24" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.23-Exod.15.24">Exod. xv.
23, 24</scripRef>. In the wilderness of Sin, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:2" id="Num.xv-p30.7" parsed="|Exod|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.2">Exod. xvi. 2</scripRef>. At Rephidim, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:1,2" id="Num.xv-p30.8" parsed="|Exod|17|1|17|2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.1-Exod.17.2">Exod. xvii. 1, 2</scripRef>. The golden calf, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:1-35" id="Num.xv-p30.9" parsed="|Exod|32|1|32|35" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.1-Exod.32.35">Exod. xxxii</scripRef>. Then at Taberah. Then
at Kibroth-Hattaavah, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:1-35" id="Num.xv-p30.10" parsed="|Num|11|1|11|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.1-Num.11.35"><i>ch.</i>
xi</scripRef>. And so this was the tenth. Note, God keeps an
account how often we repeat our provocations, and will sooner or
later set them in order before us. 5. They had not hearkened to his
voice, though he had again and again admonished them of their
sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p31">IV. The sentence passed upon them for this
sin. 1. That they should not see the promised land (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:23" id="Num.xv-p31.1" parsed="|Num|14|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), nor <i>come into
it,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:30" id="Num.xv-p31.2" parsed="|Num|14|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. <i>He
swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 95:11" id="Num.xv-p31.3" parsed="|Ps|95|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.95.11">Ps. xcv. 11</scripRef>. Note,
Disbelief of the promise is a forfeiture of the benefit of it.
Those that despise the pleasant land shall be shut out of it. The
promise of God should be fulfilled to their posterity, but not to
them. 2. That they should immediately <i>turn back into the
wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:25" id="Num.xv-p31.4" parsed="|Num|14|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Their next remove should be a retreat. They must
face about, and instead of going forward to Canaan, on the very
borders of which they now were, they must withdraw towards the Red
Sea again. <i>To-morrow turn you;</i> that is, "Very shortly you
shall be brought back to that vast howling wilderness which you are
so weary of. And it is time to shift for your own safety, for
<i>the Amalekites lie in wait in the valley,</i> ready to attack
you if you march forward." Of them they had been distrustfully
afraid (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:29" id="Num.xv-p31.5" parsed="|Num|13|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.29"><i>ch.</i> xiii.
29</scripRef>), and now with them God justly frightened them.
<i>The fear of the wicked shall come upon him.</i> 3. That all
those who had now grown up to men's estate should die in the
wilderness, not all at once, but by degrees. They wished that they
might die in the wilderness, and God said <i>Amen</i> to their
passionate wish, and made their sin their ruin, <i>snared them</i>
in the <i>words of their mouth,</i> and <i>caused their own tongue
to fall upon them,</i> took them at their word, and determined that
their <i>carcases should fall in the wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:28,29" id="Num.xv-p31.6" parsed="|Num|14|28|14|29" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.28-Num.14.29"><i>v.</i> 28, 29</scripRef>, and again,
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:32,35" id="Num.xv-p31.7" parsed="|Num|14|32|0|0;|Num|14|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.32 Bible:Num.14.35"><i>v.</i> 32, 35</scripRef>. See
with what contempt they are spoken of, now that they had by their
sin made themselves vile; the mighty men of valour were but
carcases, when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from them. They
were all as dead men. Their fathers had such a value for Canaan
that they desired to have their dead bodies carried thither to be
buried, in token of their dependence upon God's promise that they
should have that land for a possession: but these, having despised
that good land and disbelieved the promise of it, shall not have
the honour to be buried in it, but shall have their graves in the
wilderness. 4. That in pursuance of this sentence they should
wander to and fro in the wilderness, like travellers that have lost
themselves, for forty years; that is, so long as to make it full
forty years from their coming out of Egypt to their entrance into
Canaan, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:33,34" id="Num.xv-p31.8" parsed="|Num|14|33|14|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.33-Num.14.34"><i>v.</i> 33,
34</scripRef>. Thus long they were kept wandering, (1.) To answer
the number of the days in which the spies were searching the land.
They were content to wait forty days for the testimony of men,
because they could not take God's word; and therefore justly are
they kept forty years waiting for the performance of God's promise.
(2.) That hereby they might be brought to repentance, and find
mercy with God in the other world, whatever became of them in this.
Now they had time to bethink themselves, and to consider their
ways; and the inconveniences of the wilderness would help to humble
them and prove them, and <i>show them what was in their heart,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 8:2" id="Num.xv-p31.9" parsed="|Deut|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.2">Deut. viii. 2</scripRef>. Thus long they
<i>bore their iniquities,</i> feeling the weight of God's wrath in
the punishment. They were made to groan under the burden of their
own sin that brought it upon them, which was <i>too heavy for them
to bear.</i> (3.) That they might sensibly feel what a dangerous
thing it is for God's covenant-people to break with him: "<i>You
shall know my breach of promise,</i> both the causes of it, that it
is procured by your sin" (for God never leaves any till they first
leave him), "and the consequences of it, that it will produce your
ruin; you are quite undone when you are thrown out of covenant."
(4.) That a new generation might in this time be raised up, which
could not be done all of a sudden. And the children, being brought
up under the tokens of God's displeasure against their fathers, and
so <i>bearing their whoredoms</i> (that is, the punishment of their
sins, especially their idolatry about the golden calf, which God
now remembered against them), might take warning not to tread in
the steps of their fathers' disobedience. And their wandering so
long in the wilderness would make Canaan at last the more welcome
to them. It should seem that upon occasion of this sentence Moses
penned the <scripRef passage="Ps 90:1-17" id="Num.xv-p31.10" parsed="|Ps|90|1|90|17" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.1-Ps.90.17">ninetieth
Psalm</scripRef>, which is very apposite to the present state of
Israel, and wherein they are taught to pray that since this
sentence could not be reversed it might be sanctified, and they
might learn to <i>apply their hearts unto wisdom.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p32">V. The mercy that was mixed with this
severe sentence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p33">1. Mercy to Caleb and Joshua, that though
they should wander with the rest in the wilderness, yet they, and
only they of all that were now above twenty years old, should
survive the years of banishment, and live to enter Canaan. Caleb
only is spoken of (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:24" id="Num.xv-p33.1" parsed="|Num|14|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>), and a particular mark of honour put upon him, both,
(1.) In the character given of him: he had <i>another spirit,</i>
different from the rest of the spies, an <i>after-spirit,</i> which
furnished him with second thoughts, and he <i>followed the Lord
fully,</i> kept close to his duty, and went through with it, though
deserted and threatened; and, (2.) In the recompence promised to
him: <i>Him will I bring in due time into the land whereinto he
went.</i> Note, [1.] It ought to be the great care and endeavour of
every one of us to follow the Lord fully. We must, in a course of
obedience to God's will and of service to his honour, follow him
universally, without dividing,&#8212;uprightly, without
dissembling,&#8212;cheerfully, without disputing,&#8212;and constantly,
without declining; and this is following him fully. [2.] Those that
would follow God fully must have another spirit, another from the
spirit of the world, and another from what their own spirit has
been. They must have the spirit of Caleb. [3.] Those that follow
God fully in times of general apostasy God will own and honour by
singular preservations in times of general calamity. The heavenly
Canaan shall be the everlasting inheritance of those that follow
the Lord fully. When Caleb is again mentioned (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:30" id="Num.xv-p33.2" parsed="|Num|14|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>) Joshua stands with him,
compassed with the same favours and crowned with the same honours,
having stood with him in the same services.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p34">2. Mercy to the children even of these
rebels. They should have a seed preserved, and Canaan secured to
that seed: <i>Your little ones,</i> now under twenty years old,
<i>which you,</i> in your unbelief, <i>said should be a prey, them
will I bring in,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:31" id="Num.xv-p34.1" parsed="|Num|14|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>. They had invidiously charged God with a design to
ruin their children, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:3" id="Num.xv-p34.2" parsed="|Num|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. But God will let them know that he can put a
difference between the guilty and the innocent, and cut them off
without touching their children. Thus the promise made to Abraham,
though it seemed to fail for a time, was kept from failing for
evermore; and, though God chastened their transgressions with a
rod, yet his <i>loving kindness he would not utterly take
away.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 14:36-45" id="Num.xv-p34.3" parsed="|Num|14|36|14|45" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.36-Num.14.45"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.14.36-Num.14.45">
<h4 id="Num.xv-p34.4">Death of the Evil Spies. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p34.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xv-p35">36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the
land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against
him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, &#160; 37 Even those
men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the
plague before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 38
But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, <i>which
were</i> of the men that went to search the land, lived
<i>still.</i> &#160; 39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the
children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly. &#160; 40 And
they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of
the mountain, saying, Lo, we <i>be here,</i> and will go up unto
the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.2">Lord</span> hath
promised: for we have sinned. &#160; 41 And Moses said, Wherefore
now do ye transgress the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.3">Lord</span>? but it shall not prosper. &#160; 42 Go not
up, for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.4">Lord</span> <i>is</i> not among
you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. &#160; 43 For the
Amalekites and the Canaanites <i>are</i> there before you, and ye
shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.5">Lord</span>, therefore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.6">Lord</span> will not be with you. &#160; 44 But they
presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the
covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xv-p35.7">Lord</span>, and Moses,
departed not out of the camp. &#160; 45 Then the Amalekites came
down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them,
and discomfited them, <i>even</i> unto Hormah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p36">Here is, I. The sudden death of the ten
evil spies. While the sentence was passing upon the people, before
it was published, they <i>died of the plague before the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:36,37" id="Num.xv-p36.1" parsed="|Num|14|36|14|37" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.36-Num.14.37"><i>v.</i> 36, 37</scripRef>.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p37">1. God hereby showed his particular
displeasure against those who <i>sinned and made Israel to sin.</i>
(1.) They sinned themselves, in bringing up a slander upon the land
of promise. Note, Those greatly provoke God who misrepresent
religion, cast reproach upon it, and raise prejudices in men's
minds against it, or give occasion to those to do so who seek
occasion. Those that represent the service of God as mean and
despicable, melancholy and uncomfortable, hard and impracticable,
needless and unprofitable, bring up an <i>evil report</i> upon the
good land, <i>pervert the right ways of the Lord,</i> and in effect
give him the lie. (2.) They <i>made Israel to sin.</i> They
designedly <i>made all the congregation murmur</i> against God.
Note, Ring-leaders in sin may expect to fall under particular marks
of the wrath of God, who will severely reckon for the blood of
souls, which is thus spilt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p38">2. God hereby showed what he could have
done with the whole congregation, and gave an earnest of the
execution of the sentence now passed upon them. He that thus cut
off one of a tribe could have cut off their whole tribes suddenly,
and would do it gradually. Note, The remarkable deaths of notorious
sinners are earnests of the final perdition of ungodly men,
<scripRef passage="2Pe 2:5,6" id="Num.xv-p38.1" parsed="|2Pet|2|5|2|6" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.5-2Pet.2.6">2 Pet. ii. 5, 6</scripRef>. Thus the
wrath of God is revealed, that sinners may hear and fear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p39">II. The special preservation of Caleb and
Joshua: <i>They lived still,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:38" id="Num.xv-p39.1" parsed="|Num|14|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. It is probable that all the
twelve spies stood together, for the eyes of all Israel were now
upon them; and therefore it is taken notice of as very remarkable,
and which could not but be affecting to the whole congregation,
that when the ten evil spies fell down dead of the plague, a
malignant infectious distemper, yet these two that stood among them
lived, and were well. God hereby confirmed their testimony, and put
those to confusion that spoke of stoning them. He likewise gave
them an assurance of their continued preservation in the
wilderness, when thousands should fall on their right hand and on
their left, <scripRef passage="Ps 91:7" id="Num.xv-p39.2" parsed="|Ps|91|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.7">Ps. xci. 7</scripRef>.
Death never misses his mark, nor takes any by oversight that were
designed for life, though in the midst of those that were to
die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p40">III. The publication of the sentence to all
the people, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:36" id="Num.xv-p40.1" parsed="|Num|14|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>.
He told them all what the decree was which had gone forth
concerning them, and which could not be reversed, that they must
all die in the wilderness, and Canaan must be reserved for the next
generation. It was a very great disappointment, we may well think,
to Moses himself, who longed to be in Canaan, as well as to all the
people; yet he acquiesced, but they wept and mourned greatly. The
assurance which Moses had of God's being glorified by this sentence
gave him satisfaction, while the consciousness of their own guilt,
and their having procured it to themselves, gave them the greatest
vexation. They wept for nothing (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:1" id="Num.xv-p40.2" parsed="|Num|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), and now they have cause given
them to weep; so justly are murmurers made mourners. If they had
mourned for the sin when they were faithfully reproved for it
(<scripRef passage="Nu 14:9" id="Num.xv-p40.3" parsed="|Num|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), the sentence
would have been prevented; but now that they mourned for the
judgment only their grief came too late, and did them no service;
they <i>found no place for repentance, though they sought it
carefully with tears,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 12:17" id="Num.xv-p40.4" parsed="|Heb|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.17">Heb. xii.
17</scripRef>. Such mourning as this there is in hell, but the
tears will not quench the flames, no, nor cool the tongue.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p41">IV. The foolish fruitless attempts of some
of the Israelites to enter Canaan, notwithstanding the
sentence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p42">1. They were now eager to go forward
towards Canaan, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:40" id="Num.xv-p42.1" parsed="|Num|14|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.40"><i>v.</i>
40</scripRef>. They were up early, mustered all their force, got
together in a body, and begged of Moses to lead them on against the
enemy, and now there is no more talk among them of making a captain
to return into Egypt. They confess their fault: <i>We have
sinned;</i> they profess reformation: <i>Lo, we be here, and will
go up.</i> They now desire the land which they had despised, and
put a confidence in the promise which they had distrusted. Thus
when God judges he will overcome, and, first or last, will convince
sinners of the evil of all their ungodly deeds, and hard speeches,
and force them to recall their own words. But, though God was
glorified by this recantation of theirs, they were not benefited by
it, because it came too late. The decree had gone forth, the
consumption was determined; they did not seek the Lord while he
might be found, and now he would not be found. O, if men would but
be as earnest for heaven while their day of grace lasts as they
will be when it is over, would be as solicitous to provide
themselves with oil while the bridegroom tarries as they will be
when the bridegroom comes, how well were it for them!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p43">2. Moses utterly disallows their motion,
and forbids the expedition they were meditating: <i>Go not up,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:41-43" id="Num.xv-p43.1" parsed="|Num|14|41|14|43" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.41-Num.14.43"><i>v.</i> 41-43</scripRef>. (1.) He
gives them warning of the sin; it is <i>transgressing the
commandment of the Lord,</i> who had expressly ordered them, when
they did move, to move back towards the Red Sea. Note, That which
has been duty, in its season, when it comes to be mistimed may be
turned into sin. It is true the command he refers to was in the
nature of a punishment, but he that has not obeyed the law is
obliged to submit to the penalty, for the Lord is our Judge as well
as Lawgiver. (2.) He gives them this warning of the danger: "<i>It
shall not prosper,</i> never expect it." Note, It is folly to
promise ourselves success in that which we undertake contrary to
the mind of God. "<i>The Canaanites are before you</i> to attack
you, and <i>the Lord is not among you</i> to protect you and fight
for you, and therefore look to yourselves <i>that you be not
smitten before your enemies.</i>" Those that are out of the way of
their duty are from under God's protection, and go at their peril.
It is dangerous going where we cannot expect God should go along
with us. Nay, he plainly foresees and foretells their defeat: <i>You
shall fall by the sword</i> of the Amalekites and Canaanites (who
were to have fallen by their sword); <i>Because you are turned away
from the Lord,</i> from following the guidance of his precept and
promise, <i>therefore the Lord will not be with you.</i> Note, God
will certainly leave those that leave him; and those that are left
of him lie exposed to all misery.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p44">3. They venture notwithstanding. Never was
people so perverse and so desperately resolved in every thing to
walk contrary to God. God bade them go, and they would not; he
forbade them, and they would. Thus is the <i>carnal mind enmity to
God: They presumed to go up unto the hill-top,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 14:44" id="Num.xv-p44.1" parsed="|Num|14|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>. Here, (1.) They
struggled against the sentence of divine justice, and would press
on in defiance of it. (2.) They slighted the tokens of God's
presence, for they would go though they left Moses and the ark of
the covenant behind them. They had distrusted God's strength, and
now they presume upon their own without his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xv-p45">4. The expedition speeds accordingly,
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:45" id="Num.xv-p45.1" parsed="|Num|14|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>. The enemy had
posted themselves upon the top of the hill, to make good that pass
against the invaders, and, being informed by their scouts of their
approach, sallied out upon them, and defeated them, and it is
probable that many of the Israelites were killed. Now the sentence
began to be executed that their <i>carcases should fall in the
wilderness.</i> Note, That affair can never end well that begins
with sin. The way to obtain peace with our friends, and success
against our enemies, is to make God our friend, and keep ourselves
in his love. The Jews, like these their ancestors, when they had
rejected Christ's righteousness, attempted to establish their own,
and it sped as this.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XV" n="xvi" progress="71.31%" prev="Num.xv" next="Num.xvii" id="Num.xvi">
<h2 id="Num.xvi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xvi-p0.2">CHAP. XV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xvi-p1">This chapter, which is mostly concerning sacrifice
and offering, comes in between the story of two rebellions (one
<scripRef passage="Nu 14:1-45" id="Num.xvi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|14|1|14|45" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1-Num.14.45"><i>ch.</i> xiv.</scripRef> the other
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:1-50" id="Num.xvi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|16|1|16|50" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.1-Num.16.50"><i>ch.</i> xvi.</scripRef>), to
signify that these legal institutions were typical of the gifts
which Christ was to receive even for the rebellious, <scripRef passage="Ps 68:18" id="Num.xvi-p1.3" parsed="|Ps|68|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.18">Ps. lxviii. 18</scripRef>. In the foregoing
chapter, upon Israel's provocation, God had determined to destroy
them, and in token of his wrath had sentenced them to perish in the
wilderness. But, upon Moses' intercession, he said, "I have
pardoned;" and, in token of that mercy, in this chapter he repeats
and explains some of the laws concerning offerings, to show that he
was reconciled to them, notwithstanding the severe dispensation
they were under, and would not unchurch them. Here is, I. The law
concerning the meat-offerings and drink-offerings (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:1-12" id="Num.xvi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|15|1|15|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.1-Num.15.12">ver. 1-12</scripRef>) both for Israelites and
for strangers (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:13-16" id="Num.xvi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|15|13|15|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.13-Num.15.16">ver.
13-16</scripRef>), and a law concerning the heave-offerings of the
first of their dough, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:17-21" id="Num.xvi-p1.6" parsed="|Num|15|17|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.17-Num.15.21">ver.
17-21</scripRef>. II. The law concerning sacrifices for sins of
ignorance, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:22-29" id="Num.xvi-p1.7" parsed="|Num|15|22|15|29" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.22-Num.15.29">ver. 22-29</scripRef>.
III. The punishment of presumptuous sins (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:30,31" id="Num.xvi-p1.8" parsed="|Num|15|30|15|31" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.30-Num.15.31">ver. 30, 31</scripRef>), and an instance given in the
sabbath-breaker, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:32-36" id="Num.xvi-p1.9" parsed="|Num|15|32|15|36" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.32-Num.15.36">ver.
32-36</scripRef>. IV. A law concerning fringes, for memorandums,
upon the borders of their garments, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:37-41" id="Num.xvi-p1.10" parsed="|Num|15|37|15|41" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.37-Num.15.41">ver. 37</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 15" id="Num.xvi-p1.11" parsed="|Num|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 15:1-21" id="Num.xvi-p1.12" parsed="|Num|15|1|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.1-Num.15.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.15.1-Num.15.21">
<h4 id="Num.xvi-p1.13">Laws Concerning Sacrifices. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p1.14">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your
habitations, which I give unto you, &#160; 3 And will make an
offering by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.2">Lord</span>, a
burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a
freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.3">Lord</span>, of the herd, or of
the flock: &#160; 4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.4">Lord</span> bring a meat offering of a
tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth <i>part</i> of an hin
of oil. &#160; 5 And the fourth <i>part</i> of an hin of wine for a
drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or
sacrifice, for one lamb. &#160; 6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare
<i>for</i> a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with
the third <i>part</i> of an hin of oil. &#160; 7 And for a drink
offering thou shalt offer the third <i>part</i> of an hin of wine,
<i>for</i> a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 8 And when thou preparest a bullock
<i>for</i> a burnt offering, or <i>for</i> a sacrifice in
performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.6">Lord</span>: &#160; 9 Then shall he bring with a
bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with
half an hin of oil. &#160; 10 And thou shalt bring for a drink
offering half an hin of wine, <i>for</i> an offering made by fire,
of a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.7">Lord</span>.
&#160; 11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or
for a lamb, or a kid. &#160; 12 According to the number that ye
shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their
number. &#160; 13 All that are born of the country shall do these
things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of
a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.8">Lord</span>. &#160;
14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever <i>be</i> among
you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire,
of a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.9">Lord</span>; as
ye do, so he shall do. &#160; 15 One ordinance <i>shall be both</i>
for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that
sojourneth <i>with you,</i> an ordinance for ever in your
generations: as ye <i>are,</i> so shall the stranger be before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.10">Lord</span>. &#160; 16 One law and one
manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with
you. &#160; 17 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.11">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses, saying, &#160; 18 Speak unto the children of Israel,
and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,
&#160; 19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the
land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.12">Lord</span>. &#160; 20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the
first of your dough <i>for</i> an heave offering: as <i>ye do</i>
the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.
&#160; 21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p2.13">Lord</span> an heave offering in your
generations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p3">Here we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p4">I. Full instructions given concerning the
meat-offerings and drink-offerings, which were appendages to all
the sacrifices of animals. The beginning of this law is very
encouraging: <i>When you come into the land of your habitation
which I give unto you,</i> they you shall do so and so, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:2" id="Num.xvi-p4.1" parsed="|Num|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. This was a plain
intimation, not only that God was reconciled to them
notwithstanding the sentence he had passed upon them, but that he
would secure the promised land to their seed notwithstanding their
proneness to rebel against him. They might think some time or other
they should be guilty of a misdemeanour that would be fatal to
them, and would exclude them for ever, as the last had done for one
generation; but this intimates an assurance that they should be
kept from provoking God to such a degree as would amount to a
forfeiture; for this statute takes it for granted that there were
some of them that should in due time come into Canaan. The
meat-offerings were of two sorts; some were offered alone, and we
have the law concerning those, <scripRef passage="Le 2:1-16" id="Num.xvi-p4.2" parsed="|Lev|2|1|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.1-Lev.2.16">Lev.
ii. 1</scripRef>, &amp;c. Others were added to the burnt-offerings
and peace-offerings, and constantly attended them, and about these
direction is here given. It was requisite, since the sacrifices of
acknowledgment (specified in <scripRef passage="Nu 15:3" id="Num.xvi-p4.3" parsed="|Num|15|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>) were intended as the food of God's table, that there
should be a constant provision of bread, oil, and wine, whatever
the flesh-meat was. The caterers or purveyors for Solomon's temple
provided <i>fine flour,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ki 4:22" id="Num.xvi-p4.4" parsed="|1Kgs|4|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.4.22">1 Kings
iv. 22</scripRef>. And it was fit that God should keep a good
house, that his table should be furnished with bread as well as
flesh, and that his cup should run over. In my Father's house there
is bread enough. Now the intent of this law is to direct what
proportion the meat-offering and drink-offering should bear to
several sacrifices to which they were annexed. If the sacrifice was
a lamb or a kid, then the meat-offering must be a tenth-deal of
flour, that is, an omer, which contained about five pints; this
must be mingled with oil, the fourth part of a hin (a hin contained
about five quarts), and the drink-offering must be the same
quantity of wine, about a quart and half a pint, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:3-5" id="Num.xvi-p4.5" parsed="|Num|15|3|15|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.3-Num.15.5"><i>v.</i> 3-5</scripRef>. If it was a ram, the
meat-offering was doubled, two tenth-deals of flour, about five
quarts, and a third part of a hin of oil (which was to them as
butter is to us) mingled with it; and the same quantity of wine for
a drink-offering, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:6,7" id="Num.xvi-p4.6" parsed="|Num|15|6|15|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.6-Num.15.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. If the sacrifice was a bullock, the meat-offering was
to be trebled, three omers, with five pints of oil, and the same
quantity of wine for a drink-offering, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:8-10" id="Num.xvi-p4.7" parsed="|Num|15|8|15|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.8-Num.15.10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>. And thus for each
sacrifice, whether offered by a particular person or at the common
charge. Note, Our religious services should be governed, as by
other rules, so by the rule of proportion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p5">II. Natives and strangers are here set upon
a level, in this as in other matters (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:13-16" id="Num.xvi-p5.1" parsed="|Num|15|13|15|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.13-Num.15.16"><i>v.</i> 13-16</scripRef>): "<i>One law shall be for
you and for the stranger</i> that is proselyted to the Jewish
religion." Now, 1. This was an invitation to the Gentiles to become
proselytes, and to embrace the faith and worship of the true God.
In civil things there was a difference between strangers and
true-born Israelites, but not in the things of God; <i>as you are,
so shall the stranger be before the Lord,</i> for with him there is
no respect of persons. See <scripRef passage="Isa 56:3" id="Num.xvi-p5.2" parsed="|Isa|56|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.3">Isa. lvi.
3</scripRef>. 2. This was an obligation upon the Jews to be kind to
strangers, and not to oppress them, because they saw them owned and
accepted of God. Communion in religion is a great engagement to
mutual affection, and should slay all enmities. 3. It was a
mortification to the pride of the Jews, who are apt to be puffed up
with their birthright privileges. "We are Abraham's seed." God let
them know that the sons of the stranger were as welcome to him as
the sons of Jacob; no man's birth or parentage shall turn either to
his advantage or his prejudice in his acceptance with God. This
likewise intimated that, as believing strangers should be accounted
Israelites, so unbelieving Israelites should be accounted
strangers. 4. It was a happy presage of the calling of the
Gentiles, and of their admission into the church. If the law made
so little difference between Jew and Gentile, much less would the
gospel make, which broke down the partition-wall, and reconciled
both to God in one sacrifice, without the observance of the legal
ceremonies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p6">III. A law for the offering of the first of
their dough unto the Lord. This, as the former, goes upon the
comfortable supposition of their having <i>come into the promised
land,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:18" id="Num.xvi-p6.1" parsed="|Num|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Now
that they lived upon manna they needed not such an express
acknowledgment of God's title to their daily bread, and their
dependence upon him for it, the thing spoke for itself; but in
Canaan, where they should eat the fruit of their own industry, God
required that he should be owned as their landlord and their great
benefactor. They must not only offer him the first-fruits and
tenths of the corn in their fields (these had already been
reserved); but when they had it in their houses, in their kneading
trough, when it was almost ready to be set upon their tables, God
must have a further tribute of acknowledgment, part of their dough
(the Jews say a fortieth part, at least, of the whole lump) must be
heaved or offered up to God (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:20,21" id="Num.xvi-p6.2" parsed="|Num|15|20|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.20-Num.15.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>), and the priest must
have it for the use of his family. Thus they must own their
dependence upon God for their daily bread, even when they had it in
the house with them; they must then wait on God for the comfortable
use of it; for we read of that which was brought home, and yet God
did blow upon it, and it came to little, <scripRef passage="Hag 1:9" id="Num.xvi-p6.3" parsed="|Hag|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hag.1.9">Hag. i. 9</scripRef>. Christ has taught us to pray not,
<i>Give us this year our yearly harvest,</i> but <i>Give us this
day our daily bread.</i> God by this law said to the people, as the
prophet long afterwards said to the widow of Sarepta (<scripRef passage="1Ki 17:13" id="Num.xvi-p6.4" parsed="|1Kgs|17|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.17.13">1 Kings xvii. 13</scripRef>), <i>Only make me
thereof a little cake first.</i> This offering was expressly kept
up by the laws of Ezekiel's visionary temple, and it is a
commandment with promise of family-mercies (<scripRef passage="Eze 44:30" id="Num.xvi-p6.5" parsed="|Ezek|44|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.30">Ezek. xliv. 30</scripRef>): <i>You shall give unto the
priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to
rest in thy house;</i> for, when God has had his dues out of our
estates, we may expect the comfort of what falls to our share.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 15:22-29" id="Num.xvi-p6.6" parsed="|Num|15|22|15|29" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.22-Num.15.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.15.22-Num.15.29">
<h4 id="Num.xvi-p6.7">Sacrifices for Sins of
Ignorance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p6.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvi-p7">22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all
these commandments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.1">Lord</span>
hath spoken unto Moses, &#160; 23 <i>Even</i> all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.2">Lord</span> hath commanded you by the hand of
Moses, from the day that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.3">Lord</span>
commanded <i>Moses,</i> and henceforward among your generations;
&#160; 24 Then it shall be, if <i>ought</i> be committed by
ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the
congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering,
for a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.4">Lord</span>,
with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the
manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering. &#160; 25 And
the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the
children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it <i>is</i>
ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by
fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.5">Lord</span>, and their sin
offering before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.6">Lord</span>, for their
ignorance: &#160; 26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation
of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among
them; seeing all the people <i>were</i> in ignorance. &#160; 27 And
if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat
of the first year for a sin offering. &#160; 28 And the priest
shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when
he sinneth by ignorance before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p7.7">Lord</span>, to make an atonement for him; and it shall
be forgiven him. &#160; 29 Ye shall have one law for him that
sinneth through ignorance, <i>both for</i> him that is born among
the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p8">We have here the laws concerning sacrifices
for sins of ignorance; the Jews understand it of idolatry, or false
worship, through the error of their teachers. The case here
supposed is that they <i>had not observed all these
commandments,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:22,23" id="Num.xvi-p8.1" parsed="|Num|15|22|15|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.22-Num.15.23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>. If they had failed in the offerings of their
acknowledgment, and had not brought them according to the law, then
they must bring an offering of atonement, yea, though the omission
had been through forgetfulness or mistake. If they failed in one
part of the ceremony, they must make it up by the observance of
another part, which was in the nature of a remedial law. 1. The
case is put of a national sin, committed through ignorance, and
become customary through a vulgar error (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:24" id="Num.xvi-p8.2" parsed="|Num|15|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>)&#8212;<i>the congregation,</i> that
is, the body of the people, for so it is explained (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:25" id="Num.xvi-p8.3" parsed="|Num|15|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>): <i>All the
congregation of the children of Israel.</i> The ceremonial
observances were so numerous, and so various, that, it might easily
be supposed, some of them by degrees would be forgotten and
disused, as particularly that immediately before concerning the
heave-offering of their dough: now if, in process of time, upon
consulting the law, there should appear to have been a general
neglect of that or any other appointment, then a sacrifice must be
offered for the whole congregation, and the oversight shall be
forgiven (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:25,26" id="Num.xvi-p8.4" parsed="|Num|15|25|15|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.25-Num.15.26"><i>v.</i> 25,
26</scripRef>) and not punished, as it deserved, with some national
judgment. The offering of the sacrifice <i>according to the
manner,</i> or <i>ordinance,</i> plainly refers to a former
statute, of which this is the repetition; and the same bullock
which is there called <i>a sin-offering</i> (<scripRef passage="Le 4:13,21" id="Num.xvi-p8.5" parsed="|Lev|4|13|0|0;|Lev|4|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.13 Bible:Lev.4.21">Lev. iv. 13, 21</scripRef>) is here called <i>a
burnt-offering</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:24" id="Num.xvi-p8.6" parsed="|Num|15|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>), because it was wholly burnt, though not upon the
altar, yet without the camp. And here is the addition of a <i>kid
of the goats for a sin-offering.</i> According to this law, we find
that Hezekiah made atonement for the errors of his father's reign,
by <i>seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven
he-goats,</i> which he offered as a <i>sin-offering for the
kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah</i> (<scripRef passage="2Ch 29:21" id="Num.xvi-p8.7" parsed="|2Chr|29|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.29.21">2 Chron. xxix. 21</scripRef>), and <i>for all
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:24" id="Num.xvi-p8.8" parsed="|Num|15|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>.
And we find the like done after the return out of captivity,
<scripRef passage="Ezr 8:35" id="Num.xvi-p8.9" parsed="|Ezra|8|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.35">Ezra viii. 35</scripRef>. 2. It is
likewise supposed to be the case of a particular person: <i>If any
soul sin through ignorance</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:27" id="Num.xvi-p8.10" parsed="|Num|15|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), neglecting any part of his
duty, he must bring his offering, as was appointed, <scripRef passage="Le 4:27-35" id="Num.xvi-p8.11" parsed="|Lev|4|27|4|35" osisRef="Bible:Lev.4.27-Lev.4.35">Lev. iv. 27</scripRef>, &amp;c. Thus atonement
shall be made <i>for the soul that sins, when he sins through
ignorance,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:28" id="Num.xvi-p8.12" parsed="|Num|15|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. Observe, (1.) Sins committed ignorantly need to have
atonement made for them; for, though ignorance will in a degree
excuse, it will not justify those that might have known their
Lord's will and did it not. David prayed to be cleansed from his
<i>secret faults,</i> that is, those sins which he himself was not
aware of, the errors he did not understand, <scripRef passage="Ps 19:12" id="Num.xvi-p8.13" parsed="|Ps|19|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.19.12">Ps. xix. 12</scripRef>. (2.) Sins committed ignorantly
shall be forgiven, through Christ the great sacrifice, who, when he
offered up himself once for all upon the cross, seemed to explain
the intention of his offering in that prayer, <i>Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do.</i> And Paul seems to allude
to this law concerning sins of ignorance (<scripRef passage="1Ti 1:13" id="Num.xvi-p8.14" parsed="|1Tim|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.1.13">1 Tim. i. 13</scripRef>), <i>I obtained mercy, because I
did it ignorantly and in unbelief.</i> And it looked favourable
upon the Gentiles that this law of atoning for sins of ignorance is
expressly made to extend to those who were strangers to the
commonwealth of Israel (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:29" id="Num.xvi-p8.15" parsed="|Num|15|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>), but supposed to be <i>proselytes of
righteousness.</i> Thus the blessing of Abraham comes upon the
Gentiles.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 15:30-36" id="Num.xvi-p8.16" parsed="|Num|15|30|15|36" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.30-Num.15.36"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.15.30-Num.15.36">
<h4 id="Num.xvi-p8.17">Doom of Presumptuous
Sinners. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p8.18">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvi-p9">30 But the soul that doeth <i>ought</i>
presumptuously, <i>whether he be</i> born in the land, or a
stranger, the same reproacheth the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p9.1">Lord</span>; and that soul shall be cut off from among
his people. &#160; 31 Because he hath despised the word of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p9.2">Lord</span>, and hath broken his
commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity
<i>shall be</i> upon him. &#160; 32 And while the children of
Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered
sticks upon the sabbath day. &#160; 33 And they that found him
gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the
congregation. &#160; 34 And they put him in ward, because it was
not declared what should be done to him. &#160; 35 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p9.3">Lord</span> said unto Moses, The man shall be
surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with
stones without the camp. &#160; 36 And all the congregation brought
him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p9.4">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p10">Here is, I. The general doom passed upon
presumptuous sinners. 1. Those are to be reckoned presumptuous
sinners that sin <i>with a high hand,</i> as the original phrase is
(<scripRef passage="Nu 15:30" id="Num.xvi-p10.1" parsed="|Num|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>), that is,
that avowedly confront God's authority, and set up their own lust
in competition with it, that sin for sinning-sake, in contradiction
to the precept of the law, and in defiance of the penalty, that
fight against God, and dare him to do his worst; see <scripRef passage="Job 15:25" id="Num.xvi-p10.2" parsed="|Job|15|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.15.25">Job xv. 25</scripRef>. It is not only to sin
against knowledge, but to sin designedly against God's will and
glory. 2. Sins thus committed are exceedingly sinful. He that thus
breaks the commandment, (1.) <i>Reproaches the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:30" id="Num.xvi-p10.3" parsed="|Num|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>); he says the worst he
can of him, and most unjustly. The language of presumptuous sin is,
"Eternal truth is not fit to be believed, the Lord of all not fit
to be obeyed, and almighty power not fit to be either feared or
trusted." It imputes folly to Infinite Wisdom, and iniquity to the
righteous Judge of heaven and earth; such is the malignity of
wilful sin. (2.) He <i>despises the word of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:31" id="Num.xvi-p10.4" parsed="|Num|15|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. There are those who, in
many instances, come short of fulfilling the word, and yet have a
great value for it, and count the law honourable; but presumptuous
sinners despise it, thinking themselves too great, too good, and
too wise, to be ruled by it. <i>What is the Almighty that we should
serve him?</i> Whatever the sin itself is, it is contumacy that
incurs the anathema. It is rebellion added to the sin that is as
witch-craft, and stubbornness as idolatry. 3. The sentence passed
on such is dreadful. There remains no sacrifice for those sins; the
law provided none: <i>That soul shall be cut off from among his
people</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:30" id="Num.xvi-p10.5" parsed="|Num|15|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>),
<i>utterly cut off</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:31" id="Num.xvi-p10.6" parsed="|Num|15|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>); and that God may be for ever justified, and the
sinner for ever confounded, <i>his iniquity shall be upon him,</i>
and there needs no more to sink him to the lowest hell. Thus the
Jewish doctors understand it, that <i>the iniquity shall cleave to
the soul, after it is cut off, and that man shall give an account
of his sin at the great day of judgment.</i> Perhaps the kind of
offence might be such as did not expose the offender to the censure
of the civil magistrate, but, if it was done presumptuously, God
himself would take the punishment of it into his own hands, and
into them it is a fearful thing to fall. In the New Testament we
find the like sentence of exclusion from all benefit by the great
sacrifice passed upon the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and a
total apostasy from Christianity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p11">II. A particular instance of presumption in
the sin of sabbath-breaking. 1. The offence was the gathering of
sticks on the sabbath day (<scripRef passage="Nu 15:32" id="Num.xvi-p11.1" parsed="|Num|15|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.32"><i>v.</i>
32</scripRef>), which, it is probable, were designed to make a fire
of, whereas they were commanded to bake and seeth what they had
occasion for the day before, <scripRef passage="Ex 16:23" id="Num.xvi-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|16|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.23">Exod.
xvi. 23</scripRef>. This seemed but a small offence, but it was a
violation of the law of the sabbath, and so was a tacit contempt of
the Creator, to whose honour the sabbath was dedicated, and an
incursion upon the whole law, which the sabbath was intended as a
hedge about. And it appears by the context to have been done
presumptuously, and in affront both of the law and to the
Law-maker. 2. The offender was secured, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:33,34" id="Num.xvi-p11.3" parsed="|Num|15|33|15|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.33-Num.15.34"><i>v.</i> 33, 34</scripRef>. Those that found him
<i>gathering sticks,</i> in their zeal for the honour of the
sabbath, <i>brought him to Moses and Aaron, and all the
congregation,</i> which intimates that being the sabbath day the
congregation was at that time gathered to Moses and Aaron, to
receive instruction from them, and to join with them in religious
worship. It seems, even common Israelites, though there was much
amiss among them, yet would not contentedly see the sabbath
profaned, which was a good sign that they had not quite forsaken
God, nor were utterly forsaken of him. 3. God was consulted,
<i>because it was not declared what should be done to him.</i> The
law had already made the profanation of the sabbath a capital crime
(<scripRef passage="Ex 31:14,Nu 35:2" id="Num.xvi-p11.4" parsed="|Exod|31|14|0|0;|Num|35|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.31.14 Bible:Num.35.2">Exod. xxxi. 14, <i>ch.</i>
xxxv. 2</scripRef>); but they were in doubt, either concerning the
offence (whether this that he had done should be deemed a
profanation or no) or concerning the punishment, which death he
should die. God was the Judge, and before him they brought this
cause. 4. Sentence was passed; the prisoner was adjudged a
sabbath-breaker, according to the intent of that law, and as such
he must be put to death; and to show how great the crime was, and
how displeasing to God, and that others might hear and fear and not
do in like manner presumptuously, that death is appointed him which
was looked upon as most terrible: He must be <i>stoned with
stones,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 15:35" id="Num.xvi-p11.5" parsed="|Num|15|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>.
Note, God is jealous for the honour of his sabbaths, and will not
hold those guiltless, whatever men do, that profane them. 5.
Execution was done pursuant to the sentence, <scripRef passage="Nu 15:36" id="Num.xvi-p11.6" parsed="|Num|15|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>. He was <i>stoned</i> to death
<i>by the congregation.</i> As many as could were employed in the
execution, that those, at least, might be afraid of breaking the
sabbath, who had thrown a stone at this sabbath-breaker. This
intimates that the open profanation of the sabbath is a sin which
ought to be punished and restrained by the civil magistrate, who,
as far as overt acts go, is keeper of both tables. See <scripRef passage="Ne 13:17" id="Num.xvi-p11.7" parsed="|Neh|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.13.17">Neh. xiii. 17</scripRef>. One would think there
could be no great harm in gathering a few sticks, on what day
soever it was, but God intended the exemplary punishment of him
that did so for a standing warning to us all, to make conscience of
keeping holy the sabbath.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 15:37-41" id="Num.xvi-p11.8" parsed="|Num|15|37|15|41" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.37-Num.15.41"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.15.37-Num.15.41">
<h4 id="Num.xvi-p11.9">The Law Concerning Fringes. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p11.10">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvi-p12">37 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p12.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 38 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of
their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon
the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: &#160; 39 And it shall
be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember
all the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p12.2">Lord</span>,
and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own
eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: &#160; 40 That ye may
remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
&#160; 41 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p12.3">Lord</span> your
God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvi-p12.4">Lord</span> your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p13">Provision had been just now made by the law
for the pardon of sins of ignorance and infirmity; now here is an
expedient provided for the preventing of such sins. They are
ordered to make fringes upon the borders of their garments, which
were to be memorandums to them of their duty, that they might not
sin through forgetfulness. 1. The sign appointed is a fringe of
silk, or thread, or worsted, or the garment itself ravelled at the
bottom, and a blue riband bound on the top of it to keep it tight,
<scripRef passage="Nu 15:38" id="Num.xvi-p13.1" parsed="|Num|15|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. The Jews
being a peculiar people, they were thus distinguished from their
neighbours in their dress, as well as in their diet, and taught by
such little instances of singularity not to be conformed to the way
of the heathen in greater things. Thus likewise they proclaimed
themselves Jews wherever they were, as those that were not ashamed
of God and his law. Our Saviour, being made under the law, wore
these fringes; hence we read of the hem or border, of his garment,
<scripRef passage="Mt 9:20" id="Num.xvi-p13.2" parsed="|Matt|9|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.9.20">Matt. ix. 20</scripRef>. These borders
the Pharisees enlarged, that they might be thought more holy and
devout than other people. The phylacteries were different things;
these were their own invention, the fringes were a divine
institution. The Jews at this day wear them, saying, when they put
them on, <i>Blessed be he who has sanctified us unto himself, and
commanded us to wear fringes.</i> 2. The intention of it was to
remind them that they were a peculiar people. They were not
appointed for the trimming and adorning of their clothes, but <i>to
stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 3:1" id="Num.xvi-p13.3" parsed="|2Pet|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.3.1">2 Pet. iii. 1</scripRef>), that they might
<i>look upon the fringe and remember the commandments.</i> Many
look upon their ornaments to feed their pride, but they must look
upon these ornaments to awaken their consciences to a sense of
their duty, that their religion might constantly beset them, and
that they might carry it about with them, as they did their
clothes, wherever they went. If they were tempted to sin, the
fringe would be a monitor to them not to break God's commandments:
If a duty was forgotten to be done in its season, the fringe would
remind them of it. This institution, though it is not an imposition
upon us, is an instruction to us, always to <i>remember the
commandments of the Lord our God,</i> that we <i>may do them,</i>
to treasure them up in our memories, and to apply them to
particular cases as there is occasion to use them. It was intended
particularly to be a preservative from idolatry: that you <i>seek
not after your own heart, and your own eyes,</i> in your religious
worship. Yet it may extend also to the whole conversation, for
nothing is more contrary to God's honour, and our own true
interest, than to <i>walk in the way of our heart</i> and in <i>the
sight of our eyes;</i> for the <i>imagination of the heart is
evil,</i> and so is the <i>lust of the eyes.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvi-p14">After the repetition of some ceremonial
appointments, the chapter closes with that great and fundamental
law of religion, <i>Be holy unto your God,</i> purged from sin, and
sincerely devoted to his service; and that great reason for all the
commandments is again and again inculcated, <i>I am the Lord your
God.</i> Did we more firmly believe, and more frequently and
seriously consider, that God is the Lord, and our God and Redeemer,
we should see ourselves bound in duty, interest, and gratitude, to
keep all his commandments.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVI" n="xvii" progress="71.84%" prev="Num.xvi" next="Num.xviii" id="Num.xvii">
<h2 id="Num.xvii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xvii-p0.2">CHAP. XVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xvii-p1">The date of the history contained in this chapter
is altogether uncertain. Probably these mutinies happened after
their removal back again from Kadesh-barnea, when they were fixed
(if I may so speak) for their wandering in the wilderness, and
began to look upon that as their settlement. Presently after new
laws given follows the story of a new rebellion, as if sin took
occasion from the commandment to become more exceedingly sinful.
Here is, I. A daring and dangerous rebellion raised against Moses
and Aaron, by Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:1-15" id="Num.xvii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|16|1|16|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.1-Num.16.15">ver. 1-15</scripRef>. 1. Korah and his accomplices
contend for the priesthood against Aaron, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:3" id="Num.xvii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.3">ver. 3</scripRef>. Moses reasons with them, and appeals
to God for a decision of the controversy, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:4-11" id="Num.xvii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|16|4|16|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.4-Num.16.11">ver. 4-11</scripRef>. 2. Dathan and Abiram quarrel
with Moses, and refuse to obey his summons, which greatly grieves
him, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:12-15" id="Num.xvii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|16|12|16|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.12-Num.16.15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. II. A
solemn appearance of the pretenders to the priesthood before God,
according to order, and a public appearance of the glory of the
Lord, which would have consumed the whole congregation if Moses and
Aaron had not interceded, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:16-22" id="Num.xvii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|16|16|16|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.16-Num.16.22">ver.
16-22</scripRef>. III. The deciding of the controversy, and the
crushing of the rebellion, by the cutting off of the rebels. 1.
Those in their tents were buried alive, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:23-34" id="Num.xvii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|16|23|16|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.23-Num.16.34">ver. 23-34</scripRef>. 2. Those at the door of the
tabernacle were consumed by fire (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:35" id="Num.xvii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|16|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.35">ver.
35</scripRef>), and their censers preserved for a memorial,
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:37-40" id="Num.xvii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|16|37|16|40" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.37-Num.16.40">ver. 37-40</scripRef>. IV. A new
insurrection of the people, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:41-43" id="Num.xvii-p1.9" parsed="|Num|16|41|16|43" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.41-Num.16.43">ver.
41-43</scripRef>. 1. God stayed in the insurrection by a plague,
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:45" id="Num.xvii-p1.10" parsed="|Num|16|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.45">ver. 45</scripRef>. 2. Aaron stayed
the plague by offering incense, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:46-50" id="Num.xvii-p1.11" parsed="|Num|16|46|16|50" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.46-Num.16.50">ver. 46-50</scripRef>. The manner and method of
recording this story plainly show the ferment to have been very
great.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16" id="Num.xvii-p1.12" parsed="|Num|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16:1-11" id="Num.xvii-p1.13" parsed="|Num|16|1|16|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.1-Num.16.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.16.1-Num.16.11">
<h4 id="Num.xvii-p1.14">Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p1.15">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvii-p2">1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of
Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab,
and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took <i>men:</i> &#160;
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of
Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in
the congregation, men of renown: &#160; 3 And they gathered
themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto
them, <i>Ye take</i> too much upon you, seeing all the congregation
<i>are</i> holy, every one of them, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.1">Lord</span> <i>is</i> among them: wherefore then lift
ye up yourselves above the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.2">Lord</span>? &#160; 4 And when Moses heard <i>it,</i>
he fell upon his face: &#160; 5 And he spake unto Korah and unto
all his company, saying, Even to morrow the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.3">Lord</span> will show who <i>are</i> his, and <i>who
is</i> holy; and will cause <i>him</i> to come near unto him: even
<i>him</i> whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
&#160; 6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
&#160; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.4">Lord</span> to morrow: and it shall be
<i>that</i> the man whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.5">Lord</span>
doth choose, he <i>shall be</i> holy: <i>ye take</i> too much upon
you, ye sons of Levi. &#160; 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I
pray you, ye sons of Levi: &#160; 9 <i>Seemeth it but</i> a small
thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the
congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the
service of the tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.6">Lord</span>, and to stand before the congregation to
minister unto them? &#160; 10 And he hath brought thee near <i>to
him,</i> and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek
ye the priesthood also? &#160; 11 For which cause <i>both</i> thou
and all thy company <i>are</i> gathered together against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p2.7">Lord</span>: and what <i>is</i> Aaron, that ye
murmur against him?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p3">Here is, I. An account of the rebels, who
and what they were, not, as formerly, the mixed multitude and the
dregs of the people, who are therefore never named, but men of
distinction and quality, that made a figure. Korah was the
ring-leader: he formed and headed the faction; therefore it is
called <i>the gainsaying of Korah,</i> <scripRef passage="Jude 1:11" id="Num.xvii-p3.1" parsed="|Jude|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.11">Jude 11</scripRef>. He was cousin-german to Moses, they
were brothers' children, yet the nearness of the relation could not
restrain him from being insolent and rude to Moses. Think it not
strange if a man's foes be <i>those of his own house.</i> With him
joined Dathan and Abiram, chief men of the tribe of Reuben, the
eldest son of Jacob. Probably Korah was disgusted both at the
preferment of Aaron to the priesthood and the constituting of
Elizaphan to the head of the Kohathites (<scripRef passage="Nu 3:30" id="Num.xvii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|3|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.3.30"><i>ch.</i> iii. 30</scripRef>); and perhaps the
Reubenites were angry that the tribe of Judah had the first post of
honour in the camp. <i>On</i> is mentioned (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:1" id="Num.xvii-p3.3" parsed="|Num|16|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>) as one of the heads of the
faction, but never after in the whole story, either because, as
some think, he repented and left them, or because he did not make
himself so remarkable as Dathan and Abiram did. The Kohathites
encamped on the same side of the tabernacle that the Reubenites
did, which perhaps gave Korah an opportunity of drawing them in,
whence the Jews say, <i>Woe to the wicked man, and woe to his
neighbour,</i> who is in danger of being infected by him. And,
these being themselves <i>men of renown,</i> they seduced into the
conspiracy <i>two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 16:2" id="Num.xvii-p3.4" parsed="|Num|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>); probably they
were first-born, or at least heads of families, who, before the
elevation of Aaron, had themselves ministered in holy things. Note,
The pride, ambition, and emulation, of great men, have always been
the occasion of a great deal of mischief both in churches and
states. God by his grace make great men humble, and so give peace
in our time, O Lord! Famous men, and men of renown, as these are
described to be, were the great sinners of the old world, <scripRef passage="Ge 6:4" id="Num.xvii-p3.5" parsed="|Gen|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.4">Gen. vi. 4</scripRef>. The fame and renown which
they had did not content them; they were high, but would be higher,
and thus the famous men became infamous.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p4">II. The rebels' remonstrance, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:3" id="Num.xvii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. That which they quarrel
with is the settlement of the priesthood upon Aaron and his family,
which they think an honour too great for Moses to give and Aaron to
accept, and so they are both charged with usurpation: <i>You take
too much upon you;</i> or, "Let it suffice you to have domineered
thus long, and now think of resigning your places to those who have
as good a title to them and are as well able to manage them." 1.
They proudly boast of the holiness of the congregation, and the
presence of God in it. "They are <i>holy, every one of them,</i>
and as fit to be employed in offering sacrifice as Aaron is, and as
masters of families formerly were, and <i>the Lord is among
them,</i> to direct and own them." Small reason they had to boast
of the people's purity, or of God's favour, as the people had been
so frequently and so lately polluted with sin, and were now under
the marks of God's displeasure, which should have made them
thankful for priests to mediate between them and God; but, instead
of that, they envy them. 2. They unjustly charge Moses and Aaron
with taking the honour they had to themselves, whereas it was
evident, beyond contradiction, that they were called of God to it,
<scripRef passage="Heb 5:4" id="Num.xvii-p4.2" parsed="|Heb|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.5.4">Heb. v. 4</scripRef>. So that they
would either have no priests at all, nor any government, none to
preside either in civil or sacred things, none over the
congregation, none above it, or they would not acquiesce in that
constitution of the government which God had appointed. See here,
(1.) What spirit levellers are of, and those that despise
dominions, and resist the powers that God has set over them; they
are proud, envious, ambitious, turbulent, wicked, and unreasonable
men. (2.) What usage even the best and most useful men may expect,
even from those they have been serviceable to. If those be
represented as usurpers that have the best titles, and those as
tyrants that govern best, let them recollect that Moses and Aaron
were thus abused.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p5">III. Moses's conduct when their
remonstrance was published against him. How did he take it?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p6">1. He <i>fell on his face</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:4" id="Num.xvii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|16|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), as before, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:5" id="Num.xvii-p6.2" parsed="|Num|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.5"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 5</scripRef>. Thus he showed how
willing he would have been to yield to them, and how gladly he
would have resigned his government, if it would have consisted with
his duty to God and his fidelity to the trust reposed in him. Thus
also he applied to God, by prayer, for direction what to say and to
do upon this sad occasion. He would not speak to them till he had
thus humbled and composed his own spirit (which could not but begin
to be heated), and had received instruction from God. The <i>heart
of the wise</i> in such a case <i>studies to answer,</i> and asks
counsel at God's mouth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p7">2. He agrees to refer the case to God, and
leave it to him to decide it, as one well assured of the goodness
of his title, and yet well content to resign, if God thought fit,
to gratify this discontented people with another nomination. An
honest cause fears not a speedy trial; even to-morrow let it be
brought on, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:5-7" id="Num.xvii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|16|5|16|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.5-Num.16.7"><i>v.</i> 5-7</scripRef>.
Let Korah and his partisans bring their censers, and offer incense
before the Lord, and, if he testify his acceptance of them, well
and good; Moses is now as willing that all the Lord's people should
be priests, if God so pleased, as before that they should all be
prophets, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:29" id="Num.xvii-p7.2" parsed="|Num|11|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.29"><i>ch.</i> xi.
29</scripRef>. But if God, upon an appeal to him, determine (as no
doubt he would) for Aaron, they would find it highly dangerous to
make the experiment: and therefore he puts it off till to-morrow,
to try whether, when they had slept upon it, they would desist, and
let fall their pretensions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p8">3. He argues the case fairly with them, to
still the mutiny with fair reasoning, if possible, before the
appeal came to God's tribunal, for then he knew it would end in the
confusion of the complainants.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p9">(1.) He calls them <i>the sons of Levi,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:7" id="Num.xvii-p9.1" parsed="|Num|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>, and again
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:8" id="Num.xvii-p9.2" parsed="|Num|16|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. They were of
his own tribe, nay, they were of God's tribe; it was therefore the
worse in them thus to mutiny both against God and against him. It
was not long since the sons of Levi had bravely appeared on God's
side, in the matter of the golden calf, and got immortal honour by
it; and shall those that were then the only innocents now be the
leading criminals, and lose all the honour they had won? Could
there be such chaff on God's floor? Levites, and yet rebels?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p10">(2.) He retorts their charge upon
themselves. They had unjustly charged Moses and Aaron with taking
too much upon them, though they had done no more than what God put
upon them; nay, says Moses, <i>You take too much upon you, you sons
of Levi.</i> Note, Those that take upon them to control and
contradict God's appointment take too much upon them. It is enough
for us to submit; it is too much to prescribe.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p11">(3.) He shows them the privilege they had
as Levites, which was sufficient for them, they needed not to
aspire to the honour of the priesthood, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:9,10" id="Num.xvii-p11.1" parsed="|Num|16|9|16|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.9-Num.16.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. He reminds them how great
the honour was to which they were preferred, as Levites. [1.] They
were <i>separated from the congregation of Israel,</i>
distinguished from them, dignified above them; instead of
complaining that Aaron's family was advanced above theirs, they
ought to have been thankful that their tribe was advanced above the
rest of the tribes, though they had been in all respects upon the
level with them. Note, It will help to keep us from envying those
that are above us duly to consider how many there are below us.
Instead of fretting that any are preferred before us in honour,
power, estate, or interest, in gifts, graces, or usefulness, we
have reason to bless God if we, who are less than the least, are
not put among the very last. Many perhaps who deserve better are
not preferred so well. [2.] They were separated to very great and
valuable honours, <i>First,</i> To <i>draw near to God,</i> nearer
than the common Israelites, though they also were a people near
unto him; the nearer any are to God the greater is their honour.
<i>Secondly, To do the service of the tabernacle.</i> It is honour
enough to bear the vessels of the sanctuary, and to be employed in
any part of the service of the tabernacle. God's service is not
only perfect freedom, but high preferment. <i>Thirdly,</i> To
<i>stand before the congregation to minister unto them.</i> Note,
Those are truly great that serve the public, and it is the honour
of God's ministers to be the church's ministers; nay, which adds to
the dignity put upon them, [3.] It was the God of Israel himself
that separated them. It was his act and deed to put them into their
place, and therefore they ought not to have been discontented: and
he it was likewise that put Aaron into his place, and therefore
they ought not to have envied him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p12">(4.) He convicts them of the sin of
undervaluing those privileges: <i>Seemeth it a small thing unto
you?</i> As if he had said, "It ill becomes you of all men to
grudge Aaron the priesthood, when at the same time that he was
advanced to that honour you were designed for another honour
dependent upon it, and shine with rays borrowed from him." Note,
[1.] The privilege of drawing near to the God of Israel is not a
small thing in itself, and therefore must not appear small to us.
To those who neglect opportunities of drawing near to God, who are
careless and formal in it, to whom it is a task and not a pleasure,
we may properly put this question: "Seemeth it a small thing to you
that God has made you a people near unto him?" [2.] Those who
aspire after and usurp the honours forbidden them put a great
contempt upon the honours allowed them. We have each of us as good
a share of reputation as God sees fit for us, and sees us fit for,
and much better than we deserve; and we ought to rest satisfied
with it, and not, as these, <i>exercise ourselves in things too
high for us: Seek you the priesthood also?</i> They would not
<i>own</i> that they sought it, but Moses saw that they had this in
their eye; the law had provided very well for those that served at
the altar, and therefore they would put in for the office.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p13">(5.) He interprets their mutiny to be a
rebellion against God (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:11" id="Num.xvii-p13.1" parsed="|Num|16|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>); while they pretended to assert the holiness and
liberty of the Israel of God, they really took up arms against the
God of Israel: <i>You are gathered together against the Lord.</i>
Note, Those that strive against God's ordinances and providences,
whatever they pretend, and whether they are aware of it or no, do
indeed strive with their Maker. Those resist the prince who resist
those that are commissioned by him: for, alas! says Moses, <i>What
is Aaron, that you murmur against him?</i> If murmurers and
complainers would consider that the instruments they quarrel with
are but instruments whom God employs, and that they are but what he
makes them, and neither more nor less, better nor worse, they would
not be so bold and free in their censures and reproaches as they
are. Those that found the priesthood, as it was settled, a
blessing, must give all the praise to God; but if any found it a
burden they must not therefore quarrel with Aaron, who is but what
he is made, and does but as he is bidden. Thus he interested God in
the cause, and so might be sure of speeding well in his appeal.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16" id="Num.xvii-p13.2" parsed="|Num|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16:12-22" id="Num.xvii-p13.3" parsed="|Num|16|12|16|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.12-Num.16.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.16.12-Num.16.22">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvii-p14">12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the
sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: &#160; 13 <i>Is
it</i> a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land
that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness,
except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? &#160; 14
Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with
milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards:
wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
&#160; 15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p14.1">Lord</span>, Respect not thou their offering: I have
not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
&#160; 16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p14.2">Lord</span>, thou, and they, and
Aaron, to morrow: &#160; 17 And take every man his censer, and put
incense in them, and bring ye before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p14.3">Lord</span> every man his censer, two hundred and fifty
censers; thou also, and Aaron, each <i>of you</i> his censer.
&#160; 18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them,
and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation with Moses and Aaron. &#160; 19 And Korah
gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p14.4">Lord</span> appeared unto all the congregation. &#160;
20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p14.5">Lord</span> spake unto Moses and
unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 21 Separate yourselves from among this
congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. &#160; 22 And
they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits
of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all
the congregation?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p15">Here is, I. The insolence of Dathan and
Abiram, and their treasonable remonstrance. Moses had heard what
Korah had to say, and had answered it; now he summons Dathan and
Abiram to bring in their complaints (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:12" id="Num.xvii-p15.1" parsed="|Num|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); but they would not obey his
summons, either because they could not for shame say that to his
face which they were resolved to say, and then it is an instance of
some remains of modesty in them; or, rather, because they would not
so far own his authority, and then it is an instance of the highest
degree of impudence. They spoke the language of Pharaoh himself,
who set Moses at defiance, but they forgot how dearly he paid for
it. Had not their heads been wretchedly heated, and their hearts
hardened, they might have considered that, if they regarded not
these messengers, Moses could soon in God's name send messengers of
death for them. But thus the God of this world <i>blinds the minds
of those that believe not.</i> But by the same messengers they send
their articles of impeachment against Moses; and the charge runs
very high. 1. They charge him with having done them a great deal of
wrong in bringing them out of Egypt, invidiously calling that <i>a
land flowing with milk and honey,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 16:13" id="Num.xvii-p15.2" parsed="|Num|16|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Onions, and garlick, and fish,
they had indeed plenty of in Egypt, but it never pretended to milk
and honey; only they would thus banter the promise of Canaan.
Ungrateful wretches, to represent that as an injury to them which
was really the greatest favour that ever was bestowed upon any
people! 2. They charge him with a design upon their lives, that he
intended to <i>kill them in the wilderness,</i> though they were so
well provided for. And, if they were sentenced to die in the
wilderness, they must thank themselves. Moses would have healed
them, and they would not be healed. 3. They charge him with a
design upon their liberties, that he meant to enslave them, by
<i>making himself a prince over them.</i> A prince over them! Was
he not a tender father to them? nay, their devoted servant for the
Lord's sake? Had they not their properties secured, their order
preserved, and justice impartially administered? Did they not live
in ease and honour? And yet they complain as if Moses's yoke were
heavier than Pharaoh's. And did Moses make himself a prince? Far
from it. How gladly would he have declined the office at first! How
gladly would he have resigned it many a time since! And yet he is
thus put under the blackest characters of a tyrant and a usurper.
4. They charge him with cheating them, raising their expectations
of a good land, and then defeating them (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:14" id="Num.xvii-p15.3" parsed="|Num|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>Thou hast not brought
us,</i> as thou promisedst us, <i>into a land that floweth with
milk and honey;</i> and pray whose fault was that? He had brought
them to the borders of it, and was just ready, under God, to put
them in possession of it; but they thrust it away from them, and
shut the door against themselves; so that it was purely their own
fault that they were not now in Canaan, and yet Moses must bear the
blame. Thus when the <i>foolishness of man perverteth his way his
heart fretteth against the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 19:3" id="Num.xvii-p15.4" parsed="|Prov|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.19.3">Prov. xix. 3</scripRef>. 5. They charge him in the
general with unfair dealing, that he put <i>out the eyes of these
men,</i> and then meant to lead them blindfold as he pleased. The
design of all he did for them was to open their eyes, and yet they
insinuate that he intended to put out their eyes, that they might
not see themselves imposed upon. Note, The wisest and best cannot
please everybody, nor gain the good word of all. Those often fall
under the heaviest censures who have merited the highest applause.
Many a good work Moses had shown them from the Father, and for
which of these do they reproach him?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p16">II. Moses's just resentment of their
insolence, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:15" id="Num.xvii-p16.1" parsed="|Num|16|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>.
Moses, though the meekest man, yet, finding God reproached in him,
<i>was very wroth;</i> he could not bear to see a people ruining
themselves for whose salvation he had done so much. In this
discomposure,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p17">1. He appeals to God concerning his own
integrity; whereas they basely reflected upon him as ambitious,
covetous, and oppressive, in making himself a prince over them, God
was his witness, (1.) That he never got any thing by them: <i>I
have not taken one ass from them,</i> not only not by way of
bribery and extortion, but not by way of recompence or gratuity for
all the good offices he had done them; he never took the pay of a
general, or the salary of a judge, much less the tribute of a
prince. He got more in his estate when he kept Jethro's flock than
when he came to be king in Jeshurun. (2.) That they never lost any
thing by him: <i>Neither have I hurt any one of them,</i> no, not
the least, no, not the worst, no, not those that had been most
peevish and provoking to him: he never abused his power to the
support of wrong. Note, Those that have never blemished themselves
need not fear being slurred by others: when men condemn us we may
be easy, if our own hearts condemn us not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p18">2. He begs of God to plead his cause, and
clear him, by showing his displeasure at the incense which Korah
and his company were to offer, with whom Dathan and Abiram were in
confederacy. Lord, says he, <i>Respect not thou their offering.</i>
Herein he seems to refer to the history of Cain, lately written by
his own hand, of whom it is said that to him and his offering God
had not respect, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:5" id="Num.xvii-p18.1" parsed="|Gen|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.5">Gen. iv. 5</scripRef>.
These that <i>followed the gainsaying of Korah walked in the way of
Cain</i> (these are put together, <scripRef passage="Jude 1:11" id="Num.xvii-p18.2" parsed="|Jude|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.11">Jude 11</scripRef>), and therefore he prays that they
might be frowned upon as Cain was, and put to the same
confusion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p19">III. Issue joined between Moses and his
accusers. 1. Moses challenges them to appear with Aaron next
morning, at the time of offering up the morning incense, and refer
the matter to God's judgment, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:16,17" id="Num.xvii-p19.1" parsed="|Num|16|16|16|17" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.16-Num.16.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. Since he could not
convince them by his calm and affectionate reasoning, he is ready
to enter into bonds to stand God's award, not doubting but that God
would appear, to decide the controversy. This reference he had
agreed to before (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:6,7" id="Num.xvii-p19.2" parsed="|Num|16|6|16|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.6-Num.16.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>), and here adds only one clause, which bespeaks his
great condescension to the plaintiffs, that Aaron, against whose
advancement they excepted, though now advanced by the divine
institution to the honour of burning incense within the tabernacle,
yet, upon this trial, should put himself into the place of a
probationer, and stand upon the level with Korah, at the door of
the tabernacle; nay, and Moses himself would stand with them, so
that the complainant shall have all the fair dealing he can desire;
and thus <i>every mouth shall be stopped.</i> 2. Korah accepts the
challenge, and makes his appearance with Moses and Aaron <i>at the
door of the tabernacle,</i> to make good his pretensions, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:18,19" id="Num.xvii-p19.3" parsed="|Num|16|18|16|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.18-Num.16.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>. If he had not
had a very great stock of impudence, he could not have carried on
the matter thus far. Had not he lately seen Nadab and Abihu, the
consecrated priests, struck dead for daring to offer incense with
unhallowed fire? and could he and his accomplices expect to fare
any better in offering incense with unhallowed hands? Yet, to
confront Moses and Aaron, in the height of his pride he thus bids
defiance to Heaven, and pretends to demand the divine acceptance
without a divine warrant; thus wretchedly is the heart hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin. They <i>took every man his
censer.</i> Perhaps these were some of the censers which these
heads of families had made use of at their family-altars, before
this part of religious service was confined to the priesthood and
the altar in the tabernacle (and they would bring them into use and
reputation again); or they might be common chafing-dishes, which
were for their ordinary use. Now to attend the solemn trial, and to
be witness of the issue, one would have thought Moses should have
<i>gathered the congregation against the rebels,</i> but it seems
Korah gathered them against Moses (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:19" id="Num.xvii-p19.4" parsed="|Num|16|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), which intimates that a great
part of the congregation sided with Korah, were at his beck, and
wished him success, and that Korah's hopes were very high of
carrying the point against Aaron; for, had he suspected the event,
he would not have coveted to make the trial thus public: but little
did he think that he was now calling the congregation together to
be the witnesses of his own confusion! Note, Proud and ambitious
men, while they are projecting their own advancement, often prove
to have been hurrying on their own shameful fall.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p20">IV. The judgment set, and the Judge taking
the tribunal, and threatening to give sentence against the whole
congregation. 1. The <i>glory of the Lord appeared,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 16:19" id="Num.xvii-p20.1" parsed="|Num|16|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. The same glory that
appeared to instal Aaron in his office at first (<scripRef passage="Le 9:23" id="Num.xvii-p20.2" parsed="|Lev|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.9.23">Lev. ix. 23</scripRef>) now appeared to confirm him in
it, and to confound those that oppose him, and set up themselves in
competition with him. The <i>Shechinah,</i> or divine Majesty, the
glory of the eternal Word, which ordinarily dwelt between the
cherubim within the veil, now was publicly seen over the door of
the tabernacle, to the terror of the whole congregation; for,
though they saw no manner of similitude, yet probably the
appearances of the light and fire were such as plainly showed God
to be angry with them; as when he appeared, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:10" id="Num.xvii-p20.3" parsed="|Num|14|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.10"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 10</scripRef>. Nothing is more terrible
to those who are conscious of guilt than the appearances of divine
glory; for such a glorious Being must needs be a formidable enemy.
2. God threatened to <i>consume them all in a moment,</i> and, in
order to that, bade Moses and Aaron stand from among them,
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:21" id="Num.xvii-p20.4" parsed="|Num|16|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. God thus
showed what their sin deserved, and how very provoking it was to
him. See what a dangerous thing it is to have fellowship with
sinners, and in the least to partake with them. Many of the
congregation, it is likely, came only for company, following the
crowd, or for curiosity, to see the issue, yet not coming, as they
ought to have done, to bear their testimony against the rebels, and
openly to declare for God and Moses, they had like to have been all
consumed in a moment. If we follow the herd into which the devil
has entered, it is at our peril.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p21">V. The humble intercession of Moses and
Aaron for the congregation, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:22" id="Num.xvii-p21.1" parsed="|Num|16|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. 1. Their posture was importuning: they <i>fell on
their faces,</i> prostrating themselves before God, as supplicants
in good earnest, that they might prevail for sparing mercy. Though
the people had treacherously deserted them, and struck in with
those that were in arms against them, yet they approved themselves
faithful to the trusts reposed in them, as shepherds of Israel, who
were to stand in the breach when they saw the flock in danger.
Note, If others fail in their duty to us, this does not discharge
us from our duty to them, nor take off the obligations we lie under
to seek their welfare. 2. Their prayer was a pleading prayer, and
it proved a prevailing one. Now God would have <i>destroyed
them</i> if Moses had not <i>turned away his wrath</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 106:23" id="Num.xvii-p21.2" parsed="|Ps|106|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.23">Ps. cvi. 23</scripRef>); yet far be it from us
to imagine that Moses was more considerate or more compassionate
than God in such a case as this: but God saw fit to show his just
displeasure against the sin of sinners by the sentence, and at the
same time to show his gracious condescension to the prayers of the
saints, by the revocation of the sentence at the intercession of
Moses. Observe in the prayer, (1.) The title they give to God:
<i>The God of the spirits of all flesh.</i> See what man is; he is
a spirit in flesh, a soul embodied, a creature wonderfully
compounded of heaven and earth. See what God is; he is the God of
the spirits of all mankind. <i>He forms the spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="Zec 12:1" id="Num.xvii-p21.3" parsed="|Zech|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.1">Zech. xii. 1</scripRef>. He <i>fathers it,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 12:9" id="Num.xvii-p21.4" parsed="|Heb|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.9">Heb. xii. 9</scripRef>. He has an
ability to fashion it (<scripRef passage="Ps 33:15" id="Num.xvii-p21.5" parsed="|Ps|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.33.15">Ps. xxxiii.
15</scripRef>), and authority to dispose of it, for he has said,
<i>All souls are mine,</i> <scripRef passage="Eze 18:4" id="Num.xvii-p21.6" parsed="|Ezek|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.18.4">Ezek.
xviii. 4</scripRef>. They insinuate hereby that though, as <i>the
God of the spirits of all flesh,</i> he might in sovereignty
consume this congregation in a moment, yet it was to be hoped that
he would in mercy spare them, not only because they were the work
of his own hands, and he had a propriety in them, but because,
being the <i>God of spirits,</i> he knew their frame, and could
distinguish between the leaders and the led, between those who
sinned maliciously and those who were drawn in by their wiles, and
would make a difference accordingly in his judgments. (2.) The
argument they insist on; it is much the same with that which
Abraham urged in his intercession for Sodom (<scripRef passage="Ge 18:23" id="Num.xvii-p21.7" parsed="|Gen|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.23">Gen. xviii. 23</scripRef>): <i>Wilt thou destroy the
righteous with the wicked?</i> Such is the plea here: <i>Shall one
man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?</i> Not
but that it was the sin of them all to join in this matter, but the
great transgression was his that first hatched the treason. Note,
Whatever God may do in sovereignty and strict justice, we have
reason to hope that he will not destroy a congregation for the sin
of one, but that, <i>righteousness and peace</i> having <i>kissed
each other</i> in the undertaking of the Redeemer, <i>mercy shall
rejoice against judgment.</i> Moses knew that all the congregation
must perish in the wilderness by degrees, yet he is thus earnest in
prayer that they might not be consumed at once, and would reckon it
a favour to obtain a reprieve. <i>Lord, let it alone this
year.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16:23-34" id="Num.xvii-p21.8" parsed="|Num|16|23|16|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.23-Num.16.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.16.23-Num.16.34">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvii-p22">23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p22.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 24 Speak unto the congregation,
saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram. &#160; 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and
Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. &#160; 26 And he
spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the
tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be
consumed in all their sins. &#160; 27 So they gat up from the
tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan
and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and
their wives, and their sons, and their little children. &#160; 28
And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p22.2">Lord</span> hath sent me to do all these works; for
<i>I have</i> not <i>done them</i> of mine own mind. &#160; 29 If
these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited
after the visitation of all men; <i>then</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p22.3">Lord</span> hath not sent me. &#160; 30 But if the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p22.4">Lord</span> make a new thing, and the earth
open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that <i>appertain</i>
unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall
understand that these men have provoked the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p22.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 31 And it came to pass, as he had
made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave
asunder that <i>was</i> under them: &#160; 32 And the earth opened
her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men
that <i>appertained</i> unto Korah, and all <i>their</i> goods.
&#160; 33 They, and all that <i>appertained</i> to them, went down
alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they
perished from among the congregation. &#160; 34 And all Israel that
<i>were</i> round about them fled at the cry of them: for they
said, Lest the earth swallow us up <i>also.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p23">We have here the determining of the
controversy with Dathan and Abiram, who rebelled against Moses, as
in the next paragraph the determining of the controversy with Korah
and his company, who would be rivals with Aaron. It should seem
that Dathan and Abiram had set up a spacious tabernacle in the
midst of the tents of their families, where they kept court, met in
council, and hung out their flag of defiance against Moses; it is
here called <i>the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:24,27" id="Num.xvii-p23.1" parsed="|Num|16|24|0|0;|Num|16|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.24 Bible:Num.16.27"><i>v.</i> 24, 27</scripRef>. There,
as in the place of rendezvous, Dathan and Abiram staid, when Korah
and his friends went up to the tabernacle of the Lord, waiting the
issue of their trial; but here we are told how they had their
business done, before that trial was over. For God will take what
method he pleases in his judgments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p24">I. Public warning is given to the
congregation to withdraw immediately from the tents of the rebels.
1. God bids Moses speak to this purport, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:24" id="Num.xvii-p24.1" parsed="|Num|16|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. This was in answer to Moses's
prayer. He had begged that God would not <i>destroy the whole
congregation.</i> "Well," says God, "I will not, provided they be
so wise as to shift for their own safety, and get out of the way of
danger. If they will quit the rebels, well and good, they shall not
perish with them; otherwise, let them take what follows." Note, We
cannot expect to reap benefit by the prayers of our friends for our
salvation, unless we ourselves be diligent and faithful in making
use of the means of salvation; for God never promised to save by
miracles those that would not save themselves by means. Moses that
had prayed for them must preach this to them, and warn them to
<i>flee from this wrath to come.</i> 2. Moses accordingly repairs
to the head-quarters of the rebels, leaving Aaron at the door of
the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:25" id="Num.xvii-p24.2" parsed="|Num|16|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Dathan and Abiram had contumaciously refused to come
up to him (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:12" id="Num.xvii-p24.3" parsed="|Num|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>),
yet he humbly condescends to go down to them, to try if he could
yet convince and reclaim them. Ministers must thus with meekness
instruct those that oppose themselves, and not think it below them
to stoop to those that are most stubborn, for their good. Christ
himself stretches out his hand to a rebellious and gainsaying
people. The seventy elders of Israel attend Moses and his guard, to
secure him from the insolence of the rabble, and by their presence
to put an honour upon him, and if possible to strike an awe upon
the rebels. It is our duty to contribute all we can to the
countenance and support of injured innocency and honour. 3.
Proclamation is made that all manner of persons, as they tendered
their own safety, should forthwith <i>depart from the tents of
these wicked men</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:26" id="Num.xvii-p24.4" parsed="|Num|16|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>), and thus should signify that they deserted their
cause and interest, detested their crimes and counsels, and dreaded
the punishment coming upon them. Note, Those that would not perish
with sinners must <i>come out from among them,</i> and be separate.
In vain do we pray, <i>Gather not our souls with sinners,</i> if we
save not ourselves from the <i>untoward generation.</i> God's
people are called out of Babylon, lest they share both in her sins
and in her plagues, <scripRef passage="Re 18:4" id="Num.xvii-p24.5" parsed="|Rev|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.18.4">Rev. xviii.
4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p25">II. The congregation takes the warning, but
the rebels themselves continue obstinate, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:27" id="Num.xvii-p25.1" parsed="|Num|16|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. 1. God, in mercy, inclined the
people to forsake the rebels: <i>They got up from the tabernacle of
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,</i> both those whose lot it was to pitch
near them (who doubtless with themselves removed their families,
and all their effects) and those also who had come from all parts
of their camp to see the issue. It was in answer to the prayer of
Moses that God thus stirred up the hearts of the congregation to
shift for their own preservation. Note, To those whom God will save
he gives repentance, that they may <i>recover themselves out of the
snare of the devil.</i> Grace to separate from evil doers is one of
the things that accompany salvation. 2. God, in justice, left the
rebels to the obstinacy and hardness of their own hearts. Though
they saw themselves abandoned by all their neighbours, and set up
as a mark to the arrows of God's justice, yet instead of falling
down and humbling themselves before God and Moses, owning their
crime and begging pardon, instead of fleeing and dispersing
themselves to seek for shelter in the crowd, they impudently
<i>stood in the doors of their tents,</i> as if they would out-face
God himself, and dare him to his worst. Thus were their hearts
hardened to their own destruction, and they were fearless when
their case was most fearful. But what a pity was it that their
little children, who were not capable of guilt or fear, should by
the presumption of their parents be put in this audacious posture!
Happy they who are taught betimes to bow before God, and not as
those unhappy little ones to stand it out against him!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p26">III. Sentence is solemnly pronounced upon
them by Moses in the name of the Lord, and the decision of the
controversy is put upon the execution of that sentence by the
almighty power of God. Moses, by divine instinct and direction,
when the eyes of all Israel were fastened upon him, waiting the
event, moved with a just and holy indignation at the impudence of
the rebels, boldly puts the whole matter to a surprising issue,
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:28-30" id="Num.xvii-p26.1" parsed="|Num|16|28|16|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.28-Num.16.30"><i>v.</i> 28-30</scripRef>. 1. If
the rebels die a common death, he will be content to be called and
counted an impostor; not only if they die a natural death, but if
they die by any sort of judgment that has formerly been executed on
other malefactors. "If they die by the plague, or by fire from
heaven, or by the sword, then say, God has disowned Moses;" but, 2.
"If the earth open and swallow them up" (a punishment without
precedent), "then let all the house of Israel know assuredly that I
am God's servant, sent by him, and employed for him, and that those
that fight against me fight against him." The judgment itself would
have been proof enough of God's displeasure against the rebels, and
would have given all men to <i>understand that they had provoked
the Lord;</i> but when it was thus solemnly foretold and appealed
to by Moses beforehand, when there was not the least previous
indication of it from without, the convincing evidence of it was
much the stronger, and it was put beyond dispute that he was not
only a servant but a favourite of Heaven, who was so intimately
acquainted with the divine counsels, and could obtain such
extraordinary appearances of the divine power in his
vindication.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p27">IV. Execution is immediately done. It
appeared that God and his servant Moses understood one another very
well; for, as soon as ever Moses had spoken the word, God did the
work, the earth <i>clave asunder</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:31" id="Num.xvii-p27.1" parsed="|Num|16|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), <i>opened her mouth, and
swallowed them all up,</i> them and theirs (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:32" id="Num.xvii-p27.2" parsed="|Num|16|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), and then <i>closed upon
them,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 16:33" id="Num.xvii-p27.3" parsed="|Num|16|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>.
This judgment was, 1. Unparalleled. God, in it, <i>created a new
thing,</i> did what he never did before; for he has many arrows in
his quiver; and there are diversities of operations in wrath as
well as mercy. Dathan and Abiram thought themselves safe because
they were at a distance from the <i>shechinah,</i> whence the fire
of the Lord had sometimes issued, <i>qui procul &#224; Jove</i> (they
say) <i>procul &#224; fulmine&#8212;he who is far from Jove is far from the
thunderbolt.</i> But God made them to know that he was not tied up
to one way of punishing; the earth, when he pleases, shall serve
his justice as effectually as the fire. 2. It was very terrible to
the sinners themselves to go down alive into their own graves, to
be dead and buried in an instant, to go down thus to the bars of
the pit when they were in their <i>full strength wholly at ease and
quiet.</i> 3. It was severe upon their poor children, who, for the
greater terror of the judgment, and fuller indication of the divine
wrath, perished as parts of their parents, in which, though we
cannot particularly tell how bad they might be to deserve it or how
good God might be otherwise to them to compensate it, yet of this
we are sure in the general, that Infinite Justice did them no
wrong. <i>Far be it from God that he should do iniquity.</i> 4. It
was altogether miraculous. The cleaving of the earth was as
wonderful, and as much above the power of nature, as the cleaving
of the sea, and the closing of the earth again more so than the
closing of the waters. God has all the creatures at his command,
and can make any of them, when he pleases, instruments of his
justice; nor will any of them be our friends if he be our enemy.
God now confirmed to Israel what Moses had lately taught them in
that prayer of his, <scripRef passage="Ps 90:11" id="Num.xvii-p27.4" parsed="|Ps|90|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.11">Ps. xc.
11</scripRef>, <i>Who knows the power of thy anger?</i> He has,
when he pleases, <i>strange punishments for the workers of
iniquity,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 31:3" id="Num.xvii-p27.5" parsed="|Job|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.3">Job xxxi. 3</scripRef>.
Let us therefore conclude, <i>Who is able to stand before this holy
Lord God?</i> 5. It was very significant. They <i>set their mouths
against the heavens,</i> and <i>their throat was an open
sepulchre;</i> justly therefore does the earth open her mouth upon
them and swallow them up. They made a rent in the congregation;
justly therefore is the earth rent under them. Presumptuous
sinners, that hate to be reformed, are a burden to the earth, the
whole creation groans under them, which here was signified by this,
that the earth sunk under these rebels, as weary of bearing them
and being under them. And, considering how the earth is still in
like manner loaded with the weight of iniquity, we have reason to
wonder that this was the only time it ever sunk under its load. 6.
It was typical of the eternal ruin of sinners who die impenitent,
who, perhaps in allusion to this, are said to <i>sink down into the
pit</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 9:15" id="Num.xvii-p27.6" parsed="|Ps|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.9.15">Ps. ix. 15</scripRef>) and to
<i>go down quickly into hell,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 55:15" id="Num.xvii-p27.7" parsed="|Ps|55|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.55.15">Ps.
lv. 15</scripRef>. But David, even when he <i>sinks in deep
mire,</i> yet prays in faith, <i>Let not the pit shut her mouth
upon me,</i> as it does on the damned, between whom and life there
is a gulf fixed, <scripRef passage="Ps 69:2-15" id="Num.xvii-p27.8" parsed="|Ps|69|2|69|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.69.2-Ps.69.15">Ps. lxix.
2-15</scripRef>. His case was bad, but not, like this,
desperate.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p28">V. All Israel is alarmed at the judgment:
<i>They fled at the cry of them,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 16:34" id="Num.xvii-p28.1" parsed="|Num|16|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>. They cried for help when it was
too late. Their doleful shrieks, instead of fetching their
neighbours in to their relief, drove them so much the further off;
for knowing their own guilt, and one another's, they hastened one
another, saying, <i>Lest the earth swallow us up also.</i> Note,
Others' ruins should be our warnings. Could we by faith hear the
outcries of those that have gone down to the bottomless pit, we
should give more diligence than we do to escape for our lives, lest
we also come into that condemnation.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16:35-40" id="Num.xvii-p28.2" parsed="|Num|16|35|16|40" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.35-Num.16.40"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.16.35-Num.16.40">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvii-p29">35 And there came out a fire from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p29.1">Lord</span>, and consumed the two hundred and
fifty men that offered incense. &#160; 36 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p29.2">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 37 Speak
unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the
censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for
they are hallowed. &#160; 38 The censers of these sinners against
their own souls, let them make them broad plates <i>for</i> a
covering of the altar: for they offered them before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p29.3">Lord</span>, therefore they are hallowed: and
they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel. &#160; 39 And
Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherewith they that
were burnt had offered; and they were made broad <i>plates for</i>
a covering of the altar: &#160; 40 <i>To be</i> a memorial unto the
children of Israel, that no stranger, which <i>is</i> not of the
seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p29.4">Lord</span>; that he be not as Korah, and as his
company: as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p29.5">Lord</span> said to him by
the hand of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p30">We must now look back to the door of the
tabernacle, where we left the pretenders to the priesthood with
their censers in their hands ready to offer incense; and here we
find,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p31">I. Vengeance taken on them, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:35" id="Num.xvii-p31.1" parsed="|Num|16|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. It is probable that
when the earth opened in the camp to swallow up Dathan and Abiram
<i>a fire went out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men that
offered incense,</i> while Aaron that stood with them was preserved
alive. This punishment was not indeed so new a thing as the former,
for Nadab and Abihu thus died; but it was not less strange or
dreadful, and in it it appeared, 1. That <i>our God is a consuming
fire.</i> Is thunder a sensible indication of the terror of his
voice? Lightning is also the power of his hand. We must see in this
his fiery indignation which devours the adversaries, and infer from
it what a fearful thing it is to <i>fall into the hands of the
living God,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:27-31" id="Num.xvii-p31.2" parsed="|Heb|10|27|10|31" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.27-Heb.10.31">Heb. x.
27-31</scripRef>. 2. That it is at our peril if we meddle with that
which does not belong to us. God is jealous of the honour of his
own institutions, and will not have them invaded. It is most
probable that Korah himself was consumed with those 250 that
presumed to offer incense; for the priesthood was the thing he
aimed at, and therefore we have reason to think that he would not
quit his post at the door of the tabernacle. But, behold, those are
made sacrifices to the justice of God who flattered themselves with
the hopes of being priests. Had they been content with their office
as Levites, which was sacred and honourable, and better than they
deserved, they might have lived and died with joy and reputation;
but, like the angels that sinned, <i>leaving their first
estate,</i> and aiming at the honours that were not appointed them,
they were thrust down to <i>Hades,</i> their censers struck out of
their hands, and their breath out of their bodies, by a burning
which typified <i>the vengeance of eternal fire.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p32">II. Care is taken to perpetuate the
remembrance of this vengeance. No mention is made of the taking up
of their carcases: the scripture leaves them as dung upon the face
of the earth; but orders are given about their censers, 1. That
they be secured, because they are hallowed. Eleazar is charged with
this, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:37" id="Num.xvii-p32.1" parsed="|Num|16|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>. Those
invaders of the priesthood had proceeded so far, by the divine
patience and submission, as to kindle their incense with fire from
off the altar, which they were suffered to use by way of
experiment: but, as soon as they had kindled their fire, God
kindled another, which put a fatal final period to their
pretensions; now Eleazar is ordered to scatter the fire, with the
incense that was kindled with it, in some unclean place without the
camp, to signify God's abhorrence of their offering as a polluted
thing: <i>The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the
Lord.</i> But he is to gather up the censers out of the mingled
burning, God's fire and theirs, because <i>they are hallowed.</i>
Having been once put to a holy use, and that by God's own order
(though only for trial), they must not return to common service; so
some understand it: rather, <i>they are devoted,</i> they are an
anathema; and therefore, as all devoted things, they must be made
some way or other serviceable to the glory of God. 2. That they be
used in the service of the sanctuary, not as censers, which would
rather have put honour upon the usurpers whose disgrace was
intended; nor was there occasion for brazen censers, the golden
altar was served with golden ones; but they must be beaten into
<i>broad plates for a covering of the brazen altar,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 16:38-40" id="Num.xvii-p32.2" parsed="|Num|16|38|16|40" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.38-Num.16.40"><i>v.</i> 38-40</scripRef>. These pretenders
thought to have ruined the altar, by laying the priesthood in
common again; but to show that Aaron's office was so far from being
shaken by their impotent malice that it was rather confirmed by it,
their censers, which offered to rival his, were used both for the
adorning and for the preserving of the altar at which he
ministered. Yet this was not all; this covering of the altar must
be a <i>memorial to the children of Israel,</i> throughout their
generations, of this great event. Though there was so much in it
astonishing, and though Moses was to record it in his history, yet
there was danger of its being forgotten in process of time;
impressions that seem deep are not always durable; therefore it was
necessary to appoint this record of the judgment, that the Levites
who attended this altar, and had their inferior services appointed
them, might learn to keep within their bounds, and be afraid of
transgressing them, lest they should be made like Korah and his
company, who were Levites, and would have been priests. These
censers were preserved <i>in terrorem,</i> that others might hear
and fear, and do no more presumptuously. Thus God has provided that
his wonderful works, both in mercy and judgment, should be had in
everlasting remembrance, that the end of them may be answered, and
they may serve for instruction and admonition to those <i>on whom
the ends of the world are come.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 16:41-50" id="Num.xvii-p32.3" parsed="|Num|16|41|16|50" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.41-Num.16.50"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.16.41-Num.16.50">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xvii-p33">41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the
children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron,
saying, Ye have killed the people of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p33.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 42 And it came to pass, when the
congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that
they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold,
the cloud covered it, and the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p33.2">Lord</span> appeared. &#160; 43 And Moses and Aaron
came before the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 44 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p33.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying,
&#160; 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may
consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. &#160;
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein
from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the
congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath
gone out from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xvii-p33.4">Lord</span>; the plague
is begun. &#160; 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into
the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun
among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for
the people. &#160; 48 And he stood between the dead and the living;
and the plague was stayed. &#160; 49 Now they that died in the
plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that
died about the matter of Korah. &#160; 50 And Aaron returned unto
Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the
plague was stayed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p34">Here is, I. A new rebellion raised the very
next day against Moses and Aaron. Be astonished, O heavens, at
this, and wonder, O earth! Was there ever such an instance of the
incurable corruption of sinners? <i>On the morrow</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:41" id="Num.xvii-p34.1" parsed="|Num|16|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>) the body of the people
mutinied. 1. Though they were so lately terrified by the sight of
the punishment of the rebels. The shrieks of those sinking sinners,
those sinners against their own souls, were yet sounding in their
ears, the smell of the fire yet remained, and the gaping earth was
scarcely thoroughly closed, and yet the same sins were re-acted and
all these warnings slighted. 2. Though they were so lately saved
from sharing in the same punishment, and the survivors were <i>as
brands plucked out of the burning,</i> yet they fly in the face of
Moses and Aaron, to whose intercession they owed their
preservation. Their charge runs very high: <i>You have killed the
people of the Lord.</i> Could any thing have been said more
unjustly and maliciously? They canonize the rebels, calling those
the people of the Lord who died in arms against him. They
stigmatize divine justice itself. It was plain enough that Moses
and Aaron had no hand in their death (they did what they could to
save them), so that in charging them with murder they did in effect
charge God himself with it. The continued obstinacy of this people,
notwithstanding the terrors of God's law as it was given on Mount
Sinai, and the terrors of his judgments as they were here executed
on the disobedient, shows how necessary the grace of God is to the
effectual change of men's hearts and lives, without which the most
likely means will never attain the end. Love will do what fear
could not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p35">II. God's speedy appearance against the
rebels. When they had <i>gathered against Moses and Aaron,</i>
perhaps with a design to depose or murder them, they <i>looked
towards the tabernacle,</i> as if their misgiving consciences
expected some frowns thence, and, <i>behold, the glory of the Lord
appeared</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:42" id="Num.xvii-p35.1" parsed="|Num|16|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.42"><i>v.</i>
42</scripRef>), for the protection of his servants, and the
confusion of his and their accusers and adversaries. Moses and
Aaron thereupon came before the tabernacle, partly for their own
safety (there they took sanctuary from the strife of tongues,
<scripRef passage="Ps 27:5,31:20" id="Num.xvii-p35.2" parsed="|Ps|27|5|0|0;|Ps|31|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.5 Bible:Ps.31.20">Ps. xxvii. 5; xxxi.
20</scripRef>), and partly for advice, to know what was the mind of
God upon this occasion, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:43" id="Num.xvii-p35.3" parsed="|Num|16|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.43"><i>v.</i>
43</scripRef>. Justice hereupon declares that they deserve to be
<i>consumed in a moment,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 16:45" id="Num.xvii-p35.4" parsed="|Num|16|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.45"><i>v.</i>
45</scripRef>. Why should those live another day who hate to be
reformed, and whose rebellions are their daily practices? Let just
vengeance take place and do its work, and the trouble will soon be
over; only Moses and Aaron must first be secured.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p36">III. The intercession which Moses and Aaron
made for them. Though they had as much reason, one would think, as
Elias had to make intercession against Israel (<scripRef passage="Ro 11:2" id="Num.xvii-p36.1" parsed="|Rom|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.2">Rom. xi. 2</scripRef>), yet they forgive and forget the
indignities offered them, and are the best friends their enemies
have. 1. They both <i>fell on their faces,</i> humbly to intercede
with God for mercy, knowing how great the provocation was. This
they had done several times before, upon similar occasions; and,
though the people had basely requited them for it, yet, God having
graciously accepted them, they still have recourse to the same
method. This is praying always. 2. Moses, perceiving that the
<i>plague had begun in the congregation</i> of the rebels (that is,
that body of them which was gathered against Moses), sent Aaron by
an act of his priestly office to make atonement for them, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:46" id="Num.xvii-p36.2" parsed="|Num|16|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.46"><i>v.</i> 46</scripRef>. And Aaron readily went
and burned incense between the living and the dead, not to purify
the infected air, but to pacify an offended God, and so stayed the
progress of the judgment. By this it appeared, (1.) That Aaron was
a very good man, and a man that had a true love for the children of
his people, though they hated and envied him. Though God was now
avenging his quarrel and pleading the cause of his priesthood, yet
he interposes to turn away God's wrath. Nay, forgetting his age and
gravity, he ran into the midst of the congregation to help them. He
did not say, "Let them smart awhile, and then, when I come, I shall
be the more welcome;" but, as one tender of the life of every
Israelite, he makes all possible speed into the gap at which death
was entering. Moses and Aaron, who had been charged with killing
the people of the Lord, might justly have upbraided them now; could
they expect those to be their saviours whom they had so invidiously
called their murderers? But those good men have taught us here by
their example not to be sullen towards those that are peevish with
us, nor to take the advantage which men give us by their provoking
language to deny them any real kindness which it is in the power of
our hands to do them. We must render good for evil. (2.) That Aaron
was a very bold man&#8212;bold to venture into the midst of an enraged
rabble that were gathered together against him, and who, for aught
he knew, might be the more exasperated by the plague that had
begun&#8212;bold to venture into the midst of the infection, where the
arrows of death flew thickest, and hundreds, nay thousands, were
falling on the right hand and on the left. To save their lives he
put his own into his hand, not counting it dear to him, so that he
might but fulfil his ministry. (3.) That Aaron was a man of God,
and <i>ordained for men, in things pertaining to God.</i> His call
to the priesthood was hereby abundantly confirmed and set above all
contradiction; God had not only saved his life when the intruders
were cut off, but now made him an instrument for saving Israel.
Compare the censer of Aaron here with the <i>censers of those
sinners against their own souls.</i> Those provoked God's anger,
this pacified it; those destroyed men's lives, this saved them; no
room therefore is left to doubt of Aaron's call to the priesthood.
Note, Those make out the best title to public honours that lay out
themselves the most for public good and obtain mercy of the Lord to
be faithful and useful. If any man will be great, let him make
himself the servant of all. (4.) That Aaron was a type of Christ,
who came into the world to make an atonement for sin and to turn
away the wrath of God from us, and who, by his mediation and
intercession, <i>stands between the living and the dead,</i> to
secure his chosen Israel to himself, and save them out of the midst
of a world infected with sin and the curse.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xvii-p37">IV. The result and issue of the whole
matter. 1. God's justice was glorified in the death of some. Great
execution the sword of the Lord did in a very little time. Though
Aaron made all the haste he could, yet, before he could reach his
post of service, there were 14,700 men laid dead upon the spot,
<scripRef passage="Nu 16:49" id="Num.xvii-p37.1" parsed="|Num|16|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>. There were
but few comparatively that died about the matter of Korah, the
ring-leaders only were made examples; but, the people not being led
to repentance by the patience and forbearance of God with them,
justice is not now so sparing of the blood of Israelites. They
complained of the death of a few hundreds as an unmerciful
slaughter made among the <i>people of the Lord,</i> but here God
silences that complaint by the slaughter of many thousands. Note,
Those that quarrel with less judgments prepare greater for
themselves; for when God judges he will overcome. 2. His mercy was
glorified in the preservation of the rest. God showed them what he
could do by his power, and what he might do in justice, but then
showed them what he would do in his love and pity: he would,
notwithstanding all this, preserve them a people to himself in and
by a mediator. The cloud of Aaron's incense coming from his hand
stayed the plague. Note, It is much for the glory of God's goodness
that many a time even in wrath he remembers mercy. And, even when
judgments have been begun, prayer puts a stop to them; so ready is
he to forgive, and so little pleasure does he take in the death of
sinners.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVII" n="xviii" progress="73.01%" prev="Num.xvii" next="Num.xix" id="Num.xviii">
<h2 id="Num.xviii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xviii-p1">Enough had been done in the chapter before to
quash all pretensions of the families of the tribe of Levi that
would set up in competition with Aaron, and to make it appear that
Aaron was the head of the tribe; but it seems, when that matter was
settled, the princes of the rest of the tribes began to murmur. If
the head of a tribe must be a priest, why not the head of some
other tribe than that of Levi? He that searches the heart knew this
thought to be in the breast of some of them, and before it broke
out into any overt act graciously anticipated it, to prevent
bloodshed; and it is done by miracle in this chapter, not a miracle
of wrath, as before, but of grace. I. The matter is put upon trial
by the bringing of twelve rods, one for each prince, before the
Lord, <scripRef passage="Nu 17:1-7" id="Num.xviii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|17|1|17|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.1-Num.17.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. II. Upon
trial, the matter is determined by the miraculous blossoming of
Aaron's rod, <scripRef passage="Nu 17:8,9" id="Num.xviii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|17|8|17|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.8-Num.17.9">ver. 8, 9</scripRef>.
III. The decision of the controversy is registered by the
preservation of the rod, <scripRef passage="Nu 17:10,11" id="Num.xviii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|17|10|17|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.10-Num.17.11">ver. 10,
11</scripRef>. IV. The people acquiesce in it with some reluctance,
<scripRef passage="Nu 17:12,13" id="Num.xviii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|17|12|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.12-Num.17.13">ver. 12, 13</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 17" id="Num.xviii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 17:1-7" id="Num.xviii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|17|1|17|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.1-Num.17.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.17.1-Num.17.7">
<h4 id="Num.xviii-p1.7">The Blossoming of Aaron's
Rod. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xviii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house
of <i>their</i> fathers, of all their princes according to the
house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name
upon his rod. &#160; 3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the
rod of Levi: for one rod <i>shall be</i> for the head of the house
of their fathers. &#160; 4 And thou shalt lay them up in the
tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will
meet with you. &#160; 5 And it shall come to pass, <i>that</i> the
man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to
cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby
they murmur against you. &#160; 6 And Moses spake unto the children
of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece,
for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses,
<i>even</i> twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron <i>was</i> among
their rods. &#160; 7 And Moses laid up the rods before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span> in the tabernacle of witness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p3">Here we have, I. Orders given for the
bringing in of a rod for every tribe (which was peculiarly
significant, for the word here used for a rod sometimes signifies a
tribe, as particularly <scripRef passage="Nu 34:13" id="Num.xviii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|34|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.13"><i>ch.</i>
xxxiv. 13</scripRef>), that God by a miracle, wrought on purpose,
might make it known on whom he had conferred the honour of the
priesthood. 1. It seems then the priesthood was a preferment worth
seeking and striving for, even by the princes of the tribes. It is
an honour to the greatest of men to be employed in the service of
God. Yet perhaps these contended for it rather for the sake of the
profit and power that attended the office than for the sake of that
in it which was divine and sacred. 2. It seems likewise, after all
that had been done to settle this matter, there were those who
would be ready upon any occasion to contest it. They would not
acquiesce in the divine appointment, but would make an interest in
opposition to it. They strive with God for the dominion; and the
question is whose will shall stand. God will rule, but Israel will
not be ruled; and this is the quarrel. 3. It is an instance of the
grace of God that, having wrought divers miracles to punish sin, he
would work one more on purpose to prevent it. God has effectually
provided that the obstinate shall be left inexcusable, and every
mouth shall be stopped. Israel were very prone to murmur both
against God and against their governors. "Now," said God, "<i>I
will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 17:5" id="Num.xviii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. If
any thing will convince them, they shall be convinced; and, if this
will not convince them, nothing will." This was to be to them, as
Christ said the sign of the prophet Jonas (that is, his own
resurrection) should be to the men of that generation, the highest
proof of his mission that should be given them. The directions are,
(1.) That twelve rods or staves should be brought in. It is
probable that they were not now fresh cut out of a tree, for then
the miracle would not have been so great; but that they were the
staves which the princes ordinarily used as ensigns of their
authority (of which we read <scripRef passage="Nu 21:18" id="Num.xviii-p3.3" parsed="|Num|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.18"><i>ch.</i>
xxi. 18</scripRef>), old dry staves, that had no sap in them, and
it is probable that they were all made of the almond-tree. It
should seem they were but twelve in all, with Aaron's, for, when
Levi comes into the account, Ephraim and Manasseh make but one,
under the name of Joseph. (2.) That the name of each prince should
be written upon his rod, that every man might know his own, and to
prevent contests. Writing is often a good preservative against
strife, for what is written may be appealed to. (3.) That they
should be laid up in the tabernacle, for one night, before the
testimony, that is, before the ark, which, with its mercy seat, was
a symbol, token, or testimony, of God's presence with them. (4.)
They were to expect, being told it before, that the rod of the
tribe, or prince, whom God chose to the priesthood, should bud and
blossom, <scripRef passage="Nu 17:5" id="Num.xviii-p3.4" parsed="|Num|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. It was
requisite that they should be told of it, that it might appear not
to be casual, but according to the counsel and will of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p4">II. The preparing of the rods accordingly.
The princes brought them in, some of them perhaps fondly expecting
that the choice would fall upon them, and all of them thinking it
honour enough to be competitors with Aaron, and to stand
candidates, even for the priesthood (<scripRef passage="Nu 17:7" id="Num.xviii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); and <i>Moses laid them up before
the Lord.</i> He did not object that the matter was sufficiently
settled already, and enough done to convince those that were not
invincibly hardened in their prejudices. He did not undertake to
determine the controversy himself, though it might easily have been
done; nor did he suggest that it would be to no purpose to offer
satisfaction to a people that were willingly blind. But, since God
will have it so, he did his part, and lodged the case before the
Lord, to whom the appeal was made by consent, and left it with
him.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 17:8-13" id="Num.xviii-p4.2" parsed="|Num|17|8|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.8-Num.17.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.17.8-Num.17.13">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xviii-p5">8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses
went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron
for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and
bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. &#160; 9 And Moses brought
out all the rods from before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p5.1">Lord</span> unto all the children of Israel: and they
looked, and took every man his rod. &#160; 10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p5.2">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again
before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels;
and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they
die not. &#160; 11 And Moses did <i>so:</i> as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p5.3">Lord</span> commanded him, so did he. &#160; 12 And the
children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we
perish, we all perish. &#160; 13 Whosoever cometh any thing near
unto the tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xviii-p5.4">Lord</span>
shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p6">Here is, I. The final determination of the
controversy concerning the priesthood by a miracle, <scripRef passage="Nu 17:8,9" id="Num.xviii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|17|8|17|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.8-Num.17.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. The rods or staves
were brought out from the most holy place where they were laid up,
and publicly produced before the people; and, while all the rest of
the rods remained as they were, Aaron's rod only, of a dry stick,
became a living branch, budded, and blossomed, and yielded almonds.
In some places there were buds, in others blossoms, in others
fruit, at the same time. This was miraculous, and took away all
suspicion of a fraud, as if in the night Moses had taken away
Aaron's rod, and put a living branch of an almond tree in the room
of it; for no ordinary branch would have buds, blossoms, and fruits
upon it, all at once. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p7">1. This was a plain indication to the
people that Aaron was chosen to the priesthood, and not any other
of the princes of the tribes. Thus he was distinguished from them
and manifested to be under the special blessing of heaven, which
sometimes yields increase where there is neither planting nor
watering by the hand of man. Bishop Hall here observes that
fruitfulness is the best evidence of a divine call, and that the
plants of God's setting, and the boughs cut off from them, will
flourish. See <scripRef passage="Ps 92:12-14" id="Num.xviii-p7.1" parsed="|Ps|92|12|92|14" osisRef="Bible:Ps.92.12-Ps.92.14">Ps. xcii.
12-14</scripRef>. The trees of the Lord, though they seem dry
trees, are full of sap.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p8">2. It was a very proper sign to represent
the priesthood itself, which was hereby confirmed to Aaron. (1.)
That it should be fruitful and serviceable to the church of God. It
produced not only blossoms, but almonds; for the priesthood was
designed, not only for an honour to Aaron, but for a blessing to
Israel. Thus Christ ordained his apostles and ministers that they
should go and bring forth fruit, and that their <i>fruit should
remain,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 15:16" id="Num.xviii-p8.1" parsed="|John|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.15.16">John xv. 16</scripRef>.
(2.) That there should be a succession of priests. Here were not
only almonds for the present, but buds and blossoms promising more
hereafter. Thus has Christ provided in his church that a seed
should serve him from generation to generation. (3.) That yet this
priesthood should not be perpetual, but in process of time, like
the branches and blossoms of a tree, should fail and wither. The
flourishing of the almond-tree is mentioned as one of the signs of
old age, <scripRef passage="Ec 12:5" id="Num.xviii-p8.2" parsed="|Eccl|12|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.5">Eccl. xii. 5</scripRef>. This
character was betimes put upon the Mosaic priesthood, which soon
became old and <i>ready to vanish away,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 8:13" id="Num.xviii-p8.3" parsed="|Heb|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.13">Heb. viii. 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p9">3. It was a type and figure of Christ and
his priesthood: for he is <i>the man, the branch,</i> that is to be
<i>a priest upon his throne,</i> as it follows (<scripRef passage="Zec 6:12" id="Num.xviii-p9.1" parsed="|Zech|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.6.12">Zech. vi. 12</scripRef>); and he was to <i>grow up
before God,</i> as this before the ark, <i>like a tender plant, and
a root out of a dry ground,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 53:2" id="Num.xviii-p9.2" parsed="|Isa|53|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.53.2">Isa.
liii. 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p10">II. The record of this determination, by
the preserving of the rod before the testimony, <i>in perpetuam rei
memoriam&#8212;that it might be had in perpetual remembrance,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 17:10,11" id="Num.xviii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|17|10|17|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.10-Num.17.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. It is
probable that the buds, and blossoms, and fruit, continued fresh;
the same divine power that produced them in a night preserved them
for ages, at least so long as it was necessary for a token against
the rebels. So it was a standing miracle, and the continuance of it
was an undeniable proof of the truth of it. Even the leaf of God's
trees shall not wither, <scripRef passage="Ps 1:3" id="Num.xviii-p10.2" parsed="|Ps|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.3">Ps. i.
3</scripRef>. This rod was preserved, as the censers were, to
<i>take away their murmurings, that they die not.</i> Note, 1. The
design of God in all his providences, both mercies and judgments,
and in the memorials of them, is to take away sin, and to prevent
it. These things are done, these things written, <i>that we sin
not,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:1" id="Num.xviii-p10.3" parsed="|1John|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.1">1 John ii. 1</scripRef>.
Christ was <i>manifested to take away sin.</i> 2. What God does for
the taking away of sin is done in real kindness to us, <i>that we
die not.</i> All the bitter potions he gives, and all the sharp
methods he uses with us, are for the cure of a disease which
otherwise would certainly be fatal. Bishop Hall observes here that
the tables of the law, the pot of manna, and Aaron's rod, were
preserved together in or about the ark (the apostle takes notice of
them all three together, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:4" id="Num.xviii-p10.4" parsed="|Heb|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.4">Heb. ix.
4</scripRef>), to show to after-ages how the ancient church was
taught, and fed, and ruled; and he infers how precious the
doctrine, sacraments, and government, of the church are to God and
should be to us. The rod of Moses was used in working many
miracles, yet we do not find that this was preserved, for the
keeping of it would serve only to gratify men's curiosity; but the
rod of Aaron, which carried its miracle along with it, was
carefully preserved, because that would be of standing use to
convince men's consciences, to silence all disputes about the
priesthood, and to confirm the faith of God's Israel in his
institutions. Such is the difference between the sacraments which
Christ has appointed for edification and the relics which men have
devised for superstition.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xviii-p11">III. The outcry of the people hereupon
(<scripRef passage="Nu 17:12,13" id="Num.xviii-p11.1" parsed="|Num|17|12|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.12-Num.17.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>):
<i>Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Shall we be consumed
with dying?</i> This may be considered as the language either, 1.
Of a repining people quarrelling with the judgments of God, which,
by their own pride and obstinacy, they had brought upon themselves.
They seem to speak despairingly, as if God was a hard Master, that
sought advantage against them, and took all occasions to pick
quarrels with them, so that if they trod every so little awry, if
they stepped ever so little beyond their bounds, they must die,
they must perish, they must all perish, basely insinuating that God
would never be satisfied with their blood and ruin, till he had
made an end of them all and they were consumed with dying. Thus
they seem to be like a <i>wild bull in a net, full of the fury of
the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 51:20" id="Num.xviii-p11.2" parsed="|Isa|51|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.20">Isa. li.
20</scripRef>), fretting that God was too hard for them and that
they were forced to submit, which they did only because they could
not help it. Note, It is a very wicked thing to fret against God
when we are in affliction, and in our distress thus to trespass yet
more. If we die, if we perish, it is owing to ourselves, and the
blame will lie upon our own heads. Or, 2. Of a repenting people.
Many interpreters take it as expressing their submission: "Now we
see that it is the will of God we should keep our distance, and
that it is at our peril if we draw nearer than is appointed. We
submit to the divine will in this appointment; we will not contend
any more, lest we all perish:" and they engage Moses to intercede
for them, that they may not be all consumed with dying. Thus the
point was gained, and in this matter God quite took away their
murmurings, and henceforward they acquiesced. Note, When God judges
he will over come, and, one way or other, will oblige the most
obstinate gainsayers to confess their folly sooner or later, and
that wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. <i>Vicisti
Galil&#230;e&#8212;O Galil&#230;an, thou hast conquered!</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVIII" n="xix" progress="73.30%" prev="Num.xviii" next="Num.xx" id="Num.xix">
<h2 id="Num.xix-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xix-p1">Aaron being now fully established in the
priesthood abundantly to his own satisfaction, and to the
satisfaction of the people (which was the good that God brought out
of the evil opposition made to him), in this chapter God gives him
full instructions concerning his office or rather repeats those
which he had before given him. He tells him, I. What must be his
work and the care and charge committed to him, and what assistance
he should have the Levites in that work, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:1-7" id="Num.xix-p1.1" parsed="|Num|18|1|18|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.1-Num.18.7">ver. 1-7</scripRef>. II. What should be his and the
Levites' wages for this work. 1. The perquisites or fees peculiar
to the priests, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:8-19" id="Num.xix-p1.2" parsed="|Num|18|8|18|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.8-Num.18.19">ver.
8-19</scripRef>. 2. The settled maintenance of the Levites,
<scripRef passage="Nu 18:20-24" id="Num.xix-p1.3" parsed="|Num|18|20|18|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.20-Num.18.24">ver. 20-24</scripRef>. III. The
portion which must be paid to the priests out of the Levites'
maintenance, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:25-32" id="Num.xix-p1.4" parsed="|Num|18|25|18|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.25-Num.18.32">ver. 25-32</scripRef>.
Thus every one knew what he had to do, and what he had to live
upon.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 18" id="Num.xix-p1.5" parsed="|Num|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 18:1-7" id="Num.xix-p1.6" parsed="|Num|18|1|18|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.1-Num.18.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.18.1-Num.18.7">
<h4 id="Num.xix-p1.7">The Service of the Priests and
Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee
shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons
with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. &#160; 2 And
thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father,
bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and
minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee <i>shall
minister</i> before the tabernacle of witness. &#160; 3 And they
shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only
they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the
altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. &#160; 4 And they shall
be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the
congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger
shall not come nigh unto you. &#160; 5 And ye shall keep the charge
of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no
wrath any more upon the children of Israel. &#160; 6 And I, behold,
I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of
Israel: to you <i>they are</i> given <i>as</i> a gift for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p2.2">Lord</span>, to do the service of the tabernacle
of the congregation. &#160; 7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee
shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and
within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's
office <i>unto you</i> as a service of gift: and the stranger that
cometh nigh shall be put to death.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p3">The coherence of this chapter with that
foregoing is very observable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p4">I. The people, in the close of that
chapter, had complained of the difficulty and peril that there were
in drawing near to God, which put them under some dreadful
apprehensions that the tabernacle in the midst of them, which they
hoped would have been their joy and glory, would rather be their
terror and ruin. Now, in answer to this complaint, God here gives
them to understand by Aaron that the priests should come near for
them as their representatives; so that, though the people were
obliged to keep their distance, yet that should not at all redound
to their disgrace or prejudice, but their comfortable communion
with God should be kept up by the interposition of the priests.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p5">II. A great deal of honour God had now
lately put upon Aaron; his rod had budded and blossomed, when the
rods of the rest of the princes remained dry, and destitute both of
fruit and ornament. Now lest Aaron should be puffed up with the
abundance of the favours that were done him, and the miracles that
were wrought for the support of him in his high station, God comes
to him to remind him of the burden that was laid upon him, and the
duty required from him as a priest. He would see reason not to be
proud of his preferment, but to receive the honours of his office
with reverence and holy trembling, when he considered how great was
the charge committed to him, and how hard it would be for him to
give a good account of it. <i>Be not high-minded, but fear.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p6">1. God tells him of the danger that
attended his dignity, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:1" id="Num.xix-p6.1" parsed="|Num|18|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. (1.) That both the priests and Levites (<i>thou, and
thy sons, and thy father's house</i>) should <i>bear the iniquity
of the sanctuary;</i> that is, if the sanctuary were profaned by
the intrusion of strangers, or persons in their uncleanness, the
blame should lie upon the Levites and priests, who ought to have
kept them off. Though the sinner that thrust in presumptuously
should die in his iniquity, yet his blood should be required at the
hands of the watchmen. Or it may be taken more generally: "If any
of the duties or offices of the sanctuary be neglected, if any
service be not done in its season or not according to the law, if
any thing be lost or misplaced in the removal of the sanctuary, you
shall be accountable for it, and answer it at your peril." (2.)
That the priests should themselves <i>bear the iniquity of the
priesthood;</i> that is, if they either neglected any part of their
work or permitted any other persons to invade their office, and
take their work out of their hands, they should bear the blame of
it. Note, The greater the trust is of work and power that is
committed to us the greater is our danger of contracting guilt, by
falsifying and betraying that trust. This is a good reason why we
should neither be envious at others' honours nor ambitious
ourselves of high places, because great dignity exposes us to great
iniquity. Those that are entrusted with the charge of the sanctuary
will have a great deal to answer for. Who would covet the care of
souls who considers the account that must be given of that
care?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p7">2. He tells him of the duty that attended
his dignity. (1.) That he and his sons must <i>minister before the
tabernacle of witness</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:2" id="Num.xix-p7.1" parsed="|Num|18|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>); that is (as bishop Patrick explains it), <i>before
the most holy place,</i> in which the ark was, on the outside of
the veil of that tabernacle, but within the door of the tabernacle,
of the congregation. They were to attend the golden altar, the
table, and candlestick, which no Levite might approach to. <i>You
shall serve,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 18:7" id="Num.xix-p7.2" parsed="|Num|18|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. Not, "You shall rule" (it was never intended that
they should lord it over God's heritage), but "You shall serve God
and the congregation." Note, The priesthood is a service. <i>If any
desire the office of a bishop he desires a good work.</i> Ministers
must remember that they are ministers, that is, servants, of whom
it is required that they be humble, diligent, and faithful. (2.)
That the Levites must assist him and his sons, and minister to them
in all the <i>service of the tabernacle</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:2-4" id="Num.xix-p7.3" parsed="|Num|18|2|18|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.2-Num.18.4"><i>v.</i> 2-4</scripRef>), though they must by no means
come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary, nor at the altar meddle
with the great services of burning the fat and sprinkling the
blood. Aaron's family was very small, and, as it increased, the
rest of the families of Israel would increase likewise, so that the
hands of the priests neither were now nor were likely to be
sufficient for all the service of the tabernacle; therefore (says
God) <i>the Levites shall be joined to thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 18:2" id="Num.xix-p7.4" parsed="|Num|18|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>, and again <scripRef passage="Nu 18:4" id="Num.xix-p7.5" parsed="|Num|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>, where there seems to be an
allusion to the name of Levi, which signifies <i>joined.</i> Many
of the Levites had of late set themselves against Aaron, but
henceforward God promises that they should be heartily joined to
him in interest and affection, and should no more contest with him.
It was a good sign to Aaron that God owned him when he inclined the
hearts of those concerned to own him too. The Levites are said to
be given as a gift to the priests, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:6" id="Num.xix-p7.6" parsed="|Num|18|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Note, We are to value it as a
great gift of the divine bounty to have those joined to us that
will be helpful and serviceable to us in the service of God. (3.)
That both priests and Levites must carefully watch against the
profanation of sacred things. The Levites must <i>keep the charge
of the tabernacle,</i> that <i>no stranger</i> (that is, none who
upon any account was forbidden to come) might <i>come nigh</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 18:4" id="Num.xix-p7.7" parsed="|Num|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), and that upon
pain of death, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:7" id="Num.xix-p7.8" parsed="|Num|18|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>.
And the priests must <i>keep the charge of the sanctuary</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 18:5" id="Num.xix-p7.9" parsed="|Num|18|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), must instruct
the people, and admonish them concerning the due distance they were
to keep, and not suffer them to break the bounds set them, as
Korah's company had done, that there be <i>no wrath any more upon
the children of Israel.</i> Note, The preventing of sin is the
preventing of wrath; and the mischief sin has done should be a
warning to us for the future to watch against it both in ourselves
and others.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 18:8-19" id="Num.xix-p7.10" parsed="|Num|18|8|18|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.8-Num.18.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.18.8-Num.18.19">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xix-p8">8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine
heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of
Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and
to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. &#160; 9 This shall be thine
of the most holy things, <i>reserved</i> from the fire: every
oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin
offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which
they shall render unto me, <i>shall be</i> most holy for thee and
for thy sons. &#160; 10 In the most holy <i>place</i> shalt thou
eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. &#160;
11 And this <i>is</i> thine; the heave offering of their gift, with
all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them
unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a
statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of
it. &#160; 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the
wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall
offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.2">Lord</span>, them have I
given thee. &#160; 13 <i>And</i> whatsoever is first ripe in the
land, which they shall bring unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.3">Lord</span>, shall be thine; every one that is clean in
thine house shall eat <i>of</i> it. &#160; 14 Every thing devoted
in Israel shall be thine. &#160; 15 Every thing that openeth the
matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.4">Lord</span>, <i>whether it be</i> of men or beasts,
shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely
redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
&#160; 16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt
thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which <i>is</i> twenty
gerahs. &#160; 17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a
sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they
<i>are</i> holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar,
and shalt burn their fat <i>for</i> an offering made by fire, for a
sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.5">Lord</span>. &#160;
18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as
the right shoulder are thine. &#160; 19 All the heave offerings of
the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.6">Lord</span>, have I given thee, and thy sons and
thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it <i>is</i> a
covenant of salt for ever before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p8.7">Lord</span> unto thee and to thy seed with thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p9">The priest's service is called a
<i>warfare;</i> and who goes a warfare at his own charges? As they
were well employed, so they were well provided for, and well paid.
None shall serve God for nought. All believers are spiritual
priests, and God has promised to take care of them; they shall
<i>dwell in the land,</i> and <i>verily they shall be fed,</i> and
shall not <i>want any good thing.</i> Godliness has the <i>promise
of the life that now is.</i> And from this plentiful provision here
made for the priests the apostle infers that it is the duty of
Christian churches to maintain their ministers; those that
<i>served at the altar lived upon the altar.</i> So those that
preach the gospel should <i>live upon the gospel,</i> and live
comfortably, <scripRef passage="1Co 9:13,14" id="Num.xix-p9.1" parsed="|1Cor|9|13|9|14" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.13-1Cor.9.14">1 Cor. ix. 13,
14</scripRef>. Scandalous maintenance makes scandalous ministers.
Now observe, 1. That much of the provision that was made for them
arose out of the sacrifices which they themselves were employed to
offer. They had the skins of almost all the sacrifices, which they
might sell, and they had a considerable share out of the
meat-offerings, sin-offerings, &amp;c. Those that had the charge of
the offerings had the benefit, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:8" id="Num.xix-p9.2" parsed="|Num|18|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Note, God's work is its own
wages, and his service carries its recompence along with it. Even
in keeping God's commandments there is great reward. The present
pleasures of religion are part of its pay. 2. That they had not
only a good table kept for them, but money likewise in their
pockets for the redemption of the first-born, and those firstlings
of cattle which might not be offered in sacrifice. Thus their
maintenance was such as left them altogether <i>disentangled from
the affairs of this life;</i> they had no grounds to occupy, no
land to till, no vineyards to dress, no cattle to tend, no visible
estate to take care of, and yet had a more plentiful income than
any other families whatsoever. Thus God ordered it that they might
be the more entirely addicted to their ministry, and not diverted
from it, nor disturbed in it, by any worldly care or business (the
ministry requires a whole man); and that they might be examples of
living by faith, not only in God's providence, but in his
ordinance. They lived from hand to mouth, that they might learn to
take no thought for the morrow; sufficient for the day would be the
provision thereof: and they had no estates to leave their children,
that they might by faith leave their children, that they might by
faith leave them to the care of that God who had <i>fed them all
their lives long.</i> 3. Of the provision that was made for their
tables some is said to be <i>most holy</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:9,10" id="Num.xix-p9.3" parsed="|Num|18|9|18|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.9-Num.18.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>), which was to be eaten by
the priests themselves, and in the court of the tabernacle only;
but other perquisites were less holy, of which their families might
eat, at their own houses, provided they were clean, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:11-13" id="Num.xix-p9.4" parsed="|Num|18|11|18|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.11-Num.18.13"><i>v.</i> 11-13</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Le 21:10-12" id="Num.xix-p9.5" parsed="|Lev|21|10|21|12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.10-Lev.21.12">Lev. xxi. 10</scripRef>, &amp;c. 4. It is
commanded that the <i>best of the oil,</i> and <i>the best of the
wine and wheat,</i> should be offered for the <i>first-fruits unto
the Lord,</i> which the priest were to have, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:12" id="Num.xix-p9.6" parsed="|Num|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Note, We must always serve and
honour God with the best we have, for he is the best, and best
deserves it; he is the first, and therefore must have the first
ripe. Those that think to save charges by putting God off with the
refuse do but deceive themselves, for <i>God is not mocked.</i> 5.
All this is given to the priests <i>by reason of the anointing,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 18:8" id="Num.xix-p9.7" parsed="|Num|18|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. It was not for
the sake of their personal merits above other Israelites that they
had these tributes paid to them, be it known unto them; but purely
for the sake of the office to which they were anointed. Thus all
the comforts that are given to the Lord's people are given them by
reason of the anointing which they have received. It is said to be
given them <i>by an ordinance for ever</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:8" id="Num.xix-p9.8" parsed="|Num|18|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and it is a <i>covenant of salt
for ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 18:19" id="Num.xix-p9.9" parsed="|Num|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>.
As long as the priesthood should continue this should continue to
be the maintenance of it, that this lamp might not go out for want
of oil to keep it burning. Thus provision is made that a gospel
ministry should continue till Christ comes, by an ordinance for
ever. <i>Lo, I am with you</i> (that is their maintenance and
support) <i>always, even to the end of the world.</i> Thanks be to
the Redeemer, it is the word which he has <i>commanded to a
thousand generations.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 18:20-32" id="Num.xix-p9.10" parsed="|Num|18|20|18|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.20-Num.18.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.18.20-Num.18.32">
<h4 id="Num.xix-p9.11">The Priests and Levites Provided
For. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p9.12">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xix-p10">20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land,
neither shalt thou have any part among them: I <i>am</i> thy part
and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. &#160; 21 And,
behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel
for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, <i>even</i>
the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 22
Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. &#160;
23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: <i>it shall
be</i> a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among
the children of Israel they have no inheritance. &#160; 24 But the
tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer <i>as</i> an
heave offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.2">Lord</span>, I have
given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them,
Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. &#160;
25 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.3">Lord</span> spake unto Moses,
saying, &#160; 26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them,
When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have
given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an
heave offering of it for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.4">Lord</span>,
<i>even</i> a tenth <i>part</i> of the tithe. &#160; 27 And
<i>this</i> your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as
though <i>it were</i> the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the
fulness of the winepress. &#160; 28 Thus ye also shall offer an
heave offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.5">Lord</span> of all
your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye
shall give thereof the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.6">Lord</span>'s heave
offering to Aaron the priest. &#160; 29 Out of all your gifts ye
shall offer every heave offering of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xix-p10.7">Lord</span>, of all the best thereof, <i>even</i> the
hallowed part thereof out of it. &#160; 30 Therefore thou shalt say
unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it
shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the
threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress. &#160; 31 And
ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it
<i>is</i> your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the
congregation. &#160; 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it,
when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye
pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p11">Here is a further account of the provision
that was made both for the Levites and for the priests, out of the
country.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p12">I. They must have <i>no inheritance in the
land;</i> only cities to dwell in were afterwards allowed them, but
no ground to occupy: <i>Thou shalt not have any part among
them,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 18:20" id="Num.xix-p12.1" parsed="|Num|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. It
is repeated again <scripRef passage="Nu 18:23" id="Num.xix-p12.2" parsed="|Num|18|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>, and again <scripRef passage="Nu 18:24" id="Num.xix-p12.3" parsed="|Num|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>, <i>Among the children of Israel they shall have no
inheritance,</i> either by purchase or descent. God would have them
comfortably provided for, but would not have their families
over-rich, lest they should think themselves above that work which
their wages supposed and obliged them constantly to attend upon. As
Israel was a peculiar people, and not to be numbered among the
nations, so Levi was a peculiar tribe, and not to be settled as the
rest of the tribes, but in all respects distinguished from them. A
good reason is given why they must have <i>no inheritance in the
land,</i> for, says God, <i>I am thy part, and thy inheritance.</i>
Note, Those that have God for their inheritance and their portion
for ever ought to look with a holy contempt and indifference upon
the inheritances of this world, and not covet their portion in it.
"<i>The Lord is my portion, therefore will I hope in him,</i> and
not depend upon any thing I have on this earth," <scripRef passage="La 3:24" id="Num.xix-p12.4" parsed="|Lam|3|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.3.24">Lam. iii. 24</scripRef>. The Levites shall have no
inheritance, and yet they shall live very comfortably and
plentifully&#8212;to teach us that Providence has various ways of
supporting those that live in a dependence upon it; the fowls reap
not, and yet are fed, the lilies spin not, and yet are clothed, the
Levites have no inheritance in Israel, and yet live better than any
other tribe. The repetition of that caution, that <i>no Israelite
should approach the tabernacle,</i> comes in suitable, though
somewhat abruptly, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:22" id="Num.xix-p12.5" parsed="|Num|18|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. It seems set in opposition to that order concerning
the priests and Levites that they should have <i>no inheritance in
Israel,</i> to show how God dispenses his favours variously. The
Levites have the honour of attending the tabernacle, which is
denied the Israelites; but then the Israelites have the honour of
inheritances in Canaan, which is denied the Levites; thus each is
kept from either envying or despising the other, and both have
reason to rejoice in their lot. The Israelites must not <i>come
nigh the tabernacle,</i> but then the Levites must have <i>no
inheritance in the land;</i> if ministers expect that people should
keep in their sphere, and not intermeddle with sacred offices, let
them keep in theirs, and not entangle themselves in secular
affairs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xix-p13">II. But they must both have tithes of the
land. Besides the first-fruits which were appropriated to the
priests, which, the Jews say, were to be a fiftieth part, or at
least a sixtieth, the tithe also was appropriated. 1. The Levites
had the tithes of the people's increase (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:21" id="Num.xix-p13.1" parsed="|Num|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>): <i>I have given</i> (whose the
whole is) <i>all the tenths in Israel,</i> of all the productions
of the land, to <i>the children of Levi,</i> to be divided among
them in just proportions, <i>for their service which they
serve.</i> The Levites were the smallest tribe of the twelve, and
yet, besides all other advantages, they had a tenth part of the
yearly profits, without the trouble and expense of ploughing and
sowing; such care did God take of those that were devoted to his
service; not only that they might be well maintained, but that they
might be honoured with a national acknowledgment of the good
services they did to the public, and owned as God's agents and
receivers; for that which was a heave-offering, or an offering
lifted heavenward unto the Lord, was by him consigned to the
Levites. 2. The priests had the tenths of the Levites' tithes
settled upon them. The order for this Moses is directed to give to
the Levites, whom God would have to pay it with cheerfulness,
rather than the priests to demand it with authority: <i>Speak to
the Levites</i> that it be <i>offered by them,</i> rather than
levied upon them. Now observe, (1.) The Levites were to give God
his dues out of their tithes, as well as the Israelites out of
their increase. They were God's tenants, and rent was expected from
them, nor were they exempted by their office. Thus now, ministers
must be charitable out of what they receive; and the more freely
they have received the more freely they must give, and be examples
of liberality. <i>You shall offer a heave-offering to the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 18:26" id="Num.xix-p13.2" parsed="|Num|18|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. Those that
are employed to assist the devotions of others must be sure to pay
their own, as a heave-offering to the Lord. Prayers and praises
lifted up to God, or rather the heart lifted up in them, are now
our heave-offerings. This (says God) shall be <i>reckoned to you as
though it were the corn of the threshing-floor;</i> that is, though
it was not the fruit of their ground, nor of their own labour, as
the tithes of other Israelites were, yet being of such as they had
it should be accepted, to the sanctifying of all the rest. (2.)
This was to be given <i>to Aaron the priest</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:28" id="Num.xix-p13.3" parsed="|Num|18|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>), and to his successors the high
priests, to be divided and disposed of in such proportions as they
should think fit among the inferior priests. Most of the profits of
the priests' office, which were appointed in the former part of the
chapter, arising from the sacrifices, those priests had the benefit
of who constantly attended at the altar; but, forasmuch as there
were many priests employed in the country to teach and rule, those
tithes taken by the Levites, it is probable, were directed by the
high priest for their maintenance. It is the probable conjecture of
the learned bishop Patrick that the tenth of this last tenth was
reserved for the high priest himself, to support his state and
dignity; for otherwise we read not of any peculiar provision made
for him. (3.) When the Levites had thus paid the tenth of their
income, as a heave-offering to the Lord, they had themselves the
comfortable enjoyment of the other nine parts (<scripRef passage="Nu 18:30" id="Num.xix-p13.4" parsed="|Num|18|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>): "When you have thus <i>heaved
the best from it</i> (for still God's part must be the best) then
you shall <i>eat the rest,</i> not as a holy thing, but with the
same freedom that the other Israelites eat their part with, <i>in
every place, you and your households,</i>" <scripRef passage="Nu 18:31" id="Num.xix-p13.5" parsed="|Num|18|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. See here what is the way to
have the comfort of all our worldly possessions so as to bear no
sin by reason of them, as it follows, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:32" id="Num.xix-p13.6" parsed="|Num|18|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. [1.] We must be sure that what
we have be got honestly and in the service of God. It is <i>your
reward for your service;</i> that meat is the best eating that is
first earned; but, if any <i>will not work, neither shall he
eat,</i> <scripRef passage="2Th 3:10" id="Num.xix-p13.7" parsed="|2Thess|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.10">2 Thess. iii. 10</scripRef>.
And that seems to be spoken of as having a particular comfort and
satisfaction in it which is the reward of faithful service done in
the tabernacle of the congregation. [2.] We must be sure that God
has his dues out of it. Then we have the comfort of our substance
when we have honoured the Lord with it. The <i>you shall bear no
sin by reason of it,</i> when <i>you have heaved the best from
it.</i> This intimates that we must never feed ourselves without
fear, lest our table become a snare, and we bear sin by reason of
it; and that therefore we are concerned to <i>give alms of such
things as we have,</i> that all may be clean and comfortable to
us.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIX" n="xx" progress="73.80%" prev="Num.xix" next="Num.xxi" id="Num.xx">
<h2 id="Num.xx-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xx-p0.2">CHAP. XIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xx-p1">This chapter is only concerning the preparing and
using of the ashes which were to impregnate the water of
purification. The people had complained of the strictness of the
law, which forbade their near approach to the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="Nu 17:13" id="Num.xx-p1.1" parsed="|Num|17|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.17.13"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 13</scripRef>. In answer to
this complaint, they are here directed to purify themselves, so as
that they might come as far as they had occasion without fear. Here
is, I. The method of preparing these ashes, by the burning of a red
heifer, with a great deal of ceremony, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:1-10" id="Num.xx-p1.2" parsed="|Num|19|1|19|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.1-Num.19.10">ver. 1-10</scripRef>. II. The way of using them. 1.
They were designed to purify persons from the pollution contracted
by a dead body, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:11-16" id="Num.xx-p1.3" parsed="|Num|19|11|19|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.11-Num.19.16">ver.
11-16</scripRef>. 2. They were to be put into running water (a
small quantity of them), with which the person to be cleansed must
be purified, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:17-22" id="Num.xx-p1.4" parsed="|Num|19|17|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.17-Num.19.22">ver. 17-22</scripRef>.
And that this ceremonial purification was a type and figure of the
cleansing of the consciences of believers from the pollutions of
sin appears by the apostle's discourse, <scripRef passage="Heb 9:13,14" id="Num.xx-p1.5" parsed="|Heb|9|13|9|14" osisRef="Bible:Heb.9.13-Heb.9.14">Heb. ix. 13, 14</scripRef>, where he compares the
efficacy of the blood of Christ with the sanctifying virtue that
was in "the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean."</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 19" id="Num.xx-p1.6" parsed="|Num|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 19:1-10" id="Num.xx-p1.7" parsed="|Num|19|1|19|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.1-Num.19.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.19.1-Num.19.10">
<h4 id="Num.xx-p1.8">The Ashes of Purification. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xx-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1471.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xx-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xx-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, &#160; 2 This <i>is</i>
the ordinance of the law which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xx-p2.2">Lord</span> hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the
children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot,
wherein <i>is</i> no blemish, <i>and</i> upon which never came
yoke: &#160; 3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that
he may bring her forth without the camp, and <i>one</i> shall slay
her before his face: &#160; 4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of
her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly
before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: &#160; 5 And
<i>one</i> shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her
flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: &#160; 6 And
the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast
<i>it</i> into the midst of the burning of the heifer. &#160; 7
Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his
flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the
priest shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 8 And he that
burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in
water, and shall be unclean until the even. &#160; 9 And a man
<i>that is</i> clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and
lay <i>them</i> up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall
be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water
of separation: it <i>is</i> a purification for sin. &#160; 10 And
he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes,
and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of
Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a
statute for ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p3">We have here the divine appointment
concerning the solemn burning of a red heifer to ashes, and the
preserving of the ashes, that of them might be made, not a
beautifying, but a purifying, water, for that was the utmost the
law reached to; it offered not to adorn as the gospel does, but to
cleanse only. This burning of the heifer, though it was not
properly a sacrifice of expiation, being not performed at the
altar, yet was typical of the death and sufferings of Christ, by
which he intended, not only to satisfy God's justice, but to purify
and pacify our consciences, that we may have peace with God and
also peace in our own bosoms, to prepare for which Christ died, not
only like the bulls and goats at the altar, but like the heifer
without the camp.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p4">I. There was a great deal of care employed
in the choice of the heifer that was to be burnt, much more than in
the choice of any other offering, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:2" id="Num.xx-p4.1" parsed="|Num|19|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. It must not only be without
blemish, typifying the spotless purity and sinless perfection of
the Lord Jesus, but it must a red heifer, because of the rarity of
the colour, that it might be the more remarkable: the Jews say, "If
but two hairs were black or white, it was unlawful." Christ, as
man, was the Son of Adam, <i>red earth,</i> and we find him red in
his apparel, red with his own blood, and red with the blood of his
enemies. And it must be one on which never came yoke, which was not
insisted on in other sacrifices, but thus was typified the
voluntary offer of the Lord Jesus, when he said, <i>Lo, I come,</i>
He was bound and held with no other cords than those of his own
love. This heifer was to be provided at the expense of the
congregation, because they were all to have a joint interest in it;
and so all believers have in Christ.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p5">II. There was to be a great deal of
ceremony in the burning of it. The care of doing it was committed
to Eleazar, not to Aaron himself, because it was not fit that he
should do any thing to render himself ceremonially unclean, no, not
so much as <i>till the evening</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:8" id="Num.xx-p5.1" parsed="|Num|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>); yet it being an affair of great
concern especially in the significancy of it, it was to be
performed by him that was next to Aaron in dignity. The chief
priests of that time had the principal hand in the death of Christ.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p6">1. The heifer was to be slain without the
camp, as an impure thing, which bespeaks the insufficiency of the
methods prescribed by the ceremonial law to take away sin. So far
were they from cleansing effectually that they were themselves
unclean; as if the pollution that was laid upon them continued to
cleave to them. Yet, to answer this type, our Lord Jesus, being
made sin and a curse for us, <i>suffered without the gate,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 13:12" id="Num.xx-p6.1" parsed="|Heb|13|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.12">Heb. xiii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p7">2. Eleazar was to <i>sprinkle the blood
directly before the door of the tabernacle,</i> and looking
steadfastly towards it, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:4" id="Num.xx-p7.1" parsed="|Num|19|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. This made it in some sort an expiation; for the
sprinkling of the blood before the Lord was the chief solemnity in
all the sacrifices of atonement; therefore, though this was not
done at the altar, yet, being done towards the sanctuary, it was
intimated that the virtue and validity of it depended upon the
sanctuary, and were derived from it. This signified the
satisfaction that was made to God by the death of Christ, our great
high priest, who <i>by the eternal Spirit</i> (and the Spirit is
called the finger of God, as Ainsworth observes, <scripRef passage="Lu 11:20" id="Num.xx-p7.2" parsed="|Luke|11|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.20">Luke xi. 20</scripRef>) <i>offered himself without spot
unto God;</i> directly before the sanctuary, when he said,
<i>Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.</i> It also signifies
how necessary it was to the purifying of our hearts that
satisfaction should be made to divine justice. This sprinkling of
the blood put virtue into the ashes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p8">3. The heifer was to be <i>wholly
burnt,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 19:5" id="Num.xx-p8.1" parsed="|Num|19|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. This
typified the extreme sufferings of our Lord Jesus, both in soul and
body, as a sacrifice made by fire. The priest was to cast into the
fire, while it was burning, cedarwood, hyssop, and scarlet, which
were used in the cleansing of lepers (<scripRef passage="Le 14:6,7" id="Num.xx-p8.2" parsed="|Lev|14|6|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.14.6-Lev.14.7">Lev. xiv. 6, 7</scripRef>), that the ashes of these
might be mingled with the ashes of the heifer, because they were
designed for purification.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p9">4. The ashes of the heifer (separated as
well as they could from the ashes of the wood wherewith it was
burnt) were to be carefully gathered up by the hand of a clean
person, and (as the Jews say) pounded and sifted, and so laid up
for the use of the congregation, as there was occasion (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:9" id="Num.xx-p9.1" parsed="|Num|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), not only for that
generation, but for posterity; for the ashes of this one heifer
were sufficient to season as many vessels of water as the people of
Israel would need for many ages. The Jews say that this one served
till the captivity, nearly 1000 years, and that there was never
another heifer burnt till Ezra's time, after their return, to which
tradition of theirs, grounded (I suppose) only upon the silence of
their old records, I see no reason we have to give credit, since in
the later times of their church, of which they had more full
records, they find eight burnt between Ezra's time and the
destruction of the second temple, which was about 500 years, These
ashes are said to be laid up here as <i>a purification for sin,</i>
because, though they were intended to purify only from ceremonial
uncleanness, yet they were a type of that purification for sin
which our Lord Jesus made by his death. Ashes mixed with water are
used in scouring, but these had their virtue purely from the divine
institution, and their accomplishment and perfection in Christ, who
is <i>the end of this law for righteousness.</i> Now observe, (1.)
That the water of purification was made so by the ashes of a
heifer, whose blood was sprinkled before the sanctuary; so that
which cleanses our consciences is the abiding virtue of the death
of Christ; it is his blood that <i>cleanses from all sin,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Jo 1:7" id="Num.xx-p9.2" parsed="|1John|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.1.7">1 John i. 7</scripRef>. (2.) That the
ashes were sufficient for all the people. There needed not to be a
fresh heifer slain for every person or family that had occasion to
be purified, but this one was enough for all, even for the
strangers that sojourned among them (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:10" id="Num.xx-p9.3" parsed="|Num|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>); so there is virtue enough in
the blood of Christ for all that repent and believe the gospel, for
every Israelite, and not for their sins only, but for <i>the sins
of the whole world,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:2" id="Num.xx-p9.4" parsed="|1John|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.2">1 John ii.
2</scripRef>. (3.) That these ashes were capable of being preserved
without waste to many ages. No bodily substance is so incorruptible
as ashes are, which (says bishop Patrick) made these a very fit
emblem of the everlasting efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. He
is able to save, and, in order to that, able to cleanse, to the
uttermost, both of person and times. (4.) These ashes were laid up
as a stock or treasure, for the constant purification of Israel
from their pollutions; so the blood of Christ is laid up for us in
the word and sacraments, as an inexhaustible fountain of merit, to
which by faith we may have recourse daily for the purging of our
consciences; see <scripRef passage="Zec 13:1" id="Num.xx-p9.5" parsed="|Zech|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.13.1">Zech. xiii.
1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p10">5. All those that were employed in this
service were made ceremonially unclean by it; even Eleazar himself,
though he did but sprinkle the blood, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:7" id="Num.xx-p10.1" parsed="|Num|19|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. <i>He that burned the heifer was
unclean</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:8" id="Num.xx-p10.2" parsed="|Num|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>),
and he that <i>gathered up the ashes</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:10" id="Num.xx-p10.3" parsed="|Num|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>); so all that had a hand in
putting Christ to death contracted guilt by it: his betrayer, his
prosecutors, his judge, his executioner, all did what they did with
wicked hands, though it was <i>by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 2:23" id="Num.xx-p10.4" parsed="|Acts|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.23">Acts ii.
23</scripRef>); yet some of them were, and all might have been
cleansed by the virtue of that same blood which they had brought
themselves under the guilt of. Some make this to signify the
imperfection of the legal services, and their insufficiency to take
away sin, inasmuch as those who prepared for the purifying of
others were themselves polluted by the preparation. The Jews say,
This is a mystery which Solomon himself did not understand, that
the same thing should pollute those that were clean and purify
those that were unclean. But (says bishop Patrick) it is not
strange to those who consider that all the sacrifices which were
offered for sin were therefore looked upon as impure, because the
sins of men were laid upon them, as all our sins were upon Christ,
who therefore is said to be <i>made sin for us,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 5:21" id="Num.xx-p10.5" parsed="|2Cor|5|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.21">2 Cor. v. 21</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 19" id="Num.xx-p10.6" parsed="|Num|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 19:11-22" id="Num.xx-p10.7" parsed="|Num|19|11|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.11-Num.19.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.19.11-Num.19.22">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xx-p11">11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man
shall be unclean seven days. &#160; 12 He shall purify himself with
it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but
if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he
shall not be clean. &#160; 13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of
any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the
tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xx-p11.1">Lord</span>; and that
soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation
was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness
<i>is</i> yet upon him. &#160; 14 This <i>is</i> the law, when a
man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that
<i>is</i> in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. &#160; 15 And
every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, <i>is</i>
unclean. &#160; 16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a
sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a
grave, shall be unclean seven days. &#160; 17 And for an unclean
<i>person</i> they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of
purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a
vessel: &#160; 18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip
<i>it</i> in the water, and sprinkle <i>it</i> upon the tent, and
upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and
upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a
grave: &#160; 19 And the clean <i>person</i> shall sprinkle upon
the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the
seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. &#160; 20 But
the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that
soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath
defiled the sanctuary of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xx-p11.2">Lord</span>:
the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he
<i>is</i> unclean. &#160; 21 And it shall be a perpetual statute
unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall
wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation
shall be unclean until even. &#160; 22 And whatsoever the unclean
<i>person</i> toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth
<i>it</i> shall be unclean until even.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p12">Directions are here given concerning the
use and application of the ashes which were prepared for
purification. they were laid up to be laid out; and therefore,
though now one place would serve to keep them in, while all Israel
lay so closely encamped, yet it is probable that afterwards, when
they came to Canaan, some of these ashes were kept in every town,
for there would be daily use for them. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p13">I. In what cases there needed a
purification with these ashes. No other is mentioned here than the
ceremonial uncleanness that was contracted by the touch of a dead
body, or of the bone or grave of a dead man, or being in the tent
or house where a dead body lay, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:11,14-16" id="Num.xx-p13.1" parsed="|Num|19|11|0|0;|Num|19|14|19|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.11 Bible:Num.19.14-Num.19.16"><i>v.</i> 11, 14-16</scripRef>. This I look upon
to have been one of the greatest burdens of the ceremonial law, and
one of the most unaccountable. He that touched the carcase of an
unclean beast, or any living man under the greatest ceremonial
uncleanness, was made unclean by it only <i>till the evening,</i>
and needed only common water to purify himself with; but he that
came near the dead body of man, woman, or child, much bear the
reproach of his uncleanness seven days, must twice be purified with
the water of separation, which he could not obtain without trouble
and charge, and till he was purified must not come near the
sanctuary upon pain of death.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p14">1. This was strange, considering, (1.) that
whenever any died (and we are in deaths oft) several persons must
unavoidable contract this pollution, the body must be stripped,
washed, wound up, carried out, and buried, and this could not be
done without many hands, and yet all defiled, which signifies that
in our corrupt and fallen state there is none that lives and sins
not; we cannot avoid being polluted by the defiling world we pass
through, and we offend daily, yet the impossibility of our being
sinless does not make sin the less polluting. (2.) that taking care
of the dead, to see them decently buried, is not only necessary,
but a very good office, and an act of kindness, both to the honour
of the dead and the comfort of the living, and yet uncleanness was
contracted by it, which intimates that the pollutions of sin mix
with and cleave to our best services. <i>There is not a just man
upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not;</i> we are apt some way
or other to do amiss even in our doing good. (3.) That this
pollution was contracted by what was done privately in their own
houses, which intimates (as bishop Patrick observes) that God sees
what is done in secret, and nothing can be concealed from the
divine Majesty. (4.) This pollution might be contracted, and yet a
man might never know it, as by the touch of a grave which appeared
not, of which our Saviour says, Those that <i>walk over it are not
aware of it</i> (<scripRef passage="Lu 11:44" id="Num.xx-p14.1" parsed="|Luke|11|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.44">Luke xi.
44</scripRef>), which intimates the defilement of the conscience by
sins of ignorance, and the cause we have to cry out, "Who can
understand his errors?" and to pray, "Cleanse us from secret
faults, faults which we ourselves do not see ourselves guilty
of."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p15">2. But why did the law make a dead corpse
such a defiling thing? (1.) Because death is the <i>wages of sin,
entered into the world</i> by it, and reigns by the power of it.
Death to mankind is another thing from what it is to other
creatures: it is a curse, it is the execution of the law, and
therefore the defilement of death signifies the defilement of sin.
(2.) Because the law could not conquer death, nor abolish it and
alter the property of it, as the gospel does by bringing life and
immortality to light, and so introducing a better hope. Since our
Redeemer was dead and buried, death is no more destroying to the
Israel of God, and therefore dead bodies are no more defiling; but
while the church was under the law, to show that it <i>made not the
comers thereunto perfect,</i> the pollution contracted by dead
bodies could not but form in their minds melancholy and
uncomfortable notions concerning death, while believers now through
Christ can triumph over it. <i>O grave! where is thy victory?</i>
Where is thy pollution?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xx-p16">II. How the ashes were to be used and
applied in these cases. 1. A small quantity of the ashes must be
put into a cup of spring water, and mixed with the water, which
thereby was made, as it is here called, a <i>water of
separation,</i> because it was to be sprinkled on those who were
separated or removed from the sanctuary by their uncleanness. As
the ashes of the heifer signified the merit of Christ, so the
running water signified the power and grace of the blessed Spirit,
who is compared to rivers of living water; and it is by his
operation that the righteousness of Christ is applied to us for our
cleansing. Hence we are said to be washed, that is, sanctified and
justified, not only in the name of the Lord Jesus, but by the
<i>Spirit of our God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 6:11,1Pe 1:2" id="Num.xx-p16.1" parsed="|1Cor|6|11|0|0;|1Pet|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.6.11 Bible:1Pet.1.2">1
Cor. vi. 11; 1 Pet. i. 2</scripRef>. Those that promise themselves
benefit by the righteousness of Christ, while they submit not to
the grace and influence of the Spirit, do but deceive themselves,
for we cannot put asunder what God has joined, nor be purified by
the ashes otherwise than in the running water. 2. This water must
be applied by a bunch of hyssop dipped in it, with which the person
or thing to be cleansed must be sprinkled (<scripRef passage="Nu 19:18" id="Num.xx-p16.2" parsed="|Num|19|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), in allusion to which David
prays, <i>Purge me with hyssop.</i> Faith is the bunch of hyssop
wherewith the conscience is sprinkled and the heart purified. Many
might be sprinkled at once, and the water with which the ashes were
mingled might serve for many sprinklings, till it was all spent;
and a very little lighting upon a man served to purify him, if done
with that intention. In allusion to this application of the water
of separation by sprinkling, the blood of Christ is said to be the
<i>blood of sprinkling</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:24" id="Num.xx-p16.3" parsed="|Heb|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.24">Heb. xii.
24</scripRef>), and with it were are said to be <i>sprinkled from
an evil conscience</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 10:22" id="Num.xx-p16.4" parsed="|Heb|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.22">Heb. x.
22</scripRef>), that is, we are freed from the uneasiness that
arises from a sense of our guilt. And it is foretold that Christ,
by his baptism, shall <i>sprinkle many nations,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 52:15" id="Num.xx-p16.5" parsed="|Isa|52|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.15">Isa. lii. 15</scripRef>. 3. The unclean person
must be sprinkled with this water on <i>the third day</i> after his
pollution, and <i>on the seventh day,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 19:12-19" id="Num.xx-p16.6" parsed="|Num|19|12|19|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.12-Num.19.19"><i>v.</i> 12-19</scripRef>. The days were reckoned
(we may suppose) from the last time of his touching or coming near
the dead body; for he would not begin the days of his cleansing
while he was still under a necessity of repeating the pollution;
but when the dead body was buried, so that there was no further
occasion of meddling with it, then he began to reckon his days.
Then, and then only, we may with comfort apply Christ's merit to
our souls, when we have forsaken sin, and cease all <i>fellowship
with the unfruitful works of</i> death and <i>darkness.</i> The
repetition of the sprinkling teaches us often to renew the actings
of repentance and faith, wash as Naaman, <i>seven times;</i> we
need to do that often which is so necessary to be well done. 4.
Though the pollution contracted was only ceremonial, yet the
neglect of the purification prescribed would turn into moral guilt:
<i>He that shall be unclean</i> and shall <i>not purify himself,
that soul shall be cut off,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 19:20" id="Num.xx-p16.7" parsed="|Num|19|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Note, It is a dangerous thing
to contemn divine institutions, though they may seem minute. A
slight wound, if neglected, may prove fatal; a sin we call little,
if not repented of, will be our ruin, when great sinners that
repent shall find mercy. Our uncleanness separates us from God, but
it is our being unclean and not purifying ourselves that will
separate us for ever from him: it is not the wound that is fatal,
so much as the contempt of the remedy. 5. Even he that <i>sprinkled
the water of separation,</i> or <i>touched</i> it, or <i>touched
the unclean person,</i> must be <i>unclean till the evening,</i>
that is, must not come near the sanctuary on that day, <scripRef passage="Nu 19:21,22" id="Num.xx-p16.8" parsed="|Num|19|21|19|22" osisRef="Bible:Num.19.21-Num.19.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. Thus God would
show them the imperfection of those services, and their
insufficiency to purify the conscience, that they might look for
the Messiah, who in the fulness of time should by the eternal
Spirit offer himself without spot unto God, and so <i>purge our
consciences from dead works</i> (that is, from sin, which defiles
like a dead body, and is therefore called a <i>body of death</i>),
that we may have liberty of access to the sanctuary, to serve the
living God with living sacrifices.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XX" n="xxi" progress="74.24%" prev="Num.xx" next="Num.xxii" id="Num.xxi">
<h2 id="Num.xxi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxi-p1">At this chapter begins the history of the fortieth
year (which was the last year) of the Israelites' wandering in the
wilderness. And since the beginning of their second year, when they
were sentenced to perform their quarantine in the desert, there to
wear away the tedious revolution of forty years, there is little
recorded concerning them till this last year, which brought them to
the borders of Canaan, and the history of this year is almost as
large as the history of the first year. This chapter gives an
account of, I. The death of Miriam, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:1" id="Num.xxi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II. The fetching of water out of the
rock, in which observe, 1. The distress Israel was in, for want of
water, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:2" id="Num.xxi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.2">ver. 2</scripRef>. 2. Their
discontent and murmuring in that distress, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:3-5" id="Num.xxi-p1.3" parsed="|Num|20|3|20|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.3-Num.20.5">ver. 3-5</scripRef>. 3. God's pity and power engaged
for their supply with water out of the rock, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:6-9" id="Num.xxi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|20|6|20|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.6-Num.20.9">ver. 6-9</scripRef>. 4. The infirmity of Moses and
Aaron upon this occasion, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:10,11" id="Num.xxi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|20|10|20|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.10-Num.20.11">ver. 10,
11</scripRef>. 5. God's displeasure against them, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:12,13" id="Num.xxi-p1.6" parsed="|Num|20|12|20|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.12-Num.20.13">ver. 12, 13</scripRef>. III. The negotiation
with the Edomites. Israel's request (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:14-17" id="Num.xxi-p1.7" parsed="|Num|20|14|20|17" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.14-Num.20.17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>), and the repulse the Edomites
gave them, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:18-21" id="Num.xxi-p1.8" parsed="|Num|20|18|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.18-Num.20.21">ver. 18-21</scripRef>.
IV. The death of Aaron the high priest upon Mount Hor, the
instalment of Eleazar in his room, and the people's mourning for
him, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:22" id="Num.xxi-p1.9" parsed="|Num|20|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.22">ver. 22</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 20" id="Num.xxi-p1.10" parsed="|Num|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 20:1-13" id="Num.xxi-p1.11" parsed="|Num|20|1|20|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.1-Num.20.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.20.1-Num.20.13">
<h4 id="Num.xxi-p1.12">The Death of Miriam; The Water of Meribah;
Moses and Aaron Reproved. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1453.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxi-p2">1 Then came the children of Israel, <i>even</i>
the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month:
and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was
buried there. &#160; 2 And there was no water for the congregation:
and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against
Aaron. &#160; 3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying,
Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.1">Lord</span>! &#160; 4 And why have ye brought up
the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.2">Lord</span> into
this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? &#160; 5
And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us
in unto this evil place? it <i>is</i> no place of seed, or of figs,
or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither <i>is</i> there any water
to drink. &#160; 6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of
the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.3">Lord</span> appeared unto them. &#160; 7 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.4">Lord</span> spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 8
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and
Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes;
and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to
them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and
their beasts drink. &#160; 9 And Moses took the rod from before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.5">Lord</span>, as he commanded him. &#160; 10
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the
rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you
water out of this rock? &#160; 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and
with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out
abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts
<i>also.</i> &#160; 12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.6">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify
me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not
bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
&#160; 13 This <i>is</i> the water of Meribah; because the children
of Israel strove with the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p2.7">Lord</span>, and
he was sanctified in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p3">After thirty-eight years' tedious marches,
or rather tedious rests, in the wilderness, backward towards the
Red Sea, the armies of Israel now at length set their faces towards
Canaan again, and had come not far off from the place where they
were when, by the righteous sentence of divine Justice, they were
made to begin their wanderings. Hitherto they had been led about as
in a maze or labyrinth, while execution was doing upon the rebels
that were sentenced; but they were now brought into the right way
again: they abode in Kadesh (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:1" id="Num.xxi-p3.1" parsed="|Num|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>), not Kadesh-barnea, which was near the borders of
Canaan, but another Kadesh on the confines of Edom, further off
from the land of promise, yet in the way to it from the Red Sea, to
which they had been hurried back. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p4">I. Here dies Miriam, the sister of Moses
and Aaron, and as it should seem older than either of them. She
must have been so if she was that sister that was set to watch
Moses when he was put into the ark of bulrushes, <scripRef passage="Ex 2:4" id="Num.xxi-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.2.4">Exod. ii. 4</scripRef>. <i>Miriam died there,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 20:1" id="Num.xxi-p4.2" parsed="|Num|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. She was a
prophetess, and had been an instrument of much good to Israel,
<scripRef passage="Mic 6:4" id="Num.xxi-p4.3" parsed="|Mic|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.4">Mic. vi. 4</scripRef>. When Moses and
Aaron with their rod went before them, to work wonders for them,
Miriam with her timbrel went before them in praising God for these
wondrous works (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:20" id="Num.xxi-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|15|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.20">Exod. xv.
20</scripRef>), and therein did them real service; yet she had once
been a murmurer (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:1" id="Num.xxi-p4.5" parsed="|Num|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.1"><i>ch.</i> xii.
1</scripRef>), and must not enter Canaan.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p5">II. Here there is another Meribah. one
place we met with before of that name, in the beginning of their
march through the wilderness, which was so called <i>because of the
chiding of the children of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 17:7" id="Num.xxi-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7">Exod. xvii. 7</scripRef>. And now we have another place,
at the latter end of their march, which bears the same name for the
same reason: <i>This is the water of Meribah,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 20:13" id="Num.xxi-p5.2" parsed="|Num|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. What was there done was
here re-acted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p6">1. <i>There was no water for the
congregation,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 20:2" id="Num.xxi-p6.1" parsed="|Num|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. The water out of the rock of Rephidim had followed
them while there was need of it; but it is probable that for some
time they had been in a country where they were supplied in an
ordinary way, and when common providence supplied them it was fit
that the miracle should cease. But in this place it fell out that
there was no water, or not sufficient for the congregation. Note,
We live in a wanting world, and, wherever we are, must expect to
meet with some inconvenience or other. It is a great mercy to have
plenty of water, a mercy which if we found the want of we should
own the worth of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p7">2. Hereupon they murmured, mutinied
(<scripRef passage="Nu 20:2" id="Num.xxi-p7.1" parsed="|Num|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), <i>gathered
themselves together,</i> and took up arms <i>against Moses and
Aaron.</i> They chid with them (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:3" id="Num.xxi-p7.2" parsed="|Num|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), spoke the same absurd and
brutish language that their fathers had done before them. (1.) They
wished they had died as malefactors by the hands of divine justice,
rather than thus seem for a while neglected by the divine mercy:
<i>Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the
Lord!</i> Instead of giving God thanks, as they ought to have done,
for sparing them, they not only despise the mercy of their
reprieve, but quarrel with it, as if God had done them a great deal
of wrong in giving them their lives for a prey, and snatching them
as brands out of the burning. But they need not wish that they had
died with their brethren, they are here taking the ready way to die
like their brethren in a little while. <i>Woe unto those that
desire the day of the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 5:18" id="Num.xxi-p7.3" parsed="|Amos|5|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.5.18">Amos v.
18</scripRef>. (2.) They were angry that they were brought out of
Egypt, and led through this wilderness, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:4,5" id="Num.xxi-p7.4" parsed="|Num|20|4|20|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.4-Num.20.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. They quarrelled with Moses
for that which they knew was the Lord's doing; they represented
that as an injury which was the greatest favour that ever was done
to any people. They prefer slavery before liberty, the house of
bondage before the land of promise; and though, the present want
was of water only, yet, now that they are disposed to find fault,
it shall be looked upon as an insufferable hardship put upon them
that they have not vines and figs. It was an aggravation of their
crime, [1.] that they had smarted so long for the discontents and
distrusts of their fathers. <i>They had borne their whoredoms</i>
now almost <i>forty years in the wilderness</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:33" id="Num.xxi-p7.5" parsed="|Num|14|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.33"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 33</scripRef>); and yet they ventured in
the same steps, and, as is charged upon Belshazzar, <i>humbled not
their hearts, though they knew all this,</i> <scripRef passage="Da 5:22" id="Num.xxi-p7.6" parsed="|Dan|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.5.22">Dan. v. 22</scripRef>. [2.] That they had had such long
and constant experience of God's goodness to them, and of the
tenderness and faithfulness of Moses and Aaron. [3.] That Miriam
was now lately dead; and, having lost one of their leaders, they
ought to have been more respectful to those that were left; but, as
if they were resolved to provoke God to leave them as sheep without
any shepherd, they grow outrageous against them: instead of
condoling with Moses and Aaron for the death of their sister, they
add affliction to their grief.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p8">3. Moses and Aaron made them no reply, but
retired to the door of the tabernacle to know God's mind in this
case, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:6" id="Num.xxi-p8.1" parsed="|Num|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. There
they <i>fell on their faces,</i> as formerly on the like occasion,
to deprecate the wrath of God and to entreat direction from him.
Here is no mention of any thing they said; they knew that God heard
the murmurings of the people, and before him they humbly prostrate
themselves, making intercessions with <i>groanings that cannot be
uttered.</i> There they lay waiting for orders <i>Speak, Lord, for
thy servants hear.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p9">4. God appeared, to determine the matter;
not on his tribunal of justice, to sentence the rebels according to
their deserts; no, he <i>will not return to destroy Ephraim</i>
(<scripRef passage="Ho 11:9" id="Num.xxi-p9.1" parsed="|Hos|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.11.9">Hosea xi. 9</scripRef>), will <i>not
always chide;</i> see <scripRef passage="Ge 8:21" id="Num.xxi-p9.2" parsed="|Gen|8|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.8.21">Gen. viii.
21</scripRef>. But he appeared, (1.) On his throne of glory, to
silence their unjust murmuring (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:6" id="Num.xxi-p9.3" parsed="|Num|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): The <i>glory of the Lord
appeared,</i> to <i>still the tumult of the people,</i> by striking
an awe upon them. Note, A believing sight of the glory of the Lord
would be an effectual check to our lusts and passions, and would
keep our mouths as with a bridle. (2.) On his throne of grace, to
satisfy their just desires. It was requisite that they should have
water, and therefore, thought the manner of their petitioning for
it was irregular and disorderly, yet God did not take that
advantage against them to deny it to them, but gave immediate
orders for their supply, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:8" id="Num.xxi-p9.4" parsed="|Num|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. Moses must a second time in God's name command water
out of a rock for them, to show that God is as able as ever to
supply his people with good things, even in their greatest straits
an in the utmost failure of second causes. Almighty power can bring
water out of a rock, has done it, and can again, for his arm is not
shortened. Lest it should be thought that there was some thing
peculiar in the former rock itself, some secret spring which nature
hid before in it, God here bids him broach another, and does not,
as then, direct him which he must apply to, but lets him make use
of which he pleased, or the first he came to; all alike to
Omnipotence. [1.] God bids him take the rod, that famous rod with
which he summoned the plagues of Egypt, and divided the sea, that,
having that in his hand, both he and the people might be reminded
of the great things God had formerly done for them, and might be
encouraged to trust in him now. This rod, it seems, was kept in the
tabernacle (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:9" id="Num.xxi-p9.5" parsed="|Num|20|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>),
for it was the <i>rod of God,</i> the <i>rod of his strength,</i>
as the gospel is called (<scripRef passage="Ps 110:2" id="Num.xxi-p9.6" parsed="|Ps|110|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.2">Ps. cx.
2</scripRef>), perhaps in allusion to it. [2.] God bids him gather
the assembly, not the elders only, but the people, to be witnesses
of what was done, that by their own eyes they might be convinced
and made ashamed of their unbelief. There is no fallacy in God's
works of wonder, and therefore they shun not the light, nor the
inspection and enquiry of many witnesses. [3.] He bids him speak to
the rock, which would do as it was bidden, to shame the people who
had been so often spoken to, and would not hear nor obey. Their
hearts were harder than this rock, not so tender, not so yielding,
not so obedient. [4.] He promises that the rock should give forth
water (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:8" id="Num.xxi-p9.7" parsed="|Num|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and it
did so (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:11" id="Num.xxi-p9.8" parsed="|Num|20|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>):
<i>The water came out abundantly.</i> This is an instance, not only
of the power of God, that he could thus fetch <i>honey out of the
rock,</i> and <i>oil out of the flinty rock,</i> but of his mercy
and grace, that he would do it for such a provoking people. This
was a new generation (most of the old stock were by this time worn
off), yet they were as bad as those that went before them;
murmuring ran in the blood, yet the entail of the divine favour was
not cut off, but in this instance of it the divine patience shines
as brightly as the divine power. He is God and not man, in sparing
and pardoning; nay, he not only here gave them the drink which they
drank of in common with their beasts (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:8" id="Num.xxi-p9.9" parsed="|Num|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.8"><i>v.</i> 8, 11</scripRef>), but in it he made them to
drink spiritual drink, which typified spiritual blessings, <i>for
that rock was Christ.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p10">5. Moses and Aaron acted improperly in the
management of this matter, so much so that God in displeasure told
them immediately that they should not have the honour of bringing
Israel into Canaan, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:10-12" id="Num.xxi-p10.1" parsed="|Num|20|10|20|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.10-Num.20.12"><i>v.</i>
10-12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p11">(1.) This is a strange passage of story,
yet very instructive. [1.] It is certain that God was greatly
offended, and justly, for he is never angry without cause. Though
they were his servants, and had obtained mercy to be faithful,
though they were his favourites, and such as he had highly
honoured, yet for something they thought, or said, or did, upon
this occasion, he put them under the disgrace and mortification of
dying, as other unbelieving Israelites did, short of Canaan. And no
doubt the crime deserved the punishment. [2.] Yet it is uncertain
what it was in this management that was so provoking to God. The
fault was complicated. <i>First,</i> They did not punctually
observe their orders, but in some things varied from their
commission; God bade them <i>speak to the rock,</i> and they spoke
<i>to the people,</i> and <i>smote the rock,</i> which at this time
they were not ordered to do, but they thought speaking would not
do. When, in distrust of the power of the word, we have recourse to
the secular power in matters of pure conscience, we do, as Moses
here, smite the rock to which we should only speak,
<i>Secondly,</i> They assumed too much of the glory of this work of
wonder to themselves: <i>Must we fetch water?</i> as if it were
done by some power or worthiness of theirs. Therefore it is charged
upon them (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:12" id="Num.xxi-p11.1" parsed="|Num|20|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>)
that <i>they did not sanctify God,</i> that is, they did not give
him that glory of this miracle which was due unto his name.
<i>Thirdly,</i> Unbelief was the great transgression (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:12" id="Num.xxi-p11.2" parsed="|Num|20|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): <i>You believed me
not;</i> nay, it is called <i>rebelling against God's
commandment,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 27:14" id="Num.xxi-p11.3" parsed="|Num|27|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.14"><i>ch.</i> xxvii.
14</scripRef>. The command was to bring water out of the rock, but
they rebelled against this command, by distrusting it, and doubting
whether it would take effect or no. They speak doubtfully: <i>Must
we fetch water?</i> And probably they did in some other ways
discover an uncertainty in their own minds whether water would come
or no for such a rebellious generation as this was. And perhaps
they the rather questioned it, though God had promised it, because
the glory of the Lord did not appear before them upon this rock, as
it had done upon the rock in Rephidim, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:6" id="Num.xxi-p11.4" parsed="|Exod|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.6">Exod. xvii. 6</scripRef>. They would not take God's word
without a sign. Dr. Lightfoot's notion of their unbelief is that
they doubted whether now at last, when the forty years had expired,
they should enter Canaan, and whether they must not for the
murmurings of the people be condemned to another period of toil,
because a new rock was now opened for their supply, which they took
for an indication of their longer stay. And, if so, justly were
they kept out of Canaan themselves, while the people entered at the
time appointed. <i>Fourthly,</i> They said and did all in heat and
passion; this is the account given of the sin (<scripRef passage="Ps 106:33" id="Num.xxi-p11.5" parsed="|Ps|106|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.33">Ps. cvi. 33</scripRef>): <i>They provoked his spirit,
so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.</i> It was in his
passion that he called them <i>rebels.</i> It is true they were so;
God had called them so; and Moses afterwards, in the way of a just
reproof (<scripRef passage="De 9:24" id="Num.xxi-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.24">Deut. ix. 24</scripRef>),
calls them so without offence; but now it came from a provoked
spirit, and was spoken unadvisedly: it was too much like
<i>Raca,</i> and <i>Thou fool.</i> His smiting the rock twice (it
should seem, not waiting at all for the eruption of the water upon
the first stroke) shows that he was in a heat. The same thing said
and done with meekness may be justifiable which when said and done
in anger may be highly culpable; see <scripRef passage="Jam 1:20" id="Num.xxi-p11.7" parsed="|Jas|1|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.1.20">Jam. i. 20</scripRef>. <i>Fifthly,</i> That which
aggravated all the rest, and made it the more provoking, was that
it was public, <i>before the eyes of the children of Israel,</i> to
whom they should have been examples of faith, and hope, and
meekness. We find Moses guilty of sinful distrust, <scripRef passage="Nu 11:22,23" id="Num.xxi-p11.8" parsed="|Num|11|22|11|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.22-Num.11.23"><i>ch.</i> xi. 22, 23</scripRef>. That was
private between God and him, and therefore was only checked. But
his was public; it dishonoured God before Israel, as if he grudged
them his favours, and discouraged the people's hope in God, and
therefore this was severely punished, and the more because of the
dignity and eminency of those that offended.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p12">(2.) From the whole we may learn, [1.] That
the best of men have their failings, even in those graces that they
are most eminent for. The man Moses was very meek, and yet here he
sinned in passion; wherefore <i>let him that thinks he stands take
heed lest he fall.</i> [2.] That God judges not as man judges
concerning sins; we might think that there was not much amiss in
what Moses said and did, yet God saw cause to animadvert severely
upon it. He knows the frame of men's spirits, what temper they are
of, and what temper they are in upon particular occasions, and from
what thoughts and intents words and actions do proceed; and we are
sure that therefore <i>his judgment is according to truth,</i> when
it agrees not with ours. [3.] that God not only takes notice of,
and is displeased with, the sins of his people, but that the nearer
any are to him the more offensive are their sins, <scripRef passage="Am 3:2" id="Num.xxi-p12.1" parsed="|Amos|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.3.2">Amos iii. 2</scripRef>. It should seem, the
Psalmist refers to this sin of Moses and Aaron (<scripRef passage="Ps 99:8" id="Num.xxi-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|99|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.99.8">Ps. xcix. 8</scripRef>): <i>Thou wast a God that
forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance on their
inventions.</i> As many are spared in this life and punished in the
other, so many are punished in this life and saved in the other.
[4.] That, when our heart is hot within us, we are concerned to
take heed that we offend not with our tongue. Yet, [5.] It is an
evidence of the sincerity of Moses, and his impartiality in
writing, that he himself left this upon record concerning himself,
and drew not a veil over his own infirmity, by which it appeared
that in what he wrote, as well as what he did, he sought God's
glory more than his own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p13"><i>Lastly,</i> The place is hereupon called
<i>Meribah,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 20:13" id="Num.xxi-p13.1" parsed="|Num|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. It is called <i>Meribah-Kadesh</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:51" id="Num.xxi-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|32|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.51">Deut. xxxii. 51</scripRef>), to distinguish it
from the other Meribah. It is the <i>water of strife;</i> to
perpetuate the remembrance of the people's sin, and Moses's, and
yet of God's mercy, who supplied them with water, and owned and
honoured Moses notwithstanding. Thus he was sanctified in the, as
the <i>Holy One of Israel,</i> so he is called when his mercy
rejoices against judgment, <scripRef passage="Ho 11:9" id="Num.xxi-p13.3" parsed="|Hos|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.11.9">Hos. xi.
9</scripRef>. Moses and Aaron did not sanctify God as they ought in
the eyes of Israel (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:12" id="Num.xxi-p13.4" parsed="|Num|20|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), but God was sanctified in them; for he will not be
a loser in his honour by any man. If he be not glorified by us, he
will be glorified upon us.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 20" id="Num.xxi-p13.5" parsed="|Num|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 20:14-21" id="Num.xxi-p13.6" parsed="|Num|20|14|20|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.14-Num.20.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.20.14-Num.20.21">
<h4 id="Num.xxi-p13.7">Ambassadors Sent to Edom. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p13.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxi-p14">14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto
the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all
the travail that hath befallen us: &#160; 15 How our fathers went
down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the
Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: &#160; 16 And when we cried
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p14.1">Lord</span>, he heard our voice,
and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and,
behold, we <i>are</i> in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy
border: &#160; 17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we
will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither
will we drink <i>of</i> the water of the wells: we will go by the
king's <i>high</i> way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to
the left, until we have passed thy borders. &#160; 18 And Edom said
unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee
with the sword. &#160; 19 And the children of Israel said unto him,
We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy
water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without <i>doing</i>
any thing <i>else,</i> go through on my feet. &#160; 20 And he
said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with
much people, and with a strong hand. &#160; 21 Thus Edom refused to
give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned
away from him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p15">We have here the application made by Israel
to the Edomites. The nearest way to Canaan from the place where
Israel now lay encamped was through the country of Edom. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p16">I. Moses sends ambassadors to treat with
the king of Edom for leave to pass through his country, and gives
them instructions what to say, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:14-17" id="Num.xxi-p16.1" parsed="|Num|20|14|20|17" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.14-Num.20.17"><i>v.</i> 14-17</scripRef>. 1. They are to claim
kindred with the Edomites: <i>Thus saith thy brother Israel.</i>
Both nations descended from Abraham and Isaac, their common
ancestors; Esau and Jacob, the two fathers of their respective
nations, were twin-brothers; and therefore, for relation-sake, they
might reasonably expect this kindness from them; nor needed the
Edomites to fear that their brother Israel had any ill design upon
them, or would take any advantages against them. 2. They are to
give a short account of the history and present state of Israel,
which, they take it for granted, the Edomites were no strangers to.
And in this there was a double plea:&#8212;(1.) Israel had been abused
by the Egyptians, and therefore ought to be pitied and succoured by
their relations: "<i>The Egyptians vexed us and our fathers,</i>
but we may hope our brethren the Edomites will not be so
vexatious." (2.) Israel had been wonderfully saved by the Lord, and
therefore ought to be countenanced and favoured (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:16" id="Num.xxi-p16.2" parsed="|Num|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): "<i>We cried unto the Lord,
and he sent an angel,</i> the angel of his presence, the angel of
the covenant, the eternal Word, who had <i>brought us forth out of
Egypt,</i> and led us hither." It was therefore the interest of the
Edomites to ingratiate themselves with a people that had so great
an interest in heaven and were so much its favourites, and it was
at their peril if they offered them any injury. It is our wisdom
and duty to be kind to those whom God is pleased to own, and to
take his people for our people. <i>Come in, thou blessed of the
Lord.</i> 3. They are humbly to beg a passport through their
country. Though God himself, in the pillar of cloud and fire, was
Israel's guide, in following which they might have justified their
passing through any man's ground against all the world, yet God
would have this respect paid to the Edomites, to show that no man's
property ought to be invaded under colour of religion. Dominion is
founded in providence, not in grace. Thus when Christ was to pass
through a village of the Samaritans, to whom his coming was likely
to be offensive, he <i>sent messengers before his face</i> to ask
leave, <scripRef passage="Lu 9:52" id="Num.xxi-p16.3" parsed="|Luke|9|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.9.52">Luke ix. 52</scripRef>. Those
that would receive kindness must not disdain to request it. 4. They
are to give security for the good behaviour of the Israelites in
this march, that they would keep in the king's high road, that they
would commit no trespass upon any man's property, either in ground
or water, that they would not so much as make use of a well without
paying for it, and that they would make all convenient speed, as
fast as they could well go on their feet, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:17,19" id="Num.xxi-p16.4" parsed="|Num|20|17|0|0;|Num|20|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.17 Bible:Num.20.19"><i>v.</i> 17, 19</scripRef>. Nothing could be offered
more fair and neighbourly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p17">II. The ambassadors returned with a denial,
<scripRef passage="Nu 20:18" id="Num.xxi-p17.1" parsed="|Num|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Edom, that
is, the king of Edom, as protector of his country, said, <i>Thou
shalt not pass by me;</i> and, when the ambassadors urged it
further, he repeated the denial (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:20" id="Num.xxi-p17.2" parsed="|Num|20|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) and threatened, if they offered
to enter his country, it should be at their peril; he raised his
trained bands to oppose them. <i>Thus Edom refused to give Israel
passage.</i> This was owing, 1. To their jealousy of the
Israelites; they feared they should receive promises. And truly,
had this numerous army been under any other discipline and command
than that of the righteous God himself, who would no more suffer
them to do wrong than to take wrong, there might have been cause
for this jealousy; but what could they fear from a nation that had
<i>statutes and judgments so righteous?</i> 2. It was owing to the
old enmity which Esau bore to Israel. If they had no reason to fear
damage by them, yet they were not willing to show so much kindness
to them. Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing, and now the
hatred revived, when the blessing was ready to be inherited. God
would hereby discover the ill-nature of the Edomites to their
shame, and try the good-nature of the Israelites to their honour:
they <i>turned away from him,</i> and did not take this occasion to
quarrel with him. Note, We must not think it strange if the most
reasonable requests be denied by unreasonable men, and if those be
affronted by men whom God favours. <i>I as a deaf man heard
not.</i> After this indignity which the Edomites offered to Israel
God gave them a particular caution <i>not to abhor an Edomite</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 23:7" id="Num.xxi-p17.3" parsed="|Deut|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.7">Deut. xxiii. 7</scripRef>), though the
Edomites had shown such an abhorrence of them, to teach us in such
cases not to meditate revenge.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 20:22-29" id="Num.xxi-p17.4" parsed="|Num|20|22|20|29" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.22-Num.20.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.20.22-Num.20.29">
<h4 id="Num.xxi-p17.5">The Edomites Refuse a Passage to Israel; The
Death of Aaron. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p17.6">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxi-p18">22 And the children of Israel, <i>even</i> the
whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.
&#160; 23 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p18.1">Lord</span> spake unto
Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom,
saying, &#160; 24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he
shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children
of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of
Meribah. &#160; 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them
up unto mount Hor: &#160; 26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and
put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered <i>unto
his people,</i> and shall die there. &#160; 27 And Moses did as the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxi-p18.2">Lord</span> commanded: and they went up
into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. &#160; 28 And
Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his
son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and
Eleazar came down from the mount. &#160; 29 And when all the
congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty
days, <i>even</i> all the house of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p19">The chapter began with the funeral of
Miriam, and it ends with the funeral of her brother Aaron. When
death comes into a family, it often strikes double. Israel had not
improved the former affliction they were under, by the death of the
prophetess, and therefore, soon after, God took away their priest,
to try if they would lay that to heart. This happened at the very
next stage, when they removed to Mount Hor, fetching a compass
round the Edomites' country, leaving it on their left hand.
Wherever we go, death attends us, and the graves are ready for
us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p20">I. God bids Aaron die, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:24" id="Num.xxi-p20.1" parsed="|Num|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. God takes Moses and Aaron
aside, and tells them, <i>Aaron shall be gathered to his
people.</i> These two dear brothers are told that they must part.
Aaron the elder must die first, but Moses is not likely to be long
after him; so that it is but for a while, a little while, that they
are parted. 1. There is something of displeasure in these orders.
Aaron must not enter Canaan, because he had failed in his duty at
the waters of strife. The mention of this, no doubt, went to the
heart of Moses, who knew himself, perhaps, at that time, to be the
guiltier of the two. 2. There is much of mercy in them. Aaron,
though he dies for his transgression, is not put to death as a
malefactor, by a plague, or fire from heaven, but dies with ease
and in honour. He is not <i>cut off from his people,</i> as the
expression usually is concerning those that die by the hand of
divine justice, but he is <i>gathered to his people,</i> as one
that died in the arms of divine grace. 3. There is much of type and
significancy in them. Aaron must not enter Canaan, to show that the
Levitical priesthood could make nothing perfect: that must be done
by the bringing in of a better hope. Those priests could not
continue by reason of sin and death, but the priesthood of Christ,
being undefiled, is unchangeable, and to this, which abides for
ever, Aaron must resign all his honour, <scripRef passage="Heb 7:23-25" id="Num.xxi-p20.2" parsed="|Heb|7|23|7|25" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.23-Heb.7.25">Heb. vii. 23-25</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p21">II. Aaron submits, and dies in the method
and manner appointed, and, for aught that appears, with as much
cheerfulness as if he had been going to bed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p22">1. He puts on his holy garments to take his
leave of them, and goes up with his brother and son to the top of
Mount Hor, and probably some of the elders of Israel with him,
<scripRef passage="Nu 20:27" id="Num.xxi-p22.1" parsed="|Num|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. They went up
<i>in the sight of all the congregation,</i> who, it is likely,
were told on what errand they went up; by this solemn procession
Aaron lets Israel know that he is neither afraid nor ashamed to
die, but, when the bridegroom comes, can trim his lamp and go forth
to meet him. His going up the hill to die signified that the death
of saints (and Aaron is called <i>the saint of the Lord</i>) is
their ascension; they rather go up than go down to death.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p23">2. Moses, whose hands had first clothed
Aaron with his priestly garments, now strips him of them; for, in
reverence to the priesthood, it was not fit that he should die in
them. Note, Death will strip us; naked we came into the world, and
naked we must go out. We shall see little reason to be proud of our
clothes, our ornaments, or marks of honour, if we consider how soon
death will strip us of our glory, divest us of all our offices and
honours, and take the crown off from our head.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p24">3. Moses immediately puts the priestly
garments upon Eleazar his son, clothes him with his father's robe,
and <i>strengthens him with his girdle,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 22:21" id="Num.xxi-p24.1" parsed="|Isa|22|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.22.21">Isa. xxii. 21</scripRef>. Now, (1.) This was a great
comfort to Moses, by whose hand the law of the priesthood was given
to see that it should be kept up in a succession, and that a lamp
was ordained for the anointed, which should not be extinguished by
death itself. This was a happy earnest and indication to the church
of the care God would take that as one generation of ministers and
Christians (spiritual priests) passes away another generation
should come up instead of it. (2.) It was a great satisfaction to
Aaron to see his son, who was dear to him, thus preferred, and his
office, which was dearer, thus preserved and secured, and
especially to see in this a figure of Christ's everlasting
priesthood, in which alone his would be perpetuated. <i>Now,</i>
Lord, might Aaron say, <i>let thy servant depart in peace, for my
eyes have seen thy salvation.</i> (3.) It was a great kindness to
the people. The installing of Eleazar before Aaron was dead would
prevent those who bore ill-will to Aaron's family from attempting
to set up another upon his death, in competition with his son. What
could they do when the matter was already settled? It would
likewise encourage those among them that feared God, and be a token
for good to them, that he would not leave them, nor suffer his
faithfulness to fail.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p25">4. <i>Aaron died there.</i> Quickly after
he was stripped of his priestly garments, he laid himself down and
died contentedly; for a good man would desire, if it were the will
of God, not to outlive his usefulness. Why should we covet to
continue any longer in this world than while we may do God and our
generation some service in it?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p26">5. Moses and Eleazar, with those that
attended them, buried Aaron where he died, as appears by <scripRef passage="De 10:6" id="Num.xxi-p26.1" parsed="|Deut|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.6">Deut. x. 6</scripRef>, and then <i>came down from
the mount.</i> And now, when they came down, and had left Aaron
behind, it might be proper for them to think that he had rather
gone up to the better world and had left them behind.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxi-p27">6. All the congregation <i>mourned for
Aaron thirty days,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 20:29" id="Num.xxi-p27.1" parsed="|Num|20|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>. Though the loss was well made up in Eleazar, who,
being in the prime of life, was fitter from public service that
Aaron would have been if he had lived, yet it was a debt owing to
their deceased high priest to mourn for him. While he lived, they
were murmuring at him upon all occasions, but now that he was dead
they mourned for him. Thus many are taught to lament the loss of
those mercies which they would not learn to be thankful for the
enjoyment of. Many good men have had more honour done to their
memories than ever they had to their persons, witness those that
were persecuted while they lived, but when they were dead had their
sepulchres garnished.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXI" n="xxii" progress="74.90%" prev="Num.xxi" next="Num.xxiii" id="Num.xxii">
<h2 id="Num.xxii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxii-p1">The armies of Israel now begin to emerge out of
the wilderness, and to come into a land inhabited, to enter upon
action, and take possession of the frontiers of the land of
promise. A glorious campaign this chapter gives us the history of,
especially in the latter part of it. Here is, I. The defeat of Arad
the Canaanite, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:1-3" id="Num.xxii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|21|1|21|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.1-Num.21.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>.
II. The chastisement of the people with fiery serpents for their
murmurings, and the relief granted them upon their submission by a
brazen serpent, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:4-9" id="Num.xxii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|21|4|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.4-Num.21.9">ver. 4-9</scripRef>.
III. Several marches forward, and some occurrences by the way,
<scripRef passage="Nu 21:10-20" id="Num.xxii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|21|10|21|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.10-Num.21.20">ver. 10-20</scripRef>. IV. The
celebrated conquest of Sihon king of the Amorites (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:21-32" id="Num.xxii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|21|21|21|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.21-Num.21.32">ver. 21-32</scripRef>), and of Og king of
Bashan (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:33-35" id="Num.xxii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|21|33|21|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.33-Num.21.35">ver. 33-35</scripRef>), and
possession taken of their land.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 21" id="Num.xxii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 21:1-3" id="Num.xxii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|21|1|21|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.1-Num.21.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.21.1-Num.21.3">
<h4 id="Num.xxii-p1.8">Arad Subdued. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxii-p2">1 And <i>when</i> king Arad the Canaanite, which
dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the
spies; then he fought against Israel, and took <i>some</i> of them
prisoners. &#160; 2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p2.1">Lord</span>, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this
people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.
&#160; 3 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p2.2">Lord</span> hearkened to
the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they
utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of
the place Hormah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p3">Here is, 1. The descent which Arad the
Canaanite made upon the camp of Israel, hearing that they came
<i>by the way of the spies;</i> for, though the spies which Moses
had sent thirty-eight years before then passed and repassed
unobserved, yet their coming, and their errand, it is likely, were
afterwards known to the Canaanites, gave them an alarm, and induced
them to keep an eye upon Israel and get intelligence of all their
motions. Now, when they understood that they were facing about
towards Canaan, this Arad, thinking it policy to keep the war at a
distance, made an onset upon them and fought with them. But it
proved that he meddled to his own hurt; had he sat still, his
people might have been last destroyed of all the Canaanites, but
now they were the first. Thus those that are <i>overmuch wicked die
before their time,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 7:17" id="Num.xxii-p3.1" parsed="|Eccl|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.17">Eccl. vii.
17</scripRef>. 2. His success at first in this attempt. His
advance-guards picked up some straggling Israelites, and took them
prisoners, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:1" id="Num.xxii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|21|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
This, no doubt, puffed him up, and he began to think that he should
have the honour of crushing this formidable body, and saving his
country from the ruin which it threatened. It was likewise a trial
to the faith of the Israelites and a check to them for their
distrusts and discontents. 3. Israel's humble address to God upon
this occasion, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:2" id="Num.xxii-p3.3" parsed="|Num|21|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
It was a temptation to them to murmur as their fathers did, and to
despair of getting possession of Canaan; but God, who thus tried
them by his providence, enabled them by his grace to quit
themselves well in the trial, and to trust in him for relief
against this fierce and powerful assailant. They, by their elders,
in prayer for success, <i>vowed a vow.</i> Note, When we are
desiring and expecting mercy from God we should bind our souls with
a bond that we will faithfully do our duty to him, particularly
that we will honour him with the mercy we are in the pursuit of.
Thus Israel here promised to destroy the cities of these
Canaanites, as devoted to God, and not to take the spoil of them to
their own use. If God would give them victory, he should have all
the praise, and they would not make a gain of it to themselves.
When we are in this frame we are prepared to receive mercy. 4. The
victory which the Israelites obtained over the Canaanites,
<scripRef passage="Nu 21:3" id="Num.xxii-p3.4" parsed="|Num|21|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. A strong party
was sent out, probably under the command of Joshua, which not only
drove back these Canaanites, but followed them to their cities,
which probably lay on the edge of the wilderness, and utterly
destroyed them, and so returned to the camp. <i>Vincimur in pr&#230;lie,
sed non in bello&#8212;We lose a battle, but we finally triumph.</i>
What is said of the tribe of God is true of all God's Israel, a
troop may overcome them, but they shall overcome at the last. The
place was called <i>Hormah,</i> as a memorial of the destruction,
for the terror of the Canaanites, and probably for warning to
posterity not to attempt the rebuilding of these cities, which were
destroyed as devoted to God and sacrifices to divine justice. And
it appears from the instance of Jericho that the law concerning
such cities was that they should never be rebuilt. There seems to
be an allusion to this name in the prophecy of the fall of the New
Testament Babylon (<scripRef passage="Re 16:16" id="Num.xxii-p3.5" parsed="|Rev|16|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.16">Rev. xvi.
16</scripRef>), where its forces are said to be gathered together
to a place called <i>Armageddon&#8212;the destruction of a
troop.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 21:4-9" id="Num.xxii-p3.6" parsed="|Num|21|4|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.4-Num.21.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.21.4-Num.21.9">
<h4 id="Num.xxii-p3.7">The Brazen Serpent. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p3.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxii-p4">4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way
of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the
people was much discouraged because of the way. &#160; 5 And the
people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye
brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for <i>there
is</i> no bread, neither <i>is there any</i> water; and our soul
loatheth this light bread. &#160; 6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p4.1">Lord</span> sent fiery serpents among the people, and
they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. &#160; 7
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for
we have spoken against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p4.2">Lord</span>, and
against thee; pray unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p4.3">Lord</span>,
that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the
people. &#160; 8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p4.4">Lord</span> said
unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and
it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he
looketh upon it, shall live. &#160; 9 And Moses made a serpent of
brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a
serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he
lived.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p5">Here is, I. The fatigue of Israel by a long
march round the land of Edom, because they could not obtain passage
through it the nearest way: <i>The soul of the people was much
discouraged because of the way,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 21:4" id="Num.xxii-p5.1" parsed="|Num|21|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Perhaps the way was rough and
uneven, or foul and dirty; or it fretted them to go far about, and
that they were not permitted to force their passage through the
Edomites' country. Those that are of a fretful discontented spirit
will always find something or other to make them uneasy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p6">II. Their unbelief and murmuring upon this
occasion, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:5" id="Num.xxii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|21|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>.
Though they had just now obtained a glorious victory over the
Canaanites, and were going on conquering and to conquer, yet they
speak very discontentedly of what God had done for them and
distrustfully of what he would do, vexed that they were brought out
of Egypt, that they had not bread and water as other people had by
their own care and industry, but by miracle, they knew not how.
They have <i>bread enough and to spare;</i> and yet they complain
<i>there is no bread,</i> because, though they eat angels' food,
yet they are weary of it; manna itself is loathed, and called
<i>light bread,</i> fit for children, not for men and soldiers.
What will those be pleased with whom manna will not please? Those
that are disposed to quarrel will find fault where there is no
fault to be found. Thus those who have long enjoyed the means of
grace are apt to surfeit even on the heavenly manna, and to call it
light bread. But let not the contempt which some cast upon the word
of God cause us to value it the less: it is the bread of life,
substantial bread, and will nourish those who by faith feed upon it
to eternal life, whoever calls it light bread.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p7">III. The righteous judgment which God
brought upon them for their murmuring, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:6" id="Num.xxii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|21|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. He sent <i>fiery serpents among
them,</i> which bit or stung many of them to death. The wilderness
through which they had passed was all along infested with those
fiery serpents, as appears, <scripRef passage="De 8:15" id="Num.xxii-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.15">Deut. viii.
15</scripRef>. But hitherto God had wonderfully preserved his
people from receiving hurt by them, till now that they murmured, to
chastise them for which these animals, which hitherto had shunned
their camp, now invade it. Justly are those made to feel God's
judgments that are not thankful for his mercies. These serpents are
called <i>fiery,</i> from their colour, or from their rage, or from
the effects of their bitings, inflaming the body, putting it
immediately into a high fever, scorching it with an insatiable
thirst. They had unjustly complained for want of water (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:5" id="Num.xxii-p7.3" parsed="|Num|21|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), to chastise them for
which God sends upon them this thirst, which no water would quench.
Those that cry without cause have justly cause given them to cry
out. They distrustfully concluded that they must <i>die in the
wilderness,</i> and God took them at their word, chose their
delusions, and brought their unbelieving fears upon them; many of
them did die. They had impudently flown in the face of God himself,
and the <i>poison of asps was under their lips,</i> and now these
fiery serpents (which, it should seem, were flying serpents,
<scripRef passage="Isa 14:29" id="Num.xxii-p7.4" parsed="|Isa|14|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.14.29">Isa. xiv. 29</scripRef>) flew in
their faces and poisoned them. They in their pride had lifted
themselves up against God and Moses, and now God humbled and
mortified them, by making these despicable animals a plague to
them. That artillery is now turned against them which had formerly
been made use of in their defence against the Egyptians. He that
brought quails to feast them let them know that he could bring
serpents to bite them; the whole creation is at war with those that
are in arms against God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p8">IV. Their repentance and supplication to
God under this judgment, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:7" id="Num.xxii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|21|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. They confess their fault: <i>We have sinned.</i> They
are particular in their confession: <i>We have spoken against the
Lord, and against thee.</i> It is to be feared that they would not
have owned the sin if they had not felt the smart; but they relent
under the rod; <i>when he slew them, then they sought him.</i> They
beg the prayers of Moses for them, as conscious to themselves of
their own unworthiness to be heard, and convinced of the great
interest which Moses had in heaven. How soon is their tone altered!
Those who had just before quarrelled with him as their worst enemy
now make their court to him as their best friend, and choose him
for their advocate with God. Afflictions often change men's
sentiments concerning God's people, and teach them to value those
prayers which, at a former period, they had scorned. Moses, to show
that he had heartily forgiven them, blesses those who had cursed
him, and <i>prays for those who had despitefully used him</i>
Herein he was a type of Christ, who interceded for his persecutors,
and a pattern to us to go and do likewise, and thus to show that we
<i>love our enemies.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p9">V. The wonderful provision which God made
for their relief. He did not employ Moses in summoning the
judgment, but, that he might recommend him to the good affection of
the people, he made him instrumental in their relief, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:8,9" id="Num.xxii-p9.1" parsed="|Num|21|8|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.8-Num.21.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. God ordered Moses to
make the representation of a fiery serpent, which he did, in brass,
and set it up on a very long pole, so that it might be seen from
all parts of the camp, and every one that was stung with a fiery
serpent was healed by looking up to this serpent of brass. The
people prayed that God would <i>take away the serpents from
them</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:7" id="Num.xxii-p9.2" parsed="|Num|21|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), but
God saw fit not to do this: for he gives effectual relief in the
best way, though not in our way. Thus those who did not die for
their murmuring were yet made to smart for it, that they might the
more feelingly repent and humble themselves for it; they were
likewise made to receive their cure from God, by the hand of Moses,
that they might be taught, if possible, never again to speak
against God and Moses. This method of cure was altogether
miraculous, and the more wonderful if what some naturalists say be
true, that looking upon bright and burnished brass is hurtful to
those that are stung with fiery serpents. God can bring about his
purposes by contrary means. The Jews themselves say that it was not
the sight of the brazen serpent that cured them, but, in looking up
to it, they looked up to God as the Lord that healed them. But
there was much of gospel in this appointment. Our Saviour has told
us so (<scripRef passage="Joh 3:14,15" id="Num.xxii-p9.3" parsed="|John|3|14|3|15" osisRef="Bible:John.3.14-John.3.15">John iii. 14,
15</scripRef>), that <i>as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness so the Son of man must be lifted up,</i> that
<i>whosoever believeth in him should not perish.</i> Observe then a
resemblance,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p10">1. Between their disease and ours. The
devil is the old serpent, a fiery serpent, hence he appears
(<scripRef passage="Re 12:3" id="Num.xxii-p10.1" parsed="|Rev|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.12.3">Rev. xii. 3</scripRef>) as a <i>great
red dragon.</i> Sin is the biting of this fiery serpent; it is
painful to the startled conscience, and poisonous to the seared
conscience. Satan's temptations are called his <i>fiery darts,</i>
<scripRef passage="Eph 6:16" id="Num.xxii-p10.2" parsed="|Eph|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.16">Eph. vi. 16</scripRef>. Lust and
passion inflame the soul, so do the terrors of the Almighty, when
they <i>set themselves in array.</i> At the last, sin <i>bites like
a serpent</i> and <i>stings like an adder;</i> and even its sweets
are turned into the gall of asps.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p11">2. Between their remedy and ours. (1.) It
was God himself that devised and prescribed this antidote against
the fiery serpents; so our salvation by Christ was the contrivance
of Infinite Wisdom; God himself has found the ransom. (2.) It was a
very unlikely method of cure; so our salvation by the death of
Christ is <i>to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks
foolishness.</i> It was Moses that <i>lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness,</i> so the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ,
and Moses wrote of him, <scripRef passage="Joh 5:4-6" id="Num.xxii-p11.1" parsed="|John|5|4|5|6" osisRef="Bible:John.5.4-John.5.6">John v.
4-6</scripRef>. Christ was lifted up by the rulers of the Jews, who
were the successors of Moses. (3.) That which cured was shaped in
the likeness of that which wounded. So Christ, though perfectly
free from sin himself, yet was <i>made in the likeness of sinful
flesh</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 8:3" id="Num.xxii-p11.2" parsed="|Rom|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.3">Rom. viii. 3</scripRef>), so
like that it was taken for granted that this man was a sinner,
<scripRef passage="Joh 9:24" id="Num.xxii-p11.3" parsed="|John|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.9.24">John ix. 24</scripRef>. (4.) The
brazen serpent was lifted up; so was Christ. He was lifted up upon
the cross (<scripRef passage="Joh 12:33,34" id="Num.xxii-p11.4" parsed="|John|12|33|12|34" osisRef="Bible:John.12.33-John.12.34">John xii. 33,
34</scripRef>), for his was made a spectacle to the world. He was
lifted up by the preaching of the gospel. The word here used for a
<i>pole</i> signifies a <i>banner,</i> or <i>ensign,</i> for Christ
crucified <i>stands for an ensign of the people,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 11:10" id="Num.xxii-p11.5" parsed="|Isa|11|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.10">Isa. xi. 10</scripRef>. Some make the lifting
up of the serpent to be a figure of Christ's triumphing over Satan,
the old serpent, whose head he bruised, when in his cross he made
an open show of the principalities and powers which he had spoiled
and destroyed, <scripRef passage="Col 2:15" id="Num.xxii-p11.6" parsed="|Col|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.15">Col. ii.
15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p12">3. Between the application of their remedy
and ours. They looked and lived, and we, if we believe, shall not
perish; it is by faith that we look unto Jesus, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:2" id="Num.xxii-p12.1" parsed="|Heb|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.2">Heb. xii. 2</scripRef>. <i>Look unto me, and be you
saved,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 45:22" id="Num.xxii-p12.2" parsed="|Isa|45|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.22">Isa. xlv. 22</scripRef>.
We must be sensible of our wound and of our danger by it, receive
the record which God has given concerning his Son, and rely upon
the assurance he has given us that we shall be healed and saved by
him if we resign ourselves to his direction. The brazen serpent's
being lifted up would not cure if it was not looked upon. If any
pored on their wound, and would not look up to the brazen serpent,
they inevitably died. If they slighted this method of cure, and had
recourse to natural medicines, and trusted to them, they justly
perished; so if sinners either despise Christ's righteousness or
despair of benefit by it their wound will, without doubt, be fatal.
But whoever looked up to this healing sign, though from the outmost
part of the camp, though with a weak and weeping eye, was certainly
healed; so whosoever believes in Christ, though as yet but weak in
faith, shall not perish. There are weak brethren <i>for whom Christ
died.</i> Perhaps for some time after the serpent was set up the
camp of Israel was molested by the fiery serpents; and it is the
probable conjecture of some that they carried this brazen serpent
along with them through the rest of their journey, and set it up
wherever they encamped, and, when they settled in Canaan, fixed it
somewhere within the borders of the land; for it is not likely that
the children of Israel went so far off as this was into the
wilderness to burn incense to it, as we find they did, <scripRef passage="2Ki 18:4" id="Num.xxii-p12.3" parsed="|2Kgs|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.18.4">2 Kings xviii. 4</scripRef>. Even those that are
delivered from the eternal death which is the wages of sin must
expect to feel the pain and smart of it as long as they are here in
this world; but, if it be not our own fault, we may have the brazen
serpent to accompany us, to be still looked up to upon all
occasions, by bearing about with us continually the dying of the
Lord Jesus.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 21" id="Num.xxii-p12.4" parsed="|Num|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 21:10-20" id="Num.xxii-p12.5" parsed="|Num|21|10|21|20" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.10-Num.21.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.21.10-Num.21.20">
<h4 id="Num.xxii-p12.6">The Removal of the Camp. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p12.7">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxii-p13">10 And the children of Israel set forward, and
pitched in Oboth. &#160; 11 And they journeyed from Oboth, and
pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which <i>is</i> before
Moab, toward the sunrising. &#160; 12 From thence they removed, and
pitched in the valley of Zared. &#160; 13 From thence they removed,
and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which <i>is</i> in the
wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon
<i>is</i> the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. &#160;
14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p13.1">Lord</span>, What he did in the Red sea, and in the
brooks of Arnon, &#160; 15 And at the stream of the brooks that
goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of
Moab. &#160; 16 And from thence <i>they went</i> to Beer: that
<i>is</i> the well whereof the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p13.2">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them
water. &#160; 17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well;
sing ye unto it: &#160; 18 The princes digged the well, the nobles
of the people digged it, by <i>the direction of</i> the lawgiver,
with their staves. And from the wilderness <i>they went</i> to
Mattanah: &#160; 19 And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from
Nahaliel to Bamoth: &#160; 20 And from Bamoth <i>in</i> the valley,
that <i>is</i> in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which
looketh toward Jeshimon.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p14">We have here an account of the several
stages and removals of the children of Israel, till they came into
the plains of Moab, out of which they at length passed over Jordan
into Canaan, as we read in the beginning of Joshua. Natural motions
are quicker the nearer they are to their centre. The Israelites
were now drawing near to the promised rest, and now they <i>set
forward,</i> as the expression is, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:10" id="Num.xxii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. It were well if we would do
thus in our way to heaven, rid ground in the latter end of our
journey, and the nearer we come to heaven be so much the more
active and abundant in the work of the Lord. Two things especially
are observable in the brief account here given of these
removals:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p15">1. The wonderful success which God blessed
his people with, near the brooks of Arnon, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:13-15" id="Num.xxii-p15.1" parsed="|Num|21|13|21|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.13-Num.21.15"><i>v.</i> 13-15</scripRef>. They had now compassed
the land of Edom (which they were not to invade, nor so much as to
disturb, <scripRef passage="De 2:4,5" id="Num.xxii-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|2|4|2|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.4-Deut.2.5">Deut. ii. 4, 5</scripRef>),
and had come to the border of Moab. It is well that there are more
ways than one to Canaan. The enemies of God's people may retard
their passage, but cannot prevent their entrance into the promised
rest. Care is taken to let us know that the Israelites in their
march religiously observed the orders which God gave them to use no
hostility against the Moabites (<scripRef passage="De 2:9" id="Num.xxii-p15.3" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9">Deut.
ii. 9</scripRef>), because they were the posterity of righteous
Lot; therefore they pitched on the other side of Arnon (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:13" id="Num.xxii-p15.4" parsed="|Num|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), that side which was
now in the possession of the Amorites, one of the devoted nations,
though formerly it had belonged to Moab, as appears here, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:26,27" id="Num.xxii-p15.5" parsed="|Num|21|26|21|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.26-Num.21.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. This care of
theirs not to offer violence to the Moabites is pleaded by Jephtha
long afterwards, in his remonstrance against the Ammonites
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 11:15-23" id="Num.xxii-p15.6" parsed="|Judg|11|15|11|23" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.15-Judg.11.23">Judg. xi. 15</scripRef>,
&amp;c.), and turned to them for a testimony. What their
achievements were, now that they pitched on the banks of the river
Arnon, we are not particularly told, but are referred to the
<i>book of the wars of the Lord,</i> perhaps that book which was
begun with the history of the war with the Amalekites, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:14" id="Num.xxii-p15.7" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14">Exod. xvii. 14</scripRef>. <i>Write it</i> (said
God) <i>for a memorial in a book,</i> to which were added all the
other battles which Israel fought, in order, and, among the rest,
their actions on the river Arnon, at <i>Vaheb</i> in <i>Suphah</i>
(as our margin reads it) and other places on that river. Or, <i>it
shall be said</i> (as some read it) <i>in the rehearsal,</i> or
commemoration, <i>of the wars of the Lord, what he did in the Red
Sea,</i> when he brought Israel out of Egypt, and what he did <i>in
the brooks of Arnon,</i> just before he brought them into Canaan.
Note, In celebrating the memorials of God's favours to us, it is
good to observe the series of them, and how divine goodness and
mercy have constantly followed us, even from the Red Sea to the
brooks of Arnon. In every stage of our lives, nay, in every step,
we should take notice of what God has wrought for us; what he did
at such a time, and what in such a place, ought to be distinctly
remembered.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p16">2. The wonderful supply which God blessed
his people with at <i>Beer</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:16" id="Num.xxii-p16.1" parsed="|Num|21|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), which signifies the
<i>well</i> or <i>fountain.</i> It is said (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:10" id="Num.xxii-p16.2" parsed="|Num|21|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) they pitched in <i>Oboth,</i>
which signifies <i>bottles,</i> so called perhaps because there
they filled their bottles with water, which should last them for
some time; but by this time, we may suppose, it was with them as it
was with Hagar (<scripRef passage="Ge 21:15" id="Num.xxii-p16.3" parsed="|Gen|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.21.15">Gen. xxi.
15</scripRef>), <i>The water was spent in the bottle;</i> yet we do
not find that they murmured, and therefore God, in compassion to
them, brought them to a well of water, to encourage them to wait on
him in humble silence and expectation and to believe that he would
graciously take cognizance of their wants, though they did not
complain of them. In this world, we do at the best but pitch in
<i>Oboth,</i> where our comforts lie in close and scanty vessels;
when we come to heaven we shall remove to <i>Beer,</i> the well of
life, the fountain of living waters. Hitherto we have found, when
they were supplied with water, they asked it in unjust discontent,
and God gave it in just displeasure; but here we find, (1.) That
God gave it in love (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:16" id="Num.xxii-p16.4" parsed="|Num|21|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>Gather the people together,</i> to be witnesses
of the wonder, and joint-sharers in the favour, <i>and I will give
them water.</i> Before they prayed, God granted, and anticipated
them with the blessings of his goodness. (2.) That they received it
with joy and thankfulness, which made the mercy doubly sweet to
them, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:17" id="Num.xxii-p16.5" parsed="|Num|21|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Then
they sang this song, to the glory of God and the encouragement of
one another, <i>Spring up, O well!</i> Thus they pray that it may
spring up, for promised mercies must be fetched in by prayer; they
triumph that it does spring up, and meet it with their joyful
acclamations. With joy must we <i>draw water out of the wells of
salvation,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 11:3" id="Num.xxii-p16.6" parsed="|Isa|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.3">Isa. xi. 3</scripRef>.
As the brazen serpent was a figure of Christ, who is lifted up for
our cure, so is this well a figure of the Spirit, who is poured
forth for our comfort, and from whom flow to us <i>rivers of living
waters,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 7:38" id="Num.xxii-p16.7" parsed="|John|7|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.38">John vii. 38</scripRef>.
Does this well spring up in our souls? We should sing to it; take
the comfort to ourselves, and give the glory to God; stir up this
gift, sing to it, <i>Spring up, O well!</i> thou <i>fountain of
gardens,</i> to water my soul (<scripRef passage="So 4:15" id="Num.xxii-p16.8" parsed="|Song|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Song.4.15">Cant.
iv. 15</scripRef>), plead the promise, which perhaps alludes to
this story (<scripRef passage="Isa 41:17,18" id="Num.xxii-p16.9" parsed="|Isa|41|17|41|18" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.17-Isa.41.18">Isa. xli. 17,
18</scripRef>), <i>I will make the wilderness wells of water.</i>
(3.) That whereas before the remembrance of the miracle was
perpetuated in the names given to the places, which signified the
people's strife and murmuring, now it was perpetuated in a song of
praise, which preserved on record the manner in which it was done
(<scripRef passage="Nu 21:18" id="Num.xxii-p16.10" parsed="|Num|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>The
princes digged the well,</i> the seventy elders, it is probable,
<i>by direction of the lawgiver</i> (that is, Moses, under God)
<i>with their staves;</i> that is, with their staves they made
holes in the soft and sandy ground, and God caused the water
miraculously to spring up in the holes which they made. Thus the
pious Israelites long afterwards, <i>passing through the valley of
Baca,</i> a dry and thirsty place, made wells, and God by rain from
heaven filled the pools, <scripRef passage="Ps 84:6" id="Num.xxii-p16.11" parsed="|Ps|84|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.84.6">Ps. lxxxiv.
6</scripRef>. Observe, [1.] God promised to give them water, but
they must open the ground to receive it, and give it vent. God's
favours must be expected in the use of such means as lie within our
power, but still the excellency of the power is of God. [2.] The
nobles of Israel were forward to set their hands to this work, and
used their staves, probable those that were the ensigns of their
honour and power, for the public service, and it is upon record to
their honour. And we may suppose that it was a great confirmation
to them in their offices, and a great comfort to the people, that
they were made use of by the divine power as instruments to this
miraculous supply. By this it appeared that the spirit of Moses,
who must shortly die, rested in some measure upon the nobles of
Israel. Moses did not strike the ground himself, as formerly the
rock, but gave them direction to do it, that their staves might
share in the honour of his rod, and they might comfortably hope
that when he should leave them yet God would not, but that they
also in their generation should be public blessings, and might
expect the divine presence with them as long as they acted by the
direction of the lawgiver. For comfort must be looked for only in
the way of duty; and, if we would share in divine joys, we must
carefully follow the divine direction.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 21:21-35" id="Num.xxii-p16.12" parsed="|Num|21|21|21|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.21-Num.21.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.21.21-Num.21.35">
<h4 id="Num.xxii-p16.13">Sihon and Og Overthrown. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p16.14">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxii-p17">21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of
the Amorites, saying, &#160; 22 Let me pass through thy land: we
will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not
drink <i>of</i> the waters of the well: <i>but</i> we will go along
by the king's <i>high</i> way, until we be past thy borders. &#160;
23 And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border:
but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against
Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought
against Israel. &#160; 24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the
sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the
children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon
<i>was</i> strong. &#160; 25 And Israel took all these cities: and
Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in
all the villages thereof. &#160; 26 For Heshbon <i>was</i> the city
of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the
former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even
unto Arnon. &#160; 27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,
Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
&#160; 28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the
city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, <i>and</i> the lords of
the high places of Arnon. &#160; 29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art
undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped,
and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
&#160; 30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto
Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which
<i>reacheth</i> unto Medeba. &#160; 31 Thus Israel dwelt in the
land of the Amorites. &#160; 32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer,
and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that
<i>were</i> there. &#160; 33 And they turned and went up by the way
of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and
all his people, to the battle at Edrei. &#160; 34 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxii-p17.1">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I
have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land;
and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the
Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. &#160; 35 So they smote him, and
his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive:
and they possessed his land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p18">We have here an account of the victories
obtained by Israel over Sihon and Og, which must be distinctly
considered, not only because they are here distinctly related, but
because long afterwards the memorial of them is distinctly
celebrated, and they are severally assigned as instances of
everlasting mercy. He slew <i>Sihon king of the Amorites, for his
mercy endureth for ever, and Og the king of Bashan, for his mercy
endureth for ever,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 136:19,20" id="Num.xxii-p18.1" parsed="|Ps|136|19|136|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.136.19-Ps.136.20">Ps. cxxxvi.
19, 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p19">I. Israel sent a peaceable message to Sihon
king of the Amorites (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:21" id="Num.xxii-p19.1" parsed="|Num|21|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), but received an unpeaceable return, worse than that
of the Edomites to the like message, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:18,20" id="Num.xxii-p19.2" parsed="|Num|20|18|0|0;|Num|20|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.18 Bible:Num.20.20"><i>ch.</i> xx. 18, 20</scripRef>. For the Edomites
only refused them a passage, and stood upon their own defence to
keep them out; but Sihon went out with his forces <i>against Israel
in the wilderness,</i> out of his own borders, without any
provocation given him (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:23" id="Num.xxii-p19.3" parsed="|Num|21|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), and so ran himself upon his own ruin. Jephtha
intimates that he was prompted by his politics to do this
(<scripRef passage="Jdg 11:20" id="Num.xxii-p19.4" parsed="|Judg|11|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.20">Judg. xi. 20</scripRef>), <i>Sihon
trusted not Israel to pass through his coast;</i> but his politics
deceived him, for Moses says, <i>God hardened his spirit and made
his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into the hand of
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="De 2:30" id="Num.xxii-p19.5" parsed="|Deut|2|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.30">Deut. ii. 30</scripRef>.
The enemies of God's church are often infatuated in those very
counsels which they think most wisely taken. Sihon's army was
routed, and not only so, but all his country came into the
possession of Israel, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:24,25" id="Num.xxii-p19.6" parsed="|Num|21|24|21|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.24-Num.21.25"><i>v.</i> 24,
25</scripRef>. This seizure is justified, 1. Against the Amorites
themselves, for they were the aggressors, and provoked the
Israelites to battle; and yet, perhaps, that would not have been
sufficient to entitle Israel to their land, but that God himself,
the King of nations, the Lord of the whole earth, had given them a
grant of it. The Amorites formed one of the devoted nations whose
land God had promised to Abraham and his seed, which promise should
be performed when the iniquity of the Amorites should be full,
<scripRef passage="Ge 15:16" id="Num.xxii-p19.7" parsed="|Gen|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.16">Gen. xv. 16</scripRef>. Jephtha
insists upon this grant as their title, <scripRef passage="Jdg 11:23,24" id="Num.xxii-p19.8" parsed="|Judg|11|23|11|24" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.23-Judg.11.24">Judg. xi. 23, 24</scripRef>. The victory which God
gave them over the Amorites put them in possession, and then, the
promise made to their fathers having given them a right, by virtue
of that they kept possession. 2. Against the Moabites, who had
formerly been the lords-proprietors of this country. If they should
ever lay claim to it, and should plead that God himself had
provided that <i>none of their land should be given to Israel for a
possession</i> (<scripRef passage="De 2:9" id="Num.xxii-p19.9" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9">Deut. ii. 9</scripRef>),
Moses here furnishes posterity with a replication to their plea,
and Jephtha makes use of it against the Amorites 260 years
afterwards, when Israel's title to this country was questioned.
(1.) The justification itself is that though it was true this
country had belonged to the Moabites, yet the Amorites had taken it
from them some time before, and were now in full and quiet
possession of it, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:26" id="Num.xxii-p19.10" parsed="|Num|21|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. The Israelites did not take it out of the hands of
the Moabites, they had before lost it to the Amorites, and were
constrained to give up their pretensions to it; and, when Israel
had taken it from the Amorites, they were under no obligation to
restore it to the Moabites, whose title to it was long since
extinguished. See here the uncertainty of worldly possessions, how
often they change their owners, and how soon we may be deprived of
them, even when we think ourselves most sure of them; <i>they make
themselves wings.</i> It is our wisdom therefore to secure the good
part which cannot be taken away from us. See also the wisdom of the
divine Providence and its perfect foresight, by which preparation
is made long before for the accomplishment of all God's purposes in
their season. This country being designed in due time for Israel,
it is beforehand put into the hand of the Amorites, who little
think that they have it but as trustees till Israel come of age,
and then must surrender it. We understand not the vast reaches of
Providence, but known unto God are all his works, as appears in
this instance, that he <i>set the bounds of the people according to
the number of the children of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:8" id="Num.xxii-p19.11" parsed="|Deut|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.8">Deut. xxxii. 8</scripRef>. All that land which he
intended for his chosen people he put into the possession of the
devoted nations, that were to be driven out. (2.) For proof of the
allegation, he refers to the authentic records of the country, for
so their proverbs or songs were, one of which he quotes some
passages out of (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:27-30" id="Num.xxii-p19.12" parsed="|Num|21|27|21|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.27-Num.21.30"><i>v.</i>
27-30</scripRef>), which sufficiently proves what is vouched for,
namely, [1.] That such and such places that are here named, though
they had been in the possession of the Moabites, had by right of
war become the dominion of Sihon king of the Amorites. Heshbon had
become his city, and he obtained such a quiet possession of it that
it was built and prepared for him (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:27" id="Num.xxii-p19.13" parsed="|Num|21|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), and the country to Dibon and
Nophah was likewise subdued, and annexed to the kingdom of the
Amorites, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:30" id="Num.xxii-p19.14" parsed="|Num|21|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>.
[2.] That the Moabites were utterly disabled ever to regain the
possession. Even Ar of Moab, though not taken or attempted by
Sihon, but still remaining the metropolis of Moab, yet was so
wasted by this loss that is would never be able to make head,
<scripRef passage="Nu 21:28" id="Num.xxii-p19.15" parsed="|Num|21|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. The Moabites
were undone, and even Chemosh their god had given them up, as
unable to rescue them out of the hands of Sihon, <scripRef passage="Nu 21:29" id="Num.xxii-p19.16" parsed="|Num|21|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. By all this it appears that the
Moabites' claim to this country was barred for ever. There may be a
further reason for inserting this Amorite poem, namely, to show
that the triumphing of the wicked is short. Those that had
conquered the Moabites, and insulted over them, were now themselves
conquered and insulted over by the Israel of God. It is very
probable that the same Sihon, king of the Amorites, that had got
this country from the Moabites, now lost it to the Israelites; for,
though it is said to be taken from a former king of Moab (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:26" id="Num.xxii-p19.17" parsed="|Num|21|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), yet not by a former
king of the Amorites; and then it shows how sometimes justice makes
men to see the loss of that which they got by violence, and were
puffed up with the gain of. They are <i>exalted but for a little
while,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 24:24" id="Num.xxii-p19.18" parsed="|Job|24|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.24.24">Job xxiv.
24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxii-p20">II. Og king of Bashan, instead of being
warned by the fate of his neighbours to make peace with Israel, is
instigated by it to make war with them, which proves in like manner
to be his destruction. Og was also an Amorite, and therefore
perhaps thought himself better able to deal with Israel than his
neighbours were, and more likely to prevail, because of his own
gigantic strength and stature, which Moses takes notice of,
<scripRef passage="De 3:11" id="Num.xxii-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.11">Deut. iii. 11</scripRef>, where he
gives a more full account of this story. Here observe, 1. That the
Amorite begins the war (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:33" id="Num.xxii-p20.2" parsed="|Num|21|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.33"><i>v.</i>
33</scripRef>): He <i>went out to battle against Israel.</i> His
country was very rich and pleasant. Bashan was famous for the best
timber (witness the oaks of Bashan), and the best breed of cattle,
witness the bulls and kine of Bashan, and the lambs and rams of
that country, which are celebrated, <scripRef passage="De 32:14" id="Num.xxii-p20.3" parsed="|Deut|32|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.14">Deut. xxxii. 14</scripRef>. Wicked men do their utmost
to secure themselves and their possessions against the judgments of
God, but all in vain, when their day comes, on which they must
fall. 2. That God interests himself in the cause, bids Israel not
to fear this threatening force, and promises a complete victory:
"<i>I have delivered him into thy hand</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:34" id="Num.xxii-p20.4" parsed="|Num|21|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>); the thing is as good as done
already, it is all thy own, enter and take possession." Giants are
but worms before God's power. 3. That Israel is more than a
conqueror, not only routs the enemies' army, but gains the enemies'
country, which afterwards was part of the inheritance of the two
tribes and a half that were first seated on the other side Jordan.
God gave Israel these successes, while Moses was yet with them,
both for his comfort (that he might see the beginning of that
glorious work, which he must not live to see the finishing of) and
for the encouragement of the people in the war of Canaan under
Joshua. Though this was to them in comparison but as the day of
small things, yet it was an earnest of great things.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXII" n="xxiii" progress="75.62%" prev="Num.xxii" next="Num.xxiv" id="Num.xxiii">
<h2 id="Num.xxiii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxiii-p1">At this chapter begins the famous story of Balak
and Balaam, their attempt to curse Israel, and the baffling of that
attempt; God's people are long afterwards told to remember what
Balak the king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor
answered him, that they might know the righteousness of the Lord,
<scripRef passage="Mic 6:5" id="Num.xxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Mic|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.5">Mic. vi. 5</scripRef>. In this chapter
we have, I. Balak's fear of Israel, and the plot he had to get them
cursed, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:1-4" id="Num.xxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|22|1|22|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.1-Num.22.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. The
embassy he sent to Balaam, a conjurer, to fetch him for that
purpose, and the disappointment he met with in the first embassy,
<scripRef passage="Nu 22:5-14" id="Num.xxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|22|5|22|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.5-Num.22.14">ver. 5-14</scripRef>. III. Balaam's
coming to him upon his second message, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:15-21" id="Num.xxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|22|15|22|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.15-Num.22.21">ver. 15-21</scripRef>. IV. The opposition Balaam met
with by the way, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:22-35" id="Num.xxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|22|22|22|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.22-Num.22.35">ver.
22-35</scripRef>. V. The interview at length between Balak and
Balaam, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:36-41" id="Num.xxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|22|36|22|41" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.36-Num.22.41">ver. 36</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 22" id="Num.xxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 22:1-14" id="Num.xxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|22|1|22|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.1-Num.22.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.22.1-Num.22.14">
<h4 id="Num.xxiii-p1.9">Balak Sends for Balaam. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxiii-p2">1 And the children of Israel set forward, and
pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan <i>by</i>
Jericho. &#160; 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel
had done to the Amorites. &#160; 3 And Moab was sore afraid of the
people, because they <i>were</i> many: and Moab was distressed
because of the children of Israel. &#160; 4 And Moab said unto the
elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all <i>that
are</i> round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the
field. And Balak the son of Zippor <i>was</i> king of the Moabites
at that time. &#160; 5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the
son of Beor to Pethor, which <i>is</i> by the river of the land of
the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a
people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the
earth, and they abide over against me: &#160; 6 Come now therefore,
I pray thee, curse me this people; for they <i>are</i> too mighty
for me: peradventure I shall prevail, <i>that</i> we may smite
them, and <i>that</i> I may drive them out of the land: for I wot
that he whom thou blessest <i>is</i> blessed, and he whom thou
cursest is cursed. &#160; 7 And the elders of Moab and the elders
of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand;
and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
&#160; 8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will
bring you word again, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p2.1">Lord</span>
shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
&#160; 9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men <i>are</i>
these with thee? &#160; 10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son
of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, <i>saying,</i> &#160;
11 Behold, <i>there is</i> a people come out of Egypt, which
covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them;
peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
&#160; 12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them;
thou shalt not curse the people: for they <i>are</i> blessed.
&#160; 13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the
princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p2.2">Lord</span> refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
&#160; 14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto
Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p3">The children of Israel have at length
finished their wanderings in the wilderness, out of which they went
up (<scripRef passage="Nu 21:18" id="Num.xxiii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.21.18"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 18</scripRef>),
and are now encamped in the plains of Moab near Jordan, where they
continued till they passed through Jordan under Joshua, after the
death of Moses. Now we have here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p4">I. The fright which the Moabites were in
upon the approach of Israel, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:2-4" id="Num.xxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|22|2|22|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.2-Num.22.4"><i>v.</i> 2-4</scripRef>. They needed not to fear any
harm from them if they knew (and it is probable that Moses let them
know) the orders God had given to Israel not to contend with the
Moabites, nor to use any hostility against them, <scripRef passage="De 2:9" id="Num.xxiii-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9">Deut. ii. 9</scripRef>. But, if they had any notice of
this, they were jealous that it was but a sham, to make them
secure, that they might be the more easily conquered.
Notwithstanding the old friendship between Abraham and Lot, the
Moabites resolved to ruin Israel if they could, and therefore they
will take it for granted, without any ground for the suspicion,
that Israel resolves to ruin them. Thus it is common for those that
design mischief to pretend that mischief is designed against them;
and their groundless jealousies must be the colour of their
causeless malice. They hear of their triumphs over the Amorites
(<scripRef passage="Nu 22:2" id="Num.xxiii-p4.3" parsed="|Num|22|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and think
that their own house is in danger when their neighbour's is on
fire. They observe their multitudes (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:3" id="Num.xxiii-p4.4" parsed="|Num|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>They were many;</i> and hence
infer how easily they would conquer their country, and all about
them if some speedy and effectual course were not taken to stop the
progress of their victorious arms: "They shall <i>lick up</i> or
devour us, and <i>all that are round about us,</i> as speedily and
irresistibly <i>as the ox eats up the grass</i>" (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:4" id="Num.xxiii-p4.5" parsed="|Num|22|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), owning themselves to be
an unequal match for so formidable an enemy. Therefore they were
sorely afraid and distressed themselves; thus were the wicked <i>in
great fear where no fear was,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 53:5" id="Num.xxiii-p4.6" parsed="|Ps|53|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.53.5">Ps.
liii. 5</scripRef>. These fears they communicated to their
neighbours, the elders of Midian, that some measures might be
concerted between them for their common safety; for, if the kingdom
of Moab fall, the republic of Midian cannot stand long. The
Moabites, if they had pleased, might have made a good use of the
advances of Israel, and their successes against the Amorites. They
had reason to rejoice, and give God and Israel thanks for freeing
them from the threatening power of Sihon king of the Amorites, who
had taken from them part of their country, and was likely to
overrun the rest. They had reason likewise to court Israel's
friendship, and to come in to their assistance; but having forsaken
the religion of their father Lot, and being sunk into idolatry,
they hated the people of the God of Abraham, and were justly
infatuated in their counsels and given up to distress.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p5">II. The project which the king of Moab
formed to get the people of Israel cursed, that is, to set God
against them, who, he perceived, hitherto fought for them. He
trusted more to his arts than to his arms, and had a notion that if
he could but get some prophet or other, with his powerful charms,
to imprecate evil upon them, and to pronounce a blessing upon
himself and his forces, then, though otherwise too weak, he should
be able to deal with them. This notion arose, 1. Out of the remains
of some religion; for it owns a dependence upon some visible
sovereign powers that rule in the affairs of the children of men
and determine them, and an obligation upon us to make application
to these powers. 2. Out of the ruins of the true religion; for if
the Midianites and Moabites had not wretchedly degenerated from the
faith and worship of their pious ancestors, Abraham and Lot, they
could not have imagined it possible to do any mischief with their
curses to a people who alone adhered to the service of the true
God, from whose service they had themselves revolted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p6">III. The court which he made to Balaam the
son of Beor, a famous conjurer, to engage him to curse Israel. The
Balaam lived a great way off, in that country whence Abraham came,
and where Laban lived; but, though it was probable that there were
many nearer home that were pretenders to divination, yet none had
so great a reputation for success as Balaam, and Balak will employ
the best he can hear of, though he send a great way for him, so
much is his heart upon this project. And to gain him, 1. He makes
him his friend, complaining to him, as his confidant, of the danger
he was in from the numbers and neighbourhood of the camp of Israel:
<i>They cover the face of the earth,</i> and they <i>abide over
against me,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:5" id="Num.xxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>.
2. In effect he makes him his god, by the great power he attributes
to his word: <i>He whom thou blessest is blessed,</i> and <i>he
whom thou cursest is cursed,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:6" id="Num.xxiii-p6.2" parsed="|Num|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. The learned bishop Patrick
inclines to think, with many of the Jewish writers, that Balaam had
been a great prophet, who, for the accomplishment of his
predictions and the answers of his prayers, both for good and evil,
had been looked upon justly as a man of great interest with God;
but that, growing proud and covetous, God departed from him, and
then, to support his sinking credit, he betook himself to
diabolical arts. He is called a <i>prophet</i> (<scripRef passage="2Pe 2:16" id="Num.xxiii-p6.3" parsed="|2Pet|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.16">2 Pet. ii. 16</scripRef>,) because he had been one, or
perhaps he had raised his reputation from the first by his magical
charms, as Simon Magus, who bewitched the people so far that he was
called <i>the great power of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 8:10" id="Num.xxiii-p6.4" parsed="|Acts|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.8.10">Acts viii. 10</scripRef>. Curses pronounced by God's
prophets in the name of the Lord have wonderful effects, as Noah's
(<scripRef passage="Ge 9:25" id="Num.xxiii-p6.5" parsed="|Gen|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.25">Gen. ix. 25</scripRef>), and Elisha's,
<scripRef passage="2Ki 2:24" id="Num.xxiii-p6.6" parsed="|2Kgs|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.2.24">2 Kings ii. 24</scripRef>. But the
curse <i>causeless shall not come</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 26:2" id="Num.xxiii-p6.7" parsed="|Prov|26|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.26.2">Prov. xxvi. 2</scripRef>), no more than Goliath's, when
he <i>cursed David by his gods,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 17:43" id="Num.xxiii-p6.8" parsed="|1Sam|17|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.17.43">1
Sam. xvii. 43</scripRef>. Let us desire to have the prayers of
God's ministers and people for us, and dread having them against
us; for they are greatly regarded by him who blesseth indeed and
curseth indeed. But Balak cannot rely upon these compliments as
sufficient to prevail with Balaam, the main inducement is yet
behind (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:7" id="Num.xxiii-p6.9" parsed="|Num|22|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): they
took <i>the rewards of divination in their hand, the wages of
unrighteousness,</i> which he <i>loved,</i> <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:15" id="Num.xxiii-p6.10" parsed="|2Pet|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.15">2 Pet. ii. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p7">IV. The restraint God lays upon Balaam,
forbidding him to curse Israel. It is very probable that Balaam,
being a curious inquisitive man, was no stranger to Israel's case
and character, but had heard that God was with them of a truth, so
that he ought to have given the messengers their answer
immediately, that he would never curse a people whom God had
blessed; but he lodges the messengers, and takes a night's time to
consider what he shall do, and to receive instructions from God,
<scripRef passage="Nu 22:8" id="Num.xxiii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|22|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. When we enter
into a parley with temptations we are in great danger of being
overcome by them. In the night God comes to him, probably in a
dream, and enquires what business those strangers had with him. He
knows it, but he will know it from him. Balaam gives him an account
of their errand (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:9-11" id="Num.xxiii-p7.2" parsed="|Num|22|9|22|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.9-Num.22.11"><i>v.</i>
9-11</scripRef>), and God thereupon charges him not to go with
them, or attempt to curse that blessed people, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:12" id="Num.xxiii-p7.3" parsed="|Num|22|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Thus God sometimes, for the
preservation of his people, was pleased to speak to bad men, as to
Abimelech (<scripRef passage="Ge 20:3" id="Num.xxiii-p7.4" parsed="|Gen|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.20.3">Gen. xx. 3</scripRef>), and
to Laban, <scripRef passage="Ge 31:24" id="Num.xxiii-p7.5" parsed="|Gen|31|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.24">Gen. xxxi. 24</scripRef>.
And we read of some that were workers of iniquity, and yet in
Christ's name prophesied, and <i>did many wondrous works.</i>
Balaam is charged not only not to go to Balak, but not to offer to
curse this people, which he might have attempted at a distance; and
the reason is given: <i>They are blessed.</i> This was part of the
blessing of Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:3" id="Num.xxiii-p7.6" parsed="|Gen|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.3">Gen. xii.
3</scripRef>), <i>I will curse him that curseth thee;</i> so that
an attempt to curse them would be not only fruitless, but perilous.
Israel had often provoked God in the wilderness, yet he will not
suffer their enemies to curse them, for he <i>rewards them not
according to their iniquities.</i> The blessedness of those whose
sin is covered comes upon them, <scripRef passage="Ro 4:6,7" id="Num.xxiii-p7.7" parsed="|Rom|4|6|4|7" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.6-Rom.4.7">Rom.
iv. 6, 7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p8">V. The return of the messengers without
Balaam. 1. Balaam is not faithful in returning God's answer to the
messengers, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:13" id="Num.xxiii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|22|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.
He only tells them, <i>the Lord refuseth to give me leave to go
with you.</i> He did not tell them, as he ought to have done, that
Israel was a blessed people, and must by no means be cursed; for
then the design would have been crushed, and the temptation would
not have been renewed: but he, in effect, desired them to give his
humble service to Balak, and let him know that he applauded his
project, and would have been very glad to gratify him, but that
truly he had the character of a prophet, and must not go without
leave from God, which he had not yet obtained, and therefore for
the present he must be excused. Note, Those are a fair mark for
Satan's temptation that speak diminishingly of divine prohibitions,
as if they amounted to no more than the denial of a permission, and
as if to go against God's law were only to go without his leave. 2.
The messengers are not faithful in returning Balaam's answer to
Balak. All the account they give of it is, <i>Balaam refuseth to
come with us</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:14" id="Num.xxiii-p8.2" parsed="|Num|22|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), intimating that he only wanted more courtship and
higher proffers; but they are not willing Balak should know that
God had signified his disallowance of the attempt. Thus are great
men wretchedly abused by the flatteries of those about them, who do
all they can to prevent their seeing their own faults and
follies.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 22" id="Num.xxiii-p8.3" parsed="|Num|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 22:15-21" id="Num.xxiii-p8.4" parsed="|Num|22|15|22|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.15-Num.22.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.22.15-Num.22.21">
<h4 id="Num.xxiii-p8.5">Balak's Second Message to
Balaam. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p8.6">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxiii-p9">15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and
more honourable than they. &#160; 16 And they came to Balaam, and
said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I
pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: &#160; 17 For I will
promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou
sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
&#160; 18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak,
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot
go beyond the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p9.1">Lord</span> my
God, to do less or more. &#160; 19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry
ye also here this night, that I may know what the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p9.2">Lord</span> will say unto me more. &#160; 20 And God
came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to
call thee, rise up, <i>and</i> go with them; but yet the word which
I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. &#160; 21 And Balaam
rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the
princes of Moab.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p10">We have here a second embassy sent to
Balaam, to fetch him over to curse Israel. It were well for us if
we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work,
notwithstanding disappointments, as Balak was in pursuing this ill
design. The enemies of the church are restless and unwearied in
their attempts against it; but he that sits in heaven laughs at
them. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p11">I. The temptation Balak laid before Balaam.
He contrived to make this assault more vigorous than the former. It
is very probable that he sent double money in the hands of his
messengers; but, besides that, now he tempted him with honours,
laid a bait not only for his covetousness, but for his pride and
ambition. How earnestly should we beg of God daily to mortify in us
these two limbs of the old man! Those that know how to look with a
holy contempt upon worldly wealth and preferment will find it not
so hard a matter as most men do to keep a good conscience. See how
artfully Balak managed the temptation. 1. The messengers he sent
were <i>more,</i> and <i>more honourable,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:15" id="Num.xxiii-p11.1" parsed="|Num|22|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. He sent to this conjurer with
as great respect and deference to his quality as if he had been a
sovereign prince, apprehending perhaps that Balaam had thought
himself slighted in the fewness and meanness of the former
messengers. 2. The request was very urgent. This powerful prince
becomes a suitor to him: "<i>Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder
thee</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:16" id="Num.xxiii-p11.2" parsed="|Num|22|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>),
no, not God, nor conscience, nor any fear either of sin or shame."
3. The proffers were high: "<i>I will promote thee to very great
honour</i> among the princes of Moab;" nay, he gives him a blank,
and he shall write his own terms: <i>I will do whatsoever thou
sayest,</i> that is, "I will give thee whatever thou desirest, and
observe whatever thou orderest; thy word shall be a law to me,"
<scripRef passage="Nu 22:17" id="Num.xxiii-p11.3" parsed="|Num|22|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Thus sinners
stick at no pains, spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop,
for the gratifying either of their luxury or of their malice; shall
we then be stiff and strait-handed in our compliance with the laws
of virtue? God forbid.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p12">II. Balaam's seeming resistance of, but
real yielding to, this temptation. We may here discern in Balaam a
struggle between his convictions and his corruptions. 1. His
convictions charged him to adhere to the command of God, and he
spoke their language, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:18" id="Num.xxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. Nor could any man have said better: "<i>If Balak
would give me his house full of silver and gold,</i> and that is
more than he can give or I can ask, <i>I cannot go beyond the word
of the Lord my God.</i>" See how honourably he speaks of God; he is
<i>Jehovah, my God.</i> Note, Many call God theirs that are not
his, not <i>truly</i> because not <i>only</i> his; <i>they swear by
the Lord, and by Malcham.</i> See how respectfully he speaks of the
word of God, as one resolved to stick to it, and in nothing to vary
from it, and how slightly of the wealth of this world, as if gold
and silver were nothing to him in comparison with the favour of
God; and yet, at the same time, the searcher of hearts knew that he
loved the wages of unrighteousness. Note, It is an easy thing for
bad men to speak very good words, and with their mouth to make a
show of piety. There is no judging of men by their words. God knows
the heart. 2. His corruptions at the same time strongly inclined
him to go contrary to the command. He seemed to refuse the
temptation, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:18" id="Num.xxiii-p12.2" parsed="|Num|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
But even then he expressed no abhorrence of it, as Christ did when
he had the kingdoms of the world offered him (<i>Get thee hence
Satan</i>), and as Peter did when Simon Magus offered him money:
<i>Thy money perish with thee.</i> But it appears (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:19" id="Num.xxiii-p12.3" parsed="|Num|22|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) that he had a strong
inclination to accept the proffer; for he would further attend, to
know what God would say to him, hoping that he might alter his mind
and give him leave to go. This was a vile reflection upon God
Almighty, as if he could change his mind, and now at last suffer
those to be cursed whom he had pronounced blessed, and as if he
would be brought to allow what he had already declared to be evil.
Surely he thought God <i>altogether such a one as himself.</i> He
had already been told what the will of God was, in which he ought
to have acquiesced, and not to have desired a re-hearing of that
cause which was already so plainly determined. Note, It is a very
great affront to God, and a certain evidence of the dominion of
corruption in the heart, to beg leave to sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p13">III. The permission God gave him to go,
<scripRef passage="Nu 22:20" id="Num.xxiii-p13.1" parsed="|Num|22|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. God came to
him, probably by an anger, and told him he might, if he pleased, go
with Balak's messengers. <i>So he gave him up to his own heart's
lust.</i> "Since thou hast such a mind to go, even go, yet know
that <i>the journey thou undertakest shall not be for thy
honour;</i> for, though thou hast leave to go, thou shalt not, as
thou hopest, have leave to curse, <i>for the word which I shall say
unto thee, that thou shalt do.</i>" Note, God has wicked men in a
chain; <i>hitherto they shall come</i> by his permission, but no
further that he does permit them. Thus he makes the wrath of man to
praise him, yet, at the same time, restrains the remainder of it.
It was in anger that God said to Balaam, "Go with them," and we
have reason to think that Balaam himself so understood it, for we
do not find him pleading this allowance when God reproved him for
going. Note, As God sometimes denies the prayers of his people in
love, so sometimes he grants the desires of the wicked in
wrath.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p14">IV. His setting out in the journey,
<scripRef passage="Nu 22:21" id="Num.xxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|22|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. God gave him
leave to go <i>if the men called him,</i> but he was so fond of the
journey that we do not find he staid for their calling him, but he
himself <i>rose up in the morning,</i> got every thing ready with
all speed, and <i>went with the princes of Moab,</i> who were proud
enough that they had carried their point. The apostle describes
Balaam's sin here to be that he <i>ran greedily into an error for
reward,</i> <scripRef passage="Jude 1:11" id="Num.xxiii-p14.2" parsed="|Jude|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.11">Jude 11</scripRef>. The
love of money is the root of all evil.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 22:22-35" id="Num.xxiii-p14.3" parsed="|Num|22|22|22|35" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.22-Num.22.35"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.22.22-Num.22.35">
<h4 id="Num.xxiii-p14.4">God's Displeasure against Balaam;
Remonstrance of Balaam's Ass; The Angel Appears to
Balaam. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p14.5">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxiii-p15">22 And God's anger was kindled because he went:
and the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.1">Lord</span> stood in
the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his
ass, and his two servants <i>were</i> with him. &#160; 23 And the
ass saw the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.2">Lord</span>
standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass
turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam
smote the ass, to turn her into the way. &#160; 24 But the angel of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.3">Lord</span> stood in a path of the
vineyards, a wall <i>being</i> on this side, and a wall on that
side. &#160; 25 And when the ass saw the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.4">Lord</span>, she thrust herself unto the wall, and
crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
&#160; 26 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.5">Lord</span>
went further, and stood in a narrow place, where <i>was</i> no way
to turn either to the right hand or to the left. &#160; 27 And when
the ass saw the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.6">Lord</span>,
she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he
smote the ass with a staff. &#160; 28 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.7">Lord</span> opened the mouth of the ass, and she said
unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me
these three times? &#160; 29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because
thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for
now would I kill thee. &#160; 30 And the ass said unto Balaam,
<i>Am</i> not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since
<i>I was</i> thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto
thee? And he said, Nay. &#160; 31 Then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.8">Lord</span> opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the
angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.9">Lord</span> standing in the
way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head,
and fell flat on his face. &#160; 32 And the angel of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.10">Lord</span> said unto him, Wherefore hast thou
smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to
withstand thee, because <i>thy</i> way is perverse before me:
&#160; 33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times:
unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee,
and saved her alive. &#160; 34 And Balaam said unto the angel of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.11">Lord</span>, I have sinned; for I knew
not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it
displease thee, I will get me back again. &#160; 35 And the angel
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p15.12">Lord</span> said unto Balaam, Go
with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that
thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p16">We have here an account of the opposition
God gave to Balaam in his journey towards Moab; probably the
princes had gone before, or gone some other way, and Balaam had
pointed out where he would meet them, or where they should stay for
him, for we read nothing of them in this part of our narrative,
only that Balaam, like a person of some quality, was attended with
his two men-honour enough, one would think, for such a man, he
needed not be beholden to Balak for promotion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p17">I. Here is God's displeasure against Balaam
for undertaking this journey: God's <i>anger was kindled because he
went,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:22" id="Num.xxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Num|22|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>.
Note, 1. The sin of sinners is not to be thought the less provoking
to God because he permits it. We must not think that, because God
does not by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he
approves of it, or that it is therefore not hateful to him; he
suffers sin, and yet is angry at it. 2. Nothing is more displeasing
to God than malicious designs against his people; he that touches
them touches the apple of his eye.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p18">II. The way God took to let Balaam know his
displeasure against him: <i>An angel stood in the way for an
adversary.</i> Now God fulfilled his promise to Israel (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:22" id="Num.xxiii-p18.1" parsed="|Exod|23|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.22">Exod. xxiii. 22</scripRef>), <i>I will be an
enemy to thy enemies.</i> The holy angels are adversaries to sin,
and perhaps are employed more than we are aware of in preventing
it, particularly in opposing those that have any ill designs
against God's church and people, for whom Michael our prince stands
up, <scripRef passage="Da 12:1,Da 10:21" id="Num.xxiii-p18.2" parsed="|Dan|12|1|0|0;|Dan|10|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.12.1 Bible:Dan.10.21">Dan. xii. 1; x.
21</scripRef>. What a comfort is this to all that wish well to the
Israel of God, that he never suffers wicked men to form an attempt
against them, without sending his holy angels forth to break the
attempt and secure his little ones! When the prophet saw the four
horns that scattered Judah, at the same time he saw four carpenters
that were to fray those horns, <scripRef passage="Zec 1:18-21" id="Num.xxiii-p18.3" parsed="|Zech|1|18|1|21" osisRef="Bible:Zech.1.18-Zech.1.21">Zech. i. 18</scripRef>, &amp;c. When the <i>enemy
comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a
standard against him.</i> This angel was an adversary to Balaam,
because Balaam counted him his adversary; otherwise those are
really our best friends, and we are so to reckon them, that stop
our progress in a sinful way. The angel stood with his sword drawn
(<scripRef passage="Nu 22:23" id="Num.xxiii-p18.4" parsed="|Num|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), <i>a
flaming sword,</i> like that in the hands of the cherubim
(<scripRef passage="Ge 3:24" id="Num.xxiii-p18.5" parsed="|Gen|3|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.24">Gen. iii. 24</scripRef>), <i>turning
every way.</i> Note, The holy angels are at war with those with
whom God is angry, for they are the ministers of his justice.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p19">1. Balaam had notice given him of God's
displeasure, by the ass, and this <i>did not startle him.</i> The
<i>ass saw the angel,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:23" id="Num.xxiii-p19.1" parsed="|Num|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. How vainly did Balaam boast that he was a man whose
<i>eyes were open,</i> and that he <i>saw the visions of the
Almighty</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:3,4" id="Num.xxiii-p19.2" parsed="|Num|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.3-Num.24.4"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 3,
4</scripRef>), when the ass he rode on saw more than he did, his
eyes being blinded with covetousness and ambition and dazzled with
the rewards of divination! Note, Many have God against them, and
his holy angels, but are not aware of it. The <i>ass knows his
owner,</i> sees his danger, but Balaam does <i>not know, does not
consider,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 1:3" id="Num.xxiii-p19.3" parsed="|Isa|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.3">Isa. i. 3</scripRef>.
<i>Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 26:11" id="Num.xxiii-p19.4" parsed="|Isa|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.11">Isa. xxvi. 11</scripRef>. Let none be
puffed up with a conceit of visions and revelations, when even an
ass saw an angel; yet let those be ashamed of their own
sottishness, worse than that of the beasts that perish, who, when
they are told of the sword of God's wrath drawn against them, while
they persist in wicked ways, yet will go on: the ass understood the
law of self-preservation better than so; for, to save both herself
and her senseless rider, (1.) She <i>turned aside out of the
way,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:23" id="Num.xxiii-p19.5" parsed="|Num|22|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
Balaam should have taken the hint of this, and considered whether
he was not out of the way of his duty; but, instead of this, he
<i>beat her into the way again.</i> Thus those who by wilful sin
are running headlong into perdition are angry at those that would
prevent their ruin. (2.) She had not gone much further before she
saw the angel again, and the, to avoid him, <i>ran up to a
wall,</i> and <i>crushed her rider's foot,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:24,25" id="Num.xxiii-p19.6" parsed="|Num|22|24|22|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.24-Num.22.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. How many ill accidents
are we liable to in travelling upon the road, from which if we are
preserved we must own our obligations to the divine Providence,
which by the ministry of angels <i>keeps us in all our ways, lest
we dash our foot against a stone;</i> but, if we at any time meet
with a disaster, it should put us upon enquiring whether our way be
right in the sight of God or no. The crushing of Balaam's foot,
though it was the saving of his life, provoked him so much that he
smote his ass the second time, so angry are we apt to be at that
which, though a present uneasiness, yet is a real kindness. (3.)
Upon the next encounter with the angel, the ass fell down under
Balaam, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:26,27" id="Num.xxiii-p19.7" parsed="|Num|22|26|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.26-Num.22.27"><i>v.</i> 26,
27</scripRef>. He ought to have considered that there was certainly
something extraordinary in this; for his ass was not restive, nor
did she use to serve him thus: but it is common for those whose
hearts are <i>fully set in them to do evil</i> to push on
violently, and break through all the difficulties which Providence
lays in their way to give check to them and to stop them in their
career. Balaam the third time smote his ass, though she had now
done him the best piece of service that ever she did him, saving
him from the sword of the angel, and by her falling down teaching
him to do likewise. (4.) When all this would not work upon him, God
opened the mouth of the ass, and she spoke to him once and again;
and yet neither did this move him: <i>The Lord opened the mouth of
the ass,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:28" id="Num.xxiii-p19.8" parsed="|Num|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>.
This was a great miracle, quite above the power of nature, and
wrought by the power of the God of nature, who made man's mouth,
and taught him to speak, for otherwise (since we learn to speak
purely by imitation, and therefore those that are born deaf are
consequently dumb) the first man would never have spoken, nor any
of his seed. He that made man speak could, when he pleased, make
the ass to <i>speak with man's voice,</i> <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:16" id="Num.xxiii-p19.9" parsed="|2Pet|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.16">2 Pet. ii. 16</scripRef>. Here Mr. Ainsworth observes
that the devil, when he tempted our first parents to sin, employed
a subtle serpent, but that God, when he would convince Balaam,
employed a silly ass, a creature dull and sottish to a proverb; for
Satan corrupts men's minds by the <i>craftiness of those that lie
in wait to deceive,</i> but Christ has <i>chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise.</i> By a dumb ass God rebukes
the madness of the prophet, for he will never want reprovers, but
when he pleases can make the stones cry out as witnesses to him,
<scripRef passage="Lu 19:40,Hab 2:11" id="Num.xxiii-p19.10" parsed="|Luke|19|40|0|0;|Hab|2|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.40 Bible:Hab.2.11">Luke xix. 40; Hab. ii.
11</scripRef>. [1.] The ass complained of Balaam's cruelty
(<scripRef passage="Nu 22:28" id="Num.xxiii-p19.11" parsed="|Num|22|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>): <i>What
have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me?</i> Note, The
righteous God will not see the meanest and weakest abused; but
either they shall be enabled to speak in their own defence or he
will some way or other speak for them. If God would not suffer a
beast to be wronged, much less a man, a Christian, a child of his
own. We cannot <i>open the mouth of the dumb,</i> as God did here,
but we may and must <i>open our mouth for the dumb,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 31:8,Job 31:13" id="Num.xxiii-p19.12" parsed="|Prov|31|8|0|0;|Job|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.8 Bible:Job.31.13">Prov. xxxi. 8; Job xxxi. 13</scripRef>.
The ass's complaint was just: <i>What have I done?</i> Note, When
we are prompted to smite any with hand or tongue, we should
consider what they have done unto us, and what provocation they
have given us. We hear it not, but thus the whole creation groans,
being burdened, <scripRef passage="Ro 8:22" id="Num.xxiii-p19.13" parsed="|Rom|8|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.22">Rom. viii.
22</scripRef>. It was much that Balaam was not astonished to hear
his ass speak, and put to confusion: but some think that it was no
new thing to him (being a conjurer) to be thus spoken to by his
familiars; others rather think that his brutish head-strong passion
so blinded him that he could not observe or consider the
strangeness of the thing. Nothing besots men worse than unbridled
anger. Balaam in his fury <i>wished he had a sword to kill his ass
with,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:29" id="Num.xxiii-p19.14" parsed="|Num|22|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. See
his impotency; can he think by his curses to do mischief to Israel
that has it not in his power to kill his own ass? This he cannot
do, yet he fain would; and what would he get by that, but make
himself so much the poorer (as many do), to gratify his passion and
revenge? Such was the madness of this false prophet. Here bishop
Hall observes, It is ill falling into the hands of those whom the
brute-creatures find unmerciful; for <i>a good man regardeth the
life of his beast.</i> [2.] The ass reasoned with him, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:30" id="Num.xxiii-p19.15" parsed="|Num|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. God enabled not only a
dumb creature to speak, but a dull creature to speak to the
purpose. Three things she argues with him from:&#8212;<i>First,</i> His
propriety in her: <i>Am not I thy ass?</i> Note, 1. God has given
to man a dominion over the creatures: they are <i>delivered into
his hand</i> to be used, and <i>put under his feet</i> to be ruled.
2. Even wicked people have a title to the possessions God gives to
them, which they are not to be wronged of. 3. The dominion God has
given us over the creatures is a good reason why we should not
abuse them. We are their lords, and therefore must not be tyrants.
<i>Secondly,</i> Her serviceableness to him: <i>On which thou hast
ridden.</i> Note, It is good for us often to consider how useful
the inferior creatures are, and have been, to us, that we may be
thankful to God, and tender of them. <i>Thirdly,</i> That she was
not wont to do so by him, and had never before crushed his foot,
nor fallen down under him; he might therefore conclude there was
something more than ordinary that made her do so now. Note, 1. The
rare occurrence of an offence should moderate our displeasure
against an offender. 2. When the creatures depart from their wonted
obedience to us, we should enquire the cause within ourselves, and
be humbled for our sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p20">2. Balaam at length had notice of God's
displeasure by the angel, and this did startle him. When God opened
his eyes <i>he saw the angel</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:31" id="Num.xxiii-p20.1" parsed="|Num|22|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), and then he himself <i>fell
flat upon his face,</i> in reverence of that glorious messenger,
and in fear of the sword he saw in his hand. God has many ways of
breading and bringing down the hard and unhumbled heart. (1.) The
angel reproved him for his outrageousness (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:32,33" id="Num.xxiii-p20.2" parsed="|Num|22|32|22|33" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.32-Num.22.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>): <i>Wherefore hast thou
smitten thy ass?</i> Whether we consider it or no, it is certain
that God will call us to account for the abuses done to his
creatures. Nay, he shows him how much more reason he had to smite
upon his breast, and to condemn himself, than to fly out thus
against his ass ("<i>Thy way is perverse before me,</i> and then
how canst thou expect to prosper?"), and how much wiser his ass was
than himself, and how much beholden he was to her that she turned
aside; it was for his safety, and not for her own, for had she gone
on he had been slain, and she had been saved alive. Note, When our
eyes are opened we shall see what danger we are in in a sinful way,
and how much it was for our advantage to be crossed in it, and what
fools we were to quarrel with our crosses which helped to save our
lives. (2.) Balaam then seemed to relent (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:34" id="Num.xxiii-p20.3" parsed="|Num|22|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>): "<i>I have sinned,</i> sinned
in undertaking this journey, sinned in pushing on so violently;"
but he excused it with this, that he saw not the angel; yet, now
that he did see him, he was willing to go back again. That which
was displeasing to God was not so much his going as his going with
a malicious design against Israel, and a secret hope that
notwithstanding the proviso with which his permission was clogged
he might prevail to curse them, and so gratify Balak, and get
preferment under him. It does not appear that he was sensible of
this wickedness of his heart, or willing to own it, but, when he
finds he cannot go forward, he will be content (since there is no
remedy) to go back. Here is no sign that his heart is turned, but,
if his hands are tied, he cannot help it. Thus many leave their
sins only because their sins have left them. There seems to be a
reformation of the life, but what will this avail if there be no
renovation of the heart? (3.) The angel however continued his
permission: "<i>Go with the men,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 22:35" id="Num.xxiii-p20.4" parsed="|Num|22|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. Go, if thou hast a mind to be
made a fool of, and to be shamed before Balak, and all the princes
of Moab. <i>Go, only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that
thou shalt speak,</i> whether thou wilt or no," for this seems not
to be a precept, but a prediction of the event, that he should not
only not be able to curse Israel, but should be forced to bless
them, which would be more for the glory of God and his own
confusion than if he had turned back. Thus God gave him fair
warning, but he would not take it; he <i>went with the princes of
Balak.</i> For the iniquity of Balaam's covetousness God was wroth,
and smote him, but he <i>went on frowardly,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 57:17" id="Num.xxiii-p20.5" parsed="|Isa|57|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.57.17">Isa. lvii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 22:36-41" id="Num.xxiii-p20.6" parsed="|Num|22|36|22|41" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.36-Num.22.41"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.22.36-Num.22.41">
<h4 id="Num.xxiii-p20.7">Meeting between Balak and
Balaam. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiii-p20.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxiii-p21">36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he
went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which <i>is</i> in the
border of Arnon, which <i>is</i> in the utmost coast. &#160; 37 And
Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call
thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to
promote thee to honour? &#160; 38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I
am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing?
the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. &#160;
39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth.
&#160; 40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and
to the princes that <i>were</i> with him. &#160; 41 And it came to
pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into
the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost
<i>part</i> of the people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiii-p22">We have here the meeting between Balak and
Balaam, confederate enemies to God's Israel; but here they seem to
differ in their expectations of the success. 1. Balak speaks of it
with confidence, not doubting but to gain his point now that Balaam
had come. In expectation of this, he went out to meet him, even to
the utmost border of his country (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:36" id="Num.xxiii-p22.1" parsed="|Num|22|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>), partly to gratify his own
impatient desire to see one he had such great expectations from,
and partly to do honour to Balaam, and so to engage him with his
utmost power to serve him. See what respect heathen princes paid to
those that had but the name and face of prophets, and pretended to
have any interest in heaven; and how welcome one was that came with
his mouth full of curses. What a shame is it then that the
ambassadors of Christ are so little respected by most, so much
despised by some, and that those are so coldly entertained who
bring tidings of peace and a blessing! Balak has now nothing to
complain of but that Balaam did not come sooner, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:37" id="Num.xxiii-p22.2" parsed="|Num|22|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>. And he thinks that he should
have considered the importunity Balak had used, <i>Did I not
earnestly send to thee?</i> (and the importunity of people inferior
to kings has prevailed with many against their inclinations), and
that he should also have considered Balak's intentions concerning
him: <i>Am not I able to promote thee to honour?</i> Balak, as
king, was in his own kingdom the fountain of honour, and Balaam
should have his choice of all the preferments that were in his
gift; he therefore thinks himself affronted by Balaam's delays,
which looked as if he thought the honours he prepared not worthy
his acceptance. Note, Promotion to honour is a very tempting bait
to many people; and it were well if we would be drawn into the
service of God by the honour he sets before us. Why do we delay to
come unto him? Is <i>not he able to promote us to honour?</i> 2.
Balaam speaks doubtfully of the issue, and bids Balak not depend to
much upon him (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:38" id="Num.xxiii-p22.3" parsed="|Num|22|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.38"><i>v.</i>
38</scripRef>): "<i>Have I now any power at all to say any
thing?</i> I have come, but what the nearer am I? Gladly would I
curse Israel; but I must not, I cannot, God will not suffer me." He
seems to speak with vexation at the hook in his nose and the bridle
in his jaws, such as Sennacherib was tied up with, <scripRef passage="Isa 37:29" id="Num.xxiii-p22.4" parsed="|Isa|37|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.37.29">Isa. xxxvii. 29</scripRef>. 3. They address
themselves with all speed to the business. Balaam is nobly
entertained over night, a sacrifice of thanksgiving is offered to
the gods of Moab, for the safe arrival of this welcome guest, and
his is treated with a feast upon the sacrifice, <scripRef passage="Nu 22:40" id="Num.xxiii-p22.5" parsed="|Num|22|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>. And the next morning, that no
time might be lost, Balak takes Balaam in his chariot to the high
places of his kingdom, not only because their holiness (such as it
was), he thought, might give some advantage to his divinations, but
their height might give him a convenient prospect of the camp of
Israel, which was to be the butt or mark at which he must shoot his
envenomed arrows. And now Balaam is really as solicitous to please
Balak as ever he had pretended to be to please God. See what need
we have to pray every day, <i>Our Father in heaven, lead us not
into temptation.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIII" n="xxiv" progress="76.40%" prev="Num.xxiii" next="Num.xxv" id="Num.xxiv">
<h2 id="Num.xxiv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxiv-p1">In this chapter we have Balak and Balaam busy at
work to do Israel a mischief, and, for ought that appears, neither
Moses nor the elders of Israel know any thing of the matter, nor
are in a capacity to break the snare; but God, who keeps Israel,
and neither slumbers nor sleeps, baffles the attempt, without any
intercession or contrivance of theirs. Here is, I. The first
attempt to curse Israel. 1. The preparation made for it by
sacrifice, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:1-3" id="Num.xxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Num|23|1|23|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.1-Num.23.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. 2.
The contrary instruction God gave Balaam, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:4,5" id="Num.xxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Num|23|4|23|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.4-Num.23.5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>. 3. The blessing Balaam was
compelled to pronounce upon Israel, instead of a curse, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:7-10" id="Num.xxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|23|7|23|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.7-Num.23.10">ver. 7-10</scripRef>. 4. The great
disappointment of Balak, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:11,12" id="Num.xxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|23|11|23|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.11-Num.23.12">ver. 11,
12</scripRef>. II. The second attempt, in the same manner made, and
in the same manner frustrated, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:13-26" id="Num.xxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Num|23|13|23|26" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.13-Num.23.26">ver.
13-26</scripRef>. III. Preparations made for a third attempt
(<scripRef passage="Nu 23:27-30" id="Num.xxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Num|23|27|23|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.27-Num.23.30">ver. 27-30</scripRef>), the issue
of which we have in the next chapter.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 23" id="Num.xxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Num|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 23:1-12" id="Num.xxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Num|23|1|23|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.1-Num.23.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.23.1-Num.23.12">
<h4 id="Num.xxiv-p1.9">Balaam Constrained to Bless Israel; The
Blessing Pronounced on Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxiv-p2">1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here
seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams. 2 And
Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on
<i>every</i> altar a bullock and a ram. 3 And Balaam said unto
Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p2.1">Lord</span> will come to meet me: and
whatsoever he showeth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high
place. 4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared
seven altars, and I have offered upon <i>every</i> altar a bullock
and a ram. 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p2.2">Lord</span> put a word
in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt
speak. 6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt
sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7 And he took up his
parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from
Aram, out of the mountains of the east, <i>saying,</i> Come, curse
me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. 8 How shall I curse, whom God hath
not cursed? or how shall I defy, <i>whom</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p2.3">Lord</span> hath not defied? 9 For from the top of the
rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people
shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10
Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth
<i>part</i> of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and
let my last end be like his! 11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What
hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and,
behold, thou hast blessed <i>them</i> altogether. 12 And he
answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p2.4">Lord</span> hath put in my mouth?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p3">Here is, I. Great preparation made for the
cursing of Israel. That which was aimed at was to engage the God of
Israel to forsake them, and either to be on Moab's side or to stand
neuter. O the sottishness of superstition, to imagine that God will
be at men's beck! Balaam and Balak think to bribe him with altars
and sacrifices, offered without any warrant or institution of his:
as if he would <i>eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of
goats.</i> Ridiculous nonsense, to think that these would please
God, and gain his favour, when there could be in them no exercise
either of faith or obedience! Yet, it should seem, they offered
these sacrifices to the God of heaven the supreme
<i>Numen&#8212;Divinity,</i> and not to any of their local deities. But
the multiplying of altars was an instance of their degeneracy from
the religion of their ancestors, and their apostasy to idolatry;
for those that multiplied altars multiplied gods. <i>Ephraim made
many altars to sin,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 8:11" id="Num.xxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Hos|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.11">Hos. viii.
11</scripRef>. <i>Thus they liked not to retain God in their
knowledge, but became vain in their imaginations;</i> and yet
presumptuously expected hereby to gain God over to them from
Israel, who had his sanctuary among them, and his anointed altar.
Observe here, 1. How very imperious Balaam was, proud to have the
command of a king and to give law to princes. Such is the spirit of
that wicked one who exalts himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped. With what authority does Balaam give orders!
<i>Build me here</i> (in the place I have pitched upon) <i>seven
altars,</i> of stone or turf. Thus he covers his malice against
Israel with a show of devotion, but his sacrifice was an
abomination, being brought with such a <i>wicked mind,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 21:27" id="Num.xxiv-p3.2" parsed="|Prov|21|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.21.27">Prov. xxi. 27</scripRef>. That which
he aimed at was not to honour God with the sacrifices of
righteousness, but to enrich himself with the wages of
unrighteousness. 2. How very obsequious Balak was. The altars were
presently built, and the sacrifices prepared, the best of the sort,
<i>seven bullocks and seven rams.</i> Balak makes no objection to
the charge, nor does he snuff at it, or think it either a weariness
or a disparagement to <i>stand by his burnt-offering</i> as Balaam
ordered him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p4">II. The turning of the curse into a
blessing, by the overruling power of God, in love to Israel, which
is the account Moses gives of it, <scripRef passage="De 23:5" id="Num.xxiv-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.5">Deut.
xxiii. 5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p5">1. God puts the blessing into the mouth of
Balaam. While the sacrifices were burning, Balaam retired; he
<i>went solitary,</i> into some dark grove on the top of the high
place, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:3" id="Num.xxiv-p5.1" parsed="|Num|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>, marg.
Thus much he knew, that solitude gives a good opportunity for
communion with God; those that would meet with him must retire from
the world, and the business and conversation of it, and love to be
private, reckoning themselves never less alone than when alone,
because the Father is with them. Enter therefore into thy closet,
and shut the door, and be assured that God will meet thee if thou
<i>seek him in the due order.</i> But Balaam retired with a
peradventure only, having some thoughts that God might meet him;
but being conscious to himself of guilt, and knowing that God had
lately met him in anger, he had reason to speak doubtfully:
<i>Peradventure the Lord will come to meet me,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:3" id="Num.xxiv-p5.2" parsed="|Num|23|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. <i>But let not such a man
think that he shall receive any</i> favour from God. Nay, it should
seem, though he pretended to go and meet with God, he really
designed to use enchantments; see <scripRef passage="Nu 24:1" id="Num.xxiv-p5.3" parsed="|Num|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.1"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 1</scripRef>. But, whatever he intended.
God designed to serve his own glory by him, and therefore <i>met
Balaam,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:4" id="Num.xxiv-p5.4" parsed="|Num|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
<i>What communion has light with darkness?</i> No friendly
communion, we may be sure. Balaam's way was still perverse, and God
was still an adversary to him; but, Balak having chosen him for his
oracle, God would constrain him to utter such a confession, to the
honour of God and Israel, as should render those for ever
inexcusable who should appear in arms against them. When Balaam was
aware that God met him, probably by an angel, he boasted of his
performances: <i>I have prepared seven altars, and offered upon
every altar a bullock and a ram.</i> How had he done it? It cost
him nothing; it was done at Balak's expense; yet, (1.) He boasts of
it, as if he had done some mighty thing. The acts of devotion which
are done in hypocrisy are commonly reflected upon with pride and
vain glory. Thus the Pharisee went up to the temple to boast of his
religion, <scripRef passage="Lu 18:11,12" id="Num.xxiv-p5.5" parsed="|Luke|18|11|18|12" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.11-Luke.18.12">Luke xviii. 11,
12</scripRef>. (2.) He insists upon it as a reason why God should
gratify him in his desire to curse Israel, as if now he had made
God his debtor, and might draw upon him for what he pleased. He
thinks God is so much beholden to him for these sacrifices that the
least he can do in recompense for them is to sacrifice his Israel
to the malice of the king of Moab. Note, It is a common cheat that
wicked people put upon themselves, to think that by the shows of
piety they may prevail with God to countenance them, and connive at
them, in their greatest immoralities, especially in persecution,
<scripRef passage="Isa 66:5" id="Num.xxiv-p5.6" parsed="|Isa|66|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.5">Isa. lxvi. 5</scripRef>. However,
thought the sacrifice was an abomination, God took the occasion of
Balaam's expectation to <i>put a word into his mouth</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:5" id="Num.xxiv-p5.7" parsed="|Num|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>); <i>for the answer of the
tongue if from the Lord,</i> and thus he would show how much those
are mistaken who say, <i>With our tongue we will prevail, our lips
are our own,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 12:4" id="Num.xxiv-p5.8" parsed="|Ps|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.12.4">Ps. xii. 4</scripRef>.
He that made man's mouth knows how to manage it, and to serve his
own purposes by it. This speaks terror to daring sinners, that
<i>set their mouth against the heavens. God can make their own
tongues to fall upon them,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 64:8" id="Num.xxiv-p5.9" parsed="|Ps|64|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.64.8">Ps.
lxiv. 8</scripRef>. And it speaks comfort to God's witnesses, whom
at any time he calls out to appear for him; if God put a word into
the mouth of Balaam, who would have defied God and Israel, surely
he will not be wanting to those who desire to glorify God and edify
his people by their testimony, but it <i>shall be given them in
that same hour what they should speak.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p6">2. Balaam pronounces the blessing in the
ears of Balak. He found him <i>standing by his burnt-sacrifice</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 23:6" id="Num.xxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Num|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), closely
attending it, and earnestly expecting the success. Those that would
have an answer of peace from God must abide by the sacrifice, and
<i>attend on the Lord without distraction, not weary in well
doing.</i> Balaam, having fixed himself in the place appointed for
his denouncing curses against Israel, which perhaps he had drawn up
in form ready to deliver, takes up his parable, and it proves a
blessing, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:7" id="Num.xxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Num|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. He
pronounces Israel safe and happy, and so blesses them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p7">(1.) He pronounces them safe, and out of
the reach of his envenomed darts. [1.] He owns that the design was
to curse them, that Balak sent for him out of his own country, and
that he came, with that intent, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:7" id="Num.xxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Num|23|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. The message sent to him was,
<i>Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.</i> Balak intended
to make war upon them, and he would have Balaam to bless his arms,
and to prophesy and pray for the ruin of Israel. [2.] He owns the
design defeated, and his own inability to accomplish it. He could
not so much as give them an ill word or an ill wish: <i>How shall I
curse those whom God has not cursed?</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:8" id="Num.xxiv-p7.2" parsed="|Num|23|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Not that therefore he would not
do it, but therefore he could not do it. This is a fair confession,
<i>First,</i> Of the weakness and impotency of his own magic skill,
for which others valued him so much, and doubtless he valued
himself no less. He was the most celebrated man of that profession,
and yet owns himself baffled. God had warned the Israelites not to
use divination (<scripRef passage="Le 19:31" id="Num.xxiv-p7.3" parsed="|Lev|19|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.31">Lev. xix.
31</scripRef>), and this providence gave them a reason for that
law, by showing them the weakness and folly of it. As they had seen
the magicians of Egypt befooled, so, here, the great conjurer of
the east. See <scripRef passage="Isa 47:12-14" id="Num.xxiv-p7.4" parsed="|Isa|47|12|47|14" osisRef="Bible:Isa.47.12-Isa.47.14">Isa. xlvii.
12-14</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> It is a confession of the
sovereignty and dominion of the divine power. He owns that he could
do no more than God would suffer him to do, for God could overrule
all his purposes, and turn his counsels headlong. <i>Thirdly,</i>
It is a confession of the inviolable security of the people of God.
Note, 1. God's Israel are owned and blessed of him. He has not
cursed them, for they are delivered from the curse of the law; he
has not defied them, nor rejected or abandoned them, though mean
and vile. 2. Those that have the good-will of Heaven have the
ill-will of hell; the serpent and this seed have an enmity to them.
3. Though the enemies of God's people may prevail far against them,
yet they cannot curse them; that is, they cannot do them any real
mischief, much less a ruining mischief, for they cannot <i>separate
them from the love of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 8:39" id="Num.xxiv-p7.5" parsed="|Rom|8|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.39">Rom.
viii. 39</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p8">(2.) He pronounces them happy in three
things:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p9">[1.] Happy in their peculiarity, and
distinction from the rest of the nations: <i>From the top of the
rock I see him,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:9" id="Num.xxiv-p9.1" parsed="|Num|23|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. And it seems to have been a great surprise to him
that whereas, it is probable, they were represented to him as a
rude and disorderly rabble, that infested the countries round about
in rambling parties, he was them a regular incorporated camp, in
which appeared all the marks of discipline and good order; he saw
them a people dwelling alone, and foresaw they would continue so,
and their singularity would be their unspeakable honour. Persons of
quality we call person of <i>distinction;</i> this was Israel's
praise, though their enemies turned it to their reproach, that they
differed from all the neighbouring nations, not only in their
religion and sacred rites, but in their diet, and dress, and common
usages, as a people called out of the world, and not to be
conformed to it. They never lost their reputation till they
<i>mingled among the heathen,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 106:35" id="Num.xxiv-p9.2" parsed="|Ps|106|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.35">Ps.
cvi. 35</scripRef>. Note, It is the duty and honour of those that
are dedicated to God to be separated from the world, and not to
walk according to the course and custom of it. Those who make
conscience of peculiar duties may take the comfort of peculiar
privileges, which it is probable Balaam has an eye to here. God's
Israel shall not stand upon a level with other nations, but be
dignified above them all, as a people near to God, and set apart
for him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p10">[2.] Happy in their numbers, not so few and
despicable as they were represented to him, but an innumerable
company, which made them both honourable and formidable (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:10" id="Num.xxiv-p10.1" parsed="|Num|23|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>Who can count the
dust of Jacob?</i> The number of the people was the thing that
Balak was vexed at (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:3" id="Num.xxiv-p10.2" parsed="|Num|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.3"><i>ch.</i> xxii.
3</scripRef>): <i>Moab was afraid of them, because they were
many;</i> and God does here by Balaam promote that fear and
vexation, foretelling their further increase. Balak would have him
see <i>the utmost part of the people</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:41" id="Num.xxiv-p10.3" parsed="|Num|22|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.41"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 41</scripRef>), hoping the more he saw
of them the more he would be exasperated against them, and throw
about his curses with the more keenness and rage; but it proved
quite contrary: instead of being angry at their numbers, he admired
them. The better acquainted we are with God's people the better
opinion we have of them. He takes notice of the number,
<i>First,</i> Of the <i>dust of Jacob;</i> that is, the people of
Jacob, concerning whom it was foretold that they should be as the
dust for number, <scripRef passage="Ge 28:14" id="Num.xxiv-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|28|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.28.14">Gen. xxviii.
14</scripRef>. Thus he owns the fulfilling of the promise made to
the fathers, and expects that it should be yet further
accomplished. Perhaps it was part of David's fault in numbering the
people that he offered to count the dust of Jacob, which God had
said should be innumerable. <i>Secondly,</i> Of the <i>fourth part
of Israel,</i> alluding to the form of their camp, which was cast
into four squadrons, under four standards. Note, God's Israel are a
very great body, his spiritual Israel are so, and they will appear
to be so when they shall all be gathered together unto him in the
great day, <scripRef passage="Re 7:9" id="Num.xxiv-p10.5" parsed="|Rev|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.7.9">Rev. vii. 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p11">[3.] Happy in their end: <i>Let me die the
death of the righteous</i> Israelites, that are in covenant with
God, and let my <i>last end, or future state, be like theirs, or my
recompence,</i> namely, in the other world. Here, <i>First,</i> It
is taken for granted that death is the end of all men; the
righteous themselves must die: and it is good for us to think of
this with application, as Balaam himself does here, speaking of his
own death. <i>Secondly,</i> he goes upon the supposition of the
soul's immortality, and a different state on the other side death,
to which this is a noble testimony, and an evidence of its being
anciently known and believed. For how could the death of the
righteous be more desirable than the death of the wicked upon any
other account than as it involved happiness in another world, since
in the manner and circumstances of dying we see <i>all things come
alike to all? Thirdly,</i> He pronounces the righteous truly
blessed, not only while they live, but when they die, which makes
their death not only more desirable than the death of others, but
even more desirable than life itself; for in that sense his wish
may be taken. Not only, "When I do die, let me die the death of the
righteous;" but, "I could even now be willing to die, on condition
that I might <i>die the death of the righteous,</i> and reach my
end this moment, provided it might be like his." Very near the
place where Balaam now was, on one of the mountains of Moab, not
long after this, Moses died, and to that perhaps God, who put this
word into his mouth, designed it should have a reference, that by
it Moses might be encouraged to go up and die such a death as
Balaam himself wished to die. <i>Fourthly,</i> He shows his opinion
of religion to be better than his resolution; there are many who
desire to die the death of the righteous, but do not endeavour to
live the life of the righteous. Gladly would they have their end
like theirs, but not their way. They would be saints in heaven, but
not saints on earth. This is the <i>desire of the slothful, which
kills him, because his hands refuse to labour.</i> This of Balaam's
is only a wish, not a prayer, and it is a vain wish, being only a
wish for the end, without any care for the means. Thus far this
blessing goes, even to death, and beyond it, as far as the last
end. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p12">III. We are told, 1. How Balak fretted at
it, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:11" id="Num.xxiv-p12.1" parsed="|Num|23|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. He
pretended to honour the Lord with his sacrifices, and to wait for
the answer God would send him; and yet, when it did not prove
according to his mind, he forgot God, and flew into a great passion
against Balaam, as if it had been purely his doing: "<i>What hast
thou done unto me!</i> How hast thou disappointed me!" Sometimes
God makes the enemies of his church a vexation one to another,
while he that sits in heaven laughs at them, and the efforts of
their impotent malice. 2. How Balaam was forced to acquiesce in it.
He submits because he cannot help it, and yet humours the thing
with no small address, as if he had been peculiarly conscientious,
answering Balak with the gravity of a prophet: <i>Must I not take
heed to speak that which the Lord has put in my mouth?</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 23:12" id="Num.xxiv-p12.2" parsed="|Num|23|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Thus a
confession of God's overruling power is extorted from a wicked
prophet, to the further confusion of a wicked prince.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 23" id="Num.xxiv-p12.3" parsed="|Num|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 23:13-30" id="Num.xxiv-p12.4" parsed="|Num|23|13|23|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.13-Num.23.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.23.13-Num.23.30">
<h4 id="Num.xxiv-p12.5">Balaam Again Blesses Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p12.6">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxiv-p13">13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee,
with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou
shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all:
and curse me them from thence. 14 And he brought him into the field
of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and
offered a bullock and a ram on <i>every</i> altar. 15 And he said
unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet <i>the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p13.1">Lord</span></i> yonder. 16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p13.2">Lord</span> met Balaam, and put a word in his
mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17 And when he
came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the
princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p13.3">Lord</span> spoken? 18 And he took up his
parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou
son of Zippor: 19 God <i>is</i> not a man, that he should lie;
neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and
shall he not do <i>it?</i> or hath he spoken, and shall he not make
it good? 20 Behold, I have received <i>commandment</i> to bless:
and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21 He hath not beheld
iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p13.4">Lord</span> his God <i>is</i> with him, and
the shout of a king <i>is</i> among them. 22 God brought them out
of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. 23 Surely
<i>there is</i> no enchantment against Jacob, neither <i>is
there</i> any divination against Israel: according to this time it
shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! 24
Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up
himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat
<i>of</i> the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. 25 And Balak
said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee,
saying, All that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxiv-p13.5">Lord</span> speaketh,
that I must do? 27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I
will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God
that thou mayest curse me them from thence. 28 And Balak brought
Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 29 And
Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me
here seven bullocks and seven rams. 30 And Balak did as Balaam had
said, and offered a bullock and a ram on <i>every</i> altar.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p14">Here is, I. Preparation made the second
time, as before, for the cursing of Israel. 1. The place is
changed, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:13" id="Num.xxiv-p14.1" parsed="|Num|23|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.
Balak fancied that Balaam, having so full a prospect of the whole
camp of Israel, <i>from the top of the rocks</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:9" id="Num.xxiv-p14.2" parsed="|Num|23|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), was either so enamoured
with the beauty of it that he would not curse them or so affrighted
with the terror of it that he durst not; and therefore he would
bring him to another place, form which he might see only some part
of them, which would appear more despicable, and that part at least
which would lie in view he hoped he might obtain leave to curse,
and so by degrees he should get ground against them, intending, no
doubt, if he had gained this point, to make his attack on that part
of the camp of Israel which Balaam now had in his eye, and into
which he was to throw the fireballs of his curses. See how restless
and unwearied the church's enemies are in their malicious attempts
to ruin it; they leave no stone unturned, no project untried, to
compass it. O that we were as full of contrivance and resolution in
prosecuting good designs for the glory of God! 2. The sacrifices
are repeated, new altars are built, a bullock and a ram offered on
every altar, and Balak attends his sacrifice as closely as ever,
<scripRef passage="Nu 23:14,15" id="Num.xxiv-p14.3" parsed="|Num|23|14|23|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.14-Num.23.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. Were
we thus earnest to obtain the blessing as Balak was to procure a
curse (designedly upon Israel, but really upon himself and his
people), we should not grudge the return both of the charge and of
the labour of religious exercises. 3. Balaam renews his attendance
on God, and God meets him the second time, and puts another word
into his mouth, not to reverse the former, but to ratify it,
<scripRef passage="Nu 23:16,17" id="Num.xxiv-p14.4" parsed="|Num|23|16|23|17" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.16-Num.23.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. If God
said not to Balaam, <i>Seek in vain,</i> much less will he say so
to <i>any of the seed of Jacob,</i> who shall surely find him, not
only as Balaam, their instructor and oracle, but their bountiful
rewarder. When Balaam returned Balak was impatient to know what
message he had: "<i>What hath the Lord spoken?</i> Are there any
better tidings yet, any hopes of speeding?" This should be our
enquiry when we come to hear the word of God. See <scripRef passage="Jer 23:35" id="Num.xxiv-p14.5" parsed="|Jer|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.23.35">Jer. xxiii. 35</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p15">II. A second conversion of the curse into a
blessing by the overruling power of God; and this blessing is both
larger and stronger than the former, and quite cuts off all hopes
of altering it. Balak having been so forward to ask what the Lord
had spoken (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:17" id="Num.xxiv-p15.1" parsed="|Num|23|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>),
Balaam now addresses himself particularly to him (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:18" id="Num.xxiv-p15.2" parsed="|Num|23|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>Rise up, Balak, and
hear.</i> It was a message from God that he had to deliver, and it
is required of Balak, though a king, that he attend (<i>hear</i>
and <i>hearken,</i> with a close application of mind, let not a
word slip), and also that he attend with reverence: <i>Rise up, and
hear.</i> His successor Eglon, when he was to receive a message
from God, <i>rose out of his seat,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 3:20" id="Num.xxiv-p15.3" parsed="|Judg|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.20">Judg. iii. 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p16">1. Two things Balaam in this discourse
informs Balak of, sorely to his grief and disappointment:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p17">(1.) That he had no reason to hope that he
should ruin Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p18">[1.] It would be to no purpose to attempt
to ruin them, and he would deceive himself if he expected it, for
three reasons:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p19"><i>First,</i> Because God is unchangeable:
<i>God is not a man that he should lie,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:19" id="Num.xxiv-p19.1" parsed="|Num|23|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Men change their minds, and
therefore break their words; they lie, because they repent. But God
does neither. He never changes his mind, and therefore never
recalls his promise. Balaam had owned (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:8" id="Num.xxiv-p19.2" parsed="|Num|23|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>) that he could not alter God's
counsel, and thence he infers here that God himself would not alter
it; such is the imperfection of man, and such the perfection of
God. It is impossible for God to lie, <scripRef passage="Heb 6:18" id="Num.xxiv-p19.3" parsed="|Heb|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.18">Heb. vi. 18</scripRef>. And, when in scripture he is
said to <i>repent,</i> it is not meant of any change of his mind
(for <i>he is in one mind, and who can turn him?</i>) but only of
the change of his way. This is a great truth, that with God there
is no <i>variableness nor shadow of turning.</i> Now here, 1. He
appeals to Balak himself concerning it: "<i>Hath he said, and shall
he not do it?</i> Said it in his own purpose, and shall he not
perform it in his providence, according to the counsel of his will?
Hath he spoken in his word, in his promise, and shall he not make
it good? Can we think otherwise of God than that he is unchangeably
one with himself and true to his word? All his decrees are
unalterable, and all his promises inviolable." 2. He applies this
general truth to the case in hand (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:20" id="Num.xxiv-p19.4" parsed="|Num|23|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): <i>He hath blessed and I
cannot reverse it,</i> that is, "I cannot prevail with him to
reverse it." Israel were of old a blessed people, a seed that the
Lord had blessed; the blessing of Abraham came upon them; they were
born under the blessing of the covenant, and born to the blessing
of Canaan, and therefore they could not be cursed, unless you could
suppose that the God of eternal truth should break his word, and
become false to himself and his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p20"><i>Secondly,</i> Because Israel are at
present unblamable: <i>he has not beheld iniquity in Jacob,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 23:21" id="Num.xxiv-p20.1" parsed="|Num|23|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Not but that
there was iniquity in Jacob, and God saw it; but, 1. There was not
such a degree of iniquity as might provoke God to abandon them and
give them up to ruin. As bad as they were, they were not so bad as
this. 2. There was no idolatry among them, which is in a particular
manner called iniquity and perverseness; we have found nothing of
that kind in Israel since the golden calf, and therefore, though
they were in other instances very provoking, yet God would not cast
them off. Balaam knew that nothing would separate between them and
God but sin. While God saw no reigning sin among them, he would
send no destroying curse among them; and therefore, as long as they
kept in with God, he despaired of ever doing them any mischief.
Note, While we keep from sin we keep from harm. Some give another
sense of those words; they read it thus: <i>He has not beheld wrong
offered to Jacob, nor will he see any grievance done to Israel,</i>
that is, "He has not nor will he permit it, or allow it; he will
not see Israel injured, but he will right them, and avenge their
quarrel." Note, God will not bear to see any injury done to his
church and people; for what is done against them he takes as done
against himself, and will reckon for it accordingly.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p21"><i>Thirdly,</i> Because the power of both
was irresistible. He shows Balak that there was no contending with
them, it was to no purpose to attempt it; for, 1. They had the
presence of God with them: "<i>The Lord his God is with him</i> in
a particular manner, and not provoked to withdraw from him." 2.
They had the joy of that presence, and were always made to triumph
in it: <i>The shout</i> or alarm <i>of a king is among them.</i>
They shout against their enemies, as sure of victory and success,
glorying continually in God as their King and conqueror for them.
3. They had had the experience of the benefit of God's presence
with them, and his power engaged for them; for God <i>brought them
out of Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:22" id="Num.xxiv-p21.1" parsed="|Num|23|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. The power which had done that could never be
restrained, never resisted; and, having begun so gloriously, he
would no doubt finish gloriously. 4. While they had God's presence
with them they had the strength of a unicorn, able to make head
against all that opposed them. See <scripRef passage="Nu 24:8" id="Num.xxiv-p21.2" parsed="|Num|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.8"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 8</scripRef>. Such is the strength which
the God of Israel gives unto his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p22">[2.] From all this he infers that it was to
no purpose for him to think of doing them a mischief by all the
arts he could use, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:23" id="Num.xxiv-p22.1" parsed="|Num|23|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. <i>First,</i> He owns himself baffled. Surely there
is no enchantment against Jacob so as to prevail. The curses of
hell can never take place against the blessings of heaven. Not but
that attempts of this kind would be made, but they would certainly
be fruitless and ineffectual. Some observe that <i>Jacob</i>
denotes the church low and afflicted, <i>Israel</i> denotes it
prosperous and advanced; but be the church high or low, be her
friends few or many, let second causes smile or frown, it comes all
to one: no weapon formed against it shall prosper. Note, God easily
can, and certainly will, baffle and disappoint all the devices and
designs of the powers of darkness against his church, so that they
shall not prevail to destroy it. <i>Secondly,</i> He foresees that
this would be remembered in time to come. <i>According to this
time,</i> that is, with reference to this we are now about, it
shall be said concerning Jacob and Israel, and said by them,
<i>What hath God wrought!</i> What great things hath God done for
his people! It shall be said with wonder, joy, and thankfulness,
and a challenge to the neighbouring nations to produce any similar
instances of the care of their gods for them. Note, The defeating
of the designs of the church's enemies ought to be had in
everlasting remembrance to the glory of God. <i>There is none like
unto the God of Jeshurun.</i> What Balaam says here concerning the
pre-eminence of the God of Israel above all the gods of the
Gentiles perhaps Moses refers to when he says (<scripRef passage="De 32:31" id="Num.xxiv-p22.2" parsed="|Deut|32|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.31">Deut. xxxii. 31</scripRef>), <i>Their rock is not as our
rock, even our enemies themselves being judges,</i> Balaam
particularly. Balak therefore has no hopes of ruining Israel.
But,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p23">(2.) Balaam shows him that he had more
reason to fear being ruined by them, for they were likely to make
bloody work among his neighbours; and, if he and his country
escaped, it was not because he was too great for them to meddle
with, but because he fell not within their commission <scripRef passage="Nu 23:24" id="Num.xxiv-p23.1" parsed="|Num|23|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. Behold, and tremble;
the people that now have lain for some time closely encamped do but
repose themselves for a while like a lion couchant, but shortly
they <i>shall rise up as a great lion,</i> a lion rampant, that
<i>shall not lie down till he eat of the prey, and drink the blood
of the slain.</i> This seems to point at the victories he foresaw
they would obtain over the Canaanites, that they would never lay
down their arms till they had made a complete conquest of the land
they had now in view; and, when his neighbour's house was on fire,
he had reason to think his own in danger.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p24">2. Now what was the issue of this
disappointment?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p25">(1.) Balak and Balaam were both of them
sick of the cause. [1.] Balak is now willing to have his conjurer
silenced. Since he cannot say what he would have him, he wishes him
to say nothing: "<i>Neither curse them at all nor bless them at
all,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:25" id="Num.xxiv-p25.1" parsed="|Num|23|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. If
thou canst not curse them, I beseech thee not to bless them. If
thou canst no assist and encourage my forces, yet do not oppose and
dispirit them" Note, God can make those that depart from him weary
of the <i>multitude of their counsels,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 47:13,57:10" id="Num.xxiv-p25.2" parsed="|Isa|47|13|0|0;|Isa|57|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.47.13 Bible:Isa.57.10">Isa. xlvii. 13; lvii. 10</scripRef>. [2.] Balaam
is still willing to own himself overruled, and appeals to what he
had said in the beginning of this enterprise (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:38" id="Num.xxiv-p25.3" parsed="|Num|22|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.38"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 38</scripRef>): <i>All that the Lord
speaketh, that I must do,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 23:26" id="Num.xxiv-p25.4" parsed="|Num|23|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. This sows, <i>First,</i> In
general, that the way of man is not in himself; there are many
devices in man's heart, but God's counsels shall stand.
<i>Secondly,</i> In particular, that, as no weapon formed against
the church shall prosper, so every tongue that rises against her in
judgment God will control and condemn, <scripRef passage="Isa 54:17" id="Num.xxiv-p25.5" parsed="|Isa|54|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.54.17">Isa. liv. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxiv-p26">(2.) Yet they resolve to make another
attempt. They think it scorn to be baffled, and therefore pursue
the design, though it be only to their further confusion. And now
the third time, [1.] They change the place. Balak is at last
convinced that it is not Balaam's fault, on whom, before, he had
laid the blame, but that really he was under a divine check, and
therefore now he hopes to bring him to a place whence God might at
least permit him to curse them, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:27" id="Num.xxiv-p26.1" parsed="|Num|23|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Probably he and Balaam were the
more encouraged thus to repeat their attempt because God had the
second time allowed Balaam to go, though he had forbidden him the
first time. Since by repeated trials they had carried that point,
they hope in like manner to carry this. Thus because sinners are
borne with, and sentence against their evil works is not executed
speedily, their hearts are the more fully set in them to do evil.
The place to which Balak now took Balaam was the top of Peor, the
most eminent high place in all his country, where, it is probable,
Baal was worshipped, and it was thence called <i>Baal-peor.</i> He
chose this place with a hope, either, <i>First,</i> That it being
the residence (as he fancied) of Baal, the god of Moab, Jehovah the
God of Israel would not, or could not, come hither to hinder the
operation; or, <i>Secondly,</i> That, it being a place acceptable
to his god, it would be so to the Lord, and there he would be
brought into a good humour. Such idle conceits have foolish men of
God, and so vain are their imaginations concerning him. Thus the
Syrians fancied the Lord to be God of the hills, but not of the
valleys (<scripRef passage="1Ki 20:28" id="Num.xxiv-p26.2" parsed="|1Kgs|20|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.20.28">1 Kings xx. 28</scripRef>),
as if he were more powerful in one place than he is in every place.
[2.] They repeat their sacrifice, seven bullocks and seven rams,
upon seven altars, <scripRef passage="Nu 23:29,30" id="Num.xxiv-p26.3" parsed="|Num|23|29|23|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.29-Num.23.30"><i>v.</i> 29,
30</scripRef>. Thus do they persevere in their expensive oblations,
though they had no promise on which to build their hopes of
speeding. Let not us therefore, who have a promise that the vision
at the end shall speak and not lie, be discouraged by delays, but
continue instant in prayer, and not faint, <scripRef passage="Lu 18:1" id="Num.xxiv-p26.4" parsed="|Luke|18|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.1">Luke xviii. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIV" n="xxv" progress="77.08%" prev="Num.xxiv" next="Num.xxvi" id="Num.xxv">
<h2 id="Num.xxv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxv-p1">This chapter continues and concludes the history
of the defeat of the counsels of Balak and Balaam against Israel,
not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts;
and as great an instance it is of God's power over the children of
men, and his favour towards his own children, as any of the
victories recorded in the book of the wars of the Lord. What
preparation was made the third time for the cursing of Israel we
read of in the close of the foregoing chapter. In this chapter we
are told, I. What the blessing was into which that intended curse
was turned, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:1-9" id="Num.xxv-p1.1" parsed="|Num|24|1|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.1-Num.24.9">ver. 1-9</scripRef>. II.
How Balak dismissed Balaam from his service thereupon, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:10-13" id="Num.xxv-p1.2" parsed="|Num|24|10|24|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.10-Num.24.13">ver. 10-13</scripRef>. III. The predictions
Balaam left behind him concerning Israel, and some of the
neighbouring nations, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:14-25" id="Num.xxv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|24|14|24|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.14-Num.24.25">ver.
14</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 24" id="Num.xxv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 24:1-9" id="Num.xxv-p1.5" parsed="|Num|24|1|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.1-Num.24.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.24.1-Num.24.9">
<h4 id="Num.xxv-p1.6">Balaam Blesses Israel a Third
Time. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxv-p2">1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span> to bless Israel, he went not, as at
other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward
the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel
abiding <i>in his tents</i> according to their tribes; and the
spirit of God came upon him. 3 And he took up his parable, and
said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are
open hath said: 4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which
saw the vision of the Almighty, falling <i>into a trance,</i> but
having his eyes open: 5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob,
<i>and</i> thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As the valleys are they
spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign
aloes which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span> hath planted,
<i>and</i> as cedar trees beside the waters. 7 He shall pour the
water out of his buckets, and his seed <i>shall be</i> in many
waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom
shall be exalted. 8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as
it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his
enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce <i>them</i>
through with his arrows. 9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and
as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed <i>is</i> he that
blesseth thee, and cursed <i>is</i> he that curseth thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p3">The blessing itself which Balaam here
pronounces upon Israel is much the same with the two we had in the
foregoing chapter; but the introduction to it is different.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p4">I. The method of proceeding here varies
much in several instances. 1. Balaam laid aside the enchantments
which he had hitherto depended on, used no spells, or charms, or
magic arts, finding they did him no service; it was to no purpose
to deal with the devil for a curse, when it was plain that God was
determined immovably to bless, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:1" id="Num.xxv-p4.1" parsed="|Num|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Sooner or later God will convince
men of their folly in seeking after lying vanities, which cannot
profit. To what purpose should he seek for enchantment? He knew
that God was out of the reach of them. 2. He did not now retire
into a solitary place as before, but set his face directly towards
the wilderness where Israel lay encamped; and, since there is no
remedy, but they must be blessed, he will design nothing else, but
will submit by compulsion. 3. Now <i>the Spirit of God came upon
him,</i> that is, the Spirit of prophecy, as upon Saul to prevent
him from taking David, <scripRef passage="1Sa 19:23" id="Num.xxv-p4.2" parsed="|1Sam|19|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.19.23">1 Sam. xix.
23</scripRef>. He spoke not his own sense, but the language of the
Spirit that came upon him. 4. He used a different preface now from
what he had used before (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:3,4" id="Num.xxv-p4.3" parsed="|Num|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.3-Num.24.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>), much like that of David (<scripRef passage="2Sa 23:1-3" id="Num.xxv-p4.4" parsed="|2Sam|23|1|23|3" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.23.1-2Sam.23.3">2 Sam. xxiii. 1-3</scripRef>), yet savouring very much
(as some think) of pride and vain-glory, taking all the praise of
this prophecy to himself, and magnifying himself as one of the
cabinet-council of heaven. Two things he boasts of:&#8212;(1.) The
favour God did him in making known himself to him. He <i>heard the
words of God, and saw the vision of the Almighty.</i> God himself
had met him and spoken to him (<scripRef passage="Nu 23:16" id="Num.xxv-p4.5" parsed="|Num|23|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.16"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. 16</scripRef>), and with this he was
greatly puffed up. Paul speaks with humility of his visions and
revelations (<scripRef passage="2Co 12:1" id="Num.xxv-p4.6" parsed="|2Cor|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.12.1">2 Cor. xii.
1</scripRef>), but Balaam speaks of his with pride. (2.) His own
power to receive and bear those revelations. He fell into a trance
indeed, as other prophets did, but he had his eyes open. This he
mentions twice; but the words in the original are not the same. The
<i>man whose eyes were shut,</i> some think it may be read so
(<scripRef passage="Nu 24:3-9" id="Num.xxv-p4.7" parsed="|Num|24|3|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.3-Num.24.9"><i>v.</i> 3-9</scripRef>), but now
<i>having his eyes open,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 24:4" id="Num.xxv-p4.8" parsed="|Num|24|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. When he attempted to curse Israel, he owns, he was in
a mistake, but now he began to see his error, and yet still he
remained blinded by covetousness and ambition, those foolish and
hurtful lusts. Note, [1.] Those that oppose God and his people will
sooner or later be made to see themselves wretchedly deceived. [2.]
Many have their eyes open that have not their hearts open, are
enlightened, but not sanctified; and that knowledge which puffs men
up with pride will but serve to light them to hell, whither many go
with their eyes open.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p5">II. Yet the blessing is for substance the
same with those before. Several things he admires in Israel:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p6">1. Their beauty (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:5" id="Num.xxv-p6.1" parsed="|Num|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>How goodly are thy tents, O
Jacob!</i> Though they dwelt not in stately palaces, but in coarse
and homely tents, and these, no doubt, sadly weather-beaten, yet
Balaam sees a beauty in those tents, because of their admirable
order, according to their tribes, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:2" id="Num.xxv-p6.2" parsed="|Num|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Nothing recommends religion more
to the good opinion of those that look upon it at a distance than
the unity and harmony of its professors, <scripRef passage="Ps 133:1" id="Num.xxv-p6.3" parsed="|Ps|133|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.133.1">Ps. cxxxiii. 1</scripRef>. The amiableness of this
people, and the great reputation they should gain among their
neighbours, are compared (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:6" id="Num.xxv-p6.4" parsed="|Num|24|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>) to the beauty and sweetness of fruitful valleys and
fine gardens, flourishing trees and fragrant spices. Note, Those
whose eyes are open see the saints on the earth to be excellent
ones, and their delight is accordingly in them. <i>The
righteous,</i> doubtless, <i>is more excellent than his
neighbour.</i> They are <i>trees which the Lord has planted;</i>
that is their excellency. The branches of righteousness are the
planting of the Lord. See <scripRef passage="Ho 14:5-7" id="Num.xxv-p6.5" parsed="|Hos|14|5|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.5-Hos.14.7">Hos. xiv.
5-7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p7">2. Their fruitfulness and increase. This
may be intended by those similitudes (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:6" id="Num.xxv-p7.1" parsed="|Num|24|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) of the valleys, gardens, and
trees, as well as by those expressions (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:7" id="Num.xxv-p7.2" parsed="|Num|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), <i>He shall pour the water out
of his buckets;</i> that is, God shall water them with his blessing
like rain from heaven, and then his <i>seed shall be in many
waters.</i> Compare <scripRef passage="Ho 2:23" id="Num.xxv-p7.3" parsed="|Hos|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.23">Hos. ii.
23</scripRef>, <i>I will sow her unto me in the earth.</i> And
waters are in scripture put for <i>peoples, and multitudes, and
nations.</i> This has been fulfilled in the wonderful increase of
that nation and their vast multitude even in their dispersion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p8">3. Their honour and advancement. As the
multitude of the people is the honour of the prince, so the
magnificence of the prince is the honour of the people; Balaam
therefore foretells that their <i>king shall be higher than
Agag.</i> Agag, it is probable, was the most potent monarch in
those parts; Balaam knew of none more considerable than he was; he
rose above the rest of his neighbours. But Balaam foretells that
Israel's chief commander, who, after Moses, was Joshua, should be
more great and honourable than ever Agag was, and make a far better
figure in history. Saul, their first king, triumphed over Agag,
though, it is said, <i>he came delicately.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p9">4. Their power and victory, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:8" id="Num.xxv-p9.1" parsed="|Num|24|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. (1.) He looks back upon
what they had done, or rather what had been done for them: <i>God
brought them forth out of Egypt;</i> this he had spoken of before,
<scripRef passage="Nu 23:22" id="Num.xxv-p9.2" parsed="|Num|23|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.23.22"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. 22</scripRef>. The
wonders that attended their deliverance out of Egypt contributed
more to their honour, and the terror of their adversaries, than any
thing else, <scripRef passage="Jos 2:10" id="Num.xxv-p9.3" parsed="|Josh|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.2.10">Josh. ii. 10</scripRef>.
He that brought them out of Egypt will not fail to bring them into
Canaan, for, <i>as for God, his work is perfect.</i> (2.) He looks
down upon their present strength. Israel hath, as it were, <i>the
strength of a unicorn,</i> of which creature it is said (<scripRef passage="Job 39:9,10" id="Num.xxv-p9.4" parsed="|Job|39|9|39|10" osisRef="Bible:Job.39.9-Job.39.10">Job xxxix. 9, 10</scripRef>), <i>Will he be
willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind him
with his band in the furrow?</i> "No, Israel is too powerful to be
checked or held in by my curses or thy armies." (3.) He looks
forward to their future conquests: <i>He shall eat up the nations
his enemies;</i> that is, "he shall not only destroy and devour
them as easily and irresistibly as a lion does his prey, but he
shall himself be strengthened, and fattened, and enriched, by their
spoils."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p10">5. Their courage and security: <i>He lay
down as a lion, as a great lion,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 24:9" id="Num.xxv-p10.1" parsed="|Num|24|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Now he does so in the plains of
Moab, and asks no leave of the king of Moab, nor is he in fear of
him; shortly will he do so in Canaan. When he has torn his prey, he
will take his repose, <i>quiet from the fear of evil,</i> and bid
defiance to all his neighbours; for who shall stir up a sleeping
lion? It is observed of lions (as the learned bishop Patrick takes
notice here) that they do not retire into places of shelter to
sleep, but lie down any where, knowing that none dares meddle with
them: thus secure were Israel in Canaan, chiefly in the days of
David and Solomon; and thus is <i>the righteous bold as a lion</i>
(<scripRef passage="Pr 28:1" id="Num.xxv-p10.2" parsed="|Prov|28|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.1">Prov. xxviii. 1</scripRef>), not to
assault others, but to repose themselves, because <i>God maketh
them to dwell in safety,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 4:8" id="Num.xxv-p10.3" parsed="|Ps|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.4.8">Ps. iv.
8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p11">6. Their interest, and influence upon their
neighbours. Their friends, and those in alliance with them, were
happy: <i>Blessed is he that blesseth thee;</i> those that do them
any kindness will certainly fare the better for it. But their
enemies, and those in arms against them, were certainly miserable:
<i>Cursed is he that curseth thee;</i> those that do them any
injury do it at their peril; for God takes what is done to them,
whether good or evil, as done to himself. Thus he confirms the
blessing of Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 12:3" id="Num.xxv-p11.1" parsed="|Gen|12|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.3">Gen. xii.
3</scripRef>), and speaks as if <i>therefore</i> he did at this
time bless Israel, and not curse them, because he desired to share
in the blessing of Israel's friends and dreaded the curse on
Israel's enemies.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 24" id="Num.xxv-p11.2" parsed="|Num|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 24:10-14" id="Num.xxv-p11.3" parsed="|Num|24|10|24|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.10-Num.24.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.24.10-Num.24.14">
<h4 id="Num.xxv-p11.4">Balak's Remonstrance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p11.5">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxv-p12">10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam,
and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I
called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast
altogether blessed <i>them</i> these three times. 11 Therefore now
flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great
honour; but, lo, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p12.1">Lord</span> hath kept
thee back from honour. 12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not
also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, 13 If
Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go
beyond the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p12.2">Lord</span>,
to do <i>either</i> good or bad of mine own mind; <i>but</i> what
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p12.3">Lord</span> saith, that will I speak?
14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come <i>therefore, and</i>
I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in
the latter days.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p13">We have here the conclusion of this vain
attempt to curse Israel, and the total abandonment of it. 1. Balak
made the worst of it. He broke out into a rage against Balaam
(<scripRef passage="Nu 24:10" id="Num.xxv-p13.1" parsed="|Num|24|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), expressed
both in words and gesture the highest degree of vexation at the
disappointment; he smote his hands together, for indignation, to
see all his measures thus broken, and his project baffled. He
charged Balaam with putting upon him the basest affront and cheat
imaginable: "<i>I called thee to curse my enemies,</i> and thou
hast shown thyself in league with them, and in their interests, for
thou hast <i>blessed them these three times,</i> though, by
appointing the altars to be built and sacrifices to be offered,
thou madest be believe thou wouldest certainly curse them."
Hereupon he forbade him his presence, expelled him his country,
upbraided him with the preferments he had designed to bestow upon
him, but now would not (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:11" id="Num.xxv-p13.2" parsed="|Num|24|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): "<i>The Lord hath kept thee back from honour.</i>
See what thou gettest by pleasing the Lord, instead of pleasing me;
thou has hindered thy preferment by it." Thus those who are any way
losers by their duty are commonly upbraided with it, as fools, for
preferring it before their interest in the world. Whereas, if
Balaam had been voluntary and sincere in his adherence to the word
of the Lord, though he lost the honour Balak designed him by it,
God would have made that loss up to him abundantly to his
advantage. 2. Balaam made the best if it. (1.) He endeavours to
excuse the disappointment. And a very good excuse he has for it,
that God restrained him from saying what he would have said, and
constrained him to say what he would not; and that this was what
Balak ought not to be displeased at, not only because he could not
help it, but because he had told Balak before what he must depend
upon, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:12,13" id="Num.xxv-p13.3" parsed="|Num|24|12|24|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.12-Num.24.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>.
Balak could not say that he had cheated him, since he had given him
fair notice of the check he found himself under. (2.) He endeavours
to atone for it, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:14" id="Num.xxv-p13.4" parsed="|Num|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. Though he cannot do what Balak would have him do,
yet, [1.] He will gratify his curiosity with some predictions
concerning the nations about him. It is natural to us to be pleased
with prophecy, and with this he hopes to pacify the angry prince.
[2.] He will satisfy him with an assurance that, whatever this
formidable people should do to his people, it should not be till
the latter days; so that he, for his part, needed not to fear any
mischief or molestation from them; the <i>vision was for a great
while to come,</i> but in his days there should be peace. [3.] He
will put him into a method of doing Israel a mischief without the
ceremonies of enchantment and execration. This seems to be implied
in that word: <i>I will advertise thee;</i> for it properly
signifies, <i>I will counsel thee.</i> What the counsel was is not
set down here, because it was given privately, but we are told
afterwards what it was, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:16" id="Num.xxv-p13.5" parsed="|Num|31|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.16"><i>ch.</i>
xxxi. 16</scripRef>. He counselled him to entice the Israelites to
idolatry, <scripRef passage="Re 2:14" id="Num.xxv-p13.6" parsed="|Rev|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.14">Rev. ii. 14</scripRef>. Since
he could not have leave from God to curse them, he puts him in a
way of getting help from the devil to tempt them. <i>Flectere si
nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo&#8212;If I cannot move heaven, I will
solicit hell.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 24" id="Num.xxv-p13.7" parsed="|Num|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 24:15-25" id="Num.xxv-p13.8" parsed="|Num|24|15|24|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.15-Num.24.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.24.15-Num.24.25">
<h4 id="Num.xxv-p13.9">Balaam's Prophecy. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxv-p13.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxv-p14">15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam
the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath
said: 16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the
knowledge of the most High, <i>which</i> saw the vision of the
Almighty, falling <i>into a trance,</i> but having his eyes open:
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh:
there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out
of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the
children of Sheth. 18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also
shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do
valiantly. 19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion,
and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. 20 And when he
looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek
<i>was</i> the first of the nations; but his latter end <i>shall
be</i> that he perish for ever. 21 And he looked on the Kenites,
and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and
thou puttest thy nest in a rock. 22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall
be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. 23 And he
took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth
this! 24 And ships <i>shall come</i> from the coast of Chittim, and
shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall
perish for ever. 25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to
his place: and Balak also went his way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p15">The office of prophets was both to bless
and to prophesy in the name of the Lord. Balaam, as a prophet, per
force had blessed Israel; here he foretells future events.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p16">I. His preface is much the same as that,
<scripRef passage="Nu 24:3,4" id="Num.xxv-p16.1" parsed="|Num|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.3-Num.24.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. He
personates a true prophet admirably well, God permitting and
directing him to do so, because, whatever he was, the prophecy
itself was a true prophecy. He boasts, 1. That his <i>eyes are
open</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:15" id="Num.xxv-p16.2" parsed="|Num|24|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>),
for prophets were <i>in old time called seers</i> (<scripRef passage="1Sa 9:9" id="Num.xxv-p16.3" parsed="|1Sam|9|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.9.9">1 Sam. ix. 9</scripRef>), because they must speak
what they had seen, and therefore, before they opened their lips,
it was necessary that they should have their eyes open. 2. That he
has <i>heard the words of God,</i> which many do that do not heed
them, nor hear God in them. 3. That he <i>knew the knowledge of the
Most High;</i> this is added here. A man may be full of the
knowledge of God and yet utterly destitute of the grace of God, may
receive the truth in the light of it and yet be a stranger to the
love of it. 4. That <i>he saw the vision of the Almighty,</i> but
not so as to be <i>changed into the same image.</i> He calls God
the <i>Most High,</i> and the <i>Almighty;</i> no man could speak
more honourably of him, nor seem to put a greater value upon his
acquaintance with him, and yet he had no true fear of him, love to
him, or faith in him, so far may a man go towards heaven, and yet
come short.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p17">II. Here is his prophecy concerning him
that should be the crown and glory of his people Israel, who is, 1.
David in the type, who <i>not now,</i> not quickly, but in process
of time, should <i>smite the corners of Moab.</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:17" id="Num.xxv-p17.1" parsed="|Num|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), and take possession of
Mount Seir, and under whom the forces of Israel should <i>do
valiantly,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 24:18" id="Num.xxv-p17.2" parsed="|Num|24|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. This was fulfilled when David smote Moab, and
<i>measured them with a line,</i> so that <i>the Moabites became
David's servants,</i> <scripRef passage="2Sa 8:2" id="Num.xxv-p17.3" parsed="|2Sam|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.8.2">2 Sam. viii.
2</scripRef>. And at the same time the Edomites likewise were
brought into obedience to Israel, <scripRef passage="Nu 24:14" id="Num.xxv-p17.4" parsed="|Num|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. But, 2. Our Lord Jesus, the
promised Messiah, is chiefly pointed at in the antitype, and of him
it is an illustrious prophecy; it was the will of God that notice
should thus be given of his coming, a great while before, not only
to the people of the Jews, but to other nations, because his gospel
and kingdom were to extend themselves so far beyond the borders of
the land of Israel. It is here foretold, (1.) That while: "<i>I
shall see him, but not now;</i> I do see him in vision, but at a
very great distance, through the interposing space of 1500 years at
least." Or understand it thus:&#8212;Balaam, a wicked man, shall see
Christ, but shall not see him nigh, nor see him as Job, who saw him
<i>as his Redeemer,</i> and saw him for himself, <scripRef passage="Job 19:25" id="Num.xxv-p17.5" parsed="|Job|19|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.19.25">Job xix. 25, 27</scripRef>. When he comes in the clouds
<i>every eye shall see him,</i> but many will see him (as the rich
man in hell saw Abraham) <i>afar off.</i> (2.) That he shall come
out of Jacob, and Israel, as a star and a sceptre, the former
denoting his glory and lustre, and the <i>bright and morning
star,</i> the latter his power and authority; it is <i>he that
shall have dominion.</i> Perhaps this prophecy of Balaam (one of
the children of the east) concerning a star that should arise out
of Jacob, as the indication of a sceptre arising in Israel, being
preserved by a tradition of that country, gave occasion to the wise
men, who were of the east too, upon the sight of an unusual star
over the land of Judea, to enquire for him that was <i>born king of
the Jews,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 2:2" id="Num.xxv-p17.6" parsed="|Matt|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.2.2">Matt. ii. 2</scripRef>.
(3.) That his kingdom shall be universal, and victorious over all
opposition, which was typified by David's victories over Moab and
Edom. But the Messiah shall destroy, or, as some read it, <i>shall
rule over, all the children of Seth.</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:17" id="Num.xxv-p17.7" parsed="|Num|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), that is, all the children of
men, who descend from Seth, the son of Adam, the descendants of the
rest of Adam's sons being cut off by the deluge. Christ shall be
king, not only of Jacob and Israel, but of all the world; so that
all the children of Seth shall be either governed by his golden
sceptre or dashed in pieces by his iron rod. He shall set up a
universal rule, authority, and power, of his own, and shall put
down all opposing rule, <scripRef passage="1Co 15:24" id="Num.xxv-p17.8" parsed="|1Cor|15|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.15.24">1 Cor. xv.
24</scripRef>. He shall <i>unwall all the children of Seth;</i> so
some read it. He shall take down all their defences and carnal
confidences, so that they shall either admit his government or lie
open to his judgments. (4.) That his Israel shall do valiantly; the
subjects of Christ, animated by his might, shall maintain a
spiritual war with the powers of darkness, and be more than
conquerors. <i>The people that do know their God shall be strong,
and do exploits,</i> <scripRef passage="Da 11:32" id="Num.xxv-p17.9" parsed="|Dan|11|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.11.32">Dan. xi.
32</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p18">III. Here is his prophecy concerning the
Amalekites and Kenites, part of whose country, it is probable, he
had now in view. 1. The Amalekites were now the <i>chief of the
nations</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:20" id="Num.xxv-p18.1" parsed="|Num|24|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>),
therefore Agag was spoken of (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:7" id="Num.xxv-p18.2" parsed="|Num|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>) as an eminent prince, and they were the first that
engaged Israel when they came out of Egypt; but the time will come
when that nation, as great as it looks now, will be totally ruined
and rooted out: <i>His latter end shall be that he perish for
ever.</i> Here Balaam confirms that doom of Amalek which Moses had
read (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:14,16" id="Num.xxv-p18.3" parsed="|Exod|15|14|0|0;|Exod|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.14 Bible:Exod.15.16">Exod. xv. 14, 16</scripRef>),
where God had sworn that he would have <i>perpetual war with
Amalek.</i> Note, Those whom God is at war with will certainly
perish for ever; for when God judges he will overcome. 2. The
Kenites were now the securest of the nations; their situation was
such as that nature was their engineer, and had strongly fortified
them: "<i>Thou puttest thy nest</i> (like the eagle) <i>in a
rock,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 24:21" id="Num.xxv-p18.4" parsed="|Num|24|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>.
Thou thinkest thyself safe, and yet the <i>Kenites shall be
wasted</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:22" id="Num.xxv-p18.5" parsed="|Num|24|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>)
and gradually brought to decay, till they be carried away captive
by the Assyrians," which was done at the captivity of the ten
tribes. Note, Bodies politic, like natural bodies, though of the
strongest constitutions, will gradually decay, and come to ruin at
last; even a nest in a rock will be no perpetual security.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p19">IV. Here is a prophecy that looks as far
forward as the Greeks and Romans, for theirs is supposed to be
meant by the <i>coast of Chittim,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 24:24" id="Num.xxv-p19.1" parsed="|Num|24|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p20">1. The introduction to this parable; this
article of his prophecy is very observable (<scripRef passage="Nu 24:23" id="Num.xxv-p20.1" parsed="|Num|24|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.24.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>Alas! who shall live when
God doeth this?</i> Here he acknowledges all the revolutions of
states and kingdoms to be the Lord's doing: <i>God doeth this;</i>
whoever are the instruments, he is the supreme director. But he
speaks mournfully concerning them, and has a very melancholy
prospect of these events: <i>Who shall live?</i> Either, (1.) These
events are so distant, and so far off to come, that it is hard to
say <i>who shall live till they come;</i> but, whoever shall live
to see them, there will be amazing turns. Or, (2.) They will be so
dismal, and make such desolations, that scarcely any will escape or
be left alive; who shall live when death rides in triumph?
<scripRef passage="Re 6:8" id="Num.xxv-p20.2" parsed="|Rev|6|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.8">Rev. vi. 8</scripRef>. Those that live
then will be as brands plucked out of the fire, and will have their
lives given them as a prey. God fit us for the worst of times!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxv-p21">2. The prophecy itself is observable. Both
Greece and Italy lie much upon the sea, and therefore their armies
were sent forth mostly in ships. Now he seems here to foretell,
(1.) That the forces of the Grecians should humble and bring down
the Assyrians, who were united with the Persians, which was
fulfilled when the eastern country was overcome, or overrun rather,
by Alexander. (2.) That theirs and the Roman forces should afflict
the Hebrews, or Jews, who were called <i>the children of Eber;</i>
this was fulfilled in part when the Grecian empire was oppressive
to the Jewish nation, but chiefly when the Roman empire ruined it
and put a period to it. But, (3.) That Chittim, that is, the Roman
empire, in which the Grecian was at length swallowed up, should
itself perish for ever, when the stone cut out of the mountain
without hands shall consume all these kingdoms, and particularly
the <i>feet of iron and clay,</i> <scripRef passage="Da 2:34" id="Num.xxv-p21.1" parsed="|Dan|2|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.2.34">Dan.
ii. 34</scripRef>. Thus (says Dr. Lightfoot) Balaam, instead of
cursing the church, curses Amalek the first, and Rome the last,
enemy of the church. And <i>so let all thy enemies perish, O
Lord!</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXV" n="xxvi" progress="77.56%" prev="Num.xxv" next="Num.xxvii" id="Num.xxvi">
<h2 id="Num.xxvi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxvi-p1">Israel, having escaped the curse of Balaam, here
sustains a great deal of damage and reproach by the counsel of
Balaam, who, it seems, before he left Balak, put him into a more
effectual way than that which Balak thought of to separate between
the Israelites and their God. "The Lord will not be prevailed with
by Balaam's charms to ruin them; try if they will not be prevailed
with by the charms of the daughters of Moab to ruin themselves."
None are more fatally bewitched than those that are bewitched by
their own lusts. Here is, I. The sin of Israel; they were enticed
by the daughters of Moab both to whoredom and to idolatry,
<scripRef passage="Nu 25:1-3" id="Num.xxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|25|1|25|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.1-Num.25.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. The
punishment of this sin by the hand of the magistrate (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:4,5" id="Num.xxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|25|4|25|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.4-Num.25.5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>) and by the immediate hand
of God, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:9" id="Num.xxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Num|25|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. III. The
pious zeal of Phinehas in slaying Zimri and Cozbi, two impudent
sinners, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:6,8,14,15" id="Num.xxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|25|6|0|0;|Num|25|8|0|0;|Num|25|14|0|0;|Num|25|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.6 Bible:Num.25.8 Bible:Num.25.14 Bible:Num.25.15">ver. 6, 8, 14,
15</scripRef>. IV. God's commendation of the zeal of Phinehas,
<scripRef passage="Nu 25:10-13" id="Num.xxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|25|10|25|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.10-Num.25.13">ver. 10-13</scripRef>. V. Enmity
put between the Israelites and the Midianites, their tempters, as
at first between the woman and the serpent, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:16-18" id="Num.xxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Num|25|16|25|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.16-Num.25.18">ver. 16</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 25" id="Num.xxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Num|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 25:1-5" id="Num.xxvi-p1.8" parsed="|Num|25|1|25|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.1-Num.25.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.25.1-Num.25.5">
<h4 id="Num.xxvi-p1.9">The Sin of Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvi-p2">1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people
began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. &#160; 2 And
they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the
people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. &#160; 3 And Israel
joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p2.1">Lord</span> was kindled against Israel. &#160; 4 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p2.2">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Take all
the heads of the people, and hang them up before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p2.3">Lord</span> against the sun, that the fierce anger of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p2.4">Lord</span> may be turned away from
Israel. &#160; 5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye
every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvi-p3">Here is, I. The sin of Israel, to which
they were enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian; they were
guilty both of corporal and spiritual whoredoms, for <i>Israel
joined himself unto Baal-peor,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 25:3" id="Num.xxvi-p3.1" parsed="|Num|25|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Not all, nor the most, but very
many, were taken in this snare. Now concerning this observe, 1.
That Balak, by the advice of Balaam, <i>cast this stumbling-block
before the children of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 2:14" id="Num.xxvi-p3.2" parsed="|Rev|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.14">Rev.
ii. 14</scripRef>. Note, Those are our worst enemies that draw us
to sin, for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us. If
Balak had drawn out his armed men against them to fight them,
Israel had bravely resisted, and no doubt had been more than
conquerors; but now that he sends his beautiful women among them,
and invites them to his idolatrous feasts, the Israelites basely
yield, and are shamefully overcome: those are smitten with this
harlots that could not be smitten with his sword. Note, We are more
endangered by the charms of a smiling world than by the terrors of
a frowning world. 2. That the daughters of Moab were their tempters
and conquerors. Ever since Eve was first in the transgression the
fairer sex, though the weaker, has been a snare to many; yea strong
men have been wounded and slain by the lips of the strange woman
(<scripRef passage="Pr 7:26" id="Num.xxvi-p3.3" parsed="|Prov|7|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.26">Prov. vii. 26</scripRef>), witness
Solomon, whose wives were shares and nets to him <scripRef passage="Ec 7:26" id="Num.xxvi-p3.4" parsed="|Eccl|7|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.7.26">Eccl. vii. 26</scripRef>. 3. That whoredom and idolatry
went together. They first defiled and debauched their consciences,
by committing lewdness with the women, and then were easily drawn,
in complaisance to them, and in contempt of the God of Israel, to
bow down to their idols. And they were more likely to do so if, as
it is commonly supposed, and seems probable by the joining of them
together, the uncleanness committed was a part of the worship and
service performed to Baal-peor. Those that have broken the fences
of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety, and those that
have dishonoured themselves by fleshly lusts will not scruple to
dishonour God by idolatrous worships, and for this they are justly
given up yet further to vile affections. 4. That by eating of the
idolatrous sacrifices they <i>joined themselves to Baal-peor</i> to
whom they were offered, which the apostle urges as a reason why
Christians should not <i>eat things offered to idols,</i> because
thereby they had fellowship with the devils to whom they were
offered, <scripRef passage="1Co 10:20" id="Num.xxvi-p3.5" parsed="|1Cor|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.20">1 Cor. x. 20</scripRef>. It
is called <i>eating the sacrifices of the dead</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 106:28" id="Num.xxvi-p3.6" parsed="|Ps|106|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.28">Ps. cvi. 28</scripRef>), not only because the
idol itself was a dead thing, but because the person represented by
it was some great hero, who since his death was deified, as saints
in the Roman church are canonized. 5. It was great aggravation of
the sin that <i>Israel abode in Shittim,</i> where they had the
land of Canaan in view, and were just ready to enter and take
possession of it. It was the highest degree of treachery and
ingratitude to be false to their God, whom they had found so
faithful to them, and to eat of idol-sacrifices when they were
ready to be feasted so richly on God's favours.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvi-p4">II. God's just displeasure against them for
this sin. Israel's whoredoms did that which all Balaam's
enchantments could not do, they set God against them; now he was
<i>turned to be their enemy, and fought against them.</i> So many
of the people, nay, so many of the princes, were guilty, that the
sin became national, and for it God was wroth with the whole
congregation. 1. A plague immediately broke out, for we read of the
staying of it (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:8" id="Num.xxvi-p4.1" parsed="|Num|25|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>),
and of the number that died of it (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:9" id="Num.xxvi-p4.2" parsed="|Num|25|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), but no mention of the beginning
of it, which therefore must be implied in those words (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:3" id="Num.xxvi-p4.3" parsed="|Num|25|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), <i>The anger of the Lord
was kindled against Israel.</i> It is said expressly (<scripRef passage="Ps 106:29" id="Num.xxvi-p4.4" parsed="|Ps|106|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.29">Ps. cvi. 29</scripRef>), <i>The plague broke
in.</i> Note, Epidemical diseases are the fruits of God's anger,
and the just punishments of epidemical sins; one infection follows
the other. The plague, no doubt, fastened on those that were most
guilty, who were soon made to pay dearly for their forbidden
pleasures; and though now God does not always plague such sinners,
as he did here, yet that word of God will be fulfilled, <i>If any
man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 3:17" id="Num.xxvi-p4.5" parsed="|1Cor|3|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.17">1 Cor. iii. 17</scripRef>. 2. The ringleaders
are ordered to be put to death by the hand of public justice, which
will be the only way to stay the plague (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:4" id="Num.xxvi-p4.6" parsed="|Num|25|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>Take the heads of the
people</i> (that is, of that part of the people that went out of
the camp of Israel into the country of Moab, to join in their
idolatries)&#8212;<i>take them and hang them up before the sun,</i> as
sacrifices to God's justice, and for a terror to the rest of the
people. The judges must first order them to be <i>slain with the
sword</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:5" id="Num.xxvi-p4.7" parsed="|Num|25|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and
their dead bodies must be hanged up, that the stupid Israelites,
seeing their leaders and princes so severely punished for their
whoredom and idolatry, without any regard to their quality, might
be possessed with a sense of the evil of the sin and the terror of
God's wrath against them. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made
examples of justice.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 25:6-15" id="Num.xxvi-p4.8" parsed="|Num|25|6|25|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.6-Num.25.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.25.6-Num.25.15">
<h4 id="Num.xxvi-p4.9">The Zeal of Phinehas. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p4.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvi-p5">6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel
came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight
of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children
of Israel, who <i>were</i> weeping <i>before</i> the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. &#160; 7 And when Phinehas, the son
of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw <i>it,</i> he rose up
from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; &#160;
8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust
both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her
belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. &#160;
9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
&#160; 10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p5.1">Lord</span> spake unto
Moses, saying, &#160; 11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of
Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of
Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I
consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. &#160; 12
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: &#160;
13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, <i>even</i> the
covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for
his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. &#160;
14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, <i>even</i> that
was slain with the Midianitish woman, <i>was</i> Zimri, the son of
Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites. &#160; 15 And
the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain <i>was</i> Cozbi,
the daughter of Zur; he <i>was</i> head over a people, <i>and</i>
of a chief house in Midian.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvi-p6">Here is a remarkable contest between
wickedness and righteousness, which shall be most bold and
resolute; and righteousness carries the day, as no doubt it will at
last.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvi-p7">I. Never was vice more daring than it was
in Zimri, <i>a prince of a chief house</i> in the tribe of Simeon.
Such a degree of impudence in wickedness had he arrived at that he
publicly appeared leading a Midianitish harlot (and a harlot of
quality too like himself, a <i>daughter of a chief house in
Midian</i>) in the sight of Moses, and all the good people of
Israel. He did not think it enough to go out with his harlot to
worship the gods of Moab, but, when he had done that, he brought
her with him to dishonour the God of Israel. He not only owned her
publicly as his friend, and higher in his favour than any of the
daughters of Israel, but openly went with her <i>into the tent,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 25:8" id="Num.xxvi-p7.1" parsed="|Num|25|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. The word
signifies such a booth or place of retirement as was designed and
fitted up for lewdness. Thus he <i>declared his sin as Sodom,</i>
as was so far from blushing for it that he rather prided himself in
it, and gloried in his shame. All the circumstances concurred to
make it exceedingly sinful, exceedingly shameful. 1. It was an
affront to the justice of the nation, and bade defiance to that.
The judges were ordered to put the criminals to death, but he
thought himself too great for them to meddle with, and, in effect,
bade them touch him if they durst. He had certainly cast off all
fear of God who stood in no awe of the powers which he had ordained
to be <i>a terror to evil-doers.</i> 2. It was an affront to the
religion of the nation, and put a contempt upon that. Moses, and
the main body of the congregation, who kept their integrity,
<i>were weeping at the door of the tabernacle,</i> lamenting the
sin committed and deprecating the plague begun; they were
<i>sanctifying a fast</i> in a solemn assembly, weeping <i>between
the porch and the altar,</i> to turn away the wrath of God from the
congregation. Then comes Zimri among them, with his harlot in his
hand, to banter them, and, in effect, to tell them that he was
resolved to fill the measure of sin as fast as they emptied it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvi-p8">II. Never was virtue more daring than it
was in Phinehas. Being aware of the insolence of Zimri, which it is
probable, all the congregation took notice of, in a holy
indignation at the offenders he rises up from his prayers, takes
his sword or half-pike, follows those impudent sinners into their
tent, and stabs them both, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:7,8" id="Num.xxvi-p8.1" parsed="|Num|25|7|25|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.7-Num.25.8"><i>v.</i>
7, 8</scripRef>. It is not at all difficult to justify Phinehas in
what he did; for, being now heir-apparent to the high-priesthood,
no doubt he was one of those judges of Israel whom Moses had
ordered, by the divine appointment, to slay all those whom they
knew to have joined themselves to Baal-peor, so that this gives no
countenance at all to private persons, under pretence of zeal
against sin, to put offenders to death, who ought to be prosecuted
by due course of law. The civil magistrate is the avenger, to
<i>execute wrath upon him that doeth evil,</i> and no private
person may take his work out of his hand. Two ways God testified
his acceptance of the pious zeal of Phinehas:&#8212;1. He immediately
put a stop to the plague, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:8" id="Num.xxvi-p8.2" parsed="|Num|25|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. Their weeping and praying prevailed not till this
piece of necessary justice was done. If magistrates do not take
care to punish sin, God will; but their justice will be the best
prevention of his judgment, as in the case of Achan, <scripRef passage="Jos 7:13" id="Num.xxvi-p8.3" parsed="|Josh|7|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.7.13">Josh. vii. 13</scripRef>. 2. He put an honour
upon Phinehas. Though he did no more than it was his duty to do as
a judge, yet because he did it with extraordinary zeal against sin,
and for the honour of God and Israel, and did it when the other
judges, out of respect to Zimri's character as a prince, were
afraid, and declined doing it, therefore God showed himself
particularly well pleased with him, and it <i>was counted to him
for righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 106:31" id="Num.xxvi-p8.4" parsed="|Ps|106|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.31">Ps. cvi.
31</scripRef>. There is nothing lost by venturing for God. If
Zimri's relations bore him a grudge for it, and his friends might
censure him as indiscreet in this violent and hasty execution, what
needed he care, while God accepted him? In a good thing we should
be zealously affected. (1.) Phinehas, upon this occasion, though a
young man, is pronounced his country's patriot and best friend,
<scripRef passage="Nu 25:11" id="Num.xxvi-p8.5" parsed="|Num|25|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. He has
<i>turned away my wrath from the children of Israel.</i> So much
does God delight in showing mercy that he is well pleased with
those that are instrumental in turning away his wrath. This is the
best service we can do to our people; and we may contribute
something towards it by our prayers, and by our endeavours in our
places to <i>bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end.</i> (2.)
The priesthood is entailed by covenant upon his family. It was
designed him before, but now it was confirmed to him, and, which
added much to the comfort and honour of it, it was made the
recompence of his pious zeal, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:12,13" id="Num.xxvi-p8.6" parsed="|Num|25|12|25|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.12-Num.25.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. It is here called <i>an
everlasting priesthood,</i> because it should continue to the
period of the Old-Testament dispensation, and should then have its
perfection and perpetuity in the unchangeable priesthood of Christ,
who is <i>consecrated for evermore.</i> By the <i>covenant of
peace</i> given him, some understand in general a promise of long
life and prosperity, and all good; it seems rather to be meant
particularly of the covenant of priesthood, for that is called the
<i>covenant of life and peace</i> (<scripRef passage="Mal 2:5" id="Num.xxvi-p8.7" parsed="|Mal|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.5">Mal.
ii. 5</scripRef>), and was made for the preservation of peace
between God and his people. Observe how the reward answered the
service. By executing justice he had <i>made an atonement for the
children of Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:13" id="Num.xxvi-p8.8" parsed="|Num|25|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>), and therefore he and his shall henceforward be
employed in making atonement by sacrifice. He <i>was zealous for
his God,</i> and therefore he shall have the covenant of <i>an
everlasting priesthood.</i> Note, It is requisite that ministers
should be not only for God, but zealous for God. It is required of
them that they do more than others for the support and advancement
of the interests of God's kingdom among men.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 25" id="Num.xxvi-p8.9" parsed="|Num|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 25:16-18" id="Num.xxvi-p8.10" parsed="|Num|25|16|25|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.16-Num.25.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.25.16-Num.25.18">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvi-p9">16 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvi-p9.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 17 Vex the Midianites, and smite
them: &#160; 18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they
have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of
Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was
slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvi-p10">God had punished the Israelites for their
sin with a plague; as a Father he corrected his own children with a
rod. But we read not that any of the Midianites died of the plague;
God took another course with them, and punished them with the sword
of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. 1. Moses, though the
meekest man, and far from a spirit of revenge, is ordered to <i>vex
the Midianites and smite them,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 25:17" id="Num.xxvi-p10.1" parsed="|Num|25|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Note, We must set ourselves
against that, whatever it is, which is an occasion of sin to us,
though it be a right eye or a right hand that thus offends us,
<scripRef passage="Mt 5:29,30" id="Num.xxvi-p10.2" parsed="|Matt|5|29|5|30" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.29-Matt.5.30">Matt. v. 29, 30</scripRef>. This is
that holy indignation and revenge which godly sorrow worketh,
<scripRef passage="2Co 7:11" id="Num.xxvi-p10.3" parsed="|2Cor|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.7.11">2 Cor. vii. 11</scripRef>. 2. The
reason given for the meditating of this revenge is because they
<i>vex you with their wiles,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 25:18" id="Num.xxvi-p10.4" parsed="|Num|25|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Note, Whatever draws us to sin
should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. The mischief
which the Midianites did to Israel by enticing them to whoredom
must be remembered and punished with as much severity as that which
the Amalekites did in fighting with them when they came out of
Egypt, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:14" id="Num.xxvi-p10.5" parsed="|Exod|17|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14">Exod. xvii. 14</scripRef>. God
will certainly reckon with those that do the devil's work in
tempting men to sin. See further orders given in this matter,
<scripRef passage="Nu 31:2" id="Num.xxvi-p10.6" parsed="|Num|31|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.2"><i>ch.</i> xxxi. 2</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVI" n="xxvii" progress="77.89%" prev="Num.xxvi" next="Num.xxviii" id="Num.xxvii">
<h2 id="Num.xxvii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxvii-p1">This book is called Numbers, from the numberings
of the children of Israel, of which it gives an account. Once they
were numbered at Mount Sinai, in the first year after they came out
of Egypt, which we had an account of, <scripRef passage="Nu 1:1-2:34" id="Num.xxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|1|1|2|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.2.34"><i>ch.</i> i. and ii.</scripRef>. And now a second
time they were numbered in the plains of Moab, just before they
entered Canaan, and of this we have an account in this chapter. We
have, I. Orders given for the doing of it, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:1-4" id="Num.xxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|26|1|26|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.1-Num.26.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. A register of the families and
numbers of each tribe (<scripRef passage="Nu 26:5-50" id="Num.xxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|26|5|26|50" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.5-Num.26.50">ver.
5-50</scripRef>), and the sum total, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:51" id="Num.xxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|26|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.51">ver. 51</scripRef>. III. Direction given to divide the
land among them, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:52-56" id="Num.xxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|26|52|26|56" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.52-Num.26.56">ver.
52-56</scripRef>. IV. The families and numbers of the Levites by
themselves, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:57-62" id="Num.xxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|26|57|26|62" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.57-Num.26.62">ver. 57-62</scripRef>.
V. Notice taken of the fulfilling of the threatening in the death
of all those that were first numbered, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:63-65" id="Num.xxvii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|26|63|26|65" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.63-Num.26.65">ver. 63-65</scripRef>), and to this there seems to
have been a special regard in the taking and keeping of this
account.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 26" id="Num.xxvii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 26:1-4" id="Num.xxvii-p1.9" parsed="|Num|26|1|26|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.1-Num.26.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.26.1-Num.26.4">
<h4 id="Num.xxvii-p1.10">The Numbering of the People. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvii-p2">1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> spake unto Moses and unto
Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, &#160; 2 Take the sum
of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty
years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are
able to go to war in Israel. &#160; 3 And Moses and Eleazar the
priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan <i>near</i>
Jericho, saying, &#160; 4 <i>Take the sum of the people,</i> from
twenty years old and upward; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p2.2">Lord</span> commanded Moses and the children of Israel,
which went forth out of the land of Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p3">Observe here, 1. That Moses did not number
the people but when God commanded him. David in his time did it
without a command, and paid dearly for it. God was Israel's king,
and he would not have this act of authority done but by his express
orders. Moses, perhaps, by this time, had heard of the blessing
with which Balaam was constrained, sorely against his will, to
bless Israel, and particularly the notice he took of their numbers;
and he was sufficiently pleased with that general testimony borne
to this instance of their strength and honour by an adversary,
though he knew not their numbers exactly, till God now appointed
him to take the sum of them. 2. Eleazar was joined in commission
with him, as Aaron had been before, by which God honoured Eleazar
before the elders of his people, and confirmed his succession. 3.
It was presently after the plague that this account was ordered to
be taken, to show that though God had in justice contended with
them by that sweeping pestilence, yet he had not made a full end,
nor would he utterly cast them off. God's Israel shall not be
ruined, though it be severely rebuked. 4. They were now to go by
the same rule that they had gone by in the former numbering,
counting those only that were able to go forth to war, for this was
the service now before them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 26:5-51" id="Num.xxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|26|5|26|51" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.5-Num.26.51"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.26.5-Num.26.51">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvii-p4">5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children
of Reuben; Hanoch, <i>of whom cometh</i> the family of the
Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites: &#160; 6 Of
Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the
Carmites. &#160; 7 These <i>are</i> the families of the Reubenites:
and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand
and seven hundred and thirty. &#160; 8 And the sons of Pallu;
Eliab. &#160; 9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and
Abiram. This <i>is that</i> Dathan and Abiram, <i>which were</i>
famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against
Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p4.1">Lord</span>: &#160; 10 And the earth opened her
mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company
died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and
they became a sign. &#160; 11 Notwithstanding the children of Korah
died not. &#160; 12 The sons of Simeon after their families: of
Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the
Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites: &#160; 13 Of
Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the
Shaulites. &#160; 14 These <i>are</i> the families of the
Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred. &#160; 15 The
children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the
Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the
family of the Shunites: &#160; 16 Of Ozni, the family of the
Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: &#160; 17 Of Arod, the
family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
&#160; 18 These <i>are</i> the families of the children of Gad
according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and
five hundred. &#160; 19 The sons of Judah <i>were</i> Er and Onan:
and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. &#160; 20 And the sons
of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the
Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the
family of the Zarhites. &#160; 21 And the sons of Pharez were; of
Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the
Hamulites. &#160; 22 These <i>are</i> the families of Judah
according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and
sixteen thousand and five hundred. &#160; 23 <i>Of</i> the sons of
Issachar after their families: <i>of</i> Tola, the family of the
Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites: &#160; 24 Of Jashub,
the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the
Shimronites. &#160; 25 These <i>are</i> the families of Issachar
according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four
thousand and three hundred. &#160; 26 <i>Of</i> the sons of Zebulun
after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of
Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the
Jahleelites. &#160; 27 These <i>are</i> the families of the
Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them,
threescore thousand and five hundred. &#160; 28 The sons of Joseph
after their families <i>were</i> Manasseh and Ephraim. &#160; 29 Of
the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and
Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead <i>come</i> the family of the
Gileadites. &#160; 30 These <i>are</i> the sons of Gilead:
<i>of</i> Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the
family of the Helekites: &#160; 31 And <i>of</i> Asriel, the family
of the Asrielites: and <i>of</i> Shechem, the family of the
Shechemites: &#160; 32 And <i>of</i> Shemida, the family of the
Shemidaites: and <i>of</i> Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
&#160; 33 And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but
daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad <i>were</i>
Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. &#160; 34 These
<i>are</i> the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered
of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred. &#160; 35 These
<i>are</i> the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah,
the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the
Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. &#160; 36 And
these <i>are</i> the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the
Eranites. &#160; 37 These <i>are</i> the families of the sons of
Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and
two thousand and five hundred. These <i>are</i> the sons of Joseph
after their families. &#160; 38 The sons of Benjamin after their
families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the
family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites:
&#160; 39 Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the
family of the Huphamites. &#160; 40 And the sons of Bela were Ard
and Naaman: <i>of Ard,</i> the family of the Ardites: <i>and</i> of
Naaman, the family of the Naamites. &#160; 41 These <i>are</i> the
sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered
of them <i>were</i> forty and five thousand and six hundred. &#160;
42 These <i>are</i> the sons of Dan after their families: of
Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These <i>are</i> the families
of Dan after their families. &#160; 43 All the families of the
Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them,
<i>were</i> threescore and four thousand and four hundred. &#160;
44 <i>Of</i> the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna,
the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites:
of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. &#160; 45 Of the sons of
Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the
family of the Malchielites. &#160; 46 And the name of the daughter
of Asher <i>was</i> Sarah. &#160; 47 These <i>are</i> the families
of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them;
<i>who were</i> fifty and three thousand and four hundred. &#160;
48 <i>Of</i> the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel,
the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:
&#160; 49 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the
family of the Shillemites. &#160; 50 These <i>are</i> the families
of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were
numbered of them <i>were</i> forty and five thousand and four
hundred. &#160; 51 These <i>were</i> the numbered of the children
of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and
thirty.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p5">This is the register of the tribes as they
were now enrolled, in the same order that they were numbered in
<scripRef passage="Nu 1:1-54" id="Num.xxvii-p5.1" parsed="|Num|1|1|1|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.1.1-Num.1.54"><i>ch.</i> i</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p6">I. The account that is here kept of the
families of each tribe, which must not be understood of such as we
call families, those that live in a house together, but such as
were the descendants of the several sons of the patriarchs, by
whose names, in honour of them, their posterity distinguished
themselves and one another. The families of the twelve tribes are
thus numbered:&#8212;Of Dan but one, for Dan had but one son, and yet
that tribe was the most numerous of all except Judah, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:42,43" id="Num.xxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|26|42|26|43" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.42-Num.26.43"><i>v.</i> 42, 43</scripRef>. Its beginning
was small, but its latter end greatly increased. Zebulun was
divided into three families, Ephraim into four, Issachar into four,
Naphtali into four, and Reuben into four; Judah, Simeon, and Asher,
had five families apiece, Gad and Benjamin seven apiece, and
Manasseh eight. Benjamin brought ten sons into Egypt (<scripRef passage="Ge 46:21" id="Num.xxvii-p6.2" parsed="|Gen|46|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.46.21">Gen. xlvi. 21</scripRef>), but three of them, it
seems either died childless or their families were extinct, for
here we find seven only of those names preserved, and that whole
tribe none of the most numerous; for Providence, in the building up
of families and nations, does not tie itself to probabilities.
<i>The barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children has
waxed feeble,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 2:5" id="Num.xxvii-p6.3" parsed="|1Sam|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.5">1 Sam. ii.
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p7">II. The numbers of each tribe. And here our
best entertainment will be to compare these numbers with those when
they were numbered at Mount Sinai. The sum total was nearly the
same; they were now 1820 fewer than they were then; yet seven of
the tribes had increased in number. Judah had increased 1900,
Issachar 9900, Zebulun 3100, Manasseh 20, 500, Benjamin 10,200, Dan
1700, and Asher 11,900. But the other five had decreased more than
to balance that increase. Reuben had decreased 2770, Simeon 37,100,
Gad 5150, Ephraim 8000, and Naphtali 8000. In this account we may
observe, 1. That all the three tribes that were encamped under the
standard of Judah, who was the ancestor of Christ, had increased,
for his church shall be edified and multiplied. 2. That none of the
tribes had increased so much as that of Manasseh, which in the
former account was the smallest of all the tribes, only 32,200,
while here it is one of the most considerable; and that of his
brother Ephraim, which there was numerous, is here one of the
least. Jacob had crossed hands upon their heads, and had preferred
Ephraim before Manasseh, which perhaps the Ephraimites had prided
themselves too much in, and had trampled upon their brethren the
Manassites; but, when the Lord saw that Manasseh was despised, he
thus multiplied him exceedingly, for it is his glory to help the
weakest, and raise up those that are cast down. 3. That none of the
tribes decreased so much as Simeon did; from 59,300, it such to
22,200, little more than a third part of what it was. One whole
family of that tribe (namely Ohad, mentioned <scripRef passage="Ex 6:15" id="Num.xxvii-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|6|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.15">Exod. vi. 15</scripRef>) was extinct in the wilderness.
Hence Simeon is not mentioned in Moses's blessing (<scripRef passage="De 33:1-29" id="Num.xxvii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|33|1|33|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.1-Deut.33.29">Deut. xxxiii.</scripRef>), and the lot of that
tribe in Canaan was inconsiderable, only a canton out of Judah's
lot, <scripRef passage="Jos 19:9" id="Num.xxvii-p7.4" parsed="|Josh|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.19.9">Josh. xix. 9</scripRef>. Some
conjecture that most of those 24,000 who were cut off by the plague
for the iniquity of Peor were of that tribe; for Zimri, who was a
ringleader in that iniquity, was a prince of that tribe, many of
whom therefore were influenced by his example to <i>follow his
pernicious ways.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p8">III. In the account of the tribe of Reuben
mention is made of the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram, who were of
that tribe, in confederacy with Korah a Levite, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:9-11" id="Num.xxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|26|9|26|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.9-Num.26.11"><i>v.</i> 9-11</scripRef>. Though the story had been
largely related but a few chapters before, yet here it comes in
again, as fit to be had in remembrance and thought of by posterity,
whenever they looked into their pedigree and pleased themselves
with the antiquity of their families and the glory of their
ancestors, that they might call themselves a seed of evil doers.
Two things are here said of them:&#8212;1. That they had been <i>famous
in the congregation,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 26:9" id="Num.xxvii-p8.2" parsed="|Num|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Probably they were remarkable for their ingenuity,
activity, and fitness for business:&#8212;<i>That Dathan and Abiram</i>
that might have been advanced in due time under God and Moses; but
their ambitious spirits put them upon striving against God and
Moses, and when they quarrelled with the one they quarrelled with
the other. And what was the issue? 2. Those that might have been
famous were made infamous: they <i>became a sign,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 26:10" id="Num.xxvii-p8.3" parsed="|Num|26|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. They were made
monuments of divine justice; God, in their ruin, showed himself
glorious in holiness, and so they were set up for a warning to all
others, in all ages, to take heed of treading in the steps of their
pride and rebellion. Notice is here taken of the preservation of
the <i>children of Korah</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 26:11" id="Num.xxvii-p8.4" parsed="|Num|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>); they <i>died not,</i> as the
children of Dathan and Abiram did, doubtless because they kept
themselves pure from the infection, and would not join, no, not
with their own father, in rebellion. If we partake not of the sins
of sinners, we shall not partake of their plagues. These sons of
Korah were afterwards, in their posterity, eminently serviceable to
the church, being employed by David as singers in the house of the
Lord; hence many psalms are said to be for <i>the sons of
Korah:</i> and perhaps they were made to bear his name so long
after, rather than the name of any other of their ancestors, for
warning to themselves, and as an instance of the power of God,
which brought those choice fruits even out of that bitter root. The
children of families that have been stigmatized should endeavour,
by their eminent virtues, to roll away the reproach of their
fathers.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 26:52-56" id="Num.xxvii-p8.5" parsed="|Num|26|52|26|56" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.52-Num.26.56"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.26.52-Num.26.56">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvii-p9">52 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p9.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 53 Unto these the land shall be
divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. &#160;
54 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou
shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance
be given according to those that were numbered of him. &#160; 55
Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the
names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. &#160; 56
According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided
between many and few.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p10">If any ask why such a particular account is
kept of the tribes, and families, and numbers, of the people of
Israel, here is an answer for them; as they were multiplied, so
they were portioned, not by common providence, but by promise; and,
for the support of the honour of divine revelation, God will have
the fulfilling of the promise taken notice of both in their
increase and in their inheritance. When Moses had numbered the
people God did not say, <i>By these shall the land be
conquered;</i> but, taking that for granted, he tells him, <i>Unto
these shall the land be divided.</i> "These that are now registered
as the sons of Israel shall be admitted (as it were by copy of
court-roll) heirs of the land of Canaan." Now, in the distributing,
or quartering, of these tribes, 1. The general rule of equity is
here prescribed to Moses, that to many he should give more, and to
few he should give less (<scripRef passage="Nu 26:54" id="Num.xxvii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|26|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.54"><i>v.</i>
54</scripRef>); yet, alas! <i>he</i> was so far from giving any to
others that he must not have any himself, but this direction given
to him was intended for Joshua his successor. 2. The application of
this general rule was to be determined <i>by lot</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 26:55" id="Num.xxvii-p10.2" parsed="|Num|26|55|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.55"><i>v.</i> 55</scripRef>); notwithstanding it
seems thus to be left to the prudence of their prince, yet the
matter must be finally reserved to the providence of their God, in
which they must all acquiesce, how much soever it contradicted
their policies or inclination: <i>According to the lot shall the
possession be divided.</i> As the God of nations, so the God of
Israel in particular, reserves it to himself to <i>appoint the
bounds of our habitation.</i> And thus Christ, our Joshua, when he
was urged to appoint one of his disciples <i>to his right hand,</i>
another <i>to his left</i> in his kingdom, acknowledged the
sovereignty of his Father in the disposal: <i>It is not mine to
give.</i> Joshua must not dispose of inheritances in Canaan
according to his own mind. <i>But it shall be given to those for
whom it is prepared of my Father.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 26:57-62" id="Num.xxvii-p10.3" parsed="|Num|26|57|26|62" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.57-Num.26.62"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.26.57-Num.26.62">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvii-p11">57 And these <i>are</i> they that were numbered
of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the
Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari,
the family of the Merarites. &#160; 58 These <i>are</i> the
families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of
the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the
Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.
&#160; 59 And the name of Amram's wife <i>was</i> Jochebed, the
daughter of Levi, whom <i>her mother</i> bare to Levi in Egypt: and
she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
&#160; 60 And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and
Ithamar. &#160; 61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered
strange fire before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p11.1">Lord</span>. &#160;
62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three
thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not
numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no
inheritance given them among the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p12">Levi was God's tribe, a tribe that was to
have no inheritance with the rest in the land of Canaan, and
therefore was not numbered with the rest, but by itself; so it had
been numbered in the beginning of this book at Mount Sinai, and
therefore came not under the sentence passed upon all that were
then numbered, that none of them should enter Canaan but Caleb and
Joshua; for of the Levites that were not numbered with them, nor
were to go forth to war, Eleazar and Ithamar, and perhaps others
who were above twenty years old then (as appears, <scripRef passage="Nu 4:16,28" id="Num.xxvii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|4|16|0|0;|Num|4|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.4.16 Bible:Num.4.28"><i>ch.</i> iv. 16, 28</scripRef>), entered
Canaan; and yet this tribe, now at its second numbering, had
increased but 1000, and was still one of the smallest tribes.
Mention is made here of the death of Nadab and Abihu for offering
strange fire, as before of the sin and punishment of Korah, because
<i>these things happened to them for ensamples.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 26:63-65" id="Num.xxvii-p12.2" parsed="|Num|26|63|26|65" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.63-Num.26.65"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.26.63-Num.26.65">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxvii-p13">63 These <i>are</i> they that were numbered by
Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel
in the plains of Moab by Jordan <i>near</i> Jericho. &#160; 64 But
among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the
priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the
wilderness of Sinai. &#160; 65 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxvii-p13.1">Lord</span> had said of them, They shall surely die in
the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb
the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxvii-p14">That which is observable in this conclusion
of the account is the execution of the sentence passed upon the
murmurers (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:29" id="Num.xxvii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|14|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.29"><i>ch.</i> xiv.
29</scripRef>), that not one of those who <i>were numbered from
twenty years old and upwards</i> (and that the Levites were not,
but either from a month old or from thirty years old to fifty)
should enter Canaan, except Caleb and Joshua. In the muster now
made particular directions, no doubt, were given to those of each
tribe that were employed in taking the account, to compare these
rolls with the former, and to observe whether there were any now
left of those that were numbered at Mount Sinai, and it appeared
that there was not one man numbered now that was numbered then
except Caleb and Joshua, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:64,65" id="Num.xxvii-p14.2" parsed="|Num|26|64|26|65" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.64-Num.26.65"><i>v.</i>
64, 65</scripRef>. Herein appeared, 1. The righteousness of God,
and his faithfulness to his threatenings, when once the <i>decree
has gone forth.</i> He <i>swore in his wrath,</i> and what he had
sworn he performed. Better all those carcasses, had they been ten
times as many, should fall to the ground, than the word of God.
Though the rising generation was mixed with them, and many of the
guilty and condemned criminals long survived the sentence, even to
the last year of the forty, yet they were cut off by some means or
other before this muster was made. Those whom God has condemned
cannot escape either by losing themselves in a crowd or by the
delay of execution. 2. The goodness of God to this people,
notwithstanding their provocations. Though that murmuring race was
cut off, yet God raised up another generation, which was as
numerous as they, that, though they perished, yet the name of
Israel might not be cut off, lest the inheritance of the promise
should be lost for want of heirs. And, though the number fell a
little short what it was at Mount Sinai, yet those now numbered had
this advantage, that they were all middle-aged men, between twenty
and sixty, in the prime of their time for service; and during the
thirty-eight years of their wandering and wasting in the wilderness
they had an opportunity of acquainting themselves with the laws and
ordinances of God, having no business, civil or military, to divert
them from those sacred studies, and having Moses and Aaron to
instruct them, and God's good Spirit, <scripRef passage="Ne 9:20" id="Num.xxvii-p14.3" parsed="|Neh|9|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.20">Neh. ix. 20</scripRef>. 3. The truth of God, in
performing his promise made to Caleb and Joshua. They were to be
preserved from falling in this common ruin, and they were so. The
arrows of death, though they fly in the dark, do not fly at random,
even when they fly thickest, but are directed to the mark intended,
and no other. All that are written among the living shall have
their lives given them for a prey, in the most dangerous times.
Thousands may fall on their right hand, and ten thousands on their
left, but they shall escape.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVII" n="xxviii" progress="78.34%" prev="Num.xxvii" next="Num.xxix" id="Num.xxviii">
<h2 id="Num.xxviii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxviii-p1">Here is, I. The case of Zelophehad's daughters
determined, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:1-11" id="Num.xxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|27|1|27|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.1-Num.27.11">ver. 1-11</scripRef>.
II. Notice given to Moses of his death approaching, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:12-14" id="Num.xxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|27|12|27|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.12-Num.27.14">ver. 12-14</scripRef>. III. Provision made of
a successor in the government, 1. By the prayer of Moses, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:15-17" id="Num.xxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|27|15|27|17" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.15-Num.27.17">ver. 15-17</scripRef>. 2. By the appointment
of God, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:18-23" id="Num.xxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|27|18|27|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.18-Num.27.23">ver. 18</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 27" id="Num.xxviii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 27:1-11" id="Num.xxviii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|27|1|27|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.1-Num.27.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.27.1-Num.27.11">
<h4 id="Num.xxviii-p1.7">The Daughters of Zelophehad. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxviii-p2">1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son
of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of
Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these
<i>are</i> the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah,
and Milcah, and Tirzah. &#160; 2 And they stood before Moses, and
before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the
congregation, <i>by</i> the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, saying, &#160; 3 Our father died in the wilderness,
and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves
together against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p2.1">Lord</span> in the
company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons. &#160;
4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his
family, because he hath no son? Give unto us <i>therefore</i> a
possession among the brethren of our father. &#160; 5 And Moses
brought their cause before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p2.2">Lord</span>.
&#160; 6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p2.3">Lord</span> spake unto
Moses, saying, &#160; 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right:
thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among
their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of
their father to pass unto them. &#160; 8 And thou shalt speak unto
the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then
ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. &#160; 9
And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto
his brethren. &#160; 10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall
give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. &#160; 11 And if
his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance
unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall
possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute
of judgment, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p2.4">Lord</span> commanded
Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p3">Mention is made of the case of these
daughters of Zelophehad in the chapter before, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:33" id="Num.xxviii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|27|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. It should seem, by the
particular notice taken of it, that it was a singular case, and
that the like did not at this time occur in all Israel, that the
head of a family had no sons, but daughters only. Their case is
again debated (<scripRef passage="Nu 36:1-13" id="Num.xxviii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|36|1|36|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.13"><i>ch.</i>
xxxvi.</scripRef>) upon another article of it; and, according to
the judgments given in their case, we find them put in possession,
<scripRef passage="Jos 17:3,4" id="Num.xxviii-p3.3" parsed="|Josh|17|3|17|4" osisRef="Bible:Josh.17.3-Josh.17.4">Josh. xvii. 3, 4</scripRef>. One
would suppose that their personal character was such as added
weight to their case, and caused it to be so often taken notice
of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p4">Here is, I. Their case stated by
themselves, and their petition upon it presented to the highest
court of judicature, which consisted of Moses as king, the princes
as lords, and the congregation, or elders of the people who were
chose their representatives, as the commons, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:2" id="Num.xxviii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|27|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. This august assembly sat near the
<i>door of the tabernacle,</i> that in difficult cases they might
consult the oracle. To them these young ladies made their
application; for it is the duty of magistrates to <i>defend the
fatherless,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 82:3" id="Num.xxviii-p4.2" parsed="|Ps|82|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.82.3">Ps. lxxxii.
3</scripRef>. We find not that the had any advocate to speak for
them, but they managed their own cause ingeniously enough, which
they could do the better because it was plain and honest, and spoke
for itself. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p5">1. What it is they petition for: That they
might have a possession in the land of <i>Canaan, among the
brethren of their father,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 27:4" id="Num.xxviii-p5.1" parsed="|Num|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. What God had said to Moses (<scripRef passage="Nu 26:53" id="Num.xxviii-p5.2" parsed="|Num|26|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.53"><i>ch.</i> xxvi. 53</scripRef>) he had faithfully made
known to the people, that the land of Canaan was to be divided
among those that were now numbered; these daughters knew that they
were not numbered, and therefore by this rule must expect no
inheritance, and the family of their father must be looked upon as
extinct, and written childless, though he had all these daughters:
this they thought hard, and therefore prayed to be admitted heirs
to their father, and to have an inheritance in his right. If they
had had a brother, they would not have applied to Moses (as one did
to Christ, <scripRef passage="Lu 12:13" id="Num.xxviii-p5.3" parsed="|Luke|12|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.13">Luke xii. 13</scripRef>)
for an order to inherit with him. But, having no brother, they beg
for a possession. Herein they discovered, (1.) A strong faith in
the power and promise of God concerning the giving of the land of
Canaan to Israel. Though it was yet unconquered, untouched, and in
the full possession of the natives, yet they petition for their
share in it as if it were all their own already. See <scripRef passage="Ps 60:6,7" id="Num.xxviii-p5.4" parsed="|Ps|60|6|60|7" osisRef="Bible:Ps.60.6-Ps.60.7">Ps. lx. 6, 7</scripRef>, <i>God has spoken in
his holiness,</i> and the <i>Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mane.</i>
(2.) An earnest desire of a place and name in the land of promise,
which was a type of heaven; and if they had, as some think, an eye
to that, and by this claim laid hold on eternal life, they were
five wise virgins indeed; and their example should quicken us with
all possible diligence to make sure our title to the heavenly
inheritance, in the disposal of which, by the covenant of grace, no
difference is made between male and female, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:28" id="Num.xxviii-p5.5" parsed="|Gal|3|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.28">Gal. iii. 28</scripRef>. (3.) A true respect and honour
for their father, whose name was dear and precious to them now that
he was gone, and they were therefore solicitous that it should not
be <i>done away from among his family.</i> There is a debt which
children owe to the memory of their parents, required by the fifth
commandment: <i>Honour thy father and mother.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p6">2. What their plea is: That their father
did not die under any attainder which might be thought to have
corrupted his blood and forfeited his estate, but he <i>died in his
own sin</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 27:3" id="Num.xxviii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|27|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>),
not engaged in any mutiny or rebellion against Moses, particularly
not in that of Korah and his company, nor in any way concerned in
the sins of others, but chargeable only with the common iniquities
of mankind, for which to his own Master he was to stand or fall,
but laid not himself open to any judicial process before Moses and
the princes. He was never convicted of any thing that might be a
bar to his children's claim. It is a comfort to parents, when they
come to die, if, though they smart themselves for their own sin,
yet they are not conscious to themselves of any of those iniquities
which God visits upon the children.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p7">II. Their case determined by the divine
oracle. Moses did not presume to give judgment himself, because,
though their pretensions seemed just and reasonable, yet his
express orders were to divide the land among those that were
numbered, who were the males only; he therefore <i>brings their
cause before the Lord,</i> and waits for his decision (<scripRef passage="Nu 27:5" id="Num.xxviii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|27|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and God himself gives
the judgment upon it. He takes cognizance of the affairs, not only
of nations, but of private families, and orders them in judgment,
according to the counsel of his own will. 1. The petition is
granted (<scripRef passage="Nu 27:7" id="Num.xxviii-p7.2" parsed="|Num|27|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>):
<i>They speak right, give them a possession.</i> Those that seek an
inheritance in the land of promise shall have what they seek, and
other things shall be added to them. These are claims which God
will countenance and crown. 2. The point is settled for all future
occasions. These daughters of Zelophehad consulted, not only their
own comfort and the credit of their family, but the honour and
happiness of their sex likewise; for on this particular occasion a
general law was made that, in case a man had no son, his estate
should go to his daughters (<scripRef passage="Nu 27:8" id="Num.xxviii-p7.3" parsed="|Num|27|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>); not to the eldest, as the eldest son, but to them
all in copartnership, share and share alike. Those that in such a
case deprive their daughters of their right, purely to keep up the
name of their family, unless a valuable consideration be allowed
them, may make the entail of their lands surer than the entail of a
blessing with them. Further directions are given for the disposal
of inheritances, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:9-11" id="Num.xxviii-p7.4" parsed="|Num|27|9|27|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.9-Num.27.11"><i>v.</i>
9-11</scripRef>. "If a man have no issue at all, his estate shall
go to his brethren; if no brethren, then to his father's brethren;
and, if there be no such, then to his next kinsman." With this the
rules of our law exactly agree: and though the Jewish doctors here
will have it understood that if a man have no children his estate
shall go to his father, if living, before his brethren, yet there
is nothing of that in the law, and our common law has an express
rule against it, That an estate cannot ascend lineally; so that if
a person purchase lands in fee-simple, and die without issue in the
life-time of his father, his father cannot be his heir. See how God
makes heirs, and in his disposal we must acquiesce.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 27" id="Num.xxviii-p7.5" parsed="|Num|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 27:12-14" id="Num.xxviii-p7.6" parsed="|Num|27|12|27|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.12-Num.27.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.27.12-Num.27.14">
<h4 id="Num.xxviii-p7.7">Moses Warned of His Death. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p7.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxviii-p8">12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p8.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the
land which I have given unto the children of Israel. &#160; 13 And
when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy
people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. &#160; 14 For ye
rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife
of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes:
that <i>is</i> the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of
Zin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p9">Here, 1. God tells Moses of his fault, his
speaking unadvisedly with his lips at the waters of strife, where
he did not express, so carefully as he ought to have done, a regard
to the honour both of God and Israel, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:14" id="Num.xxviii-p9.1" parsed="|Num|27|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Though Moses was a servant of
the Lord, a faithful servant, yet once he <i>rebelled against God's
commandment,</i> and failed in his duty; and though a very
honourable servant, and highly favoured, yet he shall hear of his
miscarriage, and all the world shall hear of it too, again and
again; for God will show his displeasure against sin, even in those
that are nearest and dearest to him. Those that are <i>in
reputation for wisdom and honour</i> have need to be constantly
careful of their words and ways, lest at any time they say or do
that which may be a diminution to their comfort, or to their
credit, or both, a great while after. 2. He tells Moses of his
death. His death was the punishment of his sin, and yet notice is
given him of it in such a manner as might best serve to sweeten and
mollify the sentence, and reconcile him to it. (1.) Moses must die,
but he shall first have the satisfaction of seeing the land of
promise, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:12" id="Num.xxviii-p9.2" parsed="|Num|27|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. God
did not intend with this sight of Canaan to tantalize him, or
upbraid him with his folly in doing that which cut him short of it,
nor had it any impression of that kind upon him, but God appointed
it and Moses accepted it as a favour, his sight (we have reason to
think) being wonderfully strengthened and enlarged to take such a
full and distinct view of it as did abundantly gratify his innocent
curiosity. This sight of Canaan signified his believing prospect of
the better country, that is, the heavenly, which is very
comfortable to dying saints. (2.) Moses must die, but death does
not <i>cut him off;</i> it only gathers him to his people, brings
him to rest with the holy patriarchs that had gone before him.
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, were <i>his people,</i> the people
of his choice and love, and to them death gathered him. (3.) Moses
must die, but only as Aaron died before him, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:13" id="Num.xxviii-p9.3" parsed="|Num|27|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. And Moses had seen how easily
and cheerfully Aaron had put off the priesthood first and then the
body; let not Moses therefore be afraid of dying; it was but to be
<i>gathered to his people,</i> as Aaron was gathered. Thus the
death of our near and dear relations should be improved by us, [1.]
As an engagement to us to think often of dying. We are not better
than our fathers or brethren; if they are gone, we are going; if
they are gathered already, we must be gathered very shortly. [2.]
As an encouragement to us to think of death without terror, and
even to please ourselves with the thoughts of it. It is but to die
as such and such died, if we live as they lived; and their <i>end
was peace, they finished their course with joy;</i> why then should
we fear any evil in that melancholy valley?</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 27" id="Num.xxviii-p9.4" parsed="|Num|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 27:15-23" id="Num.xxviii-p9.5" parsed="|Num|27|15|27|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.15-Num.27.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.27.15-Num.27.23">
<h4 id="Num.xxviii-p9.6">Joshua Named as Moses's
Successor. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p9.7">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxviii-p10">15 And Moses spake unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.1">Lord</span>, saying, &#160; 16 Let the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.2">Lord</span>, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a
man over the congregation, &#160; 17 Which may go out before them,
and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and
which may bring them in; that the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.3">Lord</span> be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
&#160; 18 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.4">Lord</span> said unto
Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom <i>is</i> the
spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; &#160; 19 And set him before
Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a
charge in their sight. &#160; 20 And thou shalt put <i>some</i> of
thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of
Israel may be obedient. &#160; 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar
the priest, who shall ask <i>counsel</i> for him after the judgment
of Urim before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.5">Lord</span>: at his word
shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, <i>both</i>
he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the
congregation. &#160; 22 And Moses did as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.6">Lord</span> commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set
him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
&#160; 23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxviii-p10.7">Lord</span> commanded by the hand of
Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p11">Here, I. Moses prays for a successor. When
God had told him that he must die, though it appears elsewhere that
he solicited for a reprieve for himself (<scripRef passage="De 3:24,25" id="Num.xxviii-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|3|24|3|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.24-Deut.3.25">Deut. iii. 24, 25</scripRef>), yet, when this could
not be obtained, he begged earnestly that the work of God might be
carried on, though he might not have the honour of finishing it.
Envious spirits do not love their successors, but Moses was not one
of these. We should concern ourselves, both in our prayers and in
our endeavours, for the rising generation, that religion may
flourish, and the interests of God's kingdom among men may be
maintained and advanced, when we are in our graves. In this prayer
Moses expresses, 1. A tender concern for the people of Israel:
<i>That the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no
shepherd.</i> Our Saviour uses this comparison in his compassions
for the people when they wanted good ministers, <scripRef passage="Mt 9:36" id="Num.xxviii-p11.2" parsed="|Matt|9|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.9.36">Matt. ix. 36</scripRef>. Magistrates and ministers are
the shepherds of a people; if these be wanting, or be not as they
should be, people are apt to wander and be scattered abroad, are
exposed to enemies, and in danger of wanting food and of hurting
one another, <i>as sheep having no shepherd.</i> 2. A believing
dependence upon God, as the <i>God of the spirits of all flesh.</i>
He is both the former and the searcher of spirits, and therefore
can either find men fit or make them fit to serve his purposes, for
the good of his church. Moses prays to God, not to send an angel,
but to <i>set a man over the congregation,</i> that is, to nominate
and appoint one whom he would qualify and own as ruler of his
people Israel. Before God gave this blessing to Israel, he stirred
up Moses to pray for it: thus Christ, before he sent forth his
apostles, called to those about him <i>to pray the Lord of the
harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mt 9:38" id="Num.xxviii-p11.3" parsed="|Matt|9|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.9.38">Matt. ix. 38</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p12">II. God, in answer to his prayer, appoints
him a successor, even Joshua, who had long since signalized himself
by his courage in fighting Amalek, his humility in ministering to
Moses, and his faith and sincerity in witnessing against the report
of the evil spies; this is the man whom God pitches upon to succeed
Moses: <i>A man in whom is the Spirit, the Spirit of grace</i> (he
is a good man, fearing God and hating covetousness, and acting from
principle), the <i>spirit of government</i> (he is fit to do the
work and discharge the trusts of his place), a spirit of conduct
and courage; and he had also the <i>spirit of prophecy,</i> for the
Lord often <i>spoke unto him,</i> <scripRef passage="Jos 4:1,6:2,7:10" id="Num.xxviii-p12.1" parsed="|Josh|4|1|0|0;|Josh|6|2|0|0;|Josh|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.4.1 Bible:Josh.6.2 Bible:Josh.7.10">Josh. iv. 1; vi. 2; vii. 10</scripRef>. Now
here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p13">1. God directs Moses how to secure the
succession to Joshua. (1.) He must ordain him: <i>Lay thy hand upon
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 27:18" id="Num.xxviii-p13.1" parsed="|Num|27|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. This
was done in token of Moses' transferring the government to him, as
the laying of hands on the sacrifice put the offering in the place
and stead of the offerer; also in token of God's conferring the
blessing of the Spirit upon him, which Moses obtained by prayer. It
is said (<scripRef passage="De 34:9" id="Num.xxviii-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|34|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.9">Deut. xxxiv. 9</scripRef>),
<i>Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his
hands on him.</i> This rite of imposing hands we find used in the
New Testament in the setting apart of gospel ministers, denoting a
solemn designation of them to the office and an earnest desire that
God would qualify them for it and own them in it. It is the
offering of them to Christ and his church for living sacrifices.
(2.) He must present him to Eleazar and the people, set him before
them, that they might know him to be designed of God for this great
trust and consent to that designation. (3.) He must <i>give him a
charge,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 27:19" id="Num.xxviii-p13.3" parsed="|Num|27|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>.
He must be charged with the people of Israel, who were delivered
into his hand as sheep into the hand of a shepherd, and for whom he
must be accountable. He must be strictly charged to do his duty to
them; though they were under his command, he was under God's
command, and from him must receive charge. The highest must know
that there is a higher than they. This charge must be given him
<i>in their sight,</i> that it might be the more affecting to
Joshua, and that the people, seeing the work and care of their
prince, might be the more engaged to assist and encourage him. (4.)
He must <i>put some of his honour upon him,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 27:20" id="Num.xxviii-p13.4" parsed="|Num|27|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Joshua at the most had but some
of the honour of Moses, and in many instances came short of him;
but this seems to be meant of his taking him now, while he lived,
into partnership with him in the government and admitting him to
act with authority as his assistant. It is an honour to be employed
for God and his church; some of this honour must be put upon
Joshua, that the people, being used to obey him while Moses lived,
might the more cheerfully do it afterwards. (5.) He must appoint
Eleazar the high priest, with this breast-plate of judgment, to be
his privy-council (<scripRef passage="Nu 27:21" id="Num.xxviii-p13.5" parsed="|Num|27|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>): <i>He shall stand before Eleazar,</i> by him to
consult the oracle, ready to receive and observe all the
instructions that should be given him by it. This was a direction
to Joshua. Though he was full of the Spirit, and had all this
honour put upon him, yet he must do nothing without asking counsel
of God, not leaning to his own understanding. It was also a great
encouragement to him. To govern Israel, and to conquer Canaan, were
two hard tasks, but God assures him that in both he should be under
a divine conduct; and in every difficult case God would advise him
to that which should be for the best. Moses had recourse to the
oracle of God himself, but Joshua and the succeeding judges must
use the ministry of the high priest, and consult the judgment of
urim, which, the Jews say, might not be enquired of but by the king
or the head of the sanhedrim, or by the agent or representative of
the people, for them, and in their name. Thus the government of
Israel was now purely divine, for both the designation and
direction of their princes were entirely so. <i>At the word of the
priest,</i> according to the <i>judgment of urim,</i> Joshua and
all Israel must go out and come in; and no doubt God, who thus
guided, would preserve both their going out and their coming in.
Those are safe, and may be easy, that follow God, and in all their
ways acknowledge him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxviii-p14">2. Moses does according to these
directions, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:22,23" id="Num.xxviii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|27|22|27|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.22-Num.27.23"><i>v.</i> 22,
23</scripRef>. He cheerfully ordained Joshua, (1.) Though it was a
present lessening to himself, and amounted almost to a resignation
of the government. He was very willing that the people should look
off from him, and gaze on the rising sun. (2.) Though it might
appear a perpetual slur upon his family. It would not have been so
much his praise if he had thus resigned his honour to a son of his
own; but with his own hands first to ordain Eleazar high priest,
and then Joshua, one of another tribe, chief ruler, while his own
children had no preferment at all, but were left in the rank of
common Levites, this was such an instance of self-denial and
submission to the will of God as was more his glory than the
highest advancement of his family could have been; for it confirms
his character as the meekest man upon earth, and faithful to him
that appointed him in all his house. This (says the excellent
bishop Patrick) shows him to have had a principle which raised him
above all other lawgivers, who always took care to establish their
families in some share of that greatness which they themselves
possessed; but hereby it appeared that Moses acted not from
himself, because he acted not for himself.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVIII" n="xxix" progress="78.76%" prev="Num.xxviii" next="Num.xxx" id="Num.xxix">
<h2 id="Num.xxix-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxix-p1">Now that the people were numbered, orders given
for the dividing of the land, and a general of the forces nominated
and commissioned, one would have expected that the next chapter
should begin the history of the campaign, or at least should give
us an account of the ordinances of war; no, it contains the
ordinances of worship, and provides that now, as they were on the
point of entering Canaan, they should be sure to take their
religion along with them, and not forget this, in the prosecution
of their wars, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:1,2" id="Num.xxix-p1.1" parsed="|Num|28|1|28|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.1-Num.28.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>.
The laws are here repeated and summed up concerning the sacrifices
that were to be offered, I. Daily, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:3-8" id="Num.xxix-p1.2" parsed="|Num|28|3|28|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.3-Num.28.8">ver. 3-8</scripRef>. II. Weekly, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:9,10" id="Num.xxix-p1.3" parsed="|Num|28|9|28|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.9-Num.28.10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. III. Monthly, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:11-15" id="Num.xxix-p1.4" parsed="|Num|28|11|28|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.11-Num.28.15">ver. 11-15</scripRef>. IV. Yearly. 1. At the
passover, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:16-25" id="Num.xxix-p1.5" parsed="|Num|28|16|28|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.16-Num.28.25">ver. 16-25</scripRef>. 2.
At pentecost, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:26-31" id="Num.xxix-p1.6" parsed="|Num|28|26|28|31" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.26-Num.28.31">ver.
26-31</scripRef>. And the <!-- <a href="MHC04029.HTM" id="Num.xxix-p1.7"> -->next chapter<!-- </a> -->
is concerning the annual solemnities of the seventh month.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 28" id="Num.xxix-p1.8" parsed="|Num|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 28:1-8" id="Num.xxix-p1.9" parsed="|Num|28|1|28|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.1-Num.28.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.28.1-Num.28.8">
<h4 id="Num.xxix-p1.10">Laws Concerning Sacrifices. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxix-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Command the children of Israel,
and say unto them, My offering, <i>and</i> my bread for my
sacrifices made by fire, <i>for</i> a sweet savour unto me, shall
ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. &#160; 3 And thou
shalt say unto them, This <i>is</i> the offering made by fire which
ye shall offer unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p2.2">Lord</span>; two
lambs of the first year without spot day by day, <i>for</i> a
continual burnt offering. &#160; 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in
the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; &#160; 5
And a tenth <i>part</i> of an ephah of flour for a meat offering,
mingled with the fourth <i>part</i> of an hin of beaten oil. &#160;
6 <i>It is</i> a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in
Mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p2.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 7 And the drink
offering thereof <i>shall be</i> the fourth <i>part</i> of an hin
for the one lamb: in the holy <i>place</i> shalt thou cause the
strong wine to be poured unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p2.4">Lord</span> <i>for</i> a drink offering. &#160; 8 And
the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of
the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer
<i>it,</i> a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p2.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxix-p3">Here is, I. A general order given
concerning the offerings of the Lord, which were to be brought in
their season, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:2" id="Num.xxix-p3.1" parsed="|Num|28|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
These laws are here given afresh, not because the observance of
them was wholly disused during their thirty-eight years' wandering
in the wilderness (we cannot think that they were so long without
any public worship, but that at least the daily lamb was offered
morning and evening, and doubled on the sabbath day; so bishop
Patrick conjectures); but that many of the sacrifices were then
omitted is plainly intimated, <scripRef passage="Am 5:25" id="Num.xxix-p3.2" parsed="|Amos|5|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.5.25">Amos v.
25</scripRef>, quoted by Stephen, <scripRef passage="Ac 7:42" id="Num.xxix-p3.3" parsed="|Acts|7|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.42">Acts
vii. 42</scripRef>. <i>Did you offer unto me sacrifices and
offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?</i> It
is implied, "No, you did not." But, whether the course of
sacrifices had been interrupted or no, God saw fit now to repeat
the law of sacrifices, 1. Because this was a new generation of men,
that were most of them unborn when the former laws were given;
therefore, that they might be left without excuse, they have not
only these laws written, to be read to them, but again repeated
from God himself, and put into a less compass and a plainer method.
2. Because they were now entering upon war, and might be tempted to
think that while they were engaged in that they should be excused
from offering sacrifices. <i>Inter arma silent leges&#8212;law is little
regarded amidst the clash of arms.</i> No, says God, <i>my bread
for my sacrifices</i> even now <i>shall you observe to offer,</i>
and that <i>in the due season.</i> They were peculiarly concerned
to keep their peace with God when they were at war with their
enemies. In the wilderness they were solitary, and quite separate
from all other people, and therefore there they needed not so much
their distinguishing badges, nor would their omission of sacrifices
be so scandalous as when they came into Canaan, when they mingled
with other people. 3. Because possession was now to be given them
of the land of promise, that land flowing with milk and honey,
where they would have plenty of all good things. "Now" (says God),
"When you are feasting yourselves, forget not to offer the bread of
your God." Canaan was given to them upon this condition, that they
should <i>observe God's statutes,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 105:44,45" id="Num.xxix-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|105|44|105|45" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.44-Ps.105.45">Ps. cv. 44, 45</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxix-p4">II. The particular law of the daily
sacrifice, a lamb in the morning and a lamb in the evening, which,
for the constancy of it as duly as the day came, is called a
<i>continual burnt-offering</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 28:3" id="Num.xxix-p4.1" parsed="|Num|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), which intimates that when we are
bidden to <i>pray always, and to pray without ceasing,</i> it is
intended that at least every morning and every evening we offer up
our solemn prayers and praises to God. This is said to be
<i>ordained in Mount Sinai</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 28:6" id="Num.xxix-p4.2" parsed="|Num|28|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), when the other laws were given.
The institution of it we have, <scripRef passage="Ex 29:38" id="Num.xxix-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|29|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.29.38">Exod.
xxix. 38</scripRef>. Nothing is here added in the repetition of the
law, but that the wine to be poured out in the drink-offering is
ordered to be <i>strong wine</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 28:7" id="Num.xxix-p4.4" parsed="|Num|28|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), the riches and most generous and
best-bodied wine they could get. Though it was to be poured out
upon the altar, and not drunk (they therefore might be ready to
think the worst would serve to be so thrown away), yet God requires
the strongest, to teach us to serve God with the best we have. The
wine must be strong (says Ainsworth) because it was a figure of the
blood of Christ, the memorial of which is still left to the church
in wine, and of the blood of the martyrs, which was poured out as a
drink-offering upon the <i>sacrifice and service of our faith,</i>
<scripRef passage="Php 2:17" id="Num.xxix-p4.5" parsed="|Phil|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.17">Phil. ii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 28:9-15" id="Num.xxix-p4.6" parsed="|Num|28|9|28|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.9-Num.28.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.28.9-Num.28.15">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxix-p5">9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first
year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour <i>for</i> a meat
offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: &#160;
10 <i>This is</i> the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the
continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. &#160; 11 And in
the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p5.1">Lord</span>; two young bullocks, and
one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; &#160; 12 And
three tenth deals of flour <i>for</i> a meat offering, mingled with
oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour <i>for</i> a
meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; &#160; 13 And a
several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil <i>for</i> a meat
offering unto one lamb; <i>for</i> a burnt offering of a sweet
savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p5.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 14 And their drink offerings shall
be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third <i>part</i> of
an hin unto a ram, and a fourth <i>part</i> of an hin unto a lamb:
this <i>is</i> the burnt offering of every month throughout the
months of the year. &#160; 15 And one kid of the goats for a sin
offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p5.3">Lord</span> shall be
offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink
offering.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxix-p6">The new moons and the sabbaths are often
spoken of together, as great solemnities in the Jewish church, very
comfortable to the saints then, and typical of gospel grace. Now we
have here the sacrifices appointed, 1. For the sabbaths. Every
sabbath day the offering must be doubled; besides the two lambs
offered for the daily burnt-offering, there must be two more
offered, one (it is probable) added to the morning sacrifice, and
the other to the evening, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:9,10" id="Num.xxix-p6.1" parsed="|Num|28|9|28|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.9-Num.28.10"><i>v.</i>
9, 10</scripRef>. This teaches us to double our devotions on
sabbath days, for so the duty of the day requires. The sabbath rest
is to be observed, in order to a more close application to the
sabbath work, which ought to fill up sabbath time. In Ezekiel's
temple-service, which points at gospel times, the sabbath offerings
were to be six lambs and a ram, with their meat-offerings, and
drink-offerings (<scripRef passage="Eze 46:4,5" id="Num.xxix-p6.2" parsed="|Ezek|46|4|46|5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.46.4-Ezek.46.5">Ezek. xlvi. 4,
5</scripRef>), to intimate not only the continuance, but the
advancement, of sabbath sanctification in the days of the Messiah.
This is <i>the burnt-offering of the sabbath in his sabbath,</i> so
it is in the original, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:10" id="Num.xxix-p6.3" parsed="|Num|28|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. We must do every sabbath day's work in its day,
studying to redeem every minute of sabbath time as those that
believe it precious; and not thinking to put off one sabbath's work
to another, for sufficient to every sabbath is the service thereof.
2. For the new moons. Some suggest that, as the sabbath was kept
with an eye to the creation of the world, so the new moons were
sanctified with an eye to the divine providence, which <i>appoints
the moon for seasons,</i> guiding the revolutions of time by its
changes, and governing sublunary bodies (as many think) by its
influences. Though we observe not any feast of new moons, yet we
must not forget to give God the glory of all the precious things
put forth by the moon which he has <i>established for ever, a
faithful witness in heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 89:37" id="Num.xxix-p6.4" parsed="|Ps|89|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.37">Ps.
lxxxix. 37</scripRef>. The offerings in the new moons were very
considerable, two bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs, with the
meat-offerings and drink-offerings that were to attend them
(<scripRef passage="Nu 28:11-15" id="Num.xxix-p6.5" parsed="|Num|28|11|28|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.11-Num.28.15"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>, &amp;c.),
besides a sin-offering, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:15" id="Num.xxix-p6.6" parsed="|Num|28|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. For, when we give glory to God by confessing his
mercies, we must give glory to him likewise by confessing our own
sins; and, when we rejoice in the gifts of common providence, we
must make the sacrifice of Christ, that great gift of special
grace, the fountain and spring-head of our joy. Some have
questioned whether the new moons were to be reckoned among their
feasts; but why should they not, when, besides the special
sacrifices which were then to be offered, they rested from servile
works (<scripRef passage="Am 8:5" id="Num.xxix-p6.7" parsed="|Amos|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.8.5">Amos viii. 5</scripRef>), <i>blew
the trumpets</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 10:10" id="Num.xxix-p6.8" parsed="|Num|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.10.10"><i>ch.</i> x.
10</scripRef>), and went to the prophets <i>to hear the word?</i>
<scripRef passage="2Ki 4:23" id="Num.xxix-p6.9" parsed="|2Kgs|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.4.23">2 Kings iv. 23</scripRef>. And the
worship performed in the new moons is made typical of gospel
solemnities, <scripRef passage="Isa 66:23" id="Num.xxix-p6.10" parsed="|Isa|66|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.66.23">Isa. lxvi.
23</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 28" id="Num.xxix-p6.11" parsed="|Num|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 28:16-31" id="Num.xxix-p6.12" parsed="|Num|28|16|28|31" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.16-Num.28.31"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.28.16-Num.28.31">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxix-p7">16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month
<i>is</i> the passover of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p7.1">Lord</span>.
&#160; 17 And in the fifteenth day of this month <i>is</i> the
feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. &#160; 18 In the
first day <i>shall be</i> an holy convocation; ye shall do no
manner of servile work <i>therein:</i> &#160; 19 But ye shall offer
a sacrifice made by fire <i>for</i> a burnt offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p7.2">Lord</span>; two young bullocks, and one ram, and
seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without
blemish: &#160; 20 And their meat offering <i>shall be of</i> flour
mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock,
and two tenth deals for a ram; &#160; 21 A several tenth deal shalt
thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: &#160; 22
And one goat <i>for</i> a sin offering, to make an atonement for
you. &#160; 23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in
the morning, which <i>is</i> for a continual burnt offering. &#160;
24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven
days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p7.3">Lord</span>: it shall be offered
beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. &#160;
25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye
shall do no servile work. &#160; 26 Also in the day of the
firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p7.4">Lord</span>, after your weeks <i>be out,</i> ye
shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: &#160;
27 But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxix-p7.5">Lord</span>; two young bullocks, one
ram, seven lambs of the first year; &#160; 28 And their meat
offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one
bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram, &#160; 29 A several tenth
deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; &#160; 30
<i>And</i> one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.
&#160; 31 Ye shall offer <i>them</i> beside the continual burnt
offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without
blemish) and their drink offerings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxix-p8">Here is, I. The appointment of the
pass-over sacrifices; not that which was the chief, the paschal
lamb (sufficient instructions had formerly been given concerning
that), but those which were to be offered upon the seven days of
unleavened bread, which followed it, <scripRef passage="Nu 28:17-25" id="Num.xxix-p8.1" parsed="|Num|28|17|28|25" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.17-Num.28.25"><i>v.</i> 17-25</scripRef>. The first and last of
those seven days were to be sanctified as sabbaths, by a holy rest
and a holy convocation, and on each of the seven days they were to
be liberal in their sacrifices, in token of their great and
constant thankfulness for their deliverance out of Egypt: <i>Two
bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs.</i> A gospel conversation, in
gratitude for <i>Christ our passover</i> who was sacrificed, is
called the <i>keeping of this feast</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 5:8" id="Num.xxix-p8.2" parsed="|1Cor|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.8">1 Cor. v. 8</scripRef>); for it is not enough that we
purge out the <i>leavened bread</i> of malice and wickedness, but
we must <i>offer the bread of our God, even the sacrifice of
praise, continually,</i> and continue herein unto the end. 2. The
sacrifices are likewise appointed which were to be offered at the
feast of pentecost, here called the <i>day of the first-fruits,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 28:26" id="Num.xxix-p8.3" parsed="|Num|28|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. In the feast
of unleavened bread they offered a <i>sheaf of their
first-fruits</i> of barley (which with them was first ripe) to the
priest (<scripRef passage="Le 23:10" id="Num.xxix-p8.4" parsed="|Lev|23|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.10">Lev. xxiii. 10</scripRef>), as
an introduction to the harvest; but now, about seven weeks after,
they were to bring a <i>new meat-offering to the Lord,</i> at the
end of harvest, in thankfulness to God, who had not only given,
<i>but preserved to their use, the kindly fruits of the earth, so
as that in due time they did enjoy them.</i> It was at this feast
that <i>the Spirit was poured out</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 2:1-13" id="Num.xxix-p8.5" parsed="|Acts|2|1|2|13" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.1-Acts.2.13">Acts ii. 1</scripRef>, &amp;c.), and thousands were
converted by the preaching of the apostles, and were presented to
Christ, to be <i>a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.</i> The
sacrifice that was to be offered with the loaves of the
first-fruits was appointed, <scripRef passage="Le 23:18" id="Num.xxix-p8.6" parsed="|Lev|23|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.18">Lev.
xxiii. 18</scripRef>. But over and above, besides that and besides
the daily offerings, they were to offer <i>two bullocks, one ram,
and seven lambs, with a kid for a sin-offering,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 28:27-30" id="Num.xxix-p8.7" parsed="|Num|28|27|28|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.27-Num.28.30"><i>v.</i> 27-30</scripRef>. When God sows
plentifully upon us he expects to reap accordingly from us. Bishop
Patrick observes that no <i>peace-offerings</i> are appointed in
this chapter, which were chiefly for the benefit of the offerers,
and therefore in them they were left more to themselves; but
<i>burnt-offerings</i> were purely for the honour of God, were
confessions of his dominion, and typified evangelical piety and
devotion, by which the soul is wholly offered up to God in the
flames of holy love; and <i>sin-offerings</i> were typical of
Christ's sacrifice of himself, <i>by which we and our services are
perfected and sanctified.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIX" n="xxx" progress="79.05%" prev="Num.xxix" next="Num.xxxi" id="Num.xxx">
<h2 id="Num.xxx-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxx-p0.2">CHAP. XXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxx-p1">This chapter appoints the offerings that were to
be made by fire unto the Lord in the three great solemnities of the
seventh month. I. In the feast of trumpets on the first day of that
month, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:1-6" id="Num.xxx-p1.1" parsed="|Num|29|1|29|6" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.1-Num.29.6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>. II. In
the day of atonement on the tenth day, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:7-11" id="Num.xxx-p1.2" parsed="|Num|29|7|29|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.7-Num.29.11">ver. 7-11</scripRef>. III. In the feast of tabernacles
on the fifteenth day and the seven days following, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:12-38" id="Num.xxx-p1.3" parsed="|Num|29|12|29|38" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.12-Num.29.38">ver. 12-38</scripRef>. And then the
conclusion of these ordinances, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:39,40" id="Num.xxx-p1.4" parsed="|Num|29|39|29|40" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.39-Num.29.40">ver. 39, 40</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 29" id="Num.xxx-p1.5" parsed="|Num|29|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 29:1-11" id="Num.xxx-p1.6" parsed="|Num|29|1|29|11" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.1-Num.29.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.29.1-Num.29.11">
<h4 id="Num.xxx-p1.7">Solemnities of the Seventh
Month. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxx-p2">1 And in the seventh month, on the first
<i>day</i> of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye
shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto
you. &#160; 2 And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet
savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p2.1">Lord</span>; one young
bullock, one ram, <i>and</i> seven lambs of the first year without
blemish: &#160; 3 And their meat offering <i>shall be of</i> flour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, <i>and</i> two
tenth deals for a ram, &#160; 4 And one tenth deal for one lamb,
throughout the seven lambs: &#160; 5 And one kid of the goats
<i>for</i> a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: &#160; 6
Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and
the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink
offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a
sacrifice made by fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p2.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 7 And ye shall have on the tenth
<i>day</i> of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall
afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work <i>therein:</i> &#160;
8 But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p2.3">Lord</span> <i>for</i> a sweet savour; one young
bullock, one ram, <i>and</i> seven lambs of the first year; they
shall be unto you without blemish: &#160; 9 And their meat offering
<i>shall be of</i> flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a
bullock, <i>and</i> two tenth deals to one ram, &#160; 10 A several
tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: &#160; 11 One
kid of the goats <i>for</i> a sin offering; beside the sin offering
of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat
offering of it, and their drink offerings.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxx-p3">There were more sacred solemnities in the
seventh month than in any other month of the year, not only because
it had been the first month till the deliverance of Israel out of
Egypt (which, falling in the month Abib, occasioned that to be
thenceforth made the <i>beginning of the months</i> in all
ecclesiastical computations), but because still it continued the
first month in the civil reckonings of the jubilees and years of
release, and also because it was the time of vacation between
harvest and seedtime, when they had most leisure to attend the
sanctuary, which intimates that, though God will dispense with
sacrifices in consideration of works of necessity and mercy, yet
the more leisure we have from the pressing occasions of this life
the more time we should spend in the immediate service of God. 1.
We have here the appointment of the sacrifices that were to be
offered on the first day of the month, the day of <i>blowing the
trumpets,</i> which was a preparative for the two great solemnities
of holy mourning on the day of atonement and of holy joy in the
feast of tabernacles. The intention of divine institutions is well
answered when one religious service helps to fit us for another and
all for heaven. The <i>blowing of the trumpets</i> was appointed,
<scripRef passage="Le 23:24" id="Num.xxx-p3.1" parsed="|Lev|23|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.24">Lev. xxiii. 24</scripRef>. Here the
people are directed what sacrifices to offer on that day, of which
there was not then any mention made. Note, Those who would know the
mind of God in the scripture must compare one part of the scripture
with another, and put those parts together that have reference to
the same thing, for the latter discoveries of divine light explain
what was dark and supply what was defective in the former, <i>that
the man of God may be perfect.</i> The sacrifices then to be
offered are particularly ordered here (<scripRef passage="Nu 29:2-6" id="Num.xxx-p3.2" parsed="|Num|29|2|29|6" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.2-Num.29.6"><i>v.</i> 2-6</scripRef>), and care taken that these
should not supersede the daily oblation and that of the new moon.
It is hereby intimated that we must not seek occasions to abate our
zeal in God's service, nor be glad of an excuse to omit a good
duty, but rather rejoice in an opportunity of accumulating and
doing more than ordinary in religion. If we perform family-worship,
we must not think that this will excuse us from our secret
devotions; nor that on the days we go to church we need not worship
God alone and with our families; but we should <i>always abound in
the work of the Lord.</i> 2. On the <i>day of atonement.</i>
Besides all the services of that day, which we had the institution
of, <scripRef passage="Le 16:1-34" id="Num.xxx-p3.3" parsed="|Lev|16|1|16|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.16.1-Lev.16.34">Lev. xvi.</scripRef>, and which,
one would think, required trouble and charge enough, here are
burnt-offerings ordered to be offered, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:8-10" id="Num.xxx-p3.4" parsed="|Num|29|8|29|10" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.8-Num.29.10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>. For in our faith and
repentance, those two great gospel graces which were signified by
that day's performances, we must have an eye to the glory and
honour of God, which was purely intended in the burnt-offerings;
there was likewise to be a <i>kid of the goats for a sin-offering,
besides the great sin-offering of atonement</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 29:11" id="Num.xxx-p3.5" parsed="|Num|29|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), which intimates that there are
so many defects and faults, even in the exercises and expressions
of our repentance, that we have need of an interest in a sacrifice
to expiate the guilt even of that part of our holy things. Though
we must not repent that we have repented, yet we must repent that
we have not repented better. It likewise intimated the imperfection
of the legal sacrifices, and their insufficiency to take away sin,
that on the very day the <i>sin-offering of atonement</i> was
offered, yet there must be another sin-offering. But <i>what the
law could not do, in that it was weak,</i> that Christ has
done.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 29" id="Num.xxx-p3.6" parsed="|Num|29|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 29:12-40" id="Num.xxx-p3.7" parsed="|Num|29|12|29|40" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.12-Num.29.40"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.29.12-Num.29.40">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxx-p4">12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month
ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and
ye shall keep a feast unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p4.1">Lord</span>
seven days: &#160; 13 And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a
sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p4.2">Lord</span>; thirteen young bullocks, two rams,
<i>and</i> fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without
blemish: &#160; 14 And their meat offering <i>shall be of</i> flour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the
thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams,
&#160; 15 And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen
lambs: &#160; 16 And one kid of the goats <i>for</i> a sin
offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering,
and his drink offering. &#160; 17 And on the second day <i>ye shall
offer</i> twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the
first year without spot: &#160; 18 And their meat offering and
their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, <i>shall be</i> according to their number, after the manner:
&#160; 19 And one kid of the goats <i>for</i> a sin offering;
beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof,
and their drink offerings. &#160; 20 And on the third day eleven
bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without
blemish; &#160; 21 And their meat offering and their drink
offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs,
<i>shall be</i> according to their number, after the manner: &#160;
22 And one goat <i>for</i> a sin offering; beside the continual
burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
&#160; 23 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, <i>and</i>
fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: &#160; 24 Their
meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the
rams, and for the lambs, <i>shall be</i> according to their number,
after the manner: &#160; 25 And one kid of the goats <i>for</i> a
sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat
offering, and his drink offering. &#160; 26 And on the fifth day
nine bullocks, two rams, <i>and</i> fourteen lambs of the first
year without spot: &#160; 27 And their meat offering and their
drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs,
<i>shall be</i> according to their number, after the manner: &#160;
28 And one goat <i>for</i> a sin offering; beside the continual
burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
&#160; 29 And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, <i>and</i>
fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: &#160; 30 And
their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for
the rams, and for the lambs, <i>shall be</i> according to their
number, after the manner: &#160; 31 And one goat <i>for</i> a sin
offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering,
and his drink offering. &#160; 32 And on the seventh day seven
bullocks, two rams, <i>and</i> fourteen lambs of the first year
without blemish: &#160; 33 And their meat offering and their drink
offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs,
<i>shall be</i> according to their number, after the manner: &#160;
34 And one goat <i>for</i> a sin offering; beside the continual
burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. &#160;
35 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do
no servile work <i>therein:</i> &#160; 36 But ye shall offer a
burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p4.3">Lord</span>: one bullock, one ram,
seven lambs of the first year without blemish: &#160; 37 Their meat
offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram,
and for the lambs, <i>shall be</i> according to their number, after
the manner: &#160; 38 And one goat <i>for</i> a sin offering;
beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his
drink offering. &#160; 39 These <i>things</i> ye shall do unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p4.4">Lord</span> in your set feasts, beside your
vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and
for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your
peace offerings. &#160; 40 And Moses told the children of Israel
according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxx-p4.5">Lord</span>
commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxx-p5">Soon after the day of atonement, that day
in which men were to afflict their souls, followed the feast of
tabernacles, in which they were to rejoice before the Lord; for
those that <i>sow in tears</i> shall soon <i>reap in joy.</i> To
the former laws about this feast, which we had, <scripRef passage="Le 23:34-44" id="Num.xxx-p5.1" parsed="|Lev|23|34|23|44" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.34-Lev.23.44">Lev. xxiii. 34</scripRef>, &amp;c., here are added
directions about the <i>offerings by fire,</i> which they were to
offer unto the Lord during the <i>seven days of that feast,</i>
<scripRef passage="Le 33:36" id="Num.xxx-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|33|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.33.36">Lev. xxiii. 36</scripRef>. Observe
here, 1. Their days of rejoicing were to be days of sacrifices. A
disposition to be cheerful does us no harm, nor is any bad symptom,
when it is so far from unfitting us for the duties of God's
immediate service that it encourages and enlarges our hearts in
them. 2. All the days of their dwelling in booths they must offer
sacrifices. While we are here in a tabernacle-state, it is our
interest as well as duty constantly to keep up communion with God;
nor will the unsettledness of our outward condition excuse us in
our neglect of the duties of God's worship. 3. The sacrifices for
each of the seven days, though differing in nothing but the number
of the bullocks, are severally and particularly appointed, which
yet is no vain repetition; for God would thus teach them to be very
exact in those observances, and to keep an eye of faith fixed upon
the institution in every day's work. It likewise intimates that the
repetition of the same services, if performed with an upright
heart, and with a continued fire of pious and devout affection, is
no weariness to God, and therefore we ought not to snuff at it, or
to say, <i>Behold, what a weariness it is to us!</i> 4. The number
of bullocks (which were the most costly part of the sacrifice)
decreased every day. On the first day of the feast they were to
offer thirteen, on the second day but twelve, on the third day
eleven, &amp;c. So that on the seventh they offered seven; and the
last day, though it was the great day of the feast, and celebrated
with a holy convocation, yet they were to offer but one bullock;
and, whereas on all the other days they offered two rams and
fourteen lambs, on this they offered but one ram and seven lambs.
Such was the will of the Law-maker, and that is reason enough for
the law. Some suggest that God herein considered the infirmity of
the flesh, which is apt to grudge the charge and expense of
religion; it is therefore ordered to grow less and less, that they
might not complain as if God had <i>made them to serve with an
offering,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 43:23" id="Num.xxx-p5.3" parsed="|Isa|43|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.23">Isa. xliii.
23</scripRef>. Or it is hereby intimated to them that the legal
dispensation should wax old, and vanish away at last; and the
multitude of their sacrifices should end in one great sacrifice,
infinitely more worthy than all of them. It was on the last day of
the feast, after all these sacrifices had been ordered, that our
Lord Jesus stood and cried to those who still thirsted after
righteousness (being sensible of the insufficiency of these
sacrifices to justify them) <i>to come unto him and drink,</i>
<scripRef passage="Joh 7:37" id="Num.xxx-p5.4" parsed="|John|7|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.37">John vii. 37</scripRef>. 5. The
meat-offerings and drink-offerings attended all the sacrifices,
<i>according to their number, after the manner.</i> Be there ever
so much flesh, it is no feast without bread and drink, therefore
these must never be omitted at God's altar, which was his table. We
must not think that doing much in religion will be accepted if we
do not do it well, and after the manner that God has appointed. 6.
Every day there must be a sin-offering presented, as we observed in
the other feasts. Our burnt-offerings of praise cannot be accepted
of God unless we have an interest in the great sacrifice of
propitiation which Christ offered when for us he made himself a
sin-offering. 7. Even when all these sacrifices were offered, yet
the continual burnt-offering must not be omitted either morning or
evening, but each day this must be offered first in the morning and
last in the evening. No extraordinary services should jostle out
our stated devotions. 8. Though all these sacrifices were required
to be presented by the body of the congregation, at the common
charge, yet, besides these, particular persons were to glorify God
with their vows and their free-will offerings, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:39" id="Num.xxx-p5.5" parsed="|Num|29|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. When God commanded that this
<i>they must do,</i> he left room for the generosity of their
devotion, a great deal more they <i>might do,</i> not inventing
other worships, but abounding in these, as <scripRef passage="2Ch 30:23,24" id="Num.xxx-p5.6" parsed="|2Chr|30|23|30|24" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.30.23-2Chr.30.24">2 Chron. xxx. 23, 24</scripRef>. Large directions
had been given in Leviticus concerning the offerings of all sorts
that should be brought by particular persons according to the
providences of God concerning them and the graces of God in them.
Though every Israelite had an interest in these common sacrifices,
yet he must not think that these will serve instead of his vows and
his free-will offerings. Thus our ministers' praying with us and
for us will not excuse us from praying for ourselves.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXX" n="xxxi" progress="79.35%" prev="Num.xxx" next="Num.xxxii" id="Num.xxxi">
<h2 id="Num.xxxi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxi-p0.2">CHAP. XXX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxi-p1">In this chapter we have a law concerning vows,
which had been mentioned in the close of the foregoing chapter. I.
Here is a general rule laid down that all vows must be carefully
performed, <scripRef passage="Nu 30:1,2" id="Num.xxxi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|30|1|30|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.1-Num.30.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. II.
Some particular exceptions to this rule. 1. That the vows of
daughters should not be binding unless allowed by the father,
<scripRef passage="Nu 30:3-5" id="Num.xxxi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|30|3|30|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.3-Num.30.5">ver. 3-5</scripRef>. Nor, 2. The vows
of wives unless allowed by the husband, <scripRef passage="Nu 30:6-16" id="Num.xxxi-p1.3" parsed="|Num|30|6|30|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.6-Num.30.16">ver. 6</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 30" id="Num.xxxi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 30:1-2" id="Num.xxxi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|30|1|30|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.1-Num.30.2"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.30.1-Num.30.2">
<h4 id="Num.xxxi-p1.6">Concerning Vows. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxi-p2">1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes
concerning the children of Israel, saying, This <i>is</i> the thing
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p2.1">Lord</span> hath commanded.
&#160; 2 If a man vow a vow unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p2.2">Lord</span>, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a
bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all
that proceedeth out of his mouth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxi-p3">This law was delivered to the heads of the
tribes that they might instruct those who were under their charge,
explain the law to them, give then necessary cautions, and call
them to account, if there were occasion, for the breach of their
vows. Perhaps the heads of the tribes had, upon some emergency of
this kind, consulted Moses, and desired by him to know the mind of
God, and here they are told it: <i>This is the thing which the Lord
has commanded</i> concerning vows, and it is a command still in
force.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxi-p4">1. The case supposed is that a person vows
a vow unto the Lord, making God a party to the promise, and
designing his honour and glory in it. The matter of the vow is
supposed to be something lawful: no man can be by his own promise
bound to do that which he is already by the divine precept
prohibited from doing. Yet it is supposed to be something which, in
such and such measures and degrees, was not a necessary duty
antecedent to the vow. A person might vow to bring such and such
sacrifices at certain times, to give such and such a sum or such a
proportion in alms, to forbear such meats and drinks which the law
allowed, to fast and afflict the soul (which is specified <scripRef passage="Nu 30:13" id="Num.xxxi-p4.1" parsed="|Num|30|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>) at other times besides
the day of atonement. And many similar vows might be made in an
extraordinary heat of holy zeal, in humiliation for some sin
committed or for the prevention of sin, in the pursuit of some
mercy desired or in gratitude for some mercy received. It is of
great use to make such vows as these, provided they be made in
sincerity with due caution. Vows (say the Jewish doctors) are
<i>the hedge of separation,</i> that is, a fence to religion. He
that vows is here said to <i>bind his soul with a bond.</i> It is a
vow to God, who is a spirit, and to him the soul, with all its
powers, must be bound. A promise to man is a bond upon the estate,
but a promise to God is a bond upon the soul. Our sacramental vows,
by which we are bound to no more than what was before our duty, and
which neither father nor husband can disannul, are bonds upon the
soul, and by them we must feel ourselves bound out from all sin and
bound up to the whole will of God. Our occasional vows concerning
that which before was <i>in our own power</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 5:4" id="Num.xxxi-p4.2" parsed="|Acts|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.5.4">Acts v. 4</scripRef>), when they are made, are bonds upon
the soul likewise. 2. The command given is that these vows be
conscientiously performed: <i>He shall not break his word,</i>
though afterwards he may change his mind, but he shall do according
to what he has said. <i>Margin, He shall not profane his word.</i>
Vowing is an ordinance of God; if we vow in hypocrisy we profane
that ordinance: it is plainly determined, <i>Better not vow than
vow and not pay,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 5:5" id="Num.xxxi-p4.3" parsed="|Eccl|5|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.5">Eccl. v.
5</scripRef>. <i>Be not deceived, God is not mocked.</i> His
promises to us are <i>yea and amen,</i> let not ours to him be
<i>yea and nay.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 30:3-16" id="Num.xxxi-p4.4" parsed="|Num|30|3|30|16" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.3-Num.30.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.30.3-Num.30.16">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxi-p5">3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p5.1">Lord</span>, and bind herself by a bond,
<i>being</i> in her father's house in her youth; &#160; 4 And her
father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her
soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her: then all her vows
shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall
stand. &#160; 5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he
heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath
bound her soul, shall stand: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p5.2">Lord</span> shall forgive her, because her father
disallowed her. &#160; 6 And if she had at all an husband, when she
vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her
soul; &#160; 7 And her husband heard <i>it,</i> and held his peace
at her in the day that he heard <i>it:</i> then her vows shall
stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
&#160; 8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard
<i>it;</i> then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that
which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of
none effect: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p5.3">Lord</span> shall
forgive her. &#160; 9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is
divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand
against her. &#160; 10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or
bound her soul by a bond with an oath; &#160; 11 And her husband
heard <i>it,</i> and held his peace at her, <i>and</i> disallowed
her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith
she bound her soul shall stand. &#160; 12 But if her husband hath
utterly made them void on the day he heard <i>them; then</i>
whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or
concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath
made them void; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p5.4">Lord</span> shall
forgive her. &#160; 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict
the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it
void. &#160; 14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her
from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her
bonds, which <i>are</i> upon her: he confirmeth them, because he
held his peace at her in the day that he heard <i>them.</i> &#160;
15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard
<i>them;</i> then he shall bear her iniquity. &#160; 16 These
<i>are</i> the statutes, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxi-p5.5">Lord</span> commanded Moses, between a man and his
wife, between the father and his daughter, <i>being yet</i> in her
youth in her father's house.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxi-p6">It is here taken for granted that all such
persons as are <i>sui juris&#8212;at their own disposal,</i> and are
likewise of sound understanding and memory, are bound to perform
whatever they vow that is lawful and possible; but, if the person
vowing be under the dominion and at the disposal of another, the
case is different. Two cases much alike are here put and
determined:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxi-p7">I. The case of a daughter in her father's
house: and some think, probably enough, that it extends to a son
likewise, while he is at home with his father, and under tutors and
governors. Whether the exception may thus be stretched I cannot
say. <i>Non est distinguendum, ubi lex non distinguit&#8212;We are not
allowed to make distinctions which the law does not.</i> The rule
is general, If a man vow, he must pay. But for a daughter it is
express: her vow is nugatory or in suspense till her father knows
it, and (it is supposed) knows it from her; for, when it comes to
his knowledge, it is in his power either to ratify or nullify it.
But in favour of the vow, 1. Even his silence shall suffice to
ratify it: If he <i>hold his peace, her vows shall stand,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 30:4" id="Num.xxxi-p7.1" parsed="|Num|30|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. <i>Qui tacet,
consentire videtur&#8212;Silence gives consent.</i> Hereby he allows his
daughter the liberty she has assumed, and, as long as he says
nothing against her vow, she shall be bound by it. But, 2. His
protestation against it shall perfectly disannul it, because it is
possible that such vow may by prejudicial to the affairs of the
family, break the father's measures, perplex the provision made for
his table if the vow related to meats, or lessen the provision made
for his children if the vow would be more expensive than his estate
would bear; however, it was certain that it was an infringement of
his authority over his child, and therefore, if he disallow it, she
is discharged, and <i>the Lord shall forgive her,</i> that is, she
shall not be charged with the guilt of violating her vow; she
showed her good-will in making the vow, and, if her intentions
therein were sincere, she shall be accounted better than sacrifice.
This shows how great a deference children owe to their parents, and
how much they ought to honour them and be obedient to them. It is
for the interest of the public that the paternal authority be
supported; for, when children are countenanced in their
disobedience to their parents (as they were by the tradition of the
elders, <scripRef passage="Mt 15:5,6" id="Num.xxxi-p7.2" parsed="|Matt|15|5|15|6" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.5-Matt.15.6">Matt. xv. 5, 6</scripRef>),
they soon become in other things <i>children of Belial.</i> If this
law be not to be extended to children's marrying without their
parents' consent so far as to put it in parents' power to annul the
marriage and dissolve the obligation (as some have thought it
does), yet certainly it proves the sinfulness of it, and obliges
the children that have thus done foolishly to repent and humble
themselves before God and their parents.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxi-p8">II. The case of a wife is much the same. As
for a woman that is a widow or divorced, she has neither father nor
husband to control her, so that, whatever vows she binds her soul
with, they shall <i>stand against her</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 30:9" id="Num.xxxi-p8.1" parsed="|Num|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), it is at her peril if she run
back; but a wife, who has nothing that she can strictly call her
own, but with her husband's allowance, cannot, without that, make
any such vow. 1. The law is plain in case of a wife that continues
so long after the vow. If her husband allow her vow, though only by
silence, it must stand, <scripRef passage="Nu 30:6,7" id="Num.xxxi-p8.2" parsed="|Num|30|6|30|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.6-Num.30.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. If he disallow it, since her obligation to that which
she had vowed arose purely from her own act, and not from any prior
command of God, her obligation to her husband shall take place of
it, for to him she ought to be in subjection <i>as unto the
Lord;</i> and now it is so far from being her duty to fulfil her
vow that it would be her sin to disobey her husband, whose consent
perhaps she ought to have asked before she made the vow; therefore
she needs <i>forgiveness,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 30:8" id="Num.xxxi-p8.3" parsed="|Num|30|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. 2. The law is the same in case of a wife that soon
after becomes a widow, or is put away. Though, if she return to her
father's house, she does not therefore so come again under his
authority as that he has power to disannul her vows (<scripRef passage="Nu 30:9" id="Num.xxxi-p8.4" parsed="|Num|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), yet if the vow was made
while she was in the house of her husband, and her husband
disallowed it, it was made void and of no effect for ever, and she
does not return under the law of her vow when she is loosed from
the law of her husband. This seems to be the distinct meaning of
<scripRef passage="Nu 30:10-14" id="Num.xxxi-p8.5" parsed="|Num|30|10|30|14" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.10-Num.30.14"><i>v.</i> 10-14</scripRef>, which
otherwise would be but a repetition of <scripRef passage="Nu 30:6-8" id="Num.xxxi-p8.6" parsed="|Num|30|6|30|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.6-Num.30.8"><i>v.</i> 6-8</scripRef>. But it is added (<scripRef passage="Nu 30:15" id="Num.xxxi-p8.7" parsed="|Num|30|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.30.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) that, if the husband
make void the vows of his wife, he shall <i>bear her iniquity;</i>
that is, if the thing she had vowed was really good, for the honour
of God and the prosperity of her own soul, and the husband
disallowed it out of covetousness, or humour, or to show his
authority, though she be discharged from the obligation of her vow,
yet he will have a great deal to answer for. Now here it is very
observable how carefully the divine law consults the good order of
families, and preserves the power of superior relations, and the
duty and reverence of inferiors. It is fit that every man should
<i>bear rule in his own house,</i> and have his wife and children
in subjection with all gravity; and rather than this great rule
should be broken, or any encouragement given to inferior relations
to break those bonds asunder, God himself would quit his right, and
release the obligations even of a solemn vow; so much does religion
strengthen the ties of all relations, and secure the welfare of all
societiesd, that in it the <i>families of the earth are
blessed.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXI" n="xxxii" progress="79.59%" prev="Num.xxxi" next="Num.xxxiii" id="Num.xxxii">
<h2 id="Num.xxxii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxii-p1">This chapter belongs to "the book of the wars of
the Lord," in which it is probable it was inserted. It is the
history of a holy war, a war with Midian. Here is, I. A divine
command for the war, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:1,2" id="Num.xxxii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|31|1|31|2" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.1-Num.31.2">ver. 1,
2</scripRef>. II. The undertaking of the war, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:3-6" id="Num.xxxii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|31|3|31|6" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.3-Num.31.6">ver. 3-6</scripRef>. III. The glorious success of it,
<scripRef passage="Nu 31:7-12" id="Num.xxxii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|31|7|31|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.7-Num.31.12">ver. 7-12</scripRef>. IV. Their
triumphant return from the war. 1. The respect Moses paid to the
soldiers, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:13" id="Num.xxxii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.13">ver. 13</scripRef>. 2. The
rebuke he gave them for sparing the women, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:14-18" id="Num.xxxii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|31|14|31|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.14-Num.31.18">ver. 14-18</scripRef>. 3. The directions he gave them
for the purifying of themselves and their effects, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:19-24" id="Num.xxxii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|31|19|31|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.19-Num.31.24">ver. 19-24</scripRef>. 4. The distribution of
the spoil they had taken, one half to the soldiers, the other to
the congregation, and a tribute to the Lord out of each, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:25-47" id="Num.xxxii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|31|25|31|47" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.25-Num.31.47">ver. 25-47</scripRef>. 5. The free-will
offering of the officers, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:48-54" id="Num.xxxii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|31|48|31|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.48-Num.31.54">ver.
48</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31" id="Num.xxxii-p1.9" parsed="|Num|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31:1-6" id="Num.xxxii-p1.10" parsed="|Num|31|1|31|6" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.1-Num.31.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.31.1-Num.31.6">
<h4 id="Num.xxxii-p1.11">The Slaughter of the
Midianites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxii-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 2 Avenge the children of Israel of
the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
&#160; 3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of
yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites,
and avenge the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p2.2">Lord</span> of Midian.
&#160; 4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of
Israel, shall ye send to the war. &#160; 5 So there were delivered
out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of <i>every</i> tribe,
twelve thousand armed for war. &#160; 6 And Moses sent them to the
war, a thousand of <i>every</i> tribe, them and Phinehas the son of
Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the
trumpets to blow in his hand.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p3">Here, I. The Lord of hosts gives orders to
Moses to make war upon the Midianites, and his commission no doubt
justified this war, though it will not serve to justify the like
without such commission. The Midianites were the posterity of
Abraham by Keturah, <scripRef passage="Ge 25:2" id="Num.xxxii-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|25|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.25.2">Gen. xxv.
2</scripRef>. Some of them settled south of Canaan, among whom
Jethro lived, and they retained the worship of the true God; but
these were settled east of Canaan, and had fallen into idolatry,
neighbours to, and in confederacy with, the Moabites. Their land
was not designed to be given to Israel, nor would Israel have
meddled with them if they had not made themselves obnoxious to
their resentment by sending their bad women among them to draw them
to whoredom and idolatry. This was the provocation, this was the
quarrel. For this (says God) <i>avenge Israel of the
Midianites,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 31:2" id="Num.xxxii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|31|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
1. God would have the Midianites chastised, an inroad made upon
that part of their country which lay next to the camp of Israel,
and which was probably more concerned in that mischief than the
Moabites, who therefore were let alone. God will have us to reckon
those our worst enemies that draw us to sin, and to avoid them; and
since <i>every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own
lusts,</i> and these are the Midianites which ensnare us with their
wiles, on them we should avenge ourselves, not only make no league
with them, but make war upon them by living a life of
mortification. God had taken vengeance on his own people for
yielding to the Midianites' temptations; now the Midianites, that
gave the temptation, must be reckoned with, for <i>the deceived and
the deceiver are his</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 12:16" id="Num.xxxii-p3.3" parsed="|Job|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.12.16">Job xii.
16</scripRef>), both accountable to his tribunal; and, though
<i>judgment begin at the house of God,</i> it shall not end there,
<scripRef passage="1Pe 4:17" id="Num.xxxii-p3.4" parsed="|1Pet|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.17">1 Pet. iv. 17</scripRef>. There is a
day coming when vengeance will be taken on those that have
introduced errors and corruptions into the church, and the devil
that deceived men will be <i>cast into the lake of fire.</i>
Israel's quarrel with Amalek, that fought against them, was not
avenged till long after: but their quarrel with Midian, that
debauched them, was speedily avenged, for they were looked upon as
much more the dangerous and malicious enemies. 2. God would have it
done by Moses, in his life-time, that he who had so deeply resented
that injury might have the satisfaction of seeing it avenged. "See
this execution done upon the enemies of God and Israel, and
<i>afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people.</i>" This was
the only piece of service of this kind that Moses must further do,
and then he has accomplished, as a hireling, his day, and shall
have his <i>quietus&#8212;enter into rest:</i> hitherto his usefulness
must come, and no further; the wars of Canaan must be carried on by
another hand. Note, God sometimes removes useful men when we think
they can be ill spared; but this ought to satisfy us, that they are
never removed till they have done the work which was appointed
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p4">II. Moses gives orders to the people to
prepare for this expedition, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:3" id="Num.xxxii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. He would not have the whole body of the camp to stir,
but they must <i>arm some of themselves to the war,</i> such as
were either most fit or most forward, and <i>avenge the Lord of
Midian.</i> God said, <i>Avenge Israel;</i> Moses says, <i>Avenge
the Lord;</i> for the interests of God and Israel are united, and
the cause of both is one and the same. And if God, in what he does,
shows himself jealous for the honour of Israel, surely Israel, in
what they do, ought to show themselves jealous for the glory of
God. Then only we can justify the avenging of ourselves when it is
the vengeance of the Lord that we engage in. Nay, for this reason
we are forbidden to avenge ourselves, because God has said,
<i>Vengeance is mine, I will repay.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p5">III. A detachment is drawn out accordingly
for this service, 1000 <i>out of every tribe,</i> 12,000 in all, a
small number in comparison with what they could have sent, and it
is probable small in comparison with the number of the enemies they
were sent against. But God would teach them that it is all one to
him <i>to save by many or by few,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 14:6" id="Num.xxxii-p5.1" parsed="|1Sam|14|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.14.6">1 Sam. xiv. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p6">IV. Phinehas the son of Eleazar is sent
along with them. It is strange that no mention is made of Joshua in
this great action. If he was general of these forces, who do we not
find him leading them out? If he tarried at home, why do we not
find him meeting them with Moses at their return? It is probable,
each tribe having a captain of its own thousand, there was no
general, but they proceeded in the order of their march through the
wilderness, Judah first, and the rest in their posts, under the
command of their respective captains, spoken of <scripRef passage="Nu 31:48" id="Num.xxxii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|31|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.48"><i>v.</i> 48</scripRef>. But, the war being a holy war,
Phinehas was their common head, not to supply the place of a
general, but, by the oracle of God, to determine the resolves of
their counsels of war, in which the captains of thousands would all
acquiesce, and according to which they would act in conjunction. He
therefore took with him the holy instruments or vessels, probably
the breast-plate of judgment, by which God might he consulted in
any emergency. Though he was not yet the high priest, yet he might
be delegated <i>pro hac vice&#8212;for this particular occasion,</i> to
bear the urim and thummim, as <scripRef passage="1Sa 23:6" id="Num.xxxii-p6.2" parsed="|1Sam|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.23.6">1 Sam.
xxiii. 6</scripRef>. And there was a particular reason for sending
Phinehas to preside in this expedition; he has already signalized
himself for his zeal against the Midianites and their cursed arts
to ensnare Israel when he slew Cozbi, a daughter of a chief house
in Midian, for her impudence in the matter of Peor, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:15" id="Num.xxxii-p6.3" parsed="|Num|25|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.15"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 15</scripRef>. He that had so
well used the sword of justice against a particular criminal was
best qualified to guide the sword of war against the whole nation.
<i>Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31:7-12" id="Num.xxxii-p6.4" parsed="|Num|31|7|31|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.7-Num.31.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.31.7-Num.31.12">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxii-p7">7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p7.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses; and they slew
all the males. &#160; 8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside
the rest of them that were slain; <i>namely,</i> Evi, and Rekem,
and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the
son of Beor they slew with the sword. &#160; 9 And the children of
Israel took <i>all</i> the women of Midian captives, and their
little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their
flocks, and all their goods. &#160; 10 And they burnt all their
cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
&#160; 11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey,
<i>both</i> of men and of beasts. &#160; 12 And they brought the
captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the
priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto
the camp at the plains of Moab, which <i>are</i> by Jordan
<i>near</i> Jericho.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p8">Here is, 1. The descent which this little
army of Israelites made, under the divine commission, conduct, and
command, upon the country of Midian. They <i>warred against the
Midianites.</i> It is very probable that they first published their
manifesto, showing the reasons of the war, and requiring them to
give up the ringleaders of the mischief to justice; for such
afterwards was the <i>law</i> (<scripRef passage="De 20:10" id="Num.xxxii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.10">Deut.
xx. 10</scripRef>), and such the <i>practice,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 20:12,13" id="Num.xxxii-p8.2" parsed="|Judg|20|12|20|13" osisRef="Bible:Judg.20.12-Judg.20.13">Judg. xx. 12, 13</scripRef>. But the
Midianites justifying what they had done, and standing by those
that had done it, the Israelites attacked them with fire and sword,
and all the pious fury with which their zeal for God and their
people inspired them. 2. The execution (the military execution)
they did in this descent. (1.) <i>They slew all the males</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 31:7" id="Num.xxxii-p8.3" parsed="|Num|31|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), that is, all
they met with as far as they went; they put them all to the sword,
and gave no quarter. But that they did not slay all the males of
the nation is certain, for we find the Midianites a powerful and
formidable enemy to Israel in the days of Gideon; and they were the
Midianites of this country, for they are reckoned with the
<i>children of the east,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 6:3" id="Num.xxxii-p8.4" parsed="|Judg|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.6.3">Judg. vi.
3</scripRef>. (2.) They <i>slew the kings of Midian</i> the same
that are called <i>elders of Midian</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:4" id="Num.xxxii-p8.5" parsed="|Num|22|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.4"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 4</scripRef>), and the <i>dukes of
Sihon,</i> <scripRef passage="Jos 13:21" id="Num.xxxii-p8.6" parsed="|Josh|13|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.13.21">Josh. xiii. 21</scripRef>.
Five of these princes are here named, one of whom is <i>Zur,</i>
probably the same Zur whose daughter Cosbi was, <scripRef passage="Nu 25:15" id="Num.xxxii-p8.7" parsed="|Num|25|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.15"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 15</scripRef>. (3.) They slew Balaam.
Many conjectures there are as to what brought Balaam among the
Midianites at this time; it is probable that the Midianites, having
intelligence of the march of this army of Israelites against them,
hired Balaam to come and assist them with his enchantments, that if
he could not prevail to act offensively in their favour, by cursing
the armies of Israel, yet he might act defensively, by blessing the
country of Midian. Whatever was the occasion of his being there,
God's overruling providence brought him thither, and there his just
vengeance found him. Had he himself believed what he said of the
happy state of Israel, he would not have herded thus with the
enemies of Israel; but justly does he die the death of the wicked
(though he pretended to desire that of the righteous), and go
<i>down slain to the pit with the uncircumcised,</i> who rebelled
thus against the convictions of his own conscience. The Midianites'
wiles were Balaam's projects, it was therefore just that he should
perish with them, <scripRef passage="Ho 4:5" id="Num.xxxii-p8.8" parsed="|Hos|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.4.5">Hos. iv. 5</scripRef>.
Now was <i>his</i> folly made manifest to all men, who foretold the
fate of others, but foresaw not his own. (4.) They took all the
<i>women and children captives,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 31:9" id="Num.xxxii-p8.9" parsed="|Num|31|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. (5.) They <i>burnt their cities
and goodly castles</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 31:10" id="Num.xxxii-p8.10" parsed="|Num|31|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>), not designing to inhabit them themselves (that
country was out of their line), but they thus prevented those who
had made their escape from sheltering themselves in their own
country and settling there again. Some understand it of their
idol-temples; it was fit that they should share in this vengeance.
(6.) They plundered the country, and carried off all the cattle and
valuable goods, and so returned to the camp of Israel laden with a
very rich booty, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:9,11,12" id="Num.xxxii-p8.11" parsed="|Num|31|9|0|0;|Num|31|11|0|0;|Num|31|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.9 Bible:Num.31.11 Bible:Num.31.12"><i>v.</i> 9, 11,
12</scripRef>. Thus (as when they came out of Egypt) they were
enriched with the spoils of their enemies, and furnished with stock
for the good land into which God was bringing them.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31" id="Num.xxxii-p8.12" parsed="|Num|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31:13-24" id="Num.xxxii-p8.13" parsed="|Num|31|13|31|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.13-Num.31.24"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.31.13-Num.31.24">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxii-p9">13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all
the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without
the camp. &#160; 14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the
host, <i>with</i> the captains over thousands, and captains over
hundreds, which came from the battle. &#160; 15 And Moses said unto
them, Have ye saved all the women alive? &#160; 16 Behold, these
caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to
commit trespass against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p9.1">Lord</span> in
the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p9.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 17 Now therefore
kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that
hath known man by lying with him. &#160; 18 But all the women
children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive
for yourselves. &#160; 19 And do ye abide without the camp seven
days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched
any slain, purify <i>both</i> yourselves and your captives on the
third day, and on the seventh day. &#160; 20 And purify all
<i>your</i> raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of
goats' <i>hair,</i> and all things made of wood. &#160; 21 And
Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the
battle, This <i>is</i> the ordinance of the law which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p9.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses; &#160; 22 Only the
gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
&#160; 23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make
<i>it</i> go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless
it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that
abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water. &#160; 24
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be
clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p10">We have here the triumphant return of the
army of Israel from the war with Midian, and here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p11">I. They were met with great respect,
<scripRef passage="Nu 31:13" id="Num.xxxii-p11.1" parsed="|Num|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Moses
himself, notwithstanding his age and gravity, walked out of the
camp to congratulate them on their victory, and to grace the
solemnity of their triumphs. Public successes should be publicly
acknowledged, to the glory of God, and the encouragement of those
that have jeoparded their lives in their country's cause.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p12">II. They were severely reproved for saving
the women alive. It is very probable that Moses had commanded them
to kill the women, at least this was implied in the general order
to avenge Israel of the Midianites; the execution having reference
to that crime, their drawing them in to the worship of Peor, it was
easy to conclude that the women, who were the principal criminals,
must not be spared. What! says Moses, <i>have you saved the women
alive?</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 31:15" id="Num.xxxii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|31|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. He
was moved with a holy indignation at the sight of them. <i>These
were those that caused the children of Israel to commit this
trespass;</i> and therefore, 1. It is just that they should die.
The law in case of whoredom was, <i>The adulterer and adulteress
should surely be put to death.</i> God had put to death the
adulterers of Israel by the plague, and now it was fit that the
adulteresses of Midian, especially since they had been the
tempters, should be put to death by the sword. 2. "It is dangerous
to let them live; they will be still tempting the Israelites to
uncleanness, and so your captives will be your conquerors and a
second time your destroyers." Severe orders are therefore given
that all the grown women should be slain in cold blood, and only
the female children spared.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p13">III. They were obliged to purify
themselves, according to the ceremony of the law, and to abide
without the camp seven days, till their purification was
accomplished. For, 1. They had imbrued their hands in blood, by
which though they had not contracted any moral guilt, the war being
just and lawful, yet they were brought under a ceremonial
uncleanness, which rendered them unfit to come near the tabernacle
till they were purified. Thus God would preserve in their minds a
dread and detestation of murder. David must not build the temple
because he had been a <i>man of war, and had shed blood,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Ch 28:3" id="Num.xxxii-p13.1" parsed="|1Chr|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.28.3">1 Chron. xxviii. 3</scripRef>. 2. They
could not but have touched dead bodies, by which they were
polluted, and that required they should be purified with the water
of separation, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:19,20,24" id="Num.xxxii-p13.2" parsed="|Num|31|19|31|20;|Num|31|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.19-Num.31.20 Bible:Num.31.24"><i>v.</i> 19, 20,
24</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p14">IV. They must likewise purify the spoil
they had taken, the captives (<scripRef passage="Nu 31:19" id="Num.xxxii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|31|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) and all the goods, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:21-23" id="Num.xxxii-p14.2" parsed="|Num|31|21|31|23" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.21-Num.31.23"><i>v.</i> 21-23</scripRef>. What would bear
the fire must pass through the fire, and what would not must be
washed with water. These things had been use by Midianites, and,
having now come into the possession of Israelites, it was fit that
they should be sanctified to the service of that holy nation and
the honour of their holy God. To us now every thing is sanctified
by the word and prayer, if we are sanctified by the Spirit, who is
compared both to fire and water. <i>To the pure all things are
pure.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31:25-47" id="Num.xxxii-p14.3" parsed="|Num|31|25|31|47" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.25-Num.31.47"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.31.25-Num.31.47">
<h4 id="Num.xxxii-p14.4">Distribution of the Spoil. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p14.5">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxii-p15">25 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 26 Take the sum of the prey that
was taken, <i>both</i> of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the
priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation: &#160; 27 And
divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon
them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:
&#160; 28 And levy a tribute unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.2">Lord</span> of the men of war which went out to battle:
one soul of five hundred, <i>both</i> of the persons, and of the
beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep: &#160; 29 Take
<i>it</i> of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest,
<i>for</i> an heave offering of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 30 And of the children of Israel's
half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the
beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts,
and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the
tabernacle of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.4">Lord</span>. &#160; 31
And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.5">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 32 And the booty,
<i>being</i> the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught,
was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand
sheep, &#160; 33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, &#160;
34 And threescore and one thousand asses, &#160; 35 And thirty and
two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by
lying with him. &#160; 36 And the half, <i>which was</i> the
portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred
thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:
&#160; 37 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.6">Lord</span>'s tribute of
the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen. &#160; 38 And
the beeves <i>were</i> thirty and six thousand; of which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.7">Lord</span>'s tribute <i>was</i> threescore and
twelve. &#160; 39 And the asses <i>were</i> thirty thousand and
five hundred; of which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.8">Lord</span>'s
tribute <i>was</i> threescore and one. &#160; 40 And the persons
<i>were</i> sixteen thousand; of which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.9">Lord</span>'s tribute <i>was</i> thirty and two
persons. &#160; 41 And Moses gave the tribute, <i>which was</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.10">Lord</span>'s heave offering, unto Eleazar
the priest, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.11">Lord</span> commanded
Moses. &#160; 42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses
divided from the men that warred, &#160; 43 (Now the half <i>that
pertained unto</i> the congregation was three hundred thousand and
thirty thousand <i>and</i> seven thousand and five hundred sheep,
&#160; 44 And thirty and six thousand beeves, &#160; 45 And thirty
thousand asses and five hundred, &#160; 46 And sixteen thousand
persons;) &#160; 47 Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses
took one portion of fifty, <i>both</i> of man and of beast, and
gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.12">Lord</span>; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p15.13">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p16">We have here the distribution of the spoil
which was taken in this expedition against Midian. God himself
directed how it should be distributed, and Moses and Eleazar did
according to the directions, and thus unhappy contests among
themselves were prevented and the victory was made to turn to the
common benefit. It was fit that he who gave them the prey should
order the disposal of it. All we have is from God, and therefore
must be subject to his will.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p17">I. The prey is ordered to be divided into
two parts, one for the 12,000 men that undertook the war, and the
other for the congregation. The prey that was divided seems to have
been only the captives and the cattle; as for the plate, and
jewels, and other goods, every man kept what he took, as is
intimated, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:50-53" id="Num.xxxii-p17.1" parsed="|Num|31|50|31|53" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.50-Num.31.53"><i>v.</i>
50-53</scripRef>. That only was distributed which would be of use
for the stocking of that good land into which they were going. Now
observe, 1. That the one half of the prey was given to the whole
congregation, Moses allotting to each tribe its share, and then
leaving it to the heads of the tribes to divide their respective
shares among themselves, according to their families. The war was
undertaken on the behalf of the whole congregation; they would all
have been ready to <i>go to the help of the Lord against the
mighty,</i> if they had been so ordered, and they did help, it is
likely, by their prayers; and therefore God appoints that those
that <i>tarried at home should divide the spoil,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 68:12" id="Num.xxxii-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|68|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.12">Ps. lxviii. 12</scripRef>. David, in his time,
made it a <i>statute and an ordinance for Israel,</i> that, as his
part is that <i>goes down to the battle, so shall his part be that
tarrieth by the stuff,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 30:24,25" id="Num.xxxii-p17.3" parsed="|1Sam|30|24|30|25" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.30.24-1Sam.30.25">1 Sam.
xxx. 24, 25</scripRef>. Those that are employed in public trusts
must not think to benefit themselves only by their toils and
hazards, but must aim at the advantage of the community. 2. That
yet the 12,000 that went to the battle had as much for their share
as the whole congregation (which were fifty times as many) had for
theirs; so that the particular persons of the soldiery had a much
better share than any of their brethren that tarried at home: and
good reason they should. The greater pains we take, and the greater
hazards we run, in the service of God and our generation, the
greater will our recompence be at last; for <i>God is not
unrighteous to forget the work and labour of love.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p18">II. God was to have a tribute out of it, as
an acknowledgment of his sovereignty over them in general, and that
he was their king to whom <i>tribute was due,</i> and particularly
of his interest in this war and the gains of it, he having given
them their success; and that the priests, the Lord's receivers,
might have something added to the provision made for their
maintenance. Note, Whatever we have, God must have his dues out of
it. And here (as before) the soldiers are favoured above the rest
of the congregation, for out of the people's share God required one
in fifty, but out of the soldier's share only one in 500, because
the people got theirs easily, without any peril or fatigue. The
less opportunity we have of honouring God with our personal
services the more it is expected we should honour him with our
substance. The tribute out of the soldiers' half was given to the
priests (<scripRef passage="Nu 31:29" id="Num.xxxii-p18.1" parsed="|Num|31|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>),
that out of the people's half was given to the Levites, <scripRef passage="Nu 31:30" id="Num.xxxii-p18.2" parsed="|Num|31|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>. For the priests were
taken from among the Levites, as these soldiers from among the
people, for special and hazardous service, and their pay was
proportioned accordingly.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 31:48-54" id="Num.xxxii-p18.3" parsed="|Num|31|48|31|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.48-Num.31.54"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.31.48-Num.31.54">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxii-p19">48 And the officers which <i>were</i> over
thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of
hundreds, came near unto Moses: &#160; 49 And they said unto Moses,
Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which <i>are</i>
under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us. &#160; 50 We
have therefore brought an oblation for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p19.1">Lord</span>, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of
gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make
an atonement for our souls before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p19.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest
took the gold of them, <i>even</i> all wrought jewels. &#160; 52
And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p19.3">Lord</span>, of the captains of thousands, and of
the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and
fifty shekels. &#160; 53 (<i>For</i> the men of war had taken
spoil, every man for himself.) &#160; 54 And Moses and Eleazar the
priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds,
and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, <i>for</i>
a memorial for the children of Israel before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxii-p19.4">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxii-p20">Here is a great example of piety and
devotion in the officers of the army, the colonels, that are called
<i>captains of thousands,</i> and the inferior officers that were
<i>captains of hundreds;</i> they came to Moses as their general
and commander-in-chief, and, though he was now going off the stage
they very humbly and respectfully addressed themselves to him,
calling themselves his <i>servants;</i> the honours they had won
did not puff them up, so as to make them forget their duty to him.
Observe in their address to them, 1. The pious notice they take of
God's wonderful goodness to them in this late expedition, in
preserving not only their own lives, but the lives of all the men
of war that they had under their charge; so that, upon the review
of their muster-roll, it appeared there was not one missing,
<scripRef passage="Nu 31:49" id="Num.xxxii-p20.1" parsed="|Num|31|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.49"><i>v.</i> 49</scripRef>. This was very
extraordinary, and perhaps cannot be paralleled in any history. So
many thousands of lives jeoparded in the high places of the field,
and not one lost, either by the sword of the enemy or by any
disease or disaster. This was <i>the Lord's doing,</i> and cannot
but be marvellous in the eyes of those that consider how the lives
of all men, especially soldiers, are continually in their hands. It
is an evidence of the tender feeling which these commanders had for
their soldiers, and that their lives were very precious to them,
that they looked upon it as a mercy to themselves that none of
those under their charge miscarried. <i>Of all that were given them
they had lost none;</i> so precious also is the blood of Christ's
subjects and soldiers to him, <scripRef passage="Ps 72:14" id="Num.xxxii-p20.2" parsed="|Ps|72|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.14">Ps.
lxxii. 14</scripRef>. 2. The pious acknowledgment they make for
this favour: <i>Therefore we have brought an oblation to the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 31:50" id="Num.xxxii-p20.3" parsed="|Num|31|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.50"><i>v.</i> 50</scripRef>. The
oblation they brought was out of that which <i>every man had
gotten,</i> and it was gotten honestly by a divine warrant. Thus
every man should lay by <i>according as God has prospered him,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 16:2" id="Num.xxxii-p20.4" parsed="|1Cor|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.2">1 Cor. xvi. 2</scripRef>. For where
God sows plentifully in the gifts of his bounty he expects to reap
accordingly in the fruits of our piety and charity. The tabernacle
first, and the temple afterwards, were beautified and enriched with
the spoils taken from the enemies of Israel; as by David (<scripRef passage="2Sa 8:11,12" id="Num.xxxii-p20.5" parsed="|2Sam|8|11|8|12" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.8.11-2Sam.8.12">2 Sam. viii. 11, 12</scripRef>), and his
captains, <scripRef passage="1Ch 26:26,27" id="Num.xxxii-p20.6" parsed="|1Chr|26|26|26|27" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.26.26-1Chr.26.27">1 Chron. xxvi. 26,
27</scripRef>. We should never take any thing to ourselves, in war
or trade, which we cannot in faith consecrate a part of to God, who
<i>hates robbery for burnt-offerings;</i> but, when God has
remarkably preserved and prospered us, he expects that we should
make some particular return of gratitude to him. As to this
oblation, (1.) The captains offered it to <i>make an atonement for
their souls,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 31:50" id="Num.xxxii-p20.7" parsed="|Num|31|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.50"><i>v.</i>
50</scripRef>. Instead of coming to Moses to demand a recompence
for the good service they had done in <i>avenging the Lord of
Midian,</i> or to set up trophies of their victory for the
immortalizing of their own names, they bring an oblation to <i>make
atonement for their souls,</i> being conscious to themselves, as
the best men must be even in their best services, that they had
been defective in their duty, not only in that instance for which
they were reproved (<scripRef passage="Nu 31:14" id="Num.xxxii-p20.8" parsed="|Num|31|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), but in many others; <i>for there is not a just man
upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not.</i> (2.) Moses
accepted it, and laid it up in the tabernacle <i>as a memorial for
the children of Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 31:54" id="Num.xxxii-p20.9" parsed="|Num|31|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.31.54"><i>v.</i>
54</scripRef>), that is, a monument of God's goodness to them, that
they might be encouraged to trust in him in their further wars, and
a monument of their gratitude to God (sacrifices are said to be
memorials), that he, being well pleased with this thankful
acknowledgment of favours bestowed, might continue and repeat his
mercies to them.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXII" n="xxxiii" progress="80.14%" prev="Num.xxxii" next="Num.xxxiv" id="Num.xxxiii">
<h2 id="Num.xxxiii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxiii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The humble request of
the tribes of Reuben and Gad for an inheritance on that side Jordan
where Israel now lay encamped, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:1-5" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|32|1|32|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.5">ver.
1-5</scripRef>. II. Moses's misinterpretation of their request,
<scripRef passage="Nu 32:6-15" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|32|6|32|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.6-Num.32.15">ver. 6-15</scripRef>. III. Their
explication of it, and stating it aright, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:16-19" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|32|16|32|19" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.16-Num.32.19">ver. 16-19</scripRef>. IV. The grant of their
petition under the provisos and limitations which they themselves
proposed, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:20-42" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|32|20|32|42" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.20-Num.32.42">ver. 20</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 32" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 32:1-15" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|32|1|32|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.15">
<h4 id="Num.xxxiii-p1.7">The Request of the
Reubenites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiii-p2">1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the
land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place
<i>was</i> a place for cattle; &#160; 2 The children of Gad and the
children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the
priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying, &#160; 3
Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and
Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, &#160; 4 <i>Even</i> the
country which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.1">Lord</span> smote before
the congregation of Israel, <i>is</i> a land for cattle, and thy
servants have cattle: &#160; 5 Wherefore, said they, if we have
found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants
for a possession, <i>and</i> bring us not over Jordan. &#160; 6 And
Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben,
Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? &#160; 7 And
wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from
going over into the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.2">Lord</span> hath given them? &#160; 8 Thus did your
fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
&#160; 9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw
the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel,
that they should not go into the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.3">Lord</span> had given them. &#160; 10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.4">Lord</span>'s anger was kindled the same time,
and he sware, saying, &#160; 11 Surely none of the men that came up
out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land
which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because
they have not wholly followed me: &#160; 12 Save Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have
wholly followed the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 13
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.6">Lord</span>'s anger was kindled
against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty
years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.7">Lord</span>, was consumed. &#160; 14
And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of
sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p2.8">Lord</span> toward Israel. &#160; 15 For if ye turn
away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the
wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p3">Israel's tents were now pitched in the
plains of Moab, where they continued many months, looking back upon
the conquests they had already made of the land of Sihon and Og,
and looking forward to Canaan, which they hoped in a little while
to make themselves masters of. While they made this stand, and were
at a pause, this great affair of the disposal of the conquests they
had already made was here concerted and settled, not by any
particular order or appointment of God, but at the special instance
and request of two of the tribes, to which Moses, after a long
debate that arose upon it, consented. For even <i>then,</i> when so
much was done by the extraordinary appearances of divine
Providence, many things were left to the direction of human
prudence; for God, in governing both the world and the church,
makes use of the reason of men, and serves his own purposes by
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p4">I. Here is a motion made by the Reubenites
and the Gadites, that the land which they had lately possessed
themselves of, and which in the right of conquest belonged to
Israel in common, might be assigned to them in particular for their
inheritance: upon the general idea they had of the land of promise,
they supposed this would be about their proportion. Reuben and Gad
were encamped under the same standard, and so had the better
opportunity of comparing notes, and settling this matter between
themselves. In the <scripRef passage="Nu 32:1" id="Num.xxxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Num|32|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1">first
verse</scripRef> the children of Reuben are named first, but
afterwards the children of Gad (<scripRef passage="Nu 32:2,25,31" id="Num.xxxiii-p4.2" parsed="|Num|32|2|0|0;|Num|32|25|0|0;|Num|32|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.2 Bible:Num.32.25 Bible:Num.32.31"><i>v.</i> 2, 25, 31</scripRef>), either because the
Gadites made the first motion and were most forward for it, or
because they were the better spokesmen and had more of the art of
management, Reuben's tribe still lying under Jacob's sentence,
<i>he shall not excel.</i> Two things common in the world induced
these tribes to make this choice and this motion upon it, the
<i>lust of the eye</i> and the <i>pride of life,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 2:16" id="Num.xxxiii-p4.3" parsed="|1John|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.2.16">1 John ii. 16</scripRef>. 1. The <i>lust of the
eye.</i> This land which they coveted was not only beautiful for
situation, and pleasant to the eye, but it was good for food, food
for cattle; and they had a great multitude of cattle, above the
rest of the tribes, it is supposed because they brought more out of
Egypt, than the rest did; but that was forty years before, and
stocks of cattle increase and decrease in less time than that;
therefore I rather think they had been better husbands of their
cattle in the wilderness, had tended them better, had taken more
care of the breed, and not been so profuse as their neighbours in
eating the <i>lambs out of the flock</i> and the <i>calves out of
the midst of the stall.</i> Now they, having these large stocks,
coveted land proportionable. Many scriptures speak of Bashan and
Gilead as places famous for cattle; they had been so already, and
therefore these tribes hoped they would be so to them, and whatever
comes of it here they desire to take their lot. The judicious
Calvin thinks there was much amiss in the principle they went upon,
and that they consulted their own private convenience more than the
public good, that they had not such regard to the honour and
interest of Israel, and the promise made to Abraham of the land of
Canaan (strictly so called), as they ought to have had. And still
it is too true that many <i>seek their own things</i> more than the
<i>things of Jesus Christ</i> (<scripRef passage="Php 2:21" id="Num.xxxiii-p4.4" parsed="|Phil|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.21">Phil.
ii. 21</scripRef>), and that many are influenced by their secular
interest and advantage to take up short of the heavenly Canaan.
Their spirits agree too well with this world, and with the things
that are seen, that are temporal; and they say, "It is good to be
here," and so lose what is hereafter for want of seeking it. Lot
thus chose <i>by the sight of the eye,</i> and smarted for his
choice. Would we choose our portion aright we must look above the
things that are seen. 2. Perhaps there was something of the
<i>pride of life</i> in it. Reuben was the first-born of Israel,
but he had lost his birthright. Several of the tribes, and Judah
especially, had risen above him, so that he could not expect the
best lot in Canaan; and therefore, to save the shadow of a
birthright, when he had forfeited the substance, he here catches at
the first lot, though it was out of Canaan, and far off from the
tabernacle. Thus Esau sold his birthright, and yet got to be served
first with an inheritance in Mount Seir. The tribe of Gad descended
from the first-born of Zilpah, and were like pretenders with the
Reubenites; and Manasseh too was a first-born, but knew he must be
eclipsed by Ephraim his younger brother, and therefore he also
coveted to get precedency.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p5">II. Moses's dislike of this motion, and the
severe rebuke he gives to it, as a faithful prince and prophet.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p6">1. It must be confessed that <i>prima
facie&#8212;at first sight,</i> the thing looked ill, especially the
closing words of their petition: <i>Bring us not over Jordan,</i>
<scripRef passage="Nu 32:5" id="Num.xxxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. (1.) It seems
to proceed from a bad principle, a contempt of the land of promise,
which Moses himself was so desirous of a sight of, a distrust too
of the power of God to dispossess the Canaanites, as if a lot in a
land which they knew, and which was already conquered, was more
desirable than a lot in a land they knew not, and which was yet to
be conquered: one bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. There
seemed also to be covetousness in it; for that which they insisted
on was that it was convenient for their cattle. It argued likewise
a neglect of their brethren, as if they cared not what became of
Israel, while they themselves were well provided for. (2.) It might
have been of bad consequence. The people might have taken improper
hints from it, and have suggested that they were few enough, when
they had their whole number, to deal with the Canaanites, but how
unequal would the match be if they should drop two tribes and a
half (above a fifth part of their strength) on this side Jordan. It
would likewise be a bad precedent; if they must have the land thus
granted them as soon as it was conquered, other tribes might make
the same pretensions and claims, and so the regular disposition of
the land by lot would be anticipated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p7">2. Moses is therefore very warm upon them,
which is to be imputed to his pious zeal against sin, and not to
any peevishness, the effect of old age, for his meekness abated
not, any more than his natural force. (1.) He shows them what he
apprehended to be evil in this motion, that it would discharge the
heart of their brethren, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:6,7" id="Num.xxxiii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|32|6|32|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.6-Num.32.7"><i>v.</i> 6,
7</scripRef>. "What!" (says he, with a holy indignation at their
selfishness) "<i>shall your brethren go to war,</i> and expose
themselves to all the hardships and hazards of the field, and
<i>shall you sit here</i> at your ease? No, do not deceive
yourselves, you shall never be indulged by me in this sloth and
cowardice." It ill becomes any of God's Israel to sit down
unconcerned in the difficult and perilous concernments of their
brethren, whether public or personal. (2.) He reminds them of the
fatal consequences of the unbelief and faint-heartedness of their
fathers, when they were just ready to enter Canaan, as they
themselves now were. He recites the story very particularly
(<scripRef passage="Nu 32:8-13" id="Num.xxxiii-p7.2" parsed="|Num|32|8|32|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.8-Num.32.13"><i>v.</i> 8-13</scripRef>):
"<i>Thus did your fathers,</i> whose punishment should be a warning
to you to take heed of sinning after the similitude of their
transgression." (3.) He gives them fair warning of the mischief
that would be likely to follow upon this separation which they were
about to make from the camp of Israel; they would be in danger of
bringing wrath upon the whole congregation, and hurrying them all
back again into the wilderness (<scripRef passage="Nu 32:14,15" id="Num.xxxiii-p7.3" parsed="|Num|32|14|32|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.14-Num.32.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>): "<i>You have risen up
in your fathers' stead</i> to despise the pleasant land and reject
it as they did, when we hoped you had risen up in their stead to
possess it." It was an encouragement to Moses to see what an
increase of men there was in these tribes, but a discouragement to
see that it was withal an increase of sinful men, treading in the
steps of their fathers' impiety. It is sad to see the rising
generation in families and countries not only no better, but worse
than that which went before it; and what comes of it? Why, <i>it
augments the fierce anger of the Lord;</i> not only continues that
fire, but increases it, and fills the measure, often till it
overflows in a deluge of desolation. Note, If men did but consider
as they ought, what would be the end of sin, they would be afraid
of the beginnings of it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 32" id="Num.xxxiii-p7.4" parsed="|Num|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 32:16-27" id="Num.xxxiii-p7.5" parsed="|Num|32|16|32|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.16-Num.32.27"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.32.16-Num.32.27">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiii-p8">16 And they came near unto him, and said, We
will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our
little ones: &#160; 17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before
the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their
place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because
of the inhabitants of the land. &#160; 18 We will not return unto
our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man
his inheritance. &#160; 19 For we will not inherit with them on
yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen
to us on this side Jordan eastward. &#160; 20 And Moses said unto
them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.1">Lord</span> to war, &#160; 21 And will go
all of you armed over Jordan before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.2">Lord</span>, until he hath driven out his enemies from
before him, &#160; 22 And the land be subdued before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.3">Lord</span>: then afterward ye shall return, and
be guiltless before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.4">Lord</span>, and
before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.5">Lord</span>. &#160; 23 But if ye will not
do so, behold, ye have sinned against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.6">Lord</span>: and be sure your sin will find you out.
&#160; 24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your
sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth. &#160;
25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto
Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. &#160;
26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle,
shall be there in the cities of Gilead: &#160; 27 But thy servants
will pass over, every man armed for war, before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p8.7">Lord</span> to battle, as my lord saith.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p9">We have here the accommodating of the
matter between Moses and the two tribes, about their settlement on
this side Jordan. Probably the petitioners withdrew, and considered
with themselves what answer they should return to the severe
reproof Moses had given them; and, after some consultation, they
return with this proposal, that their men of war should go and
assist their brethren in the conquest of Canaan, and they would
leave their families and flocks behind them in this land: and thus
they might have their request, and no harm would be done. Now it is
uncertain whether they designed this at first when they brought
their petition or no. If they did, it is an instance how often that
which is honestly meant is unhappily misinterpreted; yet Moses
herein was excusable, for he had reason to suspect the worst of
them, and the rebuke he gave them was from the abundance of his
care to prevent sin. But, if they did not, it is an instance of the
good effect of plain dealing; Moses, by showing them their sin, and
the danger of it, brought them to their duty without murmuring or
disputing. They object not that their brethren were able to contend
with the Canaanites without their help, especially since they were
sure of God's fighting for them; but engage themselves to stand by
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p10">I. Their proposal is very fair and
generous, and such as, instead of disheartening, would rather
encourage their brethren. 1. That their <i>men of war,</i> who were
fit for service, would go <i>ready armed before the children of
Israel</i> into the land of Canaan. So far would they be from
deserting them that, if it were thought fit, they would lead them
on, and be foremost is all dangerous enterprises. So far were they
from either distrusting or despising the conquest of Canaan that
they would assist in it with the utmost readiness and resolution.
2. That they would leave behind them their families and cattle
(which would otherwise be but the incumbrance of their camp), and
so they would be the more serviceable to their brethren, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:16" id="Num.xxxiii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|32|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. 3. That they would not
return to their possessions till the conquest of Canaan was
completed, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:18" id="Num.xxxiii-p10.2" parsed="|Num|32|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
Their brethren should have their best help as long as they needed
it. 4. That yet they would not expect any share of the land that
was yet to be conquered (<scripRef passage="Nu 32:19" id="Num.xxxiii-p10.3" parsed="|Num|32|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>): "<i>We will not desire to inherit with them,</i>
nor, under colour of assisting them in the war, put in for a share
with them in the land; no, we will be content with our inheritance
on this side Jordan, and there will be so much the more on yonder
side for them."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p11">II. Moses thereupon grants their request,
upon consideration that they would adhere to their proposals. 1. He
insists much upon it that they should never lay down their arms
till their brethren laid down theirs. They promised to go armed
<i>before the children of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 32:17" id="Num.xxxiii-p11.1" parsed="|Num|32|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. "Nay," says Moses, "you shall
go armed <i>before the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 32:20,21" id="Num.xxxiii-p11.2" parsed="|Num|32|20|32|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.20-Num.32.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>. It is God's cause more
than your brethren's, and to him you must have an eye, and not to
them only." <i>Before the Lord,</i> that is, before the ark of the
Lord, the token of his presence, which, it should seem, they
carried about with them in the wars of Canaan, and immediately
before which these two tribes were posted, as we find in the order
of their march, <scripRef passage="Nu 2:10,17" id="Num.xxxiii-p11.3" parsed="|Num|2|10|0|0;|Num|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.2.10 Bible:Num.2.17"><i>ch.</i> ii. 10,
17</scripRef>. 2. Upon this condition he grants them this land for
their possession, and tells them they shall be <i>guiltless before
the Lord and before Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 32:22" id="Num.xxxiii-p11.4" parsed="|Num|32|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. They should have the land, and
neither sin nor blame should cleave to it, neither sin before God
nor blame before Israel; and, whatever possessions we have, it is
desirable thus to come guiltless to them. But, 3. He warns them of
the danger of breaking their word: "If you fail, you <i>sin against
the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 32:23" id="Num.xxxiii-p11.5" parsed="|Num|32|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), and not against your brethren only, and <i>be sure
your sin will find you out;</i>" that is, "God will certainly
reckon with you for it, though you may make a light matter of it."
Note, Sin will, without doubt, find out the sinner sooner or later.
It concerns us therefore to find our sins out, that we may repent
of them and forsake them, lest our sins find us out to our ruin and
confusion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p12">III. They unanimously agree to the provisos
and conditions of the grant, and do, as it were, give bond for
performance, by a solemn promise: <i>Thy servants will do as my
lord commandeth,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 32:25" id="Num.xxxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Num|32|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Their brethren had all contributed their assistance
to the conquest of this country, which they desired for a
possession, and therefore they owned themselves obliged in justice
to help them in the conquest of that which was to be their
possession. Having received kindness, we ought to return it, though
it was not so conditioned when we received it. We may suppose that
this promise was understood, on both sides, so as not to oblige all
that were numbered of these tribes to go over armed, but those only
that were fittest for the expedition, who would be most
serviceable, while it was necessary that some should be left to
till the ground and guard the country; and accordingly we find that
about 40,000 of the two tribes and a half went over armed
(<scripRef passage="Jos 4:13" id="Num.xxxiii-p12.2" parsed="|Josh|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.4.13">Josh. iv. 13</scripRef>), whereas
their whole number was about 100,000.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 32:28-42" id="Num.xxxiii-p12.3" parsed="|Num|32|28|32|42" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.28-Num.32.42"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.32.28-Num.32.42">
<h4 id="Num.xxxiii-p12.4">Inheritance of the
Reubenites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p12.5">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiii-p13">28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar
the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the
tribes of the children of Israel: &#160; 29 And Moses said unto
them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass
with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p13.1">Lord</span>, and the land shall be subdued before
you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession:
&#160; 30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall
have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. &#160; 31 And the
children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p13.2">Lord</span> hath said unto thy servants, so
will we do. &#160; 32 We will pass over armed before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiii-p13.3">Lord</span> into the land of Canaan, that the
possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan <i>may be</i>
ours. &#160; 33 And Moses gave unto them, <i>even</i> to the
children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the
tribe of Ephraim the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of
the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with
the cities thereof in the coasts, <i>even</i> the cities of the
country round about. &#160; 34 And the children of Gad built Dibon,
and Ataroth, and Aroer, &#160; 35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer,
and Jogbehah, &#160; 36 And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced
cities: and folds for sheep. &#160; 37 And the children of Reuben
built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, &#160; 38 And Nebo, and
Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other
names unto the cities which they builded. &#160; 39 And the
children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it,
and dispossessed the Amorite which <i>was</i> in it. &#160; 40 And
Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt
therein. &#160; 41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the
small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair. &#160; 42 And
Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it
Nobah, after his own name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p14">Here, 1. Moses settles this matter with
Eleazar, and with Joshua who was to be his successor, knowing that
he himself must not live to see it perfected, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:28-30" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Num|32|28|32|30" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.28-Num.32.30"><i>v.</i> 28-30</scripRef>. He gives them an estate
upon condition, leaving it to Joshua, if they fulfilled the
condition, to declare the estate absolute: "If <i>they will not go
over with you,</i>" he does not say "you shall give them no
inheritance at all," but "you shall not give them this inheritance
which they covet. If their militia will not come over with you,
compel the whole tribes to come over, and let them take their lot
with their brethren, and fare as they fare; <i>they shall have
possessions in Canaan,</i> and let them not expect that the lot
will favour them." Hereupon they repeat their promise to adhere to
their brethren, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:31,32" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.2" parsed="|Num|32|31|32|32" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.31-Num.32.32"><i>v.</i> 31,
32</scripRef>. 2. Moses settles them in the land they desired. He
gave it to them for a possession, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:33" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.3" parsed="|Num|32|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>. Here is the first mention of
the half tribe of Manasseh coming in with them for a share;
probably they had not joined with them in the petition, but, the
land when it came to be apportioned proving to be too much for
them, this half tribe had a lot among them, perhaps at their
request, or by divine direction, or because they had signalized
themselves in the conquest of this country: for the children of
Machir, a stout and warlike family, had taken Gilead and
dispossessed the Amorites, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:39" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.4" parsed="|Num|32|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.39"><i>v.</i>
39</scripRef>. "Let them win it and wear it, get it and take it."
And, they being celebrated for their courage and bravery, it was
for the common safety to put them in this frontier-country.
Concerning the settlement of these tribes observe, (1.) They built
the cities, that is, repaired them, because either they had been
damaged by the war or the Amorites had suffered them to go to
decay. (2.) They changed the names of them (<scripRef passage="Nu 32:38" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.5" parsed="|Num|32|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>), either to show their
authority, that the change of the names might signify the change of
their owners, or because their names were idolatrous, and carried
in them a respect to the dunghill-deities that were there
worshipped. Nebo and Baal were names of their gods, which they were
forbidden to make mention of (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:13" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.6" parsed="|Exod|23|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.13">Exod.
xxiii. 13</scripRef>), and which, by changing the names of these
cities, they endeavoured to bury in oblivion; and God promises to
take away the names of Baalim out of the mouths of his people,
<scripRef passage="Ho 2:17" id="Num.xxxiii-p14.7" parsed="|Hos|2|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.17">Hos. ii. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiii-p15"><i>Lastly,</i> It is observable that, as
these tribes were now first placed before the other tribes, so,
long afterwards, they were displaced before the other tribes. We
find that they were carried captive into Assyria some years before
the other tribes, <scripRef passage="2Ki 15:29" id="Num.xxxiii-p15.1" parsed="|2Kgs|15|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.15.29">2 Kings xv.
29</scripRef>. Such a proportion does Providence sometimes observe
in balancing prosperity and adversity; he sets the one over-against
the other.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIII" n="xxxiv" progress="80.60%" prev="Num.xxxiii" next="Num.xxxv" id="Num.xxxiv">
<h2 id="Num.xxxiv-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxiv-p1">In this chapter we have, I. A particular account
of the removals and encampments of the children of Israel, from
their escape out of Egypt to their entrance into Canaan, forty-two
in all, with some remarkable events that happened at some of those
places, <scripRef passage="Nu 33:1-49" id="Num.xxxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Num|33|1|33|49" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.1-Num.33.49">ver. 1-49</scripRef>. II. A
strict command given them to drive out all the inhabitants of the
land of Canaan, which they were not going to conquer and take
possession of, <scripRef passage="Nu 33:50-56" id="Num.xxxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Num|33|50|33|56" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.50-Num.33.56">ver.
50-56</scripRef>. So that the former part of the chapter looks back
upon their march through the wilderness, the latter looks forward
to their settlement in Canaan.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 33" id="Num.xxxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 33:1-49" id="Num.xxxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|33|1|33|49" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.1-Num.33.49"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.33.1-Num.33.49">
<h4 id="Num.xxxiv-p1.5">Encampments of the
Israelites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiv-p2">1 These <i>are</i> the journeys of the children
of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their
armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. &#160; 2 And Moses wrote
their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p2.1">Lord</span>: and these <i>are</i> their
journeys according to their goings out. &#160; 3 And they departed
from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first
month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went
out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. &#160; 4
For the Egyptians buried all <i>their</i> firstborn, which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p2.2">Lord</span> had smitten among them: upon
their gods also the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p2.3">Lord</span> executed
judgments. &#160; 5 And the children of Israel removed from
Rameses, and pitched in Succoth. &#160; 6 And they departed from
Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which <i>is</i> in the edge of the
wilderness. &#160; 7 And they removed from Etham, and turned again
unto Pi-hahiroth, which <i>is</i> before Baal-zephon: and they
pitched before Migdol. &#160; 8 And they departed from before
Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the
wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of
Etham, and pitched in Marah. &#160; 9 And they removed from Marah,
and came unto Elim: and in Elim <i>were</i> twelve fountains of
water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.
&#160; 10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea.
&#160; 11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the
wilderness of Sin. &#160; 12 And they took their journey out of the
wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. &#160; 13 And they
departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. &#160; 14 And they
removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water
for the people to drink. &#160; 15 And they departed from Rephidim,
and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. &#160; 16 And they removed
from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah. &#160;
17 And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at
Hazeroth. &#160; 18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in
Rithmah. &#160; 19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at
Rimmon-parez. &#160; 20 And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and
pitched in Libnah. &#160; 21 And they removed from Libnah, and
pitched at Rissah. &#160; 22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and
pitched in Kehelathah. &#160; 23 And they went from Kehelathah, and
pitched in mount Shapher. &#160; 24 And they removed from mount
Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. &#160; 25 And they removed from
Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. &#160; 26 And they removed from
Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath. &#160; 27 And they departed from
Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. &#160; 28 And they removed from
Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah. &#160; 29 And they went from
Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah. &#160; 30 And they departed from
Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth. &#160; 31 And they departed
from Moseroth, and pitched in Bene-jaakan. &#160; 32 And they
removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-hagidgad. &#160; 33
And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah. &#160;
34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah. &#160;
35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber.
&#160; 36 And they removed from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the
wilderness of Zin, which <i>is</i> Kadesh. &#160; 37 And they
removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the
land of Edom. &#160; 38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor
at the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p2.4">Lord</span>, and
died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were
come out of the land of Egypt, in the first <i>day</i> of the fifth
month. &#160; 39 And Aaron <i>was</i> an hundred and twenty and
three years old when he died in mount Hor. &#160; 40 And king Arad
the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan,
heard of the coming of the children of Israel. &#160; 41 And they
departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah. &#160; 42 And
they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon. &#160; 43 And
they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth. &#160; 44 And they
departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of
Moab. &#160; 45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in
Dibon-gad. &#160; 46 And they removed from Dibon-gad, and encamped
in Almon-diblathaim. &#160; 47 And they removed from
Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before
Nebo. &#160; 48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and
pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan <i>near</i> Jericho. &#160;
49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesimoth <i>even</i> unto
Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiv-p3">This is a review and brief rehearsal of the
travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness. It was a
memorable history and well worthy to be thus abridged, and the
abridgment thus preserved, to the honour of God that led them and
for the encouragement of the generations that followed. Observe
here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiv-p4">I. How the account was kept: <i>Moses wrote
their goings out,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 33:2" id="Num.xxxiv-p4.1" parsed="|Num|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. When they began this tedious march, God ordered him
to keep a journal or diary, and to insert in it all the remarkable
occurrences of their way, that it might be a satisfaction to
himself in the review and an instruction to others when it should
be published. It may be of good use to private Christians, but
especially to those in public stations, to preserve in writing an
account of the providences of God concerning them, the constant
series of mercies they have experienced, especially those turns and
changes which have made some days of their lives more remarkable.
Our memories are deceitful and need this help, that we may
<i>remember all the way which the Lord our God has led us in this
wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="De 8:2" id="Num.xxxiv-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.2">Deut. viii.
2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiv-p5">II. What the account itself was. It began
with their departure out of Egypt, continued with their march
through the wilderness, and ended in the plains of Moab, where they
now lay encamped.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiv-p6">1. Some things are observed here concerning
their departure out of Egypt, which they are reminded of upon all
occasions, as a work of wonder never to be forgotten. (1.) That
they <i>went forth with their armies</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:1" id="Num.xxxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Num|33|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), rank and file, as an army with
banners. (2.) Under the hand of Moses and Aaron, their guides,
overseers, and rulers, under God. (3.) <i>With a high hand,</i>
because God's hand was high that wrought for them, <i>and in the
sight of all the Egyptians,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 33:3" id="Num.xxxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Num|33|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. They did not steal away
clandestinely (<scripRef passage="Isa 52:12" id="Num.xxxiv-p6.3" parsed="|Isa|52|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.12">Isa. lii.
12</scripRef>), but in defiance of their enemies, to whom God had
made them such a burdensome stone that they neither could, nor
would, nor durst, oppose them. (4.) They went forth while the
Egyptians were burying, or at least preparing to bury, their
first-born, <scripRef passage="Nu 33:4" id="Num.xxxiv-p6.4" parsed="|Num|33|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>.
They had a mind good enough, or rather bad enough, still to have
detained the Israelites their prisoners, but God found them other
work to do. They would have God's first-born buried alive, but God
set them a burying their own first-born. (5.) To all the plagues of
Egypt it is added here that <i>on their gods also the Lord executed
judgments.</i> Their idols which they worshipped, it is probable,
were broken down, as Dagon afterwards before the ark, so that they
could not consult them about this great affair. To this perhaps
there is reference, <scripRef passage="Isa 19:1" id="Num.xxxiv-p6.5" parsed="|Isa|19|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.19.1">Isa. xix.
1</scripRef>, <i>The idols of Egypt shall be moved at his
presence.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiv-p7">2. Concerning their travels towards Canaan.
Observe, (1.) They were continually upon the remove. When they had
pitched a little while in one place they departed from that to
another. Such is our state in this world; we have here no
continuing city. (2.) Most of their way lay through a wilderness,
uninhabited, untracked, unfurnished even with the necessaries of
human life, which magnifies the wisdom and power of God, by whose
wonderful conduct and bounty the thousands of Israel not only
subsisted for forty years in that desolate place, but came out at
least as numerous and vigorous as they went in. At first they
pitched <i>in the edge of the wilderness</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:6" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Num|33|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), but afterwards in the heart of
it; by less difficulties God prepares his people for greater. We
find them in the wilderness of Etham (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:8" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.2" parsed="|Num|33|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), of Sin (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:11" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.3" parsed="|Num|33|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), of Sinai, <scripRef passage="Nu 33:15" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.4" parsed="|Num|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Our removals in this world are
but from one wilderness to another. (3.) They were led to and fro,
forward and backward, as in a maze or labyrinth, and yet were all
the while under the direction of the pillar of cloud and fire. He
led them about (<scripRef passage="De 32:10" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.5" parsed="|Deut|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.10">Deut. xxxii.
10</scripRef>), and yet led them the right way, <scripRef passage="Ps 107:7" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.6" parsed="|Ps|107|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.7">Ps. cvii. 7</scripRef>. The way which God takes in
bringing his people to himself is always the best way, though it
does not always seem to us the nearest way. (4.) Some events are
mentioned in this journal, as their want of water at Rephidim
(<scripRef passage="Nu 33:14" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.7" parsed="|Num|33|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), the death
of Aaron (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:38,39" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.8" parsed="|Num|33|38|33|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.38-Num.33.39"><i>v.</i> 38,
39</scripRef>), the insult of Arad (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:40" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.9" parsed="|Num|33|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>); and the very name of
<i>Kibroth-hattaavah&#8212;the graves of lusts</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 33:16" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.10" parsed="|Num|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), has a story depending upon it.
Thus we ought to keep in mind the providences of God concerning us
and our families, us and our land, and the many instances of that
divine care which has led us, and fed us, and kept us, all our days
hitherto. Shittim, the place where the people sinned in the matter
of Peor (<scripRef passage="Nu 25:1" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.11" parsed="|Num|25|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.25.1"><i>ch.</i> xxv. 1</scripRef>),
is here called <i>Abel-shittim. Abel</i> signifies <i>mourning</i>
(as <scripRef passage="Ge 50:11" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.12" parsed="|Gen|50|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.50.11">Gen. l. 11</scripRef>), and
probably this place was so called from the mourning of the good
people of Israel on account of that sin and of God's wrath against
them for it. It was so great a mourning that it gave a name to the
place.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 33:50-56" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.13" parsed="|Num|33|50|33|56" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.50-Num.33.56"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.33.50-Num.33.56">
<h4 id="Num.xxxiv-p7.14">The Canaanites Doomed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p7.15">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxiv-p8">50 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxiv-p8.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan <i>near</i>
Jericho, saying, &#160; 51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of
Canaan; &#160; 52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of
the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and
destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their
high places: &#160; 53 And ye shall dispossess <i>the
inhabitants</i> of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given
you the land to possess it. &#160; 54 And ye shall divide the land
by lot for an inheritance among your families: <i>and</i> to the
more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall
give the less inheritance: every man's <i>inheritance</i> shall be
in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your
fathers ye shall inherit. &#160; 55 But if ye will not drive out
the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to
pass, that those which ye let remain of them <i>shall be</i> pricks
in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the
land wherein ye dwell. &#160; 56 Moreover it shall come to pass,
<i>that</i> I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxiv-p9">While the children of Israel were in the
wilderness their total separation from all other people kept them
out of the way of temptation to idolatry, and perhaps this was one
thing intended by their long confinement in the wilderness, that
thereby the idols of Egypt might be forgotten, and the people aired
(as it were) and purified from that infection, and the generation
that entered Canaan might be such as never knew those depths of
Satan. But now that they were to pass over Jordan they were
entering again into that temptation, and therefore, 1. They are
here strictly charged utterly to destroy all remnants of idolatry.
They must not only <i>drive out the inhabitants of the land,</i>
that they may possess their country, but they must deface all their
idolatrous pictures and images, and <i>pull down all their high
places,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 33:52" id="Num.xxxiv-p9.1" parsed="|Num|33|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.52"><i>v.</i> 52</scripRef>.
They must not preserve any of them, no, not as monuments of
antiquity to gratify the curious, nor as ornaments of their houses,
nor toys for their children to play with, but they must destroy
all, both in token of their abhorrence and detestation of idolatry
and to prevent their being tempted to worship those images, and the
false gods represented by them, or to worship the God of Israel by
such images or representations. 2. They were assured that, if they
did so, God would by degrees put them in full possession of the
land of promise, <scripRef passage="Nu 33:53,54" id="Num.xxxiv-p9.2" parsed="|Num|33|53|33|54" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.53-Num.33.54"><i>v.</i> 53,
54</scripRef>. If they would keep themselves pure from the idols of
Canaan, God would enrich them with the wealth of Canaan. Learn not
their way, and then fear not their power. 3. They were threatened
that, if they spared either the idols or the idolaters, they should
be beaten with their own rod and their sin would certainly be their
punishment. (1.) They would foster snakes in their own bosoms,
<scripRef passage="Nu 33:55" id="Num.xxxiv-p9.3" parsed="|Num|33|55|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.55"><i>v.</i> 55</scripRef>. The remnant
of the Canaanites, if they made any league with them, though it
were but a cessation of arms, would be <i>pricks in their eyes and
thorns in their sides,</i> that is, they would be upon all
occasions vexatious to them, insulting them, robbing them, and, to
the utmost of their power, making mischief among them. We must
expect trouble and affliction from that, whatever it is, which we
sinfully indulge; that which we are willing should tempt us we
shall find will vex us. (2.) The righteous God would turn that
wheel upon the Israelites which was to have crushed the Canaanites:
<i>I shall do to you as I thought to do unto them,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 33:56" id="Num.xxxiv-p9.4" parsed="|Num|33|56|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.33.56"><i>v.</i> 56</scripRef>. It was intended that
the Canaanites should be dispossessed; but if the Israelites fell
in with them, and learned their way, they should be dispossessed,
for God's displeasure would justly be greater against them than
against the Canaanites themselves. Let us hear this, and fear. If
we do not drive sin out, sin will drive us out; if we be not the
death of our lusts, our lusts will be the death of our souls.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIV" n="xxxv" progress="80.89%" prev="Num.xxxiv" next="Num.xxxvi" id="Num.xxxv">
<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 passage="Nu 34:1-15" id="Num.xxxv-p1.1" parsed="|Num|34|1|34|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.1-Num.34.15">ver. 1-15</scripRef>. II.
Concerning the division and distribution of it to the tribes of
Israel, <scripRef passage="Nu 34:16-29" id="Num.xxxv-p1.2" parsed="|Num|34|16|34|29" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.16-Num.34.29">ver. 16</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 34" id="Num.xxxv-p1.3" parsed="|Num|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 34:1-15" id="Num.xxxv-p1.4" parsed="|Num|34|1|34|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.1-Num.34.15"/><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, &#160; 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:) &#160; 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: &#160; 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: &#160; 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. &#160; 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. &#160; 7 And this
shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out
for you mount Hor: &#160; 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: &#160; 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. &#160; 10 And ye shall
point out your east border from Hazar-enan to Shepham: &#160; 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: &#160; 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. &#160; 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: &#160; 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: &#160;
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 passage="Da 11:24" id="Num.xxxv-p3.1" parsed="|Dan|11|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.11.24">Deut. xi. 24</scripRef>. And even so far the dominion of
Israel did extend in David's time and Solomon's, <scripRef passage="2Ch 9:26" id="Num.xxxv-p3.2" parsed="|2Chr|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.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 passage="Nu 34:14,15" id="Num.xxxv-p3.3" parsed="|Num|34|14|34|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.14-Num.34.15"><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 passage="Ac 17:26" id="Num.xxxv-p4.1" parsed="|Acts|17|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.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 passage="Nu 33:53" id="Num.xxxv-p4.2" parsed="|Num|33|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.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 passage="Ps 76:1" id="Num.xxxv-p5.1" parsed="|Ps|76|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible: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 passage="Ps 37:16" id="Num.xxxv-p5.2" parsed="|Ps|37|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible: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 passage="Da 8:9" id="Num.xxxv-p6.1" parsed="|Dan|8|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.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 passage="Nu 34:5" id="Num.xxxv-p6.2" parsed="|Num|34|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.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 passage="Nu 34:3" id="Num.xxxv-p6.3" parsed="|Num|34|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), and there it ends, <scripRef passage="Nu 34:12" id="Num.xxxv-p6.4" parsed="|Num|34|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.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 passage="Eze 16:49" id="Num.xxxv-p6.5" parsed="|Ezek|16|49|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.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 passage="Nu 34:6" id="Num.xxxv-p6.6" parsed="|Num|34|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.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 type="Commentary" passage="Nu 34" id="Num.xxxv-p6.7" parsed="|Num|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 34:16-29" id="Num.xxxv-p6.8" parsed="|Num|34|16|34|29" osisRef="Bible:Num.34.16-Num.34.29"/><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, &#160; 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. &#160; 18 And ye shall take one prince
of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance. &#160; 19 And
the names of the men <i>are</i> these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb
the son of Jephunneh. &#160; 20 And of the tribe of the children of
Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. &#160; 21 Of the tribe of
Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon. &#160; 22 And the prince of
the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli. &#160; 23
The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children
of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod. &#160; 24 And the prince of
the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.
&#160; 25 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun,
Elizaphan the son of Parnach. &#160; 26 And the prince of the tribe
of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan. &#160; 27
And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the
son of Shelomi. &#160; 28 And the prince of the tribe of the
children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. &#160; 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 passage="Nu 34:17" id="Num.xxxv-p8.1" parsed="|Num|34|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.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 passage="Mt 20:23" id="Num.xxxv-p8.2" parsed="|Matt|20|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.23">Matt. xx.
23</scripRef>. Compare, <scripRef passage="Eph 1:11" id="Num.xxxv-p8.3" parsed="|Eph|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible: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>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXV" n="xxxvi" progress="81.12%" prev="Num.xxxv" next="Num.xxxvii" id="Num.xxxvi">
<h2 id="Num.xxxvi-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxvi-p1">Orders having been given before for the dividing
of the land of Canaan among the lay-tribes (as I may call them),
care is here taken for a competent provision for the clergy, the
tribe of Levi, which ministered in holy things. I. Forty-eight
cities were to be assigned them, with their suburbs, some in every
tribe, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:1-8" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Num|35|1|35|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.1-Num.35.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. II. Six
cities out of these were to be for cities of refuge, for any man
that killed another unawares, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:9-15" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Num|35|9|35|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.9-Num.35.15">ver.
9-15</scripRef>. In the law concerning these observe, 1. In what
case sanctuary was not allowed, namely, that of wilful murder,
<scripRef passage="Nu 35:16-21" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Num|35|16|35|21" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.16-Num.35.21">ver. 16-21</scripRef>. 2. In what
cases it was allowed, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:22-24" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Num|35|22|35|24" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.22-Num.35.24">ver.
22-24</scripRef>. 3. What was the law concerning those that took
shelter in these cities of refuge, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:25-34" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Num|35|25|35|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.25-Num.35.34">ver. 25</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 35" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Num|35|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 35:1-8" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Num|35|1|35|8" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.1-Num.35.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.35.1-Num.35.8">
<h4 id="Num.xxxvi-p1.8">The Cities of the Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvi-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxvi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvi-p2.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan <i>near</i>
Jericho, saying, &#160; 2 Command the children of Israel, that they
give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities
to dwell in; and ye shall give <i>also</i> unto the Levites suburbs
for the cities round about them. &#160; 3 And the cities shall they
have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their
cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. &#160; 4 And
the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites,
<i>shall reach</i> from the wall of the city and outward a thousand
cubits round about. &#160; 5 And ye shall measure from without the
city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side
two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and
on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city <i>shall be</i>
in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
&#160; 6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites
<i>there shall be</i> six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint
for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall
add forty and two cities. &#160; 7 <i>So</i> all the cities which
ye shall give to the Levites <i>shall be</i> forty and eight
cities: them <i>shall ye give</i> with their suburbs. &#160; 8 And
the cities which ye shall give <i>shall be</i> of the possession of
the children of Israel: from <i>them that have</i> many ye shall
give many; but from <i>them that have</i> few ye shall give few:
every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to
his inheritance which he inheriteth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p3">The laws about the tithes and offerings had
provided very plentifully for the maintenance of the Levites, but
it was not to be thought, nor indeed was it for the public good,
that when they came to Canaan they should all live about the
tabernacle, as they had done in the wilderness, and therefore care
must be taken to provide habitations for them, in which they might
live comfortably and usefully. It is this which is here taken care
of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p4">I. Cities were allotted them, with their
suburbs, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:2" id="Num.xxxvi-p4.1" parsed="|Num|35|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. They
were not to have any ground for tillage; they needed not to <i>sow,
nor reap, nor gather into barns,</i> for their heavenly Father fed
them with the tithe of the increase of other people's labours, that
they might the more closely attend to the study of the law, and
might have more leisure to teach the people; for they were not fed
thus easily that they might live in idleness, but that they might
give themselves wholly to the business of their profession, and not
be entangled in the affairs of this life. 1. Cities were allotted
them, that they might live near together, and converse with one
another about the law, to their mutual edification; and that in
doubtful cases they might consult one another, and in all cases
strengthen one another's hands. 2. These cities had suburbs annexed
to them for their cattle (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:3" id="Num.xxxvi-p4.2" parsed="|Num|35|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), a thousand cubits from the wall was allowed them for
out-houses to keep their cattle in, and then two thousand more for
fields to graze their cattle in, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:4,5" id="Num.xxxvi-p4.3" parsed="|Num|35|4|35|5" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.4-Num.35.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. Thus was care taken that
they should not only live, but live plentifully, and have all
desirable conveniences about them, that they might not be looked
upon with contempt by their neighbours.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p5">II. These cities were to be assigned them
out of the possessions of each tribe, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:8" id="Num.xxxvi-p5.1" parsed="|Num|35|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 1. That each tribe might thus
make a grateful acknowledgment to God out of their real as well as
out of their personal estates (for what was given to the Levites
was accepted as given to the Lord) and thus their possessions were
sanctified to them. 2. That each tribe might have the benefit of
the Levites' dwelling among them, to <i>teach them the good
knowledge of the Lord;</i> thus that light was diffused through all
parts of the country, and none were left to sit in darkness,
<scripRef passage="De 33:10" id="Num.xxxvi-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|33|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.10">Deut. xxxiii. 10</scripRef>, <i>They
shall teach Jacob thy judgments.</i> Jacob's curse on Levi's anger
was, <i>I will scatter them in Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:7" id="Num.xxxvi-p5.3" parsed="|Gen|49|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.7">Gen. xlix. 7</scripRef>. But that curse was turned into a
blessing, and the Levites, by being thus scattered, were put into a
capacity of doing so much the more good. It is a great mercy to a
country to be replenished in all parts with faithful ministers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p6">III. The number allotted them was
forty-eight in all, four out of each of the twelve tribes, one with
another. Out of the united tribes of Simeon and Judah nine, out of
Naphtali three, and four apiece out of the rest, as appears,
<scripRef passage="Jos 21:1-45" id="Num.xxxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Josh|21|1|21|45" osisRef="Bible:Josh.21.1-Josh.21.45">Josh. xxi</scripRef>. Thus were
they blessed with a good ministry, and that ministry with a
comfortable maintenance, not only in tithes, but in glebe-lands.
And, though the gospel is not so particular as the law was in this
matter, yet it expressly provides that he that is <i>taught in the
word</i> should <i>communicate unto him that teaches in all good
things,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 6:6" id="Num.xxxvi-p6.2" parsed="|Gal|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.6">Gal. vi. 6</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 35:9-34" id="Num.xxxvi-p6.3" parsed="|Num|35|9|35|34" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.9-Num.35.34"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.35.9-Num.35.34">
<h4 id="Num.xxxvi-p6.4">The Cities of Refuge. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvi-p6.5">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxvi-p7">9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvi-p7.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying, &#160; 10 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the
land of Canaan; &#160; 11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be
cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which
killeth any person at unawares. &#160; 12 And they shall be unto
you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not,
until he stand before the congregation in judgment. &#160; 13 And
of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for
refuge. &#160; 14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan,
and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, <i>which</i>
shall be cities of refuge. &#160; 15 These six cities shall be a
refuge, <i>both</i> for the children of Israel, and for the
stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that
killeth any person unawares may flee thither. &#160; 16 And if he
smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he <i>is</i>
a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. &#160; 17
And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die,
and he die, he <i>is</i> a murderer: the murderer shall surely be
put to death. &#160; 18 Or <i>if</i> he smite him with an hand
weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he <i>is</i> a
murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. &#160; 19 The
revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth
him, he shall slay him. &#160; 20 But if he thrust him of hatred,
or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; &#160; 21 Or in
enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote
<i>him</i> shall surely be put to death; <i>for</i> he <i>is</i> a
murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he
meeteth him. &#160; 22 But if he thrust him suddenly without
enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,
&#160; 23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing
<i>him</i> not, and cast <i>it</i> upon him, that he die, and
<i>was</i> not his enemy, neither sought his harm: &#160; 24 Then
the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of
blood according to these judgments: &#160; 25 And the congregation
shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood,
and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge,
whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the
high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. &#160; 26 But if
the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of
his refuge, whither he was fled; &#160; 27 And the revenger of
blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and
the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of
blood: &#160; 28 Because he should have remained in the city of his
refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of
the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his
possession. &#160; 29 So these <i>things</i> shall be for a statute
of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your
dwellings. &#160; 30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall
be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall
not testify against any person <i>to cause him</i> to die. &#160;
31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a
murderer, which <i>is</i> guilty of death: but he shall be surely
put to death. &#160; 32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him
that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again
to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. &#160; 33 So
ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye <i>are:</i> for blood it
defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood
that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. &#160;
34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I
dwell: for I the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvi-p7.2">Lord</span> dwell among
the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p8">We have here the orders given concerning
the cities of refuge, fitly annexed to what goes before, because
they were all Levites' cities. In this part of the constitution
there is a great deal both of good law and pure gospel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p9">I. Here is a great deal of good law, in the
case of murder and manslaughter, a case of which the laws of all
nations have taken particular cognizance. It is here enacted and
provided, consonant to natural equity,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p10">1. That wilful murder should be punished
with death, and in that case no sanctuary should be allowed, no
ransom taken, nor any commutation of the punishment accepted: The
<i>murderer shall surely be put to death,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 35:16" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.1" parsed="|Num|35|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. It is supposed to be done <i>of
hatred</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:20" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.2" parsed="|Num|35|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>),
or <i>in enmity</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:21" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.3" parsed="|Num|35|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), upon a sudden provocation (for our Saviour makes
rash anger, as well as malice prepense, to be murder, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:21,22" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.4" parsed="|Matt|5|21|5|22" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.21-Matt.5.22">Matt. v. 21, 22</scripRef>), whether the
person be murdered with an instrument of iron (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:16" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.5" parsed="|Num|35|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) or wood (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:18" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.6" parsed="|Num|35|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), or with a stone thrown at him
(<scripRef passage="Nu 35:17,20" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.7" parsed="|Num|35|17|0|0;|Num|35|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.17 Bible:Num.35.20"><i>v.</i> 17, 20</scripRef>); nay,
if he smite him with his hand in enmity, and death ensue, it is
murder (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:21" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.8" parsed="|Num|35|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>); and
it was an ancient law, consonant to the law of nature, that
<i>whoso sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.9" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6">Gen. ix. 6</scripRef>. Where wrong has
been done restitution must be made; and, since the murderer cannot
restore the life he has wrongfully taken away, his own must be
exacted from him in lieu of it, not (as some have fancied) to
satisfy the manes or ghost of the person slain, but to satisfy the
law and the justice of a nation; and to be a warning to all others
not to do likewise. It is here said, and it is well worthy the
consideration of all princes and states, <i>that blood defiles</i>
not only the conscience of the murderer, who is thereby proved
<i>not to have eternal life abiding in him</i> (<scripRef passage="1Jo 3:15" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.10" parsed="|1John|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.15">1 John iii. 15</scripRef>), but also the land in which
it is shed; so very offensive is it to God and all good men, and
the worst of nuisances. And it is added that <i>the land cannot be
cleansed</i> from the blood of the murdered, but by the blood of
the murderer, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:33" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.11" parsed="|Num|35|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>.
If murderers escape punishment from men, those that suffer them to
escape will have a great deal to answer for, and God will
nevertheless not suffer them to escape his righteous judgments.
Upon the same principle it is provided that no satisfaction should
be taken for the <i>life of a murderer</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:31" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.12" parsed="|Num|35|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>): <i>If a man would give all the
substance of his house</i> to the judges, to the country, or to the
avenger of blood, to atone for his crime, it must <i>utterly be
contemned.</i> The redemption of the life is so precious that it
cannot be obtained by the <i>multitude of riches</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 49:6-8" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.13" parsed="|Ps|49|6|49|8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.6-Ps.49.8">Ps. xlix. 6-8</scripRef>), which perhaps may
allude to this law. A rule of law comes in here (which is a rule of
our law in cases of treason only) that no man shall be put to death
upon the testimony of one witness, but it was necessary there
should be two (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:30" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.14" parsed="|Num|35|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>); this law is settled in all capital cases, <scripRef passage="De 17:6,19:15" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.15" parsed="|Deut|17|6|0|0;|Deut|19|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.6 Bible:Deut.19.15">Deut. xvii. 6; xix. 15</scripRef>. And,
<i>lastly,</i> not only the prosecution, but the execution, of the
murderer, is committed to the next of kin, who, as he was to be the
redeemer of his kinsman's estate if it were mortgaged, so he was to
be the <i>avenger of his blood if he were murdered</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:19" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.16" parsed="|Num|35|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>The avenger of
blood himself shall slay the murderer,</i> if he be convicted by
the <i>notorious evidence of the fact,</i> and he needed not to
have recourse by a judicial process to the court of judgment. But
if it were uncertain who the murderer was, and the proof doubtful,
we cannot think that his bare suspicion, or surmise, would empower
him to do that which the judges themselves could not do but upon
the testimony of two witnesses. Only if the fact were plain then
the next heir of the person slain might himself, in a just
indignation, slay the murderer wherever he met him. Some think this
must be understood to be after the lawful judgment of the
magistrate, and so the Chaldee says, "He shall slay him, <i>when he
shall be condemned unto him by judgment;</i>" but it should seem,
by <scripRef passage="Nu 35:24" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.17" parsed="|Num|35|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>, that the
judges interposed only in a doubtful case, and that if the person
on whom he took vengeance was indeed the murderer, and a wilful
murderer, the avenger was innocent (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:27" id="Num.xxxvi-p10.18" parsed="|Num|35|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), only, if it proved otherwise,
it was at his peril. Our law allows an appeal to be brought against
a murderer by the widow, or next heir, of the person murdered, yea,
though the murderer have been acquitted upon an indictment; and, if
the murderer be found guilty upon that appeal, execution shall be
awarded at the suit of the appellant, who may properly be called
<i>the avenger of blood.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p11">2. But if the homicide was not voluntary,
nor done designedly, if it was <i>without enmity, or lying in
wait</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 35:22" id="Num.xxxvi-p11.1" parsed="|Num|35|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>),
not <i>seeing</i> the person or not <i>seeking his harm</i>
(<scripRef passage="Nu 35:23" id="Num.xxxvi-p11.2" parsed="|Num|35|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), which our
law calls chance-medley, or homicide <i>per infortunium&#8212;through
misfortune,</i> in this case there were cities of refuge appointed
for the manslayer to flee to. By our law this incurs a forfeiture
of goods, but a pardon is granted of course upon the special matter
found. Concerning the cities of refuge the law was, (1.) That, if a
man killed another, in these cities he was safe, and under the
protection of the law, till he had his trial <i>before the
congregation,</i> that is, before the judges in open court. If he
neglected thus to surrender himself, it was at his peril; if the
avenger of blood met him elsewhere, or overtook him loitering in
his way to the city of refuge, and slew him, his blood was upon his
own head, because he did not make use of the security which God had
provided for him. (2.) If, upon trial, it were found to be willful
murder, the city of refuge should no longer be a protection to him;
it was already determined: <i>Thou shalt take him from my altar,
that he may die,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 21:14" id="Num.xxxvi-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.14">Exod. xxi.
14</scripRef>. (3.) But if it were found to be by error or
accident, and that the stroke was given without any design upon the
life of the person slain or any other, then the man-slayer should
continue safe in <i>the city of refuge,</i> and the avenger of
blood might not meddle with him, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:25" id="Num.xxxvi-p11.4" parsed="|Num|35|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. There he was to remain in
banishment from his own house and patrimony <i>till the death of
the high priest;</i> and, if at any time he went out of that city
or the suburbs of it, he put himself out of the protection of the
law, and the avenger of blood, if he met him, might slay him,
<scripRef passage="Nu 35:26-28" id="Num.xxxvi-p11.5" parsed="|Num|35|26|35|28" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.26-Num.35.28"><i>v.</i> 26-28</scripRef>. Now,
[1.] By the preservation of the life of the man-slayer God would
teach us that men ought not to suffer for that which is rather
their unhappiness than their crime, rather the act of Providence
than their own act, for <i>God delivered him into his hand,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 21:13" id="Num.xxxvi-p11.6" parsed="|Exod|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.13">Exod. xxi. 13</scripRef>. [2.] By the
banishment of the man-slayer from his own city, and his confinement
to the city of refuge, where he was in a manner a prisoner, God
would teach us to conceive a dread and horror of the guilt of
blood, and to be very careful of life, and always afraid lest by
oversight or negligence we occasion the death of any. [3.] By the
limiting of the time of the offender's banishment to the death of
the high priest, an honour was put upon that sacred office. The
high priest was to be looked upon as so great a blessing to his
country that when he died their sorrow upon that occasion should
swallow up all other resentments. The cities of refuge being all of
them Levites' cities, and the high priest being the head of that
tribe, and consequently having a peculiar dominion over these
cites, those that were confined to them might properly be looked
upon as his prisoners, and so his death must be their discharge; it
was, as it were, at his suit that the delinquent was imprisoned,
and therefore at his death it fell. <i>Actio moritur cum
persona&#8212;The suit expires with the party.</i> Anisworth has another
notion of it, That as the high priests, while they lived, by their
service and sacrificing made atonement for sin, wherein they
prefigured Christ's satisfaction, so, at their death, those were
released that had been exiled for casual murder, which typified
redemption in Israel. [4.] By the abandoning of the prisoner to the
avenger of blood, in case he at any time went out of the limits of
the city of refuge, they were taught to adhere to the methods which
Infinite Wisdom prescribed for their security. It was for the
honour of a remedial law that it should be so strictly observed.
How can we expect to be saved if we neglect the salvation, which is
indeed a great salvation!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvi-p12">II. Here is a great deal of good gospel
couched under the type and figure of the cities of refuge; and to
them the apostle seems to allude when he speaks of our <i>fleeing
for refuge to the hope set before is</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 6:18" id="Num.xxxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Heb|6|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.18">Heb. vi. 18</scripRef>), and being <i>found in
Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 3:9" id="Num.xxxvi-p12.2" parsed="|Phil|3|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.9">Phil. iii. 9</scripRef>. We
never read in the history of the Old Testament of any use made of
these cities of refuge, any more than of other such institutions,
which yet, no doubt, were made use of upon the occasions intended;
only we read of those that, in dangerous cases, took hold of <i>the
horns of the altar</i> (<scripRef passage="1Ki 1:50,2:28" id="Num.xxxvi-p12.3" parsed="|1Kgs|1|50|0|0;|1Kgs|2|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.1.50 Bible:1Kgs.2.28">1 Kings
i. 50; ii. 28</scripRef>); for the altar, wherever that stood, was,
as it were the capital <i>city of refuge.</i> But the law
concerning these cities was designed both to raise and to encourage
the expectations of those who looked for redemption in Israel,
which should be to those who were convinced of sin, and in terror
by reason of it, as the cities of refuge were to the man-slayer.
Observe, 1. There were several cities of refuge, and they were so
appointed in several parts of the country that the man-slayer,
wherever he dwelt in the land of Israel, might in half a day reach
one or other of them; so, though there is but one Christ appointed
for our refuge, yet, wherever we are, he is a refuge at hand, a
very present help, for <i>the word is nigh us</i> and Christ in the
word. 2. The man-slayer was safe in any of these cities; so in
Christ believers that flee to him, and rest in him, are protected
from the wrath of God and the curse of the law. <i>There is no
condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 8:1" id="Num.xxxvi-p12.4" parsed="|Rom|8|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.1">Rom. viii. 1</scripRef>. Who shall condemn those
that are thus sheltered? 3. They were all Levites' cities; it was a
kindness to the poor prisoner that though he might not go up to the
place where the ark was, yet he was in the midst of Levites, who
would teach him the good knowledge of the Lord, and instruct him
how to improve the providence he was now under. It might also be
expected that the Levites would comfort and encourage him, and bid
him welcome; so it is the work of gospel ministers to bid poor
sinners welcome to Christ, and to assist and counsel those that
through grace are in him. 4. Even strangers and sojourners, though
they were not native Israelites, might take the benefit of these
cities of refuge, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:15" id="Num.xxxvi-p12.5" parsed="|Num|35|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. So in Christ Jesus no difference in made between
Greek and Jew; even the <i>sons of the stranger</i> that by faith
flee to Christ shall be safe in him. 5. Even the suburbs or borders
of the city were a sufficient security to the offender, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:26,27" id="Num.xxxvi-p12.6" parsed="|Num|35|26|35|27" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.26-Num.35.27"><i>v.</i> 26, 27</scripRef>. So there is
virtue even in the hem of Christ's garment for the healing and
saving of poor sinners. If we cannot reach to a full assurance, we
may comfort ourselves in a good hope through grace. 6. The
protection which the man-slayer found in the city of refuge was not
owing to the strength of its walls, or gates, or bars, but purely
to the divine appointment; so it is the word of the gospel that
gives souls safety in Christ, <i>for him hath God the Father
sealed.</i> 7. If the offender was ever caught struggling out of
the borders of his city of refuge, or stealing home to his house
again, he lost the benefit of his protection, and lay exposed to
the avenger of blood; so those that are in Christ must abide in
Christ, for it is at their peril if they forsake him and wander
from him. <i>Drawing back is to perdition.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXVI" n="xxxvii" progress="81.55%" prev="Num.xxxvi" next="Deu" id="Num.xxxvii">
<h2 id="Num.xxxvii-p0.1">N U M B E R S</h2>
<h3 id="Num.xxxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Num.xxxvii-p1">We have in this chapter the determination of
another question that arose upon the case of the daughters of
Zelophehad. God had appointed that they should inherit, <scripRef passage="Nu 27:7" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Num|27|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.7"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. 7</scripRef>. Now here, I. An
inconvenience is suggested, in case they should marry into any
other tribe, <scripRef passage="Nu 36:1-4" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Num|36|1|36|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II.
It is prevented by a divine appointment that they should marry in
their own tribe and family (<scripRef passage="Nu 36:5-7" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Num|36|5|36|7" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.5-Num.36.7">ver.
5-7</scripRef>), and this is settled for a rule in like cases
(<scripRef passage="Nu 36:8,9" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Num|36|8|36|9" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.8-Num.36.9">ver. 8, 9</scripRef>); and they did
marry accordingly to some of their own relations (<scripRef passage="Nu 36:10-12" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Num|36|10|36|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.10-Num.36.12">ver. 10-12</scripRef>), and with this the
book concludes, <scripRef passage="Nu 36:13" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Num|36|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.13">ver.
13</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 36" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.7" parsed="|Num|36|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 36:1-4" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.8" parsed="|Num|36|1|36|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.36.1-Num.36.4">
<h4 id="Num.xxxvii-p1.9">The Law of Inheritance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1452.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxvii-p2">1 And the chief fathers of the families of the
children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the
families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses,
and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of
Israel: &#160; 2 And they said, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> commanded my lord to give the land for an
inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was
commanded by the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p2.2">Lord</span> to give the
inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters. &#160; 3
And if they be married to any of the sons of the <i>other</i>
tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be
taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the
inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it
be taken from the lot of our inheritance. &#160; 4 And when the
jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their
inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they
are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the
inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p3">We have here the humble address which the
heads of the tribe of Manasseh made to Moses and the princes, on
occasion of the order lately made concerning the daughters of
Zelophehad. The family they belonged to was part of that half of
the tribe of Manasseh which we yet to have their lot within Jordan,
not that half that was already settled; and yet they speak of the
land of their possession, and the inheritance of their fathers,
with as great assurance as if they had it already in their hands,
knowing whom they had trusted. In their appeal observe, 1. They
fairly recite the former order made in this case, and do not move
to have that set aside, but are very willing to acquiesce in it
(<scripRef passage="Nu 36:2" id="Num.xxxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Num|36|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>): <i>The Lord
commanded to give the inheritance of Zelophehad to his
daughters;</i> and they are very well pleased that it should be so,
none of them knowing but that hereafter it might be the case of
their own families, and then their daughters would have the benefit
of this law. 2. They represent the inconvenience which might,
possibly, follow hereupon, if the daughters of Zelophehad should
see cause to marry into any other tribes, <scripRef passage="Nu 36:3" id="Num.xxxvii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|36|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. And it is probable that this was
not a bare surmise, or supposition, but that they knew, at this
time, great court was made to them by some young gentlemen of other
tribes, because they were heiresses, that they might get footing in
this tribe, and so enlarge their own inheritance. This truly is
often aimed at more than it should be in making marriages, not the
meetness of the person, but the convenience of the estate, to
<i>lay house to house, and field to field. Wisdom indeed is good
with an inheritance;</i> but what is an inheritance good for in
that relation without wisdom? But here, we may presume, the
personal merit of these daughters recommended them as well as their
fortunes; however, the heads of their tribe foresaw the mischief
that would follow, and brought the case to Moses, that he might
consult the oracle of God concerning it. The difficulty they start
God could have obviated and provided against in the former order
given in this case; but to teach us that we must, in our affairs,
not only attend God's providence, but make use of our own prudence,
God did not direct in it till the themselves that were concerned
wisely foresaw the inconvenience, and piously applied to Moses for
a rule in it. For though they were chief fathers in their families,
and might have assumed a power to overrule these daughters of
Zelophehad in disposing of themselves, especially their father
being dead and the common interest of their tribe being concerned
in it, yet they chose rather to refer the matter to Moses, and it
issued well. We should not covet to be judges in our own case, for
it is difficult to be so without being partial. It is easier in
many cases to take good advice than to give it, and it is a
satisfaction to be under direction. Two things they aimed at in
their representation:&#8212;(1.) To preserve the divine appointment of
inheritances. They urged the command (<scripRef passage="Nu 36:2" id="Num.xxxvii-p3.3" parsed="|Num|36|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), that the land should be given by
lot to the respective tribes, and urged that it would break in upon
the divine appointment if such a considerable part of the lot of
Manasseh should, by their marriage, be transferred to any other
tribe; for the issue would be denominated from the father's tribe,
not the mother's. This indeed would not lessen the lot of the
particular persons of that tribe (they would have their own still),
but it would lessen the lot of the tribe in general, and render it
less strong and considerable; they therefore thought themselves
concerned for the reputation of their tribe, and perhaps were the
more jealous for it because it was already very much weakened by
the sitting down of the one half of it on this side Jordan. (2.) To
prevent contests and quarrels among posterity. If those of other
tribes should come among them perhaps it might occasion some
contests. They would be apt to give and receive disturbance, and
their title might, in process of time, come to be questioned; and
how great a matter would this fire kindle! It is the wisdom and
duty of those that have estates in the world to settle them, and
dispose of them, so as that no strife and contention may arise
about them among posterity.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="Nu 36:5-13" id="Num.xxxvii-p3.4" parsed="|Num|36|5|36|13" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.5-Num.36.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Num.36.5-Num.36.13">
<p class="passage" id="Num.xxxvii-p4">5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel
according to the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.1">Lord</span>,
saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well. &#160; 6
This <i>is</i> the thing which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.2">Lord</span> doth command concerning the daughters of
Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to
the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry. &#160; 7
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from
tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep
himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. &#160; 8
And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of
the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the
tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every
man the inheritance of his fathers. &#160; 9 Neither shall the
inheritance remove from <i>one</i> tribe to another tribe; but
every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep
himself to his own inheritance. &#160; 10 Even as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.3">Lord</span> commanded Moses, so did the daughters of
Zelophehad: &#160; 11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah,
and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their
father's brothers' sons: &#160; 12 <i>And</i> they were married
into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and
their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their
father. &#160; 13 These <i>are</i> the commandments and the
judgments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Num.xxxvii-p4.4">Lord</span> commanded
by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of
Moab by Jordan <i>near</i> Jericho.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p5">Here is, I. The matter settled by express
order from God between the daughters of Zelophehad and the rest of
the tribe of Manasseh. The petition is assented to, and care taken
to prevent the inconvenience feared: <i>The tribe of the sons of
Joseph hath said well,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 36:5" id="Num.xxxvii-p5.1" parsed="|Num|36|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Thus those that consult the oracles of God concerning
the making of their heavenly inheritance sure shall not only be
directed what to do, but their enquiries shall be graciously
accepted, and they shall have not only their <i>well done,</i> but
their <i>well said,</i> good and faithful servant. Now the matter
is thus accommodated: these heiresses must be obliged to marry, not
only within their own tribe of Manasseh, but within the particular
family of the Hepherites, to which they did belong. 1. They are not
determined to any particular persons; there was choice enough in
the family of their father: <i>Let them marry to whom they think
best.</i> As children must preserve the authority of their parents,
and not marry against their minds, so parents must consult the
affections of their children in disposing of them, and not compel
them to marry such as they cannot love. Forced marriages are not
likely to prove blessings. 2. Yet they are confined to their own
relations, that their inheritance may not go to another family. God
would have them know that the land being to be divided by lot, the
disposal whereof was of the Lord, they could not mend, and
therefore should not alter, his appointment. The inheritances must
not <i>remove from tribe to tribe</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 36:7" id="Num.xxxvii-p5.2" parsed="|Num|36|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), lest there should be confusion
among them, their estates entangled, and their genealogies
perplexed. God would not have one tribe to be enriched by the
straitening and impoverishing of another, since they were all alike
the seed of Abraham his friend.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p6">II. The law, in this particular case, was
made perpetual, and to be observed whenever hereafter the like case
should happen, <scripRef passage="Nu 36:8" id="Num.xxxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Num|36|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Those that were not heiresses might marry into what tribe they
pleased (though we may suppose that, ordinarily, they kept within
their own tribe), but those that were must either quit their claim
to the inheritance or marry one of their own family, that each of
the tribes might keep to its own inheritance, and one tribe might
not encroach upon another, but throughout their generations there
might remain immovable the ancient landmarks, set, not by their
fathers, but by the <i>God of their fathers.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p7">III. The submission of the daughters of
Zelophehad to this appointment. How could they but marry well, and
to their satisfaction, when God himself directed them? They married
their father's brothers' sons, <scripRef passage="Nu 36:10-12" id="Num.xxxvii-p7.1" parsed="|Num|36|10|36|12" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.10-Num.36.12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>. By this it appears, 1.
That the marriage of cousin-germans is not in itself unlawful, nor
within the degrees prohibited, for then God would not have
countenanced these marriages. But, 2. That ordinarily it is not
advisable; for, if there had not been a particular reason for it
(which cannot hold in any case now, inheritances being not disposed
of as then by the special designation of Heaven), they would not
have married such near relations. The world is wide, and he that
walks uprightly will endeavour to walk surely.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Num.xxxvii-p8">IV. The conclusion of this whole book,
referring to the latter part of it: <i>These are the judgments
which the Lord commanded in the plains of Moab</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 36:13" id="Num.xxxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Num|36|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.36.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), these foregoing, ever
since <scripRef passage="Nu 26:1-3" id="Num.xxxvii-p8.2" parsed="|Num|26|1|26|3" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.1-Num.26.3"><i>ch.</i> xxvi.</scripRef>,
most of which related to their settlement in Canaan, into which
they were now entering. Whatever new condition God is by his
providence bringing us into, we must beg of him to teach us the
duty of it, and to enable us to do it, that we may do the work of
the day in its day, of the place in its place.</p>
</div></div2>
</div1>
<div1 title="Deuteronomy" n="v" progress="81.78%" prev="Num.xxxvii" next="Deu.i" id="Deu">
<div2 title="Introduction" n="i" progress="81.78%" prev="Deu" next="Deu.ii" id="Deu.i">
<h2 id="Deu.i-p0.1">Deuteronomy</h2>
<hr/>
<pb n="562" id="Deu.i-Page_562"/>
<div class="Center" id="Deu.i-p0.3">
<p id="Deu.i-p1"><b>AN</b></p>
<h3 id="Deu.i-p1.1">EXPOSITION,</h3>
<h4 id="Deu.i-p1.2">W I T H &#160; P R A C T I C A L &#160; O B S E
R V A T I O N S,</h4>
<h5 id="Deu.i-p1.3">OF THE FIFTH BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED</h5>
<h2 id="Deu.i-p1.4">D E U T E R O N O M Y.</h2>
<hr style="width:2in"/>
</div>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.i-p2"><span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.i-p2.1">This</span> book is
a repetition of very much both of the history and of the laws
contained in the three foregoing books, which repetition Moses
delivered to Israel (both by word of mouth, that it might affect,
and by writing, that it might abide) a little before his death.
There is no new history in it but that of the death of Moses in the
last chapter, nor any new revelation to Moses, for aught that
appears, and therefore the style here is not, as before, <i>The
Lord spoke unto Moses, saying.</i> But the former laws are repeated
and commented upon, explained and enlarged, and some particular
precepts added to them, with copious reasonings for the enforcing
of them: in this Moses was divinely inspired and assisted, so that
this is as truly the word of the Lord by Moses as that which was
spoken to him with an audible voice <i>out of the tabernacle of the
congregation</i>, <scripRef passage="Le 1:1" id="Deu.i-p2.2" parsed="|Lev|1|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.1.1">Lev. i. 1</scripRef>.
The Greek interpreters call it <i>Deuteronomy,</i> which signifies
the <i>second law,</i> or a <i>second edition of the law,</i> not
with amendments, for there needed none, but with additions, for the
further direction of the people in divers cases not mentioned
before. Now, I. It was much for the honour of the divine law that
it should be thus repeated; how great were the things of that law
which was thus inculcated, and how inexcusable would those be by
whom they were <i>counted as a strange thing!</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 8:12" id="Deu.i-p2.3" parsed="|Hos|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.12">Hos. viii. 12</scripRef>. II. There might be a
particular reason for the repeating of it now; the men of that
generation to which the law was first given were all dead, and a
new generation had sprung up, to whom God would have it repeated by
Moses himself, that, if possible, it might make a lasting
impression upon them. Now that they were just going to take
possession of the land of Canaan, Moses must read the articles of
agreement to them, that they might know upon what terms and
conditions they were to hold and enjoy that land, and might
understand that they were upon their good behaviour in it. III. It
would be of great use to the people to have those parts of the law
thus gathered up and put together which did more immediately
concern them and their practice; for the laws which concerned the
priests and Levites, and the execution of their offices, are not
repeated: it was enough for them that they were once delivered.
But, in compassion to the infirmities of the people, the laws of
more common concern are delivered a second time. <i>Precept must be
upon precept, and line upon line,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 28:10" id="Deu.i-p2.4" parsed="|Isa|28|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.28.10">Isa. xxviii. 10</scripRef>. The great and needful
truths of the gospel should be often pressed upon people by the
ministers of Christ. <i>To write the same things</i> (says Paul,
<scripRef passage="Php 3:1" id="Deu.i-p2.5" parsed="|Phil|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.1">Phil. iii. 1</scripRef>) <i>to me
indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.</i> What God has
spoken once we have need to hear twice, to hear many times, and it
is well if, after all, it be duly perceived and regarded. In three
ways this book of Deuteronomy was magnified and made honourable:&#8212;
1. The king was to write a copy of it with his own hand, and to
read therein all the days of his life, <scripRef passage="De 17:1-19:21" id="Deu.i-p2.6" parsed="|Deut|17|1|19|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.1-Deut.19.21"><i>ch.</i> xvii. xviii. xix.</scripRef> 2. It was
to be written upon great stones plastered, at their passing over
Jordan, <scripRef passage="De 27:2,3" id="Deu.i-p2.7" parsed="|Deut|27|2|27|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.2-Deut.27.3"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. 2,
3</scripRef>. 3. It was to be read publicly every seventh year, at
the feast of tabernacles, by the priests, in the audience of all
Israel, <scripRef passage="De 31:9-13" id="Deu.i-p2.8" parsed="|Deut|31|9|31|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.9-Deut.31.13"><i>ch.</i> xxxi.
9</scripRef>, &amp;c. The gospel is a kind of Deuteronomy, a second
law, a remedial law, a spiritual law, a law of faith; by it we are
under the law of Christ, and it is a law that <i>makes the comers
thereunto perfect.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.i-p3">This book of Deuteronomy begins with a
brief rehearsal of the most remarkable events that had befallen the
Israelites since they came from Mount Sinai. In the fourth chapter
we have a most pathetic exhortation to obedience. In the twelfth
chapter, and so on to the twenty-seventh, are repeated many
particular laws, which are enforced (<scripRef passage="De 27:1-28:68" id="Deu.i-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|27|1|28|68" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.1-Deut.28.68"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. and xxviii.</scripRef>) with
promises and threatenings, blessings and curses, formed into a
covenant, <scripRef passage="De 29:1-30:20" id="Deu.i-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|29|1|30|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.1-Deut.30.20"><i>ch.</i> xxix. and
xxx.</scripRef> Care is taken to perpetuate the remembrance of
these things among them (<scripRef passage="De 31:1-29" id="Deu.i-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|31|1|31|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.1-Deut.31.29"><i>ch.</i>
xxxi.</scripRef>), particularly by a song (<scripRef passage="De 32:1-52" id="Deu.i-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|32|1|32|52" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.1-Deut.32.52"><i>ch.</i> xxxii.</scripRef>), and so Moses concludes
with a blessing, <scripRef passage="De 33:1-29" id="Deu.i-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|33|1|33|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.1-Deut.33.29"><i>ch.</i>
xxxiii</scripRef>. All this was delivered by Moses to Israel in the
last month of his life. The whole book contains the history but of
two months; compare <scripRef passage="De 1:3,Jos 4:19" id="Deu.i-p3.6" parsed="|Deut|1|3|0|0;|Josh|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.3 Bible:Josh.4.19"><i>ch.</i>
i. 3 with Josh. iv. 19</scripRef>, the latter of which was the
thirty days of Israel's mourning for Moses; see how busy that great
and good man was to do good when he knew that his time was short,
how quick his motion when he drew near his rest. Thus we have more
recorded of what our blessed Saviour said and did in the last week
of his life than in any other. The last words of eminent persons
make or should make deep impressions. Observe, for the honour of
this book, that when our Saviour would answer the devil's
temptations with, <i>It is written,</i> he fetched all his
quotations out of this book, <scripRef passage="Mt 4:4,7,10" id="Deu.i-p3.7" parsed="|Matt|4|4|0|0;|Matt|4|7|0|0;|Matt|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.4 Bible:Matt.4.7 Bible:Matt.4.10">Matt.
iv. 4, 7, 10</scripRef>.</p>
</div2>
<div2 title="Chapter I" n="ii" progress="81.89%" prev="Deu.i" next="Deu.iii" id="Deu.ii">
<h2 id="Deu.ii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.ii-p0.2">CHAP. I.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.ii-p1">The first part of Moses's farewell sermon to
Israel begins with this chapter, and is continued to the latter end
of the fourth chapter. In the first five verses of this chapter we
have the date of the sermon, the place where it was preached
(<scripRef passage="De 1:1,2,5" id="Deu.ii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|1|1|1|2;|Deut|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.1-Deut.1.2 Bible:Deut.1.5">ver. 1, 2, 5</scripRef>), and the
time when, <scripRef passage="De 1:3,4" id="Deu.ii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|1|3|1|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.3-Deut.1.4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>. The
narrative in this chapter reminds them, I. Of the promise God made
them of the land of Canaan, <scripRef passage="De 1:6-8" id="Deu.ii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|1|6|1|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.6-Deut.1.8">ver.
6-8</scripRef>. II. Of the provision made of judges for them,
<scripRef passage="De 1:9-18" id="Deu.ii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|1|9|1|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.9-Deut.1.18">ver. 9-18</scripRef>. III. Of their
unbelief and murmuring upon the report of the spies, <scripRef passage="De 1:19-33" id="Deu.ii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|1|19|1|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.19-Deut.1.33">ver. 19-33</scripRef>. IV. Of the sentence
passed upon them for it, and the ratification of that sentence,
<scripRef passage="De 1:34-46" id="Deu.ii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|1|34|1|46" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.34-Deut.1.46">ver. 34</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 1" id="Deu.ii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 1:1-8" id="Deu.ii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|1|1|1|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.1-Deut.1.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.1.1-Deut.1.8">
<h4 id="Deu.ii-p1.9">Israel's History Repeated. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.ii-p2">1 These <i>be</i> the words which Moses spake
unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain
over against the Red <i>sea,</i> between Paran, and Tophel, and
Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. &#160; 2 (<i>There are</i> eleven
days' <i>journey</i> from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto
Kadesh-barnea.) &#160; 3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year,
in the eleventh month, on the first <i>day</i> of the month,
<i>that</i> Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto
all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p2.1">Lord</span> had given him in
commandment unto them; &#160; 4 After he had slain Sihon the king
of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan,
which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: &#160; 5 On this side Jordan, in
the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, &#160; 6
The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p2.2">Lord</span> our God spake unto us in
Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: &#160; 7
Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the
Amorites, and unto all <i>the places</i> nigh thereunto, in the
plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the
sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the
great river, the river Euphrates. &#160; 8 Behold, I have set the
land before you: go in and possess the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p2.3">Lord</span> sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p3">We have here, I. The date of this sermon
which Moses preached to the people of Israel. A great auditory, no
question, he had, as many as could crowd within hearing, and
particularly all the elders and officers, the representatives of
the people; and, probably, it was on the sabbath day that he
delivered this to them. 1. The place were they were now encamped
was <i>in the plain, in the land of Moab</i> (<scripRef passage="De 1:1,5" id="Deu.ii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|1|1|0|0;|Deut|1|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.1 Bible:Deut.1.5"><i>v.</i> 1, 5</scripRef>), where they were just ready
to enter Canaan, and engage in a war with the Canaanites. Yet he
discourses not to them concerning military affairs, the arts and
stratagems of war, but concerning their duty to God; for, if they
kept themselves in his fear and favour, he would secure to them the
conquest of the land: their religion would be their best policy. 2.
The time was near the end of the fortieth year since they came out
of Egypt. So long God had <i>borne their manners,</i> and they had
<i>borne their own iniquity</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:34" id="Deu.ii-p3.2" parsed="|Num|14|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.34">Num.
xiv. 34</scripRef>), and now that a new and more pleasant scene was
to be introduced, as a token for good, Moses repeats the law to
them. Thus, after God's controversy with them on account of the
golden calf, the first and surest sign of God's being reconciled to
them was the <i>renewing of the tables.</i> There is no better
evidence and earnest of God's favour than his putting his law in
our hearts, <scripRef passage="Ps 147:19,20" id="Deu.ii-p3.3" parsed="|Ps|147|19|147|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.147.19-Ps.147.20">Ps. cxlvii. 19,
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p4">II. The discourse itself. In general, Moses
spoke unto them <i>all that the Lord had given him in
commandment</i> (<scripRef passage="De 1:3" id="Deu.ii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|1|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), which intimates, not only that what he now delivered
was for substance the same with what had formerly been commanded,
but that it was what God now commanded him to repeat. He gave them
this rehearsal and exhortation purely by divine direction; God
appointed him to leave this legacy to the church. He begins his
narrative with their removal from Mount Sinai (<scripRef passage="De 1:6" id="Deu.ii-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|1|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and relates here, 1. The orders
which God gave them to decamp, and proceed in their march
(<scripRef passage="De 1:6,7" id="Deu.ii-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|1|6|1|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.6-Deut.1.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>): <i>You
have dwelt long enough in this mount.</i> This was the mount
<i>that burned with fire</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:18" id="Deu.ii-p4.4" parsed="|Heb|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.18">Heb.
xii. 18</scripRef>), and <i>gendered to bondage,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 4:24" id="Deu.ii-p4.5" parsed="|Gal|4|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.24">Gal. iv. 24</scripRef>. Thither God brought them
to humble them, and by the terrors of the law to prepare them for
the land of promise. There he kept them about a year, and then told
them they had <i>dwelt long enough</i> there, they must go forward.
Though God brings his people into trouble and affliction, into
spiritual trouble and affliction of mind, he knows when they have
dwelt long enough in it, and will certainly find a time, the
fittest time, to advance them from the terrors of the spirit of
adoption. See <scripRef passage="Ro 8:15" id="Deu.ii-p4.6" parsed="|Rom|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.15">Rom. viii. 15</scripRef>.
2. The prospect which he gave them of a happy and early settlement
in Canaan: <i>Go to the land of the Canaanites</i> (<scripRef passage="De 1:7" id="Deu.ii-p4.7" parsed="|Deut|1|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); enter and take
possession, it is all your own. <i>Behold I have set the land
before you,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:8" id="Deu.ii-p4.8" parsed="|Deut|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
When God commands us to go forward in our Christian course he sets
the heavenly Canaan before us for our encouragement.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 1:9-18" id="Deu.ii-p4.9" parsed="|Deut|1|9|1|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.9-Deut.1.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.1.9-Deut.1.18">
<h4 id="Deu.ii-p4.10">The Charge to Magistrates. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p4.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.ii-p5">9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I
am not able to bear you myself alone: &#160; 10 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p5.1">Lord</span> your God hath multiplied you, and, behold,
ye <i>are</i> this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. &#160;
11 (The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p5.2">Lord</span> God of your fathers
make you a thousand times so many more as ye <i>are,</i> and bless
you, as he hath promised you!) &#160; 12 How can I myself alone
bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? &#160; 13
Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes,
and I will make them rulers over you. &#160; 14 And ye answered me,
and said, The thing which thou hast spoken <i>is</i> good <i>for
us</i> to do. &#160; 15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise
men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over
thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties,
and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. &#160; 16
And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear <i>the
causes</i> between your brethren, and judge righteously between
<i>every</i> man and his brother, and the stranger <i>that is</i>
with him. &#160; 17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment;
<i>but</i> ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall
not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment <i>is</i> God's:
and the cause that is too hard for you, bring <i>it</i> unto me,
and I will hear it. &#160; 18 And I commanded you at that time all
the things which ye should do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p6">Moses here reminds them of the happy
constitution of their government, which was such as might make them
all safe and easy if it was not their own fault. When good laws
were given them good men were entrusted with the execution of them,
which, as it was an instance of God's goodness to them, so it was
of the care of Moses concerning them; and, it should seem, he
mentions it here to recommend himself to them as a man that
sincerely sought their welfare, and so to make way for what he was
about to say to them, wherein he aimed at nothing but their good.
In this part of his narrative he insinuates to them,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p7">I. That he greatly rejoiced in the increase
of their numbers. He owns the accomplishment of God's promise to
Abraham (<scripRef passage="De 1:10" id="Deu.ii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>):
<i>You are as the stars of heaven for multitude;</i> and prays for
the further accomplishment of it (<scripRef passage="De 1:11" id="Deu.ii-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>God make you a thousand
times more.</i> This prayer comes in in a parenthesis, and a good
prayer prudently put in cannot be impertinent in any discourse of
divine things, nor will a pious ejaculation break the coherence,
but rather strengthen and adorn it. But how greatly are his desires
enlarged when he prays that they might be made a thousand times
more than they were! We are not straitened in the power and
goodness of God, why should we be straitened in our own faith and
hope, which ought to be as large as the promise? larger they need
not be. It is from the promise that Moses here takes the measures
of his prayer: <i>The Lord bless you as he hath promised you.</i>
And why might he not hope that they might become a thousand times
more than they were now when they were now ten thousand times more
than they were when they went down into Egypt, about 250 years ago?
Observe, When they were under the government of Pharaoh the
increase of their numbers was envied, and complained of as a
grievance (<scripRef passage="Ex 1:9" id="Deu.ii-p7.3" parsed="|Exod|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.1.9">Exod. i. 9</scripRef>); but
now, under the government of Moses, it was rejoiced in, and prayed
for as a blessing. The consideration of this might give them
occasion to reflect with shame upon their own folly when they had
talked of making a captain and returning to Egypt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p8">II. That he was not ambitious of
monopolizing the honour of the government, and ruling them himself
alone, as an absolute monarch, <scripRef passage="De 1:9" id="Deu.ii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Though he was a man as well worthy of that honour,
and as well qualified for the business, as ever any man was, yet he
was desirous that others might be taken in as assistants to him in
the business and consequently sharers with him in the honour: <i>I
cannot myself alone bear the burden,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:12" id="Deu.ii-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Magistracy is a burden. Moses
himself, though eminently gifted for it, found it lay heavily on
his shoulders; nay, the best magistrates complain most of the
burden, and are most desirous of help, and most afraid of
undertaking more than they can perform.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p9">III. That he was not desirous to prefer his
own creatures, or such as should underhand have a dependence upon
him; for he leaves it to the people to choose their own judges, to
whom he would grant commissions, not <i>durant bene placito&#8212;to be
turned out when he pleased;</i> but <i>quam diu se bene
gesserint&#8212;to continue so long as they approved themselves
faithful. Take you wise men, that are known to be so among your
tribes, and I will make them rulers,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:13" id="Deu.ii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Thus the apostles directed the
multitude to choose overseers of the poor, and then they ordained
them,. <scripRef passage="Ac 6:3,6" id="Deu.ii-p9.2" parsed="|Acts|6|3|0|0;|Acts|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.6.3 Bible:Acts.6.6">Acts vi. 3, 6</scripRef>. He
directs them to <i>take wise men and understanding,</i> whose
personal merit would recommend them. The rise and origin of this
nation were so late that none of them could pretend to antiquity of
race, and nobility of birth, above their brethren; and, having all
lately come out of slavery in Egypt, it is probable that one family
was not much richer than another; so that their choice must be
directed purely by the qualifications of wisdom, experience, and
integrity. "Choose those," says Moses, "whose praise is in your
tribes, and with all my heart <i>I will make them rulers.</i>" We
must not grudge that God's work be done by other hands than ours,
provided it be done by good hands.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p10">IV. That he was in this matter very willing
to please the people; and, though he did not in any thing aim at
their applause, yet in a thing of this nature he would not act
without their approbation. And they agreed to the proposal: <i>The
thing which thou hast spoken is good,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:14" id="Deu.ii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. This he mentions to aggravate
the sin of their mutinies and discontents after this, that the
government they quarrelled with was what they themselves had
consented to; Moses would have pleased them if they would have been
pleased.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p11">V. That he aimed to edify them as well as
to gratify them; for,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p12">1. He appointed men of good characters
(<scripRef passage="De 1:15" id="Deu.ii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), <i>wise men
and men known,</i> men that would be faithful to their trust and to
the public interest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p13">2. He gave them a good charge, <scripRef passage="De 1:16,17" id="Deu.ii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|1|16|1|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.16-Deut.1.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. Those that are
advanced to honour must know that they are charged with business,
and must give account another day of their charge. (1.) He charges
them to be diligent and patient: <i>Hear the causes.</i> Hear both
sides, hear them fully, hear them carefully; for nature has
provided us with two ears, and <i>he that answereth a matter before
he heareth it, it is folly and shame to him.</i> The ear of the
learner is necessary to the tongue of the learned, <scripRef passage="Isa 50:4" id="Deu.ii-p13.2" parsed="|Isa|50|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.4">Isa. l. 4</scripRef>. (2.) To be just and
impartial: <i>Judge righteously.</i> Judgment must be given
according to the merits of the cause, without regard to the quality
of the parties. The natives must not be suffered to abuse the
strangers any more that the strangers to insult the natives or to
encroach upon them; the great must not be suffered to oppress the
small, nor to crush them, any more than the small, to rob the
great, or to affront them. No faces must be known in judgment, but
unbribed unbiased equity must always pass sentence. (3.) To be
resolute and courageous: "<i>You shall not be afraid of the face of
man;</i> be not overawed to do an ill thing, either by the clamours
of the crowd or by the menaces of those that have power in their
hands." And he gave them a good reason to enforce this charge:
"<i>For the judgment is God's.</i> You are God's vicegerents, you
act for him, and therefore must act like him; you are his
representatives, but if you judge unrighteously, you misrepresent
him. The judgment is his, and therefore he will protect you in
doing right, and will certainly call you to account if you do
wrong."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p14">3. He allowed them to bring all difficult
cases to him, and he would always be ready to hear and determine,
and to make both the judges and the people easy. <i>Happy art thou.
O Israel!</i> in such praise as Moses was.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 1" id="Deu.ii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|1|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 1:19-46" id="Deu.ii-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|1|19|1|46" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.19-Deut.1.46"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.1.19-Deut.1.46">
<h4 id="Deu.ii-p14.3">Israel's Sin at Kadesh. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p14.4">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.ii-p15">19 And when we departed from Horeb, we went
through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the
way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.1">Lord</span> our God commanded us; and we came to
Kadesh-barnea. &#160; 20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the
mountain of the Amorites, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.2">Lord</span> our God doth give unto us. &#160; 21
Behold, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.3">Lord</span> thy God hath set
the land before thee: go up <i>and</i> possess <i>it,</i> as the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.4">Lord</span> God of thy fathers hath said
unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. &#160; 22 And ye came
near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before
us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again
by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.
&#160; 23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of
you, one of a tribe: &#160; 24 And they turned and went up into the
mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.
&#160; 25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands,
and brought <i>it</i> down unto us, and brought us word again, and
said, <i>It is</i> a good land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.5">Lord</span> our God doth give us. &#160; 26
Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the
commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.6">Lord</span> your God:
&#160; 27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.7">Lord</span> hated us, he hath brought us
forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the
Amorites, to destroy us. &#160; 28 Whither shall we go up? our
brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people <i>is</i>
greater and taller than we; the cities <i>are</i> great and walled
up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims
there. &#160; 29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid
of them. &#160; 30 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.8">Lord</span> your God
which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all
that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; &#160; 31 And in the
wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.9">Lord</span> thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his
son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
&#160; 32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.10">Lord</span> your God, &#160; 33 Who went in the way
before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents
<i>in,</i> in fire by night, to show you by what way ye should go,
and in a cloud by day. &#160; 34 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.11">Lord</span> heard the voice of your words, and was
wroth, and sware, saying, &#160; 35 Surely there shall not one of
these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware
to give unto your fathers, &#160; 36 Save Caleb the son of
Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he
hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly
followed the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.12">Lord</span>. &#160; 37 Also
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.13">Lord</span> was angry with me for your
sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither. &#160; 38
<i>But</i> Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he
shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to
inherit it. &#160; 39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said
should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no
knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto
them will I give it, and they shall possess it. &#160; 40 But <i>as
for</i> you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by
the way of the Red sea. &#160; 41 Then ye answered and said unto
me, We have sinned against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.14">Lord</span>,
we will go up and fight, according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.15">Lord</span> our God commanded us. And when ye had
girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into
the hill. &#160; 42 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.16">Lord</span>
said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I
<i>am</i> not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.
&#160; 43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled
against the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.17">Lord</span>,
and went presumptuously up into the hill. &#160; 44 And the
Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and
chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, <i>even</i> unto
Hormah. &#160; 45 And ye returned and wept before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.18">Lord</span>; but the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ii-p15.19">Lord</span> would not hearken to your voice, nor give
ear unto you. &#160; 46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according
unto the days that ye abode <i>there.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p16">Moses here makes a large rehearsal of the
fatal turn which was given to their affairs by their own sins, and
God's wrath, when, from the very borders of Canaan, the honour of
conquering it, and the pleasure of possessing it, the whole
generation was hurried back into the wilderness, and their carcases
fell there. It was a memorable story; we read it <scripRef passage="Nu 13:1-14:45" id="Deu.ii-p16.1" parsed="|Num|13|1|14|45" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.1-Num.14.45">Num. 13 and 14</scripRef>, but divers circumstances
are found here which are not related there.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p17">I. He reminds them of their march from
Horeb to Kadesh-barnea (<scripRef passage="De 1:19" id="Deu.ii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>), through <i>that great and terrible wilderness.</i>
This he takes notice of, 1. To make them sensible of the great
goodness of God to them, in guiding them through so great a
wilderness, and protecting them from the mischiefs they were
surrounded with in such a terrible wilderness. The remembrance of
our dangers should make us thankful for our deliverances. 2. To
aggravate the folly of those who, in their discontent, would have
gone back to Egypt through the wilderness, though they had
forfeited, and had no reason to expect, the divine guidance, in
such a retrograde motion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p18">II. He shows them how fair they stood for
Canaan at that time, <scripRef passage="De 1:20,21" id="Deu.ii-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|1|20|1|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.20-Deut.1.21"><i>v.</i> 20,
21</scripRef>. He told them with triumph, the land is <i>set before
you, go up and possess it.</i> He lets them see how near they were
to a happy settlement when they put a bar in their own door, that
their sin might appear the more exceedingly sinful. It will
aggravate the eternal ruin of hypocrites that they were <i>not far
from the kingdom of God</i> and yet came short, <scripRef passage="Mk 12:34" id="Deu.ii-p18.2" parsed="|Mark|12|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.34">Mark xii. 34</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p19">III. He lays the blame of sending the spies
upon them, which did not appear in Numbers, there it is said
(<scripRef passage="De 13:1,2" id="Deu.ii-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.2"><i>ch.</i> xiii. 1, 2</scripRef>)
that the Lord directed the sending of them, but here we find that
the people first desired it, and God, in permitting it, gave them
up to their counsels: <i>You said, We will send men before us,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 1:22" id="Deu.ii-p19.2" parsed="|Deut|1|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Moses had
given them God's word (<scripRef passage="De 1:20,21" id="Deu.ii-p19.3" parsed="|Deut|1|20|1|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.20-Deut.1.21"><i>v.</i> 20,
21</scripRef>), but they could not find in their hearts to rely
upon that: human policy goes further with them than divine wisdom,
and they will needs light a candle to the sun. As if it were not
enough that they were sure of a God before them, they must send men
before them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p20">IV. He repeats the report which the spies
brought of the goodness of the land which they were sent to survey,
<scripRef passage="De 1:24,25" id="Deu.ii-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|1|24|1|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.24-Deut.1.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. The
blessings which God has promised are truly valuable and desirable,
even the unbelievers themselves being judges: never any looked into
the holy land, but they must own it a good land. Yet they
represented the difficulties of conquering it as insuperable
(<scripRef passage="De 1:28" id="Deu.ii-p20.2" parsed="|Deut|1|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>); as if it
were in vain to think of attacking them either by battle, "for the
people are taller than we," or by siege, "for the cities are walled
up to heaven," an hyperbole which they made use of to serve their
ill purpose, which was to dishearten the people, and perhaps they
intended to reflect on the God of heaven himself, as if they were
able to defy him, like the Babel-builders, the top of whose tower
must reach to heaven, <scripRef passage="Ge 11:4" id="Deu.ii-p20.3" parsed="|Gen|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.11.4">Gen. xi.
4</scripRef>. Those places only are walled up to heaven that are
compassed with God's favour as with a shield.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p21">V. He tells them what pains he took with
them to encourage them, when their brethren had said so much to
discourage them (<scripRef passage="De 1:29" id="Deu.ii-p21.1" parsed="|Deut|1|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>): <i>Then I said unto you, Dread not.</i> Moses
suggested enough to have stilled the tumult, and to have kept them
with their faces towards Canaan. He assured them that God was
present with them, and president among them, and would certainly
<i>fight for them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:30" id="Deu.ii-p21.2" parsed="|Deut|1|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>. And for proof of his power over their enemies he
refers them to what they had seen done in Egypt, where their
enemies had all possible advantages against them and yet were
humbled and forced to yield, <scripRef passage="De 1:30" id="Deu.ii-p21.3" parsed="|Deut|1|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>. And for proof of God's goodwill to them, and the
real kindness which he intended them, he refers them to what
<i>they had seen in the wilderness</i> (<scripRef passage="De 1:31,33" id="Deu.ii-p21.4" parsed="|Deut|1|31|0|0;|Deut|1|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.31 Bible:Deut.1.33"><i>v.</i> 31, 33</scripRef>), through which they had
been guided by the eye of divine wisdom in a pillar of cloud and
fire (which guided both their motions and their rests), and had
been carried in the arms of divine grace with as much care and
tenderness as were ever shown to any child borne in the arms of a
nursing father. And was there any room left to distrust this God?
Or were they not the most ungrateful people in the world, who,
after such sensible proofs of the divine goodness, <i>hardened
their hearts in the day of temptation?</i> Moses had complained
once that God had charged him to carry this people <i>as a nursing
father doth the sucking child</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 11:12" id="Deu.ii-p21.5" parsed="|Num|11|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.11.12">Num. xi. 12</scripRef>); but here he owns that it was
God that so carried them, and perhaps this is alluded to (<scripRef passage="Ac 13:18" id="Deu.ii-p21.6" parsed="|Acts|13|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.13.18">Acts xiii. 18</scripRef>), where he is said to
<i>bear them,</i> or to <i>suffer their manners.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p22">VI. He charges them with the sin which they
were guilty of upon this occasion. Though those to whom he was now
speaking were a new generation, yet he lays it upon them: <i>You
rebelled, and you murmured;</i> for many of these were then in
being, though under twenty years old, and perhaps were engaged in
the riot; and the rest inherited their fathers' vices, and smarted
for them. Observe what he lays to their charge. 1. Disobedience and
rebellion against God's law: <i>You would not go up, but
rebelled,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:26" id="Deu.ii-p22.1" parsed="|Deut|1|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>.
The rejecting of God's favours is really a rebelling against his
authority. 2. Invidious reflections upon God's goodness. They
basely suggested: <i>Because the Lord hated us, he brought us out
of Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:27" id="Deu.ii-p22.2" parsed="|Deut|1|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>.
What could have been more absurd, more disingenuous, and more
reproachful to God? 3. An unbelieving heart at the bottom of all
this: <i>You did not believe the Lord your God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:32" id="Deu.ii-p22.3" parsed="|Deut|1|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. All your disobedience to
God's laws, and distrust of his power and goodness, flow from a
disbelief of his word. A sad pass it has come to with us when the
God of eternal truth cannot be believed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p23">VII. He repeats the sentence passed upon
them for this sin, which now they had seen the execution of. 1.
They were all condemned to die in the wilderness, and none of them
must be suffered to enter Canaan except Caleb and Joshua, <scripRef passage="De 1:34-38" id="Deu.ii-p23.1" parsed="|Deut|1|34|1|38" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.34-Deut.1.38"><i>v.</i> 34-38</scripRef>. So long they must
continue in their wanderings in the wilderness that most of them
would drop off of course, and the youngest of them should be cut
off. Thus <i>they could not enter in because of unbelief.</i> It
was not the breach of any of the commands of the law that shut them
out of Canaan, no, not the golden calf, but their disbelief of that
promise which was typical of gospel grace, to signify that no sin
will ruin us but unbelief, which is a sin against the remedy. 2.
Moses himself afterwards fell under God's displeasure for a hasty
word which they provoked him to speak: <i>The Lord was angry with
me for your sakes,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:37" id="Deu.ii-p23.2" parsed="|Deut|1|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.37"><i>v.</i>
37</scripRef>. Because all the old stock must go off, Moses himself
must not stay behind. Their unbelief let death into the camp, and,
having entered, even Moses falls within his commission. 3. Yet here
is mercy mixed with wrath. (1.) That, though Moses might not bring
them into Canaan, Joshua should (<scripRef passage="De 1:38" id="Deu.ii-p23.3" parsed="|Deut|1|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>): <i>Encourage him;</i> for he
would be discouraged from taking up a government which he saw Moses
himself fall under the weight of; but let him be assured that he
shall accomplish that for which he is raised up: <i>He shall cause
Israel to inherit it.</i> Thus <i>what the law could not do, in
that it was weak,</i> Jesus, our Joshua, does by bringing in the
better hope. (2.) That, though this generation should not enter
into Canaan, the next should, <scripRef passage="De 1:39" id="Deu.ii-p23.4" parsed="|Deut|1|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.39"><i>v.</i>
39</scripRef>. As they had been chosen for their fathers' sakes, so
their children might justly have been rejected for their sakes. But
<i>mercy rejoiceth against judgement.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ii-p24">VIII. He reminds them of their foolish and
fruitless attempt to get this sentence reversed when it was too
late. 1. They tried it by their reformation in this particular;
whereas they had refused to go up against the Canaanites, now they
would go up, aye, that they would, in all haste, and they girded on
their weapons of war for that purpose, <scripRef passage="De 1:41" id="Deu.ii-p24.1" parsed="|Deut|1|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>. Thus, when the door is shut, and
the day of grace is over, there will be found those that stand
without and knock. But this, which looked like a reformation,
proved but a further rebellion. God, by Moses, prohibited the
attempt (<scripRef passage="De 1:42" id="Deu.ii-p24.2" parsed="|Deut|1|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.42"><i>v.</i> 42</scripRef>):
<i>yet they went presumptuously up to the hill</i> (<scripRef passage="De 1:43" id="Deu.ii-p24.3" parsed="|Deut|1|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>), acting now in contempt
of the threatening, as before in contempt of the promise, as if
they were governed by a spirit of contradiction; and it sped
accordingly (<scripRef passage="De 1:44" id="Deu.ii-p24.4" parsed="|Deut|1|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>):
they were chased and destroyed; and, by this defeat which they
suffered when they provoked God to leave them, they were taught
what success they might have had if they had kept themselves in his
love. 2. They tried by their prayers and tears to get the sentence
reversed: <i>They returned and wept before the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="De 1:45" id="Deu.ii-p24.5" parsed="|Deut|1|45|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.45"><i>v.</i> 45</scripRef>. While they were fretting
and quarrelling, it is said (<scripRef passage="Nu 14:1" id="Deu.ii-p24.6" parsed="|Num|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.1">Num. xiv.
1</scripRef>): <i>They wept that night;</i> those were tears of
rebellion <i>against</i> God, these were tears of repentance and
humiliation <i>before</i> God. Note, Tears of discontent must be
wept over again; the sorrow of the world worketh death, and is to
be repented of; it is not so with godly sorrow, <i>that</i> will
end in joy. But their weeping was all to no purpose. <i>The Lord
would not harken to your voice,</i> because you would not harken to
his; the decree had gone forth, and, like Esau, they found no place
of repentance, though they sought it carefully with tears.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter II" n="iii" progress="82.43%" prev="Deu.ii" next="Deu.iv" id="Deu.iii">
<h2 id="Deu.iii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.iii-p0.2">CHAP. II.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.iii-p1">Moses, in this chapter, proceeds in the rehearsal
of God's providences concerning Israel in their way to Canaan, yet
preserves not the record of any thing that happened during their
tedious march back to the Red Sea, in which they wore out almost
thirty-eight years, but passes that over in silence as a dark time,
and makes his narrative to begin again when they faced about
towards Canaan (<scripRef passage="De 2:1-3" id="Deu.iii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|2|1|2|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.1-Deut.2.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>),
and drew towards the countries that were inhabited, concerning
which God here gives them direction, I. What nations they must not
give any disturbance to. 1. Not to the Edomites, <scripRef passage="De 2:4-8" id="Deu.iii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|2|4|2|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.4-Deut.2.8">ver. 4-8</scripRef>. 2. Not to the Moabites (<scripRef passage="De 2:9" id="Deu.iii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9">ver. 9</scripRef>), of the antiquities of whose
country, with that of the Edomites, he gives some account,
<scripRef passage="De 2:10-12" id="Deu.iii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|2|10|2|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.10-Deut.2.12">ver. 10-12</scripRef>. And here
comes in an account of their passing the river Zered, <scripRef passage="De 2:13-16" id="Deu.iii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|2|13|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.13-Deut.2.16">ver. 13-16</scripRef>. 3. Not to the
Ammonites, of whose country here is some account given, <scripRef passage="De 2:17-23" id="Deu.iii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|2|17|2|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.17-Deut.2.23">ver. 17-23</scripRef>. II. What nations they
should attack and conquer. They must begin with Sihon, king of the
Amorites, <scripRef passage="De 2:24,25" id="Deu.iii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|2|24|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.24-Deut.2.25">ver. 24, 25</scripRef>.
And accordingly, 1. They had a fair occasion of quarrelling with
him, <scripRef passage="De 2:26-32" id="Deu.iii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|2|26|2|32" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.26-Deut.2.32">ver. 26-32</scripRef>. 2. God
gave them a complete victory over him, <scripRef passage="De 2:33-37" id="Deu.iii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|2|33|2|37" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.33-Deut.2.37">ver. 33</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 2" id="Deu.iii-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|2|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 2:1-7" id="Deu.iii-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|2|1|2|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.1-Deut.2.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.2.1-Deut.2.7">
<h4 id="Deu.iii-p1.12">The Seed of Esau and Lot
Spared. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.iii-p2">1 Then we turned, and took our journey into the
wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p2.1">Lord</span> spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir
many days. &#160; 2 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p2.2">Lord</span>
spake unto me, saying, &#160; 3 Ye have compassed this mountain
long enough: turn you northward. &#160; 4 And command thou the
people, saying, Ye <i>are</i> to pass through the coast of your
brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall
be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:
&#160; 5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their
land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount
Seir unto Esau <i>for</i> a possession. &#160; 6 Ye shall buy meat
of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of
them for money, that ye may drink. &#160; 7 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God hath blessed thee in all the works
of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness:
these forty years the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God
<i>hath been</i> with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p3">Here is, I. A short account of the long
stay of Israel in the wilderness: <i>We compassed Mount Seir many
days,</i> <scripRef passage="De 2:1" id="Deu.iii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|2|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Nearly
<i>thirty-eight</i> years they wandered in the deserts of Seir;
probably in some of their rests they staid several years, and never
stirred; God by this not only chastised them for their murmuring
and unbelief, but, 1. Prepared them for Canaan, by humbling them
for sin, teaching them to mortify their lusts, to follow God, and
to comfort themselves in him. It is a work of time to make souls
meet for heaven, and it must be done by a long train of exercises.
2. He prepared the Canaanites for destruction. All this time the
measure of their iniquity was filling up; and, though it might have
been improved by them as a space to repent in, it was abused by
them to the hardening of their hearts. Now that the host of Israel
was once repulsed, and after that was so long entangled and
seemingly lost in the wilderness, they were secure, and thought the
danger was over from that quarter, which would make the next
attempt of Israel upon them the more dreadful.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p4">II. Orders given them to turn towards
Canaan. Though God contend long, he will not contend for ever.
Though Israel may be long kept waiting for deliverance or
enlargement, it will come at last: <i>The vision is for an
appointed time, and at the end it shall speak, and not lie.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p5">III. A charge given them not to annoy the
Edomites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p6">1. They must not offer any hostility to
them as enemies: <i>Meddle not with them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 2:4,5" id="Deu.iii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|2|4|2|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.4-Deut.2.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. (1.) They must not improve
the advantage they had against them, by the fright they would be
put into upon Israel's approach: "<i>They shall be afraid of
you,</i> knowing your strength and numbers, and the power of God
engaged for you; but think not that, because their fears make them
an easy prey, you may therefore prey upon them; no, <i>take heed to
yourselves.</i>" There is need of great caution and a strict
government of our own spirits, to keep ourselves from injuring
those against whom we have an advantage. Or this caution is given
to the princes; they must not only not meddle with the Edomites
themselves, but not permit any of the soldiers to meddle with them.
(2.) They must not avenge upon the Edomites the affront they gave
them in refusing them passage through their country, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:21" id="Deu.iii-p6.2" parsed="|Num|20|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.21">Num. xx. 21</scripRef>. Thus, before God brought
Israel to destroy their enemies in Canaan, he taught them to
forgive their enemies in Edom. (3.) They must not expect to have
any part of their land given them for a possession: Mount Seir was
already settled upon the Edomites, and they must not, under
pretence of God's covenant and conduct, think to seize for
themselves all they could lay hands on. Dominion is not founded in
grace. God's Israel shall be well placed, but must not expect to be
<i>placed alone in the midst of the earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 5:8" id="Deu.iii-p6.3" parsed="|Isa|5|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.5.8">Isa. v. 8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p7">2. They must trade with them as neighbours,
buy meat and water of them, and pay for what they bought, <scripRef passage="De 2:6" id="Deu.iii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Religion must never be
made a cloak for injustice. The reason given (<scripRef passage="De 2:7" id="Deu.iii-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), is, "God hath blessed thee, and
hitherto thou hast lacked nothing; and therefore," (1.) "Thou
needest not beg; scorn to be beholden to Edomites, when thou hast a
God all-sufficient to depend upon. Thou hast wherewithal to pay for
what thou callest for (thanks to the divine blessing!); use
therefore what thou hast, use it cheerfully, and do not sponge upon
the Edomites." (2.) "Therefore thou must not steal. Thou hast
experienced the care of the divine providence concerning thee, in
confidence of which for the future, and in a firm belief of its
sufficiency, never use any indirect methods for thy supply. Live by
the faith and not by thy sword."</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 2:8-23" id="Deu.iii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|2|8|2|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.8-Deut.2.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.2.8-Deut.2.23">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.iii-p8">8 And when we passed by from our brethren the
children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain
from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the way
of the wilderness of Moab. &#160; 9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p8.1">Lord</span> said unto me, Distress not the Moabites,
neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of
their land <i>for</i> a possession; because I have given Ar unto
the children of Lot <i>for</i> a possession. &#160; 10 The Emims
dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as
the Anakims; &#160; 11 Which also were accounted giants, as the
Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims. &#160; 12 The Horims
also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded
them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in
their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p8.2">Lord</span> gave unto them. &#160; 13
Now rise up, <i>said I,</i> and get you over the brook Zered. And
we went over the brook Zered. &#160; 14 And the space in which we
came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered,
<i>was</i> thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the
men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p8.3">Lord</span> sware unto them. &#160; 15 For indeed the
hand of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p8.4">Lord</span> was against them,
to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.
&#160; 16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed
and dead from among the people, &#160; 17 That the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p8.5">Lord</span> spake unto me, saying, &#160; 18 Thou art
to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: &#160; 19 And
<i>when</i> thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon,
distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee
of the land of the children of Ammon <i>any</i> possession; because
I have given it unto the children of Lot <i>for</i> a possession.
&#160; 20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt
therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; &#160;
21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p8.6">Lord</span> destroyed them before them; and
they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: &#160; 22 As he did
to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the
Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in
their stead even unto this day: &#160; 23 And the Avims which dwelt
in Hazerim, <i>even</i> unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came
forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their
stead.)</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p9">It is observable here that Moses, speaking
of the Edomites (<scripRef passage="De 2:8" id="Deu.iii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>), calls them, "<i>our brethren, the children of
Esau.</i>" Though they had been unkind to Israel, in refusing them
a peaceable passage through their country, yet he calls them
brethren. For, though our relations fail in their duty to us, we
must retain a sense of the relation, and not be wanting in our duty
to them, as there is occasion. Now in these verses we have,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p10">I. The account which Moses gives of the
origin of the nations of which he had here occasion to speak, the
Moabites, Edomites, and Ammonites. We know very well, from other
parts of his history, whose posterity they were; but here he tells
us how they came to those countries in which Israel found them;
they were not the <i>aborigines,</i> or first planters. But, 1. The
Moabites dwelt in a country which had belonged to a numerous race
of giants, called <i>Emim</i> (that is, <i>terrible ones</i>), as
tall as the Anakim, and perhaps more fierce, <scripRef passage="De 2:10,11" id="Deu.iii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|2|10|2|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.10-Deut.2.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. 2. The Edomites in like
manner dispossessed the Horim from Mount Seir, and took their
country (<scripRef passage="De 2:12" id="Deu.iii-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|2|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. and
again <scripRef passage="De 2:22" id="Deu.iii-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|2|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), of
which we read, <scripRef passage="Ge 36:20" id="Deu.iii-p10.4" parsed="|Gen|36|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.36.20">Gen. xxxvi.
20</scripRef>. 3. The Ammonites likewise got possession of a
country that had formerly been inhabited by giants, called
<i>Zamzummim, crafty men,</i> or <i>wicked men</i> (<scripRef passage="De 2:20,21" id="Deu.iii-p10.5" parsed="|Deut|2|20|2|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.20-Deut.2.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>), probably the
same that are called <i>Zuzim,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 14:5" id="Deu.iii-p10.6" parsed="|Gen|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.5">Gen.
xiv. 5</scripRef>. He illustrates these remarks by an instance
older than any of these; the Caphtorim (who were akin to the
Philistines, <scripRef passage="Ge 10:14" id="Deu.iii-p10.7" parsed="|Gen|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.14">Gen. x. 14</scripRef>)
drove the Avim out of their country, and took possession of it,
<scripRef passage="De 2:23" id="Deu.iii-p10.8" parsed="|Deut|2|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. The learned
bishop Patrick supposes these Avites, being expelled hence, to have
settled in Assyria, and to be the same people we read of under that
name, <scripRef passage="2Ki 17:31" id="Deu.iii-p10.9" parsed="|2Kgs|17|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.17.31">2 Kings xvii. 31</scripRef>.
Now these revolutions are recorded, (1.) To show how soon the world
was peopled after the flood, so well peopled that, when a family
grew numerous, they could not find a place to settle in, at least
in that part of the world, but they must drive out those that were
already settled. (2.) To show that the race is not to the swift,
nor the battle to the strong. Giants were expelled by those of
ordinary stature; for probably these giants, like those before the
flood (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:4" id="Deu.iii-p10.10" parsed="|Gen|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.4">Gen. vi. 4</scripRef>), were
notorious for impiety and oppression, which brought the judgments
of God upon them, against which their great strength would be on
defence. (3.) To show what uncertain things worldly possessions
are, and how often they change their owners; it was so of old, and
ever will be so. Families decline, and from them estates are
transferred to families that increase; so little constancy or
continuance is there in these things. (4.) To encourage the
children of Israel, who were now going to take possession of
Canaan, against the difficulties they would meet with, and to show
the unbelief of those that were afraid of the sons of Anak, to whom
the giants, here said to be conquered, are compared, <scripRef passage="De 2:11,21" id="Deu.iii-p10.11" parsed="|Deut|2|11|0|0;|Deut|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.11 Bible:Deut.2.21"><i>v.</i> 11, 21</scripRef>. If the providence
of God had done this for the Moabites and Ammonites, much more
would his promise do it for Israel his peculiar people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p11">II. The advances which Israel made towards
Canaan. They <i>passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 2:8" id="Deu.iii-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|2|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and then went
over the brook or vale of Zered (<scripRef passage="De 2:13" id="Deu.iii-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), and there Moses takes notice of
the fulfilling of the word which God had spoken concerning them,
that none of those that were numbered at Mount Sinai should see the
land that God had promised, <scripRef passage="Nu 14:23" id="Deu.iii-p11.3" parsed="|Num|14|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.14.23">Num. xiv.
23</scripRef>. According to that sentence, now that they began to
set their faces towards Canaan, and to have it in their eye, notice
is taken of their being all destroyed and consumed, and not a man
of them left, <scripRef passage="De 2:14" id="Deu.iii-p11.4" parsed="|Deut|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>.
Common providence, we may observe, in about thirty-eight years,
ordinarily raises a new generation, so that in that time few remain
of the old one; but here it was entirely new, and none at all
remained but Caleb and Joshua: <i>for indeed the hand of the Lord
was against them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 2:15" id="Deu.iii-p11.5" parsed="|Deut|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. Those cannot but waste, until they were consumed,
who have the hand of God against them. Observe, Israel is not
called to engage with the Canaanites till all the men of war, the
veteran regiments, that had been used to hardship, and had learned
the art of war from the Egyptians, <i>were consumed and dead from
among the people</i> (<scripRef passage="De 2:16" id="Deu.iii-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|2|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), that the conquest of Canaan, being effected by a
host of new-raised men, trained up in a wilderness, the excellency
of the power might the more plainly appear to be <i>of God and not
of men.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p12">III. The caution given them not to meddle
with the Moabites or Ammonites, whom they must not disseize, nor so
much as disturb in their possessions: <i>Distress them not, nor
contend with them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 2:9" id="Deu.iii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>. Though the Moabites aimed to ruin Israel (<scripRef passage="Nu 22:6" id="Deu.iii-p12.2" parsed="|Num|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.22.6">Num. xxii. 6</scripRef>), yet Israel must not aim
to ruin them. If others design us a mischief, this will not justify
us in designing them a mischief. But why must not the Moabites and
Ammonites be meddled with? 1. Because they were the <i>children of
Lot</i> (<scripRef passage="De 2:9,19" id="Deu.iii-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0;|Deut|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9 Bible:Deut.2.19"><i>v.</i> 9, 19</scripRef>),
righteous Lot, who kept his integrity in Sodom. Note, Children
often fare the better in this world for the piety of their
ancestors: the seed of the upright, though they degenerate, yet are
blessed with temporal good things. 2. Because the land they were
possessed of was what God had given them, and he did not design it
for Israel. Even wicked men have a right to their worldly
possessions, and must not be wronged. The tares are allowed their
place in the field, and must not be rooted out until the harvest.
God gives and preserves outward blessings to wicked men, to show
that these are not the best things, but he has better in store for
his own children.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 2:24-37" id="Deu.iii-p12.4" parsed="|Deut|2|24|2|37" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.24-Deut.2.37"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.2.24-Deut.2.37">
<h4 id="Deu.iii-p12.5">History of the Moabites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p12.6">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.iii-p13">24 Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over
the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the
Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess <i>it,</i>
and contend with him in battle. &#160; 25 This day will I begin to
put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations <i>that
are</i> under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and
shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee. &#160; 26 And I
sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king
of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, &#160; 27 Let me pass
through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither
turn unto the right hand nor to the left. &#160; 28 Thou shalt sell
me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money,
that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet; &#160; 29
(As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites
which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan
into the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p13.1">Lord</span> our God
giveth us. &#160; 30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us
pass by him: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p13.2">Lord</span> thy God
hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might
deliver him into thy hand, as <i>appeareth</i> this day. &#160; 31
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p13.3">Lord</span> said unto me, Behold, I
have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to
possess, that thou mayest inherit his land. &#160; 32 Then Sihon
came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.
&#160; 33 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p13.4">Lord</span> our God
delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all
his people. &#160; 34 And we took all his cities at that time, and
utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of
every city, we left none to remain: &#160; 35 Only the cattle we
took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which
we took. &#160; 36 From Aroer, which <i>is</i> by the brink of the
river of Arnon, and <i>from</i> the city that <i>is</i> by the
river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us:
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p13.5">Lord</span> our God delivered all unto
us: &#160; 37 Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou
camest not, <i>nor</i> unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto
the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iii-p13.6">Lord</span> our God forbad us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p14">God having tried the self-denial of his
people in forbidding them to meddle with the Moabites and
Ammonites, and they having quietly passed by those rich countries,
and, though superior in number, not made any attack upon them, here
he recompenses them for their obedience by giving them possession
of the country of Sihon king of the Amorites. If we forbear what
God forbids, we shall receive what he promises, and shall be no
losers at last by our obedience, though it may seem for the present
to be to our loss. Wrong not others, and God shall right thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p15">I. God gives them commission to seize upon
the country of Sihon king of Heshbon, <scripRef passage="De 2:24,25" id="Deu.iii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|2|24|2|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.24-Deut.2.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. This was then God's way
of disposing of kingdoms, but such particular grants are not now
either to be expected or pretended. In this commission observe, 1.
Though God assured them that the land should be their own, yet they
must bestir themselves, and contend in battle with the enemy. What
God gives we must endeavour to get. 2. God promises that when they
fight he will fight for them. Do you <i>begin to possess it, and I
will begin to put the dread of you</i> upon them. God would
dispirit the enemy and so destroy them, would magnify Israel and so
terrify all those against whom they were commissioned. See
<scripRef passage="Ex 15:14" id="Deu.iii-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|15|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.14">Exod. xv. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p16">II. Moses sends to Sihon a message of
peace, and only begs a passage through his land, with a promise to
give his country no disturbance, but the advantage of trading for
ready money with so great a body, <scripRef passage="De 2:26-29" id="Deu.iii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|2|26|2|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.26-Deut.2.29"><i>v.</i> 26-29</scripRef>. Moses herein did neither
disobey God, who bade him contend with Sihon, nor dissemble with
Sihon; but doubtless it was by divine direction that he did it,
that Sihon might be left inexcusable, though God hardened his
heart. This may illustrate the method of God's dealing with those
to whom he gives his gospel, but does not give grace to believe
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p17">III. Sihon began the war (<scripRef passage="De 2:32" id="Deu.iii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|2|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), God having <i>made his
heart obstinate,</i> and hidden from his eyes the thing that
belonged to his peace (<scripRef passage="De 2:30" id="Deu.iii-p17.2" parsed="|Deut|2|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), that he might deliver him into the hand of Israel.
Those that meddle with the people of God meddle to their own hurt;
and God sometimes ruins his enemies by their own resolves. See
<scripRef passage="Mic 4:11-13,Re 16:14" id="Deu.iii-p17.3" parsed="|Mic|4|11|4|13;|Rev|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.11-Mic.4.13 Bible:Rev.16.14">Mic. iv. 11-13; Rev. xvi.
14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iii-p18">IV. Israel was victorious. 1. They put all
the Amorites to the sword, men, women, and children (<scripRef passage="De 2:33,34" id="Deu.iii-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|2|33|2|34" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.33-Deut.2.34"><i>v.</i> 33, 34</scripRef>); this they did as
the executioners of God's wrath; now the measure of the Amorites'
iniquity was full (<scripRef passage="Ge 15:16" id="Deu.iii-p18.2" parsed="|Gen|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.16">Gen. xv.
16</scripRef>), and the longer it was in the filling the sorer was
the reckoning at last. This was one of the devoted nations. They
died, not as Israel's enemies, but as sacrifices to divine justice,
in the offering of which sacrifices Israel was employed, as a
kingdom of priests. The case being therefore extraordinary, it
ought not to be drawn into a precedent for military executions,
which make no distinction and give no quarter: those will have
<i>judgment without mercy that show no mercy.</i> 2. They took
possession of all they had; their cities (<scripRef passage="De 2:34" id="Deu.iii-p18.3" parsed="|Deut|2|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>), their goods (<scripRef passage="De 2:35" id="Deu.iii-p18.4" parsed="|Deut|2|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>), and their land, <scripRef passage="De 2:36" id="Deu.iii-p18.5" parsed="|Deut|2|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>. The wealth of the sinner
is laid up for the just. What a new world did Israel now come into!
Most of them were born, and had lived all their days, in a vast
howling wilderness, where they knew not what either fields or
cities were, had no houses to dwell in, and neither sowed nor
reaped; and now of a sudden to become masters of a country so well
built, so well husbanded, this made them amends for their long
waiting, and yet it was but the earnest of a great deal more. Much
more joyful will the change be which holy souls will experience
when they remove out of the wilderness of this world to the
<i>better country, that is, the heavenly, to the city that has
foundations.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter III" n="iv" progress="82.83%" prev="Deu.iii" next="Deu.v" id="Deu.iv">
<h2 id="Deu.iv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.iv-p0.2">CHAP. III.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.iv-p1">Moses, in this chapter, relates, I. The conquest
of Og, king of Bashan, and the seizing of his country, <scripRef passage="De 3:1-11" id="Deu.iv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|3|1|3|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.1-Deut.3.11">ver. 1-11</scripRef>. II. The distribution of
these new conquests to the two tribes and a half, <scripRef passage="De 3:12-17" id="Deu.iv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|3|12|3|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.12-Deut.3.17">ver. 12-17</scripRef>. Under certain provisos
and limitations, <scripRef passage="De 3:18-20" id="Deu.iv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|3|18|3|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.18-Deut.3.20">ver.
18-20</scripRef>. III. The encouragement given to Joshua to carry
on the war which was so gloriously begun, <scripRef passage="De 3:21,22" id="Deu.iv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|3|21|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.21-Deut.3.22">ver. 21, 22</scripRef>. IV. Moses's request to go over
into Canaan (<scripRef passage="De 3:23-25" id="Deu.iv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|3|23|3|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.23-Deut.3.25">ver. 23-25</scripRef>),
with the denial of that request, but the grant of an equivalent,
<scripRef passage="De 3:26-29" id="Deu.iv-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|3|26|3|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.26-Deut.3.29">ver. 26</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 3" id="Deu.iv-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 3:1-11" id="Deu.iv-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|3|1|3|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.1-Deut.3.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.3.1-Deut.3.11">
<h4 id="Deu.iv-p1.9">Sihon and Og Subdued. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.iv-p2">1 Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan:
and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his
people, to battle at Edrei. &#160; 2 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p2.1">Lord</span> said unto me, Fear him not: for I will
deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and
thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the
Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. &#160; 3 So the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p2.2">Lord</span> our God delivered into our hands Og also,
the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none
was left to him remaining. &#160; 4 And we took all his cities at
that time, there was not a city which we took not from them,
threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in
Bashan. &#160; 5 All these cities <i>were</i> fenced with high
walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many. &#160;
6 And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of
Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every
city. &#160; 7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we
took for a prey to ourselves. &#160; 8 And we took at that time out
of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that
<i>was</i> on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto mount
Hermon; &#160; 9 (<i>Which</i> Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion;
and the Amorites call it Shenir;) &#160; 10 All the cities of the
plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei,
cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. &#160; 11 For only Og king
of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead
<i>was</i> a bedstead of iron; <i>is</i> it not in Rabbath of the
children of Ammon? nine cubits <i>was</i> the length thereof, and
four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p3">We have here another brave country
delivered into the hand of Israel, that of Bashan; the conquest of
Sihon is often mentioned together with that of Og, to the praise of
God, the rather because in these Israel's triumphs began, <scripRef passage="Ps 135:11,136:19,20" id="Deu.iv-p3.1" parsed="|Ps|135|11|0|0;|Ps|136|19|136|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.135.11 Bible:Ps.136.19-Ps.136.20">Ps. cxxxv. 11; cxxxvi. 19,
20</scripRef>. See,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p4">I. How they got the mastery of Og, a very
formidable prince, 1. Very strong, for he was of the remnant of the
giants (<scripRef passage="De 3:11" id="Deu.iv-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>); his
personal strength was extraordinary, a monument of which was
preserved by the Ammonites in his bedstead, which was shown as a
rarity in their chief city. You might guess at his weight by the
materials of his bedstead; it was iron, as if a bedstead of wood
were too weak for him to trust to: and you might guess at his
stature by the dimensions of it; it was nine cubits long and four
cubits broad, which, supposing a cubit to be but half a yard (and
some learned men have made it appear to be somewhat more), was four
yards and a half long, and two yards broad; and if we allow his
bedstead to be two cubits longer than himself, and that is as much
as we need allow, he was three yards and a half high, double the
stature of an ordinary man, and every way proportionable, yet they
smote him, <scripRef passage="De 3:3" id="Deu.iv-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|3|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Note,
when God pleads his people's cause he can deal with giants as with
grasshoppers. No man's might can secure him against the Almighty.
The army of Og was very powerful, for he had the command of sixty
fortified cities, besides the unwalled towns, <scripRef passage="De 3:5" id="Deu.iv-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|3|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Yet all this was nothing before
God's Israel, when they came with commission to destroy him. 2. He
was very bold and daring: He <i>came out against Israel to
battle,</i> <scripRef passage="De 3:1" id="Deu.iv-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. It
was wonderful that he did not take warning by the ruin of Sihon,
and send to desire conditions of peace; but he trusted to his own
strength, and so was hardened to his destruction. Note, Those that
are not awakened by the judgments of God upon others, but persist
in their defiance of heaven, are ripening apace for the like
judgments upon themselves, <scripRef passage="Jer 3:8" id="Deu.iv-p4.5" parsed="|Jer|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.3.8">Jer. iii.
8</scripRef>. God bade Moses not fear him, <scripRef passage="De 3:2" id="Deu.iv-p4.6" parsed="|Deut|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. If Moses himself was so strong in
faith as not to need the caution, yet it is probable that the
people needed it, and for them these fresh assurances are designed;
"<i>I will deliver him into thy hand;</i> not only deliver thee out
of his hand, that he shall not be thy ruin, but deliver him <i>into
thy hand,</i> that thou shalt be his ruin, and make him pay dearly
for his attempt." He adds, <i>Thou shalt do to him as thou didst to
Sihon,</i> intimating that they ought to be encouraged by their
former victory to trust in God for another victory, for he is God,
and changeth not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p5">II. How they got possession of Bashan, a
very desirable country. They took all the cities (<scripRef passage="De 3:4" id="Deu.iv-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), and all the spoil of
them, <scripRef passage="De 3:7" id="Deu.iv-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. They made
them all their own, <scripRef passage="De 3:10" id="Deu.iv-p5.3" parsed="|Deut|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. So that now they had in their hands all that
fruitful country which lay east of Jordan, from <i>the river Arnon
unto Hermon,</i> <scripRef passage="De 3:8" id="Deu.iv-p5.4" parsed="|Deut|3|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Their conquering and possessing these countries was intended, not
only for the encouragement of Israel in the wars of Canaan, but for
the satisfaction of Moses before his death. Since he must not live
to see the completing of their victory and settlement, God thus
gives him a specimen of it. Thus the Spirit is given to those that
believe as the <i>earnest of their inheritance,</i> until the
redemption of the purchased possession.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 3" id="Deu.iv-p5.5" parsed="|Deut|3|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 3:12-20" id="Deu.iv-p5.6" parsed="|Deut|3|12|3|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.12-Deut.3.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.3.12-Deut.3.20">
<h4 id="Deu.iv-p5.7">Allotment of the Conquered
Lands. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p5.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.iv-p6">12 And this land, <i>which</i> we possessed at
that time, from Aroer, which <i>is</i> by the river Arnon, and half
mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites
and to the Gadites. &#160; 13 And the rest of Gilead, and all
Bashan, <i>being</i> the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe
of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was
called the land of giants. &#160; 14 Jair the son of Manasseh took
all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi;
and called them after his own name, Bashan-havoth-jair, unto this
day. &#160; 15 And I gave Gilead unto Machir. &#160; 16 And unto
the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto
the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river
Jabbok, <i>which is</i> the border of the children of Ammon; &#160;
17 The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast <i>thereof,</i> from
Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, <i>even</i> the salt
sea, under Ashdoth-pisgah eastward. &#160; 18 And I commanded you
at that time, saying, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p6.1">Lord</span> your
God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over
armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all <i>that
are</i> meet for the war. &#160; 19 But your wives, and your little
ones, and your cattle, (<i>for</i> I know that ye have much
cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; &#160;
20 Until the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p6.2">Lord</span> have given rest
unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and <i>until</i> they also
possess the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p6.3">Lord</span> your
God hath given them beyond Jordan: and <i>then</i> shall ye return
every man unto his possession, which I have given you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p7">Having shown how this country which they
were now in was conquered, in these verses he shows how it was
settled upon the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of
Manasseh, which we had the story of before, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:1-42" id="Deu.iv-p7.1" parsed="|Num|32|1|32|42" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.1-Num.32.42">Num. xxxii.</scripRef> Here is the rehearsal. 1. Moses
specifies the particular parts of the country that were allotted to
each tribe, especially the distribution of the lot to the half
tribe of Manasseh, the subdividing of which tribe is observable.
Joseph was divided into Ephraim and Manasseh; Manasseh was divided
into one half on the one side Jordan and the other half on the
other side: that on the east side Jordan was again divided into two
great families, which had their several allotments: Jair, <scripRef passage="De 3:14" id="Deu.iv-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>, Machir, <scripRef passage="De 3:15" id="Deu.iv-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. And perhaps Jacob's
prediction of the smallness of that tribe was now accomplished in
these divisions and subdivisions. Observe that Bashan is here
called <i>the land of the giants,</i> because it had been in their
possession, but Og was the last of them. These giants, it seems,
had lost their country, and were rooted out of it sooner than any
of their neighbours; for those who, presuming upon their strength
and stature, had their hand against every man, had every man's hand
against them, and went down slain to the pit, though they were the
terror of the mighty in the land of the living. 2. He repeats the
condition of the grant which they had already agreed to, <scripRef passage="De 3:18-20" id="Deu.iv-p7.4" parsed="|Deut|3|18|3|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.18-Deut.3.20"><i>v.</i> 18-20</scripRef>. That they should
send a strong detachment over Jordan to lead the van in the
conquest of Canaan, who should not return to their families, at
least not to settle (though for a time they might retire thither
into winter quarters, at the end of a campaign), till they had seen
their brethren in as full possession of their respective allotments
as they themselves were now in of theirs. They must hereby be
taught not to <i>look at their own things only, but at the things
of others,</i> <scripRef passage="Php 2:4" id="Deu.iv-p7.5" parsed="|Phil|2|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.2.4">Phil. ii. 4</scripRef>.
It ill becomes an Israelite to be selfish, and to prefer any
private interest before the public welfare. When we are rest we
should desire to see our brethren at rest too, and should be ready
to do what we can towards it; for we are not born for ourselves,
but are members one of another. A good man cannot rejoice much in
the comforts of his family unless withal he sees <i>peace upon
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 128:6" id="Deu.iv-p7.6" parsed="|Ps|128|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.128.6">Ps. cxxviii.
6</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 3:21-29" id="Deu.iv-p7.7" parsed="|Deut|3|21|3|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.21-Deut.3.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.3.21-Deut.3.29">
<h4 id="Deu.iv-p7.8">Joshua Named as Moses's
Successor. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p7.9">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.iv-p8">21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying,
Thine eyes have seen all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.1">Lord</span> your God hath done unto these two kings: so
shall the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.2">Lord</span> do unto all the
kingdoms whither thou passest. &#160; 22 Ye shall not fear them:
for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.3">Lord</span> your God he shall fight
for you. &#160; 23 And I besought the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.4">Lord</span> at that time, saying, &#160; 24 O Lord
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.5">God</span>, thou hast begun to show thy
servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God <i>is
there</i> in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy
works, and according to thy might? &#160; 25 I pray thee, let me go
over, and see the good land that <i>is</i> beyond Jordan, that
goodly mountain, and Lebanon. &#160; 26 But the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.6">Lord</span> was wroth with me for your sakes, and would
not hear me: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.iv-p8.7">Lord</span> said unto
me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
&#160; 27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine
eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and
behold <i>it</i> with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this
Jordan. &#160; 28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and
strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he
shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see. &#160;
29 So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p9">Here is I. The encouragement which Moses
gave to Joshua, who was to succeed him in the government, <scripRef passage="De 3:21,22" id="Deu.iv-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|3|21|3|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.21-Deut.3.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. He commanded him
not to fear. Thus those that are aged and experienced in the
service of God should do all they can to strengthen the hands of
those that are young, and setting out in religion. Two things he
would have him consider for his encouragement:&#8212;1. What God has
done. Joshua had seen what a total defeat God had given by the
forces of Israel to these two kings, and thence he might easily
infer, <i>so shall the Lord do to all the rest of the kingdoms</i>
upon which we are to make war. He must not only infer thence that
thus the Lord can do with them all, for his arm is not shortened,
but thus he will do, for his purpose is not changed; he that has
begun will finish; <i>as for God, his work is perfect.</i> Joshua
had seen it with his own eyes. And the more we have seen of the
instances of divine wisdom, power, and goodness, the more
inexcusable we are if we <i>fear what flesh can do unto us.</i> 2.
What God had promised. The <i>Lord your God he shall fight for
you;</i> and that cause cannot but be victorious which the Lord of
hosts fights for. <i>If God be for us, who can be against us</i> so
as to prevail? We reproach our leader if we follow him
trembling.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p10">II. The prayer which Moses made for
himself, and the answer which God gave to that prayer.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p11">1. His prayer was that, if it were God's
will, he might go before Israel over Jordan into Canaan. At that
time, when he had been encouraging Joshua to fight Israel's
battles, taking it for granted that he must be their leader, he was
touched with an earnest desire to go over himself, which expresses
itself not in any passionate and impatient complaints, or
reflections upon the sentence he was under, but in humble prayers
to God for a gracious reversing of it. <i>I besought the Lord.</i>
Note, We should never allow any desires in our hearts which we
cannot in faith offer up to God by prayer; and what desires are
innocent, let them be presented to God. We have not because we ask
not. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p12">(1.) What he pleads here. Two things:&#8212;
[1.] The great experience which he had had of God's goodness to him
in what he had done for Israel: "<i>Thou hast begun to show thy
servant thy greatness.</i> Lord, perfect what thou hast begun. Thou
hast given me to see thy glory in the conquest of these two kings,
and the sight has affected me with wonder and thankfulness. O let
me see more of the outgoings of my God, my King! This great work,
no doubt, will be carried on and completed; let me have the
satisfaction of seeing it." Note, the more we see of God's glory in
his works the more we shall desire to see. <i>The works of the Lord
are great,</i> and therefore are sought out more and more <i>of all
those that have pleasure therein.</i> [2.] The good impressions
that had been made upon his heart by what he had seen: For <i>what
God is there in heaven or earth that can do according to thy
works?</i> The more we are affected with what we have seen of God,
of his wisdom, power, and goodness, the better we are prepared for
further discoveries. Those shall see the works of God that admire
him in them. Moses had thus expressed himself concerning God and
his works long before (<scripRef passage="Ex 15:11" id="Deu.iv-p12.1" parsed="|Exod|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.11">Exod. xv.
11</scripRef>), and he still continues of the same mind, that there
are no works worthy to be compared with God's works, <scripRef passage="Ps 86:8" id="Deu.iv-p12.2" parsed="|Ps|86|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.86.8">Ps. lxxxvi. 8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p13">(2.) What he begs: <i>I pray thee let me go
over,</i> <scripRef passage="De 3:25" id="Deu.iv-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|3|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. God
had said he should not go over; yet he prays that he might, not
knowing but that the threatening was conditional, for it was not
ratified with an oath, as that concerning the people was, that they
should not enter. Thus Hezekiah prayed for his own life, and David
for the life of his child, after both had been expressly threatened;
and the former prevailed, though the latter did not. Moses
remembered the time when he had by prayer prevailed with God to
recede from the declarations which he had made of his wrath against
Israel, <scripRef passage="Ex 32:14" id="Deu.iv-p13.2" parsed="|Exod|32|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.14">Exod. xxxii. 14</scripRef>.
And why might he not hope in like manner to prevail for himself?
<i>Let me go over and see the good land.</i> Not, "Let me go over
and be a prince and a ruler there;" he seeks not his own honour, is
content to resign the government to Joshua; but, "Let me go to be a
spectator of thy kindness to Israel, to see what I believe
concerning the goodness of the land of promise." How pathetically
does he speak of Canaan, that <i>good land,</i> that <i>goodly
mountain!</i> Note, Those may hope to obtain and enjoy God's
favours that know how to value them. What he means by <i>that
goodly mountain</i> we may learn from <scripRef passage="Ps 78:54" id="Deu.iv-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|78|54|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.54">Ps. lxxviii. 54</scripRef>, where it is said of God's
Israel that <i>he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even
to this mountain which his right hand had purchased,</i> where it
is plainly to be understood of the whole land of Canaan, yet with
an eye to the sanctuary, the glory of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p14">2. God's answer to this prayer had in it a
mixture of mercy and judgment, that he might sing unto God of
both.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p15">(1.) There was judgment in the denial of
his request, and that in something of anger too: <i>The Lord was
wroth with me for your sakes,</i> <scripRef passage="De 3:26" id="Deu.iv-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|3|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. God not only sees sin in his
people, but is much displeased with it; and even those that are
delivered from the wrath to come may yet lie under the tokens of
God's wrath in this world, and may be denied some particular favour
which their hearts are much set upon. God is a gracious, tender,
loving Father; but he is angry with his children when they do
amiss, and denies them many a thing that they desire and are ready
to cry for. But how was he wroth with Moses <i>for the sake of
Israel?</i> Either, [1.] For that sin which they provoked him to;
see <scripRef passage="Ps 106:32,33" id="Deu.iv-p15.2" parsed="|Ps|106|32|106|33" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.32-Ps.106.33">Ps. cvi. 32, 33</scripRef>.
Or, [2.] The removal of Moses at that time, when he could so ill be
spared, was a rebuke to all Israel, and a punishment of their sin.
Or, [3.] It was for their sakes, that it might be a warning to them
to take heed of offending God by passionate and unbelieving
speeches at any time, after the similitude of his transgression;
for, if <i>this were done to such a green tree, what should be done
to the dry?</i> He acknowledges that God would not hear him. God
had often heard him for Israel, yet he would not hear him for
himself. It was the prerogative of Christ, the great Intercessor,
to be heard always; yet of him his enemies said, <i>He saved
others, himself he could not save,</i> which the Jews would not
have upbraided him with had they considered that Moses, their great
prophet, prevailed for others, but for himself he could not
prevail. Though Moses, being one of the wrestling seed of Jacob,
did not seek in vain, yet he had not the thing itself which he
sought for. God may accept our prayers, and yet not grant us the
very thing we pray for.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.iv-p16">(2.) Here is mercy mixed with this wrath in
several things:&#8212;[1.] God quieted the spirit of Moses under the
decree that had gone forth by that word (<scripRef passage="De 3:26" id="Deu.iv-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|3|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), <i>Let it suffice thee.</i>
With this word, no doubt, a divine power went to reconcile Moses to
the will of God, and to bring him to acquiesce in it. If God does
not by his providence give us what we desire, yet, if by his grace
he makes us content without it, it comes much to one. "<i>Let it
suffice thee</i> to have God for thy father, and heaven for thy
portion, though thou hast not every thing thou wouldest have in
this world. Be satisfied with this, <i>God is all-sufficient.</i>"
[2.] He put an honour upon his prayer in directing him not to
insist upon this request: <i>Speak no more to me of this
matter.</i> It intimates that what God does not think fit to grant
we should not think fit to ask, and that God takes such a pleasure
in the prayer of the upright that it is no pleasure to him, no, not
in any particular instance, to give a denial to it. [3.] He
promised him a sight of Canaan <i>from the top of Pisgah,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 3:27" id="Deu.iv-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|3|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. Though he
should not have the possession of it, he should have the prospect
of it; not to tantalize him, but such a sight of it as would yield
him true satisfaction, and would enable him to form a very clear
and pleasing idea of that promised land. Probably Moses had not
only his sight preserved for other purposes, but greatly enlarged
for this purpose; for, if he had not had such a sight of it as
others could not have from the same place, it would have been no
particular favour to Moses, nor the matter of a promise. Even great
believers, in this present state, see heaven but at a distance.
[4.] He provided him a successor, one who should support the honour
of Moses and carry on and complete that glorious work which the
heart of Moses was so much upon, the bringing of Israel to Canaan,
and settling them there (<scripRef passage="De 3:28" id="Deu.iv-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|3|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>): <i>Charge Joshua and encourage him</i> in this
work. Those to whom God gives a charge, he will be sure to give
encouragement to. And it is a comfort to the church's friends (when
they are dying and going off) to see God's work likely to be
carried on by other hands, when they are silent in the dust.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IV" n="v" progress="83.24%" prev="Deu.iv" next="Deu.vi" id="Deu.v">
<h2 id="Deu.v-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.v-p0.2">CHAP. IV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.v-p1">In this chapter we have, I. A most earnest and
pathetic exhortation to obedience, both in general, and in some
particular instances, backed with a great variety of very pressing
arguments, repeated again and again, and set before them in the
most moving and affectionate manner imaginable, <scripRef passage="De 4:1-40" id="Deu.v-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|4|1|4|40" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1-Deut.4.40">ver. 1-40</scripRef>. II. The appointing of the cities
of refuge on that side Jordan, <scripRef passage="De 4:41-43" id="Deu.v-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|4|41|4|43" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.41-Deut.4.43">ver.
41-43</scripRef>. III. The particular description of the place
where Moses delivered the following repetition of the law,
<scripRef passage="De 4:44-49" id="Deu.v-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|4|44|4|49" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.44-Deut.4.49">ver. 44</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 4" id="Deu.v-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|4|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 4:1-40" id="Deu.v-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|4|1|4|40" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1-Deut.4.40"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.4.1-Deut.4.40">
<h4 id="Deu.v-p1.6">Exhortations and Arguments. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.v-p2">1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the
statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do
<i>them,</i> that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.1">Lord</span> God of your fathers giveth
you. &#160; 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you,
neither shall ye diminish <i>ought</i> from it, that ye may keep
the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.2">Lord</span> your
God which I command you. &#160; 3 Your eyes have seen what the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.3">Lord</span> did because of Baal-peor: for
all the men that followed Baal-peor, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God hath destroyed them from among you.
&#160; 4 But ye that did cleave unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.5">Lord</span> your God <i>are</i> alive every one of you
this day. &#160; 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and
judgments, even as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.6">Lord</span> my God
commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to
possess it. &#160; 6 Keep therefore and do <i>them;</i> for this
<i>is</i> your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the
nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this
great nation <i>is</i> a wise and understanding people. &#160; 7
For what nation <i>is there so</i> great, who <i>hath</i> God
<i>so</i> nigh unto them, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.7">Lord</span> our God <i>is</i> in all <i>things that</i>
we call upon him <i>for?</i> &#160; 8 And what nation <i>is there
so</i> great, that hath statutes and judgments <i>so</i> righteous
as all this law, which I set before you this day? &#160; 9 Only
take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou
forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart
from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons,
and thy sons' sons; &#160; 10 <i>Specially</i> the day that thou
stoodest before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God in
Horeb, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.9">Lord</span> said unto me,
Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words,
that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live
upon the earth, and <i>that</i> they may teach their children.
&#160; 11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the
mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness,
clouds, and thick darkness. &#160; 12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.10">Lord</span> spake unto you out of the midst of the
fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only
<i>ye heard</i> a voice. &#160; 13 And he declared unto you his
covenant, which he commanded you to perform, <i>even</i> ten
commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. &#160; 14
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.11">Lord</span> commanded me at that
time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in
the land whither ye go over to possess it. &#160; 15 Take ye
therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of
similitude on the day <i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.12">Lord</span> spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of
the fire: &#160; 16 Lest ye corrupt <i>yourselves,</i> and make you
a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male
or female, &#160; 17 The likeness of any beast that <i>is</i> on
the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
&#160; 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground,
the likeness of any fish that <i>is</i> in the waters beneath the
earth: &#160; 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and
when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, <i>even</i>
all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and
serve them, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.13">Lord</span> thy God
hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. &#160; 20 But
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.14">Lord</span> hath taken you, and brought
you forth out of the iron furnace, <i>even</i> out of Egypt, to be
unto him a people of inheritance, as <i>ye are</i> this day. &#160;
21 Furthermore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.15">Lord</span> was angry
with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan,
and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.16">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee <i>for</i> an
inheritance: &#160; 22 But I must die in this land, I must not go
over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land.
&#160; 23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.17">Lord</span> your God, which he made
with you, and make you a graven image, <i>or</i> the likeness of
any <i>thing,</i> which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.18">Lord</span> thy
God hath forbidden thee. &#160; 24 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.19">Lord</span> thy God <i>is</i> a consuming fire,
<i>even</i> a jealous God. &#160; 25 When thou shalt beget
children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long
in the land, and shall corrupt <i>yourselves,</i> and make a graven
image, <i>or</i> the likeness of any <i>thing,</i> and shall do
evil in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.20">Lord</span> thy
God, to provoke him to anger: &#160; 26 I call heaven and earth to
witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish
from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye
shall not prolong <i>your</i> days upon it, but shall utterly be
destroyed. &#160; 27 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.21">Lord</span>
shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in
number among the heathen, whither the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.22">Lord</span> shall lead you. &#160; 28 And there ye
shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which
neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. &#160; 29 But if from
thence thou shalt seek the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.23">Lord</span> thy
God, thou shalt find <i>him,</i> if thou seek him with all thy
heart and with all thy soul. &#160; 30 When thou art in
tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, <i>even</i>
in the latter days, if thou turn to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.24">Lord</span> thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his
voice; &#160; 31 (For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.25">Lord</span> thy
God <i>is</i> a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither
destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware
unto them. &#160; 32 For ask now of the days that are past, which
were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the
earth, and <i>ask</i> from the one side of heaven unto the other,
whether there hath been <i>any such thing</i> as this great thing
<i>is,</i> or hath been heard like it? &#160; 33 Did <i>ever</i>
people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire,
as thou hast heard, and live? &#160; 34 Or hath God assayed to go
<i>and</i> take him a nation from the midst of <i>another</i>
nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and
by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors,
according to all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.26">Lord</span> your
God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? &#160; 35 Unto thee it
was showed, that thou mightest know that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.27">Lord</span> he <i>is</i> God; <i>there is</i> none else
beside him. &#160; 36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice,
that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he showed thee his
great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the
fire. &#160; 37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he
chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with
his mighty power out of Egypt; &#160; 38 To drive out nations from
before thee greater and mightier than thou <i>art,</i> to bring
thee in, to give thee their land <i>for</i> an inheritance, as
<i>it is</i> this day. &#160; 39 Know therefore this day, and
consider <i>it</i> in thine heart, that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.28">Lord</span> he <i>is</i> God in heaven above, and upon
the earth beneath: <i>there is</i> none else. &#160; 40 Thou shalt
keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command
thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children
after thee, and that thou mayest prolong <i>thy</i> days upon the
earth, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.v-p2.29">Lord</span> thy God giveth
thee, for ever.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p3">This most lively and excellent discourse is
so entire, and the particulars of it are so often repeated, that we
must take it altogether in the exposition of it, and endeavour to
digest it into proper heads, for we cannot divide it into
paragraphs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p4">I. In general, it is the use and
application of the foregoing history; it comes in by way of
inference from it: <i>Now therefore harken, O Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:1" id="Deu.v-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. This use we should make of
the review of God's providences concerning us, we should by them be
quickened and engaged to duty and obedience. The histories of the
years of ancient times should in like manner be improved by us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p5">II. The scope and drift of his discourse is
to persuade them to keep close to God and to his service, and not
to forsake him for any other god, nor in any instance to decline
from their duty to him. Now observe what he says to them, with a
great deal of divine rhetoric, both by way of exhortation and
direction, and also by way of motive and argument to enforce his
exhortations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p6">1. See here how he charges and commands
them, and shows them <i>what is good, and what the Lord requires of
them.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p7">(1.) He demands their diligent attention to
the word of God, and to the statutes and judgments that were taught
them: <i>Hearken, O Israel.</i> He means, not only that they must
now give him the hearing, but that whenever the book of the law was
read to them, or read by them, they should be attentive to it.
"Hearken to the statutes, as containing the great commands of God
and the great concerns of your own souls, and therefore challenging
your utmost attention." At Horeb God had <i>made them hear his
words</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:10" id="Deu.v-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>),
hear them with a witness; the attention which was then constrained
by the circumstances of the delivery ought ever after to be engaged
by the excellency of the things themselves. What God so <i>spoke
once,</i> we should <i>hear twice,</i> hear often.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p8">(2.) He charges them to preserve the divine
law pure and entire among them, <scripRef passage="De 4:2" id="Deu.v-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Keep it pure, and do not add to
it; keep it entire, and do not diminish from it. Not in practice,
so some: "You shall not add by committing the evil which the law
forbids, nor diminish by omitting the good which the law requires."
Not in opinion, so others: "You shall not add your own inventions,
as if the divine institutions were defective, nor introduce, much
less impose, any rites of religious worship other than what God has
appointed; nor shall you diminish, or set aside, any thing that is
appointed, as needless or superfluous." God's work is perfect,
nothing can be put to it, nor taken from it, without making it the
worse. See <scripRef passage="Ec 3:14" id="Deu.v-p8.2" parsed="|Eccl|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.14">Eccl. iii. 14</scripRef>.
The Jews understand it as prohibiting the alteration of the text or
letter of the law, even in the least jot or tittle; and to their
great care and exactness herein we are very much indebted, under
God, for the purity and integrity of the Hebrew code. We find a
fence like this made about the New Testament in the close of it,
<scripRef passage="Re 22:18,19" id="Deu.v-p8.3" parsed="|Rev|22|18|22|19" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.18-Rev.22.19">Rev. xxii. 18, 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p9">(3.) He charges them to keep God's
<i>commandments</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:2" id="Deu.v-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>), to <i>do them</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:5,14" id="Deu.v-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|4|5|0|0;|Deut|4|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.5 Bible:Deut.4.14"><i>v.</i> 5, 14</scripRef>), to <i>keep and do them</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 4:6" id="Deu.v-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), to <i>perform
the covenant,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:13" id="Deu.v-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Hearing must be in order to doing, knowledge in
order to practice. God's commandments were the way they must keep
in, the rule they must keep to; they must govern themselves by the
moral precepts, perform their devotion according to the divine
ritual, and administer justice according to the judicial law. He
concludes his discourse (<scripRef passage="De 4:40" id="Deu.v-p9.5" parsed="|Deut|4|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.40"><i>v.</i>
40</scripRef>) with this repeated charge: <i>Thou shalt keep his
statutes and his commandments which I command thee.</i> What are
laws made for but to be observed and obeyed?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p10">(4.) He charges them to be very strict and
careful in their observance of the law (<scripRef passage="De 4:9" id="Deu.v-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>Only take heed to thyself, and
keep thy soul diligently;</i> and (<scripRef passage="De 4:15" id="Deu.v-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), <i>Take you therefore good heed
unto yourselves;</i> and again (<scripRef passage="De 4:23" id="Deu.v-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), <i>Take heed to yourselves.</i>
Those that would be religious must be very cautious, and walk
circumspectly. Considering how many temptations we are compassed
about with, and what corrupt inclinations we have in our own
bosoms, we have great need to look about us and to keep our hearts
with all diligence. Those cannot walk aright that walk carelessly
and at all adventures.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p11">(5.) He charges them particularly to take
heed of the sin of idolatry, that sin which of all others they
would be most tempted to by the customs of the nations, which they
were most addicted to by the corruption of their hearts, and which
would be most provoking to God and of the most pernicious
consequences to themselves: <i>Take good heed,</i> lest in this
matter <i>you corrupt yourselves,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:15,16" id="Deu.v-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|4|15|4|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.15-Deut.4.16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>. Two sorts of idolatry he
cautions them against:&#8212;[1.] The worship of images, however by
them they might intend to worship the true God, as they had done in
the golden calf, so changing the <i>truth of God into a lie</i> and
his <i>glory into shame.</i> The second commandment is expressly
directed against this, and is here enlarged upon, <scripRef passage="De 4:15-18" id="Deu.v-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|4|15|4|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.15-Deut.4.18"><i>v.</i> 15-18</scripRef>. "Take heed <i>lest
you corrupt yourselves,</i>" that is, "lest you debauch
yourselves;" for those that think to make images of God form in
their minds such notions of him as must needs be an inlet to all
impieties; and it is intimated that it is a spiritual adultery.
"And take heed lest you destroy yourselves. If any thing ruin you,
this will be it. Whatever you do, make no similitude of God, either
in a human shape, <i>male of female,</i> or in the shape of any
<i>beast or fowl, serpent or fish;</i>" for the heathen worshipped
their gods by images of all these kinds, being either not able to
form, or not willing to admit, that plain demonstration which we
find, <scripRef passage="Ho 8:6" id="Deu.v-p11.3" parsed="|Hos|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.6">Hos. viii. 6</scripRef>: <i>The
workman made it, therefore it is not God.</i> To represent an
infinite Spirit by an image, and the great Creator by the image of
a creature, is the greatest affront we can put upon God and the
greatest cheat we can put upon ourselves. As an argument against
their making images of God, he urges it very much upon them that
when God made himself known to them at Horeb he did it by a voice
of words which sounded in their ears, to teach them that <i>faith
comes by hearing,</i> and God in the word is nigh us; but no image
was presented to their eye, for to see God as he is is reserved for
our happiness in the other world, and to see him as he is not will
do us hurt and no good in this world. You saw <i>no similitude</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 4:12" id="Deu.v-p11.4" parsed="|Deut|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), <i>no manner
of similitude,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:15" id="Deu.v-p11.5" parsed="|Deut|4|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. Probably they expected to have seen some similitude,
for they were ready to <i>break through unto the Lord to gaze,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ex 19:21" id="Deu.v-p11.6" parsed="|Exod|19|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.21">Exod. xix. 21</scripRef>. But all they
saw was <i>light</i> and <i>fire,</i> and nothing that they could
make an image of, God an infinite wisdom so ordering his
manifestation of himself because of the <i>peril of idolatry.</i>
It is said indeed of Moses that he <i>beheld the similitude of the
Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="Nu 12:8" id="Deu.v-p11.7" parsed="|Num|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.8">Num. xii. 8</scripRef>), God
allowing him that favour because he was above the temptation of
idolatry; but for the people who had lately come from admiring the
idols of Egypt, they must see no resemblance of God, lest they
should have pretended to copy it, and so should have received the
second commandment in vain; "for" (says bishop Patrick) "they would
have thought that this forbade them only to make any representation
of God besides that wherein he showed himself to them, in which
they would have concluded it lawful to represent him." Let this be
a caution to us to take heed of making images of God in our fancy
and imagination when we are worshipping him, lest thereby we
corrupt ourselves. There may be idols in the heart, where there are
none in the sanctuary. [2.] The worship of the sun, moon, and
stars, is another sort of idolatry which they were cautioned
against, <scripRef passage="De 4:19" id="Deu.v-p11.8" parsed="|Deut|4|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. This
was the most ancient species of idolatry and the most plausible,
drawing the adoration to those creatures that not only are in a
situation above us, but are most sensibly glorious in themselves
and most generally serviceable to the world. And the plausibleness
of it made it the more dangerous. It is intimated here,
<i>First,</i> How strong the temptation is to sense; for the
caution is, <i>Lest thou shouldest be driven to worship them</i> by
the strong impulse of a vain imagination and the impetuous torrent
of the customs of the nations. The heart is supposed to <i>walk
after the eye,</i> which, in our corrupt and degenerate state, it
is very apt to do. "<i>When thou seest the sun, moon, and
stars,</i> thou wilt so admire their height and brightness, their
regular motion and powerful influence, that thou wilt be strongly
tempted to give that glory to them which is due to him that made
them, and made them what they are to us&#8212;gave them their beings,
and made them blessings to the world." It seems there was need of a
great deal of resolution to arm them against this temptation, so
weak was their faith in an invisible God and an invisible world.
<i>Secondly,</i> Yet he shows how weak the temptation would be to
those that would use their reason; for these pretended deities, the
<i>sun, moon, and stars,</i> were only blessings which the Lord
their God, whom they were obliged to worship, had imparted to all
nations. It is absurd to worship them, for they are man's servants,
were made and ordained to give light on earth; and shall we serve
those that were made to serve us? The sun, in Hebrew is called
<i>shemesh,</i> which signifies a <i>servant,</i> for it is the
minister-general of this visible world, and holds the candle to all
mankind; let it not then be worshipped as a lord. Moreover, they
are God's gifts; he has imparted them; whatever benefit we have by
them, we owe it to him; it is therefore highly injurious to him to
give that honour and praise to them which is due to him only.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p12">(6.) He charges them to teach their
children to observe the laws of God: <i>Teach them to thy sons, and
thy sons' sons</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:9" id="Deu.v-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|4|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>), <i>that they may teach their children,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:10" id="Deu.v-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. [1.] Care must be taken
in general to preserve the entail of religion among them, and to
transmit the knowledge and worship of God to posterity; for the
kingdom of God in Israel was designed to be perpetual, if they did
not forfeit the privilege of it. [2.] Parents must, in order
hereunto, particularly take care to teach their own children the
fear of God, and to train them up in an observance of all his
commandments.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p13">(7.) He charges them never to forget their
duty: <i>Take heed lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your
God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:23" id="Deu.v-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
Though God is ever mindful of the covenant, we are apt to forget
it; and this is at the bottom of all our departures from God. We
have need therefore to watch against all those things which would
put the covenant out of our minds, and to watch over our own
hearts, lest at any time we let it slip; and so we must take heed
lest at any time we forget our religion, lest we lose it or leave
it off. Care and caution, and holy watchfulness, are the best helps
against a bad memory. These are the directions and commands he
gives them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p14">2. Let us see now what are the motives or
arguments with which he backs these exhortations. How does he order
the cause before them, and fill his mouth with arguments! He has a
great deal to say on God's behalf. Some of his topics are indeed
peculiar to that people, yet applicable to us. But, upon the whole,
it is evident that religion has reason on its side, the powerful
charms of which all that are irreligious wilfully stop their ears
against.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p15">(1.) He urges the greatness, glory, and
goodness, of God. Did we consider what a God he is with whom we
have to do, we should surely make conscience of our duty to him and
not dare to sin against him. He reminds them here, [1.] That the
Lord Jehovah is the <i>one and only living and true God.</i> This
they must <i>know and consider,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:39" id="Deu.v-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|4|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. There are many things which we
know, but are not the better for, because we do not consider them,
we do not apply them to ourselves, nor draw proper inferences from
them. This is a truth so evident that it cannot but be known, and
so influential that, if it were duly considered, it would
effectually reform the world, <i>That the Lord Jehovah he is
God,</i> an infinite and eternal Being, self-existent and
self-sufficient, and the fountain of all being, power, and
motion&#8212;that he is <i>God in heaven above,</i> clothed with all the
glory and Lord of all the hosts of the upper world, and that he is
God <i>upon earth beneath,</i> which, though distant from the
throne of his glory, is not out of the reach of his sight or power,
and though despicable and mean is not below his care and
cognizance. And <i>there is none else,</i> no true and living God
but himself. All the deities of the heathen were counterfeits and
usurpers; nor did any of them so much as pretend to be universal
monarchs in heaven and earth, but only local deities. The
Israelites, who worshipped no other than the supreme
<i>Numen&#8212;Divinity,</i> were for ever inexcusable if they either
changed their God or neglected him. [2.] That he is a <i>consuming
fire, a jealous God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:24" id="Deu.v-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|4|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. Take heed of offending him, for, <i>First,</i> He
has a jealous eye to discern an affront; he must have your entire
affection and adoration, and will by no means endure a rival. God's
jealousy over us is a good reason for our godly jealousy over
ourselves. <i>Secondly,</i> He has a heavy hand to punish an
affront, especially in his worship, for therein he is in a special
manner jealous. He is a <i>consuming fire;</i> his wrath against
sinners is so; it is dreadful and destroying, it is a <i>fiery
indignation</i> which will <i>devour the adversaries,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:27" id="Deu.v-p15.3" parsed="|Heb|10|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.27">Heb. x. 27</scripRef>. Fire consumes that only
which is fuel for it, so the wrath of God fastens upon those only
who, by their own sin, have fitted themselves for destruction,
<scripRef passage="1Co 3:13,Isa 27:4" id="Deu.v-p15.4" parsed="|1Cor|3|13|0|0;|Isa|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.3.13 Bible:Isa.27.4">1 Cor. iii. 13; Isa. xxvii.
4</scripRef>. Even in the New Testament we find the same argument
urged upon us as a reason why we should serve <i>God with
reverence</i> (<scripRef passage="Heb 12:28,29" id="Deu.v-p15.5" parsed="|Heb|12|28|12|29" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.28-Heb.12.29">Heb. xii. 28,
29</scripRef>), because though he is our God, and a rejoicing light
to those that serve him faithfully, yet he is a consuming fire to
those that trifle with him. <i>Thirdly,</i> That yet he is <i>a
merciful God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:31" id="Deu.v-p15.6" parsed="|Deut|4|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.31"><i>v.</i>
31</scripRef>. It comes in here as an encouragement to repentance,
but might serve as an inducement to obedience, and a consideration
proper to prevent their apostasy. Shall we forsake a merciful God,
who will never forsake us, as it follows here, if we be faithful
unto him? Whither can we go to better ourselves? Shall we forget
the covenant of our God, who will not <i>forget the covenant of our
fathers?</i> Let us be held to our duty by the bonds of love, and
prevailed with by the mercies of God to cleave to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p16">(2.) He urges their relation to this God,
his authority over them and their obligations to him. "The
commandments you are to keep and do are not mine," says Moses, "not
my inventions, not my injunctions, but they are the commandments of
the Lord, framed by infinite wisdom, enacted by sovereign power. He
is the <i>Lord God of your fathers</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:1" id="Deu.v-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), so that you are his by
inheritance: your fathers were his, and you were born in his house.
He is the <i>Lord your God</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:2" id="Deu.v-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), so that you are his by your own
consent. He is the <i>Lord my God</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:5" id="Deu.v-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|4|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), so that I treat with you as his
agent and ambassador;" and in his name Moses delivered unto them
all that, and that only, which he had received from the Lord.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p17">(3.) He urges the wisdom of being
religious: <i>For this is your wisdom in the sight of the
nations,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:6" id="Deu.v-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. In
keeping God's commandments, [1.] They would act wisely for
themselves; <i>This is your wisdom.</i> It is not only agreeable to
right reason, but highly conducive to our true interest; this is
one of the first and most ancient maxims of divine revelation.
<i>The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 28:28" id="Deu.v-p17.2" parsed="|Job|28|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.28.28">Job xxviii. 28</scripRef>. [2.] They would answer the
expectations of their neighbours, who, upon reading or hearing the
precepts of the law that was given them, would conclude that
certainly the people that were governed by this law were a wise and
understanding people. Great things may justly be looked for from
those who are guided by divine revelation, and unto whom are
committed the oracles of God. They must needs be wiser and better
than other people; and so they are if they are ruled by the rules
that are given them; and if they are not, though reproach may for
their sakes be cast upon the religion they profess, yet it will in
the end certainly return upon themselves to their eternal
confusion. Those that enjoy the benefit of divine light and laws
ought to conduct themselves so as to support their own reputation
for wisdom and honour (see <scripRef passage="Ec 10:1" id="Deu.v-p17.3" parsed="|Eccl|10|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.1">Eccl. x.
1</scripRef>), that God may be glorified thereby.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p18">(4.) He urges the singular advantages which
they enjoyed by virtue of the happy establishment they were under,
<scripRef passage="De 4:7,8" id="Deu.v-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|4|7|4|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.7-Deut.4.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. Our
communion with God (which is the highest honour and happiness we
are capable of in this world) is kept up by the word and prayer; in
both these Israel were happy above any people under heaven. [1.]
Never were any people so privileged in speaking to God, <scripRef passage="De 4:7" id="Deu.v-p18.2" parsed="|Deut|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. He was nigh unto them in
all that they called upon him for, ready to answer their enquiries
and resolve them by his oracle, ready to answer their requests and
to grant them by a particular providence. When they had cried unto
God for bread, for water, for healing, they had found him near
them, to succour and relieve them, a very present help, and in the
midst of them (<scripRef passage="Ps 46:1,5" id="Deu.v-p18.3" parsed="|Ps|46|1|0|0;|Ps|46|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.46.1 Bible:Ps.46.5">Ps. xlvi. 1,
5</scripRef>), his ear open to their prayers. Observe,
<i>First,</i> It is the character of God's Israel that on all
occasions they call upon him, in every thing they make their
requests known to God. They do nothing but what they consult him
in, they desire nothing but what they come to him for.
<i>Secondly,</i> Those that call upon God shall certainly find him
within call, and ready to give an answer of peace to every prayer
of faith; see <scripRef passage="Isa 58:9" id="Deu.v-p18.4" parsed="|Isa|58|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.9">Isa. lviii.
9</scripRef>, "<i>Thou shalt cry,</i> as the child for a nurse,
<i>and he shall say, Here I am,</i> what does my dear child cry
for?" <i>Thirdly,</i> This is a privilege which makes the Israel of
God truly great and honourable. What can go further than this to
magnify a people or a person? Is any name more illustrious than
that of Israel, <i>a prince with God? What nation is there so
great?</i> Other nations might boast of greater numbers, larger
territories, and more ancient incorporations; but none could boast
of such an interest in heaven as Israel had. They had their gods,
but not so nigh to them as Israel's God was; they could not help
them in a time of need, as <scripRef passage="1Ki 18:27" id="Deu.v-p18.5" parsed="|1Kgs|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.27">1 Kings
xviii. 27</scripRef>. [2.] Never were any people so privileged in
hearing from God, by the statutes and judgments which were set
before them, <scripRef passage="De 4:8" id="Deu.v-p18.6" parsed="|Deut|4|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
This also was the grandeur of Israel above any people. <i>What
nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so
righteous?</i> Observe, <i>First,</i> That all these statutes and
judgments of the divine law are infinitely just and righteous,
above the statutes and judgments of any of the nations. The law of
God is far more excellent that the law of nations. No law so
consonant to natural equity and the unprejudiced dictates of right
reason, so consistent with itself in all the parts of it, and so
conducive to the welfare and interest of mankind, as the
scripture-law is, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:128" id="Deu.v-p18.7" parsed="|Ps|119|128|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.128">Ps. cxix.
128</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> The having of these statutes and
judgments set before them is the true and transcendent greatness of
any nation or people. See <scripRef passage="Ps 147:19,20" id="Deu.v-p18.8" parsed="|Ps|147|19|147|20" osisRef="Bible:Ps.147.19-Ps.147.20">Ps.
cxlvii. 19, 20</scripRef>. It is an honour to us that we have the
Bible in reputation and power among us. It is an evidence of a
people's being high in the favour of God, and a means of making
them high among the nations. Those that magnify the law shall be
magnified by it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p19">(5.) He urges God's glorious appearances to
them at Mount Sinai, when he gave them this law. This he insists
much upon. Take heed <i>lest thou forget the day that thou stoodest
before the Lord thy God in Horeb,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:10" id="Deu.v-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Some of them were now alive that
could remember it, though they were then under twenty years of age,
and the rest of them might be said to stand there in the loins of
their fathers, who received the law and entered into covenant
there, not for themselves only, but for their children, to whom God
had an eye particularly in giving the law, that they might teach it
to their children. Two things they must remember, and, one would
think, they could never forget them:&#8212;[1.] What they saw at Mount
Sinai, <scripRef passage="De 4:11" id="Deu.v-p19.2" parsed="|Deut|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. They
saw a strange composition of fire and darkness, both dreadful and
very awful; and they must needs be a striking foil to each other;
the darkness made the fire in the midst of it look the more
dreadful. Fires in the night are the most frightful, and the fire
made the darkness that surrounded it look the more awful; for it
must needs be a strong darkness which such a fire did not disperse.
In allusion to this appearance upon Mount Sinai, God is said to
show himself for his people, and against his and their enemies, in
fire and darkness together, <scripRef passage="Ps 18:8,9" id="Deu.v-p19.3" parsed="|Ps|18|8|18|9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.18.8-Ps.18.9">Ps.
xviii. 8, 9</scripRef>. He tells them again (<scripRef passage="De 4:36" id="Deu.v-p19.4" parsed="|Deut|4|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>) what they saw, for he would have
them never forget it: <i>He showed thee his great fire.</i> One
flash of lightning, that fire from heaven, strikes an awe upon us;
and some have observed that most creatures naturally turn their
faces towards the lightning, as ready to receive the impressions of
it; but how dreadful then must a constant fire from heaven be! It
gave an earnest of the day of judgment, in which <i>the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed in flaming fire.</i> As he reminds them of what
they saw, so he tells them what they saw not; no manner of
similitude, from which they might form either an idea of God in
their fancies or an image of God in their high places. By what we
see of God sufficient ground is given us to believe him to be a
Being of infinite power and perfection, but no occasion given us to
suspect him to have a body such as we have. [2.] What they heard at
Mount Sinai (<scripRef passage="De 4:12" id="Deu.v-p19.5" parsed="|Deut|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>):
"<i>The Lord spoke unto you</i> with an intelligible voice, in your
own language, and you heard it." This he enlarges upon towards the
close of his discourse, <scripRef passage="De 4:32,33,36" id="Deu.v-p19.6" parsed="|Deut|4|32|4|33;|Deut|4|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.32-Deut.4.33 Bible:Deut.4.36"><i>v.</i>
32, 33, 36</scripRef>. <i>First, They heard the voice of God,
speaking out of heaven.</i> God manifests himself to all the world
in the works of creation, without speech or language, and yet their
voice is heard (<scripRef passage="Ps 19:1-3" id="Deu.v-p19.7" parsed="|Ps|19|1|19|3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.19.1-Ps.19.3">Ps. xix.
1-3</scripRef>); but to Israel he made himself known by speech and
language, condescending to the weakness of the church's infant
state. Here was the <i>voice of one crying in the wilderness, to
prepare the way of the Lord. Secondly,</i> They heard it <i>out of
the midst of the fire,</i> which showed that it was God himself
that spoke to them, for who else could dwell with devouring fire?
God spoke to Job out of the whirlwind, which was terrible; but to
Israel out of the fire, which was more terrible. We have reason to
be thankful that he does not thus speak to us, but by men like
ourselves, <i>whose terror shall not make us afraid,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 33:6,7" id="Deu.v-p19.8" parsed="|Job|33|6|33|7" osisRef="Bible:Job.33.6-Job.33.7">Job xxxiii. 6, 7</scripRef>. <i>Thirdly,</i>
They heard it and yet lived, <scripRef passage="De 4:33" id="Deu.v-p19.9" parsed="|Deut|4|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.33"><i>v.</i>
33</scripRef>. It was a wonder of mercy that the fire did not
devour them, or that they did not die for fear, when Moses himself
trembled. <i>Fourthly,</i> Never any people heard the like. He bids
them enquire of former days and distant places, and they would find
this favour of God to Israel without precedent or parallel,
<scripRef passage="De 4:32" id="Deu.v-p19.10" parsed="|Deut|4|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. This singular
honour done them called for singular obedience from them. It might
justly be expected that they should do more for God than other
people, since God had done so much more for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p20">(6.) He urges God's gracious appearances
for them, in bringing them out of Egypt, from the iron furnace,
where they laboured in the fire, forming them into a people, and
then taking them to be his own people, a <i>people of
inheritance</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:20" id="Deu.v-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>); this he mentions again, <scripRef passage="De 4:34,37,28" id="Deu.v-p20.2" parsed="|Deut|4|34|0|0;|Deut|4|37|0|0;|Deut|4|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.34 Bible:Deut.4.37 Bible:Deut.4.28"><i>v.</i> 34, 37, 38</scripRef>. Never did God do
such a thing for any people; the rise of this nation was quite
different from that of all other nations. [1.] They were thus
dignified and distinguished, not for any thing in them that was
deserving or inviting, but because God had a kindness for their
fathers: he chose them. See the reasons of free grace; we are not
beloved for our own sakes, but for his sake who is the great
trustee of the covenant. [2.] They were delivered out of Egypt by
miracles and signs, in mercy to them and in judgment upon the
Egyptians, against whom God stretched out his arm, which was
signified by Moses's stretching out his hand in summoning the
plagues. [3.] They were designed for a happy settlement in Canaan,
<scripRef passage="De 4:38" id="Deu.v-p20.3" parsed="|Deut|4|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.38"><i>v.</i> 38</scripRef>. Nations must
be driven out from before them, to make room for them, to show how
much dearer they were to God than any other people were. Egyptians
and Canaanites must both be sacrificed to Israel's honour and
interest. Those that stand in Israel's light, in Israel's way,
shall find it is at their peril.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p21">(7.) He urges God's righteous appearance
against them sometimes for their sins. He specifies particularly
the matter of Peor, <scripRef passage="De 4:3,4" id="Deu.v-p21.1" parsed="|Deut|4|3|4|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.3-Deut.4.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>. This had happened very lately: their eyes had seen
but the other day the sudden destruction of those that joined
themselves to Baal-peor and the preservation of those that clave to
the Lord, from which they might easily infer the danger of apostasy
from God and the benefit of adherence to him. He also takes notice
again of God's displeasure against himself: <i>The Lord was angry
with me for your sakes,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:21,22" id="Deu.v-p21.2" parsed="|Deut|4|21|4|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.21-Deut.4.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. He mentions this to try
their ingenuousness, whether they would really be troubled for the
great prejudice which they had occasioned to their faithful friend
and leader. Others' sufferings for our sakes should grieve us more
than our own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p22">(8.) He urges the certain advantage of
obedience. This argument he begins with (<scripRef passage="De 4:1" id="Deu.v-p22.1" parsed="|Deut|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>That you may live, and go in
and possess the land;</i> and this he concludes with (<scripRef passage="De 4:40" id="Deu.v-p22.2" parsed="|Deut|4|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>): <i>That it may go well
with thee, and with thy children after thee.</i> He reminds them
that they were upon their good behaviour, that their prosperity
would depend upon their piety. If they kept God's precepts, he
would undoubtedly fulfil his promises.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p23">(9.) He urges the fatal consequences of
their apostasy from God, that it would undoubtedly be the ruin of
their nation. This he enlarges upon, <scripRef passage="De 4:25-31" id="Deu.v-p23.1" parsed="|Deut|4|25|4|31" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.25-Deut.4.31"><i>v.</i> 25-31</scripRef>. Here, [1.] He foresees
their revolt from God to idols, that in process of time, when they
had remained long in the land and were settled upon their lees,
they <i>would corrupt themselves, and make a graven image;</i> this
was the sin that would most easily beset them, <scripRef passage="De 4:25" id="Deu.v-p23.2" parsed="|Deut|4|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. [2.] He foretells the judgments
of God upon them for this: <i>You shall utterly be destroyed</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 4:26" id="Deu.v-p23.3" parsed="|Deut|4|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), <i>scattered
among the nations,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:27" id="Deu.v-p23.4" parsed="|Deut|4|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>. And their sin should be made their punishment
(<scripRef passage="De 4:28" id="Deu.v-p23.5" parsed="|Deut|4|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>): "<i>There
shall you serve gods, the work of men's hands,</i> be compelled to
serve them, whether you will or no, or, through your own
sottishness and stupidity, you will find no better succours to
apply yourselves in your captivity." Those that cast off the duties
of religion in their prosperity cannot expect the comforts of it
when they come to be in distress. Justly are they then sent to the
<i>gods whom they have served,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 10:14" id="Deu.v-p23.6" parsed="|Judg|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.14">Judg. x. 14</scripRef>. [3.] Yet he encourages them to
hope that God would reserve mercy for them in the latter days, that
he would by his judgments upon them bring them to repentance, and
take them again into covenant with himself, <scripRef passage="De 4:29-31" id="Deu.v-p23.7" parsed="|Deut|4|29|4|31" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.29-Deut.4.31"><i>v.</i> 29-31</scripRef>. Here observe,
<i>First,</i> That whatever place we are in we may <i>thence seek
the Lord our God,</i> though ever so remote from our own land or
from his holy temple. There is no part of this earth that has a
gulf fixed between it and heaven. <i>Secondly,</i> Those, and those
only, shall find God to their comfort, who seek him with all their
heart, that is, who are entirely devoted to him, earnestly desirous
of his favour and solicitous to obtain it. <i>Thirdly,</i>
Afflictions are sent to engage and quicken us to see God, and, by
the grace of God working with them, many are thus reduced to their
right mind, "When these things shall come upon thee, it is to be
hoped that thou wilt <i>turn to the Lord thy God,</i> for thou
seest what comes of turning from him;" see <scripRef passage="Da 9:11,12" id="Deu.v-p23.8" parsed="|Dan|9|11|9|12" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.11-Dan.9.12">Dan. ix. 11, 12</scripRef>. <i>Fourthly,</i> God's
faithfulness to his covenant encourages us to hope that he will not
reject us, though we be driven to him by affliction. If we at
length remember the covenant, we shall find that he has not
forgotten it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p24">Now let all these arguments be laid
together, and then say whether religion has not reason on its side.
None cast off the government of their God but those that have first
abandoned the understanding of a man.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 4:41-49" id="Deu.v-p24.1" parsed="|Deut|4|41|4|49" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.41-Deut.4.49"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.4.41-Deut.4.49">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.v-p25">41 Then Moses severed three cities on this side
Jordan toward the sunrising; &#160; 42 That the slayer might flee
thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him
not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he
might live: &#160; 43 <i>Namely,</i> Bezer in the wilderness, in
the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the
Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites. &#160; 44 And this
<i>is</i> the law which Moses set before the children of Israel:
&#160; 45 These <i>are</i> the testimonies, and the statutes, and
the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after
they came forth out of Egypt, &#160; 46 On this side Jordan, in the
valley over against Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the
Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of
Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt: &#160; 47
And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two
kings of the Amorites, which <i>were</i> on this side Jordan toward
the sunrising; &#160; 48 From Aroer, which <i>is</i> by the bank of
the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which <i>is</i> Hermon,
&#160; 49 And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto
the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.v-p26">Here is, 1. The nomination of the cities of
refuge on that side Jordan where Israel now lay encamped. Three
cities were appointed for that purpose, one in the lot of Reuben,
another in that of Gad, and another in that of the half tribe of
Manasseh, <scripRef passage="De 4:41-43" id="Deu.v-p26.1" parsed="|Deut|4|41|4|43" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.41-Deut.4.43"><i>v.</i>
41-43</scripRef>. What Moses could do for that people while he was
yet with them he did, to give example to the rulers who were
settled that they might observe them the better when he was gone.
2. The introduction to another sermon that Moses preached to
Israel, which we have in the following chapters. Probably it was
preached the next sabbath day after, when the congregation attended
to receive instruction. He had in general exhorted them to
obedience in the former chapter; here he comes to repeat the law
which they were to observe, for he demands a universal but not an
implicit obedience. How can we do our duty if we do not know it?
Here therefore he sets the law before them as the rule they were to
work by, the way they were to walk in, sets it before them as the
glass in which they were to see their natural face, that, looking
into this perfect law of liberty, they might continue therein.
<i>These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments,</i>
the moral, ceremonial, and judicial laws, which had been enacted
before, when Israel had newly come out of Egypt, and were now
repeated, <i>on this side Jordan,</i> <scripRef passage="De 4:44-46" id="Deu.v-p26.2" parsed="|Deut|4|44|4|46" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.44-Deut.4.46"><i>v.</i> 44-46</scripRef>. The place where Moses gave
them these laws in charge is here particularly described. (1.) It
was over-against Beth-peor, an idol-temple of the Moabites, which
perhaps Moses sometimes looked towards, with a particular caution
to them against the infection of that and other such like dangerous
places. (2.) It was upon their new conquests, in the very land
which they had got out of the hands of Sihon and Og, and were now
actually in possession of, <scripRef passage="De 4:47" id="Deu.v-p26.3" parsed="|Deut|4|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.47"><i>v.</i>
47</scripRef>. Their present triumphs herein were a powerful
argument for obedience.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter V" n="vi" progress="84.04%" prev="Deu.v" next="Deu.vii" id="Deu.vi">
<h2 id="Deu.vi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.vi-p1">In this chapter we have the second edition of the
ten commandments. I. The general intent of them; they were in the
nature of a covenant between God and Israel, <scripRef passage="De 5:1-5" id="Deu.vi-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|5|1|5|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.1-Deut.5.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II. The particular precepts are
repeated (<scripRef passage="De 5:6-21" id="Deu.vi-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|5|6|5|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.6-Deut.5.21">ver. 6-21</scripRef>), with
the double delivery of them, both by word and writing, <scripRef passage="De 5:22" id="Deu.vi-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.22">ver. 22</scripRef>. III. The settling of the
correspondence thenceforward between God and Israel, by the
mediation and ministry of Moses. 1. It was Israel's humble petition
that it might be so, <scripRef passage="De 5:23-27" id="Deu.vi-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|5|23|5|27" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.23-Deut.5.27">ver.
23-27</scripRef>. 2. It was God's gracious grant that it should be
so, <scripRef passage="De 5:28-31" id="Deu.vi-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|5|28|5|31" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.28-Deut.5.31">ver. 28-31</scripRef>. And hence
he infers the obligation they were under to obedience, <scripRef passage="De 5:32,33" id="Deu.vi-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|5|32|5|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.32-Deut.5.33">ver. 32, 33</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 5" id="Deu.vi-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|5|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 5:1-5" id="Deu.vi-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|5|1|5|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.1-Deut.5.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.5.1-Deut.5.5">
<h4 id="Deu.vi-p1.9">The Decalogue Repeated. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vi-p2">1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto
them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in
your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
&#160; 2 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.1">Lord</span> our God made a
covenant with us in Horeb. &#160; 3 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.2">Lord</span> made not this covenant with our fathers,
but with us, <i>even</i> us, who <i>are</i> all of us here alive
this day. &#160; 4 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.3">Lord</span> talked
with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire,
&#160; 5 (I stood between the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.4">Lord</span>
and you at that time, to show you the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p2.5">Lord</span>: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire,
and went not up into the mount;) saying,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p3">Here, 1. Moses summons the assembly. He
<i>called all Israel;</i> not only the elders, but, it is likely,
as many of the people as could come within hearing, <scripRef passage="De 5:1" id="Deu.vi-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The greatest of them were
not above God's command, nor the meanest of them below his
cognizance; but they were all bound to do. 2. He demands attention:
"<i>Hear, O Israel;</i> hear and heed, hear and remember, hear,
that you may learn, and keep, and do; else your hearing is to no
purpose." When we hear the word of God we must set ourselves to
learn it, that we may have it ready to us upon all occasions, and
what we have learned we must put in practice, for that is the end
of hearing and learning; not to fill our heads with notions, or our
mouths with talk, but to rectify and direct our affections and
conversations. 3. He refers them to the covenant made with them in
Horeb, as that which they must govern themselves by. See the
wonderful condescension of divine grace in turning the command into
a covenant, that we might be the more strongly bound to obedience
by our own consent and the more encouraged in it by the divine
promise, both which are supposed in the covenant. The promises and
threatenings annexed to some of the precepts, as to the second,
third, and fifth, make them amount to a covenant. Observe, (1.) The
parties to this covenant. God made it, <i>not with our fathers,</i>
not with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; to them God gave the
<i>covenant of circumcision</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 7:8" id="Deu.vi-p3.2" parsed="|Acts|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.8">Acts
vii. 8</scripRef>), but not that of the ten commandments. The light
of divine revelation shone gradually, and the children were made to
know more of God's mind than their fathers had done. "The covenant
was made with us, or our immediate parents that represented us,
before Mount Sinai, and transacted for us." (2.) The publication of
this covenant. God himself did, as it were, read the articles to
them (<scripRef passage="De 5:4" id="Deu.vi-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): He
<i>talked with you face to face; word to word,</i> so the Chaldee.
Not in dark visions, as of old he spoke to the fathers (<scripRef passage="Job 4:12,13" id="Deu.vi-p3.4" parsed="|Job|4|12|4|13" osisRef="Bible:Job.4.12-Job.4.13">Job iv. 12, 13</scripRef>), but openly and
clearly, and so that all the thousands of Israel might hear and
understand. He spoke to them, and then received the answer they
returned to him: thus was it transacted <i>face to face.</i> (3.)
The mediator of the covenant: <i>Moses stood between God and
them,</i> at the foot of the mount (<scripRef passage="De 5:5" id="Deu.vi-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|5|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), and carried messages between them
both for the settling of the preliminaries (<scripRef passage="Ex 19:1-25" id="Deu.vi-p3.6" parsed="|Exod|19|1|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.1-Exod.19.25">Exod. xix.</scripRef>) and for the changing of the
ratifications, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:1-8" id="Deu.vi-p3.7" parsed="|Exod|24|1|24|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.8">Exod. xxiv.</scripRef>
Herein Moses was a type of Christ, who <i>stands between God and
man, to show us the word of the Lord,</i> a blessed days-man, that
has laid his hand upon us both, so that we may both hear from God
and speak to him without trembling.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 5:6-22" id="Deu.vi-p3.8" parsed="|Deut|5|6|5|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.6-Deut.5.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.5.6-Deut.5.22">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vi-p4">6 I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.1">Lord</span> thy God, which brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, from the house of bondage. &#160; 7 Thou shalt have none
other gods before me. &#160; 8 Thou shalt not make thee <i>any</i>
graven image, <i>or</i> any likeness <i>of any thing</i> that
<i>is</i> in heaven above, or that <i>is</i> in the earth beneath,
or that <i>is</i> in the waters beneath the earth: &#160; 9 Thou
shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.2">Lord</span> thy God <i>am</i> a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto
the third and fourth <i>generation</i> of them that hate me, &#160;
10 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep
my commandments. &#160; 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.3">Lord</span> thy God in vain: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.4">Lord</span> will not hold <i>him</i> guiltless
that taketh his name in vain. &#160; 12 Keep the sabbath day to
sanctify it, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.5">Lord</span> thy God
hath commanded thee. &#160; 13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do
all thy work: &#160; 14 But the seventh day <i>is</i> the sabbath
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.6">Lord</span> thy God: <i>in it</i>
thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,
nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine
ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that <i>is</i> within
thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well
as thou. &#160; 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the
land of Egypt, and <i>that</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.7">Lord</span> thy God brought thee out thence through a
mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.8">Lord</span> thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath
day. &#160; 16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.9">Lord</span> thy God hath commanded thee; that thy
days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the
land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.10">Lord</span> thy God giveth
thee. &#160; 17 Thou shalt not kill. &#160; 18 Neither shalt thou
commit adultery. &#160; 19 Neither shalt thou steal. &#160; 20
Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. &#160;
21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt
thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or
his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any <i>thing</i> that
<i>is</i> thy neighbour's. &#160; 22 These words the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p4.11">Lord</span> spake unto all your assembly in the mount
out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick
darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote
them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p5">Here is the repetition of the ten
commandments, in which observe, 1. Though they had been spoken
before, and written, yet they are again rehearsed; for precept must
be upon precept, and line upon line, and all little enough to keep
the word of God in our minds and to preserve and renew the
impressions of it. We have need to have the same things often
inculcated upon us. See <scripRef passage="Php 3:1" id="Deu.vi-p5.1" parsed="|Phil|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Phil.3.1">Phil. iii.
1</scripRef>. 2. There is some variation here from that record
(<scripRef passage="Ex 20:1-26" id="Deu.vi-p5.2" parsed="|Exod|20|1|20|26" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.1-Exod.20.26">Exod. xx.</scripRef>), as there is
between the Lord's prayer as it is in <scripRef passage="Mt 6:9-13" id="Deu.vi-p5.3" parsed="|Matt|6|9|6|13" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.9-Matt.6.13">Matt. vi.</scripRef> and as it is <scripRef passage="Lu 11:2-4" id="Deu.vi-p5.4" parsed="|Luke|11|2|11|4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.11.2-Luke.11.4">Luke xi.</scripRef> In both it is more necessary that
we tie ourselves to the things than to the words unalterably. 3.
The most considerable variation is in the fourth commandment. In
<scripRef passage="Ex 20:8-11" id="Deu.vi-p5.5" parsed="|Exod|20|8|20|11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.8-Exod.20.11">Exod. xx.</scripRef> the reason
annexed is taken from the creation of the world; here it is taken
from their deliverance out of Egypt, because that was typical of
our redemption by Jesus Christ, in remembrance of which the
Christian sabbath was to be observed: <i>Remember that thou wast a
servant, and God brought thee out,</i> <scripRef passage="De 5:15" id="Deu.vi-p5.6" parsed="|Deut|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. And Therefore, (1.) "It is fit
that thy servants should be favoured by the sabbath-rest; for thou
knowest the heart of a servant, and how welcome one day's ease will
be after six days' labour." (2.) "It is fit that thy God should be
honoured by the sabbath-work, and the religious services of the
day, in consideration of the great things he has done for thee." In
the resurrection of Christ we were brought into the glorious
liberty of the children of God, <i>with a mighty hand and an
outstretched arm;</i> therefore, by the gospel-edition of the law,
we are directed to observe the first day of the week, in
remembrance of that glorious work of power and grace. 4. It is
added in the fifth commandment, <i>That it may go well with
thee,</i> which addition the apostle quotes, and puts first
(<scripRef passage="Eph 6:3" id="Deu.vi-p5.7" parsed="|Eph|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.3">Eph. vi. 3</scripRef>), <i>that it may
be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long.</i> If there be
instances of some that have been very dutiful to their parents, and
yet have not lived long upon earth, we may reconcile it to the
promise by this explication of it, Whether they live long or no, it
shall go well with them, either in this world or in a better. See
<scripRef passage="Ec 8:12" id="Deu.vi-p5.8" parsed="|Eccl|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.8.12">Eccl. viii. 12</scripRef>. 5. The last
five commandments are connected or coupled together, which they are
not in Exodus: <i>Neither shalt thou commit adultery, neither shalt
thou steal, &amp;c.,</i> which intimate that God's commands are all
of a piece: the same authority that obliges us to one obliges us to
another; and we must not be partial in the law, but have respect to
all God's commandments, for he that <i>offends in one point is
guilty of all,</i> <scripRef passage="Jam 2:10,11" id="Deu.vi-p5.9" parsed="|Jas|2|10|2|11" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.10-Jas.2.11">Jam. ii. 10,
11</scripRef>. 6. That these commandments were given with a great
deal of awful solemnity, <scripRef passage="De 5:22" id="Deu.vi-p5.10" parsed="|Deut|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. (1.) They were spoken with <i>a great voice out of
the fire, and thick darkness.</i> That was a dispensation of
terror, designed to make the gospel of grace the more welcome, and
to be a specimen of the terrors of the judgment-day, <scripRef passage="Ps 50:3,4" id="Deu.vi-p5.11" parsed="|Ps|50|3|50|4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.3-Ps.50.4">Ps. l. 3, 4</scripRef>. (2.) <i>He added no
more.</i> What other laws he gave them were sent by Moses, but no
more were spoken in the same manner that the ten commandments were.
<i>He added no more,</i> therefore we must not add: the law of the
Lord is perfect. (3.) <i>He wrote them in two tables of stone,</i>
that they might be preserved from corruption, and might be
transmitted pure and entire to posterity, for whose use they were
intended, as well as for the present generation. These being the
heads of the covenant, the chest in which the written tables were
deposited was called the <i>ark of the covenant.</i> See <scripRef passage="Re 11:19" id="Deu.vi-p5.12" parsed="|Rev|11|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.19">Rev. xi. 19</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 5:23-33" id="Deu.vi-p5.13" parsed="|Deut|5|23|5|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.23-Deut.5.33"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.5.23-Deut.5.33">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vi-p6">23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice
out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with
fire,) that ye came near unto me, <i>even</i> all the heads of your
tribes, and your elders; &#160; 24 And ye said, Behold, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.1">Lord</span> our God hath showed us his glory and
his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the
fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he
liveth. &#160; 25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great
fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.2">Lord</span> our God any more, then we shall die. &#160;
26 For who <i>is there of</i> all flesh, that hath heard the voice
of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we
<i>have,</i> and lived? &#160; 27 Go thou near, and hear all that
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.3">Lord</span> our God shall say: and
speak thou unto us all that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.4">Lord</span>
our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear <i>it,</i> and do
<i>it.</i> &#160; 28 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.5">Lord</span>
heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.6">Lord</span> said unto me, I have heard the voice
of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they
have well said all that they have spoken. &#160; 29 O that there
were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my
commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with
their children for ever! &#160; 30 Go say to them, Get you into
your tents again. &#160; 31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me,
and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes,
and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do
<i>them</i> in the land which I give them to possess it. &#160; 32
Ye shall observe to do therefore as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.7">Lord</span> your God hath commanded you: ye shall not
turn aside to the right hand or to the left. &#160; 33 Ye shall
walk in all the ways which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vi-p6.8">Lord</span>
your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and <i>that it may
be</i> well with you, and <i>that</i> ye may prolong <i>your</i>
days in the land which ye shall possess.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p7">Here, I. Moses reminds them of the
agreement of both the parties that were now treating, in the
mediation of Moses.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p8">1. Here is the consternation that the
people were put into by that extreme terror with which the law was
given. They owned that they could not bear it any more: "<i>This
great fire will consume us;</i> this dreadful voice will be fatal
to us; we shall certainly die if we hear it any more," <scripRef passage="De 5:25" id="Deu.vi-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|5|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. They wondered that they
were not already struck dead with it, and took it for an
extraordinary instance of the divine power and goodness, not only
that they were thus spoken to, but that they were enabled to bear
it. For <i>who ever heard the voice of the living God, as we have,
and lived?</i> God's appearances have always been terrible to man,
ever since the fall: but Christ, having taken away sin, invites us
to come boldly to the throne of grace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p9">2. Their earnest request that God would
henceforth speak to them by Moses, with a promise that they would
hear what he said as from God himself, and do it, <scripRef passage="De 5:27" id="Deu.vi-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|5|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. It seems by this, (1.)
That they expected to receive further commands from God and were
willing to hear more from him. (2.) That they thought Moses able to
bear those discoveries of the divine glory which they by reason of
guilt were sensible of their inability to stand up under. They
believed him to be a favourite of Heaven, and also one that would
be faithful to them; yet at other times they murmured at him, and
but a little before this were ready to stone him, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:4" id="Deu.vi-p9.2" parsed="|Exod|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.4">Exod. xvii. 4</scripRef>. See how men's
convictions correct their passions. (3.) That now they were in a
good mind, under the strong convictions of the word they heard.
Many have their consciences startled by the law that have them not
purified; fair promises are extorted from them, but no good
principles fixed and rooted in them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p10">3. God's approbation of their request. (1.)
He commends what they said, <scripRef passage="De 5:28" id="Deu.vi-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|5|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>. They spoke it to Moses, but God took notice of it;
for there is not a word in our tongue but he knows it. He
acknowledges, <i>They have well said.</i> Their owning the
necessity of a mediator to deal between them and God was well said.
Their desire to receive further directions from God by Moses, and
their promise to observe what directions should be given them, were
well said. And what is well said shall have its praise with God,
and should have with us. What is good, as far as it goes, let it be
commended. (2.) He wishes they were but sincere in it: <i>O that
there were such a heart in them!</i> <scripRef passage="De 5:29" id="Deu.vi-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|5|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. [1.] Such a heart as they should
have, a heart to fear God, and keep his commandments for ever.
Note, The God of heaven is truly and earnestly desirous of the
welfare and salvation of poor sinners. He has given abundant proof
that he is so: he gives us time and space to repent, by his mercies
invites us to repentance, and waits to be gracious; he has sent his
Son to redeem us, published a general offer of pardon and life,
promised his Spirit to those that pray for him, and has said and
sworn that he has no pleasure in the ruin of sinners. [2.] Such a
heart as they now had, or one would think they had. Note, It would
be well with many if there were always such a heart in them as
there seems to be sometimes, when they are under conviction of sin,
or the rebukes of Providence, or when they come to look death in
the face: <i>How gracious will they be when these pangs come upon
them!</i> O that there were always such a heart in them! (3.) He
appoints Moses to be his messenger to them, to receive the law from
his mouth and to communicate it to them, <scripRef passage="De 5:31" id="Deu.vi-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|5|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. Here the matter was settled by
consent of both parties that God should hence-forward speak to us
by men like ourselves, by Moses and the prophets, by the apostles
and the evangelists, and, if we believe not these, neither should
we be persuaded though God should speak to us as he did to Israel
at Mount Sinai, or send expresses from heaven or hell.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vi-p11">II. Hence he infers a charge to them to
observe and do all that God had commanded them, <scripRef passage="De 5:32,33" id="Deu.vi-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|5|32|5|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.32-Deut.5.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. Seeing God had shown
himself so tender of them, and so willing to consider their frame
and gratify them in what they desired, and withal so ready to make
the best of them,&#8212;seeing they themselves had desired to have Moses
for their teacher, who was now teaching them,&#8212;and seeing they had
promised so solemnly, and under the influence of so many good
causes and considerations, that they would hear and do, he charges
them to <i>walk in all the ways that God had commanded them,</i>
assuring them that it would be highly for their advantage to do so.
The only way to be happy is to be holy. <i>Say to the righteous, It
shall be well with them.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VI" n="vii" progress="84.37%" prev="Deu.vi" next="Deu.viii" id="Deu.vii">
<h2 id="Deu.vii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.vii-p0.2">CHAP. VI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.vii-p1">Moses, in this chapter, goes on with his charge to
Israel, to be sure to keep up their religion in Canaan. It is much
the same with <scripRef passage="De 4:1-40" id="Deu.vii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|4|1|4|40" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.1-Deut.4.40"><i>ch.</i>
iv.</scripRef> I. His preface is a persuasive to obedience,
<scripRef passage="De 6:1-3" id="Deu.vii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|6|1|6|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1-Deut.6.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II. He lays down
the great principles of obedience. The first truth to be believed,
That God is one, <scripRef passage="De 6:4" id="Deu.vii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|6|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. The
first duty to be done, To love him with all our heart, <scripRef passage="De 6:5" id="Deu.vii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.5">ver. 5</scripRef>. III. He prescribes the means
for keeping up religion, <scripRef passage="De 6:6-9" id="Deu.vii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|6|6|6|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.6-Deut.6.9">ver.
6-9</scripRef>. IV. He cautions them against those things which
would be the ruin of religion&#8212;abuse of plenty (<scripRef passage="De 6:10-24" id="Deu.vii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|6|10|6|24" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10-Deut.6.24">ver. 10-12</scripRef>), inclination to idolatry
(<scripRef passage="De 6:14,15" id="Deu.vii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|6|14|6|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.14-Deut.6.15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>), and gives
them some general precepts, <scripRef passage="De 6:13,16-18" id="Deu.vii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|6|13|0|0;|Deut|6|16|6|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.13 Bible:Deut.6.16-Deut.6.18">ver.
13, 16-18</scripRef>. V. He directs them what instructions to give
their children, <scripRef passage="De 6:20-25" id="Deu.vii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|6|20|6|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.20-Deut.6.25">ver. 20</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 6" id="Deu.vii-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 6:1-3" id="Deu.vii-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|6|1|6|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1-Deut.6.3"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.6.1-Deut.6.3">
<h4 id="Deu.vii-p1.12">Summary of Religion. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vii-p2">1 Now these <i>are</i> the commandments, the
statutes, and the judgments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p2.1">Lord</span> your God commanded to teach you, that ye
might do <i>them</i> in the land whither ye go to possess it:
&#160; 2 That thou mightest fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God, to keep all his statutes and his
commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy
son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be
prolonged. &#160; 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do
<i>it;</i> that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase
mightily, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p2.3">Lord</span> God of thy
fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and
honey.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p3">Observe here, 1. That Moses taught the
people all that, and that only, which God commanded him to teach
them, <scripRef passage="De 6:1" id="Deu.vii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Thus
Christ's ministers are to teach his churches <i>all that he has
commanded,</i> and neither more nor less, <scripRef passage="Mt 28:20" id="Deu.vii-p3.2" parsed="|Matt|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.28.20">Matt. xxviii. 20</scripRef>. 2. That the end of their
being taught was that they might do as they were taught (<scripRef passage="De 6:1" id="Deu.vii-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), might <i>keep God's
statutes</i> (<scripRef passage="De 6:2" id="Deu.vii-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>),
and <i>observe to do them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:3" id="Deu.vii-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. Good instructions from parents and ministers will but
aggravate our condemnation if we do not live up to them. 3. That
Moses carefully endeavoured to fix them for God and godliness, now
that they were entering upon the land of Canaan, that they might be
prepared for the comforts of that land, and fortified against the
snares of it, and now that they were setting out in the world might
set out well. 4. That the fear of God in the heart will be the most
powerful principle of obedience: <i>That thou mightest fear the
Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:2" id="Deu.vii-p3.6" parsed="|Deut|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. 5. The entail of religion in a
family, or country, is the best entail: it is highly desirable that
not we only, but our children, and our children's children, may
fear the Lord. 6. Religion and righteousness advance and secure the
prosperity of any people. Fear God, and it shall be well with thee.
Those that are well taught, if they do what they are taught, shall
be well fed too, as Israel in the <i>land flowing with milk and
honey,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:3" id="Deu.vii-p3.7" parsed="|Deut|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 6:4-16" id="Deu.vii-p3.8" parsed="|Deut|6|4|6|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.4-Deut.6.16"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.6.4-Deut.6.16">
<h4 id="Deu.vii-p3.9">Cautions and Precepts. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p3.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vii-p4">4 Hear, O Israel: The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.1">Lord</span> our God <i>is</i> one <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.2">Lord</span>: &#160; 5 And thou shalt love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.3">Lord</span> thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy might. &#160; 6 And these
words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
&#160; 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou
risest up. &#160; 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. &#160; 9
And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy
gates. &#160; 10 And it shall be, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.4">Lord</span> thy God shall have brought thee into the
land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst
not, &#160; 11 And houses full of all good <i>things,</i> which
thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not,
vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou
shalt have eaten and be full; &#160; 12 <i>Then</i> beware lest
thou forget the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.5">Lord</span>, which brought
thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
&#160; 13 Thou shalt fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.6">Lord</span>
thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. &#160; 14 Ye
shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which
<i>are</i> round about you; &#160; 15 (For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.7">Lord</span> thy God <i>is</i> a jealous God among you)
lest the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.8">Lord</span> thy God
be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the
earth. &#160; 16 Ye shall not tempt the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p4.9">Lord</span> your God, as ye tempted <i>him</i> in
Massah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p5">Here is, I. A brief summary of religion,
containing the first principles of faith and obedience, <scripRef passage="De 6:4,5" id="Deu.vii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|6|4|6|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.4-Deut.6.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>. These two verses the
Jews reckon one of the choicest portions of scripture: they write
it in their phylacteries, and think themselves not only obliged to
say it at least twice every day, but very happy in being so
obliged, having this saying among them, <i>Blessed are we, who
every morning and evening say, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is
one Lord.</i> But more blessed are we if we duly consider and
improve,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p6">1. What we are here taught to believe
concerning God: that <i>Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.</i> (1.)
That the God whom we serve is Jehovah, a Being infinitely and
eternally perfect, self-existent, and self-sufficient. (2.) That he
is the one only living and true God; he only is God, and he is but
one. The firm belief of this self-evident truth would effectually
arm them against all idolatry, which was introduced by that
fundamental error, that there are gods many. It is past dispute
that there is one God, and there <i>is no other but he,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mk 12:32" id="Deu.vii-p6.1" parsed="|Mark|12|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.32">Mark xii. 32</scripRef>. Let us
therefore have no other, nor desire to have any other. Some have
thought there is here a plain intimation of the trinity of persons
in the unity of the Godhead; for here is the name of God three
times, and yet all declared to be one. Happy they that have this
one Lord for their God; for they have but one master to please, but
one benefactor to seek to. It is better to have one fountain that a
thousand cisterns, one all-sufficient God than a thousand
insufficient ones.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p7">2. What we are here taught concerning the
duty which God requires of man. It is all summed up in this as its
principle, <i>Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart.</i> He had undertaken (<scripRef passage="De 6:2" id="Deu.vii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>) to teach them to fear God; and, in pursuance of his
undertaking, he here teaches them to love him, for the warmer our
affection to him the greater will be our veneration for him; the
child that honours his parents no doubt loves them. Did ever any
prince make a law that his subjects should love him? Yet such is
the condescension of the divine grace that this is made the first
and great commandment of God's law, that we love him, and that we
perform all other parts of our duty to him from a principle of
love. <i>My son, give me thy heart.</i> We must highly esteem him,
be well pleased that there is such a Being, well pleased in all his
attributes, and relations to us: our desire must be towards him,
our delight in him, our dependence upon him, and to him we must be
entirely devoted. It must be a constant pleasure to us to think of
him, hear from him, speak to him, and serve him. We must love him,
(1.) As the Lord, the best of beings, most excellent and amiable in
himself. (2.) As our God, a God in covenant with us, our Father,
and the most kind and bountiful of friends and benefactors. We are
also commanded to love God <i>with all our heart, and soul, and
might;</i> that is, we must love him, [1.] With a sincere love; not
in word and tongue only, saying we love him when our hearts are not
with him, but inwardly, and in truth, solacing ourselves in him.
[2.] With a strong love; the heart must be carried out towards him
with great ardour and fervency of affection. Some have hence though
that we should avoid saying (as we commonly express ourselves) that
we will do this or that with all our heart, for we must not do any
thing with all our heart but love God; and that this phrase, being
here used concerning that sacred fire, should not be unhallowed. He
that is our all must have our all, and none but he. [3.] With a
superlative love; we must love God above any creature whatsoever,
and love nothing besides him but what we love for him and in
subordination to him. [4.] With an intelligent love; for so it is
explained, <scripRef passage="Mk 12:33" id="Deu.vii-p7.2" parsed="|Mark|12|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.33">Mark xii. 33</scripRef>. To
love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, we
must know him, and therefore love him as those that see good cause
to love him. [5.] With an entire love; he is one, and therefore our
hearts must be united in this love, and the whole stream of our
affections must run towards him. O that this love of God may be
shed abroad in our hearts!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p8">II. Means are here prescribed for the
maintaining and keeping up of religion in our hearts and houses,
that it might not wither and go to decay. And they are these:&#8212;1.
Meditation: <i>These words which I command thee shall be in thy
heart,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:6" id="Deu.vii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>.
Though the words alone without the things will do us no good, yet
we are in danger of losing the things if we neglect the words, by
which ordinarily divine light and power are conveyed to the heart.
God's words must be laid up on our heart, that our thoughts may be
daily conversant with them and employed about them, and thereby the
whole soul may be brought to abide and act under the influence and
impression of them. This immediately follows upon the law of loving
God with all your heart; for those that do so will lay up his word
in their hearts both as an evidence and effect of that love and as
a means to preserve and increase it. He that loves God loves his
Bible. 2. The religious education of children (<scripRef passage="De 6:7" id="Deu.vii-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt teach them
diligently to thy children;</i> and by communicating thy knowledge
thou wilt increase it." Those that love the Lord God themselves
should do what they can to engage the affections of their children
to him, and so to preserve the entail of religion in their families
from being cut off. <i>Thou shalt whet them diligently upon thy
children,</i> so some read it; frequently repeat these things to
them, try all ways of instilling them into their minds, and making
them pierce into their hearts; as, in whetting a knife, it is
turned first on this side, then on that. "Be careful and exact in
teaching thy children; and aim, as by whetting, to sharpen them,
and put an edge upon them. Teach them to thy children, not only
those of thy own body" (say the Jews) "but all those that are
anyway under thy care and tuition." Bishop Patrick well observes
here that Moses thought his law so very plain and easy that every
father might be able to instruct his sons in it and every mother
her daughters. Thus that good thing which is committed to us we
must carefully transmit to those that come after us, that it may be
perpetuated. 3. Pious discourse. "Thou shalt talk of these things,
with due reverence and seriousness, for the benefit not only of thy
children, but of thy other domestics, thy friends and companions,
as thou sittest in thy house at work, or at meat, or at rest, or to
receive visits, and when thou walkest by the way for diversion, or
for conversation, of in journeys, when at night thou art retiring
from thy family to lie down for sleep, and when in the morning thou
hast risen up and returnest to thy family again. Take all occasions
to discourse with those about thee of divine things; not of
unrevealed mysteries, or matters of doubtful disputation, but of
the plain truths and laws of God, and the things that belong to our
peace." So far is it from being reckoned a diminution to the honour
of sacred things to make them subject of our familiar discourse
that they are recommended to us to be talked of; for the more
conversant we are with them the more we shall admire them and be
affected with them, and may thereby be instrumental to communicate
divine light and heat. 4. Frequent reading of the word: <i>They
shall be as frontlets between thy eyes, and thou shalt write them
upon the posts of thy house,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:8,9" id="Deu.vii-p8.3" parsed="|Deut|6|8|6|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.8-Deut.6.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. It is probable that at that
time there were few written copies of the whole law, only at the
feasts of tabernacles the people had it read to them; and therefore
God appointed them, at least for the present, to write some select
sentences of the law, that were most weighty and comprehensive,
upon their walls, or in scrolls of parchment to be worn about their
wrists; and some think that hence the phylacteries so much used
among the Jews took rise. Christ blames the Pharisees, not for
wearing them, but for affecting to have them broader than other
people's, <scripRef passage="Mt 23:5" id="Deu.vii-p8.4" parsed="|Matt|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.5">Matt. xxiii. 5</scripRef>.
But when Bibles came to be common among them there was less
occasion for this expedient. It was prudently and piously provided
by the first reformers of the English church that then, when Bibles
were scarce, some select portions of scripture should be written on
the walls and pillars of the churches, which the people might make
familiar to them, in conformity to this direction, which seems to
have been binding in the letter of it to the Jews as it is to us in
the intent of it, which is that we should endeavour by all means
possible to make the word of God familiar to us, that we may have
it ready to us upon all occasions, for our restraint from sin and
our direction and excitement to our duty. It must be as that which
is <i>graven on the palms of our hands,</i> always before our eyes.
See <scripRef passage="Pr 7:1-3" id="Deu.vii-p8.5" parsed="|Prov|7|1|7|3" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.1-Prov.7.3">Prov. vii. 1-3</scripRef>. It is
also intimated that we must never be ashamed to own our religion,
nor to own ourselves under the check and government of it. Let it
be written on our gates, and let every one that goes by our door
read it, that we believe Jehovah to be God alone, and believe
ourselves bound to <i>love him with all our hearts.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p9">III. A caution is here given not to forget
God in a day of prosperity and plenty, <scripRef passage="De 6:10-12" id="Deu.vii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|6|10|6|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10-Deut.6.12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>. Here, 1. He raises their
expectations of the goodness of their God, taking it for granted
that he would bring them into the good land that he had promised
(<scripRef passage="De 6:10" id="Deu.vii-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), that they
should no longer dwell in tents as shepherds and poor travellers,
but should settle in great and goodly cities, should no longer
wander in a barren wilderness, but should enjoy houses well
furnished and gardens well planted (<scripRef passage="De 6:11" id="Deu.vii-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|6|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), and all this without any care
and expense of their own, which he here lays a great stress
upon&#8212;<i>Cities which thou buildest not, houses which thou filledst
not, &amp;c.,</i> both because it made the mercy really much more
valuable that what they had come to them so cheaply, and yet, if
they did not actually consider it, the mercy would be the less
esteemed, for we are most sensible of the value of that which has
cost us dear. When they came so easily by the gift they would be
apt to grow secure, and unmindful of the giver. 2. He engages their
watchfulness against the badness of their own hearts: <i>Then
beware,</i> when thou liest safe and soft, <i>lest thou forget the
Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:12" id="Deu.vii-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|6|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>.
Note, (1.) In a day of prosperity we are in great danger of
forgetting God, our dependence upon him, our need of him, and our
obligations to him. When the world smiles we are apt to make our
court to it, and expect our happiness in it, and so we forget him
that his our only portion and rest. Agur prays against this
temptation (<scripRef passage="Pr 30:9" id="Deu.vii-p9.5" parsed="|Prov|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.30.9">Prov. xxx. 9</scripRef>):
<i>Lest I be full and deny thee.</i> (2.) There is therefore need
of great care and caution at such a time, and a strict watch over
our own hearts. "<i>Then beware;</i> being warned of your danger,
stand upon your guard against it. <i>Bind the words of God for a
sign upon thy hand,</i> for this end to prevent thy forgetting God.
When thou art settled in Canaan forget not thy deliverance out of
Egypt; but look to the <i>rock out of which thou wast hewn.</i>
When thy latter end has greatly increased, remember the smallness
of thy beginnings."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p10">IV. Some special precepts and prohibitions
are here given, which are of great consequence. 1. They must upon
all occasions give honour to God <scripRef passage="De 6:13" id="Deu.vii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|6|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.13">(<i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>Fear him and serve him</i>
(for, if he be a Master, we must both reverence him and do his
work); <i>and swear by his name,</i> that is, they must not upon
any occasion appeal to any other, as the discerner of truth and
avenger of wrong. Swear by him only, and not by an idol, or any
other creature. Swear by his name in all treaties and covenants
with the neighbouring nations, and do not compliment them so far as
to swear by their gods. Swearing by his name is sometimes put for
an open profession of his name. <scripRef passage="Isa 45:23" id="Deu.vii-p10.2" parsed="|Isa|45|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.23">Isa.
xlv. 23</scripRef>, <i>Every tongue shall swear,</i> is expounded
(<scripRef passage="Ro 14:11" id="Deu.vii-p10.3" parsed="|Rom|14|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.14.11">Rom. xiv. 11</scripRef>), <i>Every
tongue shall confess to God.</i> 2. They must not upon any occasion
give that honour to other gods (<scripRef passage="De 6:14" id="Deu.vii-p10.4" parsed="|Deut|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>): <i>You shall not go after other
gods,</i> that is, "You shall not serve nor worship them;" for
therein they went astray, they went a whoring from the true God,
who in this, more than in any thing, is <i>jealous god</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 6:15" id="Deu.vii-p10.5" parsed="|Deut|6|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): and the
learned bishop Patrick observes here, out of Maimonides, that we
never find, either in the law or the prophets, <i>anger,</i> or
<i>fury,</i> or <i>jealousy,</i> or <i>indignation,</i> attributed
to God but upon occasion of idolatry. 3. They must take heed of
dishonouring God by <i>tempting him</i> (<scripRef passage="De 6:16" id="Deu.vii-p10.6" parsed="|Deut|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>You shall not tempt the Lord
your God,</i> that is, "You shall not in any exigence distrust the
power, presence, and providence of God, nor quarrel with him,"
which, if they indulged an evil heart of unbelief, they would take
occasion to do in Canaan as well as in the wilderness. No change of
condition will cure a disposition of murmur and fret. Our Saviour
uses this caution as an answer to one of Satan's temptations, with
application to himself, <scripRef passage="Mt 4:7" id="Deu.vii-p10.7" parsed="|Matt|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.7">Matt. iv.
7</scripRef>, <i>Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,</i> either
by despairing of his power and goodness while we keep in the way of
our duty, or by presuming upon it when we turn aside out of that
way.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 6" id="Deu.vii-p10.8" parsed="|Deut|6|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 6:17-25" id="Deu.vii-p10.9" parsed="|Deut|6|17|6|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.17-Deut.6.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.6.17-Deut.6.25">
<h4 id="Deu.vii-p10.10">A Charge to Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p10.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.vii-p11">17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.1">Lord</span> your God, and his
testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. &#160;
18 And thou shalt do <i>that which is</i> right and good in the
sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.2">Lord</span>: that it may be
well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good
land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.3">Lord</span> sware unto thy
fathers, &#160; 19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee,
as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.4">Lord</span> hath spoken. &#160; 20
<i>And</i> when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What
<i>mean</i> the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.5">Lord</span> our God hath
commanded you? &#160; 21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were
Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.6">Lord</span> brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
&#160; 22 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.7">Lord</span> showed signs
and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all
his household, before our eyes: &#160; 23 And he brought us out
from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which
he sware unto our fathers. &#160; 24 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.8">Lord</span> commanded us to do all these statutes, to
fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.9">Lord</span> our God, for our good
always, that he might preserve us alive, as <i>it is</i> at this
day. &#160; 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to
do all these commandments before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.vii-p11.10">Lord</span> our God, as he hath commanded us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p12">Here, I. Moses charges them to keep God's
commandments themselves: <i>You shall diligently keep God's
commandments,</i> <scripRef passage="De 6:17-19" id="Deu.vii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|6|17|6|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.17-Deut.6.19"><i>v.</i>
17-19</scripRef>. Note, It requires a great deal of care and pains
to keep up religion in the power of it in our hearts and lives.
Negligence will ruin us; but we cannot be saved without diligence.
To induce them to this, he here shows them, 1. That this would be
very acceptable to God: it is <i>right and good in the sight of the
Lord;</i> and that is right and good indeed that is, so in <i>God's
sight.</i> If we have any regard to the favour of our Creator as
our felicity, and the law of our creation as our rule, we shall be
religious. 2. That it would be very advantageous and profitable to
themselves. It would secure to them the possession of the land of
Canaan, prosperity there, and constant victory over those that
stood in their way. In short, "Do well, and it shall be <i>well
with thee.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p13">II. He charges them to instruct their
children in the commands of God, not only that they might in their
tender years intelligently and affectionately join in religious
services, but that afterwards they might in their day keep up
religion, and convey it to those that should come after them.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p14">1. Here is a proper question which it is
supposed the children would ask (<scripRef passage="De 6:20" id="Deu.vii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|6|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): "<i>What mean the testimonies
and the statutes?</i> What is the meaning of the feasts we observe,
the sacrifices we offer, and the many peculiar customs we keep up?"
Observe, (1.) All divine institutions have a certain meaning, and
there is something great designed in them. (2.) It concerns us to
know and understand the meaning of them, that we may perform a
reasonable service and may not <i>offer the blind for
sacrifice.</i> (3.) It is good for children betimes to enquire into
the true intent and meaning of the religious observances they are
trained up in. If any are thus inquisitive in divine things it is a
good sign that they are concerned about them, and a good means of
their attaining to a great acquaintance with them. <i>Then shall we
know</i> if thus we <i>follow on to know.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.vii-p15">2. Here is a full answer put into the
parents' mouths to be given to this good question. Parents and
teachers must give instruction to those under their charge, though
they do not ask it, nay, though they have an aversion to it; much
more must they be ready to answer questions, and to give
instruction when it is desired; for it may be hoped that those who
ask it will be willing to receive it. Did the children ask the
meaning of God's laws? Let them be told that they were to be
observed, (1.) In a grateful remembrance of God's former favours to
them, especially their deliverance out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="De 6:21-23" id="Deu.vii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|6|21|6|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.21-Deut.6.23"><i>v.</i> 21-23</scripRef>. The children must be often
told of the deplorable state their ancestors were in when they were
bondmen in Egypt, the great salvation God wrought for them in
fetching them out thence, and that God, in giving them these
peculiar statutes, meant to perpetuate the memorial of that work of
wonder, by which they were formed into a peculiar people. (2.) As
the prescribed condition of his further favours (<scripRef passage="De 6:24" id="Deu.vii-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|6|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>): <i>The Lord commanded us all
these statutes for our good.</i> Note, God commands us nothing but
what is really for our good. It is our interest as well as our duty
to be religious. [1.] It will be our life: <i>That he might
preserve us alive,</i> which is a great favour, and more than we
could expect, considering how often we have forfeited life itself.
Godliness has the promise of the continuance and comfort of the
life that now is as far as it is for God's glory. [2.] It will be
our righteousness. Could we perfectly fulfil but that one command
of loving God with all our heart, soul, and might, and could we
say, "We have never done otherwise," this would be so our
righteousness as to entitle us to the benefits of the covenant of
innocency; had we continued in every thing that is written in the
book of the law to do it, the law would have justified us. But this
we cannot pretend to, therefore our sincere obedience shall be
accepted through a Mediator to denominate us, as Noah was,
<i>righteous before God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 7:1,Lu 1:6,1Jo 3:7" id="Deu.vii-p15.3" parsed="|Gen|7|1|0|0;|Luke|1|6|0|0;|1John|3|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.7.1 Bible:Luke.1.6 Bible:1John.3.7">Gen. vii. 1; Luke i. 6; and 1 John iii.
7</scripRef>. The Chaldee reads it, <i>There shall be a reward to
us if we observe to do these commandments;</i> for, without doubt,
in keeping God's commandments there is great reward.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VII" n="viii" progress="84.85%" prev="Deu.vii" next="Deu.ix" id="Deu.viii">
<h2 id="Deu.viii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.viii-p0.2">CHAP. VII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.viii-p1">Moses in this chapter exhorts Israel, I. In
general, to keep God's commandments, <scripRef passage="De 8:11,12" id="Deu.viii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|8|11|8|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.11-Deut.8.12">ver. 11, 12</scripRef>. II. In particular, and in
order to that, to keep themselves pure from all communion with
idolaters. 1. They must utterly destroy the seven devoted nations,
and not spare them, or make leagues with them, <scripRef passage="De 8:1,2,16,24" id="Deu.viii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|8|1|8|2;|Deut|8|16|0|0;|Deut|8|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.1-Deut.8.2 Bible:Deut.8.16 Bible:Deut.8.24">ver. 1, 2, 16, 24</scripRef>. 2. They must by no
means marry with the remainders of them, <scripRef passage="De 8:3,4" id="Deu.viii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|8|3|8|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.3-Deut.8.4">ver. 3, 4</scripRef>. 3. They must deface and consume
their altars and images, and not so much as take the silver and
gold of them to their own use, <scripRef passage="De 8:5,25,26" id="Deu.viii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|8|5|0|0;|Deut|8|25|0|0;|Deut|8|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.5 Bible:Deut.8.25 Bible:Deut.8.26">ver. 5, 25, 26</scripRef>. To enforce this charge,
he shows that they were bound to do so, (1.) In duty. Considering
[1.] Their election to God, <scripRef passage="De 8:6" id="Deu.viii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.6">ver.
6</scripRef>. [2.] The reason of that election, <scripRef passage="De 8:7,8" id="Deu.viii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|8|7|8|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.7-Deut.8.8">ver. 7, 8</scripRef>. [3.] The terms they stood upon
with God, <scripRef passage="De 8:9,10" id="Deu.viii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|8|9|8|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.9-Deut.8.10">ver. 9, 10</scripRef>. (2.)
In interest. It is here promised, [1.] In general, that, if they
would serve God, he would bless and prosper them, <scripRef passage="De 8:12-15" id="Deu.viii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|8|12|8|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.12-Deut.8.15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. [2.] In particular,
that if they would drive out the nations, that they might not be a
temptation to them, God would drive them out, that they should not
be any vexation to them, <scripRef passage="De 8:17-26" id="Deu.viii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|8|17|8|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.17-Deut.8.26">ver.
17</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 7" id="Deu.viii-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 7:1-11" id="Deu.viii-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|7|1|7|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.1-Deut.7.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.7.1-Deut.7.11">
<h4 id="Deu.viii-p1.12">A Caution Against Idolatry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.viii-p2">1 When the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.1">Lord</span>
thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to
possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the
Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the
Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
seven nations greater and mightier than thou; &#160; 2 And when the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God shall deliver them
before thee; thou shalt smite them, <i>and</i> utterly destroy
them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto
them: &#160; 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy
daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt
thou take unto thy son. &#160; 4 For they will turn away thy son
from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the
anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.3">Lord</span> be kindled against
you, and destroy thee suddenly. &#160; 5 But thus shall ye deal
with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their
images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images
with fire. &#160; 6 For thou <i>art</i> a holy people unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God: the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God hath chosen thee to be a special
people unto himself, above all people that <i>are</i> upon the face
of the earth. &#160; 7 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.6">Lord</span> did
not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in
number than any people; for ye <i>were</i> the fewest of all
people: &#160; 8 But because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.7">Lord</span> loved you, and because he would keep the
oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.8">Lord</span> brought you out with a mighty hand, and
redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh
king of Egypt. &#160; 9 Know therefore that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p2.9">Lord</span> thy God, he <i>is</i> God, the faithful
God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and
keep his commandments to a thousand generations; &#160; 10 And
repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will
not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
&#160; 11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the
statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p3">Here is, I. A very strict caution against
all friendship and fellowship with idols and idolaters. Those that
are taken into communion with God must have no communication with
the unfruitful works of darkness. These things they are charged
about for the preventing of this snare now before them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p4">1. They must <i>show them no mercy,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 7:1,2" id="Deu.viii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|7|1|7|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.1-Deut.7.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. Bloody work
is here appointed them, and yet it is God's work, and good work,
and in its time and place needful, acceptable, and honourable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p5">(1.) God here engages to do his part. It is
spoken of as a thing taken for granted that God would <i>bring them
into the land of promise,</i> that he would cast out the nations
before them, who were the present occupants of that land; no room
was left to doubt of that. His power is irresistible, and therefore
he can do it; his promise is inviolable, and therefore he will do
it. Now, [1.] These devoted nations are here named and numbered
(<scripRef passage="De 7:1" id="Deu.viii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), <i>seven</i>
in all, and seven to one are great odds. They are specified, that
Israel might know the bounds and limits of their commission:
hitherto their severity must come, but no further; nor must they,
under colour of this commission, kill all that came in their way;
no, here must its waves be stayed. The confining of this commission
to the nations here mentioned plainly intimates that after-ages
were not to draw this into a precedent; this will not serve to
justify those barbarous laws which give no quarter. How agreeable
soever this method might be, when God himself prescribed it, to
that dispensation under which such multitudes of beasts were killed
and burned in sacrifice, now that all sacrifices of atonement are
perfected in, and superseded by, the great propitiation made by the
blood of Christ, human blood has become perhaps more precious than
it was, and those that have most power yet must not be prodigal of
it. [2.] They are here owned to be greater and mightier than
Israel. They had been long rooted in this land, to which Israel
came strangers; they were more numerous, had men much more bulky
and more expert in war than Israel had; yet all this shall not
prevent their being cast out before Israel. The strength of
Israel's enemies magnifies the power of Israel's God, who will
certainly be too hard for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p6">(2.) He engages them to do their part. Thou
shalt <i>smite them, and utterly destroy them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:2" id="Deu.viii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. If God cast them out,
Israel must not take them in, no, not as tenants, nor tributaries,
nor servants. Not covenant of any kind must be made with them, no
mercy must be shown them. This severity was appointed, [1.] By way
of punishment for the wickedness they and their fathers had been
guilty of. The iniquity of the Amorites was now full, and the
longer it had been in the filling the sorer was the vengeance when
it came at last. [2.] In order to prevent the mischiefs they would
do to God's Israel if they were left alive. The people of these
abominations must not be mingled with the holy seed, lest they
corrupt them. Better that all these lives should be lost from the
earth than that religion and the true worship of God should be lost
in Israel. Thus we must deal with our lusts that was against our
souls; God has delivered them into our hands by that promise,
<i>Sin shall not have dominion over you,</i> unless it be your own
faults; let not us them make covenants with them, nor show them any
mercy, but mortify and crucify them, and utterly destroy them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p7">2. They must make no marriages with those
of them that escaped the sword, <scripRef passage="De 7:3,4" id="Deu.viii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|7|3|7|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.3-Deut.7.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>. The families of the
Canaanites were ancient, and it is probable that some of them were
called <i>honourable,</i> which might be a temptation to the
Israelites, especially those of them that were of least note in
their tribes, to court an alliance with them, to ennoble their
blood; and the rather because their acquaintance with the country
might be serviceable to them in the improvement of it: but
religion, and the fear of God, must overrule all these
considerations. To intermarry with them was <i>therefore</i>
unlawful, because it was dangerous; this very thing had proved of
fatal consequence to the old world (<scripRef passage="Ge 6:2" id="Deu.viii-p7.2" parsed="|Gen|6|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.6.2">Gen.
vi. 2</scripRef>), and thousands in the world that now is have been
undone by irreligious ungodly marriages; for there is more ground
of fear in mixed marriages that the good will be perverted than of
hope that the bad will be converted. The event proved the
reasonableness of this warning: <i>They will turn away thy son from
following me.</i> Solomon paid dearly for his folly herein. We find
a national repentance for this sin of marrying strange wives, and
care taken to reform (<scripRef passage="Ezr 9:1-10:44,Ne 13:1-31" id="Deu.viii-p7.3" parsed="|Ezra|9|1|10|44;|Neh|13|1|13|31" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.9.1-Ezra.10.44 Bible:Neh.13.1-Neh.13.31">Ezra ix. x., and Neh. xiii.</scripRef>),
and a New-Testament caution not to be <i>unequally yoked with
unbelievers,</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 6:14" id="Deu.viii-p7.4" parsed="|2Cor|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.14">2 Cor. vi.
14</scripRef>. Those that in choosing yokefellows keep not at least
within the bounds of a justifiable profession of religion cannot
promise themselves helps meet for them. One of the Chaldee
paraphrases adds here, as a reason of this command (<scripRef passage="De 7:3" id="Deu.viii-p7.5" parsed="|Deut|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), <i>For he that marries
with idolaters does in effect marry with their idols.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p8">3. They must destroy all the relics of
their idolatry, <scripRef passage="De 7:5" id="Deu.viii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>.
Their altars and pillars, their groves and graven images, all must
be destroyed, both in a holy indignation against idolatry and to
prevent infection. This command was given before, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:24,34:13" id="Deu.viii-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|23|24|0|0;|Exod|34|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.24 Bible:Exod.34.13">Exod. xxiii. 24; xxxiv. 13</scripRef>. A
great deal of good work of this kind was done by the people, in
their pious zeal (<scripRef passage="2Ch 31:1" id="Deu.viii-p8.3" parsed="|2Chr|31|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.31.1">2 Chron. xxxi.
1</scripRef>), and by good Josiah (<scripRef passage="2Ch 34:3,7" id="Deu.viii-p8.4" parsed="|2Chr|34|3|0|0;|2Chr|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.34.3 Bible:2Chr.34.7">2
Chron. xxxiv. 3, 7</scripRef>), and with this may be compared the
burning of the conjuring books, <scripRef passage="Ac 19:19" id="Deu.viii-p8.5" parsed="|Acts|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.19.19">Acts
xix. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p9">II. Here are very good reasons to enforce
this caution.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p10">1. The choice which God had made of this
people for his own, <scripRef passage="De 7:6" id="Deu.viii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|7|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. There was such a covenant and communion established
between God and Israel as was not between him and any other people
in the world. Shall they by their idolatries dishonour him who had
thus honoured them? Shall they slight him who had thus testified
his kindness for them? Shall they put themselves upon the level
with other people, when God had thus dignified and advanced them
above all people? Had God taken them to be a special people to him,
and no other but them, and will not they take God to be a special
God to them, and no other but him?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p11">2. The freeness of that grace which made
this choice. (1.) There was nothing in them to recommend or entitle
them to this favour. <i>In multitude of the people is the king's
honour,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 14:28" id="Deu.viii-p11.1" parsed="|Prov|14|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.14.28">Prov. xiv. 28</scripRef>.
But their number was inconsiderable; they were only seventy souls
when they went down into Egypt, and, though greatly increased
there, yet there were many other nations more numerous: <i>You were
the fewest of all people,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:7" id="Deu.viii-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|7|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. The author of the Jerusalem Targum passes too great a
compliment upon his nation in his reading this, <i>You were humble
in spirit, and meek above all people;</i> quite contrary: they were
rather stiff-necked and ill-natured above all people. (2.) God
fetched the reason of it purely from himself, <scripRef passage="De 7:8" id="Deu.viii-p11.3" parsed="|Deut|7|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. [1.] He loved you <i>because he
would love you.</i> Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy
eyes. All that God loves he loves freely, <scripRef passage="Hos 14:4" id="Deu.viii-p11.4" parsed="|Hos|14|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.4">Hos. xiv. 4</scripRef>. Those that perish perish by
their own merits, but all that are saved are saved by prerogative.
[2.] He has done his work because he would keep his word. "He has
brought you out of Egypt in pursuance of the oath sworn to your
fathers." Nothing in them, or done by them, did or could make God a
debtor to them; but he had made himself a debtor to his own
promise, which he would perform notwithstanding their
unworthiness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p12">3. The tenour of the covenant into which
they were taken; it was in short this, That as they were to God so
God would be to them. They should certainly find him, (1.) Kind to
his friends, <scripRef passage="De 7:9" id="Deu.viii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.
"The Lord thy God is not like the gods of the nations, the
creatures of fancy, subjects fit enough for loose poetry, but no
proper objects of serious devotion; no, he is God, God indeed, God
alone, the faithful God, able and ready not only to fulfil his own
promises, but to answer all the just expectations of his
worshippers, and he will certainly keep covenant and mercy," that
is, "show mercy according to covenant, to <i>those that love him
and keep his commandments</i>" (and in vain do we pretend to love
him if we do not make conscience of his commandments); "and this"
(as is here added for the explication of the promise in the second
commandment) "not only to thousands of persons, but to thousands of
generations&#8212;so inexhaustible is the fountain, so constant are the
streams!" (2.) Just to his enemies: He <i>repays those that hate
him,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:10" id="Deu.viii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|7|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Note,
[1.] Wilful sinners are haters of God; for the carnal mind is
enmity against him. Idolaters are so in a special manner, for they
are in league with his rivals. [2.] Those that hate God cannot hurt
him, but certainly ruin themselves. He will repay them to their
face, in defiance of them and all their impotent malice. His arrows
are said to be <i>made ready against the face of them,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 21:12" id="Deu.viii-p12.3" parsed="|Ps|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.21.12">Ps. xxi. 12</scripRef>. Or, He will
bring those judgments upon them which shall appear to themselves to
be the just punishment of their idolatry. Compare <scripRef passage="Job 21:19" id="Deu.viii-p12.4" parsed="|Job|21|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.19">Job xxi. 19</scripRef>, <i>He rewardeth him, and
he shall know it.</i> Though vengeance seem to be slow, yet it is
not slack. The wicked and sinner shall be <i>recompensed in the
earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 11:31" id="Deu.viii-p12.5" parsed="|Prov|11|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.11.31">Prov. xi. 31</scripRef>. I
cannot pass the gloss of the Jerusalem Targum upon this place,
because it speaks the faith of the Jewish church concerning a
future state: <i>He recompenses to those that hate him the reward
of their good works in this world, that he may destroy them in the
world to come.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 7" id="Deu.viii-p12.6" parsed="|Deut|7|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 7:12-26" id="Deu.viii-p12.7" parsed="|Deut|7|12|7|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.12-Deut.7.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.7.12-Deut.7.26">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.viii-p13">12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye
hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.1">Lord</span> thy God shall keep unto thee the
covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: &#160; 13
And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will
also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy
corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and
the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy
fathers to give thee. &#160; 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all
people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or
among your cattle. &#160; 15 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.2">Lord</span> will take away from thee all sickness, and
will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest,
upon thee; but will lay them upon all <i>them</i> that hate thee.
&#160; 16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.3">Lord</span> thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye
shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods;
for that <i>will be</i> a snare unto thee. &#160; 17 If thou shalt
say in thine heart, These nations <i>are</i> more than I; how can I
dispossess them? &#160; 18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them:
<i>but</i> shalt well remember what the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.4">Lord</span> thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all
Egypt; &#160; 19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and
the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched
out arm, whereby the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.5">Lord</span> thy God
brought thee out: so shall the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.6">Lord</span>
thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid. &#160; 20
Moreover the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.7">Lord</span> thy God will send
the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide
themselves from thee, be destroyed. &#160; 21 Thou shalt not be
affrighted at them: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.8">Lord</span> thy
God <i>is</i> among you, a mighty God and terrible. &#160; 22 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.9">Lord</span> thy God will put out those
nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume
them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
&#160; 23 But the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.10">Lord</span> thy God shall
deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty
destruction, until they be destroyed. &#160; 24 And he shall
deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their
name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before
thee, until thou have destroyed them. &#160; 25 The graven images
of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the
silver or gold <i>that is</i> on them, nor take <i>it</i> unto
thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it <i>is</i> an abomination
to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.viii-p13.11">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 26
Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou
be a cursed thing like it: <i>but</i> thou shalt utterly detest it,
and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it <i>is</i> a cursed
thing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p14">Here, I. The caution against idolatry is
repeated, and against communion with idolaters: "Thou shalt consume
the people, and not serve their gods." <scripRef passage="De 7:16" id="Deu.viii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. We are in danger of having
fellowship with the works of darkness if we take pleasure in
fellowship with those that do those works. Here is also a
repetition of the charge to destroy the images, <scripRef passage="De 7:25,26" id="Deu.viii-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|7|25|7|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.25-Deut.7.26"><i>v.</i> 25, 26</scripRef>. The idols which the
heathen had worshipped were an abomination to God, and therefore
must be so to them: all that truly love God hates what he hates.
Observe how this is urged upon them: <i>Thou shalt utterly detest
it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it;</i> such a holy indignation as
this must we conceive against sin, that <i>abominable thing which
the Lord hates.</i> They must not retain the images to gratify
their covetousness: <i>Thou shalt not desire the silver nor gold
that is on them,</i> nor think it a pity to have that destroyed.
Achan paid dearly for converting that to his own use which was an
anathema. Nor must they retain them to gratify their curiosity:
"Neither shalt thou bring it into thy house, to be hung up as an
ornament, or preserved as a monument of antiquity. No, to the fire
with it, that is the fittest place for it." Two reasons are given
for this caution:&#8212;1. <i>Lest thou be snared therein</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 7:25" id="Deu.viii-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|7|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), that is,
"Lest thou be drawn, ere thou art aware, to like it and love it, to
fancy it and pay respect to it" 2. <i>Lest thou be a cursed thing
like it,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:26" id="Deu.viii-p14.4" parsed="|Deut|7|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>.
Those that make images are said to be like the, stupid and
senseless; here they are said to be in a worse sense like them,
accursed of God and devoted to destruction. Compare these two
reasons together, and observe that whatever brings us into a snare
brings us under a curse.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p15">II. The promise of God's favour to them, if
they would be obedient, is enlarged upon with a most affecting
copiousness and fluency of expression, which intimates how much it
is both God's desire and our own interest that we be religious. All
possible assurance is here given them,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p16">1. That, if they would sincerely endeavour
to do their part of the covenant, God would certainly perform his
part. He shall <i>keep the mercy which he swore to thy fathers,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 7:12" id="Deu.viii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Let us be
constant in our duty, and we cannot question the constancy of God's
mercy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p17">2. That if they would love God and serve
him, and devote themselves and theirs to him, he would love them,
and bless them, and multiply them greatly, <scripRef passage="De 7:13,14" id="Deu.viii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|7|13|7|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.13-Deut.7.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. What could they desire
more to make them happy? (1.) "<i>He will love thee.</i>" He began
in love to us (<scripRef passage="1Jo 4:10" id="Deu.viii-p17.2" parsed="|1John|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.4.10">1 John iv.
10</scripRef>), and, if we return his love in filial duty, then,
and then only, we may expect the continuance of it, <scripRef passage="Joh 14:21" id="Deu.viii-p17.3" parsed="|John|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.14.21">John xiv. 21</scripRef>. (2.) "He will bless
thee with the tokens of his love above all people." If they would
distinguish themselves from their neighbours by singular services,
God would dignify them above their neighbours by singular
blessings. (3.) "He will <i>multiply thee.</i>" Increase was the
ancient blessing for the peopling of the world, once and again
(<scripRef passage="Ge 1:28,9:1" id="Deu.viii-p17.4" parsed="|Gen|1|28|0|0;|Gen|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.1.28 Bible:Gen.9.1">Gen. i. 28; ix. 1</scripRef>), and
here for the peopling of Canaan, that little world by itself. The
increase both of their families and of their stock is promised:
they should neither have estates without heirs nor heirs without
estates, but should have the complete satisfaction of having many
children and plentiful provisions and portions for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p18">3. That, if they would keep themselves pure
from the idolatries of Egypt, God would keep them clear from the
<i>diseases of Egypt,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:15" id="Deu.viii-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|7|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. It seems to refer not only to those plagues of Egypt
by the force of which they were delivered, but to some other
epidemical country disease (as we call it), which they remembered
the prevalency of among the Egyptians, and by which God had
chastised them for their national sins. Diseases are God's
servants; they go where he sends them, and do what he bids them. It
is therefore good for the health of our bodies to mortify the sin
of our souls.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.viii-p19">4. That, if they <i>would</i> cut off the
devoted nations, they <i>should</i> cut them off, and none should
be able to stand before them. Their duty in this matter would
itself be their advantage: <i>Thou shalt consume all the people
which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee</i>&#8212;this is the precept
(<scripRef passage="De 7:16" id="Deu.viii-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>); and <i>the
Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy
them</i>&#8212;this is the promise, <scripRef passage="De 7:23" id="Deu.viii-p19.2" parsed="|Deut|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Thus we are commanded not to let
sin reign, not to indulge ourselves in it nor give countenance to
it, but to hate it and strive against it; and then God has promised
that <i>sin shall not have dominion over us</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 6:12,14" id="Deu.viii-p19.3" parsed="|Rom|6|12|0|0;|Rom|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.6.12 Bible:Rom.6.14">Rom. vi. 12, 14</scripRef>), but that we shall be more
than conquerors over it. The difficulty and doubtfulness of the
conquest of Canaan having been a stone of stumbling to their
fathers, Moses here animates them against those things which were
most likely to discourage them, bidding them not to be <i>afraid of
them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:18" id="Deu.viii-p19.4" parsed="|Deut|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>, and
again, <scripRef passage="De 7:21" id="Deu.viii-p19.5" parsed="|Deut|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. (1.)
Let them not be disheartened by the number and strength of their
enemies: <i>Say not, They are more than I, how can I dispossess
them?</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:17" id="Deu.viii-p19.6" parsed="|Deut|7|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. We
are apt to think that the most numerous must needs be victorious:
but, to fortify Israel against this temptation, Moses reminds them
of the destruction of Pharaoh and all the power of Egypt, <scripRef passage="De 7:18,19" id="Deu.viii-p19.7" parsed="|Deut|7|18|7|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.18-Deut.7.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>. They had seen the
great <i>temptations,</i> or <i>miracles</i> (so the Chaldee reads
it), the signs and wonders, wherewith God had brought them out of
Egypt, in order to his bringing them into Canaan, and thence might
easily infer that God <i>could</i> dispossess the Canaanites (who,
though formidable enough, had not such advantages against Israel as
the Egyptians had; he that had done the greater could do the less),
and that he <i>would</i> dispossess them, otherwise his bringing
Israel out of Egypt had been no kindness to them. He that begun
would finish. Thou shalt therefore <i>well remember</i> this,
<scripRef passage="De 7:18" id="Deu.viii-p19.8" parsed="|Deut|7|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. The word and
works of God are well remembered when they are improved as helps to
our faith and obedience. That is well laid up which is ready to us
when we have occasion to use it. (2.) Let them not be disheartened
by the weakness and deficiency of their own forces; for God will
send them in auxiliary troops of <i>hornets,</i> or <i>wasps,</i>
as some read it (<scripRef passage="De 7:20" id="Deu.viii-p19.9" parsed="|Deut|7|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>), probably larger than ordinary, which would so
terrify and molest their enemies (and perhaps be the death of many
to them) that their most numerous armies would become an easy prey
to Israel. God plagued the Egyptians with flies, but the Canaanites
with hornets. Those who take not warning by less judgments on
others may expect greater on themselves. But the great
encouragement of Israel was that they had God among them, a
<i>mighty God and terrible,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:21" id="Deu.viii-p19.10" parsed="|Deut|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. And if God be for us, if God be
with us, we need not fear the power of any creature against us.
(3.) Let them not be disheartened by the slow progress of their
arms, nor think that the Canaanites would never be subdued if they
were not expelled the first year; no, they must be <i>put out by
little and little,</i> and not <i>all at once,</i> <scripRef passage="De 7:22" id="Deu.viii-p19.11" parsed="|Deut|7|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Note, We must not think
that, because the deliverance of the church and the destruction of
its enemies are not effected immediately, therefore they will never
be effected. God will do his own work in his own method and time,
and we may be sure that they are always the best. Thus corruption
is driven out of the hearts of believers <i>by little and
little.</i> The work of sanctification is carried on gradually; but
that judgment will at length be brought forth into a complete
victory. The reason here given (as before, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:29,30" id="Deu.viii-p19.12" parsed="|Exod|23|29|23|30" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.29-Exod.23.30">Exod. xxiii. 29, 30</scripRef>) is, <i>Lest the beast
of the field increase upon thee.</i> The earth God has given to the
children of men; and therefore there shall rather be a remainder of
Canaanites to keep possession till Israel become numerous enough to
replenish it than that it should be a habitation of dragons, and a
court for <i>the wild beasts of the desert,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 34:13,14" id="Deu.viii-p19.13" parsed="|Isa|34|13|34|14" osisRef="Bible:Isa.34.13-Isa.34.14">Isa. xxxiv. 13, 14</scripRef>. Yet God could have
prevented this mischief from the beasts, <scripRef passage="Le 26:6" id="Deu.viii-p19.14" parsed="|Lev|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.6">Lev. xxvi. 6</scripRef>. But pride and security, and
other sins that are the common effects of a settled prosperity,
were enemies more dangerous than the beasts of the field, and these
would be apt to increase upon them. See <scripRef passage="Jdg 3:1,4" id="Deu.viii-p19.15" parsed="|Judg|3|1|0|0;|Judg|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.1 Bible:Judg.3.4">Judges iii. 1, 4</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter VIII" n="ix" progress="85.34%" prev="Deu.viii" next="Deu.x" id="Deu.ix">
<h2 id="Deu.ix-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.ix-p1">Moses had charged parents in teaching their
children to whet the word of God upon them (<scripRef passage="De 6:7" id="Deu.ix-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.7"><i>ch.</i> vi. 7</scripRef>) by frequent repetition of the
same things over and over again; and here he himself takes the same
method of instructing the Israelites as his children, frequently
inculcating the same precepts and cautions, with the same motives
or arguments to enforce them, that what they heard so often might
abide with them. In this chapter Moses gives them, I. General
exhortations to obedience, <scripRef passage="De 8:1,6" id="Deu.ix-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|8|1|0|0;|Deut|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.1 Bible:Deut.8.6">ver. 1,
6</scripRef>. II. A review of the great things God had done for
them in the wilderness, as a good argument for obedience, <scripRef passage="De 8:2-5,15,16" id="Deu.ix-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|8|2|8|5;|Deut|8|15|0|0;|Deut|8|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.2-Deut.8.5 Bible:Deut.8.15 Bible:Deut.8.16">ver. 2-5, 15, 16</scripRef>. III. A
prospect of the good land into which God would now bring them,
<scripRef passage="De 8:7-9" id="Deu.ix-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|8|7|8|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.7-Deut.8.9">ver. 7-9</scripRef>. IV. A necessary
caution against the temptations of a prosperous condition,
<scripRef passage="De 8:10-14,17,18" id="Deu.ix-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|8|10|8|14;|Deut|8|17|0|0;|Deut|8|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.10-Deut.8.14 Bible:Deut.8.17 Bible:Deut.8.18">ver. 10-14, and 17,
18</scripRef>. V. A fair warning of the fatal consequences of
apostasy from God, <scripRef passage="De 8:19,20" id="Deu.ix-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|8|19|8|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.19-Deut.8.20">ver. 19,
20</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 8" id="Deu.ix-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 8:1-9" id="Deu.ix-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|8|1|8|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.1-Deut.8.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.8.1-Deut.8.9">
<h4 id="Deu.ix-p1.9">A Charge to Israel; Israel's
Retrospect. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.ix-p2">1 All the commandments which I command thee this
day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go
in and possess the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p2.1">Lord</span> sware unto your fathers. &#160; 2 And thou
shalt remember all the way which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God led thee these forty years in the
wilderness, to humble thee, <i>and</i> to prove thee, to know what
<i>was</i> in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his
commandments, or no. &#160; 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered
thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not,
neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man
doth not live by bread only, but by every <i>word</i> that
proceedeth out of the mouth of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p2.3">Lord</span> doth man live. &#160; 4 Thy raiment waxed
not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
&#160; 5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man
chasteneth his son, <i>so</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God chasteneth thee. &#160; 6 Therefore
thou shalt keep the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear
him. &#160; 7 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God
bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of
fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; &#160; 8
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and
pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; &#160; 9 A land
wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not
lack any <i>thing</i> in it; a land whose stones <i>are</i> iron,
and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p3">The charge here given them is the same as
before, to keep and do all God's commandments. Their obedience must
be, 1. Careful: <i>Observe to do.</i> 2. Universal: To <i>do all
the commandments,</i> <scripRef passage="De 8:1" id="Deu.ix-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|8|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. And, 3. From a good principle, with a regard to God
as the Lord, and their God, and particularly with a holy fear of
him (<scripRef passage="De 8:6" id="Deu.ix-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), from a
reverence of his majesty, a submission to his authority, and a
dread of his wrath. To engage them to this obedience, besides the
great advantages of it, which he sets before them (that they should
<i>live and multiply,</i> and all should be well with them,
<scripRef passage="De 8:1" id="Deu.ix-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|8|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), he directs
them,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p4">I. To look back upon the wilderness through
which God had now brought them: <i>Thou shalt remember all the way
which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the
wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="De 8:2" id="Deu.ix-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|8|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>.
Now that they had come of age, and were entering upon their
inheritance, they must be reminded of the discipline they had been
under during their minority and the method God had taken to train
them up for himself. The wilderness was the school in which they
had been for forty years boarded and taught, under tutors and
governors; and this was a time to bring it all to remembrance. The
occurrences of these last forty years were very memorable and well
worthy to be remembered, very useful and profitable to be
remembered, as yielding a complication of arguments for obedience;
and they were recorded on purpose that they might be remembered. As
the feast of the passover was a memorial of their deliverance out
of Egypt, so was the feast of tabernacles of their passage through
the wilderness. Note, It is very good for us to remember all the
ways both of God's providence and grace, by which he has led us
hitherto through this wilderness, that we may be prevailed with
cheerfully to serve him and trust in him. Here let us set up our
Ebenezer.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p5">1. They must remember the straits they were
sometimes brought into, (1.) For the mortifying of their pride; it
was to <i>humble</i> them, that they might not be exalted above
measure with the abundance of miracles that were wrought in their
favor, and that they might not be secure, and confident of being in
Canaan immediately. (2.) For the manifesting of their perverseness:
to <i>prove</i> them, that they and others might know (for God
himself perfectly knew it before) all that was in their heart, and
might see that God chose them not for any thing in them that might
recommend them to his favour, for their whole carriage was untoward
and provoking. Many commandments God gave them which there would
have been no occasion for if they had not been led through the
wilderness, as those relating to the manna (<scripRef passage="Ex 16:28" id="Deu.ix-p5.1" parsed="|Exod|16|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.16.28">Exod. xvi. 28</scripRef>); and God thereby tried them,
as our first parents were tried by the trees of the garden, whether
they would keep God's commandments or not. Or God thereby proved
them whether they would trust his promises, the word which he
commanded to a thousand generations, and, in dependence on his
promises, obey his precepts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p6">2. They must remember the supplies which
were always granted them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p7">(1.) God himself took particular care of
their food, raiment, and health; and what would they have more?
[1.] They had manna for food (<scripRef passage="De 8:3" id="Deu.ix-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>): <i>God suffered them to hunger,</i> and the <i>fed
them with manna,</i> that the extremity of their want might make
the supply the more acceptable, and God's goodness to them therein
the more remarkable. God often brings his people low, that he may
have the honour of helping them. And thus the manna of heavenly
comforts is given to those that <i>hunger and thirst after
righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 5:6" id="Deu.ix-p7.2" parsed="|Matt|5|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.6">Matt. v.
6</scripRef>. <i>To the hungry soul every bitter thing is
sweet.</i> It is said of the manna that it was a sort of food which
neither <i>they nor their fathers knew.</i> And again, <scripRef passage="De 8:16" id="Deu.ix-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|8|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. If they knew there was
such a thing that fell sometimes with the dew in those countries,
as some think they did, yet it was never known to fall in such vast
quantities, so constantly, and at all seasons of the year, so long,
and only about a certain place. These things were altogether
miraculous, and without precedent; <i>the Lord created a new
thing</i> for their supply. And hereby he taught them the <i>man
liveth not by bread alone.</i> Though God has appointed bread for
the strengthening of man's heart, and that is ordinarily made the
staff of life, yet God can, when he pleases, command support and
nourishment without it, and make something else, very unlikely, to
answer the intention as well. We might live upon air if it were
sanctified for that use by <i>the word of God;</i> for the means
God ordinarily uses he is not tied to, but can perform his kind
purposes to his people without them. Our Saviour quotes this
scripture in answer to that temptation of Satan, <i>Command that
these stones be made bread.</i> "What need of that?" says Christ;
"my heavenly Father can keep me alive without bread," <scripRef passage="Mt 4:3,4" id="Deu.ix-p7.4" parsed="|Matt|4|3|4|4" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.3-Matt.4.4">Matt. iv. 3, 4</scripRef>. Let none of God's
children distrust their Father, nor take any sinful indirect course
for the supply of their own necessities; some way or other, God
will provide for them in the way of duty and honest diligence,
<i>and verily they shall be fed.</i> It may be applied spiritually;
the <i>word of God,</i> as it is the revelation of God's will and
grace duly received and entertained by faith, is the food of the
soul, the life which is supported by that is the life of the man,
and not only that life which is supported by bread. The manna
typified Christ, <i>the bread of life.</i> He is <i>the Word of
God;</i> by him we live. The Lord evermore give us that bread which
endures to eternal life, and let us not be put off with the <i>meat
that perisheth!</i> [2.] The same clothes served them from Egypt to
Canaan, at least the generality of them. Though they had no change
of raiment, yet it was always new, and waxed not old upon them,
<scripRef passage="De 8:4" id="Deu.ix-p7.5" parsed="|Deut|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. This was a
standing miracle, and the greater if, as the Jews say, they grew
with them, so as to be always fit for them. But it is plain that
they brought out of Egypt bundles of clothes on their shoulders
(<scripRef passage="Ex 12:34" id="Deu.ix-p7.6" parsed="|Exod|12|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.34">Exod. xii. 34</scripRef>), which they
might barter with each other as there was occasion; and these, with
what they wore, sufficed till they came into a country where they
could furnish themselves with new clothes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p8">(2.) By the method God took of providing
food and raiment for them [1.] He humbled them. It was a
mortification to them to be tied for forty years together to the
same meat, without any varieties, and to the same clothes, in the
same fashion. Thus he taught them that the good things he designed
for them were figures of better things, and that the happiness of
man consists not in being clothed in <i>purple or fine linen,</i>
and in <i>faring sumptuously every day,</i> but in being taken into
covenant and communion with God, and in <i>learning his righteous
judgements.</i> God's law, which was given to Israel in the
wilderness, must be to them instead of food and raiment. [2.] He
proved them, whether they could trust him to provide for them when
means and second causes failed. Thus he taught them to live in a
dependence upon Providence, and not to perplex themselves with care
<i>what they should eat and drink,</i> and <i>wherewithal they
should be clothed.</i> Christ would have his disciples learn the
same lesson (<scripRef passage="Mt 6:25" id="Deu.ix-p8.1" parsed="|Matt|6|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.25">Matt. vi. 25</scripRef>),
and took a like method to teach it to them, when he <i>sent them
out without purse or scrip,</i> and yet took care that they
<i>lacked nothing,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 22:35" id="Deu.ix-p8.2" parsed="|Luke|22|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.22.35">Luke xxii.
35</scripRef>. [3.] God took care of their health and ease. Though
they travelled on foot in a dry country, the way rough and
untrodden, yet their <i>feet swelled not.</i> God preserved them
from taking hurt by the inconveniences of their journey; and
mercies of this kind we ought to acknowledge. Note, Those that
follow God's conduct are not only safe but easy. Our feet swell not
while we keep in the way of duty; it is the <i>way of
transgression</i> that <i>is hard,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 13:15" id="Deu.ix-p8.3" parsed="|Prov|13|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.13.15">Prov. xiii. 15</scripRef>. God had promised to <i>keep
the feet of his saints,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 2:9" id="Deu.ix-p8.4" parsed="|1Sam|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.9">1 Sam. ii.
9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p9">3. They must also remember the rebukes they
had been under, <scripRef passage="De 8:6" id="Deu.ix-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.6"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>.
During these years of their education they had been kept under a
strict discipline, and not without need. <i>As a man chasteneth his
son,</i> for his good, and because he loves him, <i>so the Lord thy
God chasteneth thee.</i> God is a loving tender Father to all his
children, yet when there is occasion they shall feel the smart of
the rod. Israel did so: they were chastened that they might not be
condemned, chastened with the rod of men. Not as a man wounds and
slays his enemies whose destruction he aims at, but as a man
chastens his son whose happiness and welfare he designs: so did
their God chasten them; he chastened and taught them, <scripRef passage="Ps 94:12" id="Deu.ix-p9.2" parsed="|Ps|94|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.94.12">Ps. xciv. 12</scripRef>. This they must
<i>consider in their heart,</i> that is, they must own it from
their own experience that God had corrected them with a fatherly
love, for which they must return to him a filial reverence and
compliance. Because God has chastened thee as a father,
<i>therefore</i> (<scripRef passage="De 8:6" id="Deu.ix-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|8|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>) <i>thou shalt keep his commandments.</i> This use we
should make of all our afflictions; by them let us be engaged and
quickened to our duty. Thus they are directed to look back upon the
wilderness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p10">II. He directs them to look forward to
Canaan, into which God was now bringing them. Look which way we
will, both our reviews and our prospects will furnish us with
arguments for obedience. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p11">1. The land which they were now going to
take possession of is here described to be a very good land, having
every thing in it that was desirable, <scripRef passage="De 8:7-9" id="Deu.ix-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|8|7|8|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.7-Deut.8.9"><i>v.</i> 7-9</scripRef>. (1.) It was <i>well-watered,
like Eden, the garden of the Lord.</i> It was <i>a land of brooks
of water, of fountains and depths,</i> which contributed to the
fruitfulness of the soil. Perhaps there was a greater plenty of
water there now than in Abraham's time, the Canaanites having found
and digged wells; so that Israel reaped the fruit of their industry
as well as of God's bounty. (2.) The ground produced great plenty
of all good things, not only for the necessary support, but for the
convenience and comfort of human life. In their fathers' land they
had bread enough; it was corn land, a land of wheat and barley,
where, with the common care and labour of the husbandman, they
might eat bread without scarceness. It was a fruitful land, that
was never turned into barrenness but for the iniquity of those that
dwelt therein. They had not only water enough to quench their
thirst, but vines, the fruit whereof was ordained to make glad the
heart. And, if they were desirous of dainties, they needed not to
send to far countries for them, when their own was so well stocked
with fig-trees, and pomegranates, olives of the best kind, and
honey, or <i>date-trees,</i> as some think it should be read. (3.)
Even the bowels of its earth were very rich, though it should seem
that <i>silver and gold they had none;</i> of these the princes of
Sheba should bring presents (<scripRef passage="Ps 72:10,15" id="Deu.ix-p11.2" parsed="|Ps|72|10|0|0;|Ps|72|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.10 Bible:Ps.72.15">Ps.
lxxii. 10, 15</scripRef>); yet they had plenty of those more
serviceable metals, iron and brass. Iron-stone and mines of brass
were found in their hills. See <scripRef passage="Job 28:2" id="Deu.ix-p11.3" parsed="|Job|28|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.28.2">Job
xxviii. 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p12">2. These things are mentioned, (1.) To show
the great difference between that wilderness through which God had
led them and the good land into which he was bringing them. Note,
Those that bear the inconveniences of an afflicted state with
patience and submission, are humbled by them and prove well under
them, are best prepared for better circumstances. (2.) To show what
obligations they lay under to keep God's commandments, both in
gratitude for his favours to them and from a regard to their own
interest, that the favours might be continued. The only way to keep
possession of this good land would be to keep in the way of their
duty. (3.) To show what a figure it was of good things to come.
Whatever others saw, it is probable that Moses in it saw a type of
the better country: The gospel church is the New-Testament Canaan,
watered with the Spirit in his gifts and graces, planted with the
trees of righteousness, bearing the fruits of righteousness. Heaven
is the good land, in which there is nothing wanting, and where
there is a fulness of joy.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 8" id="Deu.ix-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|8|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 8:10-20" id="Deu.ix-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|8|10|8|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.10-Deut.8.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.8.10-Deut.8.20">
<h4 id="Deu.ix-p12.3">Cautions Relating to Worldly
Prosperity. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p12.4">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.ix-p13">10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou
shalt bless the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.1">Lord</span> thy God for the
good land which he hath given thee. &#160; 11 Beware that thou
forget not the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.2">Lord</span> thy God, in not
keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes,
which I command thee this day: &#160; 12 Lest <i>when</i> thou hast
eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt
<i>therein;</i> &#160; 13 And <i>when</i> thy herds and thy flocks
multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that
thou hast is multiplied; &#160; 14 Then thine heart be lifted up,
and thou forget the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.3">Lord</span> thy God,
which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house
of bondage; &#160; 15 Who led thee through that great and terrible
wilderness, <i>wherein were</i> fiery serpents, and scorpions, and
drought, where <i>there was</i> no water; who brought thee forth
water out of the rock of flint; &#160; 16 Who fed thee in the
wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might
humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy
latter end; &#160; 17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the
might of <i>mine</i> hand hath gotten me this wealth. &#160; 18 But
thou shalt remember the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.4">Lord</span> thy
God: for <i>it is</i> he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that
he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as
<i>it is</i> this day. &#160; 19 And it shall be, if thou do at all
forget the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.5">Lord</span> thy God, and walk
after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify
against you this day that ye shall surely perish. &#160; 20 As the
nations which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.6">Lord</span> destroyeth
before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be
obedient unto the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.ix-p13.7">Lord</span>
your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p14">Moses, having mentioned the great plenty
they would find in the land of Canaan, finds it necessary to
caution them against the abuse of that plenty, which was a sin they
would be the more prone to now that they came into the vineyard of
the Lord, immediately out of a barren desert.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p15">I. He directs them to the duty of a
prosperous condition, <scripRef passage="De 8:10" id="Deu.ix-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|8|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. They are allowed to eat even to fulness, not to
surfeiting no excess; but let them always remember their
benefactor, the founder of their feast, and never fail to give
thanks after meat: <i>Then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God.</i>
1. They must take heed of eating or drinking so much as to
indispose themselves for this duty of blessing God, rather aiming
to serve God therein with so much the more cheerfulness and
enlargement. 2. They must not have any fellowship with those that,
when they had eaten and were full, blessed false gods, as the
Israelites themselves had done in their worship of the golden calf,
<scripRef passage="Ex 32:6" id="Deu.ix-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|32|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.6">Exod. xxxii. 6</scripRef>. 3. Whatever
they had the comfort of God must have the glory of. As our Saviour
has taught us to bless before we eat (<scripRef passage="Mt 14:19,20" id="Deu.ix-p15.3" parsed="|Matt|14|19|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Matt.14.19-Matt.14.20">Matt. xiv. 19, 20</scripRef>), so we are here taught
to bless after meat. That is our <i>Hosannah&#8212;God bless;</i> this
is our <i>Hallelujah&#8212;Blessed be God. In every thing we must give
thanks.</i> From this law the religious Jews took up a laudable
usage of blessing God, not only at their solemn meals, but upon
other occasions; if they drank a cup of wine they lifted up their
hands and said, <i>Blessed be he that created the fruit of the vine
to make glad the heart.</i> If they did but smell at a flower, they
said, <i>Blessed be he that made this flower sweet.</i> 4. When
they gave thanks for the fruits of the land they must give thanks
for the fruits of the land itself, which was given them by promise
From all our comfortable enjoyments we must take occasion to thank
God for our comfortable settlements; and I know not but we of this
nation have as much reason as they had to give thanks for a good
land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p16">II. He arms them against the temptations of
a prosperous condition, and charges them to stand upon their guard
against them: "When thou art settled in goodly houses of thy own
building," <scripRef passage="De 8:12" id="Deu.ix-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef> (for
though God gave them houses which they builded not, <scripRef passage="De 6:10" id="Deu.ix-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10"><i>ch.</i> vi. 10</scripRef>, these would not
serve them, they must have larger and finer),&#8212;"and when thou hast
grown <i>rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold</i> (<scripRef passage="De 8:13" id="Deu.ix-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|8|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), as Abraham (<scripRef passage="Ge 13:2" id="Deu.ix-p16.4" parsed="|Gen|13|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.2">Gen. xiii. 2</scripRef>),&#8212;when <i>all thou hast
is multiplied,</i>" 1. "Then take heed of pride. Beware <i>lest
then thy heart be lifted up,</i>" <scripRef passage="De 8:14" id="Deu.ix-p16.5" parsed="|Deut|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. When the estate rises, the mind
is apt to rise with it, in self-conceit, self-complacency, and
self-confidence. Let us therefore strive to keep the spirit low in
a high condition; humility is both the ease and the ornament of
prosperity. Take heed of saying, so much as in thy heart, that
proud word, <i>My power, even the might of my hand, hath gotten me
this wealth,</i> <scripRef passage="De 8:17" id="Deu.ix-p16.6" parsed="|Deut|8|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. Note, We must never take the praise of our
prosperity to ourselves, nor attribute it to our ingenuity or
industry; for bread is not always <i>to the wise,</i> nor <i>riches
to men of understanding,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 9:11" id="Deu.ix-p16.7" parsed="|Eccl|9|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.11">Eccl. ix.
11</scripRef>. It is spiritual idolatry thus to <i>sacrifice to our
own net,</i> <scripRef passage="Hab 1:16" id="Deu.ix-p16.8" parsed="|Hab|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.1.16">Hab. i. 16</scripRef>. 2.
"Then take heed of forgetting God." This follows upon the
<i>lifting up on the heart;</i> for it is <i>through the pride of
the countenance</i> that the <i>wicked seek not after God,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 10:4" id="Deu.ix-p16.9" parsed="|Ps|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.10.4">Ps. x. 4</scripRef>. Those that admire
themselves despise God. (1.) "Forget not thy duty to God."
<scripRef passage="De 8:11" id="Deu.ix-p16.10" parsed="|Deut|8|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. We forget God
if we keep not his commandments; we forget his authority over us,
and our obligations to him and expectations from him, if we are not
obedient to his laws. When men grow rich they are tempted to think
religion a needless thing. They are happy without it, think it a
thing below them and too hard upon them. Their dignity forbids them
to stoop, and their liberty forbids them to serve. But we are
basely ungrateful if the better God is to us the worse we are to
him. (2.) "Forget not God's former dealings with thee. Thy
deliverance out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="De 8:14" id="Deu.ix-p16.11" parsed="|Deut|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. The provision he made for thee in the wilderness,
that great and terrible wilderness." They must never forget the
impressions which the horror of that wilderness made upon them; see
<scripRef passage="Jer 2:6" id="Deu.ix-p16.12" parsed="|Jer|2|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.6">Jer. ii. 6</scripRef>, where it is
called the very <i>shadow of death.</i> There God preserved them
from being destroyed by the fiery serpents and scorpions, though
sometimes he made use of them for their correction: there he kept
them from perishing for want of water, following them with water
out of a rock of flint (<scripRef passage="De 8:15" id="Deu.ix-p16.13" parsed="|Deut|8|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>), out of which (says bishop Patrick) one would rather
have expected fire than water. There he fed them with manna, of
which before (<scripRef passage="De 8:3" id="Deu.ix-p16.14" parsed="|Deut|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>),
taking care to keep them alive, that he might <i>do them good at
their latter end,</i> <scripRef passage="De 8:16" id="Deu.ix-p16.15" parsed="|Deut|8|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. Note, God reserves the best till the last for his
Israel. However he may seem to deal hardly with them by the way, he
will not fail to do them good at their latter end. (3.) "Forget not
God's hand in thy present prosperity, <scripRef passage="De 8:18" id="Deu.ix-p16.16" parsed="|Deut|8|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Remember it is he that giveth
thee wealth; for he <i>giveth thee power to get wealth.</i>" See
here how God's giving and our getting are reconciled, and apply it
to spiritual wealth. It is our duty to get wisdom, and above all
our gettings to get understanding; and yet it is God's grace that
gives wisdom, and when we have got it we must not say, It was the
might of our hand that got it, but must own it was God that gave us
power to get it, and therefore to him we must give the praise and
consecrate the use of it. The <i>blessing of the Lord</i> on the
<i>hand of the diligent</i> makes rich both for this world and for
the other. He <i>giveth thee power to get wealth,</i> not so much
to gratify thee, and make thee easy, as that he may establish his
covenant. All God's gifts are in pursuance of his promises.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.ix-p17">III. He repeats the fair warning he had
often given them of the fatal consequences of their apostasy from
God, <scripRef passage="De 8:19,20" id="Deu.ix-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|8|19|8|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.8.19-Deut.8.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. How he describes the sin; it is forgetting God, and
then worshipping other gods. What wickedness will not those fall
into that keep thoughts of God out of their minds? And, when once
the affections are displaced from God, they will soon be misplaced
upon lying vanities. 2. How he denounces wrath and ruin against
them for it: "If you do so, <i>you shall surely perish,</i> and the
power and might of your hands, which you are so proud of, cannot
help you. Nay, you shall perish as the nations that are driven out
before you. God will make no more account of you, notwithstanding
his covenant with you and your relation to him, than he does of
them, if you will not be obedient and faithful to him." Those that
follow others in sin will certainly follow them to destruction. If
we do as sinners do, we must expect to fare as sinners fare.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter IX" n="x" progress="85.81%" prev="Deu.ix" next="Deu.xi" id="Deu.x">
<h2 id="Deu.x-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.x-p0.2">CHAP. IX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.x-p1">The design of Moses in this chapter is to convince
the people of Israel of their utter unworthiness to receive from
God those great favours that were now to be conferred upon them,
writing this, as it were, in capital letters at the head of their
charter, "Not for your sake, be it known unto you," <scripRef passage="Eze 36:32" id="Deu.x-p1.1" parsed="|Ezek|36|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.36.32">Ezek. xxxvi. 32</scripRef>. I. He assures them
of victory over their enemies, <scripRef passage="De 9:1-3" id="Deu.x-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|9|1|9|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.1-Deut.9.3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>. II. He cautions them not to attribute their
successes to their own merit, but to God's justice, which was
engaged against their enemies, and his faithfulness, which was
engaged to their fathers, <scripRef passage="De 9:4-6" id="Deu.x-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|9|4|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.4-Deut.9.6">ver.
4-6</scripRef>. III. To make it evident that they had no reason to
boast of their own righteousness, he mentions their faults, shows
Israel their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. In
general, they had been all along a provoking people, <scripRef passage="De 9:7-24" id="Deu.x-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|9|7|9|24" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.7-Deut.9.24">ver. 7-24</scripRef>. In particular, 1. In the
matter of the golden calf, the story of which he largely relates,
<scripRef passage="De 9:8-21" id="Deu.x-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|9|8|9|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.8-Deut.9.21">ver. 8-21</scripRef>. 2. He mentions
some other instances of their rebellion, <scripRef passage="De 9:22,23" id="Deu.x-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|9|22|9|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.22-Deut.9.23">ver. 22, 23</scripRef>. And, 3. Returns, at <scripRef passage="De 9:25" id="Deu.x-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.25">ver. 25</scripRef>, to speak of the intercession
he had made for them at Horeb, to prevent their being ruined for
the golden calf.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 9" id="Deu.x-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|9|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 9:1-6" id="Deu.x-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|9|1|9|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.1-Deut.9.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.9.1-Deut.9.6">
<h4 id="Deu.x-p1.10">Victory Promised. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.x-p2">1 Hear, O Israel: Thou <i>art</i> to pass over
Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier
than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, &#160; 2 A
people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou
knowest, and <i>of whom</i> thou hast heard <i>say,</i> Who can
stand before the children of Anak! &#160; 3 Understand therefore
this day, that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God
<i>is</i> he which goeth over before thee; <i>as</i> a consuming
fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy
face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.2">Lord</span> hath said unto thee. &#160;
4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God hath cast them out from before
thee, saying, For my righteousness the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.4">Lord</span> hath brought me in to possess this land:
but for the wickedness of these nations the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.5">Lord</span> doth drive them out from before thee.
&#160; 5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine
heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness
of these nations the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God
doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the
word which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.7">Lord</span> sware unto thy
fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. &#160; 6 Understand therefore,
that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee
not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou
<i>art</i> a stiffnecked people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p3">The call to attention (<scripRef passage="De 9:1" id="Deu.x-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), <i>Hear, O Israel,</i> intimates
that this was a new discourse, delivered at some distance of time
after the former, probably the next sabbath day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p4">I. Moses represents to the people the
formidable strength of the enemies which they were now to
encounter, <scripRef passage="De 9:1" id="Deu.x-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|9|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The
nations they were to dispossess were mightier than themselves, not
a rude and undisciplined rout, like the natives of America, that
were easily made a prey of. But, should they besiege them, they
would find their cities well fortified, according as the art of
fortification then was; should they engage them in the field, they
would find the people great and tall, of whom common fame had
reported that there was no standing before them, <scripRef passage="De 9:2" id="Deu.x-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|9|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. This representation is much the
same with that which the evil spies had made (<scripRef passage="Nu 13:28,33" id="Deu.x-p4.3" parsed="|Num|13|28|0|0;|Num|13|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.13.28 Bible:Num.13.33">Num. xiii. 28, 33</scripRef>), but made with a very
different intention: that was designed to drive them from God and
to discourage their hope in him; this to drive them to God and to
engage their hope in him, since no power less than that which is
almighty could secure and prosper them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p5">II. He assures them of victory, by the
presence of God with them, notwithstanding the strength of the
enemy, <scripRef passage="De 9:3" id="Deu.x-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|9|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
"Understand therefore what thou must trust to for success, and
which way thou must look; it is the Lord thy God that goes before
thee, not only as thy captain, or commander-in-chief, to give
direction, but as a consuming fire, to do execution among them.
Observe, He shall destroy them, and then thou shalt drive them out.
Thou canst not drive them out, unless he destroy them and bring
them down. But he will not destroy them and bring them down, unless
thou set thyself in good earnest to drive them out." We must do our
endeavour in dependence upon God's grace, and we shall have that
grace if we do our endeavour.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p6">III. He cautions them not to entertain the
least thought of their own righteousness, as if that had procured
them this favour at God's hand: "Say not. <i>For my
righteousness</i> (either with regard to my good character or in
recompence for any good service) <i>the Lord hath brought me in to
possess this land</i> (<scripRef passage="De 9:4" id="Deu.x-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>); never think it is for thy righteousness or the
uprightness of thy heart, that it is in consideration either of thy
good conversation or of thy good disposition," <scripRef passage="De 9:5" id="Deu.x-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. And again (<scripRef passage="De 9:6" id="Deu.x-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) it is insisted on, because it is
hard to bring people from a conceit of their own merit, and yet
very necessary that it be done: "<i>Understand</i> (know it, and
believe it, and consider it) that <i>the Lord thy God giveth thee
not this land for thy righteousness.</i> Hadst thou been to come to
it upon that condition, thou wouldst have been for ever shut out of
it, <i>for thou art a stiff-necked people.</i>" Note, Our gaining
possession of the heavenly Canaan, as it must be attributed to
God's power and not to our own might, so it must be ascribed to
God's grace and not to our own merit: in Christ we have both
righteousness and strength; in him therefore we must glory, and not
in ourselves, or any sufficiency of our own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p7">IV. He intimates to them the true reasons
why God would take this good land out of the hands of the
Canaanites, and settle it upon Israel, and they are borrowed from
his own honour, not from Israel's deserts. 1. He will be honoured
in the destruction of idolaters; they are justly looked upon as
haters of him, and therefore he will visit their iniquity upon
them. It is <i>for the wickedness of these nations</i> that God
<i>drives them out,</i> <scripRef passage="De 9:4" id="Deu.x-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|9|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="De 9:5" id="Deu.x-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|9|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. All those whom God rejects are rejected for their own
wickedness: but none of those whom he accepts are accepted for
their own righteousness. 2. He will be honoured in the performance
of his promise to those that are in covenant with him: God swore to
the patriarchs, who loved him and left all to follow him, that he
would give this land to their seed; and therefore he would <i>keep
that promised mercy for thousands of those that loved him and kept
his commandments;</i> he would not suffer his promise to fail. It
was for their fathers' sakes that they were beloved, <scripRef passage="Ro 11:28" id="Deu.x-p7.3" parsed="|Rom|11|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.28">Rom. xi. 28</scripRef>. Thus boasting is for
ever excluded. See <scripRef passage="Eph 1:9,11" id="Deu.x-p7.4" parsed="|Eph|1|9|0|0;|Eph|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.9 Bible:Eph.1.11">Eph. i. 9,
11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 9:7-29" id="Deu.x-p7.5" parsed="|Deut|9|7|9|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.7-Deut.9.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.9.7-Deut.9.29">
<h4 id="Deu.x-p7.6">Cautions Against Self-Righteousness; Israel
Reminded of Their Rebellions. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p7.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.x-p8">7 Remember, <i>and</i> forget not, how thou
provokedst the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God to wrath
in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the
land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been
rebellious against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.2">Lord</span>. &#160;
8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.3">Lord</span>
to wrath, so that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.4">Lord</span> was angry
with you to have destroyed you. &#160; 9 When I was gone up into
the mount to receive the tables of stone, <i>even</i> the tables of
the covenant which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.5">Lord</span> made
with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I
neither did eat bread nor drink water: &#160; 10 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.6">Lord</span> delivered unto me two tables of stone
written with the finger of God; and on them <i>was written</i>
according to all the words, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.7">Lord</span> spake with you in the mount out of the
midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. &#160; 11 And it came
to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, <i>that</i> the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.8">Lord</span> gave me the two tables of
stone, <i>even</i> the tables of the covenant. &#160; 12 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.9">Lord</span> said unto me, Arise, get thee
down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought
forth out of Egypt have corrupted <i>themselves;</i> they are
quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they
have made them a molten image. &#160; 13 Furthermore the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.10">Lord</span> spake unto me, saying, I have seen
this people, and, behold, it <i>is</i> a stiffnecked people: &#160;
14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name
from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and
greater than they. &#160; 15 So I turned and came down from the
mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the
covenant <i>were</i> in my two hands. &#160; 16 And I looked, and,
behold, ye had sinned against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.11">Lord</span> your God, <i>and</i> had made you a molten
calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.12">Lord</span> had commanded you. &#160; 17 And I
took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake
them before your eyes. &#160; 18 And I fell down before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.13">Lord</span>, as at the first, forty days and
forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of
all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.14">Lord</span>, to provoke him to anger.
&#160; 19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure,
wherewith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.15">Lord</span> was wroth against
you to destroy you. But the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.16">Lord</span>
hearkened unto me at that time also. &#160; 20 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.17">Lord</span> was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed
him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time. &#160; 21 And I
took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire,
and stamped it, <i>and</i> ground <i>it</i> very small, <i>even</i>
until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the
brook that descended out of the mount. &#160; 22 And at Taberah,
and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.18">Lord</span> to wrath. &#160; 23 Likewise when the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.19">Lord</span> sent you from Kadesh-barnea,
saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye
rebelled against the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.20">Lord</span> your God, and ye believed him not, nor
hearkened to his voice. &#160; 24 Ye have been rebellious against
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.21">Lord</span> from the day that I knew
you. &#160; 25 Thus I fell down before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.22">Lord</span> forty days and forty nights, as I fell down
<i>at the first;</i> because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.23">Lord</span> had said he would destroy you. &#160; 26 I
prayed therefore unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.24">Lord</span>, and
said, O Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.25">God</span>, destroy not thy
people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy
greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty
hand. &#160; 27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their
wickedness, nor to their sin: &#160; 28 Lest the land whence thou
broughtest us out say, Because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.x-p8.26">Lord</span> was not able to bring them into the land
which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought
them out to slay them in the wilderness. &#160; 29 Yet they
<i>are</i> thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest
out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p9">That they might have no pretence to think
that God brought them to Canaan <i>for their righteousness,</i>
Moses here shows them what a miracle of mercy it was that they had
not long ere this been destroyed in the wilderness: "<i>Remember,
and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God</i> (<scripRef passage="De 9:7" id="Deu.x-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); so far from purchasing
his favour, thou hast many a time laid thyself open to his
displeasure." Their fathers' provocations are here charged upon
them; for, if God had dealt with their fathers according to their
deserts, this generation would never have been, much less would
they have entered Canaan. We are apt to forget our provocations,
especially when the smart of the rod is over, and have need to be
often put in mind of them, that we may never entertain any conceit
of our own righteousness. Paul argues from the guilt which all
mankind is under to prove that we cannot be <i>justified before
God</i> by our own works, <scripRef passage="Ro 3:19,20" id="Deu.x-p9.2" parsed="|Rom|3|19|3|20" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.19-Rom.3.20">Rom. iii.
19, 20</scripRef>. If our works condemn us, they will not justify
us. Observe, 1. They had been a provoking people ever since they
came out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="De 9:7" id="Deu.x-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. <i>Forty years long,</i> from first to last, were God
and Moses grieved with them. It is a very sad character Moses now
at parting leaves of them: <i>You have been rebellious since the
day I knew you,</i> <scripRef passage="De 9:24" id="Deu.x-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. No sooner were they formed into a people than there
was a faction formed among them, which upon all occasions made head
against God and his government. Though the Mosaic history records
little more than the occurrences of the first and last year of the
forty, yet it seems by this general account that the rest of the
years were not much better, but one continued provocation. 2. Even
in Horeb they made a calf and worshipped it, <scripRef passage="De 9:8" id="Deu.x-p9.5" parsed="|Deut|9|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>, &amp;c. That was a sin so heinous,
and by several aggravations made so exceedingly sinful, that they
deserved upon all occasions to be upbraided with it. It was done in
the very place where the law was given by which they were expressly
forbidden to worship God by images, and while the mountain was yet
burning before their eyes, and Moses had gone up to fetch them the
law in writing. They <i>turned aside quickly,</i> <scripRef passage="De 9:16" id="Deu.x-p9.6" parsed="|Deut|9|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. 3. God was very angry
with them for their sin. Let them not think that God overlooked
what they did amiss, and gave them Canaan for what was good among
them. No, God had determined to destroy them (<scripRef passage="De 9:8" id="Deu.x-p9.7" parsed="|Deut|9|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), could easily have done it, and
would have been no loser by it; he even desired Moses to let him
alone that he might do it, <scripRef passage="De 9:13,14" id="Deu.x-p9.8" parsed="|Deut|9|13|9|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.13-Deut.9.14"><i>v.</i>
13, 14</scripRef>. By this it appeared how heinous their sin was,
for God is never angry with any above what there is cause for, as
men often are. Moses himself, though a friend and favourite,
trembled at the revelation of God's wrath from heaven against their
ungodliness and unrighteousness (<scripRef passage="De 9:19" id="Deu.x-p9.9" parsed="|Deut|9|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>I was afraid of the anger of
the Lord,</i> afraid perhaps not for them only, but for himself,
<scripRef passage="Ps 119:120" id="Deu.x-p9.10" parsed="|Ps|119|120|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.120">Ps. cxix. 120</scripRef>. 4. They
had by their sin broken covenant with God, and forfeited all the
privileges of the covenant, which Moses signified to them by
<i>breaking the tables,</i> <scripRef passage="De 9:17" id="Deu.x-p9.11" parsed="|Deut|9|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. A bill of divorce was given them, and thenceforward
they might justly have been abandoned for ever, so that their mouth
was certainly stopped from pleading any righteousness of their own.
God had, in effect, disowned them, when he said to Moses (<scripRef passage="De 9:12" id="Deu.x-p9.12" parsed="|Deut|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), "They are thy people,
they are none of mine, nor shall they be dealt with as mine." 5.
Aaron himself fell under God's displeasure for it, though he was
the saint of the Lord, and was only brought by surprise or terror
to be confederate with them in the sin: <i>The Lord was very angry
with Aaron,</i> <scripRef passage="De 9:20" id="Deu.x-p9.13" parsed="|Deut|9|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. No man's place or character can shelter him from the
wrath of God if he have <i>fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness.</i> Aaron, that should have made atonement for them if
the iniquity could have been purged away by sacrifice and offering,
did himself fall under the wrath of God: so little did they
consider what they did when they drew him in. 6. It was with great
difficulty and very long attendance that Moses himself prevailed to
turn away the wrath of God, and prevent their utter ruin. He fasted
and prayed full forty days and forty nights before he could obtain
their pardon, <scripRef passage="De 9:18" id="Deu.x-p9.14" parsed="|Deut|9|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>.
And some think twice forty days (<scripRef passage="De 9:25" id="Deu.x-p9.15" parsed="|Deut|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), because it is said, <i>as I
fell down before,</i> whereas his errand in the first forty was not
of that nature. Others think it was but one forty, though twice
mentioned (as also in <scripRef passage="De 10:10" id="Deu.x-p9.16" parsed="|Deut|10|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.10"><i>ch.</i> x.
10</scripRef>); but this was enough to make them sensible how great
God's displeasure was against them, and what a narrow escape they
had for their lives. And in this appears the greatness of God's
anger against all mankind that no less a person than his Son, and
no less a price than his own blood, would serve to turn it away.
Moses here tells them the substance of his intercession for them.
He was obliged to own their stubbornness, and their wickedness, and
their sin, <scripRef passage="De 9:27" id="Deu.x-p9.17" parsed="|Deut|9|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>.
Their character was bad indeed when he that appeared an advocate
for them could not give them a good word, and had nothing else to
say in their behalf but that God had done great things for them,
which really did but aggravate their crime (<scripRef passage="De 9:26" id="Deu.x-p9.18" parsed="|Deut|9|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>),&#8212;that they were the posterity
of good ancestors (<scripRef passage="De 9:27" id="Deu.x-p9.19" parsed="|Deut|9|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>), which might also have been turned upon him, as
making the matter worse and not better,&#8212;and that the Egyptians
would reproach God, if he should destroy them, as unable to perfect
what he had wrought for them (<scripRef passage="De 9:28" id="Deu.x-p9.20" parsed="|Deut|9|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>), a plea which might easily enough have been
answered: no matter what the Egyptians say, while the heavens
declare God's righteousness; so that the saving of them from ruin
at that time was owing purely to the mercy of God, and the
importunity of Moses, and not to any merit of theirs, that could be
offered so much as in mitigation of their offence. 7. To affect
them the more with the destruction they were then at the brink of,
he describes very particularly the destruction of the calf they had
made, <scripRef passage="De 9:21" id="Deu.x-p9.21" parsed="|Deut|9|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. He calls
it their <i>sin:</i> perhaps not only because it had been the
matter of their sin, but because the destroying of it was intended
for a testimony against their sin, and an indication to them what
the sinners themselves did deserve. Those that made it were like
unto it, and would have had no wrong done them if they had been
thus stamped to dust, and consumed, and scattered, and no remains
of them left. It was infinite mercy that accepted the destruction
of the idol instead of the destruction of the idolaters. 8. Even
after this fair escape that they had, in many other instances they
provoked the Lord again and again. He needed only to name the
places, for they carried the memorials either of the sin or of the
punishment in their names (<scripRef passage="De 9:22" id="Deu.x-p9.22" parsed="|Deut|9|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>): at <i>Taberah, burning,</i> where God set fire to
them for their murmuring,&#8212;at <i>Massah, the temptation,</i> where
they challenged almighty power to help them,&#8212;and at
<i>Kibroth-hattaavah, the graves of lusters,</i> where the dainties
they coveted were their poison; and, after these, their unbelief
and distrust at Kadesh-barnea, of which he had already told them
(<scripRef passage="De 1:1-46" id="Deu.x-p9.23" parsed="|Deut|1|1|1|46" osisRef="Bible:Deut.1.1-Deut.1.46"><i>ch.</i> i.</scripRef>), and which
he here mentions again (<scripRef passage="De 9:23" id="Deu.x-p9.24" parsed="|Deut|9|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>), would certainly have completed their ruin if they
had been dealt with according to their own merits.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.x-p10">Now let them lay all this together, and it
will appear that whatever favour God should hereafter show them, in
subduing their enemies and putting them in possession of the land
of Canaan, it was not for their righteousness. It is good for us
often to remember against ourselves, with sorrow and shame, our
former sins, and to review the records conscience keeps of them,
that we may see how much we are indebted to free grace, and may
humbly own that we never merited at God's hand any thing but wrath
and the curse.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter X" n="xi" progress="86.18%" prev="Deu.x" next="Deu.xii" id="Deu.xi">
<h2 id="Deu.xi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xi-p1">Moses having, in the foregoing chapter, reminded
them of their own sin, as a reason why they should not depend upon
their own righteousness, in this chapter he sets before them God's
great mercy to them, notwithstanding their provocations, as a
reason why they should be more obedient for the future. I. He
mentions divers tokens of God's favour and reconciliation to them,
never to be forgotten. (1.) The renewing of the tables of the
covenant, <scripRef passage="De 10:1-5" id="Deu.xi-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|10|1|10|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.1-Deut.10.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. (2.)
Giving orders for their progress towards Canaan, <scripRef passage="De 10:6,7" id="Deu.xi-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|10|6|10|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.6-Deut.10.7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>. (3.) Choosing the tribe of Levi
for his own, <scripRef passage="De 10:8,9" id="Deu.xi-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|10|8|10|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.8-Deut.10.9">ver. 8, 9</scripRef>.
(4.) And continuing the priesthood after the death of Aaron,
<scripRef passage="De 10:6" id="Deu.xi-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.6">ver. 6</scripRef>. (5.) Owning and
accepting the intercession of Moses for them, <scripRef passage="De 10:10,11" id="Deu.xi-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|10|10|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.10-Deut.10.11">ver. 10, 11</scripRef>. II. Hence he infers what
obligations they lay under to fear, and love, and serve God, which
he presses upon them with many motives, <scripRef passage="De 10:12-22" id="Deu.xi-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|10|12|10|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.12-Deut.10.22">ver. 12</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 10" id="Deu.xi-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 10:1-11" id="Deu.xi-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|10|1|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.1-Deut.10.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.10.1-Deut.10.11">
<h4 id="Deu.xi-p1.9">God's Great Kindness to
Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xi-p2">1 At that time the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.1">Lord</span> said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone
like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make
thee an ark of wood. &#160; 2 And I will write on the tables the
words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou
shalt put them in the ark. &#160; 3 And I made an ark <i>of</i>
shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first,
and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
&#160; 4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first
writing, the ten commandments, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.2">Lord</span> spake unto you in the mount out of the
midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.3">Lord</span> gave them unto me. &#160; 5 And I turned
myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark
which I had made; and there they be, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.4">Lord</span> commanded me. &#160; 6 And the children of
Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to
Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his
son ministered in the priest's office in his stead. &#160; 7 From
thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath,
a land of rivers of waters. &#160; 8 At that time the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.5">Lord</span> separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the
ark of the covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.6">Lord</span>, to
stand before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.7">Lord</span> to minister
unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. &#160; 9
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.8">Lord</span> <i>is</i> his inheritance,
according as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.9">Lord</span> thy God
promised him. &#160; 10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the
first time, forty days and forty nights; and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.10">Lord</span> hearkened unto me at that time also,
<i>and</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.11">Lord</span> would not
destroy thee. &#160; 11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p2.12">Lord</span>
said unto me, Arise, take <i>thy</i> journey before the people,
that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their
fathers to give unto them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p3">There were four things in and by which God
showed himself reconciled to Israel and made them truly great and
happy, and in which God's goodness took occasion from their badness
to make him the more illustrious:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p4">I. He gave them his law, gave it to them in
writing, as a standing pledge of his favour. Though the tables that
were first written were broken, because Israel had broken the
commandments, and God might justly break the covenant, yet when his
anger was turned away the tables were renewed, <scripRef passage="De 10:1,2" id="Deu.xi-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|10|1|10|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.1-Deut.10.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. Note, God's putting his law
in our hearts, and writing it in our inward parts, furnish the surest evidence of our reconciliation to God and the best earnest of our happiness
in him. Moses is told to hew the tables; for the law prepares the
heart by conviction and humiliation for the grace of God, but it is
only that grace that then writes the law in it. Moses made <i>an
ark of shittim-wood</i> (<scripRef passage="De 10:3" id="Deu.xi-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|10|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), a plain chest, the same, I suppose, in which the
tables were afterwards preserved: but Bezaleel is said to make it
(<scripRef passage="Ex 37:1" id="Deu.xi-p4.3" parsed="|Exod|37|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.37.1">Exod. xxxvii. 1</scripRef>), because
he afterwards finished it up and overlaid it with gold. Or Moses is
said to make it because, when he went up the second time into the
mount, he ordered it to be made by Bezaleel against he came down.
And it is observable that for this reason the ark was the first
thing that God gave orders about, <scripRef passage="Ex 25:10" id="Deu.xi-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|25|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.25.10">Exod. xxv. 10</scripRef>. And this left an earnest to
the congregation that the tables should not miscarry this second
time, as they had done the first. God will send his law and gospel
to those whose hearts are prepared as arks to receive them. Christ
is the ark in which now our salvation is kept safely, that it may
not be lost as it was in the first Adam, when he had it in his own
hand. Observe, 1. What it was that God wrote on the two tables, the
ten commandments (<scripRef passage="De 10:4" id="Deu.xi-p4.5" parsed="|Deut|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), or <i>ten words,</i> intimating in how little a
compass they were contained: they were not ten volumes, but ten
words: it was the same with the first writing, and both the same
that he spoke in the mount. The second edition needed no correction
nor amendment, nor did what he wrote differ form what he spoke. The
written word is as truly the word of God as that which he spoke to
his servants the prophets. 2. What care was taken of it. These two
tables, thus engraven, were faithfully laid up in the ark. <i>And
there they be,</i> said Moses, pointing it is probable towards the
sanctuary, <scripRef passage="De 10:5" id="Deu.xi-p4.6" parsed="|Deut|10|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. That
good thing which was committed to him he transmitted to them, and
left it pure and entire in their hands; now let them look to it at
their peril. Thus we may say to the rising generation, "God has
entrusted us with Bibles, sabbaths, sacraments, &amp;c., as tokens
of his presence and favour, and there they be; we lodge them with
you," <scripRef passage="2Ti 1:13,14" id="Deu.xi-p4.7" parsed="|2Tim|1|13|1|14" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.1.13-2Tim.1.14">2 Tim. i. 13,
14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p5">II. He led them forward towards Canaan,
though they in their hearts turned back towards Egypt, and he might
justly have chosen their delusions, <scripRef passage="De 10:6,7" id="Deu.xi-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|10|6|10|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.6-Deut.10.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>. He brought them to a land of
<i>rivers of waters,</i> out of a dry and barren wilderness.
Sometimes God supplied their wants by the ordinary course of
nature: when that failed, then by miracles; and yet after this,
when they were brought into a little distress, we find them
distrusting God and murmuring, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:3,4" id="Deu.xi-p5.2" parsed="|Num|20|3|20|4" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.3-Num.20.4">Num.
xx. 3, 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p6">III. He appointed a standing ministry among
them, to deal for them in holy things. At that time when Moses went
up a second time to the mount, or soon after, he had orders to
separate the tribe of Levi to God, and to his immediate service,
they having distinguished themselves by their zeal against the
worshippers of the golden calf, <scripRef passage="De 10:8,9" id="Deu.xi-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|10|8|10|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.8-Deut.10.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. The Kohathites carried the
ark; they and the other Levites stood <i>before the Lord,</i> to
minister to him in all the offices of the tabernacle; and the
priests, who were of that tribe, were to bless the people. This was
a standing ordinance, which had now continued almost forty years,
even unto this day; and provision was made for the perpetuating of
it by the settled maintenance of that tribe, which was such as gave
them great encouragement in their work, and no diversion from it.
<i>The Lord is his inheritance.</i> Note, A settled ministry is a
great blessing to a people, and a special token of God's favour.
And, since the particular priests could not continue by reason of
death, God showed his care of the people in securing a succession,
which Moses takes notice of here, <scripRef passage="De 10:6" id="Deu.xi-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|10|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. When <i>Aaron died,</i> the
priesthood did not die with him, but <i>Eleazar his son ministered
in his stead,</i> and took care of the ark, in which the tables of
stone, those precious stones, were deposited, that they should
suffer no damage; there they be, and he has the custody of them.
Under the law, a succession in the ministry was kept up, by an
entail of the office on a certain tribe and family. But now, under
the gospel, when the effusion of the Spirit is more plentiful and
powerful, the succession is kept up by the Spirit's operation on
men's hearts, qualifying men for, and inclining men to, that work,
some in every age, that the name of Israel may not be blotted
out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p7">IV. He accepted Moses as an advocate or
intercessor for them, and therefore constituted him their prince
and leader (<scripRef passage="De 10:10,11" id="Deu.xi-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|10|10|10|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.10-Deut.10.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>): <i>The Lord hearkened to me and said, Arise, go
before the people.</i> It was a mercy to them that they had such a
friend, so faithful both to him that appointed him and to those for
whom he was appointed. It was fit that he who had saved them from
ruin, by his intercession with heaven, should have the conduct and
command of them. And herein he was a type of Christ, who, as he
ever lives making intercession for us, so he has <i>all power both
in heaven and in earth.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 10" id="Deu.xi-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|10|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 10:12-22" id="Deu.xi-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|10|12|10|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.12-Deut.10.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.10.12-Deut.10.22">
<h4 id="Deu.xi-p7.4">Exhortation to Obedience. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p7.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xi-p8">12 And now, Israel, what doth the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God require of thee, but to fear the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.2">Lord</span> thy God, to walk in all his
ways, and to love him, and to serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.3">Lord</span> thy God with all thy heart and with all thy
soul, &#160; 13 To keep the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.4">Lord</span>, and his statutes, which I command thee
this day for thy good? &#160; 14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven
of heavens <i>is</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.5">Lord</span>'s thy
God, the earth <i>also,</i> with all that therein <i>is.</i> &#160;
15 Only the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.6">Lord</span> had a delight in
thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them,
<i>even</i> you above all people, as <i>it is</i> this day. &#160;
16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more
stiffnecked. &#160; 17 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.7">Lord</span>
your God <i>is</i> God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a
mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh
reward: &#160; 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless
and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
&#160; 19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in
the land of Egypt. &#160; 20 Thou shalt fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.8">Lord</span> thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him
shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. &#160; 21 He <i>is</i>
thy praise, and he <i>is</i> thy God, that hath done for thee these
great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. &#160; 22
Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons;
and now the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xi-p8.9">Lord</span> thy God hath made
thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p9">Here is a most pathetic exhortation to
obedience, inferred from the premises, and urged with very powerful
arguments and a great deal of persuasive rhetoric. Moses brings it
in like an orator, with an appeal to his auditors <i>And now,
Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee?</i> <scripRef passage="De 10:12" id="Deu.xi-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Ask what he requires;
as David (<scripRef passage="Ps 116:12" id="Deu.xi-p9.2" parsed="|Ps|116|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.12">Ps. cxvi. 12</scripRef>),
<i>What shall I render?</i> When we have received mercy from God it
becomes us to enquire what returns we shall make to him. Consider
what he requires, and you will find it is nothing but what is
highly just and reasonable in itself and of unspeakable benefit and
advantage to you. Let us see here what he does require, and what
abundant reason there is why we should do what he requires.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p10">I. We are here most plainly directed in our
duty to God, to our neighbour, and to ourselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p11">1. We are here taught our duty to God, both
in the dispositions and affections of our souls and in the actions
of our lives, our principles and our practices. (1.) We must
<i>fear the Lord our God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 10:12" id="Deu.xi-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>, and again <scripRef passage="De 10:20" id="Deu.xi-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. We must adore his majesty,
acknowledge his authority, stand in awe of his power, and dread his
wrath. This is gospel duty, <scripRef passage="Re 14:6,7" id="Deu.xi-p11.3" parsed="|Rev|14|6|14|7" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.6-Rev.14.7">Rev. xiv.
6, 7</scripRef>. (2.) We must love him, be well pleased that he is,
desire that he may be ours, and delight in the contemplation of him
and in communion with him. Fear him as a great God, and our Lord,
love him as a good God, and our Father and benefactor. (3.) We must
walk in his ways, that is, the ways which he has appointed us to
walk in. The whole course of our conversation must be conformable
to his holy will. (4.) We must <i>serve him</i> (<scripRef passage="De 10:20" id="Deu.xi-p11.4" parsed="|Deut|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), <i>serve him with all our
heart and soul</i> (<scripRef passage="De 10:12" id="Deu.xi-p11.5" parsed="|Deut|10|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), devote ourselves to his honour, put ourselves under
his government, and lay out ourselves to advance all the interests
of his kingdom among men. And we must be hearty and zealous in his
service, engage and employ our inward man in his work, and what we
do for him we must do cheerfully and with a good will. (5.) We must
<i>keep his commandments and his statutes,</i> <scripRef passage="De 10:13" id="Deu.xi-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|10|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. Having given up ourselves to
his service, we must make his revealed will our rule in every
thing, perform all he prescribes, forbear all the forbids, firmly
believing that all the statutes he commands us are for our good.
Besides the reward of obedience, which will be our unspeakable
gain, there are true honour and pleasure in obedience. It is really
for our present good to be meek and humble, chaste and sober, just
and charitable, patient and contented; these make us easy, and
safe, and pleasant, and truly great. (6.) We must give honour to
God, in swearing by <i>his name</i> (<scripRef passage="De 10:20" id="Deu.xi-p11.7" parsed="|Deut|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>); so give him the honour of his
omniscience, his sovereignty, his justice, as well as of his
necessary existence. <i>Swear by his name,</i> and not by the name
of any creature, or false god, whenever an oath for confirmation is
called for. (7.) To him we must cleave, <scripRef passage="De 10:20" id="Deu.xi-p11.8" parsed="|Deut|10|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Having chosen him for our God,
we must faithfully and constantly abide with him and never forsake
him. Cleave to him as one we love and delight in, trust and confide
in, and from whom we have great expectations.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p12">2. We are here taught our duty to our
neighbour (<scripRef passage="De 10:19" id="Deu.xi-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>):
<i>Love the stranger;</i> and, if the stranger, much more our
brethren, as ourselves. If the Israelites that were such a peculiar
people, so particularly distinguished from all people, must be kind
to strangers, much more must we, that are not enclosed in such a
pale; we must have a tender concern for all that share with us in
the human nature, and <i>as we have opportunity;</i> (that is,
according to their necessities and our abilities) we must <i>do
good to all men.</i> Two arguments are here urged to enforce this
duty:&#8212;(1.) God's common providence, which extends itself to all
nations of men, they being all <i>made of one blood.</i> God
<i>loveth the stranger</i> (<scripRef passage="De 10:18" id="Deu.xi-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|10|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>), that is, he gives to all life, and breath, and all
things, even to those that are Gentiles, and <i>strangers to the
commonwealth of Israel</i> and to Israel's God. He knows those
perfectly whom we know nothing of. He gives <i>food and raiment</i>
even to those to whom he has not shown his word and statutes. God's
common gifts to mankind oblige us to honour all men. Or the
expression denotes the particular care which Providence takes of
strangers in distress, which we ought to praise him for (<scripRef passage="Ps 146:9" id="Deu.xi-p12.3" parsed="|Ps|146|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.146.9">Ps. cxlvi. 9</scripRef>, The <i>Lord preserveth
the strangers</i>), and to imitate him, to serve him, and concur
with him therein, being forward to make ourselves instruments in
his hand of kindness to strangers. (2.) The afflicted condition
which the Israelites themselves had been in, when they were
strangers in Egypt. Those that have themselves been in distress,
and have found mercy with God, should sympathize most feelingly
with those that are in the like distress and be ready to show
kindness to them. The people of the Jews, notwithstanding these
repeated commands given them to be kind to strangers, conceived a
rooted antipathy to the Gentiles, whom they looked upon with the
utmost disdain, which made them envy the grace of God and the
gospel of Christ, and this brought a final ruin upon
themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p13">3. We are here taught our duty to ourselves
(<scripRef passage="De 10:16" id="Deu.xi-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>):
<i>Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts.</i> that is, "Cast away
from you all corrupt affections and inclinations, which hinder you
from fearing and loving God. <i>Mortify the flesh</i> with the
lusts of it. Away with all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, which obstruct the free course of the word of God to
your hearts. Rest not in the circumcision of the body, which was
only the sign, but be circumcised in heart, which is the thing
signified." See <scripRef passage="Ro 2:29" id="Deu.xi-p13.2" parsed="|Rom|2|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.29">Rom. ii. 29</scripRef>.
The command of Christ goes further than this, and obliges us not
only to cut off the foreskin of the heart, which may easily be
spared, but to cut off the right hand and to pluck out the right
eye that is an offence to us; the more spiritual the dispensation
is the more spiritual we are obliged to be, and to go the closer in
mortifying sin. And <i>be no more stiff-necked,</i> as they had
been hitherto, <scripRef passage="De 9:24" id="Deu.xi-p13.3" parsed="|Deut|9|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.9.24"><i>ch.</i> ix.
24</scripRef>. "Be not any longer obstinate against divine commands
and corrections, but ready to comply with the will of God in both."
The circumcision of the heart makes it ready to yield to God, and
draw in his yoke.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p14">II. We are here most pathetically persuaded
to our duty. Let but reason rule us, and religion will.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p15">1. Consider the greatness and glory of God,
and therefore fear him, and from that principle serve and obey him.
What is it that is thought to make a man great, but great honour,
power, and possessions? Think then how great the Lord our God is,
and greatly to be feared. (1.) He has great honour, a name above
every name. He is <i>God of gods,</i> and <i>Lord of lords,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 10:17" id="Deu.xi-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Angels are
called <i>gods,</i> so are magistrates, and the Gentiles had
<i>gods many, and lords many,</i> the creatures of their own fancy;
but God is infinitely above all these nominal deities. What an
absurdity would it be for them to worship other gods when the God
to whom they had sworn allegiance was the God of gods! (2.) He has
great power. He is a <i>mighty God and terrible</i> (<scripRef passage="De 10:17" id="Deu.xi-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|10|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), <i>who regardeth not
persons.</i> He has the power of a conqueror, and so he is terrible
to those that resist him and rebel against him. He has the power of
a judge, and so he is just to all those that appeal to him or
appear before him. And it is as much the greatness and honour of a
judge to be impartial in his justice, without respect to persons or
bribes, as it is to a general to be terrible to the enemy. Our God
is both. (3.) He has great possessions. Heaven and earth are his
(<scripRef passage="De 10:14" id="Deu.xi-p15.3" parsed="|Deut|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), and all the
hosts and stars of both. Therefore he is able to bear us out in his
service, and to make up the losses we sustain in discharging our
duty to him. And yet therefore he has no need of us, nor any thing
we have or can do; we are undone without him, but he is happy
without us, which makes the condescensions of his grace, in
accepting us and our services, truly admirable. Heaven and earth
are his possession, and yet <i>the Lord's portion is his
people.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xi-p16">2. Consider the goodness and grace of God,
and therefore love him, and from that principle serve and obey him.
His goodness is his glory as much as his greatness. (1.) He is good
to all. Whomsoever he finds miserable, to them he will be found
merciful: He <i>executes the judgment of the fatherless and
widow,</i> <scripRef passage="De 10:18" id="Deu.xi-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|10|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. It
is his honour to help the helpless, and to succour those that most
need relief and that men are apt to do injury to, or at least to
put a light upon. See <scripRef passage="Ps 68:4,5,146:7,9" id="Deu.xi-p16.2" parsed="|Ps|68|4|68|5;|Ps|146|7|0|0;|Ps|146|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.4-Ps.68.5 Bible:Ps.146.7 Bible:Ps.146.9">Ps.
lxviii. 4, 5; cxlvi. 7, 9</scripRef>. (2.) But <i>truly God is good
to Israel</i> in a special obligations to him: "<i>He is thy
praise, and he is thy God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 10:21" id="Deu.xi-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|10|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. <i>Therefore</i> love him and
serve him, because of the relation wherein he stands to thee. He is
thy God, a God in covenant with thee, and as such he is thy
praise," that is [1.] "He puts honour upon thee; he is the God in
whom, all the day long, thou mayest boast that thou knowest him,
and art known of him. If he is thy God, he is thy glory." [2.] "He
expects honour from thee. <i>He is thy praise,</i>" that is "he is
the God whom thou art bound to praise; if he has not praise from
thee, whence may he expect it?" He <i>inhabits the praises of
Israel.</i> Consider, <i>First,</i> The gracious choice he made of
Israel, <scripRef passage="De 10:15" id="Deu.xi-p16.4" parsed="|Deut|10|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. "He
had a delight in thy fathers, and therefore chose their seed." Not
that there was any thing in them to merit his favour, or to
recommend them to it, but so it seemed good in his eyes. He would
be kind to them, though he had no need of them. <i>Secondly,</i>
The great things he had done for Israel, <scripRef passage="De 10:21,22" id="Deu.xi-p16.5" parsed="|Deut|10|21|10|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.21-Deut.10.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. He reminds them not only
of what they had heard with their ears, and which their fathers had
told them of, but of what they had seen with their eyes, and which
they must tell their children of, particularly that within a few
generations seventy souls (for they were no more when Jacob went
down into Egypt) increased to a great nation, <i>as the stars of
heaven for multitude.</i> And the more they were in number the more
praise and service God expected from them; yet it proved, as in the
old world, that when they began to multiply they corrupted
themselves.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XI" n="xii" progress="86.59%" prev="Deu.xi" next="Deu.xiii" id="Deu.xii">
<h2 id="Deu.xii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xii-p0.2">CHAP. XI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xii-p1">With this chapter Moses concludes his preface to
the repetition of the statutes and judgments which they must
observe to do. He repeats the general charge (<scripRef passage="De 11:1" id="Deu.xii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|11|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), and, having in the close of the
foregoing chapter begun to mention the great things God had done
among them, in this, I. He specifies several of the great works God
had done before their eyes, <scripRef passage="De 11:2-7" id="Deu.xii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|11|2|11|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.2-Deut.11.7">ver.
2-7</scripRef>. II. He sets before them, for the future, life and
death, the blessing and the curse, according as they did, or did
not, keep God's commandments, that they should certainly prosper if
they were obedient, should be blessed with plenty of all good
things (<scripRef passage="De 11:8-15" id="Deu.xii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|11|8|11|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.8-Deut.11.15">ver. 8-15</scripRef>), and
with victory over their enemies, and the enlargement of their coast
thereby, <scripRef passage="De 11:22-25" id="Deu.xii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|11|22|11|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.22-Deut.11.25">ver. 22-25</scripRef>. But
their disobedience would undoubtedly be their ruin, <scripRef passage="De 11:16,17" id="Deu.xii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|11|16|11|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.16-Deut.11.17">ver. 16, 17</scripRef>. III. He directs them
what means to use that they might keep in mind the law of God,
<scripRef passage="De 11:18-21" id="Deu.xii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|11|18|11|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.18-Deut.11.21">ver. 18-21</scripRef>. And, IV.
Concludes all with solemnly charging them to choose which they
would have, the blessing or the curse, <scripRef passage="De 11:26-32" id="Deu.xii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|11|26|11|32" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.26-Deut.11.32">ver. 26</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 11" id="Deu.xii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 11:1-7" id="Deu.xii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|11|1|11|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.1-Deut.11.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.11.1-Deut.11.7">
<h4 id="Deu.xii-p1.10">Persuasives to Obedience. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xii-p2">1 Therefore thou shalt love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God, and keep his charge, and his
statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. &#160; 2
And know ye this day: for <i>I speak</i> not with your children
which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p2.2">Lord</span> your God, his greatness,
his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, &#160; 3 And his
miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto
Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land; &#160; 4 And what
he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their
chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as
they pursued after you, and <i>how</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p2.3">Lord</span> hath destroyed them unto this day; &#160; 5
And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this
place; &#160; 6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of
Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all
the substance that <i>was</i> in their possession, in the midst of
all Israel: &#160; 7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p2.4">Lord</span> which he did.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p3">Because <i>God has made thee as the stars
of heaven for multitude</i> (so the preceding chapter concludes),
<i>therefore thou shalt love the Lord thy God</i> (so this begins).
Those whom God has built up into families, whose beginning was
small, but whose latter end greatly increases, should use that as
an argument with themselves why they should serve God. Thou shalt
<i>keep his charge,</i> that is, the oracles of his word and
ordinances of his worship, with which they were entrusted and for
which they were accountable. It is a phrase often used concerning
the office of the priests and Levites, for all Israel was a kingdom
of priests, a holy nation. Observe the connection of these two:
<i>Thou shalt love the Lord</i> and <i>keep his charge,</i> since
love will work in obedience, and that only is acceptable obedience
which flows from a principle of love. <scripRef passage="1Jo 5:3" id="Deu.xii-p3.1" parsed="|1John|5|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.3">1
John v. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p4">Mention is made of the great and terrible
works of God which their <i>eyes had seen,</i> <scripRef passage="De 11:7" id="Deu.xii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|11|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. This part of his discourse Moses
addresses to the <i>seniors</i> among the people, the elders in
age; and probably the elders in office were so, and were now his
immediate auditors: there were some among them that could remember
their deliverance out of Egypt, all above fifty, and to them he
speaks this, not to the children, who knew it by hearsay only,
<scripRef passage="De 11:2" id="Deu.xii-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, God's
mercies to us when we were young we should remember and retain the
impressions of when we are old; what our eyes have seen, especially
in our early days, has affected us, and should be improved by us
long after. They had seen what terrible judgments God had executed
upon the enemies of Israel's peace, 1. Upon Pharaoh and the
Egyptians that enslaved them. What a fine country was ruined and
laid waste by one plague after another, to force Israel's
enlargement! <scripRef passage="De 11:3" id="Deu.xii-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>.
What a fine army was entirely drowned in the Red Sea, to prevent
Israel's being re-enslaved! <scripRef passage="De 11:4" id="Deu.xii-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|11|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. Thus did he give <i>Egypt for their ransom,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 43:3" id="Deu.xii-p4.5" parsed="|Isa|43|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.3">Isa. xliii. 3</scripRef>. Rather shall
that famous kingdom be destroyed than that Israel shall not be
delivered. 2. Upon Dathan and Abiram that embroiled them. Remember
<i>what he did in the wilderness</i> (<scripRef passage="De 11:5" id="Deu.xii-p4.6" parsed="|Deut|11|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), by how many necessary
<i>chastisements</i> (as they are called, <scripRef passage="De 11:2" id="Deu.xii-p4.7" parsed="|Deut|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>) they were kept from ruining
themselves, particularly when those daring Reubenites defied the
authority of Moses and headed a dangerous rebellion against God
himself, which threatened the ruin of a whole nation, and might
have ended in that if the divine power had not immediately crushed
the rebellion by burying the rebels alive, them and <i>all that was
in their possession,</i> <scripRef passage="De 11:6" id="Deu.xii-p4.8" parsed="|Deut|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. What was done against them, though misinterpreted by
the disaffected party (<scripRef passage="Nu 16:41" id="Deu.xii-p4.9" parsed="|Num|16|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.41">Num. xvi.
41</scripRef>), was really done in mercy to Israel. To be saved
from the mischiefs of insurrections at home is as great a kindness
to a people, and therefore lays them under as strong obligations,
as protection from the invasion of enemies abroad.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 11:8-17" id="Deu.xii-p4.10" parsed="|Deut|11|8|11|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.8-Deut.11.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.11.8-Deut.11.17">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xii-p5">8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments
which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and
possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; &#160; 9 And that ye
may prolong <i>your</i> days in the land, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p5.1">Lord</span> sware unto your fathers to give unto them
and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. &#160;
10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, <i>is</i> not
as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst
thy seed, and wateredst <i>it</i> with thy foot, as a garden of
herbs: &#160; 11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it,
<i>is</i> a land of hills and valleys, <i>and</i> drinketh water of
the rain of heaven: &#160; 12 A land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p5.2">Lord</span> thy God careth for: the eyes of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p5.3">Lord</span> thy God <i>are</i> always upon it,
from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
&#160; 13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently
unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p5.4">Lord</span> your God, and to serve him with
all your heart and with all your soul, &#160; 14 That I will give
<i>you</i> the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain
and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy
wine, and thine oil. &#160; 15 And I will send grass in thy fields
for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. &#160; 16 Take
heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn
aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; &#160; 17 And
<i>then</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p5.5">Lord</span>'s wrath be
kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no
rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and <i>lest</i> ye
perish quickly from off the good land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p5.6">Lord</span> giveth you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p6">Still Moses urges the same subject, as loth
to conclude till he had gained his point. "<i>If thou wilt enter
into life,</i> if thou wilt enter into Canaan, a type of that life,
and find it a good land indeed to thee, <i>keep the commandments:
Keep all the commandments which I command you this day;</i> love
God, and serve him with all your heart."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p7">I. Because this was the way to get and keep
possession of the promised land. 1. It was the way to get
possession (<scripRef passage="De 11:8" id="Deu.xii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|11|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>):
<i>That you may be strong</i> for war, and so <i>go in and possess
it.</i> So little did they know either of hardship or hazard in the
wars of Canaan that he does not say they should go in and fight for
it; no, they had nothing in effect to do but go in and possess it.
He does not go about to teach them the art of war, how to draw the
bow, and use the sword, and keep ranks, that they might be strong,
and go in and possess the land; no, but let them keep God's
commandments, and their religion, while they are true to it, will
be their strength, and secure their success. (2.) It was the way to
keep possession (<scripRef passage="De 11:9" id="Deu.xii-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|11|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>): <i>That you may prolong your days in this land</i>
that your eye is upon. Sin tends to the shortening of the days of
particular persons and to the shortening of the days of a people's
prosperity; but obedience will be a lengthening out of their
tranquillity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p8">II. Because the land of Canaan, into which
they were going, had a more sensible dependence upon the blessing
of heaven than the land of Egypt had, <scripRef passage="De 11:10-12" id="Deu.xii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|11|10|11|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.10-Deut.11.12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>. Egypt was a country
fruitful enough, but it was all flat, and was watered, not as other
countries with rain (it is said of Egypt, <scripRef passage="Zec 14:18" id="Deu.xii-p8.2" parsed="|Zech|14|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.14.18">Zech. xiv. 18</scripRef>, that it <i>has no rain</i>),
but by the overflowing of the river Nile at a certain season of the
year, to the improving of which there was necessary a great deal of
the art and labour of the husbandman, so that in Egypt a man must
bestow as much cost and pains upon a field as upon a garden of
herbs. And this made them the more apt to imagine that the power of
their own hands got them this wealth. But the land of Canaan was an
uneven country, a land of hills and valleys, which not only gave a
more pleasing prospect to the eye, but yielded a greater variety of
soils for the several purposes of the husbandman. It was a land
that had no great rivers in it, except Jordan, but <i>drank water
of the rain of heaven,</i> and so, 1. Saved them a great deal of
labour. While the Egyptians were ditching and guttering in the
fields, up to the knees in mud, to bring water to their land, which
otherwise would soon become like the heath in the wilderness, the
Israelites could sit in their houses, warm and easy, and leave it
to God to water their land with the former and the latter rain,
which is called <i>the river of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 65:9" id="Deu.xii-p8.3" parsed="|Ps|65|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.65.9">Ps. lxv. 9</scripRef>), perhaps in allusion to, and
contempt of, the river of Egypt, which that nation was so proud of.
Note, The better God has provided, by our outward condition, for
our ease and convenience, the more we should abound in his service:
the less we have to do for our bodies the more we should do for God
and our souls. 2. So he directed them to look upwards to God, who
<i>giveth us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 14:17" id="Deu.xii-p8.4" parsed="|Acts|14|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.14.17">Acts xiv. 17</scripRef>), and promised to be
himself as <i>the dew unto Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 14:5" id="Deu.xii-p8.5" parsed="|Hos|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.5">Hos. xiv. 5</scripRef>. Note, (1.) Mercies bring with
them the greatest comfort and sweetness when we see them coming
from heaven, the immediate gifts of divine Providence. (2.) The
closer dependence we have upon God the more cheerful we should be
in our obedience to him. See how Moses here magnifies the land of
Canaan above all other lands, that the <i>eyes of God were always
upon it,</i> that is, they should be so, to see that nothing was
wanting, while they kept close to God and duty; its fruitfulness
should be not so much the happy effect of its soil as the immediate
fruit of the divine blessing; this may be inferred from its present
state, for it is said to be at this day, now that God has departed
from it, as barren a spot of ground as perhaps any under heaven.
Call it not <i>Naomi:</i> call it <i>Marah.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p9">III. Because God would certainly bless them
with an abundance of all good things if they would love him and
serve him (<scripRef passage="De 11:13-15" id="Deu.xii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|11|13|11|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.13-Deut.11.15"><i>v.</i>
13-15</scripRef>): <i>I will give you the rain of your land in due
season,</i> so that they should neither want it when the ground
called for it nor have it in excess; but they should have the
former rain, which fell at seed-time, and the latter rain, which
fell before the harvest, <scripRef passage="Am 4:7" id="Deu.xii-p9.2" parsed="|Amos|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.4.7">Amos iv.
7</scripRef>. This represented all the seasonable blessings which
God would bestow upon them, especially spiritual comforts, which
should come <i>as the latter and former, rain,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 6:3" id="Deu.xii-p9.3" parsed="|Hos|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.6.3">Hos. vi. 3</scripRef>. And the earth thus watered
produced, 1. Fruits for the service of man, <i>corn and wine, and
oil,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 104:13-15" id="Deu.xii-p9.4" parsed="|Ps|104|13|104|15" osisRef="Bible:Ps.104.13-Ps.104.15">Ps. civ.
13-15</scripRef>. 2. Grass for the cattle, that they also might be
serviceable to man, that <i>he might eat of them and be full,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 11:15" id="Deu.xii-p9.5" parsed="|Deut|11|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Godliness
hath here the <i>promise of the life that now is;</i> but the
favour of God shall put gladness into the heart, more than the
increase of corn, and wine, and oil will.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p10">IV. Because their revolt from God to idols.
would certainly be their ruin: <i>Take heed that your hearts be not
deceived,</i> <scripRef passage="De 11:16,17" id="Deu.xii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|11|16|11|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.16-Deut.11.17"><i>v.</i> 16,
17</scripRef>. All that forsake God to set their affection upon, or
pay their devotion to, any creature, will find themselves
wretchedly deceived to their own destruction; and this will
aggravate it that it was purely for want of taking heed. A little
care would have prevented their being imposed upon by the great
deceiver. To awaken them to take heed, Moses here tells them
plainly that if they should <i>turn aside to other gods,</i> 1.
They would provoke the wrath of God against them; and <i>who knows
the power of that anger?</i> 2. Good things would be turned away
from them; the heaven would withhold its rain, and then of course
the earth would not yield its fruit. 3. Evil things would come upon
them; they would perish quickly from off this good land. And the
better the land was the more grievous it would be to perish from
it. The goodness of the land would not be their security, when the
badness of the inhabitants had made them ripe for ruin.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 11" id="Deu.xii-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|11|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 11:18-25" id="Deu.xii-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|11|18|11|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.18-Deut.11.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.11.18-Deut.11.25">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xii-p11">18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in
your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your
hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. &#160; 19
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou
sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou
liest down, and when thou risest up. &#160; 20 And thou shalt write
them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: &#160;
21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children,
in the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p11.1">Lord</span> sware
unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the
earth. &#160; 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these
commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p11.2">Lord</span> your God, to walk in all his ways,
and to cleave unto him; &#160; 23 Then will the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p11.3">Lord</span> drive out all these nations from before
you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than
yourselves. &#160; 24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet
shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from
the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall
your coast be. &#160; 25 There shall no man be able to stand before
you: <i>for</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p11.4">Lord</span> your God
shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land
that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p12">Here, I. Moses repeats the directions he
had given for the guidance and assistance of the people in their
obedience, and for the keeping up of religion among them (<scripRef passage="De 11:18-20" id="Deu.xii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|11|18|11|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.18-Deut.11.20"><i>v.</i> 18-20</scripRef>), which is much to
the same purport with what we had before, <scripRef passage="De 6:6" id="Deu.xii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|6|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.6"><i>ch.</i> vi. 6</scripRef>, &amp;c. Let us all be
directed by the three rules here given:&#8212;1. Let our hearts be
filled with the word of God: <i>Lay up these words in your heart
and in your soul.</i> The heart must be the treasury or store-house
in which the word of God must be laid up, to be used upon all
occasions. We cannot expect good practices in the conversation,
unless there be good thoughts, good affections, and good
principles, in the heart. 2. Let our eyes be fixed upon the word of
God. "Bind these words for a sign <i>upon your hand,</i> which is
always in view (<scripRef passage="Isa 49:16" id="Deu.xii-p12.3" parsed="|Isa|49|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.16">Isa. xlix.
16</scripRef>), <i>and as frontlets between your eyes,</i> which
you cannot avoid the sight of; let them be as ready and familiar to
you, and have your eye as constantly upon them, as if they were
<i>written upon your door-posts,</i> and could not be overlooked
either when you go out or when you come in." Thus we must <i>lay
God's judgments before us,</i> having a constant regard to them, as
the guide of our way, as the rule of our work, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:30" id="Deu.xii-p12.4" parsed="|Ps|119|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.30">Ps. cxix. 30</scripRef>. 3. Let our tongues be employed
about the word of God. Let it be the subject of our familiar
discourse, wherever we are; especially with our children, who must
be taught the service of God, as the one thing needful, much more
needful than either the rules of decency or the calling they must
live by in this world. Great care and pains must be taken to
acquaint children betimes, and to affect them, with the word of God
and the wondrous things of his law. Nor will any thing contribute
more to the prosperity and perpetuity of religion in a nation than
the good education of children: if the seed be holy, it is the
substance of a land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p13">II. He repeats the assurances he had before
given them, in God's name, of prosperity and success if they were
obedient. 1. They should have a happy settlement, <scripRef passage="De 11:21" id="Deu.xii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|11|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Their days should be
multiplied; and, when they were fulfilled, the days of their
children likewise should be many, as the days of heaven, that is,
Canaan should be sure to them and their heirs for ever, as long as
the world stands, if they did not by their own sin throw themselves
out of it. 2. It should not be in the power of their enemies to
give them any disturbance, nor make them upon any account uneasy.
"If you will <i>keep God's commandments,</i> and be careful to do
your duty (<scripRef passage="De 11:22" id="Deu.xii-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|11|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>),
God will not only crown the labours of the husbandman with plenty
of the fruits of the earth, but he will own and succeed the more
glorious undertakings of the men of war. Victory shall attend your
arms; which way soever they turn, God will drive out these nations,
and put you in possession of their land," <scripRef passage="De 11:23,24" id="Deu.xii-p13.3" parsed="|Deut|11|23|11|24" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.23-Deut.11.24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>. Their territories should
be enlarged to the utmost extent of the promise, <scripRef passage="Ge 15:18" id="Deu.xii-p13.4" parsed="|Gen|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.18">Gen. xv. 18</scripRef>. And all their neighbours should
stand in awe of them, <scripRef passage="De 11:25" id="Deu.xii-p13.5" parsed="|Deut|11|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Nothing contributes more to the making of a nation
considerable abroad, valuable to its friends and formidable to its
enemies, than religion reigning in it; for who can be against those
that have God for them? And he is certainly for those that are
sincerely for him, <scripRef passage="Pr 14:34" id="Deu.xii-p13.6" parsed="|Prov|14|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.14.34">Prov. xiv.
34</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 11:26-32" id="Deu.xii-p13.7" parsed="|Deut|11|26|11|32" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.26-Deut.11.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.11.26-Deut.11.32">
<h4 id="Deu.xii-p13.8">The Blessing and the Curse. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p13.9">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xii-p14">26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing
and a curse; &#160; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p14.1">Lord</span> your God, which I command
you this day: &#160; 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the
commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p14.2">Lord</span> your God,
but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go
after other gods, which ye have not known. &#160; 29 And it shall
come to pass, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p14.3">Lord</span> thy God
hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess
it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the
curse upon mount Ebal. &#160; 30 <i>Are</i> they not on the other
side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of
the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal,
beside the plains of Moreh? &#160; 31 For ye shall pass over Jordan
to go in to possess the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xii-p14.4">Lord</span> your God giveth you, and ye shall possess
it, and dwell therein. &#160; 32 And ye shall observe to do all the
statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p15">Here Moses concludes his general
exhortations to obedience; and his management is very affecting,
and such as, one would think, should have engaged them for ever to
God, and should have left impressions upon them never to be worn
out.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p16">I. He sums up all his arguments for
obedience in two words, <i>the blessing and the curse</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 11:26" id="Deu.xii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|11|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), that is,
the rewards and the punishments, as they stand in the promises and
the threatenings, which are the great sanctions of the law, taking
hold of hope and fear, those two handles of the soul, by which it
is caught, held, and managed. These two, the blessing and the
curse, he set before them, that is, 1. He explained them, that they
might know them; he enumerated the particulars contained both in
the blessing and in the curse, that they might see the more fully
how desirable the blessing was, and how dreadful the curse. 2. He
confirmed them, that they might believe them, made it evident to
them, by the proofs he produced of his own commission, that the
blessing was not a fool's paradise, nor the curse a bugbear, but
that both were real declarations of the purpose of God concerning
them. 3. He charged them to choose which of these they would have,
so fairly does he deal with them, and so far is he from <i>putting
out the eyes of these men,</i> as he was charged, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:14" id="Deu.xii-p16.2" parsed="|Num|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.14">Num. xvi. 14</scripRef>. They and we are plainly
told on what terms we stand with Almighty God. (1.) If we be
obedient to his laws, we may be sure of a blessing, <scripRef passage="De 11:27" id="Deu.xii-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|11|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. But, (2.) If we be
disobedient, we may be as sure of a curse, <scripRef passage="De 11:28" id="Deu.xii-p16.4" parsed="|Deut|11|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. <i>Say you to the righteous</i>
(for God has said it, and all the world cannot unsay it) that <i>it
shall be well with them: but woe to the wicked, it shall be ill
with them.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xii-p17">II. He appoints a public and solemn
proclamation to be made of the blessing and curse which he had set
before them, upon the two mountains of Gerizim and Ebal, <scripRef passage="De 11:29,30" id="Deu.xii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|11|29|11|30" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.29-Deut.11.30"><i>v.</i> 29, 30</scripRef>. We have more
particular directions for this solemnity in <scripRef passage="De 27:11" id="Deu.xii-p17.2" parsed="|Deut|27|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.11"><i>ch.</i> xxvii. 11</scripRef>, &amp;c., and an account
of the performance of it, <scripRef passage="Joh 8:33" id="Deu.xii-p17.3" parsed="|John|8|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.33">Josh. viii.
33</scripRef>, &amp;c. It was to be done, and was done, immediately
upon their coming into Canaan, that when they first took possession
of that land they might know upon what terms they stood. The place
where this was to be done is particularly described by Moses,
though he never saw it, which is one circumstance among many that
evidences his divine instructions. It is said be near the
<i>plain,</i> or <i>oaks,</i> or <i>meadows,</i> of <i>Moreh,</i>
which was one of the first places that Abraham came to in Canaan;
so that in sending them thither, to hear the blessing and the
curse, God reminded them of the promise he made to Abraham in that
very place, <scripRef passage="Ge 12:6,7" id="Deu.xii-p17.4" parsed="|Gen|12|6|12|7" osisRef="Bible:Gen.12.6-Gen.12.7">Gen. xii. 6,
7</scripRef>. The mention of this appointment here serves, 1. For
the encouragement of their faith in the promise of God, that they
should be masters of Canaan quickly. Do it (says Moses) on the
other side Jordan (<scripRef passage="De 11:30" id="Deu.xii-p17.5" parsed="|Deut|11|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>), for you may be confident <i>you shall pass over
Jordan,</i> <scripRef passage="De 11:31" id="Deu.xii-p17.6" parsed="|Deut|11|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>.
The institution of this service to be done in Canaan was an
assurance to them that they should be brought into possession of
it, and a token like that which God gave to Moses (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:12" id="Deu.xii-p17.7" parsed="|Exod|3|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.12">Exod. iii. 12</scripRef>): <i>You shall serve God
upon this mountain.</i> And, 2. It serves for an engagement upon
them to be obedient, that they might escape that curse, and obtain
that blessing, which, besides what they had already heard, they
must shortly be witnesses to the solemn publication of (<scripRef passage="De 11:32" id="Deu.xii-p17.8" parsed="|Deut|11|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>): "<i>You shall observe
to do the statutes and judgements,</i> that you may not in that
solemnity be witnesses against yourselves."</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XII" n="xiii" progress="87.05%" prev="Deu.xii" next="Deu.xiv" id="Deu.xiii">
<h2 id="Deu.xiii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xiii-p1">Moses at this chapter comes to the particular
statues which he had to give in charge to Israel, and he begins
with those which relate to the worship of God, and particularly
those which explain the second commandment, about which God is in a
special manner jealous. I. They must utterly destroy all relics and
remains of idolatry, <scripRef passage="De 12:1-3" id="Deu.xiii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|12|1|12|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.1-Deut.12.3">ver.
1-3</scripRef>. II. They must keep close to the tabernacle,
<scripRef passage="De 12:4,5" id="Deu.xiii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|12|4|12|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.4-Deut.12.5">ver. 4, 5</scripRef>. The former
precept was intended to prevent all false worship, the latter to
preserve the worship God had instituted. By this latter law, 1.
They are commanded to bring all their offerings to the altar of
God, and all their holy things to the place which he should choose,
<scripRef passage="De 12:6,7,11,12,14,18,26-28" id="Deu.xiii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|12|6|12|7;|Deut|12|11|0|0;|Deut|12|12|0|0;|Deut|12|14|0|0;|Deut|12|18|0|0;|Deut|12|26|12|28" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.6-Deut.12.7 Bible:Deut.12.11 Bible:Deut.12.12 Bible:Deut.12.14 Bible:Deut.12.18 Bible:Deut.12.26-Deut.12.28">ver. 6, 7, 11, 12,
14, 18, 26-28</scripRef>. 2. They are forbidden, in general, to do
as they now did in the wilderness (<scripRef passage="De 12:8-11" id="Deu.xiii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|12|8|12|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.8-Deut.12.11">ver. 8-11</scripRef>), and as the Canaanites had done
(<scripRef passage="De 12:29-32" id="Deu.xiii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|12|29|12|32" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.29-Deut.12.32">ver. 29-32</scripRef>), and, in
particular, to eat the hallowed things at their own houses
(<scripRef passage="De 12:13,17,18" id="Deu.xiii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|12|13|0|0;|Deut|12|17|0|0;|Deut|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.13 Bible:Deut.12.17 Bible:Deut.12.18">ver. 13, 17, 18</scripRef>), or
to forsake the instituted ministry, <scripRef passage="De 12:19" id="Deu.xiii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|12|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.19">ver. 19</scripRef>. 3. They are permitted to eat flesh
as common food at their own houses, provided they do not eat the
blood, <scripRef passage="De 12:15,16" id="Deu.xiii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|12|15|12|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.15-Deut.12.16">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>, and
again, <scripRef passage="De 12:20-26" id="Deu.xiii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|12|20|12|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.20-Deut.12.26">ver. 20-26</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 12" id="Deu.xiii-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|12|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 12:1-4" id="Deu.xiii-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|12|1|12|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.1-Deut.12.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.12.1-Deut.12.4">
<h4 id="Deu.xiii-p1.12">Relics of Idolatry to Be
Destroyed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiii-p2">1 These <i>are</i> the statutes and judgments,
which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span> God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess
it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. &#160; 2 Ye shall
utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall
possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the
hills, and under every green tree: &#160; 3 And ye shall overthrow
their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with
fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and
destroy the names of them out of that place. &#160; 4 Ye shall not
do so unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p2.2">Lord</span> your God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p3">From those great original truths, That
there is a God, and that there is but one God, arise those great
fundamental laws, That that God is to be worshipped, and he only,
and that therefore we are to have no other God before him: this is
the first commandment, and the second is a guard upon it, or a
hedge about it. To prevent a revolt to false gods, we are forbidden
to worship the true God in such a way and manner as the false gods
were worshipped in, and are commanded to observe the instituted
ordinances of worship that we may adhere to the proper object of
worship. For this reason Moses is very large in his exposition of
the second commandment. What is contained in this and the four
following chapters mostly refers to that. <i>These are statutes and
judgments</i> which they must <i>observe to do</i> (<scripRef passage="De 12:1" id="Deu.xiii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), 1. In the days of their
rest and prosperity, when they should be masters of Canaan. We must
not think that our religion is instituted only to be our work in
the years of our servitude, our entertainment in the places of our
solitude, and our consolation in affliction; no, when we come to
possess a good land, still we must keep up the worship of God in
Canaan as well as in a wilderness, when we have grown up as well as
when we are children, when we are full of business as well as when
we have nothing else to do. 2. <i>All the days,</i> as long as you
<i>live upon the earth.</i> While we are here in our state of
trial, we must continue in our obedience, even to the end, and
never leave our duty, nor grow weary of well-doing. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p4">I. They are here charged to abolish and
extirpate all those things that the Canaanites had served their
idol-gods with, <scripRef passage="De 12:2,3" id="Deu.xiii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|12|2|12|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.2-Deut.12.3"><i>v.</i> 2,
3</scripRef>. Here is no mention of idol-temples, which
countenances the opinion some have, that the tabernacle Moses
reared in the wilderness was the first habitation that ever was
made for religious uses, and that from it temples took their rise.
But the places that had been used, and were now to be levelled,
were enclosures for their worship on <i>mountains and hills</i> (as
if the height of the ground would give advantage to the ascent of
their devotions), and under green trees, either because pleasant or
because awful: whatever makes the mind easy and reverent, contracts
and composes it, was thought to befriend devotion. The solemn shade
and silence of a grove are still admired by those that are disposed
to contemplation. But the advantage which these retirements gave to
the Gentiles in the worship of their idols was that they concealed
those works of darkness which could not bear the light; and
therefore they must all be destroyed, with the altars, pillars, and
images, that had been used by the natives in the worship of their
gods, so as that the very names of them might be buried in
oblivion, and not only not be remembered with respect, but not
remembered at all. They must thus consult, 1. The reputation of
their land; let it never be said of this holy land that it had been
thus polluted, but let all these dunghills be carried away, as
things they were ashamed of. 2. The safety of their religion; let
none be left remaining, lest profane unthinking people, especially
in degenerate ages, should make use of them in the service of the
God of Israel. Let these pest-houses be demolished, as things they
were afraid of. He begins the statutes that relate to divine
worship with this, because there must first be an abhorrence of
that which is evil before there can be a steady adherence to that
which is good, <scripRef passage="Ro 12:9" id="Deu.xiii-p4.2" parsed="|Rom|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.12.9">Rom. xii. 9</scripRef>.
The kingdom of God must be set up, both in persons and places, upon
the ruins of the devil's kingdom; for they cannot stand together,
nor can there be any communion between Christ and Belial.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p5">II. They are charged not to transfer the
rites and usages of idolaters into he worship of God; no, not under
colour of beautifying and improving it (<scripRef passage="De 12:4" id="Deu.xiii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): <i>You shall not do so to the
Lord your god,</i> that is, "you must not think to do honour to him
by offering sacrifices on mountains and hills, erecting pillars,
planting groves, and setting up images; no, you must not indulge a
luxurious fancy in your worship, nor think that whatever pleases
that will please God: <i>he is above all gods,</i> and will not be
worshipped as other gods are."</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 12:5-32" id="Deu.xiii-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|12|5|12|32" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.5-Deut.12.32"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.12.5-Deut.12.32">
<h4 id="Deu.xiii-p5.3">Where Sacrifices Must Be Offered; Ceremonial
Observances; Cautions Against Idolatrous Rites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p5.4">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiii-p6">5 But unto the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.1">Lord</span> your God shall choose out of all your
tribes to put his name there, <i>even</i> unto his habitation shall
ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: &#160; 6 And thither ye shall
bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes,
and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill
offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
&#160; 7 And there ye shall eat before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.2">Lord</span> your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that
ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.3">Lord</span> thy God hath blessed thee. &#160; 8
Ye shall not do after all <i>the things</i> that we do here this
day, every man whatsoever <i>is</i> right in his own eyes. &#160; 9
For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.4">Lord</span> your God giveth you.
&#160; 10 But <i>when</i> ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.5">Lord</span> your God giveth you
to inherit, and <i>when</i> he giveth you rest from all your
enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; &#160; 11 Then
there shall be a place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.6">Lord</span> your God shall choose to cause his name to
dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your
burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave
offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.7">Lord</span>: &#160; 12 And ye shall
rejoice before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.8">Lord</span> your God,
ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and
your maidservants, and the Levite that <i>is</i> within your gates;
forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. &#160; 13
Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in
every place that thou seest: &#160; 14 But in the place which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.9">Lord</span> shall choose in one of thy
tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou
shalt do all that I command thee. &#160; 15 Notwithstanding thou
mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul
lusteth after, according to the blessing of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.10">Lord</span> thy God which he hath given thee: the
unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of
the hart. &#160; 16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour
it upon the earth as water. &#160; 17 Thou mayest not eat within
thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or
the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows
which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of
thine hand: &#160; 18 But thou must eat them before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.11">Lord</span> thy God in the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.12">Lord</span> thy God shall choose, thou, and thy
son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and
the Levite that <i>is</i> within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.13">Lord</span> thy God in all that
thou puttest thine hands unto. &#160; 19 Take heed to thyself that
thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
&#160; 20 When the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.14">Lord</span> thy God
shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt
say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou
mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. &#160; 21 If
the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.15">Lord</span> thy God
hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou
shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.16">Lord</span> hath given thee, as I have commanded thee,
and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
&#160; 22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt
eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat <i>of</i> them alike.
&#160; 23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood
<i>is</i> the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the
flesh. &#160; 24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the
earth as water. &#160; 25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go
well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt
do <i>that which is</i> right in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.17">Lord</span>. &#160; 26 Only thy holy things which thou
hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.18">Lord</span> shall choose: &#160; 27 And
thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon
the altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.19">Lord</span> thy God: and
the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.20">Lord</span> thy God, and thou shalt eat
the flesh. &#160; 28 Observe and hear all these words which I
command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children
after thee for ever, when thou doest <i>that which is</i> good and
right in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.21">Lord</span> thy
God. &#160; 29 When the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.22">Lord</span> thy God
shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to
possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
&#160; 30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following
them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou
enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve
their gods? even so will I do likewise. &#160; 31 Thou shalt not do
so unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.23">Lord</span> thy God: for every
abomination to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiii-p6.24">Lord</span>, which he
hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and
their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. &#160;
32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt
not add thereto, nor diminish from it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p7">There is not any one particular precept (as
I remember) in all the law of Moses so largely pressed and
inculcated as this, by which they are all tied to bring their
sacrifices to that one altar which was set up in the court of the
tabernacle, and there to perform all the rituals of their religion;
for, as to moral services, then, no doubt, as now, men might pray
everywhere, as they did in their synagogues. The command to do
this, and the prohibition of the contrary, are here repeated again
and again, as we teach children: and yet we are sure that there is
in scripture no vain repetition; but all this stress is laid upon
it, 1. Because of the strange proneness there was in the hearts of
the people to idolatry and superstition, and the danger of their
being seduced by the many temptations which they would be
surrounded with. 2. Because of the great use which the observance
of this appointment would be of to them, both to prevent the
introducing of corrupt customs into their worship and to preserve
among them unity and brotherly love, that, meeting all in one
place, they might continue both of one way and of one heart. 3.
Because of the significancy of this appointment. They must keep to
one place, in token of their belief of those two great truths,
which we find together (<scripRef passage="1Ti 2:5" id="Deu.xiii-p7.1" parsed="|1Tim|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.5">1 Tim. ii.
5</scripRef>), That <i>there is one God,</i> and <i>one Mediator
between God and man.</i> It not only served to keep up the notion
of the unity of the Godhead, but was an intimation to them (though
they could not stedfastly discern it) of the one only way of
approach to God and communion with him, in and by the Messiah.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p8">Let us now reduce this long charge to its
proper heads.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p9">I. It is here promised that when they were
settled in Canaan, when they had <i>rest from their enemies, and
dwelt in safety,</i> God would choose a certain place, which he
would appoint to be the centre of their unity, to which they should
bring all their offerings, <scripRef passage="De 12:10,11" id="Deu.xiii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|12|10|12|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.10-Deut.12.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. Observe, 1. If they just
be tied to one place, they should not be left in doubt concerning
it, but should certainly know what place it was. Had Christ
intended, under the gospel, to make any one place such a seat of
power as Rome pretends to be, we should not have been left so
destitute of instruction as we are concerning the appointed place.
2. God does not leave it to them to choose the place, lest the
tribes should have quarrelled about it, each striving, for their
secular advantage, to have it among them; but he reserves the
choice to himself, as he does the designation of the Redeemer and
the institution of holy ordinances. 3. He does not appoint the
place now, as he had appointed mounts Gerizim and Ebal, for the
pronouncing of the blessings and curses (<scripRef passage="De 11:29" id="Deu.xiii-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|11|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.29"><i>ch.</i> xi. 29</scripRef>), but reserves the doing of
it till hereafter, that hereby they might be made to expect further
directions from heaven, and a divine conduct, after Moses should be
removed. The place which God would choose is said to be the place
where he would put his name, that is, which he would have to be
called his, where his honour should dwell, where he would manifest
himself to his people, and make himself known, as men do by their
names, and where he would receive addresses, by which his name is
both praised and called upon. It was to be his habitation, where,
as King of Israel, he would keep court, and be found by all those
that reverently sought him. The ark was the token of God's
presence, and where that was put there God put his name, and that
was his habitation. It contained the tables of the law; for none
must expect to receive favours from God's hand but those that are
willing to <i>receive the law from his mouth.</i> The place which
God first chose for the ark to reside in was Shiloh; and, after
that place had sinned away its honours, we find the ark at
Kirjath-jearim and other places; but at length, in David's time, it
was fixed at Jerusalem, and God said concerning Solomon's temple,
more expressly than ever he had said concerning any other place,
<i>This I have chosen for a house of sacrifice,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 7:12" id="Deu.xiii-p9.3" parsed="|2Chr|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.7.12">2 Chron. vii. 12</scripRef>. Compare <scripRef passage="2Ch 6:5" id="Deu.xiii-p9.4" parsed="|2Chr|6|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.6.5">2 Chron. vi. 5</scripRef>. Now, under the gospel,
we have no temple that sanctifies the gold, no altar that
sanctifies the gift, but Christ only; and, as to the places of
worship, the prophets foretold that <i>in every place</i> the
spiritual <i>incense should be offered,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 1:11" id="Deu.xiii-p9.5" parsed="|Mal|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.11">Mal. i. 11</scripRef>. And our Saviour has declared that
those are accepted as true worshippers who worship God in sincerity
and truth, without regard either to this mountain or Jerusalem,
<scripRef passage="Joh 4:23" id="Deu.xiii-p9.6" parsed="|John|4|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.4.23">John iv. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p10">II. They are commanded to bring all their
burnt-offerings and sacrifices to this place that God would choose
(<scripRef passage="De 12:6" id="Deu.xiii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef> and again
<scripRef passage="De 12:11" id="Deu.xiii-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|12|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>Thither
shall you bring all that I command you;</i> and (<scripRef passage="De 12:14" id="Deu.xiii-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>There thou shalt offer thy
burnt offerings;</i> and (<scripRef passage="De 12:27" id="Deu.xiii-p10.4" parsed="|Deut|12|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>), <i>The flesh and the blood must be offered upon the
altar of the Lord thy God.</i> And of their peace-offerings, here
called their <i>sacrifices,</i> though they were to <i>eat the
flesh,</i> yet <i>the blood</i> was to be <i>poured out upon the
altar.</i> By this they were taught that sacrifices and offerings
God did not desire, nor accept, for their own sake, nor for any
intrinsic worth in them, as natural expressions of homage and
adoration; but that they received their virtue purely from that
altar on which they were offered, as it typified Christ; whereas
prayers and praises, as much more necessary and valuable, were to
be offered every day by the people of God wherever they were. A
devout Israelite might honour God, and keep up communion with him,
and obtain mercy from him, though he had not an opportunity,
perhaps, for many months together, of bringing a sacrifice to his
altar. But this signified the obligation we Christians are under to
offer up all our spiritual sacrifices to God in the name of Jesus
Christ, hoping for acceptance only upon the score of his mediation,
<scripRef passage="1Pe 2:5" id="Deu.xiii-p10.5" parsed="|1Pet|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.2.5">1 Pet. ii. 5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p11">III. They are commanded to feast upon their
hallowed things before the Lord, with holy joy. They must not only
bring to the altar the sacrifices which were to be offered to God,
but hey must bring to the place of the altar all those things which
they were appointed by the law to eat and drink, to the honour of
God, in token of their communion with him, <scripRef passage="De 12:6" id="Deu.xiii-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Their, <i>tithes, and
heave-offerings of their hand,</i> that is, their first-fruits,
their vows, and <i>free-will-offerings,</i> and firstlings, all
those things which were to be religiously made use of either by
themselves or by the priests and Levites, must be brought to the
place which God would choose; as all the revenues of the crown,
from all parts of the kingdom, are brought into the exchequer. And
(<scripRef passage="De 12:7" id="Deu.xiii-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>There you
shall eat before the Lord, and rejoice in all that you put your
hands unto;</i> and again (<scripRef passage="De 12:12" id="Deu.xiii-p11.3" parsed="|Deut|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), <i>You shall rejoice before the Lord, you, and your
sons, and your daughters.</i> Observe here, 1. That what we do in
the service of God and to his glory redounds to our benefit, if it
be not our own fault. Those that sacrifice to God are welcome to
eat before him, and to feast upon their sacrifices: he <i>sups with
us,</i> and <i>we with him,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 3:20" id="Deu.xiii-p11.4" parsed="|Rev|3|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.3.20">Rev.
iii. 20</scripRef>. If we glorify God, we edify ourselves, and
cultivate our own minds, through the grace of God, by the increase
of our knowledge and faith, the enlivening of devout affections,
and the confirming of gracious habits and resolutions: thus is the
soul nourished. 2. That work for God should be done with holy joy
and cheerfulness. You shall <i>eat and rejoice,</i> <scripRef passage="De 12:7" id="Deu.xiii-p11.5" parsed="|Deut|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="De 12:12" id="Deu.xiii-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef> and <scripRef passage="De 12:18" id="Deu.xiii-p11.7" parsed="|Deut|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. (1.) Now while they were before
the Lord they must rejoice, <scripRef passage="De 12:12" id="Deu.xiii-p11.8" parsed="|Deut|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. It is the will of God that we should serve him with
gladness; none displeased him more than those that <i>covered his
altar with tears.</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 2:13" id="Deu.xiii-p11.9" parsed="|Mal|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.13">Mal. ii.
13</scripRef>. See what a good Master we serve, who has made it our
duty to sing at our work. Even the children and servants must
rejoice with them before God, that the services of religion might
be a pleasure to them, and not a task or drudgery. (2.) They must
<i>carry away with them</i> the grateful relish of that delight
which they found in communion with God; they must rejoice in all
that they <i>put their hands unto,</i> <scripRef passage="De 12:7" id="Deu.xiii-p11.10" parsed="|Deut|12|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Some of the comfort which they
must take with them into their common employments; and, being thus
strengthened in soul, whatever they did they must do it heartily
and cheerfully. And this holy pious joy in God and his goodness,
with which we are to rejoice evermore, would be the best
preservative against the sin and snare of <i>vain and carnal
mirth</i> and a relief against the <i>sorrows of the world.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p12">IV. They are commanded to be kind to the
Levites. Did they feast with joy? The Levites must feast with them,
and rejoice with them, <scripRef passage="De 12:12" id="Deu.xiii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="De 12:18" id="Deu.xiii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>; and a general caution (<scripRef passage="De 12:19" id="Deu.xiii-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|12|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), <i>Take heed that thou forsake
not the Levite as long as thou livest.</i> There were Levites that
attended the altar as assistants to the priests, and these must not
be forsaken, that is, the service they performed must be constantly
adhered to; no other altar must be set up than that which God
appointed; for that would be to forsake the Levites. But this seems
to be spoken of the Levites that were dispersed in the country to
instruct the people in the law of God, and to assist them in their
devotions; for it is <i>the Levite within their gates</i> that they
are here commanded to make much of. It is a great mercy to have
Levites near us, within our gates, that we may ask the law at their
mouth, and at our feasts to be a check upon us, to restrain
excesses. And it is the duty of people to be kind to their
ministers that give them good instructions and set them good
examples. As long as we live we shall need their assistance, till
we come to that world where ordinances will be superseded; and
therefore <i>as long as we live</i> we must not forsake the
Levites. The reason given (<scripRef passage="De 12:12" id="Deu.xiii-p12.4" parsed="|Deut|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>) is because <i>the Levite has no part nor inheritance
with you,</i> so that he cannot grow rich by husbandry or trade;
let him therefore share with you in the comfort of your riches.
They must give the Levites their tithes and offerings, settled on
them by the law, because they had no other maintenance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p13">V. They are allowed to eat common flesh,
but not the flesh of their offerings, in their own houses, wherever
they dwelt. What was any way devoted to God they must not eat at
home, <scripRef passage="De 12:13,17" id="Deu.xiii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|12|13|0|0;|Deut|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.13 Bible:Deut.12.17"><i>v.</i> 13, 17</scripRef>.
But what was not so devoted they might kill and eat of at their
pleasure, <scripRef passage="De 12:15" id="Deu.xiii-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. And
this permission is again repeated, <scripRef passage="De 12:20-22" id="Deu.xiii-p13.3" parsed="|Deut|12|20|12|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.20-Deut.12.22"><i>v.</i> 20-22</scripRef>. It should seem that while
they were in the wilderness they did not eat the flesh of any of
those kinds of beasts that were used in sacrifice, but what was
killed at the door of the tabernacle, and part of it presented to
God as a peace-offering, <scripRef passage="Le 17:3,4" id="Deu.xiii-p13.4" parsed="|Lev|17|3|17|4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.17.3-Lev.17.4">Lev. xvii.
3, 4</scripRef>. But when they came to Canaan, where they must live
at a great distance from the tabernacle, they might kill what they
pleased for their own use of their flocks and herds, without
bringing part to the altar. This allowance is very express, and
repeated, lest Satan should take occasion from that law which
forbade the eating of their sacrifices at their own houses to
suggest to them, as he did to our first parents, hard thoughts of
God, as if he grudged them: <i>Thou mayest eat whatsoever thy soul
lusteth after.</i> There is a natural regular appetite, which it is
lawful to gratify with temperance and sobriety, not taking too
great a pleasure in the gratification, nor being uneasy if it be
crossed. The unclean, who might not eat of the holy things, yet
might eat of the same sort of flesh when it was only used as common
food. The distinction between clean persons and unclean was sacred,
and designed for the preserving of the honour of their holy feasts,
and therefore must not be brought into their ordinary meals. This
permission has a double restriction:&#8212;1. They must eat according
to the blessing which God had given them, <scripRef passage="De 12:15" id="Deu.xiii-p13.5" parsed="|Deut|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Note, It is not only our
wisdom, but our duty, to live according to our estates, and not to
spend above what we have. As it is unjust on the one hand to hoard
what should be laid out, so it is much more unjust to lay out more
than we have; for what is not our own must needs be another's, who
is thereby robbed and defrauded. And this, I say, is much more
unjust, because it is easier afterwards to distribute what has been
unduly spared, and so to make a sort of restitution for the wrong,
than it is to repay to wife, and children, and creditors, what has
been unduly spent. Between these two extremes let wisdom find the
mean, and then let watchfulness and resolution keep it. 2. They
must not eat blood (<scripRef passage="De 12:16" id="Deu.xiii-p13.6" parsed="|Deut|12|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="De 12:23" id="Deu.xiii-p13.7" parsed="|Deut|12|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>): <i>Only be sure that thou eat not the blood</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 12:24" id="Deu.xiii-p13.8" parsed="|Deut|12|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), <i>Thou
shalt not eat it;</i> and (<scripRef passage="De 12:25" id="Deu.xiii-p13.9" parsed="|Deut|12|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>), <i>Thou shalt not eat it, that it may go well with
thee.</i> When they could not bring the blood to the altar, to pour
it out there before the Lord, as belonging to him, they must pour
it out upon the earth, as not belonging to them, because it was the
life, and therefore, as an acknowledgment, belonged to him who
gives life, and, as an atonement, belonged to him to whom life is
forfeited. Bishop Patrick thinks one reason why they were forbidden
thus strictly the eating of blood was to prevent the superstitions
of the old idolaters about the blood of their sacrifices, which
they thought their demons delighted in, and by eating of which they
imagined that they had communion with them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p14">VI. They are forbidden to keep up either
their own corrupt usages in the wilderness or the corrupt usages of
their predecessors in the land of Canaan.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p15">1. They must not keep up those improper
customs which they had got into in the wilderness, and which were
connived at in consideration of the present unsettledness of their
condition (<scripRef passage="De 12:8,9" id="Deu.xiii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|12|8|12|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.8-Deut.12.9"><i>v.</i> 8,
9</scripRef>): <i>You shall not do after all the things that we do
here this day.</i> Never was there a better governor than Moses,
and one would think never a better opportunity of keeping up good
order and discipline than now among the people of Israel, when they
lay so closely encamped under the eye of their governor; and yet it
seems there was much amiss and many irregularities had crept in
among them. We must never expect to see any society perfectly pure
and right, and as it should be till we come to the heavenly Canaan.
They had sacrifices and religious worship, courts of justice and
civil government, and, by the stoning of the man that <i>gathered
sticks on the sabbath day,</i> it appears there was great
strictness used in guarding the most weighty matters of the law;
but being frequently upon the remove, and always at uncertainty,
(1.) They could none of them observe the solemn feasts, and the
rites of cleansing, with the exactness that the law required. And,
(2.) Those among them that were disposed to do amiss had
opportunity given them to do it unobserved by the frequent
interruptions which their removals gave to the administration of
justice. But (says Moses) when you come to Canaan, you <i>shall not
do as we do here.</i> Note, When the people of God are in an
unsettled condition, that may be tolerated and dispensed with which
would by no means be allowed at another time. Cases of necessity
are to be considered while the necessity continues; but that must
not be done in Canaan which was done in the wilderness. While a
house is in the building a great deal of dirt and rubbish are
suffered to lie by it, which must all be taken away when the house
is built. Moses was now about to lay down his life and government,
and it was a comfort to him to foresee that Israel would be better
in the next reign than they had been in his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiii-p16">2. They must not worship the Lord by any of
those rites or ceremonies which the notions of Canaan had made use
of in the service of their gods, <scripRef passage="De 12:29-32" id="Deu.xiii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|12|29|12|32" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.29-Deut.12.32"><i>v.</i> 29-32</scripRef>. They must not so much as
enquire into the modes and forms of idolatrous worship. What good
would it do to them to <i>know those depths of Satan?</i> <scripRef passage="Re 2:24" id="Deu.xiii-p16.2" parsed="|Rev|2|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.2.24">Rev. ii. 24</scripRef>. It is best to be ignorant
of that which there is danger of being infected by. They must not
introduce the customs of idolaters, (1.) Because it would be absurd
to make those their patterns whom God had made their slaves and
captives, cut off, and destroyed from before them. The Canaanites
had not flourished and prospered so much in the service of their
gods as that the Israelites should be invited to take up their
customs. Those are wretchedly besotted indeed who will walk in the
way of sinners, after they have seen their end. (2.) Because some
of their customs were most barbarous and inhuman, and such as
trampled, not only upon the light and law of nature, but upon
natural affection itself, as <i>burning their sons and their
daughters in the fire to their gods</i> (<scripRef passage="De 12:31" id="Deu.xiii-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|12|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>), the very mention of which is
sufficient to make it odious, and possess us with a horror of it.
(3.) Because their idolatrous customs were an abomination to the
Lord, and the translating of them into his worship would make even
that an abomination and an affront to him by which they should give
him honour, and by which they hoped to obtain his favour. The case
is bad indeed when the sacrifice itself has become an abomination,
<scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Deu.xiii-p16.4" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv. 8</scripRef>. He therefore
concludes (<scripRef passage="De 12:32" id="Deu.xiii-p16.5" parsed="|Deut|12|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>)
with the same caution concerning the worship of God which he had
before given concerning the word of God (<scripRef passage="De 4:2" id="Deu.xiii-p16.6" parsed="|Deut|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.2"><i>ch.</i> iv. 2</scripRef>): "<i>You shall not add
thereto</i> any inventions of your own, under pretence of making
the ordinance either more significant or more magnificent, <i>nor
diminish from it,</i> under pretence of making it more easy and
practicable, or of setting aside that which may be spared; but
observe to do all that, and that only, which God has commanded." We
may then hope in our religious worship to obtain the divine
acceptance when we observe the divine appointment. God will have
his own work done in his own way.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIII" n="xiv" progress="87.64%" prev="Deu.xiii" next="Deu.xv" id="Deu.xiv">
<h2 id="Deu.xiv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xiv-p1">Moses is still upon that necessary subject
concerning the peril of idolatry. In the close of the foregoing
chapter he had cautioned them against the peril that might arise
from their predecessors the Canaanites. In this chapter he cautions
them against the rise of idolatry from among themselves; they must
take heed lest any should draw them to idolatry, I. By the pretence
of prophecy, <scripRef passage="De 13:1-5" id="Deu.xiv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II.
By the pretence of friendship and relation, <scripRef passage="De 13:6-11" id="Deu.xiv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|13|6|13|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.6-Deut.13.11">ver. 6-11</scripRef>. III. By the pretence of numbers,
<scripRef passage="De 13:12-18" id="Deu.xiv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|13|12|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.12-Deut.13.18">ver. 12-18</scripRef>. But in all
these cases the temptation must be resolutely resisted and the
tempters punished and cut off.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 13" id="Deu.xiv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 13:1-5" id="Deu.xiv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.5">
<h4 id="Deu.xiv-p1.6">Cautions Against Idolatry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiv-p2">1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a
dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, &#160; 2 And
the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee,
saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and
let us serve them; &#160; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words
of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span> your God proveth you, to know whether ye
love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.2">Lord</span> your God with all your
heart and with all your soul. &#160; 4 Ye shall walk after the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.3">Lord</span> your God, and fear him, and
keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him,
and cleave unto him. &#160; 5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of
dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn
<i>you</i> away from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.4">Lord</span> your
God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you
out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God commanded thee to
walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of
thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p3">Here is, I. A very strange supposition,
<scripRef passage="De 13:1,2" id="Deu.xiv-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. 1. It is
strange that there should arise any among themselves, especially
any pretending to vision and prophecy, who should instigate them to
<i>go and serve other gods.</i> Was it possible that any who had so
much knowledge of the methods of divine revelation as to be able to
personate a prophet should yet have so little knowledge of the
divine nature and will as to go himself and entice his neighbours
<i>after other gods?</i> Could an Israelite ever be guilty of such
impiety? Could a man of sense ever be guilty of such absurdity? We
see it in our own day, and therefore may think it the less strange;
multitudes that profess both learning and religion yet exciting
both themselves and others, not only to worship God by images, but
to give divine honour to saints and angels, which is no better than
<i>going after other gods to serve them;</i> such is the power of
strong delusions. 2. It is yet more strange that the sign or wonder
given for the confirmation of this false doctrine should come to
pass. Can it be thought that God himself should give any
countenance to such a vile proceeding? Did ever a false prophet
work a true miracle? It is only supposed here for two reasons:&#8212;
(1.) To strengthen the caution here given against hearkening to
such a one. "Though it were possible that he should work a true
miracle, yet you must not believe him if he tell you that you must
serve other gods, for the divine law against that is certainly
perpetual and unalterable." The supposition is like that in
<scripRef passage="Ga 1:8" id="Deu.xiv-p3.2" parsed="|Gal|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.1.8">Gal. i. 8</scripRef>, <i>If we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you</i>&#8212;which does
not prove it possible that an angel should preach another gospel,
but strongly expresses the certainty and perpetuity of that which
we have received. So here, (2.) It is to fortify them against the
danger of impostures and lying wonders (<scripRef passage="2Th 2:9" id="Deu.xiv-p3.3" parsed="|2Thess|2|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.2.9">2 Thess. ii. 9</scripRef>): "Suppose the credentials he
produces be so artfully counterfeited that you cannot discern the
cheat, nor disprove them, yet, if they are intended to draw you to
the service of other gods, that alone is sufficient to disprove
them; no evidence can be admitted against so clear a truth as that
of the unity of the Godhead, and so plain a law as that of
worshipping the <i>one only living and true God.</i>" We cannot
suppose that the God of truth should set his seal of miracles to a
lie, to so gross a lie as is supposed in that temptation, <i>Let us
go after other gods.</i> But if it be asked, Why is this false
prophet permitted to counterfeit this broad seal? It is answered
here (<scripRef passage="De 13:3" id="Deu.xiv-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|13|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): "<i>The
Lord your God proveth you.</i> He suffers you to be set upon by such
a temptation to try your constancy, that both those that are
perfect and those that are false and corrupt may be made manifest.
It is to prove you; therefore see that you acquit yourselves well
in the trial, and stand your ground."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p4">II. Here is a very necessary charge given
in this case,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p5">1. Not to yield to the temptation: "<i>Thou
shalt not hearken to the worlds of that prophet,</i> <scripRef passage="De 13:3" id="Deu.xiv-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|13|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Not only thou shalt not
do the thing he tempts thee to, but thou shalt not so much as
patiently hear the temptation, but reject it with the utmost
disdain and detestation. Such a suggestion as this is not to be so
much as parleyed with, but the ear must be stopped against it.
<i>Get thee behind me, Satan.</i>" Some temptations are so grossly
vile that they will not bear a debate, nor may we so much as give
them the hearing. What follows (<scripRef passage="De 13:4" id="Deu.xiv-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|13|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), <i>You shall walk after the
Lord,</i> may be looked upon, (1.) As prescribing a preservative
from the temptation: "Keep close to your duty, and you keep out of
harm's way. God never leaves us till we leave him." Or, (2.) As
furnishing us with an answer to the temptation; say, "It is
written, <i>Thou shalt walk after the Lord,</i> and <i>cleave unto
him;</i> and therefore what have I to do with idols?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p6">2. Not to spare the tempter, <scripRef passage="De 13:5" id="Deu.xiv-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. That prophet shall be
<i>put to death,</i> both to punish him for the attempt he has made
(the seducer must die, though none were seduced by him&#8212;a design
upon the crown is treason) and to prevent his doing further
mischief. This is called <i>putting away the evil.</i> There is no
way of removing the guilt but by removing the guilty; if such a
criminal be not punished, those that should punish him make
themselves responsible. And thus the <i>mischief must be put
away;</i> the infection must be kept from spreading by cutting off
the gangrened limb, and putting away the mischief-makers. such
Dangerous diseases as these must be taken in time.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 13:6-11" id="Deu.xiv-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|13|6|13|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.6-Deut.13.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.13.6-Deut.13.11">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiv-p7">6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy
son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend,
which <i>is</i> as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying,
Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou,
nor thy fathers; &#160; 7 <i>Namely,</i> of the gods of the people
which <i>are</i> round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from
thee, from the <i>one</i> end of the earth even unto the
<i>other</i> end of the earth; &#160; 8 Thou shalt not consent unto
him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him,
neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: &#160; 9
But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him
to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
&#160; 10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die;
because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p7.1">Lord</span> thy God, which brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, from the house of bondage. &#160; 11 And all Israel shall
hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is
among you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p8">Further provision is made by this branch of
the statute against receiving the infection of idolatry from those
that are near and dear to us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p9">I. It is the policy of the tempter to send
his solicitations by the hand of those whom we love, whom we least
suspect of any ill design upon us, and whom we are desirous to
please and apt to conform ourselves to. The enticement here is
supposed to come from a brother or child that are near by nature,
from a wife or friend that are near by choice, and are to us <i>as
our own souls,</i> <scripRef passage="De 13:6" id="Deu.xiv-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|13|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. Satan tempted Adam by Eve and Christ by Peter. We are
therefore concerned to stand upon our guard against a bad proposal
when the person that makes it can pretend to an interest in us,
that we many never sin against God in compliment to the best friend
we have in the world. The temptation is supposed to be private: he
will <i>entice thee secretly,</i> implying that idolatry is a work
of darkness, which dreads the light and covets to be concealed, and
in which the sinner promises himself, and the tempter promises him,
secrecy and security. Concerning the false gods proposed to be
served, 1. The tempter suggests that the worshipping of these gods
was the common practice of the world; and, if they limited their
adorations to an invisible Deity, they were singular, and like
nobody, for these gods were the <i>gods of the people round about
them,</i> and indeed of all the nations of the earth, <scripRef passage="De 13:7" id="Deu.xiv-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|13|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. This suggestion draws
many away from religion and godliness, that it is an unfashionable
thing; and they make their court to the world and the flesh because
these are the <i>gods of the people that are round about them.</i>
2. Moses suggests, in opposition to this, that it had not been the
practice of their ancestors; they are gods which <i>thou hast not
known, thou nor thy fathers.</i> Those that are born of godly
parents, and have been educated in pious exercises, when they are
enticed to a vain, loose, careless way of living should remember
that those are ways which <i>they have not known, they nor their
fathers.</i> And will they thus degenerate?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p10">II. It is our duty to prefer God and
religion before the best friends we have in the world. 1. We must
not, in complaisance to our friends, break God's law (<scripRef passage="De 13:8" id="Deu.xiv-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|13|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt not
consent to him.</i> nor go with him to his idolatrous worship, no,
not for company, or curiosity, or to gain a better interest in is
affections." It is a general rule, <i>If sinners entice thee,
consent thou not,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 1:10" id="Deu.xiv-p10.2" parsed="|Prov|1|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.10">Prov. i.
10</scripRef>. 2. We must not, in compassion to our friends,
obstruct the course of God's justice. He that attempts such a thing
must not only be looked upon as an enemy, or dangerous person, whom
one should be afraid of, and swear the peace against, but as a
criminal or traitor, whom, in zeal for our sovereign Lord, his
crown and dignity, we are bound to inform against, and cannot
conceal without incurring the guilt of a great misprision
(<scripRef passage="De 13:9" id="Deu.xiv-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt
surely kill him.</i> By this law the persons enticed were bound to
the seducer, and to give evidence against him before the proper
judges, that he might suffer the penalty of the law, and that
without delay, which the Jews say is here intended in that phrase,
as it is in the Hebrew, <i>killing thou shalt kill him.</i> Neither
the prosecution nor the execution must be deferred; and he that was
first in the former must be first in the latter, to show that he
stood to his testimony: "<i>Thy hand shall be first upon him,</i>
to mark him out as an anathema, and then the hands of all the
people, to put him away as an accursed thing." The death he must
die was that which was looked upon among the Jews as the severest
of all deaths. He must be stoned: and his accusation written is
that he has sought to thrust thee away, by a kind of violence,
<i>from the Lord thy God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 13:10" id="Deu.xiv-p10.4" parsed="|Deut|13|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Those are certainly our worst
enemies that would <i>thrust us from God,</i> our best friend; and
whatever draws us to sin, separates between us and God, is a design
upon our life, and to be resented accordingly, And, lastly, here is
the good effect of this necessary execution (<scripRef passage="De 13:11" id="Deu.xiv-p10.5" parsed="|Deut|13|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>All Israel shall hear and
fear.</i> They <i>ought to hear and fear;</i> for the punishment of
crimes committed is designed <i>in terrorem&#8212;to terrify,</i> and so
to prevent their repetition. And it is to be hoped they will hear
and fear, and by the severity of the punishment, especially when it
is at the prosecution of a father, a brother, or a friend, will be
made to conceive a horror of the sin, as exceedingly sinful, and to
be afraid of incurring the like punishment themselves. <i>Smite the
scorner</i> that sins presumptuously, <i>and the simple,</i> that
is in danger of sinning carelessly, <i>will beware.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 13" id="Deu.xiv-p10.6" parsed="|Deut|13|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 13:12-18" id="Deu.xiv-p10.7" parsed="|Deut|13|12|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.12-Deut.13.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.13.12-Deut.13.18">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiv-p11">12 If thou shalt hear <i>say</i> in one of thy
cities, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.1">Lord</span> thy God hath
given thee to dwell there, saying, &#160; 13 <i>Certain</i> men,
the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have
withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and
serve other gods, which ye have not known; &#160; 14 Then shalt
thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold,
<i>if it be</i> truth, <i>and</i> the thing certain, <i>that</i>
such abomination is wrought among you; &#160; 15 Thou shalt surely
smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword,
destroying it utterly, and all that <i>is</i> therein, and the
cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. &#160; 16 And thou
shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street
thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil
thereof every whit, for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.2">Lord</span> thy
God: and it shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
&#160; 17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to
thine hand: that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.3">Lord</span> may turn
from the fierceness of his anger, and show thee mercy, and have
compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy
fathers; &#160; 18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.4">Lord</span> thy God, to keep all his
commandments which I command thee this day, to do <i>that which
is</i> right in the eyes of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.5">Lord</span>
thy God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p12">Here the case is put of a city revolting
from its allegiance to the God of Israel, <i>and serving other
gods.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p13">I. The crime is supposed to be committed,
1. By one of the cities of Israel, that lay within the jurisdiction
of their courts. The church then <i>judged those only that were
within,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 5:12,13" id="Deu.xiv-p13.1" parsed="|1Cor|5|12|5|13" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.12-1Cor.5.13">1 Cor. v. 12,
13</scripRef>. And, even when they were ordered to preserve their
religion in the first principles of it by fire and sword to
propagate it. Those that are born within the allegiance of a
prince, if they take up arms against him, are dealt with as
traitors, but foreign invaders are not so. The city that is here
supposed to have become idolatrous is one that formerly worshipped
the true God, but had now withdrawn to other gods, which intimates
how great the crime is, and how sore the punishment will be, of
those that, <i>after they have known the way of righteousness, turn
aside from it,</i> <scripRef passage="2Pe 2:21" id="Deu.xiv-p13.2" parsed="|2Pet|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.21">2 Pet. ii.
21</scripRef>. 2. It is supposed to be committed by the generality
of the inhabitants of the city, for we may conclude that, if a
considerable number did retain their integrity, those only that
were guilty were to be destroyed, and the city was to be spared for
the sake of the righteous in it; for <i>will not the Judge of all
the earth do right?</i> No doubt he will. 3. They are supposed to
be drawn to idolatry by <i>certain men, the children of Belial,</i>
men that would endure no yoke (so it signifies), that neither fear
God nor regard man, but shake off all restraints of law and
conscience, and are perfectly lost to all manner of virtue; these
are those that say, "Let us serve other gods," that will not only
allow, but will countenance and encourage, our immoralities. Belial
is put for <i>the devil</i> (<scripRef passage="2Co 6:15" id="Deu.xiv-p13.3" parsed="|2Cor|6|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.15">2 Cor.
vi. 15</scripRef>), and the children of Belial are his children.
These withdraw the inhabitants of the city; for a little of this
old leaven, when it is entertained, soon leavens the whole
lump.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p14">II. The cause is ordered to be tried with a
great deal of care (<scripRef passage="De 13:14" id="Deu.xiv-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|13|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt enquire and make search.</i> They
must not proceed upon common fame, or take the information by
hearsay, but must examine the proofs, and not give judgment against
them unless the evidence was clear and the charge fully made out.
God himself, before he destroyed Sodom, is said to have come down
to see whether its crimes were according to the clamour, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:21" id="Deu.xiv-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.21">Gen. xviii. 21</scripRef>. In judicial processes
it is requisite that time, and care, and pains, be taken to find
out the truth, and that search be made without any passion,
prejudice, or partiality. The Jewish writers say that, though
particular persons who were idolaters might be judged by the
inferior courts, the defection of a city was to be tried by the
great Sanhedrim; and, if it appeared that they were thrust away to
idolatry, two learned men were sent to them to admonish and reclaim
them. If they repented, all would be well; if not, then all Israel
must go up to war against them, to testify their indignation
against idolatry and to stop the spreading of the contagion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p15">III. If the crime were proved, and the
criminals were incorrigible, the city was to be wholly destroyed.
If there were a few righteous men in it, no doubt they would remove
themselves and their families out of such a dangerous place, and
then all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, must be put to
the sword (<scripRef passage="De 13:15" id="Deu.xiv-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|13|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>),
all the spoil of the city, both shop-goods and the furniture of
houses, must be brought into the marketplace and burned, and the
city itself must be laid in ashes and never built again, <scripRef passage="De 13:16" id="Deu.xiv-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|13|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. The soldiers are
forbidden, upon pain of death, to convert any of the plunder to
their own use, <scripRef passage="De 13:17" id="Deu.xiv-p15.3" parsed="|Deut|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. It was a devoted thing, and dangerous to meddle
with, as we find in the case of Achan. Now, 1. God enjoins this
severity of show what a jealous God he is in the matters of his
worship, and how great a crime it is to serve other gods. Let men
know that God will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to
graven images. 2. He expects that magistrates, having their honour
and power from him, should be concerned for his honour, and use
their power for <i>terror to evil doers,</i> else they bear the
sword in vain. 3. The faithful worshippers of the true God must
take all occasions to show their just indignation against idolatry,
much more against atheism, infidelity, and irreligion. 4. It is
here intimated that the best expedient for the turning away of
God's anger from a land is to execute justice upon the <i>wicked of
the land</i> (<scripRef passage="De 13:17" id="Deu.xiv-p15.4" parsed="|Deut|13|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>), that the Lord may <i>turn from the fierceness of
his anger,</i> which was ready to break out against the whole
nation, for the wickedness of that one apostate city. It is
promised that, if they would thus root wickedness out of their
land, God would multiply them. They might think it impolitic, and
against the interest of their nation, to ruin a whole city for a
crime relating purely to religion, and that they should be more
sparing of the blood of Israelites: "Fear not that" (says Moses),
"God will multiply you the more; the body of your nation will lose
nothing by the letting out of this corrupt blood." <i>Lastly,</i>
Though we do not find this law put in execution in all the history
of the Jewish church (Gibeah was destroyed, not for idolatry, but
immorality), yet for the neglect of the execution of it upon the
inferior cities that served idols God himself, by the army of the
Chaldeans, put it in execution upon Jerusalem, the head city,
which, for is apostasy from God, was utterly destroyed and laid
waste, and lay in ruins seventy years. Though idolaters may escape
punishment from men (nor is this law in the letter of it binding
now, under the gospel), yet the Lord our God will not suffer them
to escape his righteous judgements. The New Testament speaks of
communion with idolaters as a sin which, above any other,
<i>provokes the Lord to jealousy,</i> and dares him as if we were
<i>stronger than he,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 10:21,22" id="Deu.xiv-p15.5" parsed="|1Cor|10|21|10|22" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.21-1Cor.10.22">1 Cor. x.
21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIV" n="xv" progress="88.03%" prev="Deu.xiv" next="Deu.xvi" id="Deu.xv">
<h2 id="Deu.xv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xv-p0.2">CHAP. XIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xv-p1">Moses in this chapter teaches them, I. To
distinguish themselves from their neighbours by a singularity, 1.
In their mourning, <scripRef passage="De 14:1,2" id="Deu.xv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|14|1|14|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.1-Deut.14.2">ver. 1,
2</scripRef>. 2. In their meat, <scripRef passage="De 14:3-21" id="Deu.xv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|14|3|14|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.3-Deut.14.21">ver.
3-21</scripRef>. II. To devote themselves unto God, and, in token
of that, to give him his dues out of their estates, the yearly
tithe, and that every third year, for the maintenance of their
religious feasts, the Levites, and the poor, <scripRef passage="De 14:22-29" id="Deu.xv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|14|22|14|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.22-Deut.14.29">ver. 22</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 14" id="Deu.xv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|14|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 14:1-21" id="Deu.xv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|14|1|14|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.1-Deut.14.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.14.1-Deut.14.21">
<h4 id="Deu.xv-p1.6">What Might Be Eaten, and What
Not. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xv-p2">1 Ye <i>are</i> the children of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p2.1">Lord</span> your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor
make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. &#160; 2 For thou
<i>art</i> a holy people unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p2.3">Lord</span> hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people
unto himself, above all the nations that <i>are</i> upon the earth.
&#160; 3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. &#160; 4 These
<i>are</i> the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and
the goat, &#160; 5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer,
and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the
chamois. &#160; 6 And every beast that parteth the hoof, and
cleaveth the cleft into two claws, <i>and</i> cheweth the cud among
the beasts, that ye shall eat. &#160; 7 Nevertheless these ye shall
not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the
cloven hoof; <i>as</i> the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for
they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; <i>therefore</i> they
<i>are</i> unclean unto you. &#160; 8 And the swine, because it
divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it <i>is</i> unclean
unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead
carcase. &#160; 9 These ye shall eat of all that <i>are</i> in the
waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: &#160; 10 And
whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it <i>is</i>
unclean unto you. &#160; 11 <i>Of</i> all clean birds ye shall eat.
&#160; 12 But these <i>are they</i> of which ye shall not eat: the
eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, &#160; 13 And the glede,
and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, &#160; 14 And every
raven after his kind, &#160; 15 And the owl, and the night hawk,
and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, &#160; 16 The little
owl, and the great owl, and the swan, &#160; 17 And the pelican,
and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, &#160; 18 And the stork, and
the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. &#160; 19
And every creeping thing that flieth <i>is</i> unclean unto you:
they shall not be eaten. &#160; 20 <i>But of</i> all clean fowls ye
may eat. &#160; 21 Ye shall not eat <i>of</i> any thing that dieth
of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that <i>is</i> in
thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an
alien: for thou <i>art</i> a holy people unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his
mother's milk.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p3">Moses here tells the people of Israel,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p4">I. How God had dignified them, as a
peculiar people, with three distinguishing privileges, which were
their honour, and figures of those spiritual blessings in heavenly
things with which God has in Christ blessed us. 1. Here is
election: <i>The Lord hath chosen thee,</i> <scripRef passage="De 14:2" id="Deu.xv-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|14|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Not for their own merit, nor for
any good works foreseen, but because he would magnify the riches of
his power and grace among them. He did not choose them because they
were by their own dedication and subjection a peculiar people to
him above other nations, but he chose them that they might be so by
his grace; and thus were believers chosen, <scripRef passage="Eph 1:4" id="Deu.xv-p4.2" parsed="|Eph|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.4">Eph. i. 4</scripRef>. 2. Here is adoption (<scripRef passage="De 14:1" id="Deu.xv-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): "<i>You are the children
of the Lord your God,</i> formed by him into a people, owned by him
as his people, nay, his family, <i>a people near unto him,</i>
nearer than any other." <i>Israel is my son, my first-born;</i> not
because he needed children, but because they were orphans, and
needed a father. Every Israelite is indeed a child of God, a
partaker of his nature and favour, his love and blessing <i>Behold
what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us!</i> 3. Here is
sanctification (<scripRef passage="De 14:2" id="Deu.xv-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|14|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): "<i>Thou art a holy people,</i> separated and set
apart for God, devoted to his service, designed for his praise,
governed by a holy law, graced by a holy tabernacle, and the holy
ordinances relating to it." God's people are under the strongest
obligations to be holy, and, if they are holy, are indebted to the
grace of God that makes them so. The Lord has set them apart for
himself, and qualified them for his service and the enjoyment of
him, and so has made them holy to himself.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p5">II. How they ought to distinguish
themselves by a sober singularity from all the nations that were
about them. And, God having thus advanced them, let not them debase
themselves by admitting the superstitious customs of idolaters,
and, by making themselves like them, put themselves upon the level
with them. <i>Be you the children of the Lord your God;</i> so the
Seventy read it, as a command, that is, "Carry yourselves as
becomes the children of God, and do nothing to disgrace the honour
and forfeit the privileges of the relation." In two things
particularly they must distinguish themselves:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p6">1. In their mourning: <i>You shall not cut
yourselves,</i> <scripRef passage="De 14:1" id="Deu.xv-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>.
This forbids (as some think), not only their cutting themselves at
their funerals, either to express their grief or with their own
blood to appease the infernal deities, but their wounding and
mangling themselves in the worship of their gods, as Baal's
prophets did (<scripRef passage="1Ki 18:28" id="Deu.xv-p6.2" parsed="|1Kgs|18|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.28">1 Kings xviii.
28</scripRef>), or their marking themselves by incisions in their
flesh for such and such deities, which in them, above any, would be
an inexcusable crime, who in the sign of circumcision bore about
with them in their bodies the marks of the Lord Jehovah. So that,
(1.) They are forbidden to deform or hurt their own bodies upon any
account. Methinks this is like a parent's change to his little
children, that are foolish, careless, and wilful, and are apt to
play with knives: <i>Children, you shall not cut yourselves.</i>
This is the intention of those commands which oblige us to deny
ourselves; the true meaning of them, if we understood them aright,
would appear to be, <i>Do yourselves no harm.</i> And this also is
the design of those providences which most cross us, to remove from
us those things by which we are in danger of doing ourselves harm.
Knives are taken from us, lest we should cut ourselves. Those that
are dedicated to God as a holy people must do nothing to disfigure
themselves; the body is for the Lord, and is to be used
accordingly. (2.) They are forbidden to disturb and afflict their
own minds with inordinate grief for the loss of near and dear
relations: "You shall not express or exasperate your sorrow, even
upon the most mournful occasions, by cutting yourselves, and making
baldness between your eyes, like men enraged, or resolvedly
hardened in sorrow for the dead, as those that have no hope,"
<scripRef passage="1Th 4:13" id="Deu.xv-p6.3" parsed="|1Thess|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.4.13">1 Thess. iv. 13</scripRef>. It is an
excellent passage which Mr. Ainsworth here quotes from one of the
Jewish writers, who understands this as a law against immoderate
grief for the death of our relations. <i>If your father</i> (for
instance) <i>die, you shall not cut yourselves,</i> that is, <i>you
shall not sorrow more than is meet, for you are not fatherless, you
have a Father, who is great, living, and permanent, even the holy
blessed God,</i> whose children you are, <scripRef passage="De 14:1" id="Deu.xv-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|14|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. <i>But an infidel</i> (says he),
<i>when his father dies, hath no father that can help him in time
of need; for he hath said to a stock, Thou art my father, and to a
stone, Thou hast brought me forth</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 2:27" id="Deu.xv-p6.5" parsed="|Jer|2|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.27">Jer. ii. 27</scripRef>); <i>therefore he weeps, cuts
himself, and makes himself bald.</i> We that have a God to hope in,
and a heaven to hope for, must bear up ourselves with that hope
under every burden of this kind.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p7">2. They must be singular in their meat.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p8">(1.) Many sorts of flesh which were
wholesome enough, and which other people did commonly eat, they
must religiously abstain from as unclean. This law we had before
<scripRef passage="Le 11:2" id="Deu.xv-p8.1" parsed="|Lev|11|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.2">Lev. xi. 2</scripRef>, where it was
largely opened. It seems plainly, by the connection here, to be
intended as a mark of peculiarity; for their observance of it would
cause them to be taken notice of in all mixed companies as a
separate people, and would preserve them from mingling themselves
with, and conforming themselves to, their idolatrous neighbours.
[1.] Concerning beasts, here is a more particular enumeration of
those which they were allowed to eat then was in Leviticus, to show
that they had no reason to complain of their being restrained from
eating swines' flesh, and hares, and rabbits (which were all that
were then forbidden, but are now commonly used), when they were
allowed so great a variety, not only of that which we call
butcher's meat (<scripRef passage="De 14:4" id="Deu.xv-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|14|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), which alone was offered in sacrifice, but of
venison, which they had great plenty of in Canaan, <i>the hart, and
the roe-buck, and the fallow deer</i> (<scripRef passage="De 14:5" id="Deu.xv-p8.3" parsed="|Deut|14|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), which, though never brought to
God's altar, was allowed them at their own table. See <scripRef passage="De 12:22" id="Deu.xv-p8.4" parsed="|Deut|12|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.22"><i>ch.</i> xii. 22</scripRef>. When of all these
(as Adam of <i>every tree of the garden</i>) they might freely eat,
those were inexcusable who, to gratify a perverse appetite, or (as
should seem) in honour of their idols, and in participation of
their idolatrous sacrifices, <i>ate swines' flesh, and had broth of
abominable things</i> (made so by this law) <i>in their
vessels,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 65:4" id="Deu.xv-p8.5" parsed="|Isa|65|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.4">Isa. lxv. 4</scripRef>.
[2.] Concerning fish there is only one general rule given, that
whatsoever had not fins and scales (as shell-fish and eels, besides
leeches and other animals in the water that are not proper food)
was <i>unclean and forbidden,</i> <scripRef passage="De 14:9,10" id="Deu.xv-p8.6" parsed="|Deut|14|9|14|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.9-Deut.14.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. [3.] No general rule is
given concerning fowl, but those are particularly mentioned that
were to be unclean to them, and there are few or none of them which
are here forbidden that are now commonly eaten; and whatsoever is
not expressly forbidden is allowed, <scripRef passage="De 14:11-20" id="Deu.xv-p8.7" parsed="|Deut|14|11|14|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.11-Deut.14.20"><i>v.</i> 11-20</scripRef>. <i>Of all clean fowls you
may eat.</i> [4.] They are further forbidden, <i>First,</i> To eat
the flesh of any creature that died of itself, because the blood
was not separated from it, and, besides the ceremonial uncleanness
which it lay under (from <scripRef passage="Le 11:39" id="Deu.xv-p8.8" parsed="|Lev|11|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.11.39">Lev. xi.
39</scripRef>), it is not wholesome food, nor ordinarily used among
us, except by the poor. <i>Secondly,</i> To <i>seethe a kid in its
mother's milk,</i> either to gratify their own luxury, supposing it
a dainty bit, or in conformity to some superstitious custom of the
heathen. The Chaldee paraphrasts read it, <i>Thou shalt not eat
flesh&#8212;meats and milk&#8212;meats together;</i> and so it would forbid
the use of butter as sauce to any flesh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p9">(2.) Now as to all these precepts
concerning their food, [1.] It is plain in the law itself that they
belonged only to the Jews, and were not moral, nor of perpetual
use, because not of universal obligation; for what they might not
eat themselves they might give to a stranger, a proselyte of the
gate, that had renounced idolatry, and therefore was permitted to
live among them, though not circumcised; or they might sell it to
an alien, a mere Gentile, that came into their country for trade,
but might not settle it, <scripRef passage="De 14:21" id="Deu.xv-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. They might feed upon that which an Israelite might
not touch, which is a plain instance of their peculiarity, and
their being a holy people. [2.] It is plain in the gospel that they
are now antiquated and repealed. For <i>every creature of God is
good, and nothing now to be refused,</i> or <i>called common and
unclean,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 4:4" id="Deu.xv-p9.2" parsed="|1Tim|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.4.4">1 Tim. iv.
4</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 14:22-29" id="Deu.xv-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|14|22|14|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.22-Deut.14.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.14.22-Deut.14.29">
<h4 id="Deu.xv-p9.4">Tithes for Feasting and
Charity. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p9.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xv-p10">22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of
thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. &#160; 23 And
thou shalt eat before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.1">Lord</span> thy
God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there,
the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the
firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn
to fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.2">Lord</span> thy God always.
&#160; 24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not
able to carry it; <i>or</i> if the place be too far from thee,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.3">Lord</span> thy God shall choose
to set his name there, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.4">Lord</span>
thy God hath blessed thee: &#160; 25 Then shalt thou turn <i>it</i>
into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto
the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.5">Lord</span> thy God
shall choose: &#160; 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for
whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for
wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and
thou shalt eat there before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.6">Lord</span>
thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, &#160;
27 And the Levite that <i>is</i> within thy gates; thou shalt not
forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. &#160;
28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe
of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay <i>it</i> up within
thy gates: &#160; 29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor
inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and
the widow, which <i>are</i> within thy gates, shall come, and shall
eat and be satisfied; that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xv-p10.7">Lord</span>
thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou
doest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p11">We have here a part of the statute
concerning tithes. The productions of the ground were twice tithed,
so that, putting both together, a fifth part was devoted to God out
of their increase, and only four parts of five were for their own
common use; and they could not but own they paid an easy rent,
especially since God's part was disposed of to their own benefit
and advantage. The first tithe was for the maintenance of their
Levites, who taught them the good knowledge of God, and ministered
to them in holy things; this is supposed as anciently due, and is
entailed upon the Levites as an inheritance, by that law, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:24" id="Deu.xv-p11.1" parsed="|Num|18|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.24">Num. xviii. 24</scripRef>, &amp;c. But it is the
second tithe that is here spoken of, which was to be taken out of
the remainder when the Levites had had theirs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p12">I. They are here charged to separate it,
and set it apart for God: <i>Thou shalt truly tithe all the
increase of they seed,</i> <scripRef passage="De 14:22" id="Deu.xv-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. The Levites took care of their own, but the
separating of this was left to the owners themselves, the law
encouraging them to be honest by reposing a confidence in them, and
so trying their fear of God. They are commanded to tithe
<i>truly,</i> that is, to be sure to do it, and to do it faithfully
and carefully, that God's part might not be diminished either with
design or by oversight. Note, We must be sure to give God his full
dues out of our estates; for, being but stewards of them, it is
required that we be faithful, as those that must give account.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p13">II. They are here directed how to dispose
of it when they had separated it. Let every man lay by as God
prospers him and gives him success, and then let him lay out in
pious uses as God gives him opportunity; and it will be the easier
to lay out, and the proportion will be more satisfying, when first
we have laid by. This second tithe may be disposed of,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p14">1. In works of piety, for the first two
years after the year of release. They must bring it up, either in
kind or in the full value of it, to the place of the sanctuary, and
there must spend it in holy feasting before the Lord. If they could
do it with any convenience, they must bring it in kind (<scripRef passage="De 14:23" id="Deu.xv-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|14|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>); but, if not, they
might turn it into money (<scripRef passage="De 14:24,25" id="Deu.xv-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|14|24|14|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.24-Deut.14.25"><i>v.</i>
24, 25</scripRef>), and that money must be laid out in something to
feast upon before the Lord. The comfortable cheerful using of what
God has given us, with temperance and sobriety, is really the
honouring of God with it. Contentment, holy joy, and thankfulness,
make every meal a religious feast. The end of this law we have
(<scripRef passage="De 14:23" id="Deu.xv-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|14|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>That
thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always;</i> it was to
keep them right and firm to their religion, (1.) By acquainting
them with the sanctuary, the holy things, and the solemn services
that were there performed. What they read the appointment of their
Bibles, it would do them good to see the observance of in the
tabernacle; it would make a deeper impression upon them, which
would keep them out of the snares of the idolatrous customs. Note,
It will have a good influence upon our constancy in religion
<i>never to forsake the assembling of ourselves together,</i>
<scripRef passage="Heb 10:25" id="Deu.xv-p14.4" parsed="|Heb|10|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.25">Heb. x. 25</scripRef>. By the comfort
of the communion of saints, we may be kept to our communion with
God. (2.) By using them to the most pleasant and delightful
services of religion. Let them <i>rejoice before the Lord, that
they may learn to fear him always.</i> The more pleasure we find in
the ways of religion the more likely we shall be to persevere in
those ways. One thing they must remember in their pious
entertainments&#8212;to bid their Levites welcome to them. Thou shalt
not <i>forsake the Levites</i> (<scripRef passage="De 14:27" id="Deu.xv-p14.5" parsed="|Deut|14|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>): "Let him never be a stranger
to thy table, especially when thou eatest before the Lord."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xv-p15">2. Every third year this tithe must be
disposed of at home in works of charity (<scripRef passage="De 14:28,29" id="Deu.xv-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|14|28|14|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.28-Deut.14.29"><i>v.</i> 28, 29</scripRef>): <i>Lay it up within
they own gates,</i> and let it be given to the poor, who, knowing
the provision this law had made for them, no doubt would come to
seek it; and, that they might make the poor familiar to them and
not disdain their company, they are here directed to welcome them
to their houses. "Thither let them come, and eat and be satisfied."
In this charitable distribution of the second tithe they must have
an eye to the poor ministers and add to their encouragement by
entertaining them, then to poor strangers (not only for the supply
of their necessities, but to put a respect upon them, and so to
invite them to turn proselytes), and then to the fatherless and
widow, who, though perhaps they might have a competent maintenance
left them, yet could not be supposed to live so plentifully and
comfortably as they had done in months past, and therefore they
were to countenance them, and help to make them easy by inviting
them to this entertainment. God has a particular care for widows
and fatherless, and he requires that we should have the same. It is
his honour, and will be ours, to help the helpless. And if we thus
serve God, and do good with what we have, it is promised here that
the Lord our God will <i>bless us in all the work of our hand.</i>
Note, (1.) The blessing of God is all in all to our outward
prosperity, and, without that blessing, the work of our hands which
we do will bring nothing to pass. (2.) The way to obtain that
blessing is to be diligent and charitable. The blessing descends
upon the working hand: "Except not that God should bless thee in
thy idleness and love of ease, but in all the work of thy hand."
It is the hand of the diligent, with the blessing of God upon it,
that makes rich, <scripRef passage="Pr 10:4,22" id="Deu.xv-p15.2" parsed="|Prov|10|4|0|0;|Prov|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.10.4 Bible:Prov.10.22">Prov. x. 4,
22</scripRef>. And it descends upon the giving hand; he that thus
scatters certainly increases, and the liberal soul will be made
fat. It is an undoubted truth, though little believed, that to be
charitable to the poor, and to be free and generous in the support
of religion and any good work, is the surest and safest way of
thriving. What is lent to the Lord will be repaid with abundant
interest. See <scripRef passage="Eze 44:30" id="Deu.xv-p15.3" parsed="|Ezek|44|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.30">Ezek. xliv.
30</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XV" n="xvi" progress="88.42%" prev="Deu.xv" next="Deu.xvii" id="Deu.xvi">
<h2 id="Deu.xvi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xvi-p0.2">CHAP. XV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xvi-p1">In this chapter Moses gives orders, I. Concerning
the release of debts, every seventh year (<scripRef passage="De 15:1-6" id="Deu.xvi-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|15|1|15|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.1-Deut.15.6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>), with a caution that this should
be no hindrance to charitable lending, <scripRef passage="De 15:7-11" id="Deu.xvi-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|15|7|15|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.7-Deut.15.11">ver. 7-11</scripRef>. II. Concerning the release of
servants after seven years' service, <scripRef passage="De 15:12-18" id="Deu.xvi-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|15|12|15|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.12-Deut.15.18">ver. 12-18</scripRef>. III. Concerning the
sanctification of the firstlings of cattle to God, <scripRef passage="De 15:19-23" id="Deu.xvi-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|15|19|15|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.19-Deut.15.23">ver. 19</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 15" id="Deu.xvi-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 15:1-11" id="Deu.xvi-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|15|1|15|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.1-Deut.15.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.15.1-Deut.15.11">
<h4 id="Deu.xvi-p1.7">The Year of Release. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xvi-p2">1 At the end of <i>every</i> seven years thou
shalt make a release. &#160; 2 And this <i>is</i> the manner of the
release: Every creditor that lendeth <i>ought</i> unto his
neighbour shall release <i>it;</i> he shall not exact <i>it</i> of
his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.1">Lord</span>'s release. &#160; 3 Of a foreigner
thou mayest exact <i>it again:</i> but <i>that</i> which is thine
with thy brother thine hand shall release; &#160; 4 Save when there
shall be no poor among you; for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.2">Lord</span> shall greatly bless thee in the land which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee
<i>for</i> an inheritance to possess it: &#160; 5 Only if thou
carefully hearken unto the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God, to observe to do all these
commandments which I command thee this day. &#160; 6 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God blesseth thee, as he promised
thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not
borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not
reign over thee. &#160; 7 If there be among you a poor man of one
of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not
harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
&#160; 8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt
surely lend him sufficient for his need, <i>in that</i> which he
wanteth. &#160; 9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked
heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand;
and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him
nought; and he cry unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.7">Lord</span>
against thee, and it be sin unto thee. &#160; 10 Thou shalt surely
give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest
unto him: because that for this thing the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God shall bless thee in all thy works,
and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. &#160; 11 For the
poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee,
saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy
poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p3">Here is, I. A law for the relief of poor
debtors, such (we may suppose) as were insolvent. Every seventh
year was a year of release, in which the ground rested from being
tilled and servants were discharged from their services; and, among
other acts of grace, this was one, that those who had borrowed
money, and had not been able to pay it before, should this year be
released from it; and though, if they were able, they were
afterwards bound in conscience to repay it, yet thenceforth the
creditor should never recover it by law. Many good expositors think
it only forbids the exacting of the debt in the year of release,
because, no harvest being gathered in that year, it could not be
expected that men should pay their debts then, but that afterwards
it might be sued for and recovered: so that the release did not
extinguish the debt, but only stayed the process for a time. But
others think it was a release of the debt for ever, and this seems
more probable, yet under certain limitations expressed or implied.
It is supposed (<scripRef passage="De 15:3" id="Deu.xvi-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|15|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>)
that the debtor was an Israelite (an alien could not take the
benefit of this law) and that he was poor (<scripRef passage="De 15:4" id="Deu.xvi-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), that he did not borrow for trade
or purchase, but for the subsistence of his family, and that now he
could not pay it without reducing himself to poverty and coming
under a necessity of seeking relief in other countries, which might
be his temptation to revolt from God. The law is not that the
creditor shall not receive the debt if the debtor, or his friends
for him, can pay it; but he shall not exact it by a legal process.
The reasons of this law are, 1. To put an honour upon the
sabbatical year: <i>Because it is called the Lord's release,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 15:2" id="Deu.xvi-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|15|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. That was God's
year for their land, as the weekly sabbath was God's day for
themselves, their servants, and cattle; and, as by the resting of
their ground, so by the release of their debts, God would teach
them to depend upon his providence. This year of release typified
the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year
of the Lord, and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that
is, the pardon of our sins, and we are taught to forgive injuries,
as we are and hope to be forgiven of God. 2. It was to prevent the
falling of any Israelite into extreme poverty: so the margin reads
(<scripRef passage="De 15:4" id="Deu.xvi-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), <i>To the end
there shall be no poor among you,</i> none miserably and
scandalously poor, to the reproach of their nation and religion,
the reputation of which they ought to preserve. 3. God's security
is here given by a divine promise that, whatever they lost by their
poor debtors, it should be made up to them in the blessing of God
upon all they had and did, <scripRef passage="De 15:4-6" id="Deu.xvi-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|15|4|15|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.4-Deut.15.6"><i>v.</i>
4-6</scripRef>. Let them take care to do their duty, and then God
would bless them with such great increase that what they might lose
by bad debts, if they generously remitted them, should not be
missed out of their stock at the year's end. Not only, <i>the Lord
shall bless thee</i> (<scripRef passage="De 15:4" id="Deu.xvi-p3.6" parsed="|Deut|15|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>), but he <i>doth bless thee,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:6" id="Deu.xvi-p3.7" parsed="|Deut|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It is altogether inexcusable if,
though God had given us abundance, so that we have not only enough
but to spare, yet we are rigorous and server in our demands from
our poor brethren; for our abundance should be the supply of their
wants, that at least there may not be such an inequality as is
between two extremes, <scripRef passage="2Co 8:14" id="Deu.xvi-p3.8" parsed="|2Cor|8|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.14">2 Cor. viii.
14</scripRef>. They must also consider that their land was God's
gift to them, that all their increase was the fruit of God's
blessing upon them, and therefore they were bound in duty to him to
use and dispose of their estates as he should order and direct
them. And, <i>lastly,</i> If they would remit what little sums they
had lent to their poor brethren, it is promised that they should be
able to lend great sums to their rich neighbours, <i>even to many
nations</i> (<scripRef passage="De 15:6" id="Deu.xvi-p3.9" parsed="|Deut|15|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>),
and should be enriched by those loans. Thus the nations should
become subject to them, and dependent on them, as <i>the borrower
is servant to the lender,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 22:7" id="Deu.xvi-p3.10" parsed="|Prov|22|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.22.7">Prov.
xxii. 7</scripRef>. To be able to lend, and not to have need to
borrow, we must look upon as a great mercy, and a good reason why
we should do good with what we have, lest we provoke God to turn
the scales.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p4">II. Here is a law in favour of poor
borrowers, that they might not suffer damage by the former law. Men
would be apt to argue, <i>If the case of a man be so with his
debtor</i> that if the debt be not paid before the year of release
it shall be lost, it were better not to lend. "No," says this
branch of the statute, "thou shalt not think such a thought." 1. It
is taken for granted that there would be poor among them, who would
have occasion to borrow (<scripRef passage="De 15:7" id="Deu.xvi-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|15|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), and that there would never cease to be some such
objects of charity (<scripRef passage="De 15:7" id="Deu.xvi-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|15|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), and that there would never cease to be some such
objects of charity (<scripRef passage="De 15:11" id="Deu.xvi-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>): <i>The poor shall never cease out of thy land,</i>
though not such as were reduced to extreme poverty, yet such as
would be behind-hand, and would have occasion to borrow; of such
poor he here speaks, and such we have always with us, so that a
charitable disposition may soon find a charitable occasion. 2. In
such a case we are here commanded to lend or give, according to our
ability and the necessity of the case: <i>Thou shalt not harden thy
heart, nor shut thy hand,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:7" id="Deu.xvi-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|15|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. If the hand be shut, it is a sign the heart is
hardened; for, <i>if the clouds were full of rain, they would empty
themselves,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 11:3" id="Deu.xvi-p4.5" parsed="|Eccl|11|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.11.3">Eccl. xi. 3</scripRef>.
Bowels of compassion would produce liberal distributions, <scripRef passage="Jam 2:15,16" id="Deu.xvi-p4.6" parsed="|Jas|2|15|2|16" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.15-Jas.2.16">Jam. ii. 15, 16</scripRef>. Thou shalt not
only stretch out thy hand to him to reach him something, but thou
shalt <i>open thy hand wide unto him,</i> to <i>lend him
sufficient,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:8" id="Deu.xvi-p4.7" parsed="|Deut|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Sometimes there is as much charity in prudent lending as in giving,
as it obliges the borrower to industry and honesty and may put him
into a way of helping himself. We are sometimes tempted to think,
when an object of charity presents itself, we may choose whether we
will give any thing or nothing, little or much; whereas it is here
an express precept (<scripRef passage="De 15:11" id="Deu.xvi-p4.8" parsed="|Deut|15|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), <i>I command thee,</i> not only to give, but to
<i>open thy hand wide,</i> to give liberally. 3. Here is a caveat
against that objection which might arise against charitable lending
from the foregoing law for the release of debts (<scripRef passage="De 15:9" id="Deu.xvi-p4.9" parsed="|Deut|15|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>Beware that there be not a
thought,</i> a covetous ill-natured thought, <i>in thy Belial
heart, "The year of release is at hand,</i> and therefore I will
not lend what I must then be sure to lose;" lest thy poor brother,
whom thou refusest to lend to, complain to God, and it will be a
sin, a great sin, to thee. Note, (1.) The law is spiritual and lays
a restraint upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake if we think
thoughts are free from the divine cognizance and check. (2.) That
is a wicked heart indeed that raises evil thoughts from the good
law of God, as theirs did who, because God had obliged them to the
charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. (3.) We must
carefully watch against all those secret suggestions which would
divert us from our duty or discourage us in it. Those that would
keep from the act of sin must keep out of their minds the very
thought of sin. (4.) When we have an occasion of charitable
lending, if we cannot trust the borrower, we must trust God, and
lend, hoping for nothing again in this world, but expecting it will
be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, <scripRef passage="Lu 6:35,14:14" id="Deu.xvi-p4.10" parsed="|Luke|6|35|0|0;|Luke|14|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.6.35 Bible:Luke.14.14">Luke vi. 35; xiv. 14</scripRef>. (5.) It is a
dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor against us, for God has
his ear open to that cry, and, in compassion to them, will be sue
to reckon with those that deal hardly with them. (6.) That which we
think is our prudence often proves sin to us; he that refused to
lend because the year of release was at hand thought he did wisely,
and that men would <i>praise him as doing well for himself,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 49:18" id="Deu.xvi-p4.11" parsed="|Ps|49|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.18">Ps. xlix. 18</scripRef>. But he is
here told that he did wickedly, and that God would condemn him as
doing ill to his brother; and we are sure that the <i>judgment of
God is according to truth,</i> and that what he says is sin to us
will certainly be ruin to us if it be not repented of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p5">III. Here is a command to give cheerfully
whatever we give in charity: "<i>Thy heart shall not be grieved
when thou givest,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:10" id="Deu.xvi-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. Be not loth to part with thy money on so good an
account, nor think it lost; grudge not a kindness to they brother;
and distrust not the providence of God, as if thou shouldest want
that thyself which thou givest in charity; but, on the contrary,
let it be a pleasure and a satisfaction of soul to thee to think
that thou art honouring God with thy substance, doing good, making
thy brother easy, and laying up for thyself a good security for the
time to come. What thou doest do freely, for God <i>loves a
cheerful giver,</i>" <scripRef passage="2Co 9:7" id="Deu.xvi-p5.2" parsed="|2Cor|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.9.7">2 Cor. ix.
7</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p6">IV. Here is a promise of a recompence in
this life: "<i>For this thing the Lord thy God shall bless
thee.</i>" Covetous people say "Giving undoes us;" no, giving
cheerfully in charity will enrich us, it will <i>fill the barns
with plenty</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 3:10" id="Deu.xvi-p6.1" parsed="|Prov|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.10">Prov. iii.
10</scripRef>) and the soul with true comfort, <scripRef passage="Isa 58:10,11" id="Deu.xvi-p6.2" parsed="|Isa|58|10|58|11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.58.10-Isa.58.11">Isa. lviii. 10, 11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 15" id="Deu.xvi-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 15:12-18" id="Deu.xvi-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|15|12|15|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.12-Deut.15.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.15.12-Deut.15.18">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xvi-p7">&#160; 12 <i>And</i> if thy brother, a Hebrew
man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six
years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from
thee. &#160; 13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou
shalt not let him go away empty: &#160; 14 Thou shalt furnish him
liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy
winepress: <i>of that</i> wherewith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p7.1">Lord</span> thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give
unto him. &#160; 15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a
bondman in the land of Egypt, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p7.2">Lord</span> thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command
thee this thing to day. &#160; 16 And it shall be, if he say unto
thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and
thine house, because he is well with thee; &#160; 17 Then thou
shalt take an awl, and thrust <i>it</i> through his ear unto the
door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy
maidservant thou shalt do likewise. &#160; 18 It shall not seem
hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he
hath been worth a double hired servant <i>to thee,</i> in serving
thee six years: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p7.3">Lord</span> thy God
shall bless thee in all that thou doest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p8">Here is, I. A repetition of the law that
had been given concerning Hebrew servants who had sold themselves
for servants, or were sold by their parents through extreme
poverty, or were sold by the court of judgment for some crime
committed. The law was, 1. That they should serve but six years,
and in the seventh should go out free, <scripRef passage="De 15:12" id="Deu.xvi-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|15|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Compare <scripRef passage="Ex 21:2" id="Deu.xvi-p8.2" parsed="|Exod|21|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.2">Exod. xxi. 2</scripRef>. And, if the year of jubilee
happened before they served out their time, that would be their
discharge. God's Israel were a free people, and must not be
compelled to perpetual slavery; thus are God's spiritual Israel
called unto liberty. 2. That if, when their six years' service had
expired, they had no mind to go out free, but would rather continue
in service, as having less care, though taking more pains, than
their masters, in this case they must lay themselves under an
obligation to serve for ever, that is, for life, by having <i>their
ears bored to the door-posts,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:16,17" id="Deu.xvi-p8.3" parsed="|Deut|15|16|15|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.16-Deut.15.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. Compare <scripRef passage="Ex 21:6" id="Deu.xvi-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|21|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.6">Exod. xxi. 6</scripRef>. If hereby a man
disgraced himself with some, as of a mean and servile spirit, that
had not a due sense of the honour and pleasure of liberty, yet, we
may suppose, with others he got reputation, as of a quiet contented
spirit, humble, and diligent, and loving, and not <i>given to
change.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p9">II. Here is an addition to this law,
requiring them to put some small stock into their servants' hands
to set up with for themselves, when they sent them out of their
service, <scripRef passage="De 15:13,14" id="Deu.xvi-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|15|13|15|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.13-Deut.15.14"><i>v.</i> 13,
14</scripRef>. It was to be supposed that they had nothing of their
own, and that their friends had little or nothing for them, else
they else they would have been redeemed before they were discharged
by law; they had no wages for their service, and all they got by
their labour was their masters', so that their liberty would do
them little good, having nothing to begin the world with; therefore
their masters are here commanded to furnish them liberally with
corn and cattle. No certain measure is prescribed: that is left to
the generosity of the master, who probably would have respect to
the servant's merit and necessity; but the Jewish writers say, "He
could not give less than the value of thirty shekels of silver, but
as much more as he pleased" The maid-servants, though they were not
to have their ears bored if they were disposed to stay, yet, if
they went out free, they were to have a gratuity given them; for to
this those words refer, <i>Unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do
likewise,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:17" id="Deu.xvi-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|15|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
The reasons for this are taken from the law of gratitude. They must
do it, 1. In gratitude to God, who had not only brought them out of
Egypt (<scripRef passage="De 15:15" id="Deu.xvi-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|15|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), but
brought them out greatly enriched with the spoils of the Egyptians.
Let them not send their servants out empty, for they were not sent
empty out of the house of bondage. God's tender care of us and
kindness to us oblige us to be careful of, and kind to, those that
have a dependence upon us. Thus we must <i>render according to the
benefit done unto us.</i> 2. In gratitude to their servants,
<scripRef passage="De 15:18" id="Deu.xvi-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. "Grudge not
to give him a little out of thy abundance, for <i>he has been worth
a double hired servant unto thee.</i> The days of the hireling at
most were but three years (<scripRef passage="Isa 16:14" id="Deu.xvi-p9.5" parsed="|Isa|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.16.14">Isa. xvi.
14</scripRef>), but he has served thee six years, and, unlike the
hired servant, without any wages." Masters and landlords ought to
consider what need they have of, and what ease and advantage they
have by, their servants and tenants, and should not only be just
but kind to them. To these reasons it is added, as before in this
chapter (<scripRef passage="De 15:4,6,10" id="Deu.xvi-p9.6" parsed="|Deut|15|4|0|0;|Deut|15|6|0|0;|Deut|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.4 Bible:Deut.15.6 Bible:Deut.15.10"><i>v.</i> 4, 6,
10</scripRef>), <i>The Lord thy God shall bless thee.</i> Then we
may expect family blessings, the springs of family-prosperity, when
we make conscience of our duty to our family-relations.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 15" id="Deu.xvi-p9.7" parsed="|Deut|15|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 15:19-23" id="Deu.xvi-p9.8" parsed="|Deut|15|19|15|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.19-Deut.15.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.15.19-Deut.15.23">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xvi-p10">19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd
and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p10.1">Lord</span> thy God: thou shalt do no work with the
firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
&#160; 20 Thou shalt eat <i>it</i> before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p10.2">Lord</span> thy God year by year in the place which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p10.3">Lord</span> shall choose, thou and thy
household. &#160; 21 And if there be <i>any</i> blemish therein,
<i>as if it be</i> lame, or blind, <i>or have</i> any ill blemish,
thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvi-p10.4">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 22 Thou shalt eat it within
thy gates: the unclean and the clean <i>person shall eat it</i>
alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart. &#160; 23 Only thou shalt
not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as
water.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvi-p11">Here is, 1. A repetition of the law
concerning the firstlings of their cattle, that, if they were
males, they were to be <i>sanctified to the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="De 15:19" id="Deu.xvi-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), in remembrance of, and
in thankfulness for, the sparing of the first-born of Israel, when
the first-born of the Egyptians, both of man and beast, were slain
by the destroying angel (<scripRef passage="Ex 13:2,15" id="Deu.xvi-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|13|2|0|0;|Exod|13|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.13.2 Bible:Exod.13.15">Exod. xiii.
2, 15</scripRef>); on the eighth day it was to be given to God (
<scripRef passage="Ex 22:30" id="Deu.xvi-p11.3" parsed="|Exod|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.30">Exod. xxii. 30</scripRef>), and to be
divided between the priest and the altar, <scripRef passage="Nu 18:17,18" id="Deu.xvi-p11.4" parsed="|Num|18|17|18|18" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.17-Num.18.18">Num. xviii. 17, 18</scripRef>. 2. An addition to that
law, for the further explication of it, directing them what to do
with the firstlings, (1.) That were females: "Thou shalt <i>do no
work with the</i> female <i>firstlings of the cow,</i> nor shear
those of the sheep" (<scripRef passage="De 15:19" id="Deu.xvi-p11.5" parsed="|Deut|15|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>); of them the learned bishop Patrick understands it.
Though the female firstlings were not so entirely sanctified to God
as the males, nor so early as at eight days old, yet they were not
to be converted by the owners to their own use as the other cattle,
but must be offered to God as peace-offerings, or used in a
religious feast, at the year's end, <scripRef passage="De 15:20" id="Deu.xvi-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|15|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. <i>Thou shalt eat it before the
Lord thy God,</i> as directed <scripRef passage="De 12:18" id="Deu.xvi-p11.7" parsed="|Deut|12|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.18"><i>ch.</i> xii. 18</scripRef>. (2.) But what must they
do with that which was blemished, ill-blemished? <scripRef passage="De 15:21" id="Deu.xvi-p11.8" parsed="|Deut|15|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Were it male or female, it must
not be brought near the sanctuary, nor used either for sacrifice or
for holy feasting, for it would not be fit to honour God with, nor
to typify Christ, who is a <i>Lamb without blemish;</i> yet it must
not be reared, but killed and eaten at their own houses as common
food (<scripRef passage="De 15:22" id="Deu.xvi-p11.9" parsed="|Deut|15|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), only
they must be sure <i>not to eat it with the blood,</i> <scripRef passage="De 15:23" id="Deu.xvi-p11.10" parsed="|Deut|15|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.15.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. The frequent repetition
of this caution intimates what need the people had of it, and what
stress God laid upon it. What a mercy it is that we are not under
this yoke! We are not dieted as they were; we make no difference
between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest that follow. Let us
therefore realize the gospel meaning of this law, devoting
ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God, as a kind
of first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and
enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we
have them all by his gift.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVI" n="xvii" progress="88.81%" prev="Deu.xvi" next="Deu.xviii" id="Deu.xvii">
<h2 id="Deu.xvii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xvii-p0.2">CHAP. XVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xvii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. A repetition of the
laws concerning the three yearly feasts; in particular, that of the
passover, <scripRef passage="De 16:1-8" id="Deu.xvii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|16|1|16|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.1-Deut.16.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. That
of pentecost, <scripRef passage="De 16:9-12" id="Deu.xvii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|16|9|16|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.9-Deut.16.12">ver. 9-12</scripRef>.
That of tabernacles, <scripRef passage="De 16:13-15" id="Deu.xvii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|16|13|16|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.13-Deut.16.15">ver.
13-15</scripRef>. And the general law concerning the people's
attendance on them, <scripRef passage="De 16:16,17" id="Deu.xvii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|16|16|16|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.16-Deut.16.17">ver. 16,
17</scripRef>. II. The institution of an inferior magistracy, and
general rules of justice given to those that were called into
office, <scripRef passage="De 16:18-20" id="Deu.xvii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|16|18|16|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.18-Deut.16.20">ver. 18-20</scripRef>. III.
A caveat against groves and images, <scripRef passage="De 16:21,22" id="Deu.xvii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|16|21|16|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.21-Deut.16.22">ver. 21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 16" id="Deu.xvii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 16:1-17" id="Deu.xvii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|16|1|16|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.1-Deut.16.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.16.1-Deut.16.17">
<h4 id="Deu.xvii-p1.9">Yearly Release. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xvii-p2">1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the
passover unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God: for
in the month of Abib the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy
God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. &#160; 2 Thou shalt
therefore sacrifice the passover unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the
place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.4">Lord</span> shall choose to
place his name there. &#160; 3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread
with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith,
<i>even</i> the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of
the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when
thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy
life. &#160; 4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee
in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there <i>any thing</i>
of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain
all night until the morning. &#160; 5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the
passover within any of thy gates, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee: &#160; 6 But at the
place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God shall
choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the
passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that
thou camest forth out of Egypt. &#160; 7 And thou shalt roast and
eat <i>it</i> in the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.7">Lord</span> thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn
in the morning, and go unto thy tents. &#160; 8 Six days thou shalt
eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day <i>shall be</i> a
solemn assembly to the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God:
thou shalt do no work <i>therein.</i> &#160; 9 Seven weeks shalt
thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from <i>such
time as</i> thou beginnest <i>to put</i> the sickle to the corn.
&#160; 10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.9">Lord</span> thy God with a tribute of a freewill
offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give <i>unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.10">Lord</span> thy God,</i> according as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.11">Lord</span> thy God hath blessed thee: &#160; 11
And thou shalt rejoice before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.12">Lord</span> thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy
daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite
that <i>is</i> within thy gates, and the stranger, and the
fatherless, and the widow, that <i>are</i> among you, in the place
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.13">Lord</span> thy God hath chosen
to place his name there. &#160; 12 And thou shalt remember that
thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these
statutes. &#160; 13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles
seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine:
&#160; 14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son,
and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the
Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that
<i>are</i> within thy gates. &#160; 15 Seven days shalt thou keep a
solemn feast unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.14">Lord</span> thy God
in the place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.15">Lord</span> shall
choose: because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.16">Lord</span> thy God
shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of
thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice. &#160; 16 Three
times in a year shall all thy males appear before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.17">Lord</span> thy God in the place which he shall choose;
in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in
the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.18">Lord</span> empty: &#160; 17 Every man
<i>shall give</i> as he is able, according to the blessing of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p2.19">Lord</span> thy God which he hath given
thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p3">Much of the communion between God and his
people Israel was kept up, and a face of religion preserved in the
nation, by the three yearly feasts, the institution of which, and
the laws concerning them, we have several times met with already;
and here they are repeated.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p4">I. The law of the passover, so great a
solemnity that it made the whole month, in the midst of which it
was placed, considerable: <i>Observe the month Abib,</i> <scripRef passage="De 16:1" id="Deu.xvii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|16|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Though one week only of
this month was to be kept as a festival, yet their preparations
before must be so solemn, and their reflections upon it and
improvements of it afterwards so serious, as to amount to an
observance of the whole month. The month of Abib, or of <i>new
fruits,</i> as the Chaldee translates it, answers to our March (or
part of March and part of April), and was by a special order from
God, in remembrance of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, made
the <i>beginning of their year</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:2" id="Deu.xvii-p4.2" parsed="|Exod|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.2">Exod. xii. 2</scripRef>), which before was reckoned to
begin in September. This month they were to keep the passover, in
remembrance of their being <i>brought out of Egypt by night,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 16:1" id="Deu.xvii-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|16|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The Chaldee
paraphrasts expound it, "Because they came out of Egypt by
daylight," there being an express order that they should not stir
out of their doors till morning, <scripRef passage="Ex 12:22" id="Deu.xvii-p4.4" parsed="|Exod|12|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.22">Exod.
xii. 22</scripRef>. One of them expounds it thus: "<i>He brought
thee out of Egypt,</i> and did wonders <i>by night.</i>" The other,
"and thou shalt eat the passover <i>by night.</i>" The laws
concerning it are, 1. That they must be sure to sacrifice the
passover in the place that God should choose (<scripRef passage="De 16:2" id="Deu.xvii-p4.5" parsed="|Deut|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and in no other place, <scripRef passage="De 16:5-7" id="Deu.xvii-p4.6" parsed="|Deut|16|5|16|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.5-Deut.16.7"><i>v.</i> 5-7</scripRef>. The passover was
itself a sacrifice; hence Christ, as our passover, is said to be
<i>sacrificed for us</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 5:7" id="Deu.xvii-p4.7" parsed="|1Cor|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.7">1 Cor. v.
7</scripRef>), and many other sacrifices were offered during the
seven days of the feast (<scripRef passage="Nu 28:19" id="Deu.xvii-p4.8" parsed="|Num|28|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.28.19">Num. xxviii.
19</scripRef>, &amp;c.), which are included here, for they are said
to be sacrificed <i>of the flock and the herd,</i> whereas the
passover itself was only of the flock, either a lamb or a kid: now
no sacrifice was accepted but from the altar that sanctified it; it
was therefore necessary that they should go up to the place of the
altar, for, though the paschal lamb was entirely eaten by the
owners, yet it must be killed in the court, the blood sprinkled,
and the inwards burned upon the altar. By confining them to the
appointed rule, from which they would have been apt to vary, and to
introduce foolish inventions of their own, had they been permitted
to offer these sacrifices within their own gates, from under the
inspection of the priests. They were also hereby directed to have
their eye up unto God in the solemnity, and the <i>desire of their
hearts towards the remembrance of his name,</i> being appointed to
attend where he had chosen <i>to place his name,</i> <scripRef passage="De 16:2,6" id="Deu.xvii-p4.9" parsed="|Deut|16|2|0|0;|Deut|16|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.2 Bible:Deut.16.6"><i>v.</i> 2 and 6</scripRef>. But, when the
solemnity was over, they might <i>turn and go unto their tents,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 16:7" id="Deu.xvii-p4.10" parsed="|Deut|16|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. Some think that
they might, if they pleased, return the very morning after the
paschal lamb was killed and eaten, the priests and Levites being
sufficient to carry on the rest of the week's work; but the first
day of the seven is so far from being the day of their dispersion
that it is expressly appointed for a <i>holy convocation</i>
(<scripRef passage="Le 23:7,Nu 28:18" id="Deu.xvii-p4.11" parsed="|Lev|23|7|0|0;|Num|28|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.7 Bible:Num.28.18">Lev. xxiii. 7; Num. xxviii.
18</scripRef>); therefore we must take it as Jonathan's paraphrase
expounds it, <i>in the morning after the end of the feast thou
shalt go to thy cities.</i> And it was the practice to keep
together the whole week, <scripRef passage="2Ch 35:17" id="Deu.xvii-p4.12" parsed="|2Chr|35|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.35.17">2 Chron.
xxxv. 17</scripRef>. 2. That they must eat unleavened bread for
seven days, and no leavened bread must be seen in all their coasts,
<scripRef passage="De 16:3,4,8" id="Deu.xvii-p4.13" parsed="|Deut|16|3|16|4;|Deut|16|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.3-Deut.16.4 Bible:Deut.16.8"><i>v.</i> 3, 4, 8</scripRef>. The
bread they were confined to is here called <i>bread of
affliction,</i> because neither grateful to the taste nor easy of
digestion, and therefore proper to signify the heaviness of their
spirits in their bondage and to keep in remembrance the haste in
which they came out, the case being so urgent that they could not
stay for the leavening of the bread they took with them for their
march. The Jewish writers tell us that the custom at the passover
supper was that the master of the family broke this unleavened
bread, and gave to every one a piece of it, saying, <i>This is</i>
(that is, this signifies, represents, or commemorates, which
explains that saying of our Saviour, <i>This is my body</i>) <i>the
bread of affliction which your fathers did eat in the land of
Egypt.</i> The gospel meaning of this feast of unleavened bread the
apostle gives us, <scripRef passage="1Co 5:7" id="Deu.xvii-p4.14" parsed="|1Cor|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.7">1 Cor. v.
7</scripRef>. <i>Christ our passover being sacrificed for us,</i>
and we having participated in the blessed fruits of that sacrifice
to our comfort, <i>let us keep the feast</i> in a holy
conversation, free from <i>the leaven of malice</i> towards our
brethren and hypocrisy towards God, and <i>with the unleavened
bread of sincerity</i> and love. <i>Lastly,</i> Observe, concerning
the passover, for what end it was instituted: "<i>That thou mayest
remember the day when thou camest forth out of Egypt,</i> not only
on the day of the passover, or during the seven days of the feast,
but <i>all the days of thy life</i> (<scripRef passage="De 16:3" id="Deu.xvii-p4.15" parsed="|Deut|16|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), as a constant inducement to
obedience." Thus we celebrate the memorial of Christ's death at
certain times, that we may remember it at all times, as a reason
why we should <i>live to him that died for us and rose
again.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p5">II. Seven weeks after the passover the
feast of pentecost was to be observed, concerning which they are
here directed, 1. Whence to number their seven weeks, <i>from the
time thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn</i> (<scripRef passage="De 16:9" id="Deu.xvii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|16|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), that is, from the morrow
after the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, for on that
day (though it is probable the people did not begin their harvest
till the feast was ended) messengers were sent to reap a sheaf of
barley, which was to be offered to God as the first-fruits,
<scripRef passage="Le 23:10" id="Deu.xvii-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|23|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.10">Lev. xxiii. 10</scripRef>. Some think
it implies a particular care which Providence would take of their
land with respect to the weather, that their harvest should be
always ripe and ready for the sickle just at the same time. 2. How
they were to keep this feast. (1.) They must <i>bring an offering
unto God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 16:10" id="Deu.xvii-p5.3" parsed="|Deut|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>.
It is here called a <i>tribute of a free-will-offering.</i> It was
required of them as a tribute to their Sovereign Lord and owner,
under whom they held all they had; and yet because the law did not
determine the <i>quantum,</i> but it was left to every man's
generosity to bring what he chose, and whatever he brought he must
give cheerfully, it is therefore called a <i>free-will
offering.</i> It was a grateful acknowledgment of the goodness of
God to them in the mercies of these corn-harvests now finished, and
therefore must be <i>according as God had blessed them.</i> Where
God sows plentifully he expects to reap accordingly. (2.) They must
rejoice before God, <scripRef passage="De 16:11" id="Deu.xvii-p5.4" parsed="|Deut|16|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. Holy joy is the heart and soul of thankful praises,
which are as the language and expression of holy joy. They must
rejoice in their receivings from God, and in their returns of
service and sacrifice to him; our duty must be our delight as well
as our enjoyments. They must have their very servants to rejoice
with them, "for remember (<scripRef passage="De 16:12" id="Deu.xvii-p5.5" parsed="|Deut|16|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>) that <i>thou wast a bond-man,</i> and wouldest have
been very thankful if thy taskmasters would have given thee some
time and cause for rejoicing; and thy God did bring thee out to
keep a feast with gladness; therefore be pleasant with thy
servants, and make them easy." And, it should seem, those general
words, <i>thou shalt observe and do these statutes,</i> are added
here for a particular reason, because this feast was kept in
remembrance of the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, fifty days
after they came out of Egypt; now the best way of expressing our
thankfulness to God for his favour to us in giving us his law is to
<i>observe and do according to the precepts</i> of it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p6">III. They must keep the feast of
tabernacles, <scripRef passage="De 16:13-15" id="Deu.xvii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|16|13|16|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.13-Deut.16.15"><i>v.</i>
13-15</scripRef>. Here is no repetition of the law concerning the
sacrifices that were to be offered in great abundance at this feast
(which we had at large, <scripRef passage="Nu 29:12" id="Deu.xvii-p6.2" parsed="|Num|29|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.29.12">Num. xxix.
12</scripRef>, &amp;c.), because the care of these belonged to the
priests and Levites, who had not so much need of a repetition as
the people had, and because the spiritual part of the service,
which consisted in holy joy, was most pleasing to God, and was to
be the perpetual duty of a gospel conversation, of which this feast
was typical. Observe what stress is laid upon it here: <i>Thou
shalt rejoice in thy feast</i> (<scripRef passage="De 16:14" id="Deu.xvii-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|16|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>and, because the Lord shall
bless thee, thou shalt surely rejoice,</i> <scripRef passage="De 16:15" id="Deu.xvii-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|16|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Note, 1. It is the will of God
that his people should be a cheerful people. If those that were
under the law must rejoice before God, much more must we that are
under the grace of the gospel, which makes it our duty, not only as
here to rejoice in our feasts, but to <i>rejoice evermore, to
rejoice in the Lord always.</i> 2. When we rejoice in God ourselves
we should do what we can to assist others also to rejoice in him,
by comforting the mourners and supplying the necessitous, that even
<i>the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow may rejoice with
us.</i> See <scripRef passage="Job 29:13" id="Deu.xvii-p6.5" parsed="|Job|29|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.29.13">Job xxix. 13</scripRef>.
3. We must rejoice in God, not only because of what we have
received and are receiving from him daily, but because of what he
has promised, and we expect to receive yet further from him:
because <i>he shall bless thee,</i> therefore <i>thou shalt
rejoice.</i> Those that make God their joy may <i>rejoice in
hope,</i> for he is faithful that has promised.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p7">IV. The laws concerning the three solemn
feasts are summed up (<scripRef passage="De 16:16,17" id="Deu.xvii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|16|16|16|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.16-Deut.16.17"><i>v.</i> 16,
17</scripRef>), as often before, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:16,34:23" id="Deu.xvii-p7.2" parsed="|Exod|23|16|0|0;|Exod|34|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.16 Bible:Exod.34.23">Exod. xxiii. 16, 17; xxxiv. 23</scripRef>. The
general commands concerning them are, 1. That all the males must
then make their personal appearance before God, that by their
frequent meeting to worship God, at the same place, and by the same
rule, they might be kept faithful and constant to that holy
religion which was established among them. 2. That none must appear
before God empty, but every man must bring some offering or other,
in token of a dependence upon God and gratitude to him. And God was
not unreasonable in his demands; let every man but give as he was
able, and no more was expected. The same is still the rule of
charity, <scripRef passage="1Co 16:2" id="Deu.xvii-p7.3" parsed="|1Cor|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.2">1 Cor. xvi. 2</scripRef>.
Those that give to their power shall be accepted, but those that
give beyond their power are accounted worthy of double honour
(<scripRef passage="2Co 8:3" id="Deu.xvii-p7.4" parsed="|2Cor|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.8.3">2 Cor. viii. 3</scripRef>), as the
poor widow that gave <i>all she had,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 21:4" id="Deu.xvii-p7.5" parsed="|Luke|21|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.21.4">Luke xxi. 4</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 16" id="Deu.xvii-p7.6" parsed="|Deut|16|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 16:18-22" id="Deu.xvii-p7.7" parsed="|Deut|16|18|16|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.18-Deut.16.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.16.18-Deut.16.22">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xvii-p8">18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in
all thy gates, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p8.1">Lord</span> thy
God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the
people with just judgment. &#160; 19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment;
thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift
doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the
righteous. &#160; 20 That which is altogether just shalt thou
follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p8.2">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee. &#160; 21 Thou
shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p8.3">Lord</span> thy God, which thou shalt
make thee. &#160; 22 Neither shalt thou set thee up <i>any</i>
image; which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xvii-p8.4">Lord</span> thy God
hateth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p9">Here is, I. Care taken for the due
administration of justice among them, that controversies might be
determined, matters in variance adjusted, the injured redressed,
and the injurious punished. While they were encamped in the
wilderness, they had <i>judges and officers</i> according to their
numbers, rulers of thousands and hundreds, <scripRef passage="Ex 17:25" id="Deu.xvii-p9.1" parsed="|Exod|17|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.25">Exod. xvii. 25</scripRef>. When they came to Canaan,
they must have them according to their towns and cities, in all
their gates; for the courts of judgment sat in the gates. Now, 1.
Here is a commission given to these inferior magistrates: "Judges
to try and pass sentence, and officers to execute their sentences,
shalt thou make thee." However the persons were pitched upon,
whether by the nomination of their sovereign or by the election of
the people, <i>the power were ordained of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 13:1" id="Deu.xvii-p9.2" parsed="|Rom|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.13.1">Rom. xiii. 1</scripRef>. And it was a great mercy
to the people thus to have justice brought to their doors, that it
might be more expeditious and less expensive, a blessing which we
of this nation ought to be very thankful for. Pursuant to this law,
besides the great sanhedrim that sat at the sanctuary, consisting
of seventy elders and a president, there was in the larger cities,
such as had in them above 120 families, a court of twenty-three
judges, in the smaller cities a court of three judges. See this law
revived by Jehoshaphat, <scripRef passage="2Ch 19:5,8" id="Deu.xvii-p9.3" parsed="|2Chr|19|5|0|0;|2Chr|19|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.19.5 Bible:2Chr.19.8">2 Chron.
xix. 5, 8</scripRef>. 2. Here is a command given to these
magistrates to do justice in the execution of the trust reposed in
them. Better not judge at all than not judge with just judgment,
according to the direction of the law and the evidence of the fact.
(1.) The judges are here cautioned not to do wrong to any
(<scripRef passage="De 16:19" id="Deu.xvii-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|16|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), nor to take
any gifts, which would tempt them to do wrong. This law had been
given before, <scripRef passage="Ex 23:8" id="Deu.xvii-p9.5" parsed="|Exod|23|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.8">Exod. xxiii.
8</scripRef>. (2.) They are charged to do justice to all: "<i>That
which is altogether just shalt thou follow,</i> <scripRef passage="De 16:20" id="Deu.xvii-p9.6" parsed="|Deut|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Adhere to the principles of
justice, act by the rules of justice, countenance the demands of
justice, imitate the patterns of justice, and pursue with
resolution that which appears to be just. <i>Justice, justice,
shalt thou follow.</i>" This is that which the magistrate is to
have in his eye, on this he must be intent, and to this all
personal regards must be sacrificed, to do <i>right to all</i> and
<i>wrong to none.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xvii-p10">II. Care taken for the preventing of all
conformity to the idolatrous customs of the heathen, <scripRef passage="De 16:21,22" id="Deu.xvii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|16|21|16|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.21-Deut.16.22"><i>v.</i> 21, 22</scripRef>. They must not
only not join with the idolaters in their worships, not visit their
groves, nor bow before the images which they had set up, but, 1.
They must not plant a grove, nor so much as a tree, near God's
altar lest they should make it look like the altars of the false
gods. They made groves the places of their worship either to make
it secret (but that which is true and good desires the light
rather), or to make it solemn, but the worship of the true God has
enough in itself to make it so and needs not the advantage of such
a circumstance. 2. They must not set up any image, statue, or
pillar, to the honour of God, for it is a thing which the Lord
hates; nothing belies or reproaches him more, or tends more to
corrupt and debauch the minds of men, than representing and
worshipping by an image that God who is an infinite and eternal
Spirit.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVII" n="xviii" progress="89.18%" prev="Deu.xvii" next="Deu.xix" id="Deu.xviii">
<h2 id="Deu.xviii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xviii-p0.2">CHAP. XVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xviii-p1">The charge of this chapter is, I. Concerning the
purity and perfection of all those animals that were offered in
sacrifice, <scripRef passage="De 17:1" id="Deu.xviii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.1">ver. 1</scripRef>. II.
Concerning the punishment of those that worshipped idols, <scripRef passage="De 17:2-7" id="Deu.xviii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|17|2|17|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.2-Deut.17.7">ver. 2-7</scripRef>. III. Concerning appeals
from the inferior courts to the great sanhedrim, <scripRef passage="De 17:8-13" id="Deu.xviii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|17|8|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.8-Deut.17.13">ver. 8-13</scripRef>. IV. Concerning the choice and
duty of a king, <scripRef passage="De 17:14-20" id="Deu.xviii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|17|14|17|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.14-Deut.17.20">ver. 14</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 17" id="Deu.xviii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 17:1-7" id="Deu.xviii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|17|1|17|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.1-Deut.17.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.17.1-Deut.17.7">
<h4 id="Deu.xviii-p1.7">The Punishment of Idolatry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xviii-p2">1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God <i>any</i> bullock, or sheep,
wherein is blemish, <i>or</i> any evilfavouredness: for that
<i>is</i> an abomination unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 2 If there be found among
you, within any of thy gates which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that
hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God, in transgressing his covenant,
&#160; 3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them,
either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have
not commanded; &#160; 4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard
<i>of it,</i> and enquired diligently, and, behold, <i>it be</i>
true, <i>and</i> the thing certain, <i>that</i> such abomination is
wrought in Israel: &#160; 5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or
that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates,
<i>even</i> that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with
stones, till they die. &#160; 6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or
three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death;
<i>but</i> at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to
death. &#160; 7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him
to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So
thou shalt put the evil away from among you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p3">Here is, I. A law for preserving the honour
of God's worship, by providing that no creature that had any
blemish should be offered in sacrifice to him, <scripRef passage="De 17:1" id="Deu.xviii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|17|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. This caveat we have often met
with: <i>Thou shalt not sacrifice that which has any blemish,</i>
which renders it unsightly, or <i>any evil matter or thing</i> (as
the following word night better be rendered), any sickness or
weakness, though not discernible at first view; it is an
abomination to God. God is the best of beings, and therefore
whatsoever he is served with ought to be the best in its kind. And
the Old-Testament sacrifices in a special manner must be so,
because they were types of Christ, who is a <i>Lamb without blemish
or spot</i> (<scripRef passage="1Pe 1:19" id="Deu.xviii-p3.2" parsed="|1Pet|1|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.19">1 Pet. i. 19</scripRef>),
perfectly pure from all sin and all appearance of it. In the latter
times of the Jewish church, when by the captivity in Babylon they
were cured of idolatry, yet they were charged with profaneness in
the breach of this law, with <i>offering the blind, and the lame,
and the sick for sacrifice,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 1:8" id="Deu.xviii-p3.3" parsed="|Mal|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.1.8">Mal. i.
8</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p4">II. A law for the punishing of those that
worshipped false gods. It was made a capital crime to seduce others
to idolatry (<scripRef passage="De 13:1-18" id="Deu.xviii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.18"><i>ch.</i>
xiii.</scripRef>), here it is made no less to be seduced. If the
<i>blind thus mislead the blind, both must fall into the ditch.</i>
Thus God would possess them with a dread of that sin, which they
must conclude exceedingly sinful when so many sanguinary laws were
made against it, and would deter those from it that would not
otherwise be persuaded against it; and yet the law, which works
death, proved ineffectual. See here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p5">1. What the crime was against which this
law was levelled, serving or worshipping other gods, <scripRef passage="De 17:3" id="Deu.xviii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|17|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. That which was the most
ancient and plausible idolatry is specified, worshipping the sun,
moon, and stars; and, if that was so detestable a thing, much more
was it so to worship stocks and stones, or the representations of
mean and contemptible animals. Of this it is said, (1.) That it is
what God had not commanded. He had again and again forbidden it;
but it is thus expressed to intimate that, if there had been no
more against it, this had been enough (for in the worship of God
his institution and appointment must be our rule and warrant), and
that God never commanded his worshippers to debase themselves so
far as to do homage to their fellow-creatures: had God commanded
them to do it, they might justly have complained of it as a
reproach and disparagement to them; yet, when he has forbidden it,
they will, from a spirit of contradiction, put this indignity upon
themselves. (2.) That it is <i>wickedness in the sight of God,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 17:2" id="Deu.xviii-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|17|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Be it ever so
industriously concealed, he sees it, and, be it ever so ingeniously
palliated, he hates it: it is a sin in itself exceedingly heinous,
and the highest affront that can be offered to Almighty God. (3.)
That it is a transgression of the covenant. It was on this
condition that God took them to be his peculiar people, that they
should serve and worship him only as their God, so that if they
gave to any other the honour which was due to him alone that
covenant was void, and all the benefit of it forfeited. Other sins
were transgressions of the command, but this was a transgression of
the covenant. It was spiritual adultery, which breaks them marriage
bond. (4.) That it is abomination in Israel, <scripRef passage="De 17:4" id="Deu.xviii-p5.3" parsed="|Deut|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Idolatry was bad enough in any,
but it was particularly abominable in Israel, a people so blessed
with peculiar discoveries of the will and favour of the only true
and living God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p6">2. How it must be tried. Upon information
given of it, or any ground of suspicion that any person whatsoever,
man or woman, had served other gods, (1.) Enquiry must be made,
<scripRef passage="De 17:4" id="Deu.xviii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|17|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Though it
appears not certain at first, it may afterwards upon search appear
so; and, if it can possibly be discovered, it must not be
unpunished; if not, yet the very enquiry concerning it would
possess the country with a dread of it. (2.) Evidence must be given
in, <scripRef passage="De 17:6" id="Deu.xviii-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. How heinous
and dangerous soever the crime is, yet they must not punish any for
it, unless there were good proof against them, by two witnesses at
least. They must not, under pretence of honouring God, wrong an
innocent man. This law, which requires two witnesses in case of
life, we had before, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:30" id="Deu.xviii-p6.3" parsed="|Num|35|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.30">Num. xxxv.
30</scripRef>; it is quoted, <scripRef passage="Mt 18:16" id="Deu.xviii-p6.4" parsed="|Matt|18|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.18.16">Matt.
xviii. 16</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p7">3. What sentence must be passed and
executed. So great a punishment as death, so great a death as
stoning, must be inflicted on the idolater, whether man or woman,
for the infirmity of the weaker sex would be no excuse, <scripRef passage="De 17:5" id="Deu.xviii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. The place of execution
must be the gate of the city, that the shame might be the greater
to the criminal and the warning the more public to all others. The
hands of the witnesses, in this as in other cases, must be first
upon him, that is, they must cast the first stone at him, thereby
avowing their testimony, and solemnly imprecating the guilt of his
blood upon themselves if their evidence were false. This custom
might be of use to deter men from false-witness bearing. The
witnesses are really, and therefore it was required that they
should be actually, the death of the malefactor. But they must be
followed, and the execution completed, by the hands of all the
people, who were thus to testify their detestation of the crime and
to <i>put the evil away from among them,</i> as before, <scripRef passage="De 13:9" id="Deu.xviii-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.9"><i>ch.</i> xiii. 9</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 17:8-13" id="Deu.xviii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|17|8|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.8-Deut.17.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.17.8-Deut.17.13">
<h4 id="Deu.xviii-p7.4">The Authority of the Judges. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p7.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xviii-p8">8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in
judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and
between stroke and stroke, <i>being</i> matters of controversy
within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the
place which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God shall
choose; &#160; 9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites,
and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and
they shall show thee the sentence of judgment: &#160; 10 And thou
shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p8.2">Lord</span> shall choose shall show
thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they
inform thee: &#160; 11 According to the sentence of the law which
they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they
shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the
sentence which they shall show thee, <i>to</i> the right hand, nor
<i>to</i> the left. &#160; 12 And the man that will do
presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth
to minister there before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p8.3">Lord</span>
thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt
put away the evil from Israel. &#160; 13 And all the people shall
hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p9">Courts of judgment were ordered to be
erected in every city (<scripRef passage="De 16:18" id="Deu.xviii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|16|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.18"><i>ch.</i> xvi.
18</scripRef>), and they were empowered to hear and determine
causes according to law, both those which we call pleas of the
crown and those between party and party; and we may suppose that
ordinarily they ended the matters that were brought before them,
and their sentence was definitive; but, 1. It is here taken for
granted that sometimes a case might come into their court too
difficult for those inferior judges to determine, who could not be
thought to be so learned in the laws as those that presided in the
higher courts; so that (to speak in the language of our law) they
must find a special verdict, and take time to advise before the
giving of judgment (<scripRef passage="De 17:8" id="Deu.xviii-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|17|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>): <i>If there arise a matter too hard for thee in
judgment,</i> which it would be no dishonour to the judges to own
the difficulty of,&#8212;suppose it between <i>blood and blood,</i> the
blood of a person which cried and the blood of him that was charged
with the murder which was demanded, when it was doubtful upon the
evidence whether it was wilful or casual,&#8212;or between <i>plea and
plea,</i> the plea (that is, the bill or declaration) of the
plaintiff and the plea of the defendant,&#8212;or between <i>stroke and
stroke,</i> in actions of assault and battery; in these and similar
cases, thought the evidence were plain, yet doubts might arise
about the sense and meaning of the law and the application of it to
the particular case. 2. These difficult cases, which hitherto had
been brought to Moses, according to Jethro's advice, were, after
his death, to be brought to the supreme power, wherever it was
lodged, whether in a judge (when there was such an extraordinary
person raised up and qualified for that great service, as Othniel,
Deborah, Gideon, &amp;c.) or in the high-priest (when he was by the
eminency of his gifts called of God to preside in public affairs,
as Eli), or, if no single person were marked by heaven for this
honour, then in the priests and Levites (or in the priests, who
were Levites of course), who not only attended the sanctuary, but
met in council to receive appeals from the inferior courts, who
might reasonably be supposed, not only to be best qualified by
their learning and experience, but to have the best assistance of
the divine Spirit for the deciding of doubts, <scripRef passage="De 17:9,11,12" id="Deu.xviii-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|17|9|0|0;|Deut|17|11|0|0;|Deut|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.9 Bible:Deut.17.11 Bible:Deut.17.12"><i>v.</i> 9, 11, 12</scripRef>. They are not
appointed to consult the urim and thummim, for it is supposed that
these were to be consulted only in cases relating to the public,
either the body of the people or the prince; but in ordinary cases
the wisdom and integrity of those that sat at the stern must be
relied on, their judgment had not the divine authority of an
oracle, yet besides the moral certainty it had, as the judgment of
knowing, prudent, and experienced men, it had the advantage of a
divine promise, implied in those words (<scripRef passage="De 17:9" id="Deu.xviii-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|17|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), <i>They shall show thee the
sentence of judgment;</i> it had also the support of a divine
institution, by which they were made the supreme judicature of the
nation. 3. The definitive sentence given by the judge, priest, or
great council, must be obeyed by the parties concerned, upon pain
of death: <i>Thou shalt do according to their sentence</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 17:10" id="Deu.xviii-p9.5" parsed="|Deut|17|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>); thou shalt
observe to do it, thou shalt not <i>decline from it</i> (<scripRef passage="De 17:11" id="Deu.xviii-p9.6" parsed="|Deut|17|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), <i>to the right hand
nor to the left.</i> Note, It is for the honour of God and the
welfare of a people that the authority of the higher power be
supported and the due order of government observed, that those be
obeyed who are appointed to rule, and that every soul be subject to
them in all those things that fall within their commission. Though
the party thought himself injured by the sentence (as every man is
apt to be partial in is own cause), yet he must needs be subject,
must stand to the award, how unpleasing soever, and bear, or lose,
or pay, according to it, not only for wrath, but also for
conscience' sake. But if an inferior judge contradict the sentence
of the higher court and will not execute the orders of it, or a
private person refuse to conform to their sentence, the contumacy
must be punished with death, though the matter were ever so small
in which the opposition was made: <i>That man shall die, and all
the people shall hear and fear,</i> <scripRef passage="De 17:12,13" id="Deu.xviii-p9.7" parsed="|Deut|17|12|17|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.12-Deut.17.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. See here, (1.) The evil
of disobedience. Rebellion and stubbornness, from a spirit of
contradiction and opposition of God, or those in authority under
him, from a principle of contempt and self-willedness, are as
witchcraft and idolatry. To differ in opinion from weakness and
infirmity may be excused and must be borne with; but to do so
presumptuously, in pride and wickedness (as the ancient
translations explain it), this is to take up arms against the
government, and is an affront to him by whom the powers that be are
ordained. (2.) The design of punishment: that others may hear and
fear, and not do the like. Some would be so considerate as to infer
the heinousness of the offence from the grievousness of the
penalty, and therefore would detest it; and others would so far
consult their own safety as to cross their humours by conforming to
the sentence rather than to sin against their own heads, and
forfeit their lives by going contrary to it. From this law the
apostle infers the greatness of the punishment of which those will
be thought worthy that trample on the authority of the Son of God,
<scripRef passage="Heb 10:28,29" id="Deu.xviii-p9.8" parsed="|Heb|10|28|10|29" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.28-Heb.10.29">Heb. x. 28, 29</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 17" id="Deu.xviii-p9.9" parsed="|Deut|17|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 17:14-20" id="Deu.xviii-p9.10" parsed="|Deut|17|14|17|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.14-Deut.17.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.17.14-Deut.17.20">
<h4 id="Deu.xviii-p9.11">The Choice of a King. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p9.12">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xviii-p10">14 When thou art come unto the land which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p10.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, and shalt
possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a
king over me, like as all the nations that <i>are</i> about me;
&#160; 15 Thou shalt in any wise set <i>him</i> king over thee,
whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p10.2">Lord</span> thy God shall choose:
<i>one</i> from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee:
thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which <i>is</i> not thy
brother. &#160; 16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor
cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should
multiply horses: forasmuch as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p10.3">Lord</span> hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth
return no more that way. &#160; 17 Neither shall he multiply wives
to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly
multiply to himself silver and gold. &#160; 18 And it shall be,
when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write
him a copy of this law in a book out of <i>that which is</i> before
the priests the Levites: &#160; 19 And it shall be with him, and he
shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to
fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xviii-p10.4">Lord</span> his God, to keep all
the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: &#160; 20
That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he
turn not aside from the commandment, <i>to</i> the right hand, or
<i>to</i> the left: to the end that he may prolong <i>his</i> days
in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p11">After the laws which concerned subjects
fitly followed the laws which concern kings; for those that rule
others must themselves remember that they are under command. Here
are laws given,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p12">I. To the electors of the empire, what
rules they must go by in making their choice, <scripRef passage="De 17:14,15" id="Deu.xviii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|17|14|17|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.14-Deut.17.15"><i>v.</i> 14, 15</scripRef>. 1. It is here supposed
that the people would, in process of time, be desirous of a king,
whose royal pomp and power would be thought to make their nation
look great among their neighbours. Their having a king is neither
promised as a mercy nor commanded as a duty (nothing could be
better for them than the divine regimen they were under), but it is
permitted them if they desired it. If they would but take care to
have the ends of government answered, and God's laws duly observed
and put in execution, they should not be tied to any one form of
government, but should be welcome to have a king. Though something
irregular is supposed to be the principle of the desire, that they
might be like the nations (whereas God in many ways distinguished
them from the nations), yet God would indulge them in it, because
he intended to serve his own purposes by it, in making the regal
government typical of the kingdom of the Messiah. 2. They are
directed in their choice. If they will have a king over them, as
God foresaw they would (though it does not appear that ever the
motion was made till almost 400 years after), then they must, (1.)
Ask counsel at God's mouth, and make him king whom God shall
choose; and happy it was for them that they had an oracle to
consult in so weighty an affair, and a God to choose for them who
knows infallibly what every man is and will be. Kings are God's
vicegerents, and therefore it is fit that he should have the
choosing of them: God had himself been in a particular manner
Israel's King, and if they set another over them, under him, it was
necessary that he should nominate the person. Accordingly, when the
people desired a king, they applied to Samuel a prophet of the
Lord; and afterwards David, Solomon, Jeroboam, Jehu, and others,
were chosen by the prophets; and the people are reproved for not
observing this law, <scripRef passage="Ho 8:4" id="Deu.xviii-p12.2" parsed="|Hos|8|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.8.4">Hos. viii.
4</scripRef>: <i>They have set up kings but not by me.</i> In all
cases God's choice, if we can but know it, should direct,
determine, and overrule ours. (2.) They must not choose a foreigner
under pretence of strengthening their alliances, or of the
extraordinary fitness of the person, lest a strange king should
introduce strange customs of usages, contrary to those that were
established by the divine law; but he must be <i>one from among thy
brethren,</i> that he may be a type of Christ, who is bone of our
bone, <scripRef passage="Heb 2:14" id="Deu.xviii-p12.3" parsed="|Heb|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.2.14">Heb. ii. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p13">II. Laws are here given to the prince that
should be elected for the due administration of the government.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p14">1. He must carefully avoid every thing that
would divert him from God and religion. Riches, honours, and
pleasures are the three great hindrances of godliness (<i>the lusts
of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life</i>),
especially to those in high stations: against these therefore the
king is here warned. (1.) He must not gratify the love of honour by
multiplying horses, <scripRef passage="De 17:16" id="Deu.xviii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|17|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. He that rode upon a horse (a stately creature) in a
country where asses and mules were generally used looked very
great; and therefore though he might have horses for his own
saddle, and chariots, yet he must not set <i>servants on
horseback</i> (<scripRef passage="Ec 10:7" id="Deu.xviii-p14.2" parsed="|Eccl|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.10.7">Eccl. x. 7</scripRef>)
nor have many horses for his officers and guards (when God was
their King, his judges rode on asses, <scripRef passage="Jdg 5:10,12:14" id="Deu.xviii-p14.3" parsed="|Judg|5|10|0|0;|Judg|12|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.5.10 Bible:Judg.12.14">Judg. v. 10; xii. 14</scripRef>), nor must he
multiply horses for war, lest he should trust too much to them,
<scripRef passage="Ps 20:7,33:17,Ho 14:3" id="Deu.xviii-p14.4" parsed="|Ps|20|7|0|0;|Ps|33|17|0|0;|Hos|14|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.7 Bible:Ps.33.17 Bible:Hos.14.3">Ps. xx. 7; xxxiii. 17;
Hos. xiv. 3</scripRef>. The reason here given against his
multiplying horses is because it would produce a greater
correspondence with Egypt (which furnished Canaan with horses,
<scripRef passage="1Ki 10:28,29" id="Deu.xviii-p14.5" parsed="|1Kgs|10|28|10|29" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.10.28-1Kgs.10.29">1 Kings x. 28, 29</scripRef>) than
it was fit the Israel of God should have, who were brought thence
with such a high hand: <i>You shall return no more that way,</i>
for fear of being infected with the idolatries of Egypt (<scripRef passage="Le 18:3" id="Deu.xviii-p14.6" parsed="|Lev|18|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.3">Lev. xviii. 3</scripRef>), to which they were
very prone. Note, We should take heed of that commerce or
conversation by which we are in danger of being drawn into sin. If
Israel must not return to Egypt, they must not trade with Egypt;
Solomon got no good by it. (2.) He must not gratify the love of
pleasure by multiplying wives (<scripRef passage="De 17:17" id="Deu.xviii-p14.7" parsed="|Deut|17|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), as Solomon did to his undoing
(<scripRef passage="1Ki 11:1" id="Deu.xviii-p14.8" parsed="|1Kgs|11|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.11.1">1 Kings xi. 1</scripRef>), that his
heart, being set upon them, turn not away from business, and every
thing that is serious, and especially from the exercise of piety
and devotion, to which nothing is a greater enemy than the
indulgence of the flesh. (3.) He must not gratify the love of
riches by greatly multiplying silver and gold. A competent treasure
is allowed him, and he is not forbidden to be good husband of it,
but, [1.] He must not greatly multiply money, so as to oppress his
people by raising it (as Solomon seems to have done, <scripRef passage="1Ki 12:4" id="Deu.xviii-p14.9" parsed="|1Kgs|12|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.12.4">1 Kings xii. 4</scripRef>), nor so as to deceive
himself, by trusting to it, and setting his heart upon it,
<scripRef passage="Ps 62:10" id="Deu.xviii-p14.10" parsed="|Ps|62|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.62.10">Ps. lxii. 10</scripRef>. [2.] He must
not multiply it to himself. David multiplied silver and gold, but
it was for the service of God (<scripRef passage="1Ch 29:4" id="Deu.xviii-p14.11" parsed="|1Chr|29|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.29.4">1
Chron. xxix. 4</scripRef>), not for himself; for his people, not
for his own family.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p15">2. He must carefully apply himself to the
law of God, and make that his rule. This must be to him better than
all riches, honours, and pleasures, than many horses or many wives,
better than thousands of gold and silver.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p16">(1.) He must write himself a copy of the
law out of the original, which was in the custody of the priests
that attended the sanctuary, <scripRef passage="De 17:18" id="Deu.xviii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|17|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. Some think that he was to write only this book of
Deuteronomy, which is an abstract of the law, and the precepts of
which, being mostly moral and judicial, concerned the king more
than the laws in Leviticus and Numbers, which, being ceremonial,
concerned chiefly the priests. Others think that he was to
transcribe all the five books of Moses, which are called <i>the
law,</i> and which were preserved together as the foundation of
their religion. Now, [1.] Though the king might be presumed to have
very fair copies by him from his ancestors, yet, besides those, he
must have one of his own: it might be presumed that theirs were
worn with constant use; he must have a fresh one to begin the world
with. [2.] Though he had secretaries about him whom he might employ
to write this copy, and who perhaps could write a better hand than
he, yet he must do it himself, with his own hand, for the honour of
the law, and that he might think no act of religion below him, to
inure himself to labour and study, and especially that he might
thereby be obliged to take particular notice of every part of the
law and by writing it might imprint it in his mind. Note, It is of
great use for each of us to write down what we observe as most
affecting and edifying to us, out of the scriptures and good books,
and out of the sermons we hear. A prudent pen may go far towards
making up the deficiencies of the memory, and the furnishing of the
treasures of the good householder with things new and old. [3.] He
must do this even when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom,
provided that he had not done it before. When he begins to apply
himself to business, he must apply himself to this in the first
place. He that sits upon the throne of a kingdom cannot but have
his hands full. The affairs of his kingdom both at home and abroad
call for a large share of his time and thoughts, and yet he must
write himself a copy of the law. Let not those who call themselves
men of business think that this will excuse them from making
religion their business; nor let great men think it any
disparagement to them to write for themselves those <i>great things
of God's law which he hath written to them,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 8:12" id="Deu.xviii-p16.2" parsed="|Heb|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.8.12">Hos. viii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p17">(2.) Having a Bible by him of his own
writing, he must not think it enough to keep it in his cabinet, but
he must <i>read therein all the days of his life,</i> <scripRef passage="De 17:19" id="Deu.xviii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|17|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. It is not enough to
have Bibles, but we must use them, use them daily, as the duty and
necessity of everyday require: our souls must have their constant
meals of that manna; and, if well digested, it will be true
nourishment and strength to them. As the body is receiving benefit
by its food continually, and not only when it is eating, so is the
soul, by the word of God, if it <i>meditate therein day and
night,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 1:2" id="Deu.xviii-p17.2" parsed="|Ps|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.1.2">Ps. i. 2</scripRef>. And we
must persevere in the use of the written word of God as long as we
live. Christ's scholars never learn above their Bibles, but will
have a constant occasion for them till they come to that world
where knowledge and love will both be made perfect.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xviii-p18">(3.) His writing and reading were all
nothing if he did not reduce to practice what he wrote and read,
<scripRef passage="De 17:19,20" id="Deu.xviii-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|17|19|17|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.19-Deut.17.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. The
word of God is not designed merely to be and entertaining subject
of speculation, but to be a commanding rule of conversation. Let
him know, [1.] What dominion his religion must have over him, and
what influence it must have upon him. <i>First,</i> It must possess
him with a very reverent and awful regard to the divine majesty and
authority. He must learn (and thus the most learned must by ever
learning) <i>to fear the Lord his God;</i> and, as high as he is,
he must remember that God is above him, and, whatever fear his
subjects owe to him, that, and much more, he owes to God as his
King. <i>Secondly,</i> It must engage him to a constant observance
of the law of God, and a conscientious obedience to it, as the
effect of that fear. He must keep <i>all the words of this law</i>
(he is <i>custos utriusque tabulae&#8212;the keeper of both tables</i>),
not only take care that others do them, but do them himself as a
humble servant to the God of heaven and a good example to his
inferiors. <i>Thirdly,</i> It must keep him humble. How much soever
he is advanced, let him keep his spirit low, and let the <i>fear of
his God prevent the contempt of his brethren;</i> and let not his
heart <i>be lifted up above them,</i> so as to carry himself
haughtily or disdainfully towards them, and to trample upon them.
Let him not conceit himself better than they because he is greater
and makes a fairer show; but let him remember that he is the
<i>minister of God to them for good</i> (<i>major singulis,</i> but
<i>minor universis</i>&#8212;<i>greater than any one,</i> but <i>less
than the whole</i>). It must prevent his errors, either <i>on he
right hand or on the left</i> (for there are errors on both hands),
and keep him right, in all instances, to his God and to his duty.
[2.] What advantage his religion would be of to him. Those that
fear God and keep his commandments will certainly fare the better
for it in this world. The greatest monarch in the world may receive
more benefit by religion than by all the wealth and power of his
monarchy. It will be of advantage, <i>First,</i> To his person:
<i>He shall prolong his days in his kingdom.</i> We find in the
history of the kings of Judah that, generally, the best reigns were
the longest, except when God shortened them for the punishment of
the people, as Josiah's. <i>Secondly,</i> To his family: his
children shall also prosper. Entail religion upon posterity, and
God will entail a blessing upon it.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XVIII" n="xix" progress="89.72%" prev="Deu.xviii" next="Deu.xx" id="Deu.xix">
<h2 id="Deu.xix-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xix-p1">In this chapter, I. The rights and revenues of the
church are settled, and rules given concerning the Levites'
ministration and maintenance, <scripRef passage="De 18:1-8" id="Deu.xix-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|18|1|18|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.1-Deut.18.8">ver.
1-8</scripRef>. II. The caution against the idolatrous abominable
customs of the heathen is repeated, <scripRef passage="De 18:9-14" id="Deu.xix-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|18|9|18|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.9-Deut.18.14">ver. 9-14</scripRef>. III. A promise is given them of
the spirit of prophecy to continue among them, and to centre at
last in Christ the great prophet, <scripRef passage="De 18:15-18" id="Deu.xix-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|18|15|18|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.15-Deut.18.18">ver. 15-18</scripRef>. IV. Wrath threatened against
those that despise prophecy (<scripRef passage="De 18:19" id="Deu.xix-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.19">ver.
19</scripRef>) or counterfeit it (<scripRef passage="De 18:20" id="Deu.xix-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.20">ver.
20</scripRef>), and a rule given for the trial of it, <scripRef passage="De 18:21,22" id="Deu.xix-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|18|21|18|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.21-Deut.18.22">ver. 21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 18" id="Deu.xix-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 18:1-8" id="Deu.xix-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|18|1|18|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.1-Deut.18.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.18.1-Deut.18.8">
<h4 id="Deu.xix-p1.9">Maintenance of the Levites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xix-p2">1 The priests the Levites, <i>and</i> all the
tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they
shall eat the offerings of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.1">Lord</span>
made by fire, and his inheritance. &#160; 2 Therefore shall they
have no inheritance among their brethren: the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.2">Lord</span> <i>is</i> their inheritance, as he hath
said unto them. &#160; 3 And this shall be the priest's due from
the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether <i>it be</i>
ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and
the two cheeks, and the maw. &#160; 4 The firstfruits <i>also</i>
of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the
fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. &#160; 5 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God hath chosen him out of all
thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.4">Lord</span>, him and his sons for ever. &#160; 6 And if
a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he
sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.5">Lord</span> shall choose; &#160;
7 Then he shall minister in the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.6">Lord</span> his God, as all his brethren the Levites
<i>do,</i> which stand there before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p2.7">Lord</span>. &#160; 8 They shall have like portions to
eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p3">Magistracy and ministry are two divine
institutions of admirable use for the support and advancement of
the <i>kingdom of God among men.</i> Laws concerning the former we
had in the close of the foregoing chapter, directions are in this
given concerning the latter. Land-marks are here set between the
estates of the priests and those of the people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p4">I. Care is taken that the priests entangle
not themselves with the affairs of this life, nor enrich themselves
with the wealth of this world; they have better things to mind.
They <i>shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel,</i> that
is, no share either in the spoils taken in war or in the land that
was to be divided by lot, <scripRef passage="De 18:1" id="Deu.xix-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|18|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. Their warfare and husbandry are both spiritual, and
enough to fill their hands both with work and profit and to content
them. <i>The Lord is their inheritance,</i> <scripRef passage="De 18:2" id="Deu.xix-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|18|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Note, Those that have God for
their inheritance, according to the new covenant, should not be
greedy of great things in the world, neither gripe what they have
nor grasp at more, but look upon all present things with the
indifference which becomes those that believe God to be
all-sufficient.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p5">II. Care is likewise taken that they want
not any of the comforts and conveniences of this life. Though God,
who is a Spirit, is their inheritance, it does not therefore follow
that they must live upon the air; no,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p6">1. The people must provide for them. They
must have their <i>due from the people,</i> <scripRef passage="De 18:3" id="Deu.xix-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|18|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Their maintenance must not depend
upon the generosity of the people, but they must be by law entitled
to it. He that is taught in the word ought in justice to
communicate to him that teaches him; and he that has the benefit of
solemn religious assemblies ought to contribute to the comfortable
support of those that preside in such assemblies. (1.) The priests
who in their courses served at the altar had their share of the
sacrifices, namely, the peace-offerings, that were brought while
they were in waiting: besides the breast and shoulder, which were
appointed them before (<scripRef passage="Le 7:32-34" id="Deu.xix-p6.2" parsed="|Lev|7|32|7|34" osisRef="Bible:Lev.7.32-Lev.7.34">Lev. vii.
32-34</scripRef>), the cheeks and maw are here ordered to be given
them; so far was the law from diminishing what was already granted
that it gave them an augmentation (2.) The first-fruits which arose
within such a precinct were brought in, as it should seem, to the
priests that resided among them, for their maintenance in the
country; the first of their corn and wine for food, and the first
of their fleece for clothing (<scripRef passage="De 18:4" id="Deu.xix-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|18|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>); for the priests who were employed to teach others
ought themselves to learn, having food and raiment, to be therewith
content. The first-fruits were devoted to God, and he constituted
the priests his receivers; and if God reckons what is, in general,
given to the poor, lent to him, to be repaid with interest, much
more what is, in particular, given to the poor, lent to him, to be
repaid with interest, much more what is, in particular, given to
poor ministers. There is a good reason given for this constant
charge upon their estates (<scripRef passage="De 18:5" id="Deu.xix-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|18|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>), because the Levites were <i>chosen of God,</i> and
his choice must be owned and countenanced, and those honoured by us
whom he honours; and <i>because they stood to minister,</i> and
ought to be recompensed for their attendance and labour, especially
since it was <i>in the name of the Lord,</i> by his warrant, in his
service, and for his praise, and this charge entailed upon their
seed for ever; those who were thus engaged and thus employed ought
to have all due encouragement given them, as some of the most
needful useful members of their commonwealth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p7">2. The priests must not themselves stand in
one another's light. If a priest that by the law was obliged to
serve at the altar only in his turn, and was paid for that, should,
out of his great affection to the sanctuary, devote himself to a
constant attendance there, and quit the ease and pleasure of the
city in which he had his lot for the satisfaction of serving the
altar, the priests whose turn it was to attend must admit him both
to join in the work and to share in the wages, and not grudge him
either the honour of the one or the profit of the other, though it
might seem to break in upon them, <scripRef passage="De 18:6-8" id="Deu.xix-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|18|6|18|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.6-Deut.18.8"><i>v.</i> 6-8</scripRef>. Note, A hearty pious zeal to
serve God and his church, though it may a little encroach upon a
settled order, and there may be somewhat in it that looks
irregular, yet ought to be gratified and not discouraged. He that
appears to have a hearty affection to the sanctuary, and loves
dearly to be employed in the service of it, <i>in God's name let
him minister;</i> he shall be as welcome to God as the Levites
whose course it was to minister, and should be so to them. The
settling of the courses was intended rather to secure those to the
work that were not willing to do so much than to exclude any that
were willing to do more. And he that thus serves as a volunteer
shall have as good pay as the pressed men, <i>besides that which
comes of the sale of his patrimony.</i> The church of Rome obliges
those who leave their estates to go into a monastery to bring the
produce of their estates with them into the common stock of the
monastery, for gain is their godliness; but here it is ordered that
the pious devotee should reserve to himself the produce of his
patrimony, for religion and the ministry were never appointed of
God, however they have been abused by men, to serve a secular
interest.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 18:9-14" id="Deu.xix-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|18|9|18|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.9-Deut.18.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.18.9-Deut.18.14">
<h4 id="Deu.xix-p7.3">Idolatrous Customs of the
Canaanites. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p7.4">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xix-p8">9 When thou art come into the land which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, thou shalt
not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. &#160; 10
There shall not be found among you <i>any one</i> that maketh his
son or his daughter to pass through the fire, <i>or</i> that useth
divination, <i>or</i> an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a
witch, &#160; 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar
spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. &#160; 12 For all that do
these things <i>are</i> an abomination unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p8.2">Lord</span>: and because of these abominations the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p8.3">Lord</span> thy God doth drive them out
from before thee. &#160; 13 Thou shalt be perfect with the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p8.4">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 14 For these nations,
which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and
unto diviners: but as for thee, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p8.5">Lord</span> thy God hath not suffered thee so <i>to
do.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p9">One would not think there had been so much
need as it seems there was to arm the people of Israel against the
infection of the idolatrous customs of the Canaanites. Was it
possible that a people so blessed with divine institutions should
ever admit the brutish and barbarous inventions of men and devils?
Were they in any danger of making those their tutors and directors
in religion whom God had made their captives and tributaries? It
seems they were in danger, and therefore, after many similar
cautions, they are here charged not to do after the abominations of
those nations, <scripRef passage="De 18:9" id="Deu.xix-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|18|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.9"><i>v.</i>
9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p10">I. Some particulars are specified; as, 1.
The consecrating of their children to Moloch, an idol that
represented the sun, by making them to <i>pass through the
fire,</i> and sometimes consuming them as sacrifices in the fire,
<scripRef passage="De 18:10" id="Deu.xix-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|18|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. See the law
against this before, <scripRef passage="Le 18:21" id="Deu.xix-p10.2" parsed="|Lev|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.21">Lev. xviii.
21</scripRef>. 2. Using arts of divination, to get the unnecessary
knowledge of things to come, <i>enchantments, witchcrafts, charms,
&amp;c.,</i> by which the power and knowledge peculiar to God were
attributed to the devil, to the great reproach both of God's
counsels and of his providence, <scripRef passage="De 18:10,11" id="Deu.xix-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|18|10|18|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.10-Deut.18.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. One would wonder that
such arts and works of darkness, so senseless and absurd, so
impious and profane, could be found in a country where divine
revelation shone so clearly; yet we find remains of them even where
Christ's holy religion is known and professed; such are the powers
and policies of the <i>rulers of the darkness of this world.</i>
But let those give heed to fortune-tellers, or go to wizards for
the discovery of things secret, that use spells for the cure of
diseases, are in any league or acquaintance with familiar spirits,
or form a confederacy with those that are&#8212;let them know that they
can have no fellowship with God while thus they have fellowship
with devils. It is amazing to think that there should by any
pretenders of this kind in such a land and day of light as we live
in.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p11">II. Some reasons are given against their
conformity to the customs of the Gentiles. 1. Because it would make
them abominable to God. The things themselves being hateful to him,
those that do them are an abomination; and miserable is that
creature that has become odious to its Creator, <scripRef passage="De 18:12" id="Deu.xix-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. See the malignity and
mischievousness of sin; that must needs be an evil thing indeed
which provokes the God of mercy to detest the work of his own
hands. 2. Because these abominable practices had been the ruin of
the Canaanites, of which ruin they were not only the witnesses but
the instruments. It would be the most inexcusable folly, as well as
the most unpardonable impiety, for them to practise themselves
those very things for which they had been employed so severely to
chastise others. Did the land spue out the abominations of the
Canaanites, and shall Israel lick up the vomit? 3. Because they
were <i>better taught,</i> <scripRef passage="De 18:13,14" id="Deu.xix-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|18|13|18|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.13-Deut.18.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>. It is an argument like
that of the apostle against Christians walking as the Gentiles
walked (<scripRef passage="Eph 4:17,18,20" id="Deu.xix-p11.3" parsed="|Eph|4|17|4|18;|Eph|4|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.4.17-Eph.4.18 Bible:Eph.4.20">Eph. iv. 17, 18,
20</scripRef>): <i>You have not so learned Christ.</i> "It is true
these nations, whom God <i>gave up to their own hearts' lusts, and
suffered to walk in their own ways</i> (<scripRef passage="Ac 14:16" id="Deu.xix-p11.4" parsed="|Acts|14|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.14.16">Acts xiv. 16</scripRef>), did thus corrupt themselves;
but thou art not thus abandoned by the grace of God: <i>the Lord
thy God had not suffered thee to do so;</i> thou art instructed in
divine things, and hast fair warning given thee of the evil of
those practices; and therefore, whatever others do, it is expected
that thou shouldest be <i>perfect with the Lord thy God,</i>" that
is, "that thou shouldest give divine honours to him, to him only,
and to no other, and not mix any of the superstitious customs of
the heathen with his institutions." One of the Chaldee paraphrasts
here takes notice of God's furnishing them with the oracle of urim
and thummim, as a preservative from all unlawful arts of
divination. Those were fools indeed who would go to consult the
father of lies when they had such a ready way of consulting the God
of truth.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 18" id="Deu.xix-p11.5" parsed="|Deut|18|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 18:15-22" id="Deu.xix-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|18|15|18|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.15-Deut.18.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.18.15-Deut.18.22">
<h4 id="Deu.xix-p11.7">The Great Prophet; False
Prophets. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p11.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xix-p12">15 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.1">Lord</span> thy
God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of
thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; &#160; 16
According to all that thou desiredst of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.2">Lord</span> thy God in Horeb in the day of the
assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.3">Lord</span> my God, neither let me see this great
fire any more, that I die not. &#160; 17 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.4">Lord</span> said unto me, They have well <i>spoken
that</i> which they have spoken. &#160; 18 I will raise them up a
Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall
command him. &#160; 19 And it shall come to pass, <i>that</i>
whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my
name, I will require <i>it</i> of him. &#160; 20 But the prophet,
which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not
commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other
gods, even that prophet shall die. &#160; 21 And if thou say in
thine heart, How shall we know the word which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.5">Lord</span> hath not spoken? &#160; 22 When a prophet
speaketh in the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.6">Lord</span>, if
the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that <i>is</i> the thing
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xix-p12.7">Lord</span> hath not spoken,
<i>but</i> the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt
not be afraid of him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p13">Here is, I. The promise of the great
prophet, with a command to receive him, and hearken to him.
Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p14">1. Some think it is the promise of a
succession of prophets, that should for many ages be kept up in
Israel. Besides the priests and Levites, their ordinary ministers,
whose office it was to teach Jacob God's law, they should have
prophets, extraordinary ministers, to reprove them for their
faults, remind them of their duty, and foretel things to come,
judgments for warning and deliverances for their comfort. Having
these prophets, (1.) They need not use divinations, nor consult
with familiar spirits, for they might enquire of God's prophets
even concerning their private affairs, as Saul did when he was in
quest of his father's asses, <scripRef passage="1Sa 9:6" id="Deu.xix-p14.1" parsed="|1Sam|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.9.6">1 Sam. ix.
6</scripRef>. (2.) They could not miss the way of their duty
through ignorance or mistake, nor differ in their opinions about
it, having prophets among them, whom, in every difficult doubtful
case, they might advise with and appeal to. These prophets were
like unto Moses in some respects, though far inferior to him,
<scripRef passage="De 34:10" id="Deu.xix-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|34|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.10">Deut. xxxiv. 10</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p15">2. Whether a succession of prophets be
included in this promise or not, we are sure that it is primarily
intended as a promise of Christ, and it is the clearest promise of
him that is in all the law of Moses. It is expressly applied to our
Lord Jesus as the Messiah promised (<scripRef passage="Ac 3:22,7:37" id="Deu.xix-p15.1" parsed="|Acts|3|22|0|0;|Acts|7|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.3.22 Bible:Acts.7.37">Acts iii. 22; vii. 37</scripRef>), and the people
had an eye to this promise when they said concerning him, <i>This
is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world</i>
(<scripRef passage="Joh 6:14" id="Deu.xix-p15.2" parsed="|John|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.6.14">John vi. 14</scripRef>); and it was
his Spirit that spoke in all the other prophets, <scripRef passage="1Pe 1:11" id="Deu.xix-p15.3" parsed="|1Pet|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.11">1 Pet. i. 11</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p16">(1.) What it is that is here promised
concerning Christ. What God promised Moses at Mount Sinai (which he
relates, <scripRef passage="De 18:18" id="Deu.xix-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), he
promised the people (<scripRef passage="De 18:15" id="Deu.xix-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>) in God's name. [1.] That there should come a
prophet, great above all the prophets, by whom God would make known
himself and his will to the children of men more fully and clearly
than ever he had done before. He is the <i>light of the world,</i>
as prophecy was of the Jewish church, <scripRef passage="Joh 8:12" id="Deu.xix-p16.3" parsed="|John|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.12">John viii. 12</scripRef>. He is the Word, by whom God
speaks to us, <scripRef passage="Joh 1:1,Heb 1:2" id="Deu.xix-p16.4" parsed="|John|1|1|0|0;|Heb|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.1 Bible:Heb.1.2">John i. 1; Heb.
i. 2</scripRef>. [2.] That God would <i>raise him up from the midst
of them.</i> In his birth he should be one of that nation, should
live among them and be sent to them. In his resurrection he should
be <i>raised up at Jerusalem,</i> and thence his doctrine should go
forth to all the world: thus God, having raised up his Son Christ
Jesus, sent him to bless us. [3.] That he should be like unto
Moses, only as much above him as the other prophets came short of
him. Moses was such a prophet as was a law-giver to Israel and
their deliverer out of Egypt, and so was Christ: he not only
teaches, but rules and saves. Moses was the founder of a new
dispensation by signs and wonders and mighty deeds, and so was
Christ, by which he proved himself a teacher come from God. Was
Moses faithful? So was Christ; Moses as a servant, but Christ as a
Son. [4.] That God would put his words in his mouth, <scripRef passage="De 18:18" id="Deu.xix-p16.5" parsed="|Deut|18|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. What messages God had
to send to the children of men he would send them by him, and give
him full instructions what to say and do as a prophet. Hence our
Saviour says, <i>My doctrine is not mine</i> originally, <i>but his
that sent me,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 7:16" id="Deu.xix-p16.6" parsed="|John|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.7.16">John vii.
16</scripRef>. So that this great promise is performed; this
Prophet has come, even Jesus; it is he that should come, and we are
to look for no other.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p17">(2.) The agreeableness of this designed
dispensation to the people's avowed choice and desire at Mount
Sinai, <scripRef passage="De 18:16,17" id="Deu.xix-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|18|16|18|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.16-Deut.18.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>.
There God had spoken to them in thunder and lightning, out of the
midst of the fire and thick darkness. Every word made their ears
tingle and their hearts tremble, so that the whole congregation was
ready to die with fear. In this fright, they begged hard that God
would not speak to them in this manner any more (they could not
bear it, it would overwhelm and distract them), but that he would
speak to them by men like themselves, by Moses now, and afterwards
by other prophets like unto him. "Well," says God, "it shall be so;
they shall be spoken to by men, whose <i>terrors shall not make
them afraid;</i>" and, to crown the favour beyond what they were
able to ask or think, in the fulness of time the Word itself was
made flesh, and they saw his glory as of the <i>only-begotten of
the Father,</i> not, as at Mount Sinai, full of majesty and terror,
<i>but full of grace and truth,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 1:14" id="Deu.xix-p17.2" parsed="|John|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.14">John i. 14</scripRef>. Thus, in answer to the request of
those who were struck with amazement by the law, God promised the
incarnation of his Son, though we may suppose it far from the
thoughts of those that made that request.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p18">(3.) A charge and command given to all
people to hear and believe, hear and obey, this great prophet here
promised: <i>Unto him you shall hearken</i> (<scripRef passage="De 18:15" id="Deu.xix-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|18|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>); and whoever will not hearken
to him shall be surely and severely reckoned with for his contempt
(<scripRef passage="De 18:19" id="Deu.xix-p18.2" parsed="|Deut|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>I will
require it of him.</i> God himself applied this to our Lord Jesus
in the <i>voice that came out of the excellent glory,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 17:5" id="Deu.xix-p18.3" parsed="|Matt|17|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.17.5">Matt. xvii. 5</scripRef>, <i>Hear you him,</i>
that is, this is he concerning whom it was said by Moses of old,
<i>Unto him you shall hearken;</i> and Moses and Elias then stood
by and assented to it. The sentence here passed on those that
hearken not to this prophet is repeated and ratified in the New
Testament. <i>He that believeth not the Son, the wrath of God
abideth on him,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 3:36" id="Deu.xix-p18.4" parsed="|John|3|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.36">John iii.
36</scripRef>. <i>And how shall we escape if we turn away from him
that speaketh from heaven?</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 12:25" id="Deu.xix-p18.5" parsed="|Heb|12|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.25">Heb.
xii. 25</scripRef>. The Chaldee paraphrase here reads it, <i>My
Word shall require it of him,</i> which can be no other than a
divine person, Christ the eternal Word, to whom the Father has
committed all judgement, and by whom he will at the last day judge
the world. Whoever turns a deaf ear to Jesus Christ shall find that
it is at his peril; the same that is the prophet is to be his
judge, <scripRef passage="Joh 12:48" id="Deu.xix-p18.6" parsed="|John|12|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.12.48">John xii. 48</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xix-p19">II. Here is a caution against false
prophets, 1. By way of threatening against the pretenders
themselves, <scripRef passage="De 18:20" id="Deu.xix-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>.
Whoever sets up for a prophet, and produces either a commission
from the true God, shall be deemed and adjudged guilty of high
treason against the crown and dignity of the King of kings, and
that traitor shall be put to death (<scripRef passage="De 18:20" id="Deu.xix-p19.2" parsed="|Deut|18|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), namely, by the judgment of the
great sanhedrim, which, in process of time, sat at Jerusalem; and
therefore our Saviour says that a prophet could not perish but at
Jerusalem, and lays the blood of the prophets at Jerusalem's door
(<scripRef passage="Lu 13:33,34" id="Deu.xix-p19.3" parsed="|Luke|13|33|13|34" osisRef="Bible:Luke.13.33-Luke.13.34">Luke xiii. 33, 34</scripRef>),
whom therefore God himself would punish; yet <i>there</i> false
prophets were supported. 2. By way of direction to the people, that
they might not be imposed upon by pretenders, of which there were
many, as appears, <scripRef passage="Jer 23:25,Eze 13:6,1Ki 22:6" id="Deu.xix-p19.4" parsed="|Jer|23|25|0|0;|Ezek|13|6|0|0;|1Kgs|22|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.23.25 Bible:Ezek.13.6 Bible:1Kgs.22.6">Jer. xxiii. 25; Ezek. xiii. 6; 1
Kings xxii. 6</scripRef>. It is a very proper question which they
are supposed to ask, <scripRef passage="De 18:21" id="Deu.xix-p19.5" parsed="|Deut|18|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. Since it is so great a duty to hearken to the true
prophets, and yet there is so much danger of being misled by false
prophets, <i>how shall we know the word which the Lord has not
spoken?</i> By what marks may we discover a cheat? Note, It highly
concerns us to have a right touchstone wherewith to try the word we
hear, that we may know what that word is which the Lord has not
spoken. Whatever is directly repugnant to sense, to the light and
law of nature, and to the plain meaning of the written word, we may
be sure is not that which the Lord has spoken; nor that which gives
countenance and encouragement to sin, or has a manifest tendency to
the destruction of piety or charity: far be it from God that he
should contradict himself. The rule here given in answer to this
enquiry was adapted chiefly to that state, <scripRef passage="De 18:22" id="Deu.xix-p19.6" parsed="|Deut|18|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.18.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. If there was any cause to
suspect the sincerity of a prophet, let them observe that if he
gave them any sign, or foretold something to come, and the event
was not according to his prediction, they might be sure he was not
sent of God. This does not refer so much to the foretelling of
mercies and judgments (though as to these, and the difference
between the predictions of mercies and judgments, there is a rule
of discerning between truth and falsehood laid down by the prophet,
<scripRef passage="Jer 28:8,9" id="Deu.xix-p19.7" parsed="|Jer|28|8|28|9" osisRef="Bible:Jer.28.8-Jer.28.9">Jer. xxviii. 8, 9</scripRef>), but
rather to the giving of signs on purpose to confirm their mission.
Though the sign did come to pass, yet this would not serve to prove
their mission if they called them to serve other gods; this point
had been already settled, <scripRef passage="De 13:1-3" id="Deu.xix-p19.8" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.3">Deut. xiii.
1-3</scripRef>. But, if the sign did not come to pass, this would
serve to disprove their mission. "When Moses cast his rod upon the
ground (it is bishop Patrick's explanation of this), and said it
would become a serpent, if it had not accordingly been turned into
a serpent, Moses had been a false prophet: if, when Elijah called
for fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, none had come, he
had been no better than the prophets of Baal." Samuel's mission was
proved by this, that <i>God let none of his words fall to the
ground,</i> <scripRef passage="1Sa 3:19,20" id="Deu.xix-p19.9" parsed="|1Sam|3|19|3|20" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.3.19-1Sam.3.20">1 Sam. iii. 19,
20</scripRef>. And by the miracles Christ wrought, especially by
that great sign he gave of his resurrection the third day, which
came to pass as he foretold, it appeared that he was a teacher come
from God. <i>Lastly,</i> They are directed not to be afraid of a
false prophet; that is, not to be afraid of the judgments such a
one might denounce to amuse people and strike terror upon them; nor
to be afraid of executing the law upon him when, upon a strict and
impartial scrutiny, it appeared that he was a false prophet. This
command not to fear a false prophet implies that a true prophet,
who proved his commission by clear and undeniable proofs, was to be
feared, and it was at their peril if they offered him any violence
or put any slight upon him.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XIX" n="xx" progress="90.19%" prev="Deu.xix" next="Deu.xxi" id="Deu.xx">
<h2 id="Deu.xx-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xx-p0.2">CHAP. XIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xx-p1">The laws which Moses had hitherto been repeating
and urging mostly concerned the acts of religion and devotion
towards God; but here he comes more fully to press the duties of
righteousness between man and man. This chapter relates, I. To the
sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," <scripRef passage="De 19:1-13" id="Deu.xx-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|19|1|19|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.1-Deut.19.13">ver. 1-13</scripRef>. II. To the eighth commandment,
"Thou shalt not steal," <scripRef passage="De 19:14" id="Deu.xx-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.14">ver.
14</scripRef>. III. To the ninth commandment, "Thou shalt not bear
false witness," <scripRef passage="De 19:15-21" id="Deu.xx-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|19|15|19|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.15-Deut.19.21">ver. 15</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 19" id="Deu.xx-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 19:1-13" id="Deu.xx-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|19|1|19|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.1-Deut.19.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.19.1-Deut.19.13">
<h4 id="Deu.xx-p1.6">The Cities of Refuge. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xx-p2">1 When the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.1">Lord</span>
thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest
them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses; &#160; 2
Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee
to possess it. &#160; 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide
the coasts of thy land, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three
parts, that every slayer may flee thither. &#160; 4 And this
<i>is</i> the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he
may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not
in time past; &#160; 5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his
neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe
to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and
lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of
those cities, and live: &#160; 6 Lest the avenger of the blood
pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him,
because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he <i>was</i> not
worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. &#160;
7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three
cities for thee. &#160; 8 And if the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn
unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to
give unto thy fathers; &#160; 9 If thou shalt keep all these
commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God, and to walk ever in
his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside
these three: &#160; 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p2.7">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee
<i>for</i> an inheritance, and <i>so</i> blood be upon thee. &#160;
11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and
rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth
into one of these cities: &#160; 12 Then the elders of his city
shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of
the avenger of blood, that he may die. &#160; 13 Thine eye shall
not pity him, but thou shalt put away <i>the guilt of</i> innocent
blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p3">It was one of the precepts given to the
sons of Noah that <i>whoso sheddeth man's blood by man shall his
blood be shed,</i> that is, by the avenger of blood, <scripRef passage="Ge 9:6" id="Deu.xx-p3.1" parsed="|Gen|9|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.6">Gen. ix. 6</scripRef>. Now here we have the law
settled between blood and blood, between the blood of the murdered
and the blood of the murderer, and effectual provision made,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p4">I. That the cities of refuge should be a
protection to him that slew another casually, so that he should not
die for that as a crime which was not his voluntary act, but only
his unhappiness. The appointment of these cities of refuge we had
before (<scripRef passage="Ex 21:13" id="Deu.xx-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.13">Exod. xxi. 13</scripRef>), and
the law laid down concerning them at large, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:10-15" id="Deu.xx-p4.2" parsed="|Num|35|10|35|15" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.10-Num.35.15">Num. xxxv. 10</scripRef>, &amp;c. It is here
repeated, and direction is given concerning three things:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p5">1. The appointing of three cities in Canaan
for this purpose. Moses had already appointed three on that side
Jordan which he saw the conquest of; and now he bids them, when
they should be settled in the other part of the country, to appoint
three more, <scripRef passage="De 19:1-3,7" id="Deu.xx-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|19|1|19|3;|Deut|19|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.1-Deut.19.3 Bible:Deut.19.7"><i>v.</i> 1-3,
7</scripRef>. The country was to be divided into three districts,
as near by as might be equal, and a city of refuge in the centre of
each so that every corner of the land might have one within reach.
Thus Christ is not a refuge at a distance, which we must ascend to
heaven or go down to the deep for, but the word is nigh us, and
Christ in the word, <scripRef passage="Ro 10:8" id="Deu.xx-p5.2" parsed="|Rom|10|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.8">Rom. x.
8</scripRef>. The gospel brings salvation <i>to our door,</i> and
there it knocks for admission. To make the flight of the delinquent
the more easy, the way must be prepared that led to the city of
refuge. Probably they had causeways or street-ways leading to those
cities, and the Jews say that the magistrates of Israel, upon one
certain day in the year, sent out messengers to see that those
roads were in good repair, and they were to remove
stumbling-blocks, mend bridges that were broken, and, where two
ways met, they were to set up a Mercurial post, with a finger to
point the right way, on which was engraven in great letters,
<i>Miklat, Miklat&#8212;Refuge, Refuge.</i> In allusion to this, gospel
ministers are to show people the way to Christ, and to assist and
direct them in flying by faith to him for refuge. They must be
ready to remove their prejudices, and help them over their
difficulties. And, blessed be God, <i>the way of holiness,</i> to
all that seek it faithfully, is a highway so plain that <i>the
wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p6">2. The use to be made of these cities,
<scripRef passage="De 19:4-6" id="Deu.xx-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|19|4|19|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.4-Deut.19.6"><i>v.</i> 4-6</scripRef>. (1.) It is
supposed that it might so happen that a man might be the death of
his neighbour without any design upon him either from a sudden
passion or malice prepense, but purely by accident, as by the
flying off of an axe-head, which is the instance here given, with
which every case of this kind was to be compared, and by it
adjudged. See how human life lies exposed daily, and what deaths we
are often in, and what need therefore we have to be always ready,
our souls being continually in our hands. How are the sons of men
<i>snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them!</i>
<scripRef passage="Ec 9:12" id="Deu.xx-p6.2" parsed="|Eccl|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.9.12">Eccl. ix. 12</scripRef>. An evil time
indeed it is when this happens not only to the slain but to the
slayer. (2.) It is supposed that the relations of the person slain
would be forward to avenge the blood, in affection to their friend
and in zeal for public justice. Though the law did not allow the
avenging of any other affront or injury with death, yet the avenger
of blood, the blood of a relation, shall have great allowances made
for the heat of his heart upon such a provocation as that, and his
killing only, should not be accounted murder if he did it before he
got to the city of refuge, though it is owned he was not worthy of
death. Thus would God possess people with a great horror and dread
of the sin of murder: if mere chance-medley did thus expose a man,
surely he that wilfully does violence to the blood of any person,
whether from an old grudge or upon a sudden provocation, must flee
to the pit, and <i>let no man stay him</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 28:17" id="Deu.xx-p6.3" parsed="|Prov|28|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.28.17">Prov. xxviii. 17</scripRef>); yet the New Testament
represents the sin of murder as more heinous and more dangerous
than even this law does. <scripRef passage="1Jo 3:15" id="Deu.xx-p6.4" parsed="|1John|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.15">1 John iii.
15</scripRef>, <i>You know that no murderer has eternal life
abiding in him.</i> (3.) It is provided that, if an avenger of
blood should be so unreasonable as to demand satisfaction for blood
shed by accident only, then the city of refuge should protect the
slayer. Sins of ignorance indeed do expose us to the wrath of God,
but there is relief provided, if by faith and repentance we make
use of it. Paul that had been a persecutor obtained mercy, because
he did it ignorantly; and Christ prayed for his crucifiers,
<i>Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p7">3. The appointing of three cities more for
this use in case God should hereafter enlarge their territories and
the dominion of their religion, that all those places which came
under the government of the law of Moses in other instances might
enjoy the benefit of that law in this instance, <scripRef passage="De 19:8-10" id="Deu.xx-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|19|8|19|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.8-Deut.19.10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>. Here is, (1.) An intimation
of God's gracious intention to enlarge their coast, as he had
promised to their fathers, if they did not by their disobedience
forfeit the promise, the condition of which is here carefully
repeated, that, if it were not performed, the reproach might lie
upon them, and not on God. He promised to give it, <i>if thou shalt
keep all these commandments;</i> not otherwise. (2.) A direction to
them to appoint three cities more in their new conquests, which,
the number intimates, should be as large as their first conquests
were; wherever the border of Israel went this privilege must attend
it, that <i>innocent blood be not shed,</i> <scripRef passage="De 19:10" id="Deu.xx-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|19|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Though God is the saviour and
preserver of all men, and has a tender regard to all lives, yet the
blood of Israelites is in a particular manner precious to him,
<scripRef passage="Ps 72:14" id="Deu.xx-p7.3" parsed="|Ps|72|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.14">Ps. lxxii. 14</scripRef>. The learned
Ainsworth observes that the Jewish writers themselves own that, the
condition not being performed, the promise of the enlarging of
their coast was never fulfilled; so that there was no occasion for
ever adding these three cities of refuge; yet the holy blessed God
(say they) <i>did not command it in vain, for in the days of
Messiah the prince</i> three other cities shall be added to these
six: they expect it to be fulfilled in the letter, but we know that
in Christ it has its spiritual accomplishment, for the borders of
the gospel Israel are enlarged according to the promise, and in
Christ, <i>the Lord our righteousness,</i> refuge is provided for
those that by faith flee to him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p8">II. It is provided that the cities of
refuge should be no sanctuary or shelter to a wilful murderer, but
even thence he should be fetched, and delivered to the avenger of
blood, <scripRef passage="De 19:11-13" id="Deu.xx-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|19|11|19|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.11-Deut.19.13"><i>v.</i> 11-13</scripRef>.
1. This shows that wilful murder must never be protected by the
civil magistrate; he bears the sword of justice in vain if he
suffers those to escape the edge of it that lie under the guilt of
blood, which he by office is the avenger of. During the dominion of
the papacy in our own land, before the Reformation, there were some
churches and religious houses (as they called them) that were made
sanctuaries for the protection of all sorts of criminals that fled
to them, wilful murderers not excepted, so that (as Stamford says,
in his <i>Pleas of the Crown, lib.</i> II. <i>c.</i> xxxviii.) the
government follows not Moses but Romulus, and it was not till about
the latter end of Henry VIII's time that this privilege of
sanctuary for wilful murder was taken away, when in that, as in
other cases, the word of God came to be regarded more than the
dictates of the see of Rome. And some have thought it would be a
completing of that instance of reformation if the benefit of clergy
were taken away for man-slaughter, that is, the killing of a man
upon a small provocation, since this law allowed refuge only in
case of that which our law calls chance-medley. 2. It may be
alluded to to show that in Jesus Christ there is no refuge for
presumptuous sinners, that <i>go on still in their trespasses.</i>
If we thus <i>sin wilfully,</i> sin and go on in it, there
<i>remains no sacrifice,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 10:26" id="Deu.xx-p8.2" parsed="|Heb|10|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.26">Heb. x.
26</scripRef>. Those that flee to Christ from their sins shall be
safe in him, but not those that expect to be sheltered by him in
their sins. Salvation itself cannot save such: divine justice will
fetch them even from the city of refuge, the protection of which
they are not entitled to.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 19" id="Deu.xx-p8.3" parsed="|Deut|19|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 19:14-21" id="Deu.xx-p8.4" parsed="|Deut|19|14|19|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.14-Deut.19.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.19.14-Deut.19.21">
<h4 id="Deu.xx-p8.5">False Witnesses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p8.6">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xx-p9">14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's
landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance,
which thou shalt inherit in the land that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p9.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee to possess it. &#160;
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or
for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two
witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be
established. &#160; 16 If a false witness rise up against any man
to testify against him <i>that which is</i> wrong; &#160; 17 Then
both the men, between whom the controversy <i>is,</i> shall stand
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xx-p9.2">Lord</span>, before the priests
and the judges, which shall be in those days; &#160; 18 And the
judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, <i>if</i> the
witness <i>be</i> a false witness, <i>and</i> hath testified
falsely against his brother; &#160; 19 Then shall ye do unto him,
as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put
the evil away from among you. &#160; 20 And those which remain
shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such
evil among you. &#160; 21 And thine eye shall not pity; <i>but</i>
life <i>shall go</i> for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand
for hand, foot for foot.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p10">Here is a statute for the preventing of
frauds and perjuries; for the divine law takes care of men's rights
and properties, and has made a hedge about them. Such a friend is
it to human society and men's civil interest.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p11">I. A law against frauds, <scripRef passage="De 19:14" id="Deu.xx-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. 1. Here is an implicit
direction given to the first planters of Canaan to fix land-marks,
according to the distribution of the land to the several tribes and
families by lot. Note, It is the will of God that every one should
know his own, and that all good means should be used to prevent
encroachments and the doing and suffering of wrong. When right is
settled, care must be taken that it be not afterwards unsettled,
and that, if possible, no occasion of dispute may arise. 2. An
express law to posterity not to remove those land-marks which were
thus fixed at first, by which a man secretly got that to himself
which was his neighbour's. This, without doubt, is a moral precept,
and still binding, and to us it forbids, (1.) The invading of any
man's right, and taking to ourselves that which is not our own, by
any fraudulent arts or practices, as by forging, concealing,
destroying, or altering deeds and writings (which are our
land-marks, to which appeals are made), or by shifting hedges,
meer-stones, and boundaries. Though the land-marks were set by the
hand of man, yet he was a thief and a robber by the law of God that
removed them. Let every man be content with his own lot, and just
to his neighbours, and then we shall have no land-marks removed.
(2.) It forbids the sowing of discord among neighbours, and doing
any thing to occasion strife and law-suits, which is done (and it
is very ill done) by confounding those things which should
determine disputes and decide controversies. And, (3.) It forbids
breaking in upon the settled order and constitution of civil
government, and the altering of ancient usages without just cause.
This law supports the honour of prescriptions. <i>Consuetudo facit
jus&#8212;Custom is to be held as law.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xx-p12">II. A law against perjuries, which enacts
two things:&#8212;1. That a single witness should never be admitted to
give evidence in a criminal cause, so as that sentence should be
passed upon his testimony, <scripRef passage="De 19:15" id="Deu.xx-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|19|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>. This law we had before, <scripRef passage="Nu 35:30" id="Deu.xx-p12.2" parsed="|Num|35|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.35.30">Num. xxxv. 30</scripRef>, and in this book, <scripRef passage="De 17:6" id="Deu.xx-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.6"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 6</scripRef>. This was enacted
in favour to the prisoner, whose life and honour should not lie at
the mercy of a particular person that had a pique against him, and
for caution to the accuser not to say that which he could not
corroborate by the testimony of another. It is a just shame which
this law puts upon mankind as false and not to be trusted; every
man is by it suspected: and it is the honour of God's grace that
the record he has given concerning his Son is confirmed both in
heaven and in earth by <i>three witnesses,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 5:7" id="Deu.xx-p12.4" parsed="|1John|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.5.7">1 John v. 7</scripRef>. <i>Let God be true and every man
a liar,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 3:4" id="Deu.xx-p12.5" parsed="|Rom|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.3.4">Rom. iii. 4</scripRef>. 2.
That a false witness should incur the same punishment which was to
have been inflicted upon the person he accused. <i>If two, or
three,</i> or many witnesses, concurred in a false testimony, they
were all liable to be prosecuted upon this law. (2.) The person
wronged or brought into peril by the false testimony is supposed to
be the appellant, <scripRef passage="De 19:17" id="Deu.xx-p12.6" parsed="|Deut|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. And yet if the person were put to death upon the
evidence, and afterwards it appeared to be false, any other person,
or the judges themselves, <i>ex officio&#8212;by virtue of their
office,</i> might call the false witness to account. (3.) Causes of
this kind, having more than ordinary difficulty in them, were to be
brought before the supreme court, <i>The priests and judges,</i>
who are said to be <i>before the Lord,</i> because, as other judges
sat in the gates of their cities, so these at the gate of the
sanctuary, <scripRef passage="De 17:12" id="Deu.xx-p12.7" parsed="|Deut|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.12"><i>ch.</i> xvii.
12</scripRef>. (4.) There must be great care in the trial,
<scripRef passage="De 19:18" id="Deu.xx-p12.8" parsed="|Deut|19|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. A diligent
inquisition must be made into the characters of the persons, and
all the circumstances of the case, which must be compared, that the
truth might be found out, which, where it is thus faithfully and
impartially enquired into, Providence, it may be hoped, will
particularly advance the discovery of. (5.) If it appeared that a
man had knowingly and maliciously borne false witness against his
neighbour, though the mischief he designed him thereby was not
effected, he must undergo the same penalty which his evidence would
have brought his neighbour under, <scripRef passage="De 19:19" id="Deu.xx-p12.9" parsed="|Deut|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. <i>Nec lex est justior
ulla&#8212;Nor could any law be more just.</i> If the crime he accused
his neighbour of was to be punished with death, the false witness
must be put to death; if with stripes, he must be beaten; if with a
pecuniary mulct, he was to be fined the sum. And because to those
who considered not the heinousness of the crime, and the necessity
of making this provision against it, it might seem hard to punish a
man so severely for a few words' speaking, especially when no
mischief did actually follow, it is added: <i>Thy eye shall not
pity,</i> <scripRef passage="De 19:21" id="Deu.xx-p12.10" parsed="|Deut|19|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. No
man needs to be more merciful than God. The benefit that will
accrue to the public from this severity will abundantly recompense
it: <i>Those that remain shall hear and fear,</i> <scripRef passage="De 19:20" id="Deu.xx-p12.11" parsed="|Deut|19|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. Such exemplary
punishments will be warnings to others not to attempt any such
mischief, when they see how he that <i>made the pit and digged it
has fallen into the ditch which he made.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XX" n="xxi" progress="90.55%" prev="Deu.xx" next="Deu.xxii" id="Deu.xxi">
<h2 id="Deu.xxi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxi-p1">This chapter settles the militia, and establishes
the laws and ordinances of war, I. Relating to the soldiers. 1.
Those must be encouraged that were drawn up to battle, <scripRef passage="De 20:1-4" id="Deu.xxi-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|20|1|20|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.1-Deut.20.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. 2. Those must be dismissed
and sent back again whose private affairs called for their
attendance at home (<scripRef passage="De 20:5-7" id="Deu.xxi-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|20|5|20|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.5-Deut.20.7">ver.
5-7</scripRef>), or whose weakness and timidity unfitted them for
service in the field, <scripRef passage="De 20:8,9" id="Deu.xxi-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|20|8|20|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.8-Deut.20.9">ver. 8,
9</scripRef>. II. Relating to the enemies they made war with. 1.
The treaties they must make with the cities that were far off,
<scripRef passage="De 20:10-15" id="Deu.xxi-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|20|10|20|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.10-Deut.20.15">ver. 10-15</scripRef>. 2. The
destruction they must make of the people into whose land they were
going, <scripRef passage="De 20:16-18" id="Deu.xxi-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|20|16|20|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.16-Deut.20.18">ver. 16-18</scripRef>. 3.
The care they must take, in besieging cities, not to destroy the
fruit-trees, <scripRef passage="De 20:19,20" id="Deu.xxi-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|20|19|20|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.19-Deut.20.20">ver. 19,
20</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 20" id="Deu.xxi-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 20:1-9" id="Deu.xxi-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|20|1|20|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.1-Deut.20.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.20.1-Deut.20.9">
<h4 id="Deu.xxi-p1.9">Directions Concerning War; Persons Excused
from War. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxi-p2">1 When thou goest out to battle against thine
enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, <i>and</i> a people more
than thou, be not afraid of them: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God <i>is</i> with thee, which brought
thee up out of the land of Egypt. &#160; 2 And it shall be, when ye
are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and
speak unto the people, &#160; 3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O
Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let
not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye
terrified because of them; &#160; 4 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p2.2">Lord</span> your God <i>is</i> he that goeth with you,
to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. &#160; 5 And
the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man <i>is
there</i> that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it?
let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and
another man dedicate it. &#160; 6 And what man <i>is he</i> that
hath planted a vineyard, and hath not <i>yet</i> eaten of it? let
him <i>also</i> go and return unto his house, lest he die in the
battle, and another man eat of it. &#160; 7 And what man <i>is
there</i> that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let
him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and
another man take her. &#160; 8 And the officers shall speak further
unto the people, and they shall say, What man <i>is there that
is</i> fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his
house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart. &#160;
9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking
unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to
lead the people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p3">Israel was at this time to be considered
rather as a camp than as a kingdom, entering upon an enemy's
country, and not yet settled in a country of their own; and,
besides the war they were now entering upon in order to their
settlement, even after their settlement they could neither protect
nor enlarge their coast without hearing the alarms of war. It was
therefore needful that they should have directions given them in
their military affairs; and in these verses they are directed in
managing, marshalling, and drawing up their own forces. And it is
observable that the discipline of war here prescribed is so far
from having any thing in it harsh or severe, as is usual in martial
law, that the intent of the whole is, on the contrary, to encourage
the soldiers, and to make their service easy to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p4">I. Those that were disposed to fight must
be encouraged and animated against their fears.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p5">1. Moses here gives a general
encouragement, which the leaders and commanders in the war must
take to themselves: "<i>Be not afraid of them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 20:1" id="Deu.xxi-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Though the enemy have
ever so much the advantage by their numbers (being more than thou),
and by their cavalry (their armies being much made up of horses and
chariots, which thou art not allowed to multiply), yet decline not
coming to a battle with them, dread not the issue, nor doubt of
success." Two things they must encourage themselves with in their
wars, provided they kept close to their God and their religion,
otherwise they forfeited these encouragements:&#8212;(1.) The presence
of God with them: "<i>The Lord thy God is with thee,</i> and
therefore thou art not in danger, nor needest thou be afraid." See
<scripRef passage="Isa 41:10" id="Deu.xxi-p5.2" parsed="|Isa|41|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.10">Isa. xli. 10</scripRef>. (2.) The
experience they and their fathers had had of God's power and
goodness in <i>bringing them out of the land of Egypt,</i> in
defiance of Pharaoh and all his hosts, which was not only in
general a proof of the divine omnipotence, but to them in
particular a pledge of what God would do further for them. He that
saved them from those greater enemies would not suffer them to be
run down by those that were every way less considerable, and thus
to have all he had done for them undone again.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p6">2. This encouragement must be particularly
addressed to the common soldiers by a priest appointed, and, the
Jews say, anointed, for that purpose, whom they call <i>the
anointed of the war,</i> a very proper title for our anointed
Redeemer, the captain of our salvation: This priest, in God's name,
was to animate the people; and who so fit to do that as he whose
office it was as priest to pray for them? For the best
encouragements arise from the precious promises made to the prayer
of faith. This priest must, (1.) Charge them not to be afraid
(<scripRef passage="De 20:3" id="Deu.xxi-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), for nothing
weakens the hands so much as that which makes the heart tremble,
<scripRef passage="De 20:3" id="Deu.xxi-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|20|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. There is need
of precept upon precept to this purport, as there is here: <i>Let
not your hearts be tender</i> (so the word is), to receive all the
impressions of fear, but let a believing confidence in the power
and promise of God harden them. <i>Fear not, and do not make
haste</i> (so the word is), for he that believeth doth not make
more haste than good speed. "Do not make haste either rashly to
anticipate your advantages or basely to fly off upon every
disadvantage." (2.) He must assure them of the presence of God with
them, to own and plead their righteous cause, and not only to save
them from their enemies, but to give them victory over them,
<scripRef passage="De 20:4" id="Deu.xxi-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|20|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Note, Those
have no reason to fear that have God with them. The giving of this
encouragement by a priest, one of the Lord's ministers, intimates,
[1.] That it is very fit that armies should have chaplains, not
only to pray for them, but to preach to them, both to reprove that
which would hinder their success and to raise their hopes of it.
[2.] That it is the work of Christ's ministers to encourage his
good soldiers in their spiritual conflict with the world and the
flesh, and to assure them of a conquest, yea, more than a conquest,
through Christ that loved us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p7">II. Those that were indisposed to fight
must be discharged, whether the indisposition did arise,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p8">1. From the circumstances of a man's
outward condition; as, (1.) If he had lately built or purchased a
new house, and had not taken possession of it, had not dedicated it
(<scripRef passage="De 20:5" id="Deu.xxi-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|20|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), that is, made
a solemn festival for the entertainment of his friends, that came
to him to welcome him to his house; let him go home and take the
comfort of that which God had blessed him with, till, by enjoying
it for some time, he become less fond of it, and consequently less
disturbed in the war by the thoughts of it, and more willing to lie
and leave it. For this is the nature of all our worldly enjoyments,
that they please us best at first; after a while we see the vanity
of them. Some think that this dedication of their houses was a
religious act, and that they took possession of them with prayers
and praises, with a solemn devoting of themselves and all their
enjoyments to the service and honour of God. David penned the
<scripRef passage="Ps 30:1-12" id="Deu.xxi-p8.2" parsed="|Ps|30|1|30|12" osisRef="Bible:Ps.30.1-Ps.30.12">30th Psalm</scripRef> on such an
occasion, as appears by the title. Note, He that has a house of his
own should dedicate it to God by setting up and keeping up the fear
and worship of God in it, that he may have a church in his house;
and nothing should be suffered to divert a man from this. Or, (2.)
If a man had been at a great expense to <i>plant a vineyard,</i>
and longed to <i>eat of the fruit</i> of it, which for the first
three years he was forbidden to do by the law (<scripRef passage="Le 19:23-25" id="Deu.xxi-p8.3" parsed="|Lev|19|23|19|25" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.23-Lev.19.25">Lev. xix. 23</scripRef>, &amp;c.), let him go home,
if he has a mind, and gratify his own humour with the fruits of it,
<scripRef passage="De 20:6" id="Deu.xxi-p8.4" parsed="|Deut|20|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. See how
indulgent God is to his people in innocent things, and how far from
being a hard Master. Since we naturally covet to eat the labour of
our hands, rather than an Israelite should be crossed therein, his
service in war shall be dispensed with., Or, (3.) If a man had made
up his mind to be married, and the marriage were not solemnized, he
was at liberty to return (<scripRef passage="De 20:7" id="Deu.xxi-p8.5" parsed="|Deut|20|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>), as also to tarry at home for one year after marriage
(<scripRef passage="De 24:5" id="Deu.xxi-p8.6" parsed="|Deut|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.5"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 5</scripRef>), for
the terrors of war would be disagreeable to a man who had just
welcomed the soft scene of domestic attachment. And God would not
be served in his wars by pressed men, that were forced into the
army against their will, but they must all be perfectly volunteers.
<scripRef passage="Ps 110:3" id="Deu.xxi-p8.7" parsed="|Ps|110|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.3">Ps. cx. 3</scripRef>, <i>Thy people
shall be willing.</i> In running the Christian race, and fighting
the good fight of faith, we must <i>lay aside every weight,</i> and
all that which would clog and divert our minds and make us
unwilling. The Jewish writers agree that this liberty to return was
allowed only in those wars which they made voluntarily (as bishop
Patrick expresses it), not those which were made by the divine
command against Amalek and the Canaanites, in which every man was
bound to fight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p9">2. If a man's indisposition to fight arose
from the weakness and timidity of his own spirit, he had leave to
return from the war, <scripRef passage="De 20:8" id="Deu.xxi-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. This proclamation Gideon made to his army, and it
detached above two-thirds of them, <scripRef passage="Jdg 7:3" id="Deu.xxi-p9.2" parsed="|Judg|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.7.3">Judg. vii. 3</scripRef>. Some make the fearfulness and
faintheartedness here supposed to arise from the terrors of an evil
conscience, which would make a man afraid to look death and danger
in the face. It was then thought that men of loose and profligate
lives would not be good soldiers, but must needs be both cowards in
an army and curses to it, the shame and trouble of the camp; and
therefore those who were conscious to themselves of notorious guilt
were shaken off. But it seems rather to be meant of a natural
fearfulness. It was partly in kindness to them that they had their
discharge (for, though shamed, they were eased); but much more in
kindness to the rest of the army, who were hereby freed from the
incumbrance of such as were useless and unserviceable, while the
danger of infection from their cowardice and flight was prevented.
This is the reason here given: <i>Lest his brethren's heart fail as
well as his heart.</i> Fear is catching, and in an army is of most
pernicious consequence. We must take heed that we <i>fear not the
fear of those that are afraid,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 8:12" id="Deu.xxi-p9.3" parsed="|Isa|8|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.12">Isa. viii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p10">III. It is here ordered that, when all the
cowards were dismissed, then captains should be nominated
(<scripRef passage="De 20:9" id="Deu.xxi-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|20|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>), for it was in
a special manner necessary that the leaders and commanders should
be men of courage. That reform therefore must be made when the army
was first mustered and marshalled. The soldiers of Christ have need
of courage, that they may quit themselves like men, and endure
hardness like good soldiers, especially the officers of his
army.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 20" id="Deu.xxi-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|20|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 20:10-20" id="Deu.xxi-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|20|10|20|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.10-Deut.20.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.20.10-Deut.20.20">
<h4 id="Deu.xxi-p10.4">Proclamations of War; Directions Concerning
War. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p10.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxi-p11">10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight
against it, then proclaim peace unto it. &#160; 11 And it shall be,
if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall
be, <i>that</i> all the people <i>that is</i> found therein shall
be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. &#160; 12 And
if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee,
then thou shalt besiege it: &#160; 13 And when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p11.1">Lord</span> thy God hath delivered it into thine hands,
thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:
&#160; 14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and
all that is in the city, <i>even</i> all the spoil thereof, shalt
thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine
enemies, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p11.2">Lord</span> thy God hath
given thee. &#160; 15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities
<i>which are</i> very far off from thee, which <i>are</i> not of
the cities of these nations. &#160; 16 But of the cities of these
people, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p11.3">Lord</span> thy God doth
give thee <i>for</i> an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing
that breatheth: &#160; 17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them;
<i>namely,</i> the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and
the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p11.4">Lord</span> thy God hath commanded thee: &#160; 18 That
they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they
have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxi-p11.5">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 19 When thou shalt
besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it,
thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against
them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down
(for the tree of the field <i>is</i> man's <i>life</i>) to employ
<i>them</i> in the siege: &#160; 20 Only the trees which thou
knowest that they <i>be</i> not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy
and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city
that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p12">They are here directed what method to take
in dealing with the cities (these only are mentioned, <scripRef passage="De 20:10" id="Deu.xxi-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>, but doubtless the
armies in the field, and the nations they had occasion to deal
with, are likewise intended) upon which they made war. They must
not make a descent upon any of their neighbours till they had first
given them fair notice, by a public manifesto, or remonstrance,
stating the ground of their quarrel with them. In dealing with the
worst of enemies, the laws of justice and honour must be observed;
and, as the sword must never be taken in hand without cause, so not
without cause shown. War is an appeal, in which the merits of the
cause must be set forth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p13">I. Even to the proclamation of war must be
subjoined a tender of peace, if they would accept of it upon
reasonable terms. That is (say the Jewish writers), "upon condition
that they renounce idolatry, worship the God of Israel, as
proselytes of the gate that were not circumcised, pay to their new
masters a yearly tribute, and submit to their government:" on these
terms the process of war should be stayed, and their conquerors,
upon this submission, were to be their protectors, <scripRef passage="De 20:10,11" id="Deu.xxi-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|20|10|20|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.10-Deut.20.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. Some think that
even the seven nations of Canaan were to have this offer of peace
made to them; and the offer was no jest or mockery, though <i>it
was of the Lord to harden their hearts</i> that they should not
accept it, <scripRef passage="Jos 11:20" id="Deu.xxi-p13.2" parsed="|Josh|11|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.11.20">Josh. xi. 20</scripRef>.
Others think that they are excluded (<scripRef passage="De 20:16" id="Deu.xxi-p13.3" parsed="|Deut|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) not only from the benefit of
that law (<scripRef passage="De 20:13" id="Deu.xxi-p13.4" parsed="|Deut|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>)
which confines military execution to the males only, but from the
benefit of this also, which allows not to make war till peace was
refused. And I see not how they could proclaim peace to those who
by the law were to be utterly rooted out, and to whom they were to
show no mercy, <scripRef passage="De 7:2" id="Deu.xxi-p13.5" parsed="|Deut|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.2"><i>ch.</i> vii.
2</scripRef>. But for any other nation which they made war upon,
for the enlarging of their coast, the avenging of any wrong done,
or the recovery of any right denied, they must first proclaim peace
to them. Let this show, 1. God's grace in dealing with sinners:
though he might most justly and easily destroy them, yet, having no
pleasure in their ruin, he proclaims peace, and beseeches them to
be reconciled; so that those who lie most obnoxious to his justice,
and ready to fall as sacrifices to it, if they make him an answer
of peace, and open to him, upon condition that they will be
tributaries and servants to him, shall not only be saved from ruin,
but incorporated with his Israel, as fellow-citizens with the
saints. 2. Let it show us our duty in dealing with our brethren: if
any quarrel happen, let us not only be ready to hearken to the
proposals of peace, but forward to make such proposals. We should
never make use of the law till we have first tried to accommodate
matters in variance amicably, and without expense and vexation.
<i>We</i> must be for peace, whoever are for war.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p14">II. If the offers of peace were not
accepted, then they must proceed to push on the war. And let those
to whom God offers peace know that if they reject the offer, and
take not the benefit of it within the time limited, judgment will
rejoice against mercy in the execution as much as now mercy
rejoices against judgment in the reprieve. In this case, 1. There
is a promise implied that they should be victorious. It is taken
for granted that <i>the Lord their God would deliver it into their
hands,</i> <scripRef passage="De 20:13" id="Deu.xxi-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>.
Note, Those enterprises which we undertake by a divine warrant, and
prosecute by divine direction, we may expect to succeed in. If we
take God's method, we shall have his blessing. 2. They are ordered,
in honour to the public justice, to put all the soldiers to the
sword, for them I understand by <i>every male</i> (<scripRef passage="De 20:13" id="Deu.xxi-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|20|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), all that bore arms (as
all then did that were able); but the spoil they are allowed to
take to themselves (<scripRef passage="De 20:14" id="Deu.xxi-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|20|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), in which were reckoned the women and children.
Note, A justifiable property is acquired in that which is won in
lawful war. God himself owns the title: <i>The Lord thy God gives
it thee;</i> and therefore he must be owned in it, <scripRef passage="Ps 44:3" id="Deu.xxi-p14.4" parsed="|Ps|44|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.3">Ps. xliv. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p15">III. The nations of Canaan are excepted
from the merciful provisions made by this law. Remnants might be
left of the cities that were very far off (<scripRef passage="De 20:15" id="Deu.xxi-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|20|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), because by them they were not
in so much danger of being infected with idolatry, nor was their
country so directly and immediately intended in the promise; but of
the cities which were given to Israel for an inheritance no
remnants must be left of their inhabitants (<scripRef passage="De 20:16" id="Deu.xxi-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|20|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), for it put a slight upon the
promise to admit Canaanites to share with them in the peculiar land
of promise; and for another reason they must be utterly destroyed
(<scripRef passage="De 20:17" id="Deu.xxi-p15.3" parsed="|Deut|20|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>), because,
since it could not be expected that they should be cured of their
idolatry, if they were left with that plague-sore upon them they
would be in danger of infecting God's Israel, who were too apt to
take the infection: <i>They will teach you to do after their
abominations</i> (<scripRef passage="De 20:18" id="Deu.xxi-p15.4" parsed="|Deut|20|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>), to introduce their customs into the worship of the
God of Israel, and by degrees to forsake him and to worship false
gods; for those that dare violate the second commandment will not
long keep to the first. Strange worships open the door to strange
deities.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxi-p16">IV. Care is here taken that in the
besieging of cities there should not be any destruction made of
fruit-trees, <scripRef passage="De 20:19-20" id="Deu.xxi-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|20|19|20|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.20.19-Deut.20.20"><i>v.</i>
19-20</scripRef>. In those times, when besiegers forced their way,
not as now with bombs and cannon-ball, but with battering rams,
they had occasion for much timber in carrying on their sieges: now
because, in the heat of war, men are not apt to consider, as they
ought, the public good, it is expressly provided that fruit-trees
should not be used as timber-trees. That reason, <i>for the tree of
the field is man's</i> (the word <i>life</i> we supply), all the
ancient versions, the Septuagint, Targums, &amp;c., read, <i>For is
the tree of the field a man?</i> Or <i>the tree of the field is not
a man, that it should come against thee in the siege,</i> or
<i>retire from thee into the bulwark.</i> "Do not brutishly vent
thy rage against the trees that can do thee no harm." But our
translation seems most agreeable to the intent of the law, and it
teaches us, 1. That God is a better friend to man than man is to
himself; and God's law, which we are apt to complain of as a heavy
yoke, consults our interest and comfort, while our own appetites
and passions, of which we are so indulgent, are really enemies to
our welfare. The intent of many of the divine precepts is to
restrain us from destroying that which is our life and food. 2.
That armies and their commanders are not allowed to make what
desolation they please in the countries that are the seat of war.
Military rage must always be checked and ruled with reason. War,
though carried on with ever so much caution, is destructive enough,
and should not be made more so than is absolutely necessary.
Generous spirits will show themselves tender, not only of men's
lives, but of their livelihoods; for, though <i>the life is more
than meat,</i> yet it will soon be nothing without meat. 3. The
Jews understand this as a prohibition of all wilful waste upon any
account whatsoever. No fruit-tree is to be destroyed unless it be
barren, and cumber the ground. "Nay," they maintain, "whoso
wilfully breaks vessels, tears clothes, stops wells, pulls down
buildings, or destroys meat, transgresses this law: <i>Thou shalt
not destroy.</i>" Christ took care that the broken meat should be
gathered up, that nothing might be lost. Every creature of God is
good, and, as nothing is to be refused, so nothing is to be abused.
We may live to want what we carelessly waste.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXI" n="xxii" progress="90.97%" prev="Deu.xxi" next="Deu.xxiii" id="Deu.xxii">
<h2 id="Deu.xxii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxii-p1">In this chapter provision is made, I. For the
putting away of the guilt of blood from the land, when he that shed
it had fled from justice, <scripRef passage="De 21:1-9" id="Deu.xxii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|21|1|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.1-Deut.21.9">ver.
1-9</scripRef>. II. For the preserving of the honour of a captive
maid, <scripRef passage="De 21:10-14" id="Deu.xxii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|21|10|21|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.10-Deut.21.14">ver. 10-14</scripRef>. III.
For the securing of the right of a first-born son, though he were
not a favourite, <scripRef passage="De 21:15-17" id="Deu.xxii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|21|15|21|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.15-Deut.21.17">ver.
15-17</scripRef>. IV. For the restraining and punishing of a
rebellious son, <scripRef passage="De 21:18-21" id="Deu.xxii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|21|18|21|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.18-Deut.21.21">ver.
18-21</scripRef>. V. For the maintaining of the honour of human
bodies, which must not be hanged in chains, but decently buried,
even the bodies of the worst malefactors, <scripRef passage="De 21:22,23" id="Deu.xxii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|21|22|21|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.22-Deut.21.23">ver. 22, 23</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21" id="Deu.xxii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21:1-9" id="Deu.xxii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|21|1|21|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.1-Deut.21.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.21.1-Deut.21.9">
<h4 id="Deu.xxii-p1.8">Undetected Murder. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxii-p2">1 If <i>one</i> be found slain in the land which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee to
possess it, lying in the field, <i>and</i> it be not known who hath
slain him: &#160; 2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come
forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which <i>are</i>
round about him that is slain: &#160; 3 And it shall be,
<i>that</i> the city <i>which is</i> next unto the slain man, even
the elders of that city shall take a heifer, which hath not been
wrought with, <i>and</i> which hath not drawn in the yoke; &#160; 4
And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a
rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off
the heifer's neck there in the valley: &#160; 5 And the priests the
sons of Levi shall come near; for them the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God hath chosen to minister unto him,
and to bless in the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p2.3">Lord</span>; and by their word shall every controversy
and every stroke be <i>tried:</i> &#160; 6 And all the elders of
that city, <i>that are</i> next unto the slain <i>man,</i> shall
wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
&#160; 7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed
this blood, neither have our eyes seen <i>it.</i> &#160; 8 Be
merciful, <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p2.4">O Lord</span>, unto thy people
Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto
thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven
them. &#160; 9 So shalt thou put away the <i>guilt of</i> innocent
blood from among you, when thou shalt do <i>that which is</i> right
in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p2.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p3">Care had been taken by some preceding laws
for the vigorous and effectual persecution of a wilful murderer
(<scripRef passage="De 19:11-13" id="Deu.xxii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|19|11|19|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.11-Deut.19.13"><i>ch.</i> xix. 11</scripRef>,
&amp;c.), the putting of whom to death was the putting away of the
guilt of blood from the land; but if this could not be done, the
murderer not being discovered, they must not think that the land
was in no danger of contracting any pollution because it was not
through any neglect of theirs that the murderer was unpunished; no,
a great solemnity is here provided for the putting away of the
guilt, as an expression of their dread and detestation of that
sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p4">I. The case supposed is that <i>one is
found slain, and it is not known who slew him,</i> <scripRef passage="De 21:1" id="Deu.xxii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|21|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. The providence of God has
sometimes wonderfully brought to light these hidden works of
darkness, and by strange occurrences the sin of the guilty has
found them out, insomuch that it has become a proverb, <i>Murder
will out.</i> But it is not always so; now and then the devil's
promises of secresy and impunity in this world are made good; yet
it is but for a while: there is a time coming when secret murders
will be discovered; the <i>earth shall disclose her blood</i>
(<scripRef passage="Isa 26:21" id="Deu.xxii-p4.2" parsed="|Isa|26|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.26.21">Isa. xxvi. 21</scripRef>), upon the
inquisition which justice makes for it; and there is an eternity
coming when those that escaped punishment from men will lie under
the righteous judgment of God. And the impunity with which so many
murders and other wickednesses are committed in this world makes it
necessary that there should be a day of judgment, to <i>require
that which is past,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 3:15" id="Deu.xxii-p4.3" parsed="|Eccl|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.15">Eccl. iii.
15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p5">II. Directions are given concerning what is
to be done in this case. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p6">1. It is taken for granted that a diligent
search had been made for the murderer, witnesses examined, and
circumstances strictly enquired into, that if possible they might
find out the guilty person; but if, after all, they could not trace
it out, not fasten the charge upon any, then, (1.) The <i>elders of
the next city</i> (that had a court of three and twenty in it) were
to concern themselves about this matter. If it were doubtful which
city was next, the great sanhedrim were to send commissioners to
determine that matter by an exact measure, <scripRef passage="De 21:2,3" id="Deu.xxii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|21|2|21|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.2-Deut.21.3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>. Note, Public persons must be
solicitous about the public good; and those that are in power and
reputation in cities must lay out themselves to redress grievances,
and reform what is amiss in the country and neighbourhood that lie
about them. Those that are next to them should have the largest
share of their good influence, as ministers of God for good. (2.)
The priests and Levites must assist and preside in this solemnity
(<scripRef passage="De 21:5" id="Deu.xxii-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|21|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), that they
might direct the management of it in all points according to the
law, and particularly might be the people's mouth to God in the
prayer that was to be put up on this sad occasion, <scripRef passage="De 21:8" id="Deu.xxii-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|21|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. God being Israel's King,
his ministers must be their magistrates, and by their word, as the
mouth of the court and learned in the laws, every controversy must
be tried. It was Israel's privilege that they had such guides,
overseers, and rulers, and their duty to make use of them upon all
occasions, especially in sacred things, as this was. (3.) They were
to bring a heifer down into a rough and unoccupied valley, and to
kill it there, <scripRef passage="De 21:3,4" id="Deu.xxii-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|21|3|21|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.3-Deut.21.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>. This was not a sacrifice (for it was not brought to
the altar), but a solemn protestation that thus they would put the
murderer to death if they had him in their hands. The heifer must
be one that had not drawn in the yoke, to signify (say some) that
the murderer was a son of Belial; it must be brought into a rough
valley, to signify the horror of the fact, and that the defilement
which blood brings upon a land turns it into barrenness. And the
Jews say that unless, after this, the murderer was found out, this
valley where the heifer was killed was never to be tilled nor sown.
(4.) The elders were to <i>wash their hands in water</i> over the
heifer that was killed, and to profess, not only that they had not
shed this innocent blood themselves, but that they knew not who had
(<scripRef passage="De 21:6,7" id="Deu.xxii-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|21|6|21|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.6-Deut.21.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>), nor had
knowingly concealed the murderer, helped him to make his escape, or
been any way aiding or abetting. To this custom David alludes,
<scripRef passage="Ps 26:6" id="Deu.xxii-p6.6" parsed="|Ps|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.26.6">Ps. xxvi. 6</scripRef>, <i>I will wash
my hands in innocency;</i> but if Pilate had any eye to it
(<scripRef passage="Mt 27:24" id="Deu.xxii-p6.7" parsed="|Matt|27|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.27.24">Matt. xxvii. 24</scripRef>) he
wretchedly misapplied it when he condemned Christ, knowing him to
be innocent, and yet acquitted himself from the guilt of innocent
blood. <i>Protestatio non valet contra factum&#8212;Protestations are of
no avail when contradicted by fact.</i> (5.) The priests were to
pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful
to them, and not bring upon them the judgments which the connivance
at the sin of murder would deserve. It might be presumed that the
murderer was either one of their city or was now harboured in their
city; and therefore they must pray that they might not fare the
worse for his being among them, <scripRef passage="Nu 16:22" id="Deu.xxii-p6.8" parsed="|Num|16|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.16.22">Num.
xvi. 22</scripRef>. <i>Be merciful, O Lord, to thy people
Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="De 21:8" id="Deu.xxii-p6.9" parsed="|Deut|21|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>.
Note, When we hear of the wickedness of the wicked we have need to
cry earnestly to God for mercy for our land, which groans and
trembles under it. We must empty the measure by our prayers which
others are filling by their sins. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p7">2. This solemnity was appointed, (1.) That
it might give occasion to common and public discourse concerning
the murder, which perhaps might some way or other occasion the
discovery of it. (2.) That it might possess people with a dread of
the guilt of blood, which defiles not only the conscience of him
that sheds it (this should engage us all to pray with David,
<i>Deliver me from blood&#8212;guiltiness</i>), but the land in which it
is shed; it cries to the magistrate for justice on the criminal,
and, if that cry be not heard, it cries to heaven for judgment on
the land. If there must be so much care employed to save the land
from guilt when the murderer was not known, it was certainly
impossible to secure it from guilt if the murderer was known and
yet protected. All would be taught, by this solemnity, to use their
utmost care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder.
Even the heathen mariners dreaded the guilt of blood, <scripRef passage="Jon 1:14" id="Deu.xxii-p7.1" parsed="|Jonah|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jonah.1.14">Jon. i. 14</scripRef>. (3.) That we might all
learn to take heed of partaking in other men's sins, and making
ourselves accessory to them <i>ex post facto&#8212;after the fact,</i>
by countenancing the sin or sinner, and not witnessing against it
in our places. We have <i>fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness</i> if we do not reprove them rather, and bear our
testimony against them. The repentance of the church of Corinth for
the sin of one of their members produced such a carefulness, such a
clearing of themselves, such a holy indignation, fear, and revenge
(<scripRef passage="2Co 7:11" id="Deu.xxii-p7.2" parsed="|2Cor|7|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.7.11">2 Cor. vii. 11</scripRef>), as were
signified by the solemnity here appointed.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21" id="Deu.xxii-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21:10-14" id="Deu.xxii-p7.4" parsed="|Deut|21|10|21|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.10-Deut.21.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.21.10-Deut.21.14">
<h4 id="Deu.xxii-p7.5">The Case of Captive Women. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p7.6">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxii-p8">10 When thou goest forth to war against thine
enemies, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God hath
delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive,
&#160; 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast
a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; &#160;
12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall
shave her head, and pare her nails; &#160; 13 And she shall put the
raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine
house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after
that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall
be thy wife. &#160; 14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in
her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt
not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of
her, because thou hast humbled her.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p9">By this law a soldier is allowed to marry
his captive if he pleased. For the hardness of their hearts Moses
gave them this permission, lest, if they had not had liberty given
them to marry such, they should have taken liberty to defile
themselves with them, and by such wickedness the camp would have
been troubled. The man is supposed to have a wife already, and to
take this wife for a secondary wife, as the Jews called them. This
indulgence of men's inordinate desires, in which their hearts
walked after their eyes, is by no means agreeable to the law of
Christ, which therefore in this respect, among others, far exceeds
in glory the law of Moses. The gospel permits not him that has one
wife to take another, for <i>from the beginning it was not so.</i>
The gospel forbids looking upon a woman, though a beautiful one, to
lust after her, and commands the mortifying and denying of all
irregular desires, though it be as uneasy as the cutting off of a
right hand; so much does our holy religion, more than that of the
Jews, advance the honour and support the dominion of the soul over
the body, the spirit over the flesh, consonant to the glorious
discovery it makes of life and immortality, and the better
hope.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p10">But, though military men were allowed this
liberty, yet care is here taken that they should not abuse it, that
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p11">I. That they should not abuse themselves by
doing it too hastily, though the captive was ever so desirable:
"<i>If thou wouldest have her to thy wife</i> (<scripRef passage="De 21:10,11" id="Deu.xxii-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|21|10|21|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.10-Deut.21.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>), it is true thou needest
not ask her parents' consent, for she is thy captive, and is at thy
disposal. But, 1. Thou shalt have no familiar intercourse till thou
hast married her." This allowance was designed to gratify, not a
filthy brutish lust, in the heat and fury of its rebellion against
reason and virtue, but an honourable and generous affection to a
comely and amiable person, though in distress; therefore he may
make her his wife if he will, but he must not <i>deal with her as
with a harlot.</i> 2. "Thou shalt not marry her of a sudden, but
keep her a full month in thy house," <scripRef passage="De 21:12,13" id="Deu.xxii-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|21|12|21|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.12-Deut.21.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. This he must do either,
(1.) That he may try to take his affection off from her; for he
must know that, though in marrying her he does not do ill (so the
law then stood), yet in letting her alone he does much better. Let
her therefore shave her head, that he might not be enamoured with
her locks, and <i>let her nails grow</i> (so the margin reads it),
to spoil the beauty of her hand. <i>Quisquid amas cupias non
placuisse nimis&#8212;We should moderate our affection for those things
which we are tempted to love inordinately.</i> Or rather, (2.) This
was done in token of her renouncing idolatry, and becoming a
proselyte to the Jewish religion. The shaving of her head, the
paring of her nails, and the changing of her apparel, signified her
putting off her former conversation, which was corrupt in her
ignorance, that she might become a new creature. She must remain in
his house to be taught the good knowledge of the Lord and the
worship of him: and the Jews say that if she refused, and continued
obstinate in idolatry, he must not marry her. Note, The professors
of religion must not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, <scripRef passage="2Co 6:14" id="Deu.xxii-p11.3" parsed="|2Cor|6|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.14">2 Cor. vi. 14</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p12">II. That they should not abuse the poor
captive. 1. She must have time to <i>bewail her father and
mother,</i> from whom she was separated, and without whose consent
and blessing she is now likely to be married, and perhaps to a
common soldier of Israel, though in her country ever so nobly born
and bred. To force a marriage till these sorrows were digested, and
in some measure got over, and she was better reconciled to the land
of her captivity by being better acquainted with it, would be very
unkind. She must not bewail her idols, but be glad to part with
them; to her near and dear relations only her affection must be
thus indulged. 2. If, upon second thoughts, he that had brought her
to his house with a purpose to marry her changed his mind and would
not marry her, he might not make merchandise of her, as of his
other prisoners, but must give her liberty to return, if she
pleased, to her own country, because he had humbled her and
afflicted her, by raising expectations and then disappointing them
(<scripRef passage="De 21:14" id="Deu.xxii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>); having made
a fool of her, he might not make a prey of her. This intimates how
binding the laws of justice and honour are, particularly in the
pretensions of love, the courting of affections, and the promises
of marriage, which are to be looked upon as solemn things, that
have something sacred in them, and therefore are not to be jested
with.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21" id="Deu.xxii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21:15-17" id="Deu.xxii-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|21|15|21|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.15-Deut.21.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.21.15-Deut.21.17">
<h4 id="Deu.xxii-p12.4">The Right of the Firstborn. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p12.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxii-p13">15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and
another hated, and they have born him children, <i>both</i> the
beloved and the hated; and <i>if</i> the firstborn son be hers that
was hated: &#160; 16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to
inherit <i>that</i> which he hath, <i>that</i> he may not make the
son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, <i>which
is indeed</i> the firstborn: &#160; 17 But he shall acknowledge the
son of the hated <i>for</i> the firstborn, by giving him a double
portion of all that he hath: for he <i>is</i> the beginning of his
strength; the right of the firstborn <i>is</i> his.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p14">This law restrains men from disinheriting
their eldest sons out of mere caprice, and without just
provocation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p15">I. The case here put (<scripRef passage="De 21:15" id="Deu.xxii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|21|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>) is very instructive. 1. It
shows the great mischief of having more wives than one, which the
law of Moses did not restrain, probably in hopes that men's own
experience of the great inconvenience of it in families would at
last put an end to it and make them a law to themselves. Observe
the supposition here: If a man have two wives, it is a thousand to
one but one of them is beloved and the other hated (that is,
manifestly loved less) as Leah was by Jacob, and the effect of this
cannot but be strifes and jealousies, envy, confusion, and every
evil work, which could not but create a constant uneasiness and
vexation to the husband, and involve him both in sin and trouble.
Those do much better consult their own ease and satisfaction who
adhere to God's law than those who indulge their own lusts. 2. It
shows how Providence commonly sides with the weakest, and <i>gives
more abundant honour to that part which lacked;</i> for the
first-born son is here supposed to be <i>hers that was hated;</i>
it was so in Jacob's family: because <i>the Lord saw that Leah was
hated,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 29:31" id="Deu.xxii-p15.2" parsed="|Gen|29|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.31">Gen. xxix. 31</scripRef>.
The great householder wisely gives to each his dividend of comfort;
if one had the honour to be the beloved wife, it often proved that
the other had the honour to be the mother of the first-born.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p16">II. The law in this case is still binding
on parents; they must give their children their right without
partiality. In the case supposed, the eldest son, though the son of
the less-beloved wife, must have his birthright privilege, which
was a double portion of the father's estate, because he was the
beginning of his strength that is, in him his family began to be
strengthened and his quiver began to be filled with the <i>arrows
of a mighty man</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 127:4" id="Deu.xxii-p16.1" parsed="|Ps|127|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.127.4">Ps. cxxvii.
4</scripRef>), and therefore the right of the first-born is his,
<scripRef passage="De 21:16,17" id="Deu.xxii-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|21|16|21|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.16-Deut.21.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. Jacob
had indeed deprived Reuben of his birthright, and given it to
Joseph, but it was because Reuben had forfeited the birthright by
his incest, not because he was the <i>son of the hated;</i> now,
lest that which Jacob did justly should be drawn into a precedent
for others to do the same thing unjustly, it is here provided that
when the father makes his will, or otherwise settled his estate,
the child shall not fare the worse for the mother's unhappiness in
having less of her husband's love, for that was not the child's
fault. Note, (1.) Parents ought to make no other difference in
dispensing their affections among their children than what they see
plainly God makes in dispensing his grace among them. (2.) Since it
is the providence of God that makes heirs, the disposal of
providence in that matter must be acquiesced in and not opposed. No
son should be abandoned by his father till he manifestly appear to
be abandoned of God, which is hard to say of any while there is
life.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21" id="Deu.xxii-p16.3" parsed="|Deut|21|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 21:18-23" id="Deu.xxii-p16.4" parsed="|Deut|21|18|21|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.18-Deut.21.23"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.21.18-Deut.21.23">
<h4 id="Deu.xxii-p16.5">Punishment of a Rebellious Son; Burial of
Malefactors. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p16.6">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxii-p17">18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son,
which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his
mother, and <i>that,</i> when they have chastened him, will not
hearken unto them: &#160; 19 Then shall his father and his mother
lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and
unto the gate of his place; &#160; 20 And they shall say unto the
elders of his city, This our son <i>is</i> stubborn and rebellious,
he will not obey our voice; <i>he is</i> a glutton, and a drunkard.
&#160; 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones,
that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all
Israel shall hear, and fear. &#160; 22 And if a man have committed
a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang
him on a tree: &#160; 23 His body shall not remain all night upon
the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he
that is hanged <i>is</i> accursed of God;) that thy land be not
defiled, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxii-p17.1">Lord</span> thy God
giveth thee <i>for</i> an inheritance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p18">Here is, I. A law for the punishing of a
rebellious son. Having in the former law provided that parents
should not deprive their children of their right, it was fit that
it should next be provided that children withdraw not the honour
and duty which are owing to their parents, for there is no
partiality in the divine law. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p19">1. How the criminal is here described. He
is a <i>stubborn and rebellious son,</i> <scripRef passage="De 21:18" id="Deu.xxii-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|21|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. No child was to fare the worse
for the weakness of his capacity, the slowness or dulness of his
understanding, but for his wilfulness and obstinacy. If he carry
himself proudly and insolently towards his parents, contemn their
authority, slight their reproofs and admonitions, disobey the
express commands they give him for his own good, hate to be
reformed by the correction they give him, shame their family,
grieve their hearts, waste their substance, and threaten to ruin
their estate by riotous living&#8212;this is a <i>stubborn and
rebellious son.</i> He is particularly supposed (<scripRef passage="De 21:20" id="Deu.xxii-p19.2" parsed="|Deut|21|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>) to be a <i>glutton or a
drunkard.</i> This intimates either, (1.) That these were sins
which his parents did in a particular manner warn him against, and
therefore that in these instances there was a plain evidence that
he did not obey their voice. Lemuel had this charge from his
mother, <scripRef passage="Pr 31:4" id="Deu.xxii-p19.3" parsed="|Prov|31|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.4">Prov. xxxi. 4</scripRef>. Note,
In the education of children, great care should be taken to
suppress all inclinations to drunkenness, and to keep them out of
the way of temptations to it; in order hereunto they should be
possessed betimes with a dread and detestation of that beastly sin,
and taught betimes to deny themselves. Or, (2.) That his being a
<i>glutton and a drunkard</i> was the cause of his insolence and
obstinacy towards his parents. Note, There is nothing that draws
men into all manner of wickedness, and hardens them in it, more
certainly and fatally than drunkenness does. When men take to drink
they forget the law, they forget all law (<scripRef passage="Pr 31:5" id="Deu.xxii-p19.4" parsed="|Prov|31|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.31.5">Prov. xxxi. 5</scripRef>), even that fundamental law of
honouring parents.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p20">2. How this criminal is to be proceeded
against. His own father and mother are to be his prosecutors,
<scripRef passage="De 21:19,20" id="Deu.xxii-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|21|19|21|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.19-Deut.21.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. They
might not put him to death themselves, but they must complain of
him to the elders of the city, and the complaint must needs be made
with a sad heart: <i>This our son is stubborn and rebellious.</i>
Note, Those that give up themselves to vice and wickedness, and
will not be reclaimed, forfeit their interest in the natural
affections of the nearest relations; the instruments of their being
justly become the instruments of their destruction. The children
that forget their duty must thank themselves and not blame their
parents if they are regarded with less and less affection. And, how
difficult soever tender parents now find it to reconcile themselves
to the just punishment of their rebellious children, in the day of
the revelation of the righteous judgment of God all natural
affection will be so entirely swallowed up in divine love that they
will acquiesce even in the condemnation of those children, because
God will be therein for ever glorified.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p21">3. What judgment is to be executed upon
him: he must publicly <i>stoned to death by the men of his
city,</i> <scripRef passage="De 21:21" id="Deu.xxii-p21.1" parsed="|Deut|21|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. And
thus, (1.) The paternal authority was supported, and God, our
common Father, showed himself jealous for it, it being one of the
first and most ancient streams derived from him that is the
fountain of all power. (2.) This law, if duly executed, would
<i>early destroy the wicked of the land.</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 101:8" id="Deu.xxii-p21.2" parsed="|Ps|101|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.101.8">Ps. ci. 8</scripRef>), and prevent the spreading of the
gangrene, by cutting off the corrupt part betimes; for those that
were bad members of families would never make good members of the
commonwealth. (3.) It would strike an awe upon children, and
frighten them into obedience to their parents, if they would not
otherwise be brought to their duty and kept in it: <i>All Israel
shall hear.</i> The Jews say, "The elders that condemned him were
to send notice of it in writing all the nation over, <i>In such a
court, such a day, we stoned such a one, because he was a stubborn
and rebellious son.</i>" And I have sometimes wished that as in all
our courts there is an exact record kept of the condemnation of
criminals, <i>in perpetuam rei memoriam&#8212;that the memorial may
never be lost,</i> so there might be public and authentic notice
given in print to the kingdom of such condemnations, and the
executions upon them, by the elders themselves, <i>in
terrorem&#8212;that all may hear and fear.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxii-p22">II. A law for the burying of the bodies of
malefactors that were hanged, <scripRef passage="De 21:22" id="Deu.xxii-p22.1" parsed="|Deut|21|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.21.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. The hanging of them by the neck
till the body was dead was not used at all among the Jews, as with
us; but of such as were stoned to death, if it were for blasphemy,
or some other very execrable crime, it was usual, by order of the
judges, to hang up the dead bodies upon a post for some time, as a
spectacle to the world, to express the ignominy of the crime, and
to strike the greater terror upon others, that they might not only
hear and fear, but see and fear. Now it is here provided that,
whatever time of the day they were thus hanged up, at sun-set they
should be taken down and buried, and not left to hang out all
night; sufficient (says the law) <i>to such a man is this
punishment;</i> hitherto let it go, but no further. Let the
malefactor and his crime be hidden in the grave. Now, 1. God would
thus preserve the honour of human bodies and tenderness towards the
worst of criminals. The time of exposing dead bodies thus is
limited for the same reason that the number of stripes was limited
by another law: <i>Lest thy brother seem vile unto thee.</i>
Punishing beyond death God reserves to himself; as for man, there
is no more that he can do. Whether therefore the hanging of
malefactors in chains, and setting up their heads and quarters, be
decent among Christians that look for the resurrection of the body,
may perhaps be worth considering. 2. Yet it is plain there was
something ceremonial in it; by the law of Moses the touch of a dead
body was defiling, and therefore dead bodies must not be left
hanging up in the country, because, by the same rule, this would
defile the land. But, 3. There is one reason here given which has
reference to Christ. <i>He that is hanged is accursed of God,</i>
that is, it is the highest degree of disgrace and reproach that can
be done to a man, and proclaims him under the curse of God as much
as any external punishment can. Those that see him thus hang
between heaven and earth will conclude him abandoned of both and
unworthy of either; and therefore let him not hang all night, for
that would carry it too far. Now the apostle, showing how Christ
has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being himself made a
curse for us, illustrates it by comparing the brand here put on him
that was hanged on a tree with the death of Christ, <scripRef passage="Ga 3:13" id="Deu.xxii-p22.2" parsed="|Gal|3|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.13">Gal. iii. 13</scripRef>. Moses, by the Spirit,
uses this phrase of being <i>accursed of God,</i> when he means no
more than being treated most ignominiously, that it might
afterwards be applied to the death of Christ, and might show that
in it he underwent the curse of the law for us, which is a great
enhancement of his love and a great encouragement to our faith in
him. And (as the excellent bishop Patrick well observes) this
passage is applied to the death of Christ, not only because he bore
our sins and was exposed to shame, as these malefactors were that
were accursed of God, but because he was in the evening taken down
from the cursed tree and buried (and that by the particular care of
the Jews, with an eye to this law, <scripRef passage="Joh 19:31" id="Deu.xxii-p22.3" parsed="|John|19|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.19.31">John xix. 31</scripRef>), in token that now, the guilt
being removed, the law was satisfied, as it was when the malefactor
had hanged till sun-set; it demanded no more. Then he ceased to be
a curse, and those that were his. And, as the land of Israel was
pure and clean when the dead body was buried, so the church is
washed and cleansed by the complete satisfaction which thus Christ
made.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXII" n="xxiii" progress="91.53%" prev="Deu.xxii" next="Deu.xxiv" id="Deu.xxiii">
<h2 id="Deu.xxiii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxiii-p1">The laws of this chapter provide, I. For the
preservation of charity and good neighbourship, in the care of
strayed or fallen cattle, <scripRef passage="De 22:1-4" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|22|1|22|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.1-Deut.22.4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>. II. For the preservation of order and distinction,
that men and women should not wear one another's clothes (<scripRef passage="De 22:5" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.5">ver. 5</scripRef>), and that other needless
mixtures should be avoided, <scripRef passage="De 22:9-11" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|22|9|22|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.9-Deut.22.11">ver.
9-11</scripRef>. III. For the preservation of birds, <scripRef passage="De 22:6,7" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|22|6|22|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.6-Deut.22.7">ver. 6, 7</scripRef>. IV. Of life, <scripRef passage="De 22:8" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|22|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.8">ver. 8</scripRef>. V. Of the commandments,
<scripRef passage="De 22:12" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|22|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.12">ver. 12</scripRef>. VI. Of the
reputation of a wife abused, if she were innocent (<scripRef passage="De 22:13-19" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|22|13|22|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.13-Deut.22.19">ver. 13-19</scripRef>), but for her
punishment if guilty, <scripRef passage="De 22:20,21" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|22|20|22|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.20-Deut.22.21">ver. 20,
21</scripRef>. VII. For the preservation of the chastity of wives,
<scripRef passage="De 22:22" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|22|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.22">ver. 22</scripRef>. Virgins betrothed
(<scripRef passage="De 22:23-27" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|22|23|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.23-Deut.22.27">ver. 23-27</scripRef>), or not
betrothed, <scripRef passage="De 22:28,29" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|22|28|22|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.28-Deut.22.29">ver. 28, 29</scripRef>.
And, lastly, against incest, <scripRef passage="De 22:30" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.12" parsed="|Deut|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.30">ver.
30</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 22" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.13" parsed="|Deut|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 22:1-4" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.14" parsed="|Deut|22|1|22|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.1-Deut.22.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.22.1-Deut.22.4">
<h4 id="Deu.xxiii-p1.15">Kindness and Humanity. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiii-p1.16">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxiii-p2">1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his
sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case
bring them again unto thy brother. &#160; 2 And if thy brother
<i>be</i> not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou
shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee
until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him
again. &#160; 3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so
shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy
brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do
likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself. &#160; 4 Thou shalt not see
thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself
from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift <i>them</i> up
again.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p3">The kindness that was commanded to be shown
in reference to an enemy (<scripRef passage="Ex 23:4,5" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|23|4|23|5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.23.4-Exod.23.5">Exod.
xxxiii. 4</scripRef>, &amp;c.) is here required to be much more
done for a neighbour, though he were not an Israelite, for the law
is consonant to natural equity. 1. That strayed cattle should be
brought back, either to the owner or to the pasture out of which
they had gone astray, <scripRef passage="De 22:1,2" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|22|1|22|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.1-Deut.22.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. This must be done in pity to the very cattle, which,
while they wandered, were exposed; and in civility and respect to
the owner, nay, and in justice to him, for it was doing as we would
be done by, which is one of the fundamental laws of equity. Note,
Religion teaches us to be neighbourly, and to be ready to do all
good offices, as we have opportunity, to all men. In doing this,
(1.) They must not mind trouble, but, if they knew who the owner
was, must take it back themselves; for, if they should only send
notice to the owner to come and look after it himself, some
mischief might befal it ere he could reach it. (2.) They must not
mind expense, but, if they knew not who the owner was, must take it
home and feed it till the owner was found. If such care must be
taken of a neighbour's ox or ass going astray, much more of himself
going astray from God and his duty; we should do our utmost to
convert him (<scripRef passage="Jam 5:19" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.3" parsed="|Jas|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.19">Jam. v. 19</scripRef>),
and restore him, considering ourselves, <scripRef passage="Ga 6:1" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.4" parsed="|Gal|6|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.1">Gal. vi. 1</scripRef>. 2. That lost goods should be
brought to the owner, <scripRef passage="De 22:3" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|22|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. The Jews say, "He that found the lost goods was to
give public notice of them by the common crier three or four
times," according to the usage with us; if the owner could not be
found, he that found the goods might convert them to his own use;
but (say some learned writers in this case) he would do very well
to give the value of the goods to the poor. 3. That cattle in
distress should be helped, <scripRef passage="De 22:4" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.6" parsed="|Deut|22|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. This must be done both in compassion to the
brute-creatures (for a <i>merciful man regardeth the life of a
beast,</i> though it be not his own) and in love and friendship to
our neighbour, not knowing how soon we may have occasion for his
help. If one member may say to another, "I have at present no need
of thee," it cannot say, "I never shall."</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 22:5-12" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.7" parsed="|Deut|22|5|22|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.5-Deut.22.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.22.5-Deut.22.12">
<h4 id="Deu.xxiii-p3.8">Various Prohibitions. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiii-p3.9">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxiii-p4">5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth
unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all
that do so <i>are</i> abomination unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiii-p4.1">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 6 If a bird's nest chance
to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground,
<i>whether they be</i> young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting
upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with
the young: &#160; 7 <i>But</i> thou shalt in any wise let the dam
go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and
<i>that</i> thou mayest prolong <i>thy</i> days. &#160; 8 When thou
buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy
roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall
from thence. &#160; 9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers
seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the
fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. &#160; 10 Thou shalt not plow
with an ox and an ass together. &#160; 11 Thou shalt not wear a
garment of divers sorts, <i>as</i> of woollen and linen together.
&#160; 12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of
thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest <i>thyself.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p5">Here are several laws in these verses which
seem to stoop very low, and to take cognizance of things mean and
minute. Men's laws commonly do not so: <i>De minimis non curat
lex&#8212;The law takes no cognizance of little things;</i> but because
God's providence extends itself to the smallest affairs, his
precepts do so, that even in them we may be <i>in the fear of the
Lord,</i> as we are under his eye and care. And yet the
significancy and tendency of these statutes, which seem little, are
such that, notwithstanding their minuteness, being fond among the
things of God's law, which he has written to us, they are to be
accounted great things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p6">I. The distinction of sexes by the apparel
is to be kept up, for the preservation of our own and our
neighbour's chastity, <scripRef passage="De 22:5" id="Deu.xxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|22|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. <i>Nature itself teaches</i> that a difference be
made between them in <i>their hair</i> (<scripRef passage="1Co 11:14" id="Deu.xxiii-p6.2" parsed="|1Cor|11|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.11.14">1 Cor. xi. 14</scripRef>), and by the same rule in
their clothes, which therefore ought not to be confounded, either
in ordinary wear or occasionally. To befriend a lawful escape or
concealment it may be done, but whether for sport or in the acting
of plays is justly questionable. 1. Some think it refers to the
idolatrous custom of the Gentiles: in the worship of Venus, women
appeared in armour, and men in women's clothes; this, as other such
superstitious usages, is here said to be <i>an abomination to the
Lord.</i> 2. It forbids the confounding of the dispositions and
affairs of the sexes: men must not be effeminate, nor do the
women's work in the house, nor must women be viragos, pretend to
<i>teach, or usurp authority,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ti 2:11,12" id="Deu.xxiii-p6.3" parsed="|1Tim|2|11|2|12" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.2.11-1Tim.2.12">1
Tim. ii. 11, 12</scripRef>. Probably this confounding of garments
had been used to gain opportunity of committing uncleanness, and is
therefore forbidden; for those that would be kept from sin must
keep themselves from all occasions of it and approaches to it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p7">II. In taking a bird's-nest, the dam must
be let go, <scripRef passage="De 22:6,7" id="Deu.xxiii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|22|6|22|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.6-Deut.22.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>.
The Jews say, "This is the least of all the commandments of the law
of Moses," and yet the same promise is here made to the observance
of it that is made to the keeping of the fifth commandment, which
is one of the greatest, <i>that it may be well with thee, and that
thou mayest prolong thy days;</i> for, as disobedience in a small
matter shows a very great contempt of the law, so obedience in a
small matter shows a very great regard to it. He that let go a bird
out of his hand (which was worth two in the bush) purely because
God bade him, in that made it to appear that he <i>esteemed all
God's precepts concerning all things to be right,</i> and that he
could deny himself rather than sin against God. But <i>doth God
take care</i> for birds? <scripRef passage="1Co 9:9" id="Deu.xxiii-p7.2" parsed="|1Cor|9|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.9">1 Cor. ix.
9</scripRef>. Yes, certainly; and perhaps to this law our Saviour
alludes. <scripRef passage="Lu 12:6" id="Deu.xxiii-p7.3" parsed="|Luke|12|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.6">Luke xii. 6</scripRef>, <i>Are
not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is
forgotten before God?</i> This law, 1. Forbids us to be cruel to
the brute-creatures, or to take a pleasure in destroying them.
Though God has made us <i>wiser than the fowls of heaven,</i> and
given us <i>dominion over them,</i> yet we must not abuse them nor
rule them with rigour. <i>Let go the dam</i> to breed again;
<i>destroy it not, for a blessing is in it,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 65:8" id="Deu.xxiii-p7.4" parsed="|Isa|65|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.8">Isa. lxv. 8</scripRef>. 2. It teaches us compassion to
those of our own kind, and to abhor the thought of every thing that
looks barbarous, and cruel, and ill-natured, especially towards
those of the weaker and tender sex, which always ought to be
treated with the utmost respect, in consideration of the sorrows
wherein they bring forth children. It is spoken of as an instance
of the most inhuman cruelty that <i>the mother was dashed to pieces
upon her children</i> (<scripRef passage="Ho 10:14" id="Deu.xxiii-p7.5" parsed="|Hos|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.10.14">Hos. x.
14</scripRef>), and that the <i>women with child were ripped
open,</i> <scripRef passage="Am 1:13" id="Deu.xxiii-p7.6" parsed="|Amos|1|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.1.13">Amos i. 13</scripRef>. 3. It
further intimates that we must not take advantage against any, from
their natural affection and the tenderness of their disposition, to
do them an injury. The dam could not have been taken if her concern
for her eggs or young (unlike to the ostrich) had not detained her
upon the next when otherwise she could easily have secured herself
by flight. Now, since it is a thousand pities that she should fare
the worse for that which is her praise, the law takes care that she
shall be let go. The remembrance of this may perhaps, some time or
other, keep us from doing a hard or unkind thing to those whom we
have at our mercy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p8">III. In building a house, care must be
taken to make it safe, that none might receive mischief by falling
from it, <scripRef passage="De 22:8" id="Deu.xxiii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|22|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. The
roofs of their houses were flat for people to walk on, as appears
by many scriptures; now lest any, through carelessness, should fall
off them, they must compass them with battlements, which (the Jews
say) must be three feet and a half high; if this were not done, and
mischief followed, the owner, by his neglect, brought the guilt of
blood upon his house. See here, 1. How precious men's lives are to
God, who protects them, not only by his providence, but by his law.
2. How precious, therefore, they ought to be to us, and what care
we should take to prevent hurt from coming to any person. The Jews
say that by the equity of this law they were obliged (and so are we
too) to fence, or remove, every thing by which life may be
endangered, as to cover draw-wells, keep bridges in repair, and the
like, lest, if any perish through our omission, their blood be
required at our hand.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p9">IV. Odd mixtures are here forbidden,
<scripRef passage="De 22:9,10" id="Deu.xxiii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|22|9|22|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.9-Deut.22.10"><i>v.</i> 9, 10</scripRef>. Much of
this we met with before, <scripRef passage="Le 19:19" id="Deu.xxiii-p9.2" parsed="|Lev|19|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.19">Lev. xix.
19</scripRef>. There appears not any thing at all of moral evil in
these things, and therefore we now make no conscience of sowing
wheat and rye together, ploughing with horses and oxen together,
and of wearing linsey-woolsey garments; but hereby is forbidden
either, 1. A conformity to some idolatrous customs of the heathen.
Or, 2. That which is contrary to the plainness and purity of an
Israelite. They must not gratify their own vanity and curiosity by
putting those things together which the Creator in infinite wisdom
had made asunder: they must not be unequally yoked with
unbelievers, nor mingle themselves with the unclean, as an ox with
an ass. Nor must their profession and appearance in the world be
motley, or party-coloured, but all of a piece, all of a kind.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p10">V. The law concerning fringes upon their
garments, and memorandums of the commandments, which we had before
(<scripRef passage="Nu 15:38,39" id="Deu.xxiii-p10.1" parsed="|Num|15|38|15|39" osisRef="Bible:Num.15.38-Num.15.39">Num. xv. 38, 39</scripRef>), is
here repeated, <scripRef passage="De 22:12" id="Deu.xxiii-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|22|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>. By these they were distinguished from other people,
so that it might be said, upon the first sight, There goes an
Israelite, which taught them not to be ashamed of their country,
nor the peculiarities of their religion, how much soever their
neighbours looked upon them and it with contempt: and they were
also put in mind of the precepts upon the particular occasions to
which they had reference; and perhaps this law is repeated here
because the precepts immediately foregoing seemed so minute that
they were in danger of being overlooked and forgotten. The fringes
will remind you not to make your garments of linen and woollen,
<scripRef passage="De 22:11" id="Deu.xxiii-p10.3" parsed="|Deut|22|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 22" id="Deu.xxiii-p10.4" parsed="|Deut|22|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 22:13-30" id="Deu.xxiii-p10.5" parsed="|Deut|22|13|22|30" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.13-Deut.22.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.22.13-Deut.22.30">
<h4 id="Deu.xxiii-p10.6">The Punishment of
Fornication. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiii-p10.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxiii-p11">13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her,
and hate her, &#160; 14 And give occasions of speech against her,
and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and
when I came to her, I found her not a maid: &#160; 15 Then shall
the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth
<i>the tokens of</i> the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the
city in the gate: &#160; 16 And the damsel's father shall say unto
the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth
her; &#160; 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech
<i>against her,</i> saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and
yet these <i>are the tokens of</i> my daughter's virginity. And
they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. &#160;
18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise
him; &#160; 19 And they shall amerce him in a hundred
<i>shekels</i> of silver, and give <i>them</i> unto the father of
the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin
of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all
his days. &#160; 20 But if this thing be true, <i>and the tokens
of</i> virginity be not found for the damsel: &#160; 21 Then they
shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and
the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die:
because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her
father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you. &#160;
22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then
they shall both of them die, <i>both</i> the man that lay with the
woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
&#160; 23 If a damsel <i>that is</i> a virgin be betrothed unto a
husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; &#160;
24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city,
and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel,
because she cried not, <i>being</i> in the city; and the man,
because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put
away evil from among you. &#160; 25 But if a man find a betrothed
damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then
the man only that lay with her shall die: &#160; 26 But unto the
damsel thou shalt do nothing; <i>there is</i> in the damsel no sin
<i>worthy</i> of death: for as when a man riseth against his
neighbour, and slayeth him, even so <i>is</i> this matter: &#160;
27 For he found her in the field, <i>and</i> the betrothed damsel
cried, and <i>there was</i> none to save her. &#160; 28 If a man
find a damsel <i>that is</i> a virgin, which is not betrothed, and
lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; &#160; 29
Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father
fifty <i>shekels</i> of silver, and she shall be his wife; because
he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. &#160;
30 A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his
father's skirt.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p12">These laws relate to the seventh
commandment, laying a restraint by laying a penalty upon those
fleshly lusts which war against the soul.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p13">I. If a man, lusting after another woman,
to get rid of his wife slander her and falsely accuse her, as not
having the virginity she pretended to when he married her, upon the
disproof of his slander he must be punished, <scripRef passage="De 22:13-19" id="Deu.xxiii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|22|13|22|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.13-Deut.22.19"><i>v.</i> 13-19</scripRef>. What the meaning of that
evidence is by which the husband's accusation was to be proved
false the learned are not agreed, nor is it at all necessary to
enquire&#8212;those for whom this law was intended, no doubt, understood
it: it is sufficient for us to know that this wicked husband, who
had thus endeavoured to ruin the reputation of his own wife, was to
be scourged, and fined, and bound out from ever divorcing the wife
he had thus abused, <scripRef passage="De 22:18,19" id="Deu.xxiii-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|22|18|22|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.18-Deut.22.19"><i>v.</i> 18,
19</scripRef>. Upon his dislike of her he might have divorced her
if he had pleased, by the permission of the law (<scripRef passage="De 24:1" id="Deu.xxiii-p13.3" parsed="|Deut|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.1"><i>ch.</i> xxiv. 1</scripRef>), but then he must have
given her her dowry: if therefore to save that, and to do her the
greater mischief, he would thus destroy her good name, it was fit
that he should be severely punished for it, and for ever after
forfeit the permission to divorce her. Observe, 1. The nearer any
are in relation to us the greater sin it is to belie them and
blemish their reputation. It is spoken of as a crime of the highest
nature to <i>slander thy own mother's son</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 50:20" id="Deu.xxiii-p13.4" parsed="|Ps|50|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.20">Ps. l. 20</scripRef>), who is next to thyself, much more
to slander thy own wife, or thy own husband, that is thyself: it is
an ill bird indeed that defiles its own nest. 2. Chastity is honour
as well as virtue, and that which gives occasion for the suspicion
of it is as great a reproach and disgrace as any whatsoever: in
this matter therefore, above any thing, we should be highly tender
both of our own good name and that of others. 3. Parents must look
upon themselves as concerned to vindicate the reputation of their
children, for it is a branch of their own.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p14">II. If the woman that was married as a
virgin was not found to be one she was to be stoned to death at her
father's door, <scripRef passage="De 22:20,21" id="Deu.xxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|22|20|22|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.20-Deut.22.21"><i>v.</i> 20,
21</scripRef>. If the uncleanness had been committed before she was
betrothed it would not have been punished as a capital crime; but
she must die for the abuse she put upon him whom she married, being
conscious to herself of being defiled, while she made him believe
her to be a chaste and modest woman. But some think that her
uncleanness was punished with death only in case it was committed
after she was betrothed, supposing there were few come to maturity
but what were betrothed, though not yet married. Now, 1. This gave
a powerful caution to young women to flee fornication, since,
however concealed before, so as not to mar their marriage, it would
very likely be discovered afterwards, to their perpetual infamy and
utter ruin. 2. It is intimated to parents that they must by all
means possible preserve their children's chastity, by giving them
good advice and admonition, setting them good examples, keeping
them from bad company, praying for them, and laying them under
needful restraints, because, if the children committed lewdness,
the parents must have the grief and shame of the execution at their
own door. That phrase of <i>folly wrought in Israel</i> was used
concerning this very crime in the case of Dinah, <scripRef passage="Ge 34:7" id="Deu.xxiii-p14.2" parsed="|Gen|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.34.7">Gen. xxxiv. 7</scripRef>. All sin is folly, uncleanness
especially; but, above all, uncleanness in Israel, by profession a
holy people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p15">III. If any man, single or married, lay
with a married woman, they were both to be put to death, <scripRef passage="De 22:22" id="Deu.xxiii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|22|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. This law we had before,
<scripRef passage="Le 20:10" id="Deu.xxiii-p15.2" parsed="|Lev|20|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.10">Lev. xx. 10</scripRef>. For a married
man to lie with a single woman was not a crime of so high a nature,
nor was it punished with death, because not introducing a spurious
brood into families under the character of legitimate children.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p16">IV. If a damsel were betrothed and not
married, she was from under the eye of her intended husband, and
therefore she and her chastity were taken under the special
protection of the law. 1. If her chastity were violated by her own
consent, she was to be put to death, and her adulterer with her,
<scripRef passage="De 22:23,24" id="Deu.xxiii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|22|23|22|24" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.23-Deut.22.24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>. And it
shall be presumed that she consented if it were done in the city,
or in any place where, had she cried out, help might speedily have
come in to prevent the injury offered her. <i>Qui tacet, consentire
videtur&#8212;Silence implies consent.</i> Note, It may be presumed that
those willingly yield to a temptation (whatever they pretend) who
will not use the means and helps they might be furnished with to
avoid and overcome it. Nay, her being found in the city, a place of
company and diversion, when she should have kept under the
protection of her father's house, was an evidence against her that
she had not that dread of the sin and the danger of it which became
a modest woman. Note, Those that needlessly expose themselves to
temptation justly suffer for the same, if, ere they are aware, they
be surprised and caught by it. Dinah lost her honour to gratify her
curiosity with a sight of the <i>daughters of the land.</i> By this
law the Virgin Mary was in danger of being made a public example,
that is, of being stoned to death, but that God, by an angel,
cleared the matter to Joseph. 2. If she were forced, and never
consented, he that committed the rape was to be put to death, but
the damsel was to be acquitted, <scripRef passage="De 22:24-27" id="Deu.xxiii-p16.2" parsed="|Deut|22|24|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.24-Deut.22.27"><i>v.</i> 24-27</scripRef>. Now if it were done in
the field, out of the hearing of neighbours, it shall be presumed
that she cried out, but there was none to save her; and, besides,
her going into the field, a place of solitude, did not so much
expose her. Now by this law it is intimated to us, (1.) That we
shall suffer only for the wickedness we do, not for that which is
done to us. That is no sin which has not more or less of the will
in it. (2.) That we must presume the best concerning all persons,
unless the contrary do appear; not only charity, but equity teaches
us to do so. Though none heard her cry, yet, because none could
hear it if she did, it shall be taken for granted that she did.
This rule we should go by in judging of persons and actions:
<i>believe all things, and hope all things.</i> (3.) That our
chastity should be as dear to us as our life when that is
assaulted, it is not at all improper to cry <i>murder, murder,</i>
for, <i>as when a man riseth against his neighbour and slayeth him,
even so is this matter.</i> (4.) By way of allusion to this, see
what we are to do when Satan sets upon us with his temptations:
wherever we are, let us cry aloud to heaven for help (<i>Succurre,
Domine, vim patior&#8212;Help me, O Lord, for I suffer violence</i>),
and there we may be sure to be heard, and answered, as Paul was,
<i>My grace is sufficient for thee.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p17">V. If a damsel not betrothed were thus
abused by violence, he that abused her should be fined, the father
should have the fine, and, if he and the damsel did consent, he
should be bound to marry her, and never to divorce her, how much
soever she was below him, and how unpleasing soever she might
afterwards be to him, as Tamar was to Amnon after he had forced
her, <scripRef passage="De 22:28,29" id="Deu.xxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|22|28|22|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.28-Deut.22.29"><i>v.</i> 28, 29</scripRef>.
This was to deter men from such vicious practices, which it is a
shame that we are necessitated to read and write of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiii-p18">VI. The law against a man's marrying his
father's widow, or having any undue familiarity with his father's
wife, is here repeated (<scripRef passage="De 22:30" id="Deu.xxiii-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|22|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.22.30"><i>v.</i>
30</scripRef>) from <scripRef passage="Le 18:8" id="Deu.xxiii-p18.2" parsed="|Lev|18|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.8">Lev. xviii.
8</scripRef>. And, probably, it is intended (as bishop Patrick
notes) for a short memorandum to them carefully to observe all the
laws there made against incestuous marriages, that being specified
which is the most detestable of all; it is that of which the
apostle says, <i>It is not so much as named among the Gentiles,</i>
<scripRef passage="1Co 5:1" id="Deu.xxiii-p18.3" parsed="|1Cor|5|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.1">1 Cor. v. 1</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIII" n="xxiv" progress="91.98%" prev="Deu.xxiii" next="Deu.xxv" id="Deu.xxiv">
<h2 id="Deu.xxiv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxiv-p1">The laws of this chapter provide, I. For the
preserving of the purity and honour of the families of Israel, by
excluding such as would be a disgrace to them, <scripRef passage="De 23:1-8" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|23|1|23|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.1-Deut.23.8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. II. For the preserving of the
purity and honour of the camp of Israel when it was abroad,
<scripRef passage="De 23:9-14" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|23|9|23|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.9-Deut.23.14">ver. 9-14</scripRef>. III. For the
encouraging and entertaining of slaves who fled to them, <scripRef passage="De 23:15" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|23|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.15">ver. 15, 16</scripRef>. IV. Against whoredom,
<scripRef passage="De 23:17,18" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|23|17|23|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.17-Deut.23.18">ver. 17, 18</scripRef>. V. Against
usury, <scripRef passage="De 23:19,20" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|23|19|23|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.19-Deut.23.20">ver. 19, 20</scripRef>. IV.
Against the breach of vows, <scripRef passage="De 23:21-23" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|23|21|23|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.21-Deut.23.23">ver.
21-23</scripRef>. VII. What liberty a man might take in his
neighbour's field and vineyard, and what not, <scripRef passage="De 23:23,25" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|23|23|0|0;|Deut|23|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.23 Bible:Deut.23.25">ver. 23, 25</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 23" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 23:1-8" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|23|1|23|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.1-Deut.23.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.23.1-Deut.23.8">
<h4 id="Deu.xxiv-p1.10">Laws of Separation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxiv-p2">1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his
privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.1">Lord</span>. &#160; 2 A bastard shall not
enter into the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.2">Lord</span>; even to his tenth generation shall he not
enter into the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.3">Lord</span>. &#160; 3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not
enter into the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.4">Lord</span>; even to their tenth generation shall they
not enter into the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.5">Lord</span> for ever: &#160; 4 Because they met you not
with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of
Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor
of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. &#160; 5 Nevertheless the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God would not hearken unto
Balaam; but the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.7">Lord</span> thy God turned
the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God loved thee. &#160; 6 Thou shalt not
seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever. &#160;
7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he <i>is</i> thy brother:
thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in
his land. &#160; 8 The children that are begotten of them shall
enter into the congregation of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p2.9">Lord</span> in their third generation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p3">Interpreters are not agreed what is here
meant by <i>entering into the congregation of the Lord,</i> which
is here forbidden to eunuchs and to bastards, Ammonites and
Moabites, for ever, but to Edomites and Egyptians only till the
third generation. 1. Some think they are hereby excluded from
communicating with the people of God in their religious services.
Though eunuchs and bastards were owned as members of the church,
and the Ammonites and Moabites might be circumcised and proselyted
to the Jewish religion, yet they and their families must lie for
some time under marks of disgrace, remembering the rock whence they
were hewn, and must not come so near the sanctuary as others might,
nor have so free a communion with Israelites. 2. Others think they
are hereby excluded from bearing office in the congregation: none
of these must be elders or judges, lest the honour of the
magistracy should thereby be stained. 3. Others think they are
excluded only from marrying with Israelites. Thus the learned
bishop Patrick inclines to understand it; yet we find that when
this law was put in execution after the captivity they separated
from Israel, not only the strange wives, but all the mixed
multitude, see <scripRef passage="Ne 13:1-2" id="Deu.xxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Neh|13|1|13|2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.13.1-Neh.13.2">Neh. xiii.
1-2</scripRef>. With the daughters of these nations (though out of
the nations of Canaan), it should seem, the men of Israel might
marry, if they were completely proselyted to the Jewish religion;
but with the men of these nations the daughters of Israel might not
marry, nor could the men be naturalized otherwise than as here
provided.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p4">It is plain, in general, that disgrace is
here put,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p5">I. Upon bastards and eunuchs, <scripRef passage="De 23:1,2" id="Deu.xxiv-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|23|1|23|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.1-Deut.23.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. By bastards here the
Jewish writers understand, not all that were born of fornication,
or out of marriage, but all the issue of those incestuous mixtures
which are forbidden, <scripRef passage="Le 18:1-30" id="Deu.xxiv-p5.2" parsed="|Lev|18|1|18|30" osisRef="Bible:Lev.18.1-Lev.18.30">Lev.
xviii</scripRef>. And, though it was not the fault of the issue,
yet, to deter people from those unlawful marriages and unlawful
lusts, it was very convenient that their posterity should thus be
made infamous. By this rule Jephthah, though the son of a harlot, a
strange woman (<scripRef passage="Jdg 11:1,2" id="Deu.xxiv-p5.3" parsed="|Judg|11|1|11|2" osisRef="Bible:Judg.11.1-Judg.11.2">Judg. xi. 1,
2</scripRef>), yet was not a bastard in the sense of this law. And
as for the eunuchs, though by this law they seemed to be cast out
of the vineyard as dry trees, which they complain of (<scripRef passage="Isa 56:3" id="Deu.xxiv-p5.4" parsed="|Isa|56|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.56.3">Isa. lvi. 3</scripRef>), yet it is here promised
(<scripRef passage="De 23:5" id="Deu.xxiv-p5.5" parsed="|Deut|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>) that if they
took care of their duty to God, as far as they were admitted, by
keeping his sabbaths and choosing the things that pleased him, the
want of this privilege should be made up to them with such
spiritual blessings as would entitle them to an everlasting
name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p6">II. Upon Ammonites and Moabites, the
posterity of Lot, who, for his outward convenience, had separated
himself from Abraham, <scripRef passage="Ge 13:11" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|13|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.13.11">Gen. xiii.
11</scripRef>. And we do not find that he or his ever joined
themselves again to the children of the covenant. They are here cut
off <i>to the tenth generation,</i> that is, (as some think it is
explained), for ever. Compare <scripRef passage="Ne 13:1" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Neh|13|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.13.1">Neh.
xiii. 1</scripRef>. The reason of this quarrel which Israel must
have with them, so as not to <i>seek their peace</i> (<scripRef passage="De 23:6" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), is because of the
unkindness they had now lately done to the camp of Israel,
notwithstanding the orders God had given not to distress or vex
them, <scripRef passage="De 2:9,19" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|2|9|0|0;|Deut|2|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.2.9 Bible:Deut.2.19"><i>ch.</i> ii. 9,
19</scripRef>. 1. It was bad enough that they did not <i>meet them
with bread and water in the way</i> (<scripRef passage="De 23:4" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), that they did not as allies, or
at least as neutral states, bring victuals into their camp, which
they should have been duly paid for. It was well that God's Israel
did not need their kindness, God himself following them with bread
and water. However this omission of the Ammonites should be
remembered against their nation in future ages. Note, God will
certainly reckon, not only with those that oppose his people, but
with those that do not help and further them, when it is in the
power of their hand to do it. The charge at the great day is for an
omission: <i>I was hungry, and you gave me no meat.</i> 2. The
Moabites had done worse, they hired Balaam to curse Israel,
<scripRef passage="De 23:4" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.6" parsed="|Deut|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. It is true
<i>God turned the curse into a blessing</i> (<scripRef passage="De 23:5" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.7" parsed="|Deut|23|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), not only changing the word in
Balaam's mouth, but making that really turn to the honour and
advantage of Israel which was designed for their ruin. But though
the design was defeated, and overruled for good, the Moabites'
wickedness was not the less provoking. God will deal with sinners,
but according to their endeavours, <scripRef passage="Ps 28:4" id="Deu.xxiv-p6.8" parsed="|Ps|28|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.28.4">Ps.
xxviii. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p7">III. The Edomites and Egyptians had not so
deep a mark of displeasure put upon them as the Moabites and
Ammonites had. If an Edomite or Egyptian turned proselyte, his
grand-children should be looked upon as members of the congregation
of the Lord to all intents and purposes, <scripRef passage="De 23:7,8" id="Deu.xxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|23|7|23|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.7-Deut.23.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. We should think that the
Edomites had been more injurious to the Israelites than the
Ammonites, and deserved as little favour from them (<scripRef passage="Nu 20:20" id="Deu.xxiv-p7.2" parsed="|Num|20|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.20">Num. xx. 20</scripRef>), and yet "<i>Thou shalt
not abhor an Edomite,</i> as thou must an Ammonite, for he is thy
brother." Note, The unkindness of near relations, though by many
worst taken, yet should with us, for that reason, because of the
relation, be first forgiven. And then, as to the Egyptians, here is
a strange reason given why they must not be abhorred: "<i>Thou wast
a stranger in their land,</i> and therefore, though hardly used
there, be civil to them, for old acquaintance' sake." They must not
remember their bondage in Egypt for the keeping up of any ill will
to the Egyptians, but only for the magnifying of Gods power and
goodness in their deliverance.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 23:9-14" id="Deu.xxiv-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|23|9|23|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.9-Deut.23.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.23.9-Deut.23.14">
<h4 id="Deu.xxiv-p7.4">Moral and Ceremonial Purity
Enjoined. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p7.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxiv-p8">9 When the host goeth forth against thine
enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing. &#160; 10 If there
be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness
that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the
camp, he shall not come within the camp: &#160; 11 But it shall be,
when evening cometh on, he shall wash <i>himself</i> with water:
and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp <i>again.</i>
&#160; 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither
thou shalt go forth abroad: &#160; 13 And thou shalt have a paddle
upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself
abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover
that which cometh from thee: &#160; 14 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp,
to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee;
therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in
thee, and turn away from thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p9">Israel was now encamped, and this vast army
was just entering upon action, which was likely to keep them
together for a long time, and therefore it was fit to give them
particular directions for the good ordering of their camp. And the
charge is in one word to be <i>clean.</i> They must take care to
keep their camp pure from moral, ceremonial, and natural
pollution.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p10">I. From moral pollution (<scripRef passage="De 23:9" id="Deu.xxiv-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|23|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>When the host goes forth
against thy enemy</i> then look upon thyself as in a special manner
engaged to <i>keep thyself from every evil thing.</i> 1. The
soldiers themselves must take heed of sin, for sin takes off the
edge of valour; guilt makes men cowards. Those that put their lives
in their hands are concerned to make and keep their peace with God,
and preserve a conscience void of offence; then may they look death
in the face without terror. Soldiers, in executing their
commission, must keep themselves from gratifying the lusts of
malice, covetousness, or uncleanness, for these are wicked
things&#8212;must keep themselves from the idols, or accursed things,
they found in the camps they plundered. 2. Even those that tarried
at home, the body of the people, and every particular person, must
at that time especially keep from every wicked thing, lest by sin
they provoke God to withdraw his presence from the host, and give
victory to the enemy for the correcting of his own people. Times of
war should be times of reformation, else how can we expect God
should hear and answer our prayers for success? <scripRef passage="Ps 66:18" id="Deu.xxiv-p10.2" parsed="|Ps|66|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.66.18">Ps. lxvi. 18</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="1Sa 7:3" id="Deu.xxiv-p10.3" parsed="|1Sam|7|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.7.3">1 Sam. vii. 3</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p11">II. From ceremonial pollution, which might
befal a person when unconscious of it, for which he was bound to
wash his flesh in water, and look upon himself as <i>unclean until
the evening,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 15:16" id="Deu.xxiv-p11.1" parsed="|Lev|15|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.15.16">Lev. xv.
16</scripRef>. A soldier, notwithstanding the constant service and
duty he had to do in the camp, must be so far from looking upon
himself as discharged from the observance of this ceremony that
more was required from him than at another time; had he been at his
own house, he needed only to wash his flesh, but, being in the
army, he must go abroad out of the camp, as one concerned to keep
it pure and ashamed of his own impurity, and not return till after
sunset, <scripRef passage="De 23:10,11" id="Deu.xxiv-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|23|10|23|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.10-Deut.23.11"><i>v.</i> 10,
11</scripRef>. By this trouble and reproach, which even involuntary
pollutions exposed men to, they were taught to keep up a very great
dread of all fleshly lusts. It were well if military men would
consider this.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p12">III. From natural pollution; the camp of
the Lord must have nothing offensive in it, <scripRef passage="De 23:12-14" id="Deu.xxiv-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|23|12|23|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.12-Deut.23.14"><i>v.</i> 12-14</scripRef>. It is strange that the
divine law, or at least the solemn order and direction of Moses,
should extend to a thing of this nature; but the design of it was
to teach them, 1. Modesty and decorum; nature itself teaches them
thus to distinguish themselves from beasts that know no shame. 2.
Cleanliness, and, though not niceness, yet neatness, even in their
camp. Filthiness is offensive to the senses God has endued us with,
prejudicial to the health, a wrong to the comfort of human life,
and an evidence of a careless slothful temper of mind. 3. Purity
from the pollutions of sin; if there must be this care taken to
preserve the body clean and sweet, much more should we be
solicitous to keep the mind so. 4. A reverence of the divine
majesty. This is the reason here given: <i>For the Lord thy God
walketh</i> by his ark, the special token of his presence, <i>in
the midst of thy camp;</i> with respect to that external symbol
this external purity is required, which (though not insisted on in
the letter when that reason ceases) teaches us to preserve inward
purity of soul, in consideration of the eye of God, which is always
upon us. By this expression of respect to the presence of God among
them, they were taught both to fortify themselves against sin and
to encourage themselves against their enemies with the
consideration of that presence. 5. A regard one to another. The
filthiness of one is noisome to many; this law of cleanliness
therefore teaches us not to do that which will be justly offensive
to our brethren and grieve them. It is a law against nuisances.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 23" id="Deu.xxiv-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|23|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 23:15-25" id="Deu.xxiv-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|23|15|23|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.15-Deut.23.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.23.15-Deut.23.25">
<h4 id="Deu.xxiv-p12.4">Protection of Fugitives; The Law Concerning
Usury. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p12.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxiv-p13">15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the
servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: &#160; 16 He
shall dwell with thee, <i>even</i> among you, in that place which
he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou
shalt not oppress him. &#160; 17 There shall be no whore of the
daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. &#160;
18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog,
into the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p13.1">Lord</span> thy God
for any vow: for even both these <i>are</i> abomination unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p13.2">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 19 Thou shalt
not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of
victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: &#160; 20
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother
thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p13.3">Lord</span> thy God may bless thee in all that thou
settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
&#160; 21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p13.4">Lord</span> thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it:
for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p13.5">Lord</span> thy God will surely
require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. &#160; 22 But if
thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. &#160; 23
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform;
<i>even</i> a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxiv-p13.6">Lord</span> thy God, which thou hast
promised with thy mouth. &#160; 24 When thou comest into thy
neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine
own pleasure; but thou shalt not put <i>any</i> in thy vessel.
&#160; 25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour,
then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not
move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p14">Orders are here given about five several
things which have no relation one to another:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p15">I. The land of Israel is here made a
sanctuary, or city of refuge, for servants that were wronged and
abused by their masters, and fled thither for shelter from the
neighbouring countries, <scripRef passage="De 23:15,16" id="Deu.xxiv-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|23|15|23|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.15-Deut.23.16"><i>v.</i>
15, 16</scripRef>. We cannot suppose that they were hereby obliged
to give entertainment to all the unprincipled men that ran from
service; Israel needed not (as Rome at first did) to be thus
peopled. But, 1. They must not deliver up the trembling servant to
his enraged master, till upon trial it appeared that the servant
has wronged his master and was justly liable to punishment. Note,
It is an honourable thing to shelter and protect the weak, provided
they be not wicked. God allows his people to patronise the
oppressed. The angel bid Hagar return to her mistress, and Paul
sent Onesimus back to his master Philemon, because they had neither
of them any cause to go away, nor was either of them exposed to any
danger in returning. But the servant here is supposed to escape,
that is, to run for his life, to the people of Israel, of whom he
had heard (as Benhadad of the kings of Israel, <scripRef passage="1Ki 20:31" id="Deu.xxiv-p15.2" parsed="|1Kgs|20|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.20.31">1 Kings xx. 31</scripRef>) that they were a merciful
people, to save himself from the fury of a tyrant; and in that case
to deliver him up is to throw a lamb into the mouth of a lion. 2.
If it appeared that the servant was abused, they must not only
protect him, but, supposing him willing to embrace their religion,
they must give him all the encouragement that might be to settle
among them. Care is taken both that he should not be imposed up on
in the place of his settlement&#8212;let it be <i>that which he shall
choose</i> and <i>where it liketh him best,</i> and that he should
not exchange one hard master for many&#8212;<i>thou shalt not oppress
him.</i> Thus would he soon find a comfortable difference between
the land of Israel and other lands, and would choose it to be his
rest for ever. Note, Proselytes and converts to the truth should be
treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no
temptation to return.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p16">II. The land of Israel must be no shelter
for the unclean; no whore, no Sodomite, must be suffered to live
among them (<scripRef passage="De 23:17,18" id="Deu.xxiv-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|23|17|23|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.17-Deut.23.18"><i>v.</i> 17,
18</scripRef>), neither a whore nor a whoremonger. No houses of
uncleanness must be kept either by men or women. Here is, 1. A good
reason intimated why there should be no such wickedness tolerated
among them: they were Israelites. This seems to have an emphasis
laid upon it. For a daughter of Israel to be a whore, or a son of
Israel a whoremaster, is to reproach the stock they are come of,
the people they belong to, and the God they worship. It is bad in
any, but worst in Israelites, a holy nation, <scripRef passage="2Sa 13:12" id="Deu.xxiv-p16.2" parsed="|2Sam|13|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.13.12">2 Sam. xiii. 12</scripRef>. 2. A just mark of
displeasure put upon this wickedness, that the hire of a whore,
that is, the money she gets by her whoring, and the price of a dog,
that is, of the Sodomite, pimp, or whoremaster (so I incline to
understand it, for such are called <i>dogs,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 22:15" id="Deu.xxiv-p16.3" parsed="|Rev|22|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.15">Rev. xxii. 15</scripRef>), the money he gets by his lewd
and villainous practices, no part of it shall be <i>brought into
the house of the Lord</i> (as the hire of prostitutes among the
Gentiles was into their temples) <i>for any vow.</i> This
intimates, (1.) That God would not accept of any offering at all
from such wicked people; they had nothing to bring an offering of
but what they got by their wickedness, and therefore their
sacrifice could not but be <i>an abomination to the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="Pr 15:8" id="Deu.xxiv-p16.4" parsed="|Prov|15|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.15.8">Prov. xv. 8</scripRef>. (2.) That they
should not think, by making and paying vows, and bringing offerings
to the Lord, to obtain leave to go on in this sin, as (it should
seem) some that followed that trade suggested to themselves, when
their offerings were admitted. <scripRef passage="Pr 7:14,15" id="Deu.xxiv-p16.5" parsed="|Prov|7|14|7|15" osisRef="Bible:Prov.7.14-Prov.7.15">Prov.
vii. 14, 15</scripRef>, <i>This day have I paid my vows, therefore
came I forth to meet thee.</i> Nothing should be accepted in
commutation of penance. (3.) That we cannot honour God with our
substance unless it be honestly and honourably come by. It must not
only be considered what we give, but how we got it; God hates
robbery for burnt-offerings, and uncleanness too.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p17">III. The matter of usury is here settled,
<scripRef passage="De 23:19,20" id="Deu.xxiv-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|23|19|23|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.19-Deut.23.20"><i>v.</i> 19, 20</scripRef>. (1.)
They must not lend upon usury to an Israelite. They had and held
their estates immediately from and under God, who, while he
distinguished them from all other people, might have ordered, had
he so pleased, that they should have all things in common among
themselves; but instead of that, and in token of their joint
interest in the good land he had given them, he only appointed
them, as there was occasion, to lend to one another without
interest, which among them would be little or no loss to the
lender, because their land was so divided, their estates were so
settled, and there was so little of merchandise among them, that it
was seldom or never that they had occasion to borrow any great
sums, only what was necessary for the subsistence of their families
when the fruits of their ground had met with any disaster, or the
like; and, in such a case, for a small matter to insist upon usury
would have been very barbarous. Where the borrower gets, or hopes
to get, it is just that the lender should share in the gain; but to
him that borrows for his necessary food pity must be shown, and we
must lend, hoping for nothing again, if we have wherewithal to do
it, <scripRef passage="Lu 6:35" id="Deu.xxiv-p17.2" parsed="|Luke|6|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.6.35">Luke vi. 35</scripRef>. (2.) They
might lend upon usury to a stranger, who was supposed to live by
trade, and (as we say) by turning the penny, and therefore got by
what he borrowed, and came among them in hopes to do so. By this it
appears that usury is not in itself oppressive; for they must not
oppress a stranger, and yet might exact usury from him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p18">IV. The performance of the vows wherewith
we have bound our souls is here required; and it is a branch of the
law of nature, <scripRef passage="De 23:21-23" id="Deu.xxiv-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|23|21|23|23" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.21-Deut.23.23"><i>v.</i>
21-23</scripRef>. (1.) We are here left at our liberty whether we
will make vows or no: <i>If thou shalt forbear to vow</i> (some
particular sacrifice and offering, more than was commanded by the
law), <i>it shall be no sin to thee.</i> God had already signified
his readiness to accept a free-will offering thus vowed, though it
were but a little fine flour (<scripRef passage="Le 2:4-7" id="Deu.xxiv-p18.2" parsed="|Lev|2|4|2|7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.2.4-Lev.2.7">Lev. ii.
4</scripRef>, &amp;c.), which was encouragement enough to those who
were so inclined. But lest the priests, who had the largest share
of those vows and voluntary offerings, should sponge upon the
people, by pressing it upon them as their duty to make such vows,
beyond their ability and inclination, they are here expressly told
that it should not be reckoned a sin in them if they did not make
any such vows, as it would be if they omitted any of the sacrifices
that God had particularly required. For (as bishop Patrick well
expresses it) God would have men to be easy in his service, and all
their offerings to be free and cheerful. (2.) We are here laid
under the highest obligations, when we have made a vow, to perform
it, and to perform it speedily: "<i>Thou shalt not be slack to pay
it,</i> lest if it be delayed beyond the first opportunity the zeal
abate, the vow be forgotten, or something happen to disable thee
for the performance of it. <i>That which has gone out of thy
lips</i> as a solemn and deliberate vow must not be recalled, but
<i>thou shalt keep and perform it,</i> punctually and fully." The
rule of the gospel goes somewhat further than this. <scripRef passage="2Co 9:7" id="Deu.xxiv-p18.3" parsed="|2Cor|9|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.9.7">2 Cor. ix. 7</scripRef>, <i>Every one, according
as he purposeth in his heart,</i> though it have not gone out of
his lips, <i>so let him give.</i> Here is a good reason why we
should pay our vows, that if we do not <i>God will require it of
us,</i> will surely and severely reckon with us, not only for
lying, but for going about to mock him, who cannot be mocked. See
<scripRef passage="Ec 5:4" id="Deu.xxiv-p18.4" parsed="|Eccl|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.4">Eccl. v. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxiv-p19">V. Allowance is here given, when they
passed through a cornfield or vineyard, to pluck and eat of the
corn or grapes that grew by the road-side, whether it was done for
necessity or delight, only they must carry none away with them,
<scripRef passage="De 23:24,25" id="Deu.xxiv-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|23|24|23|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.23.24-Deut.23.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>.
Therefore the disciples were not censured for plucking the ears of
corn (it was well enough known that the law allowed it), but for
doing it on the sabbath day, which the tradition of the elders had
forbidden. Now, 1. This law intimated to them what great plenty of
corn and wine they should have in Canaan, so much that a little
would not be missed out of their fruits: they should have enough
for themselves and all their friends. 2. It provided for the
support of poor travellers, to relieve the fatigue of their
journey, and teaches us to be kind to such. The Jews say, "This law
was chiefly intended in favour of labourers, who were employed in
gathering in their harvest and vintage; their mouths must not be
muzzled any more than that of the ox when he treads out the corn."
3. It teaches us not to insist upon property in a small matter, of
which it is easy to say, <i>What is that between me and thee?</i>
It was true the grapes which the passenger ate were none of his
own, nor did the proprietor give them to him; but the thing was of
so small value that he had reason to think were he present, he
would not deny them to him, anymore than he himself would grudge
the like courtesy, and therefore it was no theft to take them. 4.
It used them to hospitality, and teaches us to be ready to
distribute, willing to communicate, and not to think every thing
lost that is given away. Yet, 5. It forbids us to abuse the
kindness of our friends, and to take the advantage of fair
concessions to make unreasonable encroachments: we must not draw an
ell from those that give but an inch. They may eat of their
neighbour's grapes; but it does not therefore follow that they may
carry away.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIV" n="xxv" progress="92.47%" prev="Deu.xxiv" next="Deu.xxvi" id="Deu.xxv">
<h2 id="Deu.xxv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxv-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The toleration of
divorce, <scripRef passage="De 24:1-4" id="Deu.xxv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|24|1|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.1-Deut.24.4">ver. 1-4</scripRef>. II. A
discharge of new-married men from the war, <scripRef passage="De 24:5" id="Deu.xxv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.5">ver. 5</scripRef>. III. Laws concerning pledges,
<scripRef passage="De 24:6,10-13,17" id="Deu.xxv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|24|6|0|0;|Deut|24|10|24|13;|Deut|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.6 Bible:Deut.24.10-Deut.24.13 Bible:Deut.24.17">ver. 6, 10-13, 17</scripRef>.
IV. Against man-stealing, <scripRef passage="De 24:7" id="Deu.xxv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.7">ver.
7</scripRef>. V. Concerning the leprosy, <scripRef passage="De 24:8,9" id="Deu.xxv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|24|8|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.8-Deut.24.9">ver. 8, 9</scripRef>. VI. Against the injustice of
masters towards their servants, <scripRef passage="De 24:14,15" id="Deu.xxv-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|24|14|24|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.14-Deut.24.15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>. Judges in capital causes
(<scripRef passage="De 24:16" id="Deu.xxv-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|24|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.16">ver. 16</scripRef>), and civil
concerns, <scripRef passage="De 24:17,18" id="Deu.xxv-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|24|17|24|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.17-Deut.24.18">ver. 17, 18</scripRef>.
VII. Of charity to the poor, <scripRef passage="De 24:19" id="Deu.xxv-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|24|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.19">ver.
19</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 24" id="Deu.xxv-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 24:1-4" id="Deu.xxv-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|24|1|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.1-Deut.24.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.24.1-Deut.24.4">
<h4 id="Deu.xxv-p1.12">The Law Concerning Divorce. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxv-p2">1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her,
and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he
hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill
of divorcement, and give <i>it</i> in her hand, and send her out of
his house. &#160; 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she
may go and be another man's <i>wife.</i> &#160; 3 And <i>if</i> the
latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and
giveth <i>it</i> in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or
if the latter husband die, which took her <i>to be</i> his wife;
&#160; 4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her
again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that <i>is</i>
abomination before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span>: and
thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee <i>for</i> an
inheritance.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p3">This is that permission which the Pharisees
erroneously referred to as a precept, <scripRef passage="Mt 19:7" id="Deu.xxv-p3.1" parsed="|Matt|19|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.7">Matt. xix. 7</scripRef>, <i>Moses commanded to give a
writing of divorcement.</i> It was not so; our Saviour told them
that he only suffered it because of the hardness of their hearts,
lest, if they had not had liberty to divorce their wives, they
should have ruled them with rigour, and it may be, have been the
death of them. It is probable that divorces were in use before
(they are taken for granted, <scripRef passage="Le 21:14" id="Deu.xxv-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.21.14">Lev. xxi.
14</scripRef>), and Moses thought it needful here to give some
rules concerning them. 1. That a man might not divorce his wife
unless he <i>found some uncleanness in her,</i> <scripRef passage="De 24:1" id="Deu.xxv-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|24|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. It was not sufficient to say that
he did not like her, or that he liked another better, but he must
show cause for his dislike; something that made her disagreeable
and unpleasant to him, though it might not make her so to another.
This uncleanness must mean something less than adultery; for, for
that, she was to die; and less than the suspicion of it, for in
that case he might give her the waters of jealousy; but it means
either a light carriage, or a cross froward disposition, or some
loathsome sore or disease; nay, some of the Jewish writers suppose
that an offensive breath might be a just ground for divorce.
Whatever is meant by it, doubtless it was something considerable;
so that their modern doctors erred who allowed divorce for every
cause, though ever so trivial, <scripRef passage="Mt 19:3" id="Deu.xxv-p3.4" parsed="|Matt|19|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.3">Matt.
xix. 3</scripRef>. 2. That it must be done, not by word of mouth,
for that might be spoken hastily, but by writing, and that put in
due form, and solemnly declared, before witnesses, to be his own
act and deed, which was a work of time, and left room for
consideration, that it might not be done rashly. 3. That the
husband must give it into the hand of his wife, and send her away,
which some think obliged him to endow her and make provision for
her, according to her quality and such as might help to marry her
again; and good reason he should do this, since the cause of
quarrel was not her fault, but her infelicity. 4. That being
divorced it was lawful for her to marry another husband, <scripRef passage="De 24:2" id="Deu.xxv-p3.5" parsed="|Deut|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. The divorce had dissolved
the bond of marriage as effectually as death could dissolve it; so
that she was as free to marry again as if her first husband had
been naturally dead. 5. That if her second husband died, or
divorced her, then still she might marry a third, but her first
husband should never take her again (<scripRef passage="De 24:3,4" id="Deu.xxv-p3.6" parsed="|Deut|24|3|24|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.3-Deut.24.4"><i>v.</i> 3, 4</scripRef>), which he might have done if
she had not married another; for by that act of her own she had
perfectly renounced him for ever, and, as to him was looked upon as
defiled, though not as to another person. The Jewish writers say
that this was to prevent a most vile and wicked practice which the
Egyptians had of changing wives; or perhaps it was intended to
prevent men's rashness in putting away their wives; for the wife
that was divorced would be apt, in revenge, to marry another
immediately, and perhaps the husband that divorced her, how much
soever he though to better himself by another choice, would find
the next worse, and something in her more disagreeable, so that he
would wish for his first wife again. "No" (says this law) "you
shall not have her, you should have kept her when you had her."
Note, It is best to be content with such things as we have, since
changes made by discontent often prove for the worse. The
uneasiness we know is commonly better, though we are apt to think
it worse, than that which we do not know. By the strictness of this
law God illustrates the riches of his grace in his willingness to
be reconciled to his people that had gone a whoring from him.
<scripRef passage="Jer 3:1" id="Deu.xxv-p3.7" parsed="|Jer|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.3.1">Jer. iii. 1</scripRef>, <i>Thou hast
played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me.</i> For
his thoughts and ways are above ours.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 24:5-13" id="Deu.xxv-p3.8" parsed="|Deut|24|5|24|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.5-Deut.24.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.24.5-Deut.24.13">
<h4 id="Deu.xxv-p3.9">The Law of Divorce. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p3.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxv-p4">5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not
go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business:
<i>but</i> he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up
his wife which he hath taken. &#160; 6 No man shall take the nether
or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh <i>a man's</i> life
to pledge. &#160; 7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren
of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or
selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil
away from among you. &#160; 8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy,
that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the
priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, <i>so</i>
ye shall observe to do. &#160; 9 Remember what the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p4.1">Lord</span> thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after
that ye were come forth out of Egypt. &#160; 10 When thou dost lend
thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch
his pledge. &#160; 11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom
thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee. &#160;
12 And if the man <i>be</i> poor, thou shalt not sleep with his
pledge: &#160; 13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge
again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own
raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p4.2">Lord</span> thy God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p5">Here is, I. Provision made for the
preservation and confirmation of love between new-married people,
<scripRef passage="De 24:5" id="Deu.xxv-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|24|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. This fitly
follows upon the laws concerning divorce, which would be prevented
if their affection to each other were well settled at first. If the
husband were much abroad from his wife the first year, his love to
her would be in danger of cooling, and of being drawn aside to
others whom he would meet with abroad; therefore his service to his
country in war, embassies, or other public business that would call
him from home, shall be dispensed with, <i>that he may cheer up the
wife that he has taken.</i> Note, 1. It is of great consequence
that love be kept up between husband and wife, and that every thing
be very carefully avoided which might make them strange one to
another, especially at first; for in that relation, where there is
not the love that should be, there is an inlet ready to abundance
of guilt and grief. 2. One of the duties of that relation is to
cheer up one another under the cares and crosses that happen, as
helpers of each other's joy; for a cheerful heart does good like a
medicine.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p6">II. A law against man-stealing, <scripRef passage="De 24:7" id="Deu.xxv-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. It was not death by the
law of Moses to steal cattle or goods; but to steal a child, or a
weak and simple man, or one that a man had in his power, and to
make merchandize of him, this was a capital crime, and could not be
expiated, as other thefts, by restitution&#8212;so much is <i>a man
better than a sheep,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 12:12" id="Deu.xxv-p6.2" parsed="|Matt|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.12">Matt. xii.
12</scripRef>. It was a very heinous offence, for, 1. It was
robbing the public of one of its members. 2. It was taking away a
man's liberty, the liberty of a free-born Israelite, which was next
in value to his life. 3. It was driving a man out from the
inheritance of the land, to the privileges of which he was
entitled, and bidding him go serve other gods, as David complains
against Saul, <scripRef passage="1Sa 26:19" id="Deu.xxv-p6.3" parsed="|1Sam|26|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.26.19">1 Sam. xxvi.
19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p7">III. A memorandum concerning the leprosy,
<scripRef passage="De 24:8,9" id="Deu.xxv-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|24|8|24|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.8-Deut.24.9"><i>v.</i> 8, 9</scripRef>. 1. The
laws concerning it must be carefully observed. The laws concerning
it we had, <scripRef passage="Le 13:14" id="Deu.xxv-p7.2" parsed="|Lev|13|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.13.14">Lev. xiii. 14</scripRef>.
They are here said to be commanded to the <i>priests and
Levites,</i> and therefore are not repeated in a discourse to the
people; but the people are here charged, in case of leprosy, to
apply to the priest according to the law, and to abide by his
judgment, so far as it agreed with the law and the plain matter of
fact. The plague of leprosy being usually a particular mark of
God's displeasure for sin, he in whom the signs of it did appear
ought not to conceal it, nor cut out the signs of it, nor apply to
the physician for relief; but he must go to the priest, and follow
his directions. Thus those that feel their consciences under guilt
and wrath must not cover it, nor endeavour to shake off their
convictions, but by repentance, and prayer, and humble confession,
take the appointed way to peace and pardon. 2. The particular case
of Miriam, who was smitten with leprosy for quarrelling with Moses,
must not be forgotten. It was an explication of the law concerning
the leprosy. Remember that, and, (1.) "Take heed of sinning after
the similitude of her transgression, by despising dominions and
speaking evil of dignities, lest you thereby bring upon yourselves
the same judgment." (2.) "If any of you be smitten with a leprosy,
expect not that the law should be dispensed with, nor think it hard
to be shut out of the camp and so made a spectacle; there is no
remedy: Miriam herself, though a prophetess and the sister of
Moses, was not exempted, but was forced to submit to this severe
discipline when she was under this divine rebuke." Thus David,
Hezekiah, Peter, and other great men, when they had sinned, humbled
themselves, and took to themselves shame and grief; let us not
expect to be reconciled upon easier terms.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p8">IV. Some necessary orders given about
pledges for the security of money lent. They are not forbidden to
take such securities as would save the lender from loss, and oblige
the borrower to be honest; but, 1. They must not take the millstone
for a pledge (<scripRef passage="De 24:6" id="Deu.xxv-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|24|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>),
for with that they ground the corn that was to be bread for their
families, or, if it were a public mill, with it the miller got his
livelihood; and so it forbids the taking of any thing for a pledge
by the want of which a man was in danger of being undone. Consonant
to this is the ancient common law of England, which provides that
no man be distrained of the utensils or instruments of his trade or
profession, as the axe of a carpenter, or the books of a scholar,
or beasts belonging to the plough, as long as there are other
beasts of which distress may be made (<i>Coke, 1 Inst. fol.</i>
47). This teaches us to consult the comfort and subsistence of
others as much as our own advantage. That creditor who cares not
though his debtor and his family starve, nor is at all concerned
what become of them, so he may but get his money or secure it, goes
contrary, not only to the law of Christ, but even to the law of
Moses too. 2. They must not go into the borrower's house to fetch
the pledge, but must stand without, and he must bring it, <scripRef passage="De 24:10,11" id="Deu.xxv-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|24|10|24|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.10-Deut.24.11"><i>v.</i> 10, 11</scripRef>. <i>The
borrower</i> (says Solomon) <i>is servant to the lender;</i>
therefore lest the lender should abuse the advantage he has against
him, and improve it for his own interest, it is provided that he
shall take not what he pleases, but what the borrower can best
spare. A man's house is his castle, even the poor man's house is
so, and is here taken under the protection of the law. 3. That a
poor man's bed-clothes should never be taken for a pledge,
<scripRef passage="De 24:12,13" id="Deu.xxv-p8.3" parsed="|Deut|24|12|24|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.12-Deut.24.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>. This
we had before, <scripRef passage="Ex 22:26,27" id="Deu.xxv-p8.4" parsed="|Exod|22|26|22|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.22.26-Exod.22.27">Exod. xxii. 26,
27</scripRef>. If they were taken in the morning, they must be
brought back again at night, which is in effect to say that they
must not be taken at all. "Let the poor debtor sleep in his own
raiment, and bless thee," that is, "pray for thee, and praise God
for thy kindness to him." Note, Poor debtors ought to be sensible
(more sensible than commonly they are) of the goodness of those
creditors that do not take all the advantage of the law against
them, and to repay their kindnesses by their prayers for them, when
they are not in a capacity to repay it in any other way. "Nay, thou
shalt not only have the prayers and good wishes of thy poor
brother, but <i>it shall be righteousness to thee before the Lord
thy God,</i>" that is, "It shall be accepted and rewarded as an act
of mercy to thy brother and obedience to thy God, and an evidence
of thy sincere conformity to the law. Though it may be looked upon
by men as an act of weakness to deliver up the securities thou hast
for thy debt, yet it shall be looked upon by thy God as an act of
goodness, which shall in no wise lose its reward."</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 24" id="Deu.xxv-p8.5" parsed="|Deut|24|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 24:14-22" id="Deu.xxv-p8.6" parsed="|Deut|24|14|24|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.14-Deut.24.22"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.24.14-Deut.24.22">
<h4 id="Deu.xxv-p8.7">Justice and Generosity. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p8.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxv-p9">14 Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant
<i>that is</i> poor and needy, <i>whether he be</i> of thy
brethren, or of thy strangers that <i>are</i> in thy land within
thy gates: &#160; 15 At his day thou shalt give <i>him</i> his
hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he <i>is</i> poor,
and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p9.1">Lord</span>, and it be sin unto thee.
&#160; 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children,
neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every
man shall be put to death for his own sin. &#160; 17 Thou shalt not
pervert the judgment of the stranger, <i>nor</i> of the fatherless;
nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: &#160; 18 But thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p9.2">Lord</span> thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I
command thee to do this thing. &#160; 19 When thou cuttest down
thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field,
thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger,
for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxv-p9.3">Lord</span> thy God may bless thee in all the work of
thine hands. &#160; 20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou
shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger,
for the fatherless, and for the widow. &#160; 21 When thou
gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean
<i>it</i> afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the
fatherless, and for the widow. &#160; 22 And thou shalt remember
that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command
thee to do this thing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p10">Here, I. Masters are commanded to be just
to their poor servants, <scripRef passage="De 24:14,15" id="Deu.xxv-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|24|14|24|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.14-Deut.24.15"><i>v.</i>
14, 15</scripRef>. 1. They must not oppress them, by overloading
them with work, by giving them undue and unreasonable rebukes, or
by withholding from them proper maintenance. A servant, though a
stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, must not be abused: "For
<i>thou wast a bondman</i> in the land where thou wast a stranger
(<scripRef passage="De 24:18" id="Deu.xxv-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|24|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>), and thou
knowest what a grievous thing it is to be oppressed by a
task-master, and therefore, in tenderness to those that are
servants and strangers, and in gratitude to that God who set thee
at liberty and settled thee in a country of thy own, <i>thou shalt
not oppress a servant.</i>" Let not masters be tyrants to their
servants, for their Master is in heaven. See <scripRef passage="Job 31:13" id="Deu.xxv-p10.3" parsed="|Job|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.31.13">Job xxxi. 13</scripRef>. 2. They must be faithful and
punctual in paying them their wages: "<i>At his day thou shalt give
him his hire,</i> not only pay it in time, without further delay.
As soon as he had done his day's work, if he desire it, let him
have his day's wages," as those labourers (<scripRef passage="Mt 20:8" id="Deu.xxv-p10.4" parsed="|Matt|20|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.20.8">Matt. xx. 8</scripRef>) <i>when evening had come.</i> He
that works by day-wages is supposed to live from hand to mouth, and
cannot have to-morrow's bread for his family till he is paid for
this day's labour. If the wages be withheld, (1.) It will be grief
to the servant, for, poor man, he <i>sets his heart upon it,</i>
or, as the word is, he <i>lifts up his soul to it,</i> he is
earnestly desirous of it, as the reward of his work (<scripRef passage="Job 7:2" id="Deu.xxv-p10.5" parsed="|Job|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.7.2">Job vii. 2</scripRef>), and depends upon it as
the gift of God's providence for the maintenance of his family. A
compassionate master, though it should be somewhat inconvenient to
himself, would not disappoint the expectation of a poor servant
that was so fond to think of receiving his wages. But that is not
the worst. (2.) It will be guilt to the master. "The injured
servant will cry against thee to the Lord; since he has no one else
to appeal to, he will lodge his appeal in the court of heaven, and
it will be sin to thee." Or, if he do not complain, the cause will
speak for itself, the "<i>hire of the labourers which is kept back
by fraud</i> will itself <i>cry,</i>" <scripRef passage="Jam 5:4" id="Deu.xxv-p10.6" parsed="|Jas|5|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.5.4">Jam. v. 4</scripRef>. It is a greater sin than most
people think it is, and will be found so in the great day, to put
hardships upon poor servants, labourers, and workmen, that we
employ. God will do them right if men do not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p11">II. Magistrates and judges are commanded to
be just in their administrations. 1. In those which we call
<i>pleas of the crown</i> a standing rule is here given, that
<i>the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the
children for the fathers,</i> <scripRef passage="De 24:16" id="Deu.xxv-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|24|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. If the children make themselves
obnoxious to the law, let them suffer for it, but let not the
parents suffer either for them or with them; it is grief enough to
them to see their children suffer: if the parents be guilty, let
them die for their own sin; but though God, the sovereign Lord of
life, sometimes visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children, especially the sin of idolatry, and when he deals with
nations in their national capacity, yet he does not allow men to do
so. Accordingly, we find Amaziah sparing the children, even when
the fathers were put to death for killing the king, <scripRef passage="2Ki 14:6" id="Deu.xxv-p11.2" parsed="|2Kgs|14|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.14.6">2 Kings xiv. 6</scripRef>. It was in an
extraordinary case, and no doubt by special direction from heaven,
that Saul's sons were put to death for his offence, and they died
rather as sacrifices than as malefactors, <scripRef passage="2Sa 21:9,14" id="Deu.xxv-p11.3" parsed="|2Sam|21|9|0|0;|2Sam|21|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.21.9 Bible:2Sam.21.14">2 Sam. xxi. 9, 14</scripRef>. 2. In common pleas
between party and party, great care must be taken that none whose
cause was just should fare the worse for their weakness, nor for
their being destitute of friends, as strangers, fatherless, and
widows (<scripRef passage="De 24:17" id="Deu.xxv-p11.4" parsed="|Deut|24|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>):
"<i>Thou shalt not pervert their judgment,</i> nor force them to
give their very raiment for a pledge, by defrauding them of their
right." Judges must be advocates for those that cannot speak for
themselves and have no friends to speak for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxv-p12">III. The rich are commanded to be kind and
charitable to the poor. Many ways they are ordered to be so by the
law of Moses. The particular instance of charity here prescribed is
that they should not be greedy in gathering in their corn, and
grapes, and olives, so as to be afraid of leaving any behind them,
but be willing to overlook some, and let the poor have the
gleanings, <scripRef passage="De 24:19-22" id="Deu.xxv-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|24|19|24|22" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.19-Deut.24.22"><i>v.</i>
19-22</scripRef>. 1. "Say not, 'It is all my own, and why should
not I have it?' But learn a generous contempt of property in small
matters. One sheaf or two forgotten will make thee never the poorer
at the year's end, and it will do somebody good, if thou have it
not." 2. "Say not, '<i>What I give I will give,</i> and know whom I
give it to, why should I leave it to be gathered by I know not
whom, that will never thank me.' But trust God's providence with
the disposal of thy charity, perhaps that will direct it to the
most necessitous." Or, "Thou mayest reasonably think it will come
to the hands of the most industrious, that are forward to seek and
gather that which this law provides for them." 3. "Say not, 'What
should the poor do with grapes and olives? It is enough for them to
have bread and water;' for, since they have the same senses that
the rich have, why should not they have some little share of the
delights of sense?" Boaz ordered handfuls of corn to be left on
purpose for Ruth, and God blessed him. All that is left is not
lost.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXV" n="xxvi" progress="92.88%" prev="Deu.xxv" next="Deu.xxvii" id="Deu.xxvi">
<h2 id="Deu.xxvi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxvi-p0.2">CHAP. XXV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxvi-p1">Here is, I. A law to moderate the scourging of
malefactors, <scripRef passage="De 25:1-3" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|25|1|25|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.1-Deut.25.3">ver. 1-3</scripRef>. II.
A law in favour of the ox that treads out the corn, <scripRef passage="De 25:4" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|25|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.4">ver. 4</scripRef>. III. For the disgracing of him
that refused to marry his brother's widow, <scripRef passage="De 25:5-10" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|25|5|25|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.5-Deut.25.10">ver. 5-10</scripRef>. IV. For the punishment of an
immodest woman, <scripRef passage="De 25:11,12" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|25|11|25|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.11-Deut.25.12">ver. 11,
12</scripRef>. V. For just weights and measures, <scripRef passage="De 25:13-16" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|25|13|25|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.13-Deut.25.16">ver. 13-16</scripRef>. VI. For the destroying of
Amalek, <scripRef passage="De 25:17-19" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|25|17|25|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.17-Deut.25.19">ver. 17</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 25" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 25:1-4" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|25|1|25|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.1-Deut.25.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.25.1-Deut.25.4">
<h4 id="Deu.xxvi-p1.9">Stripes Not to Exceed Forty. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxvi-p2">1 If there be a controversy between men, and
they come unto judgment, that <i>the judges</i> may judge them;
then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
&#160; 2 And it shall be, if the wicked man <i>be</i> worthy to be
beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be
beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain
number. &#160; 3 Forty stripes he may give him, <i>and</i> not
exceed: lest, <i>if</i> he should exceed, and beat him above these
with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
&#160; 4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out <i>the
corn.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p3">Here is, I. A direction to the judges in
scourging malefactors, <scripRef passage="De 25:1-3" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|25|1|25|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.1-Deut.25.3"><i>v.</i>
1-3</scripRef>. 1. It is here supposed that, if a man be charged
with a crime, the accuser and the accused (<i>Actor</i> and
<i>Reus</i>) should be brought face to face before the judges, that
the controversy may be determined. 2. If a man were accused of a
crime, and the proof fell short, so that the charge could not be
made out against him by the evidence, then he was to be acquitted:
"<i>Thou shalt justify the righteous,</i>" that is, "him that
appears to the court to be so." If the accusation be proved, then
the conviction of the accused is a justification of the accuser, as
righteous in the prosecution. 3. If the accused were found guilty,
judgment must be given against him: "Thou shalt <i>condemn the
wicked;</i>" for to justify the wicked is as much an abomination to
the Lord as it is to condemn the righteous, <scripRef passage="Pr 17:15" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.2" parsed="|Prov|17|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.17.15">Prov. xvii. 15</scripRef>. 4. If the crime were not made
capital by the law, then the criminal must be beaten. A great many
precepts we have met with which have not any particular penalty
annexed to them, the violation of most of which, according to the
constant practice of the Jews, was punished by scourging, from
which no person's rank or quality did exempt him if he were a
delinquent, but with this proviso, that he should never be
upbraided with it, nor should it be looked upon as leaving any mark
of infamy or disgrace upon him. The directions here given for the
scourging of criminals are, (1.) That it be done solemnly; not
tumultuously through the streets, but in open court before the
judge's face, and with so much deliberation as that the stripes
might be numbered. The Jews say that while execution was in doing
the chief justice of the court read with a loud voice <scripRef passage="De 28:58,59,29:9" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|28|58|28|59;|Deut|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.58-Deut.28.59 Bible:Deut.29.9">Deut. xxviii. 58, 59, and xxix.
9</scripRef>, and concluded with those words (<scripRef passage="Ps 78:38" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|78|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.38">Ps. lxxviii. 38</scripRef>), <i>But he, being full of
compassion, forgave their iniquity.</i> Thus it was made a sort of
religious act, and so much the more likely to reform the offender
himself and to be a warning to others. (2.) That it be done in
proportion to the crime, <i>according to his fault,</i> that some
crimes might appear, as they are, more heinous than others, the
criminal being <i>beaten with many stripes,</i> to which perhaps
there is an allusion, <scripRef passage="Lu 12:47,48" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.5" parsed="|Luke|12|47|12|48" osisRef="Bible:Luke.12.47-Luke.12.48">Luke xii. 47,
48</scripRef>. (3.) That how great soever the crime were the number
of stripes should never exceed <i>forty,</i> <scripRef passage="De 25:3" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.6" parsed="|Deut|25|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Forty <i>save one</i> was the
common usage, as appears, <scripRef passage="2Co 11:24" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.7" parsed="|2Cor|11|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.11.24">2 Cor. xi.
24</scripRef>. It seems, they always gave Paul as many stripes as
ever they gave to any malefactor whatsoever. They abated one for
fear of having miscounted (though one of the judges was appointed
to number the stripes), or because they would never go to the
utmost rigour, or because the execution was usually done with a
whip of three lashes, so that thirteen stripes (each one being
counted for three) made up thirty-nine, but one more by that
reckoning would have been forty-two. The reason given for this is,
<i>lest thy brother should seem vile unto thee.</i> He must still
be looked upon as <i>a brother</i> (<scripRef passage="2Th 3:15" id="Deu.xxvi-p3.8" parsed="|2Thess|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.3.15">2
Thess. iii. 15</scripRef>), and his reputation as such was
preserved by this merciful limitation of his punishment. It saves
him from seeming vile to his brethren, when God himself by his law
takes this care of him. Men must not be treated as dogs; nor must
those seem vile in our sight to whom, for aught we know, God may
yet give grace to make them precious in his sight.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p4">II. A charge to husbandmen not to hinder
their cattle from eating when they were working, if meat were
within their reach, <scripRef passage="De 25:4" id="Deu.xxvi-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|25|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. This instance of the beast that trod out the corn (to
which there is an allusion in that of the prophet, <scripRef passage="Ho 10:11" id="Deu.xxvi-p4.2" parsed="|Hos|10|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.10.11">Hos. x. 11</scripRef>) is put for all similar
instances. That which makes this law very remarkable above its
fellows (and which countenances the like application of other such
laws) is that it is twice quoted in the New Testament to show that
it is the duty of the people to give their ministers a comfortable
maintenance, <scripRef passage="1Co 9:9,10" id="Deu.xxvi-p4.3" parsed="|1Cor|9|9|9|10" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.9.9-1Cor.9.10">1 Cor. ix. 9,
10</scripRef>, and <scripRef passage="1Ti 5:17,18" id="Deu.xxvi-p4.4" parsed="|1Tim|5|17|5|18" osisRef="Bible:1Tim.5.17-1Tim.5.18">1 Tim. v. 17,
18</scripRef>. It teaches us in the letter of it to make much of
the brute-creatures that serve us, and to allow them not only the
necessary supports for their life, but the advantages of their
labour; and thus we must learn not only to be just, but kind, to
all that are employed for our good, not only to maintain but to
encourage them, especially those that labour among us in the word
and doctrine, and so are employed for the good of our better
part.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 25:5-12" id="Deu.xxvi-p4.5" parsed="|Deut|25|5|25|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.5-Deut.25.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.25.5-Deut.25.12">
<h4 id="Deu.xxvi-p4.6">Marriage of a Brother's
Wife. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p4.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxvi-p5">5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them
die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry
without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto
her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a
husband's brother unto her. &#160; 6 And it shall be, <i>that</i>
the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his
brother <i>which is</i> dead, that his name be not put out of
Israel. &#160; 7 And if the man like not to take his brother's
wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the
elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his
brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my
husband's brother. &#160; 8 Then the elders of his city shall call
him, and speak unto him: and <i>if</i> he stand <i>to it,</i> and
say, I like not to take her; &#160; 9 Then shall his brother's wife
come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe
from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say,
So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his
brother's house. &#160; 10 And his name shall be called in Israel,
The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. &#160; 11 When men
strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth
near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth
him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets:
&#160; 12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not
pity <i>her.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p6">Here is, I. The law settled concerning the
marrying of the brother's widow. It appears from the story of
Judah's family that this had been an ancient usage (<scripRef passage="Ge 38:8" id="Deu.xxvi-p6.1" parsed="|Gen|38|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.38.8">Gen. xxxviii. 8</scripRef>), for the keeping up
of distinct families. The case put is a case that often happens, of
a man's dying without issue, it may be in the prime of his time,
soon after his marriage, and while his brethren were yet so young
as to be unmarried. Now in this case, 1. The widow was not to marry
again into any other family, unless all the relations of her
husband did refuse her, that the estate she was endowed with might
not be alienated. 2. The husband's brother, or next of kin, must
marry her, partly out of respect to her, who, having forgotten her
own people and her father's house, should have all possible
kindness shown her by the family into which she was married; and
partly out of respect to the deceased husband, that though he was
dead and gone he might not be forgotten, nor lost out of the
genealogies of his tribe; for the first-born child, which the
brother or next kinsman should have by the widow, should be
denominated from him that was dead, and entered in the genealogy as
his child, <scripRef passage="De 25:5,6" id="Deu.xxvi-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|25|5|25|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.5-Deut.25.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>.
Under that dispensation we have reason to think men had not so
clear and certain a prospect of living themselves on the other side
death as we have now, to whom <i>life and immortality are brought
to light by the gospel;</i> and therefore they could not but be the
more desirous to live in their posterity, which innocent desire was
in some measure gratified by this law, an expedient being found out
that, though a man had no child by his wife, yet <i>his name should
not be put out of Israel,</i> that is, out of the pedigree, or,
which is equivalent, remain there under the brand of childlessness.
The Sadducees put a case to our Saviour upon this law, with a
design to perplex the doctrine of the resurrection by it (<scripRef passage="Mt 22:24-33" id="Deu.xxvi-p6.3" parsed="|Matt|22|24|22|33" osisRef="Bible:Matt.22.24-Matt.22.33">Matt. xxii. 24</scripRef>, &amp;c.), perhaps
insinuating that there was no need of maintaining the immortality
of the soul and a future state, since the law had so well provided
for the perpetuating of men's names and families in the world. But,
3. If the brother, or next of kin, declined to do this good office
to the memory of him that was gone, what must be done in that case?
Why, (1.) He shall not be compelled to do it, <scripRef passage="De 25:7" id="Deu.xxvi-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|25|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. If he like her not, he is at
liberty to refuse her, which, some think, was not permitted in this
case before this law of Moses. Affection is all in all to the
comfort of the conjugal relation; this is a thing which cannot be
forced, and therefore the relation should not be forced without it.
(2.) Yet he shall be publicly disgraced for not doing it. The
widow, as the person most concerned for the name and honour of the
deceased, was to complain to the elders of his refusal; if he
persist in it, she must <i>pluck off his shoe, and spit in his
face,</i> in open court (or, as the Jewish doctors moderate it,
spit <i>before</i> his face), thus to fasten a mark of infamy upon
him, which was to remain with his family after him, <scripRef passage="De 25:8-10" id="Deu.xxvi-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|25|8|25|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.8-Deut.25.10"><i>v.</i> 8-10</scripRef>. Note, Those justly
suffer in their own reputation who do not do what they ought to
preserve the name and honour of others. He that would not build up
his brother's house deserved to have this blemish put upon his own,
that it should be called <i>the house of him that had his shoe
loosed,</i> in token that he deserved to go barefoot. In the case
of Ruth we find this law executed (<scripRef passage="Ru 4:7" id="Deu.xxvi-p6.6" parsed="|Ruth|4|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ruth.4.7">Ruth
iv. 7</scripRef>), but because, upon the refusal of the next
kinsman, there was another ready to perform the duty of a husband's
brother, it was that other that plucked off the shoe, and not the
widow&#8212;Boaz, and not Ruth.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p7">II. A law for the punishing of an immodest
woman, <scripRef passage="De 25:11,12" id="Deu.xxvi-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|25|11|25|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.11-Deut.25.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>.
The woman that by the foregoing law was to complain against her
husband's brother for not marrying her, and to spit in his face
before the elders, needed a good measure of assurance; but, lest
the confidence which that law supported should grow to an excess
unbecoming the sex, here is a very severe but just law to punish
impudence and immodesty. 1. The instance of it is confessedly
scandalous to the highest degree. A woman could not do it unless
she were perfectly lost to all virtue and honour. 2. The occasion
is such as might in part excuse it; it was to help her husband out
of the hands of one that was too hard for him. Now if the doing of
it in a passion, and with such a good intention, was to be so
severely punished, much more when it was done wantonly and in lust.
3. The punishment was that her hand should be cut off; and the
magistrates must not pretend to be more merciful than God: <i>Thy
eye shall not pity her.</i> Perhaps our Saviour alludes to this law
when he commands us to <i>cut off the right hand</i> that
<i>offends us,</i> or is an occasion of sin to us. Better put the
greatest hardships that can be upon the body than ruin the soul for
ever. Modesty is the hedge of chastity, and therefore ought to be
very carefully preserved and kept up by both sexes.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 25" id="Deu.xxvi-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|25|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 25:13-19" id="Deu.xxvi-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|25|13|25|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.13-Deut.25.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.25.13-Deut.25.19">
<h4 id="Deu.xxvi-p7.4">Amalek to Be Destroyed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p7.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxvi-p8">13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers
weights, a great and a small. &#160; 14 Thou shalt not have in
thine house divers measures, a great and a small. &#160; 15
<i>But</i> thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and
just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in
the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p8.1">Lord</span> thy God
giveth thee. &#160; 16 For all that do such things, <i>and</i> all
that do unrighteously, <i>are</i> an abomination unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p8.2">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 17 Remember what
Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of
Egypt; &#160; 18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost
of thee, <i>even</i> all <i>that were</i> feeble behind thee, when
thou <i>wast</i> faint and weary; and he feared not God. &#160; 19
Therefore it shall be, when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p8.3">Lord</span>
thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in
the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvi-p8.4">Lord</span> thy God
giveth thee <i>for</i> an inheritance to possess it, <i>that</i>
thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven;
thou shalt not forget <i>it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p9">Here is, I. A law against deceitful weights
and measures: they must not only not use them, but they must not
have them, not have them in the bag, not have them in the house
(<scripRef passage="De 25:13,14" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|25|13|25|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.13-Deut.25.14"><i>v.</i> 13, 14</scripRef>); for,
if they had them, they would be strongly tempted to use them. They
must not have a great weight and measure to buy by and a small one
to sell by, for that was to cheat both ways, when either was bad
enough; as we read of those that made the <i>ephah</i> small, in
which they measured the corn they sold, and the <i>shekel</i>
great, by which they weighed the money they received for it,
<scripRef passage="Am 8:5" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.2" parsed="|Amos|8|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.8.5">Amos viii. 5</scripRef>. But <i>thou
shalt have a perfect and just weight,</i> <scripRef passage="De 25:15" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|25|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. That which is the rule of
justice must itself be just; if that be otherwise, it is a constant
cheat. This had been taken care of before, <scripRef passage="Le 19:35,36" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.4" parsed="|Lev|19|35|19|36" osisRef="Bible:Lev.19.35-Lev.19.36">Lev. xix. 35, 36</scripRef>. This law is enforced
with two very good reasons:&#8212;1. That justice and equity will bring
down upon us the blessing of God. The way to have our days
lengthened, and to prosper, is to be just and fair in all our
dealings <i>Honesty is the best policy.</i> 2. That fraud and
injustice will expose us to the curse of God, <scripRef passage="De 25:16" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.5" parsed="|Deut|25|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. Not only unrighteousness
itself, but all that do unrighteously, are an <i>abomination to the
Lord.</i> And miserable is that man who is abhorred by his Maker.
How hateful, particularly, all the arts of deceit are to God,
Solomon several times observes, <scripRef passage="Pr 11:1,20:10,23" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.6" parsed="|Prov|11|1|0|0;|Prov|20|10|0|0;|Prov|20|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.11.1 Bible:Prov.20.10 Bible:Prov.20.23">Prov. xi. 1; xx. 10, 23</scripRef>; and the
apostle tells us <i>that the Lord is the avenger of all such</i> as
overreach and <i>defraud in any matter,</i> <scripRef passage="1Th 4:6" id="Deu.xxvi-p9.7" parsed="|1Thess|4|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Thess.4.6">1 Thess. iv. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p10">II. A law for the rooting out of Amalek.
Here is a <i>just weight</i> and a <i>just measure,</i> that, as
Amalek had measured to Israel, so it should be measure to Amalek
again.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p11">1. The mischief Amalek did to Israel must
be here remembered, <scripRef passage="De 25:17,18" id="Deu.xxvi-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|25|17|25|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.17-Deut.25.18"><i>v.</i> 17,
18</scripRef>. When it was first done it was ordered to be recorded
(<scripRef passage="Ex 17:14-16" id="Deu.xxvi-p11.2" parsed="|Exod|17|14|17|16" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.14-Exod.17.16">Exod. xvii. 14-16</scripRef>), and
here the remembrance of it is ordered to be preserved, not in
personal revenge (for that generation which suffered by the
Amalekites was gone, so that those who now lived, and their
posterity, could not have any personal resentment of the injury),
but in a zeal for the glory of God (which was insulted by the
Amalekites), that <i>throne of the Lord</i> against which the hand
of Amalek was stretched out. The carriage of the Amalekites towards
Israel is here represented, (1.) As very base and disingenuous.
They had no occasion at all to quarrel with Israel, nor did they
give them any notice, by a manifesto or declaration of war; but
took them at an advantage, when they had just come out of the house
of bondage, and, for aught that appeared to them, were only going
to <i>sacrifice to God in the wilderness.</i> (2.) As very
barbarous and cruel; for they smote those that were more feeble,
whom they should have succoured. The greatest cowards are commonly
the most cruel; while those that have the courage of a man will
have the compassion of a man. (3.) As very impious and profane:
they feared not God. If they had had any reverence for the majesty
of the God of Israel, which they saw a token of in the cloud, or
any dread of his wrath, which they lately heard of the power of
over Pharaoh, they durst not have made this assault upon Israel.
Well, here was the ground of the quarrel: and it shows how God
takes what is done against his people as done against himself, and
that he will particularly reckon with those that discourage and
hinder young beginners in religion, that (as Satan's agents) set
upon the weak and feeble, either to divert them or to disquiet
them, and offend his little ones.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvi-p12">2. This mischief must in due time be
revenged, <scripRef passage="De 25:19" id="Deu.xxvi-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|25|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>.
When their wars were finished, by which they were to settle their
kingdom and enlarge their coast, then they must <i>make war upon
Amalek</i> (<scripRef passage="De 25:19" id="Deu.xxvi-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|25|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.25.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>),
not merely to chase them, but to consume them, to <i>blot out the
remembrance of Amalek.</i> It was an instance of God's patience
that he deferred the vengeance so long, which should have led the
Amalekites to repentance; yet an instance of fearful retribution
that the posterity of Amalek, so long after, were destroyed for the
mischief done by their ancestors to the Israel of God, that all the
world might see, and say, that he who <i>toucheth them toucheth the
apple of his eye.</i> It was nearly 400 years after this that Saul
was ordered to put this sentence in execution (<scripRef passage="1Sa 15:1-35" id="Deu.xxvi-p12.3" parsed="|1Sam|15|1|15|35" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.1-1Sam.15.35">1 Sam. xv.</scripRef>), and was rejected of God
because he did not do it effectually, but spared some of that
devoted nation, in contempt, not only of the particular orders he
received from Samuel, but of this general command here given by
Moses, which he could not be ignorant of. David afterwards made
some destruction of them; and the Simeonites, in Hezekiah's time,
smote the rest that remained (<scripRef passage="1Ch 4:43" id="Deu.xxvi-p12.4" parsed="|1Chr|4|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.4.43">1 Chron.
iv. 43</scripRef>); for when God judges he will overcome.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVI" n="xxvii" progress="93.24%" prev="Deu.xxvi" next="Deu.xxviii" id="Deu.xxvii">
<h2 id="Deu.xxvii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxvii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxvii-p1">With this chapter Moses concludes the particular
statutes which he thought fit to give Israel in charge at his
parting with them; what follows is by way of sanction and
ratification. In this chapter, I. Moses gives them a form of
confession to be made by him that offered the basket of his
first-fruits, <scripRef passage="De 26:1-11" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|26|1|26|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.1-Deut.26.11">ver. 1-11</scripRef>.
II. The protestation and prayer to be made after the disposal of
the third year's tithe, <scripRef passage="De 26:12-15" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|26|12|26|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.12-Deut.26.15">ver.
12-15</scripRef>. III. He binds on all the precepts he had given
them, 1. By the divine authority: "Not I, but the Lord thy God has
commanded thee to do these statutes," <scripRef passage="De 26:16" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|26|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.16">ver. 16</scripRef>. 2. By the mutual covenant between
God and them, <scripRef passage="De 26:17-19" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|26|17|26|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.17-Deut.26.19">ver. 17</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 26" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 26:1-11" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|26|1|26|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.1-Deut.26.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.26.1-Deut.26.11">
<h4 id="Deu.xxvii-p1.7">The Offering of
First-Fruits. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p1.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxvii-p2">1 And it shall be, when thou <i>art</i> come in
unto the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God
giveth thee <i>for</i> an inheritance, and possessest it, and
dwellest therein; &#160; 2 That thou shalt take of the first of all
the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, and shalt
put <i>it</i> in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God shall choose to place
his name there. &#160; 3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that
shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God, that I am come
unto the country which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.5">Lord</span>
sware unto our fathers for to give us. &#160; 4 And the priest
shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the
altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 5
And thou shalt speak and say before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.7">Lord</span> thy God, A Syrian ready to perish
<i>was</i> my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned
there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and
populous: &#160; 6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and
afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: &#160; 7 And when we
cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.8">Lord</span> God of our
fathers, the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.9">Lord</span> heard our voice,
and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:
&#160; 8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.10">Lord</span> brought us
forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched
arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
&#160; 9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us
this land, <i>even</i> a land that floweth with milk and honey.
&#160; 10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the
land, which thou, <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.11">O Lord</span>, hast given
me. And thou shalt set it before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.12">Lord</span> thy God, and worship before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.13">Lord</span> thy God: &#160; 11 And thou shalt
rejoice in every good <i>thing</i> which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p2.14">Lord</span> thy God hath given unto thee, and unto
thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that <i>is</i>
among you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p3">Here is, I. A good work ordered to be done,
and that is the presenting of a basket of their first-fruits to God
every year, <scripRef passage="De 26:1,2" id="Deu.xxvii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|26|1|26|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.1-Deut.26.2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. Besides the <i>sheaf of first-fruits,</i> which was
offered for the whole land, on the morrow after the passover
(<scripRef passage="Le 23:10" id="Deu.xxvii-p3.2" parsed="|Lev|23|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.10">Lev. xxiii. 10</scripRef>), every man
was to bring for himself a basket of first-fruits at the feast of
pentecost, when the harvest was ended, which is therefore called
the <i>feast of first-fruits</i> (<scripRef passage="Ex 34:22" id="Deu.xxvii-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|34|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.22">Exod. xxxiv. 22</scripRef>), and is said to be kept with
a <i>tribute of free-will-offering,</i> <scripRef passage="De 16:10" id="Deu.xxvii-p3.4" parsed="|Deut|16|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.16.10">Deut. xvi. 10</scripRef>. But the Jews say, "The
first-fruits, if not brought then, might be brought any time after,
between that and winter." When a man went into the field or
vineyard at the time when the fruits were ripening, he was to mark
that which he observed most forward, and to lay it by for
first-fruits, wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives,
and dates, some of each sort must be put in the same basket, with
leaves between them, and presented to God in the place which he
should choose. Now from this law we may learn, 1. To acknowledge
God as the giver of all those good things which are the support and
comfort of our natural life, and therefore to serve and honour him
with them. 2. To deny ourselves. What is first ripe we are most
fond of; those that are nice and curious expect to be served with
each fruit at its first coming in. <i>My soul desired the first
ripe fruits,</i> <scripRef passage="Mic 7:1" id="Deu.xxvii-p3.5" parsed="|Mic|7|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.7.1">Micah vii.
1</scripRef>. When therefore God appointed them to lay those by for
him he taught them to prefer the glorifying of his name before the
gratifying of their own appetites and desires. 3. To give to God
the first and best we have, as those that believe him to be the
first and best of beings. Those that consecrate the days of their
youth, and the prime of their time, to the service and honour of
God, bring him their first-fruits, and with such offerings he is
well pleased. <i>I remember the kindness of thy youth.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p4">II. Good words put into their mouths to be
said in the doing of this good work, as an explication of the
meaning of this ceremony, that it might be a reasonable service.
The offerer must begin his acknowledgment before he delivered his
basket to the priest, and then must go on with it, when the priest
had set down the basket before the altar, as a present to God their
great landlord, <scripRef passage="De 26:3,4" id="Deu.xxvii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|26|3|26|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.3-Deut.26.4"><i>v.</i> 3,
4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p5">1. He must begin with a receipt in full for
the good land which God had given them (<scripRef passage="De 26:3" id="Deu.xxvii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|26|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>I profess that I have
come</i> now at last, after forty years' wandering, <i>unto the
country which the Lord swore to give us.</i> This was most proper
to be said when they came first into Canaan; probably when they had
been long settled there they varied from this form. Note, When God
has made good his promises to us he expects that we should own it,
to the honour of his faithfulness; this is like giving up the bond,
as Solomon does, <scripRef passage="1Ki 8:56" id="Deu.xxvii-p5.2" parsed="|1Kgs|8|56|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.8.56">1 Kings viii.
56</scripRef>, <i>There has not failed one word of all his good
promise.</i> And our creature-comforts are doubly sweet to us when
we see them flowing from the fountain of the promise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p6">2. He must remember and own the mean origin
of that nation of which he was a member. How great soever they were
now, and he himself with them, their beginning was very small,
which ought thus to be kept in mind throughout all the ages of
their church by this public confession, that they might not be
proud of their privileges and advantages, but might for ever be
thankful to that God whose grace chose them when they were so low
and raised them so high. Two things they must own for this
purpose:&#8212;(1.) The meanness of their common ancestor: <i>A Syrian
ready to perish was my father,</i> <scripRef passage="De 26:5" id="Deu.xxvii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|26|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. Jacob is here called an
<i>Aramite,</i> or <i>Syrian,</i> because he lived twenty years in
Padan-Aram; his wives were of that country, and his children were
all born there, except Benjamin; and perhaps the confessor means
not Jacob himself, but that son of Jacob who was the father of his
tribe. However it be, both father and sons were more than once
ready to perish, by Laban's severity, Esau's cruelty, and the
famine in the land, which last was the occasion of their going down
into Egypt. <i>Laban the Syrian sought to destroy my father</i> (so
the Chaldee), <i>had almost destroyed him,</i> so the Arabic. (2.)
The miserable condition of their nation in its infancy. They
sojourned in Egypt as strangers, they served there as slaves
(<scripRef passage="De 26:6" id="Deu.xxvii-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|26|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>), and that a
great while: as their father was called a <i>Syrian,</i> they might
be called <i>Egyptians;</i> so that their possession of Canaan
being so long discontinued they could not pretend any tenant-right
to it. A poor, despised, oppressed people they were in Egypt, and
therefore, though now rich and great, had no reason to be proud, or
secure, or forgetful of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p7">3. He must thankfully acknowledge God's
great goodness, not only to himself in particular, but to Israel in
general. (1.) In bringing them out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="De 26:7,8" id="Deu.xxvii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|26|7|26|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.7-Deut.26.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. It is spoken of here as an
act of pity&#8212;<i>he looked on our affliction;</i> and an act of
power&#8212;he <i>brought us forth with a mighty hand.</i> This was a
great salvation, fit to be remembered upon all occasions, and
particularly upon this; they need not grudge to bring a basket of
first-fruits to God, for to him they owed it that they were not now
bringing in the tale of bricks to their cruel task-masters. (2.) In
settling them in Canaan: <i>He hath given us this land,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 26:9" id="Deu.xxvii-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|26|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Observe, He
must not only give thanks for his own lot, but for the land in
general which was given to Israel; not only for this year's
profits, but for the ground itself which produced them, which God
had graciously granted to his ancestors and entailed upon his
posterity. Note, The comfort we have in particular enjoyments
should lead us to be thankful for our share in public peace and
plenty; and with present mercies we should bless God for the former
mercies we remember and the further mercies we expect and hope
for.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p8">4. He must offer to God his basket of
first-fruits (<scripRef passage="De 26:10" id="Deu.xxvii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|26|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>): "I have <i>brought the first-fruits of the land</i>
(like a pepper-corn) as a quit-rent for <i>the land which thou hast
given me.</i>" Note, Whatever we give to God, it is but <i>of his
own</i> that we <i>give him,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ch 29:14" id="Deu.xxvii-p8.2" parsed="|1Chr|29|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.29.14">1
Chron. xxix. 14</scripRef>. And it becomes us, who receive so much
from him, to study what we shall render to him. The basket he set
before God; and the priests, as God's receivers, had the
first-fruits, as perquisites of their place and fees for attending,
<scripRef passage="Nu 18:12" id="Deu.xxvii-p8.3" parsed="|Num|18|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.18.12">Num. xviii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p9">III. The offerer is here appointed, when he
has finished the service, 1. To give glory to God: <i>Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God.</i> His first-fruits were not accepted
without further acts of adoration. A humble, reverent, thankful
heart is that which God looks at and requires, and, without this,
all we can put in a basket will not avail. <i>If a man would give
all the substance of his house</i> to be excused from this, or in
lieu of it, <i>it would utterly be contemned.</i> 2. To take the
comfort of it to himself and family: <i>Thou shalt rejoice in every
good thing,</i> <scripRef passage="De 26:11" id="Deu.xxvii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. It is the will of God that we should be cheerful,
not only in our attendance upon his holy ordinances, but in our
enjoyments of the gifts of his providence. Whatever good thing God
gives us, it is his will that we should make the most comfortable
use we can of it, yet still tracing the streams to the fountain of
all comfort and consolation.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 26" id="Deu.xxvii-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 26:12-15" id="Deu.xxvii-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|26|12|26|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.12-Deut.26.15"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.26.12-Deut.26.15">
<h4 id="Deu.xxvii-p9.4">Appropriation of Tithes. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p9.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxvii-p10">12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the
tithes of thine increase the third year, <i>which is</i> the year
of tithing, and hast given <i>it</i> unto the Levite, the stranger,
the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates,
and be filled; &#160; 13 Then thou shalt say before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p10.1">Lord</span> thy God, I have brought away the
hallowed things out of <i>mine</i> house, and also have given them
unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to
the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast
commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither
have I forgotten <i>them:</i> &#160; 14 I have not eaten thereof in
my mourning, neither have I taken away <i>ought</i> thereof for
<i>any</i> unclean <i>use,</i> nor given <i>ought</i> thereof for
the dead: <i>but</i> I have hearkened to the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p10.2">Lord</span> my God, <i>and</i> have done
according to all that thou hast commanded me. &#160; 15 Look down
from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel,
and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our
fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p11">Concerning the disposal of their tithe the
third year we had the law before, <scripRef passage="De 14:28,29" id="Deu.xxvii-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|14|28|14|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.14.28-Deut.14.29"><i>ch.</i> xiv. 28, 29</scripRef>. The second tithe,
which in the other two years was to be spent in extraordinaries at
the feasts, was to be spent the third year at home, in entertaining
the poor. Now because this was done from under the eye of the
priests, and a great confidence was put in the people's honesty,
that they would dispose of it according to the law, to <i>the
Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless</i> (<scripRef passage="De 26:12" id="Deu.xxvii-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|26|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), it is therefore required that
when at the next feast after they appeared <i>before the Lord</i>
they should there testify (as it were) upon oath, in a religious
manner, that they had fully administered, and been true to their
trust.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p12">I. They must make a solemn protestation to
this purport, <scripRef passage="De 26:13,14" id="Deu.xxvii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|26|13|26|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.13-Deut.26.14"><i>v.</i> 13,
14</scripRef>. 1. That no hallowed things were hoarded up: "<i>I
have brought them away out of my house,</i> nothing now remains
there but my own part." 2. That the poor, and particularly poor
ministers, poor strangers, and poor widows, had had their part
according to the commandment. It is fit that God, who by his
providence gives us all we have, should by his law direct the using
of it, and, though we are not now under such particular
appropriations of our revenue as they then were, yet, in general,
we are commanded to give alms of such things as we have; and then,
and not otherwise, all things are clean to us. <i>Then</i> we may
take the comfort of our enjoyments, when God has thus had his dues
out of them. This is a commandment which must not be transgressed,
no, not with an excuse of its being forgotten, <scripRef passage="De 26:13" id="Deu.xxvii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|26|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. 3. That none of this tithe had
been misapplied to any common use, much less to any ill use. This
seems to refer to the tithe of the other two years, which was to be
eaten by the owners themselves; they must profess, (1.) That they
had not eaten of it in their mourning, when, by their mourning for
the dead, they were commonly unclean; or they had not eaten of it
grudgingly, as those that all their days eat in darkness. (2.) That
they had not sacrilegiously alienated it to any common use, for it
was not their own. And, (3.) That they had not given it for the
dead, for the honour of their dead gods, or in hope of making it
beneficial to their dead friends. Now the obliging of them to make
this solemn protestation at the three years' end would be an
obligation upon them to deal faithfully, knowing that they must be
called upon thus to purge themselves. It is our wisdom to keep
conscience clear at all times, that when we come to give up our
account we may lift up our face without spot. The Jews say that
this protestation of their integrity was to be made with a low
voice, because it looked like a self-commendation, but that the
foregoing confession of God's goodness was to be made with a loud
voice to his glory. He that durst not make this protestation must
bring his <i>trespass-offering,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 5:15" id="Deu.xxvii-p12.3" parsed="|Lev|5|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.15">Lev. v. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p13">II. To this solemn protestation they must
add a <i>solemn prayer</i> (<scripRef passage="De 26:15" id="Deu.xxvii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|26|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>), not particularly for themselves, but for <i>God's
people Israel;</i> for in the common peace and prosperity every
particular person prospers and has peace. We must learn hence to be
public-spirited in prayer, and to wrestle with God for blessings
for the land and nation, our English Israel, and for the universal
church, which we are directed to have an eye to in our prayers, as
the <i>Israel of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 6:16" id="Deu.xxvii-p13.2" parsed="|Gal|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.16">Gal. vi.
16</scripRef>. In this prayer we are taught, 1. To look up to God
as in a holy habitation, and thence to infer that holiness becomes
his house, and that he will be sanctified in those that are about
him. 2. To depend upon the favour of God, and his gracious
cognizance, as sufficient to make us and our people happy. 3. To
reckon it wonderful condescension in God to case an eye even upon
so great and honourable a body as Israel was. It is looking down.
4. To be earnest with God for a blessing upon his people Israel,
and upon the <i>land which he has given us.</i> For how should the
earth yield its increase, or, if it does, what comfort can we take
in it, unless therewith <i>God, even our own God, gives us his
blessing?</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 67:6" id="Deu.xxvii-p13.3" parsed="|Ps|67|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.67.6">Ps. lxvii.
6</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 26" id="Deu.xxvii-p13.4" parsed="|Deut|26|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 26:16-19" id="Deu.xxvii-p13.5" parsed="|Deut|26|16|26|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.16-Deut.26.19"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.26.16-Deut.26.19">
<h4 id="Deu.xxvii-p13.6">Israel Reminded of the
Covenant. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p13.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxvii-p14">16 This day the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p14.1">Lord</span> thy God hath commanded thee to do these
statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul. &#160; 17 Thou hast
avouched the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p14.2">Lord</span> this day to be thy
God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his
commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice:
&#160; 18 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p14.3">Lord</span> hath avouched
thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee,
and that <i>thou</i> shouldest keep all his commandments; &#160; 19
And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in
praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy
people unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxvii-p14.4">Lord</span> thy God, as he
hath spoken.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxvii-p15">Two things Moses here urges to enforce all
these precepts:&#8212;1. That they were the commands of God, <scripRef passage="De 26:16" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|26|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. They were not the
dictates of his own wisdom, nor were they enacted by any authority
of his own, but infinite wisdom framed them, and the power of the
King of kings made them binding to them: "<i>The Lord thy God
commands thee,</i> therefore thou art bound in duty and gratitude
to obey him, and it is at thy peril if thou disobey. They are his
laws, therefore thou shalt do them, for to that end were they given
thee: do them and not dispute them, do them and not draw back from
them; do them not carelessly and hypocritically, but with thy heart
and soul, thy whole heart and thy whole soul." 2. That their
covenant with God obliged them to keep these commands. He insists
not only upon God's sovereignty over them, but his propriety in
them, and the relation wherein they stood to him. The covenant is
mutual, and it binds to obedience both ways. (1.) That we may
perform our part of the covenant, and answer the intentions of that
(<scripRef passage="De 26:17" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|26|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>): "<i>Thou
hast avouched</i> and solemnly owned and confessed <i>the Lord
Jehovah to be thy God,</i> thy Prince and Ruler. As he is so by an
incontestable right, so he is by thy own consent." They did this
implicitly by their attendance on his word, had done it expressly
(<scripRef passage="Ex 24:1-8" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.3" parsed="|Exod|24|1|24|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.1-Exod.24.8">Exod. xxiv.</scripRef>), and were
now to do it again before they parted, <scripRef passage="De 29:1" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.4" parsed="|Deut|29|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.1"><i>ch.</i> xxix. 1</scripRef>. Now this obliges us, in
fidelity to our word, as well as in duty to our Sovereign, to
<i>keep his statutes and his commandments.</i> We really forswear
ourselves, and perfidiously violate the most sacred engagements,
if, when we have taken the Lord to be our God, we do not make
conscience of obeying his commands. (2.) That God's part of the
covenant also may be made good, and the intentions of that answered
(<scripRef passage="De 26:18,19" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.5" parsed="|Deut|26|18|26|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.18-Deut.26.19"><i>v.</i> 18, 19</scripRef>): The
<i>Lord has avouched,</i> not only taken, but publicly owned thee
to be his <i>segullah,</i> his <i>peculiar people, as he has
promised thee,</i> that is, according to the true intent and
meaning of the promise. Now their obedience was not only the
condition of this favour, and of the continuance of it (if they
were not obedient, God would disown them, and cast them off), but
it was also the principal design of this favour. "He has avouched
thee on purpose <i>that thou shouldest keep his commandments,</i>
that thou mightest have both the best directions and the best
encouragements in religion." Thus we are <i>elected to
obedience</i> (<scripRef passage="1Pe 1:2" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.6" parsed="|1Pet|1|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.1.2">1 Pet. i. 2</scripRef>),
<i>chosen that we should be holy</i> (<scripRef passage="Eph 1:4" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.7" parsed="|Eph|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eph.1.4">Eph. i. 4</scripRef>), purified, a peculiar people, that
we might not only do good works, but be zealous in them, <scripRef passage="Tit 2:14" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.8" parsed="|Titus|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.2.14">Tit. ii. 14</scripRef>. Two things God is here
said to design in avouching them to be his peculiar people
(<scripRef passage="De 26:19" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.9" parsed="|Deut|26|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>), to make
them high, and, in order to that, to make them holy; for holiness
is true honour, and the only way to everlasting honour. [1.] To
make them high above all nations. The greatest honour we are
capable of in this world is to be taken into covenant with God, and
to live in his service. They should be, <i>First,</i> High <i>in
praise;</i> for God would accept them, which is true praise,
<scripRef passage="Ro 2:29" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.10" parsed="|Rom|2|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.29">Rom. ii. 29</scripRef>. Their friends
would admire them, <scripRef passage="Zep 3:19,20" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.11" parsed="|Zeph|3|19|3|20" osisRef="Bible:Zeph.3.19-Zeph.3.20">Zeph. iii. 19,
20</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> High <i>in name,</i> which, some
think, denotes the continuance and perpetuity of that praise, <i>a
name that shall not be cut off. Thirdly,</i> High <i>in honour,</i>
that is, in all the advantages of wealth and power, which would
make them great above their neighbours. See <scripRef passage="Jer 13:11" id="Deu.xxvii-p15.12" parsed="|Jer|13|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.13.11">Jer. xiii. 11</scripRef>. [2.] That they might be a
holy people, separated for God, devoted to him, and employed
continually in his service. This God aimed at in taking them to be
his people; so that, if they did not keep his commandments, they
received all this grace in vain.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVII" n="xxviii" progress="93.64%" prev="Deu.xxvii" next="Deu.xxix" id="Deu.xxviii">
<h2 id="Deu.xxviii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxviii-p0.2">CHAP. XXVII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxviii-p1">Moses having very largely and fully set before the
people their duty, both to God and one another, in general and in
particular instances,&#8212;having shown them plainly what is good, and
what the law requires of them,&#8212;and having in the close of the
foregoing chapter laid them under the obligation both of the
command and the covenant, he comes in this chapter to prescribe
outward means, I. For the helping of their memories, that they
might not forget the law as a strange thing. They must write all
the words of this law upon stones, <scripRef passage="De 27:1-10" id="Deu.xxviii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|27|1|27|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.1-Deut.27.10">ver. 1-10</scripRef>. II. For the moving of their
affections, that they might not be indifferent to the law as a
light thing. Whey they came into Canaan, the blessings and curses
which were the sanctions of the law, were to be solemnly pronounced
in the hearing of all Israel, who were to say Amen to them,
<scripRef passage="De 27:11-26" id="Deu.xxviii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|27|11|27|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.11-Deut.27.26">ver. 11-26</scripRef>. And if such
a solemnity as this would not make a deep impression upon them, and
affect them with the great things of God's law, nothing would.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 27" id="Deu.xxviii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 27:1-10" id="Deu.xxviii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|27|1|27|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.1-Deut.27.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.27.1-Deut.27.10">
<h4 id="Deu.xxviii-p1.5">The Exhibition of the Law. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p1.6">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxviii-p2">1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded
the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you
this day. &#160; 2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass
over Jordan unto the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set
thee up great stones, and plaster them with plaster: &#160; 3 And
thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art
passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God giveth thee, a land that
floweth with milk and honey; as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.3">Lord</span> God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
&#160; 4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan,
<i>that</i> ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this
day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaster them with plaster.
&#160; 5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not
lift up <i>any</i> iron <i>tool</i> upon them. &#160; 6 Thou shalt
build the altar of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God
of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God: &#160; 7 And thou
shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.7">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 8
And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very
plainly. &#160; 9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto
all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou
art become the people of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.8">Lord</span>
thy God. &#160; 10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p2.9">Lord</span> thy God, and do his commandments and
his statutes, which I command thee this day.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p3">Here is, I. A general charge to the people
to keep God's commandments; for in vain did they know them, unless
they would do them. This is pressed upon them, 1. With all
authority. <i>Moses with the elders of Israel,</i> the rulers of
each tribe (<scripRef passage="De 27:1" id="Deu.xxviii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|27|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>),
and again, <i>Moses and the priests the Levites</i> (<scripRef passage="De 27:9" id="Deu.xxviii-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|27|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>); so that the charge is
given by Moses who was king in Jeshurun, and by their lords, both
spiritual and temporal, in concurrence with him. Lest they should
think that it was Moses only, an old and dying man, that made such
ado about religion, or the priests and Levites only, whose trade it
was to attend religion and who had their maintenance out of it, the
elders of Israel, whom God had placed in honour and power over
them, and who were men of business in the world and likely to be so
long so when Moses was gone, <i>they</i> commanded their people to
<i>keep God's law.</i> Moses, having put some of his honour upon
them, joins them in commission with himself, in giving this charge,
as Paul sometimes in his epistles joins with himself Silvanus and
Timotheus. Note, All that have any interest in others, or power
over them, should use it for the support and furtherance of
religion among them. Though the supreme power of a nation provide
ever so good laws for this purpose, if inferior magistrates in
their places, and ministers in theirs, and masters of families in
theirs, do not execute their offices, it will all be to little
effect. 2. With all importunity. They press it upon them with the
utmost earnestness (<scripRef passage="De 27:9" id="Deu.xxviii-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|27|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.9"><i>v.</i> 9,
10</scripRef>): <i>Take heed and hearken, O Israel.</i> It is a
thing that requires and deserves the highest degree of caution and
attention. They tell them of their privilege and honour: "<i>This
day thou hast become the people of the Lord thy God,</i> the Lord
having avouched thee to be his own, and being now about to put thee
in possession of Canaan which he had long promised as <i>thy
God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ge 17:7,8" id="Deu.xxviii-p3.4" parsed="|Gen|17|7|17|8" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.7-Gen.17.8">Gen. xvii. 7, 8</scripRef>),
and which if he had failed to do in due time, he would have been
ashamed to be called thy God, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:16" id="Deu.xxviii-p3.5" parsed="|Heb|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.16">Heb.
xi. 16</scripRef>. Now thou art more than ever his people,
therefore <i>obey his voice.</i>" Privileges should be improved as
engagements to duty. Should not a people be ruled by their God?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p4">II. A particular direction to them with
great solemnity to register <i>the words of this law,</i> as soon
as they came into Canaan. It was to be done but once, and at their
entrance into the land of promise, in token of their taking
possession of it under the several provisos and conditions
contained in this law. There was a solemn ratification of the
covenant between God and Israel at Mount Sinai, when an altar was
erected, with twelve pillars, and the book of the covenant was
produced, <scripRef passage="Ex 24:4" id="Deu.xxviii-p4.1" parsed="|Exod|24|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.4">Exod. xxiv. 4</scripRef>.
That which is here appointed is a somewhat similar solemnity.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p5">1. They must set up a monument on which
they must <i>write the words of this law.</i> (1.) The monument
itself was to be very mean, only rough unhewn stone plastered over;
not polished marble or alabaster, nor brass tables, but common
plaster upon stone, <scripRef passage="De 27:2" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|27|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. The command is repeated (<scripRef passage="De 27:4" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), and orders are given that it be
written, not very finely, to be admired by the curious, but very
plainly, that he who runs may read it, <scripRef passage="Hab 2:2" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.3" parsed="|Hab|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.2">Hab. ii. 2</scripRef>. The word of God needs not to be
set off by the art of man, nor embellished with the <i>enticing
words of man's wisdom.</i> But, (2.) The inscription was to be very
great: <i>All the words of this law,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:3" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.4" parsed="|Deut|27|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>, and again, <scripRef passage="De 27:8" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.5" parsed="|Deut|27|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Some understand it only of the
covenant between God and Israel, mentioned <scripRef passage="De 26:17,18" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.6" parsed="|Deut|26|17|26|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.17-Deut.26.18"><i>ch.</i> xxvi. 17, 18</scripRef>. Let this help be
set up for a witness, like that memorial of the covenant between
Laban and Jacob, which was nothing but a heap of stones thrown
hastily together, upon which they did eat together in token of
friendship (<scripRef passage="Ge 31:46,47" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.7" parsed="|Gen|31|46|31|47" osisRef="Bible:Gen.31.46-Gen.31.47">Gen. xxxi. 46,
47</scripRef>), and that stone which Joshua set up, <scripRef passage="Jos 24:26" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.8" parsed="|Josh|24|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.26">Josh. xxiv. 26</scripRef>. Others think that
the curses of the covenant in this chapter were written upon this
monument, the rather because it was set up in Mount Ebal, <scripRef passage="De 27:4" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.9" parsed="|Deut|27|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Others think that the
whole book of Deuteronomy was written upon this monument, or at
least the statutes and judgments from <scripRef passage="De 12:1-26:19" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.10" parsed="|Deut|12|1|26|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.12.1-Deut.26.19"><i>ch.</i> xii. to the end of <i>ch.</i>
xxvi.</scripRef> And it is not improbable that the heap might be so
large as, taking in all the sides of it, to contain so copious an
inscription, unless we will suppose (as some do) that the ten
commandments only were here written, as an authentic copy of the
close rolls which were laid up in the ark. They must write this
when they had gone into Canaan, and yet Moses says (<scripRef passage="De 27:3" id="Deu.xxviii-p5.11" parsed="|Deut|27|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>), "<i>Write it that thou
mayest go in,</i>" that is, "that thou mayest go in with comfort,
and assurance of success and settlement, otherwise it were well for
thee not to go in at all. Write it as the conditions of thy entry,
and own that thou comest in upon these terms and no other: since
Canaan is given by promise, it must beheld by obedience."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p6">2. They must also set up an altar. By the
words of the law which were written upon the plaster, God <i>spoke
to them;</i> by the altar, and the sacrifices offered upon it, they
spoke to God; and thus was communion kept up between them and God.
The word and prayer must go together. Though they might not, of
their own heads, set up any altar besides that at the tabernacle,
yet, by the appointment of God, they might upon a special
occasion. Elijah built a temporary altar of twelve unhewn stones,
similar to this, when he brought Israel back to the covenant which
was now made, <scripRef passage="1Ki 18:31,32" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.1" parsed="|1Kgs|18|31|18|32" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.18.31-1Kgs.18.32">1 Kings xviii. 31,
32</scripRef>. Now, (1.) This altar must be made of such stones as
they found ready upon the field, not newly cut out of the rock,
much less squared artificially: <i>Thou shalt not lift up any iron
tool upon them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:5" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|27|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Christ, our altar, is a <i>stone cut out of the
mountain without hands</i> (<scripRef passage="Da 2:34,35" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.3" parsed="|Dan|2|34|2|35" osisRef="Bible:Dan.2.34-Dan.2.35">Dan. ii.
34, 35</scripRef>), and therefore <i>refused by the builders,</i>
as having no form or comeliness, but accepted of God the Father,
and made the head of the corner. (2.) Burnt-offerings and
peace-offerings must be offered upon this altar (<scripRef passage="De 27:6,7" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|27|6|27|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.6-Deut.27.7"><i>v.</i> 6, 7</scripRef>), that by them they might
give glory to God and obtain favour. Where the law was written, an
altar was set up close by it, to signify that we could not look
with any comfort upon the law, being conscious to ourselves of the
violation of it, if it were not for the great sacrifice by which
atonement is made for sin; and the altar was set up on Mount Ebal,
the mount on which those tribes stood that said <i>Amen</i> to the
curses, to intimate that through Christ we are <i>redeemed from the
curse of the law.</i> In the Old Testament the words of the law are
written, with the curse annexed, which would fill us with horror
and amazement if we had not in the New Testament (which is bound up
with it) an altar erected close by it, which gives us everlasting
consolation. (3.) They must eat there, and <i>rejoice before the
Lord their God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:7" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|27|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. This signified, [1.] The consent they gave to the
covenant; for the parties to a covenant ratified the covenant by
feasting together. They were partakers of the altar, which was
God's table, as his servants and tenants, and such they
acknowledged themselves, and, being put in possession of this good
land, bound themselves to pay the rent and to do the services
reserved by the royal grant. [2.] The comfort they took in the
covenant; they had reason to rejoice in the law, when they had an
altar, a remedial law, so near it. It was a great favour to them,
and a token for good, that God <i>gave them his statutes;</i> and
that they were owned as the people of God, and the <i>children of
the promise,</i> was what they had reason to rejoice in, though,
when this solemnity was to be performed, they were not put in full
possession of Canaan; but God has <i>spoken in his holiness,</i>
and then <i>I will rejoice, Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine;</i>
all my own.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 27" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.6" parsed="|Deut|27|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 27:11-26" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.7" parsed="|Deut|27|11|27|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.11-Deut.27.26"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.27.11-Deut.27.26">
<h4 id="Deu.xxviii-p6.8">The Curses from Ebal. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p6.9">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxviii-p7">11 And Moses charged the people the same day,
saying, &#160; 12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the
people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah,
and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: &#160; 13 And these shall
stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and
Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. &#160; 14 And the Levites shall speak,
and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, &#160; 15
Cursed <i>be</i> the man that maketh <i>any</i> graven or molten
image, an abomination unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxviii-p7.1">Lord</span>,
the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth <i>it</i> in
<i>a</i> secret <i>place.</i> And all the people shall answer and
say, Amen. &#160; 16 Cursed <i>be</i> he that setteth light by his
father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. &#160; 17
Cursed <i>be</i> he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all
the people shall say, Amen. &#160; 18 Cursed <i>be</i> he that
maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall
say, Amen. &#160; 19 Cursed <i>be</i> he that perverteth the
judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people
shall say, Amen. &#160; 20 Cursed <i>be</i> he that lieth with his
father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all
the people shall say, Amen. &#160; 21 Cursed <i>be</i> he that
lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
&#160; 22 Cursed <i>be</i> he that lieth with his sister, the
daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the
people shall say, Amen. &#160; 23 Cursed <i>be</i> he that lieth
with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen. &#160;
24 Cursed <i>be</i> he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all
the people shall say, Amen. &#160; 25 Cursed <i>be</i> he that
taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall
say, Amen. &#160; 26 Cursed <i>be</i> he that confirmeth not
<i>all</i> the words of this law to do them. And all the people
shall say, Amen.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p8">When the law was written, to be <i>seen and
read by all men,</i> the sanctions of it were to be published,
which, to complete the solemnity of their covenanting with God,
they were deliberately to declare their approbation of. This they
were before directed to do (<scripRef passage="De 11:29,30" id="Deu.xxviii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|11|29|11|30" osisRef="Bible:Deut.11.29-Deut.11.30"><i>ch.</i> xi. 29, 30</scripRef>), and therefore the
appointment here begins somewhat abruptly, <scripRef passage="De 27:12" id="Deu.xxviii-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|27|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. There were, it seems, in
Canaan, that part of it which afterwards fell to the lot of Ephraim
(Joshua's tribe), two mountains that lay near together, with a
valley between, one called <i>Gerizim</i> and the other
<i>Ebal.</i> On the sides of these two mountains, which faced one
another, all the tribes were to be drawn up, six on one side and
six on the other, so that in the valley, at the foot of each
mountain, they came pretty near together, so near as that the
priests standing betwixt them might be heard by those that were
next them on both sides; then when silence was proclaimed, and
attention commanded, one of the priests, or perhaps more at some
distance from each other, pronounced with a loud voice one of the
curses here following, and all the people that stood on the side
and foot of Mount Ebal (those that stood further off taking the
signal from those that stood nearer and within hearing) said
<i>Amen;</i> then the contrary blessing was pronounced, "Blessed is
he that doth not so or so," and then those that stood on the side,
and at the foot, of Mount Gerizim, said <i>Amen.</i> This could not
but affect them very much with the blessings and curses, the
promises and threatenings, of the law, and not only acquaint all
the people with them, but teach them to apply them to
themselves.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p9">I. Something is to be observed, in general,
concerning this solemnity, which was to be done, but once and not
repeated, but would be talked of to posterity,. 1. God appointed
which tribes should stand upon Mount Gerizim and which on Mount
Ebal (<scripRef passage="De 27:12,13" id="Deu.xxviii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|27|12|27|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.12-Deut.27.13"><i>v.</i> 12, 13</scripRef>),
to prevent the disputes that might have arisen if they had been
left to dispose of themselves. The six tribes that were appointed
for blessing were all the children of the free women, for to such
the promise belongs, <scripRef passage="Ga 4:31" id="Deu.xxviii-p9.2" parsed="|Gal|4|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.31">Gal. iv.
31</scripRef>. Levi is here put among the rest, to teach ministers
to apply to themselves the blessing and curse which they preach to
others, and by faith to set their own <i>Amen</i> to it. 2. Of
those tribes that were to say <i>Amen</i> to the blessings it is
said, <i>They stood to bless the people,</i> but of the other,
<i>They stood to curse,</i> not mentioning the people, as loth to
suppose that any of this people whom God had taken for his own
should lay themselves under the curse. Or, perhaps, the different
mode of expression intimates that there was to be but one blessing
pronounced in general upon the people of Israel, as a happy people,
and that should ever be so, <i>if they were obedient;</i> and to
this blessing the tribes on Mount Gerizim were to say
<i>Amen</i>&#8212;"Happy art thou, O Israel, and mayest thou ever be
so;" but then the curses come in as exceptions from the general
rule, and we know <i>exceptio firmat regulam&#8212;the exception
confirms the rule.</i> Israel is a blessed people, but, if there be
any particular persons even among them that do such and such things
as are mentioned, let them know that they have no part nor lot in
the matter, but are under a curse. This shows how ready God is to
bestow the blessing; if any fall under the curse, they may thank
themselves, they bring it upon their own heads. 3. The Levites or
priests, such of them as were appointed for that purpose, were to
pronounce the curses as well as the blessings. They were ordained
to bless (<scripRef passage="De 10:8" id="Deu.xxviii-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|10|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.10.8"><i>ch.</i> x. 8</scripRef>),
the priests did it daily, <scripRef passage="Nu 6:23" id="Deu.xxviii-p9.4" parsed="|Num|6|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.6.23">Num. vi.
23</scripRef>. But they <i>must separate between the precious and
the vile;</i> they must not give that blessing promiscuously, but
must declare it to whom it did not belong, lest those who had no
right to it themselves should think to share in it by being in the
crowd. Note, Ministers must preach the terrors of the law as well
as the comforts of the gospel; must not only allure people to their
duty with the promises of a blessing, but awe them to it with the
threatenings of a curse. 4. The curses are here expressed, but not
the blessings; for as many as were under the law were under the
curse, but it was a honour reserved for Christ to bless us, and so
to do that for us which <i>the law could not do, in that it was
weak.</i> In Christ's sermon upon the mount, which was the true
Mount Gerizim, we have blessings only, <scripRef passage="Mt 5:3-11" id="Deu.xxviii-p9.5" parsed="|Matt|5|3|5|11" osisRef="Bible:Matt.5.3-Matt.5.11">Matt. v. 3</scripRef>, &amp;c. 5. To each of the curses
the people were to say <i>Amen.</i> It is easy to understand the
meaning of <i>Amen</i> to the blessings. The Jews have a saying to
encourage people to say <i>Amen</i> to the public prayers,
<i>Whosoever answereth</i> Amen, <i>after him that blesseth, he is
as he that blesseth.</i> But how could they say <i>Amen</i> to the
curses? (1.) It was a profession of their faith in the truth of
them, that these and the like curses were not bug-bears to frighten
children and fools, but the real declarations of the wrath of God
against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, not one
<i>iota</i> of which shall fall to the ground. (2.) It was an
acknowledgment of the equity of these curses; when they said
<i>Amen,</i> they did in effect say, not only, <i>It is certain it
shall be so,</i> but, <i>It is just it should be so.</i> Those who
do such things deserve to fall and lie under the curse. (3.) It was
such an imprecation upon themselves as strongly obliged them to
have nothing to do with those evil practices upon which the curse
is here entailed. "Let God's wrath fall upon us if ever we do such
things." We read of those that entered into a curse (and with us
that is the usual form of a solemn oath) to <i>walk in God's
law</i> <scripRef passage="Ne 10:29" id="Deu.xxviii-p9.6" parsed="|Neh|10|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.10.29">Neh. x. 29</scripRef>. Nay,
the Jews say (as the learned bishop Patrick quotes them), "All the
people, by saying this <i>Amen,</i> became bound for one another,
that they would observe God's laws, by which every man was obliged,
as far as he could, to prevent his neighbour from breaking these
laws, and to reprove those that had offended, lest they should bear
sin and the curse for them."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p10">II. Let us now observe what are the
particular sins against which the curses are here denounced.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p11">1. Sins against the second commandment.
This flaming sword is set to keep that commandment first, <scripRef passage="De 27:15" id="Deu.xxviii-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|27|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Those are here cursed,
not only that worship images, but that make them or keep them, if
they be such (or like such) as idolaters used in the service of
their gods. Whether it be a graven image or a molten image, it
comes all to one, <i>it is an abomination to the Lord,</i> even
though it be not set up in public, but in a secret place,&#8212;though
it be not actually worshipped, nor is it said to be designed for
worship, but reserved there with respect and a constant temptation.
He that does this may perhaps escape punishment from men, but he
cannot escape the curse of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p12">2. Against the fifth commandment, <scripRef passage="De 27:16" id="Deu.xxviii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|27|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. The contempt of parents
is a sin so heinous that it is put next to the contempt of God
himself. If a man abused his parents, either in word or deed, he
fell under the sentence of the magistrate, and must be <i>put to
death,</i> <scripRef passage="Ex 21:15,17" id="Deu.xxviii-p12.2" parsed="|Exod|21|15|0|0;|Exod|21|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.21.15 Bible:Exod.21.17">Exod. xxi. 15,
17</scripRef>. But to set light by them in his heart was a thing
which the magistrate could not take cognizance of, and therefore it
is here laid under the curse of God, who knows the heart. Those are
cursed children that carry themselves scornfully and insolently
towards their parents.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p13">3. Against the eighth commandment. The
curse of God is here fastened, (1.) Upon an unjust neighbour that
<i>removes the land-marks,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:17" id="Deu.xxviii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|27|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="De 19:14" id="Deu.xxviii-p13.2" parsed="|Deut|19|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.19.14"><i>ch.</i> xix. 14</scripRef>. Upon an unjust
counsellor, who, when his advice is asked, maliciously directs his
friend to that which he knows will be to his prejudice, which is
<i>making the blind to wander out of the way,</i> under pretence of
directing him in the way, than which nothing can be either more
barbarous or more treacherous, <scripRef passage="De 27:18" id="Deu.xxviii-p13.3" parsed="|Deut|27|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Those that seduce others from
the way of God's commandments, and entice them to sin, bring this
curse upon themselves, which our Saviour has explained, <scripRef passage="Mt 15:14" id="Deu.xxviii-p13.4" parsed="|Matt|15|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.15.14">Matt. xv. 14</scripRef>, <i>The blind lead the
blind, and both shall fall into the ditch.</i> (3.) Upon an unjust
judge, that <i>perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless,
and widow,</i> whom he should protect and vindicate, <scripRef passage="De 27:19" id="Deu.xxviii-p13.5" parsed="|Deut|27|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. These are supposed to
be poor and friendless (nothing to be got by doing them a kindness,
nor any thing lost by disobliging them), and therefore judges may
be tempted to side with their adversaries against right and equity;
but cursed are such judges.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p14">4. Against the seventh commandment. Incest
is a cursed sin, with a <i>sister, a father's wife, or a
mother-in-law,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:20,22,23" id="Deu.xxviii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|27|20|0|0;|Deut|27|22|0|0;|Deut|27|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.20 Bible:Deut.27.22 Bible:Deut.27.23"><i>v.</i> 20,
22, 23</scripRef>. These crimes not only exposed men to the sword
of the magistrate (<scripRef passage="Le 20:11" id="Deu.xxviii-p14.2" parsed="|Lev|20|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.20.11">Lev. xx.
11</scripRef>), but, which is more dreadful, to the wrath of God;
bestiality likewise, <scripRef passage="De 27:21" id="Deu.xxviii-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|27|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p15">5. Against the sixth commandment. Two of
the worst kinds of murder are here specified:&#8212;(1.) Murder unseen,
when a man does not set upon his neighbour as a fair adversary,
giving him an opportunity to defend himself, but <i>smites him
secretly</i> (<scripRef passage="De 27:24" id="Deu.xxviii-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|27|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>), as by poison or otherwise, when he sees not who
hurts him. See <scripRef passage="Ps 10:8,9" id="Deu.xxviii-p15.2" parsed="|Ps|10|8|10|9" osisRef="Bible:Ps.10.8-Ps.10.9">Ps. x. 8,
9</scripRef>. Though such secret murders may go undiscovered and
unpunished, yet the curse of God will follow them. (2.) Murder
under colour of law, which is the greatest affront to God, for it
makes an ordinance of his to patronise the worst of villains, and
the greatest wrong to our neighbour, for it ruins his honour as
well as his life: cursed therefore is he that will be hired, or
bribed, to accuse, or to convict, or to condemn, and so <i>to slay,
an innocent person,</i> <scripRef passage="De 27:25" id="Deu.xxviii-p15.3" parsed="|Deut|27|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Ps 15:5" id="Deu.xxviii-p15.4" parsed="|Ps|15|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.15.5">Ps. xv.
5</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxviii-p16">6. The solemnity concludes with a general
curse upon him <i>that confirmeth not,</i> or, as it might be read,
that <i>performeth not, all the words of this law to do them,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 27:26" id="Deu.xxviii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|27|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.27.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. By our
obedience to the law we set our seal to it, and so confirm it, as
by our disobedience we do what lies in us to disannul it, <scripRef passage="Ps 119:126" id="Deu.xxviii-p16.2" parsed="|Ps|119|126|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.126">Ps. cxix. 126</scripRef>. The apostle,
following all the ancient versions, reads it, <i>Cursed is every
one that continues not,</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 3:10" id="Deu.xxviii-p16.3" parsed="|Gal|3|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.10">Gal. iii.
10</scripRef>. Lest those who were guilty of other sins, not
mentioned in this commination, should think themselves safe from
the curse, this last reaches all; not only those who do the evil
which the law forbids, but those also who omit the good which the
law requires: to this we must all say <i>Amen,</i> owning ourselves
under the curse, justly to have deserved it, and that we must
certainly have perished for ever under it, if Christ had not
<i>redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for
us.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXVIII" n="xxix" progress="94.11%" prev="Deu.xxviii" next="Deu.xxx" id="Deu.xxix">
<h2 id="Deu.xxix-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxix-p0.2">CHAP. XXVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxix-p1">This chapter is a very large exposition of two
words in the foregoing chapter, the blessing and the curse. Those
were pronounced blessed in general that were obedient, and those
cursed that were disobedient; but, because generals are not so
affecting, Moses here descends to particulars, and describes the
blessing and the curse, not in their fountains (these are out of
sight, and therefore the most considerable, yet least considered,
the favour of God the spring of all the blessings, and the wrath of
God the spring of all the curses), but in their streams, the
sensible effects of the blessing and the curse, for they are real
things and have real effects. I. He describes the blessings that
should come upon them if they were obedient; personal, family, and
especially national, for in that capacity especially they are here
treated with, <scripRef passage="De 28:1-14" id="Deu.xxix-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|28|1|28|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.1-Deut.28.14">ver. 1-14</scripRef>.
II. He more largely describes the curses which would come upon them
if they were disobedient; such as would be, 1. Their extreme
vexation, <scripRef passage="De 28:15-44" id="Deu.xxix-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|28|15|28|44" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.15-Deut.28.44">ver. 15-44</scripRef>. 2.
Their utter ruin and destruction at last, <scripRef passage="De 28:45-68" id="Deu.xxix-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|28|45|28|68" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.45-Deut.28.68">ver. 45-68</scripRef>. This chapter is much to the
same purport with <scripRef passage="Le 26:1-46" id="Deu.xxix-p1.4" parsed="|Lev|26|1|26|46" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.1-Lev.26.46">Lev.
xxvi.</scripRef>, setting before them life and death, good and
evil; and the promise, in the close of that chapter, of their
restoration, upon their repentance, is here likewise more largely
repeated, <scripRef passage="De 30:1-20" id="Deu.xxix-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|30|1|30|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1-Deut.30.20"><i>ch.</i> xxx.</scripRef>
Thus, as they had precept upon precept in the repetition of the
law, so they had line upon line in the repetition of the promises
and threatenings. And these are both there and here delivered, not
only as sanctions of the law, what should be conditionally, but as
predictions of the event, what would be certainly, that for a while
the people of Israel would be happy in their obedience, but that at
length they would be undone by their disobedience; and therefore it
is said (<scripRef passage="De 30:1" id="Deu.xxix-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|30|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1"><i>ch.</i> xxx. 1</scripRef>)
that all those things would come upon them, both the blessing and
the curse.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 28" id="Deu.xxix-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 28:1-14" id="Deu.xxix-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|28|1|28|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.1-Deut.28.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.28.1-Deut.28.14">
<h4 id="Deu.xxix-p1.9">Promises. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxix-p2">1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt
hearken diligently unto the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.1">Lord</span> thy God, to observe <i>and</i> to do all
his commandments which I command thee this day, that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God will set thee on high above
all nations of the earth: &#160; 2 And all these blessings shall
come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the
voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God. &#160; 3
Blessed <i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> in the city, and blessed
<i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> in the field. &#160; 4 Blessed <i>shall
be</i> the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the
fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of
thy sheep. &#160; 5 Blessed <i>shall be</i> thy basket and thy
store. &#160; 6 Blessed <i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> when thou
comest in, and blessed <i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> when thou goest
out. &#160; 7 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.4">Lord</span> shall cause
thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy
face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before
thee seven ways. &#160; 8 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.5">Lord</span>
shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all
that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the
land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God giveth
thee. &#160; 9 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.7">Lord</span> shall
establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto
thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God, and walk in his ways. &#160; 10
And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the
name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.9">Lord</span>; and they shall be
afraid of thee. &#160; 11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.10">Lord</span> shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the
fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit
of thy ground, in the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.11">Lord</span> sware unto thy fathers to give thee. &#160;
12 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.12">Lord</span> shall open unto thee his
good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his
season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. &#160; 13 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.13">Lord</span> shall make thee the head,
and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not
be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p2.14">Lord</span> thy God, which I command thee this
day, to observe and to do <i>them:</i> &#160; 14 And thou shalt not
go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day,
<i>to</i> the right hand, or <i>to</i> the left, to go after other
gods to serve them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p3">The blessings are here put before the
curses, to intimate, 1. That God is slow to anger, but swift to
show mercy: he has said it, and sworn, that he would much rather we
would obey and live than sin and die. It is his delight to bless.
2. That though both the promises and the threatenings are designed
to bring and hold us to our duty, yet it is better that we be
allured to that which is good by a filial hope of God's favour than
that we be frightened to it by a servile fear of his wrath. That
obedience pleases best which comes from a principle of delight in
God's goodness. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p4">I. We have here the conditions upon which
the blessing is promised. 1. It is upon condition that they
<i>diligently hearken to the voice of God</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:1,2" id="Deu.xxix-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|28|1|28|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.1-Deut.28.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>), that they hear God speaking
to them by his word, and use their utmost endeavours to acquaint
themselves with his will, <scripRef passage="De 28:13" id="Deu.xxix-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|28|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. 2. Upon condition that they <i>observe and do all
his commandments</i> (and in order to obedience there is need of
observation) and that they <i>keep the commandments of God</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 28:9" id="Deu.xxix-p4.3" parsed="|Deut|28|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>) <i>and walk in
his ways.</i> Not only do them for once, but keep them for ever;
not only set out in his ways, but walk in them to the end. 3. Upon
condition that they should not <i>go aside either to the right hand
or to the left,</i> either to superstition on the one hand, or
profaneness on the other; and particularly that they should not go
after other gods (<scripRef passage="De 28:14" id="Deu.xxix-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|28|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>), which was the sin that of all others they were most
prone to, and God would be most displeased with. Let them take care
to keep up religion, both the form and power of it, in their
families and nation, and God would not fail to bless them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p5">II. The particulars of this blessing.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p6">1. It is promised that the providence of
God should prosper them in all their outward concerns. These
blessings are said to <i>overtake them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:2" id="Deu.xxix-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|28|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Good people sometimes, under the
sense of their unworthiness, are ready to fly from the blessing and
to conclude that it belongs not to them; but the blessing shall
find them out and follow them notwithstanding. Thus in the great
day the blessing will overtake the righteous that say, <i>Lord,
when saw we thee hungry and fed thee?</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 25:37" id="Deu.xxix-p6.2" parsed="|Matt|25|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.25.37">Matt. xxv. 37</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p7">(1.) Several things are enumerated in which
God by his providence would bless them:&#8212;[1.] They should be safe
and easy; a blessing should rest upon their persons wherever they
were, <i>in the city,</i> or <i>in the field,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:3" id="Deu.xxix-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|28|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Whether their habitation
was in town or country, whether they were husbandmen or tradesmen,
whether their business called them into the city or into the field,
they should be preserved from the dangers and have the comforts of
their condition. This blessing should attend them in their
journeys, going out and coming in, <scripRef passage="De 28:6" id="Deu.xxix-p7.2" parsed="|Deut|28|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Their persons should be
protected, and the affair they went about should succeed well.
Observe here, What a necessary and constant dependence we have upon
God both for the continuance and comfort of this life. We need him
at every turn, in all the various movements of life; we cannot be
safe if he withdraw his protection, nor easy if he suspend his
favour; but, if he bless us, go where we will it is well with us.
[2.] Their families should be built up in a numerous issue: blessed
<i>shall be the fruit of thy body</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:4" id="Deu.xxix-p7.3" parsed="|Deut|28|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), and in that the Lord shall
<i>make thee plenteous</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:11" id="Deu.xxix-p7.4" parsed="|Deut|28|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>), in pursuance of the promise made to Abraham, that
his seed should be <i>as the stars of heaven</i> for multitude, and
that God would be a God to them, than which a greater blessing, and
more comprehensive, could not be entailed upon the fruit of their
body. See <scripRef passage="Isa 61:9" id="Deu.xxix-p7.5" parsed="|Isa|61|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.61.9">Isa. lxi. 9</scripRef>. [3.]
They should be rich, and have an abundance of all the good things
of this life, which are promised them, not merely that they might
have the pleasure of enjoying them, but (as bishop Patrick observes
out of one of the Jewish writers) that they might have wherewithal
to honour God, and might be helped and encouraged to serve him
cheerfully and to proceed and persevere in their obedience to him.
A blessing is promised, <i>First,</i> On all they had without
doors, corn and cattle in the field (<scripRef passage="De 28:4,11" id="Deu.xxix-p7.6" parsed="|Deut|28|4|0|0;|Deut|28|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.4 Bible:Deut.28.11"><i>v.</i> 4, 11</scripRef>), their cows and sheep
particularly, which would be blessed for the owners' sakes, and
made blessings to them. In order to this, it is promised that God
would give them <i>rain in due season,</i> which is called his
<i>good treasure</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:12" id="Deu.xxix-p7.7" parsed="|Deut|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.12"><i>v.</i>
12</scripRef>), because with this river of God the earth is
enriched, <scripRef passage="Ps 65:9" id="Deu.xxix-p7.8" parsed="|Ps|65|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.65.9">Ps. lxv. 9</scripRef>. Our
constant supplies we must see coming from God's good treasure, and
own our obligations to him for them; if he withhold his rain, the
fruits both of the ground and of the cattle soon perish.
<i>Secondly,</i> On all they had within doors, the basket and the
store (<scripRef passage="De 28:5" id="Deu.xxix-p7.9" parsed="|Deut|28|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>), the
store-houses or barns, <scripRef passage="De 28:8" id="Deu.xxix-p7.10" parsed="|Deut|28|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>. When it is brought home, God will bless it, and not
blow upon it as sometimes he does, <scripRef passage="Hag 1:6,9" id="Deu.xxix-p7.11" parsed="|Hag|1|6|0|0;|Hag|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hag.1.6 Bible:Hag.1.9">Hag. i. 6, 9</scripRef>. We depend upon God and his
blessing, not only for our yearly corn out of the field, but for
our daily bread out of our basket and store, and therefore are
taught to pray for it every day. [4.] They should have success in
all their employments, which would be a constant satisfaction to
them: "<i>The Lord shall command the blessing</i> (and it is he
only that can command it) upon thee, not only in all thou hast, but
in all thou doest, all <i>that thou settest thy hand to,</i>"
<scripRef passage="De 28:8" id="Deu.xxix-p7.12" parsed="|Deut|28|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. This intimated
that even when they were rich they must not be idle, but must find
some good employment or other to set their hand to, and God would
own their industry, and <i>bless the work of their hand</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 28:12" id="Deu.xxix-p7.13" parsed="|Deut|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>); for that
which <i>makes rich,</i> and keeps so, is <i>the blessing of the
Lord</i> upon <i>the hand of the diligent,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 10:4,22" id="Deu.xxix-p7.14" parsed="|Prov|10|4|0|0;|Prov|10|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.10.4 Bible:Prov.10.22">Prov. x. 4, 22</scripRef>. [5.] They should have
honour among their neighbours (<scripRef passage="De 28:1" id="Deu.xxix-p7.15" parsed="|Deut|28|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): <i>The Lord thy God will set
thee on high above all nations.</i> He made them so, by taking them
into covenant with himself, <scripRef passage="De 26:19" id="Deu.xxix-p7.16" parsed="|Deut|26|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.26.19"><i>ch.</i>
xxvi. 19</scripRef>. And he would make them more and more so by
their outward prosperity, if they would not by sin disparage
themselves. Two things should help to make them great among the
nations:&#8212;<i>First,</i> Their wealth (<scripRef passage="De 28:12" id="Deu.xxix-p7.17" parsed="|Deut|28|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt lend to many
nations</i> upon interest" (which they were allowed to take form
the neighbouring nations), "but thou shalt not have occasion to
borrow." This would give them great influence with all about them;
for the borrower is servant to the lender. It may be meant of trade
and commerce, that they should export abundantly more than they
should import, which would keep the balance on their side.
<i>Secondly,</i> Their power (<scripRef passage="De 28:13" id="Deu.xxix-p7.18" parsed="|Deut|28|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): "<i>The Lord shall make thee
the head,</i> to give law to all about thee, to exact tribute, and
to arbitrate all controversies." Every sheaf should bow to theirs,
which would make them so considerable that <i>all the people of the
earth</i> would be <i>afraid of them</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:10" id="Deu.xxix-p7.19" parsed="|Deut|28|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>), that is, would reverence their
true grandeur, and dread making them their enemies. The flourishing
of religion among them, and the blessing of God upon them, would
make them formidable to all their neighbours, terrible as an army
with banners. [6.] They should be victorious over their enemies,
and prosper in all their wars. If any were so daring as to rise up
against them to oppress them, or encroach upon them, it should be
at their peril, they should certainly fall before them, <scripRef passage="De 28:7" id="Deu.xxix-p7.20" parsed="|Deut|28|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. The forces of the enemy,
though entirely drawn up to come against them one way, should be
entirely routed, and flee before them seven ways, each making the
best of his way.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p8">(2.) From the whole we learn (though it
were well if men would believe it) that religion and piety are the
best friends to outward prosperity. Though temporal blessings do
not take up so much room in the promises of the New Testament as
they do in those of the Old, yet it is enough that our Lord Jesus
has given us his word (and surely we may take his word) that if we
<i>seek first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof,
all other things</i> shall be added to us, as far as Infinite
Wisdom sees good; and who can desire them further? <scripRef passage="Mt 6:33" id="Deu.xxix-p8.1" parsed="|Matt|6|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.6.33">Matt. vi. 33</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p9">2. It is likewise promised that the grace
of God should <i>establish them a holy people,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:9" id="Deu.xxix-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|28|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Having taken them into
covenant with himself, he would keep them in covenant; and,
provided they used the means of stedfastness, he would give them
the grace of stedfastness, that they should not depart from him.
Note, Those that are sincere in holiness God will establish in
holiness; and he is <i>of power to do it,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 16:25" id="Deu.xxix-p9.2" parsed="|Rom|16|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.25">Rom. xvi. 25</scripRef>. He that is holy shall be holy
still; and those whom God establishes in holiness he thereby
establishes a people to himself, for a long as we keep close to God
he will never forsake us. This establishment of their religion
would be the establishment of their reputation (<scripRef passage="De 28:10" id="Deu.xxix-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|28|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>): <i>All the people of the earth
shall see,</i> and own, <i>that thou art called by the name of the
Lord,</i> that is, "that thou art a most excellent and glorious
people, under the particular care and countenance of the great God.
They shall be made to know that a people called by the name Jehovah
are without doubt the happiest people under the sun, even their
enemies themselves being judges." The favourites of Heaven are
truly great, and, first or last, it will be made to appear that
they are so, if not in this world, yet at that day when those who
confess Christ now shall be confessed by him before men and angels,
as those whom he delights to honour.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 28" id="Deu.xxix-p9.4" parsed="|Deut|28|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 28:15-44" id="Deu.xxix-p9.5" parsed="|Deut|28|15|28|44" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.15-Deut.28.44"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.28.15-Deut.28.44">
<h4 id="Deu.xxix-p9.6">Threatenings. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p9.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxix-p10">15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not
hearken unto the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.1">Lord</span>
thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes
which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come
upon thee, and overtake thee: &#160; 16 Cursed <i>shalt</i> thou
<i>be</i> in the city, and cursed <i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> in
the field. &#160; 17 Cursed <i>shall be</i> thy basket and thy
store. &#160; 18 Cursed <i>shall be</i> the fruit of thy body, and
the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of
thy sheep. &#160; 19 Cursed <i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> when thou
comest in, and cursed <i>shalt</i> thou <i>be</i> when thou goest
out. &#160; 20 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.2">Lord</span> shall send
upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest
thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou
perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby
thou hast forsaken me. &#160; 21 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.3">Lord</span> shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee,
until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest
to possess it. &#160; 22 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.4">Lord</span>
shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an
inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and
with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until
thou perish. &#160; 23 And thy heaven that <i>is</i> over thy head
shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee <i>shall be</i>
iron. &#160; 24 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.5">Lord</span> shall make
the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come
down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. &#160; 25 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.6">Lord</span> shall cause thee to be smitten before thine
enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven
ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the
earth. &#160; 26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of
the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray
<i>them</i> away. &#160; 27 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.7">Lord</span>
will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and
with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
&#160; 28 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.8">Lord</span> shall smite thee
with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: &#160; 29
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness,
and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only
oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save <i>thee.</i>
&#160; 30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with
her: thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein:
thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes
thereof. &#160; 31 Thine ox <i>shall be</i> slain before thine
eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass <i>shall be</i>
violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be
restored to thee: thy sheep <i>shall be</i> given unto thine
enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue <i>them.</i> &#160; 32
Thy sons and thy daughters <i>shall be</i> given unto another
people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail <i>with longing</i> for
them all the day long: and <i>there shall be</i> no might in thine
hand. &#160; 33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a
nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only
oppressed and crushed alway: &#160; 34 So that thou shalt be mad
for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. &#160; 35 The
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.9">Lord</span> shall smite thee in the knees,
and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the
sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. &#160; 36 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.10">Lord</span> shall bring thee, and thy king which
thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy
fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and
stone. &#160; 37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb,
and a byword, among all nations whither the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p10.11">Lord</span> shall lead thee. &#160; 38 Thou shalt carry
much seed out into the field, and shalt gather <i>but</i> little
in; for the locust shall consume it. &#160; 39 Thou shalt plant
vineyards, and dress <i>them,</i> but shalt neither drink <i>of</i>
the wine, nor gather <i>the grapes;</i> for the worms shall eat
them. &#160; 40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy
coasts, but thou shalt not anoint <i>thyself</i> with the oil; for
thine olive shall cast <i>his fruit.</i> &#160; 41 Thou shalt beget
sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall
go into captivity. &#160; 42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land
shall the locust consume. &#160; 43 The stranger that <i>is</i>
within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come
down very low. &#160; 44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not
lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p11">Having viewed the bright side of the cloud,
which is towards the obedient, we have now presented to us the dark
side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep God's
commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but
we lay ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive of all
misery as the blessing is of all happiness. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p12">I. The equity of this curse. It is not a
curse causeless, nor for some light cause; God seeks not occasion
against us, nor is he apt to quarrel with us. That which is here
mentioned as bringing the curse is, 1. Despising God, refusing to
<i>hearken to his voice</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:15" id="Deu.xxix-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|28|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>), which bespeaks the highest contempt imaginable, as
if what he said were not worth the heeding, or we were not under
any obligation to him. 2. Disobeying him, <i>not doing his
commandments,</i> or not observing to do them. None fall under his
curse but those that rebel against his command. 3. Deserting him.
"It is because of the <i>wickedness of thy doings,</i> not only
whereby thou hast slighted me, but <i>whereby thou hast forsaken
me,</i>" <scripRef passage="De 28:20" id="Deu.xxix-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. God
never casts us off till we first cast him off. It intimates that
their idolatry, by which they forsook the true God for false gods,
would be their destroying sin more than any other.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p13">II. The extent and efficacy of this
curse.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p14">1. In general, it is declared, "<i>All
these curses shall come upon thee</i> from above, <i>and shall
overtake thee;</i> though thou endeavour to escape them, it is to
no purpose to attempt it, they shall follow thee whithersoever thou
goest, and seize thee, overtake thee, and overcome thee," <scripRef passage="De 28:15" id="Deu.xxix-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|28|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. It is said of the
sinner, when God's wrath is in pursuit of him, that he <i>would
fain flee out of his hand</i> (<scripRef passage="Job 27:22" id="Deu.xxix-p14.2" parsed="|Job|27|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.27.22">Job
xxvii. 22</scripRef>), but he cannot; if he <i>flee from the iron
weapon,</i> yet <i>the bow of steel shall</i> reach him and
<i>strike him through.</i> There is no running from God but by
running to him, no fleeing from his justice but by fleeing to his
mercy. See <scripRef passage="Ps 21:7,8" id="Deu.xxix-p14.3" parsed="|Ps|21|7|21|8" osisRef="Bible:Ps.21.7-Ps.21.8">Ps. xxi. 7, 8</scripRef>.
(1.) Wherever the sinner goes, the curse of God follows him;
wherever he is, it rests upon him. He is cursed <i>in the city</i>
and <i>in the field,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:16" id="Deu.xxix-p14.4" parsed="|Deut|28|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. The strength of the city cannot shelter him from it,
the pleasant air of the country is no fence against these
pestilential steams. He is cursed (<scripRef passage="De 28:19" id="Deu.xxix-p14.5" parsed="|Deut|28|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) when he comes in, for the curse
is <i>upon the house of the wicked</i> (<scripRef passage="Pr 3:33" id="Deu.xxix-p14.6" parsed="|Prov|3|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.33">Prov. iii. 33</scripRef>), and he is cursed when he goes
out, for he cannot leave that curse behind him, nor get rid of it,
which has entered into his bowels like water and like oil into his
bones. (2.) Whatever he has is under a curse: <i>Cursed is the
ground for his sake,</i> and all that is on it, or comes out of it,
and so he is cursed from the ground, as Cain, <scripRef passage="Ge 4:11" id="Deu.xxix-p14.7" parsed="|Gen|4|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.4.11">Gen. iv. 11</scripRef>. The <i>basket and store</i> are
cursed, <scripRef passage="De 28:17,18" id="Deu.xxix-p14.8" parsed="|Deut|28|17|28|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.17-Deut.28.18"><i>v.</i> 17,
18</scripRef>. All his enjoyments being forfeited by him are in a
manner forbidden to him, as cursed things, which he has no title
to. To those whose <i>mind and conscience are defiled</i> every
thing else is so, <scripRef passage="Tit 1:15" id="Deu.xxix-p14.9" parsed="|Titus|1|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Titus.1.15">Tit. i.
15</scripRef>. They are all embittered to him; he cannot take any
true comfort in them, for the wrath of God mixes itself with them,
and he is so far from having any security of the continuance of
them that, if his eyes be open, he may see them all condemned and
ready to be confiscated, and with them all his joys and all his
hopes gone for ever. (3.) Whatever he does is under a curse, too. It
is a curse in all that <i>he sets his hand to</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:20" id="Deu.xxix-p14.10" parsed="|Deut|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), a constant
disappointment, which those are subject to that set their hearts
upon the world, and expect their happiness in it, and which cannot
but be a constant vexation. This curse is just the reverse of the
blessing in the former part of the chapter. Thus whatever bliss
there is in heaven there is not only the want of it, but the
contrary to it, in hell. <scripRef passage="Isa 65:13" id="Deu.xxix-p14.11" parsed="|Isa|65|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.65.13">Isa. lxv.
13</scripRef>, <i>My servants shall eat, but you shall be
hungry.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p15">2. Many particular judgments are here
enumerated, which would be the fruits of the curse, and with which
God would punish the people of the Jews for their apostasy and
disobedience. These judgments threatened are of divers kinds, for
God has many arrows in his quiver, <i>four sore judgments</i>
(<scripRef passage="Eze 14:21" id="Deu.xxix-p15.1" parsed="|Ezek|14|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.14.21">Ezek. xiv. 21</scripRef>), and many
more. They are represented as very terrible, and the descriptions
of them are exceedingly lively and affecting, that men, knowing
these terrors of the Lord, might, if possible, be persuaded. The
threatenings of the same judgment are several times repeated, that
they might make the more deep and lasting impressions, and to
intimate that, if men persisted in their disobedience, the judgment
which they thought was over, and of which they said, "Surely the
bitterness of it is past," would return with double force; for when
God judges he will overcome. (1.) Bodily diseases are here
threatened, that they should be epidemical in their land. These God
sometimes makes use of for the chastisement and improvement of his
own people. <i>Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.</i> But
here they are threatened to be brought upon his enemies as tokens
of his wrath, and designed for their ruin. So that according to the
temper of our spirits, under sickness, accordingly it is to us a
blessing or a curse. But, whatever sickness may be to particular
persons, it is certain that epidemical diseases raging among a
people are national judgments, and are so to be accounted. He here
threatens, [1.] Painful diseases (<scripRef passage="De 28:35" id="Deu.xxix-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|28|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>), a sore botch, beginning in the
legs and knees, but spreading, like Job's boils, from heat to foot.
[2.] Shameful diseases (<scripRef passage="De 28:27" id="Deu.xxix-p15.3" parsed="|Deut|28|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>), the botch of Egypt (such boils and blains as the
Egyptians had been plagued with, when God brought Israel from among
them), and the emerods and scab, vile diseases, the just punishment
of those who by sin had made themselves vile. [3.] Mortal diseases,
the pestilence (<scripRef passage="De 28:21" id="Deu.xxix-p15.4" parsed="|Deut|28|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>), the consumption (put for all chronical diseases),
and the fever (for all acute diseases), <scripRef passage="De 28:22" id="Deu.xxix-p15.5" parsed="|Deut|28|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Le 26:16" id="Deu.xxix-p15.6" parsed="|Lev|26|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.26.16">Lev. xxvi. 16</scripRef>. And all incurable, <scripRef passage="De 28:27" id="Deu.xxix-p15.7" parsed="|Deut|28|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. (2.) Famine, and
scarcity of provisions; and this, [1.] For want of rain (<scripRef passage="De 28:23,24" id="Deu.xxix-p15.8" parsed="|Deut|28|23|28|24" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.23-Deut.28.24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>): <i>Thy heaven
over thy head,</i> that part that is over thy land, <i>shall be
as</i> dry <i>as brass,</i> while the heavens over other countries
shall distil their dews; and, when the heaven is as brass, the
earth of course will be as iron, so hard and unfruitful. Instead of
rain, the dust shall be blown out of the highways into the field,
and spoil the little that there is of the fruits of the earth. [2.]
By destroying insects. The locust should destroy the corn, so that
they should not have so much as their <i>seed again,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:38,42" id="Deu.xxix-p15.9" parsed="|Deut|28|38|0|0;|Deut|28|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.38 Bible:Deut.28.42"><i>v.</i> 38, 42</scripRef>. And the fruit of
the vine, which should make glad their hearts, should all be
worm-eaten, <scripRef passage="De 28:39" id="Deu.xxix-p15.10" parsed="|Deut|28|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>.
And the olive, some way or other, should be made to <i>cast its
fruit,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:40" id="Deu.xxix-p15.11" parsed="|Deut|28|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>.
The heathen use many superstitious customs in honour of their
idol-gods for preserving the fruits of the earth; but Moses tells
Israel that the only way they had to preserve them was to keep
God's commandments; for he is a God that will not be sported with,
like their idols, but will be served in spirit and truth. This
threatening we find fulfilled in Israel, <scripRef passage="1Ki 17:1,Jer 14:1,Joe 1:4" id="Deu.xxix-p15.12" parsed="|1Kgs|17|1|0|0;|Jer|14|1|0|0;|Joel|1|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.17.1 Bible:Jer.14.1 Bible:Joel.1.4">1 Kings xvii. 1; Jer. xiv. 1, &amp;c.;
Joel i. 4</scripRef>. (3.) That they should be smitten before their
enemies in war, who, it is likely, would be the more cruel to them,
when they had them at their mercy, for the severity they had used
against the nations of Canaan, which their neighbours in after-ages
would be apt to remember against them, <scripRef passage="De 28:25" id="Deu.xxix-p15.13" parsed="|Deut|28|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. It would make their flight the
more shameful, and the more grievous, that they might have
triumphed over their enemies if they had but been faithful to their
God. The carcases of those that were slain in war, or died in
captivity among strangers, should be <i>meat for the fowls</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 28:26" id="Deu.xxix-p15.14" parsed="|Deut|28|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>); and an
Israelite, having forfeited the favour of his God, should have so
little humanity shown him as that <i>no man should drive them
away,</i> so odious would God's curse make him to all mankind. (4.)
That they should be infatuated in all their counsels, so as not to
discern their own interest, nor bring any thing to pass for the
public good: <i>The Lord shall smite thee with madness and
blindness,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:28,29" id="Deu.xxix-p15.15" parsed="|Deut|28|28|28|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.28-Deut.28.29"><i>v.</i> 28,
29</scripRef>. Note, God's judgments can reach the minds of men to
fill them with darkness and horror, as well as their bodies and
estates; and those are the sorest of all judgments which make men a
terror to themselves, and their own destroyers. That which they
contrived to secure themselves by should still turn to their
prejudice. Thus we often find that the allies they confided in
<i>distressed them</i> and <i>strengthened them not,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ch 28:20" id="Deu.xxix-p15.16" parsed="|2Chr|28|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.28.20">2 Chron. xxviii. 20</scripRef>. Those that will
not walk in God's counsels are justly left to be ruined by their
own; and those that are wilfully blind to their duty deserve to be
made blind to their interest, and, seeing they <i>loved darkness
rather than light,</i> let them <i>grope at noon-day</i> as in the
dark. (5.) That they should be plundered of all their enjoyments,
stripped of all by the proud and imperious conqueror, such as
Benhadad was to Ahab, <scripRef passage="1Ki 20:5,6" id="Deu.xxix-p15.17" parsed="|1Kgs|20|5|20|6" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.20.5-1Kgs.20.6">1 Kings xx. 5,
6</scripRef>. Not only their houses and vineyards should be taken
from them, but their wives and children, <scripRef passage="De 28:30,32" id="Deu.xxix-p15.18" parsed="|Deut|28|30|0|0;|Deut|28|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.30 Bible:Deut.28.32"><i>v.</i> 30, 32</scripRef>. Their dearest comforts,
which they took most pleasure in, and promised themselves most
from, should be the entertainment and triumph of their enemies. As
they had dwelt in houses which they built not, and eaten of
vineyards which they planted not (<scripRef passage="De 6:10,11" id="Deu.xxix-p15.19" parsed="|Deut|6|10|6|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.10-Deut.6.11"><i>ch.</i> vi. 10, 11</scripRef>), so others should do
by them. Their oxen, asses, and sheep, like Job's, should be taken
away before their eyes, and they should not be able to recover
them, <scripRef passage="De 28:31" id="Deu.xxix-p15.20" parsed="|Deut|28|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. And all
the fruit of their land and labours should be devoured and eaten up
by the enemy; so that they and theirs would want necessaries, while
their enemies were revelling with that which they had laboured for.
(6.) That they should be carried captives into a far country; nay,
into <i>all the kingdoms of the earth,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:25" id="Deu.xxix-p15.21" parsed="|Deut|28|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>. Their sons and daughters, whom
they promised themselves comfort in, should go into captivity
(<scripRef passage="De 28:41" id="Deu.xxix-p15.22" parsed="|Deut|28|41|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>), and they
themselves at length, and their king in whom they promised
themselves safety and settlement, <scripRef passage="De 28:36" id="Deu.xxix-p15.23" parsed="|Deut|28|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>. This was fully accomplished
when the ten tribes first were carried captive into Assyria
(<scripRef passage="2Ki 17:6" id="Deu.xxix-p15.24" parsed="|2Kgs|17|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.17.6">2 Kings xvii. 6</scripRef>), and not
long after the two tribes into Babylon, and two of their kings,
<scripRef passage="2Ki 24:15,15,25:7,21" id="Deu.xxix-p15.25" parsed="|2Kgs|24|15|0|0;|2Kgs|24|15|0|0;|2Kgs|25|7|0|0;|2Kgs|25|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.24.15 Bible:2Kgs.24.15 Bible:2Kgs.25.7 Bible:2Kgs.25.21">2 Kings xxiv. 14, 15; xxv.
7, 21</scripRef>. That which is mentioned as an aggravation of
their captivity is that they should go into an unknown country, the
language and customs of which would be very uncouth, and their
treatment among them barbarous, and there they should <i>serve
other gods,</i> that is, be compelled to do so by their enemies, as
they were in Babylon, <scripRef passage="Da 3:6" id="Deu.xxix-p15.26" parsed="|Dan|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.3.6">Dan. iii.
6</scripRef>. Note, God often makes men's sin their punishment, and
chooses their delusions. You shall <i>serve other gods,</i> that
is, "You shall serve those that do serve them;" a nation is often
in scripture called by the name of its gods, as <scripRef passage="Jer 48:7" id="Deu.xxix-p15.27" parsed="|Jer|48|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.48.7">Jer. xlviii. 7</scripRef>. They had made idolaters their
associates, and now god made idolaters their oppressors. (7.) That
those who remained should be insulted and tyrannized over by
strangers, <scripRef passage="De 28:43,44" id="Deu.xxix-p15.28" parsed="|Deut|28|43|28|44" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.43-Deut.28.44"><i>v.</i> 43,
44</scripRef>. So the ten tribes were by the colonies which the
king of Assyria sent to take possession of their land, <scripRef passage="2Ki 17:24" id="Deu.xxix-p15.29" parsed="|2Kgs|17|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.17.24">2 Kings xvii. 24</scripRef>. Or this may be
meant of the gradual encroachments which the strangers within their
gates should make upon them, so as insensibly to worm them out of
their estates. We read of the fulfilling of this, <scripRef passage="Ho 7:9" id="Deu.xxix-p15.30" parsed="|Hos|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.7.9">Hos. vii. 9</scripRef>, <i>Strangers have devoured
his strength.</i> Foreigners ate the bread out of the mouths of
trueborn Israelites, by which they were justly chastised for
introducing strange gods. (8.) That their reputation among their
neighbours should be quite sunk, and those that had been a name,
and a praise, should be an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word,
<scripRef passage="De 28:37" id="Deu.xxix-p15.31" parsed="|Deut|28|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.37"><i>v.</i> 37</scripRef>. Some have
observed the fulfilling of this threatening in their present state;
for, when we would express the most perfidious and barbarous
treatment, we say, <i>None but a Jew would have done so.</i> Thus
is sin a reproach to any people. (9.) To complete their misery, it
is threatened that they should be put quite out of the possession
of their minds by all these troubles (<scripRef passage="De 28:34" id="Deu.xxix-p15.32" parsed="|Deut|28|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.34"><i>v.</i> 34</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt be mad for the
sight of thy eyes,</i> that is, quite bereaved of all comfort and
hope, and abandoned to utter despair. Those that walk by sight, and
not by faith, are in danger of losing reason itself, when every
thing about them looks frightful; and their condition is woeful
indeed that are <i>mad for the sight of their eyes.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 28:45-68" id="Deu.xxix-p15.33" parsed="|Deut|28|45|28|68" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.45-Deut.28.68"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.28.45-Deut.28.68">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxix-p16">45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon
thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be
destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.1">Lord</span> thy God, to keep his commandments and
his statutes which he commanded thee: &#160; 46 And they shall be
upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
&#160; 47 Because thou servedst not the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.2">Lord</span> thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness
of heart, for the abundance of all <i>things;</i> &#160; 48
Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.3">Lord</span> shall send against thee, in hunger, and in
thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all <i>things:</i> and he
shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed
thee. &#160; 49 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.4">Lord</span> shall bring
a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, <i>as
swift</i> as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not
understand; &#160; 50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall
not regard the person of the old, nor show favour to the young:
&#160; 51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit
of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which <i>also</i> shall not
leave thee <i>either</i> corn, wine, or oil, <i>or</i> the increase
of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.
&#160; 52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy
high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout
all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout
all thy land, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.5">Lord</span> thy God
hath given thee. &#160; 53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine
own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.6">Lord</span> thy God hath given thee, in the
siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall
distress thee: &#160; 54 <i>So that</i> the man <i>that is</i>
tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward
his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the
remnant of his children which he shall leave: &#160; 55 So that he
will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he
shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in
the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all
thy gates. &#160; 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which
would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for
delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the
husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
&#160; 57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her
feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall
eat them for want of all <i>things</i> secretly in the siege and
straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.
&#160; 58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law
that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious
and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; &#160; 59 Then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.7">Lord</span> will make thy plagues wonderful, and the
plagues of thy seed, <i>even</i> great plagues, and of long
continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. &#160;
60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt,
which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. &#160;
61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which <i>is</i> not
written in the book of this law, them will the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.8">Lord</span> bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
&#160; 62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as
the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey
the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.9">Lord</span> thy God.
&#160; 63 And it shall come to pass, <i>that</i> as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.10">Lord</span> rejoiced over you to do you good, and
to multiply you; so the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.11">Lord</span> will
rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye
shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess
it. &#160; 64 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.12">Lord</span> shall
scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even
unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which
neither thou nor thy fathers have known, <i>even</i> wood and
stone. &#160; 65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease,
neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.13">Lord</span> shall give thee there a trembling heart,
and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: &#160; 66 And thy life
shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night,
and shalt have none assurance of thy life: &#160; 67 In the morning
thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say,
Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith
thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt
see. &#160; 68 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p16.14">Lord</span> shall
bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake
unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be
sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall
buy <i>you.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p17">One would have thought that enough had been
said to possess them with a dread of that <i>wrath of God</i> which
is <i>revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men.</i> But to show how deep the treasures of
that wrath are, and that still there is more and worse behind,
Moses, when one would have thought that he had concluded this
dismal subject, begins again, and adds to this roll of curses many
similar words: as Jeremiah did to his, <scripRef passage="Jer 36:32" id="Deu.xxix-p17.1" parsed="|Jer|36|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.36.32">Jer. xxxvi. 32</scripRef>. It should seem that in the
former part of this commination Moses foretells their captivity in
Babylon, and the calamities which introduced and attended that, by
which, even after their return, they were brought to that low and
poor condition which is described, <scripRef passage="De 28:44" id="Deu.xxix-p17.2" parsed="|Deut|28|44|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.44"><i>v.</i> 44</scripRef>. That their enemies should be
<i>the head,</i> and they <i>the tail:</i> but here, in this latter
part, he foretells their last destruction by the Romans and their
dispersion thereupon. And the present deplorable state of the
Jewish nation, and of all that have incorporated themselves with
them, by embracing their religion, does so fully and exactly answer
to the prediction in these verses that it serves for an
incontestable proof of the truth of prophecy, and consequently of
the divine authority of the scripture. And, this last destruction
being here represented as more dreadful than the former, it shows
that their sin, in rejecting Christ and his gospel, was more
heinous and more provoking to God than idolatry itself, and left
them more under the power of Satan; for their captivity in Babylon
cured them effectually of their idolatry in seventy years' time;
but under this last destruction now for above 1600 years they
continue incurably averse to the Lord Jesus. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p18">I. What is here said in general of the
wrath of God, which should light and lie upon them for their
sins.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p19">1. That, if they would not be <i>ruled by
the commands of God,</i> they should certainly be <i>ruined by his
curse,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:45,46" id="Deu.xxix-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|28|45|28|46" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.45-Deut.28.46"><i>v.</i> 45,
46</scripRef>. Because thou didst not <i>keep his commandments</i>
(especially that of hearing and obeying the great prophet),
<i>these curses shall come upon thee,</i> as upon a people
appointed to destruction, the generation of God's wrath: and they
shall be <i>for a sign</i> and <i>for a wonder.</i> It is amazing
to think that a people so long the favourites of Heaven should be
so perfectly abandoned and cast off, that a people so closely
incorporated should be so universally dispersed, and yet that a
people so scattered in all nations should preserve themselves
distinct and not mix with any, but like Cain be fugitives and
vagabonds, and yet marked to be known.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p20">2. That, if they would not serve God with
cheerfulness, they should be compelled to <i>serve their
enemies</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:47,48" id="Deu.xxix-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|28|47|28|48" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.47-Deut.28.48"><i>v.</i> 47,
48</scripRef>), that they might know the difference (<scripRef passage="2Ch 12:8" id="Deu.xxix-p20.2" parsed="|2Chr|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.12.8">2 Chron. xii. 8</scripRef>), which, some think,
is the meaning of <scripRef passage="Ex 20:24,25" id="Deu.xxix-p20.3" parsed="|Exod|20|24|20|25" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.24-Exod.20.25">Ezek. xx. 24,
25</scripRef>, <i>Because they despised my statutes, I gave them
statutes that were not good.</i> Observe here, (1.) It is justly
expected from those to whom God gives an abundance of the good
things of this life that they should serve him. What does he
maintain us for out that we may do his work, and be some way
serviceable to his honour? (2.) The more God gives us the more
cheerfully we should serve him; our abundance should be oil to the
wheels of our obedience. God is a Master that will be served with
gladness, and delights to hear us sing at our work. (3.) If, when
we receive the gifts of God's bounty, we either do not serve him at
all or serve him with reluctance, it is a righteous thing with him
to make us know the hardships of want and servitude. Those deserve
to have cause given them to complain who complain without a cause.
<i>Tristis es et felix&#8212;Happy, and yet not easy!</i> Blush at thy
own folly and ingratitude.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p21">3. That, if they would not <i>give glory to
God</i> by a reverential obedience, he would get <i>him honour upon
them</i> by <i>wonderful</i> plagues, <scripRef passage="De 28:58,59" id="Deu.xxix-p21.1" parsed="|Deut|28|58|28|59" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.58-Deut.28.59"><i>v.</i> 58, 59</scripRef>. Note, (1.) God justly
expects from us that we should fear his fearful name; and, which is
strange, that name which is here proposed as the object of our fear
is, <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxix-p21.2">The Lord thy God</span>, which is very
fitly here put in our Bibles in capital letters; for nothing can
sound more truly august. As nothing is more comfortable, so nothing
more awful, than this, that he with whom we have to do is Jehovah,
a being infinitely perfect and blessed, and the author of all
being; and that he is our God, our rightful Lord and owner, from
whom we are to receive laws and to whom we are to give account:
this is great, and greatly to be feared. (2.) We may justly expect
from God that, if we do not fear his fearful name, we shall feel
his fearful plagues; for one way or other God will be feared. All
God's plagues are dreadful, but some are wonderful, carrying in
them extraordinary signatures of divine power and justice, so that
a man, upon the first view of them, may say, <i>Verily, there is a
God that judgeth in the earth.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p22">II. How the destruction threatened is
described. Moses is here upon the same melancholy subject that our
Saviour is discoursing of to his disciples in his farewell sermon
(<scripRef passage="Mt 24:4-28" id="Deu.xxix-p22.1" parsed="|Matt|24|4|24|28" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.4-Matt.24.28">Matt. xxiv.</scripRef>), namely,
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p23">1. Five things are here foretold as steps
to their ruin:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p24">(1.) That they should be invaded by a
foreign enemy (<scripRef passage="De 28:49,50" id="Deu.xxix-p24.1" parsed="|Deut|28|49|28|50" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.49-Deut.28.50"><i>v.</i> 49,
50</scripRef>): <i>A nation from far,</i> namely, the Romans, <i>as
swift as the eagle</i> hastening to the prey. Our Saviour makes use
of this similitude, in foretelling this destruction, that <i>where
the carcase is there will the eagles be gathered together,</i>
<scripRef passage="Mt 24:28" id="Deu.xxix-p24.2" parsed="|Matt|24|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.28">Matt. xxiv. 28</scripRef>. And bishop
Patrick observes (to make the accomplishment the more remarkable)
that the ensign of the Roman armies was an eagle. This nation is
said to be of a fierce countenance, an indication of a fierce
nature, stern and severe, that would not pity the weakness and
infirmity either of little children or of old people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p25">(2.) That the country should be laid waste,
and all the fruits of it eaten up by this army of foreigners, which
is the natural consequence of an invasion, especially when it is
made, as that by the Romans was, for the chastisement of rebels: He
<i>shall eat the fruits of thy cattle and land</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:51" id="Deu.xxix-p25.1" parsed="|Deut|28|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.51"><i>v.</i> 51</scripRef>), so that the
inhabitants should be starved, while the invaders were fed to the
full.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p26">(3.) That their cities should be besieged,
and that such would be the obstinacy of the besieged, and such the
vigour of the besiegers, that they would be reduced to the last
extremity, and at length fall into the hands of the enemy,
<scripRef passage="De 28:52" id="Deu.xxix-p26.1" parsed="|Deut|28|52|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.52"><i>v.</i> 52</scripRef>. No place,
though ever so well fortified, no, not Jerusalem itself, though it
held out long, would escape. Two of the common consequences of a
long siege are here foretold:&#8212;[1.] A miserable famine, which
would prevail to such a degree that, for want of food, they should
<i>kill and eat their own children,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:53" id="Deu.xxix-p26.2" parsed="|Deut|28|53|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.53"><i>v.</i> 53</scripRef>. Men should do so,
notwithstanding their hardiness, and ability to bear hunger; and,
though obliged by the law of nature to provide for their own
families, yet should refuse to give to the wife and children that
were starving any of the child that was barbarously butchered,
<scripRef passage="De 28:54,55" id="Deu.xxix-p26.3" parsed="|Deut|28|54|28|55" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.54-Deut.28.55"><i>v.</i> 54, 55</scripRef>. Nay,
women, ladies of quality, notwithstanding their natural niceness
about their food, and their natural affection to their children,
yet, for want of food, should so far forget all humanity as to kill
and eat them, <scripRef passage="De 28:56,57" id="Deu.xxix-p26.4" parsed="|Deut|28|56|28|57" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.56-Deut.28.57"><i>v.</i> 56,
57</scripRef>. Let us observe, by the way, how hard this fate must
needs be to the tender and delicate women, and learn not to indulge
ourselves in tenderness and delicacy, because we know not what we
may be reduced to before we die; the more nice we are, the harder
it will be to us to bear want, and the more danger we shall be in
or sacrificing reason, and religion, and natural affection itself,
to the clamours and cravings of an unmortified and ungoverned
appetite. This threatening was fulfilled in the letter of it, more
than once, to the perpetual reproach of the Jewish nation: never
was the like done either by Greek or barbarian, but in the siege of
Samaria, a woman <i>boiled her own son,</i> <scripRef passage="2Ki 6:28,29" id="Deu.xxix-p26.5" parsed="|2Kgs|6|28|6|29" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.6.28-2Kgs.6.29">2 Kings vi. 28, 29</scripRef>. And it is spoken of as
commonly done among them in the siege of Jerusalem by the
Babylonians, <scripRef passage="La 4:10" id="Deu.xxix-p26.6" parsed="|Lam|4|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.4.10">Lam. iv. 10</scripRef>.
And, in the last siege by the Romans, Josephus tells us of a noble
woman that killed and ate her own child, through the extremity of
the famine, and when she had eaten one half secretly (<scripRef passage="De 28:57" id="Deu.xxix-p26.7" parsed="|Deut|28|57|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.57"><i>v.</i> 57</scripRef>), that she might have it
to herself, the mob, smelling meat, got into the house, to whom she
showed the other half, which she had kept till another time,
inviting them to share with her. What is too barbarous for those to
do that are abandoned of God! [2.] Sickness is another common
effect of a strait and long siege, and that is here threatened:
<i>Sore sickness, and of long continuance,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:59" id="Deu.xxix-p26.8" parsed="|Deut|28|59|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.59"><i>v.</i> 59</scripRef>. These should attend the Jews
wherever they went afterwards, the diseases of Egypt, leprosies,
botches, and foul ulcers, <scripRef passage="De 28:60" id="Deu.xxix-p26.9" parsed="|Deut|28|60|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.60"><i>v.</i>
60</scripRef>. Nay, as if the particular miseries here threatened
were not enough, he concludes with an <i>et cetera,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:61" id="Deu.xxix-p26.10" parsed="|Deut|28|61|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.61"><i>v.</i> 61</scripRef>. The Lord will bring
upon thee every sickness, and every plague, though it be <i>not
written in the book of this law.</i> Those that fall under the
curse of God will find that the one half was not told them of the
weight and terror of that curse.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p27">(4.) That multitudes of them should perish,
so that they should become <i>few in number,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:62" id="Deu.xxix-p27.1" parsed="|Deut|28|62|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.62"><i>v.</i> 62</scripRef>. It was a nation that God had
wonderfully increased, so that they were <i>as the stars of heaven
for multitude;</i> but, for their sin, they were <i>diminished and
brought low,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 107:38,39" id="Deu.xxix-p27.2" parsed="|Ps|107|38|107|39" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.38-Ps.107.39">Ps. cvii. 38,
39</scripRef>. It is computed that in the destruction of the Jewish
nation by the Romans, as appears by the account Josephus gives of
it, above two millions fell by the sword at several places, besides
what perished by famine and pestilence; so that the whole country
was laid waste and turned into a wilderness. That is a terrible
word (<scripRef passage="De 28:63" id="Deu.xxix-p27.3" parsed="|Deut|28|63|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.63"><i>v.</i> 63</scripRef>), <i>As
the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, so he will rejoice over
you to destroy you.</i> Behold here <i>the goodness and severity of
God:</i> mercy here shines brightly in the pleasure God takes in
doing good&#8212;he rejoices in it; yet justice here appears no less
illustrious in the pleasure he takes in destroying the impenitent;
not as it is the making of his creatures miserable, but as it is
the asserting of his own honour and the securing of the ends of his
government. See what a malignant mischievous thing sin is, which
(as I may say) makes it necessary for the God of infinite goodness
to rejoice in the destruction of his own creatures, even those that
had been favourites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p28">(5.) That the remnant should be scattered
throughout the nations. This completes their woe: <i>The Lord shall
scatter thee among all people,</i> <scripRef passage="De 28:64" id="Deu.xxix-p28.1" parsed="|Deut|28|64|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.64"><i>v.</i> 64</scripRef>. This is remarkably fulfilled in
their present dispersion, for there are Jews to be found almost in
all countries that are possessed either by Christians or
Mahometans, and in such numbers that it has been said, If they
could unite in one common interest, they would be a very formidable
body, and able to deal with the most powerful states and princes;
but they abide under the power of this curse, and are so scattered
that they are not able to incorporate. It is here foretold that in
this dispersion, [1.] They should have no religion, or none to any
purpose, should have no temple, nor altar, nor priesthood, for they
should <i>serve other gods.</i> Some think this has been fulfilled
in the force put upon the Jews in popish countries to worship the
images that are used in the Romish church, to their great vexation.
[2.] They should have no rest, no rest of body: <i>The sole of thy
foot shall not have rest</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:65" id="Deu.xxix-p28.2" parsed="|Deut|28|65|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.65"><i>v.</i> 65</scripRef>), but be continually upon the
remove, either in hope of gain or fear of persecution; all
wandering Jews: no rest of the mind (which is much worse), but a
<i>trembling heart</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:65" id="Deu.xxix-p28.3" parsed="|Deut|28|65|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.65"><i>v.</i>
65</scripRef>); <i>no assurance of life</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:66" id="Deu.xxix-p28.4" parsed="|Deut|28|66|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.66"><i>v.</i> 66</scripRef>); weary both of light and
darkness, which are, in their turns, both welcome to a quiet mind,
but to them both day and night would be a terror, <scripRef passage="De 28:67" id="Deu.xxix-p28.5" parsed="|Deut|28|67|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.67"><i>v.</i> 67</scripRef>. Such was once the
condition of Job (<scripRef passage="Job 7:4" id="Deu.xxix-p28.6" parsed="|Job|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.7.4">Job vii.
4</scripRef>), but to them this should be constant and perpetual;
that blindness and darkness which the apostle speaks of as having
happened to Israel, and that guilt which <i>bowed down their back
always</i> (<scripRef passage="Ro 11:8-10" id="Deu.xxix-p28.7" parsed="|Rom|11|8|11|10" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.8-Rom.11.10">Rom. xi.
8-10</scripRef>), must needs occasion a constant restlessness and
amazement. Those are a torment to themselves, and to all about
them, that fear day and night and are always uneasy. Let good
people strive against it, and not give way to that fear which has
torment; and let wicked people not be secure in their wickedness,
for their hearts cannot endure, nor can their hands be strong, when
the terrors of God set themselves in array against them. Those that
say <i>in the morning, O that it were evening,</i> and <i>in the
evening, O that it were morning,</i> show, <i>First,</i> A constant
fret and vexation, chiding the hours for lingering and complaining
of the length of every minute. Let time be precious to us when we
are in prosperity, and then it will not be so tedious to us when we
are in afflictions as otherwise it would. <i>Secondly,</i> A
constant fright and terror, afraid in the morning of the <i>arrow
that flieth by day,</i> and therefore wishing the day over; but
what will this do for them? When evening comes, the trembling heart
is no less apprehensive of the <i>terror by night,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 91:5,6" id="Deu.xxix-p28.8" parsed="|Ps|91|5|91|6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.5-Ps.91.6">Ps. xci. 5, 6</scripRef>. Happy they whose
minds, being stayed on God, are <i>quiet from the fear of evil!</i>
Observe here, The terror arises not only from the sight of the
eyes, but from the fear of the heart, not only from real dangers,
but from imaginary ones; the causes of fear, when they come to be
enquired into, often prove to be only the creatures of the
fancy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p29">2. In the close, God threatens to leave
them as he found them, in a <i>house of bondage</i> (<scripRef passage="De 28:68" id="Deu.xxix-p29.1" parsed="|Deut|28|68|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.28.68"><i>v.</i> 68</scripRef>): <i>The Lord shall
bring thee into Egypt again,</i> that is into such a miserable
state as they were in when they were slaves to the Egyptians, and
ruled by them with rigour. God had brought them out of Egypt, and
had said, <i>They shall see it no more again</i> (<scripRef passage="De 17:16" id="Deu.xxix-p29.2" parsed="|Deut|17|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.17.16"><i>ch.</i> xvii. 16</scripRef>); but now they
should be reduced to the same state of slavery that they had been
in there. To be sold to strangers would be bad enough, but much
worse to be sold to their enemies. Even slaves may be valued as
such, but a Jew should have so ill a name for all that is base that
when he was exposed to sale no man would buy him, which would make
his master that had him to sell the more severe with him. Thirty
Jews (they say) have been sold for one small piece of money, as
they sold our Saviour for thirty pieces.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxix-p30">3. Upon the whole matter, (1.) The
accomplishment of these predictions upon the Jewish nation shows
that Moses spoke by the Spirit of God, who certainly foresees the
ruin of sinners, and gives them warning of it, that they may
prevent it by a true and timely repentance, or else be left
inexcusable. (2.) Let us all hence learn to stand in awe and not to
sin. I have heard of a wicked man, who, upon reading the
threatenings of this chapter, was so enraged that he tore the leaf
out of the Bible, as Jehoiakim cut Jeremiah's roll; but to what
purpose is it to deface a copy, while the original remains upon
record in the divine counsels, by which it is unalterably
determined that <i>the wages of sin is death,</i> whether men will
hear or whether they will forbear?</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXIX" n="xxx" progress="95.14%" prev="Deu.xxix" next="Deu.xxxi" id="Deu.xxx">
<h2 id="Deu.xxx-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxx-p0.2">CHAP. XXIX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxx-p1">The first words of this chapter are the contents
of it, "These are the words of the covenant" (<scripRef passage="De 29:1" id="Deu.xxx-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|29|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.1">ver. 1</scripRef>), that is, these that follow. Here is,
I. A recital of God's dealings with them, in order to the bringing
of them into this covenant, <scripRef passage="De 29:2-8" id="Deu.xxx-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|29|2|29|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.2-Deut.29.8">ver.
2-8</scripRef>. II. A solemn charge to them to keep the covenant,
<scripRef passage="De 29:9" id="Deu.xxx-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. III. An abstract of
the covenant itself, <scripRef passage="De 29:12,13" id="Deu.xxx-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|29|12|29|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.12-Deut.29.13">ver. 12,
13</scripRef>. IV. A specification of the persons taken into the
covenant, <scripRef passage="De 29:10,11,14,15" id="Deu.xxx-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|29|10|29|11;|Deut|29|14|0|0;|Deut|29|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.10-Deut.29.11 Bible:Deut.29.14 Bible:Deut.29.15">ver. 10, 11, 14,
15</scripRef>. V. An intimation of the great design of this
covenant against idolatry, in a parenthesis, <scripRef passage="De 29:16,17" id="Deu.xxx-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|29|16|29|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.16-Deut.29.17">ver. 16, 17</scripRef>. VI. A most solemn and
dreadful denunciation of the wrath of God against such persons as
promise themselves peace in a sinful way, <scripRef passage="De 29:18-28" id="Deu.xxx-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|29|18|29|28" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.18-Deut.29.28">ver. 18-28</scripRef>. VII. The conclusion of this
treaty, with a distinction between things secret and things
revealed, <scripRef passage="De 29:29" id="Deu.xxx-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|29|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.29">ver. 29</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 29" id="Deu.xxx-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|29|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 29:1-9" id="Deu.xxx-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|29|1|29|9" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.1-Deut.29.9"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.29.1-Deut.29.9">
<h4 id="Deu.xxx-p1.11">Mercies Called to
Remembrance. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxx-p2">1 These <i>are</i> the words of the covenant,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p2.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses to
make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the
covenant which he made with them in Horeb. &#160; 2 And Moses
called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p2.2">Lord</span> did before your eyes in the
land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all
his land; &#160; 3 The great temptations which thine eyes have
seen, the signs, and those great miracles: &#160; 4 Yet the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p2.3">Lord</span> hath not given you a heart to
perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. &#160;
5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes
are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy
foot. &#160; 6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine
or strong drink: that ye might know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p2.4">Lord</span> your God. &#160; 7 And when ye came
unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of
Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them: &#160;
8 And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the
Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh.
&#160; 9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them,
that ye may prosper in all that ye do.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p3">Now that Moses had largely repeated the
commands which the people were to observe as their part of the
covenant, and the promises and threatenings which God would make
good (according as they behaved themselves) as part of the
covenant, the whole is here summed up in a federal transaction. The
covenant formerly made is here renewed, and Moses, who was before,
is still, the mediator of it (<scripRef passage="De 29:1" id="Deu.xxx-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|29|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>): <i>The Lord commanded Moses to make it.</i> Moses
himself, though king in Jeshurun, could not make the covenant any
otherwise than as God gave him instructions. It does not lie in the
power of ministers to fix the terms of the covenant; they are only
to dispense the seals of it. This is said to be <i>besides the
covenant made in Horeb;</i> for, though the covenant was the same,
yet it was a new promulgation and ratification of it. It is
probable that some now living, though not of age to be mustered,
were of age to consent for themselves to the covenant made at
Horeb, and yet it is here renewed. Note, Those that have solemnly
covenanted with God should take all opportunities to do it again,
as those that like their choice too well to change. But the far
greater part were a new generation, and therefore the covenant must
be made afresh with them, for it is fit that the covenant should be
renewed to the children of the covenant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p4">I. It is usual for indentures to begin with
a recital; this does so, with a rehearsal of the great things God
had done for them, 1. As an encouragement to them to believe that
God would indeed be to them a God, for he would not have done so
much for them if he had not designed more, to which all he had
hitherto done was but a preface (as it were) or introduction; nay,
he had shown himself a God in what he had hitherto done for them,
which might raise their expectations of something great and
answering the vast extent and compass of that pregnant promise,
that God would be to them a God. 2. As an engagement upon them to
be to him an obedient people, in consideration of what he had done
for them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p5">II. For the proof of what he here advances
he appeals to their own eyes (<scripRef passage="De 29:2" id="Deu.xxx-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|29|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): <i>You have seen all that the Lord did.</i> Their
own senses were incontestable evidence of the matter of fact, that
God had done great things for them; and then their own reason was a
no less competent judge of the equity of his inference from it:
<i>Keep therefore the words of this covenant,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:9" id="Deu.xxx-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p6">III. These things he specifies, to show the
power and goodness of God in his appearances for them. 1. Their
deliverance out of Egypt, <scripRef passage="De 29:2,3" id="Deu.xxx-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|29|2|29|3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.2-Deut.29.3"><i>v.</i>
2, 3</scripRef>. The amazing signs and miracles by which Pharaoh
was plagued and compelled to dismiss them, and Israel was tried
(for they are called <i>temptations</i>) whether they would trust
God to secure them from, and save them by, those plagues. 2. Their
conduct through the wilderness for forty years, <scripRef passage="De 29:5,6" id="Deu.xxx-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|29|5|29|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.5-Deut.29.6"><i>v.</i> 5, 6</scripRef>. There they were led, and
clad, and fed, by miracles; though the paths of the wilderness were
not only unknown but untrodden, yet God kept them from being lost
there; and (as bishop Patrick observes) those very shoes which by
the appointment of God they put on in Egypt, at the passover, when
the were ready to march (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:11" id="Deu.xxx-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|12|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.11">Exod. xii.
11</scripRef>), never wore out, but served them to Canaan: and
though they lived not upon bread which strengthens the heart, and
wine which rejoices it, but upon manna and rock-water, yet they
were men of strength and courage, mighty men, and able to go forth
to war. By these miracles they were made to know that the Lord was
God, and by these mercies that he was their God. 3. The victory
they had lately obtained of Sihon and Og, and that good land which
they had taken possession of, <scripRef passage="De 29:7,8" id="Deu.xxx-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|29|7|29|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.7-Deut.29.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. Both former mercies and
fresh mercies should be improved by us as inducements to
obedience.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p7">IV. By way of inference from these
memoirs,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p8">1. Moses laments their stupidity: <i>Yet
the Lord has not given you a heart to perceive,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:4" id="Deu.xxx-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|29|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. This does not lay the
blame of their senselessness, and sottishness, and unbelief, upon
God, as if they had stood ready to receive his grace and had begged
for it, but he had denied them; no, but it fastens the guilt upon
themselves. "The Lord, who is the Father of spirits, a God in
covenant with you, and who had always been so rich in mercy to you,
no doubt would have crowned all his other gifts with this, he would
have given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see if you had not
by your own frowardness and perverseness frustrated his kind
intentions, and received his grace in vain." Note, (1.) The hearing
ear, the seeing eye, and the understanding heart, are the gift of
God. All that have them have them from him. (2.) God gives not only
food and raiment, but wealth and large possessions, to many to whom
he does not give grace. Many enjoy the gifts who have not hearts to
perceive the giver, nor the true intention and use of the gifts.
(3.) God's readiness to do us good in other things is a plain
evidence that if we have not grace, that best of gifts, it is our
own fault and not his; he would have gathered us and we would
not.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p9">2. Moses charges them to be obedient:
<i>Keep therefore, and do,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:9" id="Deu.xxx-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|29|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Note, We are bound in gratitude
and interest, as well as duty and faithfulness, to <i>keep the
words of the covenant.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 29" id="Deu.xxx-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|29|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 29:10-29" id="Deu.xxx-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|29|10|29|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.10-Deut.29.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.29.10-Deut.29.29">
<h4 id="Deu.xxx-p9.4">The Covenant Renewed. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p9.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxx-p10">10 Ye stand this day all of you before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.1">Lord</span> your God; your captains of your
tribes, your elders, and your officers, <i>with</i> all the men of
Israel, &#160; 11 Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger
that <i>is</i> in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the
drawer of thy water: &#160; 12 That thou shouldest enter into
covenant with the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.2">Lord</span> thy God, and
into his oath, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.3">Lord</span> thy
God maketh with thee this day: &#160; 13 That he may establish thee
to day for a people unto himself, and <i>that</i> he may be unto
thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto
thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. &#160; 14 Neither
with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; &#160; 15 But
with <i>him</i> that standeth here with us this day before the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.4">Lord</span> our God, and also with
<i>him</i> that <i>is</i> not here with us this day: &#160; 16 (For
ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came
through the nations which ye passed by; &#160; 17 And ye have seen
their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and
gold, which <i>were</i> among them:) &#160; 18 Lest there should be
among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth
away this day from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.5">Lord</span> our God,
to go <i>and</i> serve the gods of these nations; lest there should
be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; &#160; 19 And
it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he
bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I
walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to
thirst: &#160; 20 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.6">Lord</span> will not
spare him, but then the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.7">Lord</span> and his jealousy shall smoke against that
man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie
upon him, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.8">Lord</span> shall blot
out his name from under heaven. &#160; 21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.9">Lord</span> shall separate him unto evil out of all the
tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that
are written in this book of the law: &#160; 22 So that the
generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you,
and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when
they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.10">Lord</span> hath laid upon it; &#160; 23
<i>And that</i> the whole land thereof <i>is</i> brimstone, and
salt, <i>and</i> burning, <i>that</i> it is not sown, nor beareth,
nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and
Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.11">Lord</span> overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
&#160; 24 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.12">Lord</span> done thus unto this land? what
<i>meaneth</i> the heat of this great anger? &#160; 25 Then men
shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.13">Lord</span> God of their fathers, which he made
with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
&#160; 26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them,
gods whom they knew not, and <i>whom</i> he had not given unto
them: &#160; 27 And the anger of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.14">Lord</span> was kindled against this land, to bring
upon it all the curses that are written in this book: &#160; 28 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.15">Lord</span> rooted them out of their
land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast
them into another land, as <i>it is</i> this day. &#160; 29 The
secret <i>things belong</i> unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxx-p10.16">Lord</span> our God: but those <i>things which are</i>
revealed <i>belong</i> unto us and to our children for ever, that
<i>we</i> may do all the words of this law.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p11">It appears by the length of the sentences
here, and by the copiousness and pungency of the expressions, that
Moses, now that he was drawing near to the close of his discourse,
was very warm and zealous, and very desirous to impress what he
said upon the minds of this unthinking people. To bind them the
faster to God and duty, he here, with great solemnity of expression
(to make up the want of the external ceremony that was used
(<scripRef passage="Ex 24:4-8" id="Deu.xxx-p11.1" parsed="|Exod|24|4|24|8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.24.4-Exod.24.8">Exod. xxiv. 4</scripRef>, &amp;c.),
concludes a bargain (as it were) between them and God, an
everlasting covenant, which God would not forget and they must not.
He requires not their explicit consent, but lays the matter plainly
before them, and then leaves it between God and their own
consciences. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p12">I. The parties to this covenant. 1. It is
the Lord their God they are to covenant with, <scripRef passage="De 29:12" id="Deu.xxx-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|29|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. To him they must give up
themselves, to him they must join themselves. "It is his oath; he
has drawn up the covenant and settled it; he requires your consent
to it; he has sworn to you and to him you must be sworn." This
requires us to be sincere and serious, humble and reverent, in our
covenant-transactions with God, remembering how great a God he is
with whom we are covenanting, who has a perfect knowledge of us and
an absolute dominion over us. 2. They are all to be taken into
covenant with him. They were all summoned to attend (<scripRef passage="De 29:2" id="Deu.xxx-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|29|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), and did accordingly, and
are told (<scripRef passage="De 29:10" id="Deu.xxx-p12.3" parsed="|Deut|29|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>)
what was the design of their appearing before God now in a
body&#8212;they were to enter into covenant with him. (1.) Even their
great men, the captains of their tribes, their elders and officers,
must not think it any disparagement to their honour, or any
diminution of their power, to put their necks under the yoke of
this covenant, and to draw in it. They must rather enter into the
covenant first, to set a good example to their inferiors. (2.) Not
the men only, but their wives and children, must come into this
covenant; though they were not numbered and mustered, yet they must
be <i>joined to the Lord,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:11" id="Deu.xxx-p12.4" parsed="|Deut|29|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. Observe, Even little ones are
capable of being taken into covenant with God, and are to be
admitted with their parents. Little children, so little as to be
carried in arms, must be brought to Christ, and shall be blessed by
him, for <i>of such</i> was and <i>is the kingdom of God.</i> (3.)
Not the men of Israel only, but the stranger that was in their
camp, provided he was so far proselyted to their religion as to
renounce all false gods, was taken into this covenant with the God
of Israel, forasmuch as he also, though a stranger, was to be
looked upon in this matter as a <i>son of Abraham,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 19:9" id="Deu.xxx-p12.5" parsed="|Luke|19|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.19.9">Luke xix. 9</scripRef>. This was an early
indication of favour to the Gentiles, and of the kindness God had
in store for them. (4.) Not the freemen only, but the hewers of
wood and drawers of water, the meanest drudge they had among them.
Note, As none are too great to come under the bonds of the
covenant, so none are too mean to inherit the blessings of the
covenant. In Christ no difference is made between <i>bond and
free,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 3:11" id="Deu.xxx-p12.6" parsed="|Col|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.11">Col. iii. 11</scripRef>.
<i>Art thou called being a servant? Care not for it,</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 7:21" id="Deu.xxx-p12.7" parsed="|1Cor|7|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.7.21">1 Cor. vii. 21</scripRef>. (5.) Not only those
that were now present before God in this solemn assembly, but those
also that were not here with them were taken into covenant
(<scripRef passage="De 29:15" id="Deu.xxx-p12.8" parsed="|Deut|29|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): <i>As with
him that standeth here with us</i> (so bishop Patrick thinks it
should be rendered) <i>so also with him, that is not here with us
this day;</i> that is, [1.] Those that tarried at home were
included; though detained either by sickness or necessary business,
they must not therefore think themselves disengaged; no, every
Israelite shares in the common blessings. Those that tarry at home
divide the spoil, and therefore every Israelite must own himself
bound by the consent of the representative body. Those who cannot
go up to the house of the Lord must keep up a spiritual communion
with those that do, and be present in spirit when they are absent
in body. [2.] The generations to come are included. Nay, one of the
Chaldee paraphrasts reads it, <i>All the generations that have been
from the first days of the world, and all that shall arise to the
end of the whole world, stand with us here this day.</i> And so,
taking this covenant as a typical dispensation of the covenant of
grace, it is a noble testimony to the Mediator of that covenant,
who is <i>the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p13">II. The summary of this covenant. All the
precepts and all the promises of the covenant are included in the
covenant-relation between God and them, <scripRef passage="De 29:13" id="Deu.xxx-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|29|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>. That they should be appointed,
raised up, <i>established, for a people to him,</i> to observe and
obey him, to be devoted to him and dependent on him, and that he
should be to them a God, according to the tenour of the covenant
made with their fathers, to make them holy, high, and happy. Their
fathers are here named, <i>Abraham, Isaac,</i> and <i>Jacob,</i> as
examples of piety, which those were to set themselves to imitate
who expected any benefit from the covenant made with them. Note, A
due consideration of the relation we stand in to God as our God,
and of the obligation we lie under as a people to him, is enough to
bring us to all the duties and all the comforts of the
covenant.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p14">III. The principal design of the renewing
of this covenant at this time was to fortify them against
temptations to idolatry. Though other sins will be the sinner's
ruin, yet this was the sin that was likely to be <i>their</i> ruin.
Now concerning this he shows,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p15">1. The danger they were in of being tempted
to it (<scripRef passage="De 29:16,17" id="Deu.xxx-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|29|16|29|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.16-Deut.29.17"><i>v.</i> 16,
17</scripRef>): "<i>You know we have dwelt in the land of
Egypt,</i> a country addicted to idolatry; and it were well if
there were not among you some remains of the infection of that
idolatry; we have <i>passed by other nations, the Edomites,
Moabites, &amp;c.</i> and have <i>seen their abominations</i> and
<i>their idols,</i> and some among you, it may be, have liked them
too well, and still hanker after them, and would rather worship a
wooden god that they can see than an infinite Spirit whom they
never saw." It is to be hoped that there were those among them who,
the more they saw of these abominations and idols, the more they
hated them; but there were those that were smitten with the sight
of them, saw the accursed things and coveted them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p16">2. The danger they were in if they yielded
to the temptation. He gives them fair warning: it was at their
peril if they forsook God to serve idols. If they would not be
bound and held by the precepts of the covenant, they would find
that the curses of the covenant would be strong enough to bind and
hold them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p17">(1.) Idolatry would be the ruin of
particular persons and their families, <scripRef passage="De 29:18-21" id="Deu.xxx-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|29|18|29|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.18-Deut.29.21"><i>v.</i> 18-21</scripRef>, where observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p18">[1.] The sinner described, <scripRef passage="De 29:18" id="Deu.xxx-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|29|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. <i>First,</i> He is one
whose <i>heart turns away from his God;</i> there the mischief
begins, in the <i>evil heart of unbelief,</i> which inclines men to
<i>depart from the living God</i> to dead idols. Even to this sin
men are tempted when they are drawn aside by their own lusts and
fancies. Those that begin to turn from God, by neglecting their
duty to him, are easily drawn to other gods: and those that serve
other gods do certainly turn away from the true God; for he will
admit of no rivals: he will be all or nothing. <i>Secondly,</i> He
is <i>a root that bears gall and wormwood;</i> that is, he is a
dangerous man, who, being himself poisoned with bad principles and
inclinations, with a secret contempt of the God of Israel and his
institutions and a veneration for the gods of the nations,
endeavours, by all arts possible, to corrupt and poison others and
draw them to idolatry: this is a man whose fruit is <i>hemlock</i>
(so the word is translated, <scripRef passage="Ho 10:4" id="Deu.xxx-p18.2" parsed="|Hos|10|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.10.4">Hos. x.
4</scripRef>) and <i>wormwood;</i> it is very displeasing to God,
and will be, to all that are seduced by him, <i>bitterness in the
latter end.</i> This is referred to by the apostle, <scripRef passage="Heb 12:15" id="Deu.xxx-p18.3" parsed="|Heb|12|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.12.15">Heb. xii. 15</scripRef>, where he is in like
manner cautioning us to take heed of those that would seduce us
from the Christian faith; they are the weeds or tares in a field,
which, if let alone, will overspread the whole field. A little of
this leaven will be in danger of infecting the whole lump.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p19">[2.] His security in the sun. He promises
himself impunity, though he persists in his impiety, <scripRef passage="De 29:19" id="Deu.xxx-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|29|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Though he <i>hears the
words of the curse,</i> so that he cannot plead ignorance of the
danger, as other idolaters, yet even then he <i>blesses himself in
his own heart,</i> thinks himself safe from the wrath of the God of
Israel, under the protection of his idol-gods, and <i>therefore
says, "I shall have peace,</i> though I be governed in my religion,
not by God's institution, but by my own imagination, to add
drunkenness to thirst, one act of wickedness to another." Idolaters
were like drunkards, violently set upon their idols themselves and
industrious to draw others in with them. Revellings commonly
accompanied their idolatries (<scripRef passage="1Pe 4:3" id="Deu.xxx-p19.2" parsed="|1Pet|4|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.3">1 Pet.
iv. 3</scripRef>), so that this speaks a woe to drunkards
(especially the drunkards of Ephraim), who, when they are awake,
being thirsty, <i>seek it yet again,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 23:35" id="Deu.xxx-p19.3" parsed="|Prov|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.23.35">Prov. xxiii. 35</scripRef>. And those that made
themselves drunk in honour of their idols were the worst of
drunkards. Note, <i>First,</i> There are many who are under the
curse of God and yet bless themselves; but it will soon be found
that in blessing themselves they do but deceive themselves.
<i>Secondly,</i> Those are ripe for ruin, and there is little hope
of their repentance, who have made themselves believe that they
shall have peace though they go on in a sinful way. <i>Thirdly,</i>
Drunkenness is a sin that hardens the heart, and debauches the
conscience, as much as any other, a sin to which men are strangely
tempted themselves even when they have lately felt the mischiefs of
it, and to which they are strangely fond of drawing others,
<scripRef passage="Hab 2:15" id="Deu.xxx-p19.4" parsed="|Hab|2|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.2.15">Hab. ii. 15</scripRef>. And such an
ensnaring sin is idolatry.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p20">[3.] God's just severity against him for
the sin, and for the impious affront he put upon God in saying he
should have peace though he went on, so giving the lie to eternal
truth, <scripRef passage="Ge 3:4" id="Deu.xxx-p20.1" parsed="|Gen|3|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.3.4">Gen. iii. 4</scripRef>. There is
scarcely a threatening in all the book of God that sounds more
dreadful than this. O that presumptuous sinners would read it and
tremble! For it is not a bug-bear to frighten children and fools,
but a real declaration of the wrath of God against the ungodliness
and the unrighteousness of men, <scripRef passage="De 29:20,21" id="Deu.xxx-p20.2" parsed="|Deut|29|20|29|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.20-Deut.29.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>. <i>First, The Lord shall
not spare him.</i> The days of his reprieve, which he abuses, will
be shortened, and no mercy remembered in the midst of judgment.
<i>Secondly,</i> The <i>anger of the Lord, and his jealousy,</i>
which is the fiercest anger, <i>shall smoke against him,</i> like
the smoke of a furnace. <i>Thirdly,</i> The <i>curses written</i>
shall <i>lie upon him,</i> not only light upon him to terrify him,
but abide upon him, to sink him to the lowest hell, <scripRef passage="Joh 3:36" id="Deu.xxx-p20.3" parsed="|John|3|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.3.36">John iii. 36</scripRef>. <i>Fourthly, His name
shall be blotted out,</i> that is, he himself shall be cut off, and
his memory shall rot and perish with him. <i>Fifthly,</i> He shall
be <i>separated unto evil,</i> which is the most proper notion of a
curse; he shall be cut off from all happiness and all hope of it,
and marked out for misery without remedy. And (<i>lastly</i>) All
this <i>according to the curses of the covenant,</i> which are the
most fearful curses, being the just revenges of abused grace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p21">(2.) Idolatry would be the ruin of their
nation; it would bring plagues upon the land that connived at this
root of bitterness and received the infection; as far as the sin
spread, the judgment should spread likewise.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p22">[1.] The ruin is described. It begins with
plagues and sicknesses (<scripRef passage="De 29:22" id="Deu.xxx-p22.1" parsed="|Deut|29|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), to try if they will be reclaimed by less judgments;
but, if not, it ends in a total overthrow, like that of Sodom,
<scripRef passage="De 29:23" id="Deu.xxx-p22.2" parsed="|Deut|29|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. As that
valley, which had been like the garden of the Lord for
fruitfulness, was turned into a lake of salt and sulphur, so should
the land of Canaan be made desolate and barren, as it has been ever
since the last destruction of it by the Romans. The lake of Sodom
bordered closely upon the land of Israel, that by it they might be
warned against the iniquity of Sodom; but, not taking the warning,
they were made as like to Sodom in ruin as they had been in
sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p23">[2.] The reason of it is enquired into, and
assigned. <i>First,</i> It would be enquired into by the
<i>generations to come</i> (<scripRef passage="De 29:22" id="Deu.xxx-p23.1" parsed="|Deut|29|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), who would find the state of their nation in all
respects the reverse of what it had been, and, when they read both
the history and the promise, would be astonished at the change. The
stranger likewise, and the nations about them, as well as
particular persons, would ask, <i>Wherefore hath the Lord done thus
unto this land?</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:24" id="Deu.xxx-p23.2" parsed="|Deut|29|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.24"><i>v.</i>
24</scripRef>. Great desolations are thus represented elsewhere as
striking the spectators with amazement, <scripRef passage="1Ki 9:8,9,Jer 22:8,9" id="Deu.xxx-p23.3" parsed="|1Kgs|9|8|9|9;|Jer|22|8|22|9" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.9.8-1Kgs.9.9 Bible:Jer.22.8-Jer.22.9">1 Kings ix. 8, 9; Jer. xxii. 8,
9</scripRef>. It was time for the neighbours to tremble when
judgment thus <i>began at the house of God,</i> <scripRef passage="1Pe 4:17" id="Deu.xxx-p23.4" parsed="|1Pet|4|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.17">1 Pet. iv. 17</scripRef>. The emphasis of the question
is to be laid upon <i>this land,</i> the land of Canaan, this good
land, the glory of all lands, this land flowing with milk and
honey. A thousand pities that such a good land as this should be
made desolate, but this is not all; it is this <i>holy</i> land,
the land of Israel, a people in covenant with God; it is Immanuel's
land, a land where God was known and worshipped, and yet thus
wasted. Note, 1. It is no new thing for God to bring desolating
judgments upon a people that in profession are near to him,
<scripRef passage="Am 3:2" id="Deu.xxx-p23.5" parsed="|Amos|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.3.2">Amos iii. 2</scripRef>. 2. He never does
this without a good reason. 3. It concerns us to enquire into the
reason, that we may give glory to God and take warning to
ourselves. <i>Secondly,</i> The reason is here assigned, in answer
to that enquiry. The matter would be so plain that all men would
say, It was because they <i>forsook the covenant of the Lord God of
their fathers,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:25" id="Deu.xxx-p23.6" parsed="|Deut|29|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. Note, God never forsakes any till they first forsake
him. But those that desert the God of their fathers are justly cast
out of the inheritance of their fathers. They went and <i>served
other gods</i> (<scripRef passage="De 29:26" id="Deu.xxx-p23.7" parsed="|Deut|29|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>), gods that they had no acquaintance with, nor lay
under any obligation to either in duty of gratitude; for God has
not given the creatures to be served by us, but to serve us; nor
have they done any good to us (as some read it), more than what God
has enabled them to do; to the Creator therefore we are debtors,
and not to the creatures. It was for this that God was angry with
them (<scripRef passage="De 29:27" id="Deu.xxx-p23.8" parsed="|Deut|29|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), and
<i>rooted them out in anger,</i> <scripRef passage="De 29:28" id="Deu.xxx-p23.9" parsed="|Deut|29|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. So that, how dreadful soever
the desolation was, the Lord was righteous in it, which is
acknowledged, <scripRef passage="Da 9:11-14" id="Deu.xxx-p23.10" parsed="|Dan|9|11|9|14" osisRef="Bible:Dan.9.11-Dan.9.14">Dan. ix.
11-14</scripRef>. "Thus" (says Mr. Ainsworth) "the law of Moses
leaves sinners under the curse, and <i>rooted out of the Lord's
land;</i> but the grace of Christ towards penitent believing
sinners plants them again <i>upon their land, and they shall no
more be pulled up,</i> being kept by the power of God," <scripRef passage="Am 9:15" id="Deu.xxx-p23.11" parsed="|Amos|9|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Amos.9.15">Amos ix. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxx-p24">[3.] He concludes his prophecy of the Jews'
rejection just as St. Paul concludes his discourse on the same
subject, when it began to be fulfilled (<scripRef passage="Ro 11:33" id="Deu.xxx-p24.1" parsed="|Rom|11|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.11.33">Rom. xi. 33</scripRef>), <i>How unsearchable are God's
judgments, and his ways past finding out!</i> So here (<scripRef passage="De 29:29" id="Deu.xxx-p24.2" parsed="|Deut|29|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), <i>Secret things
belong to the Lord our God.</i> Some make it to be one sentence,
<i>The secret things of the Lord our God are revealed to us and to
our children,</i> as far as we are concerned to know them, and
<i>he hath not dealt so with other nations:</i> but we make it two
sentences, by which, <i>First,</i> We are forbidden curiously to
enquire into the secret counsels of God and to determine concerning
them. A full answer is given to that question, <i>Wherefore has the
Lord done thus to this land?</i> sufficient to justify God and
admonish us. But if any ask further why God would be at such a vast
expense of miracles to form such a people, whose apostasy and ruin
he plainly foresaw, why he did not by his almighty grace prevent
it, or what he intends yet to do with them, let such know that
these are questions which cannot be answered, and therefore are not
fit to be asked. It is presumption in us to pry into the <i>Arcana
imperii&#8212;the mysteries of government,</i> and to enquire into the
reasons of state which <i>it is not for us to know.</i> See
<scripRef passage="Ac 1:7,Joh 21:22,Col 2:18" id="Deu.xxx-p24.3" parsed="|Acts|1|7|0|0;|John|21|22|0|0;|Col|2|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.1.7 Bible:John.21.22 Bible:Col.2.18">Acts i. 7; John xxi.
22; Col. ii. 18</scripRef>. <i>Secondly,</i> We are directed and
encouraged diligently to enquire into that which God has made
known: things <i>revealed belong to us and to our children.</i>
Note, 1. Though God has kept much of his counsel secret, yet there
is enough revealed to satisfy and save us. He has <i>kept back
nothing that is profitable for us,</i> but that only which it is
good for us to be ignorant of. 2. We ought to acquaint ourselves,
and our children, too, with the things of God that are revealed. We
are not only allowed to search into them, but are concerned to do
so. They are things which we and ours are nearly interested in.
They are the rules we are to live by, the grants we are to live
upon; and therefore we are to learn them diligently ourselves, and
to teach them diligently to our children. 3. All our knowledge must
be in order to practice, for this is the end of all divine
revelation, not to furnish us with curious subjects of speculation
and discourse, with which to entertain ourselves and our friends,
<i>but that we may do all the words of this law,</i> and be blessed
in our deed.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXX" n="xxxi" progress="95.71%" prev="Deu.xxx" next="Deu.xxxii" id="Deu.xxxi">
<h2 id="Deu.xxxi-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxxi-p0.2">CHAP. XXX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxxi-p1">One would have thought that the threatenings in
the close of the foregoing chapter had made a full end of the
people of Israel, and had left their case for ever desperate; but
in this chapter we have a plain intimation of the mercy God had in
store for them in the latter days, so that mercy at length rejoices
against judgment, and has the last word. Here we have, I.
Exceedingly great and precious promises made to them, upon their
repentance and return to God, <scripRef passage="De 30:1-10" id="Deu.xxxi-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|30|1|30|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1-Deut.30.10">ver.
1-10</scripRef>. II. The righteousness of faith set before them in
the plainness and easiness of the commandment that was now given
them, <scripRef passage="De 30:11-14" id="Deu.xxxi-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|30|11|30|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.11-Deut.30.14">ver. 11-14</scripRef>. III. A
fair reference of the whole matter to their choice, <scripRef passage="De 30:15-20" id="Deu.xxxi-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|30|15|30|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.15-Deut.30.20">ver. 15</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 30" id="Deu.xxxi-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 30:1-10" id="Deu.xxxi-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|30|1|30|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1-Deut.30.10"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.30.1-Deut.30.10">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxi-p1.6">Promises to the Penitent. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxi-p2">1 And it shall come to pass, when all these
things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have
set before thee, and thou shalt call <i>them</i> to mind among all
the nations, whither the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.1">Lord</span> thy
God hath driven thee, &#160; 2 And shalt return unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God, and shalt obey his voice
according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy
children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; &#160; 3
That then the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.3">Lord</span> thy God will turn
thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and
gather thee from all the nations, whither the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.4">Lord</span> thy God hath scattered thee. &#160; 4 If
<i>any</i> of thine be driven out unto the outmost <i>parts</i> of
heaven, from thence will the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.5">Lord</span>
thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: &#160; 5
And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God will bring thee
into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess
it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
&#160; 6 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.7">Lord</span> thy God will
circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.8">Lord</span> thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. &#160; 7 And the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.9">Lord</span> thy God will put all these
curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which
persecuted thee. &#160; 8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.10">Lord</span>, and do all his
commandments which I command thee this day. &#160; 9 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.11">Lord</span> thy God will make thee plenteous in
every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the
fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.12">Lord</span> will again rejoice over
thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: &#160; 10 If thou
shalt hearken unto the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.13">Lord</span> thy God, to keep his commandments and his
statutes which are written in this book of the law, <i>and</i> if
thou turn unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p2.14">Lord</span> thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p3">These verses may be considered either as a
conditional promise or as an absolute prediction.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p4">I. They are chiefly to be considered as a
conditional promise, and so they belong to all persons and all
people, and not to Israel only; and the design of them is to assure
us that the greatest sinners, if they repent and be converted,
shall have their sins pardoned, and be restored to God's favour.
This is the purport of the covenant of grace, it leaves room for
repentance in case of misdemeanour, and promises pardon upon
repentance, which the covenant of innocency did not. Now observe
here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p5">1. How the repentance is described which is
the condition of these promises. (1.) It begins in <i>serious
consideration,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:1" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|30|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1"><i>v.</i>
1</scripRef>. "Thou shalt call to mind that which thou hadst
forgotten or not regarded." Note, Consideration is the first step
towards conversion. <scripRef passage="Isa 46:8" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.2" parsed="|Isa|46|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.8">Isa. xlvi.
8</scripRef>, <i>Bring to mind, O you transgressors.</i> The
prodigal son came to himself first, and then to his father. That
which they should call to mind is the blessing and the curse. If
sinners would but seriously consider the happiness they have lost
by sin and the misery they have brought themselves into, and that
by repentance they may escape that misery and recover that
happiness, they would not delay to <i>return to the Lord their
God.</i> The prodigal <i>called to mind the blessing and the
curse</i> when he considered his present poverty and the plenty of
bread <i>in his father's house,</i> <scripRef passage="Lu 15:17" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.3" parsed="|Luke|15|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.15.17">Luke xv. 17</scripRef>. (2.) It consists in sincere
conversion. The effect of the consideration cannot but be godly
sorrow and shame, <scripRef passage="Eze 6:9,7:16" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.4" parsed="|Ezek|6|9|0|0;|Ezek|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.6.9 Bible:Ezek.7.16">Ezek. vi. 9;
vii. 16</scripRef>. But that which is the life and soul of
repentance, and without which the most passionate expressions are
but a jest, is <i>returning to the Lord our God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:2" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.5" parsed="|Deut|30|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. If thou turn (<scripRef passage="De 30:10" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.6" parsed="|Deut|30|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>) <i>with all thy heart
and with all thy soul.</i> We must return to our allegiance to God
as our Lord and ruler, our dependence upon him as our Father and
benefactor, our devotedness to him as our highest end, and our
communion with him as our God in covenant. We must return to God
from all that which stands in opposition to him or competition with
him. In this return to God we must be upright&#8212;with the heart and
soul, and universal&#8212;with all the heart and all the soul. (3.) It
is evidenced by a constant obedience to the holy will of God: If
thou shalt <i>obey his voice</i> (<scripRef passage="De 30:2" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.7" parsed="|Deut|30|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), <i>thou and thy children;</i>
for it is not enough that we do our duty ourselves, but we must
train up and engage our children to do it. Or this comes in as the
condition of the entail of the blessing upon their children,
provided their children kept close to their duty. [1.] This
obedience must be with an eye to God: Thou shalt <i>obey his
voice</i> (<scripRef passage="De 30:8" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.8" parsed="|Deut|30|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>), and
hearken to it, <scripRef passage="De 30:10" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.9" parsed="|Deut|30|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. [2.] It must be sincere, and cheerful, and entire:
<i>With all thy heart, and with all thy soul,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:2" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.10" parsed="|Deut|30|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. [3.] It must be from a
principle of love, and that love must be <i>with all thy heart and
with all thy soul,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:6" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.11" parsed="|Deut|30|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. It is the heart and soul that God looks at and
requires; he will have these or nothing, and these entire or not at
all. [4.] It must be universal: <i>According to all that I command
thee,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:2" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.12" parsed="|Deut|30|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>, and
again <scripRef passage="De 30:8" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.13" parsed="|Deut|30|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>, <i>to do
all his commandments;</i> for he that allows himself in the breach
of one commandment involves himself in the guilt of contemning them
all, <scripRef passage="Jam 2:10" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.14" parsed="|Jas|2|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jas.2.10">James ii. 10</scripRef>. An
upright heart has <i>respect to all God's commandments,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 119:6" id="Deu.xxxi-p5.15" parsed="|Ps|119|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.6">Ps. cxix. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p6">2. What the favour is which is promised
upon this repentance. Though they are brought to God by their
trouble and distress, in the nations whither they were driven
(<scripRef passage="De 30:1" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|30|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), yet God will
graciously accept of them notwithstanding; for on this errand
afflictions are sent, to bring us to repentance. Though they are
<i>driven out to the utmost parts of heaven,</i> yet thence their
penitent prayers shall reach God's gracious ear, and there his
favour shall find them out, <scripRef passage="De 30:4" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|30|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. <i>Undique ad c&#230;los tantundem est vi&#230;&#8212;From every
place there is the same way to heaven.</i> This promise Nehemiah
pleads in his prayer for dispersed Israel, <scripRef passage="Ne 1:9" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.3" parsed="|Neh|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.1.9">Neh. i. 9</scripRef>. It is here promised, (1.) That God
would have compassion upon them, as proper objects of his pity,
<scripRef passage="De 30:3" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|30|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Against sinners
that go on in sin God has indignation (<scripRef passage="De 29:20" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|29|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.20"><i>ch.</i> xxix. 20</scripRef>), but on those that
repent and bemoan themselves he has compassion, <scripRef passage="Jer 31:18,20" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.6" parsed="|Jer|31|18|0|0;|Jer|31|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.31.18 Bible:Jer.31.20">Jer. xxxi. 18, 20</scripRef>. True penitents may
take great encouragement from the compassions and tender mercies of
our God, which never fail, but overflow. (2.) That he would <i>turn
their captivity, and gather them from the nations whither they were
scattered</i> (<scripRef passage="De 30:3" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.7" parsed="|Deut|30|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>),
though ever so remote, <scripRef passage="De 30:4" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.8" parsed="|Deut|30|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.4"><i>v.</i>
4</scripRef>. One of the Chaldee paraphrasts applies this to the
Messiah, explaining it thus: <i>The word of the Lord shall gather
you by the hand of Elias the great priest, and shall bring you by
the hand of the king Messiah;</i> for this was God's covenant with
him, that he should <i>restore the preserved of Israel,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 49:6" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.9" parsed="|Isa|49|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.49.6">Isa. xlix. 6</scripRef>. And this was
the design of his death, to <i>gather into one the children of God
that were scattered abroad,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 11:51,52" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.10" parsed="|John|11|51|11|52" osisRef="Bible:John.11.51-John.11.52">John xi. 51, 52</scripRef>. <i>To him shall the
gathering of the people be.</i> (3.) That he would <i>bring them
into their land again,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:5" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.11" parsed="|Deut|30|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. Note, Penitent sinners are not only delivered out of
their misery, but restored to true happiness in the favour of God.
The land they are brought into to possess it is , though not the
same, yet in some respects better than that which our first father
Adam possessed, and out of which he was expelled. (4.) That he
would <i>do them good</i> (<scripRef passage="De 30:5" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.12" parsed="|Deut|30|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>) and <i>rejoice over them for good,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:9" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.13" parsed="|Deut|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. For there is joy in
heaven upon the repentance and conversion of sinners: the father of
the prodigal <i>rejoiced over him for good.</i> (5.) That he would
multiply them (<scripRef passage="De 30:5" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.14" parsed="|Deut|30|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>),
and that, when they grew numerous, every mouth might have meat: he
would <i>make them plenteous in every work of their hand,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 30:9" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.15" parsed="|Deut|30|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. National
repentance and reformation bring national plenty, peace, and
prosperity. It is promised, <i>The Lord will make thee
plenteous</i> in the fruit of thy cattle and land, for good. Many
have plenty for hurt; the prosperity of fools destroys them. Then
it is for good when with it God gives us grace to use it for his
glory. (6.) That he would transfer the curses they had been under
to their enemies, <scripRef passage="De 30:7" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.16" parsed="|Deut|30|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. When God was gathering them in to re-establish them
they would meet with much opposition; but the same curses that had
been a burden upon them should become a defence to them, by being
turned upon their adversaries. The cup of trembling should be taken
out of their hand, and put into the hand of those that afflicted
them, <scripRef passage="Isa 51:22,23" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.17" parsed="|Isa|51|22|51|23" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.22-Isa.51.23">Isa. li. 22, 23</scripRef>.
(7.) That he would give them his grace to change their hearts, and
rule there (<scripRef passage="De 30:6" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.18" parsed="|Deut|30|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>):
<i>The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, to love the
Lord.</i> Note, [1.] The heart must be circumcised to love God. The
filth of the flesh must be put away; and the foolishness of the
heart, as the Chaldee paraphrase expounds it. See <scripRef passage="Col 2:11,12,Ro 2:29" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.19" parsed="|Col|2|11|2|12;|Rom|2|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.11-Col.2.12 Bible:Rom.2.29">Col. ii. 11, 12; Rom. ii.
29</scripRef>. Circumcision was a seal of the covenant; the heart
is then <i>circumcised to love God</i> when it is strongly engaged
and held by that bond to this duty. [2.] It is the work of God's
grace to circumcise the heart, and to shed abroad the love of God
there; and this grace is given to all that repent and seek it
carefully. Nay, that seems to be rather a promise than a precept
(<scripRef passage="De 30:8" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.20" parsed="|Deut|30|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt
return and obey the voice of the Lord.</i> He that requires us to
return promises grace to enable us to return: and it is our fault
if that grace be not effectual. herein the covenant of grace is
well ordered, that whatsoever is required in the covenant is
promised. <i>Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my
Spirit,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 1:23" id="Deu.xxxi-p6.21" parsed="|Prov|1|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.23">Prov. i. 23</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p7">3. It is observable how Moses here calls
God <i>the Lord thy God</i> twelve times in <scripRef passage="De 30:1-10" id="Deu.xxxi-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|30|1|30|10" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1-Deut.30.10">these ten verses</scripRef>, intimating, (1.) That
penitents may take direction and encouragement in their return to
God from their relation to him. <scripRef passage="Jer 3:22" id="Deu.xxxi-p7.2" parsed="|Jer|3|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.3.22">Jer.
iii. 22</scripRef>, "<i>Behold, we come unto thee, for thou art the
Lord our God;</i> therefore to thee we are bound to come, whither
else should we go? And therefore we hope to find favour with thee."
(2.) That those who have revolted from God, if they return to him
and do their first works, shall be restored to their former state
of honour and happiness. <i>Bring hither the first robe.</i> In the
threatenings of the former chapter he is all along called the
<i>Lord,</i> a God of power and the Judge of all: but, in the
promises of this chapter, <i>the Lord thy God,</i> a God of grace,
and in covenant with thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p8">II. This may also be considered as a
prediction of the repentance and restoration of the Jews: <i>When
all these things shall have come upon thee</i> (<scripRef passage="De 30:1" id="Deu.xxxi-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|30|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), the blessing first, and after
that the curse, then the mercy in reserve shall take place. Though
their hearts were wretchedly hardened, yet the grace of God could
soften and change them; and then, though their case was deplorably
miserable, the providence of God would redress all their
grievances. Now, 1. It is certain that this was fulfilled in their
return from their captivity in Babylon. It was a wonderful instance
of their repentance and reformation that Ephraim, who had been
joined to idols, renounced them, and said, <i>What have I to do any
more with idols?</i> That captivity effectually cured them of
idolatry; and then God planted them again in their own land and did
them good. But, 2. Some think that it is yet further to be
accomplished in the conversion of the Jews who are now dispersed,
their repentance for the sin of their fathers in crucifying Christ,
their return to God through him, and their accession to the
Christian church. But, <i>alas! who shall live when God doth
this?</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 30" id="Deu.xxxi-p8.2" parsed="|Deut|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 30:11-14" id="Deu.xxxi-p8.3" parsed="|Deut|30|11|30|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.11-Deut.30.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.30.11-Deut.30.14">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxi-p8.4">The Advantages of
Revelation. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p8.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxi-p9">11 For this commandment which I command thee
this day, it <i>is</i> not hidden from thee, neither <i>is</i> it
far off. &#160; 12 It <i>is</i> not in heaven, that thou shouldest
say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that
we may hear it, and do it? &#160; 13 Neither <i>is</i> it beyond
the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us,
and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? &#160; 14 But
the word <i>is</i> very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy
heart, that thou mayest do it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p10">Moses here urges them to obedience from the
consideration of the plainness and easiness of the command.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p11">I. This is true of the law of Moses. They
could never plead in excuse of their disobedience that God had
enjoined them that which was either unintelligible or
impracticable, impossible to be known or to be done (<scripRef passage="De 30:11" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|30|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>It is not hidden
from thee.</i> That is, not send messengers to heaven (<scripRef passage="De 30:12" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.2" parsed="|Deut|30|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), to enquire what thou
must do to please God; nor needest thou <i>go beyond sea</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 30:13" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.3" parsed="|Deut|30|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), as the
philosophers did, that travelled through many and distant regions
in pursuit of learning; no, thou art not put to that labour and
expense; nor is the commandment within the reach of those only that
have a great estate or a refined genius, but it is <i>very nigh
unto thee,</i> <scripRef passage="De 30:14" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.4" parsed="|Deut|30|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>. It is written in thy books, made plain upon tables,
so that he that runs may read it; thy priests' lips keep this
knowledge, and, when any difficulty arises, thou mayest <i>ask the
law at their mouth,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 2:7" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.5" parsed="|Mal|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.7">Mal. ii.
7</scripRef>. It is not communicated in a strange language; but it
is in thy mouth, that is, in the vulgar tongue that is commonly
used by thee, in which thou mayest hear it read, and talk of it
familiarly among thy children. It is not wrapped up in obscure
phrases or figures to puzzle and amuse thee, or in hieroglyphics,
but it is in thy heart; it is delivered in such a manner as that it
is level to thy capacity, even to the capacity of the meanest." 2.
"It is not too <i>hard</i> nor <i>heavy</i> for thee:" so the
Septuagint reads it, <scripRef passage="De 30:11" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.6" parsed="|Deut|30|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. Thou needest not say, "As good attempt to climb to
heaven, or flee upon the wings of the morning to the uttermost part
of the sea, as go about to do all the words of this law:" no, the
matter is not so; it is no such intolerable yoke as some ill-minded
people represent it. It was indeed a heavy yoke in comparison with
that of Christ (<scripRef passage="Ac 15:10" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.7" parsed="|Acts|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.10">Acts xv.
10</scripRef>), but not in comparison with the idolatrous services
of the neighbouring nations. God appeals to themselves that he had
not <i>made them to serve with an offering, nor wearied them with
incense,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 43:23,Mic 6:3" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.8" parsed="|Isa|43|23|0|0;|Mic|6|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.23 Bible:Mic.6.3">Isa. xliii. 23;
Mic. vi. 3</scripRef>. But he speaks especially of the moral law,
and its precepts: "That is very nigh thee, consonant to the law of
nature, which would have been found in every man's heart, and every
man's mouth, if he would but have attended to it. There is that in
thee which <i>consents to the law that it is good,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 7:16" id="Deu.xxxi-p11.9" parsed="|Rom|7|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.16">Rom. vii. 16</scripRef>. Thou hast therefore no
reason to complain of any insuperable difficulty in the observance
of it."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p12">II. This is true of the gospel of Christ,
to which the apostle applies it, and makes it the language of the
<i>righteousness which is of faith,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 10:6-8" id="Deu.xxxi-p12.1" parsed="|Rom|10|6|10|8" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.6-Rom.10.8">Rom. x. 6-8</scripRef>. And many think this is
principally intended by Moses here; for he <i>wrote of Christ,</i>
<scripRef passage="Joh 5:46" id="Deu.xxxi-p12.2" parsed="|John|5|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.5.46">John v. 46</scripRef>. This is God's
commandment now under the gospel that we <i>believe in the name of
his Son Jesus Christ,</i> <scripRef passage="1Jo 3:23" id="Deu.xxxi-p12.3" parsed="|1John|3|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.23">1 John iii.
23</scripRef>. If we ask, as the blind man did, <i>Lord, who is
he?</i> or where is he, that we may believe on him? (<scripRef passage="Joh 9:36" id="Deu.xxxi-p12.4" parsed="|John|9|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.9.36">John ix. 36</scripRef>), this scripture gives an
answer, We need not go up to heaven, to fetch him thence, for he
has come down thence in his incarnation; nor down to the deep, to
fetch him thence, for thence he has come up in his resurrection.
But the word is nigh us, and Christ in that word; so that if we
believe with the heart that the promises of the incarnation and
resurrection of the Messiah are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus, and
receive him accordingly, and confess him with our mouth, we have
then Christ with us, and we shall be saved. He is near, very near,
that justifies us. The law was plain and easy, but the gospel much
more so.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 30" id="Deu.xxxi-p12.5" parsed="|Deut|30|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 30:15-20" id="Deu.xxxi-p12.6" parsed="|Deut|30|15|30|20" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.15-Deut.30.20"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.30.15-Deut.30.20">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxi-p13">15 See, I have set before thee this day life and
good, and death and evil; &#160; 16 In that I command thee this day
to love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p13.1">Lord</span> thy God, to walk in
his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his
judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p13.2">Lord</span> thy God shall bless thee in the land
whither thou goest to possess it. &#160; 17 But if thine heart turn
away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and
worship other gods, and serve them; &#160; 18 I denounce unto you
this day, that ye shall surely perish, <i>and that</i> ye shall not
prolong <i>your</i> days upon the land, whither thou passest over
Jordan to go to possess it. &#160; 19 I call heaven and earth to
record this day against you, <i>that</i> I have set before you life
and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both
thou and thy seed may live: &#160; 20 That thou mayest love the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p13.3">Lord</span> thy God, <i>and</i> that thou
mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he
<i>is</i> thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest
dwell in the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxi-p13.4">Lord</span>
sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p14">Moses here concludes with a very bright
light, and a very strong fire, that, if possible, what he had been
preaching of might find entrance into the understanding and
affections of this unthinking people. What could be said more
moving, and more likely to make deep and lasting impressions? The
manner of his treating with them is so rational, so prudent, so
affectionate, and every way so apt to gain the point, that it
abundantly shows him to be in earnest, and leaves them inexcusable
in their disobedience.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p15">I. He states the case very fairly. He
appeals to themselves concerning it whether he had not laid the
matter as plainly as they could wish before them. 1. Every man
covets to obtain life and good, and to escape death and evil,
desires happiness and dreads misery. "Well," says he, "I have shown
you the way to obtain all the happiness you can desire and to avoid
all misery. Be obedient, and all shall be well, and nothing amiss."
Our first parents ate the forbidden fruit, in hopes of getting
thereby the knowledge of good and evil; but it was a miserable
knowledge they got, of good by the loss of it, and of evil by the
sense of it; yet such is the compassion of God towards man that,
instead of giving him to his own delusion, he has favoured him by
his word with such a knowledge of good and evil as will make him
for ever happy if it be not his own fault. 2. Every man is moved
and governed in his actions by hope and fear, hope of good and fear
of evil, real of apparent. "Now," says Moses, "I have tried both
ways; if you will be either drawn to obedience by the certain
prospect of advantage by it, or driven to obedience by the no less
certain prospect of ruin in case you be disobedient&#8212;if you will be
wrought upon either way, you will be kept close to God and your
duty; but, if you will not, you are utterly inexcusable." Let us,
then, hear the conclusion of the whole matter. (1.) If they and
theirs would love God and serve him, they should live and be happy,
<scripRef passage="De 30:16" id="Deu.xxxi-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|30|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. If they would
love God, and evidence the sincerity of their love by keeping his
commandments&#8212;if they would make conscience of keeping his
commandments, and do it from a principle of love&#8212;then God would do
them good, and they should be as happy as his love and blessing
could make them. (2.) If they or theirs should at any time turn
from God, desert his service, and worship other gods this would
certainly be their ruin, <scripRef passage="De 30:17,18" id="Deu.xxxi-p15.2" parsed="|Deut|30|17|30|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.17-Deut.30.18"><i>v.</i>
17, 18</scripRef>. Observe, It is not for every failure in the
particulars of their duty that ruin is threatened, but for apostasy
and idolatry: though every violation of the command deserved the
curse, yet the nation would be destroyed by that only which is the
violation of the marriage covenant. The purport of the New
Testament is much the same; this, in like manner, sets before us
life and death, good and evil; <i>He that believes shall be saved;
he that believes not shall be damned,</i> <scripRef passage="Mk 16:16" id="Deu.xxxi-p15.3" parsed="|Mark|16|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mark.16.16">Mark xvi. 16</scripRef>. And this faith includes love
and obedience. <i>To those who by patient continuance in well doing
seek for glory, honour, and immortality,</i> God will give
<i>eternal life. But to those that are contentious, and do not obey
the truth, but obey unrighteousness</i> (and so, in effect, worship
other gods and serve them), will be rendered the indignation and
wrath of an immortal God, the consequence of which must needs be
the tribulation and anguish of an immortal soul, <scripRef passage="Ro 2:7-9" id="Deu.xxxi-p15.4" parsed="|Rom|2|7|2|9" osisRef="Bible:Rom.2.7-Rom.2.9">Rom. ii. 7-9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p16">II. Having thus stated the case, he fairly
puts them to their choice, with a direction to them to choose well.
He appeals to heaven and earth concerning his fair and faithful
dealing with them, <scripRef passage="De 30:19" id="Deu.xxxi-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|30|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.19"><i>v.</i>
19</scripRef>. They could not but own that whatever was the issue
he had delivered his soul; therefore, that they might deliver
theirs, he bids them choose life, that is, choose to do their duty,
which would be their life. Note, 1. Those shall have life that
choose it: those that choose the favour of God and communion with
him for their felicity, and prosecute their choice as they ought,
shall have what they choose. 2. Those that come short of life and
happiness must thank themselves; they would have had it if they had
chosen it when it was put to their choice: but they die because
they <i>will</i> die; that is, because they do not like the life
promised upon the terms proposed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxi-p17">III. In the <scripRef passage="De 30:20" id="Deu.xxxi-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|30|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.30.20">last verse</scripRef>, 1. He shows them, in short, what
their duty is, <i>to love God,</i> and to love him as <i>the
Lord,</i> a Being most amiable, and as <i>their God,</i> a God in
covenant with them; and, as an evidence of this love, to <i>obey
his voice</i> in every thing, and by a constancy in this love and
obedience to <i>cleave to him,</i> and never to forsake him in
affection or practice. 2. He shows them what reason there was for
this duty, inconsideration, (1.) Of their dependence upon God:
<i>He is thy life, and the length of thy days.</i> He gives life,
preserves life, restores life, and prolongs it by his power though
it is a frail life, and by his patience though it is a forfeited
life: he sweetens life with his comforts, and is the sovereign Lord
of life; <i>in his hand our breath is.</i> Therefore we are
concerned to keep ourselves in his love; for it is good having him
our friend, and bad having him our enemy. (2.) Of their obligation
to him for the promise of Canaan made to their fathers and ratified
with an oath. And, (3.) Of their expectations from him in
performance of that promise: "Love God, and serve him, that thou
mayest dwell in that land of promise which thou mayest be sure he
can give, and uphold to thee who is <i>thy life and the length of
thy days.</i>" All these are arguments to us to continue in love
and obedience to the God of our mercies.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXI" n="xxxii" progress="96.19%" prev="Deu.xxxi" next="Deu.xxxiii" id="Deu.xxxii">
<h2 id="Deu.xxxii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxxii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXI.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxxii-p1">In this chapter Moses, having finished his sermon,
I. Encourages both the people who were now to enter Canaan
(<scripRef passage="De 31:1-6" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|31|1|31|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.1-Deut.31.6">ver. 1-6</scripRef>), and Joshua who
was to lead them, <scripRef passage="De 31:7,8,23" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|31|7|31|8;|Deut|31|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.7-Deut.31.8 Bible:Deut.31.23">ver. 7, 8,
23</scripRef>. And, II. He takes care for the keeping of these
things always in their remembrance after his decease, 1. By the
book of the law which was, (1.) Written. (2.) Delivered into the
custody of the priests, <scripRef passage="De 31:9,24-27" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|31|9|0|0;|Deut|31|24|31|27" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.9 Bible:Deut.31.24-Deut.31.27">ver. 9,
and 24-27</scripRef>. (3.) Ordered to be publicly read every
seventh year, <scripRef passage="De 31:10-13" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|31|10|31|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.10-Deut.31.13">ver.
10-13</scripRef>. 2. By a song which God orders Moses to prepare
for their instruction and admonition. (1.) He calls Moses and
Joshua to the door of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="De 31:14,15" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|31|14|31|15" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.14-Deut.31.15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>. (2.) He foretells the apostasy
of Israel in process of time, and the judgments they would thereby
bring upon themselves, <scripRef passage="De 31:16-18" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|31|16|31|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.16-Deut.31.18">ver.
16-18</scripRef>. (3.) He prescribes the following song to be a
witness against them, <scripRef passage="De 31:19-21" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|31|19|31|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.19-Deut.31.21">ver.
19-21</scripRef>. (4.) Moses wrote it, <scripRef passage="De 31:22" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|31|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.22">ver. 22</scripRef>. And delivered it to Israel, with an
intimation of the design of it, as he had received it from the
Lord, <scripRef passage="De 31:28-30" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|31|28|31|30" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.28-Deut.31.30">ver. 28</scripRef>,
&amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 31" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 31:1-8" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|31|1|31|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.1-Deut.31.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.31.1-Deut.31.8">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxii-p1.12">Solemn Warnings; Joshua
Encouraged. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxii-p2">1 And Moses went and spake these words unto all
Israel. &#160; 2 And he said unto them, I <i>am</i> a hundred and
twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.1">Lord</span> hath said unto me, Thou
shalt not go over this Jordan. &#160; 3 The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.2">Lord</span> thy God, he will go over before thee,
<i>and</i> he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou
shalt possess them: <i>and</i> Joshua, he shall go over before
thee, as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.3">Lord</span> hath said. &#160;
4 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.4">Lord</span> shall do unto them as
he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land
of them, whom he destroyed. &#160; 5 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.5">Lord</span> shall give them up before your face, that
ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I
have commanded you. &#160; 6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear
not, nor be afraid of them: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.6">Lord</span> thy God, he <i>it is</i> that doth go with
thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. &#160; 7 And Moses
called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel,
Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people
unto the land which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.7">Lord</span> hath
sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to
inherit it. &#160; 8 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p2.8">Lord</span>,
he <i>it is</i> that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he
will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be
dismayed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p3"><i>Loth to part</i> (we say) <i>bids oft
farewell.</i> Moses does so to the children of Israel: not because
he was loth to go to God, but because he was loth to leave them,
fearing that when he had left them they would leave God. He had
finished what he had to say to them by way of counsel and
exhortation: here he calls them together to give them a word of
encouragement, especially with reference to the wars of Canaan, in
which they were now to engage. It was a discouragement to them that
Moses was to be removed at a time when he could so ill be spared:
though Joshua was continued to fight for them in the valley, they
would want Moses to intercede for them on the hill, as he did,
<scripRef passage="Ex 17:10" id="Deu.xxxii-p3.1" parsed="|Exod|17|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.10">Exod. xvii. 10</scripRef>. But there
is no remedy: <i>Moses can no more go out and come in,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 31:2" id="Deu.xxxii-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|31|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>. Not that he was
disabled by any decay either of body or mind; for his <i>natural
force was not abated,</i> <scripRef passage="De 24:7" id="Deu.xxxii-p3.3" parsed="|Deut|24|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.24.7"><i>ch.</i>
xxiv. 7</scripRef>. But he cannot any longer discharge his office;
for, 1. He is 120 <i>years old,</i> and it is time for him to think
of resigning his honour and returning to his rest. He that had
arrived at so great an age then, when seventy or eighty was the
ordinary stint, as appears by the prayer of Moses (<scripRef passage="Ps 90:10" id="Deu.xxxii-p3.4" parsed="|Ps|90|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.10">Ps. xc. 10</scripRef>), might well think that he
had accomplished as a hireling his day. 2. He is under a divine
sentence: <i>Thou shalt not go over Jordan.</i> Thus a full stop
was put to his usefulness; hitherto he must go, hitherto he must
serve, but no further. So God had appointed it and Moses
acquiesces: for I know not why we should any of us desire to live a
day longer than while God has work for us to do; nor shall we be
accountable for more time than is allotted us. But, though Moses
must not go over himself, he is anxious to encourage those that
must.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p4">I. He encourages the people; and never
could any general animate his soldiers upon such good grounds as
those on which Moses here encourages Israel. 1. He assures them of
the constant presence of God with them (<scripRef passage="De 31:3" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>The Lord thy God.</i> that
has led thee and kept thee hitherto <i>will go over before
thee;</i> and those might follow boldly who were sure that they had
God for their leader. He repeats it again (<scripRef passage="De 31:6" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.2" parsed="|Deut|31|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) with an emphasis: "<i>The Lord
thy God,</i> the great Jehovah, who is thine in covenant, <i>he it
is,</i> he and no less, he and no other, <i>that goes before
thee;</i> not only who by his promise has assured thee that he
<i>will go before thee;</i> but by his ark, the visible token of
his presence, shows thee that he <i>does</i> actually <i>go before
thee.</i>" And he repeats it with enlargement: "Not only he goes
over before thee at first, to bring thee in, but he will continue
with thee all along, with thee and thine; <i>he will not fail thee
nor forsake thee;</i> he will not disappoint thy expectations in
any strait, nor will he ever desert thy interest; be constant to
him, and he will be so to thee." This is applied by the apostle to
all God's spiritual Israel, for the encouragement of their faith
and hope; unto us is this gospel preached, as well as unto them
<i>He will never fail thee, nor forsake thee,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 13:5" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.3" parsed="|Heb|13|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.13.5">Heb. xiii. 5</scripRef>. 2. He commends Joshua
to them for a leader: <i>Joshua, he shall go over before thee,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 31:3" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.4" parsed="|Deut|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. One whose
conduct, and courage, and sincere affection to their interest, they
had had long experience of; and one whom God had ordained and
appointed to be their leader, and therefore, no doubt, would own
and bless, and make a blessing to them. See <scripRef passage="Nu 27:18" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.5" parsed="|Num|27|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.27.18">Num. xxvii. 18</scripRef>. Note, It is a great
encouragement to a people when, instead of some useful instruments
that are removed, God raises up others to carry on his work. 3. He
ensures their success. The greatest generals, supported with the
greatest advantages, must yet own the issues of war to be doubtful
and uncertain; the battle is not always to the strong nor to the
bold; an ill accident unthought of may turn the scale against the
highest hopes. But Moses had warrant from God to assure Israel
that, notwithstanding the disadvantages they laboured under, they
should certainly be victorious. A coward will fight when he is sure
to be a conqueror. God undertakes to do the work&#8212;<i>he will
destroy these nations;</i> and Israel shall do little else than
divide the spoil&#8212;<i>thou shalt possess them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:3" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.6" parsed="|Deut|31|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Two things might
encourage their hopes of this:&#8212;(1.) The victories they had
already obtained over Sihon and Og (<scripRef passage="De 31:4" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.7" parsed="|Deut|31|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), from which they might infer both
the power of God, that he could do what he had done, and the
purpose of God, that he would finish what he had begun to do. Thus
must we improve our experience. (2.) The command God had given them
to destroy the Canaanites (<scripRef passage="De 7:2,12:2" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.8" parsed="|Deut|7|2|0|0;|Deut|12|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.7.2 Bible:Deut.12.2"><i>ch.</i> vii. 2; xii. 2</scripRef>), to which he
refers here (<scripRef passage="De 31:5" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.9" parsed="|Deut|31|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>,
that you <i>may do unto them according to all which I have
commanded you</i>), and from which they might infer that, if God
had commanded them to destroy the Canaanites, no doubt he would put
it into the power of their hands to do it. Note, What God has made
our duty we have reason to expect opportunity and assistance from
him for the doing of. So that from all this he had reason enough to
bid them <i>be strong and of a good courage,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:6" id="Deu.xxxii-p4.10" parsed="|Deut|31|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. While they had the power of God
engaged for them they had no reason to fear all the powers of
Canaan engaged against them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p5">II. He encourages Joshua, <scripRef passage="De 31:7,8" id="Deu.xxxii-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|31|7|31|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.7-Deut.31.8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. Observe, 1. Though
Joshua was an experienced general, and a man of approved gallantry
and resolution, who had already signalized himself in many brave
actions, yet Moses saw cause to bid him <i>be of good courage,</i>
now that he was entering upon a new scene of action; and Joshua was
far from taking it as an affront, or as a tacit questioning of his
courage, to be thus charged, as sometimes we find proud and peevish
spirits invidiously taking exhortations and admonitions for
reproaches and reflections. Joshua himself is very well pleased to
be admonished by Moses to be strong and of good courage. 2. He
gives him this charge <i>in the sight of all Israel,</i> that they
might be the more observant of him whom they saw thus solemnly
inaugurated, and that he might set himself the more to be an
example of courage to the people who were witnesses to this charge
here given to him as well as to themselves. 3. He gives him the
same assurances of the divine presence, and consequently of a
glorious success, that he had given the people. God would be with
him, would not forsake him, and therefore he should certainly
accomplish the glorious enterprise to which he was called and
commissioned: <i>Thou shalt cause them to inherit the land</i> of
promise. Note, Those shall speed well that have God with them; and
therefore they ought to <i>be of good courage.</i> Through God let
us do valiantly, for through him we shall do victoriously; if we
resist the devil, he shall flee, and God shall <i>shortly tread him
under our feet.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 31:9-13" id="Deu.xxxii-p5.2" parsed="|Deut|31|9|31|13" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.9-Deut.31.13"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.31.9-Deut.31.13">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxii-p5.3">The Reading of the Law. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p5.4">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxii-p6">9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it
unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the
covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p6.1">Lord</span>, and unto all
the elders of Israel. &#160; 10 And Moses commanded them, saying,
At the end of <i>every</i> seven years, in the solemnity of the
year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, &#160; 11 When all
Israel is come to appear before the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p6.2">Lord</span> thy God in the place which he shall choose,
thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. &#160;
12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and
thy stranger that <i>is</i> within thy gates, that they may hear,
and that they may learn, and fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p6.3">Lord</span> your God, and observe to do all the words
of this law: &#160; 13 And <i>that</i> their children, which have
not known <i>any thing,</i> may hear, and learn to fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p6.4">Lord</span> your God, as long as ye live in the
land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p7">The law was given by Moses; so it is said,
<scripRef passage="Joh 1:17" id="Deu.xxxii-p7.1" parsed="|John|1|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.1.17">John i. 17</scripRef>. He was not only
entrusted to deliver it to that generation, but to transmit it to
the generations to come; and here it appears that he was faithful
to that trust.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p8">I. <i>Moses wrote this law,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:9" id="Deu.xxxii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|31|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. The learned bishop
Patrick understands this of all the five books of Moses, which are
often called the <i>law;</i> he supposes that though Moses had
written most of the Pentateuch before, yet he did not finish it
till now; now he put his last hand to that sacred volume. Many
think that the law here (especially since it is called <i>this
law,</i> this grand abridgment of the law) is to be understood of
this book of Deuteronomy; all those discourses to the people which
have taken up this whole book, he, being in them divinely inspired,
wrote them as the word of God. He wrote this law, 1. That those who
had heard it might often review it themselves, and call it to mind.
2. That it might be the more safely handed down to posterity. Note,
The church has received abundance of advantage from the writing, as
well as from the preaching, of divine things; faith comes not only
by hearing, but by reading. The same care that was taken of the
law, thanks be to God, is taken of the gospel too; soon after it
was preached it was written, that it might reach to those on whom
the ends of the world shall come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p9">II. Having written it, he committed it to
the care and custody of the priests and elders. He delivered one
authentic copy to the priests, to be laid up by the ark (<scripRef passage="De 31:26" id="Deu.xxxii-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|31|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), there to remain as a
standard by which all other copies must be tried. And it is
supposed that he gave another copy to the elders of each tribe, to
be transcribed by all of that tribe that were so disposed. Some
observe that the elders, as well as the priests, were entrusted
with the law, to intimate that magistrates by the power, as well as
ministers by their doctrine, are to maintain religion, and to take
care that the law be not broken nor lost.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p10">III. He appointed the public reading of
this law in a general assembly of all Israel every seventh year.
The pious Jews (it is very probable) read the laws daily in their
families, and <i>Moses of old time was read in the synagogue every
sabbath day,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 15:21" id="Deu.xxxii-p10.1" parsed="|Acts|15|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.21">Acts xv.
21</scripRef>. But once in seven years, that the law might be the
more magnified and made honourable, it must be read in a general
assembly. Though we read the word in private, we must not think it
needless to hear it read in public. Now here he give direction,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p11">1. When this solemn reading of the law must
be, that the time might add to the solemnity; it must be done, (1.)
In the year of release. In that year the land rested, so that they
could the better spare time to attend this service. Servants who
were then discharged, and poor debtors who were then acquitted from
their debts, must know that, having the benefit of the law, it was
justly expected they should yield obedience to it, and therefore
give up themselves to be God's servants, because he had loosed
their bonds. The year of release was typical of gospel grace, which
therefore is called the <i>acceptable year of the Lord;</i> for our
remission and liberty by Christ engage us to keep his commandments,
<scripRef passage="Lu 1:74,75" id="Deu.xxxii-p11.1" parsed="|Luke|1|74|1|75" osisRef="Bible:Luke.1.74-Luke.1.75">Luke i. 74, 75</scripRef>. (2.) At
the feast of tabernacles in that year. In that feast they were
particularly required to <i>rejoice before God,</i> <scripRef passage="Le 23:40" id="Deu.xxxii-p11.2" parsed="|Lev|23|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lev.23.40">Lev. xxiii. 40</scripRef>. Therefore then they
must read the law, both to qualify their mirth and keep it in due
bounds, and to sanctify their mirth, that they might make the law
of God the matter of their rejoicing, and might read it with
pleasure and not as a task.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p12">2. To whom it must be read: To <i>all
Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="De 31:11" id="Deu.xxxii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|31|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>),
<i>men, women, and children, and the strangers,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:12" id="Deu.xxxii-p12.2" parsed="|Deut|31|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. The women and children
were not obliged to go up to the other feasts, but to this only in
which the law was read. Note, It is the will of God that all people
should acquaint themselves with his word. It is a rule to all, and
therefore should be read to all. It is supposed that, since all
Israel could not possibly meet in one place, nor could one man's
voice reach them all, as many as the courts of the Lord's house
would hold met there, and the rest at the same time in their
synagogues. The Jewish doctors say that the hearers were bound to
<i>prepare their hearts,</i> and to hear <i>with fear and
reverence, and with joy and trembling,</i> as in the day <i>when
the law was given on Mount Sinai;</i> and, though there were
<i>great and wise men who knew the whole law very well,</i> yet
they were bound to <i>hear with great attention;</i> for he that
<i>reads is the messenger of the congregation to cause the words of
God to be heard.</i> I wish those that hear the gospel read and
preached would consider this.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p13">3. By whom it must be read: <i>Thou shalt
read it</i> (<scripRef passage="De 31:11" id="Deu.xxxii-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|31|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>),
"Thou, O Israel," by a proper person appointed for that purpose;
or, "Thou, O Joshua," their chief ruler; accordingly we find that
he did read the law himself, <scripRef passage="Jos 8:34,35" id="Deu.xxxii-p13.2" parsed="|Josh|8|34|8|35" osisRef="Bible:Josh.8.34-Josh.8.35">Josh.
viii. 34, 35</scripRef>. So did Josiah, <scripRef passage="2Ch 34:30" id="Deu.xxxii-p13.3" parsed="|2Chr|34|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.34.30">2 Chron. xxxiv. 30</scripRef>, and Ezra, <scripRef passage="Ne 8:3" id="Deu.xxxii-p13.4" parsed="|Neh|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.3">Neh. viii. 3</scripRef>. And the Jews say that the
king himself (when they had one) was the person that read in the
courts of the temple, that a pulpit was set up for that purpose in
the midst of the court, in which the king stood, that the book of
the law was delivered to him by the high priest, that he stood up
to receive it, uttered a prayer (as every one did that was to read
the law in public) before he read; and then, if he pleased, he
might sit down and read. But if he read standing it was thought the
more commendable, as (they say) king Agrippa did. Here let me offer
it as a conjecture that Solomon is called the <i>preacher,</i> in
his Ecclesiastes, because he delivered the substance of that book
in a discourse to the people, after his public reading of the law
in the feast of tabernacles, according to this appointment
here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p14">4. For what end it must be thus solemnly
read. (1.) That the present generation might hereby keep up their
acquaintance with the law of God, <scripRef passage="De 31:12" id="Deu.xxxii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|31|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. They must hear, that they may
learn, and <i>fear God, and observe to do their duty.</i> See here
what we are to aim at in hearing the word; we must hear, that we
may learn and grow in knowledge; and every time we read the
scriptures we shall find that there is still more and more to be
learned out of them. We must learn, that we may fear God, that is,
that we may be duly affected with divine things; and must fear God,
that we may <i>observe and do the words of his law;</i> for in vain
do we pretend to fear him if we do not obey him. (2.) That the
rising generation might betimes be leavened with religion
(<scripRef passage="De 31:13" id="Deu.xxxii-p14.2" parsed="|Deut|31|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>); not only
that those who know something may thus know more, but that <i>the
children who have not known any thing</i> may betimes know this,
how much it is their interest as well as duty to fear God.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 31" id="Deu.xxxii-p14.3" parsed="|Deut|31|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 31:14-21" id="Deu.xxxii-p14.4" parsed="|Deut|31|14|31|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.14-Deut.31.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.31.14-Deut.31.21">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxii-p14.5">Apostasy Foretold. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p14.6">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxii-p15">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p15.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call
Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the
congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua
went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the
congregation. &#160; 15 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p15.2">Lord</span>
appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar
of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle. &#160; 16 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p15.3">Lord</span> said unto Moses, Behold,
thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up,
and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land,
whither they go <i>to be</i> among them, and will forsake me, and
break my covenant which I have made with them. &#160; 17 Then my
anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake
them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be
devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that
they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us,
because our God <i>is</i> not among us? &#160; 18 And I will surely
hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have
wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. &#160; 19 Now
therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of
Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for
me against the children of Israel. &#160; 20 For when I shall have
brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that
floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled
themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and
serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. &#160; 21 And it
shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them,
that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it
shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know
their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have
brought them into the land which I sware.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p16">Here, I. Moses and Joshua are summoned to
attend the divine majesty at the door of the tabernacle, <scripRef passage="De 31:14" id="Deu.xxxii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|31|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Moses is told again
that he must shortly die; even those that are most ready and
willing to die have need to be often reminded of the approach of
death. In consideration of this, he must come himself to meet God;
for whatever improves our communion with God furthers our
preparation for death. He must also bring Joshua with him to be
presented to God for a successor, and to receive his commission and
charge. Moses readily obeys the summons, for he was not one of
those that look with an evil eye upon their successors, but, on the
contrary, rejoiced in him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p17">II. God graciously gives them the meeting:
<i>He appeared in the tabernacle</i> (as the shechinah used to
appear) <i>in a pillar of a cloud,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:15" id="Deu.xxxii-p17.1" parsed="|Deut|31|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. This is the only time in all
this book that we read of the glory of God appearing, whereas we
often read of it in the three foregoing books, which perhaps
signifies that in the latter days, under the evangelical law, such
visible appearances as these of the divine glory are not to be
expected, but we must take heed to the more sure word of
prophecy.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p18">III. He tells Moses that, after his death,
the covenant which he had taken so much pains to make between
Israel and their God would certainly be broken. 1. That Israel
would <i>forsake God,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:16" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|31|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>. And we may be sure that if the covenant between God
and man be broken the blame must lie on man, it is he that breaks
it; we have often observed it, That God never leaves any till they
first leave him. Worshipping the gods of the Canaanites (who had
been the natives, but henceforward were to be looked upon as the
strangers of that land) would undoubtedly be counted a deserting of
God, and, like adultery, a violation of the covenant. Thus still
those are revolters from Christ, and will be so adjudged, who
either make a god of their money by reigning covetousness or a god
of their belly by reigning sensuality. Those that <i>turn to other
gods</i> (<scripRef passage="De 31:18" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.2" parsed="|Deut|31|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>)
forsake their own mercies. This apostasy of theirs is foretold to
be the effect of their prosperity (<scripRef passage="De 31:20" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.3" parsed="|Deut|31|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>): <i>They shall have eaten and
filled themselves;</i> this is all they will aim at in eating, to
gratify their own appetites, and then they will wax fat, grow
secure and sensual; their security will take off their dread of God
and his judgments; and their sensuality will incline them to the
idolatries of the heathen, which <i>made provision for the flesh to
fulfil the lusts of it.</i> Note, God has a clear and infallible
foresight of all the wickedness of the wicked, and has often
covenanted with those who <i>he knew would deal very
treacherously</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 48:8" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.4" parsed="|Isa|48|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.48.8">Isa. xlviii.
8</scripRef>), and conferred many favours on those who he knew
would deal very ungratefully. 2. That then God would forsake
Israel; and justly does he cast those off who had so unjustly cast
him off (<scripRef passage="De 31:17" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.5" parsed="|Deut|31|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>):
<i>My anger shall be kindled against them, and I will forsake
them.</i> His providence would forsake them, no longer to protect
and prosper them, and then they would become a prey to all their
neighbours. His spirit and grace would forsake them, no longer to
teach and guide them, and then they would be more and more bigoted,
besotted, and hardened in their idolatries. Thus <i>many evils and
troubles would befal them.</i> (<scripRef passage="De 31:17,21" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.6" parsed="|Deut|31|17|0|0;|Deut|31|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.17 Bible:Deut.31.21"><i>v.</i> 17, 21</scripRef>), which would be such
manifest indications of God's displeasure against them that they
themselves would be constrained to own it: <i>Have not these evils
come upon us because our God is not among us?</i> Those that have
sinned away their God will find that thereby they pull all
mischiefs upon their own heads. But that which completed their
misery was that God would <i>hide his face from them in that
day,</i> that day of their trouble and distress, <scripRef passage="De 31:18" id="Deu.xxxii-p18.7" parsed="|Deut|31|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. Whatever outward troubles we
are in, if we have but the light of God's countenance, we may be
easy. But, if God hide his face from us and our prayers, we are
undone.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p19">IV. He directs Moses to deliver them a
song, in the composing of which he should be divinely inspired, and
which should remain a standing testimony for God as faithful to
them in giving them warning, and against them as persons false to
themselves in not taking the warning, <scripRef passage="De 31:19" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|31|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. The written word in general, as
well as this song in particular, is a witness for God against all
those that break covenant with him. It shall be for a testimony,
<scripRef passage="Mt 24:14" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.2" parsed="|Matt|24|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.14">Matt. xxiv. 14</scripRef>. The wisdom
of man has devised many ways of conveying the knowledge of good and
evil, by laws, histories, prophecies, proverbs, and, among the
rest, by songs; each has its advantages. And the wisdom of God has
in the scripture made use of them all, that ignorant and careless
men might be left inexcusable. 1. This song, if rightly improved,
might be a means to prevent their apostasy; for in the inditing of
it God had an eye to their present imagination, now, <i>before they
were brought into the land of promise,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:21" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.3" parsed="|Deut|31|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. God knew very well that there
were in their hearts such gross conceits of the deity, and such
inclinations of idolatry, that they would be tinder to the sparks
of that temptation; and therefore in this song he gives them
warning of their danger that way. Note, The word of God is a
<i>discerner of the thoughts and intents of men's hearts,</i> and
meets with them strangely by its reproofs and corrections,
<scripRef passage="Heb 4:12" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.4" parsed="|Heb|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.4.12">Heb. iv. 12</scripRef>. Compare
<scripRef passage="1Co 14:25" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.5" parsed="|1Cor|14|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.14.25">1 Cor. xiv. 25</scripRef>. Ministers
who preach the word know not the imaginations men go about, but
God, whose word it is, knows perfectly. 2. If this song did not
prevent their apostasy, yet it might help to bring them to
repentance, and to recover them from their apostasy. When their
troubles come upon them, this <i>song shall not be forgotten,</i>
but may serve as a glass to show them their own faces, that they
may humble themselves, and return to him from whom they have
revolted. Note, Those for whom God has mercy in store he may leave
to fall, yet he will provide means for their recovery. Medicines
are prepared before-hand for their cure.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 31:22-30" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.6" parsed="|Deut|31|22|31|30" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.22-Deut.31.30"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.31.22-Deut.31.30">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxii-p19.7">The Song of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p19.8">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxii-p20">22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day,
and taught it the children of Israel. &#160; 23 And he gave Joshua
the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage:
for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I
sware unto them: and I will be with thee. &#160; 24 And it came to
pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law
in a book, until they were finished, &#160; 25 That Moses commanded
the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p20.1">Lord</span>, saying, &#160; 26 Take this book of the
law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p20.2">Lord</span> your God, that it may be there for a
witness against thee. &#160; 27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy
stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have
been rebellious against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p20.3">Lord</span>;
and how much more after my death? &#160; 28 Gather unto me all the
elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these
words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against
them. &#160; 29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly
corrupt <i>yourselves,</i> and turn aside from the way which I have
commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because
ye will do evil in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxii-p20.4">Lord</span>, to provoke him to anger through the work
of your hands. &#160; 30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the
congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were
ended.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p21">Here, I. The charge is given to Joshua,
which God has said (<scripRef passage="De 31:14" id="Deu.xxxii-p21.1" parsed="|Deut|31|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>) he would give him. The same in effect that Moses had
given him. The same in effect that Moses had given him (<scripRef passage="De 31:7" id="Deu.xxxii-p21.2" parsed="|Deut|31|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>Be strong and of a
good courage,</i> <scripRef passage="De 31:23" id="Deu.xxxii-p21.3" parsed="|Deut|31|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. Joshua had now heard from God so much of the
wickedness of the people whom he was to have the conduct of as
could not but be a discouragement to him: "Nay," says God, "how bad
soever they are, thou shalt go through thy understanding, for <i>I
will be with thee.</i> Thou shalt put them into possession of
Canaan. If they afterwards by their sin throw themselves out of it
again, that will be no fault of thine, nor any dishonour to thee,
therefore <i>be of good courage.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p22">II. The solemn delivery of the book of the
law to the Levites, to be deposited in the side of the ark, is here
again related (<scripRef passage="De 31:24-26" id="Deu.xxxii-p22.1" parsed="|Deut|31|24|31|26" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.24-Deut.31.26"><i>v.</i>
24-26</scripRef>), of which before, <scripRef passage="De 31:9" id="Deu.xxxii-p22.2" parsed="|Deut|31|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Only they are here directed where
to treasure up this precious original, not in the ark (there only
the two tables were preserved), but in another box <i>by the side
of the ark.</i> It is probable that this was the very book that was
found in the house of the Lord (having been somehow or other
misplaced) in the days of Josiah (<scripRef passage="2Ch 34:14" id="Deu.xxxii-p22.3" parsed="|2Chr|34|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.34.14">2
Chron. xxxiv. 14</scripRef>), and so perhaps the following words
here, <i>that it may be a witness against thee,</i> may
particularly point at that event, which happened so long after; for
the finding of this very book occasioned the public reading of it
by Josiah himself, for a witness against a people who were then
almost ripe for their ruin by the Babylonians.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxii-p23">III. The song which follows in the next
chapter is here delivered to Moses, and by him to the people. He
wrote it first (<scripRef passage="De 31:22" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.1" parsed="|Deut|31|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), as the Spirit of God indited it, and then <i>spoke
it in the ears of all the congregation</i> (<scripRef passage="De 31:30" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.2" parsed="|Deut|31|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.30"><i>v.</i> 30</scripRef>), and taught it to them
(<scripRef passage="De 31:22" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.3" parsed="|Deut|31|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>), that is,
gave out copies of it, and ordered the people to learn it by heart.
It was delivered by word of mouth first, and afterwards in writing,
to the elders and officers, as the representatives of their
respective tribes (<scripRef passage="De 31:28" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.4" parsed="|Deut|31|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.28"><i>v.</i>
28</scripRef>), by them to be transmitted to their several families
and households. It was delivered to them with a solemn appeal to
heaven and earth concerning the fair warning which was given them
by it of the fatal consequences of their apostasy from God, and
with a declaration of the little joy and little hope Moses had in
and concerning them. 1. He declares what little joy he had had of
them while he was with them, <scripRef passage="De 31:27" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.5" parsed="|Deut|31|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.27"><i>v.</i>
27</scripRef>. It is not in a passion that he says, <i>I know thy
rebellion</i> (as once he said unadvisedly, <i>Hear now, you
rebels</i>), but it is the result of a long acquaintance with them:
<i>you have been rebellious against the Lord.</i> Their rebellions
against himself he makes no mention of: these he had long since
forgiven and forgotten; but they must be made to hear of their
rebellions against God, that they may be ever repented of and never
repeated. 2. What little hopes he had of them now that he was
leaving them. From what God had now said to him (<scripRef passage="De 31:16" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.6" parsed="|Deut|31|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>) more than from his own
experience of them, though that was discouraging enough, he tells
them (<scripRef passage="De 31:29" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.7" parsed="|Deut|31|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>), <i>I
know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves.</i>
Many a sad thought, no doubt, it occasioned to this good man, to
foresee the apostasy and ruin of a people he had taken so much
pains with, in order to them good and make them happy; but this was
his comfort, that he had done his duty, and that God would be
glorified, if not in their settlement, yet in their dispersion.
Thus our Lord Jesus, a little before his death, foretold the rise
of false Christs and false prophets (<scripRef passage="Mt 24:24" id="Deu.xxxii-p23.8" parsed="|Matt|24|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.24.24">Matt. xxiv. 24</scripRef>), notwithstanding which, and
all the apostasies of the latter times, we may be confident that
<i>the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church,</i> for
the <i>foundation of God stands sure.</i></p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXII" n="xxxiii" progress="96.80%" prev="Deu.xxxii" next="Deu.xxxiv" id="Deu.xxxiii">
<h2 id="Deu.xxxiii-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxxiii-p0.2">CHAP. XXXII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1">In this chapter we have, I. The song which Moses,
by the appointment of God, delivered to the children of Israel, for
a standing admonition to them, to take heed of forsaking God. This
takes up most of the chapter, in which we have, 1. The preface,
<scripRef passage="De 32:1,2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|32|1|32|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.1-Deut.32.2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. 2. A high
character of God, and, in opposition to that, a bad character of
the people of Israel, <scripRef passage="De 32:3-6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|32|3|32|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.3-Deut.32.6">ver.
3-6</scripRef>. 3. A rehearsal of the great things God had done for
them, and in opposition to that an account of their ill carriage
towards him, <scripRef passage="De 32:7-18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|32|7|32|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.7-Deut.32.18">ver. 7-18</scripRef>.
4. A prediction of the wasting destroying judgments which God would
bring upon them for their sins, in which God is here justified by
the many aggravations of their impieties, <scripRef passage="De 32:19-33" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|32|19|32|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.19-Deut.32.33">ver. 19-33</scripRef>. 5. A promise of the
destruction of their enemies and oppressors at last, and the
glorious deliverance of a remnant of Israel, <scripRef passage="De 32:36-43" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|32|36|32|43" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.36-Deut.32.43">ver. 36-43</scripRef>. II. The exhortation with which
Moses delivered this song to them, <scripRef passage="De 32:41-47" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|32|41|32|47" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.41-Deut.32.47">ver. 41-47</scripRef>. III. The orders God gives to
Moses to go up to Mount Nebo and die, <scripRef passage="De 32:48-52" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|32|48|32|52" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.48-Deut.32.52">ver. 48</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:1-6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|32|1|32|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.1-Deut.32.6"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.1-Deut.32.6">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.10">The Song of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p1.11">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p2">1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. &#160; 2 My doctrine shall
drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small
rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
&#160; 3 Because I will publish the name of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p2.1">Lord</span>: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. &#160;
4 <i>He is</i> the Rock, his work <i>is</i> perfect: for all his
ways <i>are</i> judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just
and right <i>is</i> he. &#160; 5 They have corrupted themselves,
their spot <i>is</i> not <i>the spot</i> of his children: <i>they
are</i> a perverse and crooked generation. &#160; 6 Do ye thus
requite the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p2.2">Lord</span>, O foolish people
and unwise? <i>is</i> not he thy father <i>that</i> hath bought
thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3">Here is, I. A commanding preface or
introduction to this song of Moses, <scripRef passage="De 32:1,2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|32|1|32|2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.1-Deut.32.2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. He begins, 1. With a solemn
appeal to heaven and earth concerning the truth and importance of
what he was about to say, and the justice of the divine proceedings
against a rebellious and backsliding people, for he had said
(<scripRef passage="De 31:28" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|31|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.31.28"><i>ch.</i> xxxi. 28</scripRef>) that
he would in this song call heaven and earth to record against them.
Heaven and earth would sooner hear than this perverse and
unthinking people; for they revolt not from the obedience to their
Creator, but <i>continue to this day, according to his ordinances,
as his servants</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 119:89-91" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.3" parsed="|Ps|119|89|119|91" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.89-Ps.119.91">Ps. cxix.
89-91</scripRef>), and therefore will rise up in judgment against
rebellious Israel. Heaven and earth will be witnesses against
sinners, witnesses of the warning given them and of their refusal
to take the warning (see <scripRef passage="Job 20:27" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.4" parsed="|Job|20|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.20.27">Job xx.
27</scripRef>); the <i>heaven shall reveal his iniquity, and the
earth shall rise up against him.</i> Or heaven and earth are here
put for the inhabitants of both, angels and men; both shall agree
to justify God in his proceedings against Israel, and to <i>declare
his righteousness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 50:6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.5" parsed="|Ps|50|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.50.6">Ps. l.
6</scripRef>; see <scripRef passage="Re 19:1,2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.6" parsed="|Rev|19|1|19|2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.19.1-Rev.19.2">Rev. xix. 1,
2</scripRef>. 2. he begins with a solemn application of what he was
about to say to the people (<scripRef passage="De 32:2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.7" parsed="|Deut|32|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>): <i>My doctrine shall drop as the rain.</i> "It shall
be a beating sweeping rain to the rebellious;" so one of the
Chaldee paraphrasts expounds the first clause. Rain is sometimes
sent for judgment, witness that with which the world was deluged;
and so the word of God, while to some it is reviving and
refreshing&#8212;a <i>savour of life unto life,</i> is to others
terrifying and killing&#8212;a <i>savour of death unto death.</i> It
shall be as a sweet and comfortable dew to those who are rightly
prepared to receive it. Observe, (1.) The subject of this song is
doctrine; he had given them a song of praise and thanksgiving
(<scripRef passage="Ex 15:1-21" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.8" parsed="|Exod|15|1|15|21" osisRef="Bible:Exod.15.1-Exod.15.21">Exod. xv.</scripRef>), but this is
a song of instruction, for in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual
songs, we are not only to give glory to God, but to <i>teach and
admonish one another,</i> <scripRef passage="Col 3:16" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.9" parsed="|Col|3|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.3.16">Col. iii.
16</scripRef>. Hence many of David's psalms are entitled
<i>Maschil&#8212;to give instruction.</i> (2.) This doctrine is fitly
compared to rain and showers which come from above, to make the
earth fruitful, and <i>accomplish that for which they are sent.</i>
(<scripRef passage="Isa 55:10,11" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.10" parsed="|Isa|55|10|55|11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.55.10-Isa.55.11">Isa. lv. 10, 11</scripRef>), and
depend not upon the wisdom or will of man, <scripRef passage="Mic 5:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.11" parsed="|Mic|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.5.7">Mic. v. 7</scripRef>. It is a mercy to have this rain
come often upon us, and our duty to <i>drink it in,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 6:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.12" parsed="|Heb|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.6.7">Heb. vi. 7</scripRef>. (3.) He promises that his
doctrine shall drop and distil as the dew, and the small rain,
which descend silently and without noise. The word preached is
likely to profit when it comes gently, and sweetly insinuates
itself into the hearts and affections of the hearers. (4.) He
bespeaks their acceptance and entertainment of it, and that it
might be as sweet, and pleasant, and welcome to them as rain to the
<i>thirsty earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 72:6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p3.13" parsed="|Ps|72|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.72.6">Ps. lxxii.
6</scripRef>. And the word of God is likely to do us good when it
is thus acceptable. (5.) The learned bishop Patrick understands it
as a prayer that his words which were sent from heaven to them
might sink into their hearts and soften them, as the rain softens
the earth, and so make them fruitful in obedience.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p4">II. An awful declaration of the greatness
and righteousness of God, <scripRef passage="De 32:3,4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|32|3|32|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.3-Deut.32.4"><i>v.</i>
3, 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p5">1. He begins with this, and lays it down as
his first principle, (1.) To preserve the honour of God, that no
reproach might be cast upon him for the sake of the wickedness of
his people Israel; how wicked and corrupt soever those are who are
called by his name, he is just, and right, and all that is good,
and is not to be thought the worse of for their badness. (2.) To
aggravate the wickedness of Israel, who knew and worshipped such a
holy god, and yet were themselves so unholy. And, (3.) To justify
God in his dealings with them; we must abide by it, that God is
righteous, even when his <i>judgments are a great deep,</i>
<scripRef passage="Jer 12:1,Ps 36:6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p5.1" parsed="|Jer|12|1|0|0;|Ps|36|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.12.1 Bible:Ps.36.6">Jer. xii. 1; Ps. xxxvi.
6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6">2. Moses here sets himself to <i>publish
the name of the Lord</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:3" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|32|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>), that Israel, knowing what a God he is whom they had
avouched for theirs, might never be such fools as to exchange him
for a false god, a dunghill god. He calls upon them therefore to
ascribe greatness to him. It will be of great use to us for the
preventing of sin, and the preserving of us in the way of our duty,
always to keep up high and honourable thoughts of God, and to take
all occasions to express them: <i>Ascribe greatness to our God.</i>
We cannot add to his greatness, for it is infinite; but we must
acknowledge it, and give him the glory of it. Now, when Moses would
set forth the greatness of God, he does it, not by explaining his
eternity and immensity, or describing the brightness of his glory
in the upper world, but by showing the faithfulness of his word,
the perfection of his works, and the wisdom and equity of all the
administrations of his government; for in these his glory shines
most clearly to us, and these are the things revealed concerning
him, which <i>belong to us and our children,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|32|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. (1.) <i>He is the rock.</i> So he
is called six times in this chapter, and the LXX. all along
translates it <b><i>Theos,</i></b> <i>God.</i> The learned Mr. Hugh
Broughton reckons that God is called the <i>rock</i> eighteen times
(besides in this chapter) in the Old Testament (though in some
places we translate it <i>strength</i>), and charges it therefore
upon the papists that they make St. Peter a god when they make him
the rock on which the church is built. God is the rock, for he is
in himself immutable immovable, and he is to all that seek him and
fly to him an impenetrable shelter, and to all that trust in him an
everlasting foundation. (2.) <i>His work is perfect.</i> His work
of creation was so, <i>all very good;</i> his works of providence
are so, or will be so in due time, and when the mystery of God
shall be finished the perfection of his works will appear to all
the world. Nothing that God does can be mended, <scripRef passage="Ec 3:14" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6.3" parsed="|Eccl|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.14">Eccl. iii. 14</scripRef>. God was now perfecting what he
had promised and begun for his people Israel, and from the
perfection of this work they must take occasion to give him the
glory of the perfection of all his works. The best of men's works
are imperfect, they have their flaws and defects, and are left
unfinished; but, <i>as for God, his work is perfect;</i> if he
begin, he will make an end. (3.) <i>All his ways are judgment.</i>
The ends of his ways are all righteous, and he is wise in the
choice of the means in order to those ends. <i>Judgment</i>
signifies both <i>prudence</i> and <i>justice. The ways of the Lord
are right,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 14:9" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6.4" parsed="|Hos|14|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.14.9">Hos. xiv. 9</scripRef>.
(4.) He is <i>a God of truth,</i> whose word we may take and rely
upon, for he cannot lie who is faithful to all his promises, nor
shall his threatenings fall to the ground. (5.) He is <i>without
iniquity,</i> one who never cheated any that trusted in him, never
wronged any that appealed to his justice, nor ever was hard upon
any that cast themselves upon his mercy. (6.) <i>Just and right is
he.</i> As he will not wrong any by punishing them more than they
deserve, so he will not fail to recompense all those that serve him
or suffer for him. He is indeed just and right; for he will
effectually take care that none shall lose by him. Now what a
bright and amiable idea does this <scripRef passage="De 34:4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6.5" parsed="|Deut|34|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.4">one
verse</scripRef> give us of the God whom we worship; and what
reason have we then to love him and fear him, to live a life of
delight in him, dependence on him, and devotedness to him! This is
<i>our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him;</i> nor can
there be, <scripRef passage="Ps 92:15" id="Deu.xxxiii-p6.6" parsed="|Ps|92|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.92.15">Ps. xcii. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p7">III. A high charge exhibited against the
Israel of God, whose character was in all respects the reverse of
that of the <i>God of Israel,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:5" id="Deu.xxxiii-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. 1. <i>They have corrupted
themselves.</i> Or, <i>It has corrupted itself;</i> the body of the
people has: <i>the whole head sick, and the whole heart faint.</i>
God did not corrupt them, for <i>just and right is he;</i> but they
are themselves the sole authors of their own sin and ruin; and both
are included in this word. <i>They have debauched themselves;</i>
for every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust. And
<i>they have destroyed themselves,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 13:9" id="Deu.xxxiii-p7.2" parsed="|Hos|13|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.13.9">Hos. xiii. 9</scripRef>. If thou scornest, thou alone
shalt bear the guilt and grief, <scripRef passage="Pr 9:12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p7.3" parsed="|Prov|9|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.9.12">Prov.
ix. 12</scripRef>. 2. <i>Their spot is not the spot of his
children.</i> Even God's children have their spots, while they are
in this imperfect state; for if we say we have no sin, no spot, we
deceive ourselves. But the sin of Israel was none of those; it was
not an infirmity which they strove against, watched and prayed
against, but an evil which their hearts were fully set in them to
do. For, 3. They were a <i>perverse and crooked generation,</i>
that were actuated by a spirit of contradiction, and therefore
would do what was forbidden because it was forbidden, would set up
their own humour and fancy in opposition to the will of God, were
impatient of reproof, hated to be reformed, and <i>went on
frowardly in the way of their heart.</i> The Chaldee paraphrase
reads <scripRef passage="De 32:5" id="Deu.xxxiii-p7.4" parsed="|Deut|32|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.5">this verse</scripRef> thus:
<i>They have scattered</i> or changed <i>themselves, and not him,
even the children that served idols, a generation that has depraved
its own works, and alienated itself.</i> Idolaters cannot hurt God,
nor do any damage to his works, nor make him a stranger to this
world. See <scripRef passage="Job 35:6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p7.5" parsed="|Job|35|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.35.6">Job xxxv. 6</scripRef>. No,
all the hurt they do is to themselves and their own works. The
learned bishop Patrick gives another reading of it: <i>Did he do
him any hurt?</i> That is, "Is God the rock to be blamed for the
evils that should befal Israel? No, <i>His children are their
blot,</i>" that is, "All the evil that comes upon them is the fruit
of their children's wickedness; for the whole generation of them is
crooked and perverse." All that are ruined ruin themselves; they
die because they will die.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p8">IV. A pathetic expostulation with this
provoking people for their ingratitude (<scripRef passage="De 32:6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|32|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>): "<i>Do you thus requite the
Lord?</i> Surely you will not hereafter be so base and disingenuous
in your carriage towards him as you have been." 1. He reminds them
of the obligations God had laid upon them to serve him, and to
cleave to him. He had been a Father to them, had begotten them, fed
them, carried them, nursed them, and borne their manners; and would
they spurn at the bowels of a Father? He had bought them, had been
at a vast expense of miracles to bring them out of Egypt, had given
<i>men for them,</i> and <i>people for their life,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 43:4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p8.2" parsed="|Isa|43|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.4">Isa. xliii. 4</scripRef>. "<i>Is not he thy
Father, thy owner</i> (so some), that has an incontestable
propriety in thee?" and <i>the ox knoweth his owner.</i> "he has
made thee, and brought thee into being, established thee and kept
thee in being; has he not done so? Can you deny the engagements you
lie under to him, in consideration of the great things he has done
and designed for you?" And are not our obligations, as baptized
Christians, equally great and strong to our Creator that made us,
our Redeemer that bought us, and our Sanctifier that has
established us. 2. Hence he infers the evil of deserting him and
rebelling against him. For, (1.) It was base ingratitude: "<i>Do
you thus require the Lord?</i> Are these the returns you make him
for all his favours to you? The powers you have from him will you
employ them against him?" See <scripRef passage="Mic 6:3,Joh 10:32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p8.3" parsed="|Mic|6|3|0|0;|John|10|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.6.3 Bible:John.10.32">Mic. vi. 3, 4; John x. 32</scripRef>. This is
such monstrous villany as all the world will cry shame of: call a
man ungrateful, and you can call him no worse. (2.) It was
prodigious madness: <i>O foolish people and unwise!</i> Fools, and
double fools! <i>who has bewitched you?</i> <scripRef passage="Ga 3:1" id="Deu.xxxiii-p8.4" parsed="|Gal|3|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.3.1">Gal. iii. 1</scripRef>. "Fools indeed, to disoblige one on
whom you have such a necessary dependence! To forsake your own
mercies for lying vanities!" Note, All wilful sinners, especially
sinners in Israel, are the most unwise and the most ungrateful
people in the world.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:7-14" id="Deu.xxxiii-p8.5" parsed="|Deut|32|7|32|14" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.7-Deut.32.14"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.7-Deut.32.14">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p9">7 Remember the days of old, consider the years
of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy
elders, and they will tell thee. &#160; 8 When the most High
divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the
sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the
number of the children of Israel. &#160; 9 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p9.1">Lord</span>'s portion <i>is</i> his people; Jacob
<i>is</i> the lot of his inheritance. &#160; 10 He found him in a
desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about,
he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. &#160; 11
As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young,
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
&#160; 12 <i>So</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p9.2">Lord</span> alone
did lead him, and <i>there was</i> no strange god with him. &#160;
13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might
eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out
of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; &#160; 14 Butter of
kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed
of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou
didst drink the pure blood of the grape.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p10">Moses, having in general represented God to
them as their great benefactor, whom they were bound in gratitude
to observe and obey, in these verses gives particular instances of
God's kindness to them and concern for them. 1. Some instances were
ancient, and for proof of them he appeals to the records (<scripRef passage="De 32:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p10.1" parsed="|Deut|32|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>): <i>Remember the days of
old;</i> that is, "Keep in remembrance the history of those days,
and of the wonderful providences of God concerning the old world,
and concerning your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; you will
find a constant series of mercies attending them, and how long
since things were working towards that which has now come to pass."
Note, The authentic histories of ancient times are of singular use,
and especially the history of the church in its infancy, both the
Old-Testament and the New-Testament church. 2. Others were more
modern, and for proof of them he appeals to their fathers and
elders that were now alive and with them. Parents must diligently
teach their children, not only the word of God, his laws (<scripRef passage="De 6:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p10.2" parsed="|Deut|6|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.6.7"><i>ch.</i> vi. 7</scripRef>), and the meaning of
his ordinances (<scripRef passage="Ex 12:26,27" id="Deu.xxxiii-p10.3" parsed="|Exod|12|26|12|27" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.26-Exod.12.27">Exod. xii. 26,
27</scripRef>), but his works also, and the methods of his
providence. See <scripRef passage="Ps 78:3,4,6,7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p10.4" parsed="|Ps|78|3|78|4;|Ps|78|6|0|0;|Ps|78|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.3-Ps.78.4 Bible:Ps.78.6 Bible:Ps.78.7">Ps. lxxviii. 3,
4, 6, 7</scripRef>. And children should desire the knowledge of
those things which will be of use to engage them to their duty and
to direct them in it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p11">Three things are here enlarged upon as
instances of God's kindness to his people Israel, and strong
obligations upon them never to forsake him:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p12">I. The early designation of the land of
Canaan for their inheritance; for herein it was a type and figure
of our heavenly inheritance, that it was of old ordained and
prepared in the divine counsels, <scripRef passage="De 32:8" id="Deu.xxxiii-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|32|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13">1. When the earth was divided among the
sons of men, in the days of Peleg, after the flood, and each family
had its lot, in which it must settle, and by degrees grow up into a
nation, then God had Israel in his thoughts and in his eye; for,
designing this good land into which they were now going to be in
due time an inheritance for them, he ordered that the posterity of
Canaan, rather than any other of the families then in being, should
be planted there in the meantime, to keep possession, as it were,
till Israel was ready for it, because those families were under the
curse of Noah, by which they were condemned to servitude and ruin
(<scripRef passage="Ge 9:25" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.1" parsed="|Gen|9|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.9.25">Gen. ix. 25</scripRef>), and therefore
would be the more justly, honourably, easily, and effectually,
rooted out, when the fulness of time should come that Israel should
take possession. Thus he set the bounds of that people with an eye
to the designed number of the children of Israel, that they might
have just as much as would serve their turn. And some observe that
Canaan himself, and his eleven sons (<scripRef passage="Ge 10:15-18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.2" parsed="|Gen|10|15|10|18" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.15-Gen.10.18">Gen. x. 15</scripRef>, &amp;c.), make up just the
number of the twelve tribes of Israel. Note, (1.) The wisdom of God
has appointed the bounds of men's habitation, and determined both
the place and time of our living in the world, <scripRef passage="Ac 17:26" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.3" parsed="|Acts|17|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.17.26">Acts xvii. 26</scripRef>. When he <i>gave the earth to
the children of men</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 115:16" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.4" parsed="|Ps|115|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.115.16">Ps. cxv.
16</scripRef>), it was not that every man might catch as he could;
no, he divides to nations their inheritance, and will have every
one to know his own, and not to invade another's property. (2.)
Infinite wisdom has a vast reach, and designs beforehand what is
brought to pass long after. <i>Known unto God are all his works</i>
from the beginning to the end (<scripRef passage="Ac 15:18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.5" parsed="|Acts|15|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.15.18">Acts
xv. 18</scripRef>), but they are not so to us, <scripRef passage="Ec 3:11" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.6" parsed="|Eccl|3|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.11">Eccl. iii. 11</scripRef>. (3.) The great God, in
governing the world, and ordering the affairs of states and
kingdoms, has a special regard to his church and people, and
consults their good in all. See <scripRef passage="2Ch 16:9,Isa 45:4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.7" parsed="|2Chr|16|9|0|0;|Isa|45|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.16.9 Bible:Isa.45.4">2 Chron. xvi. 9, and Isa. xlv. 4</scripRef>.
The Canaanites thought they had as good and sure a title to their
land as any of their neighbours had to theirs; but God intended
that they should only be tenants, till the Israelites, their
landlords, came. Thus God serves his own purposes of kindness to
his people, by those that neither know him nor love him, <i>who
mean not so, neither doth their heart think so,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 10:7,Mic 4:12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p13.8" parsed="|Isa|10|7|0|0;|Mic|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.7 Bible:Mic.4.12">Isa. x. 7; Mic. iv. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p14">2. The reason given for the particular care
God took for this people, so long before they were either born or
thought of (as I may say), in our world, does yet more magnify the
kindness, and make it obliging beyond expression (<scripRef passage="De 32:9" id="Deu.xxxiii-p14.1" parsed="|Deut|32|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>For the Lord's
portion is his people.</i> All the world is his. He is owner and
possessor of heaven and earth, but his church is his in a peculiar
manner. It is his demesne, his vineyard, his garden enclosed. He
has a particular delight in it: it is the beloved of his soul, in
it he walks, he dwells, it is his rest for ever. He has a
particular concern for it, keeps it as the apple of his eye. He has
particular expectations from it, as a man has from his portion, has
a much greater rent of honour, glory, and worship, from that
distinguished remnant, than from all the world besides. That God
should be his people's portion is easy to be accounted for, for he
is their joy and felicity; but how they should be his portion, who
neither needs them nor can be benefited by them, must be resolved
into the wondrous condescensions of free grace. <i>Even so, Father,
because it seemed good in thy eyes</i> so to call and to account
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p15">II. The forming of them into a people, that
they might be fit to enter upon this inheritance, like an heir of
age, at the time appointed of the Father. And herein also Canaan
was a figure of the heavenly inheritance; for, as it was from
eternity proposed and designed for all God's spiritual Israel, so
they are, in time (and it is a work of time), fitted and made meet
for it, <scripRef passage="Col 1:12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p15.1" parsed="|Col|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.1.12">Col. i. 12</scripRef>. The
deliverance of Israel out of slavery, by the destruction of their
oppressors, was attended with so many wonders obvious to sense, and
had been so often spoken of, that it needed not to be mentioned in
this song; but the gracious works God wrought upon them would be
less taken notice of than the glorious works he had wrought for
them, and therefore he chooses rather to advert to them. A great
deal was done to model this people, to cast them into some shape,
and to fit them for the great things designed for them in the land
of promise; and it is here most elegantly described.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p16">1. <i>He found him in a desert land,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 32:10" id="Deu.xxxiii-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|32|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. This refers,
no doubt, to the wilderness through which God brought them to
Canaan, and in which he took so much pains with them; it is called
<i>the church in the wilderness,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:38" id="Deu.xxxiii-p16.2" parsed="|Acts|7|38|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.38">Acts vii. 38</scripRef>. There it was born, and nursed,
and educated, that all might appear to be divine and from heaven,
since they had there no communication with any part of this earth
either for food or learning. But, because he is said to <i>find</i>
them there, it seems designed also to represent both the bad state
and the bad character of that people when God began first to appear
for them. (1.) Their condition was forlorn. Egypt was to them a
desert land, and a waste howling wilderness, for they were
bond-slaves in it, and cried by reason of their oppression, and
were perfectly bewildered and at a loss for relief; there God found
them, and thence he fetched them. And, (2.) Their disposition was
very unpromising. So ignorant were the generality of them in divine
things, so stupid and unapt to receive the impressions of them, so
peevish and humoursome, so froward and quarrelsome, and withal so
strangely addicted to the idolatries of Egypt, that they might well
be said to be found in a desert land; for one might as reasonably
expect a crop of corn from a barren wilderness as any good fruit of
service to God from a people of such a character. Those that are
renewed and sanctified by grace should often remember what they
were by nature.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p17">2. <i>He led him about and instructed
him.</i> When God had them in the wilderness he did not bring them
directly to Canaan, but made them go a great way about, and so he
instructed them; that is, (1.) by this means he took time to
instruct them, and gave them commandments as they were able to
receive them. Those whose business it is to instruct others must
not expect it will be done of a sudden; learners must have time to
learn. (2.) By this means he tried their faith, and patience, and
dependence upon God, and inured them to the hardships of the
wilderness, and so instructed them. Every stage had something in it
that was instructive; even when he chastened them, he thereby
<i>taught them out of his law.</i> It is said (<scripRef passage="Ps 107:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p17.1" parsed="|Ps|107|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.107.7">Ps. cvii. 7</scripRef>) that he <i>led them forth by the
right way;.</i> and yet here that he <i>led them about;</i> for God
always leads his people the right way, however to us it may seem
circuitous: so that the furthest way about proves, if not the
nearest way, yet the best way home to Canaan. How God instructed
them is explained long after (<scripRef passage="Ne 9:13" id="Deu.xxxiii-p17.2" parsed="|Neh|9|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Neh.9.13">Neh. ix.
13</scripRef>), <i>Thou gavest them right judgments and true laws,
good statutes, and commandments;</i> and especially (<scripRef passage="De 32:20" id="Deu.xxxiii-p17.3" parsed="|Deut|32|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), <i>Thou gavest them
also thy good Spirit to instruct them;</i> and he instructs
effectually. We may well imagine how unfit that people would have
been for Canaan had they not first gone through the discipline of
the wilderness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p18">3. <i>He kept him as the apple of his
eye,</i> with all the care and tenderness that could be, from the
malignant influences of an open sky and air, and all the perils of
an inhospitable desert. The pillar of cloud and fire was both a
guide and a guard to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p19">4. He did that for them which the eagle
does for her nest of young ones, <scripRef passage="De 32:11,12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|32|11|32|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.11-Deut.32.12"><i>v.</i> 11, 12</scripRef>. The similitude was
touched, <scripRef passage="Ex 19:4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p19.2" parsed="|Exod|19|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.19.4">Exod. xix. 4</scripRef>, <i>I
bore you on eagles' wings;</i> here it is enlarged upon. The eagle
is observed to have a strong affection for her young, and to show
it, not only as other creatures by protecting them and making
provision for them, but by educating them and teaching them to fly.
For this purpose she stirs them out of the nest where they lie
dozing, flutters over them, to show them how they must use their
wings, and then accustoms them to fly upon her wings till they have
learnt to fly upon their own. This, by the way, is an example to
parents to train up their children to business, and not to indulge
them in idleness and the love of ease. God did thus by Israel; when
they were in love with their slavery, and loth to leave it, God, by
Moses, stirred them up to aspire after liberty, and many a time
kept them from returning to the house of bondage. He carried them
out of Egypt, led them into the wilderness, and now at length had
led them through it. <i>The Lord alone did lead him,</i> he needed
not any assistance, nor did he take any to be partner with him in
the achievement, which was a good reason why they should serve the
Lord only and no other, so much as in partnership, much less in
rivalship with him. There was no strange god with him to contribute
to Israel's salvation, and therefore there should be none to share
in Israel's homage and adoration, <scripRef passage="Ps 81:9" id="Deu.xxxiii-p19.3" parsed="|Ps|81|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.81.9">Ps.
lxxxi. 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p20">III. The settling of them in a good land.
This was done in part already, in the happy planting of the two
tribes and a half, an earnest of what would speedily and certainly
be done for the rest of the tribes. 1. They were blessed with
glorious victories over their enemies (<scripRef passage="De 32:13" id="Deu.xxxiii-p20.1" parsed="|Deut|32|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>He made him ride on the
high places of the earth,</i> that is, he brought him on with
conquest, and brought him home with triumph. he rode over the high
places or strong holds that were kept against him, sat in ease and
honour upon the fruitful hills of Canaan. In Egypt they looked
mean, and were so, in poverty and disgrace; but in Canaan they
looked great, and were so, advanced and enriched; they rode in
state, as a people whom the King of kings delighted to honour. 2.
With great plenty of all good things. Not only the ordinary
increase of the field, but, which was uncommon, <i>Honey out of the
rock, and oil out of the flinty rock,</i> which may refer either,
(1.) To their miraculous supply of fresh water out of the rock that
followed them in the wilderness, which is called <i>honey and
oil,</i> because the necessity they were reduced to made it as
sweet and acceptable as honey and oil at another time. Or, (2.) To
the great abundance of honey and oil they should find in Canaan,
even in those parts that were least fertile. The rocks in Canaan
should yield a better increase than the fields and meadows of other
countries. Other productions of Canaan are mentioned, <scripRef passage="De 32:14" id="Deu.xxxiii-p20.2" parsed="|Deut|32|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. Such abundance and such
variety of wholesome food (and every thing the best in its kind)
that every meal might be a feast if they pleased: excellent bread
made of the best corn, here called the <i>kidneys of the wheat</i>
(for a grain of wheat is not unlike a kidney), butter and milk in
abundance, the flesh of cattle well fed, and for their drink, no
worse than the <i>pure blood of the grape;</i> so indulgent a
Father was God to them, and so kind a benefactor. Ainsworth makes
the plenty of good things in Canaan to be a figure of the
fruitfulness of Christ's kingdom, and the heavenly comforts of his
word and Spirit: for the children of his kingdom he has butter and
milk, the sincere milk of the word; and strong meat for strong men,
with the wine that makes glad the heart.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p20.3" parsed="|Deut|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:15-18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p20.4" parsed="|Deut|32|15|32|18" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.15-Deut.32.18"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.15-Deut.32.18">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p21">15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art
waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered <i>with
fatness;</i> then he forsook God <i>which</i> made him, and lightly
esteemed the Rock of his salvation. &#160; 16 They provoked him to
jealousy with strange <i>gods,</i> with abominations provoked they
him to anger. &#160; 17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to
gods whom they knew not, to new <i>gods that</i> came newly up,
whom your fathers feared not. &#160; 18 Of the Rock <i>that</i>
begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed
thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p22">We have here a description of the apostasy
of Israel from God, which would shortly come to pass, and to which
already they had a disposition. One would have thought that a
people under so many obligations to their God, in duty, gratitude,
and interest, would never have turned from him; but, alas! they
<i>turned aside quickly.</i> Here are two great instances of their
wickedness, and each of them amounted to an apostasy from
God:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p23">I. Security and sensuality, pride and
insolence, and the other common abuses of plenty and prosperity,
<scripRef passage="De 32:15" id="Deu.xxxiii-p23.1" parsed="|Deut|32|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. These people
were called <i>Jeshurun&#8212;an upright people</i> (so some), <i>a
seeing people,</i> so others: but they soon lost the reputation
both of their knowledge and of their righteousness; for, being
well-fed, 1. They <i>waxed fat,</i> and <i>grew thick,</i> that is,
they indulged themselves in all manner of luxury and gratifications
of their appetites, as if they had nothing to do but to <i>make
provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts of it.</i> They
<i>grew fat,</i> that is, they grew big and unwieldy, unmindful of
business, and unfit for it; dull and stupid, careless and
senseless; and this was the effect of their plenty. Thus <i>the
prosperity of fools destroys them,</i> <scripRef passage="Pr 1:32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p23.2" parsed="|Prov|1|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.32">Prov. i. 32</scripRef>. Yet this was not the worst of it.
2. They <i>kicked;</i> they grew proud and insolent, and <i>lifted
up the heel</i> even against God himself. If God rebuked them,
either by his prophets or by his providence, they <i>kicked against
the goad,</i> as an <i>untamed heifer,</i> or a <i>bullock
unaccustomed to the yoke,</i> and in their rage persecuted the
prophets, and flew in the face of providence itself. And thus he
<i>forsook God that made him</i> (not paying due respect to his
creator, nor answering the ends of his creation), and put an
intolerable contempt upon <i>the rock of his salvation,</i> as if
he were not indebted to him for any past favours, nor had any
dependence upon him for the future. Those that make a god of
themselves and a god of their bellies, in pride and wantonness, and
cannot bear to be told of it, certainly thereby forsake God and
show how lightly they esteem him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p24">II. Idolatry was the great instance of
their apostasy, and which the former led them to, as it made them
sick of their religion, self-willed, and fond of changes.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p25">1. What sort of gods they chose and offered
sacrifice to, when they forsook the God that made them, <scripRef passage="De 32:16,17" id="Deu.xxxiii-p25.1" parsed="|Deut|32|16|32|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.16-Deut.32.17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. This aggravated
their sin that those very services which they should have done to
the true God they did, (1.) To <i>strange gods,</i> that could not
pretend to have done them any kindness, or laid them under any
obligation to them, gods that they had no knowledge of, nor could
expect any benefit by, for they were strangers. Or they are called
<i>strange gods,</i> because they were other than the one only true
God, to whom they were betrothed and ought to have been faithful.
(2.) To <i>new gods, that came newly up;</i> for even in religion,
the antiquity of which is one of its honours, vain minds have
strangely affected novelty, and, in contempt of the Ancient of
days, have been fond of new gods. A new god! can there be a more
monstrous absurdity? Would we find the right way to rest, we must
ask for the <i>good old way,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 6:16" id="Deu.xxxiii-p25.2" parsed="|Jer|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.6.16">Jer.
vi. 16</scripRef>. It was true their fathers had worshipped
<i>other gods</i> (<scripRef passage="Jos 24:2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p25.3" parsed="|Josh|24|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.24.2">Josh. xxiv.
2</scripRef>), and perhaps it had been some little excuse if the
children had returned to them; but to serve <i>new gods whom their
fathers feared not,</i> and to like them the better for being new,
was to open a door to endless idolatries. (3.) They were such as
were no gods at all, but mere counterfeits and pretenders; their
names the invention of men's fancies, and their images the work of
men's hands. Nay, (4.) They were devils. So far from being <i>gods,
fathers</i> and <i>benefactors</i> to mankind, they really were
<i>destroyers</i> (so the word signifies), such as aimed to do
mischief. If there were any spirits or invisible powers that
possessed their idol-temples and images, they were evil spirits and
malignant powers, whom yet they did not need to worship for fear
they should hurt them, as they say the Indians do; for those that
faithfully worship God are out of the devil's reach: nay, the devil
can destroy those only that sacrifice to him. How mad are
idolaters, who forsake the <i>rock of salvation</i> to run
themselves upon the <i>rock of perdition!</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p26">2. What a great affront this was to Jehovah
their God. (1.) It was justly interpreted a forgetting of him
(<scripRef passage="De 32:18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p26.1" parsed="|Deut|32|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>): <i>Of the
Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful.</i> Mindfulness of God
would prevent sin, but, when the world is served and the flesh
indulged, God is forgotten; and can any thing be more base and
unworthy than to forget the God that is the author of our being, by
whom we subsist, and in whom we live and move? And see what comes
of it, <scripRef passage="Isa 17:10,11" id="Deu.xxxiii-p26.2" parsed="|Isa|17|10|17|11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.17.10-Isa.17.11">Isa. xvii. 10,
11</scripRef>, <i>Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy
salvation, and hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy
strength,</i> though the strange slips be pleasant plants at first,
yet the harvest at last <i>will be a heap in the day of grief and
of desperate sorrow.</i> There is nothing got by forgetting God.
(2.) It was justly resented as an inexcusable offence: <i>They
provoked him to jealousy and to anger</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:16" id="Deu.xxxiii-p26.3" parsed="|Deut|32|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), for their idols were
abominations to him. See here God's displeasure against idols,
whether they be set up in the heart or in the sanctuary. [1.] He is
jealous of them, as rivals with him for the throne in the heart.
[2.] He hates them, as enemies to his crown and government. [3.] He
is, and will be, very angry with those that have any respect or
affection for them. Those consider not what they do that provoke
God; for <i>who knows the power of his anger?</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p26.4" parsed="|Deut|32|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:19-25" id="Deu.xxxiii-p26.5" parsed="|Deut|32|19|32|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.19-Deut.32.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.19-Deut.32.25">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p27">19 And when the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p27.1">Lord</span> saw <i>it,</i> he abhorred <i>them,</i>
because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. &#160;
20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what
their end <i>shall be:</i> for they <i>are</i> a very froward
generation, children in whom <i>is</i> no faith. &#160; 21 They
have moved me to jealousy with <i>that which is</i> not God; they
have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them
to jealousy with <i>those which are</i> not a people; I will
provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. &#160; 22 For a fire
is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and
shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains. &#160; 23 I will heap mischiefs upon
them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. &#160; 24 <i>They shall
be</i> burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with
bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them,
with the poison of serpents of the dust. &#160; 25 The sword
without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and
the virgin, the suckling <i>also</i> with the man of gray
hairs.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p28">The method of this song follows the method
of the predictions in the foregoing chapter, and therefore, after
the revolt of Israel from God, described in the <scripRef passage="De 32:15,16" id="Deu.xxxiii-p28.1" parsed="|Deut|32|15|32|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.15-Deut.32.16">foregoing verses</scripRef>, here follow immediately
the resolves of divine Justice concerning them; we deceive
ourselves if we think that God will be thus mocked by a foolish
faithless people, that play fast and loose with him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p29">I. He had delighted in them, but now he
would reject them with detestation and disdain, <scripRef passage="De 32:19" id="Deu.xxxiii-p29.1" parsed="|Deut|32|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. When the Lord saw their
treachery, and folly, and base ingratitude, he abhorred them, he
despised them, so some read it. Sin makes us odious in the sight of
the holy God; and no sinners are so loathsome to him as those that
he has called, and that have called themselves, his sons and his
daughters, and yet have been provoking to him. Note, The nearer any
are to God in profession the more noisome are they to him if they
are defiled in a sinful way, <scripRef passage="Ps 106:39,40" id="Deu.xxxiii-p29.2" parsed="|Ps|106|39|106|40" osisRef="Bible:Ps.106.39-Ps.106.40">Ps.
cvi. 39, 40</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p30">II. He had given them the tokens of his
presence with them and his favour to them; but now he would
withdraw and <i>hide his face from them,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:20" id="Deu.xxxiii-p30.1" parsed="|Deut|32|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. His <i>hiding his face</i>
signifies his great displeasure; they had <i>turned their back</i>
upon God, and now God would turn his back upon them (compare
<scripRef passage="Jer 18:17,Jer 2:27" id="Deu.xxxiii-p30.2" parsed="|Jer|18|17|0|0;|Jer|2|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.18.17 Bible:Jer.2.27">Jer. xviii. 17 with Jer. ii.
27</scripRef>); but here it denotes also the slowness of God's
proceedings against them in a way of judgment. They began in their
apostasy with omissions of good, and so proceeded to commissions of
evil. In like manner God will first suspend his favours, and let
them see what the issue of that will be, what a friend they lose
when they provoke God to depart, and will try whether this will
bring them to repentance. Thus we find God hiding himself, as it
were, in expectation of the event, <scripRef passage="Isa 57:17" id="Deu.xxxiii-p30.3" parsed="|Isa|57|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.57.17">Isa. lvii. 17</scripRef>. To justify himself in leaving
them he shows that they were such as there was no dealing with;
for, 1. They were froward and a people that could not be pleased,
or obstinate in sin, and that could not be convinced and reclaimed.
2. They were faithless, and a people that could not be trusted.
When he saved them, and took them into covenant, he said, <i>Surely
they are children that will not lie</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 63:8" id="Deu.xxxiii-p30.4" parsed="|Isa|63|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.8">Isa. lxiii. 8</scripRef>); but when they proved
otherwise, <i>children in whom is no faith,</i> they deserved to be
abandoned, and that the God of truth should have no more to do with
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p31">III. He had done every thing to make them
easy and to please them, but now he would do that against them
which should be most vexatious to them. The punishment here answers
the sin, <scripRef passage="De 32:21" id="Deu.xxxiii-p31.1" parsed="|Deut|32|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. 1.
They had provoked God with despicable deities which were not gods
at all, but vanities, creatures of their own imagination, that
could not pretend either to merit or to repay the respects of their
worshippers; the more vain and vile the gods were after which they
went a whoring the greater was the offence to that great and good
God whom they set them up in competition with and contradiction to.
This put two great evils into their idolatry, <scripRef passage="Jer 2:13" id="Deu.xxxiii-p31.2" parsed="|Jer|2|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.13">Jer. ii. 13</scripRef>. 2. God would therefore plague
them with despicable enemies, that were worthless, weak, and
inconsiderable, and not deserving the name of a people, which was a
great mortification to them, and aggravated the oppressions they
groaned under. The more base the people were that tyrannised over
them the more barbarous they would be (none so insolent as a beggar
on horseback), besides that it would be infamous to Israel, who had
so often triumphed over great and mighty nations, to be themselves
trampled upon by the weak and foolish, and to come under the curse
of Canaan, who was to be a servant of servants. But God can make
the weakest instrument a scourge to the strongest sinner; and those
that by sin insult their might Creator are justly insulted by the
meanest of their fellow-creatures. This was remarkably fulfilled in
the days of the judges, when they were sometimes oppressed by the
very Canaanites themselves, whom they had subdued, <scripRef passage="Jdg 4:2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p31.3" parsed="|Judg|4|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.4.2">Judg. iv. 2</scripRef>. But the apostle applies
it to the conversion of the Gentiles, who had been a people not in
covenant with God, and foolish in divine things, yet were brought
into the church, sorely to the grief of the Jews, who upon all
occasions showed a great indignation at it, which was both their
sin and their punishment, as envy always is, <scripRef passage="Ro 10:19" id="Deu.xxxiii-p31.4" parsed="|Rom|10|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.10.19">Rom. x. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32">IV. He had planted them in a good land, and
replenished them with all good things; but now he would strip them
of all their comforts, and bring them to ruin. The judgments
threatened are very terrible, <scripRef passage="De 32:22-25" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.1" parsed="|Deut|32|22|32|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.22-Deut.32.25"><i>v.</i> 22-25</scripRef>. 1. The fire of God's
anger shall consume them, <scripRef passage="De 32:22" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.2" parsed="|Deut|32|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>. Are they proud of their plenty? It shall burn up the
increase of the earth. Are they confident of their strength? It
shall destroy the very foundations of their mountains: there is no
fence against the judgments of God when they come with commission
to lay all waste. It shall burn to the lowest hell, that is, it
shall bring them to the very depth of misery in this world, which
yet would be but a faint resemblance of the complete and endless
misery of sinners in the other world. The damnation of hell (as our
Saviour calls it) is the fire of God's anger, fastening upon the
guilty conscience of a sinner, to its inexpressible and everlasting
torment, <scripRef passage="Isa 30:33" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.3" parsed="|Isa|30|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.33">Isa. xxx. 33</scripRef>. 2.
The arrows of God's judgments shall be spent upon them, till his
quiver is quite exhausted, <scripRef passage="De 32:23" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.4" parsed="|Deut|32|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.23"><i>v.</i>
23</scripRef>. The judgments of God, like arrows, fly swiftly
(<scripRef passage="Ps 64:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.5" parsed="|Ps|64|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.64.7">Ps. lxiv. 7</scripRef>), reaching
those at a distance who flatter themselves with hopes of escaping
them, <scripRef passage="Ps 21:8,12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.6" parsed="|Ps|21|8|0|0;|Ps|21|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.21.8 Bible:Ps.21.12">Ps. xxi. 8, 12</scripRef>.
They come from an unseen hand, but wound mortally, for God never
misses his mark, <scripRef passage="1Ki 22:34" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.7" parsed="|1Kgs|22|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.22.34">1 Kings xxii.
34</scripRef>. The particular judgments here threatened are, (1.)
Famine: <i>they shall be burnt,</i> or <i>parched, with hunger.</i>
(2.) Pestilence and other diseases, here called <i>burning heat and
bitter destruction.</i> (3.) The insults of the inferior creatures:
<i>the teeth of beasts and the poison of serpents,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:24" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.8" parsed="|Deut|32|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. (4.) War and the fatal
consequences of it, <scripRef passage="De 32:25" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.9" parsed="|Deut|32|25|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.25"><i>v.</i>
25</scripRef>. [1.] Perpetual frights. When the <i>sword is
without,</i> there cannot but be <i>terror within.</i> <scripRef passage="2Co 7:5" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.10" parsed="|2Cor|7|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.7.5">2 Cor. vii. 5</scripRef>, <i>Without were
fightings, within were fears.</i> Those who cast off the fear of
God are justly exposed to the fear of enemies. [2.] Universal
deaths. The sword of the Lord, when it is sent to lay all waste,
will destroy without distinction; neither the strength of the young
man nor the beauty of the virgin, neither the innocency of the
suckling nor the gravity or infirmity of the man of gray hairs,
will be their security from the sword when it devours one as well
as another. Such devastation does war make, especially when it is
pushed on by men as ravenous as wild beasts and as venomous as
serpents, <scripRef passage="De 32:24" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.11" parsed="|Deut|32|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. See
here what mischief sin does, and reckon those fools that make a
mock at it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:26-38" id="Deu.xxxiii-p32.12" parsed="|Deut|32|26|32|38" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.26-Deut.32.38"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.26-Deut.32.38">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p33">26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I
would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: &#160;
27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their
adversaries should behave themselves strangely, <i>and</i> lest
they should say, Our hand <i>is</i> high, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p33.1">Lord</span> hath not done all this. &#160; 28 For they
<i>are</i> a nation void of counsel, neither <i>is there any</i>
understanding in them. &#160; 29 O that they were wise, <i>that</i>
they understood this, <i>that</i> they would consider their latter
end! &#160; 30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten
thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p33.2">Lord</span> had shut them up? &#160; 31 For their
rock <i>is</i> not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves
<i>being</i> judges. &#160; 32 For their vine <i>is</i> of the vine
of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes <i>are</i>
grapes of gall, their clusters <i>are</i> bitter: &#160; 33 Their
wine <i>is</i> the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
&#160; 34 <i>Is</i> not this laid up in store with me, <i>and</i>
sealed up among my treasures? &#160; 35 To me <i>belongeth</i>
vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in <i>due</i>
time: for the day of their calamity <i>is</i> at hand, and the
things that shall come upon them make haste. &#160; 36 For the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p33.3">Lord</span> shall judge his people, and
repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that <i>their</i>
power is gone, and <i>there is</i> none shut up, or left. &#160; 37
And he shall say, Where <i>are</i> their gods, <i>their</i> rock in
whom they trusted, &#160; 38 Which did eat the fat of their
sacrifices, <i>and</i> drank the wine of their drink offerings? let
them rise up and help you, <i>and</i> be your protection.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p34">After many terrible threatenings of
deserved wrath and vengeance, we have here surprising intimations
of mercy, undeserved mercy, which rejoices against judgment, and by
which it appears that God has <i>no pleasure in the death of
sinners,</i> but would rather they should <i>turn and live.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p35">I. In jealousy for his own honour, he will
not <i>make a full end</i> of them, <scripRef passage="De 32:26-28" id="Deu.xxxiii-p35.1" parsed="|Deut|32|26|32|28" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.26-Deut.32.28"><i>v.</i> 26-28</scripRef>. 1. It cannot be denied
but that they deserved to be utterly ruined, and that their
<i>remembrance should be made to cease from among men,</i> so that
the name of an Israelite should never be known but in history;
<i>for they were a nation void of counsel</i> (<scripRef passage="De 32:28" id="Deu.xxxiii-p35.2" parsed="|Deut|32|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>), the most sottish inconsiderate
people that ever were, that would not believe the gory of God,
though they saw it, nor understand his loving kindness, though they
tasted it and lived upon it. Of those who could cast off such a
God, such a law, such a covenant, for vain and dunghill-deities, it
might truly be said, There is <i>no understanding in them.</i> 2.
It would have been an easy thing with God to ruin them and blot out
the remembrance of them; when the greatest part of them were cut
off by the sword, it was but scattering the remnant into some
remote obscure corners of the earth, where they should never have
been heard of any more, and the thing had been done. See <scripRef passage="Eze 5:12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p35.3" parsed="|Ezek|5|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.5.12">Ezek. v. 12</scripRef>. God can destroy those
that are most strongly fortified, disperse those that are most
closely united, and bury those names in perpetual oblivion that
have been most celebrated. 3. Justice demanded it: <i>I said I
would scatter them.</i> It is fit those should be cut off from the
earth that have cut themselves off from their God; why should they
not be dealt with according to their deserts? 4. Wisdom considered
the pride and insolence of the enemy, which would take occasion
from the ruin of a people that had been so dear to God, and for
whom he had done such great things, to reflect upon God and to
imagine that because they had got the better of Israel they had
carried the day against the God of Israel: The <i>adversaries will
say, Our hand is high,</i> high indeed, when it has been too high
for those whom God himself fought for; nor will they consider that
<i>the Lord has done all this,</i> but will dream that they have
done it in despite of him, as if the God of Israel were as weak and
impotent, and as easily run down, as the pretended deities of other
nations. 5. In consideration of this, Mercy prevails for the
sparing of a remnant and the saving of that unworthy people from
utter ruin: <i>I feared the wrath of the enemy.</i> It is an
expression after the manner of men; it is certain that God fears no
man's wrath, but he acted in this matter as if he had feared it.
Those few good people in Israel that had a concern for the honour
of God's name <i>feared the wrath of the enemy</i> in this instance
more than in any other, as Joshua (<scripRef passage="Jos 7:9" id="Deu.xxxiii-p35.4" parsed="|Josh|7|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.7.9">Josh. vii. 9</scripRef>), and David often; and, because
they feared it, God himself is said to fear it. He needed not Moses
to plead it with him, but reminded himself of it: <i>What will the
Egyptians say?</i> Let all those whose hearts tremble for the ark
of God and his Israel comfort themselves with this, that God will
<i>work for his own name,</i> and will not suffer it to be profaned
and polluted: how much soever we deserve to be disgraced, God will
never <i>disgrace the throne of his glory.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p36">II. In concern for their welfare, he
earnestly desires their conversion; and, in order to that, their
serious consideration of their latter end, <scripRef passage="De 32:29" id="Deu.xxxiii-p36.1" parsed="|Deut|32|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. Observe, 1. Though God had
pronounced them a foolish people and of no understanding, yet he
wishes they were wise, as <scripRef passage="De 5:29" id="Deu.xxxiii-p36.2" parsed="|Deut|5|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.5.29">Deut. v.
29</scripRef>, <i>O that there were such a heart in them!</i> and
<scripRef passage="Ps 94:8" id="Deu.xxxiii-p36.3" parsed="|Ps|94|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.94.8">Ps. xciv. 8</scripRef>, <i>You fools,
when will you be wise?</i> God delights not to see sinners ruin
themselves, but desires they will help themselves; and, if they
will, he is ready to help them. 2. It is a great piece of wisdom,
and will contribute much to the return of sinners to God, seriously
to consider the latter end, or the future state. It is here meant
particularly of that which God by Moses had foretold concerning
this people in the latter days: but it may be applied more
generally. We ought to understand and consider, (1.) The latter end
of life, and the future state of the soul. To think of death as our
removal from a world of sense to a world of spirits, the final
period of our state of trial and probation, and our entrance upon
an unchangeable state of recompence and retribution. (2.) The
latter end of sin, and the future state of those that live and die
in it. O that men would consider the happiness they will lose, and
the misery they will certainly plunge themselves into, if they
<i>go on still in their trespasses, what will be in the end
thereof,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 5:31" id="Deu.xxxiii-p36.4" parsed="|Jer|5|31|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.5.31">Jer. v. 31</scripRef>.
Jerusalem forgot this, and therefore <i>came down wonderfully,</i>
<scripRef passage="La 1:9" id="Deu.xxxiii-p36.5" parsed="|Lam|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.1.9">Lam. i. 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37">III. He calls to mind the great things he
had done for them formerly, as a reason why he should not quite
cast them off. This seems to be the meaning of that (<scripRef passage="De 32:30,31" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.1" parsed="|Deut|32|30|32|31" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.30-Deut.32.31"><i>v.</i> 30, 31</scripRef>), "How should one
Israelite have been too hard for a thousand Canaanites, as they
have been many a time, but that God, who is greater than all gods,
fought for them!" And so it corresponds with that, <scripRef passage="Isa 63:10,11" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.2" parsed="|Isa|63|10|63|11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.10-Isa.63.11">Isa. lxiii. 10, 11</scripRef>. When he was
<i>turned to be their enemy,</i> as here, <i>and fought against
them</i> for their sins, <i>then he remembered the days of old,</i>
saying, <i>Where is he that brought them out of the sea?</i> So
here, his arm begins to awake as in the days of old <i>against the
wrath of the enemy,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 138:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.3" parsed="|Ps|138|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.138.7">Ps. cxxxviii.
7</scripRef>. There was a time when the enemies of Israel were sold
by their own rock, that is, their own idol-gods, who could not help
them, but betrayed them, because Jehovah, the God of Israel, had
shut them up as sheep for the slaughter. For the enemies themselves
must own that their gods were a very unequal match for the God of
Israel. <i>For their vine is of the vine of Sodom,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:32,33" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.4" parsed="|Deut|32|32|32|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.32-Deut.32.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. This must be
meant of the enemies of Israel, who fell so easily before the sword
of Israel because they were ripe for ruin, and the measure of their
iniquity was full. Yet these verses may be understood of the
strange prevalency of the enemies of Israel against them, when God
made use of them as the <i>rod of his anger,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 10:5,6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.5" parsed="|Isa|10|5|10|6" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.5-Isa.10.6">Isa. x. 5, 6</scripRef>. "How should one Canaanite
chase a thousand Israelites" (as it is threatened against those
that trust to Egypt for help, <scripRef passage="Isa 30:17" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.6" parsed="|Isa|30|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.30.17">Isa.
xxx. 17</scripRef>, <i>One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of
one</i>) "unless Israel's rock had deserted them and given them
up." For otherwise, however they may impute their power <i>to their
gods</i> (<scripRef passage="Hab 1:11" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.7" parsed="|Hab|1|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.1.11">Hab. i. 11</scripRef>), as
the Philistines imputed their victory to Dagon, it is certain the
enemies' rock could not have prevailed against the rock of Israel;
God would soon have subdued their enemies (<scripRef passage="Ps 81:14" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.8" parsed="|Ps|81|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.81.14">Ps. lxxxi. 14</scripRef>), but that the wickedness of
Israel delivered them into their hands. For their vine, that is,
Israel's, is of the <i>vine of Sodom,</i> <scripRef passage="De 32:32,33" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.9" parsed="|Deut|32|32|32|33" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.32-Deut.32.33"><i>v.</i> 32, 33</scripRef>. They were planted a
choice vine, wholly a right seed, but by sin had become the
<i>degenerate plant of a strange vine</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 2:21" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.10" parsed="|Jer|2|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.2.21">Jer. ii. 21</scripRef>), and not only transcribed the
iniquity of Sodom, but outdid it, <scripRef passage="Eze 16:48" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.11" parsed="|Ezek|16|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.16.48">Ezek. xvi. 48</scripRef>. God called them his
<i>vineyard,</i> his <i>pleasant plant,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 5:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.12" parsed="|Isa|5|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.5.7">Isa. v. 7</scripRef>. But their fruits were, 1. Very
offensive, and displeasing to God, bitter as gall. 2 Very
malignant, and pernicious one to another, <i>like the cruel venom
of asps.</i> Some understand this of their punishment; their sin
would be <i>bitterness in the latter end</i> (<scripRef passage="2Sa 2:26" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.13" parsed="|2Sam|2|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.2.26">2 Sam. ii. 26</scripRef>), it would <i>bite like a
serpent and sting like an adder,</i> <scripRef passage="Job 20:14,Pr 23:32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p37.14" parsed="|Job|20|14|0|0;|Prov|23|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.20.14 Bible:Prov.23.32">Job xx. 14; Prov. xxiii. 32</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p38">IV. He resolves upon the destruction of
those at last that had been their persecutors and oppressors. When
the cup of trembling goes round, the king of Babel shall pledge it
at last, <scripRef passage="Jer 25:26" id="Deu.xxxiii-p38.1" parsed="|Jer|25|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.25.26">Jer. xxv. 26</scripRef>, and
see <scripRef passage="Isa 51:22,23" id="Deu.xxxiii-p38.2" parsed="|Isa|51|22|51|23" osisRef="Bible:Isa.51.22-Isa.51.23">Isa. li. 22, 23</scripRef>.
The day is coming when the judgment that began at the house of God
shall end with the sinner and ungodly, <scripRef passage="1Pe 4:17,18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p38.3" parsed="|1Pet|4|17|4|18" osisRef="Bible:1Pet.4.17-1Pet.4.18">1 Pet. iv. 17, 18</scripRef>. God will in due time
bring down the church's enemies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39">1. In displeasure against their wickedness,
which he takes notice of, and keeps an account of, <scripRef passage="De 32:34,35" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.1" parsed="|Deut|32|34|32|35" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.34-Deut.32.35"><i>v.</i> 34, 35</scripRef>. "Is not this
implacable fury of theirs against Israel <i>laid up in store with
me,</i> to be reckoned for hereafter, when it shall be made to
appear that <i>to me belongs vengeance?</i>" Some understand it of
the sin of Israel, especially their persecuting the prophets, which
was laid up in store against them from the <i>blood of righteous
Abel,</i> <scripRef passage="Mt 23:35" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.2" parsed="|Matt|23|35|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.35">Matt. xxiii. 35</scripRef>.
However it teaches us that the wickedness of the wicked is all laid
up in store with God. (1.) He observes it, <scripRef passage="Ps 90:8" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.3" parsed="|Ps|90|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.8">Ps. xc. 8</scripRef>. He knows both what the vine is and
what the grapes are, what is the temper of the mind and what are
the actions of life. (2.) He keeps a record of it both in his own
omniscience and in the sinner's conscience; and this is <i>sealed
up among his treasures,</i> which denotes both safety and secresy:
these books cannot be lost, nor will they be opened till the great
day. See <scripRef passage="Ho 13:12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.4" parsed="|Hos|13|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.13.12">Hos. xiii. 12</scripRef>.
(3.) He often delays the punishment of sin for a great while; it is
laid up in store, till the measure be full, and the day of divine
patience has expired. See <scripRef passage="Job 21:28-30" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.5" parsed="|Job|21|28|21|30" osisRef="Bible:Job.21.28-Job.21.30">Job xxi.
28-30</scripRef>. (4.) There is a day of reckoning coming, when all
the treasures of guilt and wrath will be broken up, and the sin of
sinners shall surely find them out. [1.] The thing itself will
certainly be done, for the Lord is a <i>God to whom vengeance
belongs,</i> and therefore he will repay, <scripRef passage="Isa 59:18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.6" parsed="|Isa|59|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.59.18">Isa. lix. 18</scripRef>. This is quoted by the apostle
to show the severity of God's wrath against those that revolt from
the faith of Christ, <scripRef passage="Heb 10:30" id="Deu.xxxiii-p39.7" parsed="|Heb|10|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.30">Heb. x.
30</scripRef>. [2.] It will be done in due time, in the best time;
nay, it will be done in a short time. <i>The day of their calamity
is at hand;</i> and, though it may seem to tarry, it lingers not,
it slumbers not, but makes haste. <i>In one hour,</i> shall the
judgment of Babylon come.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p40">2. He will do it in compassion to his own
people, who, though they had greatly provoked him, yet stood in
relation to him, and their misery appealed to his mercy (<scripRef passage="De 32:36" id="Deu.xxxiii-p40.1" parsed="|Deut|32|36|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>): <i>The Lord shall
judge his people,.</i> that is, judge for them against their
enemies, plead their cause, and break the yoke of oppression under
which they had long groaned, <i>repenting himself for his
servants;</i> not changing his mind, but changing his way, and
fighting for them, as he had fought against them, <i>when he sees
that their power is gone.</i> This plainly points at the
deliverances God wrought for Israel by the judges out of the hands
of those to whom he had sold them for their sins (see <scripRef passage="Jdg 2:11-18" id="Deu.xxxiii-p40.2" parsed="|Judg|2|11|2|18" osisRef="Bible:Judg.2.11-Judg.2.18">Judg. ii. 11-18</scripRef>), and how <i>his
soul was grieved for the misery of Israel</i> (<scripRef passage="Jdg 10:16" id="Deu.xxxiii-p40.3" parsed="|Judg|10|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.16">Judg. x. 16</scripRef>), and this when they were
reduced to the last extremity. God helped them when they could not
help themselves; for there was <i>none shut up or left;</i> that
is, none that dwelt either in cities or walled towns, in which they
were shut up, nor any that dwelt in scattered houses in the
country, in which they were left at a distance from neighbours.
Note, God's time to appear for the deliverance of his people is
when things are at the worst with them. God tries his people's
faith, and stirs up prayer, by letting things go to the worst, and
then magnifies his own power, and fills the faces of his enemies
with shame and the hearts of his people with so much the greater
joy, by rescuing them out of extremity as <i>brands out of the
burning.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41">3. He will do it in contempt and to the
reproach of idol-gods, <scripRef passage="De 32:37,38" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.1" parsed="|Deut|32|37|32|38" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.37-Deut.32.38"><i>v.</i>
37, 38</scripRef>. <i>Where are their gods?</i> Two ways it may be
understood: (1.) That God would do that for his people which the
idols they had served could not do for them. They had forsaken God,
and been very liberal in their sacrifices to idols, had brought to
their altars the <i>fat of their sacrifices</i> and the <i>wine of
their drink-offerings,</i> which they supposed their deities to
feed upon and on which they feasted with them. "Now," says God,
"will these gods you have made your court to, at so great an
expense, help you in your distress, and so repay you for all your
charges in their service? <i>Go get you to the gods you have
served, and let them deliver you,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 10:14" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.2" parsed="|Judg|10|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.10.14">Judg. x. 14</scripRef>. This is intended to convince
them of their folly in forsaking a God that could help them for
gods that could not, and so to bring them to repentance and qualify
them for deliverance. When the adulteress shall <i>follow after her
lovers</i> and <i>not overtake them,</i> pray to her idols and
receive no kindness from them, <i>then she shall say, I will go and
return to my first husband,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 2:7" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.3" parsed="|Hos|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hos.2.7">Hos. ii.
7</scripRef>. See <scripRef passage="Isa 16:12,Jer 2:27,28" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.4" parsed="|Isa|16|12|0|0;|Jer|2|27|2|28" osisRef="Bible:Isa.16.12 Bible:Jer.2.27-Jer.2.28">Isa.
xvi. 12; Jer. ii. 27, 28</scripRef>. Or, (2.) That God would do
that against his enemies which the idols they had served could not
save them from, Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar boldly challenged
the God of Israel to deliver his worshippers (<scripRef passage="Isa 37:10,Da 3:15" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.5" parsed="|Isa|37|10|0|0;|Dan|3|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.37.10 Bible:Dan.3.15">Isa. xxxvii. 10; Dan. iii. 15</scripRef>), and
he did deliver them, to the confusion of their enemies. But the God
of Israel challenged Bel and Nebo to deliver their worshippers, to
rise up and help them, and to be their protection (<scripRef passage="Isa 47:12,13" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.6" parsed="|Isa|47|12|47|13" osisRef="Bible:Isa.47.12-Isa.47.13">Isa. xlvii. 12, 13</scripRef>); but they
were so far from helping them that they themselves, that is, their
images, which was all that was of them, <i>went into captivity,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 46:1,2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.7" parsed="|Isa|46|1|46|2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.46.1-Isa.46.2">Isa. xlvi. 1, 2</scripRef>. Note,
Those who trust to any rock but God will find it sand in the day of
their distress; it will fail them when they most need it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:39-43" id="Deu.xxxiii-p41.8" parsed="|Deut|32|39|32|43" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.39-Deut.32.43"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.39-Deut.32.43">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p42">39 See now that I, <i>even</i> I, <i>am</i> he,
and <i>there is</i> no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I
wound, and I heal: neither <i>is there any</i> that can deliver out
of my hand. &#160; 40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I
live for ever. &#160; 41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine
hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine
enemies, and will reward them that hate me. &#160; 42 I will make
mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh;
<i>and that</i> with the blood of the slain and of the captives,
from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. &#160; 43 Rejoice, O
ye nations, <i>with</i> his people: for he will avenge the blood of
his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and
will be merciful unto his land, <i>and</i> to his people.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p43">This conclusion of the song speaks three
things:</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44">I. Glory to God, <scripRef passage="De 32:39" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.1" parsed="|Deut|32|39|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. "See now upon the whole matter,
<i>that I, even I, am he.</i> Learn this from the destruction of
idolaters, and the inability of their idols to help them." The
great God here demands the glory, 1. Of a self-existence: <i>I,
even I, am he.</i> Thus Moses concludes with that name of God by
which he was first made to know him (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:14" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.2" parsed="|Exod|3|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.14">Exod. iii. 14</scripRef>), "<i>I am that I am.</i> I am
he that I have been, that I will be, that I have promised to be,
that I have threatened to be; all shall find me true to my word."
The Targum of Uzzielides paraphrases it thus: <i>When the Word of
the Lord shall reveal himself to redeem his people, he shall say to
all people, See that I now am what I am, and have been, and I am
what I will be,</i> which we know very well how to apply to him who
said to John, <i>I am he who is, and was, and is to come,</i>
<scripRef passage="Re 1:8" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.3" parsed="|Rev|1|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.8">Rev. i. 8</scripRef>. These words, <i>I
even I, am he,</i> we meet with often in those chapters of Isaiah
where God is encouraging his people to hope for their deliverance
out of Babylon, <scripRef passage="Isa 41:4,43:11,13,15,25,46:4" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.4" parsed="|Isa|41|4|0|0;|Isa|43|11|0|0;|Isa|43|13|0|0;|Isa|43|15|0|0;|Isa|43|25|0|0;|Isa|46|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.41.4 Bible:Isa.43.11 Bible:Isa.43.13 Bible:Isa.43.15 Bible:Isa.43.25 Bible:Isa.46.4">Isa. xli. 4; xliii. 11, 13, 25;
xlvi. 4</scripRef>. 2. Of a sole supremacy. "There <i>is no god
with me.</i> None to help with me, none to cope with me." See
<scripRef passage="Isa 43:10,11" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.5" parsed="|Isa|43|10|43|11" osisRef="Bible:Isa.43.10-Isa.43.11">Isa. xliii. 10, 11</scripRef>. 3.
Of an absolute sovereignty, a universal agency: <i>I kill, and I
make alive;</i> that is, all evil and all good come from his hand
to providence; he forms both the light of life and the darkness of
death, <scripRef passage="Isa 45:7,La 3:37,38" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.6" parsed="|Isa|45|7|0|0;|Lam|3|37|3|38" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.7 Bible:Lam.3.37-Lam.3.38">Isa. xlv. 7; Lam.
iii. 37, 38</scripRef>. Or, He kills and wounds his enemies, but
heals and makes alive his own people, kills and wounds with his
judgments those that revolt from him and rebel against him; but,
when they return and repent, he heals them, and makes them alive
with his mercy and grace. Or it denotes his incontestable authority
to dispose of all his creatures, and the beings he has given them,
so as to serve his own purposes by them: <i>Whom he will he slays,
and whom he will he keeps alive,</i> when his judgments are abroad.
Or thus, Though he kill, yet he makes alive again: <i>though he
cause grief, yet will he have compassion,</i> <scripRef passage="La 3:32" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.7" parsed="|Lam|3|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Lam.3.32">Lam. iii. 32</scripRef>. Though he have <i>torn,</i> he
will <i>heal us,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 6:1,2" id="Deu.xxxiii-p44.8" parsed="|Hos|6|1|6|2" osisRef="Bible:Hos.6.1-Hos.6.2">Hos. vi. 1,
2</scripRef>. The Jerusalem Targum reads it, <i>I kill those that
are alive in this world, and make those alive in the other world
that are dead.</i> And some of the Jewish doctors themselves have
observed that death, and a life after it, that is, eternal life, is
intimated in these words. 4. Of an irresistible power, which cannot
be controlled: <i>Neither is there any that can deliver out of my
hand</i> those that I have marked for destruction. As no exception
can be made against the sentence of God's justice, so no escape can
be made from the executions of his power.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45">II. Terror to his enemies, <scripRef passage="De 32:40-42" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.1" parsed="|Deut|32|40|32|42" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.40-Deut.32.42"><i>v.</i> 40-42</scripRef>. Terror indeed to
those that hate him, as all those do that serve other gods, that
persist in wilful disobedience to the divine law, and that malign
and persecute his faithful servants. These are those to whom God
will render vengeance, those his enemies that will not have him to
reign over them. In order to alarm such in time to repent and
return to their allegiance, the wrath of God is here revealed from
heaven against them. 1. The divine sentence is ratified with an
oath (<scripRef passage="De 32:40" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.2" parsed="|Deut|32|40|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>): He
<i>lifts up his hand to heaven,</i> the habitation of his holiness;
this was an ancient and very significant sign used in swearing,
<scripRef passage="Ge 14:22" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.3" parsed="|Gen|14|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.14.22">Gen. xiv. 22</scripRef>. And, since he
could swear by no greater, he swears by himself and his own life.
Those are miserable without remedy that have the word and oath of
God against them. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, that
the sin of sinners shall be their ruin if they go on in it. 2.
Preparation is made for the execution: The <i>glittering sword is
whet.</i> See <scripRef passage="Ps 7:12" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.4" parsed="|Ps|7|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.7.12">Ps. vii. 12</scripRef>.
It is a sword <i>bathed in heaven,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 34:5" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.5" parsed="|Isa|34|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.34.5">Isa. xxxiv. 5</scripRef>. While the sword is in
whetting, space is given to the sinner to repent and make his
peace, which, if he neglects, will render the wound the deeper.
And, as the sword is whet, so the hand that is to wield it takes
hold on judgment with a resolution to go through with it. 3. The
execution itself will be very terrible: The <i>sword shall devour
flesh</i> in abundance, and the <i>arrows</i> be made <i>drunk with
blood,</i> such vast quantities of it shall be shed, the blood of
the slain in battle, and of the captives, to whom no quarter shall
be given, but who shall be put under military execution. When he
begins revenge he will make an end; for in this also his work is
perfect. The critics are much perplexed with the last clause,
<i>From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.</i> The learned
bishop Patrick (that great master) thinks it may admit this
reading, <i>From the king to the slave of the enemies,</i>
<scripRef passage="Jer 50:35-37" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.6" parsed="|Jer|50|35|50|37" osisRef="Bible:Jer.50.35-Jer.50.37">Jer. l. 35-37</scripRef>. When the
sword of God's wrath is drawn it will make bloody work, blood to
the horse-bridles, <scripRef passage="Re 14:20" id="Deu.xxxiii-p45.7" parsed="|Rev|14|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.20">Rev. xiv.
20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p46">III. Comfort to his own people (<scripRef passage="De 32:43" id="Deu.xxxiii-p46.1" parsed="|Deut|32|43|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.43"><i>v.</i> 43</scripRef>): <i>Rejoice, O you
nations, with his people.</i> He concludes the song with words of
joy; for in God's Israel there is a remnant whose end will be
peace. God's people will rejoice at last, will rejoice
everlastingly. Three things are here mentioned as the matter of
joy:&#8212;1. The enlarging of the church's bounds. The apostle applies
the first words of this verse to the conversion of the Gentiles.
<scripRef passage="Ro 15:10" id="Deu.xxxiii-p46.2" parsed="|Rom|15|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.15.10">Rom. xv. 10</scripRef>, <i>Rejoice you
Gentiles with his people.</i> See what the grace of God does in the
conversion of souls, it brings them to rejoice with the people of
God; for true religion brings us acquainted with true joy, so great
a mistake are those under that think it tends to make men
melancholy. 2. The avenging of the church's controversies upon her
adversaries. He will make inquisition for <i>the blood of his
servants,</i> and it shall appear how precious it is to him; for
those that spilt it shall have blood given them to drink. 3. The
mercy God has in store for his church, and for all that belong to
it: He will be <i>merciful to his land, and to his people,</i> that
is, to all everywhere that fear and serve him. Whatever judgments
are brought upon sinners, it shall go well with the people of God;
in this let Jews and Gentiles rejoice together.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 32:44-52" id="Deu.xxxiii-p46.3" parsed="|Deut|32|44|32|52" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.44-Deut.32.52"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.32.44-Deut.32.52">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiii-p47">44 And Moses came and spake all the words of
this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.
&#160; 45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all
Israel: &#160; 46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all
the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall
command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
&#160; 47 For it <i>is</i> not a vain thing for you; because it
<i>is</i> your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong
<i>your</i> days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess
it. &#160; 48 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiii-p47.1">Lord</span> spake
unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, &#160; 49 Get thee up into
this mountain Abarim, <i>unto</i> mount Nebo, which <i>is</i> in
the land of Moab, that <i>is</i> over against Jericho; and behold
the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a
possession: &#160; 50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up,
and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount
Hor, and was gathered unto his people: &#160; 51 Because ye
trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of
Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me
not in the midst of the children of Israel. &#160; 52 Yet thou
shalt see the land before <i>thee;</i> but thou shalt not go
thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p48">Here is, I. The solemn delivery of this
song to the children of Israel, <scripRef passage="De 32:44,45" id="Deu.xxxiii-p48.1" parsed="|Deut|32|44|32|45" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.44-Deut.32.45"><i>v.</i> 44, 45</scripRef>. Moses spoke it to as
many as could hear him, while Joshua, in another assembly, at the
same time, delivered it to as many as his voice would reach. Thus
coming to them from the mouth of both their governors, Moses who
was laying down the government, and Joshua who was taking it up,
they would see they were both in the same mind, and that, though
they changed their commander, there was no change in the divine
command; Joshua, as well as Moses, would be a witness against them
if ever they forsook God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p49">II. An earnest charge to them to mind these
and all the rest of the good words that Moses had said to them. How
earnestly does he long after them all, how very desirous that the
word of God might make deep and lasting impressions upon them, how
jealous over them with a godly jealousy, lest they should at any
time let slip these great things!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p50">1. The duties he charges upon them are,
(1.) Carefully to attend to these themselves: "Set your hearts both
to the laws, and to the promises and threatenings, the blessings
and curses, and now at last to this song. Let the mind be closely
applied to the consideration of these things; be affected with
them; be intent upon your duty, and cleave to it with full purpose
of heart." (2.) Faithfully to transmit these things to those that
should come after them: "What interest you have in your children,
or influence upon them, use it for this purpose; and <i>command
them</i> (as your father Abraham did, <scripRef passage="Ge 18:19" id="Deu.xxxiii-p50.1" parsed="|Gen|18|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.19">Gen. xviii. 19</scripRef>) <i>to observe to do all the
words of this law.</i>" Those that are good themselves cannot but
desire that their children may be so likewise, and that posterity
may keep up religion in their day and the entail of it may not be
cut off.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p51">2. The arguments he uses to persuade them
to make religion their business and to persevere in it are, (1.)
The vast importance of the things themselves which he had charged
upon them (<scripRef passage="De 32:47" id="Deu.xxxiii-p51.1" parsed="|Deut|32|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.47"><i>v.</i> 47</scripRef>):
"<i>It is not a vain thing, because it is your life.</i> It is not
an indifferent thing, but of absolute necessity; it is not a
trifle, but a matter of consequence, a matter of life and death;
mind it, and you are made for ever; neglect it, and you are for
ever undone." O that men were but fully persuaded of this, that
religion is their life, even the life of their souls! (2.) The vast
advantage it would be of to them: <i>Through this thing you shall
prolong your days</i> in Canaan, which is a typical promise of that
eternal life which Christ has assured us those shall enter into
that keep the commandments of God, <scripRef passage="Mt 19:17" id="Deu.xxxiii-p51.2" parsed="|Matt|19|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.19.17">Matt. xix. 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiii-p52">III. Orders given to Moses concerning his
death. Now that this renowned witness for God had finished his
testimony, he must go up to Mount Nebo and die; in the prophecy of
Christ's two witnesses there is a plain allusion to Moses and Elias
(<scripRef passage="Re 11:6" id="Deu.xxxiii-p52.1" parsed="|Rev|11|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.11.6">Rev. xi. 6</scripRef>), and perhaps
their removal, being by martyrdom, is no less glorious than the
removal either of Moses or Elias. Orders were given to Moses that
self-same day, <scripRef passage="De 32:48" id="Deu.xxxiii-p52.2" parsed="|Deut|32|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.48"><i>v.</i>
48</scripRef>. Now that he had done his work, why should he desire
to live a day longer? He had indeed formerly prayed that he might
go over Jordan, but now he is entirely satisfied, and, as God had
bidden him, <i>saith no more of that matter.</i> 1. God here
reminds him of the sin he had been guilty of, for which he was
excluded Canaan (<scripRef passage="De 32:51" id="Deu.xxxiii-p52.3" parsed="|Deut|32|51|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.51"><i>v.</i>
51</scripRef>), that he might the more patiently bear the rebuke
because he had sinned, and that now he might renew his sorrow for
that unadvised word, for it is good for the best of men to die
repenting of the infirmities they are conscious to themselves of.
It was an omission that was thus displeasing to God; he did <i>not
sanctify God,</i> as he ought to have done, <i>before the children
of Israel,</i> he did not carry himself with a due decorum in
executing the orders he had then received. 2. He reminds him of the
death of his brother Aaron (<scripRef passage="De 32:50" id="Deu.xxxiii-p52.4" parsed="|Deut|32|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.50"><i>v.</i>
50</scripRef>), to make his own the more familiar and the less
formidable. Note, It is a great encouragement to us, when we die,
to think of our friends that have gone before us through that
darksome valley, especially of Christ, our elder brother and great
high priest. 3. He sends him up to a high hill, thence to take a
view of the land of Canaan and then die, <scripRef passage="De 32:49,50" id="Deu.xxxiii-p52.5" parsed="|Deut|32|49|32|50" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.49-Deut.32.50"><i>v.</i> 49, 50</scripRef>. The remembrance of his
sin might make death terrible, but the sight God gave him of Canaan
took off the terror of it, as it was a token of God's being
reconciled to him, and a plain indication to him that though his
sin shut him out of the earthly Canaan, yet it should not deprive
him of that better country which in this world can only be seen,
and that with an eye of faith. Note, Those may die with comfort and
ease whenever God calls for them (notwithstanding the sins they
remember against themselves) who have a believing prospect and a
well-grounded hope of eternal life beyond death.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIII" n="xxxiv" progress="98.22%" prev="Deu.xxxiii" next="Deu.xxxv" id="Deu.xxxiv">
<h2 id="Deu.xxxiv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxxiv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1">Yet Moses has not done with the children of
Israel; he seemed to have taken final leave of them in the close of
the foregoing chapter, but still he has something more to say. He
had preached them a farewell sermon, a very copious and pathetic
discourse. After sermon he had given out a psalm, a long psalm; and
now nothing remains but to dismiss them with a blessing; that
blessing he pronounces in this chapter in the name of the Lord, and
so leaves them. I. He pronounces them all blessed in what God had
done for them already, especially in giving them his law, <scripRef passage="De 33:2-5" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|33|2|33|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.2-Deut.33.5">ver. 2-5</scripRef>. II. He pronounces a
blessing upon each tribe, which is both a prayer for and a prophecy
of their felicity. 1. Reuben, <scripRef passage="De 33:6" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|33|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.6">ver.
6</scripRef>. 2. Judah, <scripRef passage="De 33:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|33|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.7">ver.
7</scripRef>. 3. Levi, <scripRef passage="De 33:8-11" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|33|8|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.8-Deut.33.11">ver.
8-11</scripRef>. 4. Benjamin, <scripRef passage="De 33:42" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|33|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.42">ver.
42</scripRef>. 5. Joseph, <scripRef passage="De 33:13-17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|33|13|33|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.13-Deut.33.17">ver.
13-17</scripRef>. 6. Zebulun and Issachar, <scripRef passage="De 33:18,19" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|33|18|33|19" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.18-Deut.33.19">ver. 18, 19</scripRef>. 7. Gad, <scripRef passage="De 33:20,21" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|33|20|33|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.20-Deut.33.21">ver. 20, 21</scripRef>. 8. Dan, <scripRef passage="De 33:22" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.9" parsed="|Deut|33|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.22">ver. 22</scripRef>. 9. Naphtali, <scripRef passage="De 33:23" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.10" parsed="|Deut|33|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.23">ver. 23</scripRef>. 10. Asher, <scripRef passage="De 33:24,25" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.11" parsed="|Deut|33|24|33|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.24-Deut.33.25">ver. 24, 25</scripRef>. III. He pronounces them all
in general blessed upon the account of what God would be to them,
and do for them if they were obedient, <scripRef passage="De 33:26-29" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.12" parsed="|Deut|33|26|33|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.26-Deut.33.29">ver. 26</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.13" parsed="|Deut|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:1-5" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.14" parsed="|Deut|33|1|33|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.1-Deut.33.5"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.1-Deut.33.5">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.15">Moses's Blessing on Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p1.16">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p2">1 And this <i>is</i> the blessing, wherewith
Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his
death. &#160; 2 And he said, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p2.1">Lord</span> came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto
them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten
thousands of saints: from his right hand <i>went</i> a fiery law
for them. &#160; 3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints
<i>are</i> in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; <i>every
one</i> shall receive of thy words. &#160; 4 Moses commanded us a
law, <i>even</i> the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
&#160; 5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people
<i>and</i> the tribes of Israel were gathered together.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p3">The <scripRef passage="De 33:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|33|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.1">first
verse</scripRef> is the title of the chapter: it is a blessing. In
the foregoing chapter he had thundered out the terrors of the Lord
against Israel for their sin; it was a chapter like Ezekiel's roll,
full of lamentation, and mourning, and woe. Now to soften that, and
that he might not seem to part in anger, he here subjoins a
blessing, and leaves his peace, which should descend and rest upon
all those among them that were the sons of peace. Thus Christ's
last work on earth was to bless his disciples (<scripRef passage="Lu 24:50" id="Deu.xxxiv-p3.2" parsed="|Luke|24|50|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.24.50">Luke xxiv. 50</scripRef>), like Moses here, in token of
parting as friends. Moses blessed them, 1. As a prophet&#8212;a <i>man
of God.</i> Note, It is a very desirable thing to have an interest
in the prayers of those that have an interest in heaven; it is a
<i>prophet's reward.</i> In this blessing Moses not only expresses
his good wishes to this people, but by the spirit of prophecy
foretells things to come concerning them. 2. As a parent to Israel;
for so good princes are to their subjects. Jacob upon his death-bed
blessed his sons (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p3.3" parsed="|Gen|49|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.1">Gen. xlix.
1</scripRef>), in conformity to whose example Moses here blesses
the tribes that were descended from them, to show that though they
had been very provoking yet the entail of the blessing was not cut
off. The doing of this immediately before his death would not only
be the more likely to leave an impression upon them, but would be
an indication of the great good-will of Moses to them, that he
desired their happiness, though he must die and not share in
it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p4">He begins his blessing with a lofty
description of the glorious appearances of God to them in giving
them the law, and the great advantage they had by it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p5">I. There was a visible and illustrious
discovery of the divine majesty, enough to convince and for ever
silence atheists and infidels, to awaken and affect those that were
most stupid and careless, and to put to shame all secret
inclinations to other gods, <scripRef passage="De 33:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p5.1" parsed="|Deut|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.2"><i>v.</i>
2</scripRef>. 1. His appearance was glorious: he shone forth like
the sun when he goes forth in his strength. Even Seir and Paran,
two mountains at some distance, were illuminated by the divine
glory which appeared on Mount Sinai, and reflected some of the rays
of it, so bright was the appearance, and so much taken notice of by
the adjacent countries. To this the prophet alludes, to set forth
the wonders of the divine providence, <scripRef passage="Hab 3:3,4,Ps 18:7-9" id="Deu.xxxiv-p5.2" parsed="|Hab|3|3|3|4;|Ps|18|7|18|9" osisRef="Bible:Hab.3.3-Hab.3.4 Bible:Ps.18.7-Ps.18.9">Hab. iii. 3, 4; Ps. xviii. 7-9</scripRef>.
The Jerusalem Targum has a strange gloss upon this, that, "when God
came down to give the law, he offered it on Mount Seir to the
Edomites, but they refused it, because they found in it, <i>Thou
shalt not kill.</i> Then he offered it on Mount Paran to the
Ishmaelites, but they also refused it, because they found in it,
<i>Thou shalt not steal;</i> and then he came to Mount Sinai and
offered it to Israel, and they said, <i>All that the Lord shall say
we will do.</i>" I would not have transcribed so groundless a
conceit but for the antiquity of it. 2. His retinue was glorious;
he came with his holy myriads, as Enoch had long since foretold he
should come in the last day to judge the world, <scripRef passage="Jude 1:14" id="Deu.xxxiv-p5.3" parsed="|Jude|1|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.14">Jude 14</scripRef>. These were the angels, those
<i>chariots of God in the midst of which</i> the Lord was, on
<i>that holy place,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 68:17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p5.4" parsed="|Ps|68|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.68.17">Ps. lxviii.
17</scripRef>. They attended the divine majesty, and were employed
as his ministers in the solemnities of the day. Hence the law is
said to <i>be given by the disposition of angels,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 7:53,Heb 2:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p5.5" parsed="|Acts|7|53|0|0;|Heb|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.7.53 Bible:Heb.2.2">Acts vii. 53; Heb. ii. 2</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6">II. He gave them his law, which is, 1.
Called <i>a fiery law,</i> because it was given them <i>out of the
midst of the fire</i> (<scripRef passage="De 4:33" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|4|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.33">Deut. iv.
33</scripRef>), and because it works like fire; if it be received,
it is melting, warming, purifying, and burns up the dross of
corruption; if it be rejected, it hardens, sears, torments, and
destroys. The Spirit descended in cloven tongues as of fire; for
the gospel also is a fiery law. 2. It is said to <i>go from his
right hand,</i> either because he wrote it on tables of stone, or
to denote the power and energy of the law and the divine strength
that goes along with it, that it may not return void. Or it came as
a gift to them, and a precious gift it was, a right-hand blessing.
3. It was an instance of the special kindness he had for them:
<i>Yea, he loved the people</i> (<scripRef passage="De 33:32" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|33|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>), and therefore, though it was a
fiery law, yet it is said to <i>go for them</i> (<scripRef passage="De 33:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.3" parsed="|Deut|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), that is, in favour to them.
Note, The law of God written in the heart is a certain evidence of
the love of God shed abroad there: we must reckon God's law one of
the gifts of his grace. Yea, he embraced the people, or <i>laid
them in his bosom;</i> so the word signifies, which denotes not
only the dearest love, but the most tender and careful protection.
<i>All his saints are in his hand.</i> Some understand it
particularly of his supporting them and preserving them alive at
Mount Sinai, when the terror was so great that Moses himself
quaked; they heard the voice of God and lived, <scripRef passage="De 4:33" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.4" parsed="|Deut|4|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.4.33"><i>ch.</i> iv. 33</scripRef>. Or it denotes his forming
them into a people by his law; he moulded and fashioned them as a
potter does the clay. Or they were in his hand to be covered and
protected, used and disposed of, as the seven stars were in the
hand of Christ, <scripRef passage="Re 1:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.5" parsed="|Rev|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.1.16">Rev. i. 16</scripRef>.
Note, God has all his saints in his hand; and, though there are
<i>ten thousands of his saints</i> (<scripRef passage="De 33:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.6" parsed="|Deut|33|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>), yet his hand, with which he
measures the waters, is large enough, and strong enough, to hold
them all, and we may be sure that <i>none can pluck them out of his
hand,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 10:28" id="Deu.xxxiv-p6.7" parsed="|John|10|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.10.28">John x. 28</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p7">III. He disposed them to receive the law
which he gave them: <i>They sat down at thy feet,</i> as scholars
at the feet of their master, in token of reverence, in attendance
and humble submission to what is taught; so Israel sat at the foot
of Mount Sinai, and promised to hear and do whatever God should
say. They were <i>struck to thy feet,</i> so some read it; namely,
by the terrors of Mount Sinai, which greatly humbled them for the
present, <scripRef passage="Ex 20:19" id="Deu.xxxiv-p7.1" parsed="|Exod|20|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.20.19">Exod. xx. 19</scripRef>.
Every one then stood ready to receive God's words, and did so again
when the law was publicly read to them, as <scripRef passage="Joh 8:34" id="Deu.xxxiv-p7.2" parsed="|John|8|34|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.8.34">Josh. viii. 34</scripRef>. It is a great privilege when
we have heard the words of God to have opportunity of hearing them
again. <scripRef passage="Joh 17:26" id="Deu.xxxiv-p7.3" parsed="|John|17|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.17.26">John xvii. 26</scripRef>, <i>I
have declared thy name, and will declare it.</i> So Israel not only
had received the law, but should still receive it by their prayers,
and other lively oracles. The people are taught (<scripRef passage="De 33:4,5" id="Deu.xxxiv-p7.4" parsed="|Deut|33|4|33|5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.4-Deut.33.5"><i>v.</i> 4, 5</scripRef>), in gratitude for the law of
God, always to keep up an honourable remembrance both of the law
itself and of Moses by whom it was given. Two of the Chaldee
paraphrasts read it, <i>The children of Israel said, Moses
commanded us a law.</i> And the Jews say that as soon as a child
was able to speak his father was obliged to teach him these words:
<i>Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the
congregation of Jacob.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p8">1. They are taught to speak with great
respect of the law, and to call it <i>the inheritance of the
congregation of Jacob.</i> They looked upon it, (1.) As peculiar to
them, and that by which they were distinguished from other nations,
who neither had the knowledge of it (<scripRef passage="Ps 147:20" id="Deu.xxxiv-p8.1" parsed="|Ps|147|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.147.20">Ps. cxlvii. 20</scripRef>), nor, if they had, were
under those obligations to observe it that Israel were under: and
therefore (says bishop Patrick), "when the Jews conquered any
country, they did not force any to embrace the law of Moses, but
only to submit to the seven precepts of Noah." (2.) As entailed
upon them; for so inheritances are to be transmitted to their
posterity. And, (3.) As their wealth and true treasure. Those that
enjoy the word of God and the means of grace have reason to say, We
have a goodly heritage. He is indeed a rich man in whom the word of
Christ dwells richly. Perhaps the law is called their
<i>inheritance</i> because it was given them with their
inheritance, and we so annexed to it that the forsaking of the law
would be a forfeiture of the inheritance. See <scripRef passage="Ps 119:111" id="Deu.xxxiv-p8.2" parsed="|Ps|119|111|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.119.111">Ps. cxix. 111</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p9">2. They are taught to speak with great
respect of Moses; and they were the more obliged to keep up his
name because he had not provided for the keeping of it up in his
family; his posterity were never called the <i>sons of Moses,</i>
as the priests were the <i>sons of Aaron.</i> (1.) They must own
Moses a great benefactor to their nation, in that he <i>commanded
them the law;</i> for, though it came from the hand of God, it went
through the hand of Moses. (2.) <i>He was king in Jeshurun. Having
commanded them the law,</i> as long as he lived he took care to see
it observed and put in execution; and they were very happy in
having such a king, who ruled them, and went in and out before them
at all times, but did in a special manner look great when the
<i>heads of the people were gathered together</i> in parliament, as
it were, and Moses was president among them. Some understand this
of God himself; he did then declare himself their King when he gave
them the law, and he continued so long as they were
<i>Jeshurun,</i> an upright people, and till they rejected him,
<scripRef passage="1Sa 12:12" id="Deu.xxxiv-p9.1" parsed="|1Sam|12|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.12">1 Sam. xii. 12</scripRef>. But it
seems rather to be understood of Moses. A good government is a
great blessing to any people, and what they have reason to be very
thankful for; and that constitution is very happy which as
Israel's, which as ours, divides the power between the king in
Jeshurun and the heads of the tribes, when they are gathered
together.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:6-7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p9.2" parsed="|Deut|33|6|33|7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.6-Deut.33.7"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.6-Deut.33.7">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p10">6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let
<i>not</i> his men be few. &#160; 7 And this <i>is the blessing</i>
of Judah: and he said, Hear, <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p10.1">Lord</span>,
the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be
sufficient for him; and be thou a help <i>to him</i> from his
enemies.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p11">Here is, I. The blessing of Reuben. Though
Reuben had lost the honour of his birthright, yet Moses begins with
him; for we should not insult over those that are disgraced, nor
desire to perpetuate marks of infamy upon any, though ever so
justly fastened at first, <scripRef passage="De 33:6" id="Deu.xxxiv-p11.1" parsed="|Deut|33|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. Moses desires and foretells, 1. The preserving of this
tribe. Though a frontier tribe on the other side Jordan, yet,
"<i>Let it live,</i> and not be either ruined by its neighbours or
lost among them." And perhaps he refers to those chosen men of that
tribe who, having had their lot assigned them already, left their
families in it, and were now ready to <i>go over armed before their
brethren,</i> <scripRef passage="Nu 32:27" id="Deu.xxxiv-p11.2" parsed="|Num|32|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.27">Num. xxxii.
27</scripRef>. "Let them be protected in this noble expedition, and
have their heads covered in the day of battle." 2. Let it be a
numerous tribe; though their other honours be lost, so that they
shall not excel, yet let them multiply." <i>Let Reuben live and not
die, though his men be few;</i> so bishop Patrick, thinks it may be
rendered. "Though he must not expect to flourish (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:4" id="Deu.xxxiv-p11.3" parsed="|Gen|49|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.4">Gen. xlix. 4</scripRef>), yet let him not
perish." All the Chaldee paraphrasts refer this to the other world:
<i>Let Reuben live in life eternal, and not die the second
death,</i> so Onkelos. <i>Let Reuben live in this world, and not
die that death which the wicked die in the world to come,</i> so
Jonathan and the Jerusalem Targum.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12">II. The blessing of Judah, which is put
before Levi because our <i>Loud sprang out of Judah,</i> and (as
Dr. Lightfoot says) because of the dignity of the kingdom above the
priesthood. The blessing (<scripRef passage="De 33:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|33|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>) may refer either, 1. To the whole tribe in general.
Moses prays for, and prophesies, the great prosperity of that
tribe. That God would hear his prayers (see an instance, <scripRef passage="2Ch 13:14,15" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.2" parsed="|2Chr|13|14|13|15" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.13.14-2Chr.13.15">2 Chron. xiii. 14, 15</scripRef>), settle
him in his lot, prosper him in all his affairs, and give him
victory over his enemies. It is taken for granted that the tribe of
Judah would be both a praying tribe and an active tribe. "Lord,"
says Moses, "hear his prayers, and give success to all his
undertakings: <i>let his hands be sufficient for him</i> both in
husbandry and in war." The voice of prayer should always be
attended with the hand of endeavour, and then we may expect
prosperity. Or, 2. It may refer in particular to David, as a type
of Christ, that God <i>would hear his prayers,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 20:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.3" parsed="|Ps|20|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.1">Ps. xx. 1</scripRef> (and Christ was <i>heard
always,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 11:42" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.4" parsed="|John|11|42|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.11.42">John xi. 42</scripRef>),
that he would give him victory over his enemies, and success in his
great undertakings. See <scripRef passage="Ps 89:20-28" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.5" parsed="|Ps|89|20|89|28" osisRef="Bible:Ps.89.20-Ps.89.28">Ps. lxxxix.
20</scripRef>, &amp;c. And that prayer that God would <i>bring him
to his people</i> seems to refer to Jacob's prophecy concerning
Shiloh, That <i>to him should the gathering of the people be,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ge 49:10" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.6" parsed="|Gen|49|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.10">Gen. xlix. 10</scripRef>. The tribe of
Simeon is omitted in the blessing, because Jacob had left it under
a brand, and it had never done any thing, as Levi had done, to
retrieve its honour. It was lessened in the wilderness more than
any other of the tribes; and Zimri, who was so notoriously guilty
in the matter of Peor but the other day, was of that tribe. Or,
because the lot of Simeon was an appendage to that of Judah, that
tribe is included in the blessing of Judah. Some copies of the LXX.
join Simeon with Reuben: <i>Let Reuben live and not die; and let
Simeon be many in number.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:8-11" id="Deu.xxxiv-p12.7" parsed="|Deut|33|8|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.8-Deut.33.11"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.8-Deut.33.11">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p13">8 And of Levi he said, <i>Let</i> thy Thummim
and thy Urim <i>be</i> with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at
Massah, <i>and with</i> whom thou didst strive at the waters of
Meribah; &#160; 9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I
have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor
knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept
thy covenant. &#160; 10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and
Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt
sacrifice upon thine altar. &#160; 11 Bless, <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p13.1">Lord</span>, his substance, and accept the work of his
hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and
of them that hate him, that they rise not again.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p14">In blessing the tribe of Levi, Moses
expresses himself more at large, not so much because it was his own
tribe (for he takes no notice of his relation to it) as because it
was God's tribe. The blessing of Levi has reference.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p15">I. To the high priest, here called God's
<i>holy one</i> (<scripRef passage="De 33:8" id="Deu.xxxiv-p15.1" parsed="|Deut|33|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>), because his office was holy, in token of which,
<i>Holiness to the Lord</i> was written upon his forehead. 1. He
seems to acknowledge that God might justly have displaced Aaron and
his seed, for his sin at Meribah, (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p15.2" parsed="|Exod|17|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.7">Exod. xvii. 7</scripRef>), which might be very
remarkable, and which God might have an eye to in conferring the
priesthood upon him, though no mention is made of it there. All the
Chaldee paraphrasts agree that it was a trial in which he was
<i>found perfect and faithful,</i> and <i>stood in the trial;</i>
therefore not that, <scripRef passage="Nu 20:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p15.3" parsed="|Num|20|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.20.2">Num. xx.
2</scripRef>. He prays that the office of the high priest might
ever remain: <i>Let thy thummim and thy urim be with him.</i> It
was given him for some eminent piece of service, as appears,
<scripRef passage="Mal 2:5" id="Deu.xxxiv-p15.4" parsed="|Mal|2|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.5">Mal. ii. 5</scripRef>. "Lord, let it
never be taken from him." Notwithstanding this blessing, the urim
and thummim were lost in the captivity, and never restored under
the second temple. But this prayer has its full accomplishment in
Jesus Christ, God's Holy One, and our great high priest, of whom
Aaron was a type: with him who had lain in the Father's bosom from
eternity the urim and thummim shall remain; for he is the wonderful
and everlasting counsellor. Some translate the thummim and urim
appellatively, the rather because the usual order is here inverted,
and here only. <i>Thummim</i> signifies <i>integrity,</i> and
<i>Urim illumination:</i> Let these be with thy holy one, that is,
"Lord, let the high priest ever be both an upright man and an
understanding man." A good prayer to be put up for the ministers of
the gospel, that they may have clear heads and honest hearts; light
and sincerity make a complete minister.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p16">II. To the inferior priests and Levites,
<scripRef passage="De 33:9-11" id="Deu.xxxiv-p16.1" parsed="|Deut|33|9|33|11" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.9-Deut.33.11"><i>v.</i> 9-11</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p17">1. He commends the zeal of this tribe for
God when they sided with Moses (and so with God) against the
worshippers of the golden calf (<scripRef passage="Ex 32:26-28" id="Deu.xxxiv-p17.1" parsed="|Exod|32|26|32|28" osisRef="Bible:Exod.32.26-Exod.32.28">Exod. xxxii. 26</scripRef>, &amp;c.), and, being
employed in cutting off the ring-leaders in that wickedness, they
did it impartially: the best friends they had in the world, though
as dear to them as their next relations, they did not spare if they
were idolaters. Note, Our regard to God and to his glory ought
always to prevail above our regard to any creature whatsoever. And
those who not only keep themselves pure from the common iniquities
of the times and places in which they live, but, as they are
capable, bear testimony against them, and <i>stand up for God
against the evil-doers,</i> shall have special marks of honour put
upon them. Perhaps Moses may have an eye to the sons of Korah, who
refused to join with their father in his gain-saying, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:11" id="Deu.xxxiv-p17.2" parsed="|Num|26|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.11">Num. xxvi. 11</scripRef>. Also to Phinehas, who
<i>executed judgment,</i> and <i>stayed the plague.</i> And indeed
the office of the priests and Levites, which engaged their constant
attendance, at least in their turns, at God's altar, laid them
under a necessity of being frequently absent from their families,
which they could not take such care of, nor make such provision
for, as other Israelites might. This was the constant self-denial
they submitted to, that they might <i>observe God's word,</i> and
keep the <i>covenant of priesthood.</i> Note, Those that are called
to minister in holy things must sit loose to the relations and
interests that are dearest to them in this world, and prefer the
gratifying of the best friend they have, <scripRef passage="Ac 21:13,Ac 20:24" id="Deu.xxxiv-p17.3" parsed="|Acts|21|13|0|0;|Acts|20|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.13 Bible:Acts.20.24">Acts xxi. 13; xx. 24</scripRef>. Our Lord Jesus
knew not his mother and his brethren when they would have taken him
off from his work, <scripRef passage="Mt 12:48" id="Deu.xxxiv-p17.4" parsed="|Matt|12|48|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.12.48">Matt. xii.
48</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18">2. He confirms the commission granted to
this tribe to minister in holy things, which was the recompence of
their zeal and fidelity, <scripRef passage="De 33:10" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18.1" parsed="|Deut|33|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.10"><i>v.</i>
10</scripRef>. (1.) They were to deal for God with the people:
"<i>They shall teach Jacob thy judgments and Israel thy laws,</i>
both as preachers in thy religious assemblies, reading and
expounding the law (<scripRef passage="Ne 8:7,8" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18.2" parsed="|Neh|8|7|8|8" osisRef="Bible:Neh.8.7-Neh.8.8">Neh. viii. 7,
8</scripRef>), and as judges, determining doubtful and difficult
cases that were brought before them," <scripRef passage="2Ch 17:8,9" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18.3" parsed="|2Chr|17|8|17|9" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.17.8-2Chr.17.9">2 Chron. xvii. 8, 9</scripRef>. The priests' lips kept
this knowledge for the use of the people, who were to ask the law
at their mouth, <scripRef passage="Mal 2:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18.4" parsed="|Mal|2|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.7">Mal. ii. 7</scripRef>.
Even Haggai, a prophet, consulted the priests in a case of
conscience, <scripRef passage="Hag 2:11-13" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18.5" parsed="|Hag|2|11|2|13" osisRef="Bible:Hag.2.11-Hag.2.13">Hag. ii. 11</scripRef>,
&amp;c. Note, Preaching is necessary, not only for the first
planting of churches, but for the preserving and edifying of
churches when they are planted. See <scripRef passage="Eze 44:23,24" id="Deu.xxxiv-p18.6" parsed="|Ezek|44|23|44|24" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.44.23-Ezek.44.24">Ezek. xliv. 23, 24</scripRef>. (2.) They were to
deal for the people with God, in burning incense to the praise and
glory of God, and offering sacrifices to make atonement for sin and
to obtain the divine favour. This was the work of the priests, but
the Levites attended and assisted in it. Those that would have
benefit by their incense and offerings must diligently and
faithfully observe their instructions.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p19">3. He prays for them, <scripRef passage="De 33:11" id="Deu.xxxiv-p19.1" parsed="|Deut|33|11|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. (1.) That God would prosper
them in their estates, and make that which was allotted them for
their maintenance comfortable to them. <i>Bless, Lord, his
substance.</i> The provision made for them was very plentiful, and
came to them easily, and yet they could have no joy of it unless
God blessed it to them; and, since God himself was their portion, a
particular blessing might be expected to attend this portion.
<i>Bless, Lord, his virtue;</i> so some read it. "Lord, increase
thy graces in them, and make them more and more fit for their
work." (2.) That he would accept them in their services: "<i>Accept
the work of his hands,</i> both for himself and for the people for
whom he ministers." Acceptance with God is that which we should all
aim at, and be ambitious of, in all our devotions, whether men
accept us or no (<scripRef passage="2Co 5:9" id="Deu.xxxiv-p19.2" parsed="|2Cor|5|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.5.9">2 Cor. v.
9</scripRef>), and it is the most valuable blessing we can desire
either for ourselves or others. (3.) That he would take his part
against all his enemies: <i>Smite through the loins of those that
rise against him.</i> He supposes that God's ministers would have
many enemies: some would hate their persons for their faithfulness,
and would endeavour to do them a mischief; others would envy them
their maintenance, and endeavour sacrilegiously to deprive them of
it; others would oppose them in the execution of their office and
not submit to the sentence of the priests; and some would aim to
overthrow the office itself. Now he prays that God would blast all
such attempts, and return the mischief upon the heads of the
authors. This prayer is a prophecy that God will certainly reckon
with those that are enemies to his ministers, and will keep up a
ministry in his church to the end of time, in spite of all the
designs of the gates of hell against it. Saul rose up against the
Lord's priests (<scripRef passage="1Sa 22:18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p19.3" parsed="|1Sam|22|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.22.18">1 Sam. xxii.
18</scripRef>), and this filled the measure of his sin.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33" id="Deu.xxxiv-p19.4" parsed="|Deut|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:12-17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p19.5" parsed="|Deut|33|12|33|17" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.12-Deut.33.17"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.12-Deut.33.17">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p20">12 <i>And</i> of Benjamin he said, The beloved
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p20.1">Lord</span> shall dwell in safety by
him; <i>and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p20.2">Lord</span></i> shall cover
him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
&#160; 13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p20.3">Lord</span> <i>be</i> his land, for the precious things
of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
&#160; 14 And for the precious fruits <i>brought forth</i> by the
sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, &#160; 15
And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the
precious things of the lasting hills, &#160; 16 And for the
precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and <i>for</i>
the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let <i>the
blessing</i> come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the
head of him <i>that was</i> separated from his brethren. &#160; 17
His glory <i>is like</i> the firstling of his bullock, and his
horns <i>are like</i> the horns of unicorns: with them he shall
push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they
<i>are</i> the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they <i>are</i> the
thousands of Manasseh.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p21">Here is, I. The blessing of Benjamin,
<scripRef passage="De 33:12" id="Deu.xxxiv-p21.1" parsed="|Deut|33|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>. Benjamin is
put next to Levi, because the temple, where the priests' work lay,
was just upon the edge of the lot of this tribe; and it is put
before Joseph because of the dignity of Jerusalem (part of which
was in this tribe) above Samaria, which was in the tribe of
Ephraim, and because Benjamin adhered to the house of David, and to
the temple of the Lord, when the rest of the tribes deserted both
with Jeroboam. 1. Benjamin is here called the <i>beloved of the
Lord,</i> and the father of this tribe was Jacob's beloved son, the
<i>son of his right hand.</i> Note, Those are blessed indeed that
are beloved of the Lord. Saul the first king, and Paul the great
apostle, were both of this tribe. 2. He is here assured of the
divine protection: he shall <i>dwell safely.</i> Note, Those are
safe whom God loves, <scripRef passage="Ps 91:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p21.2" parsed="|Ps|91|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.1">Ps. xci.
1</scripRef>. 3. It is here intimated that the temple in which God
would dwell should be built in the borders of this tribe. Jerusalem
the holy city was in the lot of this tribe (<scripRef passage="Jos 18:28" id="Deu.xxxiv-p21.3" parsed="|Josh|18|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.18.28">Josh. xviii. 28</scripRef>); and though Zion, the city
of David, is supposed to belong to Judah, yet Mount Moriah, on
which the temple was built, was in Benjamin's lot. God is
<i>therefore</i> said to dwell <i>between his shoulders,</i>
because the temple stood on that mount, as the head of a man upon
his shoulders. And by this means Benjamin was covered all the day
long under the protection of the sanctuary (<scripRef passage="Ps 125:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p21.4" parsed="|Ps|125|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.125.2">Ps. cxxv. 2</scripRef>), which is often spoken of as a
place of refuge, <scripRef passage="Ps 27:4,5,Ne 6:10" id="Deu.xxxiv-p21.5" parsed="|Ps|27|4|27|5;|Neh|6|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.27.4-Ps.27.5 Bible:Neh.6.10">Ps. xxvii.
4, 5; Neh. vi. 10</scripRef>. Benjamin, dwelling by the temple of
God, <i>dwelt in safety by him.</i> Note, It is a happy thing to be
in the neighbourhood of the temple. This situation of Benjamin, it
is likely, was the only thing that kept that tribe in adherence
with Judah to the divine institutions, when the other ten tribes
apostatized. Those have corrupt and wicked hearts indeed who, the
nearer they are to the church, are so much the further from
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p22">II. The blessing of Joseph, including both
Manasseh and Ephraim. In Jacob's blessing (<scripRef passage="Ge 49:1-27" id="Deu.xxxiv-p22.1" parsed="|Gen|49|1|49|27" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.1-Gen.49.27">Gen. xlix.</scripRef>) that of Joseph is the largest,
and so it is here; and thence Moses here borrows the title he gives
to Joseph (<scripRef passage="De 33:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p22.2" parsed="|Deut|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>),
that he was <i>separated from his brethren,</i> or, as it might be
read, <i>a Nazarite among them,</i> both in regard of his piety,
wherein it appears, by many instances, he excelled them all, and of
his dignity in Egypt, where he was both their ruler and benefactor.
His brethren separated him from them by making him a slave, but God
distinguished him from them by making him a prince. Now the
blessings here prayed for, and prophesied of, for this tribe, are
great plenty and great power.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p23">1. Great plenty, <scripRef passage="De 33:13-16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p23.1" parsed="|Deut|33|13|33|16" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.13-Deut.33.16"><i>v.</i> 13-16</scripRef>. In general: <i>Blessed of
the Lord be his land.</i> Those were very fruitful countries that
fell into the lot of Ephraim and Manasseh, yet Moses prays they
might be watered with the blessing of God, which makes rich, and on
which all fruitfulness depends. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24">(1.) He enumerates many particulars which
he prays may contribute to the wealth and abundance of those two
tribes, looking up to the Creator for the benefit and
serviceableness of all the inferior creatures, for they are all
that to us which he makes them to be. He prays, [1.] For seasonable
rains and dews, <i>the precious things of heaven;</i> and so
precious they are, though but pure water, that without them the
fruits of the earth would all fail and be cut off. [2.] For
plentiful springs, which help to make the earth fruitful, called
here <i>the deep that coucheth beneath;</i> both are the <i>rivers
of God</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 65:9" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.1" parsed="|Ps|65|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.65.9">Ps. lxv. 9</scripRef>), and
he made particularly the <i>fountains of waters,</i> <scripRef passage="Re 14:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.2" parsed="|Rev|14|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rev.14.7">Rev. xiv. 7</scripRef>. [3.] For the benign
influences of the heavenly bodies (<scripRef passage="De 33:14" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.3" parsed="|Deut|33|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>for the precious fruits</i>
(the word signifies that which is most excellent, and the best in
its kind) put forth by the quickening heat of the sun, and the
cooling moisture of the moon. "Let them have the yearly fruits in
their several months, according to the course of nature, in one
month olives, in another dates," &amp;c. So some understand it.
[4.] For the fruitfulness even of their hills and mountains, which
in other countries used to be barren (<scripRef passage="De 33:15" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.4" parsed="|Deut|33|15|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): Let them have <i>the chief
things of the ancient mountains;</i> and, if the mountains be
fruitful, the fruits on them will be first and best ripened. They
are called ancient mountains, not because prior in time to other
mountains, but because, like the first-born, they were superior in
worth and excellency; and lasting hills, not only because as other
mountains they were immovable (<scripRef passage="Hab 3:6" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.5" parsed="|Hab|3|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.3.6">Hab.
iii. 6</scripRef>), but because the fruitfulness of them should
continue. [5.] For the productions of the lower grounds (<scripRef passage="De 33:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.6" parsed="|Deut|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>): <i>For the precious
things of the earth.</i> Though the earth itself seems a useless
worthless lump of matter, yet there are precious things produced
out of it, for the support and comfort of human life. <scripRef passage="Job 28:5" id="Deu.xxxiv-p24.7" parsed="|Job|28|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Job.28.5">Job xxviii. 5</scripRef>. <i>Out of it cometh
bread,</i> because out of it came our bodies, and to it they must
return. But what are the <i>precious things of the earth</i> to a
soul that came from God and must return to him? Or what is its
fulness to the fulness that is in Christ, whence we receive grace
for grace? Some make these precious things here prayed for to be
figures of <i>spiritual blessings in heavenly things by Christ,</i>
the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p25">(2.) He crowns all with the good-will, or
favourable acceptance, of him that <i>dwelt in the bush</i>
(<scripRef passage="De 33:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p25.1" parsed="|Deut|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>), that is, of
God, that God who appeared to Moses in the bush that burned and was
not consumed (<scripRef passage="Ex 3:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p25.2" parsed="|Exod|3|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.3.2">Exod. iii. 2</scripRef>),
to give him his commission for the bringing of Israel out of Egypt.
Though God's glory appeared there but for a while, yet it is said
to dwell there, because it continued as long as there was occasion
for it: <i>the good-will of the shechinah in the bush;</i> so it
might be read, for <i>shechinah</i> signifies <i>that which
dwelleth;</i> and, though it was but a little while a dweller in
the bush, yet it continued to dwell with the people of Israel.
<i>My dweller in the bush;</i> so it should be rendered; that was
an appearance of the divine Majesty to Moses only, in token of the
particular interest he had in God, which he desires to improve for
the good of this tribe. Many a time God has appeared to Moses, but
now that he is just dying he seems to have the most pleasing
remembrance of that which was the first time, when his acquaintance
with the visions of the Almighty first began, and his
correspondence with heaven was first settled: that was a time of
love never to be forgotten. It was at the bush that God declared
himself <i>the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,</i> and so
confirmed the promise made to the fathers, that promise which
reached as far as the resurrection of the body and eternal life, as
appears by our Saviour's argument from it, <scripRef passage="Lu 20:37" id="Deu.xxxiv-p25.3" parsed="|Luke|20|37|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.37">Luke xx. 37</scripRef>. So that, when he prays for the
good-will of him that <i>dwelt in the bush,</i> he has an eye to
the covenant then and there renewed, on which all our hopes of
God's favour must be bottomed. Now he concludes this large blessing
with a prayer for the favour or good-will of God, [1.] Because that
is the fountain and spring-head of all these blessings; they are
gifts of God's good-will; they are so to his own people, whatever
they are to others. Indeed when Ephraim (a descendant from Joseph)
slid back from God, <i>as a backsliding heifer,</i> those fruits of
his country were so far from being the gifts of God's good-will
that they were intended but to fatten him for the slaughter, <i>as
a lamb in a large place,</i> <scripRef passage="Ho 4:16,17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p25.4" parsed="|Hos|4|16|4|17" osisRef="Bible:Hos.4.16-Hos.4.17">Hos.
iv. 16, 17</scripRef>. [2.] Because that is the comfort and
sweetness of all these blessings; then we have joy of them when we
taste God's good-will in them. [3.] Because that is better than all
these, infinitely better; for if we have but the favour and
good-will of God we are happy, and may be easy in the want of all
these things, and may rejoice in the God of our salvation <i>though
the fig-tree do not blossom, and there be no fruit in the vine,</i>
<scripRef passage="Hab 3:17,18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p25.5" parsed="|Hab|3|17|3|18" osisRef="Bible:Hab.3.17-Hab.3.18">Hab. iii. 17, 18</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26">2. Great power Joseph is here blessed with,
<scripRef passage="De 33:17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.1" parsed="|Deut|33|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. Here are
three instances of his power foretold: (1.) His authority among his
brethren: <i>His glory is like the firstling of his bullock,</i> or
young bull, which is a stately creature, and therefore was formerly
used as an emblem of royal majesty. Joshua, who was to succeed
Moses, was of the tribe of Ephraim the son of Joseph, and his glory
was indeed illustrious, and he was an honour to his tribe. In
Ephraim was the royal city of the ten tribes afterwards. And of
Manasseh were Gideon, Jephthah, and Jair, who were all ornaments
and blessings to their country. Some think he is compared to the
firstling of the bullock because the birthright which Reuben lost
devolved upon Joseph (<scripRef passage="1Ch 5:1,2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.2" parsed="|1Chr|5|1|5|2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.5.1-1Chr.5.2">1 Chron. v. 1,
2</scripRef>), and to the firstling of <i>his</i> bullock, because
Bashan, which was in the lot of Manasseh, was famous for bulls and
cows, <scripRef passage="Ps 22:12,Am 4:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.3" parsed="|Ps|22|12|0|0;|Amos|4|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.22.12 Bible:Amos.4.1">Ps. xxii. 12; Amos iv.
1</scripRef>. (2.) His force against his enemies and victory over
them: <i>His horns are like the horn of a unicorn,</i> that is,
"The forces he shall bring into the field shall be very strong and
formidable, and <i>with them he shall push the people,</i>" that
is, "He shall overcome all that stand in his way." It appears from
the Ephraimites' contests, both with Gideon (<scripRef passage="Jdg 8:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.4" parsed="|Judg|8|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.8.1">Judg. viii. 1</scripRef>) and with Jephthah (<scripRef passage="Jdg 12:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.5" parsed="|Judg|12|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.12.1">Judg. xii. 1</scripRef>), that they were a
warlike tribe and fierce. Yet we find the children of Ephraim, when
they had forsaken the covenant of God, though they were <i>armed,
turning back in the day of battle</i> (<scripRef passage="Ps 78:9,10" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.6" parsed="|Ps|78|9|78|10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.9-Ps.78.10">Ps. lxxviii. 9, 10</scripRef>); for, though here
pronounced <i>strong and bold as unicorns,</i> when God had
departed from them they became as weak as other men. (3.) The
numbers of his people, in which Ephraim, though the younger house,
exceeded, Jacob having, in the foresight of the same thing, crossed
hands, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:19" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.7" parsed="|Gen|48|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.19">Gen. xlviii. 19</scripRef>.
<i>They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of
Manasseh.</i> Jonathan's Targum applies it to the ten thousands of
Canaanites conquered by Joshua, who was of the tribe of Ephraim.
And the gloss of the Jerusalem Targum upon the former part of
<scripRef passage="De 33:17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.8" parsed="|Deut|33|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.17">this verse</scripRef> is observable,
that "as the firstlings of the bullock were never to be worked, nor
could the unicorn ever be tamed, so Joseph should continue free;
and they would have continued free if they had not by sin sold
themselves."</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.9" parsed="|Deut|33|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:18-21" id="Deu.xxxiv-p26.10" parsed="|Deut|33|18|33|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.18-Deut.33.21"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.18-Deut.33.21">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p27">18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in
thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. &#160; 19 They shall
call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer
sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck <i>of</i> the
abundance of the seas, and <i>of</i> treasures hid in the sand.
&#160; 20 And of Gad he said, Blessed <i>be</i> he that enlargeth
Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of
the head. &#160; 21 And he provided the first part for himself,
because there, <i>in</i> a portion of the lawgiver, <i>was he</i>
seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the
justice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p27.1">Lord</span>, and his
judgments with Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p28">Here we have, I. The blessings of Zebulun
and Issachar put together, for they were both the sons of Jacob by
Leah, and by their lot in Canaan they were neighbours; it is
foretold,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29">1. That they should both have a comfortable
settlement and employment, <scripRef passage="De 33:18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29.1" parsed="|Deut|33|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>. Zebulun must rejoice, for he shall have cause to
rejoice; and Moses prays that he may have cause in his going out,
either to war (for <i>Zebulun jeoparded their lives in the high
places of the field,</i> <scripRef passage="Jdg 5:18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29.2" parsed="|Judg|5|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.5.18">Judg. v.
18</scripRef>), or rather to sea, for Zebulun was a <i>haven of
ships,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 49:13" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29.3" parsed="|Gen|49|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.13">Gen. xlix. 13</scripRef>.
And Issachar must rejoice in his tents, that is, in his business at
home, his husbandry, to which the men of that tribe generally
confined themselves, because they saw that rest was good, and when
the sea was rough the land was pleasant, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:14,15" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29.4" parsed="|Gen|49|14|49|15" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.14-Gen.49.15">Gen. xlix. 14, 15</scripRef>. Observe here, (1.) That
the providence of God, as it variously appoints the bounds of men's
habitation, some in the city and some in the country, some in the
seaports and some in the inland towns, so it wisely disposes men's
inclinations to different employments for the good of the public,
as each member of the body is situated and qualified for the
service of the whole. The genius of some men leads them to a book,
of others to the sea, of others to the sword; some are inclined to
rural affairs, others to trade, and some have a turn for mechanics;
and it is well it is so. <i>If the whole body were an eye, where
were the hearing?</i> <scripRef passage="1Co 12:17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29.5" parsed="|1Cor|12|17|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.12.17">1 Cor. xii.
17</scripRef>. It was for the common good of Israel that the men of
Zebulun were merchants and that the men of Issachar were
husbandmen. (2.) That whatever our place and business are it is our
wisdom and duty to accommodate ourselves to them, and it is a great
happiness to be well pleased with them. Let Zebulun rejoice in his
going out; let him thank God for the gains and make the best of the
losses and inconveniences of his merchandise, and not despise the
meanness, nor envy the quietness, of Issachar's tents. Let
<i>Issachar rejoice in his tents,</i> let him be well pleased with
the retirements and content with the small profits of his country
seats, and not grudge that he has not Zebulun's pleasure of
travelling and profit of trading. Every business has both its
conveniences and inconveniences, and therefore whatever Providence
has made our business we ought to bring our minds to it; and it is
really a great happiness, whatever our lot is, to be easy with it.
<i>This is the gift of God,</i> <scripRef passage="Ec 5:19" id="Deu.xxxiv-p29.6" parsed="|Eccl|5|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.19">Eccl.
v. 19</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p30">2. That they should both be serviceable in
their places to the honour of God and the interests of religion in
the nation (<scripRef passage="De 33:19" id="Deu.xxxiv-p30.1" parsed="|Deut|33|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>):
<i>They shall call the people to the mountain,</i> that is, to the
<i>temple,</i> which Moses foresaw should be built upon a mountain.
I see not why this should be confined (as it is by most
interpreters) to Zebulun; if both Zebulun and Issachar received the
comforts of their respective employments, why may we not suppose
that they both took care to give God the glory of them? Two things
they shall do for God:&#8212;</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p31">(1.) They shall invite others to his
service. <i>Call the people to the mountain.</i> [1.] Zebulun shall
improve his acquaintance and commerce with the neighbouring
nations, to whom he goes out, for this noble purpose, to propagate
religion among them, and to invite them into the service of the God
of Israel. Note, Men of great business, or large conversation,
should wisely and zealously endeavour to recommend the practice of
serious godliness to those with whom they converse and among whom
their business lies. Such are blessed, for they are blessings. It
were well if the enlargement of trade with foreign countries might
be made to contribute to the spreading of the gospel. This prophecy
concerning Zebulun perhaps looks as far as the preaching of Christ
and his apostles, which began in the land of Zebulun (<scripRef passage="Mt 4:14,15" id="Deu.xxxiv-p31.1" parsed="|Matt|4|14|4|15" osisRef="Bible:Matt.4.14-Matt.4.15">Matt. iv. 14, 15</scripRef>); then they
<i>called the people to the mountain,</i> that is, to the kingdom
of the Messiah, which is called the <i>mountain of the Lord's
house,</i> <scripRef passage="Isa 2:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p31.2" parsed="|Isa|2|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.2.2">Isa. ii. 2</scripRef>. [2.]
Issachar that tarries at home, and dwells in tents, shall call upon
his neighbours to go up to the sanctuary at the times appointed for
their solemn feasts, either because they should be more zealous and
forward than their neighbours (and it has been often observed that
though those that with Zebulun dwell in the haven of ships, which
are places of concourse, have commonly more of the <i>light</i> of
religion, those that with Issachar dwell in tents in the country
have more of the <i>life</i> and <i>heat</i> of it), and may
therefore with their zeal provoke those to a holy emulation that
have more knowledge (<scripRef passage="Ps 122:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p31.3" parsed="|Ps|122|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.122.1">Ps. cxxii.
1</scripRef>); or because they were more observant of the times
appointed for their feasts than others were. One of the Chaldee
paraphrasts reads the foregoing verse, <i>Rejoice, Issachar, in the
tents of thy schools,</i> supposing they would many of them be
scholars, and would use their learning for that purpose, according
to the revolutions of the year, to give notice of the times of the
feasts; for almanacs were not then so common as they are now. And
Onkelos more particularly, <i>Rejoice, Issachar, when thou goest to
compute the times of the solemnities at Jerusalem;</i> for then
<i>the tribes of Israel shall be gathered to the mountain of the
house of the sanctuary.</i> So he reads the beginning of this
verse; and many think this is the meaning of that character of the
men of Issachar in David's time, That <i>they had understanding of
the times to know what Israel ought to do,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ch 12:32" id="Deu.xxxiv-p31.4" parsed="|1Chr|12|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.12.32">1 Chron. xii. 32</scripRef>. And the character which
follows (<scripRef passage="De 33:33" id="Deu.xxxiv-p31.5" parsed="|Deut|33|33|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.33"><i>v.</i> 33</scripRef>) of
the men of Zebulun, that they were such as <i>went forth to battle,
expert in war,</i> perhaps may explain the blessing of that tribe
here. Note, Those that have not opportunity as Zebulun had of
bringing into the church those that are without may yet be very
serviceable to its interest by helping to quicken, encourage, and
build up, those that are within. And it is good work to call people
to God's ordinances, to put those in remembrance that are
forgetful, and to stir up those that are slothful, who will follow,
but care not to lead.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32">(2.) They shall not only invite others to
the service of God, but they shall abound in it themselves:
<i>There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness.</i> They
shall not send others to the temple and stay at home themselves,
under pretence that they cannot leave their business; but, when
they stir up others to <i>go speedily to pray before the Lord,</i>
they shall say, <i>We will go also,</i> as it is <scripRef passage="Zec 8:21" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32.1" parsed="|Zech|8|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Zech.8.21">Zech. viii. 21</scripRef>. Note, The good we exhort
others to we should ourselves be examples of. And, when they come
to the temple, they shall not appear before the Lord empty, but
shall bring for the honour and service of God according as he has
prospered them, <scripRef passage="1Co 16:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32.2" parsed="|1Cor|16|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.16.2">1 Cor. xvi.
2</scripRef>. [1.] It is here foretold that both these tribes
should grow rich. Zebulun that goes abroad shall <i>suck of the
abundance of the seas,</i> which are full breasts to the merchants,
while Issachar, that tarries at home, shall enrich himself with
<i>treasures hid in the sands,</i> either the fruits of the earth
or the underground treasures of metals and minerals, or (because
the word for sand here signifies properly the sand of the sea) the
rich things thrown up by the sea, for the lot of Issachar reached
to the sea-side. Perhaps their success in <i>calling the people to
the mount</i> is intimated by their <i>sucking of the abundance of
the seas,</i> for we have a like phrase used for the bringing in of
the nations to the church (<scripRef passage="Isa 60:5" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32.3" parsed="|Isa|60|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.60.5">Isa. lx.
5</scripRef>), <i>The abundance of the sea shall be converted unto
thee,</i> and (<scripRef passage="De 33:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32.4" parsed="|Deut|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>), <i>Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles.</i> It
is foretold, [2.] That these tribes, being thus enriched, should
<i>consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto
the Lord of the whole earth,</i> <scripRef passage="Mic 4:13" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32.5" parsed="|Mic|4|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.13">Mic.
iv. 13</scripRef>. The <i>merchandise</i> of Zebulun, and the
<i>hire</i> of Issachar, shall be <i>holiness to the Lord</i>
(<scripRef passage="Isa 23:18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p32.6" parsed="|Isa|23|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.23.18">Isa. xxiii. 18</scripRef>), for
thereof they shall <i>offer sacrifices of righteousness,</i> that
is, sacrifices according to the law. Note, We must serve and honour
God with what we have; and where he sows plentifully he expects to
reap accordingly. Those that <i>suck of the abundance of the seas,
and of the treasures hid in the sand,</i> ought to offer sacrifices
of righteousness proportionable.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p33">II. The blessing of the tribe of Gad comes
next, <scripRef passage="De 33:20,21" id="Deu.xxxiv-p33.1" parsed="|Deut|33|20|33|21" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.20-Deut.33.21"><i>v.</i> 20, 21</scripRef>.
This was one of the tribes that was already seated on that side
Jordan where Moses now was. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p34">1. He foretells what this tribe would be,
<scripRef passage="De 33:20" id="Deu.xxxiv-p34.1" parsed="|Deut|33|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. (1.) That it
would be enlarged, as at present it had a spacious allotment; and
he gives God the glory both of its present and of its future
extent: <i>Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad.</i> We find how this
tribe was enlarged by their success in a war which it seems they
carried on very religiously against the Hagarites, <scripRef passage="1Ch 5:19,20,22" id="Deu.xxxiv-p34.2" parsed="|1Chr|5|19|5|20;|1Chr|5|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.5.19-1Chr.5.20 Bible:1Chr.5.22">1 Chron. v. 19, 20, 22</scripRef>. Note,
God is to have the glory of all our enlargements. (2.) That it
would be a valiant and victorious tribe, would, if let alone, dwell
secure and fearless as a lion; but, if provoked, would, like a
lion, <i>tear the arm with the crown of the head;</i> that is,
would pull in pieces all that stood in his way, both the arm (that
is, the strength) and the crown of the head (that is, the policy
and authority) of his enemies. In David's time there were Gadites
whose faces were <i>as the faces of lions,</i> <scripRef passage="1Ch 12:8" id="Deu.xxxiv-p34.3" parsed="|1Chr|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.12.8">1 Chron. xii. 8</scripRef>. Some reckon Jehu to be of
this tribe, because the first mention we have of him is at Ramoth
Gilead, which belonged to Gad, and they think this may refer to his
valiant acts.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35">2. He commends this tribe for what they had
done and were now doing, <scripRef passage="De 33:21" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.1" parsed="|Deut|33|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.21"><i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>. (1.) They had done very wisely for themselves, when
they chose their lot with the first, in a country already
conquered: <i>He provided the first part for himself;</i> though he
had a concern for his brethren, yet his charity began at home, and
he was willing to see himself first served, first settled. The
Gadites were the first and most active movers for an allotment on
that side Jordan, and therefore are still mentioned before the
Reubenites in the history of that affair, <scripRef passage="Nu 32:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.2" parsed="|Num|32|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.2">Num. xxxii. 2</scripRef>. And thus, while the other
tribes had their portion assigned them by Joshua the conqueror, Gad
and his companions had theirs from Moses the law-giver, and in it
they were seated by law; or (as the word is) <i>covered</i> or
protected by a special providence which watched over those that
were left behind, while the men of war went forward with their
brethren. Note, <i>Men will praise thee when thou doest well for
thyself</i> (when thou providest first for thyself, as Gad did),
<scripRef passage="Ps 49:18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.3" parsed="|Ps|49|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.49.18">Ps. xlix. 18</scripRef>. And God will
praise thee when thou doest well for thy soul, which is indeed
thyself, and providest the first part for that in a portion from
the law-giver. (2.) They were now doing honestly and bravely for
their brethren; for they <i>came with the heads of the people,</i>
before whom they went armed over Jordan, to <i>execute the justice
of the Lord</i> upon the Canaanites, under the conduct of Joshua,
to whom we afterwards find they solemnly vowed obedience, <scripRef passage="Jos 1:12,16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.4" parsed="|Josh|1|12|0|0;|Josh|1|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.1.12 Bible:Josh.1.16">Josh. i. 12, 16</scripRef>. This was what
they undertook to do when they had their lot assigned them,
<scripRef passage="Nu 32:27" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.5" parsed="|Num|32|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.32.27">Num. xxxii. 27</scripRef>. This they
did, <scripRef passage="Jos 4:12" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.6" parsed="|Josh|4|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.4.12">Josh. iv. 12</scripRef>. And,
when the wars of Canaan were ended, Joshua dismissed them with a
blessing, <scripRef passage="Jos 22:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.7" parsed="|Josh|22|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.22.7">Josh. xxii. 7</scripRef>.
Note, It is a blessed and honourable thing to be helpful to our
brethren in their affairs, and particularly to assist in executing
the justice of the Lord by suppressing that which is provoking to
him: it was this that was counted to Phinehas for
righteousness.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:22-25" id="Deu.xxxiv-p35.8" parsed="|Deut|33|22|33|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.22-Deut.33.25"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.22-Deut.33.25">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p36">22 And of Dan he said, Dan <i>is</i> a lion's
whelp: he shall leap from Bashan. &#160; 23 And of Naphtali he
said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing
of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p36.1">Lord</span>: possess thou the west
and the south. &#160; 24 And of Asher he said, <i>Let</i> Asher
<i>be</i> blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his
brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. &#160; 25 Thy shoes
<i>shall be</i> iron and brass; and as thy days, <i>so shall</i>
thy strength <i>be.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p37">Here is, I. The blessing of Dan, <scripRef passage="De 33:22" id="Deu.xxxiv-p37.1" parsed="|Deut|33|22|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. Jacob in his blessing
had compared him to a serpent for subtlety; Moses compares him to a
lion for courage and resolution: and what could stand before those
that had the head of a serpent and the heart of a lion? He is
compared to the lions that leaped from Bashan, a mountain noted for
fierce lions, whence they came down to leap upon their prey in the
plains. This may refer either, 1. To the particular victories
obtained by Samson (who was of this tribe) over the Philistines.
<i>The Spirit of the Lord began to move him in the camp of Dan</i>
when he was very young, as <i>a lion's whelp,</i> so that in his
attacks upon the Philistines he surprised them, and overpowered
them by main strength, as a lion does his prey; and one of his
first exploits was the rending of a lion. Or, 2. To a more general
achievement of that tribe, when a party of them, upon information
brought them of the security of Laish, which lay in the furthest
part of the land of Canaan from them, surprised it, and soon made
themselves masters of it. See <scripRef passage="Jdg 18:27" id="Deu.xxxiv-p37.2" parsed="|Judg|18|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Judg.18.27">Judg.
xviii. 27</scripRef>. And, the mountains of Bashan lying not far
from that city, probably thence they made their descent upon it;
and therefore are here said to <i>leap from Bashan.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p38">II. The blessing of Naphtali, <scripRef passage="De 33:23" id="Deu.xxxiv-p38.1" parsed="|Deut|33|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. He looks upon this
tribe with wonder, and applauds it: "O Naphtali, thou art happy,
thou shalt be so, mayest thou be ever so!" Three things make up the
happiness of this tribe:&#8212;1. Be thou <i>satisfied with favour.</i>
Some understand it of the favour of men, their good-will and good
word. Jacob had described this tribe to be, generally, courteous
obliging people, giving goodly words, as the loving hind, <scripRef passage="Ge 49:21" id="Deu.xxxiv-p38.2" parsed="|Gen|49|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.49.21">Gen. xlix. 21</scripRef>. Now what should they
get by being so? Moses here tells them they should have an interest
in the affections of their neighbours, and be satisfied with
favour. Those that are loving shall be beloved. But others
understand it of the favour of God, and with good reason; for that
only is the favour that is satisfying to the soul and puts true
gladness into the heart. Those are happy indeed that have the
favour of God; and those shall have it that place their
satisfaction in it, and reckon that, in having that, they have
enough and desire no more. 2. Be thou <i>full with the blessing of
the Lord,</i> that is, not only with those good things that are the
fruits of the blessing (corn, and wine, and oil), but with the
blessing itself; that is, the grace of God, according to his
promise and covenant. Those who have that blessing may well reckon
themselves full: they need nothing else to make them happy. "The
portion of the tribe of Naphtali" (the Jews say) "was so fruitful,
and the productions so forward, though it lay north, that those of
that tribe were generally the first that brought their first-fruits
to the temple; and so they had first the blessing from the priest,
which was the blessing of the Lord." Capernaum, in which Christ
chiefly resided, lay in this tribe. 3. Be thou <i>in possession of
the sea and the south;</i> so it may be read, that is, of that sea
which shall lie south of thy lot, that was the sea of Galilee,
which we so often read of in the gospels, directly north of which
the lot of this tribe lay, and which was of great advantage to this
tribe, witness the wealth of Capernaum and Bethsaida, which lay
within this tribe, and upon the shore of that sea. See how Moses
was guided by a spirit of prophesy in these blessings; for before
the lot was cast into the lap he foresaw and foretold how the
disposal of it would be.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p39">III. The blessing of Asher, <scripRef passage="De 33:24,25" id="Deu.xxxiv-p39.1" parsed="|Deut|33|24|33|25" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.24-Deut.33.25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. Four things he
prays for and prophecies concerning this tribe, which carries
blessedness in its name; for Leah called the father of it
<i>Asher,</i> saying <i>Happy am I,</i> <scripRef passage="Ge 30:13" id="Deu.xxxiv-p39.2" parsed="|Gen|30|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.30.13">Gen. xxx. 13</scripRef>. 1. The increase of their
numbers. They were now a numerous tribe, <scripRef passage="Nu 26:47" id="Deu.xxxiv-p39.3" parsed="|Num|26|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.26.47">Num. xxvi. 47</scripRef>. "Let it be more so: <i>Let
Asher be blessed with children.</i>" Note, Children, especially
children of the covenant, are blessings, not burdens. 2. Their
interest in their neighbours: <i>Let him be acceptable to his
brethren.</i> Note, It is a very desirable thing to have the love
and good-will of those we live among: it is what we should pray to
God for, who has all hearts in his hand; and what we should
endeavour to gain by meekness and humility, and a readiness, as we
have ability and opportunity, to do good to all men. 3. The
richness of their land. (1.) Above ground: <i>Let him dip his foot
in oil,</i> that is, "Let him have such plenty of it in his lot
that he may not only anoint his head with it, but, if he please,
wash his feet in it," which was not commonly done; yet we find our
blessed Saviour so acceptable to his brethren that his feet were
anointed with the most precious ointment, <scripRef passage="Lu 7:46" id="Deu.xxxiv-p39.4" parsed="|Luke|7|46|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Luke.7.46">Luke vii. 46</scripRef>. (2.) Under ground: <i>Thy shoes
shall be iron and brass,</i> that is, "Thou shalt have great plenty
of these metals (mines of them) in thy own ground, which by an
uncommon blessing shall have both its surface and its bowels rich:"
or, if they had them not as the productions of their own country,
they should have them imported from abroad; for the lot of this
tribe lay on the sea-coast. The Chaldee paraphrasts understand this
figuratively: "Thou shalt be strong and bright, as iron and brass."
4. The continuance of their strength and vigour: <i>As thy days, so
shall thy strength be.</i> Many paraphrase it thus, "The strength
of thy old age shall be like that of thy youth; thou shalt not feel
a decay, nor be the worse for the wearing, but shalt renew thy
youth; as if not thy shoes only, but thy bones, were iron and
brass." The day is often in scripture put for the events of the
day; and, taking it so here, it is a promise that God would
graciously support them under their trials and troubles, whatever
they were. And so it is a promise sure to all the spiritual seed of
Abraham, that God will wisely proportion their graces and comforts
to the services and sufferings he calls them out to. Have they work
appointed them? They shall have strength to do it. Have they
burdens appointed them? They shall have strength to bear them; and
never be <i>tempted above that they are able.</i> Faithful is he
that has thus promised, and hath caused us to hope in this
promise.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 33:26-29" id="Deu.xxxiv-p39.5" parsed="|Deut|33|26|33|29" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.26-Deut.33.29"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.33.26-Deut.33.29">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxiv-p40">26 <i>There is</i> none like unto the God of
Jeshurun, <i>who</i> rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his
excellency on the sky. &#160; 27 The eternal God <i>is thy</i>
refuge, and underneath <i>are</i> the everlasting arms: and he
shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy
<i>them.</i> &#160; 28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the
fountain of Jacob <i>shall be</i> upon a land of corn and wine;
also his heavens shall drop down dew. &#160; 29 Happy <i>art</i>
thou, O Israel: who <i>is</i> like unto thee, O people saved by the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxiv-p40.1">Lord</span>, the shield of thy help, and
who <i>is</i> the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall
be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high
places.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p41">These are the last words of all that ever
Moses, that great writer, that great dictator, either wrote himself
or had written from his dictation; they are therefore very
remarkable, and no doubt we shall find them very improving. Moses,
the man of God (who had as much reason as ever any mere man had to
know both), with his last breath magnifies both the God of Israel
and the Israel of God. They are both incomparable in his eye; and
we are sure that in this his judgment of both his eye did not wax
dim.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p42">I. No God like the God of Israel. None of
the gods of the nations were capable of doing that for their
worshippers which Jehovah did for his: <i>There is none like unto
the God of Jeshurun,</i> <scripRef passage="De 33:26" id="Deu.xxxiv-p42.1" parsed="|Deut|33|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. Note, When we are expecting that God should bless us
in doing well for us we must bless him by speaking well of him: and
one of the most solemn ways of praising God is by acknowledging
that there is none like him. Now, 1. This was the honour of Israel.
Every nation boasted of its god; but none had such a God to boast
of as Israel had. 2. It was their happiness that they were taken
into covenant with such a God. Two things he takes notice of as
proofs of the incontestable pre-eminence of the God of Jeshurun
above all other gods: (1.) His sovereign power and authority: <i>He
rides upon the heavens,</i> and with the greatest state and
magnificence on the skies. Riding on the heavens denotes his
greatness and glory, in which he manifests himself to the upper
world, and the use he makes of the influences of heaven, and the
productions of the clouds, in bringing to pass his own counsels in
this lower world: he manages and directs them as a man does the
horse he rides on. When he has any thing to do for his people he
<i>rides upon the heavens</i> to do it; for he does it swiftly and
strongly: no enemy can either anticipate or obstruct the progress
of him that rides on the heavens. (2.) His boundless eternity; he
is the eternal God, and his arms are <i>everlasting,</i> <scripRef passage="De 33:27" id="Deu.xxxiv-p42.2" parsed="|Deut|33|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>. The gods of the heathen
were but lately invented, and would shortly perish; but the God of
Jeshurun is eternal: he was before all worlds, and will be when
time and days shall be no more. See <scripRef passage="Hab 1:12" id="Deu.xxxiv-p42.3" parsed="|Hab|1|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Hab.1.12">Hab. i. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p43">II. No people like the Israel of God.
Having pronounced each tribe happy, in the close he pronounces all
together very happy, so happy in all respects that there was no
nation under the sun comparable to them (<scripRef passage="De 33:29" id="Deu.xxxiv-p43.1" parsed="|Deut|33|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>): <i>Happy art thou, O
Israel,</i> a people whose God is the Lord, on that account truly
happy, and <i>none like unto thee.</i> If Israel honour God as a
non-such God, he will favour them so as to make them a non-such
people, the envy of all their neighbours and the joy of all their
well-wishers. <i>Who is like unto thee, O people? Behold, thou art
fair, my love,</i> says Christ of his spouse. To which she
presently returns, <i>Behold thou art fair, my beloved. What one
nation</i> (no, not all the nations together) is <i>like thy people
Israel?</i> <scripRef passage="2Sa 7:23" id="Deu.xxxiv-p43.2" parsed="|2Sam|7|23|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.7.23">2 Sam. vii. 23</scripRef>.
What is here said of the church of Israel and the honours and
privileges of it is certainly to be applied to <i>the church of the
first-born,</i> that are written in heaven. The Christian church is
the Israel of God, as the apostle calls it (<scripRef passage="Ga 6:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p43.3" parsed="|Gal|6|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gal.6.16">Gal. vi. 16</scripRef>), on which there shall be peace,
and which is dignified above all societies in the world, as Israel
was.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p44">1. Never were people so well seated and
sheltered (<scripRef passage="De 33:27" id="Deu.xxxiv-p44.1" parsed="|Deut|33|27|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>):
<i>The eternal God is thy refuge.</i> Or, as the word signifies,
"thy <i>habitation,</i> or <i>mansion-house,</i> in which thou art
safe, and easy, and at rest, as a man in his own house." Every
Israelite indeed is at home in God; the soul returns to him, and
reposes in him as its resting-place (<scripRef passage="Ps 116:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p44.2" parsed="|Ps|116|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.116.7">Ps. cxvi. 7</scripRef>), its hiding-place, <scripRef passage="Ps 32:7" id="Deu.xxxiv-p44.3" parsed="|Ps|32|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.32.7">Ps. xxxii. 7</scripRef>. And those that make him
their habitation shall have all the comforts and benefits of a
habitation in him, <scripRef passage="Ps 91:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p44.4" parsed="|Ps|91|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.91.1">Ps. xci.
1</scripRef>. Moses had an eye to God as the habitation of Israel
when they were wandering in the wilderness (<scripRef passage="Ps 90:1" id="Deu.xxxiv-p44.5" parsed="|Ps|90|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.1">Ps. xc. 1</scripRef>): <i>Lord, thou hast been our
dwelling-place in all generations.</i> And now that they were going
to settle in Canaan they must not change their habitation; still
they will need, and still they shall have, the eternal God for
their dwelling-place; without him Canaan itself would be a
wilderness, and a land of darkness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p45">2. Never were people so well supported and
borne up: <i>Underneath are the everlasting arms;</i> that is, the
almighty power of God is engaged for the protection and consolation
of all that trust in him, in their greatest straits and distresses,
and under the heaviest burdens. The everlasting arms shall support,
(1.) The interests of the church in general, that they shall not
sink, or be run down; underneath the church is that rock of ages on
which it is built, and against which the gates of hell shall never
prevail, <scripRef passage="Mt 16:18" id="Deu.xxxiv-p45.1" parsed="|Matt|16|18|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Matt.16.18">Matt. xvi. 18</scripRef>.
(2.) The spirits or particular believers, so that, though they may
be oppressed, they shall not be overwhelmed by any trouble. How low
soever the people of God are at any time brought, everlasting arms
are underneath them to keep the spirit from sinking, from fainting,
and the faith from failing, even when they are pressed above
measure. The everlasting covenant, and the everlasting consolations
that flow from it, are indeed everlasting arms, with which
believers have been wonderfully sustained, and kept cheerful in the
worst of times; divine grace is sufficient for them, <scripRef passage="2Co 12:9" id="Deu.xxxiv-p45.2" parsed="|2Cor|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.12.9">2 Cor. xii. 9</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p46">3. Never were people so well commanded and
led on to battle: "<i>He shall thrust out the enemy from before
thee</i> by his almighty power, which will make room for thee; and
by a commission which will bear thee out he shall say, <i>Destroy
them.</i>" They were now entering upon a land that was in the full
possession of a strong and formidable people, and who, being its
first planters, looked upon themselves as its rightful owners; how
shall Israel justify, and how shall they accomplish, the expulsion
of them? (1.) God will give them a commission to destroy the
Canaanites, and that will justify them, and bear them out in it,
against all the world. He that is sovereign Lord of all lives and
all lands not only allowed and permitted, but expressly commanded
and appointed the children of Israel both to take possession of the
land of Canaan and to put the sword to the people of Canaan, which,
being thus authorized, they might not only lawfully but honourably
do, without incurring the least stain or imputation of theft by the
one or murder by the other. (2.) God will give them power and
ability to destroy them; nay, he will in effect do it to their
hands: he will <i>thrust out the enemy from before them;</i> for
the very fear of Israel shall put them to flight. God <i>drive out
the heathen to plant his people,</i> <scripRef passage="Ps 44:2" id="Deu.xxxiv-p46.1" parsed="|Ps|44|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.44.2">Ps. xliv. 2</scripRef>. Thus believers are more than
conquerors over their spiritual enemies, through Christ that loved
them. The captain of our salvation <i>thrust out the enemy from
before us</i> when he overcame the world and spoiled principalities
and powers on the cross; and the word of command to us is,
"<i>Destroy them;</i> pursue the victory, and you shall divide the
spoil."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p47">4. Never were people so well secured and
protected (<scripRef passage="De 33:28" id="Deu.xxxiv-p47.1" parsed="|Deut|33|28|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>):
<i>Israel shall then dwell in safety alone.</i> Those that dwell in
God, and make his name their strong tower, <i>dwell in safety;</i>
the <i>place of their defence is the munitions of rocks,</i>
<scripRef passage="Isa 33:16" id="Deu.xxxiv-p47.2" parsed="|Isa|33|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.33.16">Isa. xxxiii. 16</scripRef>. They
shall dwell in safety alone. (1.) Though alone. Though they
contract no alliances with their neighbours, nor have any reason to
expect help or succour from any of them, yet they shall dwell in
safety; they shall really be safe, and they shall think themselves
so. (2.) Because alone. They shall dwell in safety as long as they
continue pure, and unmixed with the heathen, a singular and
peculiar people. Their distinction from other nations, though it
made them <i>like a speckled bird</i> (<scripRef passage="Jer 12:9" id="Deu.xxxiv-p47.3" parsed="|Jer|12|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.12.9">Jer. xii. 9</scripRef>), and exposed them to the
ill-will of those about them, yet was really their preservation
from the mischief their neighbours wished them, as it kept them
under the divine protection. All that keep close to God shall be
kept safely by him. It is promised that in the kingdom of Christ
<i>Israel shall dwell safely,</i> <scripRef passage="Jer 23:6" id="Deu.xxxiv-p47.4" parsed="|Jer|23|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jer.23.6">Jer.
xxiii. 6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p48">5. Never were people so well provided for:
<i>The fountain of Jacob</i> (that is, the present generation of
that people, which is as the fountain to all the streams that shall
hereafter descend and be derived from it) shall now presently be
fixed upon a good land. <i>The eye of Jacob</i> (so it might be
read, for the same word signifies a fountain and an eye) <i>is upon
the land of corn and wine,</i> that is, where they now lay encamped
they had Canaan in their eye, it was just before their faces, on
the other side the river, and they would have it in their hands and
under their feet quickly. This land upon which they had set their
eye was blessed both with the fatness of the earth and the dew of
heaven; it was a <i>land of corn and wine,</i> substantial and
useful productions: also his heavens (as if the heavens were
particularly designed to be blessings to that land) <i>shall drop
down dew,</i> without which, though the soil were ever so good, the
corn and wine would soon fail. Every Israelite indeed has his eye,
the eye of faith, upon the better country, the heavenly Canaan,
which is richly replenished with better things than corn and
wine.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p49">6. Never were people so well helped. If
they were in any strait, God himself rode upon the heavens for
<i>their help,</i> <scripRef passage="De 33:26" id="Deu.xxxiv-p49.1" parsed="|Deut|33|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.26"><i>v.</i>
26</scripRef>. And they were <i>a people saved by the Lord,</i>
<scripRef passage="De 33:29" id="Deu.xxxiv-p49.2" parsed="|Deut|33|29|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.33.29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>. If they were
in danger of any harm, or in want of any good, they had an eternal
God to go to, an almighty power to trust to; nothing could hurt
those whom God helped, nor was it possible that the people should
perish which <i>was saved by the Lord.</i> Those that are added to
the gospel Israel are <i>such as shall be saved,</i> <scripRef passage="Ac 2:47" id="Deu.xxxiv-p49.3" parsed="|Acts|2|47|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.2.47">Acts ii. 47</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p50">7. Never were people so well armed. God
himself was the shield of their help by whom they were armed
defensively, and sufficiently guarded against all assailants: and
he was the <i>sword of their excellency,</i> by whom they were
armed offensively, and made both formidable and successful in all
their wars. God is called the <i>sword of their excellency</i>
because, in fighting for them, he made them to excel other people,
or because in all he did for them he had an eye to his sanctuary
among them, which is called the <i>excellency of Jacob,</i>
<scripRef passage="Ps 47:4,Eze 24:21,Am 6" id="Deu.xxxiv-p50.1" parsed="|Ps|47|4|0|0;|Ezek|24|21|0|0;|Amos|24|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.47.4 Bible:Ezek.24.21 Bible:Amos.24.6">Ps. xlvii. 4; Ezek.
xxiv. 21; Amos vi. 8</scripRef>. Those in whose hearts is the
excellency of holiness have God himself for their shield and
sword&#8212;are defended by the whole armour of God; his word is their
sword, and faith in it is their shield, <scripRef passage="Eph 6:16,17" id="Deu.xxxiv-p50.2" parsed="|Eph|6|16|6|17" osisRef="Bible:Eph.6.16-Eph.6.17">Eph. vi. 16, 17</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p51">8. Never were people so well assured of
victory over their enemies: <i>They shall be found liars unto
thee;</i> That is, "shall be forced to submit to thee sorely
against their will, so that it will be but a counterfeit
submission; yet the point shall be gained, for thou shalt <i>tread
upon their necks</i>" (so the LXX.), which we find done, <scripRef passage="Jos 10:24" id="Deu.xxxiv-p51.1" parsed="|Josh|10|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Josh.10.24">Josh. x. 24</scripRef>. "Thou shalt tread down
their strong-holds, be they ever so high, and trample upon their
palaces and temples, though esteemed ever so sacred. <i>If thy
enemies be found liars to thee</i>" (so some read it), "<i>thou
shalt tread upon their high places;</i> if they will not be held by
the bonds of leagues and treaties, they shall be broken by the
force of war." Thus shall the God of peace tread Satan under the
feet of all believers, and shall <i>do it shortly,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 16:20" id="Deu.xxxiv-p51.2" parsed="|Rom|16|20|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.16.20">Rom. xvi. 20</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxiv-p52">Now lay all this together, and then you
will say, <i>Happy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O
people!</i> Thrice happy the people whose God is the Lord.</p>
</div></div2>
<div2 title="Chapter XXXIV" n="xxxv" progress="99.54%" prev="Deu.xxxiv" next="viii" id="Deu.xxxv">
<h2 id="Deu.xxxv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xxxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xxxv-p1">Having read how Moses finished his testimony, we
are told here how he immediately after finished his life. This
chapter could not be written by Moses himself, but was added by
Joshua or Eleazar, or, as bishop Patrick conjectures, by Samuel,
who was a prophet, and wrote by divine authority what he found in
the records of Joshua, and his successors the judges. We have had
an account of his dying words, here we have an account of his dying
work, and that is work we must all do shortly, and it had need be
well done. Here is, I. The view Moses had of the land of Canaan
just before he died, <scripRef passage="De 34:1-4" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.1" parsed="|Deut|34|1|34|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.1-Deut.34.4">ver.
1-4</scripRef>. II. His death and burial, <scripRef passage="De 34:5,6" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.2" parsed="|Deut|34|5|34|6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.5-Deut.34.6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>. III. His age, <scripRef passage="De 34:7" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.3" parsed="|Deut|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.7">ver. 7</scripRef>. IV. Israel's mourning for him,
<scripRef passage="De 34:8" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.4" parsed="|Deut|34|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.8">ver. 8</scripRef>. V. His successor,
<scripRef passage="De 34:9" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.5" parsed="|Deut|34|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.9">ver. 9</scripRef>. VI. His character,
<scripRef passage="De 34:10-12" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.6" parsed="|Deut|34|10|34|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.10-Deut.34.12">ver. 10</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 34" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.7" parsed="|Deut|34|0|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34"/>
<scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 34:1-4" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.8" parsed="|Deut|34|1|34|4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.1-Deut.34.4"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.34.1-Deut.34.4">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxv-p1.9">Moses on Mount Pisgah. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxv-p2">1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto
the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that <i>is</i> over
against Jericho. And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p2.1">Lord</span> showed
him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, &#160; 2 And all Naphtali,
and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah,
unto the utmost sea, &#160; 3 And the south, and the plain of the
valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. &#160; 4 And
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p2.2">Lord</span> said unto him, This
<i>is</i> the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto
Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to
see <i>it</i> with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over
thither.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p3">Here is, I. Moses climbing upwards towards
heaven, as high as the top of Pisgah, there to die; for that was
the place appointed, <scripRef passage="De 32:49,50" id="Deu.xxxv-p3.1" parsed="|Deut|32|49|32|50" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.49-Deut.32.50"><i>ch.</i>
xxxii. 49, 50</scripRef>. Israel lay encamped upon the flat grounds
in the plains of Moab, and thence he went up, according to order,
to the mountain of Nebo, to the highest point or ridge of that
mountain, which was called <i>Pisgah,</i> <scripRef passage="De 34:1" id="Deu.xxxv-p3.2" parsed="|Deut|34|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Pisgah is an appellative name for
all such eminences. It should seem, Moses went up alone to the top
of Pisgah, <i>alone without help</i>&#8212;a sign that his natural force
was not abated when on the last day of his life he could walk up to
the top of a high hill without such supporters as once he had when
his hands were heavy (<scripRef passage="Ex 17:12" id="Deu.xxxv-p3.3" parsed="|Exod|17|12|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.17.12">Exod. xvii.
12</scripRef>), <i>alone without company.</i> When he had made an
end of blessing Israel, we may suppose, he solemnly took leave of
Joshua, and Eleazar, and the rest of his friends, who probably
brought him to the foot of the hill; but then he gave them such a
charge as Abraham gave to his servants at the foot of another hill:
<i>Tarry you here while I go yonder and die:</i> they must not see
him die, because they must not know of his sepulchre. But, whether
this were so or not, he went up to the top of Pisgah, 1. To show
that he was willing to die. When he knew the place of his death, he
was so far from avoiding it that he cheerfully mounted a steep hill
to come at it. Note, Those that through grace are well acquainted
with another world, and have been much conversant with it, need not
be afraid to leave this. 2. To show that he looked upon death as
his ascension. The soul of a man, of a good man, when it leaves the
body, <i>goes upwards</i> (<scripRef passage="Ec 3:21" id="Deu.xxxv-p3.4" parsed="|Eccl|3|21|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.3.21">Eccl. iii.
21</scripRef>), in conformity to which motion of the soul, the body
of Moses shall go along with it as far upwards as its earth will
carry it. When God's servants are sent for out of the world, the
summons runs thus, <i>Go up and die.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p4">II. Moses looking downward again towards
this earth, to see the earthly Canaan into which he must never
enter, but therein by faith looking forwards to the heavenly Canaan
into which he should now immediately enter. God had threatened that
he should not come into the possession of Canaan, and the
threatening is fulfilled. But he had also promised that he should
have a prospect of it, and the promise is here performed: <i>The
Lord showed him</i> all that good land, <scripRef passage="De 34:1" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.1" parsed="|Deut|34|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. 1. If he went up alone to the top
of Pisgah, yet he <i>was not alone, for the Father was with
him,</i> <scripRef passage="Joh 16:32" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.2" parsed="|John|16|32|0|0" osisRef="Bible:John.16.32">John xvi. 32</scripRef>. If
a man has any friends, he will have them about him when he lies a
dying. But if, either through God's providence or their unkindness,
it should so happen that we should then be alone, we need <i>fear
no evil</i> if the great and good Shepherd be with us, <scripRef passage="Ps 23:4" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.3" parsed="|Ps|23|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.23.4">Ps. xxiii. 4</scripRef>. 2. Though his sight was
very good, and he had all the advantage of high ground that he
could desire for the prospect, yet he could not have seen what he
now saw, all Canaan from end to end (reckoned about fifty or sixty
miles), if his sight had not been miraculously assisted and
enlarged, and therefore it is said, <i>The Lord showed it to
him.</i> Note, All the pleasant prospects we have of the better
country we are beholden to the grace of God for; it is he that
gives the <i>spirit of wisdom</i> as well as the <i>spirit of
revelation,</i> the eye as well as the object. This sight which God
here gave Moses of Canaan, probably, the devil designed to mimic,
and pretended to out-do, when in an airy phantom he showed to our
Saviour, whom he had placed like Moses upon an <i>exceedingly high
mountain,</i> all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them,
not gradually, as here, first one country and then another, but all
in a moment of time. 3. He saw it at a distance. Such a sight the
Old-Testament saints had of the kingdom of the Messiah; they <i>saw
it afar off.</i> Thus Abraham, long before this, saw Christ's day;
and, being fully persuaded of it, embraced it in the promise,
leaving others to embrace it in the performance, <scripRef passage="Heb 11:13" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.4" parsed="|Heb|11|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.13">Heb. xi. 13</scripRef>. Such a sight believers now
have, through grace, of the bliss and glory of their future state.
The word and ordinances are to them what Mount Pisgah was to Moses;
from them they have comfortable prospects of the glory to be
revealed, and rejoice in hope of it. 4. He saw it, but must never
enjoy it. As God sometimes takes his people away from the evil to
come, so at other times he takes them away from the good to come,
that is, the good which shall be enjoyed by the church in the
present world. Glorious things are spoken of the kingdom of Christ
in the latter days, its advancement, enlargement, and flourishing
state; we foresee it, but we are not likely to live to see it.
Those that shall come after us, we hope will enter that promised
land, which is a comfort to us when we find our own carcases
falling in this wilderness. See <scripRef passage="2Ki 7:2" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.5" parsed="|2Kgs|7|2|0|0" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.7.2">2 Kings
vii. 2</scripRef>. 5. He saw all this just before his death.
Sometimes God reserves the brightest discoveries of his grace to
his people to be the support of their dying moments. Canaan was
<i>Immanuel's land</i> (<scripRef passage="Isa 8:8" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.6" parsed="|Isa|8|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.8.8">Isa. viii.
8</scripRef>), so that in viewing it he had a view of the blessings
we enjoy by Christ. It was a type of heaven (<scripRef passage="Heb 11:16" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.7" parsed="|Heb|11|16|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.11.16">Heb. xi. 16</scripRef>), which faith is the substance
and evidence of. Note, Those may leave this world with a great deal
of cheerfulness that die in the faith of Christ, and in the hope of
heaven, and with Canaan in their eye. Having thus seen the
salvation of God, we may well say, <i>Lord, now let thou thy
servant depart in peace.</i></p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 34:5-8" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.8" parsed="|Deut|34|5|34|8" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.5-Deut.34.8"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.34.5-Deut.34.8">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxv-p4.9">The Death of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p4.10">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxv-p5">5 So Moses the servant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p5.1">Lord</span> died there in the land of Moab, according
to the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p5.2">Lord</span>. &#160; 6
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against
Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
&#160; 7 And Moses <i>was</i> a hundred and twenty years old when
he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. &#160;
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab
thirty days: so the days of weeping <i>and</i> mourning for Moses
were ended.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p6">Here is, I. The death of Moses (<scripRef passage="De 34:5" id="Deu.xxxv-p6.1" parsed="|Deut|34|5|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): <i>Moses the servant of
the Lord died.</i> God told him he must not go over Jordan, and,
though at first he prayed earnestly for the reversing of the
sentence yet God's answer to his prayer sufficed him, and now he
<i>spoke no more of that matter,</i> <scripRef passage="De 3:26" id="Deu.xxxv-p6.2" parsed="|Deut|3|26|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.3.26"><i>ch.</i> iii. 26</scripRef>. Thus our blessed Saviour
prayed that the cup might pass from him, yet, since it might not,
he acquiesced with, <i>Father, thy will be done.</i> Moses had
reason to desire to live a while longer in the world. He was old,
it is true, but he had not yet <i>attained to the years of the life
of his fathers;</i> his father Amram lived to be 137; his
grandfather Kohath 133; his great grandfather Levi 137; <scripRef passage="Ex 6:16-20" id="Deu.xxxv-p6.3" parsed="|Exod|6|16|6|20" osisRef="Bible:Exod.6.16-Exod.6.20">Exod. vi. 16-20</scripRef>. And why must
Moses, whose life was more serviceable than any of theirs, die at
120, especially since he felt not the decays of age, but was as fit
for service as ever? Israel could ill spare him at this time; his
conduct and his converse with God would be as great a happiness to
them in the conquest of Canaan as the courage of Joshua. It bore
hard upon Moses himself, when he had gone through all the fatigues
of the wilderness, to be prevented from enjoying the pleasures of
Canaan; when he had borne the burden and heat of the day, to resign
the honour of finishing the work to another, and that not his son,
but his servant, who must enter into his labours. We may suppose
that this was not pleasant to flesh and blood. But <i>the man Moses
was very meek;</i> God will have it so, and he cheerfully submits.
1. He is here called <i>the servant of the Lord,</i> not only as a
good man (all the saints are God's servants), but as a useful man,
eminently useful, who had served God's counsels in bringing Israel
out of Egypt, and leading them through the wilderness. It was more
his honour to be the <i>servant of the Lord</i> than to be king in
Jeshurun. 2. Yet he dies. Neither his piety nor his usefulness
would exempt him from the stroke of death. God's servants must die
that they may rest from their labours, receive their recompense,
and make room for others. When God's servants are removed, and must
serve him no longer on earth, they go to serve him better, to serve
him <i>day and night in his temple.</i> 3. He dies in the land of
Moab, short of Canaan, while as yet he and his people were in an
unsettled condition and had not entered into their rest. In the
heavenly Canaan there will be no more death. 4. He dies
<i>according to the word of the Lord. At the mouth of the Lord;</i>
so the word is. The Jews say, "with a kiss from the mouth of God."
No doubt, he died very easily (it was an
<b><i>euthanasia</i></b>&#8212;<i>a delightful death</i>), there were no
bands in his death; and he had in his death a most pleasing taste
of the love of God to him: but that he <i>died at the mouth of the
Lord</i> means no more but that he died in compliance with the will
of God. Note, The servants of the Lord, when they have done all
their other work, must die at last, in obedience to their Master,
and be freely willing to go home whenever he sends for them,
<scripRef passage="Ac 21:13" id="Deu.xxxv-p6.4" parsed="|Acts|21|13|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Acts.21.13">Acts xxi. 13</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p7">II. His burial, <scripRef passage="De 34:6" id="Deu.xxxv-p7.1" parsed="|Deut|34|6|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It is a groundless conceit of
some of the Jews that Moses was translated to heaven as Elijah was,
for it is expressly said that he <i>died and was buried;</i> yet
probably he was raised to meet Elias, to grace the solemnity of
Christ's transfiguration. 1. God himself buried him, namely, by the
ministry of angels, which made this funeral, though very private,
yet very magnificent. Note, God takes care of the dead bodies of
his servants; as their death is precious, so is their dust, not a
grain of it shall be lost, but the covenant with it shall be
remembered. When Moses was dead, God buried him; when Christ was
dead, God raised him, for the law of Moses was to have an end, but
not the gospel of Christ. Believers are dead to the law that they
might be married to another, even <i>to him who is raised from the
dead,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 7:4" id="Deu.xxxv-p7.2" parsed="|Rom|7|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.7.4">Rom. vii. 4</scripRef>. It
should seem Michael, that is, Christ (as some think), had the
burying of Moses, for by him the Mosaical ordinances were abolished
and taken out of the way, <i>nailed to his cross,</i> and buried in
his grave, <scripRef passage="Col 2:14" id="Deu.xxxv-p7.3" parsed="|Col|2|14|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Col.2.14">Col. ii. 14</scripRef>. 2.
He was buried in a valley <i>over against Beth-peor.</i> How easily
could the angels that buried him have conveyed him over Jordan and
buried him with the patriarchs in the cave of Machpelah! But we
must learn not be over-solicitous about the place of our burial. If
the soul be at rest with God, the matter is not great where the
body rests. One of the Chaldee paraphrasts says, "He was buried
over against Beth-peor, that, whenever Baal-peor boasted of the
Israelites being joined to him, the grave of Moses over against his
temple might be a check to him." 3. The particular place was not
known, lest the children of Israel, who were so very prone to
idolatry, should have enshrined and worshipped the dead body of
Moses, that great founder and benefactor of their nation. It is
true that we read not, among all the instances of their idolatry,
that they worshipped relics, the reason of which perhaps was
because they were thus prevented from worshipping Moses, and so
could not for shame worship any other. Some of the Jewish writers
say that the body of Moses was concealed, that necromancers, who
enquired of the dead, might not disquiet him, as the witch of Endor
did Samuel, to <i>bring him up.</i> God would not have the name and
memory of his servant Moses thus abused. Many think this was the
contest between Michael and the devil about the body of Moses,
mentioned <scripRef passage="Jude 1:9" id="Deu.xxxv-p7.4" parsed="|Jude|1|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Jude.1.9">Jude 9</scripRef>. The devil
would make the place known that it might be a snare to the people,
and Michael would not let him. Those therefore who are for giving
divine honours to the relics of departed saints side with the devil
against Michael our prince.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p8">III. His age, <scripRef passage="De 34:7" id="Deu.xxxv-p8.1" parsed="|Deut|34|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. His life was prolonged, 1. To old
age. He was 120 years old, which, though far short of the years of
the patriarchs, yet much exceeded the years of most of his
contemporaries, for the ordinary age of man had been lately reduced
to seventy, <scripRef passage="Ps 90:10" id="Deu.xxxv-p8.2" parsed="|Ps|90|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Ps.90.10">Ps. xc. 10</scripRef>. The
years of the life of Moses were three forties. The first forty he
lived a courtier, at ease and in honour in Pharaoh's court; the
second forty he lived a poor desolate shepherd in Midian; the third
forty he lived a king in Jeshurun, in honour and power, but
encumbered with a great deal of care and toil: so changeable is the
world we live in, and alloyed with such mixtures; but the world
before us is unmixed and unchangeable. 2. To a good old age: <i>His
eye was not dim</i> (as Isaac's, <scripRef passage="Ge 27:1" id="Deu.xxxv-p8.3" parsed="|Gen|27|1|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.27.1">Gen.
xxvii. 1</scripRef>, and Jacob's, <scripRef passage="Ge 48:10" id="Deu.xxxv-p8.4" parsed="|Gen|48|10|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Gen.48.10">Gen.
xlviii. 10</scripRef>), <i>nor was his natural force abated;</i>
there was no decay either of the strength of his body or of the
vigour and activity of his mind, but he could still speak, and
write, and walk as well as ever. His understanding was as clear,
and his memory as strong, as ever. "His visage was not wrinkled,"
say some of the Jewish writers; "he had lost never a tooth," say
others; and many of them expound it of the shining of his face
(<scripRef passage="Ex 34:30" id="Deu.xxxv-p8.5" parsed="|Exod|34|30|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Exod.34.30">Exod. xxxiv. 30</scripRef>), that
that continued to the last. This was the general reward of his
services; and it was in particular the effect of his extraordinary
meekness, for that is a grace which is, as much as any other,
<i>health to the navel and marrow to the bones.</i> Of the moral
law which was given by Moses, though the condemning power be
vacated to true believers, yet the commands are still binding, and
will be to the end of the world; the eye of them is not waxen dim,
for they shall discern the thoughts and intents of the heart, nor
is their natural force or obligation abated but still we are
<i>under the law to Christ.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p9">IV. The solemn mourning that there was for
him, <scripRef passage="De 34:8" id="Deu.xxxv-p9.1" parsed="|Deut|34|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. It is a
debt owing to the surviving honour of deceased worthies to follow
them with our tears, as those who loved and valued them, are
sensible of our loss of them, and are truly humbled for those sins
which have provoked God to deprive us of them; for penitential
tears very fitly mix with these. Observe, 1. Who the mourners were:
<i>The children of Israel.</i> They all conformed to the ceremony,
whatever it was, though some of them perhaps, who were ill-affected
to his government, were but mock-mourners; yet we may suppose there
were those among them who had formerly quarrelled with him and his
government, and perhaps had been of those who spoke of stoning him,
who now were sensible of their loss, and heartily lamented him when
he was removed from them, though they knew not how to value him
when he was with them. Thus those who had murmured were made to
learn doctrine, <scripRef passage="Isa 29:24" id="Deu.xxxv-p9.2" parsed="|Isa|29|24|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Isa.29.24">Isa. xxix.
24</scripRef>. Note, The loss of good men, especially good
governors, is to be much lamented and laid to heart: those are
stupid who do not consider it. 2. How long they mourned: <i>Thirty
days.</i> So long the formality lasted, and we may suppose there
were some in whom the mourning continued much longer. Yet the
<i>ending of the days of weeping and mourning</i> for Moses is an
intimation that, how great soever our losses have been, we must not
abandon ourselves to perpetual grief; we must suffer the wound at
least to heal up in time. If we hope to go to heaven rejoicing, why
should we resolve to go to the grave mourning? The ceremonial law
of Moses is dead and buried in the grave of Christ; but the Jews
have not yet ended the days of their mourning for it.</p>
</div><scripCom type="Commentary" passage="De 34:9-12" id="Deu.xxxv-p9.3" parsed="|Deut|34|9|34|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.9-Deut.34.12"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.34.9-Deut.34.12">
<h4 id="Deu.xxxv-p9.4">The Character of Moses. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p9.5">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xxxv-p10">9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the
spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the
children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p10.1">Lord</span> commanded Moses. &#160; 10 And there arose
not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p10.2">Lord</span> knew face to face, &#160; 11 In all
the signs and the wonders, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xxxv-p10.3">Lord</span> sent him to do in the land of Egypt to
Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, &#160; 12
And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which
Moses showed in the sight of all Israel.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p11">We have here a very honourable encomium
passed both on Moses and Joshua; each has his praise, and should
have. It is ungrateful so to magnify our living friends as to
forget the merits of those that are gone, to whose memories there
is a debt of honour due: all the respect must not be paid to the
rising sun; and, on the other hand, it is unjust so to cry up the
merits of those that are gone as to despise the benefit we have in
those that survive and succeed them. Let God be glorified in both,
as here.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p12">I. Joshua is praised as a man admirably
qualified for the work to which he was called, <scripRef passage="De 34:9" id="Deu.xxxv-p12.1" parsed="|Deut|34|9|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Moses brought Israel to the
borders of Canaan and then died and left them, to signify that
<i>the law made nothing perfect,</i> <scripRef passage="Heb 7:19" id="Deu.xxxv-p12.2" parsed="|Heb|7|19|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Heb.7.19">Heb. vii. 19</scripRef>. It brings men into a wilderness
of conviction, but not into the Canaan of rest and settled peace.
It is an honour reserved for Joshua (our Lord Jesus, of whom Joshua
was a type) to do that for us which <i>the law could not do, in
that it was weak through the flesh,</i> <scripRef passage="Ro 8:3" id="Deu.xxxv-p12.3" parsed="|Rom|8|3|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.3">Rom. viii. 3</scripRef>. Through him we enter into rest,
the spiritual rest of conscience and eternal rest in heaven. Three
things concurred to clear Joshua's call to this great
undertaking:&#8212;1. God fitted him for it: <i>He was full of the
spirit of wisdom;</i> and so he had need who had such a peevish
people to rule, and such a politic people to conquer. Conduct is as
requisite in a general as courage. Herein Joshua was a type of
Christ, in whom are hidden the treasures of wisdom. 2. Moses, by
the divine appointment, had ordained him to it: <i>He had laid his
hands upon him,</i> so substituting him to be his successor, and
praying to God to qualify him for the service to which he had
called him; and this comes in as a reason why God gave him a more
than ordinary <i>spirit of wisdom,</i> because his designation to
the government was God's own act (those whom God employs he will in
some measure make fit for the employment) and because this was the
thing that Moses had asked of God for him when he laid his hands on
him. When the bodily presence of Christ withdrew from his church,
he prayed the Father to send another Comforter, and obtained what
he prayed for. 3. The people cheerfully owned him and submitted to
him. Note, An interest in the affections of people is a great
advantage, and a great encouragement to those that are called to
public trusts of what kind soever. It was also a great mercy to the
people that when Moses was dead they were not as sheep having no
shepherd, but had one ready among them in whom they did
unanimously, and might with the highest satisfaction,
acquiesce.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p13">II. Moses is praised (<scripRef passage="De 34:10-12" id="Deu.xxxv-p13.1" parsed="|Deut|34|10|34|12" osisRef="Bible:Deut.34.10-Deut.34.12"><i>v.</i> 10-12</scripRef>), and with good
reason.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p14">1. He was indeed a very great man,
especially upon two accounts:&#8212;(1.) His intimacy with the God of
nature: <i>God knew him face to face,</i> and so he knew God. See
<scripRef passage="Nu 12:8" id="Deu.xxxv-p14.1" parsed="|Num|12|8|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Num.12.8">Num. xii. 8</scripRef>. He saw more of
the glory of God than any (at least of the Old-Testament saints)
ever did. He had more free and frequent access to God, and was
spoken to not in dreams, and visions, and slumberings on the bed,
but when he was awake and standing before the cherubim. Other
prophets, when God appeared and spoke to them, were struck with
terror (<scripRef passage="Da 10:7" id="Deu.xxxv-p14.2" parsed="|Dan|10|7|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Dan.10.7">Dan. x. 7</scripRef>), but
Moses, whenever he received a divine revelation, preserved his
tranquillity. (2.) His interest and power in the kingdom of nature.
The miracles of judgment he wrought in Egypt before Pharaoh, and
the miracles of mercy he wrought in the wilderness before Israel,
served to demonstrate that he was a particular favourite of Heaven,
and had an extra-ordinary commission to act as he did on this
earth. Never was there any man whom Israel had more reason to love,
or whom the enemies of Israel had more reason to fear. Observe, The
historian calls the miracles Moses wrought <i>signs and
wonders,</i> done with <i>a mighty hand and great terror,</i> which
may refer to the terrors of Mount Sinai, by which God fully
ratified Moses's commission and demonstrated it beyond exception to
be divine, and this <i>in the sight of all Israel.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xxxv-p15">2. He was greater than any other of the
prophets of the Old Testament. Though they were men of great
interest in heaven and great influence upon earth, yet they were
none of them to be compared with this great man; none of them
either so evidenced or executed a commission from heaven as Moses
did. This encomium of Moses seems to have been written long after
his death, yet then there had not arisen any prophet <i>like unto
Moses,</i> nor did there arise any such between that period and the
<i>sealing up of the vision and prophecy</i> by Moses God gave the
law, and moulded and formed the Jewish church; by the other
prophets he only sent particular reproofs, directions, and
predictions. The last of the prophets concludes with a charge <i>to
remember the law of Moses,</i> <scripRef passage="Mal 4:4" id="Deu.xxxv-p15.1" parsed="|Mal|4|4|0|0" osisRef="Bible:Mal.4.4">Mal. iv.
4</scripRef>. Christ himself often appealed to the writings of
Moses, and vouched him for a witness, as one that <i>saw his
day</i> at a distance <i>and spoke of him.</i> But, as far as the
other prophets came short of him, our Lord Jesus went beyond him.
His doctrine was more excellent, his miracles were more
illustrious, and his communion with his Father was more intimate,
for he <i>had lain in his bosom from eternity,</i> and by him God
does now in these last days speak to us. Moses was faithful as a
servant, but Christ as a Son. The history of Moses leaves him
buried in the plains of Moab, and concludes with the period of his
government; but the history of our Saviour leaves him sitting <i>at
the right hand of the Majesty on high,</i> and we are assured that
<i>of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no
end.</i> The apostle, in his epistle to the Hebrews, largely proves
the pre-eminence of Christ above Moses, as a good reason why we
that are Christians should be obedient, faithful, and constant, to
that holy religion which we make profession of. God, by his grace,
make us all so!</p>
</div></div2>
</div1>
<div1 title="Indexes" prev="Deu.xxxv" next="viii.i" id="viii">
<h1 id="viii-p0.1">Indexes</h1>
<div2 title="Index of Scripture References" prev="viii" next="viii.ii" id="viii.i">
<h2 id="viii.i-p0.1">Index of Scripture References</h2>
<insertIndex type="scripRef" id="viii.i-p0.2"/>
<div class="Index">
<p class="bbook">Genesis</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p5.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p1.3">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p2.1">1:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#ii-p4.4">1:1-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p12.1">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p21.1">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p22.2">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p25.2">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p2.2">1:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xv-p17.2">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p2.3">1:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.viii-p16.3">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.vii-p31.1">1:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ix-p6.5">1:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p2.4">1:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p13.1">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p48.1">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ii-p22.1">1:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p25.1">1:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p18.1">1:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p2.5">1:14-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ii-p27.3">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ii-p26.1">1:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Gen.ii-p27.3">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ii-p18.2">1:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ii-p30.1">1:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ii-p2.6">1:20-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p21.1">1:21-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=22#Gen.ii-p30.4">1:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=22#Gen.iv-p35.3">1:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ii-p2.7">1:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xx-p20.2">1:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p2.8">1:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=27#Gen.iii-p38.1">1:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Gen.vii-p3.1">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Gen.x-p7.2">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xviii-p23.2">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Deu.viii-p17.4">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Gen.ii-p42.1">1:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Gen.iv-p48.1">1:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Gen.x-p8.2">1:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Gen.ii-p2.9">1:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=30#Gen.ii-p43.1">1:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=31#Gen.ii-p2.10">1:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p3.1">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p1.1">2:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p1.2">2:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiv-p3.2">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Gen.iii-p4.1">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxi-p14.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvii-p14.1">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vii-p5.2">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.iii-p7.1">2:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iii-p9.1">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p8.1">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iii-p20.1">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iii-p1.3">2:8-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iii-p26.2">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iv-p18.2">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iii-p18.1">2:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Gen.iii-p18.7">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iii-p19.1">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iii-p20.1">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iii-p32.2">2:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iii-p32.1">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iii-p1.4">2:18-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iii-p35.1">2:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xii-p5.3">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvi-p25.1">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.ii-p38.1">2:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Gen.iii-p39.1">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Gen.iii-p40.3">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Gen.iii-p40.1">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=25#Gen.iii-p41.1">2:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p8.5">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p12.2">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p35.4">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p1.2">3:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Gen.iv-p11.1">3:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xii-p7.7">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxx-p20.1">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p8.6">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p12.1">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.iv-p8.7">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.iv-p13.1">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p1.3">3:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p21.1">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iv-p24.1">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iv-p1.4">3:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iv-p28.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p31.1">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p1.5">3:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iv-p31.2">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p48.4">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p1.6">3:14-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxvi-p14.1">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xii-p7.5">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxvi-p14.1">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.iv-p51.1">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.iv-p46.1">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.ix-p23.3">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iv-p50.1">3:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iv-p51.2">3:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.iv-p1.7">3:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Lev.viii-p3.5">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Gen.iii-p26.3">3:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Gen.iv-p1.8">3:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=23#Gen.iv-p66.1">3:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxiii-p18.5">3:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Gen.v-p42.2">3:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Gen.iv-p66.2">3:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p1.1">4:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Lev.iii-p3.3">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Gen.v-p1.2">4:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Num.xvii-p18.1">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Gen.v-p1.3">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Gen.v-p1.4">4:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiv-p6.2">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Gen.v-p1.5">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.v-p1.6">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.v-p1.7">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxv-p14.4">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Gen.v-p29.1">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Gen.v-p1.8">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxix-p14.7">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.v-p29.4">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.v-p30.1">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.v-p1.9">4:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Gen.v-p1.10">4:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Gen.li-p8.2">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p37.1">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p50.4">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p1.11">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p1.12">4:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Gen.v-p40.1">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Gen.v-p43.1">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xii-p5.1">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Gen.v-p1.13">4:17-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vi-p9.1">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Gen.v-p50.1">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Gen.v-p50.3">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Gen.v-p54.1">4:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Gen.v-p1.14">4:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=26#Gen.v-p54.3">4:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=26#Gen.v-p55.1">4:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xii-p25.2">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vi-p4.1">5:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vi-p1.3">5:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p44.3">5:1-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Gen.vi-p4.2">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Gen.vi-p5.1">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Gen.v-p3.1">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Gen.vi-p1.4">5:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Gen.vi-p10.1">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Gen.vi-p1.5">5:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Gen.vi-p1.6">5:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Gen.vi-p1.7">5:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vi-p1.8">5:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Gen.vi-p17.1">5:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Gen.vi-p1.9">5:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Gen.v-p44.1">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Gen.vi-p15.1">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Gen.vi-p17.2">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Gen.x-p23.1">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=24#Gen.vi-p15.2">5:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=24#Gen.vi-p19.1">5:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Gen.vi-p1.10">5:25-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Gen.vi-p1.11">5:28-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvi-p3.6">5:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Gen.vii-p29.1">5:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vii-p1.1">6:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Gen.vii-p3.5">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Deu.viii-p7.2">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Num.xvii-p3.5">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xi-p5.2">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Deu.iii-p10.10">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Gen.vii-p12.1">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Gen.vii-p19.2">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ix-p23.4">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ix-p23.1">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Gen.vii-p1.3">6:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Gen.vii-p15.1">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.vii-p17.1">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.vii-p1.4">6:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.vii-p21.1">6:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Gen.vii-p17.3">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Gen.x-p21.3">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Gen.vii-p19.1">6:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Gen.vii-p1.2">6:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p1.5">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p23.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p26.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Gen.vii-p1.6">6:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Gen.vii-p27.1">6:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vii-p1.5">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vii-p24.1">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vii-p25.1">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vii-p28.1">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Gen.ix-p16.4">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vii-p1.7">6:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=19#Gen.vii-p29.4">6:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=20#Gen.vii-p29.5">6:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Gen.vii-p29.6">6:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=22#Gen.vii-p1.8">6:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.viii-p1.2">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.viii-p3.1">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ix-p16.2">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p15.3">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xii-p3.3">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.viii-p1.3">7:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.viii-p6.1">7:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ix-p19.2">7:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.viii-p1.4">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.viii-p7.1">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ix-p11.1">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Gen.viii-p1.5">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Gen.viii-p1.6">7:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Gen.viii-p1.7">7:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Gen.vi-p23.1">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Gen.viii-p1.9">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Gen.viii-p1.10">7:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Gen.viii-p16.7">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.viii-p1.8">7:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Gen.viii-p23.1">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Gen.viii-p27.1">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Gen.viii-p29.1">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Gen.viii-p1.11">7:17-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Gen.viii-p29.2">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p32.1">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p33.1">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p1.12">7:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Gen.viii-p32.2">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Gen.viii-p32.3">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Gen.viii-p33.2">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Gen.viii-p35.1">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=24#Gen.viii-p1.13">7:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ix-p6.3">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ix-p1.1">8:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ix-p1.2">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ix-p6.4">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ix-p1.3">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ix-p1.4">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ix-p1.5">8:6-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ix-p14.1">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ix-p1.6">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ix-p14.3">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ix-p1.7">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ix-p16.1">8:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ix-p1.8">8:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.viii-p6.3">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ix-p19.1">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.x-p3.4">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ix-p1.9">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Lev.v-p3.1">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxi-p9.2">8:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Gen.ix-p21.1">8:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Gen.ix-p1.10">8:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Gen.ix-p24.1">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xi-p1.2">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p11.1">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p1.2">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p3.1">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p6.1">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p17.4">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p1.1">9:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Gen.x-p1.3">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Gen.x-p7.1">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p42.2">9:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Gen.x-p8.1">9:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Gen.x-p1.4">9:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xviii-p5.7">9:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Gen.x-p10.1">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xviii-p9.2">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.x-p11.1">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.x-p1.6">9:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxiii-p12.1">9:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxi-p19.2">9:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxv-p14.3">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxvi-p10.9">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xx-p3.1">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p37.4">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Gen.v-p26.1">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Gen.x-p13.2">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxii-p9.2">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xi-p1.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.x-p1.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.x-p6.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Gen.vii-p25.2">9:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Gen.x-p1.5">9:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Gen.x-p15.1">9:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Gen.x-p18.5">9:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Gen.x-p1.7">9:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Gen.x-p18.3">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xii-p3.1">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=14#Gen.x-p18.4">9:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Gen.x-p18.6">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=16#Gen.x-p18.7">9:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Gen.x-p20.1">9:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xi-p1.1">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Gen.x-p1.8">9:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Gen.x-p1.11">9:21-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xi-p14.3">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Gen.x-p1.9">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Gen.x-p22.1">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Gen.x-p1.10">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxiii-p6.5">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxxiii-p13.1">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Gen.x-p27.1">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xvi-p28.3">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Gen.l-p1.1">9:25-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Gen.vi-p27.2">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Gen.x-p29.1">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Gen.x-p30.6">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=27#Gen.x-p30.1">9:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=28#Gen.x-p1.12">9:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ii-p3.4">10:1-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xi-p1.3">10:2-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xi-p3.1">10:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p23.2">10:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xi-p1.4">10:6-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xi-p1.5">10:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xi-p5.1">10:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xi-p7.1">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xi-p8.1">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Deu.iii-p10.7">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p13.2">10:15-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xii-p23.2">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Gen.vi-p27.1">10:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xi-p1.6">10:21-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xi-p16.1">10:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xii-p23.2">10:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p4.1">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p1.2">11:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p1.1">11:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xii-p4.2">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xii-p6.1">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xii-p6.2">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Deu.ii-p20.3">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p14.1">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p1.3">11:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xii-p18.1">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xii-p19.1">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xii-p20.1">11:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xii-p23.1">11:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xii-p1.4">11:10-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xii-p25.2">11:10-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxv-p4.1">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxv-p4.1">11:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxv-p4.1">11:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxv-p4.1">11:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xii-p29.2">11:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xii-p1.5">11:27-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xii-p29.5">11:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xiii-p21.1">11:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xii-p29.3">11:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiii-p4.1">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiv-p24.1">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiii-p1.1">12:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p30.1">12:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p11.5">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlvii-p10.11">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxii-p25.1">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xiii-p23.8">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiii-p7.6">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxv-p11.1">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxviii-p15.9">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiv-p8.2">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiii-p1.2">12:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p24.1">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p24.5">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xii-p17.4">12:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p1.3">12:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xiv-p15.4">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvi-p42.1">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxix-p23.2">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xiii-p27.1">12:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p24.2">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p24.6">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiv-p6.1">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiii-p24.3">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiii-p1.4">12:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxi-p3.2">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xvii-p6.1">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xiii-p1.5">12:14-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xiii-p33.2">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xiii-p38.4">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xiii-p38.1">12:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xiii-p38.3">12:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiv-p1.1">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiv-p3.1">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiv-p8.1">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Deu.ix-p16.4">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiv-p1.2">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiv-p4.1">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiv-p9.1">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxiv-p9.4">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xiv-p1.1">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xiv-p5.1">13:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiv-p1.1">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiv-p1.3">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xiv-p9.2">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xiv-p1.4">13:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xiv-p1.5">13:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xiv-p10.1">13:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiv-p12.1">13:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiv-p1.6">13:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiv-p15.1">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iii-p18.2">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiv-p24.2">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiv-p18.1">13:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiv-p1.7">13:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxiv-p6.1">13:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xiv-p19.1">13:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xx-p7.1">13:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xiv-p1.8">13:14-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xiv-p24.3">13:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xvi-p42.1">13:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xiv-p25.1">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xvi-p11.6">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xvi-p12.6">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xvii-p25.5">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xiv-p24.4">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xiv-p24.6">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xiv-p1.1">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xiv-p1.3">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xiv-p26.1">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xv-p1.1">14:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xx-p18.1">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Deu.iii-p10.6">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xv-p6.1">14:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxvii-p7.2">14:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xv-p6.2">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xv-p23.1">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xv-p6.3">14:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xv-p1.2">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xv-p6.5">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xi-p14.1">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xv-p1.3">14:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxiii-p8.2">14:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xv-p13.1">14:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xv-p15.1">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xvii-p1.1">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxi-p19.2">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xv-p1.4">14:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xv-p1.5">14:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xv-p20.2">14:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xv-p26.2">14:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xv-p20.1">14:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxviii-p15.1">14:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xv-p20.4">14:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xv-p24.1">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xv-p1.6">14:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiii-p45.3">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xv-p26.1">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxiv-p9.6">14:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xv-p28.1">14:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p1.1">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiii-p6.1">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p12.1">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p13.6">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p11.1">15:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p1.2">15:2-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xvi-p11.3">15:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xvi-p12.2">15:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvi-p12.3">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvi-p12.4">15:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvi-p24.2">15:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvi-p13.1">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvi-p16.2">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvi-p20.2">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvi-p16.1">15:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvi-p1.3">15:7-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xvi-p20.1">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvi-p21.1">15:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xvi-p21.4">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xvi-p27.1">15:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlvii-p7.2">15:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxii-p14.3">15:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Gen.li-p13.3">15:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xvi-p30.1">15:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xvi-p33.1">15:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxii-p19.7">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xvi-p32.1">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Deu.iii-p18.2">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xix-p14.6">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xvi-p37.1">15:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Ex.iv-p5.2">15:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Num.xiv-p14.1">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xii-p13.4">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvi-p41.1">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvi-p43.1">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xviii-p1.1">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xviii-p15.3">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xvi-p43.2">15:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvii-p1.2">16:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvii-p4.1">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvii-p12.1">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvii-p1.3">16:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvii-p13.1">16:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvii-p14.1">16:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvii-p17.1">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvii-p1.4">16:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xvii-p18.1">16:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvii-p22.1">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvii-p24.1">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xvii-p25.4">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxvi-p9.6">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xvii-p25.2">16:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvii-p25.6">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxii-p23.2">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvi-p9.10">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvii-p18.3">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xv-p18.2">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxii-p22.2">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxix-p21.2">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxiv-p19.13">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xvii-p26.1">16:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xvii-p29.1">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xvii-p1.5">16:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xviii-p1.2">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xviii-p1.4">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xviii-p6.1">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiii-p6.2">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxv-p21.3">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlix-p11.2">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xix-p16.1">17:1-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xviii-p10.1">17:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xviii-p1.3">17:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xviii-p5.1">17:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xviii-p1.5">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xviii-p1.6">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xviii-p1.5">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxviii-p3.4">17:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xviii-p1.7">17:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xviii-p15.1">17:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Num.xiv-p14.1">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xviii-p15.2">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xviii-p16.2">17:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xviii-p1.8">17:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xviii-p16.9">17:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xviii-p16.11">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p19.1">17:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p1.9">17:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xviii-p18.1">17:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxiii-p18.4">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xviii-p1.10">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xviii-p20.1">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xix-p10.2">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxii-p6.2">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xviii-p1.11">17:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xviii-p21.1">17:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxvi-p9.9">17:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xviii-p24.1">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxiii-p7.2">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xviii-p1.12">17:19-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xi-p14.4">17:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xviii-p23.1">17:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xviii-p24.1">17:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xviii-p26.1">17:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xviii-p1.13">17:23-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xviii-p26.1">17:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xix-p4.1">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xix-p1.1">18:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xx-p1.2">18:1-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xix-p4.2">18:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xix-p5.1">18:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xix-p8.2">18:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xix-p1.2">18:9-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xix-p9.1">18:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xix-p10.1">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxiv-p3.2">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xix-p4.3">18:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xix-p11.1">18:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xix-p9.2">18:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xix-p12.1">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xix-p14.2">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xix-p1.3">18:16-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vii-p22.1">18:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xix-p17.1">18:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiii-p50.1">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Gen.v-p7.4">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xix-p19.1">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxv-p10.1">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxxvi-p4.4">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xix-p20.1">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xiv-p14.2">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xix-p20.2">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xix-p14.4">18:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Num.xvii-p21.7">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xix-p14.6">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xix-p23.1">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xix-p27.1">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxi-p7.3">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xix-p1.4">18:23-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xix-p34.1">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xix-p27.2">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xix-p28.1">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xix-p24.1">18:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xix-p31.1">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xix-p32.1">18:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xix-p31.2">18:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xix-p32.2">18:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xix-p36.1">18:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xix-p14.5">19:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xx-p1.3">19:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xx-p3.2">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xx-p6.1">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xx-p1.4">19:4-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xx-p7.6">19:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xx-p7.7">19:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xx-p7.8">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xx-p7.9">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xx-p8.1">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xx-p8.2">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xi-p15.13">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xx-p12.1">19:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xx-p1.5">19:12-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xix-p14.1">19:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xx-p11.1">19:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xx-p13.1">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xx-p15.2">19:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xx-p16.1">19:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xiii-p5.1">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xx-p17.1">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xx-p18.1">19:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xx-p18.2">19:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=22#Gen.viii-p15.1">19:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xx-p21.1">19:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xx-p1.6">19:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xx-p21.5">19:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xx-p28.1">19:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xx-p1.7">19:27-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xx-p28.4">19:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xx-p29.1">19:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xx-p31.1">19:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xx-p1.8">19:30-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xx-p33.1">19:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xx-p34.1">19:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p3.1">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p1.1">20:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvii-p8.1">20:1-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiii-p7.4">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxi-p1.2">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxi-p6.1">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxi-p7.4">20:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxi-p1.3">20:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxi-p7.1">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxi-p9.1">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxi-p1.4">20:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxi-p11.1">20:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvii-p24.3">20:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxi-p14.1">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxi-p1.5">20:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxi-p16.1">20:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxi-p16.2">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxi-p18.1">20:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxi-p1.6">20:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xii-p29.7">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xiii-p31.1">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxi-p19.1">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxi-p20.1">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxi-p22.1">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxi-p1.7">20:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iv-p19.2">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xl-p10.4">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxi-p22.2">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Num.xiii-p14.3">20:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxi-p1.8">20:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxi-p23.1">20:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p20.2">21:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxii-p4.1">21:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxii-p1.1">21:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxii-p4.2">21:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxii-p6.1">21:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxii-p7.1">21:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxii-p9.1">21:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxii-p10.1">21:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxii-p11.1">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvi-p29.1">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxii-p6.3">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxii-p14.1">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxii-p1.2">21:9-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxii-p15.1">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxii-p16.1">21:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxii-p17.1">21:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxii-p17.6">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxii-p19.1">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxii-p16.3">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxii-p21.1">21:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxii-p22.1">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxii-p22.3">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxii-p22.4">21:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xviii-p6.3">21:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxii-p23.1">21:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxii-p27.1">21:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxii-p28.1">21:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxii-p1.3">21:23-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxii-p30.1">21:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxii-p31.1">21:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxii-p31.3">21:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxii-p32.1">21:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxii-p31.4">21:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxii-p33.1">21:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxvii-p12.5">21:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xlvii-p4.2">21:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxii-p1.4">21:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiii-p4.1">22:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiii-p1.1">22:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxiii-p6.3">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxiii-p14.1">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxiii-p1.2">22:3-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxiii-p17.1">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxiii-p18.1">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxiii-p19.2">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxiii-p20.1">22:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxiii-p29.2">22:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxiii-p23.1">22:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxiii-p1.3">22:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxiii-p26.1">22:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxiii-p28.1">22:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxiii-p1.4">22:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxiii-p29.1">22:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxiii-p1.5">22:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiii-p31.1">22:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiii-p31.5">22:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxv-p27.10">22:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxvi-p12.6">22:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxiii-p31.2">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxiii-p1.6">22:20-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxv-p20.2">22:20-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiv-p3.1">23:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiv-p1.1">23:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=2#Num.xiv-p8.4">23:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxiv-p3.3">23:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxiv-p1.2">23:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxiv-p5.1">23:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxiv-p6.1">23:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxiv-p1.3">23:5-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxiv-p7.2">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxiv-p7.1">23:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxiv-p12.5">23:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxiv-p8.1">23:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxiv-p9.2">23:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxiv-p9.1">23:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxiv-p10.1">23:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiv-p1.4">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiv-p12.2">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiv-p12.1">23:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiv-p1.5">23:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiv-p12.3">23:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxiv-p1.6">23:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxiv-p1.5">23:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxiv-p12.3">23:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxv-p4.2">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxv-p1.2">24:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxv-p5.1">24:2-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxv-p5.2">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxv-p4.3">24:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxv-p6.1">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxv-p25.2">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxv-p4.4">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxv-p5.3">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxv-p9.1">24:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxv-p1.3">24:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxv-p13.7">24:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxv-p11.1">24:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxv-p11.3">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxv-p12.2">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxv-p1.4">24:15-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxv-p12.4">24:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxv-p12.6">24:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxv-p13.5">24:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxv-p13.1">24:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxv-p12.7">24:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxv-p13.6">24:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxv-p16.6">24:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxv-p1.5">24:29-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxv-p16.1">24:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxv-p16.5">24:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxv-p16.7">24:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxv-p18.1">24:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxv-p20.1">24:34-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxvi-p5.2">24:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xxv-p21.1">24:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xxv-p21.4">24:39-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxv-p21.2">24:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxv-p25.2">24:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=42#Gen.xxv-p22.1">24:42-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=45#Gen.xxv-p22.2">24:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xxv-p22.3">24:46-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xxv-p23.1">24:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=50#Gen.xxxii-p13.3">24:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=50#Gen.xxv-p24.1">24:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=50#Gen.xxv-p1.6">24:50-60</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=52#Gen.xxv-p25.1">24:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=53#Gen.xxv-p16.2">24:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=53#Gen.xxv-p25.4">24:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=54#Gen.xxv-p27.1">24:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=55#Gen.xxv-p27.4">24:55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=56#Gen.xxv-p27.2">24:56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=57#Gen.xxv-p27.5">24:57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=58#Gen.xxv-p27.6">24:58</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=59#Gen.xxv-p27.7">24:59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=59#Gen.xxxvi-p10.2">24:59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=60#Gen.xxxii-p17.2">24:60</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=60#Gen.xxv-p27.9">24:60</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=61#Gen.xxv-p27.8">24:61</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=61#Gen.xxv-p1.7">24:61-67</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=62#Gen.xxv-p30.1">24:62-63</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=64#Gen.xxv-p31.1">24:64</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=65#Gen.xxv-p31.2">24:65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=67#Gen.xxv-p1.1">24:67</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=67#Gen.xxv-p32.1">24:67</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=67#Gen.xxvi-p12.3">24:67</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvi-p1.1">25:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxii-p3.1">25:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxvi-p1.2">25:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxvi-p5.1">25:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvi-p6.1">25:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvi-p1.3">25:7-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxvi-p7.1">25:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxvi-p1.6">25:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxvi-p9.1">25:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvi-p1.4">25:12-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxvi-p9.3">25:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxvi-p9.2">25:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxvi-p9.5">25:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxvi-p9.8">25:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxvi-p1.5">25:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvii-p25.7">25:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxvi-p1.7">25:19-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxvi-p12.1">25:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxvi-p13.1">25:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxvi-p16.1">25:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxvi-p17.1">25:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxvi-p18.1">25:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxvi-p26.3">25:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxvi-p12.2">25:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxvi-p19.1">25:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxvi-p20.1">25:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxvi-p1.8">25:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxvi-p21.1">25:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxviii-p6.2">25:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxvi-p26.2">25:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxvi-p26.1">25:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxvi-p1.9">25:29-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxvi-p24.1">25:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxvi-p27.1">25:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxvi-p24.2">25:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxvi-p28.1">25:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvi-p27.2">26:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvii-p1.1">26:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvii-p3.1">26:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlvii-p4.4">26:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxvii-p4.1">26:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxvii-p1.2">26:2-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxvii-p4.3">26:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxvii-p4.4">26:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxvii-p4.5">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxvii-p3.5">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxvii-p6.1">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxvii-p1.3">26:6-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvii-p7.1">26:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxvii-p8.2">26:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxvii-p8.4">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxvii-p8.5">26:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxvii-p8.6">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvii-p11.1">26:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvii-p1.4">26:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxvii-p11.4">26:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxvii-p12.1">26:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxvii-p1.5">26:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxvii-p12.4">26:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxvii-p12.6">26:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxvii-p14.1">26:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxvii-p15.1">26:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxvii-p1.6">26:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxvii-p16.1">26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxvii-p17.1">26:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxvii-p18.2">26:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxvii-p19.2">26:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxvii-p19.1">26:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxvii-p1.7">26:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xlvii-p4.3">26:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxvii-p19.3">26:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxvii-p22.1">26:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxvii-p1.8">26:26-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxvii-p23.1">26:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxvii-p24.1">26:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxvii-p25.1">26:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxvii-p26.1">26:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxxvii-p7.1">26:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxvii-p1.9">26:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxv-p8.3">27:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxviii-p4.1">27:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxviii-p1.2">27:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxviii-p5.1">27:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Gen.x-p21.1">27:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxviii-p6.1">27:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxviii-p1.3">27:6-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxii-p17.5">27:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxviii-p10.1">27:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxviii-p10.6">27:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxviii-p10.5">27:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Lev.viii-p3.6">27:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxviii-p1.4">27:18-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxviii-p12.2">27:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxviii-p12.4">27:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxvi-p16.8">27:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxviii-p14.1">27:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxviii-p15.1">27:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxviii-p12.3">27:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxviii-p15.2">27:26-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxviii-p22.2">27:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxviii-p22.1">27:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxviii-p15.4">27:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvi-p21.2">27:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxviii-p21.1">27:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxviii-p15.5">27:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxviii-p1.5">27:30-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxviii-p17.2">27:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxviii-p17.5">27:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxviii-p17.3">27:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxviii-p19.1">27:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxviii-p17.12">27:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxviii-p19.2">27:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=38#Gen.xxviii-p17.4">27:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xxviii-p20.1">27:39-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxviii-p24.2">27:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxxvii-p5.3">27:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxviii-p17.13">27:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxviii-p24.1">27:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxxvi-p16.10">27:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxviii-p1.6">27:41-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=42#Gen.xxviii-p26.1">27:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=45#Gen.v-p53.1">27:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=45#Gen.xxviii-p26.2">27:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xxviii-p27.1">27:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxix-p1.1">28:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxix-p4.1">28:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxix-p6.1">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xviii-p7.2">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxi-p1.7">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxix-p1.2">28:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxix-p5.1">28:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxix-p17.2">28:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxviii-p15.10">28:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxix-p7.1">28:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxix-p1.3">28:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxix-p8.1">28:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxix-p1.4">28:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxix-p1.3">28:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxix-p13.1">28:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxix-p1.5">28:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxix-p15.1">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxiii-p3.2">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxix-p17.1">28:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxix-p1.6">28:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=14#Num.ii-p7.1">28:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxiv-p10.4">28:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxix-p18.1">28:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxix-p24.3">28:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxix-p21.1">28:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxix-p1.7">28:16-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxix-p22.1">28:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxix-p23.1">28:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxix-p23.4">28:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Gen.iv-p59.3">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxix-p1.8">28:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxix-p24.1">28:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxviii-p15.2">28:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxvi-p3.2">28:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxx-p3.1">29:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxx-p1.1">29:1-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Ex.iii-p22.1">29:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxx-p3.4">29:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxx-p3.6">29:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxx-p3.4">29:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxx-p3.8">29:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxx-p3.4">29:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxx-p3.9">29:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxx-p5.1">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxx-p8.2">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxx-p5.2">29:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxx-p7.2">29:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxx-p5.3">29:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxx-p5.4">29:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxx-p5.6">29:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxx-p7.1">29:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxx-p7.3">29:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxx-p1.2">29:15-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxx-p8.1">29:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxx-p9.1">29:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxx-p9.2">29:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxx-p10.1">29:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxx-p10.3">29:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxii-p15.2">29:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxx-p12.1">29:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxx-p1.3">29:31-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxx-p12.5">29:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxx-p12.8">29:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxx-p12.6">29:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xxx-p12.9">29:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=35#Gen.l-p8.2">29:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxi-p5.1">30:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxi-p4.1">30:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxi-p1.1">30:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvii-p7.2">30:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxi-p6.1">30:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxi-p8.1">30:3-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxi-p8.2">30:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxi-p8.3">30:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxi-p9.1">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxi-p1.2">30:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxi-p9.3">30:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiv-p39.2">30:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxi-p9.5">30:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxi-p1.3">30:14-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxi-p11.3">30:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxi-p11.4">30:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxi-p11.6">30:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxi-p12.1">30:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxi-p1.4">30:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxi-p15.1">30:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxi-p15.3">30:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxi-p1.5">30:25-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xl-p7.2">30:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxi-p16.1">30:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxxi-p17.1">30:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxxi-p18.1">30:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxxi-p19.1">30:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xxxii-p5.2">30:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xxxi-p1.6">30:35-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xxxi-p21.1">30:37-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxxi-p21.3">30:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxxi-p21.4">30:41-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xxxi-p21.5">30:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxii-p5.1">31:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxii-p1.1">31:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxii-p6.1">31:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxii-p7.1">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxii-p9.1">31:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxii-p6.1">31:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxii-p9.3">31:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxii-p9.4">31:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxii-p9.5">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxii-p7.3">31:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxii-p7.2">31:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxii-p7.4">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxi-p21.6">31:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxii-p7.5">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxii-p7.6">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxii-p9.8">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxii-p10.1">31:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxii-p30.2">31:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxii-p1.2">31:17-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxii-p12.2">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxxii-p12.1">31:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxxii-p12.3">31:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxii-p1.3">31:22-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxii-p13.1">31:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxiii-p7.5">31:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxii-p13.2">31:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxii-p15.1">31:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxii-p17.3">31:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxii-p1.4">31:26-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxii-p17.1">31:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxxii-p17.4">31:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxxii-p18.1">31:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxxii-p19.1">31:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxxii-p19.3">31:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxxii-p20.1">31:33-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxxii-p23.1">31:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=38#Gen.xxxii-p25.1">31:38-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xxxii-p26.1">31:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxix-p13.2">31:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxxii-p25.2">31:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxxii-p26.2">31:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=42#Gen.xxxii-p27.1">31:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xxxii-p30.1">31:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xxxii-p1.5">31:43-55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=45#Gen.xxxii-p33.1">31:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xxxii-p33.2">31:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xxxii-p33.4">31:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=46#Deu.xxviii-p5.7">31:46-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=47#Gen.xxxii-p33.8">31:47-48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xxxii-p33.6">31:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xxxii-p33.9">31:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=50#Gen.xxxii-p32.1">31:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=52#Gen.xxxii-p32.2">31:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=53#Gen.xxxii-p33.7">31:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=54#Gen.xxxii-p33.3">31:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=54#Gen.xxxii-p33.5">31:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=55#Gen.xxxii-p34.1">31:55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiii-p3.1">32:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiii-p1.1">32:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxiii-p3.5">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxvii-p3.4">32:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxiii-p1.2">32:3-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p6.1">32:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiv-p11.2">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiv-p7.2">32:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxiii-p7.1">32:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiii-p7.3">32:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xv-p9.3">32:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiii-p8.1">32:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiii-p1.3">32:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiii-p13.1">32:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiii-p18.1">32:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiii-p1.4">32:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxiii-p15.1">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxiii-p11.1">32:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxiii-p12.2">32:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxiii-p17.1">32:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxiii-p18.2">32:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxiii-p21.1">32:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxiii-p1.5">32:13-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxiii-p22.1">32:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxiii-p22.2">32:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxiv-p14.2">32:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxiii-p25.1">32:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxiii-p1.6">32:24-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxiii-p26.1">32:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxiii-p26.7">32:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxiii-p26.11">32:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxxvi-p11.5">32:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxxiii-p26.12">32:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxxiii-p26.14">32:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxiv-p19.5">32:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxxiii-p26.16">32:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxxiii-p26.5">32:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiv-p3.1">33:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiv-p4.1">33:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiv-p1.2">33:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxiv-p6.1">33:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiv-p7.1">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvii-p7.1">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiv-p1.3">33:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiv-p11.1">33:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxiv-p11.5">33:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxiv-p1.4">33:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiv-p13.1">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxiv-p14.1">33:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxiv-p15.1">33:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxiv-p1.5">33:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxiv-p15.2">33:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxiv-p15.4">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxiv-p17.1">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxiv-p1.6">33:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxxiv-p17.3">33:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxxvi-p3.3">33:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxiv-p17.4">33:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Ex.vi-p4.2">33:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxv-p3.1">34:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxv-p1.1">34:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvi-p3.4">34:1-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxi-p11.7">34:1-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxv-p3.2">34:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxv-p3.5">34:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxv-p3.6">34:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxv-p1.2">34:6-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxiii-p14.2">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxv-p5.1">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxv-p7.2">34:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxv-p7.1">34:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxv-p8.1">34:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxv-p8.2">34:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxv-p14.1">34:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxv-p15.2">34:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxv-p10.1">34:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxv-p1.3">34:20-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxv-p10.3">34:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxv-p15.4">34:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxv-p1.4">34:25-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxv-p15.1">34:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxv-p15.3">34:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxxv-p16.1">34:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=30#Gen.l-p6.2">34:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiv-p5.2">35:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvi-p3.1">35:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvi-p1.1">35:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xv-p12.11">35:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxvi-p4.1">35:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxvi-p4.5">35:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvi-p5.1">35:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxvi-p6.1">35:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxvi-p1.2">35:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxix-p23.3">35:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxvi-p9.1">35:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxvi-p11.2">35:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxvi-p1.5">35:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxvi-p10.1">35:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxvi-p11.3">35:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxvi-p11.1">35:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxvi-p1.3">35:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxvi-p11.4">35:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxvii-p9.2">35:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxvi-p11.6">35:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxvi-p11.7">35:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxvi-p11.8">35:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxvi-p12.1">35:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxvi-p14.4">35:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxvi-p1.4">35:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxvi-p12.2">35:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxvi-p1.6">35:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxvi-p14.2">35:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xlix-p5.9">35:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxvi-p16.1">35:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxvi-p16.2">35:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxi-p14.2">35:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxvi-p16.3">35:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxvi-p1.8">35:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxvi-p1.9">35:23-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxvi-p16.7">35:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxvi-p1.7">35:27-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxxvi-p16.9">35:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxviii-p3.1">36:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvii-p3.1">36:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvii-p1.1">36:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxvii-p1.2">36:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxvii-p3.2">36:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxvii-p3.6">36:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxvii-p1.3">36:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxvii-p1.4">36:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxvii-p5.2">36:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=20#Deu.iii-p10.4">36:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxvii-p1.5">36:20-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxvii-p7.4">36:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxxvii-p7.5">36:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxxvii-p9.3">36:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxxvii-p1.6">36:31-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xxxvii-p9.6">36:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxviii-p3.2">37:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxviii-p1.1">37:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlviii-p21.2">37:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxviii-p3.3">37:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxviii-p3.4">37:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxviii-p1.2">37:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxviii-p1.3">37:5-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxviii-p5.1">37:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlv-p7.2">37:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxviii-p6.1">37:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxviii-p5.1">37:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxviii-p5.2">37:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xliv-p12.3">37:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxviii-p5.1">37:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxviii-p7.1">37:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxviii-p1.4">37:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxviii-p9.1">37:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxviii-p10.1">37:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxviii-p1.5">37:18-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxxviii-p10.5">37:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxviii-p10.3">37:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxviii-p10.6">37:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxviii-p11.1">37:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxviii-p13.1">37:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xliv-p6.2">37:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxviii-p13.2">37:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxviii-p13.6">37:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxviii-p1.6">37:25-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxviii-p13.9">37:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxxviii-p1.7">37:29-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxxviii-p13.11">37:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxxviii-p15.2">37:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxxix-p11.2">37:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xlvii-p10.1">37:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xxxviii-p15.3">37:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xxxviii-p15.4">37:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxxviii-p1.8">37:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxxviii-p16.1">37:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxix-p3.1">38:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxix-p1.4">38:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxix-p3.2">38:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxix-p3.3">38:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxvi-p6.1">38:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxix-p3.5">38:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxix-p1.5">38:12-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxix-p6.2">38:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxix-p7.1">38:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxix-p8.1">38:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxix-p10.1">38:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxix-p1.6">38:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxix-p11.1">38:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxix-p1.7">38:27-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xl-p1.1">39:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xl-p3.1">39:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xl-p5.1">39:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xl-p1.2">39:2-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xl-p6.1">39:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xl-p7.1">39:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xl-p6.4">39:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xl-p10.2">39:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xl-p10.1">39:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xl-p1.3">39:7-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xl-p15.1">39:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xl-p15.2">39:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xl-p16.1">39:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xl-p11.2">39:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xl-p13.1">39:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xx-p33.2">39:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xl-p16.2">39:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xl-p18.1">39:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xl-p1.4">39:13-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xl-p18.3">39:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xl-p20.1">39:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xl-p1.5">39:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xl-p20.3">39:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xl-p1.6">39:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xl-p20.6">39:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxi-p16.3">39:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xli-p1.1">40:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xli-p3.1">40:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xli-p1.2">40:5-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xli-p6.1">40:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xli-p7.1">40:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xli-p8.1">40:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xli-p8.5">40:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xli-p1.4">40:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xli-p9.1">40:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xli-p9.2">40:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlii-p5.2">40:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xli-p8.6">40:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xli-p1.3">40:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xli-p1.5">40:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xli-p11.5">40:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlii-p3.1">41:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlii-p1.1">41:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlii-p3.5">41:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlii-p5.1">41:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlii-p1.2">41:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlii-p5.4">41:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlii-p1.3">41:14-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlii-p5.7">41:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlii-p5.8">41:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xlii-p8.6">41:29-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xlii-p8.1">41:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xlii-p10.2">41:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xlii-p11.8">41:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xlii-p1.4">41:37-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=38#Gen.xlii-p11.1">41:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xlii-p11.2">41:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xlii-p11.6">41:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xlii-p11.4">41:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xlvii-p10.3">41:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=44#Gen.xlii-p11.5">41:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=44#Gen.xlii-p11.7">41:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=45#Gen.xliii-p7.1">41:45-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xlii-p1.5">41:46-57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=47#Gen.xlii-p14.1">41:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=48#Gen.xlii-p15.1">41:48-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=50#Gen.xlii-p13.1">41:50-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=52#Gen.l-p20.2">41:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=54#Gen.xlii-p14.2">41:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=54#Gen.xlii-p14.4">41:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliii-p4.1">42:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliii-p1.1">42:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xliii-p5.1">42:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xliii-p5.2">42:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxviii-p6.4">42:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xliii-p8.1">42:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xliii-p1.2">42:7-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xliii-p7.2">42:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xliii-p7.3">42:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xliii-p8.2">42:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xliii-p9.1">42:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xliii-p9.2">42:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xliii-p8.3">42:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xliii-p10.1">42:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xliii-p11.1">42:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xliii-p14.1">42:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xix-p18.2">42:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xliii-p13.1">42:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xliv-p3.5">42:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxviii-p13.4">42:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxviii-p13.7">42:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xliii-p1.3">42:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xliii-p15.1">42:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlvi-p12.5">42:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxviii-p13.5">42:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=22#Gen.l-p4.4">42:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xliii-p16.1">42:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xliii-p17.1">42:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xliii-p1.4">42:25-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xliii-p18.2">42:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xliii-p22.1">42:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xliii-p22.2">42:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xliii-p22.4">42:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=38#Gen.xlvii-p10.1">42:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=38#Gen.xliv-p5.3">42:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliv-p3.1">43:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliv-p1.1">43:1-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xliv-p3.3">43:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlv-p11.4">43:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xliv-p3.4">43:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xliv-p5.1">43:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xliv-p6.1">43:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xliv-p7.1">43:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xviii-p7.2">43:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xliv-p1.2">43:15-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xliv-p10.2">43:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xliv-p10.3">43:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xliv-p10.4">43:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xliv-p12.1">43:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xliv-p12.2">43:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xliv-p15.1">43:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xliv-p15.2">43:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xvi-p29.2">43:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xliii-p20.1">43:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=32#Gen.li-p5.1">43:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xii-p3.2">43:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xliv-p18.1">43:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xliv-p19.1">43:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlv-p1.1">44:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlv-p4.1">44:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlv-p5.1">44:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlv-p5.2">44:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlv-p5.3">44:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlv-p7.1">44:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlv-p1.2">44:18-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xlv-p11.1">44:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xlv-p11.5">44:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlv-p11.2">44:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlv-p11.6">44:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlv-p13.4">44:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xlv-p11.3">44:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlv-p11.3">44:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xlv-p11.7">44:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xlv-p11.8">44:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xlv-p11.9">44:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xlv-p11.11">44:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xlv-p11.10">44:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliv-p10.1">45:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlvi-p4.1">45:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlvi-p1.1">45:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlvi-p5.1">45:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlvi-p6.1">45:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvi-p7.1">45:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvi-p7.4">45:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlvi-p7.2">45:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlvi-p7.4">45:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlvi-p7.3">45:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlvi-p7.7">45:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlvi-p8.4">45:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlvi-p8.1">45:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xlvi-p8.5">45:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xlvi-p8.6">45:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xlvi-p8.3">45:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlvi-p8.2">45:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlvi-p9.1">45:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlvi-p9.2">45:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlvi-p11.1">45:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlvi-p1.2">45:16-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlvi-p11.2">45:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xlvi-p11.3">45:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlvi-p12.1">45:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlvi-p12.2">45:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xlvi-p12.3">45:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xlvi-p12.4">45:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xlvi-p1.3">45:25-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlvi-p14.1">45:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xlvi-p14.3">45:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlvii-p4.1">46:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlvii-p1.1">46:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p15.2">46:1-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlvii-p5.2">46:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlvii-p6.1">46:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxvii-p4.2">46:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvii-p10.2">46:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvii-p1.2">46:5-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlvii-p10.4">46:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlvii-p10.5">46:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xix-p5.8">46:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=21#Num.ii-p10.9">46:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxvii-p6.2">46:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=23#Num.ii-p10.7">46:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlvii-p10.8">46:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlvii-p10.9">46:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=27#Ex.ii-p3.3">46:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xlvii-p13.1">46:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xlvii-p1.3">46:28-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xlvii-p15.1">46:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xlvii-p16.1">46:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xiii-p23.5">46:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xlviii-p6.2">46:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxvi-p20.2">46:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlviii-p3.1">47:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlviii-p1.1">47:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlviii-p6.1">47:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxvii-p5.4">47:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlviii-p6.3">47:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlviii-p7.1">47:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlviii-p9.1">47:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlviii-p12.1">47:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlviii-p10.1">47:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xii-p25.4">47:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlviii-p11.1">47:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xlviii-p12.2">47:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xlviii-p13.1">47:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xlviii-p1.2">47:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xlviii-p13.2">47:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlviii-p16.1">47:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlviii-p1.4">47:13-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlviii-p17.1">47:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlviii-p16.2">47:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlviii-p17.2">47:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xlviii-p16.2">47:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlviii-p18.2">47:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxvi-p14.13">47:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlviii-p19.1">47:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xlviii-p18.3">47:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlviii-p18.1">47:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlviii-p21.1">47:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlviii-p1.3">47:27-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xlviii-p21.3">47:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xlviii-p21.5">47:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xlviii-p21.5">47:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlix-p3.1">48:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlix-p1.1">48:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlix-p4.1">48:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xviii-p7.2">48:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlix-p5.1">48:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlix-p10.1">48:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlix-p1.2">48:3-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlix-p5.2">48:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=5#Num.ii-p10.5">48:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlix-p5.4">48:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlix-p5.7">48:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlix-p5.8">48:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlix-p1.3">48:8-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlix-p9.4">48:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxv-p8.4">48:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xlix-p8.1">48:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xlix-p9.1">48:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xlix-p9.3">48:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xlix-p12.1">48:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlix-p12.2">48:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlix-p10.3">48:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlix-p11.1">48:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlix-p10.2">48:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlix-p5.5">48:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlix-p10.4">48:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlix-p12.3">48:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlix-p1.4">48:17-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiv-p26.7">48:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlix-p13.1">48:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=21#Gen.li-p13.2">48:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlix-p1.5">48:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlix-p13.3">48:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p3.3">49:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p26.1">49:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p3.2">49:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p1.3">49:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p22.1">49:1-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=2#Gen.l-p3.1">49:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=2#Gen.l-p3.3">49:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=3#Gen.v-p20.1">49:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxvi-p23.1">49:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=3#Gen.l-p4.2">49:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=3#Gen.l-p4.1">49:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=3#Gen.l-p1.4">49:3-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiv-p11.3">49:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvi-p16.5">49:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=4#Gen.l-p4.3">49:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p23.3">49:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=5#Gen.l-p6.1">49:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iii-p3.1">49:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxvi-p5.3">49:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xii-p23.3">49:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlv-p13.2">49:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxix-p1.2">49:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=8#Gen.l-p8.1">49:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=9#Gen.l-p8.6">49:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiv-p12.6">49:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxviii-p15.8">49:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=10#Gen.l-p8.7">49:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=10#Gen.l-p14.2">49:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=11#Gen.l-p8.9">49:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiv-p29.3">49:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=13#Gen.l-p11.1">49:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiv-p29.4">49:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=14#Gen.l-p12.1">49:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=16#Gen.l-p13.1">49:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=17#Gen.iv-p35.8">49:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=18#Gen.l-p14.1">49:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=19#Gen.l-p15.1">49:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=20#Gen.l-p16.1">49:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxiv-p38.2">49:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=21#Gen.l-p17.1">49:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=22#Num.ii-p10.6">49:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=22#Gen.l-p20.1">49:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xlii-p11.9">49:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=23#Gen.l-p21.2">49:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=23#Gen.l-p21.1">49:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=24#Gen.l-p21.3">49:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=25#Gen.l-p22.1">49:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=26#Num.vii-p3.1">49:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=26#Gen.l-p22.3">49:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=27#Gen.l-p23.1">49:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=28#Gen.l-p25.1">49:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xlvii-p8.1">49:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=29#Gen.l-p26.1">49:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=29#Gen.l-p1.5">49:29-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=30#Gen.l-p26.3">49:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=31#Gen.l-p26.2">49:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xlvii-p8.1">49:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=32#Gen.l-p26.3">49:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=33#Gen.l-p1.6">49:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=33#Gen.l-p27.1">49:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=1#Gen.li-p3.1">50:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=1#Gen.li-p1.1">50:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=2#Gen.li-p3.2">50:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=3#Gen.li-p3.3">50:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=4#Gen.li-p3.4">50:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=5#Gen.li-p3.5">50:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=6#Gen.li-p3.6">50:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=7#Gen.li-p1.2">50:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=10#Gen.li-p5.3">50:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxxiv-p7.12">50:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=15#Gen.li-p8.1">50:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=15#Gen.li-p1.3">50:15-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=16#Gen.li-p8.5">50:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=17#Gen.li-p8.3">50:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=17#Gen.li-p8.6">50:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=17#Gen.li-p9.1">50:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=18#Gen.li-p8.4">50:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=19#Gen.li-p9.2">50:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=20#Gen.li-p9.4">50:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=21#Gen.li-p9.7">50:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=22#Gen.li-p11.1">50:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=22#Gen.li-p1.4">50:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=23#Gen.li-p12.1">50:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xlix-p13.2">50:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=24#Gen.li-p13.1">50:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=25#Gen.li-p13.4">50:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xiv-p13.15">50:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=26#Gen.li-p14.1">50:26</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Exodus</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ii-p1.1">1:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Ex.i-p2.3">1:1-19:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Ex.ii-p3.2">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Ex.ii-p3.7">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Ex.ii-p3.8">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p6.1">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p1.2">1:8-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.ii-p7.3">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Ex.ii-p7.1">1:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Ex.v-p6.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xvi-p28.5">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Ex.ii-p8.1">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Ex.ii-p9.1">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xvi-p28.2">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Ex.ii-p8.1">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ii-p8.1">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ii-p12.1">1:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ii-p1.3">1:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Ex.ii-p12.4">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Ex.ii-p12.6">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Ex.ii-p12.7">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Ex.ii-p12.8">1:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#Ex.ii-p12.9">1:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=22#Ex.ii-p13.1">1:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iii-p1.1">2:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Ex.iii-p5.1">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxi-p4.1">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Ex.iii-p5.2">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.ii-p12.3">2:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iii-p7.1">2:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iii-p1.2">2:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iii-p8.1">2:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Ex.iii-p9.1">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iii-p13.1">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iii-p26.8">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iii-p15.1">2:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iii-p1.3">2:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iii-p17.1">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Ex.iii-p19.1">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Ex.iii-p20.3">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Ex.iii-p20.1">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Ex.iii-p1.4">2:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iii-p23.1">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Num.xi-p8.2">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Ex.iii-p24.1">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Ex.iii-p24.2">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Ex.iii-p24.3">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=22#Ex.iii-p24.4">2:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p26.1">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p26.2">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p1.5">2:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Ex.iv-p10.7">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Ex.iii-p26.6">2:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iv-p4.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iv-p1.1">3:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p25.2">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p39.2">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Ex.iv-p5.1">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Ex.iv-p6.1">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Ex.iv-p8.1">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iv-p13.1">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Ex.iv-p1.2">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Ex.iv-p10.1">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Ex.iv-p26.2">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iv-p14.1">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iv-p14.2">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iv-p14.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iv-p1.3">3:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Ex.iv-p15.1">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Ex.iv-p14.1">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Ex.iv-p14.4">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Ex.iv-p14.5">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Ex.iv-p1.4">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Ex.iv-p16.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iv-p19.1">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iv-p1.6">3:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xii-p17.7">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Ex.iv-p20.1">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Ex.v-p16.1">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xiv-p13.6">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iv-p21.1">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iv-p1.7">3:13-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiii-p44.2">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Ex.iv-p25.1">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Ex.iv-p26.1">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iv-p1.5">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iv-p28.1">3:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.iv-p28.2">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.iv-p28.3">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.iv-p28.4">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.v-p4.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.v-p8.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.v-p31.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Ex.iv-p28.5">3:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Ex.iv-p1.8">3:19-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Ex.iv-p28.6">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Ex.vii-p3.1">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Ex.iv-p28.7">3:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Ex.v-p1.1">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Ex.v-p4.1">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Ex.v-p4.3">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Ex.v-p6.1">4:2-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Ex.v-p1.2">4:2-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Ex.viii-p6.1">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Ex.v-p6.3">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Ex.v-p7.1">4:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Ex.v-p1.3">4:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Ex.v-p1.4">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Ex.v-p8.1">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Ex.v-p1.5">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Ex.v-p12.1">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Ex.v-p15.1">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Ex.v-p1.7">4:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Ex.v-p21.5">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Ex.v-p1.6">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Ex.v-p13.1">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Ex.v-p14.1">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Ex.v-p17.1">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiii-p12.10">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Ex.v-p1.8">4:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Ex.v-p17.2">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Ex.v-p1.9">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Ex.v-p18.1">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Ex.v-p1.10">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Ex.v-p20.1">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Ex.v-p1.11">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Ex.v-p21.1">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Ex.v-p22.1">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Ex.v-p1.12">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Ex.v-p22.2">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Ex.v-p21.3">4:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Ex.v-p1.11">4:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Ex.v-p21.4">4:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xii-p6.1">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xviii-p16.12">4:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Ex.v-p1.13">4:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Ex.v-p25.1">4:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xix-p5.1">4:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxiii-p12.5">4:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Ex.v-p1.14">4:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Ex.v-p30.1">4:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=28#Ex.v-p30.2">4:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Ex.v-p1.15">4:29-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Ex.v-p31.1">4:29-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=31#Ex.v-p4.4">4:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vi-p1.1">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vi-p4.1">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Ex.ii-p6.5">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Ex.vi-p1.2">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Ex.vi-p5.1">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Ex.vi-p1.3">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Ex.vi-p8.1">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xx-p3.2">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vi-p11.1">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vi-p1.4">5:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vi-p9.1">5:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Ex.vi-p10.1">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=10#Ex.vi-p1.5">5:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Ex.vi-p13.4">5:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Ex.vi-p13.2">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Ex.vi-p13.5">5:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Ex.vi-p16.1">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Ex.vi-p1.6">5:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=16#Ex.vi-p16.2">5:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Ex.vi-p16.3">5:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Ex.vi-p16.4">5:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Ex.vi-p15.1">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=20#Ex.vi-p1.7">5:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xiii-p18.3">5:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Ex.vi-p17.1">5:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Ex.vi-p17.2">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Ex.vi-p1.8">5:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Ex.vi-p17.4">5:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p1.1">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p3.2">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Ex.vii-p5.1">6:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Ex.vii-p1.2">6:2-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Gen.iii-p6.1">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxix-p5.3">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xviii-p7.1">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Ex.viii-p3.3">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vii-p6.1">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Ex.vii-p7.1">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Ex.vii-p8.2">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Ex.vii-p8.1">6:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Ex.vii-p9.1">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Ex.vii-p8.3">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Ex.vii-p1.3">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Ex.vii-p9.2">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Ex.vii-p1.4">6:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Ex.vii-p11.1">6:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Ex.vii-p1.5">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Ex.vii-p12.1">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Ex.vii-p1.6">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Ex.vii-p13.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Ex.vii-p16.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Ex.vii-p1.7">6:14-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxvii-p7.2">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Ex.vii-p15.3">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxv-p6.3">6:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=20#Ex.vii-p15.6">6:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=23#Ex.vii-p15.5">6:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Ex.vii-p15.10">6:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Ex.vii-p15.9">6:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=27#Ex.vii-p15.11">6:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=29#Ex.vii-p16.2">6:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=30#Ex.vii-p12.2">6:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=30#Ex.vii-p16.3">6:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p26.5">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.viii-p3.1">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiv-p13.16">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxix-p4.3">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.viii-p1.1">7:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Ex.viii-p3.2">7:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Ex.viii-p4.1">7:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Ex.viii-p4.4">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Ex.viii-p1.2">7:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Ex.viii-p6.2">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxiii-p14.2">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Ex.viii-p6.3">7:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Gen.iv-p6.1">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Ex.viii-p9.1">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Ex.viii-p1.3">7:14-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=15#Ex.viii-p9.2">7:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=19#Ex.viii-p10.1">7:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Ex.viii-p8.2">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Ex.viii-p11.1">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Ex.viii-p11.2">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=24#Ex.viii-p12.1">7:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=25#Ex.viii-p13.1">7:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Ex.viii-p4.3">7:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ix-p4.1">8:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ix-p1.1">8:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Ex.ix-p4.3">8:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Ex.ix-p1.2">8:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Ex.ix-p1.3">8:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Ex.ix-p6.1">8:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ix-p1.5">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ix-p7.1">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ix-p1.4">8:8-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=9#Ex.ix-p8.1">8:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Ex.ix-p8.2">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Ex.ix-p8.3">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Ex.ix-p8.4">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ix-p8.5">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ix-p1.6">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ix-p9.1">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Ex.ix-p1.7">8:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Ex.ix-p12.1">8:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Ex.ix-p13.1">8:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Ex.x-p11.2">8:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Ex.ix-p1.8">8:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Ex.ix-p1.9">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Ex.ix-p13.2">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Ex.ix-p14.1">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Ex.ix-p17.1">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Ex.ix-p1.10">8:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlviii-p16.4">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Ex.ix-p1.11">8:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Ex.ix-p18.1">8:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Ex.ix-p18.3">8:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=24#Ex.ix-p1.12">8:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=24#Ex.ix-p19.1">8:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=25#Ex.ix-p21.1">8:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=25#Ex.ix-p1.13">8:25-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=26#Ex.ix-p21.2">8:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=27#Ex.ix-p21.3">8:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=28#Ex.ix-p22.1">8:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=29#Ex.ix-p22.2">8:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=30#Ex.ix-p23.1">8:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#Ex.ix-p1.14">8:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=32#Ex.ix-p1.15">8:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=32#Ex.ix-p23.2">8:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Ex.x-p3.1">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Ex.x-p1.1">9:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Ex.x-p3.2">9:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlviii-p16.4">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Ex.x-p3.3">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Ex.x-p3.6">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Ex.x-p4.1">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Ex.x-p5.1">9:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Ex.x-p9.1">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Ex.x-p1.2">9:8-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Ex.x-p9.1">9:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Ex.x-p11.1">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Ex.x-p12.1">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Ex.x-p14.1">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Ex.x-p14.2">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Ex.x-p1.3">9:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=14#Ex.x-p14.3">9:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=16#Ex.x-p14.4">9:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Ex.x-p14.7">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Ex.x-p15.1">9:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Ex.x-p15.2">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Ex.x-p15.4">9:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Gen.vii-p31.2">9:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Ex.x-p15.6">9:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Ex.vi-p4.3">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Ex.x-p17.1">9:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xi-p9.4">9:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Ex.x-p1.4">9:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Ex.x-p18.1">9:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Ex.x-p18.3">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Ex.x-p18.10">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=27#Ex.x-p19.1">9:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=27#Ex.x-p1.5">9:27-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=29#Ex.x-p19.5">9:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=30#Ex.x-p19.2">9:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=31#Ex.x-p18.4">9:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=33#Ex.x-p19.4">9:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=33#Ex.x-p19.6">9:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=34#Ex.x-p19.7">9:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xi-p1.1">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xi-p3.1">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xi-p4.1">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xi-p1.2">10:3-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xi-p5.1">10:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xi-p5.2">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xi-p7.4">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xi-p6.1">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xi-p1.3">10:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xi-p7.1">10:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xi-p7.2">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xi-p1.4">10:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xi-p7.3">10:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xi-p11.2">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xi-p9.2">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xi-p1.5">10:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xi-p9.3">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xi-p10.1">10:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xi-p15.9">10:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xi-p1.6">10:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xi-p11.1">10:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Gen.v-p36.1">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xi-p12.1">10:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xi-p1.7">10:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xi-p13.1">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xi-p15.7">10:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xi-p1.8">10:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xlviii-p16.4">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xi-p15.3">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xi-p15.11">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xi-p15.14">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xi-p16.1">10:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xi-p16.2">10:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xi-p1.9">10:26-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xi-p16.4">10:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xii-p1.1">10:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xi-p16.5">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xii-p3.1">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xii-p1.2">11:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xii-p3.2">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xii-p1.3">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xii-p4.1">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xii-p6.4">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xii-p6.2">11:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xii-p1.4">11:4-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xii-p6.3">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xii-p6.5">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xii-p6.11">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xi-p16.6">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xii-p6.6">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xii-p1.5">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xii-p6.12">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xii-p1.6">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xii-p6.14">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiii-p3.1">12:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiii-p1.1">12:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvii-p4.2">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiii-p3.3">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiii-p8.6">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xiii-p8.3">12:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xiii-p8.4">12:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiii-p4.1">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiii-p8.6">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiii-p8.7">12:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xi-p15.15">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p1.3">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p6.1">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p9.5">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiii-p10.3">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiii-p1.1">12:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xiii-p10.2">12:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxx-p6.3">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiii-p5.1">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiii-p10.4">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xiii-p6.2">12:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiii-p1.4">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxv-p25.2">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiii-p1.5">12:14-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiii-p7.1">12:14-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xiii-p11.2">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiii-p11.4">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xiii-p11.3">12:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xiii-p1.6">12:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xvii-p4.4">12:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xiii-p9.2">12:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xiii-p14.1">12:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xiii-p18.2">12:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xiii-p1.7">12:24-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=25#Num.x-p4.1">12:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiii-p10.3">12:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xiii-p15.1">12:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xiii-p17.1">12:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xiii-p18.1">12:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xiii-p1.8">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xiii-p1.9">12:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xiii-p20.1">12:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xi-p16.7">12:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xiii-p21.1">12:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xiii-p21.3">12:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xiii-p1.10">12:31-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xiii-p21.2">12:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xiii-p21.4">12:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xiii-p21.5">12:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xiii-p1.11">12:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xiii-p23.6">12:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=34#Deu.ix-p7.6">12:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xvi-p31.1">12:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xiii-p1.12">12:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xiii-p21.6">12:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xiii-p23.1">12:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xiii-p1.13">12:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xxv-p9.1">12:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xiii-p23.2">12:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xiii-p1.14">12:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=40#Ex.xiii-p1.15">12:40-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=42#Ex.xiii-p23.9">12:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xiii-p26.2">12:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xiii-p1.16">12:43-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=44#Ex.xiii-p26.4">12:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=45#Ex.xiii-p26.2">12:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=46#Ex.xiii-p8.10">12:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=46#Ex.xiii-p27.1">12:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=47#Ex.xiii-p26.1">12:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=48#Ex.xiii-p26.2">12:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=48#Ex.xiii-p26.5">12:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=48#Num.x-p9.8">12:48-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=49#Ex.xiii-p26.6">12:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=50#Ex.xiii-p1.17">12:50-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=50#Ex.xiii-p28.1">12:50-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiv-p1.1">13:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiii-p22.2">13:1-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Num.iv-p14.2">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvi-p11.2">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xiv-p4.1">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiv-p5.1">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiv-p11.2">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiv-p1.2">13:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xiv-p1.3">13:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xiv-p6.1">13:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiv-p6.2">13:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiv-p7.1">13:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiv-p1.4">13:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xiv-p11.3">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiv-p10.2">13:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiv-p1.5">13:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiv-p4.2">13:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiv-p10.2">13:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiv-p11.2">13:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiv-p11.5">13:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiv-p1.6">13:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiv-p11.1">13:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xvi-p11.2">13:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xiv-p11.2">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xiv-p11.5">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiv-p13.9">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiv-p1.7">13:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiv-p13.1">13:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Num.iii-p3.1">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xiv-p13.4">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xiv-p13.12">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xiv-p1.9">13:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xiv-p13.13">13:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xiv-p14.2">13:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xv-p4.2">13:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xiv-p1.8">13:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xiv-p14.1">13:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xiv-p15.1">13:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xv-p4.1">14:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xv-p1.2">14:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xv-p4.3">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xv-p4.4">14:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xv-p5.1">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xv-p1.3">14:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xv-p7.2">14:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xv-p7.3">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xv-p7.4">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xv-p9.1">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xv-p14.2">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xv-p1.4">14:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Num.xv-p30.5">14:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xv-p9.4">14:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xv-p1.5">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xv-p10.1">14:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xvi-p3.1">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xv-p14.1">14:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xv-p1.6">14:15-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xv-p16.2">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xv-p16.1">14:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xv-p16.4">14:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xv-p7.1">14:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xv-p1.7">14:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xv-p17.1">14:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Gen.ix-p5.4">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xv-p20.1">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xv-p1.9">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xv-p21.1">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xv-p23.1">14:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xv-p1.10">14:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xix-p14.3">14:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xv-p23.4">14:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xv-p1.11">14:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xv-p23.9">14:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xv-p1.9">14:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xv-p21.2">14:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xv-p23.8">14:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xv-p25.1">14:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xv-p1.12">14:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xv-p1.8">14:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xv-p26.1">14:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xvi-p3.3">14:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p7.1">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p9.2">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p1.1">15:1-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p3.8">15:1-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p5.2">15:1-17:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xvi-p7.2">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xvi-p11.1">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvi-p7.5">15:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvi-p9.3">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xvi-p9.5">15:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xvi-p9.7">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xvi-p9.11">15:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xvi-p9.1">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xvi-p9.8">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxii-p13.4">15:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xvi-p9.12">15:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xvi-p9.5">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xvi-p9.9">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xvi-p7.6">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Deu.iv-p12.1">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xii-p10.4">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xvi-p9.6">15:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xvi-p9.10">15:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xvi-p10.1">15:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xvi-p11.2">15:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxv-p18.3">15:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=14#Deu.iii-p15.2">15:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xvi-p11.3">15:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxvii-p9.5">15:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxv-p18.3">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xvi-p11.8">15:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xvi-p11.11">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xvi-p9.4">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xvi-p10.2">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Num.xiii-p15.3">15:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxi-p4.4">15:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xvi-p1.2">15:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xvi-p12.1">15:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xvi-p1.3">15:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xvi-p15.1">15:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xvi-p16.1">15:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=23#Num.xv-p30.6">15:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xvi-p1.4">15:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xvi-p16.2">15:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xvi-p16.3">15:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xvi-p1.5">15:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xvi-p16.4">15:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xvi-p1.6">15:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xvi-p17.1">15:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvii-p1.1">16:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Num.xv-p30.7">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xvii-p4.1">16:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xiii-p29.1">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvii-p7.10">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvii-p6.2">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvii-p12.3">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvii-p1.2">16:4-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xvii-p14.2">16:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xvii-p7.9">16:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xvii-p7.5">16:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xvii-p7.6">16:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xvii-p7.1">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xvii-p7.2">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xvii-p8.1">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xvii-p6.1">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xvii-p7.6">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xvii-p7.12">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Num.xii-p13.9">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xvii-p1.3">16:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xvii-p12.1">16:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Num.xii-p13.6">16:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xvii-p1.4">16:16-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlii-p8.5">16:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xvii-p12.5">16:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xx-p7.2">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xvii-p14.7">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xvii-p12.2">16:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xvii-p12.10">16:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxv-p5.10">16:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xvii-p14.3">16:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xvii-p1.5">16:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Num.xvi-p11.2">16:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxi-p14.4">16:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xvii-p14.5">16:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxii-p7.2">16:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xvii-p14.6">16:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xvii-p14.8">16:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xvii-p14.9">16:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xvii-p1.6">16:27-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xvii-p14.10">16:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=28#Deu.ix-p5.1">16:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xvii-p14.4">16:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xvii-p16.2">16:32-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xvii-p1.7">16:32-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xvii-p16.3">16:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=36#Lev.xxviii-p10.3">16:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xviii-p1.1">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xviii-p3.1">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p30.8">17:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxii-p4.2">17:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xviii-p4.2">17:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xviii-p5.1">17:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xviii-p10.2">17:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xviii-p1.2">17:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xviii-p4.1">17:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xviii-p4.4">17:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xviii-p1.3">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xviii-p4.5">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xviii-p5.2">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xix-p14.3">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Deu.vi-p9.2">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xviii-p1.4">17:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xviii-p6.1">17:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxi-p11.4">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxi-p5.1">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p15.2">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xviii-p1.5">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xviii-p4.7">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xviii-p7.1">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xviii-p10.1">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xviii-p1.6">17:8-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xviii-p12.1">17:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xviii-p13.1">17:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxii-p3.1">17:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xviii-p13.5">17:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxv-p3.3">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xviii-p13.4">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xviii-p13.6">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xviii-p1.7">17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xviii-p14.1">17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxii-p15.7">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxvi-p10.5">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Gen.i-p4.1">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xviii-p1.8">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xviii-p15.3">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxvi-p11.2">17:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xv-p20.5">17:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xviii-p15.1">17:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xviii-p1.8">17:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xviii-p15.7">17:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xviii-p6.9">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xvii-p9.1">17:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xix-p4.1">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xix-p1.1">18:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p8.1">18:1-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xix-p5.7">18:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xix-p5.9">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xix-p5.5">18:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xix-p1.2">18:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xix-p7.1">18:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xix-p8.1">18:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xix-p1.3">18:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xix-p9.1">18:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xix-p9.2">18:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xix-p9.4">18:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xv-p20.6">18:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Ex.x-p14.5">18:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiii-p6.4">18:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xix-p9.5">18:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xix-p1.4">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xix-p3.2">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xix-p10.1">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xix-p3.3">18:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xix-p14.1">18:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xix-p1.5">18:13-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xix-p14.2">18:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xix-p16.1">18:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxii-p3.2">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xix-p13.1">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xix-p13.2">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xix-p13.3">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xix-p16.1">18:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xix-p16.1">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xix-p17.1">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xix-p17.3">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xix-p18.1">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxv-p11.2">18:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xix-p17.5">18:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xix-p3.5">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xix-p18.4">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xix-p19.1">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xix-p1.6">18:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Num.ii-p10.2">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Num.xii-p18.2">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Num.xi-p8.3">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xix-p1.7">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xix-p20.1">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xx-p3.1">19:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xx-p1.1">19:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p3.6">19:1-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xx-p4.1">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xx-p1.2">19:3-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p19.2">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xx-p4.3">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xx-p4.7">19:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xx-p4.10">19:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xx-p4.14">19:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p4.5">19:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xx-p5.1">19:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xx-p1.3">19:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xx-p5.2">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xx-p5.3">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxv-p6.1">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p1.4">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p7.1">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p7.6">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xx-p9.1">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xx-p9.4">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xx-p1.5">19:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xx-p7.5">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xx-p9.3">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xx-p10.1">19:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xx-p11.1">19:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xx-p9.5">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xx-p1.6">19:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xx-p9.7">19:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xx-p15.1">19:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xx-p16.1">19:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xx-p18.1">19:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xx-p1.7">19:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xx-p17.1">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xx-p14.1">19:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xx-p15.2">19:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xx-p16.2">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xx-p19.1">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xx-p14.2">19:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xx-p19.3">19:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxi-p26.2">19:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xx-p19.4">19:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Deu.v-p11.6">19:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xx-p1.8">19:21-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xi-p10.1">19:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xx-p19.7">19:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xx-p19.5">19:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxxiii-p12.11">19:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxi-p3.1">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxi-p1.1">20:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p5.2">20:1-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Ex.i-p2.4">20:1-40:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxi-p4.1">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxi-p6.1">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxi-p8.1">20:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxi-p9.1">20:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxi-p10.1">20:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxi-p14.1">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Deu.vi-p5.5">20:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxi-p14.2">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxi-p19.1">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxi-p20.1">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxi-p21.1">20:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxi-p22.1">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxi-p23.1">20:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxi-p26.1">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxi-p1.2">20:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiv-p7.1">20:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxi-p26.4">20:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxi-p27.2">20:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxi-p27.1">20:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxi-p28.1">20:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxi-p31.1">20:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxi-p1.3">20:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiii-p12.6">20:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxi-p37.1">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxvii-p8.7">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxxiii-p12.4">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Lev.v-p3.1">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxix-p20.3">20:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxi-p35.1">20:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxi-p36.1">20:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxii-p3.1">21:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxvi-p20.1">21:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvi-p8.2">21:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxii-p4.1">21:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxii-p1.1">21:2-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxii-p4.2">21:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xvi-p8.4">21:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxii-p1.2">21:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxii-p7.1">21:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xix-p9.4">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxii-p9.1">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxii-p1.5">21:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxvi-p11.6">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xx-p4.1">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxii-p9.4">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxvi-p11.3">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxii-p9.3">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxviii-p12.2">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxii-p1.3">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxii-p10.1">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxii-p1.6">21:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxii-p11.1">21:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxviii-p12.2">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxii-p1.4">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxii-p10.2">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxii-p1.7">21:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxii-p12.1">21:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxii-p13.1">21:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxii-p1.8">21:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxii-p13.2">21:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxii-p1.9">21:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxii-p16.1">21:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxii-p1.10">21:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxii-p1.11">21:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxii-p17.1">21:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=28#Gen.x-p12.1">21:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxii-p19.1">21:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=28#Gen.iv-p35.2">21:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxii-p1.12">21:28-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxii-p19.2">21:29-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxii-p1.13">21:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxii-p20.1">21:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxii-p20.3">21:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxii-p1.14">21:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxii-p20.4">21:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiii-p4.3">22:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiii-p1.1">22:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxiii-p4.5">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxiii-p4.4">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxiii-p4.6">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxiii-p4.1">22:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxv-p14.6">22:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxiii-p1.2">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxiii-p5.1">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxiii-p1.3">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxiii-p6.1">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxiii-p1.4">22:7-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxiii-p9.1">22:7-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxiii-p9.3">22:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxiii-p1.5">22:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxiii-p10.1">22:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxiii-p1.7">22:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxiii-p12.1">22:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxiii-p1.9">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxiii-p13.1">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxiii-p1.8">22:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxiii-p14.1">22:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiii-p1.10">22:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiii-p15.1">22:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxiii-p17.1">22:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxiv-p5.8">22:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxiii-p1.12">22:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxiii-p18.1">22:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxiii-p18.2">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxiii-p18.3">22:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxiii-p1.6">22:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxiii-p20.1">22:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxv-p8.4">22:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxiii-p20.3">22:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxiii-p1.13">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxiii-p21.1">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxiii-p1.11">22:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxiii-p22.1">22:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxiii-p15.2">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xvi-p11.3">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xiv-p10.1">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxiii-p1.14">22:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxiii-p23.1">22:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiv-p1.1">23:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiv-p4.1">23:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxi-p30.1">23:1-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxiv-p5.1">23:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxiv-p1.2">23:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xx-p15.2">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxiv-p5.2">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiii-p3.1">23:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxiv-p1.3">23:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxiv-p6.1">23:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p17.6">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxiv-p5.4">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxiv-p1.2">23:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxiv-p5.5">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xvii-p9.5">23:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxiv-p5.6">23:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiii-p11.3">23:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxiv-p1.4">23:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxiv-p5.7">23:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxiv-p1.5">23:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxiv-p8.1">23:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxiv-p9.1">23:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxii-p7.3">23:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxiii-p14.6">23:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxiv-p10.1">23:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxiv-p1.6">23:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxiv-p11.1">23:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxiv-p11.4">23:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxv-p25.3">23:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxiv-p10.2">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxiv-p20.1">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xvii-p7.2">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxiv-p12.3">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxv-p25.5">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxiv-p11.2">23:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxiv-p17.1">23:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxiv-p12.1">23:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxiv-p12.2">23:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiv-p15.1">23:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiv-p1.7">23:20-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxiii-p24.3">23:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxiv-p15.3">23:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxiii-p18.1">23:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxiv-p15.6">23:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxiv-p15.2">23:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Deu.viii-p8.2">23:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxiv-p16.1">23:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxiv-p1.8">23:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xvi-p11.7">23:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxiv-p1.9">23:27-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=29#Gen.viii-p32.5">23:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=29#Deu.viii-p19.12">23:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxiv-p17.3">23:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=30#Num.xiv-p14.3">23:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxiv-p17.4">23:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxiv-p1.10">23:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxiv-p17.5">23:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p18.3">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxv-p3.1">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xi-p12.2">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxv-p1.4">24:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvii-p15.3">24:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p3.7">24:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxv-p3.2">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxv-p1.1">24:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxv-p5.1">24:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxv-p8.4">24:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxviii-p4.1">24:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxv-p8.1">24:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxv-p1.2">24:4-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxx-p11.1">24:4-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxv-p10.1">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxv-p1.3">24:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxv-p11.1">24:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxv-p8.2">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxv-p8.3">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p12.7">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xviii-p16.7">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxv-p1.3">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxv-p11.3">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p12.11">24:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxv-p1.5">24:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxv-p13.2">24:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxv-p13.5">24:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxv-p16.1">24:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxv-p16.5">24:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxii-p12.1">24:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxii-p12.3">24:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxv-p1.6">24:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxv-p16.3">24:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxv-p1.7">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxv-p16.2">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxii-p4.3">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxv-p16.4">24:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxv-p1.8">24:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxv-p17.1">24:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxv-p17.6">24:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xli-p9.1">24:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxv-p17.2">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxv-p1.9">24:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxv-p17.3">24:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvi-p10.1">25:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvi-p1.1">25:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxviii-p1.6">25:1-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxvi-p12.1">25:3-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxvi-p4.1">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxvi-p13.1">25:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xi-p4.4">25:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p16.1">25:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p1.2">25:10-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxvi-p17.1">25:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxvi-p18.1">25:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxvi-p17.1">25:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxvi-p18.7">25:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxix-p11.3">25:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxvi-p1.3">25:23-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxvi-p20.2">25:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxv-p5.1">25:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxvi-p20.3">25:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=31#Num.ix-p3.1">25:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxvi-p1.4">25:31-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xxvi-p22.4">25:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=40#Ex.xxvi-p23.1">25:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvii-p4.1">26:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvii-p1.1">26:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxvii-p4.4">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxvii-p6.1">26:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxvii-p1.2">26:7-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxvii-p1.3">26:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxvii-p6.2">26:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxvii-p1.4">26:15-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxvii-p8.2">26:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxvii-p8.3">26:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxvii-p8.4">26:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxvii-p10.1">26:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxvii-p1.5">26:31-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxvii-p10.1">26:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxvii-p1.6">26:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxvii-p10.5">26:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxviii-p3.1">27:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxviii-p3.3">27:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxviii-p1.1">27:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxviii-p3.2">27:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxviii-p3.4">27:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxviii-p3.5">27:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxviii-p3.6">27:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxviii-p3.7">27:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxviii-p1.2">27:9-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxix-p10.1">27:9-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxviii-p6.1">27:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxv-p4.1">27:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxviii-p1.3">27:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxix-p1.1">28:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxix-p4.1">28:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ix-p3.1">28:1-29:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxix-p5.1">28:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxix-p1.2">28:2-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxix-p5.3">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxix-p5.2">28:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p7.4">28:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p1.3">28:6-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxix-p7.5">28:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxix-p10.2">28:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxix-p7.11">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxix-p9.2">28:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxix-p1.4">28:15-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxix-p9.1">28:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxix-p10.1">28:17-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxix-p9.2">28:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxix-p9.3">28:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxix-p10.1">28:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxix-p10.7">28:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxix-p1.5">28:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxix-p11.1">28:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxix-p1.6">28:31-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxix-p13.1">28:31-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxix-p13.4">28:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxix-p1.7">28:36-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxix-p13.5">28:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xxix-p13.9">28:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=40#Ex.xxix-p15.1">28:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=40#Ex.xxix-p1.8">28:40-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=41#Ex.xxix-p15.4">28:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=42#Ex.xxix-p15.2">28:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xxix-p15.5">28:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxx-p1.1">29:1-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xli-p3.11">29:1-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ix-p9.7">29:1-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxx-p7.1">29:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxx-p9.1">29:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxx-p10.1">29:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxx-p11.1">29:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxx-p10.1">29:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxx-p5.2">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxx-p10.1">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxx-p17.3">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxx-p13.3">29:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxx-p13.1">29:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxx-p13.5">29:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxx-p14.1">29:15-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxx-p15.2">29:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxx-p15.1">29:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxx-p15.3">29:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxx-p5.3">29:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxx-p15.4">29:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxx-p15.5">29:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxx-p5.5">29:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxx-p15.6">29:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxx-p5.3">29:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxx-p6.1">29:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxx-p15.7">29:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxx-p16.2">29:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxx-p15.8">29:31-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxx-p16.1">29:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxx-p16.3">29:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxx-p18.1">29:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxix-p4.3">29:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=38#Lev.iii-p3.1">29:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxx-p1.2">29:38-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxx-p21.1">29:38-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=42#Ex.xxx-p1.3">29:42-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xxx-p22.1">29:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xxx-p22.2">29:43-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xi-p10.2">29:43-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=45#Ex.xxx-p22.3">29:45-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxi-p3.1">30:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxi-p1.1">30:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxviii-p1.6">30:1-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxvi-p16.2">30:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxi-p3.4">30:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxi-p3.5">30:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxi-p4.5">30:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxi-p3.6">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xi-p3.6">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxi-p3.7">30:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xvii-p10.6">30:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Num.xiii-p8.6">30:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxi-p1.2">30:11-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxviii-p11.5">30:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxi-p6.3">30:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxi-p6.6">30:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxi-p6.1">30:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxi-p1.3">30:17-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxi-p8.1">30:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxx-p9.4">30:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxi-p8.3">30:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxi-p6.1">30:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxi-p1.4">30:22-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxviii-p8.2">30:22-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxi-p10.1">30:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxi-p10.2">30:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xli-p3.8">30:25-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxxi-p10.3">30:26-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxx-p11.3">30:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxxi-p10.4">30:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxxi-p10.10">30:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxi-p1.5">30:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxi-p6.1">30:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxi-p10.9">30:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xxxi-p10.10">30:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxxi-p10.10">30:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxii-p1.1">31:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxii-p4.1">31:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxii-p5.1">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxii-p4.4">31:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxii-p4.7">31:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxii-p5.2">31:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxii-p5.6">31:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxii-p1.2">31:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxii-p8.1">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxii-p9.1">31:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxii-p7.1">31:13-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Num.xvi-p11.4">31:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxii-p8.4">31:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxii-p11.1">31:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxii-p8.5">31:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxii-p11.2">31:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxii-p8.6">31:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxii-p9.1">31:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vii-p14.6">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxii-p8.2">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxii-p10.1">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Lev.ii-p5.8">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxii-p1.3">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxii-p12.2">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiii-p4.1">32:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxv-p5.3">32:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiii-p1.1">32:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p30.9">32:1-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxiii-p10.1">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxiii-p11.1">32:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiii-p26.4">32:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiii-p12.2">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiii-p1.2">32:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p15.2">32:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxiii-p12.3">32:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p16.6">32:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p38.2">32:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p1.3">32:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p14.1">32:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p1.4">32:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p15.1">32:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxiii-p26.8">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxiii-p38.9">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxiii-p16.5">32:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxiii-p1.5">32:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxiii-p16.1">32:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxiii-p16.4">32:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxiii-p16.8">32:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xx-p29.2">32:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxiii-p16.12">32:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Deu.iv-p13.2">32:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiii-p1.6">32:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiii-p17.1">32:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiv-p14.1">32:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiii-p19.1">32:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiii-p1.7">32:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxiii-p20.1">32:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxiii-p1.8">32:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxiii-p21.2">32:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxiii-p1.9">32:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxiii-p21.7">32:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxiii-p25.1">32:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxiii-p1.10">32:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxiii-p26.1">32:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiii-p26.2">32:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxxiii-p26.3">32:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxiii-p28.1">32:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxiii-p1.11">32:25-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=26#Num.ii-p14.1">32:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxxiii-p30.1">32:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiv-p17.1">32:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxxiii-p25.2">32:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxxiii-p30.5">32:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxxiii-p30.1">32:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxxiii-p31.1">32:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Num.xv-p17.1">32:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxiii-p34.1">32:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxiii-p1.12">32:30-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxxiii-p38.1">32:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxxiii-p38.4">32:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxxiii-p39.1">32:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxxiii-p1.13">32:33-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxiii-p39.2">32:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxxiii-p39.6">32:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiv-p3.3">33:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiv-p1.1">33:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Num.xiv-p14.2">33:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxiv-p3.4">33:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxiv-p3.1">33:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxv-p14.2">33:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiv-p1.2">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiv-p4.1">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiv-p4.2">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiv-p1.1">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiv-p3.1">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiv-p3.2">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiv-p3.6">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiv-p4.5">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxiv-p1.2">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxiv-p4.3">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiv-p6.1">33:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiv-p8.1">33:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xli-p8.3">33:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiv-p1.3">33:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiv-p9.1">33:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiv-p10.1">33:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiv-p9.2">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiv-p11.1">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiv-p11.2">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiv-p11.4">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxiv-p10.2">33:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxiv-p11.3">33:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Ex.iv-p8.3">33:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxiv-p15.1">33:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxiv-p1.4">33:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxiv-p15.2">33:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiii-p39.3">33:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiv-p16.1">33:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiv-p15.3">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxiv-p15.4">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxiii-p39.3">33:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxiv-p16.3">33:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxiv-p18.1">33:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxiv-p1.5">33:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxiv-p19.7">33:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxiv-p19.1">33:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxiv-p19.10">33:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxv-p8.2">33:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xvii-p28.1">33:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiv-p19.3">33:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiv-p19.12">33:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxv-p4.1">34:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxv-p1.1">34:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxv-p5.1">34:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxv-p5.2">34:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxv-p5.4">34:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxv-p7.1">34:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxv-p1.2">34:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=6#Num.xv-p24.2">34:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxv-p8.1">34:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxv-p13.1">34:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxv-p14.1">34:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxv-p17.1">34:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxv-p1.3">34:10-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxv-p4.4">34:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxv-p20.1">34:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=13#Deu.viii-p8.2">34:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxv-p20.3">34:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxv-p19.1">34:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xi-p10.2">34:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxv-p20.2">34:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxv-p19.3">34:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxv-p25.1">34:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxv-p23.1">34:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxvii-p3.3">34:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxv-p25.4">34:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xvii-p7.2">34:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxv-p24.1">34:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxvi-p6.2">34:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxxv-p24.2">34:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxv-p25.6">34:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxxv-p26.2">34:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxxv-p28.1">34:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxxv-p30.1">34:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=29#Ex.iii-p4.4">34:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxv-p31.1">34:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxv-p33.1">34:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxv-p1.4">34:29-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxxv-p8.5">34:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxv-p33.2">34:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxxvi-p3.1">34:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxxv-p33.3">34:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxv-p33.5">34:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxxv-p33.3">34:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxvi-p4.1">35:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxvi-p1.1">35:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxvi-p6.1">35:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxvi-p1.2">35:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxvi-p8.1">35:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxvi-p9.4">35:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxvi-p9.1">35:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxvi-p1.3">35:10-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxvi-p9.5">35:11-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxvi-p11.1">35:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxvi-p1.4">35:20-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxvi-p12.1">35:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxvi-p12.2">35:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxvi-p12.4">35:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxvi-p12.6">35:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxvi-p13.1">35:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxxvi-p13.2">35:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=27#Num.viii-p6.3">35:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxxvi-p12.9">35:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxvi-p12.3">35:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxvi-p15.1">35:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxvi-p1.5">35:30-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxxvi-p15.3">35:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxvi-p15.5">35:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxxvi-p15.4">35:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxvii-p3.1">36:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxvii-p1.1">36:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxvii-p3.2">36:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvii-p3.3">36:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvii-p4.1">36:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxvii-p4.2">36:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxvii-p4.4">36:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxvii-p1.2">36:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxvii-p4.3">36:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxvii-p1.3">36:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxvii-p1.4">36:14-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxvii-p8.1">36:14-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxvii-p1.5">36:20-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxvii-p8.4">36:20-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxxvii-p1.6">36:31-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxxvii-p1.7">36:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxxvii-p10.1">36:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xxxvii-p1.8">36:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xxxvii-p10.2">36:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xi-p4.3">37:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxviii-p1.1">37:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxviii-p1.2">37:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxviii-p6.1">37:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxviii-p1.3">37:17-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxviii-p6.1">37:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxviii-p1.4">37:25-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxviii-p1.5">37:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxviii-p8.1">37:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxix-p1.1">38:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxix-p4.1">38:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxix-p1.2">38:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxix-p5.1">38:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxix-p1.3">38:9-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=17#Num.ix-p3.2">38:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxix-p12.1">38:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxix-p1.4">38:21-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxix-p12.2">38:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=25#Num.ii-p5.2">38:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxix-p12.3">38:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=26#Num.ii-p12.1">38:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxxix-p12.4">38:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xl-p3.1">39:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xl-p1.1">39:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xl-p3.3">39:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xl-p1.2">39:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xl-p3.3">39:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xl-p1.3">39:8-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xl-p3.3">39:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xl-p1.4">39:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xl-p3.3">39:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xl-p1.5">39:27-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xl-p3.3">39:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xl-p1.6">39:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xl-p3.3">39:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xl-p6.1">39:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xl-p1.7">39:32-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xl-p7.1">39:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xi-p3.7">39:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=42#Ex.xl-p6.1">39:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xl-p8.1">39:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xli-p1.1">40:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xli-p3.2">40:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xli-p3.4">40:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xli-p3.5">40:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xli-p3.6">40:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xli-p3.7">40:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xli-p1.2">40:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xli-p3.9">40:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xli-p1.3">40:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xli-p3.10">40:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xli-p1.4">40:16-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xli-p9.2">40:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xli-p6.1">40:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xli-p6.3">40:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xli-p6.4">40:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xli-p6.5">40:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xli-p6.6">40:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=34#Lev.x-p9.2">40:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xli-p11.1">40:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xli-p1.5">40:34-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xli-p11.2">40:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xli-p10.4">40:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xli-p10.1">40:38</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Leviticus</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p2.2">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Lev.ii-p1.1">1:3-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Lev.ii-p5.2">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ii-p5.5">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Lev.ii-p5.7">1:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Lev.ii-p7.1">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Lev.ii-p1.2">1:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Lev.vii-p18.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Lev.ii-p1.3">1:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xviii-p5.9">1:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xviii-p5.9">1:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iii-p1.1">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iii-p5.2">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iii-p5.4">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvi-p4.2">2:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxv-p5.5">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Lev.iii-p5.7">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Lev.vii-p14.2">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Lev.iii-p1.5">2:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Lev.iii-p5.11">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Lev.iii-p1.2">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Lev.iii-p5.3">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiv-p18.2">2:4-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Lev.iii-p1.3">2:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Lev.iii-p1.4">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Lev.iii-p5.6">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Lev.iii-p1.6">2:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Lev.iii-p5.7">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Lev.iii-p9.8">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Lev.vii-p14.2">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Lev.iii-p5.11">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Lev.iii-p7.1">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Lev.viii-p8.2">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Lev.iii-p1.7">2:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Lev.iii-p9.2">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Lev.iii-p1.8">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Lev.iii-p8.1">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Lev.iii-p1.9">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Lev.iii-p9.5">2:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Lev.iii-p9.7">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iv-p4.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iv-p1.1">3:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Lev.iv-p5.1">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Lev.iv-p5.3">3:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Lev.iv-p1.2">3:6-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Lev.iv-p7.1">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Lev.iv-p7.3">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Lev.iv-p1.3">3:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Lev.iv-p7.3">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Lev.iv-p7.5">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Lev.iv-p7.6">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Lev.viii-p11.1">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xviii-p9.1">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Lev.v-p1.1">4:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Lev.v-p4.1">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xi-p3.13">4:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Lev.v-p5.1">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Lev.v-p5.2">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Lev.v-p5.6">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Lev.v-p5.9">4:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Lev.v-p5.10">4:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Lev.v-p5.11">4:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Num.xvi-p8.5">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Lev.v-p1.2">4:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Lev.v-p5.3">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Lev.v-p7.2">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Lev.v-p7.8">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Num.xvi-p8.5">4:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xi-p22.2">4:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Lev.v-p9.1">4:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Lev.v-p1.3">4:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Lev.v-p5.4">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Lev.v-p9.2">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Lev.v-p9.3">4:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=26#Lev.v-p9.4">4:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Lev.v-p11.1">4:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Num.xvi-p8.11">4:27-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Lev.v-p1.4">4:27-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=28#Lev.v-p5.4">4:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=31#Lev.v-p11.4">4:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=35#Lev.v-p11.4">4:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.vi-p1.1">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.vi-p3.2">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Lev.vi-p1.2">5:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Lev.vi-p3.5">5:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxi-p11.2">5:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.vi-p1.3">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.vi-p3.7">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Lev.vi-p1.7">5:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Lev.vi-p4.1">5:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Lev.vi-p10.1">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Lev.vi-p7.1">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Lev.vi-p1.8">5:7-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Lev.vi-p8.1">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Lev.vi-p1.9">5:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Lev.vi-p1.4">5:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxvii-p12.3">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Lev.vi-p1.10">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiii-p9.5">5:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=16#Lev.vi-p10.2">5:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Lev.vi-p10.5">5:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Lev.vi-p1.5">5:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Lev.vii-p4.1">6:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Lev.vi-p1.6">6:2-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Lev.vii-p4.3">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Num.vi-p6.4">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxiii-p4.2">6:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Lev.vii-p5.1">6:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxi-p22.3">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Lev.vii-p5.3">6:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Lev.vii-p1.1">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Lev.vii-p1.2">6:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Lev.vii-p7.1">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Lev.vii-p10.1">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Lev.vii-p10.3">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Lev.vii-p9.1">6:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Lev.vii-p1.3">6:11-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Lev.vii-p10.1">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Lev.vii-p10.2">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Lev.x-p12.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Lev.vii-p14.1">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Lev.vii-p15.1">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Lev.vii-p14.3">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Lev.vii-p15.2">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Lev.vii-p15.3">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=19#Lev.vii-p1.4">6:19-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=20#Lev.vii-p16.2">6:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=23#Lev.vii-p16.1">6:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=24#Lev.vii-p1.5">6:24-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=25#Lev.vii-p18.1">6:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Lev.vii-p18.4">6:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=27#Lev.vii-p18.6">6:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=28#Lev.vii-p18.7">6:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=29#Lev.vii-p18.3">6:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=30#Lev.vii-p18.8">6:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xi-p21.2">6:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Lev.viii-p1.1">7:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Lev.viii-p3.1">7:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Lev.viii-p3.3">7:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Lev.viii-p3.2">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Lev.viii-p3.4">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Lev.viii-p1.2">7:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Lev.viii-p3.7">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Lev.viii-p3.8">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Lev.viii-p1.3">7:11-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Lev.iv-p5.4">7:11-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Lev.viii-p8.1">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiii-p17.2">7:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=15#Lev.iv-p3.1">7:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Lev.viii-p6.3">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Lev.viii-p9.1">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Lev.viii-p9.2">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xx-p7.3">7:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Lev.viii-p9.3">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Lev.viii-p9.4">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Lev.viii-p9.7">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=19#Lev.viii-p10.1">7:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Num.x-p6.3">7:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Lev.viii-p10.6">7:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Lev.viii-p10.3">7:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Lev.viii-p10.7">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Lev.viii-p6.2">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Lev.viii-p1.4">7:22-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Lev.viii-p11.2">7:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=24#Lev.viii-p11.3">7:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xviii-p9.1">7:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Lev.viii-p11.4">7:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=28#Lev.viii-p1.5">7:28-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=29#Lev.viii-p8.3">7:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=30#Lev.viii-p12.1">7:30-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xix-p6.2">7:32-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=35#Lev.viii-p14.1">7:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=35#Lev.viii-p1.6">7:35-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=38#Lev.viii-p14.2">7:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ix-p1.1">8:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Num.ix-p1.2">8:1-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Lev.i-p2.2">8:1-9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Lev.ix-p4.1">8:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Lev.ix-p5.1">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ix-p1.2">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ix-p6.1">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Lev.ix-p7.1">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Lev.ix-p1.3">8:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Lev.ix-p7.4">8:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxix-p11.2">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Lev.ix-p7.6">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Num.viii-p9.1">8:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Lev.ix-p1.4">8:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Lev.ix-p7.7">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Lev.ix-p7.9">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Lev.ix-p1.3">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Lev.ix-p7.5">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Lev.ix-p9.2">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Lev.ix-p1.5">8:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Lev.ix-p1.6">8:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Lev.ix-p9.4">8:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Lev.ix-p9.6">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Lev.ix-p1.7">8:22-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xv-p8.3">8:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#Lev.ix-p12.1">8:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#Lev.ix-p1.8">8:31-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=33#Lev.ix-p13.1">8:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=34#Lev.ix-p13.4">8:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=35#Lev.ix-p13.6">8:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xi-p10.2">8:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=36#Lev.ix-p13.8">8:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Lev.x-p3.4">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Lev.x-p1.1">9:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Lev.x-p3.5">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Lev.x-p3.6">9:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Lev.x-p3.2">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Lev.x-p3.3">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Lev.x-p3.7">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Lev.x-p5.1">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xi-p3.3">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Lev.x-p1.2">9:8-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Lev.x-p5.3">9:10-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xi-p3.3">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xi-p21.1">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Lev.x-p1.3">9:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=16#Lev.x-p5.5">9:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Lev.x-p5.2">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xi-p3.3">9:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Lev.x-p5.6">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Num.xvii-p20.2">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Lev.x-p1.4">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Lev.x-p7.1">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Lev.x-p9.1">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Lev.vii-p10.4">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Lev.x-p1.5">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Lev.x-p5.4">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Lev.x-p10.1">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xi-p4.2">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xi-p3.1">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvii-p3.2">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xi-p1.1">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.i-p2.3">10:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xi-p4.1">10:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xi-p14.3">10:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xix-p23.4">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xi-p1.2">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xi-p9.1">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xi-p22.4">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xvii-p16.3">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Num.iv-p10.8">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xi-p12.1">10:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xi-p1.3">10:4-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xi-p5.2">10:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xi-p14.6">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xi-p14.1">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xi-p14.7">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xi-p3.11">10:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xi-p17.1">10:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xi-p1.4">10:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xi-p3.4">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xi-p17.2">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xi-p17.8">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xi-p20.2">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxii-p3.1">10:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xi-p17.10">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xi-p3.4">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xi-p19.1">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p16.3">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xi-p20.3">10:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xi-p20.1">10:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xi-p1.5">10:12-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xi-p20.4">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xi-p21.4">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xi-p22.1">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxiii-p8.4">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Lev.vii-p18.5">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xi-p21.3">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxx-p13.4">10:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xi-p3.4">10:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xi-p22.3">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xi-p23.1">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xi-p3.5">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xii-p1.2">11:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xv-p8.1">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xii-p5.1">11:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xii-p1.3">11:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xii-p5.2">11:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xii-p1.4">11:13-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xii-p10.7">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xii-p7.1">11:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xii-p1.5">11:20-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xii-p7.2">11:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xii-p7.6">11:24-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xii-p7.3">11:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xii-p1.6">11:29-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xii-p7.8">11:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xii-p7.9">11:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xii-p7.11">11:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=36#Lev.xii-p7.12">11:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=39#Deu.xv-p8.8">11:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=41#Lev.xii-p7.4">11:41-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xii-p9.5">11:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xii-p9.1">11:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xii-p10.1">11:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xii-p10.2">11:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xii-p1.7">11:44-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=45#Lev.xii-p10.3">11:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=45#Lev.xii-p10.8">11:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=46#Lev.xii-p11.1">11:46-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xiii-p1.1">12:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xiii-p3.1">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xiii-p3.2">12:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xiii-p3.1">12:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xiii-p5.1">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xiii-p1.2">12:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xiv-p1.1">13:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiii-p12.2">13:1-59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xiv-p4.2">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xiv-p4.1">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xiv-p4.4">13:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xiv-p3.3">13:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xiv-p4.9">13:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xiv-p4.5">13:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xiv-p4.6">13:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xiv-p4.7">13:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxv-p7.2">13:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xiv-p6.1">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xiv-p1.2">13:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xiv-p6.2">13:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xiv-p1.3">13:24-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xiv-p1.4">13:29-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xiv-p6.3">13:30-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xiv-p1.5">13:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xiv-p9.1">13:38-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xiv-p1.6">13:40-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xiv-p10.1">13:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=45#Lev.xiv-p12.1">13:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=45#Lev.xiv-p1.7">13:45-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=46#Lev.xiv-p13.1">13:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=47#Lev.xiv-p1.8">13:47-59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=52#Lev.xiv-p15.1">13:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=57#Lev.xiv-p15.1">13:57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=58#Lev.xiv-p15.2">13:58</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xv-p1.1">14:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xv-p4.1">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xv-p8.7">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Num.xx-p8.2">14:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xv-p5.3">14:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Num.ix-p6.1">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xv-p5.11">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xv-p5.12">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xv-p1.2">14:10-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xv-p7.1">14:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Lev.vi-p1.6">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xv-p8.1">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xv-p8.2">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xv-p8.8">14:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xv-p10.1">14:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xv-p1.3">14:33-53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xv-p12.1">14:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xv-p12.3">14:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xv-p12.5">14:40-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xv-p12.6">14:44-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=49#Lev.xv-p12.9">14:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=54#Lev.xv-p1.4">14:54-57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvi-p1.1">15:1-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xvi-p3.1">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xvi-p3.4">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xvi-p3.7">15:4-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xvi-p3.8">15:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxiv-p11.1">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xvi-p5.7">15:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvi-p5.1">15:19-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvi-p1.2">15:19-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xvi-p5.2">15:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xvi-p5.3">15:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xvi-p5.4">15:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xvi-p6.1">15:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvii-p3.1">16:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvii-p1.2">16:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxx-p3.3">16:1-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Num.v-p8.3">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xvii-p4.1">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xvii-p1.4">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xvii-p5.1">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xvii-p1.3">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xvii-p6.1">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xvii-p1.7">16:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p8.2">16:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p1.5">16:6-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xvii-p8.3">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xvii-p1.7">16:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xvii-p1.10">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xvii-p8.4">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xvii-p8.5">16:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p10.7">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p1.6">16:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xvii-p8.7">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xvii-p10.1">16:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xvii-p1.8">16:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xvii-p10.2">16:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xvii-p10.3">16:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xvii-p20.8">16:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xvii-p10.4">16:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xvii-p20.3">16:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxi-p3.8">16:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xvii-p1.9">16:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xvii-p10.5">16:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xvii-p12.1">16:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xvii-p1.11">16:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Lev.v-p5.7">16:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xvii-p12.2">16:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xvii-p12.4">16:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xvii-p1.13">16:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xvii-p12.5">16:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xvii-p1.12">16:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xvii-p1.13">16:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xvii-p1.13">16:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xvii-p15.1">16:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xvii-p17.1">16:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xvii-p1.14">16:29-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xvii-p16.1">16:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xvii-p20.5">16:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xvii-p17.1">16:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xviii-p1.1">17:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xiii-p13.4">17:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xviii-p5.1">17:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xviii-p5.6">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xviii-p5.5">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xviii-p4.2">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xviii-p5.4">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xviii-p9.5">17:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xviii-p9.7">17:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xviii-p1.2">17:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=11#Gen.x-p10.4">17:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xviii-p9.9">17:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xviii-p9.3">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xviii-p10.1">17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xviii-p9.4">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xviii-p9.8">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xviii-p10.2">17:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xviii-p10.4">17:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xix-p3.1">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xix-p1.1">18:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p5.2">18:1-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xviii-p14.6">18:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xix-p3.3">18:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xix-p3.1">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xix-p3.4">18:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xix-p3.2">18:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xix-p6.1">18:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xix-p1.2">18:6-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxiii-p18.2">18:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Ex.vii-p15.8">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xix-p9.1">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxx-p10.4">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xix-p9.3">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xix-p11.1">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xix-p1.3">18:19-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xix-p11.2">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xix-p10.2">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xix-p3.2">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xix-p12.1">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xix-p13.1">18:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xix-p14.1">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xix-p14.5">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xix-p1.4">18:24-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xix-p14.4">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xix-p14.7">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xix-p14.8">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xix-p14.5">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xix-p14.11">18:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxi-p21.4">18:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xix-p14.2">18:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xix-p15.1">18:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=30#Gen.v-p19.1">18:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xix-p3.1">18:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xx-p1.6">19:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xx-p3.1">19:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xx-p4.1">19:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xx-p1.13">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xx-p1.14">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xx-p5.1">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxi-p18.1">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xx-p1.11">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xx-p6.1">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p1.1">19:5-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p7.1">19:5-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p17.2">19:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Lev.viii-p9.9">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiv-p11.1">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p1.2">19:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p8.1">19:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p1.20">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p1.23">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p11.1">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xx-p1.12">19:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xx-p12.1">19:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xx-p1.21">19:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xx-p13.1">19:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xx-p1.24">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xx-p14.1">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xx-p1.19">19:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xx-p15.1">19:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xx-p1.25">19:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xx-p16.1">19:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xx-p1.26">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xx-p17.1">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xx-p18.2">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Gen.v-p28.1">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxiii-p25.5">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xx-p1.16">19:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xx-p1.7">19:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xx-p18.1">19:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xx-p1.3">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xx-p20.1">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxiii-p9.2">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xx-p1.17">19:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xx-p21.1">19:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Lev.vi-p1.6">19:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xx-p1.4">19:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xx-p22.1">19:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxi-p8.3">19:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xx-p1.9">19:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xx-p25.2">19:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xx-p1.5">19:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xx-p23.1">19:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxii-p4.7">19:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xx-p23.2">19:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xx-p1.18">19:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xx-p23.3">19:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xx-p1.13">19:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xx-p25.1">19:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xx-p1.10">19:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxiv-p7.3">19:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xx-p1.15">19:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xx-p27.1">19:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xlviii-p10.2">19:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xx-p1.8">19:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xx-p28.1">19:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xx-p29.1">19:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xx-p1.22">19:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xxvi-p9.4">19:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=36#Lev.xx-p29.2">19:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=37#Lev.xx-p1.27">19:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=37#Lev.xx-p30.1">19:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxi-p1.1">20:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxi-p3.1">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxi-p5.2">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxi-p5.1">20:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxi-p5.3">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxi-p5.5">20:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxi-p1.2">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxi-p7.1">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxi-p1.7">20:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxi-p8.1">20:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xx-p4.3">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxi-p1.3">20:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxi-p6.1">20:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxv-p11.4">20:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxi-p1.4">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxi-p13.1">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Num.vi-p10.7">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxiii-p15.2">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxi-p14.1">20:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxviii-p14.2">20:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxi-p1.5">20:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxi-p14.4">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxi-p1.6">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxi-p15.1">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxi-p1.5">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxi-p14.4">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxi-p1.6">20:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxi-p15.1">20:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxi-p1.6">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxi-p15.1">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxi-p1.5">20:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxi-p14.4">20:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxi-p1.6">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxi-p15.2">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxi-p1.5">20:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxi-p14.5">20:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxi-p20.1">20:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxi-p21.3">20:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxi-p1.7">20:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxi-p20.2">20:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxi-p21.2">20:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxi-p19.1">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxi-p19.4">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxi-p21.1">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxi-p20.3">20:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxi-p20.4">20:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxi-p19.2">20:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxi-p19.3">20:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxi-p19.5">20:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxi-p1.2">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxi-p17.1">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxii-p4.2">21:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxii-p1.2">21:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxii-p4.4">21:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxii-p4.5">21:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxii-p4.8">21:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxii-p5.1">21:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxii-p5.5">21:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxii-p5.4">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxii-p6.1">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxii-p8.1">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxii-p9.2">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxx-p11.4">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Num.xix-p9.5">21:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxii-p1.3">21:10-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxii-p9.1">21:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxii-p9.4">21:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xi-p14.2">21:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxii-p8.2">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxii-p9.5">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxii-p10.1">21:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxv-p3.2">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxii-p11.1">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxii-p1.4">21:16-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxii-p14.2">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxii-p14.2">21:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxii-p14.1">21:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxii-p14.2">21:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxiii-p1.1">22:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxiii-p5.1">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxiii-p5.4">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiii-p4.3">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxiii-p4.1">22:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p4.2">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiii-p4.5">22:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxiii-p8.1">22:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxiii-p9.1">22:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxiii-p1.2">22:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxiii-p9.2">22:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxiii-p9.3">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxiii-p9.4">22:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxiii-p1.3">22:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Lev.vi-p10.3">22:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiii-p8.2">22:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxiii-p8.3">22:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxiii-p1.4">22:17-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxiii-p14.5">22:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxiii-p14.1">22:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxiii-p14.3">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxiii-p14.2">22:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxiii-p14.6">22:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxiii-p15.1">22:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxiii-p1.5">22:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xx-p22.2">22:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxiii-p16.1">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxiii-p17.1">22:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxiii-p1.6">22:29-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xxiii-p17.3">22:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxiv-p3.1">23:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiv-p1.1">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiv-p4.1">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxiv-p6.2">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxiv-p1.2">23:4-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxiv-p7.1">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiv-p7.2">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxiv-p4.2">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvii-p4.11">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxiv-p7.3">23:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiv-p1.3">23:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxix-p8.4">23:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xvii-p5.2">23:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxvii-p3.2">23:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxiv-p8.1">23:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxiv-p8.2">23:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxiv-p8.3">23:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxiv-p8.5">23:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxiv-p8.9">23:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiv-p1.4">23:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxiv-p10.3">23:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Lev.iii-p9.3">23:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxix-p8.6">23:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxiv-p10.5">23:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxiv-p10.6">23:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxiv-p11.2">23:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxiv-p1.5">23:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=23#Num.xi-p3.18">23:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxx-p3.1">23:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxiv-p13.1">23:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxiv-p1.6">23:26-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxiv-p14.2">23:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxiv-p14.1">23:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxiv-p14.2">23:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxiv-p14.1">23:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xxiv-p14.1">23:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xxiv-p14.2">23:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xxiv-p14.3">23:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xxiv-p1.7">23:33-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xxiv-p17.1">23:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=34#Num.xxx-p5.1">23:34-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xxiv-p17.2">23:35-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=37#Lev.xxiv-p23.1">23:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xxiv-p17.2">23:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xxiv-p20.2">23:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xxiv-p17.4">23:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xxiv-p17.9">23:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=40#Deu.xxxii-p11.2">23:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=42#Lev.xxiv-p17.4">23:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xxiv-p19.1">23:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xxiv-p24.1">23:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxv-p1.1">24:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Lev.i-p2.4">24:1-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxv-p4.2">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxv-p4.3">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxv-p4.7">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxv-p4.4">24:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxv-p5.2">24:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvi-p20.4">24:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxv-p5.4">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxv-p5.8">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxv-p5.7">24:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxv-p8.1">24:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxv-p1.2">24:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxv-p8.2">24:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxv-p10.1">24:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxv-p11.1">24:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxv-p12.1">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxv-p1.4">24:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxv-p13.1">24:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxv-p14.1">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxv-p1.5">24:17-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxv-p14.8">24:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxv-p14.5">24:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxv-p14.2">24:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxv-p14.8">24:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxv-p1.3">24:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxv-p15.1">24:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvi-p1.1">25:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxvi-p3.1">25:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvi-p7.1">25:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvi-p3.2">25:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxiv-p13.2">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p6.1">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p1.3">25:8-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p5.1">25:8-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xvii-p23.1">25:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvi-p9.1">25:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvi-p10.1">25:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxvi-p8.1">25:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxvi-p9.1">25:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxvi-p11.1">25:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxvi-p11.2">25:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxvi-p22.6">25:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxvi-p12.1">25:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxvi-p1.2">25:18-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxvi-p12.2">25:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxvi-p12.3">25:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxvi-p14.1">25:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxvi-p1.4">25:23-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxvi-p14.3">25:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxvi-p14.4">25:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvi-p14.3">25:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxvi-p14.3">25:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxvi-p14.8">25:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvi-p14.9">25:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvi-p1.5">25:29-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xxvi-p14.10">25:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xxvi-p14.12">25:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xxvi-p16.1">25:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=35#Lev.xxvi-p1.6">25:35-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=36#Lev.xxvi-p17.1">25:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xxvi-p17.2">25:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xxvi-p20.2">25:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xxvi-p1.7">25:39-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=41#Lev.xxvi-p20.10">25:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=42#Lev.xxvi-p20.3">25:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=42#Lev.xxvi-p20.4">25:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xxvi-p20.7">25:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xxvi-p21.1">25:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=46#Lev.xxvi-p21.1">25:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=47#Lev.xxvi-p1.8">25:47-55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=48#Lev.xxvi-p22.7">25:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=48#Lev.xxvi-p22.3">25:48-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=50#Lev.xxvi-p22.5">25:50-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=53#Lev.xxvi-p22.1">25:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=54#Lev.xxvi-p22.2">25:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p3.2">26:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p1.1">26:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p3.1">26:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p1.4">26:1-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxvii-p3.3">26:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxvii-p1.2">26:3-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxvii-p4.2">26:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvii-p4.3">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvii-p4.9">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvii-p4.11">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxvii-p4.12">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxvii-p4.19">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Deu.viii-p19.14">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxvii-p4.17">26:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxvii-p4.20">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxvii-p4.22">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxvii-p4.28">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvii-p4.8">26:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxvii-p4.23">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxvii-p4.25">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxvii-p4.26">26:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxvii-p4.29">26:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxvii-p4.30">26:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxvii-p8.1">26:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxvii-p1.3">26:14-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxvii-p8.2">26:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxvii-p13.1">26:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxvii-p13.3">26:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxix-p15.6">26:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxvii-p11.1">26:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxvii-p13.9">26:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxvii-p14.3">26:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxvii-p9.1">26:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxvii-p11.4">26:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxvii-p13.5">26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxvii-p13.11">26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxvii-p13.6">26:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxvii-p9.1">26:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxvii-p9.2">26:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxvii-p11.5">26:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxvii-p13.13">26:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxvii-p9.2">26:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxvii-p11.2">26:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxvii-p11.6">26:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxvii-p13.2">26:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxvii-p13.12">26:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvii-p13.7">26:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxvii-p9.1">26:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxvii-p9.2">26:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxvii-p11.2">26:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxvii-p11.7">26:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvii-p13.8">26:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxvii-p11.10">26:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxvii-p13.22">26:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xxvii-p14.1">26:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xxvii-p13.18">26:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xxvii-p13.16">26:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xxvii-p13.17">26:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xxvii-p13.19">26:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=36#Lev.xxvii-p14.4">26:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=37#Lev.xxvii-p14.6">26:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xxvii-p14.7">26:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xxvii-p17.1">26:40-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xxvii-p1.4">26:40-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=41#Lev.xxvii-p17.6">26:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=42#Lev.xxvii-p18.3">26:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=42#Ex.iii-p26.7">26:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xxvii-p17.7">26:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xxvii-p18.1">26:43-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=45#Lev.xxvii-p18.4">26:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=45#Lev.xxvii-p18.7">26:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=46#Lev.xxvii-p19.1">26:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=46#Lev.xxviii-p1.1">26:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxviii-p4.1">27:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxviii-p1.2">27:2-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxviii-p4.4">27:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxviii-p4.6">27:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxviii-p4.7">27:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxviii-p4.8">27:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxviii-p4.10">27:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxviii-p8.4">27:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxviii-p5.1">27:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxviii-p1.3">27:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxviii-p13.3">27:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxviii-p5.4">27:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxviii-p8.1">27:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxviii-p8.3">27:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxviii-p1.4">27:15-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxviii-p10.1">27:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxviii-p10.4">27:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxviii-p10.5">27:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxviii-p10.6">27:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxviii-p10.7">27:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxviii-p10.8">27:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxviii-p11.1">27:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxviii-p11.1">27:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxviii-p11.4">27:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxviii-p13.1">27:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxviii-p1.5">27:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=27#Lev.xxviii-p13.2">27:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxviii-p14.1">27:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxviii-p1.6">27:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxviii-p14.2">27:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxviii-p15.3">27:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xxviii-p1.7">27:30-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xxviii-p15.7">27:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xxviii-p15.3">27:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xxviii-p15.6">27:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xxviii-p16.1">27:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=36#Num.xxx-p5.2">33:36</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Numbers</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.ii-p4.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.ii-p9.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.ii-p1.3">1:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p2.2">1:1-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvii-p5.1">1:1-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvii-p1.1">1:1-2:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.1">1:1-4:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Num.ii-p5.1">1:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Num.ii-p6.1">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Num.iii-p5.3">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Num.ii-p1.4">1:5-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Num.ii-p6.2">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Num.ii-p1.5">1:17-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Num.ii-p9.1">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=25#Num.ii-p10.1">1:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=27#Num.ii-p10.3">1:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xlix-p12.4">1:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xlix-p12.4">1:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=44#Num.ii-p1.6">1:44-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=47#Num.ii-p1.7">1:47-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=49#Num.ii-p16.1">1:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=50#Num.ii-p15.3">1:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=50#Num.ii-p15.1">1:50-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=51#Num.iv-p3.3">1:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=53#Num.ii-p15.3">1:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.iii-p1.1">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Num.iii-p1.2">2:3-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxiii-p11.3">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Num.iii-p1.3">2:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.iii-p1.6">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.iii-p5.5">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxxiii-p11.3">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlix-p12.4">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Num.iii-p1.4">2:18-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xlix-p12.4">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=25#Num.iii-p1.5">2:25-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=31#Num.iii-p5.8">2:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=32#Num.iii-p1.7">2:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=34#Num.iii-p5.9">2:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Num.iv-p11.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Num.iv-p1.1">3:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Num.iv-p4.1">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Num.iv-p4.2">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Num.ix-p10.3">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xi-p3.2">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xi-p5.4">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Num.iv-p1.3">3:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Num.iv-p5.2">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Num.ix-p5.1">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Num.iv-p5.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Num.iv-p5.1">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Num.iv-p1.2">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Num.iv-p3.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Num.iv-p1.9">3:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Num.iv-p5.5">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Num.iv-p5.4">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Num.iv-p1.4">3:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Num.iv-p8.1">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Num.ix-p5.1">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Num.iv-p9.1">3:17-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Num.iv-p1.6">3:17-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=23#Num.iv-p10.1">3:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Num.iv-p10.6">3:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=25#Num.iv-p10.10">3:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=27#Num.iv-p1.7">3:27-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=29#Num.iv-p10.2">3:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=30#Num.iv-p10.7">3:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvii-p3.2">3:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=31#Num.v-p8.1">3:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=31#Num.iv-p10.11">3:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=33#Num.iv-p1.8">3:33-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=35#Num.iv-p10.3">3:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=35#Num.iv-p10.9">3:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=36#Num.iv-p10.12">3:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=38#Num.iv-p10.4">3:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=39#Num.iv-p1.5">3:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=39#Num.iv-p12.1">3:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=40#Num.iv-p1.10">3:40-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=42#Num.iv-p14.1">3:42-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=43#Num.iv-p12.2">3:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=46#Num.iv-p1.11">3:46-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Num.v-p1.1">4:2-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Num.ix-p12.2">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Num.v-p8.2">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Num.v-p8.6">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Num.v-p8.10">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Num.v-p8.10">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Num.v-p8.11">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Num.v-p8.10">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Num.v-p8.11">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Num.v-p8.4">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Num.v-p8.10">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Num.v-p10.3">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Num.v-p9.1">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxvii-p12.1">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Num.v-p10.1">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Num.v-p10.2">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Num.v-p12.1">4:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Num.ii-p16.2">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Num.v-p1.2">4:24-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Num.v-p12.2">4:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=28#Num.v-p12.3">4:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxvii-p12.1">4:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Num.v-p1.3">4:29-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=31#Num.v-p12.4">4:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=34#Num.v-p1.4">4:34-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=47#Num.iv-p8.2">4:47-48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Num.vi-p1.1">5:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.9">5:1-6:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Num.vi-p3.1">5:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Num.vi-p4.1">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Num.vi-p12.15">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Num.vi-p1.2">5:5-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Num.vi-p6.1">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Num.vi-p6.3">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p14.5">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Num.vi-p6.2">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Num.vi-p6.5">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Num.vi-p1.3">5:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Num.vi-p7.1">5:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Num.vi-p1.4">5:11-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Num.vi-p10.1">5:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Num.vi-p12.4">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Num.vi-p12.3">5:19-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Num.vi-p12.5">5:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Num.vi-p12.7">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=24#Num.vi-p12.12">5:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Num.vi-p12.16">5:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=27#Num.vi-p12.17">5:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Num.vi-p12.20">5:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Num.vii-p1.1">6:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Num.vii-p4.1">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Num.vii-p6.1">6:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Num.vii-p7.1">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Num.vii-p8.1">6:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Num.vii-p9.1">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Num.vii-p7.4">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Num.vii-p10.1">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Num.vii-p10.2">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Num.vii-p1.2">6:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Num.vii-p10.3">6:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Num.vii-p10.5">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Lev.vi-p1.6">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Num.vii-p11.3">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Num.vii-p1.3">6:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Num.vii-p11.4">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Num.vii-p11.5">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Num.vii-p11.7">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Num.vii-p11.6">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Num.vii-p11.7">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Num.vii-p11.11">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=19#Num.vii-p11.8">6:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Num.vii-p11.9">6:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=22#Num.vii-p1.4">6:22-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=23#Num.vii-p13.1">6:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxviii-p9.4">6:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=24#Num.vii-p14.5">6:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=24#Num.vii-p14.1">6:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=25#Num.vii-p14.7">6:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=25#Num.ix-p3.5">6:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Num.vii-p14.8">6:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=27#Num.vii-p15.1">6:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Num.viii-p4.1">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Num.viii-p1.1">7:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Num.x-p4.6">7:1-89</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.2">7:1-8:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Num.viii-p5.1">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Num.viii-p6.1">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Num.viii-p7.1">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Num.viii-p7.2">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Num.viii-p7.5">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Num.viii-p1.2">7:10-88</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Num.viii-p14.1">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Num.viii-p16.2">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=84#Num.viii-p18.1">7:84-88</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=89#Num.viii-p1.3">7:89</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=89#Num.viii-p19.1">7:89</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Num.ix-p1.1">8:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Num.ix-p3.3">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Num.ix-p1.3">8:5-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Num.ix-p5.2">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=9#Num.ix-p1.4">8:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Num.ix-p7.1">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Num.ix-p8.3">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Num.ix-p9.1">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Num.ix-p11.2">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Num.ix-p1.5">8:11-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Num.ix-p8.1">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Num.ix-p10.1">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Num.ix-p10.4">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Num.ix-p10.2">8:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Num.ix-p1.6">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Num.ix-p8.2">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Num.ix-p11.1">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Num.ix-p11.3">8:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Num.ix-p5.3">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Num.ix-p1.7">8:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Num.ix-p1.8">8:23-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=24#Num.v-p5.1">8:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=24#Num.ix-p12.1">8:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=25#Num.ix-p12.3">8:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Num.x-p1.1">9:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.3">9:1-10:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Num.x-p4.3">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Num.x-p4.5">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Num.x-p6.1">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Num.x-p1.2">9:6-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Num.x-p7.1">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Num.x-p8.1">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Num.x-p9.1">9:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Num.x-p9.5">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Num.x-p9.6">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=14#Num.x-p9.7">9:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Num.x-p1.3">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Num.x-p14.2">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Num.x-p14.4">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xli-p10.5">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Num.x-p9.4">9:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Num.x-p14.3">9:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Num.x-p14.1">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p1.1">10:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Num.xi-p3.5">10:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Num.xi-p3.10">10:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Num.xi-p3.13">10:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Num.xi-p3.11">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Num.xi-p3.2">10:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Num.xi-p3.15">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Num.xi-p3.17">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxix-p6.8">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Num.ii-p9.2">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Num.xi-p5.3">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xix-p3.1">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxvi-p16.3">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Num.xi-p1.2">10:11-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Num.xi-p5.4">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Num.xi-p6.1">10:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Num.xi-p6.2">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Num.xi-p6.4">10:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Num.xi-p6.5">10:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Num.xi-p6.6">10:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=25#Num.xi-p6.9">10:25-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Num.xi-p8.4">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xix-p3.1">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Num.xi-p1.3">10:29-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=30#Num.xi-p8.7">10:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=31#Num.xi-p8.9">10:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=32#Num.xi-p8.10">10:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=33#Num.xi-p1.4">10:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=33#Num.xi-p10.1">10:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=35#Num.xi-p13.1">10:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=36#Num.xi-p14.1">10:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p3.1">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p1.1">11:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p30.10">11:1-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.4">11:1-14:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Num.xii-p6.1">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Num.xii-p8.1">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p12.1">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p12.3">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xiii-p23.4">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xviii-p5.3">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p1.2">11:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Num.xii-p13.2">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Ex.viii-p8.1">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Num.xii-p13.3">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Num.xii-p13.4">11:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Num.xii-p1.3">11:10-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=12#Deu.ii-p21.5">11:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Num.xii-p14.1">11:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Num.xii-p14.3">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Num.xii-p14.4">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiii-p38.10">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Num.xii-p18.1">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Num.xii-p1.4">11:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=17#Num.xii-p19.1">11:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=18#Num.xii-p20.1">11:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=18#Num.xii-p1.5">11:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=19#Num.xii-p21.1">11:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=21#Num.xii-p22.1">11:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xviii-p5.3">11:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxi-p11.8">11:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Num.xii-p23.1">11:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Num.xii-p26.1">11:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Num.xii-p1.6">11:24-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=25#Num.xii-p26.2">11:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Num.xii-p28.1">11:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=27#Num.xii-p30.1">11:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=28#Num.xii-p31.1">11:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Num.xii-p32.1">11:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Num.xvii-p7.2">11:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=30#Num.xii-p33.1">11:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=31#Num.xii-p35.2">11:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=31#Num.xii-p1.7">11:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=32#Num.xii-p35.3">11:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=33#Num.xii-p35.4">11:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=33#Num.xii-p1.8">11:33-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=34#Num.xii-p35.7">11:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiii-p3.1">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxi-p4.5">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiii-p1.1">12:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Num.xiii-p3.6">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Num.xiii-p4.1">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Num.xiii-p4.2">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Num.xiii-p7.1">12:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Num.xiii-p1.2">12:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Num.xiii-p8.1">12:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xix-p17.2">12:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Num.xiii-p8.4">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Num.viii-p19.1">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxv-p14.1">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Deu.v-p11.7">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Num.xiii-p10.1">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Num.xiii-p1.3">12:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Num.xiii-p12.1">12:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Num.xiii-p13.3">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Num.xiii-p13.1">12:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Num.xiii-p1.4">12:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Num.xiii-p13.4">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Ex.v-p7.2">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Num.xiii-p14.1">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxi-p23.2">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Num.xiii-p15.2">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Num.xiii-p1.5">12:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Num.xiii-p16.1">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiv-p3.1">13:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiv-p1.3">13:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ii-p16.1">13:1-14:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Num.xiv-p4.1">13:4-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Num.xiv-p4.2">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Num.xiv-p5.1">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Num.xiv-p1.4">13:17-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Num.xiv-p5.2">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Num.xiv-p5.3">13:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=20#Num.xiv-p5.4">13:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=21#Num.xiv-p8.1">13:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=21#Num.xiv-p1.5">13:21-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=22#Num.xiv-p8.3">13:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=23#Num.xiv-p8.7">13:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=26#Num.xiv-p1.6">13:26-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=27#Num.xiv-p12.1">13:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=28#Num.xiv-p12.4">13:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=28#Num.xiv-p12.7">13:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=28#Num.xiv-p12.8">13:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=28#Deu.x-p4.3">13:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=29#Num.xiv-p13.1">13:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=29#Num.xv-p31.5">13:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=30#Num.xiv-p15.1">13:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=31#Num.xiv-p12.6">13:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=31#Num.xiv-p12.11">13:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=32#Num.xiv-p12.2">13:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=32#Num.xiv-p12.5">13:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=33#Num.xiv-p8.6">13:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=33#Num.xiv-p12.9">13:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=33#Deu.x-p4.3">13:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=33#Gen.vii-p11.1">13:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p4.1">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p5.2">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p40.2">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ii-p24.6">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p1.1">14:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvi-p1.1">14:1-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Num.xv-p10.2">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Num.xv-p18.2">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Num.xv-p30.4">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Num.xv-p5.1">14:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Num.xv-p5.4">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Num.xv-p6.1">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Num.xv-p15.6">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Num.xv-p34.2">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=4#Num.xv-p6.2">14:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Num.xv-p10.1">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Num.xvii-p6.2">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Num.xv-p1.2">14:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=7#Num.xv-p12.1">14:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=7#Num.xv-p11.1">14:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Num.xv-p14.1">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Num.xv-p13.1">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Num.xv-p14.3">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Num.xv-p15.4">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Num.xv-p40.3">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Num.xv-p15.1">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Num.xvii-p20.3">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Num.xv-p18.1">14:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Num.xv-p1.3">14:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Num.xv-p19.1">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Num.xv-p23.3">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Num.xv-p23.1">14:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Num.xv-p1.4">14:13-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Num.xv-p23.2">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Num.xv-p23.4">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=15#Num.xv-p24.4">14:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Num.xv-p23.6">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=17#Num.xv-p24.1">14:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Num.xv-p21.1">14:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Num.xv-p25.1">14:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Num.xv-p28.2">14:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Num.xv-p28.1">14:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Num.xv-p28.3">14:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Num.xv-p27.1">14:20-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Num.xv-p1.5">14:20-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Num.xv-p29.1">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Num.xv-p30.1">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xv-p9.5">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Num.xv-p31.1">14:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Deu.iii-p11.3">14:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=24#Num.xv-p33.1">14:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=25#Num.xv-p31.4">14:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#Num.xv-p27.2">14:26-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=27#Num.xv-p30.1">14:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=27#Num.xv-p30.3">14:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=28#Num.xv-p31.6">14:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxvii-p14.1">14:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=30#Num.xv-p31.2">14:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=30#Num.xv-p33.2">14:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=31#Num.xv-p34.1">14:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=32#Num.xv-p31.7">14:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxi-p7.5">14:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=33#Num.xv-p31.8">14:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=34#Deu.ii-p3.2">14:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=35#Num.xv-p31.7">14:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=36#Num.xv-p40.1">14:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=36#Num.xv-p36.1">14:36-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=36#Num.xv-p1.6">14:36-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=37#Num.xiv-p12.3">14:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=38#Num.xv-p39.1">14:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=40#Num.xv-p42.1">14:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxix-p10.1">14:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=40#Num.xv-p1.7">14:40-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=41#Num.xv-p43.1">14:41-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=44#Num.xv-p44.1">14:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=45#Num.xv-p45.1">14:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvi-p1.4">15:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Num.xvi-p4.1">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvi-p4.3">15:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvi-p4.5">15:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Lev.iii-p3.2">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Num.xvi-p4.6">15:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Lev.iii-p3.2">15:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Num.xvi-p4.7">15:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=9#Lev.iii-p3.2">15:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Lev.iii-p3.2">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Num.xvi-p1.5">15:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Num.xvi-p5.1">15:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Num.xvi-p1.6">15:17-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Num.xvi-p6.1">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Num.xvi-p6.2">15:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Num.xvi-p8.1">15:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Num.xvi-p1.7">15:22-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=24#Num.xvi-p8.2">15:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=24#Num.xvi-p8.6">15:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=24#Num.xvi-p8.8">15:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Num.xvi-p8.3">15:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Num.xvi-p8.4">15:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=27#Num.xvi-p8.10">15:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=28#Num.xvi-p8.12">15:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=29#Num.xvi-p8.15">15:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvi-p10.1">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvi-p10.3">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvi-p10.5">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Lev.v-p4.4">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xi-p3.14">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvi-p1.8">15:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=31#Num.xvi-p10.4">15:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=31#Num.xvi-p10.6">15:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=32#Num.xvi-p11.1">15:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=32#Num.xvi-p1.9">15:32-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=33#Num.xvi-p11.3">15:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=35#Num.xvi-p11.5">15:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=36#Num.xvi-p11.6">15:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=37#Num.xvi-p1.10">15:37-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=38#Num.xvi-p13.1">15:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=38#Deu.xxiii-p10.1">15:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvii-p3.3">16:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvii-p1.1">16:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvi-p1.2">16:1-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.5">16:1-17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Num.xvii-p3.4">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvii-p1.2">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvii-p4.1">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Num.xvii-p6.1">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Num.xvii-p1.3">16:4-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Num.xvii-p7.1">16:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Num.xvii-p19.2">16:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Num.xvii-p9.1">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=8#Num.xvii-p9.2">16:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Num.xvii-p11.1">16:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=11#Num.xvii-p13.1">16:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Num.xvii-p15.1">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Num.xvii-p24.3">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Num.xvii-p1.4">16:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Num.xvii-p15.2">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Num.xvii-p15.3">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xii-p16.2">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Num.xvii-p16.1">16:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Num.xvii-p19.1">16:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Num.xvii-p1.5">16:16-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Num.xvii-p19.3">16:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=19#Num.xvii-p19.4">16:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=19#Num.xvii-p20.1">16:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Num.xvii-p20.4">16:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Num.xvii-p21.1">16:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxii-p6.8">16:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Num.xvii-p1.6">16:23-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=24#Num.xvii-p23.1">16:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=24#Num.xvii-p24.1">16:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=25#Num.xvii-p24.2">16:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=26#Num.xvii-p24.4">16:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=27#Num.xvii-p23.1">16:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=27#Num.xvii-p25.1">16:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=28#Num.xvii-p26.1">16:28-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=31#Num.xvii-p27.1">16:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=32#Num.xvii-p27.2">16:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=33#Num.xvii-p27.3">16:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=34#Num.xvii-p28.1">16:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=35#Num.xvii-p1.7">16:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=35#Num.xvii-p31.1">16:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=37#Num.xvii-p32.1">16:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=37#Num.xvii-p1.8">16:37-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=38#Num.xvii-p32.2">16:38-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=41#Num.xvii-p34.1">16:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=41#Deu.xii-p4.9">16:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=41#Num.xvii-p1.9">16:41-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=42#Num.xvii-p35.1">16:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=43#Num.xvii-p35.3">16:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=45#Num.xvii-p1.10">16:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=45#Num.xvii-p35.4">16:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=46#Num.xvii-p36.2">16:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=46#Num.xvii-p1.11">16:46-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=49#Num.xvii-p37.1">16:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Num.xviii-p1.1">17:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Num.xviii-p3.2">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Num.xviii-p3.4">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Num.xviii-p4.1">17:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Num.xviii-p1.2">17:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Num.xviii-p6.1">17:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Num.xviii-p1.3">17:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Num.xviii-p10.1">17:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Num.xviii-p1.4">17:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Num.xviii-p11.1">17:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=13#Num.xx-p1.1">17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Num.xix-p6.1">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Num.xix-p1.1">18:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.10">18:1-19:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=2#Num.xix-p7.1">18:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=2#Num.xix-p7.4">18:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=2#Num.xix-p7.3">18:2-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Num.xix-p7.5">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Num.xix-p7.7">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=5#Num.xix-p7.9">18:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Num.xix-p7.6">18:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=7#Num.xix-p7.2">18:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=7#Num.xix-p7.8">18:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Num.xix-p9.2">18:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Num.xix-p9.7">18:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Num.xix-p9.8">18:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Num.xix-p1.2">18:8-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Num.xix-p9.3">18:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Num.xix-p9.4">18:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Num.xix-p9.6">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxvii-p8.3">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Num.iv-p8.3">18:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xiv-p10.3">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xvi-p11.4">18:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiv-p10.1">18:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Num.xix-p9.9">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Num.xix-p12.1">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Num.xix-p1.3">18:20-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Num.xix-p13.1">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=22#Num.xix-p12.5">18:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Num.xix-p12.2">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Num.xix-p12.3">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xv-p11.1">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Num.xix-p1.4">18:25-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=26#Num.xix-p13.2">18:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=28#Num.xix-p13.3">18:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=30#Num.xix-p13.4">18:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=31#Num.xix-p13.5">18:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=32#Num.xix-p13.6">18:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Num.xx-p1.2">19:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=2#Num.xx-p4.1">19:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Num.xx-p7.1">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Num.xx-p8.1">19:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=7#Num.xx-p10.1">19:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Num.xx-p5.1">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Num.xx-p10.2">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Num.xx-p9.1">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Num.xx-p9.3">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Num.xx-p10.3">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Num.x-p6.2">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Num.xx-p13.1">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Num.xx-p1.3">19:11-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Num.xx-p16.6">19:12-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxii-p4.1">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Num.xx-p13.1">19:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Num.xx-p1.4">19:17-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Num.xx-p16.2">19:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=20#Num.xx-p16.7">19:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Num.xx-p16.8">19:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxi-p1.1">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxi-p3.1">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxi-p4.2">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.6">20:1-26:65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxi-p1.2">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxi-p6.1">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxi-p7.1">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p15.3">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxi-p7.2">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xi-p5.2">20:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxi-p1.3">20:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxi-p7.4">20:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxi-p8.1">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxi-p9.3">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxi-p1.4">20:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxi-p9.4">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxi-p9.7">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxi-p9.9">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxi-p9.5">20:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxi-p1.5">20:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxi-p10.1">20:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxi-p9.8">20:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxi-p11.1">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxi-p11.2">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxi-p13.4">20:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxi-p1.6">20:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxi-p5.2">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxi-p13.1">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxi-p1.7">20:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxi-p16.1">20:14-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxi-p16.2">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iii-p26.5">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxi-p16.4">20:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxi-p17.1">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxii-p19.2">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxvii-p9.4">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxi-p1.8">20:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxi-p16.4">20:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxi-p17.2">20:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxii-p19.2">20:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxiv-p7.2">20:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=21#Deu.iii-p6.2">20:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxi-p1.9">20:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxi-p20.1">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxi-p22.1">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxi-p27.1">20:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxii-p3.2">21:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxii-p1.1">21:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxix-p24.2">21:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxii-p3.3">21:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxii-p3.4">21:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxii-p5.1">21:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxii-p1.2">21:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxii-p6.1">21:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxii-p7.3">21:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxii-p7.1">21:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxii-p8.1">21:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxii-p9.2">21:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxii-p9.1">21:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxii-p14.1">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxii-p16.2">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxii-p1.3">21:10-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxii-p15.4">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxii-p15.1">21:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xviii-p9.1">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxii-p16.1">21:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxii-p16.4">21:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxii-p16.5">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Num.xviii-p3.3">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxii-p16.10">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxiii-p3.1">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xviii-p6.7">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxii-p19.1">21:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxii-p1.4">21:21-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxii-p19.3">21:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxii-p19.6">21:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxii-p19.10">21:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxii-p19.17">21:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxii-p15.5">21:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxii-p19.13">21:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxii-p19.12">21:27-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxii-p19.15">21:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxii-p19.16">21:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=30#Num.xxii-p19.14">21:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxii-p20.2">21:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxii-p1.5">21:33-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=34#Num.xxii-p20.4">21:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiii-p1.2">22:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxiii-p4.3">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxiii-p4.1">22:2-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiii-p4.4">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiv-p10.2">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvi-p11.5">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxiii-p4.5">22:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxxii-p8.5">22:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiii-p6.1">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiii-p1.3">22:5-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxiii-p6.2">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Deu.iii-p12.2">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxiii-p6.9">22:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxiii-p7.1">22:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxiii-p7.2">22:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxiii-p7.3">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxiii-p8.1">22:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxiii-p8.2">22:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxiii-p11.1">22:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxiii-p1.4">22:15-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxiii-p11.2">22:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxiii-p11.3">22:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxiii-p12.1">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxiii-p12.2">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxiii-p12.3">22:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxiii-p13.1">22:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxiii-p14.1">22:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxiii-p17.1">22:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxiii-p1.5">22:22-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxiii-p18.4">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxiii-p19.1">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxiii-p19.5">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Gen.iv-p67.1">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxiii-p19.6">22:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxiii-p19.7">22:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxiii-p19.8">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxiii-p19.11">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxiii-p19.14">22:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Num.xxiii-p19.15">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxiii-p20.1">22:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=31#Gen.iv-p22.2">22:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=32#Num.xxiii-p20.2">22:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=34#Num.xxiii-p20.3">22:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=35#Num.xxiii-p20.4">22:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=36#Num.xxiii-p22.1">22:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=36#Num.xxiii-p1.6">22:36-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=37#Num.xxiii-p22.2">22:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxiii-p22.3">22:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxiv-p25.3">22:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=40#Num.xxiii-p22.5">22:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=41#Num.xxiv-p10.3">22:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiv-p1.1">23:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiv-p5.1">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiv-p5.2">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxiv-p5.4">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxiv-p1.2">23:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiv-p5.7">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxiv-p6.1">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxiv-p6.2">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxiv-p7.1">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxiv-p1.3">23:7-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxiv-p7.2">23:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxiv-p19.2">23:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxiv-p9.1">23:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxiv-p14.2">23:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxiv-p10.1">23:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiv-p12.1">23:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiv-p1.4">23:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxiv-p12.2">23:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxiv-p14.1">23:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxiv-p1.5">23:13-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxiv-p14.3">23:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxv-p4.5">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxiv-p14.4">23:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxiv-p15.1">23:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxiv-p15.2">23:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxiv-p19.1">23:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxiv-p19.4">23:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxiv-p20.1">23:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxiv-p21.1">23:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxv-p9.2">23:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxiv-p22.1">23:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxiv-p23.1">23:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxiv-p25.1">23:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxiv-p25.4">23:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxiv-p26.1">23:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxiv-p1.6">23:27-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxiv-p26.3">23:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiv-p5.3">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p4.1">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p1.1">24:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxv-p6.2">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiii-p19.2">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxv-p4.3">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxv-p16.1">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxv-p4.7">24:3-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxv-p4.8">24:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Num.iii-p5.10">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxv-p6.1">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxv-p6.4">24:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxv-p7.1">24:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxv-p7.2">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxv-p18.2">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxiv-p21.2">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxv-p9.1">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxv-p10.1">24:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxviii-p15.11">24:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiii-p12.1">24:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxv-p13.1">24:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxv-p1.2">24:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxv-p13.2">24:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxv-p13.3">24:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxv-p13.4">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxv-p17.4">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxv-p1.3">24:14-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxv-p16.2">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxv-p17.1">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxv-p17.7">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxviii-p15.7">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxv-p17.2">24:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxviii-p15.6">24:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxv-p18.1">24:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xviii-p9.2">24:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxv-p18.4">24:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxv-p18.5">24:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxv-p20.1">24:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxv-p19.1">24:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=50#Num.vii-p13.4">24:50-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiv-p7.11">25:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvi-p1.1">25:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxvi-p3.1">25:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxvi-p4.3">25:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxvi-p4.6">25:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxvi-p1.2">25:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxvi-p4.7">25:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxvi-p1.4">25:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxvi-p8.1">25:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxvi-p1.4">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxvi-p4.1">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxvi-p7.1">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxvi-p8.2">25:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxvi-p1.3">25:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxvi-p4.2">25:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxvi-p1.5">25:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxvi-p8.5">25:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=12#Lev.ix-p13.9">25:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxvi-p8.6">25:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxvi-p8.8">25:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxvi-p1.4">25:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=14#Gen.l-p6.4">25:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxvi-p1.4">25:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxii-p6.3">25:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxii-p8.7">25:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxvi-p1.6">25:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxvi-p10.1">25:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxvi-p10.4">25:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvii-p8.2">26:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvii-p1.2">26:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p2.3">26:1-65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxvii-p1.3">26:5-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvii-p10.6">26:5-65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxvii-p8.2">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxvii-p8.1">26:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxvii-p8.3">26:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxvii-p8.4">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiv-p17.2">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=42#Num.ii-p10.8">26:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=42#Num.xxvii-p6.1">26:42-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=47#Deu.xxxiv-p39.3">26:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=51#Num.xxvii-p1.4">26:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=52#Num.xxvii-p1.5">26:52-56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=53#Num.xxviii-p5.2">26:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=54#Num.xxvii-p10.1">26:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=55#Num.xxvii-p10.2">26:55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=57#Num.xxvii-p1.6">26:57-62</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=59#Ex.vii-p15.7">26:59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=63#Num.xxvii-p1.7">26:63-65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=64#Num.xxvii-p14.2">26:64-65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxviii-p1.1">27:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.13">27:1-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxviii-p4.1">27:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxviii-p6.1">27:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxviii-p5.1">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxviii-p7.1">27:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxviii-p7.2">27:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxvii-p1.1">27:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxviii-p7.3">27:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxviii-p7.4">27:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxviii-p9.2">27:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxviii-p1.2">27:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxviii-p9.3">27:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlix-p5.10">27:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxi-p11.3">27:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxviii-p9.1">27:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxviii-p1.3">27:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxviii-p13.1">27:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxii-p4.5">27:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxviii-p1.4">27:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxviii-p13.3">27:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxviii-p13.4">27:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxviii-p13.5">27:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxix-p11.6">27:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxviii-p14.1">27:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxviii-p3.1">27:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxix-p1.1">28:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.11">28:1-29:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxix-p3.1">28:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxix-p4.1">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxix-p1.2">28:3-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxix-p4.2">28:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxix-p4.4">28:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxix-p1.3">28:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxix-p6.1">28:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxix-p6.3">28:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxix-p1.4">28:11-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxix-p6.5">28:11-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxix-p6.6">28:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxix-p1.5">28:16-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxix-p8.1">28:17-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xvii-p4.11">28:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xvii-p4.8">28:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxix-p8.3">28:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxix-p1.6">28:26-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxix-p8.7">28:27-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxiv-p13.3">29:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxx-p1.1">29:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxx-p3.2">29:2-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxx-p1.2">29:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xvii-p8.1">29:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxx-p3.4">29:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxx-p3.5">29:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xvii-p6.2">29:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxx-p1.3">29:12-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxiv-p17.3">29:12-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=39#Num.xxx-p5.5">29:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=39#Num.xxx-p1.4">29:39-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxi-p1.1">30:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.12">30:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=3#Num.vii-p4.5">30:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxi-p1.2">30:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxxi-p7.1">30:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxi-p8.2">30:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxi-p8.6">30:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p43.2">30:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxi-p1.3">30:6-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxxi-p8.3">30:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxi-p8.1">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxi-p8.4">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxi-p8.5">30:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxi-p4.1">30:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxi-p8.7">30:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxii-p1.1">31:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.7">31:1-32:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxvi-p10.6">31:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxii-p3.2">31:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxii-p4.1">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxii-p1.2">31:3-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxii-p8.3">31:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxii-p1.3">31:7-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xv-p23.10">31:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxii-p8.9">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxii-p8.11">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxii-p8.10">31:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxxii-p8.11">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxxii-p8.11">31:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxii-p1.4">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxii-p11.1">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxii-p20.8">31:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxii-p1.5">31:14-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxii-p12.1">31:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxv-p13.5">31:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxxii-p14.1">31:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxxii-p13.2">31:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxxii-p1.6">31:19-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxxii-p14.2">31:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxxii-p13.2">31:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxxii-p1.7">31:25-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxxii-p18.1">31:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=30#Num.xxxii-p18.2">31:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=48#Num.xxxii-p6.1">31:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=48#Num.xxxii-p1.8">31:48-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=49#Num.xxxii-p20.1">31:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=50#Num.xxxii-p20.3">31:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=50#Num.xxxii-p20.7">31:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=50#Num.xxxii-p17.1">31:50-53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=54#Num.xxxii-p20.9">31:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiii-p4.1">32:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiii-p1.1">32:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iv-p7.1">32:1-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxiii-p4.2">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p35.2">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxiii-p6.1">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxiii-p7.1">32:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxiii-p1.2">32:6-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxxiii-p7.2">32:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxiii-p7.3">32:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxiii-p10.1">32:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxiii-p1.3">32:16-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxxiii-p11.1">32:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxxiii-p10.2">32:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxxiii-p10.3">32:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxxiii-p11.2">32:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxxiii-p1.4">32:20-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxxiii-p11.4">32:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxxiii-p11.5">32:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=23#Gen.v-p19.2">32:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxxiii-p4.2">32:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxxiii-p12.1">32:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiv-p11.2">32:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiv-p35.5">32:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxxiii-p14.1">32:28-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxxiii-p4.2">32:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxxiii-p14.2">32:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxxiii-p14.3">32:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxxiii-p14.5">32:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=39#Num.xxxiii-p14.4">32:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiv-p6.1">33:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiv-p1.1">33:1-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.8">33:1-56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxiv-p4.1">33:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxiv-p6.2">33:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxxiv-p6.4">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xiii-p6.3">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxiv-p7.1">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxxiv-p7.2">33:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxxiv-p7.3">33:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxiv-p7.7">33:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxiv-p7.4">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxiv-p7.10">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxxiv-p7.8">33:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=40#Num.xxxiv-p7.9">33:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=50#Num.xxxiv-p1.2">33:50-56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=52#Num.xxxiv-p9.1">33:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=53#Num.xxxv-p4.2">33:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=53#Num.xxxiv-p9.2">33:53-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=55#Num.xxxiv-p9.3">33:55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=56#Num.xxxiv-p9.4">33:56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxv-p1.1">34:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.13">34:1-36:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p43.3">34:2-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=3#Num.xiv-p8.2">34:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxv-p6.3">34:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxv-p6.2">34:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxv-p6.6">34:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=8#Num.xiv-p8.2">34:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxxv-p6.4">34:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xx-p21.6">34:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=13#Num.xviii-p3.1">34:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxv-p3.3">34:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxv-p1.2">34:16-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxxv-p8.1">34:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvi-p1.1">35:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=2#Num.xvi-p11.4">35:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxvi-p4.1">35:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxvi-p4.2">35:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxvi-p14.11">35:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxxvi-p4.3">35:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxxvi-p5.1">35:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxvi-p1.2">35:9-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xx-p4.2">35:10-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxvi-p12.5">35:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxvi-p10.1">35:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxvi-p10.5">35:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxvi-p1.3">35:16-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxxvi-p10.7">35:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxxvi-p10.6">35:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxxvi-p10.16">35:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxxvi-p10.2">35:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxxvi-p10.7">35:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxxvi-p10.3">35:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxxvi-p10.8">35:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxxvi-p11.1">35:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxxvi-p1.4">35:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxxvi-p11.2">35:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxxvi-p10.17">35:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxxvi-p11.4">35:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxxvi-p1.5">35:25-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxxvi-p12.6">35:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxxvi-p11.5">35:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxxvi-p10.18">35:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=30#Num.xxxvi-p10.14">35:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xviii-p6.3">35:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xx-p12.2">35:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxxvi-p10.12">35:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxxvi-p10.11">35:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvii-p1.2">36:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxviii-p3.2">36:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxvii-p3.1">36:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxvii-p3.3">36:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxvii-p3.2">36:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxvii-p5.1">36:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxvii-p1.3">36:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxvii-p5.2">36:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxxvii-p6.1">36:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxxvii-p1.4">36:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxvii-p1.5">36:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxvii-p7.1">36:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxvii-p1.6">36:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxvii-p8.1">36:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvi-p7.7">38:4</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Deuteronomy</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ii-p3.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ii-p1.1">1:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Deu.x-p9.23">1:1-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Deu.i-p3.6">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Deu.ii-p4.1">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Deu.ii-p1.2">1:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Deu.ii-p1.1">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Deu.ii-p3.1">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ii-p4.2">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Num.xi-p5.1">1:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ii-p4.3">1:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ii-p1.3">1:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Deu.ii-p4.7">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Deu.ii-p4.8">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xix-p3.4">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.ii-p8.1">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.ii-p1.4">1:9-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Deu.ii-p7.1">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Deu.ii-p7.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Deu.ii-p8.2">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Deu.ii-p9.1">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Deu.ii-p10.1">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Deu.ii-p12.1">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxiv-p5.3">1:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Deu.ii-p13.1">1:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxv-p11.3">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ii-p17.1">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ii-p1.5">1:19-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Deu.ii-p18.1">1:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Deu.ii-p19.3">1:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=22#Num.xiv-p3.2">1:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=22#Deu.ii-p19.2">1:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Deu.ii-p20.1">1:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Deu.ii-p22.1">1:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=27#Deu.ii-p22.2">1:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Deu.ii-p20.2">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Deu.ii-p21.1">1:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Num.xv-p10.3">1:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=30#Deu.ii-p21.2">1:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=30#Deu.ii-p21.3">1:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=31#Deu.ii-p21.4">1:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=32#Deu.ii-p22.3">1:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=33#Deu.ii-p21.4">1:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=34#Deu.ii-p23.1">1:34-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=34#Deu.ii-p1.6">1:34-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=37#Deu.ii-p23.2">1:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=38#Deu.ii-p23.3">1:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=39#Deu.ii-p23.4">1:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=41#Deu.ii-p24.1">1:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=42#Deu.ii-p24.2">1:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=43#Deu.ii-p24.3">1:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=44#Deu.ii-p24.4">1:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=45#Deu.ii-p24.5">1:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iii-p3.1">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iii-p1.1">2:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvi-p11.4">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxii-p15.2">2:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Deu.iii-p6.1">2:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Deu.iii-p1.2">2:4-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxvii-p3.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Deu.iii-p7.1">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Deu.iii-p7.2">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iii-p9.1">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iii-p11.1">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxii-p15.3">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxii-p19.9">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxiii-p4.2">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiv-p6.4">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Deu.iii-p1.3">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Deu.iii-p12.1">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Deu.iii-p12.3">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Deu.iii-p10.1">2:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Deu.iii-p1.4">2:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Deu.iii-p10.11">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxvii-p7.3">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Deu.iii-p10.2">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Deu.iii-p11.2">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Deu.iii-p1.5">2:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Deu.iii-p11.4">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Deu.iii-p11.5">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Deu.iii-p11.6">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Deu.iii-p1.6">2:17-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxiv-p6.4">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Deu.iii-p12.3">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Deu.iii-p10.5">2:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Deu.iii-p10.11">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxvii-p7.3">2:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=22#Deu.iii-p10.3">2:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Deu.iii-p10.8">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Deu.iii-p1.7">2:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Deu.iii-p15.1">2:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=26#Deu.iii-p16.1">2:26-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=26#Deu.iii-p1.8">2:26-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=30#Num.xxii-p19.5">2:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=30#Deu.iii-p17.2">2:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=32#Deu.iii-p17.1">2:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=33#Deu.iii-p18.1">2:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=33#Deu.iii-p1.9">2:33-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=34#Deu.iii-p18.3">2:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=35#Deu.iii-p18.4">2:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=36#Deu.iii-p18.5">2:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iv-p4.4">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iv-p1.1">3:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Deu.iv-p4.6">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Deu.iv-p4.2">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Deu.iv-p5.1">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Deu.iv-p4.3">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Deu.iv-p5.2">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iv-p5.4">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Deu.iv-p5.3">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxii-p20.1">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Deu.iv-p4.1">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Deu.iv-p1.2">3:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Deu.iv-p7.2">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Deu.iv-p7.3">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Deu.iv-p1.3">3:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Deu.iv-p7.4">3:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Deu.iv-p1.4">3:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Deu.iv-p9.1">3:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=23#Deu.iv-p1.5">3:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxviii-p11.1">3:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=25#Deu.iv-p13.1">3:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxv-p6.2">3:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Deu.iv-p15.1">3:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Deu.iv-p16.1">3:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Deu.iv-p1.6">3:26-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=27#Deu.iv-p16.2">3:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=28#Deu.iv-p16.3">3:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p4.1">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p16.1">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p22.1">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p1.1">4:1-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p1.1">4:1-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xiii-p16.6">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Deu.v-p8.1">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Deu.v-p9.1">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Deu.v-p16.2">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Deu.v-p21.1">4:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xx-p19.6">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Deu.v-p9.2">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Deu.v-p16.3">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Deu.v-p9.3">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Deu.v-p17.1">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Deu.v-p18.2">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Lev.x-p13.1">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Deu.v-p18.1">4:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Deu.v-p18.6">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Deu.v-p10.1">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Deu.v-p12.1">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Deu.v-p7.1">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Deu.v-p12.2">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Deu.v-p19.1">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Deu.v-p19.2">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Deu.v-p11.4">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Deu.v-p19.5">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Deu.v-p9.4">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Deu.v-p9.2">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Deu.v-p10.2">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Deu.v-p11.5">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Deu.v-p11.1">4:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Deu.v-p11.2">4:15-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Gen.ii-p28.1">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Deu.v-p11.8">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xvi-p38.1">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Deu.v-p20.1">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Deu.v-p21.2">4:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Deu.v-p10.3">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Deu.v-p13.1">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Deu.v-p15.2">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Deu.v-p23.2">4:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Deu.v-p23.1">4:25-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=26#Deu.v-p23.3">4:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Deu.v-p23.4">4:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=28#Deu.v-p20.2">4:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=28#Deu.v-p23.5">4:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Deu.v-p23.7">4:29-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=31#Deu.v-p15.6">4:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=32#Deu.v-p19.10">4:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=32#Deu.v-p19.6">4:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxxiv-p6.1">4:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxxiv-p6.4">4:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xx-p13.1">4:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=33#Deu.v-p19.9">4:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=34#Deu.v-p20.2">4:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=36#Deu.v-p19.4">4:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=36#Deu.v-p19.6">4:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xvi-p7.4">4:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=37#Deu.v-p20.2">4:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=38#Deu.v-p20.3">4:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=39#Deu.v-p15.1">4:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=40#Deu.v-p9.5">4:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=40#Deu.v-p22.2">4:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=41#Deu.v-p1.2">4:41-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=41#Deu.v-p26.1">4:41-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=44#Deu.v-p26.2">4:44-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=44#Deu.v-p1.3">4:44-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=47#Deu.v-p26.3">4:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p3.1">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p1.1">5:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Deu.vi-p3.3">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Deu.vi-p3.5">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Deu.vi-p1.2">5:6-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Deu.vi-p5.6">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Deu.vi-p1.3">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Deu.vi-p5.10">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Deu.vi-p1.4">5:23-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Deu.vi-p8.1">5:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=27#Deu.vi-p9.1">5:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Deu.vi-p10.1">5:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Deu.vi-p1.5">5:28-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxxiii-p36.2">5:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Deu.vi-p10.2">5:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=31#Deu.vi-p10.3">5:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=32#Deu.vi-p1.6">5:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=32#Deu.vi-p11.1">5:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p3.1">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p3.3">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p1.2">6:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Deu.vii-p3.4">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Deu.vii-p3.6">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Deu.vii-p7.1">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.vii-p3.5">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.vii-p3.7">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Deu.vii-p1.3">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Deu.vii-p5.1">6:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Deu.vii-p1.4">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xii-p12.2">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Deu.vii-p8.1">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Deu.vii-p1.5">6:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p10.2">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Deu.vii-p8.2">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Deu.ix-p1.1">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Deu.vii-p8.3">6:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Deu.ix-p16.2">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Deu.vii-p9.2">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxix-p15.19">6:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Deu.vii-p9.1">6:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Deu.vii-p1.6">6:10-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Deu.vii-p9.3">6:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Deu.vii-p9.4">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Deu.vii-p1.8">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Deu.vii-p10.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Deu.vii-p10.4">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Deu.vii-p1.7">6:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Deu.vii-p10.5">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.vii-p10.6">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.vii-p1.8">6:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Deu.vii-p12.1">6:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=20#Deu.vii-p14.1">6:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=20#Deu.vii-p1.9">6:20-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Deu.vii-p15.1">6:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=24#Deu.vii-p15.2">6:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p5.1">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p4.1">7:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxi-p13.5">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxii-p4.8">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Deu.viii-p6.1">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xii-p9.6">7:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Deu.viii-p7.5">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Gen.vii-p3.7">7:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Deu.viii-p7.1">7:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Deu.viii-p8.1">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Deu.viii-p10.1">7:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xx-p4.12">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Deu.viii-p11.2">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Deu.viii-p11.3">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Deu.viii-p12.1">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Deu.viii-p12.2">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Deu.viii-p16.1">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Deu.viii-p17.1">7:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=15#Deu.viii-p18.1">7:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Deu.viii-p14.1">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Deu.viii-p19.1">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Deu.viii-p19.6">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Deu.viii-p19.4">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Deu.viii-p19.8">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Deu.viii-p19.7">7:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Deu.viii-p19.9">7:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Deu.viii-p19.5">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Deu.viii-p19.10">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Deu.viii-p19.11">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Deu.viii-p19.2">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=25#Deu.viii-p14.3">7:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=25#Deu.viii-p14.2">7:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Deu.viii-p14.4">7:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ix-p1.2">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ix-p3.1">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ix-p3.3">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p1.2">8:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Num.xv-p31.9">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxiv-p4.2">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xiv-p13.5">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Deu.ix-p4.1">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Deu.ix-p1.3">8:2-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Deu.ix-p16.14">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvii-p7.8">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Deu.ix-p7.1">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Deu.viii-p1.3">8:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p3.3">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Deu.ix-p7.5">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Deu.viii-p1.4">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p9.1">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p9.3">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Deu.viii-p1.5">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p1.2">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p3.2">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Deu.viii-p1.6">8:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Deu.ix-p11.1">8:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Deu.ix-p1.4">8:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Lev.iii-p5.1">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=9#Deu.viii-p1.7">8:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Deu.ix-p15.1">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Deu.ix-p1.5">8:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Deu.ix-p16.10">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Deu.viii-p1.1">8:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.ix-p16.1">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.viii-p1.8">8:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Deu.ix-p16.3">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Deu.ix-p16.5">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Deu.ix-p16.11">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxii-p7.2">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Deu.ix-p16.13">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xvii-p20.1">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Deu.ix-p1.3">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Deu.ix-p16.15">8:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Deu.viii-p1.2">8:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Deu.ix-p1.3">8:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Deu.ix-p7.3">8:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=17#Deu.ix-p16.6">8:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=17#Deu.ix-p1.5">8:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=17#Deu.viii-p1.9">8:17-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Deu.ix-p16.16">8:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxiv-p14.3">8:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Deu.ix-p1.5">8:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ix-p17.1">8:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ix-p1.6">8:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=24#Deu.viii-p1.2">8:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=25#Deu.viii-p1.4">8:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=26#Deu.viii-p1.4">8:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Deu.x-p3.1">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Deu.x-p4.1">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Deu.x-p1.2">9:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Deu.x-p4.2">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Deu.x-p5.1">9:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Deu.x-p6.1">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Deu.x-p7.1">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Deu.x-p1.3">9:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Deu.x-p6.2">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Deu.x-p7.2">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Deu.x-p6.3">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Deu.x-p9.1">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Deu.x-p9.3">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Deu.x-p1.4">9:7-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Deu.x-p9.5">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Deu.x-p9.7">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Deu.x-p1.5">9:8-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Deu.x-p9.12">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Deu.x-p9.8">9:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiii-p15.2">9:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=16#Deu.x-p9.6">9:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Deu.x-p9.11">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxiii-p21.4">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxiii-p21.6">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Deu.x-p9.14">9:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Deu.x-p9.9">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Num.xiii-p3.5">9:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Deu.x-p9.13">9:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxiii-p25.4">9:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Deu.x-p9.21">9:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxv-p17.7">9:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Deu.x-p9.22">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Deu.x-p1.6">9:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Deu.x-p9.24">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxi-p11.6">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Deu.x-p9.4">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xi-p13.3">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Deu.x-p1.7">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=25#Deu.x-p9.15">9:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Deu.x-p9.18">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=27#Deu.x-p9.17">9:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=27#Deu.x-p9.19">9:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=28#Deu.x-p9.20">9:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xi-p4.1">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xi-p1.1">10:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xi-p4.2">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xi-p4.5">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xi-p4.6">10:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxi-p26.1">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xi-p1.4">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xi-p6.2">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xi-p1.2">10:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xi-p5.1">10:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxviii-p9.3">10:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xi-p1.3">10:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xi-p6.1">10:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Deu.x-p9.16">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xi-p1.5">10:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xi-p7.1">10:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xi-p9.1">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xi-p11.1">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xi-p11.5">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xi-p1.6">10:12-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xi-p11.6">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xi-p15.3">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xi-p16.4">10:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xi-p13.1">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xi-p15.1">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xi-p15.2">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xi-p12.2">10:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xi-p16.1">10:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xi-p12.1">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xi-p11.2">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xi-p11.4">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xi-p11.7">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xi-p11.8">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxi-p11.8">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xi-p16.3">10:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xi-p16.5">10:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xii-p1.1">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xii-p4.2">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xii-p4.7">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xii-p1.2">11:2-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xii-p4.3">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xii-p4.4">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xii-p4.6">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xii-p4.8">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xii-p4.1">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xii-p7.1">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xii-p1.3">11:8-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xii-p7.2">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvii-p4.1">11:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p18.5">11:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xii-p8.1">11:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xii-p9.1">11:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xii-p9.5">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xii-p1.5">11:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xii-p10.1">11:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xii-p12.1">11:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xii-p1.6">11:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xii-p13.1">11:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xii-p13.2">11:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xii-p1.4">11:22-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xii-p13.3">11:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xii-p13.5">11:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xii-p16.1">11:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xii-p1.7">11:26-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xii-p16.3">11:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xii-p16.4">11:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xiii-p9.2">11:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xii-p17.1">11:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxviii-p8.1">11:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xii-p17.5">11:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xii-p17.6">11:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xii-p17.8">11:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xiii-p3.1">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xiii-p1.1">12:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxviii-p5.10">12:1-26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxii-p4.8">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xiii-p4.1">12:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xiii-p5.1">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xiii-p1.2">12:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xiii-p10.1">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xiii-p11.1">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xiii-p1.3">12:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xiii-p11.2">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xiii-p11.5">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xiii-p11.10">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xi-p22.7">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xiii-p15.1">12:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xiii-p1.4">12:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xiii-p9.1">12:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xiii-p1.3">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xiii-p10.2">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p1.3">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p11.3">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p11.6">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p11.8">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p12.1">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p12.4">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xiii-p1.6">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xiii-p13.1">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xiii-p1.3">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xiii-p10.3">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xiii-p13.2">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xiii-p13.5">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xiii-p1.8">12:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xiii-p13.6">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xiii-p1.6">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xiii-p13.1">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xiii-p1.3">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xiii-p1.6">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xiii-p11.7">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xiii-p12.2">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xvi-p11.7">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xiii-p1.7">12:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xiii-p12.3">12:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xiii-p13.3">12:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xiii-p1.9">12:20-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xviii-p5.2">12:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xv-p8.4">12:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xiii-p13.7">12:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xiii-p13.8">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xiii-p13.9">12:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xiii-p1.3">12:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xiii-p10.4">12:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xiii-p1.5">12:29-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xiii-p16.1">12:29-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=30#Lev.iii-p7.3">12:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xiii-p16.3">12:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xiii-p16.5">12:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xiv-p3.1">13:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ii-p19.1">13:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xix-p19.8">13:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xiv-p1.1">13:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xviii-p4.1">13:1-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xiv-p3.4">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xiv-p5.1">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=3#Ex.viii-p6.5">13:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xiv-p5.2">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xiv-p6.1">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiii-p29.1">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xiv-p9.1">13:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xiv-p1.2">13:6-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xiv-p9.2">13:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xiv-p10.1">13:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxiii-p12.3">13:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xiv-p10.3">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xviii-p7.2">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p30.2">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xiv-p10.4">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xiv-p10.5">13:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiv-p1.3">13:12-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xiv-p14.1">13:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xiv-p15.1">13:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xiv-p15.2">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xiv-p15.3">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xiv-p15.4">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xv-p4.3">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xv-p6.1">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xv-p6.4">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xv-p1.1">14:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xv-p4.1">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xv-p4.4">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xv-p1.2">14:3-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xv-p8.2">14:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xii-p3.4">14:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xv-p8.3">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xv-p8.6">14:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xv-p8.7">14:11-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xv-p9.1">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xv-p12.1">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xv-p1.3">14:22-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xv-p14.1">14:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xv-p14.3">14:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xv-p14.2">14:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xv-p14.5">14:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xv-p15.1">14:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxvii-p11.1">14:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvi-p3.3">15:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvi-p1.1">15:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvi-p3.3">15:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxvi-p8.2">15:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xvi-p3.1">15:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xvi-p3.2">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xvi-p3.4">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xvi-p3.6">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xvi-p9.6">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xvi-p3.5">15:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xvi-p3.7">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xvi-p3.9">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xvi-p9.6">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvi-p4.1">15:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvi-p4.2">15:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvi-p4.4">15:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvi-p1.2">15:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xvi-p4.7">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xvi-p4.9">15:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xvi-p5.1">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xvi-p9.6">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xvi-p4.3">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xvi-p4.8">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xvi-p8.1">15:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xvi-p1.3">15:12-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xvi-p9.1">15:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xvi-p9.3">15:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xvi-p8.3">15:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xvi-p9.2">15:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xvi-p9.4">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xvi-p11.1">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xvi-p11.5">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xvi-p1.4">15:19-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xvi-p11.6">15:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xvi-p11.8">15:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xvi-p11.9">15:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xvi-p11.10">15:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvii-p4.1">16:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvii-p4.3">16:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvii-p1.1">16:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvii-p4.5">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvii-p4.9">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xvii-p4.15">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xvii-p4.13">16:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xvii-p4.6">16:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xvii-p4.9">16:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvii-p4.10">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xvii-p4.13">16:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiv-p10.1">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xvii-p5.1">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xvii-p1.2">16:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xvii-p5.3">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxvii-p3.4">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xvii-p5.4">16:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xvii-p5.5">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xvii-p1.3">16:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xvii-p6.1">16:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xvii-p6.3">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xvii-p6.4">16:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xvii-p1.4">16:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xvii-p7.1">16:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xviii-p9.1">16:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xvii-p1.5">16:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xvii-p9.4">16:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xvii-p9.6">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xvii-p1.6">16:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xvii-p10.1">16:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xviii-p1.1">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xviii-p3.1">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p2.6">17:1-19:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xviii-p5.2">17:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xviii-p1.2">17:2-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xviii-p5.1">17:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xviii-p5.3">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xviii-p6.1">17:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xviii-p7.1">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxvi-p10.15">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xviii-p6.2">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xx-p12.3">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xviii-p9.2">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xviii-p1.3">17:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xviii-p9.3">17:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xviii-p9.4">17:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xviii-p9.5">17:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xviii-p9.3">17:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xviii-p9.6">17:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xviii-p9.3">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xx-p12.7">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xviii-p9.7">17:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xviii-p12.1">17:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xviii-p1.4">17:14-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xviii-p14.1">17:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxix-p29.2">17:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xviii-p14.7">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xviii-p16.1">17:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xviii-p17.1">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xviii-p18.1">17:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xix-p4.1">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xix-p1.1">18:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xix-p4.2">18:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xix-p6.1">18:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xix-p6.3">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xix-p6.4">18:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xix-p7.1">18:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xix-p9.1">18:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xix-p1.2">18:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xix-p10.1">18:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xix-p10.3">18:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xix-p11.1">18:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xix-p11.2">18:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xix-p16.2">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xix-p18.1">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xix-p1.3">18:15-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xix-p17.1">18:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xix-p16.1">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xix-p16.5">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xix-p1.4">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xix-p18.2">18:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xix-p1.5">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xix-p19.1">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xix-p19.2">18:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xix-p19.5">18:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xix-p1.6">18:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xix-p19.6">18:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xx-p5.1">19:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xx-p1.1">19:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xx-p6.1">19:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xx-p5.1">19:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xx-p7.1">19:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xx-p7.2">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xx-p8.1">19:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxii-p3.1">19:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xx-p1.2">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xx-p11.1">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxviii-p13.2">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxvi-p10.15">19:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xx-p12.1">19:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xx-p1.3">19:15-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xx-p12.6">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xx-p12.8">19:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xx-p12.9">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xx-p12.11">19:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xx-p12.10">19:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxi-p5.1">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxi-p1.1">20:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxi-p6.1">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxi-p6.2">20:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxi-p6.3">20:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxi-p8.1">20:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xv-p12.10">20:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxi-p1.2">20:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxi-p8.4">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxi-p8.5">20:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxi-p9.1">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxi-p1.3">20:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxi-p10.1">20:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxii-p8.1">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxi-p12.1">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxi-p13.1">20:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxi-p1.4">20:10-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxi-p13.4">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxi-p14.1">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxi-p14.2">20:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxi-p14.3">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxi-p15.1">20:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxi-p13.3">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxi-p15.2">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxi-p1.5">20:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxi-p15.3">20:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxi-p15.4">20:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxi-p1.6">20:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxi-p16.1">20:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxii-p4.1">21:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxii-p1.1">21:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxii-p6.1">21:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxii-p6.4">21:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=5#Num.vii-p13.2">21:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxii-p6.2">21:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxii-p6.5">21:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxii-p6.3">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxii-p6.9">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxii-p11.1">21:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxii-p1.2">21:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxii-p11.2">21:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxii-p12.1">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxii-p15.1">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxi-p11.1">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xix-p9.4">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxii-p1.3">21:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxii-p16.2">21:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlix-p12.7">21:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxii-p19.1">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxii-p1.4">21:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxii-p20.1">21:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxii-p19.2">21:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxii-p21.1">21:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxii-p22.1">21:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxii-p1.5">21:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiii-p3.2">22:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiii-p1.1">22:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxiii-p3.5">22:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiii-p3.6">22:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxiii-p1.2">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxiii-p6.1">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p16.2">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxiii-p1.4">22:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxiii-p7.1">22:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxiii-p1.5">22:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxiii-p8.1">22:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiii-p9.1">22:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiii-p1.3">22:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxiii-p10.3">22:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxiii-p1.6">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxiii-p10.2">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxiii-p1.7">22:13-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxiii-p13.1">22:13-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxiii-p13.2">22:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxiii-p1.8">22:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxiii-p14.1">22:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxiii-p1.9">22:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxiii-p15.1">22:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxiii-p16.1">22:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxiii-p12.2">22:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxiii-p1.10">22:23-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxiii-p16.2">22:24-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxiii-p1.11">22:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxiii-p17.1">22:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxiii-p1.12">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxiii-p18.1">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p5.1">23:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p1.1">23:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiv-p6.5">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiv-p6.6">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiv-p4.1">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxiv-p5.5">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxiv-p6.7">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxiv-p6.3">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxi-p17.3">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxiv-p7.1">23:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiv-p10.1">23:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiv-p1.2">23:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxiv-p11.2">23:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxiv-p12.1">23:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxiv-p1.3">23:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxiv-p15.1">23:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxiv-p1.4">23:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxiv-p16.1">23:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxiv-p1.5">23:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxiv-p17.1">23:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxiv-p1.6">23:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxiv-p18.1">23:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxiv-p1.7">23:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxiv-p19.1">23:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxiv-p1.7">23:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiii-p13.3">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxv-p3.3">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxv-p1.1">24:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxv-p3.5">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxv-p3.6">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxi-p8.6">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxv-p1.2">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxv-p5.1">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxv-p1.3">24:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxv-p8.1">24:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxv-p1.4">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxv-p6.1">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxii-p3.3">24:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xv-p14.1">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Num.xiii-p12.3">24:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxv-p1.5">24:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxv-p7.1">24:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxv-p8.2">24:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxv-p1.3">24:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxv-p8.3">24:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxv-p1.6">24:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxv-p10.1">24:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxv-p1.7">24:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxv-p11.1">24:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxv-p1.3">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxv-p11.4">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxv-p1.8">24:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxv-p10.2">24:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxv-p1.9">24:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxv-p12.1">24:19-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvi-p1.1">25:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvi-p3.1">25:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxvi-p3.6">25:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxvi-p1.2">25:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxvi-p4.1">25:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxix-p3.4">25:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xix-p9.2">25:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxvi-p6.2">25:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxvi-p1.3">25:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxvi-p6.4">25:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxvi-p6.5">25:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxvi-p1.4">25:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxvi-p7.1">25:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxvi-p9.1">25:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxvi-p1.5">25:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxvi-p9.3">25:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxvi-p9.5">25:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxvi-p11.1">25:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xviii-p10.3">25:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxvi-p1.6">25:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxvi-p12.1">25:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxvi-p12.2">25:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvii-p3.1">26:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvii-p1.1">26:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Lev.iii-p9.1">26:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxvii-p5.1">26:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxvii-p4.1">26:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxvii-p6.1">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiv-p17.2">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxvii-p6.2">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvii-p25.3">26:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxvii-p7.1">26:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxvii-p7.2">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxvii-p8.1">26:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxvii-p9.1">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxvii-p11.2">26:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxvii-p1.2">26:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxvii-p12.2">26:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxvii-p12.1">26:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxvii-p13.1">26:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxvii-p1.3">26:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxvii-p15.1">26:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxvii-p15.2">26:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxviii-p5.6">26:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxvii-p1.4">26:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxvii-p15.5">26:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxvii-p15.9">26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxix-p7.16">26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxviii-p3.1">27:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxviii-p1.1">27:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p3.1">27:1-28:68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxviii-p5.1">27:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=2#Deu.i-p2.7">27:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxviii-p5.4">27:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxviii-p5.11">27:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxviii-p5.2">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxviii-p5.9">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxviii-p6.2">27:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxviii-p6.4">27:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxviii-p6.5">27:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxviii-p5.5">27:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxviii-p3.2">27:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxviii-p3.3">27:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xii-p17.2">27:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxviii-p1.2">27:11-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxviii-p8.2">27:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxviii-p9.1">27:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxviii-p11.1">27:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=15#Num.vi-p12.6">27:15-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxviii-p12.1">27:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxviii-p13.1">27:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxviii-p13.3">27:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxviii-p10.2">27:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxviii-p13.5">27:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxviii-p14.1">27:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxviii-p14.3">27:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxviii-p14.1">27:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxviii-p14.1">27:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxviii-p15.1">27:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxviii-p15.3">27:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxviii-p16.1">27:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p7.15">28:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p4.1">28:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p1.1">28:1-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p1.5">28:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxix-p6.1">28:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Num.vii-p14.2">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxix-p7.1">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxix-p7.3">28:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxix-p7.6">28:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxix-p7.9">28:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxix-p7.2">28:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxix-p7.20">28:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxix-p7.10">28:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxix-p7.12">28:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxix-p4.3">28:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxix-p9.1">28:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxix-p7.19">28:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxix-p9.3">28:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxix-p7.4">28:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxix-p7.6">28:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxix-p7.7">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxix-p7.13">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxix-p7.17">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxix-p4.2">28:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxix-p7.18">28:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxix-p4.4">28:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p12.1">28:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p14.1">28:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p1.2">28:15-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p32.1">28:15-68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxix-p14.4">28:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Ex.ix-p4.4">28:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxix-p14.8">28:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxix-p14.5">28:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxix-p12.2">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxix-p14.10">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxix-p15.4">28:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxix-p15.5">28:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxix-p15.8">28:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxix-p15.13">28:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxix-p15.21">28:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxix-p15.14">28:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxix-p15.3">28:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxix-p15.7">28:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=27#Ex.x-p10.1">28:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxix-p15.15">28:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxix-p15.18">28:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxix-p15.20">28:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxix-p15.18">28:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xxix-p15.32">28:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xxix-p15.2">28:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=36#Deu.xxix-p15.23">28:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=37#Deu.xxix-p15.31">28:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=38#Deu.xxix-p15.9">28:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=39#Deu.xxix-p15.10">28:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=40#Deu.xxix-p15.11">28:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=41#Deu.xxix-p15.22">28:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=42#Deu.xxix-p15.9">28:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=43#Deu.xxix-p15.28">28:43-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=44#Deu.xxix-p17.2">28:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=45#Deu.xxix-p19.1">28:45-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=45#Deu.xxix-p1.3">28:45-68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=47#Deu.xxix-p20.1">28:47-48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=49#Deu.xxix-p24.1">28:49-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=51#Deu.xxix-p25.1">28:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=52#Deu.xxix-p26.1">28:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=53#Deu.xxix-p26.2">28:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=54#Deu.xxix-p26.3">28:54-55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=56#Deu.xxix-p26.4">28:56-57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=57#Deu.xxix-p26.7">28:57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=58#Deu.xxvi-p3.3">28:58-59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=58#Deu.xxix-p21.1">28:58-59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=59#Deu.xxix-p26.8">28:59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=60#Deu.xxix-p26.9">28:60</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=60#Ex.xvi-p16.6">28:60</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=61#Deu.xxix-p26.10">28:61</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=62#Deu.xxix-p27.1">28:62</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=63#Deu.xxix-p27.3">28:63</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=64#Deu.xxix-p28.1">28:64</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=65#Deu.xxix-p28.2">28:65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=65#Deu.xxix-p28.3">28:65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=66#Deu.xxix-p28.4">28:66</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=67#Deu.xxix-p28.5">28:67</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=68#Num.xv-p6.5">28:68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=68#Deu.xxix-p29.1">28:68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvii-p15.4">29:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxx-p1.1">29:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxx-p3.1">29:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p3.2">29:1-30:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxx-p5.1">29:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxx-p12.2">29:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxx-p6.1">29:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxx-p1.2">29:2-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxx-p8.1">29:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxx-p6.2">29:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxx-p6.4">29:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxvi-p3.3">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxx-p1.3">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxx-p5.2">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxx-p9.1">29:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxx-p12.3">29:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxx-p1.5">29:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxx-p12.4">29:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxx-p12.1">29:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxx-p1.4">29:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxx-p13.1">29:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxx-p1.5">29:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxx-p1.5">29:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxx-p12.8">29:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxx-p1.6">29:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxx-p15.1">29:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxx-p18.1">29:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxx-p17.1">29:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxx-p1.7">29:18-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxx-p19.1">29:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iv-p12.4">29:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxi-p6.5">29:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxx-p20.2">29:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxx-p22.1">29:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxx-p23.1">29:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxx-p22.2">29:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xx-p21.9">29:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxx-p23.2">29:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxx-p23.6">29:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxx-p23.7">29:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxx-p23.8">29:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxx-p23.9">29:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxx-p1.8">29:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxx-p24.2">29:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p1.6">30:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxi-p5.1">30:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxi-p6.1">30:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxi-p8.1">30:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxi-p1.1">30:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxi-p7.1">30:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p1.5">30:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxi-p5.5">30:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxi-p5.7">30:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxi-p5.10">30:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxi-p5.12">30:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxi-p6.4">30:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxi-p6.7">30:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxi-p6.2">30:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxi-p6.8">30:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxi-p6.11">30:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxi-p6.12">30:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxi-p6.14">30:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxi-p5.11">30:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxi-p6.18">30:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxi-p6.16">30:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxi-p5.8">30:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxi-p5.13">30:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxi-p6.20">30:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxi-p6.13">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxi-p6.15">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxi-p5.6">30:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxi-p5.9">30:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxi-p11.1">30:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxi-p11.6">30:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxi-p1.2">30:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxi-p11.2">30:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxi-p11.3">30:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxi-p11.4">30:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxi-p1.3">30:15-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxi-p15.1">30:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxi-p15.2">30:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxi-p16.1">30:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iii-p17.4">30:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxi-p17.1">30:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxii-p1.1">31:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p3.3">31:1-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxii-p3.2">31:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxii-p4.1">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxii-p4.4">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxii-p4.6">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxii-p4.7">31:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxii-p4.9">31:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxii-p4.2">31:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxii-p4.10">31:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxii-p21.2">31:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxii-p1.2">31:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxii-p5.1">31:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxii-p1.3">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxii-p8.1">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxii-p22.2">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Deu.i-p2.8">31:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvi-p3.4">31:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxii-p1.4">31:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxii-p12.1">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxii-p13.1">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxii-p12.2">31:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxii-p14.1">31:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxii-p14.2">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxii-p16.1">31:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxii-p21.1">31:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxii-p1.5">31:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxii-p17.1">31:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxvii-p12.1">31:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxii-p18.1">31:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxii-p23.6">31:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxii-p1.6">31:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxii-p18.5">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxii-p18.6">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxii-p18.2">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxii-p18.7">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxii-p19.1">31:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxii-p1.7">31:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxii-p18.3">31:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxii-p18.6">31:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxii-p19.3">31:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxii-p1.8">31:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxii-p23.1">31:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxii-p23.3">31:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxii-p1.2">31:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxii-p21.3">31:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxii-p22.1">31:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxii-p1.3">31:24-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxii-p9.1">31:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxii-p23.5">31:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxii-p23.4">31:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxiii-p3.2">31:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxii-p1.9">31:28-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvii-p12.1">31:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxxii-p23.7">31:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxxii-p23.2">31:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p1.1">32:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p3.1">32:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p3.4">32:1-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiii-p3.7">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Gen.iii-p7.3">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=2#Ex.v-p12.3">32:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxiii-p6.1">32:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxiii-p4.1">32:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxiii-p1.2">32:3-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p6.2">32:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiii-p7.1">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiii-p7.4">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p8.1">32:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p10.1">32:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p1.3">32:7-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Num.iv-p14.3">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxii-p19.11">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiii-p12.1">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xi-p10.1">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p3.5">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p14.1">32:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxiv-p7.5">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p16.1">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xiv-p13.7">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xvii-p7.7">32:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ii-p14.4">32:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiv-p13.11">32:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiii-p19.1">32:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xx-p4.4">32:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiii-p20.1">32:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xviii-p6.6">32:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxii-p20.3">32:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiii-p20.2">32:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p23.1">32:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p28.1">32:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiii-p26.3">32:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiii-p25.1">32:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiii-p26.1">32:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiii-p29.1">32:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiii-p1.4">32:19-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiii-p17.3">32:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiii-p30.1">32:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxiii-p31.1">32:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiii-p32.2">32:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiii-p32.1">32:22-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxiii-p32.4">32:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xvi-p7.7">32:23-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxiii-p32.8">32:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxiii-p32.11">32:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxxiii-p32.9">32:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiii-p35.1">32:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=27#Num.xv-p23.7">32:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxiii-p35.2">32:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxxiii-p36.1">32:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxxiii-p37.1">32:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxiv-p22.2">32:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiii-p37.4">32:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiii-p37.9">32:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xvi-p32.3">32:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xxxiii-p39.1">32:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=36#Deu.xxxiii-p40.1">32:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=36#Gen.ix-p23.2">32:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xviii-p3.1">32:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=36#Ex.vi-p13.6">32:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=36#Deu.xxxiii-p1.5">32:36-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=37#Deu.xxxiii-p41.1">32:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=39#Deu.xxxiii-p44.1">32:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=40#Deu.xxxiii-p45.2">32:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=40#Deu.xxxiii-p45.1">32:40-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=41#Deu.xxxiii-p1.6">32:41-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=43#Deu.xxxiii-p46.1">32:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=44#Num.xiv-p4.3">32:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=44#Deu.xxxiii-p48.1">32:44-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=47#Deu.xxxiii-p51.1">32:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=48#Deu.xxxiii-p52.2">32:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=48#Deu.xxxiii-p1.7">32:48-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=49#Deu.xxxiii-p52.5">32:49-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=49#Deu.xxxv-p3.1">32:49-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=50#Deu.xxxiii-p52.4">32:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=51#Num.xxi-p13.2">32:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=51#Deu.xxxiii-p52.3">32:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p3.1">33:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvii-p7.3">33:1-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p3.5">33:1-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p5.1">33:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p6.3">33:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p6.6">33:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xx-p14.3">33:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p1.1">33:2-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xx-p11.2">33:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiv-p7.4">33:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Num.ii-p1.2">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxvii-p9.1">33:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiv-p1.2">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiv-p11.1">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p1.3">33:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p12.1">33:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiv-p15.1">33:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxii-p9.3">33:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiv-p1.4">33:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xix-p5.2">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p30.7">33:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xi-p11.3">33:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiv-p16.1">33:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxxvi-p5.2">33:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiv-p18.1">33:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#ii-p7.6">33:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xi-p17.11">33:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiv-p19.1">33:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p21.1">33:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiv-p23.1">33:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiv-p1.6">33:13-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiv-p24.3">33:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p22.4">33:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiv-p24.4">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p22.2">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p24.6">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p25.1">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p32.4">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiv-p26.1">33:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiv-p26.8">33:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p29.1">33:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p1.7">33:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiv-p30.1">33:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiv-p34.1">33:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiv-p1.8">33:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiv-p33.1">33:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxiv-p35.1">33:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiv-p1.9">33:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiv-p37.1">33:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxiv-p1.10">33:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxiv-p38.1">33:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxiv-p1.11">33:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxiv-p39.1">33:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiv-p42.1">33:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiv-p49.1">33:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiv-p1.12">33:26-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiv-p42.2">33:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiv-p44.1">33:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxiv-p47.1">33:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxxiv-p43.1">33:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxxiv-p49.2">33:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xii-p6.8">33:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiv-p6.2">33:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxxiv-p31.5">33:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=42#Deu.xxxiv-p1.5">33:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxv-p3.2">34:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxv-p4.1">34:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxv-p1.1">34:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p6.5">34:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxv-p6.1">34:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxv-p1.2">34:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxv-p7.1">34:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxv-p1.3">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxv-p8.1">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxv-p1.4">34:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxv-p9.1">34:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxviii-p13.2">34:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxv-p1.5">34:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxv-p12.1">34:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Num.xii-p19.2">34:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xix-p14.2">34:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxv-p1.6">34:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxv-p13.1">34:10-12</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Joshua</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p35.4">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p35.4">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xv-p19.1">2:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xvi-p11.6">2:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxv-p9.3">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Num.iii-p3.7">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxviii-p12.1">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p35.6">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxiii-p12.2">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Deu.i-p3.6">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p11.6">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xi-p15.18">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=10#Num.x-p4.2">5:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxiv-p8.4">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxviii-p12.1">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xv-p10.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxviii-p14.3">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p35.4">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxviii-p12.1">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxvi-p8.3">7:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Lev.vi-p4.3">7:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xxxii-p13.2">8:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Gen.x-p27.2">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxiv-p51.1">10:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxi-p13.2">11:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxviii-p5.2">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxxii-p8.6">13:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Num.xiv-p8.5">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Num.xiv-p8.5">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Num.xiv-p8.5">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxviii-p3.3">17:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xii-p3.1">18:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxiv-p21.3">18:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxvii-p7.4">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Gen.l-p11.2">19:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvi-p6.1">21:1-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p35.7">22:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xviii-p6.1">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiii-p25.3">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xii-p29.1">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvii-p3.3">24:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxiv-p17.2">24:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ii-p8.2">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxvi-p4.3">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxi-p14.5">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiii-p16.7">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxviii-p5.8">24:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xlix-p13.4">24:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Josh&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=32#Gen.li-p14.2">24:32</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Judges</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Gen.l-p8.5">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxx-p9.3">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxii-p16.4">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Num.xi-p9.1">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xix-p20.3">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Gen.x-p27.2">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=30#Gen.x-p27.2">1:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=33#Gen.x-p27.2">1:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=35#Gen.x-p27.2">1:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiii-p40.2">2:11-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p19.15">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Deu.viii-p19.15">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Gen.l-p23.2">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxiv-p15.3">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiii-p31.3">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xv-p20.5">5:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xx-p15.4">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xviii-p14.3">5:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p29.2">5:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxii-p8.4">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxvi-p5.3">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvii-p13.4">6:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvi-p40.1">6:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvii-p28.3">6:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxi-p34.1">6:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xviii-p6.2">6:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxvi-p5.3">6:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xvi-p20.3">6:36-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxi-p9.2">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xv-p10.1">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxviii-p6.2">7:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xv-p12.1">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p26.4">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Ex.iv-p19.2">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xii-p19.3">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiii-p41.2">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Deu.v-p23.6">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiii-p40.3">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xliii-p16.3">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxv-p10.1">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p5.3">11:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxii-p15.6">11:15-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxii-p19.4">11:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxii-p19.8">11:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p26.5">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xviii-p14.3">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxi-p3.4">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Num.vii-p4.2">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxiii-p26.13">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Ex.iv-p25.3">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxi-p34.2">13:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xviii-p6.3">13:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xvi-p40.2">13:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvii-p28.3">13:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xvi-p40.5">13:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=24#Ex.iii-p4.5">13:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=25#Num.iii-p5.7">13:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxix-p10.3">17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxii-p20.2">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiv-p37.2">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxxii-p8.2">20:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Gen.l-p23.3">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=16#Gen.l-p23.2">20:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxix-p11.4">20:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Judg&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxviii-p14.4">21:9-10</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Ruth</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ruth&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiv-p3.2">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ruth&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxvi-p18.9">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ruth&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxvi-p14.5">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ruth&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxvi-p14.6">4:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ruth&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxvi-p6.6">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ruth&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xiii-p11.1">4:11</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Samuel</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxx-p12.2">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvii-p12.2">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xi-p22.6">1:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxi-p5.3">1:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Num.vii-p4.4">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxix-p24.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxiv-p3.2">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxvii-p6.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p10.1">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Deu.ix-p8.4">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xi-p15.12">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Ex.iii-p4.6">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxix-p7.2">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=29#Ex.v-p26.1">2:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=30#Gen.vi-p16.2">2:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xviii-p8.1">2:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=35#Gen.vi-p16.2">2:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Lev.v-p9.5">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxiii-p23.4">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xi-p11.1">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xix-p19.9">3:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiii-p21.7">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiii-p21.7">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xi-p12.3">6:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxiv-p10.3">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xviii-p6.4">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xv-p20.5">7:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xv-p20.5">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxi-p34.3">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xix-p14.1">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxv-p16.3">9:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xviii-p6.4">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Lev.viii-p12.2">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxvi-p14.3">10:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Num.xii-p26.4">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Num.xii-p26.4">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xviii-p6.4">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Num.ii-p1.1">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p9.1">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Ex.x-p19.3">12:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiii-p8.2">13:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxv-p16.6">13:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxii-p5.1">14:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xv-p13.2">14:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxvii-p4.18">14:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=27#Gen.iv-p22.1">14:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=32#Gen.x-p10.2">14:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xviii-p10.3">14:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvi-p12.3">15:1-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xviii-p15.5">15:1-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Num.xi-p9.1">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xix-p20.2">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xi-p5.3">15:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxiv-p9.3">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Gen.v-p4.4">16:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxviii-p3.1">16:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlix-p12.6">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=37#Ex.iii-p4.7">17:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=43#Num.xxiii-p6.8">17:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xvi-p12.2">18:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxv-p4.2">19:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p10.1">21:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p19.3">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxix-p7.1">22:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxii-p6.2">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p11.5">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxx-p10.2">24:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxii-p30.3">25:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=32#Gen.x-p29.6">25:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxi-p10.1">25:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxv-p6.3">26:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxiv-p7.3">26:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxiv-p7.3">26:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xviii-p15.6">30:1-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Num.xv-p15.5">30:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=16#Gen.viii-p33.4">30:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Sam&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxxii-p17.3">30:24-25</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Samuel</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xviii-p15.6">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiii-p37.13">2:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xvi-p3.3">3:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xi-p8.1">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxix-p7.3">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvii-p28.5">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xix-p31.3">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxiii-p26.15">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxii-p10.4">7:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxiv-p43.2">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxv-p17.3">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxxii-p20.5">8:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xviii-p15.6">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxiv-p16.2">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxv-p5.2">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxv-p3.4">13:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xx-p17.2">13:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xliii-p22.3">13:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xliv-p8.1">15:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=24#Num.vii-p7.2">19:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxv-p11.3">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxv-p11.3">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p3.2">22:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p4.4">23:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Gen.x-p10.5">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Num.ii-p9.3">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xiii-p20.2">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xviii-p6.5">24:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Sam&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxiv-p9.7">24:24</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Kings</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=50#Num.xxxvi-p12.3">1:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxxvi-p12.3">2:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=27#Ex.iii-p8.2">3:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xiv-p25.2">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Num.xvi-p4.4">4:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Lev.iv-p7.4">4:22-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xv-p5.4">4:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvii-p3.1">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#Lev.vi-p3.3">8:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=41#Lev.xxiii-p14.7">8:41-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=56#Deu.xxvii-p5.2">8:56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxx-p23.3">9:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xviii-p14.5">10:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xviii-p14.8">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vii-p3.8">11:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xviii-p14.9">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xxiv-p6.1">12:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Num.xiii-p14.2">13:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxviii-p8.2">15:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p15.12">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=13#Num.xvi-p6.4">17:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xviii-p6.6">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=27#Deu.v-p18.5">18:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xv-p6.2">18:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxviii-p6.1">18:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xvi-p24.1">18:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=36#Ex.iv-p26.4">18:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=38#Lev.x-p10.3">18:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=43#Gen.ix-p8.3">18:43-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxix-p15.17">20:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxiii-p4.2">20:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxiv-p26.2">20:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxiv-p15.2">20:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxvi-p14.2">21:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxvi-p27.3">21:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xli-p11.3">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=29#Ex.ix-p22.3">21:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xix-p19.4">22:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Kgs&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xxxiii-p32.7">22:34</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Kings</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xxxi-p10.5">1:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vi-p21.1">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xiv-p9.2">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxvii-p13.14">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxiii-p6.6">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxix-p6.9">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xiv-p3.1">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xv-p5.7">5:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxi-p8.4">5:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Num.viii-p7.3">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxx-p10.6">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxvi-p12.5">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxiii-p10.2">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlii-p15.2">6:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxix-p26.5">6:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxv-p4.5">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xiv-p13.3">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Num.xv-p5.3">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxviii-p21.2">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxviii-p21.2">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xxxiii-p30.3">9:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxviii-p4.3">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxv-p11.2">14:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxxiii-p15.1">15:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxix-p15.24">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxix-p15.29">17:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=31#Deu.iii-p10.9">17:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxii-p12.3">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xvi-p20.3">20:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xvi-p34.6">20:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p15.2">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xvi-p33.2">22:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Gen.viii-p12.1">22:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxiv-p12.4">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Gen.x-p13.5">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p15.25">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p15.25">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxix-p15.25">25:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=12#ii-p8.4">25:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Kgs&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxix-p15.25">25:21</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Chronicles</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=35#Gen.xxxvii-p1.7">1:35-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=43#Deu.xxvi-p12.4">4:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p26.2">5:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Gen.l-p15.3">5:18-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiv-p34.2">5:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiv-p34.2">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlvii-p10.7">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxi-p10.6">9:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xx-p26.1">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiv-p34.3">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Gen.l-p15.2">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiv-p31.4">12:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=13#Num.viii-p7.6">15:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xvi-p8.1">17:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=14#ii-p8.2">22:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Num.v-p5.2">23:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xi-p5.4">24:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ii-p38.7">26:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxxii-p20.6">26:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxii-p13.1">28:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xviii-p14.11">29:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Chr&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxvii-p8.2">29:14</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Chronicles</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlvii-p5.1">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxii-p4.6">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiii-p28.2">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Num.xi-p3.1">5:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Lev.x-p7.3">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xx-p7.2">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xiii-p9.4">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxviii-p4.2">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p40.3">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Lev.x-p10.2">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiii-p9.3">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxxv-p3.2">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xvi-p43.4">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvii-p13.10">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxix-p20.2">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxv-p5.3">13:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Num.xi-p3.14">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiv-p12.2">13:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p13.7">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Ex.ix-p18.2">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiv-p18.3">17:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xvii-p9.3">19:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxv-p11.5">19:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xvii-p9.3">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Ex.iv-p10.8">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xv-p20.5">20:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxvi-p16.2">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxii-p11.2">22:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=22#Gen.v-p29.2">24:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=22#Gen.x-p13.1">24:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xx-p7.12">25:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xi-p7.5">25:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xi-p3.8">26:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xiv-p13.2">26:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxix-p15.16">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxvii-p9.3">28:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xli-p3.3">29:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=21#Num.xvi-p8.7">29:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=27#Num.xi-p3.20">29:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xl-p5.1">29:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=15#Num.x-p9.3">30:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxx-p5.6">30:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p8.3">31:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=5#Lev.iii-p9.4">31:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=31#Gen.x-p21.2">32:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=3#Deu.viii-p8.4">34:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Deu.viii-p8.4">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxii-p22.3">34:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxxii-p13.3">34:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xvii-p4.12">35:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xi-p4.3">36:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xx-p7.11">36:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxvii-p13.21">36:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Chr&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxiv-p8.2">36:21</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Ezra</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=63#Ex.xxix-p11.7">2:63</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Num.v-p5.3">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Ex.ii-p7.2">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiii-p14.8">6:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xlviii-p12.4">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Lev.iii-p8.3">7:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=35#Num.xvi-p8.9">8:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vii-p3.9">9:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p17.3">9:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p7.3">9:1-10:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezra&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiv-p8.2">9:4</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Nehemiah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxi-p6.3">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxiii-p20.2">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxiii-p20.2">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p22.4">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxvi-p11.4">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xliii-p11.2">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xix-p18.2">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xi-p14.4">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiv-p21.5">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxii-p13.4">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p18.2">8:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#ii-p7.7">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Lev.iv-p7.7">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiv-p17.5">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxvii-p17.3">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ii-p11.2">9:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiii-p17.2">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Num.xv-p6.3">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Num.x-p14.6">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xiv-p15.2">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxvii-p14.3">9:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxviii-p9.6">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p6.2">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p3.1">13:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p7.3">13:1-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Neh&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Num.xvi-p11.7">13:17</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Esther</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvii-p12.9">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p33.1">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p7.2">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xvii-p4.2">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xv-p6.1">5:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxii-p13.6">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Esth&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxiv-p3.3">9:19</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Job</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xviii-p21.3">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xx-p9.2">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Lev.v-p3.2">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xviii-p4.1">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iii-p9.4">1:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxi-p6.3">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Ex.ii-p12.2">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.v-p36.5">3:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Deu.vi-p3.4">4:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iv-p8.2">4:16-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iii-p9.5">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xx-p8.3">5:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxvii-p4.14">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Gen.x-p12.2">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xvi-p35.1">5:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxv-p10.5">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p16.12">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxix-p28.6">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xi-p11.2">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=7#Ex.ii-p3.6">8:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlv-p13.1">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxvii-p4.16">9:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxiii-p21.1">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iii-p9.6">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Gen.ii-p14.5">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xii-p29.6">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.vii-p24.2">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxi-p6.5">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlii-p13.2">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p30.6">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p30.6">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ix-p6.1">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxi-p6.5">12:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Gen.viii-p28.2">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxii-p3.3">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxviii-p10.3">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Num.ii-p10.11">12:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xliii-p14.2">13:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p39.7">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlviii-p11.5">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ix-p3.8">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Gen.v-p36.4">15:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=25#Num.xvi-p10.2">15:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xx-p18.6">16:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iii-p9.8">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xi-p15.4">18:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xx-p21.4">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iv-p66.3">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxvi-p14.7">19:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxv-p17.5">19:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiii-p37.14">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiii-p3.4">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Gen.v-p29.5">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Gen.viii-p17.3">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvi-p32.2">21:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Deu.viii-p12.4">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxiv-p16.3">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Gen.v-p48.1">21:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xvi-p32.2">21:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=25#Gen.iv-p51.3">21:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxiii-p39.5">21:28-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xvi-p34.3">21:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Gen.ii-p18.11">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Gen.viii-p34.2">22:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xiv-p22.1">22:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Num.vi-p4.2">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xv-p12.4">22:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxv-p12.1">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxii-p20.3">23:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p12.1">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxiii-p26.2">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xv-p16.5">23:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p3.4">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Num.vi-p10.3">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxii-p19.18">24:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p39.6">25:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p18.3">26:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=8#Gen.viii-p16.5">26:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Num.v-p8.7">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p7.4">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxv-p13.6">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiv-p19.2">26:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xv-p20.2">26:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ii-p14.2">26:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ii-p24.1">26:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Ex.iv-p25.4">26:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xiii-p21.9">27:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xv-p23.7">27:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxix-p14.2">27:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=2#Deu.ix-p11.3">28:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiv-p24.7">28:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=5#Gen.iii-p9.7">28:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=25#Gen.viii-p28.8">28:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=28#Deu.v-p17.2">28:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xvii-p6.5">29:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xx-p27.3">30:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xx-p27.3">30:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xl-p10.3">31:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p22.5">31:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvii-p27.5">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xx-p21.2">31:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvi-p26.5">31:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxi-p13.2">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxiii-p19.12">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxv-p10.3">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xvii-p7.4">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxvi-p20.9">31:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxii-p13.4">31:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xvii-p14.3">31:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xix-p5.4">31:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxxiii-p30.2">31:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=33#Gen.iv-p23.1">31:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxxviii-p15.1">31:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xix-p23.3">31:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xxiv-p9.5">31:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xx-p27.2">32:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iii-p8.5">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Num.ix-p12.5">32:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=14#Ex.iv-p8.2">32:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iii-p8.4">33:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iii-p8.3">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Deu.v-p19.8">33:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxi-p3.2">33:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xli-p5.1">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxii-p13.5">33:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xv-p4.2">33:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xli-p8.2">33:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xix-p29.2">34:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxi-p6.4">34:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=19#Lev.v-p11.5">34:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xiii-p20.4">34:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p7.5">35:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p1.1">35:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iii-p35.2">35:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iii-p26.4">36:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=13#Ex.viii-p13.2">36:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xv-p5.9">36:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=11#Gen.viii-p16.6">37:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=12#Gen.viii-p17.1">37:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=18#Gen.ii-p18.3">37:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ii-p35.1">38:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiv-p13.6">38:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=9#Gen.viii-p16.2">38:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p21.5">38:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=10#Gen.x-p16.2">38:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=19#Gen.ii-p16.2">38:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=22#Gen.ii-p18.8">38:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=22#Gen.viii-p16.4">38:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=22#Ex.x-p18.2">38:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ii-p16.2">38:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xxxii-p5.3">38:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p48.2">39:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxv-p9.4">39:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=20#Num.xiv-p12.10">39:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xii-p15.1">40:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xv-p23.12">40:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=12#Ex.vii-p3.5">40:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p30.2">41:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=34#Ex.vi-p5.3">41:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Job&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxi-p23.3">42:8-10</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Psalms</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xviii-p17.2">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#ii-p7.1">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Lev.ix-p13.7">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Num.xviii-p10.2">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.iii-p18.3">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ii-p9.2">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxviii-p10.7">2:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Ex.ii-p13.3">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p21.3">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xx-p10.2">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxviii-p15.3">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxi-p27.3">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxviii-p19.4">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Num.vii-p14.4">4:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvii-p4.13">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxv-p10.3">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ix-p12.2">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xx-p28.3">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p45.4">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Ex.ix-p4.2">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Gen.x-p18.11">7:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxii-p16.6">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p18.4">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p25.9">8:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Num.xvii-p27.6">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Deu.ix-p16.9">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxviii-p15.2">10:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xvii-p25.1">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiii-p22.2">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xx-p21.3">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Gen.v-p9.4">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p7.3">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxiv-p5.8">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Ex.vii-p3.3">12:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vii-p12.4">14:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvii-p3.3">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xv-p26.3">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxviii-p15.4">15:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Lev.iv-p7.9">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xviii-p7.5">16:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Lev.viii-p9.10">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Num.xii-p35.5">16:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiv-p15.7">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Gen.v-p43.2">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxvii-p5.5">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p5.2">18:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Deu.v-p19.3">18:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xx-p7.3">18:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=12#Ex.x-p18.8">18:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ix-p14.2">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=28#Num.ix-p3.4">18:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=33#Gen.l-p17.3">18:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=40#Gen.l-p8.3">18:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p19.7">19:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p27.1">19:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxviii-p6.3">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Num.xvi-p8.13">19:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Lev.v-p11.3">19:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p12.3">20:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xviii-p15.2">20:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xviii-p14.4">20:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxix-p14.3">21:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiii-p32.6">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=8#Gen.viii-p28.7">21:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p32.6">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Deu.viii-p12.3">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p13.2">22:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxii-p11.5">22:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Ex.iii-p7.3">22:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p26.3">22:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvii-p4.10">22:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xlviii-p21.7">22:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxv-p4.3">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xv-p20.3">24:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxi-p8.5">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xvi-p7.1">24:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxiii-p38.3">25:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=14#Gen.vii-p22.2">25:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xix-p18.1">25:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=4#Ex.ix-p21.4">26:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p5.3">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxii-p6.6">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Ex.ix-p21.4">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xx-p9.6">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxi-p8.8">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Num.x-p12.1">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvi-p3.6">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvi-p11.9">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiv-p21.5">27:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xli-p10.2">27:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Num.xvii-p35.2">27:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvii-p6.8">27:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=10#Ex.iii-p5.5">27:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxv-p11.6">27:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlvi-p14.2">27:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiv-p6.8">28:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvii-p11.3">28:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxi-p8.2">30:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxiii-p4.3">30:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvi-p7.2">31:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=20#Num.xvii-p35.2">31:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xvii-p25.3">31:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Num.xv-p28.4">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvii-p24.2">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=5#Lev.v-p5.8">32:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=6#Gen.viii-p35.3">32:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p44.3">32:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxx-p5.5">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxv-p11.5">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p14.2">33:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Gen.viii-p16.1">33:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p19.3">33:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Num.xvii-p21.5">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xviii-p14.4">33:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Num.iv-p10.5">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiii-p3.4">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxvii-p4.2">34:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xlviii-p16.6">34:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xvii-p16.4">35:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p18.2">36:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p5.1">36:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p41.2">36:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=6#Ex.x-p3.5">36:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxvi-p20.7">36:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlii-p11.3">37:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvi-p30.2">37:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxv-p5.2">37:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xlviii-p13.3">37:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxvii-p11.3">37:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=23#Num.x-p14.13">37:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xli-p3.1">37:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xvi-p34.5">37:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xx-p14.2">38:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=13#Num.xiii-p6.1">38:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xiii-p12.2">38:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxv-p3.7">39:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xi-p22.5">39:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=3#Num.xii-p5.1">39:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlviii-p11.4">39:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=5#Gen.v-p4.8">39:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxii-p6.4">40:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=1#Num.x-p7.3">42:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p21.3">42:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p46.1">44:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=3#Num.xv-p14.2">44:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxi-p14.4">44:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xvii-p27.2">44:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxi-p6.2">44:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=25#Gen.iv-p35.5">44:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xv-p5.8">44:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=2#Ex.v-p15.5">45:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iii-p40.4">45:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxvii-p6.4">45:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxvii-p6.2">45:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p18.3">46:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iii-p18.5">46:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=5#Num.iii-p3.6">46:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=5#Deu.v-p18.3">46:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=8#Gen.viii-p31.1">46:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=4#Num.iii-p3.3">47:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiv-p50.1">47:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iii-p20.2">47:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xiv-p24.7">48:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=14#Num.x-p14.10">48:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxvi-p10.13">49:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxvi-p27.4">49:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxvi-p21.6">49:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xvi-p28.4">49:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xvi-p4.11">49:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p35.3">49:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=3#Deu.vi-p5.11">50:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvi-p40.4">50:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxv-p9.1">50:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ix-p9.1">50:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p3.5">50:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxiii-p7.1">50:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxiii-p13.4">50:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=20#Gen.v-p23.5">50:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xv-p5.6">51:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=4#Lev.vi-p4.2">51:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=5#Gen.vi-p5.2">51:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xiii-p3.4">51:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xx-p11.2">51:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=9#Num.vi-p12.9">51:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxii-p5.2">51:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiii-p22.3">51:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiii-p4.6">53:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=5#Gen.v-p36.4">53:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ix-p12.4">55:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xii-p19.4">55:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=15#Num.xvii-p27.7">55:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p24.4">56:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxviii-p12.1">58:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=11#Gen.v-p37.2">59:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxviii-p5.4">60:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=7#Gen.l-p8.4">60:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=62&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xviii-p14.10">62:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p15.2">63:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=64&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p32.5">64:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=64&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxv-p13.2">64:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=64&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxiv-p5.9">64:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xii-p8.3">65:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxix-p7.8">65:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiv-p24.1">65:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p18.7">65:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p7.10">66:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xv-p22.1">66:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxix-p24.2">66:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxvi-p3.7">66:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxiv-p10.2">66:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=67&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxvii-p13.3">67:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p13.2">68:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xi-p16.2">68:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p48.2">68:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxxii-p17.2">68:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiv-p5.4">68:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxvi-p18.4">68:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=18#Num.xi-p13.4">68:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=68&amp;scrV=18#Num.xvi-p1.3">68:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p21.3">69:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=2#Num.xvii-p27.8">69:2-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxv-p12.2">69:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p21.3">69:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ii-p21.3">69:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=22#Gen.viii-p17.2">69:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=69&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xl-p20.4">69:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=72&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p3.13">72:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=72&amp;scrV=10#Deu.ix-p11.2">72:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=72&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxxii-p20.2">72:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=72&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xx-p7.3">72:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=72&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xv-p23.11">72:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=72&amp;scrV=15#Deu.ix-p11.2">72:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=73&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxvi-p15.1">73:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=73&amp;scrV=21#Lev.iii-p7.4">73:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=73&amp;scrV=24#Num.x-p14.9">73:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=73&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xviii-p7.5">73:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=74&amp;scrV=14#Num.xv-p13.2">74:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=74&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xv-p25.4">74:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=74&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ii-p16.13">74:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=74&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxvii-p18.5">74:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=76&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxv-p5.1">76:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=76&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xviii-p13.3">76:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=76&amp;scrV=8#Num.xi-p13.3">76:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=76&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxviii-p13.10">76:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=76&amp;scrV=11#Num.iii-p3.10">76:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=77&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xv-p22.2">77:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=77&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xv-p22.2">77:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=77&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xv-p22.2">77:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxiii-p10.4">78:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p10.4">78:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p10.4">78:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiv-p26.6">78:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xiii-p23.3">78:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xiv-p15.2">78:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xli-p10.5">78:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xviii-p6.4">78:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=18#Num.xii-p13.10">78:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=18#Gen.ii-p42.5">78:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=19#Num.xii-p11.1">78:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=19#Num.xii-p13.8">78:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xvii-p12.8">78:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=21#Num.xii-p5.3">78:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=26#Num.xii-p35.1">78:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xvii-p11.1">78:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=30#Num.xii-p35.6">78:30-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=32#Num.xii-p35.8">78:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=34#Ex.ix-p9.2">78:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=38#Deu.xxvi-p3.4">78:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=39#Gen.ix-p23.6">78:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=45#Ex.ix-p19.2">78:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=47#Ex.x-p18.6">78:47-48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xx-p11.2">78:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=49#Ex.xi-p15.10">78:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=54#Deu.iv-p13.3">78:54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=61#Num.xi-p6.8">78:61</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=78&amp;scrV=71#Ex.iv-p16.2">78:71</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=79&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p16.9">79:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=1#Num.ii-p7.2">80:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvi-p18.6">80:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=2#Num.xi-p6.7">80:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xlix-p12.5">80:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xix-p32.3">80:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxv-p17.3">80:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=80&amp;scrV=19#Ex.iv-p26.3">80:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=81&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiv-p13.4">81:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=81&amp;scrV=3#Num.xi-p3.19">81:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=81&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p19.3">81:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=81&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiii-p37.8">81:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=82&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxviii-p4.2">82:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=83&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xii-p23.3">83:3-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=83&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xviii-p15.4">83:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=83&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xviii-p15.4">83:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=83&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xx-p36.1">83:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=83&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xx-p21.8">83:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=83&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iv-p62.1">83:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=84&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxviii-p6.3">84:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=84&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxii-p16.11">84:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=84&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xviii-p6.7">84:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=84&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxii-p6.6">84:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=84&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxviii-p6.3">84:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=86&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iv-p12.2">86:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=86&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxii-p6.3">86:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=86&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxii-p27.2">86:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=87&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxvii-p5.1">87:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=88&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xiv-p12.2">88:8-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xvi-p7.8">89:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiv-p3.5">89:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxvi-p20.12">89:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=15#Num.xi-p3.7">89:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxix-p13.3">89:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxiii-p22.1">89:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiv-p12.5">89:20-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=89&amp;scrV=37#Num.xxix-p6.4">89:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p44.5">90:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p31.10">90:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiii-p39.3">90:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxii-p3.4">90:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxv-p8.2">90:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=10#Ex.vii-p15.4">90:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=11#Num.xvii-p27.4">90:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=12#Gen.vi-p10.2">90:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=90&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xlviii-p11.3">90:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p21.2">91:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p44.4">91:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p4.15">91:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxix-p28.8">91:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiii-p20.3">91:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=6#Ex.x-p5.2">91:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=7#Num.xv-p39.2">91:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p17.3">91:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=7#Gen.viii-p35.2">91:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxiii-p3.6">91:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=91&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iv-p35.9">91:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=92&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxi-p15.1">92:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=92&amp;scrV=6#Num.xv-p23.5">92:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=92&amp;scrV=12#Num.xviii-p7.1">92:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=92&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p6.6">92:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=93&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xii-p10.5">93:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=94&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiii-p36.3">94:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=94&amp;scrV=9#Ex.v-p15.6">94:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=94&amp;scrV=12#Deu.ix-p9.2">94:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=94&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxiii-p30.4">94:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=95&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ii-p21.6">95:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=95&amp;scrV=7#Num.xiv-p1.1">95:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=95&amp;scrV=10#Num.i-p3.14">95:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=95&amp;scrV=10#Gen.vii-p14.4">95:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=95&amp;scrV=11#Num.xv-p31.3">95:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=98&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxv-p17.2">98:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=99&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p4.2">99:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=99&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xli-p6.2">99:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=99&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxi-p12.2">99:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=100&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxviii-p6.4">100:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=101&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xl-p6.2">101:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=101&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxii-p21.2">101:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=102&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xii-p5.4">102:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=102&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxxiii-p18.4">102:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxviii-p6.3">103:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xv-p8.5">103:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=7#Num.viii-p19.2">103:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=10#Num.xv-p28.5">103:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p20.16">103:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p52.2">103:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xix-p3.6">103:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=103&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxix-p15.2">103:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p18.3">104:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p21.4">104:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxiv-p13.5">104:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iii-p24.1">104:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=9#Gen.viii-p16.2">104:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ii-p18.7">104:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xii-p9.4">104:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p42.4">104:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xvii-p6.3">104:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=25#Gen.ii-p30.3">104:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xvii-p12.4">104:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=29#Gen.iv-p52.1">104:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=31#Lev.ii-p5.9">104:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=104&amp;scrV=33#Gen.vi-p18.1">104:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xix-p8.2">105:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvi-p28.1">105:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xiii-p38.6">105:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxi-p5.1">105:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxvii-p8.7">105:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xlviii-p12.3">105:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlvi-p7.5">105:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xl-p20.2">105:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xlii-p3.2">105:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlii-p10.3">105:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=28#Ex.viii-p4.2">105:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xi-p15.1">105:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xi-p15.17">105:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=29#Ex.viii-p8.3">105:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=32#Ex.x-p18.7">105:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xi-p9.5">105:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=39#Num.x-p14.5">105:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xli-p10.5">105:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=105&amp;scrV=44#Num.xxix-p3.4">105:44-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=7#Num.xv-p6.4">106:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xvii-p4.2">106:7-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xv-p19.2">106:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xvi-p3.4">106:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxiii-p12.1">106:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxiii-p12.8">106:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxiii-p11.4">106:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=23#Num.xvii-p21.2">106:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiii-p16.2">106:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=24#Num.xiv-p14.4">106:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxvi-p3.6">106:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxvi-p4.4">106:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=31#Num.xxvi-p8.4">106:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=32#Deu.iv-p15.2">106:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxi-p11.5">106:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=35#Num.xxiv-p9.2">106:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=39#Deu.xxxiii-p29.2">106:39-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xl-p20.5">106:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=106&amp;scrV=46#Ex.xii-p4.2">106:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=1#Lev.viii-p6.1">107:1-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=4#Num.iii-p3.2">107:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=7#Num.x-p14.8">107:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxiv-p7.6">107:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p17.1">107:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxv-p22.4">107:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiv-p13.8">107:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xlii-p14.6">107:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=38#Num.ii-p10.10">107:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=38#Deu.xxix-p27.2">107:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=41#Num.ii-p10.10">107:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxxiv-p11.4">107:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=107&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xix-p18.2">107:43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=108&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxv-p16.7">108:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=109&amp;scrV=18#Num.vi-p12.10">109:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=110&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxi-p9.6">110:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=110&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxi-p8.7">110:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=110&amp;scrV=3#Gen.x-p30.5">110:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=110&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvi-p8.2">110:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=111&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xix-p4.2">111:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=112&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxiii-p18.4">112:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=112&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiv-p11.4">112:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=112&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xv-p6.2">112:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=113&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xii-p14.2">113:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=113&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxv-p7.2">113:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=113&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iii-p9.3">113:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=113&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxi-p11.5">113:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=114&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xv-p19.2">114:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=114&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xx-p15.3">114:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=114&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xviii-p6.5">114:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=115&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiii-p13.4">115:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=115&amp;scrV=16#Gen.x-p6.3">115:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p44.2">116:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ix-p12.3">116:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xi-p9.2">116:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=12#Lev.iv-p3.2">116:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxi-p4.3">116:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxii-p6.2">116:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=116&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xvi-p16.5">116:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xix-p3.5">119</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xx-p30.2">119:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxi-p5.15">119:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xii-p12.4">119:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=49#Num.xv-p24.3">119:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xxxiii-p18.3">119:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=59#Gen.ii-p46.4">119:59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=60#Gen.xviii-p26.2">119:60</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=74#Gen.xxii-p9.4">119:74</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=89#Deu.xxxiii-p3.3">119:89-91</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=105#ii-p9.2">119:105</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=111#Deu.xxxiv-p8.2">119:111</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=115#Gen.xiii-p5.5">119:115</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=120#Deu.x-p9.10">119:120</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=120#Ex.xiii-p20.5">119:120</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=126#Deu.xxviii-p16.2">119:126</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=128#Deu.v-p18.7">119:128</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=119&amp;scrV=130#Gen.ii-p1.2">119:130</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=120&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xiv-p19.5">120:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=120&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxvii-p18.1">120:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=120&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxiii-p7.2">120:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=120&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvii-p17.2">120:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=121&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p11.1">121:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=121&amp;scrV=4#Num.vii-p14.6">121:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=121&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xiv-p15.5">121:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=121&amp;scrV=6#Num.x-p13.1">121:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=121&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxix-p18.2">121:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=122&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p3.8">122:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=122&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p31.3">122:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=122&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p6.3">122:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=124&amp;scrV=8#Gen.ii-p11.1">124:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=124&amp;scrV=8#Ex.v-p15.2">124:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=125&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p21.4">125:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=126&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlii-p5.6">126:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=126&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xviii-p20.4">126:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=127&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxi-p5.2">127:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=127&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxii-p16.1">127:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=127&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxi-p9.4">127:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=128&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxxiv-p11.4">128:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=128&amp;scrV=6#Gen.li-p12.2">128:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=128&amp;scrV=6#Deu.iv-p7.6">128:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=131&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxvi-p12.4">131:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=132&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxix-p5.4">132:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=132&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxx-p10.2">132:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=132&amp;scrV=14#Num.xi-p10.2">132:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=132&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxix-p5.4">132:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=133&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p6.3">133:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=133&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxx-p11.2">133:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=135&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ix-p5.2">135:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=135&amp;scrV=11#Deu.iv-p3.1">135:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=135&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvii-p8.6">135:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=136&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p27.4">136:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=136&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xv-p19.2">136:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=136&amp;scrV=19#Num.xxii-p18.1">136:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=136&amp;scrV=19#Deu.iv-p3.1">136:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=136&amp;scrV=25#Gen.ii-p41.1">136:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=136&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xvii-p12.11">136:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=137&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p18.6">137:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=138&amp;scrV=2#ii-p11.2">138:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=138&amp;scrV=4#Num.viii-p10.1">138:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=138&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p37.3">138:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvii-p27.1">139:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p46.1">139:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p24.4">139:7-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iii-p8.2">139:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iii-p9.3">139:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iii-p9.10">139:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=139&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iv-p38.2">139:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=141&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxi-p4.3">141:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=141&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p17.4">141:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=141&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxi-p6.2">141:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=141&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xi-p11.3">141:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=142&amp;scrV=2#Num.xii-p4.1">142:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=142&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p11.2">142:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=142&amp;scrV=3#Ex.v-p21.2">142:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=144&amp;scrV=15#Gen.x-p29.3">144:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=145&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p38.6">145:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=145&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xix-p8.3">145:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=146&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xi-p16.2">146:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=146&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p21.8">146:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=146&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p28.2">146:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=146&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xi-p12.3">146:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=146&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xi-p16.2">146:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=146&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxiii-p17.2">146:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=147&amp;scrV=2#Ex.iii-p5.3">147:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=147&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ii-p3.3">147:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=147&amp;scrV=19#Deu.v-p18.8">147:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=147&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxv-p30.2">147:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=147&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiv-p8.1">147:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=148&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iii-p24.1">148:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=148&amp;scrV=8#Gen.ix-p5.3">148:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=148&amp;scrV=8#Ex.x-p17.2">148:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ps&amp;scrCh=148&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xx-p4.15">148:14</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Proverbs</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxvi-p12.8">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xiv-p10.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p16.3">1:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xv-p23.2">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxi-p6.21">1:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Gen.viii-p33.5">1:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxviii-p17.14">1:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiii-p23.2">1:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxi-p13.3">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.vi-p10.2">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Num.x-p14.12">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxv-p11.2">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiv-p8.8">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxviii-p15.4">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xvi-p6.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xix-p18.1">3:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxix-p14.6">3:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xi-p15.16">3:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p3.4">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iv-p7.1">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Gen.ix-p6.7">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xvi-p3.5">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Num.vi-p12.18">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxvii-p8.3">5:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Gen.l-p17.2">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlii-p10.1">6:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xviii-p5.3">6:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=23#Num.ix-p3.6">6:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=32#Gen.l-p4.5">6:32-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=34#Num.vi-p10.5">6:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxv-p19.2">6:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p8.5">7:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxiv-p16.5">7:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=19#Num.vi-p10.4">7:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xl-p18.2">7:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xv-p23.3">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxvi-p3.3">7:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=26#Gen.iv-p52.3">8:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=30#Gen.ii-p8.1">8:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxv-p13.4">8:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#Gen.ii-p36.1">8:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=36#Lev.v-p4.3">8:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxviii-p3.5">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p7.3">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xiii-p5.2">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Num.vi-p12.14">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xv-p15.2">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxix-p7.14">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xv-p15.2">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxix-p7.14">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xiv-p4.3">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvi-p9.6">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xx-p16.2">11:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvii-p4.6">11:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlii-p15.3">11:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=31#Deu.viii-p12.5">11:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxv-p16.8">12:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=15#Deu.ix-p8.3">13:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xix-p17.2">13:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxii-p9.7">13:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xiii-p21.9">13:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p11.2">14:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Gen.x-p22.3">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=28#Deu.viii-p11.1">14:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xii-p13.6">14:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvii-p14.2">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xiii-p16.4">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxiv-p16.4">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Gen.v-p9.1">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Gen.v-p9.5">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xix-p32.4">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Lev.viii-p9.8">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xii-p9.8">15:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Gen.ii-p16.10">15:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=32#Gen.iii-p10.2">15:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiv-p1.1">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvii-p22.2">16:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xiv-p13.3">16:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xvi-p35.3">16:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlix-p9.2">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxv-p16.4">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxiii-p21.2">17:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxvi-p3.2">17:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xv-p14.1">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Gen.vii-p31.3">18:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxiii-p10.3">18:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxv-p16.3">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxiii-p21.3">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvii-p15.4">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Gen.v-p12.2">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxv-p11.4">19:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=27#Gen.iv-p11.2">19:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxvi-p9.6">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xx-p16.2">20:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxvi-p9.6">20:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxviii-p5.2">20:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xliv-p6.3">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxiii-p21.4">21:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=27#Num.xxiv-p3.2">21:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xii-p22.1">21:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxi-p6.5">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvi-p3.10">22:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p13.7">23:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliv-p19.2">23:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xii-p11.8">23:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxii-p6.2">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xix-p5.2">23:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Gen.x-p10.3">23:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=31#Gen.iv-p19.1">23:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxvi-p26.6">23:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiii-p37.14">23:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxviii-p10.4">23:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xxx-p19.3">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Gen.x-p25.1">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p16.4">24:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxiv-p6.5">24:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Lev.iii-p7.2">25:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxiv-p6.2">25:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=27#Lev.iii-p7.2">25:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxiii-p6.7">26:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxviii-p10.7">26:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxviii-p13.3">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxvii-p12.2">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxii-p5.4">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p17.5">27:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxi-p6.2">27:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxv-p27.3">27:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxv-p8.1">27:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=22#Num.xii-p13.1">27:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=23#Gen.iii-p21.1">27:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxx-p3.3">27:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p14.5">28:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p10.2">28:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p36.4">28:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=13#Lev.v-p5.8">28:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xx-p6.3">28:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xx-p7.10">29:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxviii-p10.4">29:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=16#Gen.vii-p3.2">29:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvii-p12.3">29:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=24#Lev.vi-p3.4">29:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p23.3">30:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ix-p5.1">30:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=4#Ex.iv-p25.3">30:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=9#Deu.vii-p9.5">30:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxi-p6.2">30:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxi-p18.3">30:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvii-p12.3">30:21-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxii-p19.3">31:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=5#Num.vii-p6.5">31:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxii-p19.4">31:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xi-p3.12">31:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxiii-p19.12">31:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Num.vi-p10.9">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxii-p9.2">31:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxv-p13.3">31:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxvi-p13.6">31:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Prov&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxx-p3.7">31:26</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Ecclesiastes</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p21.2">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvi-p11.4">2:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvi-p11.4">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiii-p13.6">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ii-p25.5">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xlvi-p7.6">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xx-p20.3">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiii-p6.3">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p30.5">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iii-p3.3">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Deu.v-p8.2">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxii-p4.3">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xii-p25.3">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iv-p59.5">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxv-p3.4">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xli-p7.2">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxvii-p12.3">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxii-p5.3">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Ex.v-p17.3">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iii-p33.1">4:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlii-p10.4">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xx-p25.3">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iv-p9.2">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Ex.iv-p9.1">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxviii-p4.11">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxiv-p18.4">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvi-p3.5">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxi-p11.5">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxi-p4.3">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xv-p28.2">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Lev.vi-p3.6">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlii-p3.4">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Gen.l-p16.2">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxvii-p11.5">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiv-p29.6">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxi-p10.8">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xix-p11.3">7:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlii-p14.5">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxv-p32.2">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlii-p8.4">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxii-p3.1">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xliii-p14.3">7:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxvi-p3.4">7:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=29#Gen.ii-p37.2">7:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xlviii-p16.3">8:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Gen.v-p37.3">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Gen.v-p50.5">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Ex.ix-p9.2">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.vi-p5.8">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Lev.viii-p9.6">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xi-p10.2">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p43.3">9:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xv-p6.6">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Ex.ii-p6.2">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxviii-p6.4">9:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Deu.ix-p16.7">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xx-p6.2">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ii-p6.2">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxii-p33.10">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p17.3">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvii-p19.1">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p6.2">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xviii-p14.2">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxiv-p11.3">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiii-p21.4">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xvi-p4.5">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#ii-p4.3">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p16.9">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlix-p8.2">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Num.xviii-p8.2">12:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvii-p7.1">12:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p10.1">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eccl&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#ii-p2.1">12:13</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Song of Solomon</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxii-p10.4">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxi-p10.7">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvii-p6.5">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Num.xiii-p3.3">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiii-p3.2">2:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p26.10">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxii-p16.8">4:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Num.iii-p3.5">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxiii-p3.7">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiii-p26.9">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Ex.ix-p21.5">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxi-p11.2">7:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Num.vi-p10.6">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Song&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p10.10">8:6</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Isaiah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxiii-p19.3">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.viii-p9.2">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xx-p6.2">1:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxi-p11.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxvii-p14.2">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Gen.v-p9.2">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Gen.v-p36.3">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxi-p11.2">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxi-p4.8">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p36.3">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxvi-p4.2">1:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xx-p9.6">1:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxx-p9.3">1:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xvii-p7.3">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Gen.vii-p24.3">1:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ix-p3.4">1:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xv-p16.6">1:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xix-p14.9">1:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p31.2">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xii-p6.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p6.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxvi-p5.4">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxiii-p21.10">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p27.3">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlviii-p10.3">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiv-p19.2">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xx-p7.4">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxiv-p4.7">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xiv-p15.5">3:18-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxiv-p8.7">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxiii-p38.11">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Lev.iv-p5.6">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xli-p10.3">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Num.v-p8.5">4:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xiv-p15.6">4:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxvii-p8.2">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p37.12">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p9.2">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iii-p6.3">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Num.xv-p29.3">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvi-p7.9">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvi-p25.2">6:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvii-p6.7">6:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxx-p14.2">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Lev.ix-p9.3">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Ex.v-p15.9">6:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vi-p3.1">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xvi-p20.3">7:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xi-p6.3">7:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Ex.ix-p17.2">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxv-p4.6">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xii-p22.1">8:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxi-p9.3">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xi-p10.3">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#ii-p6.1">8:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#ii-p6.1">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p17.4">8:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Gen.vii-p3.4">9:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p7.9">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vi-p13.1">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Gen.viii-p33.7">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiii-p37.5">10:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p13.8">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlvi-p7.8">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Gen.li-p9.5">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#Ex.iv-p5.3">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Ex.viii-p9.3">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxii-p16.6">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p7.7">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Gen.viii-p22.1">11:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Num.iii-p3.4">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxii-p11.5">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=12#Num.iii-p3.4">11:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xv-p19.4">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xvi-p7.3">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xviii-p7.3">13:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xx-p21.10">13:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p14.2">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xi-p5.3">14:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxii-p7.4">14:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=29#Gen.iv-p6.2">14:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Ex.iii-p5.4">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p41.4">16:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xvi-p9.5">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p26.2">17:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiv-p6.5">19:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Ex.x-p4.4">19:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=10#Ex.viii-p8.4">19:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=25#Ex.iii-p10.1">19:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxvi-p12.13">19:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p20.5">21:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xlii-p14.3">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxi-p24.1">22:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=7#Gen.v-p7.3">23:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p32.6">23:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Gen.v-p7.6">23:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=7#Num.v-p8.9">25:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xvii-p6.4">26:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiii-p19.4">26:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=20#Gen.vii-p31.4">26:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=20#Gen.viii-p15.4">26:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xiii-p14.2">26:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxii-p4.2">26:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Num.x-p13.1">27:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiv-p15.5">27:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p24.2">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=4#Deu.v-p15.4">27:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xix-p28.2">27:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=7#Ex.x-p3.4">27:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Gen.vii-p15.3">27:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxiv-p13.7">27:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=13#Num.xi-p3.4">27:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=7#Num.vii-p6.6">28:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xi-p17.7">28:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Deu.i-p2.4">28:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=12#Ex.vii-p9.3">28:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ix-p12.1">28:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Gen.viii-p28.3">28:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Ex.x-p15.3">28:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxvii-p8.3">28:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Gen.iv-p59.6">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxi-p21.2">28:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxxii-p5.4">28:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xvi-p18.3">29:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxv-p9.2">29:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xv-p10.3">30:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiii-p37.6">30:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxvi-p5.3">30:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxiii-p21.10">30:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xi-p5.3">30:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxxiii-p32.3">30:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Lev.vii-p10.5">31:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxviii-p3.1">32:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxii-p16.4">33:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxv-p17.4">33:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xix-p18.3">33:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p47.2">33:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxiv-p3.4">33:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiii-p45.5">34:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ii-p13.2">34:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xii-p5.5">34:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=13#Deu.viii-p19.13">34:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=16#Ex.ix-p5.2">34:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiii-p9.4">35:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p41.5">37:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=11#Gen.vii-p11.2">37:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=23#Ex.vi-p5.2">37:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xvi-p9.13">37:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxiii-p22.4">37:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xv-p8.6">38:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xvii-p20.14">38:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxxiv-p15.3">40:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxix-p10.8">40:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=12#Num.xii-p23.2">40:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iii-p38.5">40:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxi-p8.3">40:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxi-p8.3">40:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xxii-p35.1">40:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xx-p4.5">40:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiii-p15.3">41:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xv-p15.3">41:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p44.4">41:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxi-p5.2">41:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ix-p12.2">41:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxii-p16.9">41:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=23#Num.xv-p30.2">41:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxii-p6.5">42:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xi-p3.3">42:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxii-p6.5">42:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#ii-p11.1">42:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxvii-p3.2">43:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xii-p4.5">43:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxv-p17.4">43:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p8.2">43:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvi-p43.5">43:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xx-p4.11">43:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxix-p10.4">43:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p44.5">43:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiii-p44.4">43:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiii-p44.4">43:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p44.4">43:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xviii-p6.8">43:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=21#Ex.i-p2.2">43:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxx-p5.3">43:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxi-p11.8">43:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=24#Gen.vii-p14.2">43:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=25#Num.vi-p12.8">43:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxxiii-p44.4">43:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=26#Gen.vii-p23.2">44:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p13.7">45:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p44.6">45:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p13.5">45:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xi-p12.2">45:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xv-p17.3">45:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xvi-p10.3">45:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxvi-p12.7">45:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxii-p12.2">45:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=23#Deu.vii-p10.2">45:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p41.7">46:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxii-p12.4">46:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiii-p21.9">46:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxiii-p44.4">46:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxiii-p10.2">46:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxi-p5.2">46:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xli-p8.3">46:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p41.6">47:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxiv-p7.4">47:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxiv-p25.2">47:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxii-p18.4">48:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=8#Gen.ix-p23.5">48:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xvi-p38.2">48:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxi-p6.9">49:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxv-p26.3">49:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ix-p3.2">49:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xii-p12.3">49:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxix-p10.9">49:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p10.2">49:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=4#Ex.v-p15.4">50:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=4#Deu.ii-p13.2">50:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=7#Gen.l-p21.4">50:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iii-p15.1">50:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xi-p15.5">50:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vi-p4.3">51:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p18.1">51:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxii-p17.3">51:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xviii-p13.2">51:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xiii-p38.2">51:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=20#Num.xviii-p11.2">51:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxi-p6.17">51:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiii-p38.2">51:22-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vi-p4.4">52:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxx-p9.2">52:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxxiv-p6.3">52:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xi-p15.19">52:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=15#Num.xx-p16.5">52:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=15#Lev.v-p7.3">52:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=2#Num.xviii-p9.2">53:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p20.9">53:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiii-p38.13">53:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxiii-p23.2">53:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=10#Lev.vii-p5.4">53:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=53&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p55.1">53:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xviii-p3.2">54:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxvii-p4.6">54:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxvii-p8.1">54:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxix-p10.2">54:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=9#Gen.x-p16.1">54:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=10#Gen.viii-p28.5">54:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=10#Gen.l-p22.4">54:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ix-p8.1">54:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xii-p7.1">54:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=54&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxiv-p25.5">54:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p6.1">55:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p8.14">55:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=9#Num.xv-p25.2">55:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p3.10">55:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=55&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ix-p6.2">55:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxii-p8.3">56:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=3#Num.xvi-p5.2">56:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxiv-p5.4">56:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxi-p4.9">56:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p14.8">56:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxi-p14.6">56:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiii-p26.7">56:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=56&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xlii-p8.3">56:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=57&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p33.3">57:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=57&amp;scrV=1#Gen.viii-p15.3">57:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=57&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxiv-p25.2">57:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=57&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xix-p12.2">57:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=57&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxiii-p20.5">57:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=57&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiii-p30.3">57:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p3.3">58:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p16.5">58:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxx-p5.7">58:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xv-p21.3">58:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=9#Deu.v-p18.4">58:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xvi-p6.2">58:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=58&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xvii-p16.2">58:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xix-p36.2">59:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xix-p20.3">59:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxiii-p16.3">59:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xii-p19.2">59:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiii-p39.6">59:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=59&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxiii-p23.1">59:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiv-p32.3">60:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxvi-p12.12">60:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xliii-p5.3">60:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxix-p12.5">60:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=60&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xlvii-p10.12">60:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=61&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxvi-p7.5">61:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=61&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxvi-p21.4">61:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=61&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxiii-p12.2">61:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=61&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxix-p7.5">61:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=61&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxix-p5.4">61:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=62&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p39.1">62:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=62&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xviii-p12.1">62:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xvii-p20.4">63:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiii-p30.4">63:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiii-p24.2">63:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxv-p10.1">63:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p37.2">63:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ix-p3.7">63:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xx-p29.3">63:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xv-p16.3">63:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=14#Num.x-p14.7">63:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=63&amp;scrV=14#Num.xi-p14.2">63:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=64&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iv-p15.2">64:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=64&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xiv-p12.3">64:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=64&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iii-p9.9">64:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvii-p28.7">65:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xv-p8.5">65:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xii-p3.5">65:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxiii-p7.4">65:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iv-p48.5">65:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxix-p14.11">65:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlviii-p16.5">65:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxvii-p11.2">65:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiii-p31.11">65:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=65&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxv-p12.3">65:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xii-p9.7">66:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xviii-p5.10">66:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiv-p5.6">66:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p8.1">66:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvi-p18.2">66:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiv-p9.4">66:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=21#Num.ii-p15.2">66:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=21#Lev.ix-p14.2">66:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxix-p6.10">66:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xx-p24.1">66:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Isa&amp;scrCh=66&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xv-p25.3">66:24</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Jeremiah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p16.12">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiii-p31.2">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Ex.v-p21.6">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvii-p20.2">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Num.vi-p12.13">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxiii-p37.10">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Gen.ii-p46.3">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xv-p6.5">2:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiii-p30.2">2:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Deu.xxxiii-p41.4">2:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxv-p13.2">2:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxv-p3.7">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iv-p4.5">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxi-p7.2">3:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxi-p3.3">3:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=23#Gen.viii-p28.1">3:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Gen.ii-p13.4">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxi-p5.6">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.v-p11.2">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxxiii-p36.4">5:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xx-p7.5">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiii-p25.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iii-p4.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Gen.v-p7.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ix-p19.3">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvii-p11.8">6:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xix-p35.2">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xx-p4.8">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=29#Num.vii-p7.5">7:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxiii-p30.6">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xx-p16.2">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxviii-p12.1">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvii-p17.5">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xiv-p13.2">10:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xx-p4.9">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xx-p4.9">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xix-p35.2">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxvii-p3.5">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p5.1">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Ex.x-p4.3">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiv-p47.3">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxvii-p15.12">13:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xliv-p15.3">13:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p15.12">14:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xix-p35.2">14:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxvii-p11.13">14:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxiii-p16.10">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxvii-p17.3">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xi-p16.3">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xi-p17.9">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Lev.v-p7.5">17:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Num.iii-p3.8">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xviii-p15.8">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxvi-p5.1">17:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiii-p8.2">18:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiii-p30.2">18:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=7#Ex.vi-p17.3">20:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxx-p23.3">22:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxvii-p6.1">22:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xviii-p12.3">22:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiv-p47.4">23:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=24#Gen.iv-p24.5">23:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xix-p19.4">23:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Num.xxiv-p14.5">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Num.vi-p13.4">24:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=8#Num.vi-p13.4">24:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Num.vi-p13.4">24:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xi-p3.2">25:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiii-p38.1">25:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xix-p19.7">28:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=11#Num.xv-p5.5">29:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=11#Gen.x-p3.3">29:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxiii-p10.1">30:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xix-p23.2">30:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxi-p28.2">30:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxi-p6.6">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxi-p6.6">31:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xliii-p16.2">31:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxix-p20.2">31:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=35#Gen.ii-p27.5">31:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiii-p16.11">33:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ix-p24.2">33:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xv-p6.3">34:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvi-p21.2">34:18-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=6#Num.vii-p6.3">35:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxix-p17.1">36:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxv-p8.5">42:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=2#Ex.vi-p5.4">43:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xii-p20.2">44:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=4#Gen.viii-p35.5">45:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxix-p15.27">48:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=16#Gen.viii-p28.6">49:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xx-p21.11">49:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p6.3">50:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xvii-p12.3">50:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xxxiii-p45.6">50:35-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxxiii-p9.2">50:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xv-p12.7">51:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=51&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xv-p12.7">51:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jer&amp;scrCh=52&amp;scrV=16#Gen.v-p5.1">52:16</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Lamentations</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p36.5">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xvi-p5.6">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Num.xix-p12.4">3:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xlii-p5.3">3:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiii-p44.7">3:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=37#Deu.xxxiii-p44.6">3:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=39#Gen.v-p36.2">3:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxix-p10.6">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxii-p10.3">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Num.vii-p4.7">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlviii-p17.3">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xliv-p5.2">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lam&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxix-p26.6">4:10</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Ezekiel</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p18.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p18.9">1:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iv-p23.1">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p11.2">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ix-p12.2">3:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#ii-p4.7">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Ex.iv-p23.1">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Ex.iv-p23.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Ex.vi-p17.5">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xii-p6.10">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vii-p29.2">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.iv-p23.1">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vii-p31.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xx-p23.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xx-p23.2">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p35.3">5:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ix-p3.3">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxi-p5.4">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Gen.vii-p14.3">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxi-p5.4">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xx-p18.3">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiv-p6.2">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiv-p6.2">11:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xix-p19.4">13:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p38.8">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Gen.viii-p35.4">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xx-p15.1">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xxvii-p13.15">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxix-p15.1">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Gen.x-p7.3">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iii-p7.2">16:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvii-p6.3">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxii-p6.1">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xix-p12.2">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=48#Deu.xxxiii-p37.11">16:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=49#Num.xxxv-p6.5">16:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xiv-p19.3">16:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Num.xvii-p21.6">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=25#Gen.v-p14.2">18:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=6#Num.xi-p11.1">20:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p8.3">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Ex.iii-p26.3">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiii-p11.2">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xviii-p7.7">20:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p16.2">22:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=48#Num.vi-p12.2">23:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxii-p4.3">24:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxiv-p50.1">24:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xv-p23.13">31:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvii-p14.8">33:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=13#Num.vii-p10.6">33:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=16#Num.xi-p6.10">34:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=17#Ex.ix-p18.5">34:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xvi-p5.5">36:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=32#Deu.x-p1.1">36:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xxxiv-p8.3">36:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p14.1">37:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=26#Num.x-p12.1">37:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxi-p3.2">41:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xli-p8.2">43:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxvi-p13.2">43:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=26#Lev.x-p3.1">43:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xi-p17.3">44:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxii-p10.3">44:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxiv-p18.6">44:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvi-p6.5">44:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xv-p15.3">44:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxviii-p10.2">45:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxviii-p11.6">45:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Ezek&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxix-p6.2">46:4-5</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Daniel</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p35.3">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ii-p42.6">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlii-p3.7">2:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xli-p8.4">2:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=34#Num.xxv-p21.1">2:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xxviii-p6.3">2:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=44#Ex.viii-p6.7">2:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxix-p15.26">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p41.5">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxvii-p11.9">3:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xlii-p3.7">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p18.10">4:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=35#Gen.iii-p3.2">4:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlii-p3.7">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xli-p11.4">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxi-p7.6">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xi-p4.2">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlii-p11.10">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxi-p2.1">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=25#Ex.ii-p13.2">7:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xi-p6.2">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxv-p6.1">8:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxx-p21.2">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xviii-p5.2">8:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p17.2">9:1-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Deu.v-p23.8">9:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxx-p23.10">9:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xvi-p24.1">9:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxxiii-p38.13">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Lev.ii-p5.4">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxiv-p4.6">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxv-p14.2">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xviii-p5.2">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p5.2">10:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Gen.l-p27.2">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxv-p13.7">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxiii-p18.2">10:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxxv-p3.1">11:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=32#Num.xxv-p17.9">11:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiii-p18.2">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p25.4">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxvii-p16.2">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxiv-p16.2">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xv-p7.1">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxvi-p14.2">35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Dan&amp;scrCh=1700&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxvii-p7.1">1700</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Hosea</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xliv-p3.2">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p41.3">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xv-p6.4">2:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p22.3">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iv-p59.4">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Ex.x-p18.5">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xvii-p17.2">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ix-p21.5">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxxiii-p14.7">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.ii-p22.5">2:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxv-p7.3">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxix-p22.3">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxiv-p19.8">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxii-p8.8">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Lev.vii-p16.3">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxi-p14.6">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Num.vi-p12.19">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p25.4">4:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Gen.vii-p6.2">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p44.8">6:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xii-p9.3">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Ex.vii-p11.3">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxv-p4.5">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiii-p21.3">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xli-p11.1">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxix-p15.30">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xviii-p12.2">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Deu.v-p11.3">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiv-p3.1">8:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Gen.i-p2.2">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.i-p2.3">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xi-p22.8">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iii-p4.2">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxx-p18.2">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxvi-p4.2">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxiii-p7.5">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxii-p11.5">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxiv-p3.5">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvii-p18.2">11:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iv-p24.3">11:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxi-p9.1">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxi-p13.3">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxv-p14.3">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxix-p23.5">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvi-p14.5">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p24.1">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p25.2">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxiii-p26.3">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxvi-p19.2">12:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxx-p7.4">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxix-p3.1">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p7.2">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p39.4">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=2#Lev.iv-p5.2">14:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xviii-p14.4">14:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=4#Deu.viii-p11.4">14:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xii-p8.5">14:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxv-p6.5">14:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxvi-p5.2">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlvi-p5.2">14:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiii-p6.4">14:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hos&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xix-p18.2">14:9</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Joel</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxix-p15.12">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Lev.iii-p4.1">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p7.4">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p3.12">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Ex.ix-p5.1">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xi-p9.1">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Lev.iii-p4.2">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Num.xi-p3.6">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Lev.v-p7.1">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Joel&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=28#Num.xiii-p8.2">2:28</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Amos</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxi-p19.2">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxiii-p7.6">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p35.7">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Num.vii-p4.6">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Num.vii-p6.2">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p14.1">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxvii-p6.1">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxi-p12.1">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxx-p23.5">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Gen.vi-p16.1">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Num.xv-p18.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Gen.vii-p22.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p26.3">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxvii-p9.4">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xii-p9.2">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p7.2">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Num.xii-p20.2">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxi-p7.3">5:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxix-p3.2">5:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxi-p10.11">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xli-p11.6">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xiii-p17.2">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xiii-p17.2">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxix-p6.7">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxvi-p9.2">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p18.3">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxvii-p4.4">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxx-p23.11">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Amos&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiv-p50.1">24:6</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Obadiah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Obad&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.viii-p28.6">1:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Obad&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Gen.x-p22.2">1:12</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Jonah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jonah&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p37.1">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jonah&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p21.6">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jonah&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxii-p7.1">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jonah&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxix-p24.2">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jonah&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iv-p24.6">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jonah&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ix-p3.9">4:11</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Micah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiv-p14.4">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxvi-p10.2">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Deu.iii-p17.3">4:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p13.8">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiv-p32.5">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p3.11">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p18.6">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxix-p20.1">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxi-p11.8">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxiii-p8.3">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Num.xiii-p3.2">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxi-p4.3">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvi-p12.3">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxiii-p1.1">6:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Lev.ii-p3.1">6:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Lev.v-p4.2">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvii-p3.5">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Gen.iv-p35.6">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xv-p14.2">7:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvii-p20.15">7:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxvii-p18.6">7:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mic&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Ex.vii-p5.4">7:20</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Habakkuk</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiii-p37.7">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p42.3">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Deu.ix-p16.8">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p21.3">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xx-p28.2">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiv-p3.3">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxv-p30.2">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxviii-p5.3">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ix-p16.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xlii-p3.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Ex.ii-p3.10">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiv-p4.2">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiii-p19.10">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxvi-p26.4">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxii-p16.4">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxx-p19.4">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.x-p21.5">2:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxi-p8.5">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ix-p3.6">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxiv-p5.2">3:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiv-p24.5">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xx-p15.5">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiv-p25.5">3:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xiii-p29.2">3:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hab&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Lev.ix-p13.11">7:21</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Zephaniah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zeph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Num.xiii-p4.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zeph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxiii-p36.1">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zeph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xx-p21.12">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zeph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxvii-p15.11">3:19-20</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Haggai</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Num.v-p12.6">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxix-p7.11">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiv-p10.4">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Num.v-p12.6">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Num.xvi-p6.3">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxix-p7.11">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxvi-p20.6">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxiv-p18.5">2:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Hag&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Lev.viii-p10.2">2:12</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Zechariah</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxiii-p18.3">1:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xli-p9.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxix-p5.5">3:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Gen.vi-p16.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxv-p4.8">4:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxviii-p6.2">4:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xiv-p11.4">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Gen.ii-p47.1">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ix-p6.6">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxviii-p8.1">4:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Num.vi-p12.11">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xv-p12.2">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.ix-p3.5">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Num.xiv-p4.4">6:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Num.xviii-p9.1">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxix-p13.10">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxiv-p32.1">8:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Num.xi-p8.6">8:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xiii-p18.1">8:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xiv-p9.3">8:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxii-p27.3">8:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxv-p10.2">8:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxvii-p16.1">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxiii-p21.5">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxiii-p21.5">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvii-p21.3">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xi-p6.2">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvi-p39.3">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xv-p23.5">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Gen.vii-p14.5">12:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Gen.ix-p16.5">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Num.xx-p9.5">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxi-p8.2">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxiii-p23.2">13:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxiv-p21.2">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xii-p8.2">14:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlii-p7.1">14:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=18#Ex.viii-p8.6">14:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Zech&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xii-p7.10">14:20-21</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Malachi</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xx-p5.2">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Lev.iv-p7.8">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxiii-p14.9">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xviii-p3.3">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xiii-p9.5">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxi-p3.3">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xviii-p7.3">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxvi-p20.8">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Lev.iv-p7.8">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxiii-p14.9">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxiii-p14.9">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Lev.iii-p9.6">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxii-p1.1">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxvi-p8.7">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiv-p15.4">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ix-p13.10">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Num.x-p7.2">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxi-p11.5">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p18.4">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvi-p16.2">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xiii-p11.9">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxii-p5.3">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iii-p40.5">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ii-p38.2">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.v-p47.1">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxx-p10.7">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Num.xv-p25.3">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvii-p4.7">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xi-p22.9">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.viii-p23.2">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.v-p21.7">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxix-p10.5">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.ix-p18.4">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxv-p15.1">4:4</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Matthew</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.i-p5.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p25.1">1:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p25.2">1:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xx-p36.2">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxix-p6.1">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxix-p12.1">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Num.iii-p5.4">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xx-p36.2">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxv-p17.6">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iii-p4.9">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p20.7">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvii-p31.3">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxi-p3.3">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xx-p7.7">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p8.4">4:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Deu.ix-p7.4">4:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxvi-p3.5">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvii-p16.6">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Deu.i-p3.7">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p19.3">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Deu.i-p3.7">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Deu.vii-p10.7">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Deu.i-p3.7">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiv-p31.1">4:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxviii-p9.5">5:3-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ix-p7.2">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p25.10">5:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxvi-p22.6">5:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Num.ix-p3.9">5:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=16#Gen.x-p29.5">5:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxv-p26.1">5:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxv-p4.2">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxxvi-p10.4">5:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Gen.v-p23.4">5:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Gen.x-p13.3">5:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxi-p19.3">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Gen.l-p6.3">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Num.x-p9.2">5:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Gen.iv-p19.1">5:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxi-p20.3">5:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xiii-p5.4">5:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Num.xxvi-p10.2">5:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxi-p11.4">5:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xxi-p11.7">5:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxii-p16.2">5:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xxv-p14.7">5:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xxii-p16.3">5:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xiv-p15.5">5:39-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=44#Num.xv-p20.1">5:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=44#Ex.xviii-p6.2">5:44-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=45#Gen.xv-p15.2">5:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Deu.vi-p5.3">6:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xvii-p12.6">6:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=25#Deu.ix-p8.1">6:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxiv-p8.3">6:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p43.2">6:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxix-p8.1">6:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p18.3">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxiii-p11.1">7:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xx-p18.5">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Gen.viii-p33.6">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Ex.ix-p7.2">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=24#Gen.vii-p31.5">7:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xiv-p3.2">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xv-p5.10">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxiii-p15.2">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xix-p9.3">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Num.vii-p8.2">8:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Gen.li-p3.7">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=25#Num.xi-p3.16">8:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=20#Num.xvi-p13.2">9:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=36#Num.xxviii-p11.2">9:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxviii-p11.3">9:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xx-p3.1">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xx-p21.15">10:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xv-p12.2">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Ex.v-p16.2">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=37#Ex.v-p26.2">10:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xix-p7.1">10:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=42#Gen.xxv-p12.5">10:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p20.4">11:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxviii-p17.11">11:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxv-p15.1">11:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Num.xiii-p4.4">11:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiii-p10.2">12:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxiii-p10.2">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxv-p6.2">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxx-p17.8">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xvi-p3.6">12:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=47#Lev.xi-p14.5">12:47-48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=48#Lev.xxii-p9.6">12:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=48#Deu.xxxiv-p17.4">12:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=50#Gen.xiii-p13.4">12:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xix-p19.2">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ix-p15.3">14:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxi-p6.3">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxi-p18.6">15:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxi-p7.2">15:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxi-p11.1">15:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xii-p11.6">15:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxviii-p13.4">15:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Gen.vii-p12.3">15:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxxiii-p15.3">15:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p25.6">16:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p45.1">16:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xix-p18.3">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxiv-p15.4">17:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxxi-p6.2">17:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Num.xiii-p9.1">18:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p38.5">18:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxii-p31.2">18:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xviii-p6.4">18:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxv-p3.4">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Gen.viii-p9.1">19:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iii-p40.2">19:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ii-p38.3">19:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Gen.v-p47.1">19:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxx-p10.5">19:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxv-p3.1">19:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Gen.viii-p9.1">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiii-p51.2">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xiii-p26.1">19:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxiii-p31.6">19:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xix-p5.3">19:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxv-p10.4">20:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxxv-p8.2">20:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xlviii-p3.2">20:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p27.2">20:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=27#Num.iii-p5.2">20:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxi-p18.5">21:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=45#Gen.xxxviii-p6.3">21:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxi-p10.12">22:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxix-p15.6">22:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxvi-p6.3">22:24-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=31#Ex.iv-p10.4">22:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xx-p18.3">22:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xv-p28.3">23:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Deu.vii-p8.4">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=17#Lev.ix-p7.8">23:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxx-p18.2">23:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xvi-p32.3">23:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xxxiii-p39.2">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Gen.v-p9.3">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Gen.v-p23.1">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=35#Gen.v-p29.7">23:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=37#Num.xv-p15.2">23:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=37#Gen.ii-p14.3">23:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xx-p4.6">23:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxix-p22.1">24:4-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxii-p19.2">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxvi-p16.5">24:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxi-p8.2">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxii-p23.8">24:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxix-p24.2">24:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=31#Num.xi-p3.9">24:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Gen.viii-p33.6">25:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxix-p10.2">25:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xl-p6.3">25:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xix-p19.2">25:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xii-p23.4">25:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=32#Ex.ix-p18.5">25:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=37#Deu.xxix-p6.2">25:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xv-p8.4">26:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxvi-p13.3">26:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=52#Ex.xxii-p16.4">26:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=63#Lev.vi-p3.1">26:63-64</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=75#Gen.xliv-p15.4">26:75</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxii-p6.7">27:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=51#Ex.xxvii-p10.4">27:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxxv-p26.4">28:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxix-p22.4">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Deu.vii-p3.2">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiv-p15.5">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxvi-p23.2">28:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Matt&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxx-p22.4">28:20</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Mark</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xv-p8.10">1:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xii-p6.9">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xli-p11.2">6:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxviii-p11.3">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xlvi-p8.7">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p22.2">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xv-p7.5">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=38#Num.xii-p32.5">9:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=49#Lev.viii-p9.5">9:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=49#Lev.iii-p8.4">9:49-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxi-p20.2">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xiv-p4.4">10:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=32#Deu.vii-p6.1">12:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=33#Deu.vii-p7.2">12:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=33#Lev.ii-p7.3">12:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=34#Deu.ii-p18.2">12:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=41#Num.viii-p17.2">12:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxi-p15.3">16:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iii-p17.3">16:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Mark&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iv-p35.10">16:18</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Luke</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Deu.vii-p15.3">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xi-p3.9">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxix-p13.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxi-p4.4">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Num.vii-p4.3">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xix-p11.4">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xxii-p9.2">1:46-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=51#Ex.viii-p3.4">1:51-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=58#Gen.xxii-p9.3">1:58</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=73#Gen.xxiii-p31.7">1:73-75</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=74#Gen.xxiii-p31.9">1:74</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=74#Ex.xxi-p4.2">1:74</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=74#Deu.xxxii-p11.1">1:74-75</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=74#Ex.xvi-p16.5">1:74-75</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=80#Gen.xxii-p11.2">1:80</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p8.8">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xix-p8.4">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Ex.iv-p4.2">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xiii-p5.2">2:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xxxix-p6.1">2:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xxii-p11.2">2:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=46#Ex.xiii-p16.1">2:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=51#Gen.xxxviii-p7.2">2:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p39.2">3:1-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Lev.x-p7.2">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=36#Gen.vi-p1.2">3:36-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xvi-p4.10">6:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=35#Deu.xxiv-p17.2">6:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Gen.li-p5.2">7:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xl-p11.1">7:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xl-p11.1">7:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=46#Deu.xxxiv-p39.4">7:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ii-p25.3">8:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xxxv-p32.1">9:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=46#Ex.iii-p18.1">9:46-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=52#Num.xxi-p16.3">9:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p18.4">10:1-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Num.vii-p15.2">10:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iv-p39.10">10:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xv-p20.7">10:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xix-p11.2">10:40-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Deu.vi-p5.4">11:2-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxv-p5.9">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Num.xx-p7.2">11:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=44#Num.xx-p14.1">11:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=52#Gen.v-p12.3">11:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiii-p31.2">12:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxiii-p7.3">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ix-p3.1">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxviii-p5.3">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxiv-p10.2">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xliii-p19.1">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxvii-p4.5">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xvi-p34.2">12:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=47#Deu.xxvi-p3.5">12:47-48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=49#Gen.xxvi-p14.2">12:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=51#Gen.xxvi-p14.2">12:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xix-p35.1">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p38.5">13:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxviii-p19.3">13:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=25#Gen.viii-p24.4">13:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxviii-p17.15">13:25-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xix-p19.3">13:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Num.iii-p5.1">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xvi-p4.10">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xviii-p5.3">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xiii-p5.3">14:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxiii-p23.3">14:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxx-p12.3">14:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxi-p5.3">15:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xlvi-p5.2">15:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Gen.iv-p59.1">15:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=28#Gen.v-p14.1">15:28-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxii-p19.2">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxvii-p9.7">16:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xlii-p8.9">16:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xx-p17.3">17:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xiv-p12.4">17:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xv-p5.10">17:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=26#Gen.viii-p33.3">17:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=27#Gen.vi-p12.1">17:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xx-p24.2">17:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xx-p23.1">17:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiv-p26.4">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvi-p12.4">18:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Ex.iv-p13.2">18:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=10#Gen.v-p7.7">18:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiv-p5.5">18:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Gen.v-p12.1">18:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxiv-p4.4">18:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Lev.vii-p5.2">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxx-p12.5">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiii-p13.1">19:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=40#Num.xxiii-p19.10">19:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=42#Ex.xxxiii-p38.6">19:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=34#Gen.ii-p38.4">20:34-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=37#Deu.xxxiv-p25.3">20:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=37#Ex.iv-p10.3">20:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxviii-p4.12">21:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xvii-p7.5">21:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Ex.v-p15.3">21:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxx-p17.7">21:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=34#Gen.x-p21.4">21:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xi-p17.5">21:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=24#Ex.iii-p18.1">22:24-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xi-p6.1">22:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xiv-p14.1">22:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=28#Num.xi-p8.11">22:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxv-p13.8">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxvi-p20.9">22:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=35#Deu.ix-p8.2">22:35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xiii-p8.9">23:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=29#Ex.iii-p4.1">23:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xvii-p28.4">24:31-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=45#Ex.v-p15.7">24:45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=50#Deu.xxxiv-p3.2">24:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Luke&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=51#Gen.xv-p19.1">24:51</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">John</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xix-p16.4">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p10.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#ii-p4.5">1:1-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p8.2">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p16.6">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p8.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxiv-p21.1">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xix-p17.2">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xli-p8.1">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xli-p11.4">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxii-p7.1">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlii-p11.11">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxix-p11.8">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xiii-p8.2">1:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xvii-p20.12">1:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=51#Gen.xxix-p15.3">1:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Ex.v-p5.2">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Num.xii-p29.1">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxii-p9.3">3:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Gen.ii-p16.1">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Num.xii-p32.2">3:26-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxv-p9.3">3:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=31#Gen.iv-p54.3">3:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=36#Deu.xix-p18.4">3:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=36#Deu.xxx-p20.3">3:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xvi-p42.2">3:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlix-p13.5">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xviii-p6.11">4:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xviii-p7.1">4:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xiii-p9.6">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxv-p18.2">4:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxii-p11.1">5:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xv-p7.3">5:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Gen.iii-p3.4">5:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=36#Ex.v-p5.1">5:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=39#ii-p10.2">5:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=46#Deu.xxxi-p12.2">5:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=46#Ex.i-p2.5">5:46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xix-p15.2">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlii-p8.8">6:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=32#Num.xii-p14.2">6:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xvii-p7.11">6:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=38#Lev.ix-p9.8">6:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=48#Gen.iii-p17.2">6:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=49#Gen.ii-p42.3">6:49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=49#Ex.xvii-p16.5">6:49-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=53#Gen.iii-p17.2">6:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=53#Ex.xiii-p10.1">6:53-55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=68#Gen.xvii-p20.3">6:68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Num.xiii-p3.4">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xix-p16.6">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xx-p7.9">7:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=32#Lev.xxvi-p20.11">7:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=37#Lev.xxiv-p17.8">7:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=37#Num.xxx-p5.4">7:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=38#Num.xxii-p16.7">7:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xviii-p6.11">7:38-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxi-p13.4">8:3-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Num.vi-p12.1">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xix-p16.3">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xii-p17.3">8:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=34#Deu.xxxiv-p7.2">8:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxxix-p1.3">8:41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=53#Gen.xvi-p34.1">8:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=56#Gen.xvi-p13.3">8:56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=56#Gen.xviii-p20.2">8:56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=3#Ex.v-p15.8">9:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ii-p25.8">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ii-p16.6">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxii-p11.3">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=36#Deu.xxxi-p12.4">9:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Num.v-p12.5">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxiii-p38.12">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxx-p3.5">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=18#Lev.ix-p9.8">10:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xxxiv-p6.7">10:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxiii-p8.3">10:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xviii-p4.6">10:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xviii-p3.1">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p25.7">11:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p3.1">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=42#Deu.xxxiv-p12.4">11:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=51#Gen.xxii-p17.4">11:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=51#Deu.xxxi-p6.10">11:51-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=52#Gen.l-p8.13">11:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxiv-p17.6">12:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxix-p6.3">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Ex.ii-p3.9">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Num.xv-p29.2">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#ii-p11.3">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=32#Gen.l-p8.12">12:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=33#Num.xxii-p11.4">12:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xii-p6.13">12:37-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=48#Deu.xix-p18.6">12:48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxi-p8.6">13:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxiii-p5.2">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxx-p9.5">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxi-p8.6">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Deu.viii-p17.3">14:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Gen.v-p44.2">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xvii-p28.6">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#ii-p7.2">14:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xviii-p5.4">14:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=31#Lev.ix-p9.8">14:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxx-p15.9">15:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxvii-p4.21">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Num.xviii-p8.1">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvi-p27.2">16:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxii-p22.5">16:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#ii-p7.5">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iv-p44.1">16:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=32#Deu.xxxv-p4.2">16:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxix-p12.1">16:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxix-p3.2">16:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvii-p21.7">17:1-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xvii-p21.5">17:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=11#Num.xi-p6.11">17:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xx-p4.4">17:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxviii-p4.1">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxix-p13.7">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxx-p18.3">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvii-p20.2">17:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xlvi-p8.9">17:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xvi-p11.10">17:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxxi-p4.2">17:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiv-p7.3">17:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxiii-p14.11">18:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xxiii-p14.11">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiii-p19.1">19:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxii-p22.3">19:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xiii-p8.11">19:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=34#Lev.xv-p5.1">19:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=36#Ex.xiii-p8.11">19:36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=John&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxx-p24.3">21:22</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Acts</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Lev.ix-p13.3">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxx-p24.3">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxiv-p10.7">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxix-p8.5">2:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p21.1">2:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xx-p7.8">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Lev.x-p12.2">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Num.xx-p10.4">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Gen.li-p9.6">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Gen.iv-p55.2">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=38#Gen.xxix-p4.3">2:38-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=40#Num.xii-p12.2">2:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=40#Gen.xiii-p5.5">2:40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=44#Lev.xxvi-p3.7">2:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=47#Deu.xxxiv-p49.3">2:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xix-p15.1">3:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=26#Num.vii-p13.3">3:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xiii-p13.2">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxv-p32.2">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Ex.ii-p12.5">4:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxiii-p14.4">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxxi-p4.2">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xii-p4.3">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xv-p6.1">5:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=29#Ex.ii-p12.5">5:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=33#Ex.xv-p6.1">5:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vii-p3.3">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.ii-p9.2">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Lev.ii-p3.3">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Deu.ii-p9.2">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiii-p3.1">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xii-p29.4">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiii-p3.2">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxiv-p5.2">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xviii-p16.1">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p3.1">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Deu.vi-p3.2">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlvii-p10.10">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xiv-p13.14">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=20#Ex.iii-p4.3">7:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Ex.iii-p9.2">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Ex.v-p12.2">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p14.1">7:23-53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=25#Ex.iii-p19.4">7:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=27#Ex.iii-p19.4">7:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=37#Deu.xix-p15.1">7:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=38#Deu.xxxiii-p16.2">7:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xxxiii-p9.1">7:39-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=41#Ex.xxxiii-p39.4">7:41-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=42#Num.xxix-p3.3">7:42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=44#Ex.xxvi-p16.4">7:44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=51#Ex.iii-p14.2">7:51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=53#Deu.xxxiv-p5.5">7:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=53#Ex.xx-p14.4">7:53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Gen.li-p5.2">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxiii-p6.4">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#ii-p7.8">8:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iii-p19.3">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxiv-p7.4">9:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=31#Gen.ix-p8.2">9:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=39#Ex.xxxvi-p13.7">9:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxv-p5.6">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xii-p11.2">10:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xxxi-p6.4">10:34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=34#Num.x-p9.9">10:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlii-p5.5">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxv-p30.3">12:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Deu.ii-p21.6">13:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=50#Ex.xxxix-p6.2">13:50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xix-p11.4">14:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xii-p8.4">14:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxviii-p16.6">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxi-p11.7">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiii-p13.5">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=18#Gen.ii-p46.2">15:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxxii-p10.1">15:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xviii-p9.6">15:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=39#Gen.xiv-p22.2">15:39-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ii-p7.1">17:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ii-p11.3">17:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=24#Gen.x-p6.4">17:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=26#Num.xxxv-p4.1">17:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiii-p13.3">17:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p38.5">17:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=18#Num.vii-p11.2">18:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=24#ii-p7.4">18:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Deu.viii-p8.5">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxiv-p16.2">19:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxxiv-p17.3">20:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxiv-p17.3">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxv-p6.4">21:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xvi-p35.2">21:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=24#Num.vii-p11.10">21:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=24#Num.vii-p4.8">21:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=27#Num.vii-p11.1">21:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxiii-p21.3">23:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Ex.iv-p10.6">24:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Acts&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Ex.iv-p10.6">26:6-7</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Romans</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Gen.x-p30.4">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Gen.v-p31.1">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxiii-p39.5">1:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xix-p13.2">1:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxi-p8.4">1:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xx-p7.2">1:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxix-p10.2">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxi-p15.4">2:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Num.vi-p13.1">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Lev.v-p5.5">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxi-p5.4">2:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xxvii-p17.4">2:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xi-p13.2">2:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxvii-p15.10">2:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=29#Deu.xxxi-p6.19">2:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xx-p12.5">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xix-p27.3">3:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xix-p29.1">3:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ii-p11.1">3:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Deu.x-p9.2">3:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvi-p13.5">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxiii-p7.7">4:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xviii-p16.3">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xviii-p11.1">4:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xviii-p12.5">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xvi-p13.2">4:19-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xviii-p20.3">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvi-p7.4">5:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiii-p9.1">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxx-p15.10">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xv-p8.9">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xvii-p22.1">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Gen.iv-p1.1">5:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Gen.iv-p52.4">5:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#ii-p10.1">5:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iv-p19.4">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=20#Lev.v-p3.4">5:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Lev.v-p5.12">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xv-p12.8">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxvi-p20.6">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=12#Deu.viii-p19.3">6:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Deu.viii-p19.3">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iv-p62.2">6:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xvi-p3.2">6:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxvi-p20.6">6:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#ii-p5.7">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p54.1">7:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxxv-p7.2">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxi-p23.2">7:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p32.1">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xl-p15.4">7:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxi-p11.9">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xiv-p4.3">7:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xiv-p4.3">7:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvi-p12.4">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiii-p9.7">8:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Num.xii-p3.2">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxii-p11.2">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxxv-p12.3">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Num.x-p14.11">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Deu.ii-p4.6">8:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xiii-p6.1">8:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxvii-p13.20">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.v-p29.6">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.iv-p35.1">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Ex.x-p4.2">8:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xviii-p5.8">8:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p32.4">8:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxiii-p19.13">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Gen.v-p29.6">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=22#Ex.x-p4.2">8:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxxiii-p26.4">8:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xiv-p4.4">8:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=37#Gen.l-p15.4">8:37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=39#Num.xxiv-p7.5">8:39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvi-p12.5">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.vi-p3.2">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxii-p17.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xviii-p24.3">9:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xix-p9.3">9:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxviii-p17.8">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvi-p16.3">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiv-p19.9">9:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxviii-p17.7">9:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=17#Ex.x-p14.6">9:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xviii-p24.3">9:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxviii-p17.9">9:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=32#Gen.xxviii-p17.10">9:32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxviii-p16.4">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xix-p3.8">10:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxi-p12.1">10:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xx-p5.2">10:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xii-p6.13">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=17#ii-p3.1">10:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiii-p31.4">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p23.4">11:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Num.xvii-p36.1">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xii-p6.15">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xx-p8.4">11:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxix-p28.7">11:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxvii-p4.31">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=11#Gen.x-p30.3">11:11-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xix-p14.12">11:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xx-p25.1">11:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxvii-p18.8">11:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=28#Deu.x-p7.3">11:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Gen.vii-p14.7">11:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=33#Deu.xxx-p24.1">11:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p9.11">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxv-p11.2">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xv-p7.2">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Num.iv-p3.2">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xiii-p4.2">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=19#Gen.li-p9.3">12:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xviii-p6.2">12:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvii-p9.2">13:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Gen.x-p13.4">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxii-p16.7">13:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p18.4">13:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Deu.vii-p10.3">14:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xx-p14.3">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxii-p20.2">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xii-p11.5">14:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxix-p10.2">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=4#ii-p5.1">15:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xii-p21.2">15:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxiii-p46.2">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxvii-p3.5">15:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvi-p13.5">16:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiv-p51.2">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Gen.iv-p39.12">16:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rom&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxix-p9.2">16:25</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Corinthians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Num.xii-p32.4">1:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxv-p15.2">1:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxvi-p18.2">1:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=30#Gen.iv-p18.3">1:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#ii-p8.1">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xvi-p8.2">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#ii-p4.6">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlii-p3.6">2:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p13.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxv-p17.5">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Deu.v-p15.4">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Num.vi-p4.3">3:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Num.vi-p13.2">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxvi-p4.5">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xix-p14.3">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Gen.ii-p39.1">3:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxxiv-p14.4">3:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxi-p14.3">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiii-p18.3">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvi-p16.4">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xix-p5.1">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Gen.x-p22.4">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxi-p14.3">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvii-p4.7">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvii-p4.14">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p8.1">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiv-p6.3">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xiii-p11.1">5:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Num.vi-p5.1">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxix-p8.2">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiv-p13.1">5:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xv-p14.2">5:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Num.vi-p5.1">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xiv-p13.4">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iii-p19.2">6:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Num.xx-p16.1">6:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlii-p8.7">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Lev.iii-p5.8">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iii-p9.12">6:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxx-p10.8">7:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xx-p9.8">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxi-p9.2">7:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Gen.viii-p24.2">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxi-p6.4">7:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xxx-p12.7">7:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxvi-p20.5">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxii-p5.1">7:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xlvii-p16.2">7:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=24#Gen.x-p20.2">7:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=33#Gen.iii-p34.3">7:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxx-p12.7">7:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiii-p21.8">8:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xii-p11.4">8:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p14.3">8:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xv-p26.4">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p26.1">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xv-p24.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiii-p7.2">9:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Gen.viii-p6.2">9:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxvi-p4.3">9:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxii-p18.1">9:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iii-p26.1">9:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxviii-p15.5">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxi-p22.4">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xv-p26.4">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Lev.ix-p14.1">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Num.xix-p9.1">9:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xx-p18.7">9:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p12.4">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xv-p19.3">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xiv-p15.3">10:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xv-p26.2">10:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xvii-p16.4">10:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xviii-p6.10">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiv-p19.11">10:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Num.xii-p13.11">10:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p12.5">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p31.2">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xiv-p14.3">10:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Num.xii-p8.2">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#ii-p5.3">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Num.xii-p12.4">10:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Num.viii-p7.4">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiv-p13.10">10:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxvi-p3.5">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xiv-p15.5">10:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=31#Lev.xii-p9.3">10:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Num.vii-p7.3">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxix-p15.3">11:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p38.4">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iii-p38.3">11:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxv-p31.4">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p18.4">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxix-p15.3">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxiii-p6.2">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xiv-p14.2">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=19#Ex.viii-p6.5">11:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Num.x-p4.4">11:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xi-p20.5">11:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xv-p5.5">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxv-p4.6">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#ii-p8.3">12:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#ii-p8.3">12:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxvi-p9.3">12:7-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxii-p5.5">12:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiv-p29.5">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#ii-p8.5">12:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iii-p34.1">12:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Ex.v-p17.5">12:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xix-p17.6">12:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xviii-p16.8">12:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Lev.iv-p7.2">12:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxx-p12.4">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxxii-p4.5">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Num.xii-p17.1">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Num.vi-p10.8">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvii-p28.2">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p7.2">14:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Ex.v-p6.4">14:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=24#Num.xii-p26.3">14:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xxxii-p19.5">14:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=10#Gen.vii-p17.4">15:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xxiv-p8.6">15:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=23#Num.viii-p16.1">15:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=24#Num.xxv-p17.8">15:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=29#Gen.v-p54.2">15:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=47#Gen.iii-p9.2">15:47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=52#Gen.ii-p48.1">15:52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p7.5">16:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxviii-p11.2">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxxii-p20.4">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xvii-p7.3">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p32.2">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxix-p24.5">16:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Cor&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxvi-p12.11">16:2</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Corinthians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.x-p18.8">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Gen.vii-p17.6">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxxiii-p38.7">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Num.xiii-p16.3">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xv-p4.5">2:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Num.xiii-p15.1">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p8.1">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Lev.iii-p5.5">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxii-p12.4">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.i-p3.2">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvii-p8.6">3:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiii-p7.2">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#ii-p10.3">3:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xvi-p25.3">3:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxxv-p33.4">3:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxv-p33.6">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#ii-p10.3">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxvii-p10.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxiv-p19.6">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxv-p31.2">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xvii-p4.6">3:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Ex.viii-p6.6">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p16.7">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxvi-p22.5">4:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xv-p9.2">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xvi-p19.4">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Num.v-p12.7">5:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxi-p10.1">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiv-p19.2">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Gen.v-p8.1">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Gen.vii-p17.2">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Lev.ii-p5.1">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xiv-p15.3">5:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Num.xx-p10.5">5:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xvii-p20.11">5:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxii-p11.3">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p16.11">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Gen.vii-p3.6">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxix-p4.2">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ix-p21.4">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Deu.viii-p7.4">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xiv-p13.3">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xv-p6.7">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xv-p14.3">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxx-p9.3">7:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxiii-p32.10">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvi-p7.1">7:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxvi-p10.3">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxii-p7.2">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxvi-p12.14">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xvii-p7.4">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvii-p4.5">8:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxvi-p12.5">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Lev.ii-p7.2">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xvi-p3.8">8:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxvi-p11.1">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xxviii-p5.3">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xvi-p5.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxiv-p18.3">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxix-p24.5">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxvi-p11.2">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=10#Ex.v-p12.4">10:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=16#ii-p9.1">10:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxii-p10.2">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xxv-p9.4">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xxvi-p3.7">11:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p4.6">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxix-p22.2">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxiv-p45.2">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxiii-p26.6">12:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Cor&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Num.vii-p14.3">13:14</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Galatians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xiv-p3.2">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xiii-p15.1">1:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxiii-p12.6">1:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Gen.l-p8.11">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xx-p20.4">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p8.4">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Num.vii-p10.7">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xvi-p13.5">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxviii-p16.3">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Gen.v-p31.2">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xix-p3.9">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxii-p22.2">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.v-p31.2">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iv-p55.4">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxix-p5.2">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xviii-p16.10">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxiii-p31.8">3:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiii-p31.10">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiii-p23.7">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Lev.v-p3.3">3:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xix-p3.10">3:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xxviii-p4.5">3:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxviii-p5.5">3:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=28#Lev.iv-p4.2">3:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=28#Lev.xiii-p3.3">3:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxv-p13.4">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xii-p9.4">4:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p55.3">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p39.4">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p4.2">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xvii-p31.1">4:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Num.xi-p5.2">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxii-p22.6">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Deu.ii-p4.5">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xxvi-p21.7">4:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xvii-p31.2">4:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xxx-p10.9">4:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlix-p12.8">4:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Gen.v-p23.3">4:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xvi-p29.1">4:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxii-p14.2">4:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xx-p21.2">4:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxii-p15.2">4:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=31#Deu.xxviii-p9.2">4:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xviii-p16.5">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xx-p18.4">5:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxvi-p14.3">5:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiii-p3.4">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiii-p25.3">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Lev.v-p4.5">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxviii-p15.5">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxxvi-p6.2">6:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxi-p11.6">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxvii-p13.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p43.3">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gal&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxiii-p26.17">6:17</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Ephesians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xv-p4.2">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxvii-p15.7">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.x-p7.4">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxix-p6.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxix-p15.5">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxxv-p8.3">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Deu.x-p7.4">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Gen.x-p3.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xviii-p15.6">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p10.3">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p4.5">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.x-p30.2">2:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#ii-p5.6">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxvii-p4.5">2:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxvii-p3.6">2:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p8.2">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.x-p3.2">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxi-p28.3">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p12.4">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xli-p8.4">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxii-p10.4">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Num.ix-p11.4">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Num.ix-p11.4">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Num.ix-p11.4">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxvii-p3.6">4:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxvii-p4.5">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xix-p11.3">4:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xix-p11.3">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ii-p37.1">4:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ix-p22.1">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Lev.ii-p5.10">5:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Ex.vi-p5.3">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p17.7">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxv-p31.3">5:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Gen.iii-p38.6">5:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxix-p7.10">5:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Gen.iii-p40.6">5:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xix-p10.4">5:33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxi-p18.4">6:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxi-p18.7">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Deu.vi-p5.7">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Gen.v-p7.4">6:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxii-p13.3">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p8.3">6:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxix-p15.7">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxix-p7.8">6:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxii-p10.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Eph&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p50.2">6:16-17</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Philippians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xl-p20.7">1:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xii-p4.4">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Num.xii-p32.6">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#Gen.vi-p16.5">1:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Gen.v-p28.1">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Deu.iv-p7.5">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxiv-p6.4">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Ex.vii-p13.2">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxvi-p22.3">2:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxix-p4.5">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Num.v-p14.1">2:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxxiii-p4.4">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxi-p3.2">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.i-p2.5">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p5.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxviii-p3.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxiv-p21.4">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xi-p14.2">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.l-p23.4">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxvi-p12.2">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xx-p25.2">3:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Gen.v-p50.2">3:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iii-p9.13">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Num.ii-p7.4">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvi-p13.4">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xviii-p21.2">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxiv-p14.5">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Lev.iii-p5.9">4:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phil&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Gen.iii-p34.2">4:19</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Colossians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiii-p15.1">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvi-p19.4">1:12-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ii-p8.2">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxix-p15.4">1:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Gen.iv-p18.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Num.iii-p5.11">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiii-p26.3">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxi-p6.19">2:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxv-p7.3">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxii-p11.6">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iv-p39.9">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxx-p24.3">2:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxii-p11.3">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xii-p11.3">2:21-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Lev.iv-p5.5">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xx-p11.3">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Gen.ii-p37.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p21.3">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxx-p12.6">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.l-p13.2">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xiii-p3.3">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiii-p3.9">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxv-p8.2">3:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxi-p11.3">3:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxii-p16.5">3:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvi-p20.8">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Col&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Lev.iii-p8.5">4:6</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Thessalonians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxiii-p12.9">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvi-p19.2">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Ex.iv-p10.2">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxii-p15.3">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xxvi-p11.3">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxvi-p9.7">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Lev.vii-p5.5">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxii-p4.6">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xv-p6.3">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxii-p5.6">5:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Thess&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Num.vii-p6.7">5:22</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Thessalonians</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiii-p4.4">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.v-p40.2">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xiv-p3.3">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xvi-p19.1">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Ex.vi-p13.3">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Num.xix-p13.7">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iii-p21.1">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Num.xiii-p16.2">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxvi-p3.8">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Thess&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xv-p4.4">3:15</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Timothy</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Gen.vi-p1.1">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Ex.vii-p15.1">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxii-p11.2">1:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Lev.ix-p9.5">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Num.xvi-p8.14">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=18#Num.v-p7.2">1:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xiii-p7.1">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xviii-p7.2">2:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxvi-p12.7">2:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxiii-p6.3">2:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p43.1">2:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iii-p38.2">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p18.1">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Gen.iv-p39.3">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xiii-p5.3">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Num.v-p7.1">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xi-p17.4">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xix-p5.6">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Num.v-p5.4">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Num.v-p5.5">3:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xxii-p5.2">3:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Num.ix-p12.4">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Ex.iii-p4.8">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxv-p5.11">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xii-p11.7">4:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xv-p9.2">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Gen.x-p8.3">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xx-p22.3">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxv-p5.11">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiv-p4.5">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xix-p3.7">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xxii-p3.2">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Lev.x-p3.9">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xlvi-p8.8">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxxi-p18.2">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxvi-p4.4">5:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xiv-p4.8">5:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Num.vii-p6.4">5:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xiv-p4.8">5:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xiv-p4.8">5:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p23.8">6:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxix-p24.4">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xiv-p9.5">6:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Ex.vii-p13.3">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Gen.ii-p16.5">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Tim&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxv-p13.3">6:16</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Timothy</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Num.iv-p8.4">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xi-p4.7">1:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Num.v-p7.3">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Lev.ix-p13.2">2:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Num.xi-p8.11">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Num.ii-p7.3">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=19#Gen.x-p18.2">2:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxiii-p36.2">2:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Ex.viii-p6.4">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Ex.x-p11.3">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#ii-p4.1">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#ii-p7.3">3:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p13.3">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Tim&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlix-p10.5">4:18</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Titus</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Num.viii-p6.2">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Num.vi-p13.3">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p14.9">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xiv-p15.3">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xxviii-p4.9">2:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xx-p4.13">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxv-p3.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xix-p8.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxix-p6.3">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxv-p8.1">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xx-p4.4">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Titus&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxvii-p15.8">2:14</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Philemon</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phlm&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiv-p15.2">1:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Phlm&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxii-p5.3">1:16</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Hebrews</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#ii-p5.5">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiii-p8.3">1:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xix-p16.4">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Gen.ii-p8.2">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxix-p11.8">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Lev.ii-p3.2">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxiii-p3.3">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxv-p6.2">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxxiv-p5.5">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xvii-p16.1">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxx-p17.2">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p39.5">2:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xviii-p12.3">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p39.5">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p39.8">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xvii-p20.1">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiii-p8.7">3:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Num.xiii-p8.5">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Num.xiii-p8.5">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxviii-p3.2">3:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxvi-p5.1">3:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Num.xiii-p8.5">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Num.xiv-p1.2">3:7-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Num.xv-p18.4">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Num.xv-p18.6">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iv-p32.1">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Lev.viii-p9.11">3:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Num.i-p3.15">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xx-p24.3">4:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xxviii-p16.2">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#ii-p5.2">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xiii-p7.2">4:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xviii-p16.4">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xviii-p15.4">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxvi-p6.2">4:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xix-p14.13">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxii-p19.4">4:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxix-p13.8">4:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxvi-p18.8">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xvii-p4.4">4:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Lev.x-p3.8">5:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Num.xvii-p4.2">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxix-p4.4">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxx-p5.1">5:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Gen.vii-p29.7">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxii-p11.4">5:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=2#Lev.ii-p5.3">6:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p3.12">6:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iv-p54.2">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Num.viii-p17.1">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxx-p8.3">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxii-p9.6">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Ex.ii-p6.3">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxviii-p3.3">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxiii-p31.3">6:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxiii-p9.2">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.x-p18.1">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiii-p31.4">6:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlii-p8.2">6:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxiv-p19.3">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Num.xxxvi-p12.1">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xviii-p24.2">6:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xv-p18.1">7:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xv-p18.3">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xv-p18.4">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xv-p21.1">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xv-p18.4">7:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Lev.i-p2.5">7:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xv-p18.5">7:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Num.ii-p10.4">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlv-p13.3">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxix-p1.1">7:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxv-p12.2">7:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=23#Num.xxi-p20.2">7:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xvii-p20.6">7:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxx-p13.2">7:27-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxx-p5.4">7:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxvi-p7.2">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=2#Lev.xviii-p7.4">8:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p16.7">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxv-p4.3">8:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xviii-p16.2">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p20.13">8:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Num.xi-p6.3">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Num.xviii-p8.3">8:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvi-p6.2">9:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxvi-p20.1">9:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Num.xviii-p10.4">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xvii-p16.1">9:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvi-p18.3">9:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxvii-p10.6">9:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xvii-p1.1">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xvii-p21.1">9:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxvii-p10.3">9:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xii-p1.1">9:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxviii-p16.5">9:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p6.1">9:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxvi-p7.3">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxii-p5.7">9:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxv-p11.4">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxx-p17.1">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p21.3">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xvii-p21.6">9:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Num.xx-p1.5">9:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=14#Lev.viii-p10.5">9:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxv-p11.5">9:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xviii-p16.6">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xviii-p9.10">9:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Gen.iii-p13.2">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxvi-p20.1">9:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xxvi-p7.1">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Ex.xli-p11.3">9:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xiii-p8.8">9:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Num.v-p8.8">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p13.3">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxx-p16.4">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ix-p13.5">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvii-p17.2">10:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p39.1">10:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=14#Lev.v-p7.4">10:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xx-p10.3">10:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvii-p4.3">10:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvii-p21.8">10:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xvii-p21.2">10:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Num.xx-p16.4">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xx-p9.6">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Lev.ii-p5.6">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=22#Lev.ix-p7.3">10:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xv-p14.4">10:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=25#Lev.xviii-p7.6">10:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xx-p8.2">10:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=26#Lev.v-p4.4">10:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=27#Deu.v-p15.3">10:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=27#Num.xvii-p31.2">10:27-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=28#Lev.vi-p10.4">10:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=28#Deu.xviii-p9.8">10:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xiii-p9.6">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Lev.iv-p7.10">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xviii-p9.11">10:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=30#Deu.xxxiii-p39.7">10:30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xxvii-p4.24">10:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xxvii-p11.11">10:38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiii-p10.2">11:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p1.4">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Gen.v-p10.1">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvi-p13.4">11:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Gen.vi-p19.2">11:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Gen.vii-p17.5">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Gen.vii-p31.6">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=7#Ex.x-p15.5">11:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Num.xi-p8.8">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p15.2">11:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xiii-p24.7">11:8-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xix-p8.1">11:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xix-p10.5">11:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxii-p4.3">11:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxxv-p4.4">11:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlviii-p11.2">11:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxix-p7.2">11:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxiv-p5.3">11:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=13#Gen.l-p14.3">11:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xlviii-p21.4">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xiv-p24.5">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xliii-p4.2">11:14-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxv-p4.6">11:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xiii-p30.1">11:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxviii-p3.5">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxv-p4.7">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Gen.x-p29.4">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xiii-p26.2">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xviii-p15.5">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iv-p10.5">11:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxiii-p11.1">11:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxviii-p17.6">11:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlviii-p21.6">11:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlix-p5.3">11:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xlix-p7.1">11:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=22#Gen.li-p13.5">11:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p4.10">11:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xlix-p5.6">11:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Ex.iii-p13.2">11:24-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=27#Ex.iii-p20.2">11:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xiii-p1.2">11:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xv-p1.1">11:29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxx-p3.2">12:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=2#Num.xxii-p12.1">12:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Num.xiii-p15.4">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Num.xvii-p21.4">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxi-p18.2">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Num.vi-p5.2">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxx-p18.3">12:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxvi-p25.1">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxvii-p28.1">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxviii-p1.1">12:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Num.xv-p40.4">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxviii-p17.1">12:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xxviii-p16.3">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xvi-p25.4">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxi-p25.1">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=18#Deu.ii-p4.4">12:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxi-p26.3">12:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xx-p19.2">12:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xvi-p34.4">12:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xiv-p4.3">12:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Num.xx-p16.3">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=24#Gen.v-p29.8">12:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=25#Deu.xix-p18.5">12:25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xx-p10.2">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Lev.x-p12.4">12:28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=28#Deu.v-p15.5">12:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xix-p4.4">13:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxii-p4.3">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxix-p18.3">13:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxviii-p4.2">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xviii-p7.4">13:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Lev.vii-p18.9">13:10-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Lev.v-p5.13">13:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Num.xx-p6.1">13:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=13#Lev.xxiv-p21.3">13:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xiii-p10.5">13:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxi-p15.2">13:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=16#Lev.iii-p5.10">13:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Heb&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxii-p24.1">13:18</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">James</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxi-p16.2">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xviii-p4.3">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p32.2">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.vii-p12.2">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Gen.ii-p16.4">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxvi-p15.2">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxvi-p9.4">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Num.xii-p32.3">1:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Num.xxi-p11.7">1:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxv-p4.6">1:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxxix-p8.1">1:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Ex.xxi-p11.3">1:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.viii-p15.1">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xv-p10.2">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xx-p15.3">2:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxxi-p5.14">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Deu.vi-p5.9">2:10-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xvi-p4.6">2:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xix-p5.3">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xix-p5.3">2:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxi-p8.6">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p37.3">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.x-p13.6">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxi-p8.7">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Lev.vii-p4.2">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xvii-p12.7">5:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xx-p13.2">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Deu.xxv-p10.6">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xv-p4.3">5:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=17#Ex.x-p19.8">5:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxiii-p3.3">5:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxiv-p6.3">5:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jas&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Gen.x-p7.4">9:7</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 Peter</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Num.xx-p16.1">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Deu.xxvii-p15.6">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=2#Lev.ii-p5.6">1:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xvi-p19.3">1:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.viii-p24.3">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p29.3">1:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxiii-p5.1">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xix-p15.3">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxvi-p18.5">1:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xx-p4.2">1:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xii-p10.6">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xxiii-p14.10">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xviii-p3.2">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xiii-p8.5">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xix-p9.4">1:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Gen.l-p22.2">1:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.viii-p10.4">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Gen.l-p22.2">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xiii-p10.5">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxix-p13.6">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxx-p17.4">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxvii-p3.4">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ii-p5.11">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xviii-p7.5">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p4.17">2:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxiii-p17.3">2:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xix-p17.4">2:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xvii-p14.4">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Lev.xvii-p20.10">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Gen.iv-p59.2">3:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxvi-p12.7">3:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxvii-p6.6">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xiv-p15.6">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxii-p10.2">3:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xix-p10.3">3:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxvi-p12.5">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxii-p7.2">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xix-p5.4">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxv-p10.2">3:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=18#Gen.vii-p29.3">3:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=19#Gen.vii-p6.1">3:19-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.viii-p24.1">3:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xxx-p19.2">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=7#Lev.xi-p17.6">4:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Gen.x-p23.2">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxvi-p9.2">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Num.xxxii-p3.4">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxx-p23.4">4:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1Pet&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=17#Deu.xxxiii-p38.3">4:17-18</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">2 Peter</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxii-p4.4">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Num.v-p12.8">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Num.ix-p3.7">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Gen.i-p2.3">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxvi-p22.1">1:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=21#ii-p4.2">1:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iv-p66.4">2:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Gen.viii-p34.1">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Num.xv-p38.1">2:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xx-p21.14">2:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xx-p1.1">2:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xiv-p19.4">2:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=10#Num.xiii-p9.2">2:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxix-p7.2">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxiii-p6.10">2:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxiii-p6.3">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxiii-p19.9">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxv-p4.5">2:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Deu.xiv-p13.2">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvi-p13.3">3:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxxiii-p8.1">3:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.viii-p1.1">3:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.viii-p17.5">3:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p48.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=2Pet&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iv-p48.3">3:10</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">1 John</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.v-p10.4">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p7.1">1:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Num.xi-p8.5">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxii-p27.4">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxvii-p24.2">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Gen.ii-p16.3">1:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Num.xx-p9.2">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.xviii-p10.3">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxi-p4.1">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.vii-p10.4">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.v-p12.1">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Num.xx-p9.4">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxiii-p4.3">2:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Num.xii-p21.2">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iv-p12.3">2:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Gen.iv-p12.3">2:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Ex.xxx-p17.6">2:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=27#Lev.ix-p7.10">2:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xiii-p6.2">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxiv-p19.4">3:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Deu.vii-p15.3">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xl-p15.3">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Gen.v-p23.6">3:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=13#Gen.iv-p38.3">3:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxxvi-p10.10">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xx-p6.4">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxxviii-p10.2">3:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xx-p18.8">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxi-p7.2">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=23#Deu.xxxi-p12.3">3:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Deu.viii-p17.2">4:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Lev.x-p12.3">4:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=20#Ex.ii-p6.6">4:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Deu.xii-p3.1">5:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xv-p25.1">5:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xv-p5.2">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xx-p12.4">5:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=10#Num.xv-p18.5">5:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iv-p37.1">5:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=1John&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ii-p16.8">5:20</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">3 John</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=3John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=4#Num.iv-p4.3">1:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=3John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xix-p15.1">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=3John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxiv-p11.3">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=3John&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xii-p9.2">1:6</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Jude</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xiii-p13.3">1:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p14.1">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xx-p7.3">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xx-p21.7">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xx-p21.13">1:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxiii-p21.2">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxv-p7.4">1:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Num.xvii-p3.1">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Num.xvii-p18.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Num.xxiii-p14.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=11#Gen.v-p23.2">1:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxiv-p5.3">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.vi-p16.4">1:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Gen.vi-p21.2">1:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xx-p16.2">1:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Jude&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xiv-p15.4">1:23</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Revelation</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxx-p17.5">1:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=5#Lev.ix-p7.2">1:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xx-p4.16">1:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiii-p44.3">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Ex.iv-p25.2">1:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xxix-p7.6">1:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxxiv-p6.5">1:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xviii-p5.2">1:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p4.27">2:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xxxiii-p21.1">2:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvii-p3.4">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxv-p3.1">2:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iii-p17.1">2:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxv-p13.6">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxvi-p3.2">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p5.2">2:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xviii-p12.2">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xvii-p16.7">2:17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Deu.xiii-p16.2">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Gen.iv-p8.2">2:24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxvi-p21.5">2:26-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xxxi-p6.5">3:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Num.xiii-p13.2">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xliii-p5.3">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xii-p6.7">3:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xix-p14.10">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxvii-p11.12">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xliii-p18.1">3:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xiii-p11.4">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.v-p19.3">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Lev.iii-p8.2">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Lev.x-p11.1">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Gen.x-p18.9">4:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Num.iii-p3.9">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xxv-p13.1">4:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xxv-p4.5">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Num.ix-p3.8">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxvi-p22.2">4:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Num.iii-p5.6">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxv-p13.1">4:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Num.iii-p5.6">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=11#Gen.ii-p11.4">4:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=5#Gen.l-p8.10">5:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xvii-p21.4">5:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxi-p4.6">5:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxv-p13.1">5:8-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxix-p11.9">5:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxvii-p4.3">5:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=7#Gen.viii-p31.2">6:7-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Num.xxv-p20.2">6:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Gen.v-p29.3">6:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xv-p23.6">6:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=16#Gen.viii-p28.4">6:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Gen.viii-p15.2">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xx-p18.3">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xiii-p9.3">7:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xxxvi-p16.6">7:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xxiv-p17.7">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Num.ii-p12.2">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxiv-p10.5">7:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xl-p3.2">7:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Ex.xxxi-p4.7">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=3#Lev.v-p7.7">8:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xi-p3.10">8:5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xx-p16.3">8:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=5#Gen.v-p36.6">9:5-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Lev.v-p7.6">9:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p18.10">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiv-p15.4">10:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#ii-p5.4">10:11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=3#Ex.v-p17.4">11:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiii-p52.1">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=6#Ex.x-p19.9">11:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Num.xv-p15.3">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxxviii-p13.8">11:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=14#Ex.ix-p12.3">11:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=19#Deu.vi-p5.12">11:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=19#Ex.xxvi-p16.6">11:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxii-p10.1">12:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=3#Ex.ii-p11.3">12:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=7#Gen.iv-p38.1">12:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iv-p5.1">12:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxxvi-p12.10">12:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=8#Gen.i-p3.1">13:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxii-p10.5">14:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xi-p11.3">14:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p48.2">14:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiv-p24.2">14:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxi-p5.1">14:7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xi-p5.1">14:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Ex.ii-p6.4">14:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Deu.xxxiii-p45.7">14:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Ex.xvi-p5.1">15:2-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=3#Ex.viii-p8.7">16:3-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=6#Ex.viii-p8.5">16:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xi-p15.2">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xi-p15.8">16:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Ex.ix-p6.2">16:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=14#Deu.iii-p17.3">16:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxix-p15.8">16:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxii-p3.5">16:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=21#Ex.x-p18.9">16:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=6#Ex.ii-p11.2">17:6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Num.xvii-p24.5">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xv-p6.8">18:4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xi-p15.6">18:23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p3.6">19:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xx-p28.5">19:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxviii-p6.2">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xl-p3.4">19:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xv-p25.2">19:17-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=2#Gen.iv-p39.11">20:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=9#Gen.v-p42.1">20:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Gen.iv-p39.13">20:10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xv-p19.5">20:14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxv-p9.2">21:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxvi-p16.6">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Gen.l-p1.2">21:12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxvii-p8.5">21:18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xii-p7.1">21:19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=27#Num.vi-p5.3">21:27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p18.4">22:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=2#Gen.iii-p17.1">22:2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiii-p10.2">22:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxv-p25.3">22:9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Ex.vii-p5.3">22:13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxiv-p16.3">22:15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Rev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=18#Deu.v-p8.3">22:18-19</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Wisdom of Solomon</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Wis&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Num.xii-p13.5">16:20</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Prayer of Manasseh</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=PrMan&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Gen.iii-p37.3">1:24</a> </p>
</div>
</div2>
<div2 title="Index of Scripture Commentary" prev="viii.i" next="viii.iii" id="viii.ii">
<h2 id="viii.ii-p0.1">Index of Scripture Commentary</h2>
<insertIndex type="scripCom" id="viii.ii-p0.2"/>
<div class="Index">
<p class="bbook">Genesis</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Gen.ii-p2.11">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ii-p2.12">1:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Gen.ii-p14.6">1:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ii-p16.14">1:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Gen.ii-p18.12">1:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=14#Gen.ii-p22.6">1:14-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ii-p28.2">1:20-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=24#Gen.ii-p30.7">1:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=26#Gen.ii-p32.1">1:26-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=29#Gen.ii-p39.2">1:29-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=31#Gen.ii-p43.3">1:31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Gen.iii-p1.5">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iii-p1.6">2:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=4#Gen.iii-p4.3">2:4-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Gen.iii-p10.3">2:8-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iii-p22.1">2:16-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=18#Gen.iii-p30.1">2:18-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iii-p36.1">2:21-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Gen.iv-p1.9">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Gen.iv-p1.10">3:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Gen.iv-p15.1">3:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=9#Gen.iv-p24.7">3:9-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Gen.iv-p28.2">3:11-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Gen.iv-p32.3">3:14-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Gen.iv-p39.14">3:16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=17#Gen.iv-p44.2">3:17-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=20#Gen.iv-p55.5">3:20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Gen.iv-p57.1">3:21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=22#Gen.iv-p59.7">3:22-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Gen.v-p1.15">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Gen.v-p1.16">4:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=3#Gen.v-p5.2">4:3-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=6#Gen.v-p12.4">4:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=8#Gen.v-p20.2">4:8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=9#Gen.v-p24.1">4:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Gen.v-p33.1">4:13-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=16#Gen.v-p37.4">4:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=19#Gen.v-p44.4">4:19-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=23#Gen.v-p48.2">4:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=25#Gen.v-p51.1">4:25-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Gen.vi-p1.12">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vi-p1.13">5:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Gen.vi-p6.1">5:6-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=21#Gen.vi-p12.2">5:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=25#Gen.vi-p21.3">5:25-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=28#Gen.vi-p23.2">5:28-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Gen.vii-p1.9">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Gen.vii-p1.10">6:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=3#Gen.vii-p3.10">6:3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Gen.vii-p8.1">6:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=6#Gen.vii-p12.5">6:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Gen.vii-p15.4">6:8-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=11#Gen.vii-p17.7">6:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=13#Gen.vii-p19.4">6:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=22#Gen.vii-p29.8">6:22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Gen.viii-p1.14">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Gen.viii-p1.15">7:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=5#Gen.viii-p7.2">7:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Gen.viii-p9.3">7:11-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=13#Gen.viii-p17.6">7:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=17#Gen.viii-p24.5">7:17-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=21#Gen.viii-p29.3">7:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Gen.ix-p1.11">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Gen.ix-p1.12">8:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=4#Gen.ix-p6.8">8:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=6#Gen.ix-p8.4">8:6-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=13#Gen.ix-p12.5">8:13-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=15#Gen.ix-p14.4">8:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Gen.ix-p17.1">8:20-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Gen.x-p1.13">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Gen.x-p1.14">9:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Gen.x-p13.7">9:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=12#Gen.x-p16.3">9:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=18#Gen.x-p18.12">9:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=24#Gen.x-p23.3">9:24-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=28#Gen.x-p30.7">9:28-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xi-p1.7">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xi-p1.8">10:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xi-p3.4">10:6-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xi-p8.2">10:15-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xi-p10.3">10:21-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xii-p1.6">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xii-p1.7">11:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xii-p11.2">11:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xii-p23.5">11:10-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xii-p25.5">11:27-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xiii-p1.6">12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiii-p1.7">12:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xiii-p13.5">12:4-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xiii-p21.2">12:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiii-p27.2">12:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xiii-p31.3">12:14-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xiv-p1.9">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xiv-p1.10">13:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xiv-p6.2">13:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xiv-p15.6">13:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xiv-p19.6">13:14-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xv-p1.7">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xv-p1.8">14:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xv-p6.9">14:13-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xv-p15.4">14:17-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xv-p21.2">14:21-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xvi-p1.4">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvi-p1.5">15:1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=2#Gen.xvi-p8.3">15:2-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvi-p13.7">15:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xvi-p21.5">15:12-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xvi-p35.4">15:17-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xvii-p1.6">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xvii-p1.7">16:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xvii-p9.1">16:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xvii-p14.5">16:7-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xvii-p22.2">16:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xvii-p29.2">16:15-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xviii-p1.14">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xviii-p1.15">17:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xviii-p8.2">17:4-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xviii-p12.6">17:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xviii-p16.13">17:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xviii-p24.4">17:23-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xix-p1.5">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xix-p1.6">18:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xix-p5.5">18:9-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xix-p12.3">18:16-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xix-p20.4">18:23-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xx-p1.9">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xx-p1.10">19:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=4#Gen.xx-p3.3">19:4-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xx-p8.5">19:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xx-p13.2">19:15-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xx-p14.2">19:24-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xx-p21.16">19:26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xx-p25.3">19:27-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xx-p29.4">19:30-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxi-p1.9">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxi-p1.10">20:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxi-p3.5">20:3-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xxi-p11.4">20:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxi-p20.3">20:14-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxii-p1.5">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxii-p1.6">21:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxii-p11.6">21:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxii-p17.7">21:14-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Gen.xxii-p23.3">21:22-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xxii-p33.2">21:33-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxiii-p1.7">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiii-p1.8">22:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxiii-p9.1">22:3-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxiii-p23.5">22:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxiii-p29.3">22:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxiii-p31.12">22:20-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxiv-p1.7">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxiv-p1.8">23:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxiv-p3.4">23:3-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxiv-p10.3">23:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxv-p1.8">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxv-p1.9">24:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxv-p6.3">24:10-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxv-p13.8">24:29-53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=54#Gen.xxv-p25.5">24:54-61</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=62#Gen.xxv-p27.11">24:62-67</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxvi-p1.10">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvi-p1.11">25:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xxvi-p7.2">25:11-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xxvi-p9.11">25:19-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xxvi-p21.2">25:29-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxvii-p1.10">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxvii-p1.11">26:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxvii-p4.6">26:6-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxvii-p8.8">26:12-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xxvii-p19.4">26:26-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=34#Gen.xxvii-p26.2">26:34-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxviii-p1.7">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxviii-p1.8">27:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxviii-p6.5">27:6-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxviii-p10.8">27:18-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=30#Gen.xxviii-p15.12">27:30-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=41#Gen.xxviii-p22.3">27:41-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxix-p1.9">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxix-p1.10">28:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxix-p8.2">28:6-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=10#Gen.xxix-p10.4">28:10-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxix-p18.4">28:16-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxx-p1.4">29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxx-p1.5">29:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxx-p3.10">29:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xxx-p5.8">29:15-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxx-p10.10">29:31-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxi-p1.8">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxi-p1.9">30:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=14#Gen.xxxi-p9.6">30:14-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxi-p12.2">30:25-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=37#Gen.xxxi-p19.3">30:37-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxii-p1.6">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxii-p1.7">31:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xxxii-p10.2">31:17-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxii-p13.7">31:25-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=36#Gen.xxxii-p20.4">31:36-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=43#Gen.xxxii-p27.2">31:43-55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxiii-p1.7">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiii-p1.8">32:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=3#Gen.xxxiii-p3.8">32:3-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxiii-p8.3">32:9-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xxxiii-p18.5">32:13-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxiii-p22.3">32:24-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxiv-p1.7">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxiv-p1.8">33:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxiv-p8.1">33:5-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxiv-p15.5">33:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxv-p1.5">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxv-p1.6">34:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxv-p3.8">34:6-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xxxv-p8.3">34:18-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xxxv-p10.4">34:25-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxvi-p1.10">35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvi-p1.11">35:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=6#Gen.xxxvi-p6.3">35:6-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xxxvi-p12.3">35:16-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xxxvi-p14.6">35:21-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxvii-p1.8">36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxvii-p1.9">36:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xxxvii-p3.7">36:9-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xxxvii-p5.6">36:20-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxxvii-p7.6">36:31-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxviii-p1.9">37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxviii-p1.10">37:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xxxviii-p3.6">37:5-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxviii-p7.3">37:12-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=23#Gen.xxxviii-p11.2">37:23-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=31#Gen.xxxviii-p13.12">37:31-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xxxix-p1.8">38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xxxix-p1.9">38:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=12#Gen.xxxix-p3.6">38:12-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=24#Gen.xxxix-p8.2">38:24-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xl-p1.7">39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xl-p1.8">39:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xl-p7.3">39:7-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xl-p16.3">39:13-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=19#Gen.xl-p18.4">39:19-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xli-p1.6">40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xli-p1.7">40:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xli-p3.2">40:5-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=20#Gen.xli-p9.3">40:20-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xlii-p1.6">41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlii-p1.7">41:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=9#Gen.xlii-p3.8">41:9-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=17#Gen.xlii-p5.9">41:17-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=33#Gen.xlii-p8.10">41:33-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=41&amp;scrV=46#Gen.xlii-p11.12">41:46-57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xliii-p1.5">42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliii-p1.6">42:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=7#Gen.xliii-p5.4">42:7-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=21#Gen.xliii-p11.3">42:21-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=42&amp;scrV=29#Gen.xliii-p20.2">42:29-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xliv-p1.3">43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xliv-p1.4">43:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=11#Gen.xliv-p3.6">43:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=15#Gen.xliv-p8.2">43:15-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=43&amp;scrV=26#Gen.xliv-p10.5">43:26-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xlv-p1.3">44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlv-p1.4">44:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=44&amp;scrV=18#Gen.xlv-p8.1">44:18-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xlvi-p1.4">45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlvi-p1.5">45:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=16#Gen.xlvi-p9.3">45:16-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=45&amp;scrV=25#Gen.xlvi-p12.6">45:25-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xlvii-p1.4">46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlvii-p1.5">46:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=5#Gen.xlvii-p8.2">46:5-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=46&amp;scrV=28#Gen.xlvii-p10.13">46:28-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xlviii-p1.5">47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlviii-p1.6">47:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=13#Gen.xlviii-p13.4">47:13-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=47&amp;scrV=27#Gen.xlviii-p19.2">47:27-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=0#Gen.xlix-p1.6">48</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=1#Gen.xlix-p1.7">48:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=48&amp;scrV=8#Gen.xlix-p5.11">48:8-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=0#Gen.l-p1.7">49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=1#Gen.l-p1.8">49:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=5#Gen.l-p4.6">49:5-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=8#Gen.l-p6.5">49:8-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=13#Gen.l-p8.15">49:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=22#Gen.l-p17.4">49:22-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=49&amp;scrV=28#Gen.l-p23.5">49:28-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=0#Gen.li-p1.5">50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=1#Gen.li-p1.6">50:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=7#Gen.li-p3.8">50:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=15#Gen.li-p5.4">50:15-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Gen&amp;scrCh=50&amp;scrV=22#Gen.li-p9.8">50:22-26</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Exodus</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Ex.ii-p1.4">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Ex.ii-p9.3">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ii-p1.5">1:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=8#Ex.ii-p3.11">1:8-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=15#Ex.ii-p9.4">1:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Ex.iii-p1.6">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Ex.iii-p10.3">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Ex.iii-p20.4">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iii-p1.7">2:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=5#Ex.iii-p5.6">2:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iii-p10.4">2:11-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iii-p20.5">2:16-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=23#Ex.iii-p24.5">2:23-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Ex.iv-p1.9">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Ex.iv-p16.3">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Ex.iv-p26.5">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Ex.iv-p1.10">3:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=7#Ex.iv-p11.1">3:7-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=11#Ex.iv-p16.4">3:11-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=16#Ex.iv-p26.6">3:16-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Ex.v-p1.16">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Ex.v-p8.3">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Ex.v-p18.2">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Ex.v-p1.17">4:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=10#Ex.v-p8.4">4:10-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=18#Ex.v-p18.3">4:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=24#Ex.v-p22.3">4:24-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Ex.vi-p1.9">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Ex.vi-p11.2">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Ex.vi-p13.7">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vi-p1.10">5:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=3#Ex.vi-p5.5">5:3-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=10#Ex.vi-p11.3">5:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=15#Ex.vi-p13.8">5:15-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Ex.vii-p1.8">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Ex.vii-p9.4">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Ex.vii-p13.4">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Ex.vii-p1.9">6:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=10#Ex.vii-p9.5">6:10-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Ex.vii-p13.5">6:14-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Ex.viii-p1.4">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Ex.viii-p6.8">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Ex.viii-p1.5">7:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=8#Ex.viii-p4.5">7:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=14#Ex.viii-p6.9">7:14-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Ex.ix-p1.16">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Ex.ix-p9.3">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Ex.ix-p1.17">8:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=16#Ex.ix-p9.4">8:16-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=20#Ex.ix-p14.2">8:20-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Ex.x-p1.6">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Ex.x-p12.2">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Ex.x-p1.7">9:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Ex.x-p5.3">9:8-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=13#Ex.x-p12.3">9:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=22#Ex.x-p15.7">9:22-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xi-p1.10">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xi-p7.6">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xi-p1.11">10:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xi-p7.7">10:12-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xi-p13.2">10:21-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xii-p1.7">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xii-p1.8">11:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Ex.xii-p4.5">11:4-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xiii-p1.18">12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiii-p1.19">12:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xiii-p11.5">12:21-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=29#Ex.xiii-p18.4">12:29-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=37#Ex.xiii-p21.10">12:37-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=43#Ex.xiii-p23.10">12:43-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xiv-p1.10">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xiv-p7.2">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xiv-p11.6">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xiv-p1.11">13:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xiv-p7.3">13:11-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xiv-p11.7">13:17-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xv-p1.13">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xv-p7.6">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xv-p10.4">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xv-p1.14">14:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xv-p7.7">14:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xv-p10.5">14:15-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xv-p17.6">14:21-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xvi-p1.7">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvi-p1.8">15:1-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xvi-p12.4">15:22-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xvii-p1.8">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xvii-p8.2">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xvii-p1.9">16:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xvii-p8.3">16:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xvii-p12.12">16:22-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xvii-p14.11">16:32-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xviii-p1.9">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xviii-p1.10">17:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xviii-p7.2">17:8-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xix-p1.8">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xix-p10.2">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xix-p1.9">18:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xix-p5.10">18:7-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=13#Ex.xix-p10.3">18:13-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xx-p1.9">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xx-p11.3">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xx-p1.10">19:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xx-p5.4">19:9-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xx-p11.4">19:16-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxi-p1.4">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxi-p15.2">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxi-p23.3">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxi-p1.5">20:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxi-p15.3">20:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxi-p23.4">20:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxi-p28.4">20:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxii-p1.15">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxii-p7.3">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxii-p1.16">21:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxii-p7.4">21:12-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxii-p13.5">21:22-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxiii-p1.15">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxiii-p10.3">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiii-p1.16">22:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxiii-p6.2">22:7-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xxiii-p10.4">22:16-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxiii-p18.4">22:25-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxiv-p1.11">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxiv-p6.8">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxiv-p1.12">23:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxiv-p6.9">23:10-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxiv-p12.4">23:20-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxv-p1.10">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxv-p13.9">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxv-p1.11">24:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxv-p11.6">24:9-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxv-p13.10">24:12-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxvi-p1.5">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxvi-p13.3">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvi-p1.6">25:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxvi-p13.4">25:10-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Ex.xxvi-p18.10">25:23-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxvi-p20.10">25:31-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxvii-p1.7">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxvii-p6.9">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxvii-p1.8">26:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxvii-p4.7">26:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxvii-p6.10">26:15-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxvii-p8.8">26:31-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxviii-p1.4">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxviii-p1.5">27:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxviii-p4.3">27:9-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxviii-p6.5">27:20-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxix-p1.9">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxix-p7.12">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxix-p1.10">28:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=6#Ex.xxix-p5.6">28:6-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxix-p7.13">28:15-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=31#Ex.xxix-p11.10">28:31-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=40#Ex.xxix-p13.11">28:40-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxx-p1.4">29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxx-p1.5">29:1-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=38#Ex.xxx-p18.4">29:38-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxi-p1.6">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxi-p4.10">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxi-p6.7">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxi-p1.7">30:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Ex.xxxi-p4.11">30:11-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=17#Ex.xxxi-p6.8">30:17-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=22#Ex.xxxi-p8.9">30:22-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxii-p1.4">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxii-p5.8">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxii-p1.5">31:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxii-p5.9">31:12-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxiii-p1.14">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxiii-p17.2">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiii-p1.15">32:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiii-p12.12">32:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=15#Ex.xxxiii-p17.3">32:15-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxiii-p21.11">32:21-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxiii-p31.3">32:30-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxiv-p1.6">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxiv-p11.5">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxiv-p1.7">33:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=7#Ex.xxxiv-p4.8">33:7-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Ex.xxxiv-p11.6">33:12-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxv-p1.5">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxv-p14.4">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxv-p20.4">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxv-p1.6">34:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Ex.xxxv-p5.5">34:5-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxv-p14.5">34:10-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=18#Ex.xxxv-p20.5">34:18-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=28#Ex.xxxv-p26.5">34:28-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxvi-p1.6">35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxvi-p1.7">35:1-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=20#Ex.xxxvi-p9.6">35:20-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=30#Ex.xxxvi-p13.8">35:30-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxvii-p1.9">36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxvii-p6.3">36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxvii-p1.10">36:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=8#Ex.xxxvii-p4.6">36:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=14#Ex.xxxvii-p6.4">36:14-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=35#Ex.xxxvii-p8.5">36:35-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxviii-p1.7">37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxviii-p4.1">37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxviii-p1.8">37:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=10#Ex.xxxviii-p4.2">37:10-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=37&amp;scrV=25#Ex.xxxviii-p6.4">37:25-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xxxix-p1.5">38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xxxix-p1.6">38:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=9#Ex.xxxix-p8.2">38:9-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=38&amp;scrV=21#Ex.xxxix-p10.3">38:21-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xl-p1.8">39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xl-p1.9">39:1-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=39&amp;scrV=32#Ex.xl-p3.5">39:32-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xli-p1.6">40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=0#Ex.xli-p3.12">40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=1#Ex.xli-p1.7">40:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=16#Ex.xli-p3.13">40:16-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Exod&amp;scrCh=40&amp;scrV=34#Ex.xli-p6.7">40:34-38</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Leviticus</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Lev.ii-p1.4">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Lev.ii-p5.12">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ii-p1.5">1:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=3#Lev.ii-p3.4">1:3-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=10#Lev.ii-p5.13">1:10-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Lev.iii-p1.10">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Lev.iii-p5.12">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iii-p1.11">2:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=11#Lev.iii-p5.13">2:11-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Lev.iv-p1.4">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Lev.iv-p1.5">3:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=6#Lev.iv-p5.7">3:6-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Lev.v-p1.5">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Lev.v-p5.14">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Lev.v-p1.6">4:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=13#Lev.v-p5.15">4:13-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=22#Lev.v-p7.9">4:22-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=27#Lev.v-p9.6">4:27-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Lev.vi-p1.11">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Lev.vi-p8.2">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Lev.vi-p1.12">5:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=7#Lev.vi-p4.4">5:7-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=14#Lev.vi-p8.3">5:14-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Lev.vii-p1.6">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Lev.vii-p10.6">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Lev.vii-p1.7">6:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=8#Lev.vii-p5.6">6:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=14#Lev.vii-p10.7">6:14-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=24#Lev.vii-p16.4">6:24-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Lev.viii-p1.7">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Lev.viii-p3.9">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Lev.viii-p1.8">7:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=11#Lev.viii-p3.10">7:11-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=35#Lev.viii-p12.3">7:35-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Lev.ix-p1.9">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Lev.ix-p7.11">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Lev.ix-p1.10">8:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=14#Lev.ix-p7.12">8:14-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=31#Lev.ix-p9.9">8:31-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Lev.x-p1.6">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Lev.x-p1.7">9:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=8#Lev.x-p3.10">9:8-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=23#Lev.x-p5.7">9:23-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xi-p1.6">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xi-p17.12">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xi-p1.7">10:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=3#Lev.xi-p6.1">10:3-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xi-p15.1">10:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Lev.xi-p17.13">10:12-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xii-p1.8">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xii-p1.9">11:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=9#Lev.xii-p3.6">11:9-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xii-p5.6">11:20-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=43#Lev.xii-p7.13">11:43-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xiii-p1.3">12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xiii-p1.4">12:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xiii-p3.5">12:6-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xiv-p1.9">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xiv-p4.10">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xiv-p1.10">13:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=18#Lev.xiv-p4.11">13:18-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=38#Lev.xiv-p6.4">13:38-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=47#Lev.xiv-p13.5">13:47-59</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xv-p1.5">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xv-p5.13">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xv-p1.6">14:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xv-p5.14">14:10-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=21#Lev.xv-p8.11">14:21-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xv-p10.3">14:33-53</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=54#Lev.xv-p12.12">14:54-57</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xvi-p1.3">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xvi-p3.9">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvi-p1.4">15:1-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xvi-p3.10">15:19-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xvii-p1.15">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xvii-p8.8">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xvii-p1.16">16:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=5#Lev.xvii-p6.2">16:5-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xvii-p8.9">16:15-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=20#Lev.xvii-p10.8">16:20-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=29#Lev.xvii-p12.6">16:29-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xviii-p1.3">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xviii-p7.8">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xviii-p1.4">17:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xviii-p7.9">17:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xix-p1.5">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xix-p9.5">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xix-p1.6">18:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=6#Lev.xix-p3.11">18:6-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xix-p9.6">18:19-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xx-p1.28">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xx-p8.2">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xx-p18.9">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xx-p1.29">19:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Lev.xx-p8.3">19:11-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=19#Lev.xx-p18.10">19:19-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=30#Lev.xx-p23.4">19:30-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxi-p1.8">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxi-p10.2">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxi-p1.9">20:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxi-p10.3">20:10-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Lev.xxi-p15.3">20:22-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxii-p1.5">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxii-p6.2">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxii-p11.3">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxii-p1.6">21:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxii-p6.3">21:10-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=16#Lev.xxii-p11.4">21:16-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxiii-p1.7">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxiii-p5.5">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxiii-p11.2">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxiii-p1.8">22:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxiii-p5.6">22:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=17#Lev.xxiii-p11.3">22:17-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxiv-p1.8">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxiv-p8.10">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxiv-p1.9">23:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=4#Lev.xxiv-p4.3">23:4-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Lev.xxiv-p8.11">23:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxiv-p11.3">23:23-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=33#Lev.xxiv-p14.4">23:33-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxv-p1.6">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxv-p5.12">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxv-p1.7">24:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Lev.xxv-p5.13">24:10-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxvi-p1.9">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvi-p1.10">25:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=8#Lev.xxvi-p3.8">25:8-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=23#Lev.xxvi-p12.5">25:23-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=39#Lev.xxvi-p17.3">25:39-55</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxvii-p1.6">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxvii-p4.32">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxvii-p1.7">26:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxvii-p4.33">26:14-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=40#Lev.xxvii-p14.9">26:40-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxviii-p1.8">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Lev.xxviii-p5.5">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Lev.xxviii-p1.9">27:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=14#Lev.xxviii-p5.6">27:14-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Lev&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=26#Lev.xxviii-p11.7">27:26-34</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Numbers</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Num.ii-p1.8">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Num.ii-p7.5">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Num.ii-p1.9">1:1-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=17#Num.ii-p7.6">1:17-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=44#Num.ii-p10.12">1:44-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=47#Num.ii-p12.3">1:47-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Num.iii-p1.8">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Num.iii-p1.9">2:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=3#Num.iii-p3.11">2:3-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Num.iv-p1.12">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Num.iv-p5.6">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Num.iv-p1.13">3:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=14#Num.iv-p5.7">3:14-39</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=40#Num.iv-p12.3">3:40-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Num.v-p1.5">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Num.v-p1.6">4:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=21#Num.v-p10.5">4:21-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=34#Num.v-p12.9">4:34-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Num.vi-p1.5">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Num.vi-p7.2">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Num.vi-p1.6">5:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=11#Num.vi-p7.3">5:11-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Num.vii-p1.5">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Num.vii-p1.6">6:1-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=22#Num.vii-p11.12">6:22-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Num.viii-p1.4">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Num.viii-p7.7">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Num.viii-p1.5">7:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=10#Num.viii-p7.8">7:10-89</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Num.ix-p1.9">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Num.ix-p1.10">8:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=5#Num.ix-p3.10">8:5-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Num.x-p1.4">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Num.x-p9.10">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Num.x-p1.5">9:1-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=15#Num.x-p9.11">9:15-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Num.xi-p1.5">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Num.xi-p3.21">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Num.xi-p1.6">10:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=11#Num.xi-p3.22">10:11-28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=29#Num.xi-p6.12">10:29-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Num.xii-p1.9">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Num.xii-p14.5">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Num.xii-p1.10">11:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=4#Num.xii-p8.3">11:4-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=16#Num.xii-p14.6">11:16-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=24#Num.xii-p23.4">11:24-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=31#Num.xii-p33.2">11:31-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=0#Num.xiii-p1.6">12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=0#Num.xiii-p10.2">12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiii-p1.7">12:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=4#Num.xiii-p4.5">12:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=10#Num.xiii-p10.3">12:10-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Num.xiv-p1.7">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Num.xiv-p1.8">13:1-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=21#Num.xiv-p6.1">13:21-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=26#Num.xiv-p8.8">13:26-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Num.xv-p1.8">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Num.xv-p15.7">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Num.xv-p1.9">14:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=5#Num.xv-p6.6">14:5-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=11#Num.xv-p15.8">14:11-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=20#Num.xv-p25.4">14:20-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=36#Num.xv-p34.3">14:36-45</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Num.xvi-p1.11">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvi-p1.12">15:1-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=22#Num.xvi-p6.6">15:22-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=30#Num.xvi-p8.16">15:30-36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=37#Num.xvi-p11.8">15:37-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Num.xvii-p1.12">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Num.xvii-p13.2">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Num.xvii-p1.13">16:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=12#Num.xvii-p13.3">16:12-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=23#Num.xvii-p21.8">16:23-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=35#Num.xvii-p28.2">16:35-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=41#Num.xvii-p32.3">16:41-50</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Num.xviii-p1.5">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Num.xviii-p1.6">17:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Num.xviii-p4.2">17:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Num.xix-p1.5">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Num.xix-p1.6">18:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=8#Num.xix-p7.10">18:8-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=20#Num.xix-p9.10">18:20-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Num.xx-p1.6">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Num.xx-p10.6">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Num.xx-p1.7">19:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=11#Num.xx-p10.7">19:11-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxi-p1.10">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxi-p13.5">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxi-p1.11">20:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=14#Num.xxi-p13.6">20:14-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxi-p17.4">20:22-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxii-p1.6">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxii-p12.4">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxii-p1.7">21:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=4#Num.xxii-p3.6">21:4-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxii-p12.5">21:10-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=21#Num.xxii-p16.12">21:21-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxiii-p1.7">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxiii-p8.3">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiii-p1.8">22:1-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxiii-p8.4">22:15-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=22#Num.xxiii-p14.3">22:22-35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=36#Num.xxiii-p20.6">22:36-41</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxiv-p1.7">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxiv-p12.3">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxiv-p1.8">23:1-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxiv-p12.4">23:13-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxv-p1.4">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxv-p11.2">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxv-p13.7">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxv-p1.5">24:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=10#Num.xxv-p11.3">24:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxv-p13.8">24:15-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxvi-p1.7">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxvi-p8.9">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvi-p1.8">25:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=6#Num.xxvi-p4.8">25:6-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxvi-p8.10">25:16-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxvii-p1.8">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxvii-p1.9">26:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxvii-p3.1">26:5-51</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=52#Num.xxvii-p8.5">26:52-56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=57#Num.xxvii-p10.3">26:57-62</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=63#Num.xxvii-p12.2">26:63-65</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxviii-p1.5">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxviii-p7.5">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxviii-p9.4">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxviii-p1.6">27:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxviii-p7.6">27:12-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=15#Num.xxviii-p9.5">27:15-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxix-p1.8">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxix-p6.11">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxix-p1.9">28:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxix-p4.6">28:9-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxix-p6.12">28:16-31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxx-p1.5">29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxx-p3.6">29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxx-p1.6">29:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=12#Num.xxx-p3.7">29:12-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxi-p1.4">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxi-p1.5">30:1-2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=3#Num.xxxi-p4.4">30:3-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxii-p1.9">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxii-p8.12">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxii-p1.10">31:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=7#Num.xxxii-p6.4">31:7-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=13#Num.xxxii-p8.13">31:13-24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=25#Num.xxxii-p14.3">31:25-47</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=48#Num.xxxii-p18.3">31:48-54</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxiii-p1.5">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxiii-p7.4">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiii-p1.6">32:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxiii-p7.5">32:16-27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=28#Num.xxxiii-p12.3">32:28-42</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxiv-p1.3">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxiv-p1.4">33:1-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=50#Num.xxxiv-p7.13">33:50-56</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxv-p1.3">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxv-p6.7">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxv-p1.4">34:1-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=16#Num.xxxv-p6.8">34:16-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxvi-p1.6">35</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvi-p1.7">35:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=35&amp;scrV=9#Num.xxxvi-p6.3">35:9-34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=0#Num.xxxvii-p1.7">36</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=1#Num.xxxvii-p1.8">36:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Num&amp;scrCh=36&amp;scrV=5#Num.xxxvii-p3.4">36:5-13</a> </p>
<p class="bbook">Deuteronomy</p>
<p class="bref">
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Deu.ii-p1.7">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=0#Deu.ii-p14.1">1</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ii-p1.8">1:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=9#Deu.ii-p4.9">1:9-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=1&amp;scrV=19#Deu.ii-p14.2">1:19-46</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=0#Deu.iii-p1.10">2</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iii-p1.11">2:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=8#Deu.iii-p7.3">2:8-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=2&amp;scrV=24#Deu.iii-p12.4">2:24-37</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Deu.iv-p1.7">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=0#Deu.iv-p5.5">3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=1#Deu.iv-p1.8">3:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=12#Deu.iv-p5.6">3:12-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=3&amp;scrV=21#Deu.iv-p7.7">3:21-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=0#Deu.v-p1.4">4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=1#Deu.v-p1.5">4:1-40</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=4&amp;scrV=41#Deu.v-p24.1">4:41-49</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=0#Deu.vi-p1.7">5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vi-p1.8">5:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=6#Deu.vi-p3.8">5:6-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=5&amp;scrV=23#Deu.vi-p5.13">5:23-33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Deu.vii-p1.10">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=0#Deu.vii-p10.8">6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=1#Deu.vii-p1.11">6:1-3</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=4#Deu.vii-p3.8">6:4-16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=6&amp;scrV=17#Deu.vii-p10.9">6:17-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Deu.viii-p1.10">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=0#Deu.viii-p12.6">7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=1#Deu.viii-p1.11">7:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=7&amp;scrV=12#Deu.viii-p12.7">7:12-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Deu.ix-p1.7">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=0#Deu.ix-p12.1">8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=1#Deu.ix-p1.8">8:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=8&amp;scrV=10#Deu.ix-p12.2">8:10-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=0#Deu.x-p1.8">9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=1#Deu.x-p1.9">9:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=9&amp;scrV=7#Deu.x-p7.5">9:7-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xi-p1.7">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xi-p7.2">10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xi-p1.8">10:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=10&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xi-p7.3">10:12-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xii-p1.8">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xii-p10.2">11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xii-p1.9">11:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xii-p4.10">11:8-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xii-p10.3">11:18-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=11&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xii-p13.7">11:26-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xiii-p1.10">12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xiii-p1.11">12:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=12&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xiii-p5.2">12:5-32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xiv-p10.6">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xiv-p1.4">13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xiv-p1.5">13:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xiv-p6.2">13:6-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=13&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xiv-p10.7">13:12-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xv-p1.4">14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xv-p1.5">14:1-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=14&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xv-p9.3">14:22-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xvi-p6.3">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xvi-p9.7">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xvi-p1.5">15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvi-p1.6">15:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xvi-p6.4">15:12-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=15&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xvi-p9.8">15:19-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xvii-p7.6">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xvii-p1.7">16</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xvii-p1.8">16:1-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=16&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xvii-p7.7">16:18-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xviii-p9.9">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xviii-p1.5">17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xviii-p1.6">17:1-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xviii-p7.3">17:8-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=17&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xviii-p9.10">17:14-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xix-p11.5">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xix-p1.7">18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xix-p1.8">18:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xix-p7.2">18:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=18&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xix-p11.6">18:15-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xx-p1.4">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xx-p8.3">19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xx-p1.5">19:1-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=19&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xx-p8.4">19:14-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxi-p10.2">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxi-p1.7">20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxi-p1.8">20:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=20&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxi-p10.3">20:10-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxii-p16.3">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxii-p1.6">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxii-p7.3">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxii-p12.2">21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxii-p1.7">21:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxii-p7.4">21:10-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxii-p12.3">21:15-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=21&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxii-p16.4">21:18-23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxiii-p10.4">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxiii-p1.13">22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiii-p1.14">22:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxiii-p3.7">22:5-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=22&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxiii-p10.5">22:13-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxiv-p12.2">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxiv-p1.8">23</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxiv-p1.9">23:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxiv-p7.3">23:9-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=23&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxiv-p12.3">23:15-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxv-p1.10">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxv-p8.5">24</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxv-p1.11">24:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxv-p3.8">24:5-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=24&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxv-p8.6">24:14-22</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxvi-p1.7">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxvi-p7.2">25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvi-p1.8">25:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxvi-p4.5">25:5-12</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=25&amp;scrV=13#Deu.xxvi-p7.3">25:13-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxvii-p9.2">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxvii-p13.4">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxvii-p1.5">26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxvii-p1.6">26:1-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxvii-p9.3">26:12-15</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=26&amp;scrV=16#Deu.xxvii-p13.5">26:16-19</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxviii-p6.6">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxviii-p1.3">27</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxviii-p1.4">27:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=27&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxviii-p6.7">27:11-26</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxix-p9.4">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxix-p1.7">28</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxix-p1.8">28:1-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxix-p9.5">28:15-44</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=28&amp;scrV=45#Deu.xxix-p15.33">28:45-68</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxx-p1.9">29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxx-p9.2">29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxx-p1.10">29:1-9</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=29&amp;scrV=10#Deu.xxx-p9.3">29:10-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxi-p1.4">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxi-p8.2">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxi-p12.5">30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxi-p1.5">30:1-10</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=11#Deu.xxxi-p8.3">30:11-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=30&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxi-p12.6">30:15-20</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxii-p1.10">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxii-p14.3">31</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxii-p1.11">31:1-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxii-p5.2">31:9-13</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=14#Deu.xxxii-p14.4">31:14-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=31&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxii-p19.6">31:22-30</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxiii-p26.4">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxiii-p20.3">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxiii-p1.8">32</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiii-p1.9">32:1-6</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=7#Deu.xxxiii-p8.5">32:7-14</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=15#Deu.xxxiii-p20.4">32:15-18</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=19#Deu.xxxiii-p26.5">32:19-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiii-p32.12">32:26-38</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=39#Deu.xxxiii-p41.8">32:39-43</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=32&amp;scrV=44#Deu.xxxiii-p46.3">32:44-52</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxiv-p19.4">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxiv-p1.13">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxiv-p26.9">33</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxiv-p1.14">33:1-5</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=6#Deu.xxxiv-p9.2">33:6-7</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=8#Deu.xxxiv-p12.7">33:8-11</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=12#Deu.xxxiv-p19.5">33:12-17</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=18#Deu.xxxiv-p26.10">33:18-21</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=22#Deu.xxxiv-p35.8">33:22-25</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=33&amp;scrV=26#Deu.xxxiv-p39.5">33:26-29</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=0#Deu.xxxv-p1.7">34</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=1#Deu.xxxv-p1.8">34:1-4</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=5#Deu.xxxv-p4.8">34:5-8</a>&#160;&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="?scrBook=Deut&amp;scrCh=34&amp;scrV=9#Deu.xxxv-p9.3">34:9-12</a> </p>
</div>
</div2>
<div2 title="Index of Pages of the Print Edition" prev="viii.ii" next="toc" id="viii.iii">
<h2 id="viii.iii-p0.1">Index of Pages of the Print Edition</h2>
<insertIndex type="pb" id="viii.iii-p0.2"/>
<div class="Index">
<p class="pages"><a class="TOC" href="#Gen.i-Page_1">1</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_2">2</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_3">3</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_4">4</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_5">5</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_6">6</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_7">7</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_8">8</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_9">9</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_10">10</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_11">11</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ii-Page_12">12</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_12">12</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_13">13</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_14">14</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_16">16</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_17">17</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_18">18</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_19">19</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_20">20</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iii-Page_21">21</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_21">21</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_22">22</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_23">23</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_24">24</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_25">25</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_26">26</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_27">27</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_28">28</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_29">29</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_30">30</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_31">31</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_32">32</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_33">33</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_34">34</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_35">35</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.iv-Page_36">36</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_36">36</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_37">37</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_38">38</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_39">39</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_40">40</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_41">41</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_42">42</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_43">43</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_44">44</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_45">45</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.v-Page_46">46</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vi-Page_46">46</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vi-Page_47">47</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vi-Page_48">48</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vi-Page_49">49</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vi-Page_50">50</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vi-Page_51">51</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_51">51</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_52">52</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_53">53</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_54">54</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_55">55</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_56">56</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.vii-Page_57">57</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_57">57</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_58">58</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_59">59</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_60">60</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_61">61</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_62">62</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.viii-Page_63">63</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ix-Page_64">64</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ix-Page_65">65</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ix-Page_66">66</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ix-Page_67">67</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.ix-Page_68">68</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_68">68</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_69">69</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_70">70</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_71">71</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_72">72</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_73">73</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_74">74</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.x-Page_75">75</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xi-Page_75">75</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xi-Page_76">76</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xi-Page_77">77</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xi-Page_78">78</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xii-Page_78">78</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xii-Page_79">79</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xii-Page_80">80</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xii-Page_81">81</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xii-Page_82">82</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xii-Page_83">83</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_83">83</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_84">84</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_85">85</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_86">86</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_87">87</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_88">88</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiii-Page_89">89</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiv-Page_89">89</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiv-Page_90">90</a>&#160;
<a class="TOC" href="#Gen.xiv-Page_91">91</a>&#160;
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