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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Leviticus, Chapter XXIV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1></center>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC03023.HTM">Previous</A>]
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[<A HREF="MHC03025.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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</TD></TR></TABLE>
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>L E V I T C U S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XXIV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In this chapter we have,
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I. A repetition of the laws concerning the lamps and the show-bread,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:1-9">ver. 1-9</A>.
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II. A violation of the law against blasphemy, with the imprisonment,
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trial, condemnation, and execution, of the blasphemer,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:10-14">ver. 10-14</A>,
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with
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:23">ver. 23</A>.
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III. The law against blasphemy reinforced
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:15,16">ver. 15, 16</A>),
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with sundry other laws,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:17-23">ver. 17</A>, &c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Le24_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Laws Concerning the Lamps.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1490.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses, saying,
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2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee
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pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn
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continually.
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3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the
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congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the
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morning before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> continually: <I>it shall be</I> a statute for
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ever in your generations.
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4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> continually.
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5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes
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thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
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6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the
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pure table before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon <I>each</I> row, that it
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may be on the bread for a memorial, <I>even</I> an offering made by
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fire unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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continually, <I>being taken</I> from the children of Israel by an
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everlasting covenant.
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9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it
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in the holy place: for it <I>is</I> most holy unto him of the
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offerings of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> made by fire by a perpetual statute.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Care is here taken, and orders are given, for the decent furnishing of
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the candlestick and table in God's house.</P>
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<P>
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I. The lamps must always be kept burning. The law for this we had
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before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+27:20,21">Exod. xxvii. 20, 21</A>.
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It is here repeated, probably because it now began to be put in
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execution, when other things were settled.
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1. The people were to provide oil
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
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and this, as every thing else that was to be used in God's service,
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must be of the best, <I>pure olive-oil, beaten,</I> probably it was
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double-strained. This was to <I>cause the lamps to burn;</I> all our
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English copies read it <I>lamps,</I> but in the original it is singular
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in
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>--to
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<I>cause the lamp to burn;</I> but plural in
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>--<I>he
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shall order the lamps.</I> The seven lamps made all one lamp, in
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allusion to which the blessed Spirit of grace is represented by
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<I>seven lamps of fire before the throne</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+4:5">Rev. iv. 5</A>),
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for there are <I>diversities of gifts, but one Spirit,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Co+12:4">1 Cor. xii. 4</A>.
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Ministers are as burning and shining lights in Christ's church, but it
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is the duty of people to provide comfortably for them, as Israel for
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the lamps. Scandalous maintenance makes a scandalous ministry.
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2. The priests were to tend the lamps; they must snuff them, clean the
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candlestick, and supply them with oil, morning and evening,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:3,4"><I>v.</I> 3, 4</A>.
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Thus it is the work of the ministers of the gospel to <I>hold forth
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that word of life,</I> not to set up new lights, but, by expounding and
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preaching the word, to make the light of it more clear and extensive.
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This was the ordinary way of keeping the lamps burning; but, when the
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church was poor and in distress, we find its lamps fed constantly with
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<I>oil from the good olives</I> immediately, without the ministry of
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priest or people
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Zec+4:2,3">Zech. iv. 2, 3</A>);
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for, though God has tied us to means, he has not tied himself to them,
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but will take effectual care that his lamp never go out in the world
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for want of oil.</P>
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<P>
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II. The table must always be kept spread. This was appointed before,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+25:30">Exod. xxv. 30</A>.
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And here also,
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1. The table was furnished with bread; not dainties nor varieties to
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gratify a luxurious palate, but twelve loaves or cakes of bread,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:5,6"><I>v.</I> 5, 6</A>.
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Where there is plenty of bread there is no famine; and where bread is
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not there is no feast. There was a loaf for every tribe, for <I>in our
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Father's house there is bread enough.</I> They were all provided for by
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the divine bounty, and were all welcome to the divine grace. Even
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after the revolt of the ten tribes this number of loaves was continued
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+13:11">2 Chron. xiii. 11</A>),
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for the sake of those few of each tribe that retained their affection
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to the temple and continued their attendance on it.
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2. A handful of frankincense was put in a golden saucer, upon or by
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each row,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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When the bread was removed, and given to the priests, this frankincense
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was burnt upon the golden altar (I suppose) over and above the daily
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incense: and this was for a memorial instead of the bread, an offering
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made by fire, as the handful of the meat-offering which was burnt upon
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the altar is called the <I>memorial thereof,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+2:2"><I>ch.</I> ii. 2</A>.
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Thus a little was accepted as a humble acknowledgment, and all the
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loaves were consigned to the priests. All God's spiritual Israel,
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typified by the twelve loaves, are made through Christ a sweet savour
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to him, and their prayers are said to come up before God <I>for a
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memorial,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+10:4">Acts x. 4</A>.
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The word is borrowed from the ceremonial law.
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3. Every sabbath it was renewed. When the loaves had stood there a
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week, the priests had them to eat with other holy things that were to
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be eaten in the holy place
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>),
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and new ones were provided at the public charge, and put in the room of
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them,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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The Jews say, "The hands of those priests that put on were mixed with
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theirs that took off, that the table might be never empty, but the
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bread might be <I>before the Lord continually.</I>" God is never
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unprovided for the entertainment of those that visit him, as men often
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are,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+11:5">Luke xi. 5</A>.
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Every one of those cakes contained two tenth-deals, that is, two omers
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of fine flour; just so much manna every Israelite gathered on the sixth
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day for the sabbath,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+16:22">Exod. xvi. 22</A>.
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Hence some infer that this show-bread, which was set on the table on
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the sabbath, was intended as a memorial of the manna wherewith they
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were fed in the wilderness. Christ's ministers should provide new
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bread for his house every sabbath day, the production of their fresh
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studies in the scripture, that <I>their proficiency may appear to
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all,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+4:1,5">1 Tim. iv. 1, 5</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="Le24_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_20"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_21"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_22"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le24_23"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Blasphemy of Shelomith's Son; The Punishment of Shelomith's Son.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1490.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father <I>was</I> an
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Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of
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the Israelitish <I>woman</I> and a man of Israel strove together in
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the camp;
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11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name <I>of the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,</I> and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his
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mother's name <I>was</I> Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the
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tribe of Dan:)
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12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> might be
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showed them.
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13 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses, saying,
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14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let
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all that heard <I>him</I> lay their hands upon his head, and let all
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the congregation stone him.
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15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
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Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
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16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, he shall
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surely be put to death, <I>and</I> all the congregation shall
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certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in
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the land, when he blasphemeth the name <I>of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>,</I> shall be
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put to death.
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17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
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18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for
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beast.
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19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath
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done, so shall it be done to him;
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20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath
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caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him <I>again.</I>
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21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he
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that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
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22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger,
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as for one of your own country: for I <I>am</I> the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> your God.
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23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should
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bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him
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with stones. And the children of Israel did as the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> commanded
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Moses.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Evil manners, we say, beget good laws. We have here an account of the
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evil manners of a certain nameless mongrel Israelite, and the good laws
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occasioned thereby.</P>
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<P>
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I. The offender was the son of an Egyptian father and an Israelitish
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mother
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>);
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his mother was of the tribe of Dan,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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Neither he nor his father is named, but his mother only, who was an
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Israelite. This notice is taken of his parentage either,
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1. To intimate what occasioned the quarrel he was engaged in. The Jews
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say, "He offered to set up his tent among the Danites in the right of
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his mother, but was justly opposed by some or other of that tribe, and
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informed that his father being an Egyptian he had no part nor lot in
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the matter, but must look upon himself as a stranger." Or,
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2. To show the common ill effect of such mixed marriages. When a
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daughter of Israel would marry an idolatrous malignant Egyptian, what
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could be the fruit of such a marriage but a blasphemer? For the
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children will be apt to take after the worse side, whichsoever it is,
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and will sooner learn of an Egyptian father to blaspheme than of an
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Israelitish mother to pray and praise.</P>
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<P>
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II. The occasion of the offence was contention: He <I>strove with a man
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of Israel.</I> The mixed multitude of Egyptians that came up with
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Israel
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+12:38">Exod. xii. 38</A>)
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were in many ways hurtful to them, and this was one, they were often
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the authors of strife. The way to preserve the peace of the church is
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to preserve the purity of it. In this strife he broke out into ill
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language. Note, When quarrels begin we know not what mischief they will
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make before they end, nor how treat a matter a little fire may kindle.
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When men's passion is up they are apt to forget both their reason and
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their religion, which is a good reason why we should not be apt either
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to give or to resent provocation, but leave off strife before it be
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meddled with, because the beginning of it is <I>as the letting forth of
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water.</I></P>
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<P>
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III. The offence itself was blasphemy and cursing,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>.
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It is supposed that his cause came to be heard before the judges, who
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determined that he had no right to the privileges of an Israelite, his
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father being an Egyptian, and that, being enraged at the sentence,
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1. He <I>blasphemed the name of the Lord.</I> He blasphemed <I>the
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name,</I> that is, he blasphemed God, who is known by his name only,
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not by his nature, or any similitude. Not as if God were a mere name,
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but his is a name above every name. The translators add <I>of the
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Lord,</I> which is implied, but not expressed, in the original, for the
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greater reverence of the divine Majesty: it is a shame that it should
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be found on record that the very name of Jehovah should be blasphemed;
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<I>tell it not in Gath.</I> It is a fond conceit of the superstitious
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Jews that his blasphemy was in pronouncing the name of <I>Jehovah,</I>
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which they call ineffable: he that made himself known by that name
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never forbade the calling of him by that name. It is probable that
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finding himself aggrieved by the divine appointment, which separated
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between the Israelites and strangers, he impudently reproached both the
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law and the Law-maker, and set him at defiance.
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2. He cursed either God himself (and then his cursing was the same with
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blaspheming) or the person with whom he strove. Imprecations of
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mischief are the hellish language of hasty passion, as well as of
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rooted malice. Or perhaps he cursed the judges that gave sentence
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against him; he flew in the face of the court, and ridiculed the
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processes of it; thus he added sin to sin.</P>
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<P>
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IV. The caution with which he was proceeded against for this sin. The
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witnesses or inferior judges brought him and his case (which was
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somewhat extraordinary) unto Moses
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
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according to the order settled
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+18:22">Exod. xviii. 22</A>),
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and Moses himself would not give judgment hastily, but committed the
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offender into custody, till he had consulted the oracle in this case.
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Note, Judges must deliberate; both those that give the verdict and
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those that give the sentence must consider diligently what they do, and
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|
do nothing rashly, for <I>the judgment is God's</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+1:17">Deut. i. 17</A>),
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and before him there will be a rehearing of the cause. They waited to
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know what was <I>the mind of the Lord,</I> whether he was to be put to
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death by the hand of the magistrate or to be left to the judgment of
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God: or, rather, they wanted to know whether he should be stoned, as
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those were to be that only cursed their <I>parents</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+20:9"><I>ch.</I> xx. 9</A>),
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or whether, the crime being so much greater, some sorer punishment
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|
should be inflicted on him. Note, Those that sit in judgment should
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sincerely desire, and by prayer and the use of all good means should
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endeavour to <I>know the mind of the Lord,</I> because they <I>judge
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for him</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Ch+19:6">2 Chron. xix. 6</A>)
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and to him they are accountable.</P>
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<P>
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V. Sentence passed upon this offender by the righteous Judge of heaven
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and earth himself: <I>Let all the congregation stone him,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>.
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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,
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1. The place of execution appointed: <I>Bring him forth without the
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|
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.
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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,
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|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+69:9">Ps. lxix. 9</A>.
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|
|
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.
|
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|
|
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>
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<P>
|
|
|
|
VI. A standing law made upon this occasion for the stoning of
|
|
blasphemers,
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:15,16"><I>v.</I> 15, 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+64:8">Ps. lxiv. 8</A>),
|
|
|
|
and the tongue of a blasphemer will fall heavily.</P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
VII. A repetition of some other laws annexed to this new law.
|
|
|
|
1. That murder should be punished with death
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>,
|
|
|
|
and again
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>),
|
|
|
|
according to an ancient law in Noah's time
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+9:6">Gen. ix. 6</A>),
|
|
|
|
and the very law of nature,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+4:10">Gen. iv. 10</A>.
|
|
|
|
2. That maimers should in like manner be punished by the law of
|
|
retaliation,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:19,20"><I>v.</I> 19, 20</A>.
|
|
|
|
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,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+22:4,5">Exod. xxii. 4, 5</A>.
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mt+5:38,39">Matt. v. 38, 39</A>),
|
|
|
|
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,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:18,21"><I>v.</I> 18, 21</A>.
|
|
|
|
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--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>
|
|
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+24:23"><I>v.</I> 23</A>.
|
|
|
|
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>
|
|
|
|
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