Directions concerning different A. M. 2514. the son of Jephunneh, which were you; that ye be not smitten An. Exod. Isn of the men that went to search before 41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do transgress P the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper. 42 Go not up, for the LORD is not among Exod. xxxiii. 4.- — Deut. i. 41. 20. Ver. 25; 2 Chron. xxiv. - Deut. i. 42. followed God fully. Let preachers of God's word take heed how they straiten the way of salvation, or render, by unjust description, that way perplexed and difficult which God has made plain and easy. Verse 40. We will go up unto the place, &c.] They found themselves on the very borders of the land, and they heard God say they should not enter it, but should be consumed by a forty years' wandering in the wilderness; notwithstanding, they are determined to render vain this purpose of God, probably supposing that the temporary sorrow they felt for their late rebellion would be accepted as a sufficient atonement for their crimes! They accordingly went up, and were cut down by their enemies; and why? God went not your enemies. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. ye shall 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you. 44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormali. u 2 Chron. xxiv. 2. with them. Deut. i. 43. Ver. 43; Deut i. 44. Chap. xxi. 3; Judg. i. 17. How vain is the counsel of man againstthe wisdom of God! Nature, poor, fallen human nature, is ever running into extremes.. This miserable people, a short time ago, thought that though they had Omnipotence with them they could not conquer and possess the land! Now they imagine that though God himself go not with them, yet they shall be sufficient to drive out the inhabitants, and take possession of their country! Man is ever supposing he can either do all things or do nothing; he is therefore sometimes presumptuous, and at other times in despair. Who but an apostle, or one under the influence of the same Spirit, can say, I can do ALL THINGS THROUGH. CHRIST who strengtheneth me? CHAPTER XV. Directions concerning the different offerings they should bring unto the Lord when they should come to the land of Canaan, 1-3. Directions relative to the meat-offering, 4; to the drink-offering, 5. Of the burntoffering, vow-offering, peace-offering, drink-offering, &c., 6-12. All born in the country must perform these rites, 13, and the strangers also, 14-16. They shall offer unto the Lord a heave-offering of the first-fruits of the land, 17-21, Concerning omissions through ignorance, and the sacrifices to be offered on such occasions, 22-29. He who sins presumptuously shall be cut off, 30, 31. History of the person who gathered sticks on the Sabbath, 32. He is brought to Moses and Aaron, 33. They put him in confinement till the mind of the Lord should be known on the case, “34. The Lord commands him to be stoned, 35. He is stoned to death, 36. The Israelites are commanded to make fringes, to the borders of their garments, 37, 38. The end for which these fringes were to be made, that they might remember the commandments of the Lord, that they might be holy, 39-41. Of the meat-offering, drink-offering, CHAP. XV. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill-offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock: f 4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat-offering of a tenth deal of flour, mingled with the fourth part of a hin of oil. 5 And the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink-offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt-offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. 6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat-offering, two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of a hïn of oil. 7 And for a drink-offering thou shalt offer the third part of a hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt-offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace-offerings unto the LORD: 9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat-offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half a hin of oil. 10 And thou shalt bring for a drink-offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by of a sweet savour unto the LORD. fire, 11 or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid. Thus shall it be done for one bullock, burnt-offering, heave-offering, &c A. M. 2514. these things after this manner, in 2. 14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and. will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do. 15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that, sojourneth with you. 21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD a heave-offering in your generations. V 12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according 22 And if ye have erred, and not observed to their number. all these commandments, which the LORD hath 13 All that are born of the country shall do spoken unto Moses,. m Lev. vii. -P Chapter Verse 2; * Chap. xxviii. 7, 14.- Chap. xxviii. 12, 14.H.- Chap. xxviii. 12, 14.- Ecclus. 1. 15. xxviii. - Ver. 29; Exod. xii. 49; chap. ix. 14. Deut. xxvi. 1. Josh. v. 11, 12. Deut. xxvi. 2, 10; Prov. iii. 9, 10.- "Lev. ii. 14; xxiii. 10, 16.- Lev. iv. 2. that came to sojourn in the land, were required to conform to it; and it was right that those who did conform to it should have equal rights and privileges with the Hebrews themselves, which we find was the case. But under the Christian dispensation, as no particular form of worship is prescribed, the types and ceremonies of the Mosaic institution being all fulfilled, unlimited toleration should be allowed; and while the sacred writings are made the basis of the worship offered to God, every man should be allowed to worship according to his own conscience, for in this respect every one is Verse 5. The fourth part of a hin] The quantitygers-all of meal and flour was augmented in proportion to the size of the sacrifice with which it was offered. With a LAMB or a KID were offered one tenth deal of flour, (the tenth part of an ephah, see on Exod. xxix. 40,) the fourth part of a hin of oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine. With a RAM, two tenth deals of flour, a third part of a hin of oil, and a third part of a hin of wine. With a BULLOCK, three tenth deals of flour, half a hin of oil, and half a hin of wine. See ver. 4-11. Verse 14. If a stranger sojourn] See the notes on Lev. xix. 33; xxii. 9. When the case of the Jewish people is fairly considered, and their situation with respect to the surrounding idolatrous nations, we shall see the absolute necessity of having but one form of worship in the land. That alone was genuine which was prescribed by the Almighty, and no others could be tolerated, because they were idolatrous. All stran "Lord of himself, accountable to none But to his conscience and his God alone." 23 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; W 24 Then it shall be, if aught 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 LORD, Y with his meat-offering, and his drink-offering, according to the manner, and a one kid of the goats for a sin-offering. 25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congrégation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin-offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 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 were in ignorance. Verse 24. If aught be committed by ignorance] See the notes on Lev. iv. 2, and v. 17. The case here probably refers to the whole congregation; the cases above, to the sin of an individual. Verse 25. The priest shall make an atonement] Even sins committed through ignorance required an atonement; and God in his mercy has provided one for them, Verse 30. But the soul, that doeth aught presumptuously] Bold daring acts of transgression against the fullest evidence, and in despite of the Divine authority, admitted of no atonement; the person was to be cut off to be excluded from God's people, and from all their privileges and blessings. Probably the presumption mentioned here implied an utter contempt of the word and authority of God, springing from an idolatrous or atheistical mind. In such a case all repentance was precluded, because of the denial of the word and being of God. It is pro Case of the Sabbath-breaker. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. 2. 29 Ye shall have one law for him that 'sinneth through ig- An. Exod. Isr. norance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 30 But the soul that doeth aught sumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. pre 31. Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. 32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. n 34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. bably a case similar to that mentioned Heb. vi. 4–8; x. 26-31; on which passages see the notes. Verse 32. They found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath] This was in all likelihood a case of that kind supposed above: the man despised, the word of the Lord, and therefore broke his commandment; see ver. 31. On this ground he was punished with the utmost rigour of the law. Verse 36. Stoned him] See the note on Lev. xxiv. 23. Verse 38. Bid them-make them fringes] We learn from ver. 39 that these fringes were emblematical of the various commands of God. That there was any analogy between a fringe and a precept, it would be bold to assert; but when a thing is appointed to represent another, no matter how different, that first object becomes the regular representative or sign of the other. There is no, analogy between the term bread and the farinaceous nutritive substance thereby signified; but The rebellion of Korah A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. CHAP. XVI. and his companions. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. ders of their garments throughout | your own eyes, after which ye their generations, and that they use to go a whoring: put upon the fringe of the bor- 40 That ye may remember, ders a ribbon of blue : and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. 39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye a seek not after your own heart and 4 See Deut. xxix. 19; Job xxxi. 7; Jer. ix. 14; Ezek. vi. 9, Psa. lxxiii. 27; cvi. 39; James iv. 4. 41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. because this term is used to express and represent that bring to mind the commandments of God, ver. 39, the thing, every person thus understands it; and when the mention or sight of them conveyed the intelligence word bread is seen or heard, a perfect knowledge, not intended. All the Jews wore these, and so probably of the letters which compose that word, but of the did our Lord; see Matt. ix. 20, where the word κpaσthing signified by it, is conveyed to the mind. So thedov is rather to be understood of the fringe than of fringes, being appointed by God to represent and the hem of his garment, CHAPTER XVI. The rebellion of Korah and his company against Moses, 1-3. He directs them how to try, in the course of the next day, whom God had called to the priesthood, 4-11.' Dathan and Abiram use the most seditious speeches, 12-14. Moses is wroth, 15; and orders Korah and his company to be ready on the morrow with their censers and incense, 16-18. Korah gathers his company together, 19. The glory of the Lord appears, and he threatens to consume them, 20, 21. Moses and Aaron intercede for them, 22. The people are commanded to leave the tents of the rebels, 23-26. They obey, and Korah and his company come out and stand before the door of their tents, 27. Moses in a solemn address puts the contention to issue, 28-30. As soon as he had done speaking, the earth clave and swallowed them, and all that appertained to them, 31--34; and the 250 men who offered incense are consumed by fire, 35. The Lord commands Eleazar to preserve the censers, because they were hallowed, 36-38. Eleazar makes of them a covering for the altar, 39, 40. The next day the people murmur anew, the glory of the Lord appears, and Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle, 41-43. They are commanded to separate themselves from the congregation, 44, 45. Moses, perceiving that God had sent a plague among them, directs Aaron to hasten and make an atonement, 46. Aaron does so, and the plague is stayed, 47, 48. The number of those who died by the plague, 14,700 men, 49, 50. tain of the children of Israel, two с b 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said Jude 11.- b Gen. vi. 4; chap. xxvi. 9.- - Psa. cvi. 16. SON OF REUBEN; and they rose up, &c. This makes a very regular and consistent sense, and spares all the learned labour of Father Houbigant, who translates p yikkach, by rebellionem fecerunt, they rebelled, which scarcely any rule of criticism can ever justify. Instead of beney Reuben, sons of Reuben, some MSS. have 1 ben, sox, in the singular; this reading, supported by the Septuagint and the Samaritan text, I have followed in the above translation. But as Eliab and Peleth were both Reubenites, the common reading, sons, may be safely followed. a Exod, vi. 21; chap. xxvi. 9; xxvii. 3; Ecclus. xlv. 18; NOTES ON CHAP. XVI. Verse 1. Now Korah-took men] Had not these been the most brutish of men, could they have possibly so soon forgotten the signal displeasure of God manifested against them so lately for their rebellion. The word men is not in the original; and the verb пp" vaiyikkach, and he took, is not in the plural but the singular, hence it cannot be applied to the act of all these chiefs. In every part of the Scripture where this rebellion is referred to it is attributed to Korah, (see chap. xxvi. 3, and Jude, ver. 11,) therefore the verb here belongs to him, and the whole verse should Verse 3. Ye take too much upon you] The oribe translated thus:-Now Korah, son of Yitsar, son ginal is simply Drab lachem, too much for you. of Kohath, son of Levi, HE TOOK even Dathan and The spirit of this saying appears to me to be the folAbiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, son of Peleth,lowing:-"Holy offices are not equally distributed: 4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, exhis face : cept thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to-morrow the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to k come near unto him. i 1. 6 This do Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to-morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: m 9 Seemeth it but 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 LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee and seek ye the priesthood also? 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? you arrogate to yourselves the most important ones, as if your superior holiness entitled you alone to them; whereas all the congregation are holy, and have an equal right with you to be employed in the most holy services." Moses retorts this saying ver 7: Ye take too much upon you, rab lachem; Ye have too múch already, ye sons of Levi; i. e., by your present spirit and disposition you prove yourselves to be wholly unworthy of any spiritual employment. Verse 5. The Lord will show who are his] It is supposed that St. Paul refers to this place, 2 Tim. ii. 19: The foundation of God—the whole sacrificial system, referring to Christ Jesus, the foundation of the salvation of men; standeth sure, notwithstanding the 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. 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Chap. iii. 41, 45; viii. 14; Deut. x. 8. D Exod. xvi. 8; 1 Cor. ii. 5.- Ver, 9.- -P Exod. ii. 14; Acts vii. 27, 35. 4 Exod. iii. 8; Lev. xx. 24. r Heb. bore out. Gen. iv. 4, 5.- 1 Sam. xiii. 3; Acts xx. 33; 2 Cor. vii. 2." Ver. 6, 7. 1 Sam. xii. 3, 7.- Ver. 42; Exod. xvi. 7, 10; Ley. ix. 6, 23; chap. xiv. 10, rebellions, intrusions, and false doctrines of men; having this seal-this stamp of its Divine authenticity, The Lord knoweth them that are his; eyvw Kupios tovę ovras avrov, a literal translation of in we ne na yu veyoda Yehovah eth asher lo; and both signifying, The Lord approveth of his own; or, will own that which is of his own appointment. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity, alluding to the exhortation of Moses, ver. 26: Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, Verse 15. Respect not thou their offering] There was no danger of this: they wished to set up a priesthood and a sacrificial system of their own; and God never has blessed, and never can bless, any scheme |